Hello Dear Readers
Here is Season 2 of my previous story Glee In The City. You don't have to read that one but you might be confused by a few details if you don't. Once again I ask that you let me know what you think and what you hope will have with these characters in episodes to come. But first enjoy this chapter.
Happy Ready
MissBeth91
Previously on Glee In The City
Rachel and Finn lost their baby after Sugar decided to keep her daughter
Quinn gave birth to her's and Puck's son Noah Junior
Mercedes and Sam broke up when Sam got an offer to move to LA
Episode 1
The Diner – Park Avenue – Early Friday Morning
Santana looked down her watch for the fifth time and realised her friends weren't going to show up. Every week since they had discovered the diner the girl had been meeting once a week for either breakfast or lunch but for the last six months it has been very few and far apart.
It had all started they day Quinn had baby NJ, it was also the day that Rachel and Finn's adoption fell through and Mercedes and Sam broke up. It was a bad time for her friends. Rachel had been burying herself in her work as a way to avoid her feelings as well as avoiding Quinn and the new baby in the group. Quinn had been spending all her time at home, she felt too guilty to be around Rachel or Finn. Lastly Mercedes hadn't left the house except for work because she was too depressed about her break up with Sam. Because of all this Santana hadn't see any of her friends all together in almost six months.
Santana threw some money on the table then grabbed her bag and coat. She rang Ryder and told him she wouldn't be in the office until later. She had decided enough was enough and she needed to fix her friends. She didn't want another breakfast alone at the diner.
Quinn's Apartment – Upper East Side – Early Friday Morning
"These photos turned out great" Quinn grinned as she looked through the photos that had been delivered that morning. Puck and Quinn had paid for a photographer to take professional photos of Noah Junior (NJ) for them to send to their family members.
"Yeah they are cute" Puck agreed as he looked at a photo of his son sat in a wooden box in just his nappy "He looks a bit ridiculous" he added with a chuckle.
"Agreed" Quinn nodded "But they will appease my mother, how many does your mother want?"
She took the rest of the photos from Puck and put them back in the folder ready to frame some of them later for her Living room and Puck's.
"She wants one for all my family members so my guess is a hundred" Puck joked. Puck mother had spent a week in New York after NJ was born but then had to get back to Lima for work so she made sure Puck face timed her at least three times a week so she could see her only grandchild as he grew.
"I'll let you know an actual number soon, I'll phone her tonight to ask" Puck added.
"So, I'm going to go and get some sleep, he was awake for most of the night but looks like he's finally getting over this cough" Quinn said. Puck had been at Quinn's apartment so early because he wanted to check up on NJ who had had a bad cough for a few days and had been keeping his parents up at night.
"Thank god, I really need more than four hours of sleep a night" Puck sighed, happily before adding "Have you spoken to Finn or Rachel lately"
"No" Quinn shook head, sadly "Truthfully I've been keeping my distance I know she'll pretend otherwise but I know it will be hard for Rachel to be around NJ. I know how much it hurt her when I was pregnant"
"How's Mercedes" Puck asked, when he saw the subject of Finn and Rachel was upsetting Quinn.
"She's barely left her bed except to go to work" Quinn replied. While Finn and Rachel had been on their trip, Mercedes had spent months either in bed or at work. She hadn't spoken to Sam at all and never wanted to talk about him.
"It's been the happiest six months of my life but also the saddest, everything is really messed up right now" Quinn started to cry, she looked away from Puck and grabbed a paper towel from her kitchen counter and gently wiped her eyes.
"Sorry, my hormones are still so crazy" Quinn laughed through her tears.
"It okay I know what you mean" Puck agreed "Sometimes I try to pretend I don't notice the look on Finn's face when I talk about NJ"
"How did things get like this" Quinn wondered shaking her head as she wiped away the last of her tears. Puck wrapped an arm around Quinn and pulled her close.
