A/N: So we're in LA now and we're filming Rachel's play. That's supposed to take roughly four months. There is going to be some time compression. I will attempt to make sure it's evident, but if I fail to do so please let me know.

Blaine's house was huge. Noah had been pleased that it had a study because ideally, he should be spending quite a few hours there. Part of the expectation of a sabbatical was that at the end he should be publishing a book. Finn moved his stuff from Santana and Brittany's house. There was a nice size basement and Finn set up his skins down there. The one thing that had pleased everyone was the master suite with the huge custom made bed. He was in the study, checking to see what he would need to have them send him from the university. Rachel poked her head in the study and smiled at him.

"Noah? Can you come into the living room for a minute?"

"Sure, shorty. Give me just a minute and I'll be right there." She nodded and left.

Puck went to the living room and sat next to Finn on the couch. Finn gave him a look. Oh great. Rachel had decided they needed to have a meeting. Fabulous.

"When we were in high school we all lived in different houses and you each got one official day that was yours and yours alone. We all live together now, and I think we might want to cover some things," Rachel spoke in a rush.

"You want us to have our own days again?" Puck thought about that. It might be a good idea. It would ensure that each of them got one on one time with Rachel, which was probably a very good idea. He knew that sometimes he struggled with jealousy and he knew Finn did too. For the most part, Finn and Puck weren't jealous of each other per se, it was more that every now and then they wanted one on one time. Rachel bit her lip.

"I…I guess so? I think it's good for you each to have some time that's yours alone. I know that Puck needs to make a work schedule for his research. I have a filming schedule, and you guys need to know that some days will be insane. I will basically be working 12-16 hours a day on some days and all I'm going to want to do is sleep. Finn's got a rehearsal schedule for his band, and then on the nights they have gigs he won't be done till around three a.m." Finn looked up at that point.

"That's true, but if we have an out of town gig, I won't be home at all. We usually just crash at a hotel or in the van or something." Rachel's face fell a little.

"Do you do out of town gigs a lot," she asked with concern.

"Not too often. We usually are able to get plenty of work here in L.A. because we're a pretty good band." Finn wasn't bragging or being arrogant. He was just fairly blunt and honest. He supposed it came from hanging out with Santana and Brittany so much for the last eight years.

"Well…I would like to have all of us sleep in the same bed, if that's okay with the both of you. I thought about having your day include sleeping arrangements, but then I felt bad for whoever had to sleep alone. I mean, if you guys would prefer it that way I understand, but in the past we always tried to make it as fair as possible." Rachel clasped her hands in her lap and stared at Puck and Finn. They looked at each other and shrugged.

"That sounds fine."

"I really want to keep a kosher home. I know that this mostly affects you Finn. Are you willing to live like that? You aren't Jewish, so it may seem a little weird to you, but this is very important to me." Finn was watching Rachel's face. She looked very serious and earnest. Puck gave him a look and Finn knew that it was important to the both of them. Despite his brief flirtation with religion in high school, Finn had been fairly indifferent for most of his life. They celebrated Christmas and Easter, but the Hudsons had never really gone to church.

"Yeah, Rach. I love you. I'm not leaving. If that means no bacon double cheeseburgers then that's what it means." Rachel gave him a brief smile.

"It's slightly more involved than that. The Shabbat rituals start in the home on Friday night at sundown."

"I work on Friday nights, Rachel. I can leave a little before sundown if you want." Rachel's face fell a little again.

"Well, I was hoping that you would take the Friday evening meal with us, and then go to work, but if you'd rather not I understand." Finn thought for a minute. All of the things that Rachel was trying to talk to them about were things they'd never had to cover in high school. Everything she was talking about had a focus on the long term. She really wanted this to work out, and if it did that meant that Finn should start getting used to all of this. Rachel was trying to make them a family. Finn smiled his half-smile. He looked at Rachel.

"So I can have dinner with you even if I'm not Jewish?" She frowned at him.

"Of course you can."

"Then I'll eat with you before I go on Fridays." The smile Rachel gave him was radiant and he knew had the right of it. By this time, Finn was used to belonging to families that didn't look like other people's families. He knew that didn't really matter. What mattered was the love in a home. His mom had said that and he knew she was right.

"Was that everything, Rachel," Puck asked.

"Yes, I think so. We'll have to figure out the schedule somehow. Finn won't want a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. So I'll have to go over my schedule and figure out something."

