Angst ahead, happier chapters will follow after a few sad ones.

Four months later.

Brittany groans as her phone ringing cuts off the music she listened to while folding the laundry and grabs it, she blindly answers the call and holds it up to her ears. ''Lopez.''

''Hello do I speak with Brittany Lopez?''

''Yes you do, who am I speaking to?''

''Mrs Lopez I am Dr Stewart from LA county hospital, I am calling because you are the next of kin of Noah Joel Puckerman.''

Brittany stops folding the laundry with a frown and glances at her phone to make sure it isn't a sick joke. ''Okay, how can I help you Dr Stewart?''

''Mrs Lopez, Mr Puckerman got brought in this morning with an overdose.'' She gulps thickly as she hears the news and exhales shakily.

''How is he doing?''

''Is it possible for you to come to the hospital please?''

''Yes of course I will be there in about twenty minutes.'' She ends the call after he told her what floor and sprints up the stairs to change out of her leggings and into her jeans. ''Siri, call my love.'' She tells her phone after throwing it onto the bed, she listens to the dial tone as she changes quickly and grabs her phone as she hears Santana's voice filter through the speakers.

''Hey mi amor.''

''Baby can you meet me at the hospital with Q?''

''What happened?''

''It's about Puck, a doctor just called me because I am still his next of kin.'' She informs her wife as she sprints down the stairs. ''They brought him in this morning with an overdose and I don't think it's good, can you please meet me there?''

''We will drive off now, the county?''

She hums sliding into the car and sighs. ''Don't tell the kids yet, I want to know what is going on first.''

''We won't, we will see you there Britt-Britt.''

''Drive safely please, I love you.''

''I love you too.''

She speeds down the road as music filters her car soon after her wife ended the call and taps her fingers on the steering wheel after sending a message into the adult group chat they created for Christmas gift ideas for the kids.

She sighs as she pulls up to the hospital and parks beside Quinn's car as she notices her parking backwards into an empty spot, she slides out of the car immediately hugging her wife and Quinn as they slide out of the car.

''Did they tell you something?'' Quinn asks softly, Brittany shakes her head and sighs.

''No he only asked if I could come by.''

''Let's head in and find out what happened.'' Santana murmurs after pecking her wife's lips, Brittany nods her head intertwining their hands on Quinn's back silently telling her to walk between them.

She walks into the hospital leading her wife and Quinn to the floor Dr Steward told her where he will wait and walks up to the desk. ''Hello, I am looking for Dr Steward.''

''Mrs Lopez?''

She turns on her heels as she hears a deep voice and nods her head as a man walks up to me. ''That's me.'' She breaths out holding her hand out for him to shake. ''What happened Dr Steward?''

She follows him as he mentions his hand for her to follow after she introduced Q as his ex wife and Santana as he wife and looks at him.

''Mr Puckerman got brought in barely breathing after a customer walked into his photo studio this morning, we don't really know how long he laid there but..''

Brittany sighs as he cuts himself off and locks eyes with him as they stop in front of a door. ''How bad is it?''

Dr Steward sighs and shakes his head. ''He won't wake up, he has too much brain damage.''

Brittany quickly wraps her arm around Quinn's waist as she feels her legs give out after a soft gasp escaped her lips and sighs. ''He has a daughter, can she see him or do you say that she has to keep him in memory like she knows him?''

''I think she can say goodbye, but judge yourself.''

She nods her head turning to Quinn after asking San if they can call their family and smiles sadly. ''Want to head in alone?''

''No please stay with me.'' Quinn murmurs, she nods her head placing her hand on the small of her back and walks into the room after Santana nodded her head silently telling her to go in with Q first.

She suppresses a soft gasp as her eyes land on Puck's pale thin form under the covers and gulps thickly as she tightly wraps her arm around Quinn's waist as she hears her tearful gasp, she licks her lips as they step closer watching Q take Puck's hand with trembling hands and slowly shakes her head as she takes in Puck's form not recognizing him at all.

