So I made an error in my last post by telling you guys that I had two more chapters to type up, I in fact only had this one to type up but looking at the amount of paper I used for that chapter it looked like two chapters... oops... So here's chapter 10, a little longer than some of my others in this story but I hope you like it just the same.
Chapter 10
"Noah? Can you come here please?" Noah pressed pause on the remote and stood up slowly, he stretched after being sat for so long and his lower back clicked in relief, the two dogs beside him also stood and stretched before they followed their master. "Noah!" Rachel screamed and the dogs darted from the living room to the kitchen.
Noah was soon behind them. "What? What is it?" He asked wildly and then he saw his wife doubled over in pain, one hand holding onto the breakfast counter and the other holding her swollen belly, a light sheen of sweat across her forehead. "Is it time? Are you sure? How often?" He picked up the phone ready to call everyone.
"In the last half hour every three and a half minutes." Noah smiled as his wife was precise. "But they've been happening since lunch time." She winced as another contraction hit her. "I don't think I can make it to the hospital."
"Hang on babe, we'll make it."
"I can't." She cried. "It hurts too much, I have to have it here."
"You know that you have to go to the hospital baby, you heard what the doctor said." Noah pleaded as he dialled Finn's number. "Dude, it's time. I need to get Rach to the hospital, I want you to call everyone and meet us there." He hung up almost immediately and ran to the dining room where Rachel's hospital bag was waiting, he quickly threw it in the car before coming back into the house for Rachel.
Rachel had moved from the kitchen to the hallway, closely guarded by her loyal canines who were whimpering at their mistresses' pain. Noah gently scooped Rachel into his arms and carried her to the car, their neighbour promising to watch the dogs as they left.
"Don't worry Rachel, we'll get there, I promise." He remembered telling her those exact words when they were trying to conceive almost a year ago. He drove as quickly as he could given the traffic, luckily it was later in the evening and there weren't many cars on the road. He continued assuring Rachel the whole journey, keeping her calm while he tried to remain calm himself. It was ten minutes later that he pulled into the emergency room.
"We're here babe, we're here. Hold on just a little longer." He pleaded with her before jumping out the car and running round to the passenger door, an orderly ran out with a wheelchair.
"Noah and Rachel Puckerman?" He asked and Noah nodded. "Your friend Finn Hudson called ahead."
'Thank you Hudson.' Noah sighed happily and grabbed the bag as he ran alongside Rachel. He followed the orderly to the reception desk to pick up Rachel's patient file. "Contractions are minutes apart and have been happening since lunch, this is our first baby." He told the receptionist as she typed quickly.
"Take Mr and Mrs Puckerman to private suite 5." She told the orderly before turning to the young couple. "Someone will be with you when you get there." She promised.
A quick trip down the hall, up three floors in the elevator and further down the hall, Rachel was being settled into her bed in the private labour suite, Noah still assuring her.
"I swear if you tell me that it's going to be OK one more time Noah Elijah Puckerman I swear to Barbara Streisand I will rip your balls from your body with my bare hands and shove them up your ass." She hissed in pain before another contraction hit. "It hurts Noah." She whimpered. "Shit, why does it hurt so much?"
"It's all natural I'm afraid Mrs Puckerman." The nurse who met them in the room was attaching wires to Rachel's stomach and grinning at her colourful threat to her husband.
"Fuck-a-doodle-doo it hurts." Rachel cursed. "No more after this Noah, absolutely no more." She glared. "You are never touching me again."
"Is that normal too?" Noah asked worriedly.
"It is, don't worry Mr Puckerman, as soon as the pain killers kick in she'll be calmer." The doctor promised after he'd injected Rachel. He turned to the nurse. "Shall we see how far she's dilated?"
The nurse nodded and slipped on a pair of gloves before going down to measure Rachel. Noah watched awkwardly and curiously but he remained stood by Rachel with her hand in his as she endured another contraction.
"The contractions are close together but you're only four centimetres dilated." The nurse explained. "There's a little more to go before you can push."
"What?" Rachel winced. "But I've been having contractions since-" She tightened her grip on Noah's hand, he winced slightly but made no sound. "Gah, mother fucker." She cried out. "Since lunch time, 12:17 to be exact." She finished. "How can I only be four centimetres dilated?"
"A lot of first time labours can take a long time, the longest on record was last year at forty seven hours." The nurse told her sympathetically. "I'll be back with some ice chips." She left the room.
"Please doctor, I can't stay here for forty seven hours." Rachel pleaded. "Can't I just have this baby now and leave?"
