Three days later

''Ah fuck.''

Santana's head snaps up from her conversation with her friends as she hears her girlfriends pained groan and frowns in concern as she sees her trying to massage her knee pain written all over her face.

She turns to the group seeing them all look at her girlfriend in concern and locks eyes with Puck, she jumps up as he nods his head silently telling her that this week was too much for her girlfriends leg and turns to her friends smiling lovingly as her daughter drops into her gran abuela's lap taking a break from playing on the playground. ''Can one of you go grab an ice pack or a cold water bottle from somewhere?''

She walks over to her girlfriend as Jake immediately jumps up sprinting to the ice cream cart and crouches down beside her. ''How high baby?'' She murmurs softly as Puck joins them.

Brittany drops her head tears welling in her eyes from the pain and gulps. ''8 close to 9.''

Santana immediately jumps up hearing just how high and slowly pushes against her shoulder. ''Lay down Britt-Britt.'' She reaches down gently grabbing her injured leg and lifts it in the air softly pushing against her foot to tense the muscles. ''Puck can you?''

Puck nods his head dropping to his knees beside his best friend and places both of his hands above her knees, he slowly applies pressure to the muscle there apologizing softly as she groans in pain and looks up at Santana shaking his head. ''She is too stiff San, she needs a pill and her bed.''

Santana nods her head slowly lowering Brittany's leg and leans down, she helps Puck picking her up and takes a hold of her arm throwing it around her shoulder ignoring the height difference and the added weight, she wraps her arm under Puck's around her waist and turns to the group. ''Guys we need to go to the apartment.''

''B, pain?'' Bella asks pouting walking over to them, Brittany bites back a groan as she tries to stand on her leg and slowly nods her head.

''Yeah a bit princess, but it will pass soon.''

''Don't stand on your leg baby.'' Santana murmurs softly, she turns to her daughter and smiles lovingly. ''Will you walk with gran Abuela to the apartment mija?''

''Want me to take over San?'' Jake asks as he sprints back to them meeting them at the exit of the park, Santana shakes her head tightening her hold around her girlfriends waist needing to be near her and sighs.

''Nah it's alright Jake.'' She looks up at her girlfriend as she hears her sniffle and bites her lip as she sees silent tears stream down her face. ''Oh baby.'' She murmurs softly, she reaches up with her free hand and wipes away her tears.

''It hurts so fucking bad.''

''Is it rising?'' Puck asks talking about the pain, Brittany nods her head and gulps.

''A clear 9 now.'' She murmurs as they walk into their apartment building, Santana steps into the elevator shooting her Abuela a reassuring smile silently telling her that she will explain later and turns back to her girlfriend.

''Please lay down in our bed as soon as we get to the apartment, you need to lift your leg and let it rest baby.'' She exchanges a concerned glance with Puck as Brittany hums not even trying to protest and walks off of the elevator, she watches Quinn unlock the front door after Puck gave her his keys and walks in immediately leading her girlfriend down the hall to their bedroom knowing the group will settle in the living room.

''I will grab an ice pack.'' Puck murmurs after he helped his best friend lay down on the bed, Santana nods her head grabbing the pillows off of the chair in the corner and walks back to her girlfriend.

She gently lifts her leg again placing the pillows under her knee and reaches into the nightstand grabbing a painkiller, she sits down beside her on the bed and holds it up to her lips smiling sadly as pain filled blue orbs lock on her own. ''Open up babe.'' She murmurs softly, she drops the pill into her open mouth and grabs the water bottle holding it up so she can take a few sips.

She holds her hand out for Puck as she hears him walk back into the room and wraps her fingers about the two ice packs he places in her open palm. ''Thank you Puck.'' She stands up rolling the leg of the sweats her girlfriend wears up biting her lip as she sees that her knee is swollen and wraps the ice packs up in a towel.

''Get some rest B, yell if you need us.'' Puck murmurs kissing his best friends cheek as Santana wraps both ice packs around her knee, Santana sits back down beside her girlfriend after Puck walked out of the room and runs her hand through her soft blonde locks.

''Do you need something baby?''

''Bella?'' Brittany asks, she clears her throat as Santana shakes her head and gulps. ''She can lay on the side of my good leg, but she needs a nap and I will nap better if I have you or Bell's in my arms.''

