Fake Happy (Paramore)

BETH'S POV

"So...was that okay? Are you alright?"

"Yeah."

"Are you sure because if it wasn't, I can do it better next time."

"It was fine, Jason."

"And that last part...you don't feel disrespected?"

"I said that I'm fine. Don't be such a pussy." I rolled my eyes as I applied a new coat of lipstick in the bathroom mirror.

I hated how soft guys here were, so ready to follow you to the ends of the Earth.

Ugh!

"Aww come on Sweets, don't clam up on me now. Not after what we just did." He was hovering now, making me feel like I could snap his neck and he was so fucking nice, he'd probably let me.

Gross.

Without barely looking at him in the eye, I threw back my elbow and thanks to his height, I landed square against this junk.

He fell to the ground and I couldn't help but smile when I looked down at his punk ass.

"I'm not your Sweets." I growled, giving him a swift kick before stepping over him.

"Sorry!" He groaned and I almost laughed but that was too cruel. I did have my limits.

I glared one last time and then put my smile back on as I unlocked the door and walked back into the hallway.

A week or so in this hell hole of a town and I was already ruling the place.

Pathetic.

I disappeared into the swarm of idiots in the hallway and they immediately parted for me as I made my way to my get Gabe so we could get out of here.

Coming to Lima had not been in my plans, life in Philly was good. I had friends, freedom, and no nosy grandparents watching my every move.

But here, I was able to understand why my parents were able to trap people under their thumbs.

And the mask, the very persona that I've created has helped me skyrocket in popularity from the moment that I walked through the school doors on day 1.

A perfect smile.

A perfect sway of my hips.

A wink here.

A tiny wave there.

It was like they were just begging for someone to rule them.

"Wait! Just don't mess up my jacket! I just got it" I heard a kid squeal as I headed across the courtyard and then I watched as my little brother shoved a kid half his size into a puddle of mud.

"Gabriel!" I called out to him and his face went from a scowl to a grin when he saw me.

"Hey!"

"Get your ass over here!"

He came running over to me and I rushed to meet him halfway, noticing that a nun was trying to intercept him while a crowd swarmed around the other kid.

"He was in my way." He said to me when I put my arm over his shoulder.

"Yeah well, what did I tell you about doing shit out in the open and to a kid half your size?"

"Not to. I know."

"Gabriel Lopez!" A nun called after him and he smirked at me.

"Looks like I was caught. Gotta run!" And just like that he was gone.

We both knew there was no way the nun was going to catch up to him.

But there was also no way that I was going to run...this was stupid but it was my job to protect him.

This is not how this day was supposed to go.

The crowd around that kid was getting bigger but I figured that people just felt excited.

Nothing ever happens here and Gabe has been nothing but a little fire-starter since he arrived.

He hadn't really learned the subtlety of being a bully...but for me, it was in my DNA, literally.

"Someone call the nurse!" I heard someone scream and I swear my heart stopped.

The nun made it over to me around the same time that people began scrambling.

"Ms. Fabray-Lopez, do you know where your brother went?"

"No."

"Do you know why he pushed Jonathan?"

"No ma'am."

"It appears that things just got a bit more serious. Would you like to call your parents or should I?"

"I'll call them."

"Good. I'll wait."

SANTANA'S POV

I felt so tired as I waited for some news on my surgery but I kept up a brave face.

Even if I felt like shit.

Quinn was so much like herself now that she was sober and it was ridiculously overwhelming.

But I appreciated her efforts to make things up to me because back when chemo had started that was all that I wanted.

Her here, with me and the kids...it was what I had wanted all along.

Papi sat on a chair against the wall directly between our beds laughing it up with her and I just watched, smiling.

Even if I wasn't really happy.

Stage III will do that to you.

I felt responsible for this.

How had I caught the cancer so early but still ended up here?

Right, because I didn't want anyone to know.

I was vain.

Didn't want to lose my hair.

