Secret Santa

Brittana Week Day 5: In which Santana takes gift-giving very seriously.

Santana is nine and this is the first time she's played secret Santa. Her other school had an annual raffle with contributions from every kid.

The more she listens to the rules, the more excited she gets. It's not because there will be someone she doesn't know giving gifts to her but, the thing is, she just transferred due to her dad's unexpected promotion – and well, she doesn't know any of the kids in her class very well.

"Now, everybody pick a name from the jar, when you read it don't tell anybody." Ms. Pillsbury says very clearly. "It's not a secret if other people know."

While she waits for the jar to reach her, Santana looks at her peers sitting around in a circle. From what she can tell from the whole seven days she's been here is that the boys are bad and the girls are prissy. She thinks about what she knows about each one so far. Rachel is too demanding, Sugar will want only expensive things, Quinn is unpredictable – she will either hate or love what she's given based on her mood, Mercedes should be easy enough – anything that plays in a CD player will probably be okay, Tina might like cool punk jewelry – but she already has so many, and then Brittany – she likes animals, which could be a problem. Santana decides that if she gets any of the boys, she'll just give them things to eat because her mom told her the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

"Santana, take your pick," the jar is right in her face, there are three names left. She tries to read through the glass and folded papers. Who are left and which would be the least terrible choice? It's impossible so she bites the bullet and draws the first one her fingers graze.

Looking left and right to make sure nobody is peeking, Santana unfolds her paper to the crayon written name, Brittany, in pink, yellow and green. She's not sad or happy that she'll be Brittany's secret Santa – there are easier people to give gifts to but Brittany's not bad – she just likes animals and Santana doesn't.

"Alright, now that everybody has a name, let the game begin!" Ms. Emma Pillsbury claps her hands in delight, "Oh and remember, no trading names!"

Everybody leaves class, some happy, some dragging their feet. Santana takes a good look at her 'person'. Brittany is carefully putting her dolphin printed muffins and hat on while mumbling something about squirrels.

At the dinner table, Santana tells her mom that she's Brittany's secret Santana. "I don't even know her," she complains not because she doesn't like Brittany but because she doesn't have a clue what she's like.

"Oh the Pierce's daughter, she's a nice girl -very bright and bubbly." Maribel offers. Santana knows that is not going to get her anywhere.

"Mami, what's the best way to know what somebody likes without asking them?"

Maribel thinks for a moment and says, "you observe."

"For how long?" Santana asks and as she listens to her mother explain, she knows it could take till next Christmas to finish observing Brittany.

"I think I'll just ask," Santana gets up from the dinner table.

She sits in her room thinking of the best way to go about asking Brittany what she likes. If she's too direct, she'll give away her secret Santa status. She moves the bed and lies down, thinking long and hard. Finally, she has an idea.

"Brittany," she says the next day during break. The girl puts the hamster that she was playing with away and gives Santana her undivided attention. "Hi, you're the new girl." She beams.

"My names Santana, not the new girl," Santana knows that Brittany didn't mean to make her feel bad but nobody wants to be called the new girl.

"I know that, and I was going to tell you I liked your name now that you've finally come to talk to me." Wait, Santana thinks, Brittany has been waiting to get to know her? "But it sounds nicer when you say it then when I say it in my head. I like your accent."

Santana doesn't realize she's blushing. Usually people hear her talk and act differently around her. "Well," she focuses on what she came to Brittany for, "I need you to fill out all these blank spaces." She thrusts a piece of paper at Brittany. The other girl purses her lips kind of confused, "because…that big fake Santa at the mall wants to know what he should get you for Christmas. He's uh, starting early so he can send all the presents in time."

"Sure!" Brittany says and folds the paper carefully so it can fit in her backpack.

"Oh, and I need it …I mean Santa, needs it soon."

"I'll write as fast as I can, I saw a lot of easy questions on there." Pretty soon the bell rings and both girls are off to music class.

It's the next day that Santana gets the paper back from Brittany in mint condition, except there are doodles on it. Like maybe Santana will misinterpret her writing so she added visuals.

Favorite food – anything that leaves stuff on my face so I can lick it off

Favorite activity – dancing and flipping on the trampoleen (trampolein?)

Favorite animal – Lord Tubbs, he's my cat but I love all animals

Favorite body part – tummy because that's where all my food goes and it tingles when I'm tickled

Favorite place to go – The park, even with snow, I really love snow

Favorite movie – Brother Bear, Up, Brave, Bambi…is that too many?