"I'm sorry Mrs Puckerman it doesn't work like that." The doctor told her. "With the rate your contractions are happening I'm concerned that you're only four centimetres dilated, women who have contractions that often are close to having the baby crown." He frowned. "The epidural will help numb the pain from your waist down but we can't give you too much." He looked to his watch. "It should be kicking in, now."
It did, Rachel was finally able to relax enough to let go of Noah's hand and lay back in the pillows. "I'm sorry Noah." She said tearfully.
"It's more than OK baby, you rest, I'm just going to go see if everyone's here yet." He smiled and followed the doctor from the room, once the door was closed he faced the other man. "What's going to happen if she keeps having contractions that close together but doesn't dilate further?"
"We may have to consider a caesarean in order to save both your wife and your baby." The doctor told him honestly. "I'd like to give Rachel the chance to push before we resort to that but we'll have to watch her carefully."
"Thanks." Noah nodded as the doctor left. Just as the doctor rounded the corner the nurse came back with a jug of ice chips.
"There is a rather large crowd waiting for you in the visitors' room Mr Puckerman." She told him as she opened the door.
Noah nodded in thanks before he took off for the visitors' room.
Inside, Finn was pacing while Quinn, Carrie, Santana and Brittany were flicking through old magazines and Sam, Alexia and Daniel were sat playing a video game, Finn quickly explained that Artie, Blaine and Kurt were on a coffee run while Tina, Mike, Karofsky, Azimio and Mercedes were stuck in traffic.
"How's she doing?" Finn asked when the two of them broke from their man-hug.
"She's been having her contractions since lunch and their now minutes apart but she's only four centimetres dilated." Noah rubbed his face roughly. "Why didn't she tell me when they first started happening? Why wait until she could barely move?"
"They would've just sent her home." Santana explained. "We all know that Rachel hates hospitals and if she thought that she was going to have to make several trips to the hospital only to be sent home it would make things worse for both of you."
"I was sent home and nearly had the baby in the cab, luckily the cab hadn't left the hospital and they quickly got me back in." Brittany added.
"Where's Matt?" Noah asked. "And Rach's parents and Henry?"
"They're on the first flight here that they can get, same as your mom and sister." Quinn explained. "Jesse has a show so he'll be here after curtain drop."
"Terrible hospital coffee for the father-to-be." Artie rolled in with Blaine and Kurt. He handed Noah the first coffee on the tray that was resting on his lap, behind him Kurt and Blaine were carrying snacks and drinks for Alexia and Daniel, as well as magazines for the women and activity packs for the children.
"Hospital coffee can't be as bad as cop house coffee." Noah took a ginger sip of the hot liquid and winced at the taste. "Holy sh-" He caught himself in front of the children. "Sugar. That's worse than cop house coffee." She amended to Brittany and Kurt's delight. "Any word on Marley and Jake?" He asked Blaine.
"They're in Europe right now as are Ryder, Unique and Kitty." Kurt explained as Blaine's mouth was full of chips. "Maybe Tina will make a Starbucks stop on her way." He blanched and put his own coffee down. "How's our girl doing?" He asked as he pulled out his phone to text Tina.
"In a lot of pain, she's only four centimetres dilated and has been having contractions since lunch time, the doctor's worried because women who have contractions that often are usually crowing by now so we may have to have a caesarean." He explained. "He's given her an epidural and that's dulled the pain enough for her to stop breaking my hand and relax." He flexed his hand. "Stupid nurse was talking about record labours before the actual birth, apparently it's forty seven hours, that's completely freaked Rach out."
"Stupid witch," Santana hissed. "with the stress Rachel's been through with this pregnancy she goes and makes the labour even more terrifying."
"Rach said she wanted to have the baby now and leave."
"She does know what four centimetres looks like doesn't she?" Carrie frowned.
"She's just scared. She doesn't know that the doctor's worried either." Noah sat down and pulled Alexia into his lap. "Hey princess." He greeted her.
"Is aunt Rachel having the baby?"
"She sure is." His phone rang. "It's my mom, she'll be on my case that I didn't call." He smiled at Finn. "Glad you did dude." Finn paled. "What?"
"Finn didn't call your mom Puck, he called us and Rachel's dads, we called your mom and Shelby." Quinn explained.
