It's been a long day in the studio, but I finally found my groove with the song we're working on for my next album. We only have a couple done so far, and it's been more challenging to pull this one together, I have a bar that I've set quite high for myself. I know I can meet the challenge, but the frustration that comes from being an artist is sometimes overwhelming. You know the feeling exactly and can see it on me when I come home, and I don't even have to say anything on those days before you wrap me up in your arms and pull me into you.

When you do that, baby, I believe I can do anything.

I've been in the booth for about an hour now, making sure I can lay this down the way I want. Reggie, my producer, loves my tenacity and encourages me to push my boundaries. He and I work so well together.

I'm in the middle of the bridge when I see Reggie turn his attention to the open door on the other side of the glass. I keep going, not wanting to ruin this take, until he cuts off the track and speaks to me in a grave tone.

His words hit me with a ton of bricks and the room starts spinning. I don't even know if I hear anything beyond, "They're taking her to the hospital."

I can't breathe and I can't think. All I know is that I need to get to you. I throw the head phones to the ground and leap out of the booth, where someone hands me my bag, coat and phone. I hear Reggie try to calm me down, but I don't know what he's saying. The only thing I register is what hospital you're being taken to. He hands me my phone and I see 20 missed calls from you, and a few from other members of your company, and some from numbers I don't know. My phone has been ringing for the last hour and no one checked it until now.

"Why the fuck didn't someone look at this sooner, or tell me it was ringing?" My voice comes out in a snarl. I don't wait to hear any excuses; I push myself to the street, throwing on my coat. The hospital they took you to is only 10 blocks away from where I am, and I start running in that direction, not patient enough to get a cab.

I don't register much on the run there, but I know I pushed a bunch of people out of the way, all the while trying your phone again and again. No answer.

The worst images flood through my mind. Blood, your face crinkled in pain, more blood, and I gasp out a sob.

The hospital doors open in front of me and I don't slow down until I'm at the desk, heaving for air.

"My wife…need to find my wife…"

The nurse asks me your name and I give it to her, and hand over my license when she asks for ID. She studies her computer for a moment, "I'm sorry, your wife is going to be taken in for x-rays any minute, I can't let you back there until she returns."

"Excuse me? What do you mean I can't see her?"

"It's hospital policy, since you didn't come in with her." She's curt and her mouth is set in a straight line.

"I'm her emergency contact, I have a million missed calls, you just checked my ID!"

"While she's being tested I need you to wait here, we can't have you back there alone. It's policy." Her tone implies there's no room for negotiation.

"Listen, I don't give a fuck about hospital policy! My wife is back there and I don't know what's wrong with her and I just need to fucking see her, so you're going to open those goddamn doors and let me know where she is, do you understand?"

The nurse doesn't look fazed by my growling, which morphed into loud yelling. She doesn't seem fazed when I slam my clenched fists on the counter. She just nods to an empty chair. "You can go back there when she's through with testing."

I'm about to fire off at her again when I see Jade come out from the doors into the waiting room. She breathes a sigh of relief when she sees me and calls me urgently, "Santana! Where the hell have you been? Come on!"

I rush past the nurse without even a retaliatory smirk just so anxious to get to you.

"How is she? What the fuck happened?"

"We've been calling you for like an hour, what the hell?"

"Jade! Just tell me how she is!"

Before Jade can tell me, I hear you call my name, "Santana?"

"She's in here." Jade pulls back the curtain of the next bay and I see you.

You smile at me, one side of your face sporting a nice shiner around your eye. Your left arm is in a sling, and your left leg is propped up on some pillows covered with ice packs. Your right arm has an IV hooked up to a machine.

I'm rooted to the spot, studying your injuries. No blood, no crazy broken bones, no cracked skull.

"Santana." My name falls off your lips again in a hushed, relieved whisper, and I rush to you, hugging your good side and sobbing into your neck.

You coo my name and try to get me to calm down, but I can't. The adrenaline that coursed through my body to get me here has started crashing and I feel my legs shaking. The wave of relief that washed over me when I saw you is now flooding my senses and I'm not sure how I'm still standing.

I don't know how long I've been standing there sobbing but I can feel the hiccups starting to come. I try to take a couple deep breaths, breathing in the scent I always find in the crook of your neck.

I hear you shushing me, the fingers of your injured arm trying to brush my arm as much as possible. "Shhh, baby. I'm ok. I'm ok."

I still can't relax. My sobs have subsided but tears are still running down my face. I kiss your neck a few times and try to grasp your hip as gently as possible.

"Sweetie, it's alright." You coo.

"No it's not alright! I didn't even know! I didn't even know you got hurt!"

"Stop, it's ok, you're here now. You're here with me, that's all I wanted." Your voice is soft and soothing and sets off another round of my sobs as my guilt takes over.

You let me sit there crying for a few more seconds before you coo my name again and kiss the side of my head. I finally move and look you in the eyes, taking your face in both my hands.

"I didn't know what happened to you. If something ever happened…"

You cut me off with your lips and pull me into a fierce kiss.

"I know."

