August 2028

"Mom, momma, this is Ezra." Lily gestured to the boy who had his arm slung around her shoulder.

Brittany pulled him into a hug. "Hi, Ezra. So nice to meet you."

Ezra pulled back and straightened his hair.

Santana crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down. "Hello."

"We're going to go to my room." Lily said as she pulled the green eyed boy towards the stairs.

"Door stays open!" Santana called after them.

Hours later Santana went upstairs to check on them. "Are you smoking in my house?"

"Dude, chill, it's just a cigarette." Ezra drawled.

"You chill. How would you like to pay to get the carpets cleaned to get rid of that nasty stench? If you're gonna smoke, do it outside."

"This is bullshit." Ezra muttered as he pushed past Santana.

Santana stood in the doorway glaring at Lily. "Unacceptable. You know the rules. Don't let it happen again."

When Santana came downstairs Brittany could tell she was in a huff. "S, what's wrong?"

"The kid was smoking!"

Brittany looked puzzled. "You smoke sometimes. Besides, he's smoking outside, Santana."

"Yeah, after I caught him smoking in here and told him to go outside! He has a terrible attitude and I don't like him."

Brittany kissed her temple. "I think you're overreacting. Lily likes him, give the boy a chance."

Santana rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Fine." She didn't agree with her wife, but she'd do pretty much anything to make her happy.

December 2028

It had been months of raised voices, storming out, and door slamming. Ezra screaming at Santana and Brittany, Lily screaming at Santana and Brittany, Santana and Brittany screaming at each other, and Charlie crying because everyone was screaming.

All this fighting was really taking it's toll on the Pierce-Lopez family. They barely saw Lily. She came and went as she pleased without giving her mothers any information. When she was home she gave them the silent treatment or was yelling. Brittany opted to take more hours at the dance studio and didn't have much to say at home. Santana was stressed beyond belief with several clients at work and her home situation. Charlie was confused and scared, this was a lot to take in for a seven year old.

Shit really hit the fan in the beginning of December.

Santana had come home for her lunch break, hoping to catch Brittany before she went to the studio. She went upstairs and heard moans coming from her and Brittany's bedroom. She opened the door to see Ezra and Lily in a position that reminded her of her and Puck before she started dating Brittany. She audibly gasped.

Lily pulled the covers over her and Ezra. "Mom! What are you doing home?!"

Santana looked directly at Ezra. "Get the fuck out of my house. Get out. Now. You're not welcome here anymore. After all the shit you've put my family through...this is it. I'm done. You're done. Leave."

Lily stood up with the sheet around her. "I'm going with him if he leaves!"

"Fine." Santana turned and went downstairs.

When Brittany got home Santana was sitting in the living room in the dark, smoking a cigar and sipping on a scotch.

"Santana? Why are you in the dark? And why are you smoking inside?"

Silence.

"Where's Charlie?"

"Puck and Quinn's."

"Where's Lily?"

"I came home for lunch because I wanted to see you. I heard moans coming from our bedroom. I thought—but I opened the door and saw Lily and Ezra in our bed. Our bed. I told him to leave. She went with him." Santana stared straight ahead.

"You what?!"

Santana looked at her. "Should I have thrown condoms at them and put on music to set the mood instead?!"

"You better hope she comes home." Brittany spat.

"How is this my fault?"

"If you hadn't of told her to leave-"

"I told you from the start that I didn't like this boy! But you told me to give him a chance. We put up with months of this because of you. If anything, this is your fault!"

Brittany went upstairs and slammed the bedroom door without a word to Santana.

"Fucking great." the brunette muttered.

It was Christmas Eve. Brittany had spent most of the day crying in her room while Charlie and Santana watched Christmas movies and pretended not to notice. After they had both been pushed out of the room multiple times, they learned their lesson.

Brittany came downstairs during It's A Wonderful life and stood in front of the television. "How can you watch movies all day like nothing's wrong? Don't you care?"

Santana unwrapped her arm from Charlie and sat up straighter. "Of course I care. But-"

"She could be dead!" Brittany cried.

"She's not dead." Charlie said matter-of-factly.

"Baby, how do you know that?" Santana asked.

"She told me."

Brittany blinked. "What? How?"

Charlie paused the movie and spoke. "She emailed me. She told me not to worry. She said she was alive and with Ezra but told me not to tell you we talked."

"C, did she tell you where she was?" Santana asked, scooting closer.

Brittany held her breath and looked at her daughter with wide, hopeful eyes.

Charlie hung her head. "No." she said quietly.

"What if she never comes back?" Brittany whispered before breaking down in tears.

Santana was up and wrapping her arms around the blond in no time.

Brittany let her wife hold her for a few seconds before pushing her off and isolating herself in her room again.

Santana sighed and turned around with a fake smile, "Ready to finish the movie, kid?"

Charlie nodded and pushed play. After a few minutes of sitting in silence she hugged her mom and whispered in her ear, "It's not your fault."

Tears sprang to Santana's eyes and she patted Charlie's back. "Thank you, baby."

Three out of four of the Pierce-Lopez women were seated around the dinner table. It was silent except for the crackling of the fireplace, the Christmas music softly playing on the radio, and Brittany's quiet sniffles.

Santana cleared her throat. "I just want to say that even though our family is going through this tough time right now, I love you both very much and we should try to get through this Christmas as happily as possible."

"She should be here." Brittany said softly.

I'm dreamin' tonight
Of a place I love
Even more than I usually do
And although I know
It's a long road back
I promise you

I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

The three women looked around. That song wasn't coming from the radio.

"That sounds like-" Brittany started.

"I was thinking that too." Santana said.

Charlie got up and ran for the door. "LILY!" she shrieked.

Both women nearly choked and raced for the door.

Lily dropped her bags. "Merry Christmas. I'm home."

Santana and Brittany enveloped their daughter in a hug.

"Best Christmas present ever." Brittany said as she planted kisses on Lily's temple and tears ran down her cheeks.

The four women went inside and had dinner on the couch so they could be near each other. Charlie slept in Lily's room with her. Lily smiled and cuddled her little sister when Charlie told her she had to go to bed early so Santa could come. Christmas morning was filled with smiles and laughter. Brittany and Santana cried when Lily still had presents for them despite her absence that month. It was decided that they would talk about what happened later. Right now they just wanted to enjoy each other's company and celebrate having the whole family back together.