Sooooo...hi strangers! I was going through some documents trying to find something completely unrelated to this, but apparently I wrote this back in early COVID and have absolutely no recollection of doing that. Which is especially funny, because J and I watched all of Roswell a few weeks ago, and I'd just finished re-reading this whole story so I could write a new chapter. Surprise!


It was difficult for Santana to get used to what felt like the constant shifting of her world. She thought back to her first date with Brittany and it felt like it had happened lifetimes ago, rather than just a week. She was battling with a lot inside of her and despite everything that was going on, she took a few days to just be human. Brittany understood and gave her the space she needed, even though she knew that Sugar was obsessively watching her after Roz had given her a spot on the cheerleading squad.

After the weekend was over, Santana knew that her much needed reprieve had to come to an end. As odd as it was, she actually missed being in the midst of something so big and more than anything, missed Brittany. With giving Santana space, Brittany hadn't come through her window each night and laid beside her in bed, the only thing Santana had at night was feeling Brittany's heartbeat through the pendant on her chest. It was a strange sort of feeling for Santana, the omnipresent comfort of her lover's life-force, reminding her that she was there, but also reminding her of all she had become entangled in and all she feared.

Can I pick you up for school this morning? Brittany had texted Santana around 6:30 and Santana smiled a little, thinking that at least with everything going on, she and Brittany were afforded the relative safety of having Hummel on their side.

Whenever you want. Love you.

Santana finished getting ready and was outside when Brittany pulled up in front of the diner. She hopped in the passenger seat and felt the heat against her chest when she got close to Brittany. The thump of Brittany's heart quickened and Santana smiled a little, knowing that she had the same effect on Brittany as Brittany did on her. Everything that was against them was so scary and they had no idea what kind of impact the arrival of Sugar, or Azakar, would have on life as they knew it, but there was Brittany and that brought even the smallest bit of joy to Santana's heart.

"I missed you." Brittany said softly. "I didn't think you wanted to see me, so I stayed away."

"I know." Santana nodded. "I just…it's a lot. Sara called me like seventeen times and at practice on Friday I just kept getting Ilooks/I from Hummel and Sugar and I think I just needed two days to pretend like everything was normal."

"I want to go with you, wherever you want to go to college. I want you to get the chance to leave Roswell, I want you to have your normal life."

"There's too much that ties you here, Brittany."

"I came to Roswell to find you, that's what this whole thing means, doesn't it?"

"Sam and Quinn are here. Your powers are so specifically designed. What if we're somewhere else and you need them? What if they need you?"

"I don't know, Santana. I really don't. I just know that I never want to be the reason you're held back from doing what you want."

"This human life is just…a thing. I don't know. Like how much does it all matter? I was the queen of Uecridis, I'm Santana Lopez now, who knows what I'm going to be next."

"What matters to me is that you're Santana Lopez now." Brittany took her hand. "That's the life you should focus on."

"I'm haunted by Reyneva, Britt. And now their...our…daughter being here. I can't just run away from all of that. We need to figure out what it all means. If…the people who took over our planet find out that we're here…"

"I'll do everything I can to protect you."

"But that's the thing." Santana raised her voice, feeling frustrated. "I can't do anything to protect you. I have nothing. No powers. You're willing to die to save me and even if I died, it wouldn't save you. You need Sam and Quinn, we both do."

"I don't even know whether we should trust Quinn…if she betrays us again…"

"Reyneva loved her, she trusted her."

"And Reyneva was brutally murdered with her assistance."

"You think I don't know that? You think I don't close my eyes every night and see the last memories she had, begging for her baby's life?"

"I'm not trying to fight with you." Brittany pinched the bridge of her nose. "Last week was a lot. Do you blame me for wanting to get as far away from here as I possibly can?"

"No." Santana shook her head. "I don't."

"She's supposed to be the protector."

"I know. Britt...I don't know what to say about any of this. About Sugar, Hummel and Kurt, Quinn, Terri DelMonico being dead, Holly infiltrating the FBI. I want to scream. And now we have to go to school and pretend to be normal. How did you do this for a decade?"

"It was never this complicated before."

"I didn't even ask you. God, I'm a terrible girlfriend right now. You were shot, Britt."

"Our bodies heal quickly. It's like it never happened."

"Are you just saying that so I don't worry?"

"No." Brittany shook her head and maneuvered so she could lift up her shirt, revealing a soft glowing spot but nothing more. "See?"

"Would you have lived if we didn't take you to Aunt Sara's?"

"No. I knew that I was dying. You were the only thing holding me back. I'm scared for you to have to do that again, I could have drained the life from you."

"Brittany." Santana pursed her lips. "You saved me and risked everything. I needed to keep you alive."

