"After everything that happened I thought regaining Finn's trust would have been the hardest thing I had to do in my life. Boy was I wrong, trying to get Jackson to accept me was even harder…."

November 2022

Rachel took a deep breath and swallowed the bile down in her throat. In the months since she and Finn had reconnected they had fallen back into an easy friendship. It was like it had been in the early days of Glee before all the drama; before babies, heartbreak, distrust, broken dreams and shattered promises. Rachel knew that Finn was still sensitive about her revelations to him about the miscarriage and her vanishing act there after but he seemed to be processing that and working on it. There would be times when he would made sideways comments to her, touching on how hurt he was that she had lied to him, but those had become less. She had asked him a few times if he wanted to talk about it but he said he was okay. That is was something he had to deal with himself. And she gave him the space he needed to deal because this was a new wound for him, while it already had time to heal for her. They would meet up for lunches or early dinners in between their work and school schedules and discuss their lives. Rachel and Finn had deep conversations about their feelings and emotions. They discussed the proposal and why Rachel really felt that excepting it would be unfair to Finn. Finn was completely upfront with her about his feelings, how heartbroken he had been when she rejected his proposal and how he blamed himself. It was hard to get together more than a few times a week because of Finn working in Columbus but they still managed.

Both knew that if they were going to truly find a place of peace in one another they would really have to work at this relationship. Both were grateful for their newly refound friendship, which made life a little easier for everyone. While they were spending the last couple of months reconnecting Rachel had not seen to much of Jackson. Finn had explained that he wanted to make sure this was worth fixing and something they were able to do before he really brought her into his life. Well Finn must have found her worthy because he had arranged for a dinner at his house, with Jackson, which was what was currently putting Rachel in this state. It wasn't that she didn't like children, she loved them and hoped to have her own big family some day. But she was not good with kids. She didn't have a lot of experience with children, aside from her cousins twins who seemed to scream every time Rachel came near them. Even once they were well out of the temper tantrum age they still would run and hide from Rachel. She didn't know why but that had kind of quelled her sense of comfort around children. And this was so very important tonight. She wanted Finn's son to feel comfortable around her, to like her. She had no idea where their relationship was going, if they would ever be romantically evolved again? Rachel planned on sticking around for the long haul though, if all Finn wanted was a good friend, then she would be the best damn friend he ever had…..again.

Rachel swallowed again and knocked on the door. Inside she heard a pair of little feet running towards her, the pounding on the floor getting louder. She had already met Jackson the one time so she knew what to expect. She braced herself for little boy on the other side of the door and she heard Finn unclick the lock. Rachel smiled as he let her into his small cottage style home and Jackson looked up at her puzzled. Apparently he had been expecting someone else and Finn laughed at his reaction.

"Who were you expecting buddy?" Finn asked.

The little boy shrugged and Finn looked at him oddly, his son was so strange sometimes.

"I thought she was taller" the little boy regarded her as if her height was a deal breaker.

Rachel remembered that she had 4 inch heels on the night she had dinner with Finn. She had gotten into the habit of wearing heels all the time but tonight she had opted for jeans, flats and a tee for their at home dinner. Finn was laughing at the comment and Rachel stuck her tongue out at him, would anyone ever get tired of short jokes.

"She had high shoes on that night Buddy" Finn said leading them to the living room.

Jackson turned to Rachel as she entered the room behind him and stared at her with a look that sent chills up her spine. For such a small child his face was so expressive, so much like his father's was. She had always been able to read Finn, even when he tried to be unreadable.

"My daddy is tall" he stated clearly as if that were supposed to resolve some issue he was dealing with.

"I know he is" Rachel smiled at the little boy "Very tall".

"Your not!"

"Nope I'm not, I'm short, always have been" she laughed.

Apparently Jackson didn't find it funny and he just walked away from her. Rachel felt a flush touch her cheeks, this wasn't going well, her height has worked to her disadvantage again. Rachel was feeling flustered and she started to play with the hem on her skirt, a nervous habit.

"Relax Rachel" Finn said advancing across the room towards her.

"I don't think he likes me" Rachel hissed.

"Give him time Rachel. The only woman in his life that has ever made an impact is my Mom"

Rachel looked up at Finn with nervous eyes and a smile that touched nothing more than her lips. Finn pulled Rachel into a tight embrace that lasted a bit longer than a platonic hug should but Rachel could have stood here hugging him forever. Finally he pulled away from her and nodded to the kitchen

"Come on, we don't want the vegan meatloaf to get cold" Finn said with a bit of a smirk, only she could make the idea of a vegan meatloaf sound appealing.

