Author's Note: I'm so sorry about how long it took me to get this chapter up. I've been ridiculously busy lately, plus, this chapter ended up being so long it had to be divided into three separate parts, so I've been reworking a lot of stuff. The result? I'm not so sure how I feel about this chapter, but I didn't want to leave you hanging any longer so here it goes. I hope you enjoy! And thank you, thank you, thank you for all your reviews.

"Hey, Quinn, how's it going?" Santana said, cradling her phone between her shoulder and her ear so she could hold Olivia with her other arm.

"Santana, I know we're best friends and you're trying to be supportive of me, but your weird nice tone is really beginning to piss me off."

"I just recognize that you're going through a difficult period so I'm trying to be helpful as opposed to antagonistic."

"That's Dr. Phillips speak."

"I never should have given you my therapist's phone number." Santana paused for a moment. "Although I am happy you are getting the assistance you need to become a happy, well-adjusted adult."

"I miss my friend, her name's Santana Pierce-Lopez. She's kind of a bitch."

"I'm trying to be nice. And supportive, or whatever."

"It's creeping me out."

"Fine. You want your friend back? Here she is. What the fuck do you want right now, Q? I have a construction crew of fifteen banging on god knows what above my head, my children are being ten times more insane than normal, I'm pretty sure B has been spiking their Gerber's with crack, my dog has peed in the house twice, my lovely, lovely, wife found a stray kitten and it has now taken residence in my bedroom, and my mother won't stop breathing down my neck about Christmas."

"Just what I was calling you about. Have you booked your flight yet?"

"I'm working on it right now."

"I was wondering when you were going to be in Lima? Justin is coming in for Christmas day, to be with the girls, but I thought maybe we could coordinate our flights?"

"So that we could have a fun time in the airport with five kids instead of two?"

"I'll splurge for 1st class for everyone."

"You have to do better than that."

"Limo to the airport."

"I'm listening."

"Two nights babysitting, free of charge or trade."

"Four."

"Three."

"Done. We want to get into Lima on the 22nd and fly back to LA on the 29th."

"Thanks, Santana."

"Anytime, Q."

"Also, do you want to maybe get dinner sometime this week? Maybe B and Kurt could watch the kids?"

"I'd love to. How's Saturday?"

"Sounds great."

"Good. Now I gotz to go blow off some tension by yelling at the construction crew upstairs."

"Get it, girl." Quinn laughed, hanging up the phone.

Kurt was power walking down Robertson to get to Bel Bambini to shop for baby clothes with Mercedes. He had a latte in one hand and he adjusted his blue tooth with the other.

"Rach! How goes it, darling?"

"I'm tired," Rachel said, picking up her phone from her trailer. They were shooting on location in Pasadena, which meant that she was pretty much stuck inside her trailer or forced to face photographers outside. "My trailer smells funny." Kurt scrunched up his nose at the other end of the phone.

"Hold on, Brittany is buzzing in." Kurt quickly pushed a button on his iPhone. "Mrs. Pierce-Lopez, what can I do for you this afternoon?" Kurt asked.

"It's Brittany," Brittany replied. Kurt and Rachel simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"I know, Britt," Kurt said confused. "Also, Rachel is on the line."

"Hi, Rach!" Brittany replied, excitedly. "And you called me 'Mrs. Pierce-Lopez'. I wanted to make sure you knew I was on the phone, not Santana. We have the same name now. It's kind of confusing…"

"Hi, Brittany," Rachel said, laying down on the couch in her trailer.

"What's up, Britt?" Kurt asked.

"I wanted to see if you would want to come help me babysit Quinn's kids on Saturday?"

"Where's Santana going to be?" Kurt asked.

"Going out with Quinn."

"Why is Quinn going out?" Rachel asked.

"I don't know," Brittany said, nervously.

"I'd be happy to, honey," Kurt replied.

"Did you want to come too, Rachel?" Brittany asked.

"No, I think it's better if I keep my distance from the Fabray-Scott clan for now," Rachel replied.

"Mercedes is buzzing in," Kurt said, quickly pushing a button on his phone. "Hey, Cedes."

"Where you at?" Mercedes asked, sharply. "I'm outside of Bel Bambini and you know I don't like to be kept waiting these days, Kurt. Plus, I'm starving."