When they got to school, Brittany walked Santana to her first class and kissed her goodbye. Despite everything else, she was glad she could do that. She turned to go to her own classroom and standing three feet away from her was Sugar. Brittany was confused by the fact that she was actually still pretending to be a student at West Roswell, since she'd found them and accomplished what she needed. It made her nervous, made her think that she really was some kind of spy for the beings that had taken over her home planet, that maybe, though she was certain that Azakar belonged to Cadyrena and Reyneva, she was out to get them. Caderyna's people had no souls, what if that had somehow been passed genetically to her daughter?

"Can we talk?" Sugar asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm going to be late for class."

"Don't you think this is more important than class?"

"I...fine." Brittany nodded, following Sugar into the janitor's closet. She knew that Santana was going to feel her rising anxiety, to know that she was in a situation her mind perceived as dangerous, but she couldn't help but follow.

"Look, I know I freaked you all out coming here..." Sugar started. "It's just like, my whole life I knew something was different about me. I'm not like the rest of them."

"How do I know that? Caderyna was supposed to be born with no soul, how do I know that it didn't happen to you? You're her daughter. I won't put Santana in danger."

"I'm not trying to do anything to her. You were my moms, she died so they could get to me. All I want to do is know you."

"And what if they followed you here? Do you know how much you're putting us at risk?"

"Excuse me for wanting to find you. You think it's really cool to be raised be a bunch of evil beings and Ithen/I find out your real family peaced out to live on another planet?"

"If they...we..had known you were alive..."

"You don't know what you would have done. It was Reyneva you had to find."

"Look, Sugar..."

"I just want to know you guys, okay? Can you give me that shot? I'll tell you everything I know."

"I..." Brittany shook her head. "I have to talk to Santana first."

The rest of the day was long for Brittany. She was so conflicted about everything that was going on, she really understood why Santana hid out all weekend. She still hadn't talked to Quinn about everything that had gone on, Sam was being weird, everything was just falling apart. As close as the three aliens had been before this—even with Quinn's issues—they seemed far apart now. They were once the only people on Earth that Brittany has trusted, but everything was such a mess that she had no idea how to fix it.

She knew that she should go home after school. She should talk things over with Sam, figure out how they were going to deal with Quinn, but instead, Brittany found herself on the bleachers watching Santana's cheerleading practice. She was nervous about Sugar being around her and she felt that she needed to be close in case she had to spring into action. There was no way to know what kind if abilities, what kind of technology the girl had, so Brittany grounded herself and was ready to strike at any time.

But she didn't have to. Sugar did nothing more than cast the occasional glance at Santana. When practice was over, Brittany lingered outside of the locker room and felt her whole body sigh with relief when Santana came out. Santana gave her a soft smile and a kiss and then took Brittany's hand.

"My parents are at my uncle's tonight. Do you want to go back to my place so we're alone?" Santana asked.

"Yeah...that would be really good."

Obviously Santana knew that something happened in the morning, feeling Brittany's every emotion, so it was no surprise when they were sitting on her bed and Brittany told her about Sugar. Santana didn't say anything for along while, she stood up and changed out of her Cheerios uniform and got comfortable, sitting back down and pulling the pendant from under her shirt.

"These would react, wouldn't they, if something was wrong?"

"I...don't know." Brittany shook her head. "To be honest, I'm a little scared of them now that Sugar was able to trace us with them."

"Holly said that they were meant to protect us. Maybe Sugar could only trace us because she's the product of two soul bonded mates."

"I really hope so. Everything we know about my people, Santana..."

"I wish you wouldn't call them your people." Santanna leaned into kiss Brittany softly, but Brittany pulled her forward for a deeper kiss, needing to really feel her.

The night was cool and Reyneva and Caderyna lay outside on the still-warm sand beneath the stars. They were at their place by the waterfall and Reyneva's head was in Caderyna's lap. Softly, Caderyna stroked Reyneva's antennae and Reyneva hummed her content as she did it.

"You brought me here to tell me something, love?" Caderyna asked, not ceasing her motions.

"The most important something." Reyneva smiled, sitting up slowly so she faced Caderyna. "I felt the stirring today."

"You...it..."

"It worked, my love. Would you like to see?"

"Neva..." Tears fell from Caderyna's eyes as Reyneva slowly unwound her garments and a soft purple light emanated from her abdomen.

"It's early yet, but our daughter grows within me."

"You're more beautiful tonight than I've ever seen you. I'll care for you so tenderly for the whole of it, there's nothing you'll want for."

"I want nothing but you, Cady. To hold me close, to press your mouth to mine, to sleep beside me when I can't lift my head. This is our little one, the heir to the throne, but most importantly, the one we've wished for."

"Are you worried much about Azar?" Caderyna asked, antennae drooping.

