A/N: Oh god, sorry guys! I have been so busy with life. I got a job and I'm getting about 30+ hours a week, so when I get home I just wanna eat, shower, and sleep.

I work in a Bakery, and I'm going to start Fire Fighting School. (FUNNY RIGHT?)

Enjoy this chapter guys, because it is SHOCKING.

You'll see when you get to the part.

All are errors are mine.

Thanks to all those who favorite/follow/review!

Chapter: Nine.

Brittany and Santana's third Friday together began differently than their first.

Santana woke up that morning with Brittany curled beside her in bed, ate breakfast with her in a patch of sunshine on Santana's back porch-Making the most of the unusually warm weather before the winter storm predicted to sweep in the next day-And shared a ride with her to work. They kissed goodbye in the parking lot behind Pastry For Two, and parted with smiles and promises to meet up for lunch.

Santana walked across the street to the firehouse with a spring in her step and an upbeat attitude not even a clogged toilet in the last stall or her co-worker, David Karofsky's scowling face could dampen.

"Smile, David" Santana said as she fished her phone from her pocket and started scrolling, searching for the number if the plumber who didn't charge a gazillion dollars. "It's Friday, and tonight you have a date with a beautiful woman."

Karofsky grunted, his scowl deepening as he emptied three packets of sugar into his coffee and slumped lower in the booth by the coffee stastion. "There's nothing going on with me and Tina. Chinese ain't my type."

"You mean Asian, she's Asian David!" Santana laughed out loud. "Plus what else about her isn't your type?" She asked lowly.

"She's using me to make her ex-boyfriend jealous, I'm not a fan of being used." Karofsky said.

Santana glanced up. her thumb hovering over the plumber's number. "You okay?" She asked lowly.

"Mhm, Fine." He murmured.

"You don't sound fine." Santana replied quickly.

Karofsky let out a long, suffering sigh. "I.. I'm just.." He bit his lip before he continued "I'm fine." He grabbed his coffee and quickly walked out of the coffee station. Santana frowned and walked out of the firehouse.

She emerged from the front door and walked to a picnic table, placing the call to the plumber.

Santana opened the door for Brittany and Rachel, letting them pass into the gaily decorated ballroom of the historic home playing host to the Fireman's and Fire woman's Ball.

Emma, William Shuester's wife, and her decorating committee had really outdone themselves. Boughs of holly draped the walls, gas lanterns flickered on the tables at the edges of the room, and bundles of mistletoe tied with red and gold bows hung from the ceiling, ready to catch couples unaware and give them an excuse to kiss in public.

Not that Santana needed one..

As she helped Brittany out of her coat, Santana pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder , secure in the knowledge she had the most beautiful date at the dance. In her floor-length, blue sleeveless gown, Brittany looked like she should be at an opera premiere in New York City, not a Fireman and woman's ball. At least not in Lima, Ohio, But Santana was glad Brittany was on her arm. Very glad, indeed.

Brittany turned to Santana and smiled her warmest smile, the one that left no doubt in Santana's mind that she was loved, treasured by a woman who adored her for exactly who she was-nothing more, nothing less. The smile sent a fresh wave of gratitude rushing through her. Santana was so grateful for Brittanym for the love they've rediscovered, and for the gift of the next six days.

Santana had taken Vacation for the first time in two years. Starting tomorrow, Santana and Brittany had plans to do nothing but cook, eat, watch old movies play chess on the set Santana had made, and make love, breaking only to have Christmas dinner with her family before returning to Santana's place for more of the same. It sounded like the best holiday ever, and Santana couldn't remember the last time she'd been so content, so filled with anticipation or so ver aware of her many blessings.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay with us?" Brittany asked Rachel, squeezing the smaller girls hand with an affection that made Santana love her a little more. "We don't mind." She said.

Rachel was Santana's people and so she had immediately become Brittany's people, too. Brittany had embraced Rachel with warmth and generosity that left no doubt in Santana's mind that Brittany was going to be an amazing mother. She couldn't wait to see her hold their son or daughter. Se couldn't wait to sign her name on the dotted line besides Brittany, committing herself to being the second mother to their first child. Her and Brittany hadn't talked about adopting or having one of their own together yet, but hopefully, after tonight, it would be a no-brainer.

The ring Santana had picked up from the jewelry store on Main Street this afternoon was burning a hole in her pocket, But she wanted to wait for the perfect moment. She wanted this proposal to be something neither she, nor Brittany, would ever forget.

"Santana can take turns dancing with both of us," Brittany continued, as Rachel cast an anxious look around the ballroom. "I don't mind standing on the sidelines because that's where the cookies are, and I am all about cookies until January first when may or not think about considering dieting in a low-key, half-assed sort of way."