Didn't want to cause a ruckus with Quinn.

Didn't want to scare the kids.

I should have chopped these bitches off back then.

So many shoulds, coulds and woulds.

I put on my best smile for them and when they wanted to sing me happy birthday before I was headed into surgery, I smiled.

With teeth!

But there was no sweeter moment than when at exactly noon, I was being taken away so that I could be prepped for surgery.

Quinn was trying to fight her tears and Papi was trying his best not to micro manage the nurses and doctors.

They were both failing miserably.

"I'll see you two in a few hours and then we celebrate! I'm already starving."

Quinn kissed me hard and then stared into my eyes like I was the only person in the word that existed.

I smiled at her but couldn't help but doubt her sincerity.

Was she acting like this because I was sick or did she really want to make us work?

It was so hard to trust her but I was giving it my all.

She was giving me her best Quinn Fabray smile and I knew that she was just as miserable as me.

"Papi can you give us a minute?"

"I'll be out in the hallway, don't take too long." He winked at us and we both rolled our eyes.

"Yeah, sure."

The moment that he left us alone, I pulled her into the tightest hug that I could muster without completely crushing my boobs.

"I know you're going to cry the moment I leave this room and I want you to know that it's okay."

"I know."

"I'm going to be okay, Luce."

"We've been together a long time, babylove...friends for even longer."

"I know."

"Which means, that I know every expression of yours and I've been watching you all day."

"And?" I went to pull back but she held me still.

"You don't trust that I'm being real with you but you need to know that I'm not suddenly in this because you're sick."

"And I want to believe that."

"But you don't. I know. Hopefully, I will get the chance to spend the rest of my life proving to you just how much I'm back in this. I love you."

She finally let me go and I could see that she was already crying.

Her mask was gone.

I brought my thumbs under her eyes and tried to wipe away her tears but she shook her head.

"I'm going to be fine, Q. We are all going to be fine."

"No. You don't get it. I'm not crying because I think I'm going to lose you. I'm crying because I've been an idiot and you deserved so much more from me."

"Yeah, you have been an idiot but I've allowed you to be. You're not the only one at fault." I said, giving her the first real smile I'd been able to pull in hours.

And she smiled in response.

"Look at that smile...good God, Muffin, you're gorgeous. Even sick."

I was cheesing like a damned buffoon but I didn't care.

This right here, felt real.

It felt honest.

And it was the best way to go into surgery.

"I love the fuck out of you." I said, hugging her one last time, crushing my boobs and savoring the pain...I'm nuts like that.

"Mmmhmm, I love you! Now kiss me before you go kick cancer's ass."

I kissed her like my life depended on it and was breathless when I pulled away.

Her face was still coated in tears but her smile was as real as mine.

That's all that mattered.

I missed her...us.

BETH'S POV

"Look, sister, he's going through something right now. We both are. This move has been hard on him. Our mom is going through chemo and he's acting out."

"Be that as it may, he has no right to put his hands on another student. So either you call your parents so this can be settled today or he's going to be arrested."

"Arrested? He's 10!"

"He assaulted another student."

"The kid just has a nosebleed. Look at him!"

I gestured to the kid who was holding an ice pack to his nose but looked virtually unscathed otherwise.

"Fine, I will call your parents myself."

"Okay, alright, I'll do it!"

Abuelo was NOT going to be happy about this!

As I pulled out my phone and called him, none other than Jason came into the school yard with my brother gripped up by the back of his sweater.

"I found him!" He said, looking self satisfied.

And if that wasn't bad enough, it looked like Gabe had a fresh black eye and busted lip.

Someone had hurt him and I was going to be out for blood when I found out who.

"Hello?" Abuelo said but I was just stuck standing there in front of this nun and Jason, a guy who I had just assaulted in the bathroom, while he was holding my brother...they were all staring at me.

"Beth?" Came Mama's voice next...I was pretty sure once she found out things would be even worse. Abuelo would have spared Mami the details because she's sick but I'm not so sure Mama will do the same.

