It takes thirty-five hours for the power to come back on in the city. On the second day, the hospital is overflowing with patients, some feigning illness to escape the brutal concrete trapped heat, others actually ill from the heat, and still more injured from accidents as a result of the general chaos that tends to ensue when the world carries on without power. Along with everyone else in the hospital, and despite Brittany's pleas that she take it easy, Santana works herself to the bone that day, staying long after Brittany takes Liam home.

The afternoon of her twelve-week scan, and three days before Liam's birthday party, Santana finally had lunch with Mercedes. All morning, she's weird about it, checking her weight gain in the mirror in her office bathroom, wrinkling her nose at the fact that she's gotten thick but not round. It's normal, she guesses, not to be traditionally showing so early, but she figured if she's gaining this much weight, she'd probably prefer a bump that Brittany's hands could be all over, rather than pudge that Brittany keeps telling her looks so sexy.

After her morning thoracotemy, Santana changes out of her scrubs and into the loose fitting dress she'd worn into work. Mercedes made reservations at the Cuban restaurant they've been frequenting since they were undergrads, and even, occasionally, through the financially challenged years of medical school, when dinner there meant they'd have to skip two weeks at the bar. When Santana gets there, Mercedes is already in their booth in the corner, and she takes a deep breath, before she saunters over and slips into the booth.

"Sorry I'm late, I didn't get started until forty-five minutes after I was scheduled, panicky mom."

"You'd have been late anyway." Mercedes shakes her head, laughing. "I ordered croquetas."

"Wow, fifteen years, and you're finally sounding less like you're from Nassau County when you say that."

"Psht. Girl, I'm born and raised in New York City, quit insulting me with that Long Island business. Don't think I forget where you're from."

"Whatever, I got out of there the second I could."

"So what the hell is new with you? You get married and then you fall off the face of the earth?"

"You were just over for dinner." Santana rolls her eyes. "Like…shit, has it really been that long since we did that?"

"It's fine." Mercedes clicks her tongue. "You know, just got married, got pregnant with my first kid, no big deal."

"You…excuse me, what?" She can feel that the color drained from her face in shock, but then Mercedes starts laughing and Santana sucks in a breath.

"Wow you feel for that easy! You think I wouldn't tell you if I was married and-or pregnant?"

"Ummm….well." Santana bites her lip and raises her eyebrows. "That's…actually something I wanted to tell you today."

Mercedes doesn't say a word in response. Her jaw just drops, and some kind of uncharacteristic squeal comes out of her, before she's up from her seat and hugging Santana. She doesn't let go, not for a long while, and something about the love and support from her best friend calms Santana in a way she hasn't felt since she'd first decided she wanted to do this. When they finally sit back down, she's flushed and smiling, and she smooths her dress, sipping her water.

"So are you going to tell me everything? Because, I sincerely expect you to."

"Even about my current perpetual nausea?"

"Whatever you want. I want to hear it all."

"Your not mad I waited to tell you?"

"Number one, I don't know how long you waited, number two, I know you. That's your thing. I probably still wouldn't know you got into med school if your letter didn't fall out of your backpack."

"I don't like to jinx things, okay? I'll be twelve weeks on Liam's birthday so…almost out of the danger zone."

"Oh my God. Does Corcoran know? Are you taking time off?"

"Do you really think Shelby knows before you? Only my mom and Brittany's parents know, we haven't even told Liam yet."

"How did Maribel react?"

"Beside herself, of course." Santana nods her gratitude when the waiter brings over the croquetas and the seltzer Mercedes must have ordered for her, and then thanks him out loud before he leaves. "She's going to watch Liam and the baby in the fall. So, to answer your other question, no, I'm not taking off, not more than six weeks. I think I'd lose my mind, and you know I love Liam, and I love this blob baby too."

"Blob baby. I can't with you. I also feel like I'm living in a parallel universe. You're married and pregnant, I've been dating this white boy for longer than I ever thought possible…"

"How is White Chocolate?" Leaning back in the booth, Santana takes a sip of her seltzer.

"He's good, you know, Sam. Big lovable idiot. I think I'm going to ask him to move in with me."