Rachel laughed and tugged nervously at her skirt. In a floor-length, cream-colored dress with a gold belt, Rachel looked stunning, but Santana could tell she didn't feel it. The fact her date was a Neanderthal who had done his best to make Rachel feel like an ugly duckling probably didn't help any. Santana doubted Finn had intentionally meant to shake Rachel's confidence, but Santana still wanted to pound the giant man. And although Santana wanted to respect Rachel for sticking it out and showing up for her last two dates, part of her wished to take Brittany's advice and told Finn to go to hell and rot there.

"No, I'm good." Rachel said. "I'm going to find my loser, eat some cookies, dance three daces, and get the hell out of here as soon as they announce how much money we've made."

"Is Quinn still going to give you a ride home?" Santana asked.

"Yeah, she wants to cut out early, too." Rachel nodded. "She said she figures his date and her soon-to-be-husband will be making out under the mistletoe by eight o'clock anyway. Poor Quinn isn't going to get any action, and she's pretty cranky about it."

Santana chuckled lowly and began to think about how tonight was for good things, wonderful things. Santana couldn't imagine anything better than hearing Brittany say she would be her wife and had her fingers crossed that by the end of the evening the ring in her pocket would be sitting pretty on her left hand.

Being pulled out of her thoughts, Rachel continued, "I'm not cranky as she is, but I may have to break my punch glass over Finn's head if we haven't raise enough money for a new firehouse."

You've raised enough!" Brittany said, waving a dismissive hand in the air.

The dancing hadn't started yet, but the room already felt packed. Santana certainly wouldn't have any trouble finding an excuse to whisk Brittany outside for a breather-and an opportunity for her to bend down on one knee.

"I don't think you should go on a diet. You look perfect the way you are." Santana spoke up, taking a glance at Brittany once Rachel left with Finn.

Brittany shot Santana a glare "Is dating you going to be bad for my waistline?"

"No way. Because we'll be working off those calories in the bedroom every chance we get." Santana said leaning over to her to place a kiss on Brittany's lip.

"Go get cookies, before I drag you out to the truck and have my way with you." Brittany muttered.

Santana grinned, "I'm okay with being dragged out to the truck."

"No way, It's freezing out there. Go get cookies. I'll meet you by the fireplace in ten."

Santana winked and turned to go, threading her way through the crowd of people.

A few hours passed and Santana was finally able to get Brittany away from the ball. She leered her into the car, and told her se just wanted to go for a little drive.

Santana drove towards an old place her and Britt used to go to when they were younger. A bridge over a train track. It was empty and she pulled over on the curve. Santana got out and leaned against one of the railings, looking down at the track.

"You still remembered this place?" Brittany asked with a gasp and wrapped her arms around Santana feeling her turn around to face Brittany.

"Mhm, I do." She smiled and reached into her pocket, playing with the box and felt it slip, and fall down on to the train track. Mentally cursing at herself.

"You okay?" Brittany asked looking at Santana, seeing the worry on her girlfriend's face.

"Yeah, fine." She lied.

After a few moments of silence Santana spoke up and turned around to look at the track. "Do you hear that?" She asked.

Before she could think of what to say, Santana cursed under her breath and turned, breaking into a run towards the track.

Brittany started after her, but stopped when Santana circled back around the edge of the bridge slipping in the loose dirt down the steep embankment and onto the tracks.

"What are you doing!? Get out of there Santana!" Brittany's heart leapt into her throat as she spotted the long, dark shadow of the train approaching in the distance.

"Get off the tracks! There's a train coming. I can see it!"

"I will, But I have to find something first!" Santana called back.

"Forget it! Whatever it is, it isn't worth it." Brittany ran off the bridge, skidding in the gravel at the side of the road in her heels, almost falling before she regained her balance.

"Stay there, Brittany." Santana said, pointing a stern finger in her direction before turning back t scan the ground. "I just need a few minutes, I'll be fine."

"You don't have a few minutes, Santana!" Brittany said, pulse racing as she watch her girlfriend walking maddeningly slow circles, her attention on the ground instead of the train approaching at full speed, now no more than a mile away.

Maybe less.

Brittany remembered how fast the trains came through here. Back when she and San were kids, that had been part of the fun-kicking your legs off the side of the bridge as the train approached, feeling the rush as it went rapidly approaching to charging-past-beneath-your-feet in an instant.

Santana might not even realize how fast the thing was moving, but Brittany did.

She could see it closing in, less than two minutes away from cutting down the woman she loved. She saw it, and it set off an earthquake inside of her.

