Everything stops. Or slows down. Or just gets really quiet. Something like that. She can't be sure. All she knows is that the entire world falls away and all that is left is this moment. She holds her breath as she presses her lips a little harder against Brittany's. The blonde lets out a soft moan, wrapping her arms completely around Santana's neck. It surprises Santana, how familiar the feeling of Brittany is. Her taste, her warmth, the way she smiles against her lips. The sensation causes a warm shiver to run through her entire body as she takes a deep breath in, pulling Brittany closer. Their hearts seems to be racing each other, their hands mimicking the subtle urgency. Santana releases the pressure slightly, taking Brittany's top lip between her own. She digs her fingers into Brittany's back and hums into her mouth. Brittany's fingers tense in her hair, pulling her head back slightly.

"Santana…" Brittany breathes.

"Mmmm?" Santana responds with a smile.

Brittany pulls away even further, making Santana open her eyes. She is met with the sky blue of Brittany's, full of warmth and desire. They stand like that for a moment, wrapped in each other, their faces only inches apart.

"I…" Brittany starts, but doesn't have the chance to finish.

"Wow… that's kinda hot."

Both girls' heads snap up, Brittany letting go of Santana instantly.

"Jason…"

Santana feels the abrupt loss of Brittany's closeness as though one of her limbs has been cut off. She is suddenly off balance. And cold.

The man who the voice belongs to saunters over to them with a small but slightly unsettling smile on his face. Santana dislikes him already.

"Hey, Britt. Am I interrupting something…?" he asks, obviously well aware that he is.

Britt…? Santana isn't sure why it rubs her the wrong way, but it does. The familiarity of it makes her squirm uncomfortably.

"Jason, this is Santana," Brittany says, an uncharacteristic solemnity in her voice, "… um… from upstairs. Santana, this is Jason… the groom's brother."

"Among many other things," Jason says, offering his hand to Santana with a smirk. She doesn't take it. He is standing very close to Brittany. Too close. She feels her heart clench and the shiver that runs through her body now is anything but warm.

"So, you know each other well?" Jason asks Brittany, after an uncomfortable few moments of silence.

"Um…" Brittany mumbles, not even a hint of a smile on her face. It's disconcerting for Santana. The truth is, she doesn't know Brittany well. At least, not in the conventional sense. But, she has spent enough time looking at the almost constant smile on Brittany's face to at least know what it means when there isn't one. Brittany is not happy. And that does not play well with Santana.

"We've known each other since high school," she offers without looking at Jason, her eyes remaining on the blonde.

"Right," Brittany confirms, snapping out of her speechlessness. "We were both cheerleaders… Santana was just helping me with the wedding dance."

Santana nods and watches Brittany move even further away from her. She feels her heart drop as she steps away herself.

"Well, isn't that lovely," Jason says, his smirk wavering ever-so-slightly. "Why don't you show it to me?"

"Oh, um…" Brittany looks to Santana, who is already half way to the staircase.

"What a shame," Santana says, without glancing back at Brittany, "I can't… gots to go."

"A shame, indeed," Jason says, turning all his attention back to Brittany, who shifts awkwardly on the spot.

"Santana, wait…"

"Nah, it's cool. I really do have to go."

She is up the stairs and through her door in record time, not daring to chance a look back to the studio. Her head is suddenly full of noise, a stark contrast from the peaceful reverie she was feeling only minutes ago in Brittany's arms. She collapses into a heap on her bed, lacking the energy to make sense of anything that happened downstairs. All she can manage is to curl up into a ball and bury her face in a pillow, slowly drifting off to sleep before the tears come.

"Santana?"

She stirs at the sound of her name. Opening her eyes, her brow furrows slightly as she gathers her bearings. Quinn is perched delicately on the side of her bed, a gentle hand resting on her arm.

"Sorry," she says softly, "I didn't know if I should wake you. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, why?" Santana responds, her voice still croaky from sleep. "Do I not look okay?"

Quinn chuckles, "You look fine. You're just not really one to take a nap, unless you're sick."

"Yeah, I guess I was just really tired. Thanks for checking on me," she says, rolling her neck from side to side as she sits up.

"Actually, I didn't even think you were home."

Santana raises an eyebrow.

"You make it a habit of coming into my room when you think I'm not here?" she jokes.

