"Now?"
"Yes, now." Rachel smiled down at the dark haired boy perched on the edge of his bed.
"I need a story first," the boy stated firmly, sliding down between the Superman sheets adorning his bed.
Rachel tilted her head in exasperation. "I thought we discussed this earlier. We have guests tonight. Double story tomorrow."
"PUH-LEASE?!" Dark eyes peered at her from underneath a thick swatch of curls.
"Fine." Rachel slid onto the rocking chair next to the small bed. Her son smiled, pleased that he had managed to get his way.
"Tell me our story."
Rachel laughed. "You've heard that one a hundred times! How about a simple book, a SHORT simple book?"
"No, I want us."
With a small sigh, Rachel began.
"A long time ago, two men who loved each other very much wanted to share their love with a child of their own. But men can't have babies by themselves. So they found a lovely, talented young woman…"
"NONNA!"
"Yes, Nonna. So they found a lovely, talented young woman and asked her if she would carry their baby for them."
"Carry in her belly," the little boy said solemnly.
"Yes. In her belly. You know, this is going to take a really long time if you keep interrupting," Rachel gently chided.
"Sorry."
"The young lady agreed and when time was up to carry me, she had me. Rachel Barbra Berry. And G-Pa and Grandpa gave me dance classes and vocal coaching and everything to teach me to be a star. And when I went to a place called High School, I found my chance to be a star. I got to be a part of something special."
"This made you special."
"Exactly. And I made the best friends in the whole wide world. Uncle Kurt and Uncle Blaine. Auntie Q and Uncle Puck. Aunt Santana. And I fell in love with the most wonderful man."
"Finn."
"Yes. Finn." Rachel said softly.
"And you sang songs, like you sing to me, and you won a big trophy, big as this!" The 4 year old scrambled to his feet, standing on the bed with his arms stretched high. "And then you graduated in a red dress and hat. And then Finn sent you here to sing. And you became a real star on the Big Way. And you went to that way-aways place, where Aunt Mercedes lives, but you didn't like it. And then you came back here. And then, when you was old…"
Rachel smiled at the description of herself as being old at the age of 23
"And when you was old, you falled in love some more and married Daddy. And then you loved each other so much, you wanted a baby to love too. And then you got your best role ever. My mommy!" the small boy crowed delightedly.
"Yes, that is my best and my most favorite role in the world." Rachel leaned over and kissed the top of her son's head. "And I think it is time for small boys to keep their promises and go to sleep."
"Could I say good night to everyone? PLEASE?" he implored.
With a smile, Rachel led her son from his room back into her living room, where her guests sat, laughing and chatting quietly. They quieted as the the little boy and his mother entered the room.
"Good night, Uncle Kurt. I missed Uncle Blaine tonight. I wanted to sing with him."
"Good night, my favorite boy!" Kurt gave the little boy a tight hug. "I'll tell Uncle Blaine you missed him."
"Good night, Aunt Beth!" With a small bounce, Rachel's son leaped into the tall blond girl's arms. "I'm glad you were smart at school."
"So am I, "Beth laughed. "I'll try to keep it up for you."
Beth was the actual reason for the guests present this evening. Rachel was having a small get-together to celebrate her sister Beth's graduation from high school and her acceptance into her birth mother's alma mater, Yale, before Beth left for a summer job in Atlanta. It was a sense of great pride for Quinn and Puck, who were also present at the party. Puck was particularly proud. He liked to point out to anyone that paused long enough to listen, that HE, Noah Puckerman, who had barely graduated from high school himself, was the father of a beautiful and brilliant daughter headed to Yale. Some of the original Glee members had come to help the Puckermans celebrate the accomplishments of the "Glee Baby", who had almost been born during their first Regional Competition. Before the interruption of their smallest host, Beth had been in a lively fashion conversation with Kurt and Quinn, debating the best summer styles for the hot and muggy weather of Atlanta.
With a final kiss to his favorite aunt's cheek, the little boy gave a smile to the rest of the room containing Rachel's friends, which aside from Kurt, Quinn, and Puck, included Santana, who was luckily in the city planning a PR stint for Mercedes 5th album release and had been able to drop by. Santana blew him a kiss which made him giggle as he moved to Shelby's side.
"Nonna, I'll visit you more so you won't miss Aunt Beth too much."
"I would love that," Shelby said, pressing her cheek to his.
Finally, the little boy moved to his father, who had just stepped back into the living room from the kitchen. "I think I'm too tired to walk back to bed now." He raised his arms up limply.
With a crooked smile, his father scooped him up. "Off to bed then."
Rachel walked behind her husband as he carried their son to his room.
"Mommy told me our story again," he said solemnly, patting his father's shoulder as the man laid him in his bed and pulled the Superman cover up to his chin.
"Did she now? Did she tell it right?" he teased his son.
"Yes she did. But I told the best parts."
"It's all the best part. Now, CK, I want you to go to sleep. Mommy and I are going to go hang out with our friends for a while before they have to go home."
"Sing to me?"
Rachel shook her head. "Christopher Kurt! It's time and past that you were asleep. Daddy and I…"
"PUH-LEASE!?"
Rachel turned to her husband, the "you-deal-with-him-now" look on her face. He gave her the smile she loved so much.
"Let me sing him one song."
Rachel threw up her hands. "I can't fight against two Hudson men. I accept defeat. Sing away."
Finn knelt next to the bed and leaned his arms on the mattress next to his son. Christopher smiled at him sleepily as Finn started to sing, with Rachel watching from her seat in the rocking chair. After one verse, the lids of the little boy's eyes drifted closed.
Finn and Rachel paused in the doorway, the hall light casting a gently glow across their son's face.
"Of all the bedtime stories in the world, I think ours is my favorite," Finn said, pressing a kiss to the top of Rachel's head as she leaned back against him.
"Mine too." She smiled up at him. "It's a classic."