Favorite ice-cream – STRAWBERRY

Favorite color – blue like my eyes

Favorite piece of clothing – ummm…right now I love my ear mufflers. They're so cozy

That was all the questions Santana had given Brittany. She felt that she knew Brittany a little better now.

"Mom," Santana storms into the living room. Maribel puts down her books and removes her glasses. "What is it honey?"

"Can you invite some girls over for a slumber party? You have to do it soon because Friday is in two days."

Maribel laughs at her demanding daughter. "Alright, but why don't you ask them yourself."

"It has to be from you or Brittany might know."

"Oh, I didn't know we were inviting Brittany," Maribel teases. Santana has an ego rivaling the size of a blue whale.

"Of course we are, this is the first part of the plan."

"And we have plans!"

"We don't have plans mom, I have plans. Can you invite them, please?"

"Well now that you've said the magic word I guess I have to."

"Good," Santana smiles a little yet her mother can tell she's hiding a much bigger happiness inside.

It's Friday night and Rachel, Tina, Mercedes and Brittany have arrived. Quinn decided she didn't want to come.

Santana tells everyone where to sit, not because she wants to boss them around but to make sure that she and Brittany get to sit on the long couch. The snacks, which she thoughtfully chose to serve, are laid out on the table.

"Yes, cream-filled doughnuts," Mercedes snatches one and bites into it immediately. Yellow cream splatters on her cheek.

"You look funny," Brittany points out and then stuffs her own face so that she now wears a pink mustache. Rachel Berry looks on in disgust. "Santana, do you have any non-messy food?"

"Popcorn," Brittany suggests.

"It's caramel, it'll stick to my face."

"Awesome!" Brittany squeals and claws a handful. "Santana has the best snacks."

Santana almost dies from the smile Brittany sends her way. "We should start the movie now."

"Oh, I brought a movie that everyone might be interested in. It's the Lion King"

"I love the Lion King!" Brittany says and Santana kind of hates Rachel at the moment because she already planned which movies they should watch.

Rachel returns with a DVD and pops it in. As the opening begins, everyone in the room can see that it is clearly not the Lion King they were expecting.

"Ummm, I thought we were watching the Lion King." Brittany says.

"Exactly, this is a bad pirated version. I'm going to change it." Santana gets up disregarding Rachel's protest that it is the Lion King, the Broadway version.

"We're watching this," Santana smirks and presses play.

"Brother Bear! It's like my most favorite movie ever!" She smiles at Santana again and her benefactor can't help thinking she wouldn't mind making Brittany smile like that forever.

After Brother Bear, they watch Bambi, and UP, and Brave. They also have Strawberry ice-cream and make whipped cream beards.

The next day when all the girls leave, Brittany hangs back so she can give Santana a kiss on the cheek and tell her that it was the best sleepover she's ever had. Santana waves goodbye and once the front door shuts she squeals so loud her mom comes down in her towel to see if anybody died.

"So, Brittany liked your present huh?"

"That just means I have to make the next one better," Santana tries to hide the heat she's feeling from showing on her cheek.

The next Friday Santana feels a bit braver. She asks all on her own for Brittany to go to the park with her. She might have made up that there was a homeless cat living there that needed food but Brittany said yes and that's all that mattered.

On Saturday, Santana meets Brittany's mommy for the first time when she drops Brittany off at the park. It's kind of exciting and terrifying at the same time. But Brittany holds her hand for the whole introduction and by the end Santana feels she made a good impression.

They stay attached like that for the whole walk to where the supposed starving kitty lives. It's now that Santana feels kind of bad for lying to Brittany. She doesn't want to see the look of disappointment on her face when she tells her. But then…

"Santana, look at him the poor guy."

There really is a scrawny, underfed cat right where Santana said there would be one. She's inclined to believe it's a Christmas miracle.

Jumping to action, Santana takes out the fish crackers she'd brought just in case they had to hunt a cat down to feed. She gives the packet to Brittany who opens it and motions for Santana to take some biscuits. Brittany digs her knees into the snow and calls over the hungry cat. Santana does the same, not the calling part of course. She can't make cute kitten sounds like Brittany can.

Brittany assures her she can and that she just needs practice. She tells Santana that one day they can practice with Lord Tubbs.

After they feed the cat, Santana asks Brittany if she wants to have their picnic now. Brittany wants to make a snowman first and so they do. They make one that looks like Dora, backpack and all, because Dora reminds Brittany of Santana.