"I tried calling you from the store to see if you were going to be home for dinner and figured you were still with Brittany when I didn't get an answer," she explains. "But then I saw your phone on the kitchen bench when I got back…"

She hands the phone to Santana, the display showing Quinn's missed call… and six from Brittany. Santana's whole body deflates.

"What happened?" Quinn asks gently, being careful not to push. She expects Santana to respond defensively, or at least dismissively, so she almost falls off the bed when the brunette dives into her arms, letting out a deep sob.

She has seen Santana cry a thousand times. Often when she's drunk, occasionally when she's reading or watching a movie. In their first year away from Ohio, both of them cried a lot… mostly for Puck. But, looking back, maybe a little for the loss of something else, too. Their innocence, perhaps? Their childhood. But, the last couple of days have shown Quinn a side of Santana that she's never seen. Knowing her best friend as well as she does, she can only conclude that this vulnerability comes directly from Brittany.

She lets Santana take her time, gently stroking her hair as she cries freely into her shoulder. Eventually, Santana lifts her head and wipes her eyes, giving Quinn a small smile of gratitude. She inhales deeply, allowing the much needed catharsis to spread right through her.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes," Santana says. "With wine."

"Banana, don't touch that."

"But, I'm bored."

"I know, honey, but I can't play with you right now. Why don't you go find Dave?"

"Can I?" Noah sits up, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Yeah, sure. But, your mom will be back soon so don't let him lose you, again."

Noah giggles as she jumps down from Santana's desk.

"He didn't lose me, silly! We were playing Hide 'N Seek!"

"Yes, but you are the best ever at hiding," Santana says affectionately, "So the whole office ended up having to seek."

Noah runs down the hallway towards the control room, calling out for Dave in a happy singsong.

"She's got good tone, we should get her into the studio," says Randy as he approaches Santana's desk.

As far as bosses go, Randy isn't too bad. He can get a little stressed and uptight, but he doesn't grate on Santana as much as most people do so she likes him well enough. Plus, on the odd occasion that Quinn needs Santana to watch Noah during the day, he lets her hang around the office.

"Well, even at 5 years old she could certainly give some of our clients a run for their money," Santana jokes back.

"True," Randy sighs, all too aware that not everyone that comes into his recording studio has the talent to warrant them being there. From the way he fusses over their next client, however, Santana guesses that this is not one of those cases.

"So, as you know, we had our new VIP in for her first session last week and her manager just called to tell me that she's on her way back in right now," Randy explains, "So, I'm leaving you in charge of making sure she has anything and everything she needs."

"Sure," Santana says, somewhat nonchalantly.

"I mean it, Santana. Anything she wants."

Randy is clearly taken with their new client. Santana decides that she must be really hot or really rich. Money and women are Randy's two favorite things. In that order. She chuckles to herself.

"Wow, Randy… do you need a moment?"

Usually at this point Randy would say something crude but he doesn't get a chance, momentary panic setting in as a car pulls up outside.

"Just fix all that, would you?"

He motions to a stack of boxes and magazines behind her desk that Noah has forged into some kind of fort. She turns around to tidy up, hearing the front door open behind her. Randy goes into full on charm mode, Santana rolling her eyes to herself as he greets the client.

"It's so lovely to see you again, Miss Berry."

Santana freezes.

"I told you, please call me…"

"Rachel."

The name is out of Santana's mouth before she can stop herself. She turns slowly to face the woman, who is wearing an expression of shock that she imagines is much like her own.

"Oh my god. Santana?"

They stare at each other in silence for a moment before Randy chimes in, bewildered.

"You two know each other?"

Santana hesitates, only slightly. "We went to high school together."

"Yeah, until you-"

"Wow, Rachel!" Santana cuts her off with a sudden burst of enthusiasm, "I can't believe it's you!"

She comes out from behind her desk and gives Rachel a hug. Unsurprisingly, it's incredibly awkward. But, Rachel understands. She breaks the embrace and turns to Randy.

"Randy, would you be a doll and make sure there is plenty of bottled water in the studio for me?"

Randy obliges, albeit begrudgingly. Usually that would be Santana's job but he doesn't want to risk annoying Rachel Berry. As soon as he is out of earshot, Rachel turns back to Santana.

"Oh my god, Santana!" she exclaims again, slapping Santana firmly on the arm. "Not that it's not amazing to see you but, what the hell are you doing here? What happened to you? It's so surreal running into you like this, after all these years. Have you been in LA this whole time? Do you know how many stories went around Lima about you and Quinn after you disappeared? You two kinda became like a local urban legend."

