I'm back! First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR! I know I took ages to update, but I only arrived from vacation on the 31st and barely been home since. Also, school is back in session, so...

About this chapter, I'd like you to know it's not one of my favorites, but I had (still suffering) massive writer's block and I'm a little lost.

Also, I'd just like to say how Arianna's name is pronounced. (Random, I know.) We have Arianna (Ah-ree-ahna) and Aree is just that (Ah-ree). All vowels are open. Anyway, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do NOT own anything!

CHAPTER 8:

December 18th 2030

Alpharetta, GA

7.30am

Rachel was tackled. The first thing she felt that day was a couple of small weights on her body.

Rachel was tackled, and she smiled.

"Happy birthday, Mama!" Her three favorite voices in the whole world screamed.

"Wow!" Rachel opened her eyes and saw three bright grins "You guys nearly gave me a heart attack!" She joked.

"Mama, it's your birthday!" Levi screamed happily.

"It is! Mama's getting old, isn't she?" Rachel laughed kissing her two children and wife and holding the kids tight against her.

"Now, guys" Quinn started "Why don't you two go downstairs and see if Grandpa and Pappy have already set the table for Mama's amazing birthday breakfast?"

"Ok, but don't be too long, Mama! Or else the milk will get cold." Arianna said holding her little brother's hand and leaving the room.

Quinn and Rachel smiled at the retrieving forms of their kids.

"Thank you for pretending so well." Quinn smiled, bending to kiss her wife's lips.

"You really think I would spoil my kids wake up surprise to me? Never!" Rachel grinned, snuggling closer to her wife.

"You're an amazing mom, Rae." Quinn whispered.

Just when Rachel was going to answer, she was interrupted.

"Mama, Mommy, the milk is weird!" Arianna screamed. The two women quirked an eyebrow. Their bedroom door opened.

"Hmm, happy birthday, Rae-Rae." Hiram smiled entering his daughter and wife's bedroom in his house. "Not wanting to spoil the romantic mood, the milk is sour. We're incapable to have breakfast in this house, today." Quinn scoffed.

"Well, let's go out then." The blonde woman stated.

(Present time)

December 18th 2031

Rachel sat on her bed, leaning against the headboard, just reminiscing. Last year, had been one of her favorite birthdays ever; so full of laughter and joy.

Today, she turned 37 and she had never been so sad. Not because of becoming a year older; that was just the circle of life. She was heartbroken. Arianna was one of the most excited people in the house when it came to birthdays and celebrations. She really knew how to appreciate life. But this year, Arianna wasn't here, and Rachel wasn't as well. Rachel was lost, and although she had her wife, her son, her fathers and friends, she didn't have her daughter.

Rachel sighed. How impressive was it that it only took one single person to give meaning to something? Arianna cared about birthdays and parties, Levi preferred outings with the people they love the most. Quinn just liked to be present. Rachel liked when they were all together. And this year, they weren't.

The brunette felt her wife stir next to her.

"Good morning, Rae." Quinn whispered quietly "Happy birt-"

"Don't." Rachel asked, turning her head towards the blonde "Please. Don't say those words today; not today."

Quinn sighed and closed her eyes. Rachel knew she was tired. As of lately, Quinn was always the last person to leave the main floor and come up to the bedrooms. Rachel also knew her wife would spend hours in Arianna's room before joining her in bed.

"Sleep for a little while longer, baby." Rachel whispered while running her fingers through fair hair.

"I think I just might do that…" Quinn had been longing to hear the words of endearment her wife had just said for quite some time now "Call me if you need anything?"

"I always do." Rachel nodded, getting up from their massive bed.

She went into the adjoined bathroom and did her usual morning routine: bathe, brush her teeth, dry her hair. She felt ready for yet another miserable day.

The house was still quiet and Rachel was rather thankful for that. It would not be a good thing to have the little kids running around, wishing and singing her "happy birthday", mainly Hazel who was still innocent enough to life and their current situation.

Absently, she went through the kitchen's back door and into their backyard, where she sat in Arianna's favorite thing in the whole house: their trampoline. Arianna was an amazing gymnast; she'd always been, despite only starting actual lessons almost 5 years ago. When Quinn was pregnant with Arianna, she just wasn't offered a calm moment. Their baby was a little ball of energy and they even were rewarded in many sonograms to actually catch the baby doing some "fierce somersaults", has Santana had said when they showed her the tape. Then, when Monkey, as Rachel had dubbed her, graced them with their presence, the party only continued, with them having to run after a crawling 6-months-old, not knowing of the baby's whereabouts more often that wanted. Levi or Bug, on the other hand, was the calm and serene one; always sleeping and never fussing. He obviously, though, through the years, became much more energetic as well.

"Where are you?" Rachel whispered "Come back to us…"

"Mama?" Rachel got up from the trampoline and spun around, scared at the soft voice.

"Levi, sweetie, it's still early. Why aren't you in bed?" Rachel tried to smile as she sat back and patted next to her.

She helped her little son up and gave him a kiss on his forehead.

"How did you sleep?" Rachel questioned.

"I dreamt of Aree." The little boy said.

"Yeah? About what?"

"She was sad, Mama." Rachel felt her heart clench at her son's quiet voice "She said she wouldn't come back and that she would miss us, and then she asked me if would miss her."

"And what did you say, sweetie?"

"I said we wouldn't." The little boy started sniffing "I said we wouldn't miss her because she hadn't been around that long. I tried to hurt her feelings so she would come back."

Rachel nodded.

"And what did Aree say?"

"She started laughing and called me silly. I laughed too and said it was true. Then she came here and started doing back flips and she finally taught how to do a mortal, and I was great at it!"

The brunette woman felt her face splitting into a small smile at her son's dream. That really did sound like something Arianna would do. You could try and hurt her feelings, upset her, she would always be stronger than you think. Just like Quinn.

"Is that why you came here? To the trampoline?"

"I wasn't sure it had really been a dream. It felt so real, Mama."

"I know what you mean, sweetheart, I know."

"Mama?"

"Yeah?"

"Happy birthday."

Rachel didn't have the guts to tell her son not to tell her that. He was just a small boy and didn't understand that much that there wouldn't be any celebration so soon in the household.

"Thank you, baby. Now, come on, let's make breakfast." Rachel tried to get up and pull her son to her lap, when she met some resistance.

"Can we just stay here, in the quiet, just a little bit longer?"

The brunette saw how her 4-years-old son's eyes were shining with unshed tears and his lips quivering slightly from the cold.

"Only if you let Mama go grab you a warm jacket." Rachel bargained.

"Deal." The young child smiled an almost forced smile.

Rachel gave Levi another kiss and went inside quickly. Sighing she grabbed her son a jacket and when she went outside, she saw how he was crying quietly.

"God…" She whispered "this is going to end us all…"

R&R

Xx,

MissAMSousa