"You know, I will always love you the most."

Santana's words from that awful September day repeated constantly in her head.

In the back of her mind, Brittany wanted to ask, "If you still love me and you still kiss me like that, then why are you leaving me?" but Santana was resolute and she knew from the look on her face that she wasn't going to hear anything else.

Brittany didn't understand why two people who still loved each other should break up. Santana was saying one thing but her eyes and body language said something else.

That stupid spell… It's just a curse after all. Oh why did I ask her to do it?

The blonde had noticed that she was feeling unlike herself. At first, she assumed her depression about having to repeat a year and losing Cheerios, then even losing Santana was causing her to be sick. Eventually, it became too much to ignore. The constant tiredness, food cravings, and dizziness were unusual, even for her.

All of the days after Santana broke up with her seemed to blur together. School, home, and then sleep. Rinse and repeat. A few weeks later, Brittany woke up and didn't know what to do with herself. That morning, a wave of nausea hit her. She threw up twice before she even left for school for no apparent reason.

She was never normally sick like this. Maybe she had eaten something weird or she had the flu.

"Aren't you going to class?" Tina arched an eyebrow, noticing that Brittany was showing no indication of heading in the direction of Mr. Schuester's Spanish class early that morning. Brittany shook her head, shielding her face with her hands.

"I can't. I'm all dizzy. It's like all the shapes and smells in the world are blurring together. I'm spinning around like crazy and I can't stop. I feel like I'm gonna throw up. Plus my boobs really hurt right now and I need to sleep for another fifteen hours." The blonde groaned, squeezing her eyes closed. The shorter girl shook her head at her, amused but sympathetic.

"Brittany, at first I thought this was just you being weird but if I didn't know better, it almost sounds like you're pregnant. It's the millionth day you've said something like this in a row, I swear." Tina joked while Sugar and Marley chuckled beside her.

Santana hadn't been answering her calls or replying to her texts lately, completely distant since they had parted ways and that broke Brittany even more. Having some friends around to talk to helped her to cope but it just wasn't the same without Santana.

The blonde all but ran out of the cafeteria later that day at full speed because she couldn't handle all of the smells of fried, greasy food. At the sight of some sloppy mystery meat, she practically felt her face go green and she didn't even care about the weird looks everyone gave her when she just threw down her tray and ran away, covering her mouth.

She was kneeling down in a bathroom cubicle when Tina's words from earlier echoed in her head and a lightbulb went off.

She suddenly remembered just how late her period was and pressed a hand over the lower part of her stomach curiously.

"Oh. Oh," She whispered to herself in amazement and wonder. "So that's why I feel like this."

There was only one person she had been intimate with for the past year.

Some part of her instinctually already knew she was pregnant and knew exactly when it happened. She remembered the way Santana's heated, loving gaze swept over her bare body, those fiery dark eyes filled with adoration as she rolled Brittany onto her back and thrusted her hips into hers, the silicone toy sinking into the blonde and filling her completely.

Something felt even more special and magical about it, Santana's burnished dark skin even more stunning, her face beautifully framed by dark hair and her slim body so perfect against Brittany's that night.

Now she was drinking glass after glass of water, hoping to be able to pee on the little sticks. It was the same process she had done with Santana's guidance last time, during the stork incident. Sitting cross-legged on the floor of her bedroom, she felt lost and overwhelmed handling everything alone without her girlfriend there to support her.

Everything would have been better if Santana was there. Santana would have known all the right things to say to make everything better and chase all her fears away.

Two little lines showed up on all four of the sticks.

That meant her gut instinct was right.

Memories of the soulmate spell flashed back to her. She had wished and begged so much at the time for the universe to let her and Santana stay together but she never expected this to be the result.

Brittany started to cry softly. She was happy about her baby, though nervous and overwhelmed. She didn't know who she could tell. She wanted Santana to be there, holding her and comforting her.

