Pouring her third glass of wine, Santana sighed heavily. It had been a hellish week. She'd endured her first parent-teacher meetings, and to say that these private school parents were intense would be the understatement of the century. Every single one wanted Santana to "personally make sure" that their little star did the best in her class.

"Santana, you're up!" Kurt called from the living room.

After emptying the rest of the bottle into her glass, she sauntered back to her guests. It was her turn to host Glee night.

"Alright, what song am I singing to show all you losers that I am the undisputed talent in this room?" Santana asked with a smirk.

Rachel's mouth dropped open in indignation, and Kurt laughed.

"Well, seeing as how Blaine just regaled us with his Sectionals performance of 'Hey, Soul Sister', I think it's only fair that you belt out one of your favorites."

"Oh, I'm all over this one." Santana confidently grabbed the bedazzled mic from Rachel's hand.

"What are you singing, Mommy?" Bella asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"You'll see, baby." Santana winked. "You know it."

Bella clapped her hands and grinned.

Brittany was sitting on her window ledge, looking at her partial view of the city with a glass of wine in her hand. She'd found this activity to be incredibly relaxing after a long week at the studio. The owner of the studio and her boss, Jerry, had added yet another advanced class to her schedule, which meant that her days ran two hours longer than normal. She was more exhausted than she'd been in a long time.

As she took a sip and leaned against the wide frame, a gust of wind carried a familiar tune to her ears. Brittany closed her eyes and smiled, her head moving slightly from side to side as the familiar song played a few stories below her.

Wait a second.

Her eyes flew open, and she scrambled to put her wine glass down before she dropped it. Leaning out the window, she strained her ears. Surely the universe wouldn't be that twisted?

But there was no doubt in Brittany's mind who the owner of the sultry voice belting out "Valerie" was. That could mean only one of two things: either Santana was visiting someone who lived in the same building as her, or — and Brittany really hoped this was the case — she actually lived in the same building.

The small audience applauded loudly as Santana took a bow and handed the mic back to Rachel with a satisfied smirk.

"Mommy, wow," Bella said with wide eyes.

Santana sat down next to her and relaxed into the couch with a smile. "Did you like that, baby?"

"It was so awesome," Bella gushed. "You're, like, the best singer ever."

"I may have to challenge you on that, Bella," Rachel said, standing up and tapping Finn on the shoulder.

Santana laughed. "Give it up, Berry. She's biologically bound to like me best."

Rachel grinned, her friendly competition with the Latina as fiery as ever. "We shall see. Finn?"

With that, Rachel and Finn launched into "Faithfully," admittedly one of Santana's favorite duets that the two had ever done. Bella curled up next to her mother, and Santana rested her head on hers.

"Mama?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"Rachel and Finn love each other, right?"

Santana smiled. "Yes, they do. Very much."

"That's why they sing songs like that to each other?" Bella pointed at Rachel and Finn gazing adoringly into each other's eyes as they sang the chorus.

"Yup."

For a while, Bella was quiet. Santana looked down to see a pensive look on her daughter's face.

"Baby girl, what's going on in that head of yours?" she asked softly, then pulled Bella into her lap and wrapped her arms around her daughter's waist.

Bella started playing with a strand of Santana's long hair, then finally looked up into Santana's eyes. "Mama?"

"Sí, mi amor?"

"Did you have someone to sing songs with, like Rachel and Finn?"

Santana froze. Where the hell had that question come from?

"Uh…um…" She took a deep breath and met her daughter's curious gaze. "I did, baby."

"You did?" Bella asked excitedly. "What happened?"

"Uh, well, we were very much in love, but one day, we had a fight. She left, and I haven't seen her since."

Bella frowned. "Didn't she love you?"

"She did," Santana replied, trying to keep her voice steady and will the threatening tears away.

"Then why did she leave?"

"She chose to do something without me," Santana whispered, her voice breaking a little.

"Oh." Bella's voice was soft as she ran a finger across Santana's forehead. "I still love you, Mama."

"I know you do, baby girl." Santana let the tears fall as she grabbed her daughter and hugged her tightly. "I love you too, with all my heart."

Kurt met Rachel's eyes, and she shook her head subtly, knowing that Kurt was contemplating divulging the reappearance of a certain blonde dancer. He simply nodded and continued to rub Santana's arm as she cried into her daughter's shoulder.

A few weeks later, Santana was humming to herself as she did the dishes. She and Bella had decided on an early dinner, then a game of chess. Santana had been pleasantly surprised by her daughter's aptitude for the game.

"Mommy!"

"Bella!" Santana responded in the same whiny voice and chuckled.

"Funny." Bella stuck her tongue out as she pulled herself onto a chair in the kitchen. "So, what's the prize tonight?"

"Hmm," Santana mused as she dried a pot. "I think that if I win, which I totally will, then you are on bathroom duty for….a week."

"A week?" Bella asked in disbelief. "That's so unfair."

Santana laughed. She knew that she wouldn't actually win. She seldom did.

"Well, what if you win?" Santana asked.

"Ice cream!"

Chuckling, Santana finished drying the dishes as Bella helped her mother pack the pots away.

"Hey, Noddy," Brittany said in a tired voice.

"Evening, Ms. Pierce," Oliver nodded. "You must be very tired."

"I am," Brittany replied, stifling a yawn. "Been pulling crazy hours at the studio."