Santana scrunches her nose as she rubs her arm. It didn't hurt at all but she feels uncomfortable and affronted by Rachel's… Rachelness.

"You know some people actually thought that you had gone psycho and kidnapped Quinn?" she continues. "Then there were all the rumors that she was pregnant. And for a while the story was that you'd been sent to juvie for trying to steal her baby. Which, when you consider the time line, totally doesn't make sense. I mean, I never believed any of it, anyway. Eventually everyone just accepted that you'd run away from home and probably ended up working at a diner somewhere in Middle America."

Quinn and Santana had been on the road for two days before they realized they should probably tell someone that they were okay. Two teenage girls disappearing without a trace would have undoubtedly lead to some kind of investigation, so they decided to make one phone call. Funnily enough, they had stopped at a diner somewhere in Middle America to do it. They had argued over who to call, finally settling on Emma Pilsbury, the McKinley High guidance councilor. They didn't tell her where they were going or why, only that they were okay and that they wouldn't be coming back. She promised she would pass the information on to all the appropriate parties. Apparently being so vague about the whole thing had provided a fun game for the residents of Lima.

"So?" Rachel raises her eyebrows expectantly.

"Oh, um… pretty much the last one. Except obviously we ended up in California."

"Why did you leave in the first place?"

Santana can hear her mother's harsh words somewhere in the back of her mind, but the image that pops into her head is of Quinn, lying in her hospital bed with a broken heart. Her own heart clenches at the memory as she opens her mouth to speak, not sure what to say… how much to say. Suddenly, Noah comes running in and she realizes she doesn't need to say anything at all.

"Tana, hide meeeeee!" the child squeals as she leaps into Santana's arms.

Santana catches her and smiles as she buries her face in Santana's neck with a joyful giggle. Santana looks back to Rachel, whose jaw is practically on the ground, the look of surprise and recognition blatantly plastered on her face. Noah looks so much like her mother, there's no need for words.

"Banana, do you wanna come out from in there for a second and meet Auntie Tana's friend?"

Noah lifts her head up and glances around dramatically. When she's sure that Dave is nowhere near she squirms in Santana's arms until she is facing Rachel, a giant smile on her face. Rachel's eyes widen a little more. That smile.

"This is Rachel," Santana tells her, "She went to school with me and your mom."

Noah sticks out her hand and Rachel composes herself, stepping forward to shake it with a smile.

"Rachel," Santana continues, "this is Noah."

Rachel's smile falters, the lump in her throat forming almost instantly. She looks at Santana, a single tear prefacing the question in her eyes. Santana nods and smiles gently. Rachel wipes the tear away quickly and smiles again at Noah.

"It's nice to meet you," Noah whispers.

Rachel fights with everything she has not to completely fall apart.

"Likewise," she says finally. "Noah… that's a really beautiful name."

"It was my daddy's name," the girl says with a proud smile.

"I know," Rachel says, mostly to herself, her heart struggling to keep going.

Even though there had been rumours that Quinn was pregnant, Rachel realizes she never really thought about the implications. Maybe because she didn't believe it. Maybe because Quinn and Puck had been so on and off during their senior year that she didn't really consider his part in the whole thing. She had grieved for Puck and the tragedy of someone losing their life at such a young age. It had never occurred to her, though, that he left behind a daughter.

"Mommy!"

Santana and Rachel both turn towards the large glass doors at the front of the building as Noah wriggles herself free from Santana's arms and drops to the floor. She runs over and reaches the doors just in time to hold one open for her mom.

"Aw thank you, baby," Quinn says, crouching down to give Noah a cuddle.

"Your friend is here," Noah tells her.

"What friend?"

"Hi, Quinn."

She doesn't need to look up; she knows the voice. And she's not the only one. Rachel Berry's voice is pretty much considered a national treasure these days. She thinks to herself, however, that she's sure she would have recognized it anyway. Five years suddenly feels like 5 days. She stands up, her heart involuntarily skipping a few beats.

"Hi, Rachel."

"Santana, your phone is ringing!" Quinn screams down the hall. "Again!"

"Who is it?"

Quinn glances at the phone and shakes her head, "Who do you think?"

Santana eventually comes into the kitchen, paying no attention to her phone.

"That's the third time she's called since you got home. Maybe you should just talk to her."

"Maybe we should go back to me not taking your advice when it comes to Brittany."