Santana doesn't get why that's important until Brittany asks her if she will be her best-friend. Santana says that's the best idea ever.

They sit down on the benches just two feet away from the snowman Brittany named 'Doratana', and eat PBandJ sandwiches. They also have crackers with Tuna dipping which Brittany finds funny because it's basically the equivalent of what they fed the starving cat this morning.

The time comes for Brittany to go home. Her mom calls to tell her where to meet up. They get there before Mrs. Pierce whose name is Mandy but Santana's afraid of calling her that and being disrespectful – she's Brittany's mom after all.

"Thanks for today Santana," Brittany says and leans in to kiss her cheek. Santana remembers the last time Brittany had done it and thinks maybe it's something best friends do so she leans in as well. On accident they lean the same way and end up meeting right in the middle – on the lips. Santana's seen movies before and she knows only people who are in love kiss there. She feels embarrassed because it was an accident and also that she felt tingles when it happened. Brittany seems to be unaffected as she laughs it off.

It's Sunday and Brittany has personally invited Santana over for a sleepover. Personally, meaning that Brittany made her mommy drive her two blocks to Santana's house so that she could ask her in person. Of course Santana says yes and says she'll only be five minutes. She gets permission from her mom, saying that it's Christmas Holiday now and that there's no school.

While she throws pajamas in an overnight bag and takes them out again to replace them with cooler, cuter, bluer, nicer pairs, her mother hovers at the door way teasing her that she's never this excited about going anywhere.

Santana ignores her; she doesn't have time for nosey moms when Brittany is waiting for her downstairs.

Brittany's house is very nice. It has a super big lawn – much bigger than Santana's. Brittany's room is very nice too. Everything is blue and there are over twenty plush toys littering her bed.

"Where am I sleeping?" Santana asks. She's not sure how this works once your nine years old and practically a big girl.

"With me in my bed silly," Brittany says like it really is the most ridiculous question in the world. And now Santana thinks it's silly too. She doesn't have time to dwell for long before Brittany is pulling her down to the floor.

"Come meet Lord Tubbs." She says and lifts up the edge of her duvet. It's dark under her bed but Santana can just make out a ball of fur at the far corner. "Try doing this."

Brittany shows Santana how to call Lord Tubbs. Then she looks at Santana expectantly.

"Meeeow, me –ow," Santana tries knowing she's failing miserably. She catches Brittany's eye when she turns to look for help. For the first time she notices the light brown spots sprinkled over Brittany's face – they're cute, like super adorable. Santana blushes, something she realizes she's doing a lot more of these past few weeks.

"That was awesome!" Brittany beams and Santana is about to say that, no, Lord Tubbs is probably permanently scared of her. She might have said something bad to him in cat language. But she's proven wrong. Here is Lord Tubbs waddling towards her, belly dragging on the floor. "See, he likes you."

Mrs. Pierce calls them for dinner and won't give Santana any until she calls her Mandy. Then they play a game of bingo and get ready for a movie. Brittany has a TV in her room which Santana thinks is the most awesome thing ever. Mr. Pierce puts on Madagascar three. Brittany insists they watch it even though she's seen it in the theater because Santana hasn't.

When the movie is done, Brittany pulls the covers on top of them. As they snuggle in, Brittany's hand lands on Santana's arm. She doesn't remove it; she moves her fingers up and down instead. Santana has to admit it's kind of nice and fills her tummy with the best kind of butterflies.

"So, Secret Santa is up on Christmas Day. Who do you think is yours?" Brittany asks. Santana thinks hard because honestly she hasn't cared much for the things she's gotten.

"I don't know," Santana mumbles, feeling tired from all the excitement of being around Brittany and meeting her cat and family.

"Well, what have they given you?"

"Umm," Santana thinks, "a glitter card…"

"That means it's a girl, because none of the boys besides Kurt would make that."

Santana nods. She has a point.

"Then there was another card that sings when it's opened, and a hairband"

"I think I know who it is!" Brittany sits up on the bed making it bounce.

"Tell me. Do I get something special for guessing right?"

Brittany shakes her head. "I can't tell you, it won't be fun." Santana pouts but it does no good.

"I wonder who my secret Santa is," Brittany says and Santana dives under the covers again with the excuse that she really is tired. She wonders if Brittany is sad that she hasn't really given her anything.

It's the next day, after spending all of it in Brittany's room, that Santana knows exactly what to get Brittany. The minute she gets home, she insists her mom take her to the mall because it's important.

"Does it involve Brittany?" Maribel probes and Santana says yes because that's the only way her mother will be persuaded to get up.

