"Hey baby girl." Finn smiled as little Adina rushed into his arms outside of the elementary school.
"Hi Daddy!" She grinned, wrapping her legs around him so she was settled on his hip.
"Did you have fun at school today?"
Her little head bobbed up and down and her eyes lit up. "Miss Burton said I read very well during quiet time."
"Well done you." Finn grinned, kissing her brown locks. At five, Adina was a miniature Rachel in character and looks which unfortunately meant Finn couldn't tell her no. "Now, where's your brother?"
The little girl straightened and peered over the heads of the parents gathered to extend her finger towards Finn's only son. The father caught his eye and Eli made his way over with a farewell to his friends.
"Hey buddy." Finn grinned, ruffling her hair.
"Dad!" The eight year old sighed, fixing it so that it lay right.
"Sorry." Finn's voice was full of sarcasm and Adina giggled, causing Eli to huff and storm in the direction of the car.
"Eli grumpy." Adina commented and Finn nodded, following his son to the car.
When they arrived, Eli clamored into the front as Finn strapped his daughter into her car seat. "You know you're gonna have to move, mate. There's no way Adam or Ava will let you sit up front."
"I'll move when we get there." Eli stated, strapping himself in.
"Suit yourself."
The drive to the middle school was filled with Adina's stories of her day and Eli's occasional inputs of things that had happened in his classroom. Pulling up outside the middle school, Finn laughed when he saw Adam pulling stupid faces at his older sister who was desperately trying to ignore him.
Finn stopped the car and Eli jumped out, climbing into the back with his sister. Adam took one look and his eldest sister and decided that he'd wound her up enough, joining his siblings in the back. Ava climbed in the front, leaning over to kiss Finn's cheek before turning to her phone.
"So how was school?" Finn asked as they began the drive home.
"You'll never believe what happened Dad!" 12 year old Adam began reeling of a story about one of the boys on his soccer team which was admittedly rather funny.
"You alright Av? You're normally talking my ear off by now." Finn commented, looking at his eldest child who smiled slightly. Ava, like Adina, was Rachel through and through. Her long brown hair flowed down her back to her hips with full bangs like her mother still sported and normally she would talk the ear off anyone who would listen.
"She's being quiet because Tommy Sanderson asked her to the movies!" Adam piped up from the back seat and Ava whipped round, glaring at him.
"Why you little snitch! I'll rip your hair out!" She screamed, launching for her brother whose eyes went wide as he dodged her hand.
"Whoa! Ava, calm down." Finn said, using a hand to turn her back into her seat.
"So can I go?" She asked hopefully, gazing at her father.
"When is it?"
"Tonight."
Finn frowned, he was sure there was something going on tonight. "Would is just be the two of you?"
"No, Sarah and Zack are coming too."
"I'll have to check with your mother." Finn decided, he liked leaving these sorts of decisions to Rachel. It meant he wouldn't make the wrong one.
Ava turned and grinned at little Adina who smiled back. They all knew Rachel was a softie when it came to outings.
The people carrier pulled up outside the house in the suburbs and the kids piled out, running to respective bedrooms. Finn smiled and helped Adina out, carrying her inside.
Around half an hour later, the door opened and Rachel walked in still dressed in her dance clothes from the lessons she'd taught that day. Finn was sat at the kitchen table with Adina who was coloring in a Disney princess.
"Hi honey." She smiled, leaning over to kiss him. "Hi baby." She grinned at Adina who leapt into her arms, hugging her tightly. "Are you excited for the ballet tonight?"
The ballet! That was it! Rachel was taking Adina to the ballet! He knew there was something going on.
"Hi Mommy! Uh huh, I can't wait to wear my pretty dress!" The five year old grinned, kissing her mother's cheek before leaping down and returning to her coloring.
"Mom?!" Ava shouted from upstairs and soon the fourteen year old appeared, taking the steps two at a time.
"Hi sweetie, what's up? You normally…" Rachel was cut off as Ava got straight to the point.
"Can I go to the movies tonight?" She asked, her eyes pleading.
"Who with?" Rachel asked, looking at Finn.
"Tommy Sanderson but Sarah and Zack will be there too." The teenager explained, biting her lip in anticipation.