"I'm not sure but we are going to find a way to fix this"
Rachel and Finn's House – West Village – Early Friday Morning
"You're going to work already" Finn asked when he walked into their bedroom after his shower to see Rachel already dressed for work and ready to leave. Ever since Finn and Rachel had gotten back from their trip Rachel had spent almost all her time at her office burrowing herself in work. The magazine was better than it had ever been but Rachel wasn't coping, everyone could see it.
After everything had happened Finn and Rachel decided to get away for three months while Dalton was closed for the summer holidays. They had visited their families and then had a second honeymoon of sorts in Jamaican. Being away had been good for Rachel, she didn't have to think about what had happened and could enjoy time with her family and her husband but once they had gotten back everything was different, Rachel had to see her friends with their new baby, walk past the nursery they weren't using and send back all the gifts and presents they had received from people but instead of dealing with it all Rachel had buried herself in work.
"I have a lot of work to do, I'll probably be late home as well" Rachel said as she slipped on her heels. Finn watched her carefully as he towelled dried his hair before throwing on some joggers.
"I was thinking this weekend we could have a date night; we haven't gone out in a while" Finn said. He took a seat next to her on the bed, hoping she would look his way.
"Yeah maybe, I have a lot to get through at work first" Rachel replied, distracted as she checked through some emails on her phone.
"Rachel, I really think we need to do this" Finn pressed. He touched Rachel cheek and forced her to look away from her phone and over at him.
"I'll try; I promise" Rachel said, putting her phone away "I have to get going"
She kissed Finn on the cheek, grabbed her coat and bag then left their bedroom hastily.
"I love you" Finn called to Rachel's retreating body.
"Ditto" Rachel called back.
Mercedes Apartment – Brooklyn – Friday Morning
Santana let herself in Mercedes apartment and walked through the kitchen and into the bedroom. She looked down at the bed too see Mercedes curled in a ball still asleep.
"Okay this has gone on long enough" Santana snapped. She bent down and smacked her hands down on the mattress so it would shake Mercedes awake.
"Santana what are you doing here" Mercedes groaned, she pulled the covers over her eyes to block the light when Santana pulled her curtains open.
"I'm here because it's been six months and you need to get over the blonde model" Santana quipped. She pulled Mercedes covers off her and threw them on the fall.
"I'm not in the mood for this Santana" Mercedes complained. Santana continued to stand over her with her arms crossed.
"Well I don't care I've let this go on long enough. I know you loved Sam but he's gone now and there isn't anything you can do about it and mopping around your apartment or work isn't going to bring him back"
"Couldn't Quinn have been the one to give me a pep talk she's a lot nicer" Mercedes rolled her eyes as she climbed out of bed, when she realised Santana wasn't going to leave.
"She's too busy looking after her son" Santana argued "And our other friend is drowning in sadness because she had a baby taken away from her before she even got a chance to hold her"
"Your attempt to make me feel guilty has worked" Mercedes quipped sarcastically. She pulled on her dressing gown and took a seat on her window ledge.
"Good because I wasn't going to leave until it did" Santana insisted, she grabbed Mercedes hand and pulled her up from the ledge.
"Now up its time for an actually showered, when was the last time you actually had one" Santana teased as she pushed Mercedes into her bathroom.
Quinn's Apartment – Upper East Side – Friday Morning
After Mercedes, had showered and dressed and looked acceptable by Santana's standards, the girls went over to Quinn's apartment to talk to her next.
"Were you sleeping" Santana asked when Quinn greeted them at the door still in her pyjamas with ruffled hair and tired eyes.
"I was, come in and if you wake NJ I'll kill you" Quinn warned them. Mercedes and Santana followed Quinn into the kitchen and Santana helped herself to a bottle of water from the fridge.
"We were on our way to see Rachel, so why don't you get the little one and let's go" Santana said, before giving Quinn a pointed look "And maybe run a brush through your hair"
"You can go without me, NJ is still sleeping and I don't want to disturb him" Quinn said, she walked into the living room and Santana and Mercedes followed her.
"Is that all that this is" Santana pressed. Rachel and Quinn had barely seen each other since Rachel got back and because of that the girls hadn't been together in a while and Santana was growing tired of it. She could understand where they were both coming from but she didn't know how they were going to fix it if they didn't talk to each other.