''Mami, papi, Hermana's and the kids will be here soon.'' She nods her head as she hears Santana's soft voice and gulps thickly as she feels her arms wrap around her waist, she turns her head to kiss her temple as she feels her soft gasp and squeezes her hand softly.

She just smiles sadly as they lock eyes and shakes her head as she frowns silently telling her that she doesn't want to talk about it right now, she turns to Quinn as she feels her move and wraps her up in a hug as she just turns around to hide herself in her embrace after about ten minutes.

''Will the both of you please stay with me and Beth?''

''Of course.'' She promises softly, she takes a deep breath as she hears a knock on the door and leads Quinn and her wife to it so they can talk to the kids before they head in.

''Hey kiddos.'' She breaths out as she walks out letting go of Quinn as she immediately walks to Beth.

''Hey mom, why are we here?'' Nicolas asks curiously after hugging her and his mami, Brittany licks her lips as Quinn just looks at her and exhales slowly.

''We are here because I received a call regarding uncle Puck.'' She breaths out.

''What is with him?''

''Mijo.'' Santana warns softly as she hears the anger in his voice, Brittany shakes her head and sighs.

''He has all right to react like that love.'' She opens her arms as Beth just turns to her with a frown and hugs her. ''They called me because I am his next of kin.'' She explains. ''They found him this morning in his studio with an overdose and brought him in for treatment.''

She holds up her hand as Nic opens his mouth and shakes her head with a sad grin. ''I can understand your anger and I am not far from that either, but the doctor says his brain is too damaged and he won't wake up.''

She tightens her hold around Beth as her legs buckle with a broken gasp, watching her sons just cover their dropped jaws with their hands as they look at her with wide eyes and gulps thickly. ''We called you all to come here because we have to say goodbye.'' She murmurs as she hears Quinn's soft sniffle, she crouches down with Beth as she watches tears fill the twins eyes and wraps her free arm around them as they just walk closer.

She kisses their heads as she feels their arms wrap around her waist and leans her forehead on top of Beth's as she feels tears soak her shirt. ''Do you want to go in first honey?''

Beth shakes her head keeping her face hidden against her shoulder and chokes out a sob. ''Together.''

''Okay.'' She whispers softly as she stands back up, she locks eyes with Santana, shooting her a small thankful smile as she just nods her head placing her hands on the twins shoulders and turns on her heels to open the door again.

She walks inside her hold on Beth just tightening as they near the bed and looks down at her. ''Daddy…'' Her heart breaks as she hears her soft broken gasp and quickly grabs Quinn's hand as she notices her trying to move back with her hands covering her face.

''Don't leave now.'' She whispers softly as she tugs her close, she tilts her head as she feels her bury her face against her neck and watches Beth slowly walk over to the bed while still holding onto her hand.

She glances up forcing her tears to stay back as the first heart broken sobs leave Beth's lips as she grabs onto Puck's hand and exhales shakily, she stands behind Beth to catch her in case it's needed and watches her kids and Soph walk over accompanied by their family.

She focuses on Beth as she feels Quinn leave her side after Santana opened her arms indicating for her to walk into them and watches their children and family all say their goodbye's as the doctor walks in, she nods her head as he walks up to the machines and steps behind Beth as she utters one last broken I love you.

''It's okay honey.'' She murmurs as she immediately turns around to crash into her arms, she rubs her back as she breaks out into heart breaking cries and gulps thickly as her kids and Soph also watch on sadly while standing into the embraces of Santana, Quinn, Abi and Liv.

She slowly takes a step closer to the bed as the machines beeping fills the room after the doctor removed almost all cabled attached to Puck and reaches out with a trembling hand to covers his feeling the unusual coldness. ''It's okay Noah.'' She croaks out. ''They are safe, go annoy Em up there.''

