Okay, I know I said I'd be posting part 3 of 30 Days next, but I got this story in my head and decided I wanted to do it for the holidays. And since this one was time sensitive, I dropped the other and began writing this. Hopefully you all like it; I've definitely enjoyed writing it more than any other story in while.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 1 – Welcome to Ohio

As Rachel watched the snow-covered trees pass by, she still couldn't believe she was on her way to Lima, Ohio. She'd never been to Ohio before and really had no desire to ever go, but here she was, sitting next to a guy she wasn't even really dating, listening to terrible 80's rock songs. It certainly wasn't how she'd expected to spend her holidays, but she was here, nevertheless.

When Finn had asked her to come along with him, she had initially declined his offer, not wanting to give him the wrong impression. They had only been on a few dates and they weren't serious by any means. She had no intention of becoming serious either. Finn was definitely cute and could be really sweet, but she just couldn't see herself being in a relationship with him. He was far too immature for her, and she just couldn't imagine spending her life with him.

"We're almost there," Finn said, looking over at her with a lopsided smile.

Lima was a little bigger than she thought it would be, but considering she grew up in New York City, it barely felt like a town to her. Still, it had a certain charm about it. Of course, she knew that could be because it was currently blanketed by snow, and that always made any town look a little more charming than it usually would.

"I can't wait for you to meet my mom," Finn said.

"Finn—"

"I know what you're going to say," Finn interrupted. "I know we're not, like, boyfriend and girlfriend, but I just think you'll get along with her. And Burt's really cool."

"Burt's your stepfather, correct?" Rachel asked, not wanting to get the stepfather and the stepbrother's names mixed up.

"Yeah," Finn replied. "He's sort of the only father I've ever known, though, since my dad died when I was just a baby. Him and Mr. Schue really helped me out in high school. You know, taught me what it means to be a man. To be honest, I think Kurt taught me some of that, too."

"It must be nice to have a sibling," Rachel commented. "Even if he is only a step-sibling. I always hoped my fathers would decide to adopt another child, but they decided one was enough. Of course, in some ways it was nice being an only child. They certainly spoiled me because of it."

"Well, I guess I was an only child for most of my life," Finn replied. "But we didn't really have a lot of money, so she couldn't really spoil me or anything."

"Do you wish your mom and Burt had meet sooner?" Rachel asked.

Finn shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, it kinda sucks that my mom was so lonely for a long time, but sometimes it was nice being just me and her. Hey, look."

"What?" Rachel asked, looking around.

"It's my old high school," Finn replied. "It's too bad school's not in or I'd stop in and see Mr. Schue." Finn looked over at her. "You'd really like him. He was an awesome teacher and he made Glee so much fun. It sucks that we never won Nationals when we were in the club, but he thinks they really have a chance this year."

Rachel had watched New Directions perform the one time they made it to Nationals, and unless things had changed drastically, she was doubtful that they had a chance of winning the competition. They were definitely talented, but they obviously lacked preparation. They looked like they had only come up with their set list and choreography at the last minute, which was no way to win when every other team there had been rehearsing for months. It was obviously the fault of their director; of course, she wasn't going to mention that to Finn, especially not when he seemed to look up to his former teacher so much.

They were only on the road for a few more minutes before Finn pulled into a driveway. The house wasn't exactly what she was expecting—she'd pictured it being smaller—but it was definitely a nice house. As she opened her door and stepped out of the car, she looked up at the house. Someone had gone all out with the decorations, putting lights around every window and along the roof and a large, blowup snowman in the yard.

"My mom really likes Christmas," Finn said with a laugh.

"I can tell," Rachel commented.

"I'll get your bags from the back," Finn said.

"That's okay," Rachel replied. "I'm sure I can get them; you have your own bags to worry about."

"It's no problem," Finn said as he opened the trunk and pulled both of her bags out. "You have more stuff than me."

"Let me help at least," Rachel said, taking one of the bags from him so he wasn't juggling three pieces of luggage. "The walkway may be slippery, after all; I wouldn't want you falling down because of me."

"Finn, is that you?" Rachel heard a woman ask. "It is you! I thought I heard voices out here."

