So this has been a long time coming but it is finally here! Enjoy!
Finn had spent a lifetime regretting past mistakes, wishing he could hop in the DeLorean with Doc Brown and do everything differently. Until recently he'd have taken that chance, if ever presented, in a heartbeat.
But now, as he stared down at his newborn son staring quite intently back at him, he knew his choice would not be the same. He had messed up a lot in the past, disappointed people and been hurt in return, but all the pain and humiliation, the horrible ex-girlfriends, the fear that he would end up like his father, the failures...they all led him to that moment in that hospital room. To have a woman who loved him and wanted to share her entire life with him, to have a family with her – a beautiful son he never knew he could love so instantaneously – all of it was worth it and he wouldn't dare change a thing.
A tear suddenly came to his eye as he thought that this child, this tiny baby boy, was his. His and Rachel's. And he had tried to give him up, almost walked away from Rachel and his life with them. He had been an ass and would forever internally kick himself for his actions the night Rachel told him she was pregnant.
"It feels like I've been waiting years to meet you rather than just nine months," he said quietly to Teddy. "That's really silly though because I didn't even know I was waiting until after your mom was pregnant. I always wanted kids, but I hadn't planned on them until I was married, y'know? And not married to a crazy Irish bi- I mean, witch." Teddy's eyes drooped sleepily and he let out a big yawn. "But I'm totally glad that things happened the way they did. I mean, I should have worn a condom, but if I had, you wouldn't be here and your mom would probably be dating some other schmuck and still hate me. But that's not to say you shouldn't wear a condom. I'll explain it when you're older."
"Are you talking to our hours old infant about condoms?" Rachel's soft voice wafted from the bed.
Finn glanced up realizing he had an audience to his one-sided conversation, a lopsided smile crossing his face. "I was more talking aloud to myself, but to Ted."
"Is he keeping up?" she joked with a chuckle.
He shrugged and glanced down at his son who had finally fallen asleep. "I think I bored him. He's asleep."
"It's been a big day for him, entering the world and all." She eyed her boys in content and Finn grinned happily at her. "Did you sleep at all?"
"For a little while. But a nurse came in and woke me up. I saw Ted was awake so I thought we'd get started on some male bonding."
Rachel searched around her and gasped when she saw the time. "It's ten already?! I can't believe I slept that long. It only feels like five minutes since I fed Teddy and fell asleep."
"You gave birth. It's exhausting. Of course a couple hours isn't going to be enough to recuperate. When we get home you can rest and I can hang with Teddy for a while."
"Good luck with the breast feeding," she replied sarcastically.
A knock at the door broke through the family moment and a head poked in tentatively. "Knock, knock. Is everyone awake and decent?" Kurt called.
Finn raised his eyebrow at his fiancée and she replied, "We're good."
The door thrust open and Kurt strode in like he owned the place followed by his rolling paparazzo and Blaine.
"No way! You're not bringing him in here!" Finn said sternly, schooling his volume so he wouldn't startle the baby.
Kurt put his hands up in a placating manner. "He's only here to take pictures of my nephew, with your permission of course."
Finn and Rachel shared a skeptical glance. "He can stay for fifteen minutes to get a few pictures then he's out of here. This is time for family, not paparazzi pics."
"I'm not a paparazzo," Artie insisted as he rolled up and prepared to photograph Theodore. "Did you want to hold him while I photograph or would you prefer your fiancée?"
"I'll hold him," he growled protectively. Finn watched Artie carefully as he set up his camera and set to work. Teddy was oblivious to it all as he slept and Finn relaxed slightly.
But then Kurt requested photos of the little family together and in the bustle Teddy fidgeted in his arms. When they were finally settled on the bed with Rachel, Artie snapped a photo just as Teddy woke. In his half-asleep state the flash startled him and he exploded in loud cries, shrieking terribly as he flailed.
Rage flared in Finn as he watched the poor child screaming in his arms. It was his fault. He had allowed Artie and Kurt in to take pictures, but it was easier to turn his frustration outward.
"Out! Now!" he roared. He handed Teddy over to Rachel and rushed to the door, ripping it open. He grabbed Artie's wheelchair and shoved him through the door before focusing on his brother. "Get out now before I make you get out."
"Why do I have to leave? I didn't do anything!" He looked at Blaine for confirmation but his boyfriend wisely remained silent and neutral.
Instead, Finn grabbed his brother by his vest and pushed him out into the hallway. He tripped over his shoe and stumbled into Artie's lap and both men went careening down the hallway. Then Finn turned his gaze to Blaine. "You may want to go after your boyfriend," he bit. Without argument, Blaine exited.
As Teddy still cried against Rachel's chest, she stared at him harshly. "Was that necessary? It wasn't Kurt's fault."
