A/N: Now, ladies and gents, here's the chapter you've been waiting for. Make sure you read the note at the bottom as well. :)
Chapter 5
September (4 years later)
"I'll never get tired of hearing you tell that story." Brittany's leans over and kisses me sweetly before intertwining our fingers and lounging back in her chair.
Mercedes, Sam, and their 2 kids, 5-year-old Stephanie and 2-year-old Marcus (yes- they really did stick with 'M' and 'S' names) are hosting a barbecue for Labor Day weekend. I met Mercedes when I first moved to New York; she is one of the executive producers at Sony, so we work closely together discovering and signing new talent. Mike, Tina, and their 3-year-old daughter Olivia just moved to New York. Brittany and Quinn have known Tina since childhood, they all went to school together, but didn't meet Mike until they had their five year high school class reunion. They just recently moved to New York since Mike got a job working at some technical, computer geeky, sounding job. I know he works closely with the police department, including Sam, but I wasn't really paying attention when he was talking.
"Wait, so that's how you two met?" I look at Blaine over the rim of my glass of iced tea and nod my head. "Wow, I guess I just thought you guys knew each other longer."
"Yeah, you missed a lot when you were out 'finding yourself'."
Brittany squeezes my hand and gives me a stern look silently telling me to 'calm down'. Calm is the last thing I want to be with him. He seriously pissed me off with the breakup, but I'm trying to let it go since Kurt has forgiven him and they're 'living their happily-ever-after'. I'm still tempted to replace his hair gel with rubber cement.
"Stella! Play nicely. We do not pull our friends' hair!" Quinn, rejoining us with a sulking 2-year-old brunette on her hip, who from the looks of it wasn't playing nicely with Olivia, sits down and lets out a deep breath. The little girl is a spitting image of Rachel, but has the death-glare of Quinn. I wink at my goddaughter as she leans her head against Quinn's chest: it's going to be a blast teaching her all of my wicked ways.
"Yeah, only your mommies are allowed to pull each others hair." I whisper to the table and chuckle lightly at Rachel's reddened cheeks and Quinn's speechlessness.
"Back to what we were talking about, I've heard this story a couple times but I don't think you've ever told the meaning behind the rose." Mercedes was rocking a tired Marcus in her lap.
"Yeah, and we didn't have lavender roses, we had white roses."
I roll my eyes at Rachel and think back to the moment when Brittany gave me the flower and how amazing I had felt in the situation, only to have that feeling triple when I finally discovered the true meaning behind it. "I don't know how she knew that I would try to shy away from the wedding colors," I give an obviously poignant look to Kurt, "but my Britt is a genius and figured if she gave me something to match her that I would wear it."
"Whipped is the word you're thinking of." Kurt raises his eyebrow in challenge and I just shrug. I know everybody thinks I'm whipped, but it's so much more than that. Knowing Brittany and sharing my life and love with her is the biggest blessing I've ever had in my life: she's the reason I'm surrounded by so much love every day. And before we go to bed each night I'm reminded of why I'm the luckiest girl in the world.
"Call it what you will, I'll do anything to make her happy." After the collective 'awws' ceased I continued, "Anyway, I did exactly what my mom said and looked it up. Apparently the lavender rose is often a sign of enchantment and love at first sight. They also represent wonder and impossibility, with a sense of the magical."
"I might have persuaded one of the delivery boys to give me one out of an arrangement he was delivering to someone else." Brittany shrugged her shoulders and winked. That's my wife. The Charmer.
She's told me the story of her throwing the delivery boy a wink and him being putty in her hands. Sometimes it makes me wonder how many times she's done that to me and I realize it's probably way too many to count. But I don't mind.
"I still don't understand how their kids aren't named after us. We are practically the reason behind them meeting and having their gorgeous little family. RaQuin and Quinchel would be adorable names for the twins."
"Rachel, baby, we're their Godparents. I think that's good enough."
Brittany chuckles beside me because this isn't the first time Rachel has brought it up, but the names get better each time. After I called her 'Faberry' at her wedding she's been obsessed with giving everyone mash-up names. Some are good like 'Samcedes', 'Tike', and 'Brittana', but the ones she started out with weren't so wonderful. Can you imagine 'Mercuel', 'Mina', and "Santititany'?
Haha, tit. Gets me every time.
"You don't hear me asking for them to name their next kid after me, but I knew that they were meant for each other from the beginning."
"First off, no one said anything about another kid. We've only had these two for 5 months. But if you tell me how you knew, oh-wise-one, we'll keep your name in the running for when we get a family dog."
"Or cat, San. I really love pussy… cats."
God, I love this woman. Brittany and I are broken out of our quiet giggles by Kurt clearing his throat.
"Sata-Santana, think about it. If I tried to pry into your personal life you'd cuss me out in Spanish or, if you were in a good mood, you'd tell me to mind my own business in English. But not Brittany. It's like she can get right through that armor of yours."
I nod because, okay, Kurt has a point. But no one can blame me. Britt is the most amazing woman there is. She's kind and gentle and understanding and nurturing and loving. Not to mention she's drop dead fucking gorgeous and the mother of our two beautiful babies. She's the perfect partner for me, always looking out for the best interest of our family, and making sure we have what we need. She keeps Snixx in check when no one and nothing else can.
"I always knew, too." I turn to face Brittany as she continues, "There was just something about you that drew me in. I think subconsciously I knew we'd be here."
"You knew we'd have twins and live in Sunnyside and be surrounded by our crazy group of friends?"
"No, I mean yes, well in a sense. I knew from the moment I met you that I could fall in love with you."