*glee* *glee* *glee*

The filming started and Rachel became extremely busy. Puck and Finn worried about the hours she was working and they insisted that she keep her weekly appointments with Santana. It was the one thing they refused to budge on, but Rachel admitted to herself that she should have expected that. If Finn and Puck thought that Rachel was in any kind of danger they became completely irrational. In those private moments when she was willing to be blunt with herself she supposed it was a fair trade. Rachel knew that she was a little diva queen who ruled over her boys with an iron fist. She didn't care for words like 'whipped' because it implied incredibly unflattering things about both herself and her boys. Instead she supposed that they had come to an unspoken compromise. They were willing to concede almost everything except for one or two points they considered non-negotiable. Her health and her safety.

Friday became the one day of the week when they knew they'd all see each other. At first, Finn was a little nervous and slightly scared of the Shabbat rituals, but when Rachel and Puck sang in Hebrew, he thought it was beautiful. They said all the blessings in Hebrew so he wasn't sure what they were saying exactly. Puck paused at one point and stared at Rachel. He blushed furiously, which Finn had never seen him do. He sang this particular blessing slowly and he stared at Rachel the entire time. By the time he had finished, he had a strange expression that Finn couldn't quite name. Rachel for her part lowered her eyes and refused to look at Puck. Finn could see that her cheeks had turned slightly pink.

Finn waited a couple of days and then approached Puck.

"So why did you get embarrassed during dinner on Friday?" Puck looked at Finn for a moment.

"That prayer or blessing or thanksgiving is usually given by the head of the house or family to his wife. Here, it starts at Proverbs 31:10." Puck tossed him a bible that Blaine's father had kept in his study. Finn read it and then looked at Puck who was blushing again. It was all about how important and special a wife was to her husband. It talked about her role in the household and the family. It specifically mentioned her children. Oh. No wonder he blushed. It wasn't anything they had sat down to discuss. In the past, Puck and Finn always felt like they were waiting for the other shoe to drop and everything would end. This was…family and children. Puck had a hard time dealing with strong emotions. Finn decided not to push any further. Puck would either get sarcastic and bitchy, or punch him.

The one and only time Finn missed the Friday night Shabbat meal was not his fault. There had been an accident on the freeway that backed up traffic for hours. Finn was actually stuck behind the accident. He knew he wasn't making it home in time so he called and left a message on Rachel's phone.

"Rach, I'm not going to be able to make it home for dinner. I'll see you when I get home from work. Love you."

He got home and fell into bed sometime around 3:30 in the morning. He knew something was wrong the next day. It wasn't that Rachel wasn't speaking to him because she did, but only when he directly asked her a question. She wouldn't look at him either. Puck came home from the synagogue later in the day. By that time, Finn was going crazy and he grabbed Puck the minute he walked in the door and dragged him to his study.

"What the hell did I do?" Puck just stared at him for minute.

"Nothing." Finn was going to start punching walls.

"Then why won't she look at me?" Finn growled. Puck sighed.

"You didn't do anything wrong. You just weren't there for the Shabbat meal. She's disappointed, dude. Friday nights have become really special to her. It's the only time we're all together."

"So what do I do?" Puck shrugged.

"Don't miss dinner?"

Finn was really proud of the fact that he did not punch Puck in the face for that one. He thought about it, but he knew it would upset Rachel. He went to the basement and played on his drums until it was time to go to work. He left by the basement entrance so that he wouldn't have to see the sad, disappointed expression on Rachel's face. This was worse than pissing her off. There wasn't anything he could do to fix it because he hadn't done anything wrong exactly. It bothered him that Rachel was disappointed in him.

When he got home at around 3:30 in the morning he got undressed and slid into bed. Puck's deep, even breathing signaled that he was deeply asleep. Rachel cuddled up against his back. She wrapped an arm around him and stroked his chest. He turned and faced her in the dark. She pulled his face to hers and pressed her lips against his. She pressed kisses all over his face. Then she cuddled against his chest. Finn stroked his hands down her back gently.

"Why wouldn't you talk to me," he asked quietly. She pressed a kiss to his chest, right where his heart was.

"Keeping the peace of Shabbat is important. You're not supposed to talk about unpleasant things." She shrugged in the circle of his arms. "Why didn't you come home?"

"There was a bad accident on the freeway. It backed up traffic for hours and I was stuck in it."

"Oh."

Rachel's hands started to wander over his chest, lightly tracing the muscles. She ran a finger slowly down his belly and Finn sucked in his breath a little. He leaned down and kissed her. He nibbled lightly, tentatively at her lips. She pressed eagerly against him and her little hands slid around his neck, pulling him closer. His tongue teased and taunted her while his hands continued to caress her back. One of her tiny hands wandered back down his belly and wrapped around him. He groaned into her mouth and she took his lower lip, nipped it lightly and sucked it gently. He rolled Rachel onto her back and settled between her thighs.