"You're right by Real Food Daily, you should really eat there, I hear vegan is good for pregnancy." Rachel said.

"Rachel?" Mercedes asked.

"Do you want to babysit Quinn's kids with Kurt and me?" Brittany asked, interrupting.

"Hold up. Are we party-lining? As in we're 17 and Puck's having a party and we need to coordinate?" Mercedes asked.

"Sorry, I forgot to mention that…" Kurt replied.

"Also, I'm pretty sure vegan food is not good for pregnancy, Rachel, and no, Brittany, I do not want to babysit Quinn's crazy kids with you. I've seen Santana's black eyes. Please." Mercedes said.

"Hold on, Santana's on the line," Brittany said. She juggled Nico on her hip and clicked a button on her phone. "Hey, San." Brittany said.

"Baby-bear, have you given any thought to babysitting the Fabray devils?" Santana asked.

"Baby-bear?" Kurt asked. "That is classic." Rachel snickered into the phone.

"I never get sick of a whipped Satan." Mercedes said.

"Gross, that just brought some weird, Dante's inferno, dungeon Santana being beaten by Brittany imagery into my mind." Rachel replied.

"Oh, I can totally see that," Kurt added, "Santana handcuffed to some damp dungeon wall by a collar and Brittany whipping her…"

"She would have to be gagged," Mercedes said. "Otherwise, you know she wouldn't shut the fuck up."

"Britt! Are you on a party line?" Santana asked, incredulously.

"Yes, why?" Brittany asked.

"Baby, how many times have we talked about you giving me the heads up when you answer my call on a party line?"

"I don't know. How many times?" Brittany replied. Kurt began laughing again.

"Well, Santana, 'baby-bear' and I are more than happy to watch those Fabray devils for you." Kurt said.

"I would say thank you, Kurt, but I am too disgusted by where your sick minds all went just now."

"But, you've never had a problem with being cuffed, Santana." Brittany said. The other three broke out in laughter.

"I'm going back to work." Santana said, hanging up the phone.

"I just got to Cedes, Britt, I'll call you later in the week." Kurt said, linking arms with Mercedes outside of Bel Bambini.

"Sounds good! Bye, Mercedes, bye Kurtsie!"

"I should go too, Britt, but it was good talking to you."

"Bye, Rach!" Brittany hung up the phone. "Your aunties and uncles are so crazy, aren't they?" Brittany whispered to Nico, bobbing him up and down on her hip. "And your mami is going to be mad at me when she gets home." She kissed her son's head. "We just have to remind her that she's always been whipped."

"Mommy, will you fix my braids? Lily pulled them out." Hannah asked, running to her mother who was sitting on the couch in Brittany and Santana's house.

"Of course, come here," Quinn said, gesturing for Hannah to sit in front of her on the couch. She began to redo her daughter's hair. "What is taking Santana so long?" Quinn asked Brittany, who was distracted playing with the puppy. Kurt and Harper were playing peek-a-boo with the babies.

"You know how she is," Brittany replied.

"How am I?" Santana asked, entering the room with Lily.

"You're like a caterpillar." Everyone looked at Brittany confused, but she didn't look up from the puppy. "You're cute and soft, but you make predators afraid of you with your fake bristles, and it takes you three weeks to come out of your shell, but when you do you look hot."

"What?" Quinn asked.

"It just takes her a long time to get ready," Brittany said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, shrugging at Quinn. "But when she does, she's super beautiful." Santana gazed lovingly at Brittany the entire time. Quinn groaned.

"Let's get out of here." She said, patting Hannah's new braids and giving her a kiss on the head. "You girls be good for Aunt B and Uncle Kurt, okay?" They nodded. Santana kissed Nico and Olivia on the head, still holding Lily's hand.

"Thanks for helping me get ready, Bug," she said, tapping Lily on the nose. Lily smiled and nodded. Santana kissed Brittany on the lips. "I love you," she said. "We won't be out too late."

"I love you too, honey. Don't get into trouble." She placed another kiss on Santana's lips.

"Me and Quinn?" Santana asked. "Never," she smirked. Brittany rolled her eyes as the two women walked out the door.

"Who wants pizza?" Brittany asked as the door shut.

Santana tilted her head up to blow the smoke in her lungs into the air, instead of into the face of the person sitting across from her. Dinner with Quinn had turned into drinks, and two drinks had turned into five.