"Dude, you had one job; call everyone." Noah rolled his eyes and answered the phone. "Hey ma... No I know that I didn't call you, Rach was in pain and I was focused on her, I asked Hudson but he forgot... Yes, it is lucky that Quinn is smart enough to translate when I say call everyone I actually mean everyone." He mouthed a thank you to Quinn. "What do you mean Becca's with you? She has school, she can't-... Yes I know I skipped all the time but that's not what I want for my baby sister... No, she's only four centimetres dilated but the doc's worried about her because of how often her contractions are... She told me every three and a half minutes when we were at home but they've been happening since lunch. Love you ma, I got to go, you should know that I'm not supposed to have my cell phone out and I need to be with Rach... See you soon. Tell Hiram and Leroy that she's ok." He hung up. "Women." He sighed.
"Dude I'm sorry, I forgot about your mom." Finn apologised.
"It's cool man, it's just now you know that we'll tease you about this forever." Noah grinned evilly and stood up, Alexia jumped from his lap and ran to her fathers. "I'd better get back to her, come find me when everyone else gets here, we're in suite 5." He went to the door.
"Sure thing, give her a kiss from us." Sam looked up.
Noah went back to the suite and opened the door gently. "Your parents are on the first flight out here with my family, Matt and Henry." He told her. "Jesse's doing a show and Azimio, Tina, Mike, Mercedes and Karofsky are stuck in traffic. How's the pain?"
"Better than when we got here, though it still feels like someone's shoving an iron rod up my-" She hissed with pain before glaring down at her belly. "If you continue hurting me little one I will ground you before you even get out." She gripped the bed rail.
"You know that you can't ground the baby Rach." Noah smiled. "She's going to have so many aunts and uncles to spoil her, not to mention her cousins and grandparents." He added fondly.
"But she's ruining my body." Rachel whined. "Look at what she's done to me; my ankles, my hormones and my boobs." She cried and pointed. "They're never going to be the same again."
"Surely that's not a bad thing." Noah winked before giving her a serious look. "You and I both know that the moment you get home you'll jump back into your fitness routine, so what's really on your mind?"
"I'm scared Noah, what if something goes wrong or she doesn't like me?"
"First off, I'm not going to let anything go wrong," Noah frowned. "and second of all, she's going to love you to pieces." He sat gently beside her, luckily the bed was big enough for both of them and the numerous wires attached to Rachel. "I know that she's going to absolutely adore you because I adore you and so does everyone waiting in the visitors' room and those who are on their way and even Kitty loves you."
Rachel burrowed herself into her husband's chest. "You're right, of course you're right." She sighed. "Sing to me?"
I think I want you more than want
And no I need you more than need
I want to hold you more than hold
When you stood in front of me
I think you know me more than know
And you see me more than see
I could die now more than die
Every time you look at me
Well I've seen you in jeans with no make-up on
And I've stood there in awe as your date for the prom
I'm blessed as a man to have seen you in white
But I've never seen anything quite like you tonight
No, I've never seen anything quite like you
When it's right it's more than right
Those you feel it more than feel
I could take this moment now
Ride into the great with me
I've seen you in jeans with no make-up on
And I've stood there in awe as your date for the prom
I'm blessed as a man to have seen you in white
But I've never seen anything quite like you tonight
No, I've never seen anything quite like you tonight
No, I've never seen anything quite like you tonight
And your eyes are in your eyes
And my heart's in our hearts
Sometimes words just ain't enough
For this love that's more than love
Well I've seen you in jeans with no make-up on
And I've stood there in awe as your date for the prom
I'm blessed as a man to have seen you in white
But I've never seen anything quite like you tonight
No, I've never seen anything quite like you tonight
No, I've never seen anything quite like you tonight
As Noah sang, Rachel closed her eyes and fell asleep. He quietly stood and left the room, heading back to the visitors' room.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
It was hours later that he was back in the labour suite, he was now wearing scrubs and the doctor was sitting on a stool at the end of the bed between Rachel's legs which were raised on the stirrups, and Rachel was sweaty and breathing heavily.
"OK Mrs Puckerman, it's time to push, Mr Puckerman are you ready to help your wife bring your daughter into the world?" The doctor looked up.
Across from him on Rachel's other side was Shelby in scrubs of her own, holding her daughter's hand. He quickly took hold on her free hand and kissed her temple lovingly. "It's time baby." He whispered.
"Ah, it hurts it hurts." Rachel cried. "Mommy." She pleaded with Shelby.
"You're doing great honey," Shelby encouraged. "you're doing such a great job sweetie." She told the younger woman. "It'll all be worth it when you get to hold your baby, I promise."
"Mrs Puckerman I need you to push now."
