Chapter 12

Santana walked into the bathroom and opened up the shower curtain. The cork which had been in the hole was now lying in her bathtub and there was no more hole in the wall. The hole had been covered up from Brittany's bathroom with some drywall patching. Santana picked up the cork threw it in the trash can and then ran herself a hot bubble bath so she could relax and try to put it out of her mind that the hole was gone. She still was puzzled as to why Brittany would have it repaired when she seemed to enjoy Santana peeping at her through the hole. Maybe this was Brittany's way of saying to Santana that it was ok in the beginning but now it was getting creepy.

Santana's cold was still making her feel sick so she decided to heat up some soup and go to bed early. After taking cold medication she found herself drifting off to sleep when she heard a knock on her apartment door. She could tell by the soft knock that it was Brittany. Santana really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone right now especially Brittany so she didn't get out of bed to answer the door.

A minute later Santana got a text message.

I'm at your door. If you are there please answer it. I need to talk to you about something. Plus I want to know how your first day at your new job went.

Santana's first thought was to not answer the text but she knew Brittany probably wouldn't give up.

Went to bed early really tired and still feeling sick. Talk some other time.

Brittany read Santana's text message and hesitated before walking back to her apartment. She really wanted to see Santana not only because she wanted to explain about the hole but because she really wanted to know how her first day of work went and she was also concerned because Santana still wasn't feeling well.

When Brittany got back to her apartment she decided there really wasn't anything she could do tonight so she decided to take a shower and get ready for bed herself. She would get up early the next morning and take Santana some muffins and hot tea for breakfast.

Santana laid in bed thinking maybe she should just move but there was a huge penalty she would have to pay if she moved out before the end of her 12 month lease. She couldn't afford that right now and she couldn't ask her parents for the money. She would just have to stay and do her best to avoid Brittany which she knew would be virtually impossible. Eventually she would have to talk to Brittany. There was one bright spot, the day after tomorrow Quinn was coming to visit for a few days so she would only have to avoid Brittany tomorrow. After that she could tell Brittany that Quinn was visiting and she didn't have time to see her. It was only a temporary solution but at least she could put off having to talk to Brittany about the hole for a few more days.

The next morning Brittany was up early to make some fresh lemon muffins for Santana and a pot of her favorite blend of tea. She knocked on Santana's apartment door when she knew Santana had about a half hour before she needed to leave for work. Brittany waited for Santana to answer the door but when she didn't she knocked again only louder. When Santana didn't answer again Brittany put her ear to the door to see if she could hear any movements coming from inside the apartment but she couldn't hear anything. She decided to knock louder but there was still no response from Santana. Maybe she was in the shower or maybe her cold got worse and she wasn't able to go to work.

Brittany took her cell phone from her pants pocket and sent Santana a text. I'm at your door. Are you up? How are you feeling today? I have freshly made lemon muffins and hot tea for your breakfast. Brittany waited for a reply but none came so she took the muffins and tea back to her apartment.

Santana stood on the other side of her door making sure to be quiet. She had looked out the peephole in the door at Brittany and what she saw made her sad. Brittany's eyes weren't sparkling like usual and she had unhappy look on her face. Santana knew her not answering the door was the cause of Brittany being unhappy but she just wasn't ready to face Brittany. Santana was confused. Did Brittany have the hole fixed because she decided it was creepy or not? If she thought it was creepy it was odd that she would be trying so desperately to talk to her and bring her breakfast. Santana needed to talk to Quinn and was glad she would be arriving the next day.

A few minutes later Santana slowly opened her apartment door and looked down the hall to make sure the hallway was clear. She then quickly and quietly walked out of her apartment and down the hallway past Brittany's apartment door. She let out a sigh of relief once she was outside the apartment building. Little did she know that Brittany had been standing at her apartment door looking out the peephole. Brittany had a feeling Santana was home but just wasn't answering her door so she decided to watch out her peephole to see if Santana walked by her door on her way to work. When she saw Santana quickly go by her door with her head down Brittany felt her heart break a little because it confirmed her suspicion that Santana was indeed avoiding her.