"Well, I'm sure a nice, hot bubble bath will make you feel much better."

Brittany smiled. "Actually, that does sound amazing. Thanks, Noddy."

Oliver chuckled. Brittany walked to the lift and pushed the button. As she waited for the elevator to come back down from the top floor, she turned to the mailboxes and checked her mail.

"How is it that you always beat me?" Santana asked in fake frustration.

"Maybe you gave me your brains when I was born," Bella suggested, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Santana chuckled. "That must be it." She sighed and pushed herself off the floor. "You want your usual flavor?"

"Yes, please!" Bella crowed with a triumphant grin.

"Okay. While I'm gone, get yourself in the bath and ready for bed." Santana leaned down and kissed Bella's head. "Love you."

"Love you too!"

As she closed and locked the door of her unit, Santana glanced at the lift. She ran and managed to hit the light before it passed her floor. Once the doors slid open, she stepped in and pushed the lobby button.

Rolling her eyes, Brittany threw a stack of spam flyers into the bin next to the lift as the doors opened. She stepped back to let the person in the elevator out, then looked up, meeting the occupant's eyes.

Santana's breath caught in her throat. Those piercing blue eyes overrode her senses. She couldn't move, couldn't think; she could barely breathe.

Dark eyes captured Brittany. She couldn't look away, even if she wanted to, which she really didn't. Santana was there. She was right in front of her. And she was looking at her.

Santana tried to swallow, but the inside of her throat had suddenly become as dry as the desert. She saw that familiar look in Brittany's eyes, the one look that she'd missed more than any other look. Brittany was gazing at her so tenderly with a small smile, and Santana felt her heart kick into high gear.

Brittany couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. She was here! The woman that she'd loved for all her life was standing within touching distance. She could see that the Latina was shocked and confused, but there was something else on her face. Even after almost eight years, Brittany could still read her like a book. She wanted to touch Brittany too.

The blonde took a step forward and opened her mouth, only to be cut off by the most annoying sound in the world to her at that moment.

"What?" she snapped into her phone, her eyes not leaving Santana's, but it was too late. The spell was broken.

"Hey."

"Sara?" Brittany asked incredulously. God, the universe had some fucked up sense of humor.

"Um, could you come over? I really need you."

Exhaling noisily, Brittany closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. This wasn't happening.

"I don't think that's a good idea." Brittany opened her eyes, and her face fell. Santana was gone.

As soon as Brittany closed her eyes, Santana bolted for the door and didn't stop running until she'd rounded three blocks. Panting, she leaned against the wall, peering around the wall to see if Brittany had followed her. No sign of the blonde.

What. The. Fuck.

She was back in New York? And living in the same apartment building? Did the universe have some crazy, twisted sense of humor? Why was this happening now? Things were good. Bella was loving school, Santana's job was going great, and she'd finally managed to start saving up for Bella's college fund.

Sure, karma, come right on it, and fuck it all up. Clearly my life isn't meant to be good. It's just there as a fucking amusement park.

Santana sighed, trying to quell the conflicting emotions of anger and sadness swirling inside her.

Focus. Bella. Ice cream. Your daughter. She's waiting for you.

As she walked to the store, bought Bella's ice cream, and walked home as quickly as she could, she prayed with every step that there wouldn't be a blonde dancer waiting for her.

She approached the front door and peered in through the glass, but it looked empty. Taking a deep breath, Santana opened the door, sent Oliver a nervous smile, and walked through the lobby. Luckily, she got back to her apartment without any surprises.

Brittany had been pacing around her apartment for the better part of two hours. She couldn't sit still, too wired from her unexpected run-in with Santana.

She had never been so rude to Sara in her life, and she was pretty sure that the girl was never going to talk to her again. Still, if it meant that she wouldn't get any more inopportune phone calls when face-to-face with Santana, then Brittany had no problem with that.

As soon as she'd hung up on Sara, she'd run outside, but Santana had disappeared. She'd contemplated waiting for her to come back, but she didn't know when or if she'd be back. Maybe she'd been on her way out to meet Kurt or Rachel or Bella.

Brittany gritted her teeth. Never had she despised a name so much in her life. She knew she was jealous; she didn't even try to deny it.

So, begrudgingly, Brittany had gone up to her apartment and taken a long shower. It had made her feel a little better, but now she was just restless. She felt like she needed to see Santana, to talk to her, to apologize, but would it even make a difference? Did Brittany really have the right to go and upend her life with their history? Was it fair to this Bella woman?

Sighing, she went to the window. It was getting colder as winter approached, and Brittany was about to pull the large window down when she heard the soft voice.

As she recognized the song Santana was singing, her heart almost broke again.

It was their song. The song that Santana had sung to her to cheer her up after she'd broken up with Artie, the song that truly showcased her love.

And she wasn't singing it to Brittany.

Brittany let a tear run down her cheek. The fact that Santana was singing "Songbird" with the same emotion that she used to with Brittany told her one thing: Santana loved Bella as much as she'd loved Brittany, maybe even more. She loved her enough to sing the most personal song in her repertoire and let go of the pain linked to it.

Santana had moved on. She didn't love Brittany anymore, no matter what her eyes might have said when they'd run into each other.

The sooner Brittany realized that Santana would never be hers again, the better off they'd both be. She just wished that it didn't feel like her heart was breaking again.