The first people to find out were Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury. They noticed that Brittany had stopped coming to her counselling sessions and even Glee entirely so they decided to look for the girl to check in with her. Mr. Schue frowned worriedly, sharing a concerned glance with his fiancée when they found Brittany sitting alone in the library.

"Brittany? What happened?" He asked, as Brittany just stared listlessly, barely acknowledging the presence of the teachers or the book in front of her. "Please talk to us. I haven't seen you in Glee for weeks. Is something going on?"

Brittany swallowed back her tears, feeling embarrassed. She not only got held back a year and lost everything else but now there was this. She couldn't help but feel like a failure.

"Brittany?"

"There's something I need to talk to you guys about. I can't talk about it here, though." Brittany eventually admitted. She didn't know why but she trusted the two of them and she really needed someone to talk to, since she was at her breaking point.

The library was mostly empty, thankfully apart from a few other students who were giving them judgmental looks and attempting to listen in.

"Okay, let's go into my office." Ms. Pillsbury suggested.

"Mr. Schue, I'm pregnant." She eventually crumbled and sobbed openly when they were alone. The two teachers were in shock at this news but they eventually composed themselves and tried their best to comfort the distressed girl.

"It's alright. Brittany, I know it isn't easy but we can help you find a way to work through this."

Neither of them asked her who she thought the other parent of the baby was but gave each other bewildered looks when they heard her mumbling something about Santana under her breath in her dazed state, remembering the only other person Brittany had been seen with romantically for the longest time was the fiery dark-haired girl.

Something didn't quite make sense for them but neither of them thought it was their place to ask who the father was. They sat there with Brittany and allowed her to cry for as long as she needed to, passing her tissues.

"Please don't tell anyone."

Mr. Schue nodded, a look of fatherly concern on his face.

"Of course we won't do that but you really need to at least tell your parents about this. You're still so young and you're going to need a lot of help. We can make all the accommodations you need for school. If you need anyone to talk to, we're always here."

Brittany gave each of them a quick hug, thanking them tearfully. She knew she could trust them to keep it a secret.

At first, she thought the soulmate spell hadn't worked or even worse, maybe it had been nothing more than a curse that had lead to her worst fears coming true; Santana breaking up with her. On a whim, she did some more research into that spell she found online and realized it could also serve as a fertility ritual.

Her life had changed so drastically lately and now there was this to be worried about. Brittany sighed sadly, as she made her way home from school again, crashing out on her bed. Along with being kicked off of the cheerleading squad, Brittany had stopped hanging out with her friends altogether.

All she wanted to do was sleep and her depression made her want to be alone, which was so unlike her. When she wasn't sleeping, she was eating odd combinations of foods and bingeing TV shows.

Even though she promised Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury that she would try harder this year, it was difficult to focus on school and homework when all she could think about was everything else that was going on in her life.

There was a soft knocking on her door and she shouted at whoever it was to come in.

"Hi Mom," Brittany sighed, barely looking up when a middle-aged blonde stumbled in. "Are there anymore of the Breadstix leftovers?"

"Brittany, what are you doing? Are you pregnant?" Whitney just asked outright in lieu of greeting. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and had her hands on her hips.

Brittany just looked up at her mom, shocked but didn't confirm or deny it as her face paled. She knew her mother knew her so well that she'd be able to tell what was going on just from one look at her face, so there wasn't any point in denying it.

Whitney sat on the bed and patted the space beside her for Brittany to sit there as her daughter broke down in tears in her arms.

Brittany began to sob quietly, as everything about her accidental pregnancy spilled out, telling her mom all about the soulmate spell with Santana, the pregnancy tests she had taken and what the doctor told her. Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury had taken her there and they were the only other people who knew about her pregnancy so far after the blonde had tearfully confessed to them.

"I'm so sorry, Mom. I know it's a big shock."

"Sweetie, I'll always love you. This doesn't change anything. What are you sorry for? We'll get through this together. Your dad and I will always be there for you, okay? We're a team."