"So are you forgiving me, then?" He murmured against her neck. Her hands slid up his chest until they came to rest on his shoulders.

"There's truly nothing to forgive Finn. You did nothing wrong. Friday has just come to mean more to me than it ever has before. There are days I don't see you at all. I don't see Noah for days at a time unless I interrupt his work, and I hate doing that. His work and your work are just as important to you as mine is to me. On Friday, we all make time to be together. I look forward to it all week," she finished quietly.

Finn gathered her close and held her for several moments. He pressed gentle kisses along her brow, down her neck. He kissed her lips. She kissed him back, her tongue invading his mouth and teasing him. She wriggled against him, pressing herself against him. He made slow, sweet, beautiful love to her. He took slow, long strokes inside her and he pressed kisses against her jaw. She matched him stroke for stroke, her hips meeting his. Normally, Rachel was vocally expressive with her pleasure. This seemed different because they were both serious and quiet. Every touch, every kiss was imbued with the depth of what they felt for one another. He realized that she was trying to breathe with him so he tried to match her breathing. Being inside of Rachel always felt incredible, but this felt like incredibly intimate and special. He could feel her moving toward the end, but he was going with her. It was like they were circling closer and closer and closer until they were almost one person. He wasn't sure where Rachel ended and Finn began. Everything narrowed until it was one small point and then everything expanded and they were two separate people again. He held her in his arms and kissed her.

"I love you, Rach." He was sorry, even though he didn't have anything to apologize for.

"I know you do." She accepted his apology. "I love you too, Finn," she whispered against his shoulder. She snuggled up against him and drifted off to sleep.

*glee* *glee* *glee*

Most of the people Rachel was working with had been in the play, so they were people that she knew from New York. They all got along fairly well, and they all knew their parts forwards and backwards. They'd played them for the entire run of the play after all. It made it a lot easier on the film crew, and it made shooting slightly easier than it might be for a different type of film. When the cast suggested going out together as a group, Rachel agreed to come along. It was fairly standard practice and helped build camaraderie among everyone. Everyone knew that Rachel would not go out on Friday nights, so Brandon suggested Saturday night. Someone else named a club and Rachel wrote down the name. She knew that Finn had to work that night, but maybe Puck would come along. Then Rachel snorted to herself. Once Puck realized she was going out he would definitely come along. Especially if she wore some of her edgier clubbing clothes. Hmm.

"Noah, honey, are you busy?" Noah looked up from his research. He had his reading glasses on, which Rachel thought made him look absolutely adorable.

"I'm in the middle of something at the moment, baby girl, but what do you need?" Rachel bit her lip. She didn't want to take him away from his work.

"The cast members want to get together tonight. It sort of helps build an esprit de corps. Do you think you could come along?"

"I'm not sure. If I can get a lot of this done, then, yeah." Puck sighed as he looked at the pile of letters he still needed to read through, catalogue and take notes on.

"Okay. I'll check with you before I go." Puck nodded absently as she left the study.

Rachel went upstairs to their room and started digging in the closet. A ha! She knew she'd packed those sex on a plate boots. They were so hot, she knew they would come in handy. She threw those on the bed and started looking in her closet for the right kind of outfit for tonight. She found some black pleather pants that were skintight and a beautiful plum colored silk top that she knew would work perfectly. It had silk strings that tied behind her neck and then had a deep scoop neck. The silk fabric clung to her breasts. It had two more silk strings that tied across her back. It was basically as though she were going out with a large silk kerchief tied to her front. Her back was completely bare except for those little strings. The silk top actually complemented the pleather pants and her sexy stiletto boots. If Puck let her leave the house alone in this outfit, he was either dead or unconscious. She started humming to herself as she went into the bathroom to get ready.

It was after 10 p.m. and Rachel was ready to go. She had done her hair and make up in what she liked to think of as party/club style. It was mostly dark and smoky make up. Sexy, messy hair. She grabbed her bag and bounced downstairs.

"Noah, honey, do you think you'll be able to come along?" Rachel poked her head into the study to see Noah concentrating on what was in front of him.

"I don't think so, shorty. I just can't leave it right here, I'm at a really awkward spot. You're going out with friends, though?" Puck didn't even look up from the papers in front of him. Rachel thought for a moment.

"Yes, I know most of them from New York and there are a couple I do consider friends. They'll keep an eye me."

