Hey guys! I'm in the middle of a super busy week but I'm going to update anyway! I'm in a really bad mood but I'm hoping an update will cheer me up (hopefully you guys, too). Tell me what you think!

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Chapter 10

Sergio Lopez stood in the doorway, half a smile on his face. Considering his race, Sergio was rather tall and very muscular…an athlete, no doubt. He had a head full of thick, black, curly hair and the same eyes as Santana. Their smiles were similar but not quite the same, and he certainly dwarfed Santana's tiny frame. There was an awkward silence between the three of them as they waited for the other to make a move.

"It's good to uh…see you," Santana tried, sounding meek.

Sergio nodded, "You too, sis."

"Um, this is…this is Brittany…my girlfriend," Santana introduced. "Brittany…this is Sergio, my older brother."

"Hi! It's great to meet you!" Brittany said warmly, trying to make Santana sound as comfortable as possible. The blonde girl extended her hand for Sergio to shake. He gave a quaint nod and shook it in return.

"Nice to meet you. Santana mentioned you were coming too. Why don't you guys come in?" He opened the apartment door further and stood aside. Santana picked up her bag and walked in first, followed by Brittany.

"Nice place," Santana said, trying to break the awkward tension.

"Thanks…I've been here since my sophomore year in college…you know, a year after—," Sergio began.

"Yeah, after I left. I know," Santana said sharply.

"Look sis, I really am happy to see you…can we just start there?" Sergio asked gently, stepping forward and taking the bag from her hand and opening his arms to her. Santana remained static for a moment before rushing into his arms, her lip trembling with a mix of sad and happy. The muscular young man embraced his sister with his strong arms, practically enveloping her in his familiar yet unfamiliar presence.

"I've missed you Serg," Santana mumbled into his chest. He nodded against her head.

"I've missed you too. Mom has too…and dad," He pulled back and looked at her seriously.

She scoffed, "Yeah right…they never wanted to see me again…not after telling them my little secret," Santana said mockingly. Brittany looked down at the ground uncomfortably.

"That was three years ago San. Mom misses you. She's the one who told me to call you, okay? She wanted you here. She wanted to see you," Sergio moved to sit on his recliner and he motioned for the two girls to sit on the black couch in his cozy living room.

Santana looked at Brittany and back to Sergio before speaking in Spanish, "Hermano, Mi mamá no quiere verme. Ella dejó muy en claro cuando ella me echó a vivir por mi cuenta cuando yo tenía dieciséis años."

"Estaba confundida y ella no entendía. ¿De verdad vamos a seguir guardando rencor en ella por eso?" Sergio replied. Santana scoffed again and raised her voice as Brittany watched helplessly.

"Ahora estás del lado de ella? No te puedo creer!" Santana spat.

"Santana…stop!" Sergio held up his hands as he spoke.

"No! I can't believe I came here…this is a mistake…" She made a motion to stand up when a pale hand caught her wrist. She looked down to the couch and saw Brittany staring back at her.

"San, don't…your mom is running out of time…she needs to see you. Forget about your past with her and be there for her now," Brittany said softly, but firmly. Santana sat back down.

"What am I supposed to say to her when I walk in after three years?" Santana sounded desperate all of a sudden.

Sergio reached over and took Santana's hand in his own larger one as he looked into the eyes that matched his own. "Just tell her you love her, San," he said warmly. "Just tell her that you're going to be there for her till the end."

Santana felt big, hot tears prick at her eyes all of a sudden. The End. Realization hit her that her mother had little time left, and she'd wasted her time for the past three years, away from her parents, not telling her mother that she loved her. But then again…had she loved her all that time? All the time she thought that her mother hated her for being gay? No. She loved her mother…and her father. And especially her brother. She missed all of them. She needed to be there.

"Honey…are you okay?" Brittany wrapped an arm around her. The blonde quickly picked up from her last question, "What am I saying? Of course your not…but…is there anything I can do?"

Santana just nuzzled into Brittany, who wrapped both arms around her and pulled her close. "Shhh," she cooed to the sobbing brunette in her arms.

"I feel s-so..so…guilty," Santana blubbered.

"Don't feel guilty, sis. There's nothing you could have done…that any of us could have done. This just happens in life sometimes, and the most we can do is be there. So, why don't I make lunch, you two go get freshened up or changed or whatever you need to do, then the three of us will go to mami and papi's…okay?" Sergio offered. Santana sniffed and wiped her eyes before giving the smallest of nods.

"Thanks," Brittany gave a small smile.

Sergio nodded and stood up, "Guest room's down the hall to the right, guest bathroom is en suite."

