A/N: Hey everyone! It's been a really long time since I've written a fic but recently I couldn't stop reading them so I decided to take a jab at writing again. I got inspiration for this fic by reading Room 47 and Mischances, Stances, and Stolen Glances - I recommend those btw . This fic is AU, set in California. What to note about this fic is that there are subplots that are kind of "Valentine's Day" "New Years Eve" ish, which means that it all ties into each other in the end. All places that are used in this fic are strictly fictional - unless there are places with these names somewhere then that's really awesome! I'm always open for reviews, PMs, and comments or suggestions, if any. It was eating away in my head for a few days and I realized if I didn't write it down my head might explode. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and that we'll travel this awesome journey together with these characters in the future.


Fire & Time

Chapter 1

...

LA, California – 2011

It was unbelievably hot for it to be considered Fall, then again this was LA. Something Santana Lopez should've been used to since she lived in the sunny palms of California for close to seven years. Nonetheless, she wiped the droplets of sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and sighed to herself as her heels clicked against the concrete sidewalk underneath her. She was coming back from another failed attempt of finding the right book cover for her second novel. It was becoming all too tedious for the toned female and she was sure her jet black hair was going to show a few gray strands sooner or later as she dealt with the stress of her editors and the lack of common knowledge from her publishers. She shook her head trying to rid herself of the thought of having to go to another meeting; she was starting not to care anymore.

The only good thing about today was her lunch date with her girlfriend, Valerie. They had been together three years this Thursday and Santana was excited, to put it calmly, that she was going to finally ask Valerie to marry her. Running a hand through her locks, she paused at a car's side mirror to adjust her lipstick accordingly, blowing a kiss at the mirror before walking onwards towards the small corner restaurant. She entered, looking around the crowded area, though she was sure Valerie was seated at their usual spot and sure enough as her deep brown eyes found tranquil hazel ones, she was right.

"Hey you." Santana greeted her girlfriend once she had made her way over. She kissed her lips lightly and placed her purse, that had been weighing down her right shoulder, onto the chair beside her.

"Hey yourself." Valerie's soft voice echoed into Santana's ears and she sighed into the familiar sound. She definitely needed a drink, and a little bit more, after the meeting she just encountered. "Rough day?" The chocolate female questioned, arching a curious brow noticing her girlfriend slump into the comfortable cushion of the chair.

"Don't get me started. I just want the perfect book cover. Everything has to be perfect for this release. My fans are counting on me."

Valerie smirked opening her menu, "Oh yes, the fans." She replied without looking up from her menu with a devious grin on her lips as she eyed the drink section, though she knew what she wanted.

"What? What's that supposed to mean?" Santana questioned, slightly annoyed, pulling the menu down to look at Valerie's face.

She shook her head and placed the menu down, folding her hands on the table, "Nothing baby." She smiled, "But, you realize you're just stressing yourself out more than you should, right? I mean, I understand you want everything to be perfect for the release and I do understand that your fans mean a lot to you but I'm more than sure that whatever book cover you see fit will be fine." Santana rolled her eyes and sighed, she always hated how easy Valerie saw things.

"I hate you."

"I love you too." Valerie stated simply, picking her menu back up and eying the drinks, "You need something to calm your nerves. Your usual won't do today. Plus, I have my own news you may need a drink or two for."

Santana arched an eyebrow, pulling the menu down once more, "What news?"

"Patience." Valerie said simply flicking Santana's hand off the menu as she eyed it settling on an appletini for San and water for herself.

Santana noticed the drink change as Valerie usually ordered a gin and tonic and they ate their pasta, salad, and breadsticks conversing over everything under the sun, however, today was different. The waiter took their order and the conversation between them was reserved if any. Valerie was tapping her foot against the floor and Santana was looking around the environment questioning how she never noticed the cracked ceilings and ugly carpeting before. Once their meal and their drinks were nearly gone, Santana couldn't hold in the silence any longer.

"Okay, what's going on?" Santana questioned as Valerie sipped on her water through her straw, bending it as she usually did between her teeth for that weird sucking sound effect that Santana used to find annoying but grew to enjoy.

"What do you mean?" She placed the water down and stared at her girlfriend with slight amusement.

"Don't do that. What is the news? You're killing me here. The silence is so damn loud, I swear I'm about to…"

"Alright, alright. Relax." Valerie interrupted with a smile, biting down on her lip to look into chocolate brown eyes and melting into them. "San… I'm… I'm pregnant."