She bore down and pushed as hard as she could for as long as she could, with each push the pain in her stomach worsened and she could barely breathe but she had to bring her daughter into the world, she had to give birth now.
"OK Mrs Puckerman, you can rest for a moment." The doctor told her but she didn't listen, she needed to push so she pushed. "Mrs Puckerman you need to have a rest."
'No. I can't. My daughter needs to breathe, she's almost out, I can feel it.' Rachel bore down even more.
"Rach baby, please listen to the doctor." Noah begged. "Rest for a bit."
Rachel shook her head, she couldn't speak from the pain, but now it wasn't just the pain of giving birth.
"She's bleeding heavily." The doctor announced worriedly. "Mrs Puckerman please, your baby needs you to calm down. She's in distress because you're in distress." He looked to the monitor. "Please Mrs Puckerman, for yourself and your baby."
"Baby please just rest." Noah begged, tears in his eyes.
"Breathe sweetheart." Shelby tried when Rachel didn't listen to her husband.
Rachel's heart was racing and her head was pounding, she could barely hear what they were telling her because it felt like she was submerged under water. She had stopped pushing but the pain remained and was more intense than before, and there was a sharp stabbing pain in her lower belly.
'Something's wrong.' She wanted to cry out. 'Something's wrong and it's my fault.' There was another wave of sharp pain before she finally blacked out. 'I'm sorry baby.'
"Rach? Rachel, baby? Open your eyes for me." Noah gently shook her shoulder. "Rachel please open your eyes." He looked to the doctor. "What's wrong with her?" He demanded.
"I don't know, but if I don't get her into surgery now you will lose both your wife and your daughter." He stood up and looked to the nurse. "Prep her for emergency surgery nurse." He returned his attention to Noah. "Please come with me."
"Go Noah, I'll tell the others." Shelby offered tearfully.
Noah followed the doctor as he and the nurse wheeled her bed from the room and down the hall, he ignored the cries and calls of his friends and father-in-laws and his mom, he had his own family to worry about.
"Shelby, what's going on?" Leroy asked immediately.
"She wouldn't stop pushing and wasn't responding to our voices." Shelby explained letting the tears fall down her cheeks. "The doctor is taking her into surgery to get the baby out before we lose both of them."
"Oh sweet Jesus." Finn sank into his seat, as did many others around him.
"She's going to be OK right?" Quinn asked worriedly as Sam held her.
"Of course she'll be OK." Hiram said confidently. "She's a Berry."
"She has to be OK, I've already planned my niece's homecoming party and Rachel's birthday party." Kurt said.
"Kurt, Rachel's birthday is six months away." Artie frowned.
"It's her thirtieth, it's a milestone." Kurt defended himself.
"Let's focus on one thing at a time, or right now two things; the safety of Rachel and her daughter." Santana brought order back to the group.
"Is aunt Rachel going to be OK?" Daniel as his father.
"I hope so buddy." Artie lifted him and placed him in his lap.
There was a little wait before the door to the visitors' room opened again and Noah came in with tears in his eyes, holding a tiny bundle in a pink blanket.
"Puck?" Blaine saw him first.
"I'd like you all to meet Ava Marie Puckerman." He smiled.
Everyone immediately went to him to see the tiny baby.
"Oh my God, she's so tiny." Quinn's tears had now fallen. "How's Rachel? What happened?"
"They think the stress of the labour and her desperation to give birth quickly caused her appendix to flare up, it almost erupted but they got Ava out and the appendix just in time." Noah explained. "They're just closing her up and taking her to recovery for a while. He hadn't taken his eyes from his daughter. 'I'm a daddy.' He sighed with bliss.
Daniel had stood on a chair. "She looks funny." She wrinkled his nose. "Will she look like that all the time?"
"No honey she won't." Brittany explained. "She's only just been born so she's going to look a little funny, like you do when you get out the bath."
"She's perfect Puckerman, you did good." Santana praised.
There was a general round of congratulations before the doctor came to tell him that Rachel was awake and asking for him, he and Hiram left the visitors' lounge and made their way to the recovery room, Noah carefully cradling his daughter, terrified of dropping her.
"You're doing fine, son." Hiram assured him. "You go in first, I'll take care of Ava."
Noah gently handed the baby to her grandfather and opened the door. He approached Rachel's bed and held her hand. "Hey gorgeous, you scared me there." He told her softly.
"I scared myself. Is the baby OK?" She asked desperately.
"She's perfect, Hiram's got her right outside waiting for you to call her in." Noah pointed to the window of the door where Rachel could see her father and his granddaughter. "What happened baby?"