"Hi Mama."

"What's wrong?"

"Gabe uh..." I trailed off as my brother burst into tears and then the nun was snatching my phone from me.

"I'll take it from here."

The nun turned from us and walked a few feet away, saying God knows what to Mama.

Great!

"You can let him go now." I said to Jason but he just smirked.

"Not until you apologize."

I looked at Gabe who was still crying like he was a baby.

"What happened to you? Who did this?" I went to touch his face and he smacked my hand away.

"Your stupid ass boyfriend here."

I was livid.

"LET HIM GO." I growled as Jason smirked.

"Apologize first."

"Fuck you, you just beat up my brother! He's half your size!"

"Now he knows what it feels like to pick on a kid smaller than him." Jason said feeling proud of himself.

"Gabe. Earmuffs." I said and Gabe immediately put his hands over his ears and began humming like I taught him. Then I stepped up close to this idiot and dug my finger in his chest. "You've got ten seconds to let him go or I will tell this whole school just how SMALL big Jason's dick is. I'll tell them how you moan like a bitch in heat when a girl so much touches you and that when you cum you call out for your Mommy. You lousy piece of insignificant shit. Is that what you want?"

Any other time, a person would cower after I threatened to belittle them.

Maybe even beg a little but not Jason, not this time.

He was smirking even bigger now and looking past me.

And his grin got even wider as he let Gabe go and gave him a small shove forward.

I looked at Gabe and he just stared wide eyed right past me and I wasn't sure if it's because he heard me or...

I turned around and there stood the Principal and that nun both staring agape as she held the phone inches from my face.

Fuck!

The principal was calm as he grabbed a hold of Gabe's backpack, no doubt thinking he'd run again.

"Both of you, my office, NOW." He said and I just watched as he began to walk away with Gabe.

The nun handed me the phone and I tried to put on a smile.

Tried to appear innocent but I knew Mama had heard me...I just wasn't sure how much.

QUINN'S POV

I sat there listening to the words spewing from Beth's lips and could not believe how much she sounded like the worst parts of teenage me and Santana put together.

What was worse, I had the phone on speaker for Pop who was turning a shade of red that bordered on purple.

"I'm headed there now." Pop said and then stormed from the room without so much as looking back.

Everything went silent and then I heard the shuffling of the other end.

"Mama?"

"Are you insane?!" I yelled and she went silent. "Your Abuelo is on his way over there right now!"

"Mami didn't hear that did she?"

"No and you're lucky that she didn't."

"He beat up Gabe, Mama."

For a moment I forgot about my half numb legs and lower back, I tried to jerk forward out of instinct and couldn't.

"Who?"

"Some idiot who is way bigger than him!"

"You mean like he just did to another kid?" I asked and she growled a bit in response but I invented that bullshit, she didn't scare me. "I'm not saying what he did was right but I am saying that hopefully Gabriel will learn from this."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Who do you think you're talking to like that?"

"You."

"Since when do you have the balls to talk to me like some person on the street?"

"Whatever, Look, I gotta go." And then she hung up on me!

So much for spending Santana's surgery time celebrating her birthday, instead, I was about to go to war with my teenage daughter.

There was a knock at the door and then Maribel popped her head in.

"Hey girls..." She said with balloons in her hand with a sleeping Sasha in her arms but then she stopped short when she saw Santana's bed was gone.

"Bendicion, Ma...she's not here."

"Oh, Dios te bendiga. I guess chemo doesn't stop for birthdays." She looked hurt but she tried to keep her smile in place.

She tied the balloons to a hook near where Santana's bed would be and then came over to my side of the room.

I held my arms out and she gently rested Sasha on me.

"How are you, mi'ja?"

She leaned in and kissed my face and then began busying herself straightening out my sheets and pillows.

"I'm okay." I smiled back at her, neither of us really feeling happy but trying to put on brave faces.

