Charlie wiped the barbecue sauce from her chin, she tossed the used napkin onto her empty plate and studied Santana for a moment. She had done her very best to make sure she understood most of the financial documents that she had handed over. It was a good thing that she had an accountant to go over most of these documents. "May I ask you a question, Ms. Lopez?"

Santana glanced up from her dinner, it had been surprisingly good, if not a bit messy. But if Charlie wasn't going to say anything then she didn't mind. It had been fun, and though the talk over dinner had been strictly business, Charlie wasn't just some dumb actor. She asked intelligent questions, and made a few suggestions. "Of course."

"I realize that it's a personal question, and thus it may be none of my business, so you're free to tell me that it's private—but I just want to know why you chose to break the bond?"

Santana froze, she wasn't expecting Charlie to go there at all. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with Charlie, "I would rather not talk about it," Santana says after thinking about the question for a moment. "I will admit that I was terrified of my soulmate, and I truly believed that she wouldn't be a good fit for me." Santana hesitated when Charlie nodded. "I do regret my decision."

Charlie studied Santana for a moment, Santana had never met her soulmate which could only mean— "You were soul bonded."

There's not an accusatory tone in her voice, but Santana hesitates before nodding. "I was. I don't think she realized that she was hurting me, but once the drugs started, I felt as if I had no choice." Santana swallowed as she studied Charlie's face. "You think I should have sucked it up?"

"No." Charlie admits with a shrug. "I'm sure you researched us and know exactly why Quinn and I want to burn the company to the ground."

"Your father—"

"I killed my mother, and he hated me for it. What should have been one of the happiest days of his life turned into a tragedy, and he couldn't cope. I don't hate him, neither does Quinn. We just don't want anything to do with him, even in death. But he put us through the ringer, and those bruises, the broken bones Rachel got all that. Her fathers were adamant that they wanted her to break the bond, but Rachel refused. I think she realized that Quinn needed her." Charlie shrugged and smiled at Santana. "I think I understand my father better than Quinn."

Without thinking Santana reaches forward and touches Charlie's hand. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, but the moment her hand touches Charlie she feels it. There is no simple way to describe it, but it felt as if something was pulling at her, and every molecule in her body was being shaken as hard and as fast as possible, as the muscles in her arm seize. She's not sure how long their hands remain connected but Charlie suddenly pulls her hand back, and the moment they separate Santana exhales, she wasn't sure when she'd begun holding her breath.

"I appreciate your concern, but it's all in the past." Charlie says calmly. "My grandparents made certain that I had all the therapists I needed so I wouldn't end up like him. Angry at the world with no outlet, except lashing out at people."

Santana rubbed her hand absentmindedly, wondering what the hell that sensation was. Her body ached, and so did her chest, and she really wanted to just go back to her hotel room. "I'm glad that you got the help that you needed." She picks up her phone and makes a show of being shocked at how late it was. "It is getting pretty late—maybe I should get back to the hotel."

Charlie flicked her eyes to the time on Santana's phone and looked up at her, before nodding. "We'll grab dessert the next time you're in Atlanta then."

Santana blinked and looked at Charlie, Charlie had finished off two orders of the beef short rib, with a side of the mac and cheese bites, and sweet potato tots. "You're still hungry?"

"It's dessert, after a meal like that I think I deserve something sweet and refreshing." Charlie stated. "I know a place."

Santana looks down at her meal and then at Charlie's plate that she had picked clean and looks back at Charlie. "I believe you, and I'll look forward to it."

Charlie flashes an amused smile at Santana. "Should I call you an Uber or a Lyft?"

Santana wiggles her phone, "I've got it. I'll see you in a month Ms. Fabray."

"I'll see you later Ms. Lopez." Charlie said with a wave as her own phone began to ring. She glances at it and without hesitating she picks it up. "Marley. I'm at the Royal Pig, do you want me to bring back some Peach Cobbler?" Charlie asked as she got up, and headed back to the truck to get some peach cobbler for later.

Santana tilted her head and watched Charlie, as she waited for her Uber to pull up. When Charlie laughs, she feels a sudden pang and at that Charlie turns around to wave at her over. She looks around before getting up, and jogs over, when Charlie hands her one of the boxes that she's bought. "But—"

"For later. It tastes amazing with ice cream. Now I have to go, my girlfriend is waiting up on me and she's upset that I've been gorging myself at the Royal pig again. Something about how we're both supposed to be doing keto." Charlie rolls her eyes.

"That sounds—awful," Santana frowns, Charlie didn't look like she needed to lose a pound. Her eyes flick to those arms and those shoulders of hers. She wondered what it would be like to have those arms—she immediately shoves the thoughts from her mind as Charlie adjusts the boxes in her hand. "Good luck."

"Thanks. I'll need it. At least until she smells this cobbler then she'll get mad at me again for ruining her diet." Charlie sighed, but smiled. "I'll see you next month on the first."

Santana nodded. "I'll see you then, Ms. Fabray."

~ O ~

Brittany grinned when Santana opened the door to her car and got in. "So—"

"She's my soulmate," Santana said as she tossed her bag onto the back seat and closed her eyes. "She's my soulmate." There was no denying it, she knew what she had felt, and the fact that she already missed a person she'd only met twice? Charlie Fabray was her soulmate and meeting her again was probably a terrible idea.

"That's good right—"

"No, it's not. She thinks I'm dead. She grieved for me, she needed me and I let her down. She'll never forgive me for abandoning her when Rachel went through the same shit that I did and she stayed. I can't ever tell her Britt. I know you think that everything will be okay if I'm just honest, but—" Santana let out a shaky breath. "It won't."

Brittany hesitated before pulling Santana into a hug. She hadn't truly expected that Santana would actually acknowledge Charlie as her soulmate. But something must have happened to have her so shaken up. "We'll figure something out." Brittany suddenly pulled back and stared at Santana, before poking her in the cheek and then leaning in real close.

"Britt—I just need you to not be weird—"

"Have people been giving you a wide berth like they normally do?" Brittany asked.

"What?"

"You're not making me feel uncomfortable." Brittany blinked and poked Santana again in the cheek. She points to an older gentleman who was struggling to get their bag in a car. "Go and help him."

"Britt—"

"Go and help him." Brittany barks out and watches as Santana rolls her eyes and gets out to do just that. Brittany tilted her head ever so slightly as the man looks up at Santana. They seem to exchange some pleasantries, but more importantly he didn't pull away in disgust the moment Santana walked up to him. That wasn't supposed to be possible, once severed soulmate bonds didn't come back. They were never supposed to come back even if they met their soulmate again.

"There I helped him—"

"We're taking you to the hospital."

"What? Britt I just want to go home!"

"Santana. He didn't react to you. Not like what normally happens. I think your bond is repairing itself and that's not supposed to happen," Brittany interrupts. As she checks her mirrors before peeling away. They needed to get to the bottom of this.