"Okay. You have fun. Love you." Puck was frowning at the paper in front of him. This can't be right. He sighed and started digging through the pile he'd already catalogued.

"I love you, too. Bye."

Rachel drove herself to the club her friends had named. They met her outside and they all went in together. Rachel ended up having a good time. She had needed this chance to unwind with her fellow cast mates. They ended up club hopping, but they carpooled, which Rachel felt pretty safe doing with her friend Chloë. Rachel had had maybe one or two drinks too many by the time they showed up at a smaller club called Iridescenz. Rachel was on the floor dancing with Eric, a fellow cast member when she felt a familiar presence. She turned around and looked up to see Finn standing there.

"Hi, baby! Is this where you're playing tonight?" She smiled up at him and slid her arms up around his neck. He frowned at her.

"It's on the calendar at home, Rachel."

"I'm not exactly sure where I am, at the moment, Finn, so you'll have to forgive me." Finn's eybrow arched up his forehead. Rachel was drunk.

"Where is Puck?"

"Research. Lots and lots of research." Rachel nodded for emphasis.

"Did he see you in that?" Finn gestured to her outfit.

"He didn't look up from his research. I told him I was going out. I came to tell him it was time to go and he said he couldn't come." Finn frowned darkly.

"Are you here alone?" He asked quietly. He was not going to yell at her right now. He was not.

"Oh heavens, no! I'm here with Eric!" She said this brightly and looped her arm through Eric's. Finn's expression was almost indescribable. Eric nodded at her.

"Don't forget Chloë," he added.

"Oh, yes. And Chloë."

"Right," Finn said. He whipped out his phone and took a picture of Rachel with Eric. Then he took another of the back of Rachel and Eric and texted them both to Puck. Then he called Puck.

"So is that your idea of Rachel having a safe night out," Finn bit out through clenched teeth.

"What? She's not wearing that right now is she?"

"Yeah, she is. And boots Puck." Finn knew that Puck had a thing for boots. He figured that was probably why Rachel had worn them in the first place.

"I'll be right there. You're at Iridescenz, tonight, right?"

"Yup. I have to go back now. I'll just leave her with Eric." Then Finn hung up.

Puck knew Finn was pissed off at him. He grabbed his keys and ID and grabbed his car. He knew where Finn's gig was tonight so he found it with no difficulties. He found Rachel dancing with this Eric guy. She was wearing boots. He felt his jeans get tight. Those were fuck me boots. She'd probably put them on with the idea of teasing him all night, but he hadn't looked up from his work long enough to see that she'd dressed up for him. When she saw him she bounced up to him and hugged him.

"Finn sent you pics of my boots, didn't he?" She asked with a wicked grin.

"No, he just sent me a pic of you in that top and told me you had on boots too." Rachel sidled up to him and peeked up at him through her lashes.

"You know what?" She asked as she trailed her fingers up his arms.

"What?"

"I'm glad Finn sent you the pics because it made you come down here." She gave him her 'take me' smile and Puck suddenly found it hard to focus properly on anything other than her in those boots. He pulled her against him and held her there in the circle of his large muscled arms. Suddenly, there was a pretty woman with black hair and gray eyes standing next to them and looking at him suspiciously. She touched Rachel's arm. Rachel turned and smiled at the woman.

"Chloë! Are you having fun?" Chloë nodded and looked at Puck again.

"Are you okay, Rachel?" Her gray eyes were serious and she had a slight frown. Rachel frowned back at her for a second and then started laughing.

"Oh, Chloë! Yes. I am fabulous. This is Noah. Baby, this is my very good friend and bodyguard, Chloë Leslac." Chloë continued to frown.

"So you know this guy? You didn't meet him tonight, did you?" Her tone was concerned and Rachel smiled in genuine amusement.

"Hardly," Noah muttered.

"No, Chloë. This is Noah." Chloë's eyes widened. She stared at Puck for a second. He had the feeling that he was being weighed and judged somehow.

"I suppose that's okay then. Where did Eric go?" Rachel pointed to Eric who was now dancing by himself in a corner. Chloë sighed and went after him.

"I think I like her, Rachel." Puck said thoughtfully.

"You would. She guards me like pitbull." Puck frowned at Rachel.

"She's not like that Naomi who wouldn't leave you alone, is she?" Rachel laughed and shook her head at him.

"No. Chloë's just very protective of people she considers friends. She's a little aggressive, but she means well."

"Can she back it up? Because, shorty, it's dangerous to try and get involved in something if you aren't prepared."