I looked down at my little girl and couldn't help but feel like I was holding a piece of Santana in my arms. My last innocent child. I needed to be better for her.

"I don't believe that for a second, you know that right?" Ma said, snapping me out of my reverie.

"You read me like a book."

"I know. So do you want to talk about it?"

"Oh, you'll find out soon enough when your husband gets back with the kids." I said, looking at her with my best smile.

"Another fight?"

"Yeah...this time...both of them."

"What?"

"Yup. Anyway, what about you? I thought you had a conference?"

"I did but with the way things have been, I can't miss another one of her birthdays...you just never know." She said, tearing up a bit.

"About that..." I started to say but then the doctor came in.

Great.

"Hi Dr. Andrews, long time no see." Ma said to him, just as cheerful.

"Dr. Lopez, your husband said you were in Pittsburgh, did you rush back?"

She raised an eyebrow but kept her voice light and happy.

"Did I need to?" She looked at me and I knew I was beat red, because I just could not lie to her.

"Santana's in surgery, getting the mastectomy. She hit stage III." I rambled out in a rush before looking down at Sasha, trying to seem more interested in settling her better on my lap.

"And nobody thought to tell me?" She chuckled but it had anger behind it. "Are you kidding me?"

"She didn't want to worry anyone. She kept insisting that everyone enjoy her birthday for her." Even still, I wouldn't look at her. I just could not disappoint another person right now.

"So, that's why you're here, is this the surgery update?" She turned towards Dr. Andrews, now that I refused to look at her, seemingly trying to keep herself in check in front of him.

"I was, yes. I'm sorry this is how you found out but the good news is that she is a champ. The surgery is three quarters of the way through. We've removed all breast tissue and are now in search of the source of her heart attack."

"What? Heart attack? My baby had a heart attack at 32?" She shrieked and Sasha curled up against me, even in her sleep she was looking for protection.

I held her tighter and watched the exchange between my mother-in-law and Santana's doctor, hoping it wouldn't escalate.

Maribel looked like she was going to pass out or strangle someone, maybe both.

"Yes, we are fairly certain that it was a domino effect created by swollen lymph nodes in the chest cavity."

"Ay, mi Dios!" She said, sliding into the chair that Pop had vacated not too long ago.

"She should be in recovery in about an hour. I'll update you if there are any changes."

"Take care of her David."

Dr. Andrews smiled at her and then put a hand on her shoulder.

"She's in the best hands, Mari. I'm giving her my best work."

"Thank you."

I watched the retreating back of the doctor until I couldn't anymore and hoped to God that Antonio would show up soon.

This was not what I needed right now.

"You don't have to look terrified of me, this has Santana and Antonio written all over it. Both of them are so secretive with that always thinking they're protecting someone bullshit. I hate it!"

"The kids don't know she's in surgery either."

"Not even Beth?"

"No."

"And I assume that Antonio went to get them?"

"Yes." I wanted badly to change the subject, "How was Sasha?"

"Oh she's an easy baby. So sweet and calm. Slept for the whole flight, there and back without so much as a whimper."

"Has she been asleep since the airport?"

"Oh no, she woke up when I stopped to get balloons and then fell back asleep on the ride here."

"Oh okay."

"Is this the first time that you're holding her since you've been back?"

"Honestly this is one of the only times that I've ever held her...I had that revelation in therapy recently...how Santana stuck around for so long, I'll never understand."

"Oh Quinn, that's terrible. She's almost two."

"I know."

"Do you have any sort of bond with her?"

"I do, although I'm not sure she has much of one with me." I said, sadly as I kept running the backs of my fingers over her cheek. "I love her though, just as much as I love Beth and Gabriel."

"Remember you said that." I looked up when I heard Beth's words and saw her standing in the doorway with a beaten up Gabriel standing in front of her.

"Hi Mama." Gabriel said, sheepishly.