"A few minutes into the labour my stomach started to hurt and it wasn't labour pains, it was like I was being stabbed and I had to get our daughter out before they got worse." Rachel explained. "I'd stopped pushing but the pain kept me tensing up and I couldn't hear anything other than my own heartbeat. What happened Noah? Why was there pain?"
"The doctor thinks the stress and your desperation caused your appendix to flare, they got Ava and the appendix out just in time before it ruptured, if they'd spent anymore time trying to get it out I would have lost both of you and without you and Ava Rach, there's no point in my life."
"I nearly killed our baby?"
"No babe, not a chance in Hell." Noah begged. "You're here and so is our daughter."
"I want to see her. I need to hold her." Rachel tried to sit up but winced in pain.
"Well she's right outside I'll go get her." Noah stepped away from the bed.
"I want my daddies and my mom too Noah, then I want everyone else." Just as she spoke a nurse came inside the room after a gentle knock.
"How are you feeling Mrs Puckerman?"
"I want my baby and my family." She replied bluntly before blushing. "Sorry, I'm not normally that rude."
"It's OK Mrs Puckerman, it'll be all the hormones and the stress, what you've just gone through was no picnic in the park." The nurse told her understandingly. "I just need to check your stitches and then we can move you back to your room where everyone can visit, it's a lot bigger than this room." She began her inspection before she wrote down a few notes and pulled Rachel's nightgown back down. "OK that all seems to be OK, now lets get you back to your room and your baby in your arms for a feed." She smiled brightly. "We've prepared a bottle for now seeing as you're on a strong pain killer after the surgery but the next feed can be breast."
"Breast is best." Noah recited from one of his parenting books.
"Could I maybe sit up?" Rachel asked.
"Sure, we can do that." The nurse pressed a button on the remote to her bed and Rachel slowly and gently moved up into an almost sitting position. "How's that?"
"Better thank you." An orderly arrived to help the nurse push the bed down the hall and into Rachel's room. Once back inside the nurse quickly settled her patient and left the room, no sooner had she closed the door, it opened again and Hiram walked in holding Ava and a bottle. "Daddy." Rachel smiled tearfully.
"Someone wants to meet their mommy." He smiled, his own tears brimming in his eyes. Noah left to give the father and daughter some privacy. "She's perfect angel, you did a good job bringing her here." Hiram handed Ava to Rachel and kissed her forehead. "I've never been so proud of you."
"I almost hurt her daddy." Rachel said sadly.
"No baby, you could never do that to her and she knows that." Hiram told her firmly. "This was just your body's way of telling you and everyone else that natural labour was too dangerous this time, for the both of you." He said gently. "Never think for a second that you could hurt her."
Rachel nodded and looked down. "She's so tiny, both Daniel and Alexia weren't this small." She reached for the bottle that the orderly had left and tried to get her daughter to take the teat, it took a second but Ava managed.
"You're already a natural, your father and I couldn't get you to feed straight away." Hiram smiled. "And you were smaller than she is." He added. "We were so terrified that you were going to break if we held you wrong and that we wouldn't be good at being fathers."
"I think Noah's the same." Rachel didn't look up, she was mesmerised by her little girl. "You did great daddy, both you and dad did."
"And so will you and Noah, the trick is to surround yourself with people who love you and can help you." He told her. "I think you've got that covered."
"Knock, knock." The door opened again and Leroy came inside. "Room for a few more?" he asked. "Will and Jesse have just arrived too."
Rachel nodded and made sure that Ava was secure in her arms and that her night gown wasn't showing anything she didn't want to be seen. She almost laughed as the room filled up, it was just big enough for everyone to fit in.
"You scared us mijah." Santana gently hugged her being closest.
"I'm sorry." Rachel told them all.
"You did what you had to do to bring your daughter into the world." Will told her. "We're all so proud of you. Emma and the kids are back in Ohio, they send their love."
"You did so good baby girl." Shelby said.
"My first grandbaby, my first Jewish grandbaby." Maria choked.
There was a general chuckle round the room; everyone remembered how Maria had been pushing her son to find a nice Jewish girl and to give her Jewish grandbabies, she loved Beth and was devastated that Quinn miscarried, but she never believed in constantly living in the past, telling people that you can learn from the past but never change it.
"Auntie Rachel?" Alexia spoke from Blaine's arms. "Why aren't you feeding Ava like Jenny's mom feeds her babies?"