"Yeah what else would it be" Quinn shrugged, she sat on her sofa and flipped through a magazine, not looking up at Santana who was staring down at her the same way she had Mercedes.
"You tell me" Santana argued, she waved her hand at Mercedes "I've already got through to her today, I've got time"
"The day that my baby was born Rachel lost hers. Rachel, who has been hoping and planning for this had it all ripped from her and I can't look at her or Finn without feeling guilty. I have a baby and they don't and I hate how unfair it is" Quinn shouted, shaking her head.
"It's also not your fault Quinn. What happened was awful but it wasn't your fault" Santana said, softly. She took a seat next to Quinn on the sofa and pulled her in for a hug.
"I don't think that Rachel wants to see me anyway after her and Finn got back she's hasn't been to see NJ and I know it because it's too hard for her and I'm not going to make that worse" Quinn argued.
"Quinn the only way she'll get past this, is if she sees you. If she is able to move past what happened and accept it"
"I'm not going, I have to stay with NJ" Quinn snipped, she jumped up from the sofa and left the living room before Santana or Mercedes could say anything back. Santana rolled her eyes at Quinn's dramatics.
"Looks like your score is 1 – 1" Mercedes said, jokingly, as they watched Quinn walk into her bedroom and slam the door behind her.
Santana crossed her arms, determinedly "The days not over yet"
Finn and Rachel's House – West Village – Friday Evening
"Hey guys come in" Finn greeted as he opened the door to Santana and Mercedes. After failing to get Quinn to leave her apartment Santana had continued with her plan to talk to Rachel next.
"Hey Finn how are you?" Santana asked.
"I'm good, I'm glad you guys came by I'm on my way to meet Puck. Do you think you could get her to eat that and maybe take a break?" Finn asked, he nodded his head to the dining room where Rachel was busy at work and hadn't even noticed that her friends were there.
"Of course, Finn, we can stay until you get back" Santana said. Finn nodded in thanks then shouted to Rachel that he was going, and threw on his jacket.
"Bye guys" Finn waved to them before shutting the door behind him. Santana and Mercedes walked into the dining room and Santana slammed the plate, Finn had given, in front of Rachel
"Santana!" Rachel said, alarmed as her friends took a seat across from her at the table.
"Your husband, your loving, caring, one of a kind husband wants you to eat this" Santana said smiling widely at Rachel. Rachel rolled her eyes and went back to her laptop. Mercedes smirked at Santana who wasn't discouraged by her friend's behaviour.
"I will force it down your throat" Santana added when Rachel made no move to pick up the sandwich. Rachel picked up the sandwich and took a bite before putting it down again.
"Happy now"
"You ready to talk yet" Santana asked, she bored her eyes into Rachel who was trying her best to concentrate on her work.
"There is nothing to talk about" Rachel waved off.
"You and Finn have wanted a baby for almost three years and you finally thought that you were going to get it and it was taking away from you" Santana answered bluntly "That's something to talk about it"
"I'm not in the mood for any tough love right now" Rachel said, but Santana could see she had touched a nerve.
"What kind of love are you in the mood for because no matter how much you try to burrow yourself in work or avoid your friends or ignore your feelings we are always going to be here. We are always going to help you. We are not giving up and neither is that husband of yours. What happened was awful but that doesn't mean that it's not going to happen eventually. You had a setback but that doesn't mean that just bury it down. You face it. Pain demands to be felt and the longer you leave the worse it is" Santana lectured, trying her best to still sound kind.
"It's hurts to talk, it just hurts" Rachel admitted, sadly. She felt the tears come to her eyes, she hastily wiped them away and looked away from her friend's sympathetic expressions.
Mercedes pushed the plate towards Rachel "Let's eat first then"
Bar 40 – West Village – Friday Evening
"Oh, I needed that" Finn said as he took an appreciated drink of his beer. He was sat at the bar with Puck enjoying his beer, Puck had been so busy with NJ that they hadn't been able to do it as much as they used so Finn was happy to spend some time with his friend outside of work.