"Okay." Brittany stood up, Santana's hand in her own, and both of their bags in the other and pulled her towards the hallway. They got inside and Brittany kicked the door shut before leading Santana over to sit on the bed, placing their bags by the edge. "Santana, baby…"

Santana clung to her and sobbed more. She didn't even know why she was crying so hard. She'd never cried so hard. Not since she got kicked out. "B-britt…I don't know if I can d-do this."

"You can do this Santana. I know you can. Your mom will be so happy that you came," Brittany assured her, kneeling in front of the Latina and putting her hands on her knees. Santana just let out a sob, unable to remain silent any more and suddenly slid forward off the bed and onto Brittany's lap, nuzzling the crook of her neck. Brittany let out an "oomph" in surprise and wrapped her arms tightly around her girlfriend.

"Hey, it's okay…" She rubbed her back. "I'm here…"

Santana cried for five more minutes before she leaned back to look at Brittany. Her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were swollen from her cying. Brittany brought her hand up to caress her cheek.

"It's okay," Brittany repeated, just above a whisper.

Santana's voice cracked as she spoke, "Thank you…"

Brittany leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "C'mon…let's get changed and cleaned up a little. Your brother's making lunch, remember?"

Santana merely nodded, "Okay."

…

"You can cook now?" Santana asked Sergio as she and Brittany walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the wet bar. Sergio chuckled and stirred the contents of the pot on the stove.

"Hardly…I'm just making a can of soup," he pointed out.

"Veggie?" Santana asked.

"Oh yeah," Sergio nodded.

"My favorite!" Santana smiled.

"I know, sis," he smiled. "I went out and bought it after you told me you'd come…I know you love it."

"You remembered that, of all things, about me?" Santana asked.

"Of all things," he nodded in agreement.

"Is that okay with you babe?" Santana asked Brittany.

"I'm happy with anything," Brittany smiled and kissed Santana's cheek. Santana blushed at the sign of affection in front of her brother.

"Aww, look at my little sister!" He teased, splitting the soup three ways into bowls.

"Shut up, idiota."

"Oye! Watch it!" He pointed at her as he placed her and Brittany's soup on the counter. "What do you want to drink?"

"What do you have?" Santana countered.

"Milk, water, Gatorade, beer…" he droned.

"Una corona por favor!" Santana smirked.

Sergio played along, "I.D please."

Santana narrowed her eyes, "It was worth a shot! I guess I'll take a Gatorade then."

Brittany giggled and took a bite of her soup, "Water for me, please!"

"Here you go," he said, handing them each their respective drinks.

They muttered their thanks and ate in peaceful silence. Soon enough, they were finished and ready to leave for the Lopez household.

"We can just take my car, if you like?" Sergio offered.

"Okay, thanks," Santana nodded. "Coming, Britt?"

The blonde nodded, following them towards the door, having grown noticably quieter since they finished eating. Santana held her hand all the way to her brother's jeep before they climbed in and started off.

…

"San…we're here, come on," Sergio looked at her as she just sat still in the passenger seat.

"Hermano…what if she doesn't want to see me after all?" Santana asked quietly.

"She does. And it's now or never…you know that. She needs this," Sergio urged her to get out of the car.

"It'll all be fine baby," Brittany said in her ear from the back seat.

Santana sighed and nodded, "Okay…yeah. Let's go." Santana slowly slid out of the car and looked at the house she grew up in that now seemed almost foreign. In reality, it hadn't changed much, but it seemed…alien to Santana. She hesitated as Brittany joined her by the hood of the car.

"You can do it," Brittany assured her again as the three of them started walking towards the house. Sergio knocked and they waited patiently. Santana shifted nervously and squeezed Brittany's hand as the door swung open.

"Aye, dios mio! Look who it is…" Diego Lopez couldn't believe his only daughter was standing before him after three long years.

"Hi, papi…" Santana didn't know where to start.

"Hi dad," Sergio nodded.

Diego looked down at Brittany and Santana's interlinked hands and pursed his lips but nodded and opened the door a little further. "It's so good to see you doing well, Santana."

"Can I see mom?" Santana cut in.

"Soon. But, who is your…friend?" He didn't sound suspicious, just curious. The look on his face said that he was trying to understand.

"This is," Santana looked at the blonde, "this is my girlfriend, Brittany Pierce. Brittany, my father, Diego Lopez."

"Nice to meet you, sir," Brittany smiled with a subtle confidence. She extended her free hand and Diego shook it out of politeness.

"It's a pleasure, Brittany." He turned back to Santana, "So you want to see her then?"

"Wait…" Santana began, but suddenly pulled her father into a short-lived embrace. "Thank you," she mumbled into his chest.

"It's good to have you home."

…

Again, sorry for another short update, but I'm trying my best! Please let me know how you feel about this update!