"Hey, mom," Finn said, walking toward the older woman.

"I'm so happy you're here," she said, hugging Finn the best she could considering he had suitcases in both hands. "And you must be Rachel."

"Oh, yeah," Finn said. "Mom this is Rachel. Rachel, this is my mom."

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Hudson-Hummel," she said.

"Please, call me Carole," she replied with a warm laugh. "Mrs. Hudson-Hummel doesn't exactly roll of the tongue very well, now does it?"

"Okay, Carole" Rachel said with a nod.

"Oh, Finn, she's exactly like you described," Carole said, giving Rachel an expected hug. "I'm glad you two are here. How was your trip? I can imagine it was a long drive."

"Very," Rachel replied.

"Yeah," Finn agreed.

"Well, let's get you two inside before you freeze to death out here," Carole said, leading the way toward the house. "Be careful on the porch; it's a little icy."

"I told you she'd like you," Finn said, smiling at Rachel

"Yeah," Rachel said, smiling back, though it faltered a little as she wondered if Carole had the wrong impression about their relationship.

"How are you doing, Sweetie?" Carole asked as she walked into the kitchen. "Has Finn offered you anything to drink?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Rachel replied.

"Did you even ask if she wanted anything?" Carole asked Finn.

"I think so," Finn said, scrunching up his face a little.

Carole shook her head a little as she told Rachel, "Make yourself completely at home. If you want anything, grab it, or if we don't have what you want, you can write it down on the little pad on the fridge. I'm going shopping later, so I can pick up anything you want. Finn told me you're vegan, so I did some research and already picked up some things for you, so don't you worry about that."

"Thank you," Rachel replied, grateful that she'd made the effort to make her feel so welcome.

"It's no big deal," Carole said with a wave of her hand. "We already have a vegetarian in the family, so it's not that much different."

Rachel assumed she meant Kurt, who Rachel had yet to meet, but was assured he would be there soon. Like her and Finn, he was coming from New York City, but he'd opted to fly to Ohio rather than drive. She'd almost met Kurt once, but he had to cancel at the last minute. She understood, though; he was studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology and, like being at NYADA, sometimes unforeseen problems came up while working on a project for school.

"Is there anything special that you drink?" Carole asked. "We have Coke; you're not a Pepsi person, are you?"

"I rarely drink soda," Rachel replied.

"Yeah, she only ever drinks water," Finn said.

"And I'm not picky about it," Rachel added.

"Well, that's easy enough," Carole said with a laugh. "We already have plenty of water in the fridge, or if you don't like it cold, there are some bottles in the pantry over there."

Rachel smiled at Carole. "Thank you so much."

"Don't mention it," Carole replied. "I'm just glad you're here. The more the merrier, right? The kids have always brought their friends and boyfriends and girlfriends around during the holidays. We've always had a nice little full house around this time. It's just nice to see someone new here. Someone with manners." She looked at Finn. "Not like that Puckerman boy."

"Mom, he's my best friend," Finn said.

"And he eats us out of house and home every year he comes over," Carole remarked. "I was so relieved when you told me he wasn't going to be here this year."

"Is that your friend Puck that you've mentioned?" Rachel wondered.

"Yeah," Finn replied. "Mom's never liked him very much."

"And if you ever meet him, you'll see why," Carole said.

"He's not that bad," Finn defended.

"When he was fourteen, he asked if I needed our pool clean," Carole replied. "When I reminded him that we didn't have a pool, he asked if he could clean my pipes."

"Can you not tell this story?" Finn asked, groaned.

"When I told him they were fine, he said he didn't mean the house pipes," Carole continued.

Rachel couldn't help but giggle. "He sounds—interesting."

"Fine, he was a kinda crazy, but that was, like, seven years ago; he's not like that anymore," Finn said.

"He's still like that," Carole replied. "He's just learned to be a little more subtle about it. And that woman will slap him upside the head if he talks like that to them."

"We're home!" Rachel heard a man call out.

"We're in the kitchen!" Carole called back.