Your eyes study my face as I rake over you, assessing the damage. The bruise around your eye is growing darker by the second, and spreading to your cheek a bit. The sling wrapped around your arm looks tight around your neck, your hair is in complete disarray and your sweaty clothes have been sliced open. Your leg is propped up on two pillows and immobilized. I gasp when I see the purple bruising starting to form.

"What happened?" My voice is foreign to even me.

I hear you pull in a big breath of air and I meet your eyes again, stroking the uninjured side of your face. "We were working on our new piece and I fell."

"Babe."

"It's nothing, I just tripped and fell." You won't meet my eyes.

"I know you're lying to me. What really happened? Don't try to wiggle out of it, I'll just get the truth from Jade."

You roll your eyes and sigh before you look at me again, "We were working on a new lift and someone dropped me."

"What!?"

"It's ok, it's fine. It happens all the time."

"Britt."

We both stare each other down for a moment and I can feel anxiety and anger start to course through me.

"This," I signal to your injuries, "does not happen all the time."

"It's a hazard of the trade, it's not a big deal."

"This is a very big deal! This is a HUGE deal!"

"Baby-"

"No, no, no, don't 'baby' me. Who did this?"

"I don't want to tell you, you'll just go all crazy and start ranting in Spanish."

"I do not go all crazy"

"Yes, you do, your eyes are already starting-"

"Brittany Susan Pierce-Lopez."

You pause, your eyes growing wide. I very rarely use your full name, and only add your last name when I'm pissed. We both know it.

"I need you to tell me."

"It was Trevor." Your voice is soft and almost apologetic.

"That new scrawny kid? Why the fuck was he the one lifting you? You're taller than he is!"

"It wasn't all his fault, it was just a bad lift, it happens. It's not the first time I've fallen. He feels horrible, he's so worried. I'm not blaming him, it was an accident." Your voice is quiet and concerned and I know you're trying to placate me.

"Not all his fault! You've never come home with something this bad, Brittany!" I start rambling in Spanish, my anger and anxiety finally taking over.

"San," you grab my hand and squeeze it getting my attention back. I can see the worry on your face and my eyes start watering again.

And the weight of it all finally hits me, and just like that my anger is gone. I shudder out a few tears and lean down to kiss your lips, resting my forehead against yours and breathing you in.

"If anything would have happened to you, I don't know what I would have done. I love you so much it scares me."

You kiss me again, and whisper, "Me too."

Our moment is broken up by the techs who come to take you for the x-ray. They still don't know if you've broken anything in your shoulder or your ankle. I can see the fear in your eyes and squeeze your hand again. "It's ok, babe. It's ok, we'll handle whatever comes our way."

I kiss you again before they wheel you out of the room. The technician lets me stay in your empty cube, saying it shouldn't take more than half an hour. I stand and look at the empty area and take in a deep breath. I need to be strong for you, I can't fly off the handle. I feel a comforting hand on my back and turn to find Jade. She pulls me into a hug and I shed a few tears, finally able to share the anxiety with someone else.

After a few moments we part, "Jade, what happened?"

"I don't know, we were in rehearsal and I heard someone fall and I turned around and she was on the floor crying out in pain."

"How did she get a black eye?"

"She fell completely on her side, from what Trevor told me her ankle twisted hard and she tried to stop her fall with her arm but she couldn't get it out in time, and she landed really hard on her shoulder and the side of her head hit the stage, too."

The mention of his name sets my blood boiling, "Where is this asshole?"

"He's in the waiting room. He's a mess."

"Yeah, he should be a mess-"

"Don't." Jade's hands on my shoulders force me to look at her, "You need to focus on your wife. She was more worried about him when they loaded her in the ambulance."

"Of course she was." My voice softens when I think about how big your heart is.

"I'm glad someone finally got a hold of you. I know she's trying to act strong, but she's scared, Santana."

"I know." I take a deep breath and run my fingers through my hair.

Jade hands me a bottle of water, knowing that I need to calm my nerves. She points me in the direction of the bathroom and I cringe when I see my face. My eyes are all red and puffy from crying, my hair is a mess from running here and I look paler than usual. I splash some cold water on my face and slap my cheeks a few times to snap out of it before pulling my long hair up and out of my face. From here on out, I will be strong. I will be the one soothing you.

By the time I make it back around the corner to your bay, I see the techs wheeling you back. I give you a big smile as you meet my eyes and sing out my name. The tech locks your bed and lets us know that the doctor will look at your scans and be over soon.

They must have increased your pain meds, because you're a little loopier than normal. But your antics are making me giggle and I feel lighter than I have since I left the studio. You grab my hand and place kisses on it, and look at me with hooded eyes before you start purring about how much my anger turned you on.

"Baby…"

"What? It was totally hot. You got all ready to go fight for me. My wife is so sexy when she's defending my honor."

I laugh at your ridiculousness and kiss your cheek. You hum and lock eyes with mine until I can tell you're getting tired from all the stress. I squeeze your hand and kiss your nose and let you doze while we wait for the doctor.