She closes her eyes as the beeping of the machines get louder right after she promised him to take care of his daughter and tightens her hold on Beth as she feels her legs buckle, she picks her up as they completely give out completely ignoring the fact that she is almost fourteen and just holds her close as she cries.

''Babe…''

She shakes her head as Santana slides up beside her and gulps thickly just rubbing Beth's back as they lock eyes, she smiles sadly as she frowns knowing she hates that she bottles everything up to stay strong for their family and crouches down as their kids walk over.

She hugs them close feeling everyone join them and kisses the side of Beth's head as her cries die down to a sniffle, she listens to the doctor informing them that Puck didn't suffer long and just hugs their kids close knowing they will all need a while to wrap their heads around the fact that they just lost someone who was pretty close to them.

Three hours later

After spending another hour at the hospital and driving Beth and Quinn over to Maribel's house so they aren't alone, Brittany follows her family into the house after promising their family to be back the next day and drops her keys into the bowl behind the door.

Santana watches her wife lean back against the door after they all kicked off the door watching trembling hands come up to cover Britt's face and quickly steps closer with Nic as she watches her legs give out.

''Babe.'' She whispers as she holds her up, she turns to their kids as the first heart wrenching sob escapes the back of her throat and gulps thickly. ''Living room.'' She just tells them softly as she notices all of them watching the scene with tears in their eyes, she carries Brittany into the living room with Nic's help and sits down on the couch wrapping her arms around her waist as she practically crawls in her lap.

She runs her hand up her back as she feels their kids join them, feeling the twins climb onto Brittany's lap to be close and drops her forehead onto Brittany's head as her soft sobs fill the otherwise silent living room. ''Let it all out mi amor.'' She whispers knowing she pushed everything back to be strong for Quinn, Beth and their family.

''We are all here mommy.'' Nicolas adds softly as he joins the hug with Ashlynn. ''You were strong the whole time, let us be strong for you now.''

Santana cups the back of her neck as she feels tears slide down her neck, a gut wrenching sob following soon after and just holds her wife close feeling their kids sandwich them in a hug.

She slowly reclines back after asking Ash to pull the couch out and rubs Brittany's back as she cuddles close almost immediately knowing they won't talk at all that night, she nods her head as Nic holds up the weighted blanket they still keep near the couch and watches him cover the both of them up with it.

She kisses their twins heads as they snuggle close hearing QT's soft sniffle knowing he takes Britt's emotions over almost immediately and smiles thankfully as Nic and Ash just lay down behind them to comfort them too, she rubs Brittany's back as her cries die down to a sniffle knowing she will drift off soon after and sighs sadly as she feels her hand come up to cover her heart under her shirt.

''We are all here mi amor.'' She murmurs reasuringly. ''We won't go anywhere.'' She adds promisingly, she kisses her head as she feels her slight nod and glances at her kids as she feels four hands on top of Brittany's above her shirt.

She kisses their heads as they just lock eyes and pulls their little boys closer as they yawn. ''Take a nap loves.'' She whispers to all of them, she pulls her wife even closer as Nicolas and Ash just scoot closer to sandwich the boys between them and glances up at the ceiling as she hears nothing but ragged breathing and soft sniffles around her.

You fucking hurt us with your actions but in our hearts you were always a part of our family Noah Puckerman. She thinks to herself as she feels the weight against her side knowing her wife just drifted off and the twins followed quickly. I hope you found your peace up there, we love you.

She glances over at the teens as she feels the twins snuggle closer and smiles lovingly as she notices them slowly drifting off too with their hands intertwined on her abs, she kisses Brittany's head as she hears the soft sniffle in her sleep and nuzzles her nose in her soft blonde locks.

''You were the strong one for the better part of our relationship.'' She whispers softly. ''Let me be strong for you now mi amor, te amo.''

''I love you too.''

Her heart beats faster as she hears her soft heartfelt murmur and kisses the top of her head again. ''Sleep baby.''