And there is that finality in her voice, again. Conversation over.

"Anyway," she deflects, "I want you to tell me about your date!"

Quinn sighs in resignation.

"It was nice. I'm glad it was just coffee, though… I don't think I'm quite ready for dinner or anything, yet. It's been a long time since I've been out with a guy. But, he's going to call me, so…"

Santana had minded Noah at work today so Quinn could have coffee with a guy she had met the day before. She usually doesn't do that kind of thing but she had decided she was being a bit of a hypocrite, telling Santana to take risks, when she never does it herself.

"I'm not talking about what's-his-face," Santana teases, "I'm talking about Rachel."

Quinn rolls her eyes, "Shut up."

Santana chuckles.

"I mean it, Q. Coffee with some guy seems pretty lame compared to being invited to sit in while Rachel Berry records tracks for her new album. That's much more romantic."

"Yeah, if you're wearing gay goggles," Quinn jokes, poking out her tongue.

"Always," Santana smirks back.

"We were just catching up, Santana. I know you never really got her but Rachel and I were kind of friends once."

"Yes, I know. Friends. I'm still waiting for that story."

Quinn laughs and shakes her head. Santana pouts, leaning over the counter.

"Pleeeeeeeease?" she begs.

"Okay…" Quinn says, her well-practiced mischievous smile not going unnoticed by Santana. The Latina narrows her eyes at Quinn, waiting for the catch. "But, you have to do something for me first," Quinn continues. She picks up Santana's phone and places it in front of her. "Call. Brittany."

Santana groans, "This again? Why are you pushing it, Q?"

"Because I'm sick of listening to your fucking ringtone. And something tells me she's not going to stop calling. All the schools in Ohio, remember?"

"I don't know what to say to her."

"Doesn't matter. She's the one who keeps calling you, obviously she has something to say."

"Yeah... 'sorry my smarmy-ass boyfriend walked in on us like that'…" Santana grumbles.

"That's not what she's going to say, Santana."

"Well, why else would she back off the way she did?"

"I have no idea!" Quinn responds. "And before you say anything else… Neither. Do. You. And you won't until you talk to her. Please."

"Berry story first?" Santana asks hopefully.

"After."

Santana snatches her phone off the counter and shoots Quinn an insolent frown.

"Fine," she huffs as she heads towards her room.

"Santana?"

The phone had barely even rung before she heard Brittany's voice on the other end.

"Hey," she says softly, allowing her to hear Brittany's heavy sigh of relief.

"I was so worried you'd given up on me, again."

"Should I not?"

"What? No, of course not," Brittany says, her voice quivering slightly. "Santana I'm so sorry if I upset you yesterday. I honestly didn't mean to. I was having a really good time until stupid Jason turned up."

"He's… he's not your boyfriend?"

"No, he's just…" she pauses, hearing Santana's breath catch, "... he can be a real pig. I didn't want him to see us together like that, to give him something to be rude to you about. But, I should have just told him to leave. I'm so sorry."

It's Santana's turn to breathe a sigh of relief.

"It's okay, Brittany," she says, reassuringly. "I'm sorry I just walked out the way I did. I was having a good time, too."

"Really?"

Santana melts completely at the sound of Brittany's smile.

"Really," she confirms warmly.

"In that case, what do you say we try it again?"

Santana laughs as her heart starts to quicken in a way that is becoming very familiar.

"Name the time and place," she says, her voice a little husky.

"Um, does here and now work for you?"

There is a tap at her door and Santana looks up to see Brittany standing out on the mezzanine. The sight makes her heart dance. She drops the phone and walks over to the door, sliding it open and offering Brittany her hand. She takes it and steps happily into the room. Barely having the patience to wait for Santana to close the door, she dances excitedly on the spot as she takes in her surroundings. Santana turns around and smiles at her.

They practically fall into each other, Santana's arms wrapping around Brittany in an instant. She closes her eyes and lifts herself up slightly onto her toes, feeling the warmth of Brittany's breath become closer. She pauses there for a moment, waiting for Brittany to close the gap. It's her turn to lead, after all. It only takes a moment, but it's enough to make Santana's head swim. Brittany smiles into the kiss and wraps her arms tightly around Santana's shoulders, sending a rush of excited expectation through both of them. There isn't the same sense of urgency this time; their kisses are calm and assured. Brittany presses firmly into Santana before pulling away slightly.

"Santana?"

"Mmmm?"

"I've missed you, too."