This is a double shift day. There will be one more upload today: Let Me Tell You A Story, chapter 4.


"This Little Light of Mine"

4. Gathers in Family

It had been a family tradition now for some time for them to gather for lunch every Sunday. Joining Finn, Quinn and Nora would be Judy, Burt, Carole, and even Rachel's fathers. The week before had been made even more special with the addition of Rachel and Puck. Now they had been back in Lima a week, and they once again gathered at the Hudson-Fabray home for lunch. As they might, the guests were soon treated to Nora's informing them of the new things happening in her life.

"I still can't remember all the notes, but Dad showed me a…" Nora was telling her Nana Judy as they both carried plates, and she was interrupted as she made her look ahead instead of back over her shoulder. "… a song."

"Is that right?" Judy smiled as they reached the dining room.

"Yeah, I can show you," Nora nodded, then hearing her mother clear her throat, "Later."

"I can't wait," Judy promised with a smile.

"It's not really a song. I mean, it is, but it's just the same notes a lot," she explained, then a moment later, almost within the same breath, "We have new neighbors, across the street, the Mackennas, they're from Scotland," she told her grandmother, and her grandfathers Berry, who were also setting things up.

"I've always wanted to go there…" Leroy commented.

"We're still young," Hiram told him, looking back to his granddaughter. "I'm guessing if you're this excited, you've made a friend?" Nora nodded.

"There's three kids, two boys and a girl, and the girl, she's in the middle and she's my age."

"That's great, dear," Judy smiled. "What's her name, did you talk to her?"

"Her name's Grace. I went and I said hello, and then we played in her yard, then she came here and I showed her Harper, and she had lunch here Tuesday, and I went to her house last night," she counted off in her head. "She's really, really nice," she smiled with excitement. "Can she come over next Sunday so you can meet her?"

"I don't see why not, if her parents don't mind," Quinn told her, and Nora grinned, just as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" she ran off, and the others had to laugh. At the door, she found her other grandparents. "Hello!"

"Hey, Nora, how's it looking?" Burt asked, as he would.

"Dad's in the yard with the grill, Mom and Dad are on their way, everyone else is in the dining room," she counted off.

"I'll go see how your dad's doing," Burt went off after making sure to stop for a good hug with the girl, who then went on to get hugged by her grandmother.

"How's it going with the music?" Carole asked.

"I'm learning a song. Mom says I have to wait to later to show you guys. I should get it ready though," she nodded to her grandmother before dashing to her room for Harper. By the time she came back down, Rachel and Puck had arrived. Rachel just couldn't stop from smiling, seeing the flash of pride in her husband's eyes at spotting his little girl so attached to the instrument he had gifted her with.

"When's the concert?" he asked her.

"I don't know, after lunch, ask Mom," she called over her shoulder as she carried on toward the dining room. Rachel laughed.

"She looks better," she commented. It wasn't as though she'd been walking around with a frown on her face the week before, but there were subtle differences and her parents could see.

"New friend didn't hurt," he nodded as they followed.

Before long, lunch was served and the whole group sat around the table. Nora would usually alternate where she sat every week, to be surrounded by different people. This week, she had her father on one side and her Grandpa Burt on the other.

The conversation had gone to hearing from Rachel and Puck, how things had been since they were back in Lima. They were finally getting around to doing the baby's nursery in their Lima home. The one in New York was already all set, now there was just this. For that reason, Nora had delayed her going to stay with them until then, but they would be taking her with them after the lunch.

Everyone was still trying to get the babies' names out of Rachel and Quinn, but they kept quiet. Looking at Nora growing nervous every time they brought it up, they knew she knew, and they would tease, but she held strong.

They heard more about Nora's new friend Grace and her family. Her older brother Donny – short for Donald, named after their father – was fourteen and a pain, while her younger brother Aidan was eight and even worse.

Finally, with the meal done, and as they paused to digest before dessert, she was told she could show them her song, while Quinn, Judy and Leroy started emptying the table. "But you'll watch, right?" Nora asked them.

"You get ready, we'll be there," Quinn promised, so Nora went and opened the case, pulling out Harper and slipping the strap over her shoulder before she could pull up a chair.

She'd barely done that when they heard a clatter, and then… "Finn!" Leroy called from the kitchen and he bolted. The others followed to find Judy standing by her daughter, who gripped the counter.

"Quinn, what happened?" he asked, coming to put an arm around her. She took hold of him. "The baby?"

"I-I don't…" she shook her head, then, "Something's wrong, it's too soon," she sounded scared, and he looked it

"Can you walk to the car?" he asked, and she nodded. "Okay, come on, you'll be fine."

"Mom?" Nora asked, coming through and seeing now. Quinn looked up to her, trying to smile and look normal.

"Everything will be alright, sweetie, we just need to go to the hospital real quick and make sure everything's fine. It won't be long," she promised.

"Can I come?"

"Of course you can," Quinn breathed, looking to Rachel and Puck, who understood.

"Come, you'll ride with us," Rachel held out a hand to lead the girl along, squeezing reassuringly.

They all got in their cars, they all followed. They couldn't have left and gone home if they wanted to. Hopefully it would be nothing, but if it wasn't, then they would want to be there.

TO BE CONTINUED (TOMORROW)