"This is bad, Q, this is like, really, really, bad," Santana said, giggling.

"What's bad?" Quinn asked, smiling back at Santana.

"We're like, grown-ups now. We should behave like grown-ups."

"We'll never be grown-ups. We'll always just be best friends…besties, besties," Quinn sang.

"I miss college," Santana replied.

"That's why I brought you here!" Quinn exclaimed. Quinn and Santana sat in the smoking lounge at Short Stop, Quinn's head on Santana's shoulder. They were surrounded by a bunch of kids in their twenties, and some guy had offered them a hit of his spliff, which they gladly took. Santana and Quinn, however, had not smoked weed since college, and they were both immediately high. "It's not that bad," Quinn said. "I mean, it's not illegal."

"True," Santana agreed. "I have babies!" Santana said, a little too loudly, looking at Quinn wide-eyed.

"So?" Quinn asked.

"You can't have babies and smoke weed."

"Brittany is at home with your babies and my babies, and you're out comforting your newly single friend. You're totally allowed to smoke weed and have babies in California."

"I love California," Santana sighed.

"Me too," Quinn said. "I'm so glad we came here, and came to college together, and that we're best friends. You're the best friend a girl could have."

"You too, Q. That rhymed. It's soul night. Let's get our dance on." At that, Santana led Quinn out of the smoking area and back onto the dance floor.

"They're evil, pure evil," Kurt said, after they finally got all three Fabray-Scott's into bed. "They're like…the bad seed, or the omen…or some other horror flick with angelic blonds who are actually the devil incarnate. We should shave their heads. I bet they all have birthmarks that read 666." Brittany looked confused.

"I think Quinn would get mad if we shaved her daughters' heads."

"Yeah, she'll get mad because the truth will finally be out. Yours aren't much better, Britt, but I would expect that of the children of Satan."

"My children are angels, thank you very much."

"You also think your wife is an angel, so I have to take your opinion with a grain of salt."

"I don't think I could get one grain of salt for you, Kurt, but I could bring you the shaker if you want?" Kurt smiled, appreciatively at Brittany. "Although if you're planning on putting it on that cut you have on your knee, I'd advise against it. They call it rubbing salt in a wound for a reason. It really hurts."

"Never mind, Britt. Think you could just get me a band-aid for this wound?" Brittany nodded and walked toward the bathroom.

"Thank you so much for coming over, Kurt, I really appreciate it." Brittany said, handing him a box of band-aids and some antiseptic.

"You know I always have your back, Britt," Kurt replied, lounging dramatically on the couch and gesturing for Brittany to mend his knee. "Now, you've been pretty mum about what's going on tonight, but I think you do owe me an explanation since I dodged not one, not two, but three…that's right, count them, three, Fabray-Devil elbows to the eye. And you know how I feel about my face."

"I promised not to tell anyone," Brittany replied, petting Lord Tubbington IV.

"Britt. My gorgeous face," Kurt replied, circling his face with his hands. "There had better be a good reason why your wife left you here with both your children and Quinn's children."

"You have to promise not to say anything to anyone."

"Obviously."

"Seriously, Kurt. Especially not Rachel."

"My lips are sealed."

"You swear?"

"Yes."

"Quinn left Justin." Kurt's mouth dropped open, and he silently rubbed his face. "Say something, please." Brittany said, looking at Kurt, nervously. "You look like you're about to combust."

"I, again, am left with no words. You lesbians have a way of leaving me speechless. What happened?" Kurt asked, grasping Brittany's hand in his own.

"I'm going to get us some wine. You'll need it. Plus, lord knows Q and Santana are going to be wasted when they get home, we might as well join in the fun."

Quinn couldn't exactly remember what had happened between the smoking patio and the dance floor, but she was enjoying swaying back and forth to some Jackson 5. It took her a moment to realize that she had no idea where Santana had gone. That was never a good sign. It took her less than three seconds to find her though—she just followed the sound of Spanish expletives. Santana was shoving some guy into the corner, her finger in his face.

"We're fucking lesbians, douchebag, you understand? Have you ever heard of a lesbian? It means that we do not want to be hit on by your sorry ass. Even if we were straight I we wouldn't want to be hit on by you! Has anyone ever told you that you look like an overgrown ten-year-old? I didn't know they made Dodger's shirts at Casual Male XL!"

