When you wake up in the dead of night, you're certain something isn't right. You're certain that it's Eloise, that something is wrong with your precious two-year-old girl and when you sit up, feeling that Santana isn't in the bed, you're panic stricken. You jump out of bed and you go to make your way to Eloise's room, but before you leave your own bedroom, you hear a groan from your bathroom. Santana isn't with your daughter, and when you step into the bathroom, Santana is writhing with pain on the floor.

"Santana?" You say softly, crouching on the floor beside her. "What's wrong?"

You can't read her lips when she speaks back to you. You're not even sure it's words that she's making, but you gather her into your arms. Her skin feels hot, her face looks agonized and you feel your own skin prick with cold, terrified that you can't help her. You text Jonas immediately and are grateful that even though it's the middle of the night, he answers you. You need someone to watch Eloise, you need someone to call 911, and he does, calling as he races across town to your house, using the key you'd given him to let himself in.

You let go of Santana long enough to put Otis in his harness and then the EMTs get there. Eloise is still sound asleep and Jonas helps you communicate with them, knowing that the stress you're under with seeing your wife in pain is enough to render you speechless. They lift her onto a stretcher and you're scared they won't let you come with her, scared you'll be no good because you're so paralyzed with fear that you can't speak. But they do, one of the EMTs offers you a hand up into the ambulance, Otis hopping up beside you, and you sit down at her side, stroking her hand from her face.

For the whole ride there, you don't know what's happening. Everyone's lips are moving so fast that you can't read the words, so you turn away from them, you turn your full attention to Santana and long to take away her pain. In all the years you've been together, you've never seen her like this, she's so strong and brave and seeing her crumble makes you crumble a little inside too.

"I'm here." You tell her, hoping she can hear you through the pain. "I love you and I'm here."

Because she came in an ambulance, she doesn't have to sit in the waiting room in the ER, but that doesn't mean she doesn't wait. No one comes for a long while and her pain. It. It just. It gets worse. She can't speak any words you can understand and finally, you tell her that you're going to get help. You burst through the curtain that separates her from the nurse's station and you march right over to someone sitting at the computer.

"My wife needs help." You tell her. "She's writhing in pain, she can hardly speak. You need to help her now."

She'll have to—You read on the woman's lips, but you cut her off immediately.

"She can't wait. You need to send someone in now." You say, braver than you've ever been before, and you turn back to Santana's cubicle, gathering your wife up in your arms and promising her help will come soon.

It doesn't take long after your outburst for a doctor to come in. He doesn't look at you when he speaks and it's hard for you to understand him. Otis sits on his haunches and you finally snap at the doctor that you're deaf, that he needs to either look at you or get an interpreter so you can understand what he's saying about the woman you love. You're really very forceful tonight and you think that under these circumstances, anyone would be.

I'm sorry, Mrs...

"Lopez. Brittany Lopez. What's wrong with her?"

It looks to me like a burst appendix, I need to get her into surgery immediately.

"That should have happened over an hour ago." You think you mutter, but realize you'd said it out loud.

You're right, it should have.

You kiss Santana on the head before she's whisked away, and then you're escorted to the waiting room. You text Maribel, let her know what's happening and though it's the middle of the night, you get a response immediately. She tells you she'll get on a train first thing in the morning, that she'll be there to help, and you can't say no. You want her there. She wants to be there. That's all that matters.

The doctor comes back into the waiting room nearly two hours later and you jump to your feet. Otis, who was asleep at your feet, snaps to attention and leads you toward the doctor. He looks exhausted and you wonder if it's just because it's five in the morning or because it was a rough surgery.

She's okay. He tells you, articulating his words for you. She's in recovery now.

"Can I see her?"

I'll take you back.

You get into the recovery room and Santana is sleeping. The look on her face is so serene that you start to cry. The whole night of stress just pours out of you. In. In tears. It hits you suddenly that you could have lost her. That this woman who you love with every fiber of your being could have just been gone and a sob breaks loose. Never have you imagined your life without her before. But. But with a burst appendix, it could have been.

Her eyes open a little while later and she speaks. You can't read the words, her lips are hardly moving, but you know that it's you she's looking for. You take her hand. You kiss the top of her head. You burst the hair from her face. She's awake, she okay.

"You're okay." You tell her. "You're okay."

It surprises you how quickly they release her. She could have died only hours ago, and now she's going home. Maribel, she's made it into town and she comes with Eloise and the car. It's still hard for you to make out what Santana is saying, but you tell her you love her, you tell her that her mom is coming and you'll both take care of her.

Little Mommy. Eloise signs frantically, when you open the car door to help Santana in. My little Mommy.

Little Mommy is okay. You sign back to her, wanting to reassure your daughter.

Hospital. She signs again.

I know, E. But she's okay.

Maribel comes around to help you settle Santana in the front seat without hurting her and you go around to the other side of Eloise. Your little girl, she's signing as quickly as she can, but you take her hand, needing to feel her, needing her to know that everyone. Everyone is okay.

Brittany. Santana speaks when you get her into bed, and she signs I love you.

"I love you too." You speak out loud and you fight the urge to weep again. "I'm so glad you're okay."

I didn't—If I would have known that's why my stomach was bothering me...

"I know."

Where's Eloise?

"She's laying down with your mom, Jonas said she didn't sleep well."

Will you lay with me a little?

"Of course, I wouldn't be anywhere else."