Santana was happy. After she came home from Lima she was sad for a few days, but it slowly got better. She had never appreciated the atmosphere of New York City more than when it was in contrast to Lima Ohio. Being completely surrounded by people all the time– many of them freaks and geeks to boot– was good for her.

When Kurt started his band, Santana was ecstatic.

"It's gonna be like the old days," she told Dani excitedly one afternoon.

Dani smirked, her eyes shining at Santana, "Yeah?"

Santana laughed, "Look at me, I'm turning soft. You didn't know me in high school, or you wouldn't believe your ears right now."

"Aw, babe, I know you're bad ass," Dani tried to kiss Santana's cheek, but Santana pulled away at her mocking baby voice.

"I'mma have to go get in a gang fight to feel normal again," She said, her tone totally serious.

Dani stared at her.

Brittany would have laughed.

Santana decided not to enlighten Dani to the joking nature of her comment. Dani could get to know her the long way.

"Anyway, you should have seen us back then, we were a crazy group."

Dani laughed, "And now you're not?"

"No, we're just better now," Santana winked.

As the band spent time together, Santana noticed Rachel getting happier. She had been making an effort to be kind to Rachel since Finn died. How she would feel if Brittany died was something Santana could only imagine. Santana would give Rachel a squeeze on the shoulder as she walked past, and Rachel finally knew not to say anything about it. The apartment the three former New Direction-ers shared was now filled with more music than it had been in a long time, weather it was a formal rehearsal or just the tree of them singing while they made breakfast.

However, throughout all the happy evenings spent rehearsing, and late nights with Dani, the feeling that something was missing kept appearing in Santana's head like flashes of far-off lighting. One night the lighting struck, and she went out on the fire escape to call Brittany.