"You don't look like lesbians," the guy smirked at her, clearly not intimidated by her tiny frame screaming at him.

"I'm going to shove that stupid ass fedora so far up your ass that the next time you sneeze, tweed is going to come out, you dickhead," Santana fumed. Quinn smiled drunkenly at Santana's threat. She was always shoving something out of someone's tear ducts. "Q," she said, turning to see Quinn still swaying lightly to the music, "we're leaving to get home to our wives. Thanks for ruining our night, asshole." Santana grabbed Quinn's hand and led her out of the bar.

Quinn lay her head down in Santana's lap in the back of the cab on their way back from the bar.

"I'm not a lesbian, Santana," Quinn said, sleepily.

"I know, Q. I just wanted…I just wanted…that guy to stop…" Santana said, trying to hold back the tears she knew were filling up her eyes. She knew it was a lost cause. The tears slowly cascaded down her cheekbones. "I'm a lesbian, and no one fucking believes me, ever! And now you're in love with a girl, and I don't understand...I mean, I understand why you're in love with a girl. They're so pretty, and soft...and they smell good and they have pretty hair and boobs are just so much fun, but...Rachel? She's...she's...miniature. And you love her, and I love Brittany so so much. I don't want men to hit on me anymore! I'm a lesbian, Q!"

"I know you are, Santana." Quinn said, lifting her head to stroke Santana's hair. "I know, it's going to be okay."

"So, Quinn and Justin aren't telling the kids until after Christmas, because it doesn't really make much of a difference since Justin is never home anyway. Justin is still coming to Lima for Christmas day, and they'll tell the kids in January. And Q has no idea what she's going to do about Rach. She totally loves her though." Brittany said, slurring her words. Her tolerance had gone down after so many months of not drinking and she was drunk. She was dancing to some classic Lady Gaga as she spoke.

"Wait. Britt. Quinn loves Rachel?" Kurt asked, also feeling the impact of the alcohol. He had his hands over his head as he gyrated back and forth.

"Definitely," Brittany replied.

"Rachel loves Quinn!" Kurt squealed. "This is adorable. Oh, lesbian romance gets me every time." Before Brittany could respond, Quinn walked through the door with Santana draped over her shoulder, quietly sobbing to herself.

"Brittany, baby," Santana said, catching Brittany's eye.

"Santana!" Brittany squealed, running and grabbing her drunk wife from Quinn. "You're drunk." Brittany said.

"So are you," Santana replied through sniffles.

"Are the kids okay?" Quinn asked, concerned by the large number of drunk adults who were supposed to be caretakers.

"Oh, they're fine," Kurt said. "They fell asleep hours ago. Although I must say, Ms. Quinn, for looking like such blond angels, your daughters are quite the handful.
"You don't need to tell me," Quinn replied. Meanwhile, Brittany stroked Santana's hair.

"I'm a lesbian," Santana murmured into Brittany's shoulder. Kurt raised his eyebrow.

"I know you are, honey," Brittany replied, trying not to laugh out loud.

"Just cause I have a weave and I wear dresses doesn't mean I like men," Santana said, choking back another sob.

"I know. What do you say, we get you to bed and you show me how much you like women," Brittany said, causing Kurt to fake vomit.

"Ugh, I'm surrounded by lesbians."

"Kurt, do you mind sharing the guest room with Q?" Brittany asked.

"Of course not. Come on, Quinn. Let's let the ladies get their lesbian on." Quinn drunkenly nodded and Kurt led her to the guest room.

"I wish I was getting my lesbian on," Quinn mumbled as they walked through the door to guest room, causing Kurt to raise an eyebrow as he shut the door behind him.

"Shit! Shit!" Santana yelled as she woke up, glancing at her alarm clock. Brittany was gazing lovingly at Santana. "Britt! Why didn't you wake me up?"

"It's Sunday. Plus, why would I want to get my naked wife out of my bed?" Brittany asked. Santana glanced down, realizing that she was, in fact, naked. Before she could say anything about it, Brittany rolled over so she was on top of Santana, their legs interlaced and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"Woah, baby, not that I'm complaining, but what's going on?" Santana asked when they broke apart for air.