"Because this tube here," Rachel pointed to the IV tube in question. "is giving me special medicine and it might make Ava sick, so they gave me a bottle first and then next time I'll feed her the way Jenny's mom feeds her babies." She noticed her husband wasn't in the room. "Where's Noah?"
"He's on the phone to Jake and Marley." Becca explained. "They had finals in Europe and couldn't be here, they come back in two weeks."
"Same with Ryder, Unique and Kitty." Finn added. "I can't believe they all went to college here and then went over to Europe for college too."
"What I can't believe is how we're all friends with Kitty." Santana rolled her eyes. "After what she did to Marley-"
"Now's not the time Santana." Brittany gently stopped her wife. "She's changed, just like you and Quinn did."
Ava finished her bottle, Rachel, with the help of her mom and dads, burped her daughter before passing her to Carrie.
"Aw," She breathed out lovingly. "I hope you're ready Finn, cause I want a bunch of these, like a million."
Finn kissed his wife and smiled. "One day." He promised.
"Does it make you think about having another?" Brittany asked Santana as Ava came to them next.
"Maybe, but why mess with perfection?" Santana kissed her son who was sitting on the bed with Alexia.
"Unfortunately ladies, my sperm is no longer at your service." Artie smiled, he and Kitty had been together since Rachel and Noah found out that they were pregnant and he planned on asking Kitty to marry him.
"Shame." Santana teased and handed him Ava.
"One is plenty for me thank you, I started going grey the moment Alexia could walk and, next to being bald, grey is not a look I was to pull off before I'm in my late forties, even if I would look like Mr Fantastic."
"Aw come on Kurt." Blaine smiled cheekily. "That's what hair dye is for."
"No more." Alexia took Kurt's side.
"Her Highness has spoken." Sam laughed and took Ava from Blaine. "I can't wait until we have a baby of our own." He told Quinn before handing her the baby.
"Maybe in two or three years." She smiled and stared down at the baby lovingly. "She's absolutely gorgeous Rachel."
"While we're on the who baby topic, Azimio and I have an announcement." Mercedes said to the room. "As you all know we can't have children naturally, the way we want to, and we don't want a child of ours growing in some other woman's womb, so we've decided that we're going to go to Africa and adopt a child, not a baby though."
"Mercedes that's amazing." Rachel beamed tearfully.
"Inspired." Jesse agreed.
"We filled out the applications a few months ago but didn't want to mention it in case we got our hopes up and it didn't work out, but we had the phone call this morning and our son and daughter is ready." Azimio smiled.
"Two kids?" Finn asked.
"They're brother and sister and they're the ones we fell in love with," Mercedes explained. "they're names are Elliott and Susanne. We bring them home next week." She pulled out a photo from her purse and passed it round the room, the two children were no older than two years old.
"Congratulations." Noah had rejoined the group after Mercedes made the initial announcement. "What about you two?" He asked Jesse and Karofsky.
"Actually we wanted to wait until next week to say anything but I guess since Mercedes and Azimio won't be here and they've dropped their baby bombshell, now is as good a time as any." Jesse looked to David. "David and I are having a baby via surrogate, she's twelve weeks along."
"We wanted to wait until she was past the first trimester in case anything happened." David added.
"Where did you find her?" Shelby asked.
"We posted an ad in the newspaper and online and she was the only one who matched what we were looking for perfectly, she's moving in with us during her pregnancy." Jesse explained.
"Sounds familiar." Leroy smiled. "Congratulations boys, and congratulations you two." He said to Mercedes and Azimio. "You're doing a wonderful thing for those children."
"What about Tina?" Henry asked and looked to his sister's friend. "Are you and Mike planning on having a baby?"
"One day Henry, we're both a little too busy with work at the moment." Mike explained.
"Besides, if we have a baby, we can't spoil our nieces and nephew." Tina smiled.
"Good answer." Henry nodded. "Mom said she has a student who's pregnant and wants to keep the baby even though the boyfriend's run off with another girl." He explained. "I don't know how she can expect to be a teenager and have an education if she's got a baby on her hip."
"She can't, not really anyway." Quinn spoke. "No teenager is ready to be a parent, emotionally or financially, and doing it on her own without the father is even more impossible unless her parents are really supportive."
"Well I hope you don't wake up one day and decide you want to get a girl pregnant." Hiram told Henry sternly.
"No way pops," Henry shook his head. He'd taken to calling Hiram and Leroy pops from the moment he learned to talk. "I like girls but not that much." He looked down to his niece. "And Ava's not allowed to go near boys without my permission until she's Rachel's age, though Daniel's OK, for now."