My heart skipped a beat, and suddenly I'm very aware of the increased fluttering buzzing through my body. I bring Brittany's hand to my mouth and kiss each knuckle before leaning over and capturing her lips. "In college I spent so many nights up late thinking about you."
Seeing the confused look on Brittany's face I quickly clarify, "Not you specifically, but the idea of you and our love. I dreamed of this type of love and sharing an unconditional bond with my soul mate. So, no, I didn't see your face. But there's no doubt in my mind that you're the one love I was made for."
"Babe, you're amazing. How did I get so lucky?" Brittany bops me on the nose and I giggle like a little schoolgirl. All the things she does to me…
"I know I'm amazing," I joke, "but not as amazing as you – which technically makes me the lucky one."
"You're both lucky and disgustingly cute." Kurt feigns nausea and I can't help but laugh at his overdramatic flare.
We sit around, eating and chit-chatting before I hear a little giggle coming from the playpen next to me.
"San, will you hand Zoe to me? Zander will be a grump if she wakes him up. He's so much like you."
"I guess it's a good thing he's got your good looks, Mrs. Pierce-Lopez."
When it comes to the twins, Alexander James is definitely the rowdy one. He's got an olive complexion, brown curly hair, and his momma's eyes- though his are hazel. His temper, though, that comes straight from his mami. Zoe Grace is my spitting image, olive complexion, brown curly hair, and mocha brown eyes—but she's as sweet as an angel just like her momma.
While Zoe wakes up all smiles, Zander wakes up wailing. While Zoe likes tummy time, Zander screams til he's in the jumper.
"I'm going to go in and feed her."
"I'll come in with you, keep you company."
"San, it's okay, stay out here with Zander and enjoy everyone's company."
I watch her walk inside with Zoe on her hip. I can't believe how far our life has come, and how just over 5 months ago, we welcomed to big bundles of joy into the world.
"San, go inside with your wife. Rach and I will watch our godson."
Quinn doesn't have to tell me twice and as I get up I hear the table whispering things like, 'Are they always like this?' And 'That's what true love looks like.' And 'I never in my life thought I'd see that girl tame like that.' And 'It's all Brittany. She's some kind of magic when it comes to San.' It's all true, of course.
I run inside the house (yes, run) to find where my wife went and I find her sitting in Mercedes' study humming while Zoe stares up at her with wide brown eyes. "I'll never get tired of seeing you like this."
"What, with my breasts out on display?" Brittany chuckles and readjusts Zoe so she can continue feeding comfortably.
"Babe, you know what I mean. I love seeing how you are with the babies…" I walk over and stand by her chair. "And yeah, I love seeing your breasts on display as well." Her boobs really do look phenomenal.
"Let's pack up and go home, I want some alone time with my family."
Duérmete mi hija (Go to sleep my daughter)
duérmete mi amor (Go to sleep my love)
duérmete pedazo (Go to sleep)
de mi corazón (Little piece of my heart)
I kiss Zoe on the head, a gentle smile lighting up her face as she dreams.
Duérmete mi hijo (Go to sleep my son)
duérmete mi amor (Go to sleep my love)
duérmete pedazo (Go to sleep)
de mi corazón (Little piece of my heart)
I kiss Alexander and give him his binky. Grey sleeved arms slip around my waist and Brittany rests her head on my shoulder, "Our little night owl is back I see."
"Yeah, but he's got his sleepy eyes, so I think he'll fall asleep quickly."
She kisses each of the kids before leading me to our bedroom. I'm exhausted; I love hanging out with everyone, but 5-month old twins can be a handful. I strip down to my underwear and oversized t-shirts. "Still wearing that old thing?"
"Duh, it's my most favorite thing!" She says as she takes off my Cheerios hoodie and tosses it on the chair in the corner.
She snuggles under the covers so that we're facing each other and drapes her arm over my waist, "I thought I was your favorite?" My brows furrow and my bottom lip juts out into a pout. Even if I can't see it, I can literally hear her eye roll.
"I dunno, my sweatshirt is super comfy."
I would correct her: tell her it's MY sweatshirt, but that hasn't worked in the last 4 years and I don't think it'll work now. Besides, it's basically hers. I haven't worn it since I let her borrow it the night we met.
"I wonder what I could do to make you change your mind." I lean forward and kiss her left cheek, then her right, her forehead, her chin, her nose, and once she's barely containing her giggles I kiss her lips.
"This is a step in the right direction…" her hand slips around the back of my neck as she pulls me in to a passionate kiss. Her skin against mine ignites a fire within my soul each and every time we touch. Tingles transform to tremors. And from the top of my head to the tips of my toes I feel like everything in my life that I have ever questioned has finally shifted into focus and the answer has always been her.
I pull back slightly to catch my breath, and lick over my slightly swollen lips. I can still taste the raspberry and sigh at how much I love my home. Not just the house we live in, but the woman and two minis that make my life complete.
Her eyes finally flutter open and I rest my forehead against hers. "I love you."
She reaches up to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, and I can already tell what she's about to say. "Always?"
I smile, thinking back to the first time she asked me that question. It was right after I proposed. I was still down on my knee, holding her hand in mine, and waiting for her to say yes. The question threw me for a loop, so I responded the only way I knew how.
"Yes babe. Always and forever."
A/N: This is the last chapter of this story, but not the last of this universe. I plan to write a few shorties of their life after the Faberry wedding. Some will be fluff and some will be smut. So, if you want to stay up-to-date follow me so you know when I post.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited, followed, and PMed me about this story. You're helping me become a better writer with all of your input.
–J