"Nothing," Brittany said as she trailed kisses down Santana's neck and collarbone. She grazed her fingers across Santana's breast as she kissed her, causing Santana to let out a small moan. "It's just last night was so good, Santana," kissing her between every other word, "and I want more." Santana smirked. Even when she was drunk she was good. If only she could remember it. "I want you to prove to me again that you're a lesbian," Brittany said, kissing Santana hard on the lips again and pressing their bodies together.

"Shit, B, you're so wet already," Santana groaned out, feeling Brittany on her leg.

"Mmhmm," Brittany hummed against Santana's lips. "All for you," she whispered. Santana let out another guttural moan into Brittany's lips, pulling her closer to her. As if on cue, the babies began crying into the monitor.

"Dammit," Santana groaned. "Dammit, dammit, fuck, shit." She pressed her palm to her forehead as Brittany rolled off of her and wrapped her robe around her body.

"I'll get them, Santana. You're probably going to be a little sore." Brittany said, leaving the room. Santana furrowed her brow in confusion. What had they done last night?

"Hello?" Kurt croaked into his phone.

"Whoa. I take it that you went out last night." Rachel replied.

"I babysat the Fabray's," Kurt said, simply.

"I guess that explains why you sound like you've been hit by a truck. Those girls...well, let's just say, they have an...energy...to them that may need to be tamed."

"Trust me. I know. Brittany and I needed a little…libation…to unwind after we got the girls to bed. I think I finally may understand what Malcolm X meant when he talked about 'blue eyed devils'."

"I think that might be racist, Kurt," Rachel replied.

"I'm too hungover to be racist."

"So, I take it you're not going to be able to make it to breakfast this morning?"

"Who are you talking to?" Quinn interrupted. "It's so early. The sun is so bright."

"You're with Quinn." Rachel said, matter-of-fact.

"We stayed at Brittany and Santana's." The phone call was interrupted by the door swinging open and the three blonds in question pouncing on the bed.

"Aunty B is making breakfast!" Harper said snuggling into her mother. "Wake up!"

"It's going to be good," Hannah added, "Aunt B is in a good mood, know what I mean?" Hannah said knowingly.

"No, Hannah, I'm not sure what you mean…" Kurt replied, fairly certain she didn't mean what he thought she meant.

"Woah. Mom." Hannah said. "Uncle Kurt doesn't know about doing it?"
"What?" Kurt asked in shock.

"Let's just let it go," Quinn replied, too tired and hungover to deal with it.

"Who are you talking to?" Hannah asked Kurt.

"Rachel," Kurt replied.

"Rachel!" Hannah screamed into the phone. "Please come for breakfast! Aunt B promised we could go to the park and we haven't you in forever!"

"I would, sweetheart, but Aunt B didn't invite me for breakfast."

"AUNT B!" Hannah screamed. Quinn threw her pillow over her head.

"HANNAH!" Brittany screamed back.

"CAN RACHEL COME TO BREAKFAST?"

"IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOUR MOTHER." Hannah looked at her mother pleadingly. Quinn nodded. "Aunt B and mommy said it's okay. Please come?"

"Okay," Rachel replied. "See you soon."

"Where's Lily?" Quinn asked.

"With Aunt S. Getting their hair did or something." Harper shrugged. "Aunt S keeps saying 'nails done, hair done, everything did,' but I don't know what it means."

"Tell me they're still in the house, Hannah," Quinn said. She didn't want to know what Santana would have done to her child's hair if they made it to a salon.

"They're just in the bathroom, mom! God, you worry too much," Hannah said, storming out of the room.

"I think you worry the right amount, mommy," Harper said, snuggling closer to Quinn.

"Thank you, baby. Now, let's get a little more sleep before we have some of Aunt B's delicious 'I was doing it all night' breakfast, okay?" Kurt raised his eyebrow again, but decided to let it go when he saw Quinn shut her eyes with Harper curled up on her chest.

Rachel had the unfortunate habit of talking to herself in her car. As a result, she always wore her Bluetooth so that she could point to it when people in other cars were giving her strange looks. Unfortunately, Rachel wasn't really clear on how one even used a Bluetooth.