Adrenaline dumped into her bloodstream, banishing her awareness of the cold or the rocks digging into her bare feet as she kicked off her heels and went after Santana, determined to pick her up and carry her off the tracks if she had to. She felt strong enough to do it. Terror had lent her power and determination, and there was no way in hell she was going to stand by and watch Santana make a deadly mistake. There was no way she was going to lose her.

Not now.

Not like this.

As Brittany stumbled onto the tracks, Santana turned to scowl in her direction. "What are you doing? I told you to stay ove-"

"I'm getting you off the tracks. Now!" Brittany cut her off, grabbing Santana's arm and tugging her back toward the embankment.

"Damn it, Britt." Santana huffed, resisting her efforts.

"I thought I saw it, and now you made me los-"

"Come off the tracks!" She screamed, panic making her voice shrill. "Now, Santana, please." She said, hauling frantically on Santana's arm, terror making her palms sweat and her fingers slip off the fabric of her girlfriends coat.

"Okay, Okay." Santana said gently, but loud enough to be heard over the approaching train, vibrating the wood slats beneath their feet.

"Come on, I'll help you up." Santana followed her, off the tracks.

She boosted Brittany up the steep bank and climbed up after her. As soon as she was on solid ground beside the bridge, Brittany flung her arms around Santana's neck with a sob of relief and held tight, burying her face in her coat.

"It's alright, It's okay baby. I'm fine." Santana whispered, running warms hands up and down Brittany's back.

Sobbing harder, relief making the tears come faster, Brittany said "I thought you were going to die."

Santana chuckled lowly, Which made Brittany suddenly livid.

"Don't laugh it's not funny! You were risking your life!"

"I wasn't risking my life." Santana said motioning over to the tracks.

"There's no good reason to go onto a train track when a train is coming. No matter how far away it is." Brittany said refusing to feel stupid.

"I don't know, and engagement ring I spent half my life savings on seems like a pretty good reason to me" Santana shrugged.

Brittany's jaw dropped, "What? What did you just say?"

Santana ducked her head, "I was planning to propose tonight.. It slipped out of my pocket, I didn't mean for it to let it slip."

Brittany sat in silence. Santana brushed away the dampness on her cheeks, before cupping her face. "I believe you love me, and I love you like you're a part of me."

"Me too, I don't know what I'd do without you, and I don't ever want to find out." She sniffled. "I'm sorry I screamed at you, I was scared. Let me make it up to you?"

"You can make it up to me right now." Santana said, raising her voice to be heard over the train, which was now so close that Brittany could smell diesel in the air. "All you have to do is say yes."

Santana paused, waiting for the train to pass by.

"Will you marry me, Brittany S. Pierce" Santana asked, taking both of Brittany's hands in her own. "You drive me crazy sometimes, but I'd rather be crazy with you for the rest of my life, than spend another day without you."

Brittany nodded, fresh tears filling her eyes as she leaned down to hug Santana and pressed a giddy kiss to her cheek. "Yes!" She shouted in excitement before kissing her again. "Yes, yes, yes!" Brittany clung to Santana as she stood, drawing Brittany up her body until her feet dangled, wrapping her so tightly n her arms that she knew this time Santana would never let her go. Santana held her so close, "Think there's any chance in hell I'll be able to find that ring box now?" She asked, making Brittany laugh.

She pulled back to look into Santana's face, relieved to see her eyes shining with love.

"I seriously doubt it, but we could spend a few hours looking. Or...we could head home, and be naked in your bed in twenty minutes. I certainly know which I'd prefer."

Santana made a low, rumbling sound that send tingles shivering up Brittany's spine. "Tempting, but I wasn't kidding about that ring costing half my life savings."

"Good thing I have more money than God himself, and what good is that money if we don't use it? Not to mention that I'm freezing to death out here, with no coat on and will probably catch pneumonia and die if you don't take me home and make love to me right now."

Santana smiled as she set Brittany down to her feet. "Pneumonia is pretty serious.." She said, kissing her neck as her hands slid lower, cupping her ass in her hands. Santana Lopez kissed Brittany like a woman who knew who she was and where she was going, like a woman who worked harder and loved harder, who believed in second chances and forever, and who would never let the woman she held in her arms slip away.

Brittany kissed her right back, every doubt melting in the warmth of Santana's love, her homecoming now feeling absolutely complete.

As long as she was with Santana, she would be home, for now and always.

THE END.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this story. I'm thinking about a sequel, if you want it all you have to do is tell me in the review if I should or should not make one. ;-) Until then peeps. Also, if you'd like to PM me, you can. I don't bite. Sorry for the late update and shocking chapter. Again all errors are mine and thank you to everyone who's reviewed/followed/favorite! Byeeeeeeeeeeeee. :-)