"As in a date? I don't know sweetie." Her eyebrows furrowed as she sat down on Finn's lap, his arms coming to encircle her waist.
"Oh come on Mom. When did you start dating?" Ava tried to convince her mother and she sat down on a chair the opposite side of the table.
"Sophomore year of high school." Rachel stated, pulling off her long boots.
Ava gasped and slumped her head on the table. "That's two years away!"
"Perfectly acceptable if you ask me." Finn cut it as he pulled the band out of Rachel's hair, allowing the half that was pulled back to join the rest of the curls.
"And me." Adam grinned as he walked into the kitchen.
"Oh shut it squirt, I'll cut you." Ava glared, causing Adam to laugh.
"Ava, don't be so aggressive. You've been spending far too much time with your Aunt Santana. I'm going to go change and then we can discuss this properly. In the meantime, get on with your homework." Rachel said diplomatically and then headed up the stairs, Finn close on her heels.
Once inside their room, Rachel pulled off her leotard and tights before heading into the closet.
"So what do you think?" Finn asked, placing her clothes in the wash bin.
"I don't know. We said not until high school on the dating front but she looks like she really wants to go. Plus, she starts high school in like six months anyway." Rachel reasoned, tugging on a robe.
"I know but she's just so desperate to be all grown up." Finn sighed, flopping back on his bed.
"She's a fourteen year old girl, the only thing they want is to be twenty three." She sighed, coming out of the closet and settling on the bed next to her husband. "I think we should let her go."
"I don't want to lose her. She's my baby girl."
Rachel looked over and caught Finn's eyes, reaching up to stroke his face. "She's not going to leave you. It's one date."
"Okay." Rachel smiled and he kissed her forehead. "But we install the 8:30 curfew."
"8:30? Really?" She raised an eyebrow and he scowled.
"I am not having my baby out with a teenage boy past 8:30 on a Friday night!" He exclaimed.
"Fine, we say 8:30 but she won't be happy." She grinned and pushed herself off the bed, heading down the stairs. "I'll tell her." She shouted back.
"Okay." Finn replied and she heard him flop back down on the bed.
"Ava?" Rachel asked as she entered the kitchen, finding three of her four children round the kitchen table.
Ava's head popped up and she smiled, turning in her seat to face her mother. "Yes?"
"Your father and I have decided you may go tonight but you must be home by 8:30."
"8:30! You'll be out later than that at the ballet with Adina! She's five!" Ava sighed, her lips pouting.
"Yes but I'll be with Adina and I think I'm more responsible than a teenaged boy." The mother reasoned, tapping her daughter on the nose.
"Okay fine, I'll take the earliest curfew in the history of the universe!" Ava ran up to her room, obviously deciding what to wear. Her mother could hear the sarcastic tone in her voice and knew that she wasn't actually annoyed.
Rachel rolled her eyes and turned back to her other children. Adina was still coloring while Adam had pulled out some math homework which he was concentrating on. She peered over his shoulder and smiled.
"Take four, not add four honey." She pointed out, extending a long nail to point out where he'd gone wrong in an equation.
"Huh? Oh, thanks Mom." He grinned and she ruffled his hair, turning to her youngest.
"Shall we go get you ready Addy?" She asked, extending her hand to the little girl who nodded.
They headed upstairs and passed Ava's room. Rachel stuck her head in to see Ava in her closet throwing item after item out and onto the floor. She giggled slightly and continued on to Adina's room.
Adina grabbed her dress from the hook behind her door where Rachel had put it that morning.
"Can I put it on?" She asked, twirling around with it. Rachel laughed and nodded, changing the small girl from her uniform into the dress. She looked adorable in it. The light pink dress reached her knees and flared out into chiffon at her waist. The top was simple with three bows adorning the waist.
"Pretty girl." Rachel smiled, pulling a pair of pale pink tights out of a drawer and helping the child into them. Once they were on Adina grinned and spun around, watching the dress flare out.
"That dress has some serious spin ability Addy." Ava's voice came from the door and both mother and daughter turned to see her stood there in a pair of black skinny jeans, a blue flowy top and a green jacket.