"No, it was mine. I shouldn't have let them in here after the stunt they pulled yesterday while you were in labor but I did anyway." He gruffly plopped down in the chair next to Rachel's bed and brooded as he watched her soothe Teddy with a back rub. After some soft singing and light tickles he began to quiet again.
x
The rest of the day Finn spent in a mood as family and friends were in and out of the room for visits. Their parents were in awe of their first grandchild and he swore his mother had never been happier. While Hiram and Leroy still treated him with some minor resentment, they did genuinely seem pleased at being granddads and welcoming the new addition to the family, shaking his hand and giving him a quick hug and congratulations.
By the time visiting hours had ended, Rachel was dead tired and barely able to function as she held Theodore close for a feeding.
"I didn't even recognize half of the people that came in today," Finn admitted, sitting down on the bed next to her.
"I have a very large extended family. I'm the only only child on both my fathers' sides."
Finn scrunched his brow. "Blaine has a sibling? How did I miss that?"
"He has a brother, but we don't see much of Cooper. He lives in Los Angeles and is pursuing a film career. So far he's only been in those credit report commercials."
"That's Blaine's brother? That credit report jingle gets stuck in my head all the time."
"Yeah, ever since he landed it he acts like he's an A-lister and Blaine can't stand his pompous attitude so he doesn't talk to him much."
Teddy burped loudly against Rachel's breast and took a short break before latching on again and continuing to eat. She winced and adjusted them both.
"So what's breast feeding feel like?"
"Like he's trying to suck a frozen milkshake through a straw that's too small. He's getting some milk and according to the lactation specialist he's latching properly but all my milk hasn't come in yet." She pouted and drew her brows together. "I was advised by the ladies in my single moms group that it can hurt but so far it doesn't. It's just mildly uncomfortable. I can tell from his vigor that he's definitely your son.
"The more uncomfortable feeling is in my uterus. I feel like a deflated, stretched out balloon, and every time I move it feels like my organs are swinging around freely. But at least I'm not in pain, so it could be worse."
x
They spent that night and the next morning in the hospital until all of Teddy's test could be completed and mother and son were discharged with good bills of health. Eager for a shower and her own bed, Rachel was more than happy to be wheeled out to greet her fathers at the entrance with their car.
"We set up the car seat in the middle so you and Dad could sit in the back. Finn can ride up front with me."
"You're driving?" she inquired in disbelief. "Papa, you almost never drive and especially not in the city."
"Sir, I can sit in the back with Rachel. It's not a problem."
"Are you sure you don't want the leg room? The back can get quite cramped."
Finn assured him it was fine and piled into the back behind Leroy in the driver's seat. Even with the shorter man at the wheel his knees were practically at his chin. He turned to Rachel who was busy adjusting Teddy's Yankee knit cap that Burt had bought him. He looked swamped in all his winter gear but Rachel insisted he needed to be bundle fully to protect from the harsh January weather.
"He just had to be born in January. It's only one of the worst winter months. Why couldn't Santana and Brittany have gotten married in the summer or fall so I could have given birth in spring or summer?"
"I don't think they had your ovulation cycle in mind when planning their wedding. They didn't even know you until that day."
"Well, for next time, try to impregnate me at a more convenient time."
"Already planning the next kid? Geez Rachel, we haven't even had this one 48 hours yet and you're already trying to sperm jack me," he quipped, a grin spreading his lips.
"It's not sperm jacking if willingly given and we are not having any more children anytime soon. We have a wedding to plan and I have a career to get on track before we even consider giving Theodore a little brother or sister."
Hiram cleared his throat from the passenger seat. "Could we please change the subject? I'd rather not hear about my daughter wanting her fiancé's sperm."
Finn swallowed thickly, his cheeks pinking, as he glanced at Rachel. She was just as embarrassed. "I hope we have a girl next," he stated, moving on.
Rachel seemed surprised. "You want a girl?"
He shrugged. "That way we'd have one of each to even things out."
Her Dad interjected from up front. "I can tell you from personal experience that having a little girl is one of the best things that ever happened to me. While I wouldn't have been upset with a son, I had hoped for a girl when we were expecting Rachel. I grew up with three younger brothers and wanted a change from the boys."
"And then Teddy would have a little sister to protect," Rachel mused. "They would be adorable together."
A few minutes later, they arrived home and Rachel felt relieved. She would be much more relaxed amongst her own things and much more prepared with Teddy's nursery on hand.
"Thanks for all the help, Dads. You've been amazing and I love you both so much." She wrapped an arm around each dad's neck and hugged them tightly. "I don't know what I would do without you both."
"We're so proud of you and love you too. You're going to be an amazing mother." She could feel her Papa's tears on her cheek. "You made a beautiful child and we can't wait to watch him grow up."
The hug ended and Rachel felt her own tears welling in the backs of her eyes. She had watched her dads do so well in raising her, she only hoped she could do half as well with her son.