"You okay man?" Puck asked, worriedly.
"You don't have to keep asking me that every time you see me" Finn replied with a small grin. Finn knew Puck meant well but every time he saw Puck, the first question out of his friend's mouth was to ask if he was doing okay.
"Answer it truthfully and I'll stop asking" Puck argued, giving Finn a knowing look.
"I'll be okay when I get my wife back" Finn admitted. Finn felt like he had moved on from what happened with Sugar but he knew he wouldn't totally be at peace with it until Rachel was.
"Is she not any better"
"She's burrowing herself in work to stop herself from dealing with the real issue"
"Quinn's not doing good either" Puck said. Puck wasn't sure wither he should bring up what was going on with Quinn when Finn had so much to deal with but he hoped that by helping Quinn he was helping Rachel as well. He knew that neither would forward until they spoke to the other.
"I thought it was just a cough NJ had" Finn said before taking another drink, his eyes going to the football game on the TV screen at the corner of the bar.
"It is, it's not that. She feels guilty that she has a baby and Rachel doesn't that's why she's staying away and I don't think it's helping any of them" Puck admitted. Finn looked back at his friend when he realised it was a serious conversation.
"I agree, it's been six months and I think they have only seen each other four times"
"I think if maybe you spoke to Quinn she might not feel as guilty. She might see that she needs to be there for Rachel instead of away from her" Puck asked cautiously. He knew Finn would be the best person to get through to Quinn because he was her oldest friend and she would take what he said to her to heart.
"I can try" Finn said, after a few moments of thinking it through. Finn hadn't really seen Quinn or NJ in six months either and he knew that wasn't just because of Rachel. It was time he faced Quinn again as well.
"Thanks man" Puck said, relieved.
"I'm finishing my beer first" Finn added for taking a sip of said beer.
Quinn's Apartment – Upper East Side – Friday Evening
"Finn what are you doing here" Quinn asked when she opened her door for the second time. This time she was dressed and had NJ in her arms.
"I came to see my Godson" Finn shrugged, he walked into her apartment and took NJ from her. He bounced the six-month-old on his hip as they walked into the kitchen. Finn leaned against the counter causally as Quinn looked at him, unsure.
"Is everything okay with Rachel"
"She's with Santana and Mercedes, I've just finished having a drink with Puck" Finn said. He dangled his keys to amuse the baby, then looked back at Quinn who had her arms crossed and looked frustrated at him.
"Is there a reason you here Finn" Quinn wondered, she smiled slightly when NJ laughed loudly while trying to reach for Finn's keys.
"I can't come see my oldest friend" Finn grinned at Quinn. She scowled at him before rolling her eyes and switching on her kettle.
"Do you want some coffee" Quinn asked.
"Why don't you have some coffee over at my house" Finn countered, Quinn looked back at him realising why Finn was at her apartment on a Friday evening.
"Finn you're not usually one to beat around the bush" Quinn quipped as she switched off the kettle.
"You shouldn't feel guilty Quinn, it's not your fault what happened" Finn said, seriously. He put away his keys but continued to bounce NJ gently in his arms.
"Finn I know this is hard for her" Quinn said, she looked away from Finn, guiltily.
"Quinn, getting up is hard for Rachel right now but that isn't your fault. It's not your fault that you have a baby and we don't. It's just the way that it is. But we are all going to get past what happened and move on from it but we are not going to do that if we are afraid to even face each other. Or not tell our friends cute stories about their son because they think it's hurting them" Finn explained, he noticed the questioning look on Quinn's face.
"Puck is very transparent" Finn added.
"The only way Rachel is going to get past what happened is for us all to get back to normal. She needs to spend time with this little guy" Finn said as he stroked NJ's head "And if it does hurt to be around you then you're just going to have to force her to deal with it just like you did last time"
Quinn slowly nodded her head and wiped away a few stray tears.
"I'm taking this one over to my house, you can come if you want" Finn smirked shrugging his shoulders, amused.