"Good answer." Noah laughed. "Now I hate to be a party pooper but my girls need rest."
"We'll see you soon Rach, congratulations girl." Mercedes hugged the brunette.
"Thanks, you too. Good luck in Africa, you're going to be a wonderful mom."
Everyone left, Hiram promised champagne at the hotel, Quinn and Sam were one of the last to leave, the former Cheerio embraced Noah and smiled.
"You're a daddy now Puck, you were a father to our daughter but now you get to be a daddy."
"Quinn, before you go, we want to ask you something." Rachel held Quinn's hand while Sam had another cuddle with Ava. "We would very much like it if you and Sam would be Ava's godparents, or the Jewish equivalent."
"Rachel? Are you sure?" Quinn asked.
"We couldn't think of anyone we'd like more." Noah told her honestly.
"I'd be honoured." Quinn hugged Rachel. "Thank you. I thought for sure you'd pick Santana, everyone knows that she's your best friend."
"You're all my best friends, don't ever make me choose between you girls, and Kurt, but I promised Santana that she could be godmother to my first son." Rachel explained.
"Thanks Puck." Sam shook Noah's hand, mindful of Ava in his arms before handing her back to her mother. He kissed Rachel's cheek. "Thanks Rach."
Quinn and Sam left, the others were waiting out in the hall for them, Noah smiled as he heard more cheers before they left completely. As he closed the door and returned to the bed Rachel scooched over a little to make room for him.
"You did good babe." He smiled.
"So I've been told, many times." She teased.
"That's because it's true."
"We both did good Noah, she's perfect and all ours." She yawned slightly. "I love you." She closed her eyes and lay her head back peacefully. "Could you take her before I fall asleep?"
Noah complied and as Rachel slept he gently rocked his daughter, softly singing Sweet Caroline.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
When Rachel opened her eyes again she was in her teenage bedroom, Noah sleeping peacefully next to her, she smiled and lay back down, snuggling closer into her boyfriend's body.
'I can't wait to have your baby Noah.' She closed her eyes again. 'Ava Marie Puckerman.'
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
"Rach? Hey Rachel, wait a second." Santana ran up to the girl in the hallway at school. "So did you take a test?" She asked quietly when she reached her friend. It had been almost two weeks since Rachel had confided in her and due to family festivities they couldn't talk about Rachel's problem until they returned to school in the new year.
"Yeah, Noah and I bought like three and all of them came back negative, and then my period came back a few days later." Rachel told her in relief, she'd been dying to tell Rachel the good news. "I guess it was just the stress of college applications, my audition piece, Regionals and graduation."
"Thank God." Santana hugged Rachel tightly. "You're not ready to be a mom just yet mijah, you'd be a great one but not just yet." She let go. "Do you want me to help you with anything? Anything at all to help spread out the work."
"I could use some help and input on this idea I had." Rachel linked her arm with Santana's. "I was thinking that you and some of the other girls could perform a song separately to the rest of us for Regionals and Nationals, just you girls and without me, and we could get the Cheerios to join for the dancing and to make up the numbers."
"Why would we need to make up the numbers?"
"Because essentially you'd be a separate team in the eyes of the show choir officials and you'd need twelve, you could even come up with your own name and just be part of us." Rachel said. "Don't look at it so negatively San," she pleaded with her friend's frown. "I just want you and the other girls to be in the spotlight without people focusing on me, that's why I won't be in the small group with you."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely, and at Nationals Quinn and Tina can join you, for now though I thought it could be you, Mercedes, Brittany and Sugar, and you could perform Kelly Clarkson's 'Stronger'."
"I love this idea, have you told the others yet?"
"I was just on my way, join me and be my wing-man?"
"Wing-woman Rach, wing-woman." Santana laughed as the two ran down the hall to the choir room.
Rachel explained her proposal to an eager club, while she spoke no one made a sound, though she could see that Mercedes immediately understood and was extremely excited about the idea.
"So we'd be almost a separate team but both representing the school and it's only for one song." Sugar clarified.
"Exactly, this way we don't have to choose between group songs and can have two. I checked with the rule book and it says that there can be two teams per school." She added to Mr Schue. "I can get the Cheerios on board."
"It's a perfect idea, though I'd like Mercedes and Santana to take over from you Rachel, give them what you've got." Rachel happily complied while everyone beamed. "For a lot of you this will be the last chance at a Regionals and Nationals trophy, I want you to graduate on a high." Mr Schue smiled as everyone sat down. "Now, for your assignment this week, I need your help and you cannot tell anyone else." Marley, Jake and Ryder were in the room for the rehearsal. "I want to ask Emma to marry me and I need the proposal to be perfect." He had to raise his voice over the cheers and the girls' squeals. "I want you to find the perfect song for us to perform to Emma before I pop the question."