Santana opened her mouth to speak but no words would come out. They had tried so long to get pregnant, so long to start a family of their own – after all Santana knew that she wanted to be with Valerie and only her. Santana moved from her seat and bent down towards Valerie and placed her hand on her stomach, Valerie looked down at her as small tears fell from her eyes.

"We're going to have a family, San. We're finally going to be a family." Valerie eyed Santana who just admired Valerie's stomach, "San? Say something."

"Marry me." She whispered.

Valerie assumed she heard differently and moved back a little from Santana's grasp, "What?"

Santana leaned back to her chair and fumbled around in her purse to pull out a small black box. Valerie gasped with delight, "I was going to wait for our actual anniversary, but this… I don't think this can wait." Santana bit her bottom lip, opening the box, "I, um, I had a speech and everything but I think I lost the ability to function." Valerie giggled.

"Just say what's in your heart."

Santana wet her lips, "All my life I've never met anyone like you. Someone who makes me smile without trying and know just what to say when I'm having a shit day like today; someone who gets me and I know will always be here for me." She paused, taking a deep breath, "You're my everything Valerie and I know that I've found my soul mate. So, um, will you marry me?"

Valerie turned her head upwards in a thinking position, tapping her index finger on her chin, "Let me think about it…"

"Valerie." Santana said giving a small pout, one she coined from Valerie herself.

A grin formed on the tanned female's lips, "Of course I'll marry you. There's no one else I'd rather be with." Santana slipped the ring on Valerie's finger before kissing her passionately on the lips; a small moan only heard by Santana came from Valerie's lips.

"Don't start anything you can't finish." She whispered against Santana's lips.

"Oh I'll finish." Santana smirked, kissing her lips lightly once more before sitting down opposite Valerie. They were getting married and having a family. They were going to be a family.


LA, California – Mid 2012

Santana flopped down on the bed, kicking off her shoes, her head in the pillow as Valerie sat up in bed reading a parenting magazine – something Santana told her many times not to read.

"Long day?" Valerie questioned, not taking her eyes from the article she was reading as her fiancé made grumbles into the pillow, kicking her legs aggressively at the bed. "I see. Well, what did he do?" More grumbles and more kicking came from Santana, "Well, it's not really his fault, you know he's going through a hard time. His wife just found out she was diagnosed with Cancer." Again more grumbles until a final small scream escaped from Santana's pillow. Valerie sighed, placing the magazine on the nightstand. "Come here." She instructed Santana who obliged; resting her head on Valerie's protruding stomach.

"How many times have I told you that you only cause more stress than needed on yourself? Just relax. I'm more than sure that everything will end up well. You just got Hot Like Fire off the ground, you can't expect to automatically jump right back into the game so soon." Santana sighed hating that Valerie was almost always right.

"I hate you." She whispered against the fabric of Valerie's nightgown.

"I love you too. Now, scoot, I have to pee." Santana moved her head upwards and Valerie got off of the bed and made her way into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Santana flopped her head back onto the bed, massaging her temples trying to find some form of relaxation. For the last nine months it seemed her work load only made her more upset than ever. Book signings, book tours, and not to mention her staff was officially shortened because of cut backs and random illnesses. She sighed, turning over on her side taking in the scent of her fiancé's side.

"Babe, you're not using that lotion I told you to use. I can tell." Santana called into the bathroom, "I told you to use it. It's supposed to help with stretch marks and that body is not getting any stretch marks anywhere near it." She declared, but instead of an answer she heard a small grunt and a crash. "Babe?" She questioned, turning onto her back and getting off of the bed, walking towards the bathroom, "Babe are you okay? Come on answer…" Her voice trailed off as she opened the bathroom door with wide eyes. "Oh my God, Valerie. Valerie, baby, talk to me."

Valerie's body slumped down on the floor, her legs spread and her head tilted to the side. Her eyes closed and her breathing slowed, "Baby, come on. Please, please." Santana lightly slapped Valerie to get her to wake up, but the female in front of her remained unconscious. The sight frightened Santana, trying to figure out what to do as she frantically stood up and went back into the bedroom knocking down books and sheets trying to find her cell phone. Finding it she quickly dialed 911 and went back to her fiancé who was still unconscious. She grabbed Valerie's hand and squeezed it, "I'm not going anywhere. Do you hear me? I'm not going anywhere."

...

Santana paced back and forth in the waiting room, playing with her fingers taking deep breaths trying not to make herself have a panic attack.