Quinn smiled affectionately at Finn "We're all very lucky to have you Finn"
Mercedes' Apartment – Brooklyn – Friday Evening
"So, what do you want to do with it all" Santana asked as she looked down at the box of Sam's possessions "I have some matches"
After leaving Rachel's house after talking to her for a few hours about what she was feeling and realising their friend was on the road to getting better, Santana went back to Mercedes apartment with her to help her friend pack up the things she had left of her relationship with Sam.
"I'm going to send them to him" Mercedes replied. She didn't want to destroy Sam's things because that would mean her relationship had ended badly when that wasn't the case, the two of them just had different paths in life. They still cared for each other it just wasn't the right time for them.
"Really? Does he desperately need his Eminem Album back?" Santana said, sarcastically.
"I'm not burning them" Mercedes answered, rolling her eyes playfully.
"You're no fun" Santana groaned nudging Mercedes side, playfully.
Brittany's Apartment – Upper West Side – Friday Evening
"Hey I thought you were coming by at 7" Brittany said as she opened her door for Santana. Santana walked inside and threw herself down onto Brittany's sofa. Brittany joined her in the living room and handed Santana a bottle of beer.
"Yeah, I got caught up with Mercedes, sorry" Santana said, absentmindedly. Santana had stayed with Mercedes for another hour talking about everything that had happened that she had forgotten she was supposed to go over to Brittany's.
"It's okay, is everything okay now" Brittany wondered. Santana had mentioned to her that morning that she was finally going to help her friends get out of the ruts they were in, she had not let on though how she was actually going to do that.
"Not quite but I think it will be" Santana affirmed before taking a long drink of her beer.
"Want to elaborate" Brittany asked.
"Not really, I'm kind of tired, wanna just watch a movie" Santana asked. Brittany laid her head on the back of the sofa and let out a sigh.
"Sure"
Finn and Rachel's House – West Village – Friday Evening
"Wow I can't remember the last time I saw you relaxing" Finn stated as he walked into the living room, with NJ still in his arms, to see Rachel laid out on their sofa enjoying a cocktail and watching a film.
"Who've you got there?" Rachel asked, jokingly. She switched off her film and turned towards Finn.
"This is our godson" Finn grinned at NJ, before nodding his to the kitchen "His mother is in the kitchen making a drink"
"Go on we can talk later" Finn added. Rachel got off the sofa and walked into the kitchen to find Quinn leaning against the kitchen counter nervously.
"Hey"
"Hey"
"I know we could have a long emotional talk but can we just agree that we've been friends long enough now that we know why we both stayed away and that we won't let it keep happening" Quinn burst out. Rachel grinned at Quinn and nodded her head firmly.
"I'm sorry I've been a bad Godmother"
"I'm sorry I've been a bad friend" Quinn said before rushing over to Rachel and hugging her tightly.
XoXo
After Quinn and NJ had left for the night, Rachel finished off her cocktail, had another one then walked upstairs and into the nursery. The door had been closed for six months but Rachel felt brave enough to finally step inside. She took a deep breath as she looked around the small room, Rachel hadn't given up on the idea on having children but she knew it was time to pack up the furniture as it all reminded her of the life they weren't going to be living, at least not for a while.
An hour later Finn decided he done enough marking of student papers and wanted to find out where his wife was.
"What's this?" Finn asked as he walked into the now empty nursery. He sat down on the floor next to Rachel where she was packing up the last box.
"I couldn't look at it anymore. The doors been closed for 6 months but I think it needs to be open now" Rachel explained. Rachel had cried a little as she packed up the baby things but she had also found it therapeutic, she knew it meant it was time for her to move on.
"What do you want to with it now" Finn wondered, he moved Rachel's hair behind her ear and softly kissed her head.
"I think it should just stay empty until it's ready to be used again" Rachel replied.
"It's going to happen Rachel; you still believe that don't you"
"I do" Rachel affirmed, she wrapped her arms around Finn's middle "I love you Mr Hudson"
"I love you Mrs Hudson"
Rachel looked around the empty room "It's time we start moving forward"
