Author's Note: Keep the reviews coming! I love to know what you guys think – a special shout out to my faithful reviewers (and great friends) Queen and Ash (who even though being a PR diehard fan – as me – still reads and reviews every chapter of this). And to Ellie too – I'm beta for her story 'Underground' and she's put upon herself the moral duty to peer-pressure me into updating this LOL (check out her profile for other awesome stories). Thank you guys for the support!
54 days for the SuperBowl episode!
Disclaimer: Not mine. Just having fun. If I owned Glee, the rumor of a St. Sunshine shipper would never surface.
Summary: At 17, Jesse St. James has his life all planned out. But then Rachel calls. And he's forced to concoct a new plan: one that includes Rachel… and his child.
Fatherhood
Nine
With her glee team mates, glee coach and mother aware of her own impeding motherhood, it leaves only their two sets of parents to learn of the Berry-St. James baby on the way. Rachel is nervous with the prospect of telling daddy and papa about her pregnancy (she makes a secret out of the insane fear of ending up with the same fate Quinn did). Jesse couldn't care less about updating Claire and Jonathan St. James about the state of his personal affairs, but Rachel is vehement: if they're telling her daddies, they're telling his parents too.
Wednesday morning, he gives her a long, loving kiss and makes the journey back to Akron. Hiram and Leroy Berry are scheduled to arrive home from their trip at half past noon, and Rachel wants a moment alone with her fathers before dropping the bomb on them. They agree he is to come back at three in the afternoon, so that they can tell the news together to the grandfathers-to-be.
(They're together every step of the way – that includes disclosing the news to her fathers, and the joint conference call to his mother – who is in Paris – and his father – who is taking care of business in Tokyo).
His uncle Samuel is sitting on the couch, sipping on his faithful sidekick, the beer can, legs leisurely stretched in front of him, feet propped up on the center table. "Sam", he greets with a small smile, sitting on the armchair across from Samuel and mimicking his position. A teasing smile curves Samuel's lips and his eyebrows lift in mocking surprise.
"And he found his way back home!" The older man cries dramatically, the expression in his face setting Jesse's laughter off. "I haven't seen you since… Uh, before your little regionals competition", he takes another gulp from the can and leans back on the couch. "Your girlfriend sang the hell out of everyone else. Had more fun watching her", he says honestly, and Jesse grins proudly.
"I know, Shelby went all the way on the drama department this year", he chuckles, and then sighs. "Sam, uh… Rachel's having a baby", he says quietly. Sam, who is halfway through a chug of beer, chokes on the liquid, spitting it all over his sandaled feet. His eyes are wide in shock.
"She fucking cheated on you?" He bellows, because he remembers Rachel Berry: a petite girl, with a big talent, even bigger heart and eyes that stare at his nephew like the sun shines out of his ass.
Jesse's reaction is immediate. "NO! No, it's my baby, Rachel's having my kid, Sam", he hurries to explain, and Sam is stunned.
"Damn, kid. Never heard of contraception?" He asks, shaking his head in disbelief. "Parental units know already?" Sam asks after a moment, face somber, voice serious.
Jesse shakes his head negatively. "That's why I'm here. I need the phone for mother's hotel in Paris, and father's apartment in Tokyo. We're telling Rachel's parents later today and she wants to tell mother and father too".
A fluid, soft feminine voice interrupts the uncle-nephew conversation. "What do you want to share with us, Jesse, my darling?" It comes from the plump pink lips of a woman in her early forties, with gently-curled dark hair – Jesse's hair – and flawless pale complexion. With wide eyes, Jesse rises from his seat.
"Mother?" He asks in disbelief, turning panicky eyes to his uncle. Claire St. James peeps at her brother, frowning slightly as she catches sight of the can in his hand, but then turns her eyes back at her only son. "What- what are you doing here?" Jesse stammers, trying in vain to contain the concern that blooms in his chest.