"We'll leave you, Finn, and Teddy to get settled in for now but we do need to talk about Teddy's bris. We haven't discussed it much yet but if we want Rabbi Greenberg to do it, we'll have to talk to him in the next couple days."
"I nearly forgot about that. I've had a lot on my mind."
"Obviously. If you'd like I can call him and take care of it. We can do it at our house since it's easier for the family to get there. We can take care of all the plans if you want. You know party planning is half the fun."
"Normally, I would agree with you, but I'm just too tired. It really would be a huge weight off my shoulders if you could take care of it for us."
"It is not a problem. You and Finn just take care of that little one. We'll call you when we have details." They said their goodbyes and Rachel breathed a sigh of relief knowing that was one less thing she needed to worry about. While she loved planning a party and was usually a control freak about details, she had enough to do already just taking care of her son.
Once alone, Rachel found Finn taking Teddy on a tour of the house.
"And this is the kitchen, where we'll have all of our family meals. Your mom loves to bake and once you can eat solid foods I'm sure you'll love to eat what she bakes just as much as I do. She makes a mean banana bread."
"Finn, I don't mean to spoil your improved mood and tour, but he's asleep." She pointed to the baby who was passed out in his carrier in Finn's hand.
"That's just an excuse to show him to his room." He wrapped his arm around Rachel's waist and pulled her close to kiss her temple. "Did your dads leave?" She nodded. "So we're really on our own now. Parents. To a newborn."
"Are you trying to make me more nervous than I already am?" She worried her lower lip and tried not to let the sudden fear grip her. Rachel hadn't realized yet that with her fathers gone it really was just her and Finn in charge of this new life.
"You're going to do great. There's nothing to be nervous about." He took her hand and brought it up to his lips to kiss the back of it for reassurance. Rachel tried to believe him but the fear persisted.
They reached the second floor and just before they entered Teddy's room for the first time with its intended occupant, Finn paused. "Wait, we need to document this." He pulled his phone out and turned on the camera.
"After the stink you made about Artie taking pictures yesterday you're taking more now?"
"I'm not using flash and I'm taking video. Plus, I'm Theodore's father and have every right." He stepped into the nursery and focused his phone on Rachel. "Okay. We are now about to bring Theodore Christopher Hudson into his nursery for the first time. His gorgeous mama, looking radiant considering she spent the past three days in the hospital, is given the honor of carrying the little man in."
"We're bringing baby home, not coming home as newlyweds."
"Not yet. But since we haven't gotten to that rite of passage yet, we'll settle for this for now."
Rachel pulled Teddy out of his carrier and entered the room, smiling down at their sleeping baby. "He's thrilled, I can tell," she added dryly. She led him over to his changing table and Finn continued to film as Rachel lightly tugged his snow suit off and got him into more home appropriate attire.
Once the baby was settled in his crib, baby monitor in hand, the couple exited the room.
"I don't think I've ever wanted a shower so much in my life," Rachel said quietly as she moved up to their room.
Finn followed closely behind. "I'll hop in with you to save time."
Rachel paused on the stairs and Finn nearly trampled into her. She gave a dubious look over her shoulder. "That's the only reason you want to share the shower with me?"
"No. But I can't use the other reason for six weeks." He shot her a cheeky grin before patting her butt to get her to move again.
Both showered quickly and as Rachel got dressed again, she realized just how exhausted she was already.
"Take a nap. Teddy's asleep and I can handle the monitor while I make us some dinner."
"But what if he wakes up because he's hungry? I have to feed him."
"If that's the case I'll wake you. But seriously, take advantage of his napping while you can. Who knows how long it will last."
x
As it turned out, not long.
Over the next few days, Teddy kept the new parents on their toes and an entirely new schedule. During the day Rachel cat napped while Teddy did in order to be ready to handle his midnight feedings which were frequent and time consuming. Her sleep was so scattered she usually felt like a zombie, but she pushed through and sent Finn off to work in the morning before tackling her day as a new mom, then welcoming him home in the evenings with dinner. Their new life together had grown very Leave It to Beaver domestic.
On Friday as Rachel prepared overnight bags for everyone to head to her Dads' for Teddy's bris on Sunday, she was interrupted by a loud honking right outside the building. As the horn ceased, Teddy's scream sounded through the baby monitor and Rachel scowled in the direction of the window before rushing down to the nursery. She lifted him out of his crib and went about soothing him as she moved to the window to see what fracas had woken him. What she encountered was not what she had expected at all.
In a rush, Rachel put Teddy back in his crib, ran downstairs and flung the door open to find her fiancé standing beside a brand new car, Puck resting in the passenger seat.
"What is this?"
"Oh good, you heard Puck's obnoxious honking."
"That was Noah?" she asked angrily.
"It beat Finn climbing three flights to get you to come down when you didn't answer your phone."