"Really?" Santana gasps. "But you hate people living with you."

"Pot calling the kettle black much? Last I checked you're living with two, and have one living in you."

"Okay, fair. But really, that's awesome. I definitely never thought we'd be here. I kind of figured we'd live in the bar until someone carted us off to a nursing home somewhere."

"I can assure you I'm never going to a nursing home, Lopez. If I don't have kids, I'm borrowing yours to take care of me."

"It'll be Liam, you think this kid with my DNA is going to take care of your ass?"

"Probably better than anyone." Mercedes laughs. "You forget I know you, and the way you bend over backwards."

The rest of lunch is really good. Santana realizes how much she had missed hanging out with Mercedes day in and day out. She's at ease, sitting in that restaurant, joking about their lives, teasing about the future, reminiscing about the past, and it calms her down for her afternoon pyloromyotomy. She needs to go back to doing this regularly, she needs to have Mercedes to the house more, she needs to learn how to balance, even though she wants to spend every moment she's not working with Brittany and Liam. Mercedes is a part of her family, she's been for so long, and Santana wants her to know that she still has a big, welcoming place for her.

There are complications in the surgery in the afternoon, and it takes three hours to repair a pylorus that should have taken one. But the patient is fine, and Santana brings him lollipops while she's still wearing her scrubs. It takes away from the five minutes she usually gets to peek in and see Liam in the later afternoon, but it's okay. He understand, and he's especially aware, whenever Santana tells him she went to bring lollipops to someone who was sick.

She has a department meeting that she's almost late for, but she manages to change again, and make it in just on time, slipping into the seat Rose had saved for her.

Throughout the whole thing, she's nauseous from the ropa vieja she greedily inhaled, but she keeps sneaking mints from her bag, trying to avoid vomiting all over Adams' bright turquoise sneakers. When Shelby is finally done talking, Santana is about to escape out the conference room door, when she hears Shelby call her name. Taking a deep breath, Santana turns around slowly, attempting to keep from jostling her body too quickly, and upsetting her already shaky stomach further.

"Hey, Shelby. What's going on?" Santana watches the room empty out, and she leans against the back of a chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I didn't want to bring it up in the meeting—" Shelby starts, and Santana feels her limbs go cold, assuming she knows. "But I know we're both busy, and I figured it would save us both some time to quick talk this out here."

"Okay…"

"Sue's daughter has a tracheoesphageal fistula that I've been monitoring, and as you're one of the only doctors in this hospital who's both an exceptional surgeon, and can keep your mouth shut, I need you to assist me next week."

"Oh…" She exhales, trying not to let her breath be too audible. "That's all?"

"Yeah." Shelby cocks her head to the side. "Why, is there something else?"

"Uh, no. No…nothing else. Just…you know how I get when I think I'm in trouble, or whatever."

"Santana." She laughs. "You've never been in trouble, even when you were an intern, and everyone else was. I'm adding Robin to your rounds tomorrow. She's up on the eleventh floor, for privacy, and I'll meet you there at say…ten?"

"Yeah, yeah, definitely. Um, whatever you want."

"Are you sure you okay, Santana? You seem a little off."

"Yeah, no, I'm good. Thanks for trusting me, Shelby."

Before it gets any more uncomfortable, Santana leaves the conference room. When she gets back to her office, she drops to her knees in the bathroom and vomits up everything in her stomach. The combination of Cuban food and nerves did her in entirely, and if she didn't still feel nauseous when she stood back up, maybe the act of vomiting would feel more satisfying. But instead, her stomach is still sick as she brushes her teeth, and she has to swallow back her gags so she doesn't throw up again.

When she comes back out of the office, Brittany is sitting on the couch holding a cherry slushee. Santana wants to throw her arms around her and kiss her until the end of time. Maybe the sugar is making her gain weight too quickly, but they're the only things that seem to momentarily quell her nausea, and right now, it's exactly what she needs.

"Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Once or twice." Brittany winks, standing up and kissing Santana's lips as she hands over the drink. "How was lunch? How was your meeting?"

"Lunch was good, except the puking up the food part. But I made an idiot out of myself with Shelby. I think she thinks I'm insane."

