AN: My deepest apologies on the slow update. Between work, writer's block, and figuring out what I want to do with my life, I've found it hard to sit down and type. Big things are happening right now and my mind is chaotic.

I promise to try harder!

I know some of you are upset about how Dani found out and her lack of anger, but she really did know already. How could she not with Santana still trying to be a part of Rachel's life? Santana admitting it was just the push she needed to start making changes.

I also still have no beta. So any and all errors are my own and I apologize for them. I generally try to go back through once or twice before posting.

Disclaimer: I still don't own the characters. Except for my two.

SANTANA

Her apartment

Santana sat in the living room, deep in thought. Dani was at the studio. She'd been spending a lot of time there the last few days. Santana just figured she was busy finishing her new album.

Santana thought back to Tony's advice. It was killing her to keep this secret from Rachel. And it felt awful lying to Dani. But she didn't know what to do. And she could honestly think of only one person who could help her with this issue.

Santana stood up and walked through the kitchen on her way to the bedroom. Quickly dialing, she put the phone on speaker and started grabbing clothes from her dresser. The phone rang twice before someone answered.

"Lopez. This has better be important. You're interrupting dinner with my wife and mother-in-law," a man said.

"My apologies, Captain. I just wanted to call you and let you know I'm going to use some of my vacation time this week," she said, hoping he wouldn't get pissed off.

"Why so sudden, Lopez? Should I be concerned?"

"No, Captain. I just need to go back to Ohio for a few days. I've got some personal stuff going on and I really just need a trip back home. I promise you I'll be back before Thursday."

The line was silent for a moment. "Alright, Lopez. I'll let it happen this once. I expect you there bright and early Thursday morning."

"Thank you, Captain," she went to hang up.

"Lopez," she heard her captain say.

"Yes?"

"We're a family here at the precinct. You can come to me if something is ever bothering you."

Santana smiled. "Thank you, Captain. That means a lot."

"I'll see you Thursday, Lopez. Have a good trip home."

Santana hung up and continued her packing. Two hours later, she walked out of the apartment. She had a flight booked and needed to get to the airport. Inside, on the kitchen table, she'd left a note.

Dani,

I'm going home. I need time to think about something. Let's do dinner Thursday night. I'll explain everything then, I hope. I'll miss you.

Santana

3 ½ hours later, in Lima

Santana stepped out of the airport and waved at Sam. She had called him on the plane, asking if he could meet her at the airport and give her a ride to her parents. He smiled, giving her a warm hug.

"Santana! It's so good to see you. What brings you back to Lima?" Sam asks, grabbing her bag for her.

"I missed home, trouty mouth. Just decided that a trip back was in order," she said.

Sam smiled knowingly, but let it slide.

"Let's get out of here," Santana said.

Lopez Home

"You should have told us you were coming home, Santana. Your papi and I would have been all to happy to come and pick you up from the airport," Santana's mother said, passing her a plate of food.

"I know, mami. I thought about calling you. But then I decided it would be a nice surprise," Santana smiled.

"It's a wonderful surprise, Santana. Thank you," her father said. She watched as he exchanged an odd, worried look with her mother.

"What was that?" she asked.

"What do you mean, Santana?" her mother responded.

"That look. What are you hiding from me, papi? What's going on?" Santana stood up and looked her father in the eye. That's when she heard the back door open.

"Maribel, I told you I would help cook…" Santana whipped around.

"Abuela…" she said.

Her grandmother looked shocked and something else. An emotion Santana couldn't quite place. Probably because she hadn't seen the woman in so long.

"Santana, I…" she started to say.

"No. Why didn't you tell me she was coming?" she asked her mother. "I would have gone somewhere else."

"Santana, don't speak like that. She is your abuela," her father said.

"And why not, papi? Please tell me why. Because as far as I'm concerned, she disowned me as soon as I came out of the closet. I'm no longer her granddaughter," Santana grabbed her jacket. "I can't stay here. Not with her. If you need me, I'll be at S…"

"Santana Maria Lopez," her grandmother said. "You will sit down this instant and listen to what I have to say. Then, and only then, can you storm out of this house, disrespecting your parents." Santana looked at the woman, fearing the look on her face. She slowly sat back down. "Can we please have a moment alone to speak?" Alma asked her son and daughter-in-law.

The two left the room hesitantly, leaving Santana with a woman she had once considered the closest friend she had. Alma walked around the table and sat across from Santana.

"It has been so long, nieta. You look well. Your mother tells me you've joined the police force in New York," the older woman said. Santana remained silent, looking at her hands.

"Santana. I hurt you. I know that. And you have every right to hate me…"

"I never hated you, Abuela. You hurt me, yes. And I hated that we quit speaking. But I never hated you. You're my abuela. You're my family," Santana said, tears in her eyes as she looked into her abuela's eyes. Tears were streaming down the woman's face as well.

"You should hate me. That was an awful thing for me to do. You were confused and scared. You were finding out who you were and I wanted you to deny that. I wanted it to all go away," Alma said. "Santana, I miss my granddaughter. I don't care if you like girls. It's going to take so much time for me to be 100% okay with it, but I'm ready to start trying. I want to be a part of your life again, nieta."

A steady stream of tears was now flowing from Santana's eyes. She stood up from her seat, setting her coat on the table and walked to her grandmothers side. The old woman stood as well and Santana just pulled her close. It felt so wonderful holding the woman again. And when she felt her grandmother's arms reach around and hold her back, she sobbed loudly.

"I am so sorry, Santana. I will never hurt you like that again. I've missed so much of your life. We've got so much to catch up on."

"I missed you too, Abuela," Santana cried. "So, so much."

The two women were still locked in their hug when Santana's parents walked back into the kitchen. The rest of the night was spent catching up. Santana told her grandmother about her life so far. Alma asked her if she had someone special back in New York. Santana smiled sadly and said that she hoped so.

AN: Okay. I know this chapter isn't very long, but it's what I've got for now. Again, I'm so sorry for the long delay on this one. I'm certain you can all understand. Thank you so much for sticking with me. So far as I can see, this story might make it to 9 chapters. So hopefully five more after this. I don't know yet if I'll write another. My writer's block may not even allow me to finish this one.

Please don't hate me for the delay!

Translation: Nieta - Granddaughter