BRITTANY

Brittany absolutely loved it when her wife was super cuddly. She'd gone from having to hold hands under a napkin to practically necking with her in the middle of the most popular brunch spot in Lima. She couldn't really have asked for more.

Santana was telling a story about Finn, and they couldn't really help the somber air that took over the table. Her wife raised her glass, and Brittany and the others followed suit.

"To Finn." She said, swallowing around the lump in her throat.

"To Finn." They echoed.

She placed an arm around Santana, and was happy when she settled into her side. It was almost like they were home, relaxing after a long day. She loved living in New York with Santana. She did choreography full time for a couple of off Broadway production companies, and though she wasn't crazy about the work, the hours weren't too long, and she got to see Santana plenty. She also had time to do some research of her own in the math department of NYU.

She didn't regret leaving MIT, really, but she did miss some of the more complicated high level math that she got the chance to do. So, when one of her former professors at MIT had put her in touch with some of the teachers in New York, she jumped at the opportunity. It was great, because she could do most of her work at home, and only once in a while got roped into coming to campus. It didn't hurt that her hot wife worked there, so she could always play hooky and go hang out with her.

She'd even gotten Santana to find them a place with an office that she could turn into her own little research lab. She had used that chalkboard paint on the walls, and relished the times when she could spend her days doing complex calculations until the early hours. Then, sliding into bed into the waiting arms of Santana, and making love until the sun came up. It was about as close to paradise that she thought she'd ever see.

But, she loved coming back to Lima as well. Unlike Santana, her memories of the place were mostly positive. She was happy to see her family and friends (even the annoying ones that she saw all the time, like Rachel Berry), and especially to see Lord Tubbington, who was getting older, but still lived happily with her parents.

She was lost in thought, rubbing Santana's back, absently, when Mercedes turned to her and asked her a question.

"Huh? Sorry, 'Cedes I was thinking of something else."

Mercedes only laughed. "That's our Britt. She's probably figuring out how to travel faster than light in that brain of hers while we're talking about old high school stories."

"Not yet." Brittany deadpanned. "But I think I'm closer than ever."

The other woman laughed, though Jane wasn't sure if Brittany was joking or not.

"So, you never doubted yourselves? I mean, once I came to McKinley, we hadn't heard of the Troubletones, though I did hear a little bit about you all at Dalton. What happened? Why didn't you make it?" Jane said, taking a bite of waffle.

Mercedes smiled. "The Troubletones aren't really a group like the New Directions. They see members come and go, things change, but the Troubletones, it's just us."

"That's right, Jane." Said Sugar, pouring more syrup onto her waffles. "The group that's at McKinley now are called the Troubletones, but they can never be. We are the Troubletones, forever and ever."

"Amen!" yelled Santana, from a crook in Brittany's arm.

Brittany sighed. "Though there was a time when we weren't sure."

The rest of the table nodded grimly.

\

Ms. Corcoran led the Troubletones back to the dressing room after the competition was over. Brittany and the rest of the girls had watched as the New Directions were crowned as the winners of Sectionals, and hoisted their trophy high, waving and shouting towards the crowd. They hadn't said a word to each other, and had just walked slowly back to the dressing room, to change clothes and pack up their stuff.

Afterwards, as they sat in the girls bathroom, chatting and taking off their makeup, Quinn had come in and invited them back to the New Directions. At first Brittany wasn't sure, they had just been the competition, hadn't they? Sugar came in, and Mercedes filled her in on the details of the deal. Brittany stayed quiet as the three of them argued.

"Maybe she's right, Santana." said Mercedes. "I mean, I love you ladies, you're my Troubletones. But, I miss those guys too. We spent a lot of time in that choir room. I dunno, I think we should consider it."

"Are you kidding, Cedes?" Santana glared at the other woman. "We're seniors, and with the Troubletones, we are front and center. We go back to the New Directions, we get maybe a few more solos, two or three? If we stay with the Troubletones, we get them all."

"But, we're not going to be National champions." mumbled Sugar.

They all agreed quietly.

The overall mood of the room was definitely subdued. But Brittany felt this was a different kind of sadness than what happened with the new Directions when they lost at Nationals the year before.

"It's not like we still won't all be together." Brittany piped up, taking Santana's hand.

"Still, though, it won't be the same." Mercedes looked down at the floor.

Brittany tried once again, patting Mercedes' shoulder, and beaming down at her.

"But it will be! We'll still be the Troubletones. Just the Troubletones in the New Directions. And Quinn will be there, and Mike and Tina and Artie. Sam, too!" She gave Mercedes a pat, raising her eyebrows significantly.

"But this was ours, Britt. It wasn't Rachel's or Mr. Schue's or anybody else's. It was ours." Santana didn't meet her girlfriend's gaze.

Brittany leaned back with a bump against the bathroom sink. She'd just wanted everyone to think positively. They had to go back to the New Directions. If she, Santana and Mercedes wanted another shot at Nationals, they had to go back. She knew how much it meant to them, to all of them, to be a part of a winning team. She knew how important it was to the rest of them to get up on stage and perform.

But she also knew how much they didn't want to go back to playing second fiddle to Rachel Berry. Brittany knew that Mercedes and Santana were both as talented as Rachel, but she knew that they'd never get a fair shot, as long as things stayed the way they were.

She couldn't help the sadness that swept over her. She felt like she'd failed them somehow. She always tried to be their ray of sunshine, but at that moment she wasn't even sure if she could muster a smile to help lighten the mood. Before she knew it the sighs turned into hiccups, and her lip pouted out. She was crying before she knew it.

"I-it's really the end? A-are we really not going to be the Troubletones anymore?"

Santana was first to reach her, wrapping her arms around Brittany's waist, and murmuring into her hair. Mercedes and Sugar soon followed, not knowing what else to do. This is the first time they'd seen Brittany break down. Santana crying was a more than common occurrence, but Mercedes and Sugar didn't think they'd ever seen tears on the blonde's face before.

Mercedes leaned back, keeping one hand on Brittany's arm.

"Hey, hey, it's okay."

"Yeah, Britt, it doesn't matter." seconded Sugar.

"They're right, Britt. It doesn't matter where we go, or what we do, we'll always be the Troubletones."

"Even if we get swallowed up by the New Directions." said Sugar.

"And even if we don't perform another number ever again. We are the Troubletones, and I'd never give up on my girls." Mercedes grabbed Brittany's hand in her own.

Sugar followed suit, and Santana did as well, using her other hand to cup Brittany's face gently.

"No matter what, we're all in this together. We haven't had a lot of time being in this group, but we've learned a lot, and as much as these other two nerds bore me. We're family. We're sisters. We'll always be the Troubletones."

Brittany sniffed and looked around at the three girls surrounding her. She felt enveloped by love and acceptance in a way that only they could make her feel, and she felt the smile returning to her cheeks.

"In that case, we should all get matching tattoos."

"Great idea!" Shouted Sugar.

"Oh hell to the no!" Said Mercedes, almost at the same time.

Santana laughed. "We'll have to consider it, B."

Hand in hand they left the bathroom and wordlessly walked towards the auditorium.