"You woke my son up and scared him!"
"He can't be all that traumatized if you left him inside."
Rachel stared down at the silent monitor and felt guilty. He had calmed down almost as soon as she picked him up, but she still felt bad he had been scared at all. "It was rude and uncalled for. I'm sure our neighbors would agree," she further chastised. "And I left Teddy inside because it is far too cold for him to be out in this weather without the proper attire."
"Whatever."
"Anyway," Finn cut in finally," surprise!" He threw his arms wide and climbed up the stoop to pull Rachel down to the car.
"I don't get it. What does Noah's new car have to do with a surprise?"
Finn rolled his eyes at her oblivious statement. "It's not Puck's. It's ours! I bought us a car!"
"I just came along to make sure my boy wouldn't get ripped off. I kept pushing him to get the Ferrari but he insisted he needed a family car."
"Not to mention I don't have Ferrari money."
Rachel stared at him, mouth agape as comprehension dawned on her. "You bought a car? Without my consent or input? What were you thinking?!" she shouted.
Finn's happy smile slid off his face, replaced with rejection and sadness. "I thought you'd be happy. Now we have our own car so we don't need to rely on our parents or Puck to take us places. We can still use the subway or taxis for work or when it's just us, but when we need to take Teddy with us it'll be easier."
"I'm not debating that. I just wish you would have consulted me. Cars cost a lot, especially in Manhattan, and we just had a baby. We need to save what we have to take care of our family, Finn. Not to mention whether or not I like the car you got."
"I am taking care of our family. This is for our family. I got a really good deal on the Volvo S60 and it has enough room for us without being too big. I really think you're gonna like it." He took her hand and helped her into the car to show her all its features. "It's got a park assist camera so you don't run over anything, TVs in the back of the headrests so Teddy can watch those Baby Einstein DVDs he got at the baby shower, turn-by-turn navigation, roadside assistance, SiriusXM radio, and you can you play CDs or hook up your iPod."
Rachel ran her hands over the steering wheel. "The interior is leather."
"Yeah, it only comes in leather. It was too good of a deal to pass up. Puck knows a guy and he talked him down way below sticker price."
"I'm a vegetarian, Finn!"
His eyebrow popped up at her outburst. "Oh…what does that have to do with anything?"
"I can't call myself a vegetarian and have a car with leather seating! That's like being a member of PETA and wearing a fur coat!"
"Are you planning on eating the seats? I don't get what the big deal is," Puck added from next to her where he was still seated. She whipped her anger around to him.
"It's the point that the material comes from an animal. I'm not a vegan because I love dairy too much to give it up, but I don't buy leather or fur products."
"You didn't buy it. I did. If members of your vegetarian club find out you can just blame it on me."
She narrowed her eyes at her fiancé. "I would refrain from making jokes at my frustration right now, Finn. I am sleep deprived, my boobs ache, and I'm highly agitated that you purchased a car without me."
"Okay, I'm sorry for my comment." He dipped his head humbly then came up grinning again. "But you have to admit it's a nice car. It's a Volvo. Doesn't that moody sparkly vampire from that dumb movie drive a Volvo?"
"His name is Edward and Twilight is not a dumb movie!"
Upon that realization, Rachel was discovering it difficult to stay annoyed with him. It was a nice car and it would make it easier to get around now that there were three of them.
"It is a nice car, I will give you that. But you still should have told me."
Rachel climbed out of the car and Puck joined them, locking the car behind him and handing the keys over to Finn. They all entered the house and Rachel started for the stairs to check on Teddy.
"I was trying to surprise you."
"I appreciate the gesture but we need to make these big decisions together from now on. It isn't just you and me now."
Finn followed her upstairs and into Teddy's room. "I promise. No more big purchases without you."
Rachel leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Good. Now, we need to finish packing so we can get to my dads'. Go get your toiletries together. I already packed your clothes." She turned him back toward the door and patted his behind. "I'll get Teddy."
She walked up to the side of his crib and found him wide awake, staring up at his choo choo train mobile. When she came into his line of sight he jerked, moving his arms and legs as wildly as a six day old infant could, and stared intently at her.
"Hello my little angel. Did you have a good nap?" He gurgled and wiggled until she lowered the side of the crib and lifted him into her arms. "Guess what? Daddy's home! Let's go say hi." She took him upstairs and found Finn and Puck talking as he threw more stuff in his duffel. "Daddy, someone's excited to see you."
Finn grinned at them and allowed Rachel to hand him their son. He still felt so tiny in his big hands but everyday he was growing more assured in his ability. "Hey little buddy. Did you have a good day with Mommy?" He sat down and let Teddy rest on his chest.
"You only called 10 times today as opposed to the 30 yesterday, so I'm assuming everything went well?"