The night proceeded much the same as it started, Jackson was not warming up to Rachel and Finn had to keep speaking to him. Finn knew that his spunky little son could be a handful and he could see Rachel getting more and more uncomfortable in his presence. He kept shooting Rachel knowing glances and whispered words of encouragement but they didn't help her feel much better. She put on her brave front, smiling at the small child even when he threw his roll at her head during dinner when she had asked Finn to pass the rolls to her. Rachel could see Finn trying to hold in his laughter as he scolded his son once again. They were just finishing up with dinner when Jackson knocked his milk all over Rachel. Rachel gasped in shock, sliding her chair back a bit.

"Mooo" Jackson laughed as the cold milk soaked into her jeans.

Finn slammed his cup down on the table and turned to Jackson

"Enough Jack, this is not how we act in this house."

"She eats like a bunny" Jack responded.

"Jackson, you do not throw your milk on people, under any circumstances. Rachel is Daddy's friend and you need to be nice to her like I'm nice to your friends. Now apologize to Rachel and go to your room"

"This meatloaf sucks" Jackson said pushing it around his plate with his fork.

"Jackson!"

Jackson stared at Rachel as she met his glare, her hands subconsciously dabbing at her soaked jeans with a napkin. The child said nothing but just continued to stare at her for a moment longer

"He's my daddy, you know" he finally said in what Finn was sure was the brattiest voice he had ever heard.

"I know" Rachel began before Finn cut her off.

"That means he likes me better than you"

"Jackson Christopher Hudson. Apologize to Rachel right now"

Jackson spun around and defiantly stuck his tongue out at Finn.

"Jackson, I'm not playing this game with you" Finn was standing now and Rachel was flushed with embarrassment, this was not going well at all.

"You're my daddy, mine"

"I know that Jackson" Finn said kneeling down to his level "I will always be your Daddy but don't you want me to have friends too?"

"She's a girl" Jackson stated

"Yeah she is, but boys and girls can be friends"

"That's stupid. Girls are stupid, girls have cooties"

"Jack, we don't say stupid in this house and you know that. And girls are not stupid, they make great friends sometimes. Look I will talk to you about this tomorrow if you want but now it's time for bed for you"

Jackson spun around to look at Rachel and sighed "Sorry" before running from the room. Finn handing Rachel a dish towel and gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'll be right back" he said following his son from the kitchen and up the stairs.

Rachel walked into the living room. She could feel tears trying to fight their way from her eyes. She looked at the pictures on the mantle over the fireplace feeling like an unwelcome stranger in their home. Even from birth, Rachel could see Finn in Jackson. On the far side of the mantle, she picked up a picture of a newly born Jackson, Finn smiling hugely beside the bed, a beautiful brunette holding the baby in her arms, equal amounts of joy and exhaustion on her face. Rachel couldn't help but wonder what would make a woman suddenly turn away from her child like Gretchen had, this was all Rachel could have ever dreamed for. She ran a finger over the thin layer of dust on the picture, first brushing it from Jackson's face and then Finns. She looked at the brunette again and pictured herself in her place. She was staring at the picture so deeply she hadn't heard Finn return to the room.

"Rach" he said softly putting a hand on her shoulder.

That was when the tears finally won their battle, they streamed down her face as she spun around to face him

"He hates me"

"Rachel, he's 5, I don't think he's even capable of hatred. He's scared, he thinks you're a threat to him. I've never brought another woman into this house before, not one he didn't already know, not one that I had feelings for like I have for you." Finn explained to her as he led her to the couch.

"I want him to like me Finn, but children, well I'm no good with kids" he admitted turning to him from her seat on the couch.

"That's BS Rach, you just haven't had the chance to be great yet. You will be and Jackson will like you, just give him time"

Rachel nodded and Finn wiped a tear from her cheek with his thumb. Deep inside her she felt a swell of emotions. She had to hold herself back from planting her lips firmly on his, she couldn't risk that, she couldn't mess up this friendship.

"Okay" she whispered "I'll give him time"

"Come to the zoo with us tomorrow"

"Oh I don't want to impose"

"Come on Rach, I could use the extra set of eyes"

"Okay…. Yeah I'll come" she smiled at him.

Finn smiled at her "Sorry about the milk."

"Maybe you can rub some meatloaf in my hair and make a dinner buffet out of me" she laughed lightly.

"Sounds like desert to me" Finn smiled at her clicking on the TV.

When Rachel looked up at Kurt his mouth was hanging open, his eyes sparkling with intrigue.

"Did you? That night? Was that the night?"

Rachel laughed at his expression "No, it was strictly platonic for a while for us. Finn was nothing but a gentleman, sexual innuendo's aside"

"So how long did it take you to win Jackson's trust?"

"The Blizzard, in March" a voice said from the doorway and their heads turned to see Jackson standing in the doorway. "That was the first time I ever felt like a I had a Mom!"