Santana smiles lovingly knowing she can't deny her girlfriend anything if she is that cute and leans down kissing her forehead. ''I will go get her, you relax and yell if you need something.''

She turns on her heels walking out of the room as she hums softly already on the verge of sleep and walks into the living room smiling as she sees her daughter cuddled up in between Emily and Quinn sucking on her thumb, she walks over to her crouching down in front of the couch and reaches out gently pulling the thumb out of her mouth. ''Do you want to take a nap with B?''

''B hurt, don't hurt more.'' Bella murmurs frowning, Santana smiles lovingly pulling her closer and kisses her head. ''She wants to cuddle with you princess and only her leg hurts, you won't hurt her more.''

''Weally?'' Bella asks softly, Santana nods her head standing up and picks her up kissing her head.

''Yes really.'' She runs her hand up her back as she cuddles into her and smiles. ''Do you need a diaper change?''

Bella shakes her head nuzzling her face in her neck and sighs softly. ''Buela did.''

Santana smiles kissing the top of her head as she walks back into the bedroom and sighs sadly as she sees her girlfriend asleep with a pained frown on her face, she walks around the bed slowly placing her daughter down helping her take off the sweater she wore and runs her hand through her dark locks as she immediately turns on her side cuddling up against Brittany's arm.

Santana watches on in amazement as Brittany lifts her arm in her sleep wrapping it around Bella and bites her lip her love only intensifying as she sees her pulling Bella closer and turning her head to sleepily kiss her head.

She leans over kissing both of their foreheads as they both drift off to sleep and sighs happily. ''Te amo.'' She murmurs softly, she slowly crawls off of the bed tucking them in and walks out of the room walking back into the living room.

''Are they asleep?'' Mercedes asks as she sees Santana walk back over to the couch, Santana nods her head dropping down beside her Abuela and sighs.

''Yeah but B is still in pain, I hope the painkillers will kick in soon.''

''Why is she in pain Santanita? Did she move the wrong way on the playground while she played with Bella?'' Alma asks softly concern clear in her voice, Santana shakes her head sighing softly and glances at Emily and Puck silently asking them if they want to tell her.

Emily leans forward taking a sip of her water thinking back to the day her sister told her about the mission and sighs. ''Brittany got shot during an important mission overseas.''

Puck smiles sadly as he hears Alma's shocked gasp and turns to look at her. ''The bullet shattered her knee cap, it happened almost a year ago but she had to undergo so many operations before she was stable enough to fly out that she came back around four months ago.''

''Shit and that still causes her pain?'' Alma asks shocked never having thought that the girl was injured in the first place with the way she is walking around and carrying her granddaughter and great granddaughter to their rooms whenever they fell asleep.

Santana hums softly and bites her lip. ''Yeah the function of her leg is down to seventy percent maybe a bit more after resting and training a lot the past few months, but she started with a function of not even fifty percent overseas. The had to keep her there but called in the best doctors from the US to help her.''

''I never noticed her limping or in pain, she hides it well.''

''She trains her leg everyday and one of us.'' Puck mentions to himself and Santana. ''Massages it to prevent it from becoming stiff, but I just think that it was too much the past few days.''

''Yeah walking around the zoo for hours Sunday, going shopping the next day also barely sitting for more than an hour the next day and playing on the playground with Bella today probably put a huge strain on her muscles.'' Santana murmurs cuddling into her Abuela.

''Why didn't she take a break?'' Alma asks softly, Emily leans back into her girlfriends embrace and chuckles.

''Britt loves spending time with all of us she always did, but now adding Bella into the mix she loves to play with her, just spend the day with her and often forgets that she needs to rest a bit.''

''Bella started to notice things to though and whenever she sees Brittany grimace in pain, she acts like she is tired and asks Brittany to just sit with her or sometimes even take a nap.'' Quinn continues chuckling.

''Yeah I noticed that Bella really adores Brittany, Santanita already told me about it but seeing it with my own eyes just made it clearer. I can also see that Brittany loves her and would do everything to keep her and Santana happy, she does have to think about her own health tho.''

''Yeah Brittany never did that and I don't think she will start now.'' Puck murmurs smiling as Mercedes and Emily nod their heads in agreement.