Rachel gave him a scathing look as she paused packing. "Ha ha. I can't help it if I get nervous. It's not like I've raised a child before. I don't know what's normal."
"Quinn was like that after Beth was born. But after a few weeks she got over it. By the time Ben came along she was a pro."
"Speaking of Quinn, how is she doing? Is she still pissed at you for lying?" Rachel questioned.
"She's always pissed for one reason or another but she's over it. She's trying to reduce her stress while pregnant."
"That must be difficult with her promotion."
"Eh, that's not a problem. She's always been able to handle professional pressure just fine. It's her personal life she's always freaked over. You should have seen her when she had an identity crisis freshman year of college. She turned into this grungy pink haired skank, as her little group called themselves. It was just a bunch of outcast girls that had gotten into Yale because of their grades and not daddy's checkbook. It was their way of sticking it to the trust fund bitches that were too prude to give their boyfriends what they wanted. Quinn did a lot of experimenting with them."
"And you didn't mind?" From what Rachel knew of Quinn that sounded nothing like her.
"Nah. It's not like I was completely faithful to every girlfriend I ever had. Quinn never got a chance to explore the way I did, so I let her have her fun until she finally got over that phase and went back to normal Quinn. Besides, she only slept with chicks. I think deep down she didn't want another guy but did want to have sex."
"That's interesting. Finn never told me that part of the Noah/Quinn saga." She eyed Finn.
"If I had told you that and Quinn found out, I could have said goodbye to my manhood. She doesn't like to bring that particular year up."
Rachel nodded in understanding. It sounded like Quinn had some issues with her past and there was nothing wrong with wanting to keep them to herself. "Well, I hope you're doing everything you can to help with her personal stress."
"Why do you think I'm here instead of at home? I'm keeping a wide berth until she falls asleep at eight."
"He's been working nights more to keep clear of Quinn when she gets in her moods," Finn supplied. "She's scary when pregnant and usually wants to be left alone."
"If her only company is Noah I can't say I blame her."
Puck rolled his eyes before glancing at his watch. "I should get going. I need to pick Beth and Ben up from my mother's and get them fed. I'll see you on Sunday for the bris. Shalom." He and Finn shared a quick parting handshake and Puck let himself out.
"So did you actually go to work today or just buy a car?"
"I stopped by to make sure things were going smoothly. Then I went to pick up the car with Puck after his shift ended since it was his friend selling it to me."
"I thought you said he was working nights?"
"He does lately. But Sam called in because Mercedes is sick and having a hard time leaving the bed for any reason, apparently. So he took his shift."
"How chivalrous of Sam to take care of his lady."
"I'd do the same for you. I have done the same for you."
"And it's much appreciated." She zipped up his bag and placed it with hers. "We're all packed now so we should get going. I told my dads we'd be there in time for dinner. They can't wait to see Teddy."
Finn sat up and carefully laid Teddy on the bed. "I'll get the stuff in the car. Can you get him in his coat?"
"Yep." Before Finn could exit the room, Rachel grabbed his shirt and tugged him back. "Come here." She gripped the material in both hands and pushed up on her toes, pressing her lips to his in a sensual, intimate kiss. "I love you."
He grinned against her lips and kissed her, hands smoothing down over the roundness of her behind. "I love you too."
Teddy cried out loud and the pair broke apart. "I think our little one wants some love too." She hovered over him and he shook in excitement he didn't understand. "Okay little stinker, let's get you ready to go see your Granddaddies while Daddy takes his eyes off Mommy's butt and puts our bags in the fancy expensive car he bought us without Mommy's knowledge." She looked over her shoulder, eyebrow popped, to find Finn still staring at her ass. Teddy squealed before yawning catching her attention again. "Come on, handsome. It's time to go."
x
When they arrived to her dads' home, Rachel couldn't get out of the car fast enough.
"Solid ground! Thank you, God!" It took everything she had to drop to her knees and kiss the ground after the drive from the city to Jersey. She thought for sure Finn's terrifying driving was due to the Manhattan traffic and that once they got out of the congestion things would improve but instead it just got worse.
She went back in to save her child from any further terror and pulled him out of the car protectively.
"What do you mean 'thank you, God'? I'm a good driver."
"Compared to whom? Amanda Bynes? That was literally the most terrifying drive I've ever been on. You nearly ran over a bike messenger and you missed a collision with a UPS truck by this much," she put her thumb and forefinger less than an inch together. "How did you ever pass your driver's test?"
"I passed because I'm a good driver. After I hit that mailman-"
"That sentence right there should be an indicator in itself that you are not a good driver. I'm driving from now on." She put her palm out. "Give me the keys."
He pushed them into his pocket. "These are my keys. You left yours at home."
"If I wasn't holding our son, I'd force those keys from your pocket right now. Let's get in the house. It's cold out here."