On the day of Christmas Eve, Santana is invited to the Pierce house again for some baking fun. Santana doesn't really like to get dirty and messy but Brittany makes it all worth it. They make ginger bread men and put jelly bean buttons for their overcoats. They're almost too cute to eat.

Mrs. Pierce gives Santana a whole container of them when she sees her out. Santana forgets them in the kitchen on purpose so Brittany has to get them for her and she can slip her present under Brittany's tree.

It's too bad she can't have Christmas dinner with Brittany. Mrs. Pierce invited her and her mother said she could go over to Brittany's house only after her abuela, abuelo and all her Aunties, Uncles, and cousins have left.

The splendid dinner pacified her for a while but she couldn't help wishing her relatives would wrap up and leave. They would come the next morning to open presents together anyway.

Santana's wait is cut short when Brittany turns up on her doorstep. Her relatives are surprised to see a bundled up blonde make a beeline to Santana. Maribel had scarcely introduced her when Brittany drags Santana upstairs to her room.

"I got a present from my Secret Santa," Brittany holds up the box still completely wrapped. "Mom said I should wait for tomorrow to open it but I don't think there's a rule about that. I really want to open it, so I came to ask you if I should or if it's cheating."

Santana bites her lip, she decides it's okay for Brittany to open it because Secret Santa already asked Mrs. Pierce to put another present under the tree for Christmas day.

"Are you sure Santana?" Brittany crinkles her eyes.

"I'm sure."

"Okay, then I am opening it." She does and brings her hands over her mouth when she sees it.

"Do you like it?" Santana slips, forgetting that Brittany is not supposed to know it's from her.

"I love it. It's got dolphins and it's so pretty." Brittany holds up the three clear blue glass picture frames attached to one another with clear fishing string. Dolphins made of china are flying off the corners.

All too soon Brittany has to go home but she makes Santana promise to visit her in the morning. Santana has the best sleep of her life that night knowing Brittany absolutely loved the present.

It takes Santana longer than expected to get to Brittany's house. Her relatives are here again and the present opening is epic. Still, she continually jiggles her foot waiting for when she can see Brittany again.

"You're here!" Brittany looks delighted and pulls Santana in to the warmth of the Pierce house. "I decided to keep one last present unopened so I can open it with you." She produces not one but two presents from under the tree. One is clearly from her Secret Santa and the other Brittany hands to her.

"Did you really think I wouldn't get you anything? You're my best friend." Brittany smiles and Santana smiles in return. "Okay, at the same time." The girls peel back the decorative paper to dig their fingers into clasps holding their respective boxes.

Santana pulls hers out first, they are comfy Elmo slippers complete with oggly eyes that move from side to side when she walks.

"Do you like it?" Brittany stops her present opening.

Santana rolls her eyes, "Of course I do they're awesome." Brittany giggles and Santana asks why.

"Because now you and your slippers can roll your eyes together," Santana chuckles at how she is the inspiration for her own present.

"Open yours," Brittany hurries her fingers and finally pulls out a blue and white woven scarf.

"Do you not like it?" Santana asks worriedly.

Brittany shakes her head and Santana thinks maybe she really doesn't like it. "No, I love it. You're very observant."

"What do you mean?" Santana has a little feeling that Brittany has figured out who her secret Santa is.

"You knew I borrowed my mom's scarf every time we went out. So you got me one."

Yep, the secret is totally out.

Santana says, "I hope it's okay," even though it's kind of stupid to say that because why wouldn't it be but Brittany nods her head vigorously. "And I'm sorry I didn't get you very many things, I'm the worst secret Santa ever." She adds now that Brittany knows the truth.

"Don't be silly, I think you're the best secret Santa ever!" Brittany gives her a hug that kind of melts away all her self-depreciating. "You did lots of things for me. We watched all my favorite movies at your sleepover; we had lots of messy snacks and strawberry ice-cream. You took me to my most favorite place and we made Doratana. You were really nice to Lord Tubbs when you stayed over and you gave me the most gorgeous present ever – and you got me a scarf."

"I guess I did lots of things, I just didn't know if you'd notice."

"Santana," Brittany holds her shoulders square, "I kind of knew from the beginning you were my secret Santa."

Santana doesn't know how to feel about Brittany knowing all along, but seeing Brittany so happy she realizes she doesn't care either way.

"Best friend ever." Brittany says and "Best friend ever" Santana repeats because she's going to try her damned hardest to make it Best friends forever.