All eyes were on me and I just wanted to crawl under my bed and hide.

Parenting was Santana's job, it's what she was good at but now, here I was forced to deal with it.

And truth be told, I had no idea what to do next, so I smiled.

BETH'S POV

The last time I regularly dealt with an addict parent I was in the single digits. I barely remember Mami's addiction or the changes in her.

For the most part, she was always the same old amazing person.

But with Mama, it was gradual.

She'd gone from being lively, loving, and ridiculously clingy to being distant, mean, and oblivious.

Her skin was permanently pale, even toward the end in California.

I was used to her looking dumbfounded and aloof because the last time I had seen her be her true self, I was also still in single digits.

Now though, she was looking at me with razor sharp focus, color in her cheeks, and anger in her eyes.

This was the Quinn that I had only really heard about but had never seen.

This was the Quinn that I had been trying my best to embody at school but had failed so miserably at.

And I was terrified.

"I need to get Gabe checked out, that gash on his cheek is going to need stitches...okay?" Abuelo said, just about abandoning me at the mercy of my mother.

"Yes, lets go get that checked out, Amor and we can talk on the way." Abuela said, getting up and strutting across the room. She patted my cheek and kissed my forehead before putting a hand on Gabe's shoulder and leading him out of the room. "Let's go nieto, you and your Abuelo look like you have some stories to tell."

It seemed that every adult was going to blow a fuse and I wasn't sure if I was more worried for Gabe or myself.

We had basically gone from having only one disciplinarian to four.

This was the freaking twilight zone.

Mama had Sasha's head resting on her chest and her legs drapped across her lap.

Which meant that she wasn't going to raise her voice at me the way that Gabe was probably about to get reemed out.

Maybe I was more sorry for him then.

I glanced over to Mami's nightstand to see if the cupcakes were still there, I could lead with how good they tasted but then I noticed the bed was gone.

Which meant she was definitely not at chemo.

Come to think of it, it was too early for that.

"Where's Mami?" I asked, not bothering to move from just inside the doorway.

"Come sit down." She said, gesturing to the chair next to her bed.

"No. Just tell me, where did she go?"

"That wasn't a request, come sit your ass down." She growled, like better than me growled.

Which had me wondering if maybe my growl had been more of a grumble all along.

Maybe I was feeling sorry for myself instead of Gabe now because with that tone, she didn't need to raise her voice.

I didn't want to piss her off any more than I already had so I moved over to the chair and sat there...pushing it back so I was just out of her reach.

"Where is she, Mama?" I asked again, this time with WAY less attitude.

"Her cancer has spread. She's at stage III but it's still early. So right now, she's getting a double mastectomy." She said, calmly but I could see in her eyes that she was worried.

Scared even.

All this emotion coming off of her was so odd to me that it was unnerving.

"But...it's her birthday."

"I know."

"And she was feeling better."

"I know."

"And...and...fuck man." I muttered, trying my best to hold back my tears. "This is so unfair."

"I know."

Each one of her responses sounded different, like with each statement, she was closer to tears.

But there was not any visible sign of them.

If this was what Mami meant when she said that Mama is a master of her emotions, I'm a little shook.

How could I think that I could replicate her?

"So, tell me what happened today, start with why you were locked in a bathroom with this Jason boy."

"What?"

"Oh yeah, I know about that. Your nun friend was watching you for much longer than you realized and after I heard what you said to him over the phone earlier, I put two and two together."

"It was nothing."

"Doesn't sound like nothing."

"It was a one time thing."

"I can't imagine that you are involved with someone so soon after everything in Philly, especially because you just got to Lima less than two weeks ago."

"Yeah well, it was just...you know boredom."

"Tell me there was protection involved." She raised her eyebrow and I raised mine back.

"Since when is that your business." I said, because old habits die hard and my mother never paid much attention with how I spoke to her when she was pilled up.

I truly hadn't meant to be rude to her.

Especially not with her looking at me this way.