"Aw, Mom."

The blonde lowered her gaze and her face fell. Brittany had wanted so badly to be a mother one day in the future but without Santana by her side, she felt like something was missing.

"I think you should go for it and tell Santana too when you're ready," Whitney told her quietly. "The baby's other parent deserves to know, don't you think?"

"You're right," Brittany acknowledged but pouted, feeling a sob coming on as she laid a hand on her stomach. She was constantly touching her belly these days, feeling as if the swell would begin to show and she'd feel kicking at any moment. "Mom, what if she doesn't want me in her life anymore?"

"Don't be silly, Sweetie," Whitney consoled her, stroking the back of her head as she pulled her daughter into a hug. "If she's the sweet silly girl I've known for all these years then she'll know it's her duty to step up and take responsibility too. She'll want to be there for you."

"Thanks, Mom." Brittany smiled to herself as her mother's words of advice brought a sense of calm to her in a way that nothing else had so far.

"You know, I'm not surprised this happened, to be honest. It was only a matter of time before you two ended up having a baby somehow," Whitney shook her head. "With the way the two of you were all loved up, I told your father we might have to expect a teen pregnancy sooner or later."

"Oh, Mom," Brittany cringed to herself, covering her face. Her mother talking about Brittany's sex life with Santana was something she just couldn't deal with right now. "Please don't."

"Honey, I might be old but I have eyes and ears."

"Mom!" Brittany groaned. "Can we not?"

"You were just as… free with your loving as I was at your age. Come let me show you something." The older woman grinned, taking her daughter's arm and pulling her toward the door to the attic in the upstairs corridor. She let the ladder down and Brittany followed her up there wondering what to expect.

"Mom, what are you looking for?"

"This," Whitney explained, pulling out a large chest that was filled with onesies and baby toys. Brittany's old crib that they had passed on to her little sister was nearby. "Pierce and I have been saving you and your little sister's baby things for all these years. It looks like it's the perfect time to crack this open."

"It's really sweet." Brittany smiled, grateful that she had such supportive parents. She knew her dad was going to be just as nice to her, even if her pregnancy came as a shock to him.

Brittany sighed to herself a week later, getting her bag ready as she prepared to leave for the airport. Her baby wasn't really cooperating that day. She liked to think mothers and babies had some kind of psychic connection so he could read her mind but no matter how many times she kept telling him this was a bad idea, he just wouldn't listen to her.

"Yes, I know you want Mami but this isn't really a good plan. I mean, she does love you but she's busy with her mega stardom in New York and boy are you gonna be a surprise to her."

She couldn't stop thinking about Santana the entire flight. She had no idea how Santana was going to react to seeing her again, far less hearing the news she had for her. It had been just around a month and a half since she had last seen the girl but it felt like it was forever ago.

She kept thinking about the spell, wondering if it really had been a curse or a blessing in disguise. Would her pregnancy only end up pushing Santana even further away from her? Brittany couldn't handle the thought of that.

"Santana, I miss you so much."

Little did she know that the second she said that while tracing that line on the inside of her right palm, Santana was thinking the same, feeling a corresponding tingle along the scar on her left palm that instantly made her think of Brittany.

Present Day

When Santana finally woke up, the blurry faces of two girls, one blonde and the other brunette, were staring down at her with worried expressions. She tried to sit up, still feeling disoriented.

"Santana? Are you okay?"

"Does it look like I'm okay, Berry?" Santana growled, attempting to stand up with help from Brittany. She trembled slightly at the familiar feeling of Brittany's arm around her shoulders. It had been so long.

Mouthing off at Rachel took the edge off of her nerves and frustration. The Jewish girl was an easy target and only scowled at her in response before shaking her head.

Santana and the blonde eventually sat beside each other on the couch, a tense silence in the room.