A new voice, a throaty male one, joins. "I hadn't realized we needed a reason to come visit our only child". It comes from a man who looks strikingly like an older version of Jesse – tall, lean and elegant, with grey-blue eyes and a generous mouth. Jesse is even more shocked, because having Claire and Jonathan St. James at the same time in the same city is not a normal occurrence. Jonathan smiles slightly at Jesse, putting a hand on his wife's shoulder. "I believe congratulations are in order?" He asks more than states, and Jesse looks confused for a moment.
"On your win at Regionals, honey", Claire supplies with a smile, and Jesse visibly relaxes. "I know it's a surprise that we're here, but we decided it was time to come home, since you won't be returning here after the summer".
"Uh…" Jesse ponders for a moment, but the ringing of his phone – 'Hello' – prevents him from having to tell his big news to his parents by himself. "I need to take this, excuse me for a second". He quickly steps away from where his parents stand, and presses the call button on his phone. "Rach? Everything alright?" He asks worriedly.
"Yeah, I guess… Jess, can you please just come? I want to get this over with". Her voice is cracking, borderline hysterical (she hates lying to her fathers, he knows).
"Okay, baby, I'm on my way", he glances quickly back at his parents, who are unabashedly trying to hear in his conversation, his mother's eyes alight with curiosity, then turns his back on them again. "Uh… I told Sam. And…" He runs his fingers through his tousled hair. "My parents are home. They're coming with me". He says, and his face contorts in a grimace at her sharp intake of breath. "We'll be there in five. Okay? Relax, everything is going to be great. I love you, baby".
"Love you too, Jess, see you in five". They disconnect the call and he turns to face his openly surprised parents (Claire is grinning like a little girl on Christmas morning).
"You're coming with me. I want to introduce you to someone", he demands, harsher than he intended to be. Sam raises his now empty beer can in a toast – or goodbye, depending on how the whole Rachel-meeting-the-parents, baby-announcement turns out to be.
The ride to the Berry residence is made in silence, Claire and Jonathan trying to engage their visibly tense son in small talk, but Jesse only replies with monosyllables, noncommittal grunts and silent shrugs. Claire frowns as she recognizes the surroundings and looks even more curiously at her son. But before she can vocalize her question, he parks in front of a house she hasn't set foot in years. The door is flung open and a petite brunette girl all but rushes out of the house, and before Claire or Jonathan can blink, Jesse is outside the car, taking the girl in his arms and pressing soft kisses to her straight black hair.
Claire feels herself tearing up in joy. Jonathan smirks in pride.
Their baby boy is in love. It screams to them – Jesse, who until then was straight as a pole driving the Range Rover, is visibly calmer, more relaxed, clutching (and being clutched by) the girl like his life depends on him. They're having a hushed conversation, lips moving but so quietly that Claire and Jonathan can't hear.
Jonathan and Claire leave the car and he turns to his wife, lifting an eyebrow in recognition. "Isn't this…?"
She nods, eyes glued to the short brunette. "Yes", she replies, but the conversation dies as two men step out of the house, and Claire and the shorter, white man, gasp in surprise in recognition.
"Claire!"
"Hiram!"
It turns out that Claire St. James and Hiram Berry? College best friends who lost touch with each other after Claire began to travel the world with Jonathan and then-baby Jesse. Rachel and Jesse are, themselves, shocked – but a quick, quiet conversation in the porch while Hiram and Leroy usher Claire and Jonathan into the house make them both realize that this can work for their advantage.
"Jesse, why didn't you tell me you're seeing Hiram's daughter?" Claire reprimands her son with an affectionate smile. Hiram chuckles while Leroy and Jonathan discuss business, and Rachel and Jesse exchange a tense smile. She leans against his shoulder and whispers against his ear.
"Now?"
He nods tersely, and Rachel takes a deep breath. "Daddy… Papa… Mr. and Mrs. St. James-"
"You can call me Claire, honey", Claire interrupts, and Rachel smiles weakly at her. Jesse steps next to his girlfriend and wraps an arm around her waist, and she leans fully against him. Jonathan and Leroy frown, reading into their body language, and Claire and Hiram wait expectantly.