"Maybe I'll have Santana teach me," Rachel said out loud to herself. She pulled on to Brittany and Quinn's street. "This is going to be fine," Rachel said, "just because Quinn and I had a little fling does not mean that I have to be ostracized from the few people I know in LA and from friends that I've had for fifteen years. Fifteen years! Practically every male in Glee had to move past their flings with Quinn, and if they can do it, I can do it too. Of course, arguably, Quinn is closer to Brittany and Santana than I am, but that doesn't mean that we all can't learn to get along. This will be fine, Rachel Berry." Rachel stopped speaking when she opened the door to her car. She took a deep breath before ringing Brittany and Santana's doorbell.

"You're almost as tall as I am, Harper, I don't think I'm going to be able to carry you around for much longer," Rachel said to Harper as they stood in Brittany and Santana's kitchen.

"Well, you are a hobbit," Santana pointed out as she poured more batter into the waffle maker. Santana walked over to the refrigerator.

"Why are you walking funny?" Rachel asked. Santana glared at her. Brittany smirked and placed a kiss on Santana's cheek. Santana smiled into the kiss.

"Ignore her, honey," Brittany said.

"They did it." Hannah and Lily said simultaneously, followed by a fit of giggles and a high five. Kurt raised his eyebrow.

"Do not ask," Santana said, raising her hand at Kurt before he could speak.

"At least your ravenous sex life makes my daughters actually get along for once." Quinn said, looking up from the game of peek-a-boo she was playing with Olivia.

"Seriously, Santana, I'm concerned. You're walking like a duck," Rachel said.

"I'm okay with that," Brittany replied. "Well, team, breakfast is almost done, shall we eat in or out?"

"Well, we all know Santana's preference," Kurt said, causing the rest of the adults, minus Santana, to burst into laughter. Hannah and Lily looked up confused, always aware of when they were not part of the joke.

"I think we should eat inside," Brittany said, trying to diffuse the tension she could see building in Santana.

"Because you had enough of the alternative last night?" Kurt asked.

"Enough!" Quinn said. "There are children in the room! Let's just go have a nice, pleasant breakfast in the dining room."

"Do you think they're talking about something when they babble in the back of the car like that?" Brittany asked Santana, looking over her shoulder at the twins "talking" in this car seats as they drove to Griffith Park. Hannah, Harper, and Lily had talked everyone into spending the day together.

"I'd like to think so," Santana said. "I think they gossip. 'Nico, how awkward were Quinn and Rachel at breakfast?' 'I know, Olivia, it's totally gross, I don't know what Quinn sees in that midget!'" Brittany frowned.

"I don't hear all of that…but they're right. Breakfast was super awkward. I don't think they spoke three words to one another."

"Yeah, and I really don't think Rachel cares that much about the logistics of having a Design-build firm do renovations on our house."

"I hope they figure it out." Brittany said, sadly.

"I just hope they don't kill one another today."

Once at the park, Quinn, Brittany, and Kurt took the babies and Harper to the zoo, and Santana and Rachel played soccer with Lily and Hannah. It wasn't long before they reconvened to eat the picnic lunch they had packed.

"Aunty S, can we please go on the trains. Please, please, please." Hannah asked.

"You have to ask your mother," Santana said.

"I did ask my mother, and she said 'you know how I feel about riding on those ridiculous little trains, Hannah. If you must go so badly, ask your Aunt Santana.'"

"Great, so I can look ridiculous on those little trains?"

"You look pretty no matter what!" Lily chimed in. Quinn smirked, and picked up a napkin to wipe the grape juice stains from around Harper's mouth.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, little girl." Santana replied.

"But…Aunt B told me that's all I had to say to get you on the train."

"Great. I'm surrounded by blonds conspiring against me. Let's go." She said to four squealing blonds. "But Kurt, you're coming too." Santana handed the babies over to Rachel and Quinn. "You two going to be okay?" Santana asked, pointedly. They both nodded. Santana grasped Lily's hand in her own and the three of them headed off toward the trains.

"The babies have really grown, haven't they?" Rachel asked Quinn, finally breaking the tension. Quinn nodded.

"I don't even know if we can call them babies anymore. I think they may officially be toddlers!" Rachel nodded, bobbing Nico on one knee and eating a bite of salad with her free hand. "So, how are things being back in LA?" Quinn asked.

"It's nice. I didn't expect to miss it."