Rachel stomped up to the front door and flung it open. "Finn, don't forget the bags!" she called over her shoulder, closing the door behind her.
"Rachela!" her Papa called as he came down the stairs to greet her. "Hello, sweetheart." He kissed her cheek then turned his attention to his grandson. "I still can't believe you have a baby."
"Sometimes I can't believe it either. Usually when I'm asleep and he starts crying and I wonder whose baby it is making all that noise."
The door opened and Finn stomped in knocking snow off his shoes while fighting not to drop their bags. "We're only here for the weekend. How much stuff did you bring?"
"As we're actually celebrating Shabbat this weekend, I had to make sure we had everything since we can't drive anywhere. This is the first Shabbat we'll ever have with Teddy and I want it to be special."
"You don't celebrate it any other weekend."
"You don't go to church every Sunday. Get off my back."
Her Papa helped grab some bags and led them upstairs to Rachel's room. "There are C and E Christians, such as yourself. We're the Jewish equivalent – P and H Jews."
"P and H Jews?"
"Passover and Hanukkah. And other holidays but those are the two most people know. We've never been strict about all the traditions."
"But we're doing everything this weekend," Rachel declared.
x
And they did. Finn's head was swirling with traditions he didn't understand, a language barrier, and his phone and all other electronics had been locked in the guest room leaving him bored as Rachel and her dads discussed the bris on Sunday after their completely kosher meal. And as it was only Friday night, that meant he had another entire day of this to go through. He had no idea so much was involved in being Jewish. Rachel never even mentioned most of this stuff; she hardly even celebrated Hanukkah in December. But it was important to her that their son was brought into her ancestral tribe and religion and he wasn't going to stop her.
By the end of the night everyone was moving about by candlelight and finding his pajamas in his bag with little lighting was proving difficult.
"They're down the side, Finn."
"They're not here. Only my jeans are down the side."
Rachel sighed but didn't leave the bed. Teddy was in the middle of a feeding and Rachel didn't have the energy to show her fiancé something right in front of his face.
"Fuck it," Finn muttered, tugging his shirt and jeans off. "I'll just sleep in my underwear." His yanked his socks off to join the rest of his clothes and he leaped onto the bed, bouncing as he came to rest next to Rachel in a provocative pose, a cheesy grin on his face.
"Did you forget that I can't have sex for at least another five weeks?"
"That doesn't mean we can't do other stuff." He winked at her.
Rachel rolled her eyes. "In case you hadn't noticed, I'm a little busy." She motioned to the infant attached to her breast.
"I can wait. My boy needs his nutrients so he can grow up big and strong like his dad." He discreetly flexed and Rachel chuckled low in her throat.
"Finn, I know since we've been serious that we haven't really gone this long without sex, but I gave birth a week ago. I'm not feeling very sexy and I'm not ready to do anything yet." Teddy finished and Rachel turned him around to burp him. "But once I put him to bed, I'm more than willing to cuddle."
Finn draped his arm around her waist and played with Teddy's tiny foot with the other. "I'm more than happy to take it."
Teddy burped and managed to cover Rachel's hand in spit up. "Every time, Theodore. I put the towel out for a reason, baby." She wiped her hand off and rubbed his back. She started humming softly while she waited for him to finish and soon he had fallen asleep. Carefully she put him in his travel bassinet crib next to the bed. He was so peaceful and cute in his fleece footie pajamas.
Once certain he was comfortable and safe, Rachel climbed back into bed with Finn and snuggled into his side. She yawned deeply and nuzzled her nose against Finn's chest. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Joining my family for Shabbat. I know it's not what you're used to and Judaism is a lot to take in at once, but I appreciate it."
Finn tightened his hold on Rachel and kissed the top of her head. "You don't need to thank me for that. I'm happy to do it."
"Let's get some sleep. My dads are going to be up at the crack of dawn to get us ready for temple."
x
Saturday passed in a blur as Finn learned more about Judaism and its customs at temple. After, he spent the day with Rachel's family doing leisurely activities and enjoying a quiet Saturday, which was something he'd never done before. There was usually something on TV or a game on his phone that called his attention but for once everything was off and he spent every moment focused solely on his family. It was actually quite relaxing and satisfying to be completely unplugged.
The next morning, Finn was startled awake when he heard a shriek coming from Rachel's bathroom. He shot out of bed and found her and Teddy in the middle of a sponge bath, Rachel crying. "What? What's wrong?"
"I was giving him a bath and he jerked as I was washing his tummy and I accidentally knocked his cord stump off. Look at it!" She pointed to his bright red belly button. It looked like a freshly picked scab but there was no bleeding or any other concern. "He's only a week old! It shouldn't have come off yet!"