She heard two voices and footsteps, and a few moments later, two guys walked into the kitchen. Carole walked over, hugging the younger of the two, before kissing her husband on the cheek. Rachel stood back and watched as Finn and Burt greeted each other, and then Finn and Kurt gave each other a quick hug. She felt like she was intruding on a family moment, almost invisible to the two newcomers, but then Burt looked in her direction and said, "You must be Rachel. Finn's told us a lot about you."

"Hello, Mr. Hummel," Rachel greeted.

"I don't want to hear any of that Mr. Hummel nonsense," he replied. "Call me Burt; everyone else does. And this is my son Kurt." He clapped the boy on the shoulder. "I'm sure Finn's told you all about him."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Kurt said, walking over with his hand out. "I apologize that I had to cancel last week, but I'm sure you know how it is. Someone wasn't careful and they spilled coffee all over the magnificent dress I had just finished." Kurt rolled his eyes. "If a person has to sabotage someone else's work, I think that says a lot about that person, don't you."

"I understand completely," Rachel replied. "And, yes, I believe it does. If you have talent, you don't need to bring everyone else down to make yourself stand out."

"Finn tells me you're majoring in musical theater," Kurt said.

"It's been a lifelong dream of mine to star on Broadway," Rachel stated.

Kurt eyed her up and down before cocking his head slightly. "Can you sing?"

Rachel put her hands on her hips and held her head high. "You tell me. I'm sure you'll remember my rendition of Don't Rain On My Parade at the 2012 National Show Choir Championship"

She could tell as the realization hit Kurt. He clearly tried to look unaffected by what she said, but his eyes widened noticeably and his jaw dropped slightly. "Okay, fine, you can sing."

Rachel smiled. "Thank you."

Burt lightly chuckled as he wrapped his arm around his son. "I hope you kids are hungry because I'm starving."

After Rachel excused herself from the conversation she was having with Kurt and Finn, she walked out of the living room and made her way to the guest room. Her bags were still sitting on the bed, so she moved them to the floor before sitting down on the mattress. She usually unpacked as soon as she arrived at her destination, but Carole had insisted on getting to know her a little better. So, Rachel decided to leave the unpacking until the end of the night, giving her ample time to spend with Finn's family.

She'd nearly lost track of time while talking with Finn and Kurt, so when she saw it was nearly six o'clock, she momentarily panicked. Her fathers were getting on a plane soon to fly down to Florida, where they were taking a cruise for the holidays to celebrate their anniversary. She just hoped she wasn't too late; she always had to speak to them before they flew anywhere. She was afraid of flying, but only when it involved those she loved. She was perfectly fine whenever she flew anywhere, but she was always afraid something was going to happen to her fathers, so she always insisted on talking to them before their flight.

"We were wondering when you were going to call."

"Hello to you, too, Daddy," Rachel replied.

Leroy laughed. "Hi, Sweetie. Hold on and I'll put you on speakerphone."

"Hi, Honey!" Hiram's voice said after a few moments.

"Hi, Dad," Rachel replied.

"Are you having fun there?" Leroy asked.

"It's—it's a little weird being here," Rachel admitted. "Everyone has been very welcoming, but I still feel a little out of place. Plus, I only know Finn, so it's just a lot of new people. Finn's mom has been wonderful, though; I'm just worried Finn's given her the wrong impression about us."

"Does she think you're going to be her daughter-in-law one day?" Hiram asked.

"I hope not," Leroy interjected. "She's far too young to settle down with anyone right now."

"She's twenty-one," Hiram replied. "We were younger than her when we met."

"That was different," Leroy stated.

"How?" Hiram asked.

"Dad, Daddy," Rachel said, interrupting them.

"Sorry, Sweetie," Leroy replied. "You were saying?"

"I was saying that I don't want her to have the wrong idea about us and disappoint her," Rachel said. "She's been very nice, after all."

"And you made it clear to Finn that you didn't want to be in a serious relationship?" Hiram asked.

"I've made it very clear," Rachel replied. "I even told him that's why I was hesitant about coming with him, but he promised he wouldn't read anything into my coming with him. I'm sure he's hoping I'll change my mind, but I've made sure not to give him any false hope. I like him, but I simply can't see myself spending my life with him."

