Chapter 6

"Okay, so...How exactly do you work this thing?" Santana asked as she stared at all the different buttons in awe.

"It's actually pretty simple. We just step inside, set it to the date we want to go to, and then press the big red button," Sugar explained.

"Okay...but then why are there so many other buttons?"

Sugar squinted her eyes, thought for a second, and then shrugged. "I honestly don't know...Maybe we should press each of them and see what they do!" Sugar suggested before reaching out for one of the buttons.

"NO!" Santana yelled as she stopped Sugar from pressing any of them. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Sugar pouted.

"Because. What if one of them is like a 'self-destruct button' or something. Then we would have no way of going back and saving her," Santana explained.

"Uh...okay. I'm pretty sure Mama would never put a 'self-destruct button' because that's just stupid, but okay."

Santana rolled her eyes and glared at Sugar. "Whatever. Let's just go an-"

Before Santana could finish, the doorbell started to ring.

"Are you kidding me?! Who the hell is coming at this hour?!" Santana said, frustrated, as she walked up, out of the basement and into the living room to go answer the door, Sugar following closely behind.

"Quinn? Rachel?"

"Hey there, Santana! How are you?" Rachel greeted as she walked forward, inviting herself into the Latina's home.

"Hey, San. Sorry about Rachel. She's just really been wanting to come visit you," Quinn explained.

"Oh it's fine. It's not like we were in the middle of doing something or anything," Santana said sarcastically.

Quinn just raised her eyebrows and mouthed 'Sorry' and then walked into the house.

"Aunt Quinnie! I missed you!" Sugar yelled as she ran up to hug the blonde.

"Hey, kid. How have you been?" Quinn said as she hugged her niece.

"I've been good, but I'm even better now that you and Aunt Rachel are here," Sugar replied.

"Well that's good. Why don't you take Rachel go up to your room? You can show her your collection of animal sweaters. I bet she'd love to see that," Quinn suggested.

"Ooh! That's an awesome idea. Come on Auntie, let's go," Sugar said as she grabbed Rachel's arm and dragged her upstairs to her room.

Once the two girls were gone, Quinn and Santana were finally able to talk.

"So...What's the real reason you two decided to come visit us?" Santana asked.

"We just wanted to see how you guys were doing. We haven't come to visit you guys since...you know-"

"You can say what you want to say. It's not like it's going to kill me or anything," Santana interrupted as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Since Brittany died," Quinn finished. "We just wanted to give you and Sugar your space. We figured a month was long enough."

"You guys could have come sooner...I haven't been a very good mother lately...Plus, it would have been nice for Sugar to have someone other than me around the house," Santana replied.

"You and I both know that's not true. You're an amazing mom, you know that. She needs you just as much as you need her. And yes, we're your friends and we should have visited you sooner, but Sugar is your daughter. It's good for you two to spend one-on-one time with each other."

"I just...I don't know how I can keep doing this alone," Santana confessed.

"Santana," Quinn said in a sad voice. "If anyone can do it, it's you. You're one of the strongest people I know."

"I know that I put on a brave face, and it may seem like everything's fine…but it's not. I miss her so much...I just don't know how much longer I can go on without her," Santana choked out as she started to cry.

"Hey, hey, hey," Quinn said as she put her arms around the shorter girl, trying to comfort her. "It's going to be okay. You'll be fine."

"I just wish I could see her or touch her or just speak to her on the phone one last time. I'm so mad at myself," Santana confessed.

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong," Quinn asked, confused.

"The last time I spoke to her in person, I yelled at her. We were having a fight and...it was just stupid. We were fighting over nothing. I just wish I could have another chance to make it right."

"I can't believe you're doing this again! This is the third time third time you've missed it this month! You know how important this is to me!"

"Santana, I don't see what the problem is. We do it every week! What's wrong with missing it every once in a while?"

"Because this is what we do! We've done it every week since we were in high school! I understand that you're busy with work, but if you don't want to do it anymore, just say something!"

"I do want to go! I'm just...busy. You know how hard work is," Brittany explained.

"Oh, I'm very aware of how hard work is. I just don't understand why your job causes you to stay at the studio until almost one in the morning!"

Brittany's eyes widened at this.

"That's right. I noticed that you weren't coming home at 10 like you used to. I figured you were really busy or something, trying to come up with some new routine since it's almost time for competition season, but then I thought, 'Wouldn't she already have the routines down since it's only three weeks away?' And then I thought, 'Well maybe she's doing something else. Maybe she has a really good explanation for what she's been doing. I'll just wait for her to tell me herself.' Well guess what? I'm tired of waiting! I understand that some nights will be harder than others but, every single night? Even on date nights and family nights? What the hell have you been doing out until one in the morning?"

"Santana, I have a really good explanation, I just can-"

"You just can't tell me," Santana finished for her.

"Santana, please," Brittany begged as she moved towards her wife.

Santana held out her hand, motioning for Brittany to stop, and backed away. "Brittany...have you been seeing someone else?"

"What the hell? You really think I've been cheating on you?" Brittany questioned, upset that Santana would ever think that.

"Well have you?" Santana asked again.

"No! Santana, I would never, ever cheat on you. You know that."

"Then what is it?! Why can't you tell me what you've been doing?!" Santana asked, now angry that her own wife wouldn't tell her anything.

"I can't tell you...I'm sorry," Brittany answered.

Santana just stood there and stared at her in disbelief. After a few moments, she finally broke the silence.

"I have to go to work," Santana said as she grabbed her things and walked out the bedroom door.

"Santana," Brittany begged as she followed her out the door.

"Come on, Sugar. Let's go," Santana ordered their daughter, continuing to ignore Brittany.

"Bye, mama," Sugar said to Brittany as she walked out the front door.

"Bye, sweetie," Brittany replied.

"Santana! Snap out of it!" Quinn said as she shook Santana, trying to get her to calm down.

"It's gonna be okay, Santana. It's not your fault," Quinn reassured her.

"I'm sorry...I just w-wish she were here...I just want to see her one last time," Santana mumbled.

"I know, Santana. Me too," Quinn replied.

After a few moments of silence, Quinn spoke. "Let's go up and see Sugar and Rachel. I'm pretty sure Rachel's dying to get out of there by now," the blonde joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Santana sniffled. "Let her suffer, she deserves it," she said as they walked up the stairs together.

"Come on, she's not that bad," Quinn reasoned.

"Says the girl that married her," Santana smirked.

Quinn smiled. "Whatever. Let's just get up there. I'm dying to see what Sugar's done to her."

Santana laughed, picturing what her daughter had done to Rachel. "Me too."