Finn wrapped his arms around her and stared over her head down at their son who was watching them with wide eyes. He appeared not have even noticed anything. "Rachel, Teddy is fine. Look at him." She turned her head and smiled at their baby. "You're overreacting. Sometimes they come off early but that doesn't mean it's too soon. If you were able to accidentally knock the stump off, I think that means it was going to come off soon anyway."
"I still think I should call the doctor. You're supposed to let it come off naturally."
"I think it's fine. Look, it isn't bleeding or oozing anything. It's dry."
Rachel took a deep breath and turned back to Teddy. "Do you really think I was overreacting? I'm still so unsure about all this new stuff. How am I supposed to know what's normal and not normal? Babies are like their own species."
"You've been doing a great job so far. He's still alive so we must be doing something right."
"I guess I'm just nervous about today. I don't want anything to go wrong. This is his most sensitive and private area. I would be devastated if something happened to it." Rachel continued to wash him and his little fingers wrapped around one of hers.
"I'm sure he would be too." He tickled the bottom of his foot and Teddy kicked his legs at him.
"I need to finish washing him. Would you mind getting his onesie for me? I forgot it in his bag and it's too early to put his clothes on. And you need to get ready. We have an hour until the ceremony is due to start."
Rachel and Finn spent the remainder of that time in her room awaiting the moment they would bring their son out for the whole family to see at once. Both were nervous about the event but once Leroy came in to tell them it was time for him to carry the baby down, they took a deep breath and held hands as they descended the stairs behind him.
A swarm of faces surrounded them when they entered the living room where it was to take place. Finn recognized a few from the Fourth of July party, as well as their friends and immediate family. It was an interesting bunch of people milling around.
Leroy carried Teddy around the room showing him off to everyone as he and Rachel waited by the mohel and Hiram, who was to hold him during the ceremony. Everyone oohed and ahhed at Teddy and he seemed a little stunned by the amount of people around him.
By the time Leroy handed him off to Hiram, Teddy was on the verge of tears until Rachel took his little hand and hummed quietly to him as Rabbi Greenburg said prayers.
Nothing stopped him from crying however when he was finally snipped.
Rachel turned into Finn and failed to contain her own tears having to hear their baby cry in pain. Even Finn was wincing and felt a phantom pain in his own groin. He kissed the top of Rachel's head and tried not to sway on his feet when he saw the blood. Finn's track record with bloody genitals was not good and he could feel the bile rising in his throat.
"I…I can't…" He let go of Rachel and turned away from the Rabbi, taking deep breaths to hold what little was in his stomach in.
When Rachel turned him around to talk to him again and he managed to catch another glimpse, his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed onto the floor, passed out cold.
x
When his eyes finally focused and the voice speaking above him like an angel grew crisper, he realized he was staring at Rachel, and many other guests at the house.
"Are you okay?"
"What happened?"
"You passed out during Teddy's bris. You are very squeamish around blood."
He swallowed and tried to sit up but found that his head spun when he did so. Clutching his temples and scrunching his face in pain, he laid back down on the couch where he had been placed, and took deep breaths.
"Here's an ice pack. I wasn't sure if you hit your head."
"It doesn't feel like I did. I mostly just feel hung over." He opened his eyes again. "Did you finish the ceremony? Where's Ted?"
"We finished and Theodore is with my dads making the rounds. He's a hit with the family." She chuckled softly.
"I'm so sorry, Rachel. I ruined everything."
"You didn't ruin anything. Rabbi Greenburg was basically done when you hit the floor. We just continued while Kurt and Burt pulled you to the couch."
Finn stared up at the ceiling and wondered what was wrong with him. "I'm a grown man who can't even handle a little blood."
"To be fair, I was pushing a baby out the first time and the second time our son was getting his foreskin snipped."
"We are not having anymore boys. I can't do this again."
"Thank goodness you agree. I'm not sure I could handle this again either. It was horrible watching him go through that."
"At least he won't remember it."
Just then Puck walked up with a glass of punch and a bagel and lox. "Dude, I've never seen anyone pass out at a bris before. It was hilarious!" Finn ripped a pillow from the couch and threw it at him, only succeeding in making him laugh more. "First his birth, now his bris. How are you supposed to put a band-aid on his booboos or push his head back when he gets a nose bleed?"
Finn rolled his eyes at him. "I can handle booboos and nose bleeds. When I'm watching an alien rip his way through my fiancée's fun bits and watching my baby's fun bits getting snipped, it's a little different."
"Thank you for describing the miracle of our son's birth that way. So eloquent…"
"That's what it looked like. Sorry." Finn sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes. "I need to use the bathroom, excuse me."
"I'll check on Teddy. It's almost lunch time."
"I'll go with Rachel to make sure she's feeding him right. Ow, ow!" Puck yelled as he received slaps from both Finn and Rachel.
Rachel made sure Finn got to the bathroom without incident then meandered into the kitchen where she found Teddy fast asleep in Carole's arms, Kurt hovering around her snapping pictures.