"You look lovely sweetie." Rachel grinned, standing to hug her eldest who grinned.
"Thanks Mom, I was wondering if you had some shoes that would go. I only have converse." The teenager sighed, looking at her feet.
"I'm sure we can find something. Come on Addy, we'll do your hair in Mommy's room."
The girls moved into the master bedroom where Finn was still sat on the bed, a book in his hand. He looked up as they entered and smiled, scooping Adina into his arms. "Well don't I just have the prettiest daughters in the whole wide world?"
Adina giggled as Finn hugged her close, kissing her hair repeatedly. Rachel slipped into the closet and pulled on her dress for the evening; a little white chiffon number which fell just below the knee. The V-neck scooped up to thick straps at the shoulders and a satin bow accentuated the waist. She tugged on a pair of white heels before exiting with a pair of black heeled boots in her hands.
"Will these do?" She asked extending them to Ava who nodded and pulled them on, grinning.
"They're perfect! Thanks Mom. You look gorgeous by the way." She kissed her mother's cheek and headed back to her room.
"You look pretty Mommy." Adina grinned, looking up at her mother with an adoring look on her face.
"Thank you sweetie, why don't you go grab the hairspray from Mommy's bathroom?" Rachel grinned as the five year old ran off before turning to Finn with a smile.
"How did I end up marrying such a beautiful woman?" He asked, tugging her towards where he was sat on the end of the bed so she was settled between his legs.
"Perhaps your devilishly handsome good looks?" She replied, leaning forwards to capture his lips.
"Got it Mommy!" Adina grinned, skipping back into the room. Finn groaned as Rachel stepped away from him and set their youngest on a stool to braid her hair. When she was done the young girl had two long french braids down her back.
"MOM!" Adam's voice sounded from downstairs and Rachel left Finn with Adina, making her way down the stairs.
"What's up kiddo?" She asked, her heels clicking on the floor.
"I just can't get this!" He exclaimed, looking at his mother. "You look pretty."
"Thanks sweetie. Okay, what are we doing?" She pulled up a stool and sighed. "Alright, basic trigonometry. First, we need to work out which sides we're dealing with…"
"Thanks Mom, I get it now." Adam grinned fifteen minutes later. She smiled and kissed his cheek, heading into the living room where Eli was playing video games.
"Hi baby." She grinned, kissing his mop of hair.
"Hi, how long have you been home?" He asked, his eyes stationed on the screen.
"A while, you been kicking some butt?" She sat down next to him, watching him play.
"I nearly decimated Alex, you know? In my class?" He explained, his thumbs moving fast.
"I know him and nice big word." She smiled, flicking through an old Cosmo. They settled into comfortable silence for a few minutes before Rachel noticed the time. "I should probably get going. I'll see you tomorrow, I don't want to see you up when I get home. I love you."
"Okay Mom. I love you too." He smiled and accepted her kiss as she left the room.
"Addy, honey! We need to go!" She shouted up the stairs and soon enough Finn appeared with Adina. Between them they got her in a coat and shoes, all ready to go in her seat in Rachel's car.
"I'll see you later." Finn smiled, kissing his wife goodbye as she climbed into the driver's seat.
"Get the kids in bed and don't worry about Ava, she'll be fine. I love you." She grinned as she pulled away, Adina bouncing in her eat in excitement.
"I love you too!" Finn called after her before re-entering the house. Ava was stood in the hallway, pulling a coat on over her jacket. "You need a ride?"
She looked up and smiled. "No, Tommy's mom said she'll pick everyone up and drop them home."
Headlights turned into the driveway and Ava grinned, heading towards the door as a car horn sounded.
"Hey! Doesn't your old man get a kiss before you leave him forever!"
"You're so overdramatic." Ava grinned but she hugged her father and kissed him before slipping out the front door.
"Guys night?" Adam asked, coming out of the kitchen and gesturing towards the living room.
"Let's do this." Finn grinned, following his son in and preparing to spend the evening dying at his sons' hands.
Hours later, Finn had convinced the boys to go to bed and was watching TV when he happened to glance at the clock. It was 9:05 and still no sign of Ava. Where was she?
He grabbed his phone and she hadn't called or even texted him. What was she doing?