And hadn't I been the one to want her to work things out with Mami?

I had to get myself in check...quick.

She took a deep breath and then said in an even colder tone, "That is the last time that I am going to allow you to say something like that to me, do you understand me?"

My first instinct was something snarky but I hesitated when I saw the murder in her eyes.

"Yes."

"Now, you were telling me about protection."

"It was a blow job...that's pointless with a condom."

"Oh so you want herpes in on your lips, your tongue, and your throat?"

"What?"

"Oh did you miss that health class?"

I was ridiculously horrified.

How hadn't I thought of that?

"Just a blow job? That's it?"

"Um...okay...it was more than that...it was a quickie."

"With no protection?"

"No."

"Are you trying to get pregnant again?" She asked and from her tone I could tell that it was a real question.

"No and if I was, it damn sure would not be with that imbecile. He beat up Gabe because I elbowed him in the balls. I had no idea he'd retaliate, most guys just take what I give them."

She shifted Sasha and stared into her face for a long time before looking at me again.

This time, there were tears in her eyes but they didn't fall.

I had disappointed her.

And while before I didn't really care all that much, right then, it felt like shot to the heart.

Finally after a few moments, she smiled at me, teeth and all, then she looked at Sasha again before speaking...without sparing me another glance.

I didn't know how to feel.

"I gave you up because I wanted you to be a better person than me. It broke my heart to hand you over and never see you again. I lost 45 pounds after that. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I started smoking, abusing drugs...I even tried some of the hard stuff. Thank God, it didn't take. I just wanted my baby back with me. Then one day, I got that chance to have you back and I promised myself that I would give you the life I never had. I would be the mother that I wish I had but right now, I think I finally understand the strength it takes to see your kid struggle and not want to help them."

"What?"

"My mother knew I was pregnant with you before I told her. For years I couldn't forgive her for not talking to me about it. I couldn't understand how she could be silent while my father threw me out. I couldn't wrap my head around how she could then stay silent as I gave you up, knowing that it would break my heart."

"And now?"

"Now, I get it. Teenagers are assholes. I mean, it's got to be a temporary insanity for you to go from trusting your parents with your life to completely thinking they are idiots. That you're smarter, savvier, but no, you're all stupid. You're not adults yet...you haven't really lived out in the world yet."

"Uh...okay."

"What I'm saying is, be smarter. Learn from my mistakes. I got pregnant while cheating on my boyfriend with his best friend, who also happened to be my best friend's boyfriend. Santana hated me for years because of it...lesbian that she is."

I rolled my eyes and so did she...it was a light moment amid the crazy.

"I should have been smarter about sex, Mama, you're right...I just, I'm not myself right now."

"Do you even know who that is yet?"

"No. I haven't been able to be a kid in so long. I've been picking up your slack forever...I don't know how to just be normal anymore, especially not in this town."

"I get that. I really do, I wasn't the mom you needed. I have been checked out for years, doing my own dirt with protection, doesn't make it any better but I was smart about it. I'm NO saint but I own that. What you need to own is that you are an example to your brother and today your actions directly affected him. Today of all days, you should have grabbed him and come straight here. Now, when she wakes up from surgery, one of the first things she will see is his face."

"I'm sorry."

"Yeah you are. I am so tired of watching you live below your level of intelligence, Beth. That whole miscarriage stunt, the way you talk to me, and the way you conduct yourself are all things that end today. You WILL be better not because I'm telling you to do it but because YOU know better. You ARE better than this. Understand?"

"Yes."

"And you will give me the information for that asshole who touched my son. I will handle him, you take care of getting yourself in line. Best grades, best behavior, and definitely not being a slut...those things will make you a better person. Better than me and Santana...and definitely better than Puck."

"Okay."

"And if you must have sex, even if I would prefer you didn't, be safe at all times."

"Okay...I definitely will."

"Good, because herpes are not cute." She smiled and I groaned because eww, gross.