"I know you're probably mad at me right now." Brittany interjected, watching Santana closely as the darker-haired girl's shoulders tensed up, her back going rigid.

"I'm not- I mean- it's not…" Santana struggled for the right words to say, raking her fingers through her hair as she paced the floor. It was difficult to explain how she felt. She had never been so good at being honest about her deepest feelings, especially when they made her vulnerable and it was all so complicated anyway.

It was easy to be the clown and get everyone's attention by saying outlandish or crude things but the serious conversations were hard for her. She hated being vulnerable.

Since she was so hurt and it felt unfair for her, she wanted to have someone to push blame onto. She wanted to be angry at Brittany after the breakup and the way the blonde blamed her for causing her to have a panic attack when she left for college - to be bitter at her for not being open about how she really felt about Santana leaving her before the school year started.

She was so accustomed to blaming others and resenting them when something hurt her but Brittany was one person she could never be truly angry with. It was easier to blame Brittany than to face the truth, that she, Santana, was mainly the one at fault for their breakup but when the blonde was finally here with her again, it was almost impossible to be angry at anyone.

She was frustrated with herself for being so weak because all she wanted to do was hold Brittany in her arms now and forget about the past.

"I'm sorry for shocking you like that." Brittany whispered apologetically, gently stroking her on the shoulder as Santana instantly yearned for more of her touch.

She missed the comfort of Brittany so much and her body's reaction was instinctual, instantly leaning into her touch before she could remember that she shouldn't do so. Santana didn't know what to say, as she processed this new information and Brittany was biting down on her bottom lip worriedly, her blonde brows drawn together.

The shorter brunette girl was unable to handle anymore of the tension she felt between them and felt she should give them their space.

"Um, you know what? This is nice. I'll be right back. I think I should give you two some privacy. Great seeing you again, Brittany!" Rachel announced, after clearing her throat awkwardly and Santana was relieved yet even more nervous when the brunette promptly disappeared into her bedroom, closing her door.

Santana was a jittery, stuttering mess when she finally faced Brittany again.

"Whoa. You were serious about that? About being p-pregnant… with my - I mean, with our baby… ?"

Brittany nodded and Santana could tell from the expression on her face that this wasn't a case of her ex girlfriend accidentally getting caught up in make believe fantasies or daydreams.

"Totally serious. Trust me, this isn't just like the storks again. I have a million positive pregnancy tests to prove it and the doctor says it's real too."

"Britt… whoa," Santana let out a shaky breath. "I didn't think I could do that. It's just, how did I? How did we… ? I'm the baby's other parent?"

"I never slept with anyone else after you left and you know I'd never cheat on you."

Santana let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She secretly felt relieved that Brittany hadn't turned to another man or woman for comfort in that way after their breakup. The thought of someone else being intimate with Britt while Santana was out of the picture would have been too much for her to bear. She didn't even want to consider the thought of it.

"I know you'd never cheat on me. I'm just a little confused about how the two of us did this together."

"So, the thing is," Brittany looked down shamefully, chewing on her lower lip. "Remember the soulmate spell? The one we used that night before you left for college? I didn't realize pregnancy was one of the consequences of the spell and with two girls as a couple, the pregnancy happens to the woman who wants it to happen to her the most. I'm so sorry."

"The spell? It's not even real I mean, how could that be?"

"It just is. I can't explain it."

Santana was silent for a long time, thinking it over. She trusted Brittany. She still didn't know what to think of that crazy spell but she couldn't exactly put the blame on Brittany when she could have done more research on the spell herself, instead of just agreeing to it impulsively. Neither of them knew what they were doing at the time and it seemed completely harmless.

Memories came back to her of that especially perfect night of making love with Brittany and she finally understood.

She never thought there was any truth to magic and had always dismissed the idea of it but here she was, being presented with the possibility that their magic had caused them to conceive a child. Even though she was in a dazed state, a small but growing part of her didn't dislike the idea.