''Brittany puts the people she loves above herself, when she was in high school our parents kicked her out for being gay and too hyperactive but instead of leaving the town completely she rented this apartment to stay near me and to help me out because they were never there for me.''

''Brittany was always the protector, we met during our first year of high school and it immediately clicked and we became best friends quite quickly. After she literally saved my life during a party almost a year and a half later, she asked me to move in with her and we both made sure Em was always fed and had new clothes or trendy things to fit in even if it meant breaking the law.'' Puck continues shrugging.

''Puck and Britt never backed down and had fights quite often but only because they protected each other during high school, I never saw one of them start a fight and the day I joined glee club and we befriended they took me under their wings and warned every bully that tried to slushy me that I belong to them and to back off.'' Mercedes adds, she turns to look at Emily and smiles lovingly. ''The day they let me in completely and I met Em I realized why they were like that, they protected the little girl and stole food or things for her so she was happy and always had something to eat daily.''

''Brittany didn't eat a lot and often skipped a few dinners to make sure Em and I had something to eat, that is probably why she is still so skinny and well joining the army didn't help either because she was awake for days on no end and didn't eat much.''

''Why did she join the army?'' Alma asks curiously.

''She started to think about it after they held a presentation at school, at the beginning she thought it was to earn money quick but after doing a lot of research she also wanted to serve our country to make it a bit safer for everyone living here.'' Puck explains.

''Yeah she didn't want to leave me because she promised that she would stay around, but I saw it in her eyes that she really wanted to give it a shot so I told her to go and told her that Puck would be still around and that if all goes wrong Cedes who just made her break in the music industry would make sure that I got out of here quickly and that I would be safe.'' Emily continues.

''So she joined the army after a lot of convincing from the both of us, we both told her that we would be alright and that she could always come back if it wasn't something she could see her doing for a longer time.'' Puck adds reaching out to squeeze Emily's shoulder.

''Turns out she was born to serve, she finished boot camp early because she learned quick and in the three years serving she got promoted to Specialist and without getting injured a few times her rank would be much higher.'' Emily continues smiling proudly.

''Will she go back overseas as soon as she healed enough?'' Alma asks frowning as she realizes what it would mean for her granddaughter and great granddaughter when the blonde goes back.

Santana shakes her head and smiles slightly. ''I know what you are thinking and I asked her that too, she won't go back her leg will never be the same and she told me that even if it would happen that she won't go back. She will still be a part of the army and she will go on missions or help out whenever it is needed here in the states, but she won't be gone for more than a few weeks.''

''And you all are okay with that?'' Alma asks looking at the group of friends.

''What do you mean?'' Quinn asks curiously.

''Well she will still kinda risk her life right?''

''That depends on the missions some will be more dangerous than the others, but she loves her job and I think we are all just happy that she will be home more.'' Emily says shrugging.

''Yeah I agree with Emily and knowing my best friend she will be extra careful now because she not only has her little sister who needs her, but she also has Santana and Bella.'' Puck adds smiling slightly.

''I don't know her for long but I can see the undeniable love and protection shining in her eyes, I don't think that she will risk something that will cause deep hurt for Santana and Bella.'' Quinn muses smiling slightly as she locks eyes with her best friend.

''You are right about that Q, I think I speak for myself, Puck and Emily when I say that we never saw Britt so smitten before. That girl is head over heels for Santana and Bella woke a whole other feeling of protection in her, Bella managed to capture her heart the first day she met her and well I think it was love at first sight for her the second she laid her eyes on Santana in the choir room.'' Mercedes replies smiling lovingly.

''Not only for her Cedes.'' Santana murmurs softly, she blushes as everyone turns her attention to her and buries her face in her Abuela's arm. ''Stop looking at me like that.''

''You mean?'' Emily asks, Santana nods her head turning to look at them and bites her lip.

''Yeah I fell for her the day she offered to tutor me in arts, she gave me her number after tutoring and told me to call her whenever I wanted to talk or if I needed her.'' She slowly sits up smiling as her Abuela runs her hand down her back and gulps. ''After that we texted a lot and I still kept a distance because she didn't know about Bella, but the day she met her and well things happened made me realize that she is one of a kind and that if anything I might have bumped into my soulmate even if I didn't really believe in that kind of thing before.''