I could at least be THAT smart.

Now I was disappointed in myself.

QUINN'S POV

I must admit that my first instinct was to rip her to shreds.

But I just couldn't...I knew I would feel like a hypocrite so I gave her as much honesty as I could spare, it was more than my parents ever gave me.

"Take your sister and check her pull-up, she doesn't smell so fresh. Abuela left her bag by the door."

Beth seemed more than happy to get away from me, even if it meant dirty diapers and I didn't blame her.

The conversation wasn't pleasant.

It wasn't forceful and believe it or not, I tried to keep it light.

I'm not quite sure I succeeded though.

But I think she got the point.

My body felt ten times lighter once Sasha was out of my arms but sadly, my legs still didn't want to move much.

Which was something I had neglected to mention to Beth but that was for later.

I had about two minutes to myself when the room door opened up and Santana's bed was being wheeled in.

She was laying there looking deathly pale with heavy lidded eyes and a swollen face.

And the IV bags were plentiful, including one full of blood.

Dr. Andrews followed the orderlies and nurses into the room and then came straight over to me.

"She needed a transfusion." I said, glancing at the IV again.

"We were closing and she started hemorrhaging, we caught it just in the nick of time."

"Did you try to let a resident close?"

He dropped his head and nodded.

"Yes."

"But you took care of it?"

He looked at me and tilted his head...surprised that I wasn't giving him more fuss.

"I did, myself."

"Good. That's what matters. I get it, there is always room for a complication in the OR, even at the finish line. I don't like that it was with my wife but I understand."

"Well, I've got great news. We got everything, I suggest one last round of chemo and radiation, just to rule out any radicals."

"How long has she been awake?"

"She was in recovery for about thirty minutes, right now she's coming into more lucidity."

"Thanks, Dr. Andrews."

"It was my pleasure."

Before Dr. Andrews left, I had him help me into my wheelchair so that I could be at Santana's side as she became more coherent.

Up close, I could see that she was even paler.

I took her cold hand in mine and she turned her head towards me and smiled.

"Hey there birthday girl." I whispered and a tear slid from her eye. "They got it all, this is almost over." I put on my best smile but she kept crying.

The door opened and in came Beth with an alert Sasha on her hip.

"Mami." Beth said, breathless.

"Beth, baby." She mumbled, her swollen lips making her words sound garbled.

Sasha looked at Santana for a long moment and then began whimpering.

"Bring her closer, Beth but don't put her on your Mami, her chest is tender."

Beth moved closer and let Sasha get as close as possible.

"Give Mami a beso, Sashi." Beth whispered.

Sasha whimpered but she didn't cry and when she was close enough to kiss Santana, a realization hit her that this was her Mami and she smiled.

"Mami." She said and then gave Santana a big, wet kiss on the forehead.

"Baby. I love you." Santana was gripping my hand as she fought more tears. She looked at Beth and smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too, Mami."

"Gabe?"

"He's um...with Abuelo."

"Get him." She said and Beth looked panicked but nodded.

"Okay."

Even barely herself, I could see the look of recognition on Santana's face.

She was the most observant of us all...even like this.

Once we were alone she looked at me and attempted to raise her eyebrow.

"A fight?" She asked and I nodded.

"They're both in trouble. Yes."

"You took care of it?" She seemed surprised.

"Don't worry about it, okay. They got the cancer, it's your birthday, I've got the kids...no more tears."

"Okay."

"He's getting stitches on his face."

"When will he learn?" She said, annoyed.

"Probably never, he's Vanessa's offspring and she's the most stubborn person I know."

She rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Te amo." She whispered as she traced her fingers over mine.

"Te amo, tambien." I responded and she smirked.

Things were looking up.

A/N: I wanted to delete this entire chapter...I wanted to start fresh but my sister insisted that I post it. So here's hoping you like it. I'm trying to get out of this thing with 80 chaps max! I love you chicas!