After her second day at her new job Santana was exhausted. She loved being a dental hygienist it was just her stupid cold was zapping all of her energy. Then there was the situation with Brittany that was stressing her emotionally. Santana opened the door to the apartment building and looked in the hallway to find it empty so she quickly walked to her apartment.

Once inside she decided to do the same thing she had done the night before. Take a bubble bath, eat some soup, take cold medication, and go to bed. Before going to sleep she checked her phone for any missed text messages and saw she had one from Quinn saying she would be in Columbus around 2 tomorrow afternoon. There were no text messages from Brittany. This made Santana feel sad even though she wasn't ready to talk to Brittany yet. Maybe Brittany knew she was purposely avoiding her. Santana decided to call Quinn rather than reply to her text.

"Hey Santana."

"Hi Quinn. I got your text. I don't get done work until around 5 so you can stop by the dental office and pick up my apartment key if you want to be able to come here when you get into town."

"I'll meet you at your apartment around 5 if that's ok? I need to go to the university campus for a meeting at 3 with the head of the Psychology Department."

"Sounds good to me. I'll text you my address when hang up."

"Are you ok? How's the new job going?" Quinn's voice was full of concern.

"I'm ok. I just came down with a damn cold two days before my job started and it's kind of wearing me down. I'll be ok. My job is going great so far. I'm actually ready to go to sleep now."

"How are things going with the next door neighbor? Have you gotten the hole in the wall repaired yet?" Quinn was teasing. Santana didn't answer which Quinn knew wasn't good. "What's going on Santana?"

"It's a long story but the short version is…we got really close and admitted we are attracted to one another. She knows about the hole and me peeping through it because she would say things to tease me about without coming right out and saying she knew about the hole. I thought things were going great between us and then yesterday I came home from work to find a note from the maintenance guy saying my neighbor had requested for the hole in the wall to be repaired. I haven't spoken to Brittany since even though she tried to talk to me and even brought me breakfast thing morning. I just didn't answer the door or her text. I don't know why she had the hole repaired. The only thing I can think is that she started to get creeped out about my leering at her." Santana's voice trembled with emotion.

"Santana, I'm so sorry. I could tell that you really liked this woman. I don't think you should be avoiding her. You should talk to her. If she was mad or creeped out she wouldn't be bringing you breakfast and reaching out to you."

"Is it ok can we talk about this more when you get here? I took some cold medication and I'm about to fall asleep."

"Sure we'll talk more tomorrow. Sleep well and feel better. Goodnight."

"Goodnight Quinn."

Santana lay down as a few silent tears fell down her face before she fell asleep.

Santana woke up the next morning feeling much better. The first thing she did was check her phone for missed text messages. There were none. For a split second she thought about texting Brittany but she had no idea what she would even say. It was just best if she avoided Brittany at least until Quinn's visit was over. Santana got ready for work and once again quickly walked by Brittany's apartment door.

Santana's work day went quickly and she was excited Quinn would be waiting for her at her apartment building. She had missed her best friend.

"Hey don't know prostitution is illegal?" Santana said teasingly as she spotted Quinn sitting on the front steps of the apartment building.

Quinn smiled and rolled her eyes at her best friend before standing up and pulling her into a big hug. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too Quinn. I hope you weren't sitting her too long waiting for me."

"No about ten minutes but I need to pee badly so can we go inside?" Quinn picked up her luggage and followed Santana into the building. Once inside she put her luggage down on the floor and pulled it along behind her.

"I swear you have the tiniest bladder on the earth. Since the first day we met all I've ever heard is I have to pee now! I don't how many times we were at a bar and I was flirting with some girl and you came up to me whining 'Please go to the bathroom with me I have to pee now!' I never understand why you were afraid to go to the bathroom by yourself."

"Admit it Santana you dragged me to some seedy bars trolling for girls. Those bathrooms weren't safe. I was afraid I'd come out with a hickey and not even know how I got it."