Maybe some part of her had also yearned to create a child with Brittany and magic had given them this ability. Maybe this was something like a gift from the universe.

Their love making had always been the most special thing in the world for them, so if any couple would be able to create a baby through magic, it only made sense it was the two of them.

It was just all happening way too soon and having a baby right after she thought they were broken up forever hadn't been on her agenda.

"I can't believe… I'm going to be a mother. Holy crap, my mom is going to kill me for getting a girl pregnant. Abuela's just going to spontaneously combust on the spot. Does anyone else know?"

"Just my parents, Mr. Schue and Miss Pillsbury."

"Do they know it's mine?"

"My parents do. I told them about the soulmate magic and they understood. Plus, they knew it could only have been yours. No one else knows."

"Oh." Santana breathed a sigh of relief, knowing those who knew were people they could trust and the Pierce family would be accepting, even if no one else was. She wasn't sure how she felt about anyone else in Lima knowing.

No one would ever believe they were having a baby together by magic and it would be impossible to explain to anyone else without them being judgmental and suspicious about how the child was conceived. There were a lot of people who wouldn't like the idea of two women being parents to a baby to begin with.

People could be so hateful, especially in a small town like Lima with so many ignorant and narrow-minded types.

"It's probably better that we keep it a secret for now from anyone else but it's your call."

"You can be honest. Are you really mad at me?" Brittany whimpered as she looked up tearfully. Santana shook her head.

"How could I be? You didn't know what the spell could do, Britt. It was an accident. Besides, I took part in all of that too by free choice. Definitely by choice," Santana told her gently, chuckling. "How could I ever be angry at the woman who's carrying my baby? Besides, you're the one who got pregnant. Maybe it's me you should be blaming for getting you knocked up."

"I don't blame you either."

"Good," Santana managed a weak smile after another moment of silence between them. "Sorry, I just… this is really, super shocking. I just need to think about everything. I need to get my head wrapped around it all. This means I'm going to be a mom… this can't be real."

Santana stood up after a while, her legs still feeling shaky. Brittany still had guilt written on her face and Santana felt a similar emotion.

"I'm sorry about this all. I understand if you want me to leave."

Santana reached over, grabbing Brittany's arm before she could think about it and feeling that familiar tingle as their skin touched.

"No, you don't need to apologize or leave. That's not what I meant, when I said I need to think about this. Stay the night, please. You shouldn't be travelling in your condition and after you came all this way, it doesn't make sense for you to go."

Brittany hesitated, realizing that Santana was right. She hadn't planned her trip very well and had been hoping somehow that Santana and Rachel would let her stay over but the only other alternative was staying at a hotel for a night or two. She really was exhausted and despite how confusing things were with her and her ex, it made her feel safer being around Santana. She still didn't want to impose.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. You take my bed, okay? I'll take the couch. You're… pregnant and you must be so tired after all of that travelling."

"Oh, Santana. You're incredibly sweet."

Brittany looked like she was about to kiss her right then but then seemed to realize her mistake and pulled back, with pink cheeks, laughing awkwardly as she skipped into Santana's bedroom, the Latina leading the way and trying to ignore how much her heart was racing at the thought of those sweet lips on hers again.

The blonde knew Santana would be awkward around her and she also felt unsure about how they were supposed to act together but she couldn't stop the tears from sliding down her cheeks now that she was alone.

She was overwhelmed but couldn't help but feel happy as she closed her eyes and pressed her face against Santana's pillow. She loved how she was surrounded by the familiar scent of Santana. It somehow made her feel so secure, in a way she hadn't felt for months. She snuggled deeper into the blankets, sleeping the most easily she had since the breakup.

Santana lay down on the couch with a pillow and a blanket, trying to get a few hours rest later that night. Part of her wanted to go to the girl, to comfort her and tell her everything would be okay but she didn't know how much of a line she could cross when they weren't dating. She couldn't believe this was all happening.