The minutes ticked by until it was 9:15. Finn was growing more and more anxious when the door opened, revealing his daughter.
"And where have you been?" He asked, ushering her in the door.
"Tommy's mom was late picking us up." She explained, pulling the shoes off of her feet.
"Forty five minutes late?" He questioned, his eyebrows raising.
"The movie was longer than expected."
Finn sighed, he knew he was never going to win this argument, arguing with Ava was like arguing with Rachel. "Fine." He moved aside and she kissed his cheek, running up the stairs to her room.
It wasn't long until headlights shone into the house again as Rachel pulled up. He chuckled slightly as he saw her trying to carry a sleeping Adina into the house. Opening the door, he quickly took the sleeping child from her and kissed her in greeting.
"Hi honey, how was the ballet?" He asked, holding Adina close as she snuggled against him.
"She loved it." Rachel smiled, looking fondly at their youngest and reaching out to smooth a hand over her hair. "Did Ava get back alright?"
"Yeah, but she was 45 minutes late." He sighed as he carefully removed his sleeping daughter's shoes.
Rachel sighed and hung up her coat. "Can you put Addy to bed? I'll go and talk to her."
"Sure, of course honey." He smiled and kissed her again, bending down slightly to let her kiss Adina. He followed her up the stairs and quickly headed into the five year old's room. He changed her into some pajamas and tucked her in.
As he was leaving, he went to turn off the light and Adina's voice sounded from the bed. "Daddy?"
He smiled and turned around, walking back towards her. "Yes baby girl?"
"Will you sing to me?" She asked, her eyes widening in the way he was sure Rachel was teaching her.
"Of course Addy, what should Daddy sing?" He asked, carefully lowering himself into the chair next to the bed.
"Funny Girl?" She asked, those puppy eyes staring up at him.
"Sweetie, you know Daddy can't sing Funny Girl." He sighed, smoothing her hair over.
"But Mommy always sings Funny Girl!" She pouted and Finn knew if she were standing up that she'd be stamping her foot.
"I'm not Mommy Adina." He said sternly, looking at the little girl.
"MOMMY!" She screamed and her face scrunched up as the tears began to fall. Before Finn could do anything, Rachel appeared in the doorway and was hugging Adina close to her. She nodded at Finn, knowing what had happened and he quickly left, seeking out his eldest.
He knocked on her door before entering, smiling as he looked around the room. The walls were still painted pink with Broadway playbills and posters stuck all over the walls. Ava was sat on her bed, laptop sat on her lap as she typed away.
"Hi Dad. Did you need something?" She asked, smiling at her father.
"No. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about earlier." He smiled back, stepping further into the room.
"You don't need to apologize Dad." She grinned, moving her laptop onto the bed and patting the spot the other side of her. Finn obliged and sat down, her head falling on his shoulder. They sat in comfortable silence for a while until Finn worked up the courage to say what he wanted to.
"Sometimes, I feel like you're growing up so quickly. I remember the days when you were throwing tantrums about Funny Girl." He smiled and she chuckled, having heard her little sister.
"I'm still me Dad and I'll always be your daughter." She said, taking his hand.
"I know and I've got no right to get all protective of you. You should be allowed to do whatever it is you want to do and if that's date boys then so be it." He grinned and turned his head, kissing her hair.
"It was one date Daddy, I don't even think I like Tommy like that." She replied, looking towards her laptop.
"Good." He chuckled and she giggled. They sat listening as Rachel's voice drifted through the house.
"She's so amazing. I hope I'm as good as her one day." Ava commented, closing her eyes as she let her mother's voice waft over her.
"You will be and even if you aren't, we will love you with all our hearts. Now get some sleep." Finn smiled and kissed her forehead as she moved away.
"I love you Daddy." She smiled, turning off her laptop and climbing into bed.
"I love you too Ava." He grinned and flicked the light out as he left, walking the corridor. He stuck his head into Adam and Eli's rooms to see them sleeping soundly. Standing in the door of Adina's room, he watched as Rachel tucked her in and kissed her forehead.
His family was big but to him they were perfect. His wife was beautiful and an amazing mother. His sons were charismatic and intelligent and his daughters were the exact same.