Quinn and Santana started laughing until Quinn got knocked into Santana by someone coming out of an apartment door. Luckily neither one of them fell to the floor but the person who ran into Quinn dropped her laundry basket.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going because Lord Tubbington was trying to sneak out of the apartment. He has been cooped up since he had surgery for eating a red pair of my thongs…" Santana had been laughing with Quinn so much she didn't realize they were walking past Brittany's door already.

Quinn scowled at Brittany because of her rambling on about someone eating a red pair of thongs. She was waiting for Santana to yell at the person for running into them but when she saw how Santana was standing there staring at the floor she knew that wasn't going to happen.

"It's ok no one was hurt. Santana…" Santana looked up when Quinn said her name and saw the pleading look on her face that meant if she didn't get to the bathroom in the next two minutes there was going to hell to pay.

"Oh yeah my apartment is the next one. Come on."

Before Santana and Quinn could walk away Brittany spoke again. "You look like you're feeling a lot better Santana. I'm glad, I was worried about you." Brittany's voice was soft and kind.

"I-I am feeling much better thanks. I hate to run but Quinn needs to use the bathroom."

All of the sudden Quinn was more interested in who this woman was than going to the bathroom. "Santana never did have very good manners. I'm Quinn."

"I'm Brittany."

Now it all made sense to Quinn since she knew this was Brittany the one Santana had been watching through the hole. "It's nice to meet you Brittany. Santana has told me some wonderful things about you. The three of us should have dinner together while I'm here in town."

Santana at the moment wished she had a cork big enough for Quinn's mouth to shut her up. "Quinn, I thought you had to pee."

Hearing the word pee reminded Quinn of how badly she had to go. "Gotta go Brittany. Santana hurry and open the damn door."

Quinn hurried towards Santana's apartment door with Santana right behind her. Santana quickly opened the door and before long they both were inside the apartment with the door closed. Brittany was still standing there in the hallway with her laundry basket on the floor.

"That feels much better. So that was Brittany huh, she's gorgeous Santana." Quinn said as she came out of the bathroom.

Before Santana could respond she got a notice from her cell phone that she had new text message.

Don't worry Santana I know the idea of the three of us going to dinner was Quinn's idea. I saw the look on your face when she mentioned it and that look told me everything. You don't want to be around me anymore. I'll be the invisible neighbor, you won't even know I'm here. Thanks for all of your help with Lord Tubbington and for taking me to see my sister and new nephew. You're a special person Santana.

By the time she finished reading the text Santana eyes were filled with tears. Quinn had been watching Santana read the text and saw how upset she had gotten by the time she finished it. "Who was the text from?" Santana didn't answer Quinn's question she just handed her phone to Quinn so she could read it herself. "I'm so sorry Santana. I think you two need to talk. If Brittany was creeped out because of the hole she wouldn't be sending you a text like this one. She sounds so sad and probably looked like you do right now when she was typing it. You both clearly care for another so you should talk things over so you both know where you stand with one another. Give her a chance to explain why she had the hole covered up. We've been friends for a long time and I've never seen you so excited about another woman before. I could hear it in your voice every time you talked to me on the phone about Brittany."

Santana nodded her head yes as she wiped her tears away. Quinn then pulled her in for hug.

Santana decided she needed to talk to Brittany right now which Quinn more than ok with because she didn't like seeing her friend sad and upset. Santana changed out of her work clothes before she went to talk to Brittany. She decided on a pair of skinny black jeans and red t-shirt along with a pair of black high top leather sneakers.

Santana stood outside Brittany's door for a few moments before getting up the courage to knock. When there was no answer she knocked again. Still no answer so she knocked again. "Brittany, please open the door I want us to talk." Santana pleaded but still there was no response so she dejectedly walked back to her apartment but before going inside she decided to check for Brittany in one more place.

When Santana got to the laundry room she saw Brittany sitting on top of the table that was there for tenants to use when they were sorting or folding their clothes. Brittany was looking down at her legs as she swung them back and forth. Santana couldn't move or speak as she just stood there in the laundry room doorway watching Brittany.