She finally strolls into your bay after another hour of waiting. You're still sleeping so I gently wake you. She introduces herself to both of us and asks you a few preliminary questions about what happened and your pain level. You squeeze my hand the whole time, keeping me steady.

She places your scans on the box and I don't see any breaks. "Well Brittany, I have good news and bad news. The good news is there aren't any breaks here in your shoulder or your ankle."

You let out a sob and clutch my hand. My body surges with tension, "What's the bad news?" my voice catches with worry.

"The bad news is that you have a very bad sprain. Grade 2, and a pretty gnarly one at that. It will require immobilization with an air cast and physical therapy before you can dance again. But you're very lucky. It's not a Grade 3 and you won't need surgery, and it should heal with time, rest and PT."

I hear you start sobbing and lean closer to me, "But it's not broken? I'll still be able to dance?" your voice cracks with relief.

She smiles, "I have no doubt about it." She pauses before continuing, "You don't have a concussion, which is also good considering how hard you hit the floor."

"What about her shoulder?"

"Her shoulder looks good, just a slight bruising. We immobilized it as a precaution but it doesn't appear to be sprained." She turns her attention to you, "You'll be sore for a few days, but you'll be able to use it just fine. Which is helpful since you'll be using crutches for a while."

You start sobbing again, and thank the doctor profusely. She leaves the area to get your air cast and crutches.

You clutch my shirt and pull me to you so I'll hug you while you cry out your relief, and I feel the tension around us break. "Oh, Britt-Britt..." I kiss the top of your head and let you get it all out.

You're set and ready to go half an hour later. Jade handed you some extra dance clothes and I wrap my jacket around you as I help you into the wheelchair. The doctor pulls me aside and hands me a prescription for some pain meds and some further instructions before leaving with her white coat fluttering behind her.

I turn to you and smile.

"Baby, can you go check us out and hail a cab? Jade can wheel me out."

"Of course, love." I kiss your head before I go.

The check out is quick and painless and I glare at the nurse who wouldn't let me back to you as I head out of the sliding doors, mumbling Spanish curse words under my breath. Just as I'm about to wave a taxi over, I hear someone timidly call my name. I turn around and see that Trevor kid, his face lined with worry and dried tears.

"Is she… is Brittany ok?" he finally chokes out.

"She's gonna be fine, no thanks to you."

"I'm sorry, it was an accident! I've been worried sick, and then they wouldn't let me back there to see her, because we're not related."

I feel my anger surge up at his indignation about not being able to see you, and push my finger into his chest as I cut him off and start spewing Spanish at him. His eyes grow wide in fear, which just fuels my fire.

Until I hear the only thing that can ever break me out of Snix mode.

"San-tan-a!"

Shit.

I hate when you use that voice.

Those three syllables in that tone you always use when you're pissed can cause me to freeze up no matter what. It's like you're pissed and disappointed and sad all at once.

Baby, it's the worst.

I stop ranting but glare at him one last time before I turn around to look at you. Your face is stony, your eyes ice blue. I don't back down, though. "He came up to me and had the gall to act offended that they wouldn't let him see you." My voice sounds weaker than I would have liked.

You say my name again, softer yet still chiding.

I open my mouth and close it a few more times before I step aside so you can see him. I hear him sniffling behind me and see Jade trying to hold in her laughter as she takes in the scene from behind your wheelchair.

"Something funny, Jade?" I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at her, trying to save some face.

The glare you give me sends her into another fit of laughter and I huff off to wave over a cab. I don't want to hear what you say to that punk.

A few minutes later I'm helping you slide into the taxi, Jade is outside helping you angle yourself in as well. A tech comes and grabs the empty wheelchair and closes the door for us. You sink into me, your anger and disappointment at my rant long gone. Your head lands on my shoulder and your body weight slumps into me as you stretch out your injured leg on the empty seat beside you, letting out a relieved sigh. Jade sits up front and gives the driver our address and takes the prescription from me, saying she'll go pick up your pain meds and some dinner while I get you situated at home.

We both help you hobble up the stairs and into our home on one leg. I set you up on the couch, with extra pillows propping you up against the arm of the couch as your leg rests on another pile. Jade hands me some bags of ice and a couple towels and I pack them gently around your injured foot. She leaves in a flurry saying she'll be back with everything and I hand you the remote as I hang up my coat and grab our bags.

I dig through your dance bag and find the little container where you always put your wedding rings while you're dancing and open it to see them shining in there. I pull them out and kneel in front of you on the couch. You look at me and a lazy smile spreads across your face as you see what's in my hand. I crouch over you and slide your rings back onto your finger where they belong, and kiss you with as much passion as I can muster. You break away and kiss all over my face, holding me in place with your good hand as you kiss me silly. I finally let out a laugh and pull your hand from me as I stand up. You squeeze it, "Sit with me, love."

I help you pull up into a sitting position and slide behind your back, pulling your head into my lap. My left hand slides carefully into your hair, and you clutch my right and pull it onto your stomach with your own.

"Hi." You breathe out, your eyes sparkling.

"Hi"

And I finally, finally feel like I can breathe.