"Where's your friend the Rolling Paparazzo?"
"Ha ha. He's not a paparazzo and this house isn't wheelchair accessible. Plus, he had a prior engagement today so I'm left to take pictures on my own." He gripped her shoulders and maneuvered her around to stand next to Carole. "I want a picture of Mom and Grandma since I have none so far. I'll print these out tonight and bring them over tomorrow to help you work on the baby book. You have been keeping up with it, correct?"
"Of course! I want to remember all his important moments, don't I?"
Rachel allowed a few pictures but abruptly ruined the last shot when she felt something pushing at the back of her knees.
"Brittany! What are you doing on the floor?"
She opened a cabinet behind Rachel and searched through the pots and pans inside before sighing and pulling her head out. "I'm looking for the pot. It should be stainless steel but these are all black. It should have been mine. Teddy said he was going to be born on the sixth."
"Brittany, please get off the floor. The pot is not a real pot. It's just money."
"Then why is it called a pot?"
"Because sometimes people would put the money to be won into a pot."
Finn walked into the kitchen. "Oh yeah, we still gotta collect our winnings. The pot's in the safe at work. I figured that was the most neutral location."
"Aha! So there is a pot! I knew you were all lying to me. You're just keeping it from me because you know I should have won," Brittany announced, folding her arms over her chest in defiance.
Ignoring her, Rachel continued, "If it's in the safe at work, why haven't you brought it home yet? We could have used it to buy diapers. This kid goes through them like crazy."
"I've been a little preoccupied with parenting and restaurant renovations and it's in the back so I would know not to use it since it wasn't ours until Teddy was born."
Teddy twitched in his sleep and Rachel's focus moved back to her baby. "I'm going to take Teddy upstairs." Carole handed him over and he didn't even stir as Rachel rested him against her chest. "Poor thing's exhausted."
"It was a big day for him."
"That's true. He lost his cord stump today and his foreskin and he met so many new people. I'd probably be pretty worn out after all that too." She pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Come on, handsome. Let's go take a nap together."
Rachel tried to make her way upstairs but was stopped four times from the kitchen to the stairwell. Both of her grandmothers cornered her to ask when she and Finn were going to get married already, her Aunt Deb – off the wagon again as she sloshed a drink around – asked if there was an open bar, and Blaine wondered if she'd seen Kurt.
She hadn't even thought about wedding plans in the past week as Teddy took up most of her waking thoughts now and she was in no mood to handle a drunken Aunt Deb. She was tired and busy with her baby. The only person she managed to easily escape was Blaine with a quick answer to his boyfriend's whereabouts.
When she finally made it to the comfort and relative quiet of her bedroom, she quickly settled Teddy in his bassinet and crawled into bed herself. She laid on her side and spent a fair amount of time watching Teddy sleep. He was so peaceful, his little chest rising and falling gently, his baby feet kicking every so often, his eyelids fluttering as he dreamed. She often wondered what he dreamed about. As he slept, she slipped her finger into his hand and his grip automatically tightened around it. A grin spread across her face and she settled further into her pillows.
Rachel had fallen into a light sleep herself when she felt a dip in the bed beside her. Suddenly alert, she sat up and checked the baby, finding him asleep still.
"Relax, it's just me," Finn's deep voice said behind her, his arm wrapping around her waist.
"Am I needed downstairs?" She certainly hoped not. She was too sleepy to function at the moment.
"Nope. People actually started going home now that the food is nearly gone. I said goodbye from both of us." He snuggled his face into the crook of her neck and placed a light kiss on her skin. "We did it. We made it through the day."
"Not just the day. We made it through a week as parents." She laughed. "It's only been a week. It feels like a year."
"We can do this. We're going to be awesome."
Rachel pressed herself closer to Finn. "Do you really think I'll be a good mom?"
"You already are, Rachel. Teddy doesn't understand it yet, but he already loves you more than anything in this world."
"He loves you too. He always shakes when he sees you. He gets so excited he doesn't know what to do with himself."
"Not as much as he loves you. And I think he shakes because you're holding him and he's excited about you. You are the one with the boobs."
"Typical. Only after me for my body." They both chuckled.
"In all seriousness, you're amazing and I'm so proud that you're the mother of my child."
"That's good because you really didn't have much of a choice." She yawned wide and felt her eyes slip shut of their own accord. "'M tired."
"Go to sleep. If something happens, I'll wake you."
"Stay with me?" she mumbled quietly, pulling Finn's arm closer and twining her fingers with his, her other hand still in Teddy's. She had both of her boys and felt completely content.
Finn pressed a kiss to Rachel's temple.
"Forever."
There you have it, chapter one. I have a lot planned out for this story and now that it's started, I think it'll get me motivated to write more. So fingers crossed my muse is back and ready to work again!