"Excuse me can I get through please." A man's voice was heard behind Santana. When she looked she saw an older man standing there with his laundry basket wanting to walk into the laundry room.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Santana took a couple of steps in the laundry room to let the man pass by her. She could feel Brittany looking at her so she looked at Brittany. The two looked into each other's eyes for a few moments before Santana looked away and walked out of the laundry room. She couldn't talk to Brittany with the man in the laundry room.

"Santana?"

Santana turned around and saw Brittany standing the doorway with a questioning look on her face. She was wondering why Santana was at the laundry room. Santana looked at Brittany and just as she started to talk to her when they heard the man's voice again. "Excuse me please! What is it with people blocking the doorway today?" The man's tone of voice was impatient.

"I'm sorry." Brittany walked out into the hallway to let the man go through the doorway. Santana moved over close to the hallway wall so the man had a clear path to go by her. When he did she noticed he must has just thrown his clothes into his laundry basket after taking them out of the dryer without even folding them. After the man passed by her Santana looked towards the laundry room doorway but Brittany was no longer standing there.

Santana walked back to the laundry room and when she walked in she saw Brittany sitting on the table again. Santana cleared her throat, "Uh…I meant to ask when you literally ran into us in the hallway how Lord Tubbington is doing?" Santana was standing beside the table looking down at her sneakers.

"He's doing better thank you. He hates wearing that neck cone but it will only be for a couple of more days. I think he misses you because he goes to the door and sits like he's either waiting for someone or wants to go visit someone. I think he wants to come visit you."

Both women knew talking about Lord Tubbington was a safe way to start their conversation. "I'm glad he's doing better. I miss him too." Santana decided to make a bold move and hopped up on the table so she was sitting next to Brittany.

The only noises that could be heard were the washer and dryers running for several seconds. "The first time I saw you was here in the laundry room, well that's not exactly true the first time I saw was the day you were moving in, but that doesn't count because it was a just a brief look. Anyway, the day I saw here in the laundry room I remember you were mumbling about the wine stain on your sheets and then when you saw me standing there you suddenly became nervous and barely said three words before leaving quickly." Brittany looked down at her floor as she spoke.

Santana let out a breath before talking, "To be honest I almost passed out when I saw you standing there."

"Why?"

Santana knew it was now or never. "Because the night before I watched you take a bath through the hole in the wall."

The amount of time before Brittany spoke again seemed like an eternity to Santana but it really was only a several seconds. "So you watched me take a bath the first night you stayed in your apartment?"

"Yeah", Santana barely said above a whisper as she held her breath.

"Santana, I need to know something. How did the hole get there?"

Santana answered quickly, "I didn't put it there if that's what you are thinking. It was there when I moved in. I was taking a bath the night I moved in and one of the wall tiles fell in the tub. At first I just thought it fell and I'd get the maintenance person to fix it but then when I looked closer I saw the hole in the wall. I have to ask you, when did realize there was a hole in your bathroom wall?" Santana didn't know whether she should tell Brittany that it looked like the hole had been made on purpose.

Santana looked at Brittany who was deep in thought by the way her forehead was scrunched up and eyes furrowed. "I found out about the hole the night Lord Tubbington growled at it when he must have sensed you were watching me. But I don't get it, why would there be a hole in the wall in the first place? Did it look like someone made it or was it just a crack in the dry wall?"

Santana knew she had to be honest, "To me it looked like someone had drilled it out because it was perfectly round. I'm sorry Brittany I should have gotten the damn hole fixed when I first found it."

Brittany started shaking her head, "No, it really doesn't bother me that you didn't get the hole fixed. What bothers me is wondering how long the hole had been there and who did it? The person who lived in the apartment before you was a middle-aged man kind of nerdy but really nice. We only spoke to say hello in the hallway or here in the laundry room. He only lived there for six months before leaving. I'm not sure why he left since a lease is a year long. Do you think he had been watching me in the bathroom the whole time he lived there? I don't understand if he was why Lord Tubbington didn't sense someone was watching then. It makes feel sick to know he might have gotten off while watching me in the bathroom. That's kind of sick."