"Jesse and I want to tell you something", Rachel takes Jesse's hand in hers, and he squeezes it reassuringly, a comforting smile on his lips. She takes a deep breath again, and when she speaks, the words come out in a rush.
"We're having a baby. Due late February, early March".
In the silence that follows, Rachel and Jesse's soft breathing echoes like a rumble. Claire and Hiram are dumbfounded in their shock, Leroy looks astonished, and Jonathan's face is expressionless. The soundlessness makes Rachel antsy and Jesse feels her tensing up, so he begins to hum softly. She quietly hums along, and their natural charisma – the undeniable love between the young teenage couple – slowly brings the adults back to themselves.
"Are you sure?" Leroy, unsurprisingly, is the first to come to his senses, the businessman in him kicking into gear. "Or are you making this affirmation based on a home pregnancy test and calculations on a due date based on the time you last had intercourse?"
Rachel turns teary eyes to her papa. "We went to the clinic Saturday morning. Dr. Powell confirmed my pregnancy and gave me an estimative on my due date", she whispers. Claire and Hiram tear up, and they rush to their children, hugging them tightly. Rachel falls in her daddy's arms, but Jesse is at first stiff and tense in his mother's awkward hug. But, slowly, he relaxes and curls against her – but he never lets go of Rachel's hand, and she holds him equally tight.
Jonathan clears his throat nervously. "Jesse… Are you sure it's yours?"
Five pairs of eyes turn to look at him sharply, three of them narrowing in anger and protectiveness. "Yes, I am", Jesse replies coldly. "Rachel has never been with any man before me and we've been dating since April. The baby she has in her stomach is mine. She's part of my family now, father. Deal with it", he then turns back to his mother and she squeezes his arm in support. Jonathan shifts in discomfort and then sighs deeply.
"Fair enough… You do understand then that you're getting married as soon as possible". Rachel gasps and Jesse looks up in shock, both visibly taken by surprise by the suggestion. Jonathan nods once, firmly. "No St. James child has ever been born out of wedlock. My grandchild won't be the first. Rachel, you'll be a St. James as soon as we can get the marriage license in order".
"She can't get married", Leroy interjects once, using the same business-like tone Jonathan is using. "Rachel is fifteen. She turns sixteen in December 18th. Legally, she wasn't even supposed to be having sex. Jesse can be charged with statutory rape".
"Papa!" Rachel gasps in shock, a blush blooming in her cheeks.
"Stop this. Right now", Claire takes charge of the situation, almost glaring at her husband. "Rachel and Jesse aren't getting married-"
"-now", Jesse interrupts his mother, and everyone looks in shock at him. "Rachel and I aren't getting married now. We're in this for the long haul and we want to get married, sure, even though it never came up before, but – at least for me – there isn't anyone else I want to make a Mrs. St. James out of".
"There isn't anyone else I'd consider marrying either", she whispers softly, eyes bubbling with tears, and he flashes a smile at her before turning to face the adults again.
"We're committed to each other. And to our child. But getting married isn't on the cards right now. We're focusing on being good parents to our baby, and one day once we're done with school, we'll get married. But not because 'no St. James child has ever been born out of wedlock'", he openly mocks his father, whose stony expression betrays no hint of what Jonathan St. James is really thinking. But then he sighs and shrugs.
"I guess it's time to renovate the tradition anyway", he mumbles, and Claire and Hiram begin discussing nursery themes and names and whether if it's best to have a grandson or a granddaughter first. Leroy engages Jonathan back in conversation, and Jesse and Rachel fall back on their spots at the couch, Rachel's head coming naturally to rest in his shoulder, his body instinctively curling around hers. They begin to quietly talk amongst each other, and Claire and Hiram exchange a grin.
"I wonder if Anne knows her that ideal daughter-in-law-wannabe is already taken", the woman muses thoughtfully, and Hiram laughs.