"We'll wait a bit before we tell anyone, I'd like her to be just ours until my abdomen grows too large and glows too bright to hide it. But Azar will be fine, she's not so sour anymore." Reyneva promised. "Touch her, she moves a bit."

"How can one so small do so much?" Caderyna marveled, running her fingers over Reyneva's bared midsection. "You have so far to go."

"Until the third moon returns. Caderyna, love, I'll need you to see to things as I get further along, you know that I'll sleep most of the day, devoting my life force to her."

"I know. I'm not certain I'll be as good of a ruler alone, but we agreed to this before we tried. I'll go in your stead for anything that must be done."

"Thank you. I won't be selfish and keep you all to myself throughout my time."

"Have you thought of what to call her?"

"Daryara, after my grandmother. Unless there's something you'd like to call her more."

"I have no family that I would choose to call her after, I'd like to honor your grandmother as well. She will do great things."

"I can't wait to watch her grow."

Santana's eyes flickered open and she looked up at Brittany. She felt the tears spring up and Brittany gently cupped her face, hating that she couldn't even kiss her girlfriend without her getting some kind of visions. With everything that was going on in Santana's head, Brittany knew that it was the last thing she needed and she felt terribly guilty for deepening their kiss. Rubbing her nose with Brittany, Santana sighed heavily.

"They wanted that baby so badly. I just...I don't know what to make of it all, Brittany."

"I know."

"They had no idea that she would be a pawn for the enemy. And Sugar...I mean, I get it, you know, I grew up not knowing where I really came from and she...we're not Reyneva and Caderyna, but they're in us."

"You want to let her in."

"I don't know, I really don't. I'm terrified to make a decision like this. But if I went looking for my moms and they turned me away, I would be distraught."

"I want to know what she knows. There's just so much about Azar, and I know Quinn probably doesn't want to hear it, but we should know."

"What are we supposed to do, Brittany?" Santana sighed, looking into her eyes.

"I think...we need to talk to everyone else."

That was the plan, but both of them realized that they needed the night just to be together. Santana has missed falling asleep with Brittany's arms around her, feeling the soft buzz in the pendant that came only when Brittany was close. So they slept. Neither had slept well over the weekend and with Santana's parents gone, they could rest together undisturbed.

The next morning, Brittany woke first. She knew she'd have to explain her whereabouts the night before to her parents, but that could all be dealt with. Luckily, her parents were progressive and telling them she spent the night with Santana wouldn't be ill received. Gently, she kissed Santana's forehead to wake her, knowing they'd have to her ready for school soon, and Santana smiled in her sleep, curling closer to Brittany. Brittany loved that contented smile, one she knew she wouldn't see once Santana was awake, so she let her sleep just a few moments longer.

Once they were at school, they split up for class. Santana had Economics and because Quinn was in the class, she dreaded seeing her. When she walked into the classroom, she glanced to the back of the room, though she knew Quinn was never early, then watched the door cautiously for when she came in. She wasn't afraid Quinn would hurt her, even with what Sugar had told them. Instead, she was just nervous of how to handle the fact that they hadn't talked since everything went down. But class started and Quinn never came in, making Santana both breathe a sigh of relief and fill with dread.

Quinn wasn't in econ. Santana texted Brittany. Have you heard from her?

I'll text her now.

After getting Santana's text, Brittany shuddered a little. If she knew Quinn, and she thought she did, her not showing up to school just days after Sugar showed up was not a good thing. As soon as things started to change with Santana, Quinn had wanted to run away and Brittany was afraid that maybe she'd taken the opportunity to do just that. It was the scariest thought Brittany thought she could have, until she saw Bryan Ryan walking down the hall toward the nurse's office. Instead of going to class, Brittany immediately decided to feign a stomachache and hoped that Holly-as-Terri was still occupying the school nurse position.

"Oh, Bryan." Brittany heard Terri's voice ant shrill giggle as she stood outside the door. "I'm so glad you surprised me in the middle of the day."

"This is a business call." Bryan's voice was clipped and Brittany shuddered, forgetting just for a second that the real Terri DelMonico was dead and they were safe with Holly in her position. "We got one of them."

"Which one?"

"Number three, Roomba found her at the empty bus station. We knew the opportunity to find one of the alone would arise."

"I don't want to blow my cover if we're ever going to get the other two. I'll be there as soon as I can get out of here."

"Screw your cover, DelMonico." Bryan snapped. "This is what we've been waiting our entire careers for."

"I said I'll be there is soon as I can."

Before Agent Ryan stepped out of the nurse's office, Brittany ducked into the supply closet next to it and waited until she could hear his footsteps disappear down the hall. She felt like she was going to vomit and touched the stone around her neck. Holly infiltrating the FBI hadn't helped keep them safe, Quinn had been kidnapped by them and Brittany felt waves of guilt wash over her. If only she had dealt with speaking to her after Sugar's reveal, if only she had done something to help her feel like she didn't run away. She and Quinn may have spent most of their lives fighting, but when push came to shove, they were on the same side and Brittany had no idea what to do.