Santana's body suddenly went tensed and she moved over a little so she was sitting so close to Brittany on the table. Brittany noticed this and wondered what behind the Santana's behavior but decided to let it go for now.

Santana decided she wanted to finish talking about the hole in the wall and get back to Quinn. "The good thing is you had the maintenance person fix the hole."

Brittany looked at Santana whose jaw a tense and she was staring straight ahead. "I didn't have the hole fixed. It was Sugar." Santana looked at Brittany hearing her words as Brittany continued. "When she stayed with Lord Tubbington after he came home from the hospital she noticed the hole in the wall and called the maintenance supervisor and demanded he fix the hole immediately. I didn't know what she had done until I got home from work and she told me. I didn't tell her that I already knew the hole was there because she would have asked why I didn't request for it to be fixed. I've tried to talk to you to let you know it wasn't me who had the hole fixed but you were avoiding me."

Santana suddenly felt worse than she already did for avoiding Brittany. "When I came home from work and I had a note from the maintenance supervisor saying my neighbor next door had requested a hole in the wall be fixed I just assumed he meant you requested it to be fixed. It was obvious by your teasing comments that you knew about the hole so I was confused when out you had requested for it to be fixed. Now I find out it was Sugar and not you. I'm very confused right now Brittany. Where does all of this leave us? I mean are we still friends or more than friends? You just said it made you feel sick to know your old neighbor may be gotten off while watching you in the bathroom. I have to be honest I pleasured myself while watching you and I had the most awesome intense orgasm so do I make you sick now? Do you want me to move because although I can't really afford the penalty I'll have to pay for breaking my lease I will leave if you want me to. If you want to apologize for watching you I will apologize on my hands and knees. If you…"

Santana's rant was broken off when she suddenly felt Brittany's lips on her hers. The kiss only last for a few seconds but it was quite intense. "Look the only thing I care about right now is us. I'm not going to worry about how the hole got there or if anyone else beside you have watched me through it. You don't need to apologize for anything. I kind of got turned on knowing you were watching me taking a bath or whatever. And it definitely doesn't make me feel sick knowing you pleasured yourself while watching me. You are the only person, male or female, I want getting off while watching me. I actually find it extremely sexy."

Santana and Brittany were both starting to feel turned on by Brittany's comment. There moment was broken when Santana's cell phone went off letting her know she had a text message so she reluctantly checked her phone.

"It's from Quinn she's starving and wants to go out to eat. She says to ask you to come with us."

"I've got to finish my laundry besides you two should spend some time together. The three of us can go out to dinner tomorrow night maybe if you want to?"

"I'd like that and I know Quinn wants to get to know you better. So are we ok?" Santana was feeling better but had to ask.

"We're more than ok. Santana, you and I both know the feelings we have are more than just the sexual thrill we got from the hole in the wall. I realized something the other day when you came to the vets to be there for me and Lord Tubbington even though you were sick. I'm falling in love with you."

Santana felt her face getting hot because she wasn't expecting Brittany to say those words to her. She knew how she felt about Brittany but she never expected Brittany to feel the same way. "I'm falling in love with you too Britt."

The two smiled at each other before sharing an emotionally charged kiss. When they finished they both were breathing heavily. "I don't want to go but Quinn can be a real bitch when she's hungry."

"It's ok I understand. Will I see you later?" Brittany asked shyly.

"I'll stop by to say goodnight when Quinn and get back from dinner." Santana got off the table she and Brittany were sitting on.

"Santana" Brittany wiggled her index finger beckoning Santana to come closer. When Santana was standing by her she leaned in and whispered in Santana's ear, "Just because the hole is gone doesn't mean your peeping days are over. We can play other peeping games." Brittany gently kissed the tip of Santana's ear which was bright red and hot from Santana's reaction to what Brittany had just said.

TBC

A/N – Sorry it took me so long to update. Life has been busy. I will continue with a few more chapters if people are interested. Thanks for reading.