It was the day Santana would have been flying to New York, and she couldn't stop thinking about it. She also couldn't stop thinking about Brittany. She missed her so much, and she was riddled with guilt over everything. She felt bad for ignoring her, she felt bad for naively thinking she could give birth to a child, put her up for adoption and move to New York and never look back, she felt bad for lying to her about her pregnancy, she felt bad for everything.

Mila was two weeks old now, and she hadn't left the house since she had been born, but she knew she needed to get out today and take her mind off what life could have been. She was scared she'd bump into someone she knew, because hardly anyone had known she was pregnant, never mind now had a child. However, she knew most of her school friends had left Lima for college. She didn't regret Mila one bit now she was here, but she wished she was doing the same.

As she pushed the stroller along, she thought about Brittany and how she was going to sort this mess out. She was knee deep in the biggest lie ever. The moment she had decided to keep Mila, was the moment she had started to push Brittany away, because the alternative was telling her everything. The longer you lie to someone, the harder it is to tell the truth, and that's how it felt with Brittany. How could she suddenly turn around now and say, "Sorry I'm not coming to New York in two weeks anymore to live our dream life that we've planned since childhood, because I now actually have a baby that I never told you about".

What made it worse, was that she knew Brittany hated lying. What if she hated her because of it? Santana didn't think she could handle that. She'd had the nerve to fall out with Brittany before over 'keeping secrets from her'. That was nothing compared to this, and Brittany hadn't lied, she just hadn't told her.

Another thing that worried her, was the way the news would disappoint Brittany. It was the reason she hadn't told her from the beginning. She knew New York was a shared dream they had together, and the minute she told Brittany she couldn't be a part of that anymore, was the minute she'd be killing Brittany's dream too. She felt sick at the thought of upsetting and disappointing Brittany, but surely what she was doing now was just as bad.

She didn't really have a plan; she was just making it up as she went along. First she had feigned sickness, but then Brittany had text her saying she was really worried about her. She couldn't have Brittany worrying, so she assured her she wasn't sick anymore. But then Brittany had asked to speak to her, and she couldn't. So since then, she had reluctantly ignored her, and it was killing her. She knew she couldn't go on like this for much longer, for both their sakes. She missed her best friend, and she knew Brittany would be going crazy with worry as well, wondering what she did wrong. She had always promised to protect Brit, but now it felt like she was the one hurting her the most.

It was lie after lie that had got her to this point, and she felt smothered by it all. She couldn't help but wonder how different things might have been, if she'd just told Brittany the truth that day nine months ago, when they sat in the Lima Bean on the day Brittany got her acceptance letter for Juilliard.

Her thoughts were broken by the sight of a face she hadn't seen in months.

It was Sam.

She couldn't have anyone from school knowing about Mila. Not yet. What if he told Brittany? She was sure they didn't speak anymore but…she knew he was hurt by Brittany leaving for New York. She didn't ever think he was her biggest fan either. Maybe he'd tell her out of spite.

She ducked down behind the stroller, but this of course only drew more attention to her. She felt like an idiot.

"Santana?"

Shit, shit, shit!

She pretended to tie her shoelaces, as she felt him edge closer, until suddenly he was there in front of her.

"I thought it was you!" Sam exclaimed.

Santana stood up and brushed herself off

"How are you?" Sam asked smiling at her, before peering into the stroller curiously "And who's this little one?"

Santana gulped. She wanted to tell the truth but, she just couldn't do it. She couldn't risk Brittany finding out from him. So, she did what she did best, and covered it up with another lie.

"Nannying" she smiled, please at her ability to think on her feet "I've been working as a Nanny, just while I save up"

Sam frowned. Brittany had never mentioned her being a Nanny, but then maybe it just wasn't relevant to the story. Then he clocked the date, today was the day she was due to go to New York.

"Ah yes you'll need that! You're heading to NYU to school, soon aren't you?" he probed

Santana looked down, flustered. Mila suddenly started screaming, and for once she was relieved. It was a welcome distraction.

She reached into the stroller scooped Mila out, rocking her gently to calm her. The comfort of her mother's arms caused her to quieten instantly.

"You're great with her" Sam smiled, before peering closer at the baby "You know to say she's not your child she looks a lot like you! I mean like she could be yours" he laughed.

Santana gulped and looked down, unable to meet Sam's eyes.

That's when Sam realised. The look on Santana's face had told him everything. This was going to kill Brittany.

He looked at her knowingly and sympathetically, and Santana hurriedly put Mila back in her stroller.

"Uh we've gotta go, her parents will be expecting her back soon! Bye"

And with that, Santana rushed off down the street.

Damn thought Sam.

Sam Calling

Brittany was on her way to class when her phone lit up. It had been an awful day. It was the day Santana was due to arrive, and of course Brittany had still heard nothing from her. A whole week with zero contact, it was torture.

The more she thought of it, the more she thought Sam was probably right, although she was secretly hoping Santana was going to just show up today and surprise her. She'd finish college to find her sitting there in her dorm.

If she wasn't, she'd just have to hold tight a couple more weeks. As soon as Spring Break arrived, Brittany was going to fly back to Lima and demand answers from Santana once and for all.

"What is it Sam? I'm running late to class" Brittany said into the device

"It's important. It's about Santana."

"Santana? What? Have you spoken to her?" said Brittany in a frenzy.

"I saw her an hour ago"

"Was she getting ready to leave for the airport? Did she have a master plan up her sleeve all along?" Brittany asked hopefully

"Look are you sitting down? What I'm about to tell you, is going to change everything Brittany…"

Brittany's heart stopped at what Sam had just told her. About how he'd seen Santana and she was extremely shifty, how she'd said she worked as a Nanny now, and how the child was the spitting image of Santana, and how she'd ran off when he clocked onto this.

Brittany paused for a moment as she processed everything, before letting out a laugh.

"Santana with a baby? No…there's no way. I mean it's impossible. We only stopped speaking properly two weeks ago. I would have known if she was pregnant."

"Trust me Brittany, I know what I saw. That baby was hers. You should have seen the panic across her face when she saw me"

"That was probably just because she knew you'd been speaking to me"

"How long since she stopped speaking to you properly again?"

"Two weeks" Brittany answered sadly.

"Well it's funny because…I'd say that baby was around two weeks old. I mean, think about it Brittany, it all adds up"

Brittany stopped in silence to think about it, as she cast her mind over the past nine months. She felt a pang of hurt in her chest. She also felt a pang of guilt. If this was true, was she really not the type of friend Santana could trust? After everything they'd been through. It couldn't be true.

"But…she wouldn't not tell me something like that. She tells me everything" Brittany said, more to herself than to Sam, her voice small.

"Maybe she was just scared I don't know? You'd have to speak to her about it. Are you okay? I'm so sorry Brittany it must be a shock. I know she's your best friend…"

Brittany gathered her emotions and was taken over by a sudden determination.

"Actually Sam, I'm fine, and I really appreciate you telling me. You've been a great to friend to me this past week, but I've gotta go. There's something I need to do".

And with that Brittany hung up the phone and headed out of school back to her dorm.