Chapter One
"Today could have been the day, that you blow out your candles, make a wish as you close your eyes" - Daughtry, Gone Too Soon

The apartment was quiet. Which wasn't totally unusual, being that it was Sunday morning but it wasn't completely usual either. 34 year old Finn Hudson stood at the stove, a dishtowel thrown over his shoulder as he went about making breakfast for his tiny family. Sunday mornings were his favourite because they were particularly lazy, the three of them didn't have anywhere pressing to be and sometimes, he got to spend some one on one time with his gorgeous six-year old daughter, Melody. She was currently perched at the breakfast bar, silently colouring a picture in her colouring book. He smiled as he turned to look at her, a look of pure determination crossing her features as she fought hard to colour the picture of Belle perfectly. Her look was pure Rachel and that thought made his heart sing.
He caught the sight of the long hallway that led out to the bedrooms from the side of his eye and sighed when he saw the door to their bedroom firmly closed.
"Mommy's sad" Melody said softly, interrupting her colouring and Finn's train of thought - eerily reading his mind, just like Rachel was so good at. He often cursed how observant she was - for a 6 year old that is.
"I know baby" Finn couldn't help but feel a lump rise in his throat. His eyes skirted the calendar on the wall but turned his attention momentarily back to his daughter and the breakfast he was cooking. "Hey Mel, why don't you close up your book, the pancakes are ready" She let out an excited 'yay' as Finn scooped the last pancake on the plate, letting them cool before moving to the fridge to grab the syrup and butter.
"Can I see if Mommy wants some?" She asked softly, her little legs kicking back and forth under the stool. Finn placed the syrup on the breakfast bar and looked at his daughter.
"Sure baby. Just be quiet okay, I'm not sure if she's still sleeping..."
Melody nodded her head slowly and jumped off the stool. "Pancakes will make Mommy feel better..."
If only it were that easy Mel. Finn thought.

He allowed his thoughts to drift as he heard Melody knock on his bedroom door faintly. He looked down the hallway when he saw her carefully go in the bedroom before turning his attention to the calendar he hadn't given much thought to before. There, on the calendar today's date - December 10th 2028 was circled with a gold marker with the words Baby Hudson's Due Date! written in Rachel's curly handwriting. Just seeing the words made all the emotions in Finn's chest swell up and simultaneously he felt like ripping the thing off the wall and tearing it to shreds.

They'd been so excited. It had finally happened for them, again and there had been no two people in the world who were more overjoyed then the two of them. Well, maybe Melody. They had told her first, just after they had found out the results were positive. She'd been so looking forward to having a little brother or sister. But they had waited to tell their families, not wanting to jinx their luck and had waited until they safely crossed the 12 week mark and announced it at a Flag Day picnic his family threw every year. Melody had been barely able to contain herself.

And then life had thrown them a curveball.
The doctor had called it a second trimester miscarriage. They could call it whatever they want, it didn't make them feel any better. And it didn't help the emptiness in his gut, it didn't help him comfort his wife. It didn't help the immense loss that they both felt. It didn't help him explain to his daughter that no, Mommy wasn't pregnant anymore and that she wouldn't be getting a baby brother or sister after all. Poor sweet Melody, she had tried to understand but at just six years old it didn't really make sense to her but she was trying her best to be the good, sweet girl she always was.

He heard his bedroom door close softly and the slow footsteps that belonged to his little princess. The frown on her face indicated to him that she hadn't managed to coax Rachel out of her bedroom.
"I tried Daddy." She whispered, walking over to him and wrapping her little arms around his legs. His heart broke when he looked down at his little girl. "But Mommy's really sad today". He knelt down instantly and wrapped his large arms around her and stood up with her. He hugged her tightly, and just breathed her in for a minute. She smelled of vanilla and bubblegum shampoo. So distinctly his little girl, his one perfect little thing.
"I love you so much Melody Faith" He whispered into her ear.
"I love you too Daddy" She pulled away from hugging her daddy and smiled a little at him.
"Ready for pancakes?" She nodded excitedly. He brought her back to her stool and set her down before bringing a plate of pancakes over to her and helped her with the syrup. When she was all set up and dug in, Finn escaped the kitchen for a minute to check on his wife.

He took a deep breath as he walked down the hallway, coming to his bedroom door. He licked his lips and went for the handle on the door, taking one last glance at his perfect little thing before entering the bedroom. He felt his shoulders drop when he saw her curled up in the middle of the bed, cuddled tightly into the blankets, her back to the door. He didn't speak for a minute, listening to her breathing to determine if she was awake or not. It wasn't deep and was quite shaky, taking him only a second to determine that she was awake and quietly sobbing. He crept onto the bed and pulled her against him. She didn't turn into his embrace, but allowed him to draw her into his embrace.
"I love you" He whispered, leaning over and kissing her cheek softly. She whimpered in response. "And I know today is going to be really, really hard." He kissed her again before swallowing the lump that was in his throat. "But I know a little girl who would really just like it if her Mom came and had breakfast with her."
She rolled over and looked at him with glassy bloodshot eyes, the tear tracks on her cheeks.
"Finn..." She whispered as fresh tears appeared in her eyes. He pulled her against him as she sobbed into his chest. Finn felt his own tears rise in his eyes and fall down his cheeks. He kissed her head repeatedly.
"I know sweetheart" He whispered, avoiding using his usual 'baby' pet name with her. "I know".

She'd woken up with a start, a hand clutching her slightly swollen stomach. She threw back the covers and immediately felt a scream bubbling to the surface. Blood. There was so much blood. She'd gone to bed earlier than Finn, because she felt like crap and he came running the moment he heard her blood curdling scream.
Finn felt like he was going to vomit when he saw the amount of blood that covered their baby blue coloured sheets. He immediately ran to her side and collected her in his arms as she continued to scream. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. Not again.

Finn closed the bedroom door behind them, Rachel nestled into his side. He detoured on his way to the kitchen to help set Rachel on the couch before going to check on Melody in the kitchen. He smiled when he saw her covered in syrup, her princess cup empty of the milk he had left her with. She looked up at him and grinned. And it was in that grin that Finn felt peace.

After he cleaned Melody up, he sent her to her bedroom to get changed for the day before going to the living room with a glass of water for his wife. He walked into the room and saw her just staring at the television that wasn't turned on. He placed the glass of water on the coffee table in front of them, before lifting her legs and sliding underneath. She whimpered a little, changing positions entirely and cuddling up to his chest. He kissed her head just as Melody came bounding back into the living room. She was dressed in a long grey t-shirt that read smile, laugh, love and had paired it with dark purple tights. Her long brown hair she had tried to pull into a ponytail but she had missed a good chunk of her hair. Either way, she was perfect. Finn had to smile a little at the irony of her choice in shirt for today. It was one his mother had sent up on her monthly care packages that sometimes seemed too much. Melody screeched to a stop in front of her parents and smiled a little sadly at them. She stared them down with a fierce determination for a moment, before walking over to the couch and leaning into Finn's other side. A real family cuddle.
"Daddy?" Melody whispered as she looked up at him with her big brown eyes.
"Yes princess?" He whispered back, playing along.
"Can we watch a movie...with Mommy?" She looked over at her mother. Rachel turned her head slightly so that she could face Melody and gave her a sad smile.
"I'd love nothing more Melody Faith" She whispered.