''That is really adorable S.'' Quinn murmurs smiling lovingly.

''Mami!''

Santana jumps as she hears her daughter yell for her before anyone else can reply and stands up as she walks to the couch. ''Hey mija, what's wrong?''

''B, pain!''

Santana sighs softly kissing the top of her head and turns to Puck. ''Puck can you maybe make her something to eat or order dinner my card is in my purse.'' She turns to her daughter crouching down as he nods his head jumping up and pulls her in a hug rubbing her back knowing she is concerned about Brittany too. ''B will be alright baby girl, do you want to cuddle with gran Abuela or your Tia's?''

She smiles as she walks to Alma and slowly stands up looking at the group. ''I will go check on B.'' She walks into the kitchen as they nod their heads and grabs two new cool pads, she grabs a fresh towel and turns on her heels jogging down the hall to their bedroom.

She slowly walks in sighing sadly as she sees her girlfriend laying on the bed massaging her leg with tears streaming down her cheeks and quickly walks to her. ''Oh baby.'' She murmurs sitting down beside her.

''It hurts so fucking bad babe.'' Brittany murmurs tiredly, Santana sighs softly replacing the old pads with the cold ones and reaches into the nightstand grabbing a stronger painkiller knowing her girlfriend hates them.

''I think you need to take these baby.'' She murmurs holding the pill up, she smiles sadly as she groans and scoots closer kissing her forehead. ''I know that they make you feel drowsy, but it will relax the muscles mi amor.''

She watches her take the pill with a few gulps of water and reaches for the waistband of the sweats. ''Lift up baby, I think the pant leg tightly wrapped around your thigh isn't that good either.'' She helps her take off her pants as soon as she lifted her hips making sure not to jostle her leg and throws it towards the chair in the corner, she frowns as she sees the swollen skin and leans down kissing her forehead again. ''Think we need to call Dr Anderson?''

Brittany shakes her head gulping not wanting another injection with muscle relaxation and sniffles. ''No I just think I need a rest day.''

''Than take one mi amor, we are all here and I think the whole group will stay over because they are all concerned.''

''They don't have to, I will be okay.''

Santana chuckles running her hand through her soft blonde locks and smiles slightly. ''Yeah try telling mi Abuela that, I think she already cleared it with the group that she will share the bed with some of them and I think I saw Jake already changing in something comfortable to lounge on the love seat.''

She smiles lovingly as a dopey smile covers her girlfriends face knowing the pill is kicking in and slides her hand down her leg softly massaging the muscle, she looks down as a cold hand covers her own on Brittany's head and glances down locking eyes on tired blue orbs.

''Will you cuddle with me?'' She asks cutely, Santana nods her head and walks around the bed. She slides in under the blanket next to her and pulls her in her arms kissing her head as she nuzzles her face in her chest.

''Go back to sleep baby, I hope the pills will work I hate seeing you in pain.''

''Sorry.'' Brittany murmurs tiredly, Santana shakes her head playing with the small hairs on the back of her neck and smiles lovingly.

''You don't have anything to be sorry about mi amor, yes it scared me hearing just how high the pain is but I hope after another few hours of sleep that it will be down. How high is it now?''

''Seven.'' Brittany murmurs sniffling, Santana sighs softly and slides her free hand under the shirt she wears rubbing her back.

''Go back to sleep Britt-Britt, let the pill do it's work.''

''Will you stay?''

Santana smiles sadly hearing the small voice coming from her normally strong girlfriend and hums softly. ''There is no place I'd rather be.'' She kisses her forehead keeping her lips there as she feels her drift back off to sleep and slowly pulls out her phone making sure not to move too fast, she holds it behind Brittany's back opening the group chat they made with their friends and types out a message.

B had to take a stronger pill that makes her feel drowsy and she asked me to stay near her, if Bella wants to sleep with us she can just place her in bed between us or on top of me and you are all welcome to stay too I know none of you want to leave. We have air mattresses in the hallway closet and Bella's room still has a bed where some of you can sleep, thank you all for the talk it really made me realize just how much I love B and if anything it only made my feelings for her grow. Seeing her like this hurts like hell but I know that she will be alright tomorrow.

Love you all