"Yes, Noah. Chloë's got a black belt in judo. She's been taking classes since she was five."

"Well, okay then." Puck decided he definitely liked this Chloë girl. He was talking to Chloë and Eric about judo, and fighting in general when Chloë got still and started frowning. Puck immediately looked to see what was bothering her because he assumed it would have something to do with Rachel. He tried hiding a smile, but it didn't work. Chloë frowned at him.

"What? Don't you care if some creepy pervo is drooling all over Rachel?"

"Yeah, I do, but not that particular pervo. That's Finn. He's allowed to drool." Especially when she's wearing those boots. God help me, those boots. Chloë hmphed at him.

"Rachel and I have been friends for a while now. Probably four or five years. It took her two years to trust me enough to really talk about you two boys. And to be honest, I think that all the vodka we drank that night helped the whole process along. So let me tell you something, Noah Puckerman. You guys, whatever you have, it's different and it's weird, but it works for the three of you. For her sake, try not to fuck it up." Chloë had crossed her arms across her chest while she spoke. Puck grinned at her.

"Yes, ma'am." Chloë hmphed at him again and walked over to Rachel and Finn.

"Rachel?" Rachel turned to look at Chloë. She'd been cuddling in a corner with Finn while he was on his break. He was nuzzling her neck and making little nips near her pulse point. She nudged him and he looked up, his eyes slightly glazed over with lust. The was a black haired woman, a little taller than Rachel, but she had a fighter's stance and a certain look in her eye.

"Yes, Chloë, I know this man and no, I did not just meet him here, tonight." Finn stared at Rachel for a second and then looked at the black haired woman standing next to Rachel.

"You're Chloë? Eric mentioned you." He didn't realize that she would have such a menacing presence. That actually made him feel better. He'd seen some scary shit and heard even worse working in bars and nightclubs for the last eight years. A person could never be too careful, in his opinion.

"I am, and you are Finn." She scrutinized him so thoroughly that Finn started to feel uncomfortable. He frowned back at her and she nodded to herself.

"Rachel, I'm going to take Eric home. I'll call you later." She kissed Rachel on the cheek and left. Rachel grinned at Finn.

"You just got the Chloë stamp of approval. Well, you and Puck both did, I guess."

"I did?" Finn must have missed something. He had been pretty sure he'd paid attention, but he was confused now.

"She's super protective of me, and she never ever leaves me alone when we go out clubbing. She was friends with me when I was dating…um…never mind. Anyway, she would never leave me alone because she thought my boyfriend was a waste of space. She's leaving. It means she trusts you and Puck."

Puck wandered over to them.

"Baby, your friends are leaving. I hate to be a drag, but I really do need to go home. Kiss Finn goodbye, and let's go." Rachel gave Finn a toe-curling, soul-searing kiss.

"See you at home, Finn," She breathed in his ear. Puck clapped Finn on the shoulder and dragged Rachel out to the car.

When they got home, Puck tossed Rachel over his shoulder and carried her into the house. She was laughing so hard she ended up with the hiccups. Puck sat on the couch and sighed. She looked at him expectantly, but the effect was completely ruined when she hiccupped.

"You look so hot right now, Rachel. I want to tear your clothes off and make love to you until you can't see straight." Rachel hiccupped again.

"Okay." That sounded nice to her. She hiccupped again. Damn it. She went into the kitchen and got a glass of water. She chugged the whole glass. She stood there for a minute or two and then she smiled. She hiccupped again. Crap. Puck was watching her from the doorway. The look on her face was so cute he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.

"Come here, baby girl." She went to him and snuggled against his chest. He hugged her and then he kissed her. This was one of those intense, deep kisses that seemed to last forever. He pulled back and stared at her intently for several moments. She stared back. They smiled at each other. Puck kissed her again. He tangled his hands in her hair and cradled her head. He pressed kissed to her nose, eyelids, chin, lips. He gave her another deep kiss.

Puck was able to convince Rachel to take everything off, but put the boots back on. She laughed at him, but she did it. I wonder if I could get her to do that on a regular basis. Puck held her up and took her against the wall with her legs wrapped around him. He could feel those boots against his back with each thrust inside her. Rachel moaned into his shoulder. He heard his own moans join hers. Rachel always felt like heaven, but Rachel and boots were almost too much. He was grateful when her nails dug into his shoulder and she screamed in his ear because he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. He let himself go and shuddered against her. They slid down the wall together. She grinned up at him from the floor.

"My hiccups are gone." Puck laughed.

"Anything for you, shorty."