When the door to the supply closet opened up, Brittany nearly jumped out of her skin. Once she realized it was Holly-as-Terri, her heart stopped beating so fast and she sucked in a lot of air. Brittany couldn't read the emotion on her face, but she could imagine that knowing the essence of her daughter was now in grave danger had to be driving her to the brink.

"I know you heard."

"I did. Did Bryan Ryan see me?" Brittany furrowed her brow.

"No, but you need to be careful. They know who you are and they're not going to stop until I put an end to this whole project."

"Quinn..."

"I'll get her out as soon as I can."

"That's not good enough. Who knows what kind of awful experiments they're doing on her. We need to get her out now."

"I know what I'm doing." Holly argued.

"I don't care. If you don't help me, I'm breaking into that facility myself." Brittany snapped, sounding remarkably like Quinn. "Please, Holly."

"Do you know how dangerous this is?"

"I don't care, she's one of us."

"Get the others and meet me in the desert in two hours."

Brittany took a deep breath and stepped out of the closet. She immediately texted Sam, since she knew he would look at his watch in class, then stood outside the door to Santana's classroom, anxiously waiting for the bell to ring. Brittany was never in trouble and she didn't think a teacher would say a word about her lurking, but she closed her eyes and willed them from coming toward her anyway. Finally, the bell rang and Brittany felt Santana's presence next to her. Immediately, Santana grasped her hand, knowing something was wrong, and Brittany walked with her toward the car.

"They have Quinn." Brittany choked out, once the car door was closed. "And we're going to get her out."

"Okay." Santana nodded, not even bothering to question the plan. "I'll do whatever you need me to do."

Once Sam and Mercedes were in the car with them, Brittany drove as quickly as she could out to the desert. While they were in the car, Santana did what Brittany asked and called Sheriff Hummel, letting him know what was about to go down. With everything that had happened in the days leading up to this, Santana actually felt good that they had at least someone from the law on their side. If something went wrong and they never came home, the sheriff would break the news easily to her parents. Though she shuddered at the thought, Santana knew this was much bigger than her and if one of them was taken, they were all in danger.

"Should we have told Sugar?" Sam asked from the backseat.

"No." Santana and Brittany said in unison, looking at each other and feeling that strange motherly instinct that led to them wanting to keep her safe.

"We don't know how many FBI agents we're up against. Only three of us have powers. We're screwed."

"We know that Holly has protected us before. She told me it's dangerous, but she wouldn't have let us do it if it were impossible."

"What if..." Mercedes trailed off, then started again. "What if we're too late."

"Mercedes, don't." Santana shook her head. "Just...we're going to get her out of there."

Once they got to Holly, who pulled up in Terri's big SUV, she gave them their orders. It still freaked Brittany out a little that she was in Terri DelMonico's body, but she knew it had to be that way, at least until they could figure out a way that they would all be safe. She gave them their marching orders, she would change Brittany and Sam's appearance and they would go into the building with her, pretending to be two agents. Holly would lead them to Quinn and she and Sam—the fighter—would be on defense while Brittany got into the room and get her out. How that would happen was still up in the air, which made Santana nervous, but she trusted Holly. Mercedes would stay with Santana outside of the facility, ready to drive and ready for Santana's pendant to alert Brittany of any incoming danger. They were doing this and hopefully all of them would make it out alive.

Holly changed Sam and Brittany's faces and Santana studied Brittany's new features. It was strange, even though Brittany was now a brunette with an undercut, Santana could feel her essence and so she felt safe. Wanting a few moments alone, just in case, they took the third row in the SUV and a Brittany clasped Santana's hand tightly, squeezing it with all she had.

"I'm going to come back to you, Santana." Brittany promised, kissing her forehead.

"I'm scared, Britt. If they take the three of you captive, I don't know how I'm going to get you out of there."

"We'll fight. I have to save Quinn, I just..."

"I know." Santana nodded. "She's one of us."

"Everything that happened on Uecridis was in another lifetime. She's been a constant in my life here and it's my fault she tried to leave Roswell and got caught."

"I share that responsibility, Britt. I hid from everything over the weekend, I should have helped you deal with it."

"We'll have time once we get her out. I love you with all that I am, Santana, and I'm going to have a long life loving you."

"Okay." Santana kissed her lips, hoping with all that she was that it wouldn't be the last time. "I love you."

Once Brittany stepped away from Santana, she knew she couldn't turn back to look at her or she would never go in. She took a deep breath and followed Holly, Sam at her side and hoped that somehow they'd make it out alive.