"What happened?"

"Nothing, I just got so weird that I know she knows I'm hiding something, and I'm just…so bad at not acting evasive."

"I'm sure she'll put it out of her head quickly, honey. Everyone has off days, she'll probably chalk it up to that."

"I guess so…I mean, I'm going to have tell her soon anyway, I guess. I really just want to get through the weekend, and the party."

"You're sure you're up for it, Santana? You know Liam would be just as happy going to waterlab and having pizza."

"I'm sure, it's my first birthday as his mommy, and his first big party. I don't care how I feel, I'm going to make sure he gets to have a good one."

"Alright…I just want to make sure you'll be okay, especially with how hot it's been."

"I appreciate that, but I'm good." Santana kisses Brittany's lips again, her own already cherry stained. "Are you ready do go do this? I guess we're finally going to see this kid today."

"I certainly hope so." Brittany laughs, squeezing Santana's hand. "I'm pretty excited."

"Me too. So excited."

Santana locks her office, and together, she and Brittany go to the elevator. Roz's office is busier than it usually is when they get there, and Santana can't help but smile at the other pregnant women, imagining herself growing in the same kind of way. Once Brittany is seated beside her, Santana rests her head on her shoulder, and closes her eyes.

"Honey." Brittany whispers, and Santana snaps her head up, realizing she'd fallen asleep. "They're calling you in."

"Wow." She laughs, standing up and smoothing her dress. "I can't believe I fell asleep. I guess I was really exhausted. What else is new?"

"You're very cute." With a kiss to Santana's temple, Brittany stands up, and puts her hand on the small of Santana's back.

They go back into the exam room, and Santana changes into the pair of clean scrubs pants and a t-shirt she'd tossed into her bag. She's not sure why she's so nervous. It's just a scan, she's had one before, but yet…the nausea she'd felt after talking to Shelby is still there, and she doesn't want to throw up on the nurse who is checking her blood pressure and her weight.

"Are you alright?" Brittany asks her, when she settles down on the exam table to wait for Roz.

"Yeah. I'm just, weird, I don't know. I guess it's been a day."

"I'm sorry you're anxious." She squeezes Santana's hand, knowing without Santana having to say the word just how she feels.

"We're going to see our baby though, and I am excited, I swear."

"Santana, you can feel whatever you feel, I'm here for you."

"Still haven't figured it out, Britt."

"How you feel?"

"How I got so lucky. I don't know, having lunch with Mercedes—" She's interrupted by a knock on the door, and she shakes her head.

"Hey there, mamas!" Roz pokes her head in. "Sorry I had to send the nurse in today."

"It's fine." Santana forces a smile. "She's nice."

"I told her to stop doing that." Roz chuckles. "How are you feeling?"

"Still sick, and pretty anxious, but…good."

"Good is great. And you, Brittany?"

"Me?" Brittany looks surprised. "I'm good. Hot, but good."

"Brutal weather, huh?" Roz plays around with the machine, and Santana slowly lifts her shirt. "Looks like you might pop soon."

"Really? Because I feel like I ate a hundred donuts."

"Try to refrain from that." She smiles. "Okay, let's see your baby."

Santana holds her breath while Roz squeezes the gel on her abdomen. She stares at the screen, waiting, waiting, waiting, until she hears the sound of the beating heart. The picture comes into view, and Santana sucks in a breath, starting to choke and gag a little with all of the emotion that hits her.

"Britt."

"Santana." Brittany stares intently at the scan. "Santana."

"Wait, what?"

"Santana. Look."

"I'm looking. I'm loo—holy fuck. Roz, is that…?"

"Dealing with doctors." Roz laughs, shaking her head. "I don't even get to spill the surprise."

"It's…no seriously, it's…Britt, can you just say it?" Santana starts sobbing, totally beyond control of her emotions. "Did it…?"

"It did."

"Brittany Pierce, say it." She buries her face in Brittany's chest, crying so hard she thinks she might throw up. "Please."

"It's…there are two?"

"There are two." Roz confirms, though her words are muffled for Santana. "It looks like the egg split, and you've got identical twins in there."

"Holy. Fucking. Shit."