"We're not going to need a week for that," Carrie said confidently. "there are so many perfect songs for us to use it's just agreeing on one, though it might take a week to prepare." She stood. "Rachel? Would you mind joining me for a song for our boyfriends? Something to give everyone an idea."
"I'd love to." Carrie whispered in her ear and the two stood up before moving to the band and then sat on two stools.
(Rachel, Carrie, Both)
I can't win, I can't reign
I will never win this game
Without you, without you
I am lost, I am vain,
I will never be the same
Without you, without you
I won't run, I won't fly
I will never make it by
Without you, without you
I can't rest, I can't fight
All I need is you and I,
Without you, without you
Oh oh oh!
You! You! You!
Without
You! You! You!
Without you
I can't erase, so I'll take blame
But I can't accept that we're estranged
Without you, without you
I can't quit now, this can't be right
I can't take one more sleepless night
Without you, without you
I won't soar, I won't climb
If you're not here, I'm paralyzed
Without you, without you
I can't look, I'm so blind
I lost my heart, I lost my mind
Without you, without you
Oh oh oh!
You! You! You!
Without
You! You! You!
Without you
I am lost, I am vain,
I will never be the same
Without you, without you
Without you
"A great start girls, thank you." Mr Schue clapped. "Maybe we won't use that one but that's a good base for ideas." He added. "I'm asking Emma on Friday, we have until then."
The glee club was dismissed, the Cheerios and football players went to their respective practices, Kurt had a class president meeting, Artie, who decided to quit the team this year, had tutoring along with Tina, and Sugar, Rory, Joe, Jake, Ryder and Marley had classes to attend. When the school day was over they returned to the choir room, the boys had their own ideas for Mr Schue's proposal while the girls had more romantic ideas, though finally they all agreed to combine their ideas and decided on a perfect song.
"Because you and Santana sound so similar and yet so different I think it'll be perfect with you two on lead vocals." Mercedes smiled, she was still excited about Rachel's idea earlier about the separate team. "Now all we need is a location."
"How about the pool?" Sam suggested. "And we could ask the synchronised swim team to help us."
"It's perfect, it's clean just the way Ms Pillsbury likes things and we could decorate the lifeguard chair for her to sit on." Sugar beamed.
"Mr Schue could walk on the clear platforms in the drama department so it looks like he's walking on water, I know that they float because I helped to pick them out." Tina spoke excitedly as she wrote everything down. "Sugar will you help me and Kurt with the costume designs? We're doing this in true New Directions style." She smiled.
"Really?" Sugar beamed happily, she hadn't been asked to help with the costume designs yet and it was something she yearned for.
"Absolutely," Kurt smiled. "we'll need everyone's sizes, including you three." He pointed to Marley, Jake and Ryder. "We can organise the costumes for Regionals at the same time."
"Speaking of Regionals costumes." Quinn spoke to Tina. "There are six Cheerios who will go on stage with us at Regionals and Nationals, Rachel and I chose our best dancers while Santana and Britt put them through their paces, unfortunately Kitty will be one of them."
"She's not having anything to do with this proposal though." Rachel glared. "There's no way I'm letting that girl in a bathing suit near my boyfriend, I'll be hiding the body afterwards." She hissed. "We'll have their sizes for you tomorrow."
"That's great." Blaine spoke. "Now what else do we need for Mr Schue's proposal?"
"Roses." Rory said. "White roses with white satin ribbons tied round the stems, I work in the local flower shop, I can ask my boss."
"Perfect." Finn said. "And we can have Coach Sylvester, Coach Beiste, Ms Rose, Burt, my mom and Rachel's mom hand them to her as Mr Schue leads her to the pool, so that's six roses."
"Is six enough?" Noah asked.
"Hm, maybe not, how about all our parents?" Finn tried again. "Or that would be too many."
"How about Sue, Shannon, Ms Rose and our moms." Rachel said. "It could be a girl thing and then when she says yes and they're leaving the pool our dads and Figgins can give her red roses with red satin ribbons tied around the stems?"
"So we have the proposal planned." Mike watched Tina as she excitedly wrote down the last detail. "Breadstix anyone?" He asked with a smile.
"Deal." They agreed and left the choir room.
As they left the school they missed the sound of crying coming from the girls' bathroom next to the gym.