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Rachel Berry had waited to have children, until she was at least twenty five- despite the fact that she married at twenty one. Finn Hudson was the love of her life, her high school sweetheart, the man who had blessed her with three absolutely beautiful children. Five year old Hannah Elyse, a carbon copy of her mother in every single way, three year old Isaac Nathaniel, who looked just like his daddy, and one year old Ava Jean, a daddy's girl right from the beginning.
They had a perfect life- Rachel was the Broadway star everyone knew she was (currently the lead as Elphaba in Wicked); Finn was still the mechanic he had been while in high school, keeping an eye on Isaac when he was not at pre-school. They still kept in contact with all of the glee club- they were the kids' beloved aunts and uncles. They got together for special occasions- the last being the birth of Brittany and Santana's little boy, Daniel.
Even though they were in New York permanently, Lima, Ohio was their home. Their families were there, and they were very family orientated. Rachel spoke to her fathers every second night, Carol and Burt calling every other. Shelby phoned twice a week, listening to her daughter's tales about the Broadway stage- the pair had reconciled when she came to McKinley permanently, Shelby even accompanying them to Nationals with Mr Schuester and Miss Pillsbury. They headed back to Lima for Christmas, and the anniversaries of their parents- falling in the same week; they made one trip- and other occasions. Their kids knew Lima just as well as they knew New York City.
"Rach!" Finn called. "Christmas, we're going to your dads'- what day are we leaving? We need to book tickets!"
"Ahead of you already", Rachel laughed, clicking at the laptop and bringing up flight schedules. "I'll fly out with the kids one day, you the next- like we do every year?"
Rachel got two weeks off at Christmas time, finishing up two days earlier than Finn did at the shop. So every year, she would catch a plane to Lima with their kids, Finn joining them the next day.
So as the time got closer, Rachel got to work packing everything they would need- a large suitcase filled with all the clothing their kids would need, and a small suitcase for herself. Hannah and Isaac packed their own backpack, with everything to entertain themselves (colouring books, picture books, pencils and handheld video games) on the plane and when they got to their grandparents house.
"I love you", Finn said to Rachel, pressing a kiss to her lips, as they got ready to board the plane. Lifting all three kids into his arms at once, he peppered them with kisses. "Be good for Mummy, okay guys? I love you so much; I'll see you tomorrow night!"
"We're coming to pick you up from the airport, Daddy!" Hannah told him excitedly.
"I know baby girl!"
"Is Uncle Kurt and Uncle Blaine going to be there?" Isaac questioned.
"They'll all be there", he assured them. "Uncle Puck will be waiting for you, Isaac!"
At the age of fifteen, Finn would have laughed at the idea of Noah Puckerman becoming a father. But when Quinn fell pregnant with little Bethany Leigh (his and Rachel's goddaughter), everything changed. Beth was ten, and the apple of her father's eyes. The pair loved being parents so much that they had had another little girl- Ella, also named after a song.
"I love you", Finn said again, kissing Rachel gently, setting the kids down. Hugging them as if he would never see them again, he watched as they headed through the big doors, to board the plane.
"You sure you don't want us to come with you?" Hiram Berry asked again, as Rachel wrapped Ava in a scarf.
"No, Daddy, its fine", she said breezily.
"The kids could stay here, it'll be late when you get back", Leroy tried.
"Dad, we'll be fine. Won't we Hannie?" she caught her eldest in a one armed hug and the little girl giggled.
"Yep!"
"I promise I'll lock up everything before I go to bed, and that if anything happens, I'll call", she told them- the same promise she had made so many times as a teenager.
"We're gonna go and get Daddy, Poppy", Isaac said cheerfully, wrapping his arms around Hiram's waist. "And tomorrow we're gonna see Granddad and Grandma!"
"You are, aren't you bud?" he agreed, ruffling the little boy's hair.
"Come on, Isaac, time to get into the car", Rachel told him, scooping Ava onto her hip and taking Hannah's hand. "Thanks for this, Dad".
"We'd be more than happy to drive you-"
"We'll be fine". Rachel pecked a kiss to his cheek before bundling the kids into the mini van. "Time to go and get Daddy, what do you think?"
"Yay!"
The chorus was unanimous.
As the children waved to their grandparents, Rachel backed the minivan carefully out of the driveway, heading carefully towards the airport on the icy ground.
"Mummy, can we get ice cream?"
"Isn't it too cold for ice cream?" she wanted to know, humming along to the Broadway tune on the radio.
"It's never too cold for ice cream", Hannah declared, Rachel bursting into laughter (she had used that same excuse so many times, sitting in the backseat of her fathers' car). Her daughter was so much like her in so many different ways.
"You'll have to ask Daddy", she decided, slowing to check the intersection. When she was sure there was nothing coming, she accelerated a little, before a flash of headlights distorted her vision.
She heard a scream…
And everything went black.