"This city can certainly grow on you," Quinn said. "How is the new movie going?"

"It's fine. It's more strenuous than I expected. You know, you watch those action movies, and the star is running for five seconds and it never occurs to you that it took thirty-seven takes to get it right and that they've probably been shooting for twelve hours. I have a new respect for Puck."

"I guess that's the magic of the movies." Quinn replied. "Plus, you're in great shape, Rachel, it can't be that bad," Quinn added. Rachel tried desperately to conceal the blush crawling up her skin.

"So, how are the kids?" Rachel asked, changing the subject. Quinn grinned.

"They're doing really, really well, actually. Hannah has gotten really involved in the school play, and Lily finally gave up dance and really seems to be enjoying her guitar lessons. Harper is struggling a little in school, but that's not surprising. She's my little space cadet," Quinn said, glancing briefly over at Rachel. "They're happy though, happier lately than they've been in awhile, so that's what's important." Rachel nodded.

"How's Justin?" Rachel asked, purposefully keeping her voice cool and professional.

"I guess he's fine." Quinn said, nervously. "I haven't seen him since Thanksgiving, but he's going to come to Lima on Christmas Day." Rachel had matured since High School. She had learned about that filter other people talked about and how sometimes it was better to not say anything at all. She had learned to keep her mouth shut and to keep her emotions inside until it was appropriate to let them come flooding out of her. She was still Rachel Berry, though, and all of that maturing wasn't foolproof.

"Well, I suppose if that is how you want to live your life then who am I to judge you?"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Quinn asked.

"I think you know exactly what it is supposed to mean. You resigned yourself when you were seventeen-years-old to living a life of unhappiness as long as you had a man and money to show for it. It really was a self-fulfilling prophecy. You're a talented writer, Quinn, everyone knows that. You could go out there and make it without your fancy, football player husband supporting you. However, it's obvious that you'd rather be the Beverly Hills housewife than make anything of yourself and you seem completely content allowing him to control you while contributing nothing to the relationship." Rachel said in one breath. "Not that it's really any of my business."

"No, Rachel, it's not any of your business. It stopped being your business the minute you left for New York without giving me a chance to think, or speak, or understand what was going on between us."

"So now you'll acknowledge that there's an us. Or that there was an us. Or whatever is was that we were. When it's safe to do so again, far away from being forced to make any hard decisions about your life."

"You don't know anything about what's been going on with me, Rachel! You don't know anything about who I am, about how I was raised, or about how difficult this all is for me."

"I wanted to know all of those things! I wanted you to let me in! It's not my fault you're a closed off ice queen who is so afraid of feeling anything that you'd rather rot in your unhappiness for the rest of your life." Both women sat stock still, shocked by Rachel's outburst.

"You don't know anything about me, Rachel. I tried to let you in. I did let you in, more than anyone else I've ever known. It wasn't enough for you. It will never be enough for you."

"I'm sorry, Quinn, that I'm unwilling to settle for someone who isn't willing to be with me 100%."

"I'm sorry too." They returned to their awkward silence, other than the occasional mews from the twins. Quinn lifted her head as she heard the familiar giggles of her daughters' in the distance. "Justin and I are getting divorced, Rachel." Quinn said.

"What?" Rachel's eyes shot up, connecting with Quinn's for the briefest of seconds.

"Mom! The trains were awesome! You should have come with us!" Lily yelled, bounding toward her mother.

"I don't think Aunt S had fun though," Hannah said, glancing over at Santana, whose limp had worsened from soccer and the awkward position she had to sit in on those small trains. Santana just glared off into space until Brittany wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. It took them a moment to notice the look of shock on Rachel's face.

"Everything okay, guys?" Santana asked, taking her son from Rachel. Quinn nodded furiously.

"Great! We had fun!"

"Do you want to go get drinks at the Abbey?" Rachel asked as she and Kurt approached their cars.

"You know that's not a real question, Rachel," Kurt replied. "I'll see you there in twenty minutes."

Quinn tucked Hannah in after reading her a chapter of Little Women. She placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead and then tiptoed out of the room, making sure that the nightlight was on before she left. She knew Hannah would never admit to being afraid of the dark, but if Quinn didn't plug the nightlight in before she left, she would always find the lights on in the morning. She went to the office and checked her email for unpleasant information concerning the division of assets. When she was finished, she opened Word on her computer, and, as she had down for the last couple months, she began to write.