"Well, that's all you can do," Hiram said. "Just remember: if he gets hurt, it's not your fault."

Rachel still couldn't help worrying about it; she really didn't want to hurt Finn and, despite her father's words, she would feel like it was her fault. She really couldn't have been more clear, though. Before accepting his invitation to spend Christmas with his family, she sat him down and explained her feelings on it. He insisted he just didn't want her to be alone for the holidays, though, and that he understood they were keeping their relationship casual.

"You keep mentioning his mom; how's his dad?" Leroy asked.

"Step-dad," Rachel corrected. "And he's really nice."

"Nicer than us?" Hiram asked.

Rachel laughed lightly. "I don't believe that is possible."

"Good," Leroy replied. "Your father and I are rather fond of you. It would be a shame if you found a new family just because we decided to take a cruise without you."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Rachel said, her laugh growing. "And I'm glad you two are going on this cruise. You both work so hard and you deserve it."

"You say that now, but what will happen if we come back and you've decided you like them more?" Hiram asked.

"Well, then, you'll obviously never see me again," Rachel joked. "So you better make the most of this phone call. It may be the last time you get to speak to me, after all."

"You wouldn't even call us to tell us?" Hiram asked.

"An email seems more convenient," Rachel replied.

Hiram gasped. "Our daughter's a traitor!"

"Well, as long as she finds a good family, that's all that matters," Leroy stated.

Rachel laughed again. "How long until you have to board?"

"Trying to get rid of us already?" Hiram asked.

"Our flight is a little delayed, so we still have a while," Leroy answered.

"Perfect," Rachel said. "I intended on calling you at five-thirty, but Kurt was regaling me with stories about his time at the Fashion Institute of Technology and I lost track of the time."

"She's already replacing us," Hiram remarked.

"And Kurt is?" Leroy asked.

"Oh, that's Finn's stepbrother," Rachel replied.

"See, she can even have the brother she's always wanted," Hiram said.

"I promise I could never replace either of you," Rachel replied. "You know how much I love you both."

"Ignore your father," Leroy said.

"Yes, ignore Leroy," Hiram replied.

Rachel smiled as she shook her head at her fathers. "I'm going to miss you two."

"We're going to miss you, too, Sweetie," Leroy replied. "We promise to make it up to you when we get home, though."

"Yes, we'll bring you lots and lots of gifts," Hiram added.

"You know I always appreciate presents," Rachel said. "But I also want some quality father-daughter time before school begins."

"We promise," Hiram replied.

"Make sure you let me know the moment you land," Rachel demanded.

"As soon as we're allowed the use of our phones again, you'll be our first call," Leroy promised.

"I love you both," Rachel said. "Please have a safe flight. And don't forget to call."

"We wouldn't dare forget," Leroy replied with a laugh.

Rachel said goodbye to her fathers before reluctantly hanging up. Logically, she knew they would be perfectly fine and that they had a better chance of being in a car wreck, but she couldn't help worrying. She knew it was silly, but they were her only family and she couldn't imagine anything happening to them.

"Hey, mom says dinner's ready," Finn said, knocking on the door, and then popping his head into the room.

Rachel gave him a smile as she set her phone on the nightstand. "I'll be right there."

"So, Rachel, do you enjoy going to NYADA?" Carole asked.

"Oh, yes!" Rachel replied. "It was a little overwhelming in the beginning, but I'm glad I didn't leave like so many others did. I think the first year really prepares you for what the entertainment industry is going to be like, so if you can make it through that, you'll be just fine in the future."

"I don't know how many times Finn called, thinking about coming home," Carole remarked.

"It wasn't that bad," Finn said.

"You called me at least once a week," Carole replied.

Rachel laughed lightly. "My fathers received many of those calls, as well. I can only imagine what it would be like coming from here; at least I wasn't in a new city on top of being at a new school."

"Oh, it was an experience," Kurt chimed in. "I thought I knew what New York City was going to be like, but I was so naive."

"Yeah, I kept getting lost every time I tried to take the subway," Finn said. "I think I ended up in New Jersey once. I had to get this homeless guy to help me because no one else would talk to me. It took me hours to find my way back home because I kept getting even more lost; I swore I was never going to ride it again."