"Are you sure you don't want anything?" Quinn Fabray, her best friend of almost 13 years, asked her. Santana shook her head not looking at Quinn, who sat in the hospital waiting room chair, as she paced back and forth. She hadn't changed her clothes or even fixed her hair, she only wore her slippers – the only shoes she could get to in time.

"You should eat… or drink something… you look pale." Quinn continued onwards trying to think of something to keep her friend at bay, though she was sure that was long lost. Again Santana shook her head continuing to pace before hearing footsteps echo down the hallway. She looked up, stopping in mid pace, eying the doctor with a heavy heart. Quinn stood up from her chair and walked towards Santana standing beside her.

"Well?" Quinn asked since Santana seemed to have lost her voice.

The doctor looked down at his hands and then back at Santana momentarily, "We bandaged her head and ankle and while we were trying to figure out what to do in concerns of the baby, she gained consciousness. She was hysterical but in pain. She was nine centimeters dilated when we prepared to deliver the baby; it was a simple delivery, however, your son wasn't crying or… moving." He paused, watching Santana's face that was emotionless, "The fall Ms. Johnson encountered was fatal for the child. He…"

"She gave birth to a dead baby." Santana finished his sentence, her face completely unreadable as she spoke.

"We realized we couldn't help him so we tried to help her instead but her amniotic fluid entered her blood stream and her heart and lung collapsed. We worked extremely long and hard to bring her to, but she slipped into a coma and from there…I'm sorry, we did the best we could."

Santana swallowed turning away from both Quinn and the doctor. Quinn sighed and nodded at the doctor to leave them be as she went to Santana who turned back around, "Can I see them?" The doctor turned around and wanted to tell her no, but the hurt in her eyes made him throw away the answer as he led them down the hallway towards the room where both mother and son lay.

They seem so peaceful, Santana thought to herself, so peaceful. Santana walked over slowly towards the baby and sighed, a small tear falling from her eye as she lightly rubbed his head. He was a beautiful combination of both Santana and Valerie and the sight of him made her want to throw up. She turned away from him and walked towards Valerie, biting her lip softly. Santana grabbed Valerie's hand and gently squeezed it, "I'm not going anywhere. Okay? I'm not going anywhere." She whispered into her ear, tears trailed down her cheeks as she collapsed into a ball beside her body.


One Year: One Week Later

"No, this isn't… you know what? Forget it. I don't have time for this." Santana sucked her teeth and grabbed her purse and exited the publishing building, her feet clicking against the concrete sidewalk. Her phone rang in her purse at a high volume and the hangover she was treating wasn't happy at the screeching of the familiar ringtone.

"What?" She answered.

"Good morning, sunshine." She heard Quinn reply in a perky tone – too perky for Santana's liking.

"Can you not? It's too early to be so damn happy."

"It's never too early to be happy." She paused, "How goes the hangover? How many drinks this time?"

"Enough." She shrugged.

"You should really go to AA."

"I don't have a drinking problem. Is there something you want?" She snarled.

"Yes, there is. What are you doing tonight at 8?"

"Drinking dinner." Santana replied nonchalantly.

Quinn scoffed, "As fun as that seems, don't you want to get out and do something?"

"Like?"

"Like… Mercedes is hosting a speed dating experiment tonight at the Starlet Lounge and…"

"No."

"You didn't even let me finish."

"I don't need to, my answer is still no."

"You never do anything I ask."

"There's a reason for my insanity."

"Santana." Quinn groaned.

"Don't 'Santana' me. I don't want to. Speed dating is for the desperate and the pathetic, I'm neither."

"You're drinking yourself into an early grave."

"At least I'll know what I died from."

"Santana Diabla Lopez!"

"Easy with the screaming, Jesus. What are you, my mom?"

"No, I'm your best friend who is worried about you. I just… I just thought that this would somehow help you. Make you smile at least a little." Quinn shrugged and Santana sighed, rolling her eyes as she crossed the street towards her apartment.

"I'll do it for 'Cedes." Quinn squealed happily, "Can you not?"

"Sorry, sorry. Awesome. I'll see you at 8!"

"Whatever." They hung up as Santana turned the key and entered her apartment, throwing her keys and purse onto the small sofa chair. She went into the kitchen and grabbed her snack before dinner: a beer, and took a long sip. She was going to need something to keep her stable for this stupid speed dating nonsense. She never understood why her friends did these 'experiments' she knew it was just a ploy to get her back into the dating game but she was hardly up for dating anyone else. You only got one soul mate and she was more than sure it was Valerie. The only woman she would ever love.


A/N: Well? What do you all think thus far?