"Quinn and Justin are getting divorced." Rachel said, idly spinning the straw in her Greyhound.

"I know," Kurt replied.

"You knew and you didn't say anything?"

"First of all, I found out last night. Second of all, it doesn't change anything. Quinn is still Quinn, Rachel. You've told me that yourself. She's emotionally damaged."

"Maybe she's working on it. This is a step, right?"

"There's a tall blond in the bathroom line who has been eyeing you for the last 5 minutes. I suggest you head over there, pretend you have to pee, and attempt to forge a relationship, even just for one night, with someone who has an emotional capacity higher than a sixteen-year-old. I'll be off with those biceps," Kurt said, nodding toward a man at the bar, "if you need to find me." He clutched Rachel's hand briefly and walked away.

Santana leaned in the doorway of the nursery watching Nico and Olivia sleep. She was entranced by her children's little backs slowly heaving up and down and the smell of lavender and baby powder that filled the room. Sometimes she couldn't believe that Brittany had brought these two little lives into the world, and the thought of it left her overwhelmed. Even though they were still babies, the bedrooms upstairs were making her preemptively nostalgic for infants. She didn't even hear Brittany sneak up behind her, resting her head on Santana's shoulder.

"You're thinking again," Brittany said, kissing Santana's cheek.

"They're beautiful. Thank you, B."

"Thank you, Santana. You're thinking about more than that though. Our children are always beautiful, obviously, look at their parents." Santana turned, smirking at Brittany, and shutting the door to the nursery until it was nearly closed, and leading Brittany to their bedroom.

"Quinn and Rachel are exhausting." Santana finally said. Brittany nodded. They had changed out of their clothes and into oversized t-shirts and were laying in their bed, legs mixing together and their noses grazing.

"They even exhausted our little monsters." Brittany said.

"Our little angels, you mean." Santana argued. Brittany laughed out loud at this. "Do you think they'll ever get it together, Britt?" Santana asked.

"I don't know." Brittany brushed a hair out of Santana's face and took in her eyes. She was always in awe of how wide her eyes would get when Santana was worried or sad or unreasonably unhappy. She suspected it was a look that most people hadn't had the opportunity to experience. There was nothing more beautiful than Santana's eyes searching for answers, searching for understanding. Brittany knew she'd spend the rest of her life helping her find it. Brittany stroked Santana's cheekbone, gently cupping her face with her hand. "If you asked me ten years ago, I would have told you that they would figure it out. They love one another. They compliment one another. They have that very rare balance of romantic love and functional love."

"What does that mean, B?" Santana asked.

"Well, some people have romantic love. Like…Rachel and Finn in high school. They were in love with one another, but they didn't share the same goals or interests or values, so ultimately it was doomed. Love, on its own, can only take a couple so far. Finn would never be able to live this lifestyle with Rachel and vice-versa. Quinn and Finn were the opposite in high school. They shared the same interests and goals, and they could have paid the bills and organized activities for their children and talked about the same TV shows, but they didn't love one another. Not in that romantic, passionate way. Ten years ago, I would have assumed that anyone who found both kinds in one person was destined to hold on to them. I don't know if I think that anymore."

"Why not, B?" Santana asked, the worry apparent in her raised eyebrows. Brittany giggled.

"Not about us, Tana." Santana smiled at Brittany's childhood nickname for her. "I realize that what we have is rare. We worked for this and we had luck on our side. We're lucky, just so unbelievably lucky to have found one another, fallen in love with one another, and to have dealt with all of the other stuff life throws at you and still be together. It's rare. Most people don't ever have what we have. I think it's harder, the older we get, to look past all this other life stuff, and baggage, and bad decisions and insecurities to really have a relationship with someone, and that's if you even find someone at all. So…I don't know what will happen with Quinn and Rachel. But, I hope that one day, they are happy." Brittany yawned. "That's the best we can do, right now, honey."

"You are the smartest person I know." Santana said, bringing Brittany's lips to her own for a quick but loving kiss.

"You're the hottest," Brittany smirked. Santana giggled. Brittany leaned in for another small kiss.

"I love you, Brittany."

"I love you too, Santana." They kissed slowly and softly until they both fell asleep.