"It's definitely not easy to navigate if you haven't done it most of your life," Rachel commented.

"We went there one time to visit Kurt and Finn," Burt said, shaking his head. "There's a reason they always come here now. I hate New York."

"Dad didn't have a very good experience," Kurt replied.

"Yeah, some jerk stole my wallet," Burt said. "By the time I realized it was gone, they'd charged, like, eighteen hundred dollars at some froofy clothing store. Who spends nearly two thousand dollars on clothes?"

"I would if I could," Kurt replied.

"It's nuts," Burt said.

Kurt shrugged a shoulder. "Sometimes you have to spend a lot of money if you want the best. I think Rachel would agree with me if that was her coat I saw hanging near the door."

"Every now and then I'll allow myself to indulge in something I wouldn't normally buy," Rachel admitted.

"You'll have to ignore my dad," Kurt said, looking at Rachel. "He's been wearing the same jeans and plaid shirts for the past twenty years. He doesn't believe buying new clothes unless the old are falling apart."

"And even then you sometimes have to throw it away when he's not looking," Carole added.

"I can see I'm outnumbered on this one," Burt said with a laugh.

Carole smiled and asked, "Would anyone like another breadstick?"

"Yeah, give me one," Finn said, holding his plate out.

"Do you need anything else, Rachel?" Carole asked.

Rachel shook her head and gave the older woman a smile. "Thank you, but I have more than enough. It's delicious, though."

"I'm glad you like it," Carole said. "I was a little worried."

She meant it, too. She'd protested when she found out Carole was making her something specially, insisting she could cook for herself, not wanting to be a burden on her. The other woman wouldn't hear of it, though, so Rachel eventually relented. Rachel had even tried to offer her assistance, but Carole said she was a guest and guests were supposed to relax. Eventually, Finn told her there was no use and she should just enjoy her time there because that was how his mom was with everyone.

"Well, there's certainly nothing to worry about," Rachel replied. "I wish my fathers could cook like this. Unfortunately, they can both burn water, and I'm afraid I'm not much better. There was definitely a lot of takeout at my house while I was growing up."

"That sounds familiar," Kurt said.

"Kurt's mom was always the one who cooked," Burt added. "I tried, but I gotta say, it's not easy. Kurt's a way better cook than I am, even as a kid. He used to hang out in the kitchen with his mom, though, so I guess he picked up a thing or two from watching her."

"At least you tried," Carole said, patting Burt's hand.

"Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do," Burt replied.

When the doorbell rang a moment later, most of the people sitting at the table glanced around at each other. Rachel looked over at Finn, whose eyebrows were knitted in confusion.

"I wonder who that could be," Carole said as she set her napkin on the table and stood up.

"Tell them we don't want what they're selling," Burt said, getting out of his seat, and following Carole toward the front door.

"I assume you're not expecting anyone," Rachel commented.

Finn shrugged. "Not that I know of. My friend, Sam, said he might stop by, but he's got tickets to some concert tonight, so I know it ain't him."

"That sounds like Quinn," Kurt said, standing, and following his parents

"Who is Quinn?" Rachel asked.

"She's—sort of my ex-girlfriend," Finn answered, nearly mumbling the last part.

Rachel frowned slightly; she'd expected her to be a cousin or something. "Oh."

"I knew she was coming for Christmas, but I didn't think she'd be here for a few days," Finn said.

"Well, I guess she decided to come early," Rachel replied. "Maybe you should go say hi."

"Yeah," Finn said, scooting his chair back. "C'mon; you can meet her."

"That's alright," Rachel replied. "I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be," Finn said, obviously wanting her to go with him. "I really think you'll like her."

Rachel sighed softly and then nodded after a moment, taking her napkin off her lap, and setting it next to her plate. Finn smiled when she stood, and Rachel followed him as he turned, walking toward the door, where everyone else was gathered.

Since I know some of you will probably ask, this story is going to be seven chapters and I'll post twice a week, so it'll be finished on Christmas Eve.

As always, reviews are much appreciated.