Title: A New Direction
Rating: M
Pairings: Will/Rachel
Spoilers: Current through episode 2x22
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own anything relating to Glee. That honor is reserved for the wonderful Ryan Murphy and Fox.
Summary: Rachel never dreamed she would become a mother right out of high school. With no one else to turn to, will her trusted former glee advisor be the one she needs to help her find her new direction in life?
A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed or added this story to their favorites list.
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The heat felt overwhelming as Rachel slid out of the passenger seat and stepped onto the hot parking lot. It was barely 9a.m. and the August sun was already baking Lima. She was excited for this appointment, and being able to hear the heartbeat for the first time but she was also wracked with nerves. She knew she was being crazy, but part of her was sincerely worried that they wouldn't find a heartbeat. She had been up all night before the appointment, lying next to Will who was fast asleep. She had wanted to tell him her worries, have him soothe her irrational fears, but she didn't want to worry him as well. After all, this was a first for him too.
They sat together quietly in the waiting room after Rachel had completed her normal routine of check in and pee in a cup. Will sitting next to her scanning through an old copy of Parents magazine, occasionally bouncing his leg. She recognized this behavior from when they would be at competitions and waiting in the green room, he was just as nervous as she was.
Instead of his nerves increasing her fear, she suddenly felt a calm envelop her. She now had to be the strong one. He didn't know anything about this process other than what he has read, and he had no idea how she was feeling. To him it was all a mystery. She knew instinctively she was fine; she had none of the warning signs and felt perfectly normal. Empowered by that knowledge she laid a calming hand on his leg while laying her head on his shoulder.
"I'm fine honey. Don't worry." She said softly, pressing her lips against his tense, t-shirt covered shoulder.
She felt the muscles in his shoulder shift as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know sweetie, I just can't wait." He said, pressing a kiss into the top of her head.
The waiting room was slow, only two other women were waiting when Rachel checked in, so before they knew it Rachel's name was called and Will was being ushered toward an exam room. At her first appointment she didn't understand why him being there would be a problem, but now as she was starting to feel bigger she understood why it was best he wasn't there for the weigh-in. She knew Will would love her no matter what; she just didn't want him to know what she weighed. Before she knew it she was back in the room, this time in remaining in her clothes while the nurse did the preliminary questions and checks.
When they were alone, Rachel turned to Will. "It's crazy isn't it?" She asked, smiling at him. "How much things have changed, we have changed since we were here last?"
It had been a month since they last had been in the waiting room, a month since their first official date, but yet it didn't feel like a new relationship to Rachel. Her longest relationship to date had been with Finn, lasting almost a year the second time around. When her and Finn had been together a month everything felt weird, felt awkward. With Will it was nothing but ease and comfort. Everything just felt right, simple even.
Will nodded in agreement. "It's crazy how much has happened in a month, huh?" He asked, linking his hand with hers.
Rachel was just about to respond when the doctor knocked and entered the room in a flurry. For an almost empty waiting room she certainly looked busy. Dr. Galiano's curly dark hair was piled in a messy bun atop her head, and she had salmon colored scrubs under her white doctors coat.
"Good morning you two. Rachel," She glanced at her before turning to Will. "Dad, not sure if you told me your name last time." She held her hand out to Will to shake.
"I'm Will." He said, shaking her hand and giving her a polite grin.
"Hi, Will. Dr. Galiano, but you two can call me Callie." She spoke in a slightly rushed, but friendly tone.
"So let's see here Rachel, you are 13 weeks correct?" She asked, glancing at her charts before looking at her for confirmation.
"Yes." Rachel responded, fiddling with the hem of her shirt.
"And you haven't been feeling anything amiss? None of the signs we talked about before? No cramping, or spotting, or bleeding? Everything is fine there?" She continued, while making notes on Rachel's chart.
"No, I've been fine." Rachel responded, rubbing her thumb across Will's hand soothingly. She felt him tense when Dr. Galiano mentioned the warning signs and Rachel wanted to set him at ease.
"Good, Good." Callie mumbled to herself, as she read over another page before snapping the charts shut.
"Well Rachel, all your tests came out perfectly, no STDs or birth defects, which I am sure you assumed since you didn't hear anything from our office. Your blood pressure is great, so how about you hop on up and lets see if we can hear that heartbeat shall we?" She said, smiling at both of them encouragingly.
Rachel slid back against the crinkly white paper, watching as Dr. Galiano lifted her shirt, taking measurements and feeling around slightly before pulling a device out of her pocket.
Both of them watched, transfixed as the wand was lowered to her stomach. For what felt like an eternity she watched as Dr. Galiano moved the wand around her stomach searching for a heartbeat,. Just as she was about to panic she heard a staticy "thump, thump, thump" emanate from the device.
"There were go. Hey there little one." Dr. Galiano said, the sound of the baby's heartbeat penetrating the small room.
Rachel didn't know what to say. There were no words to express how she felt as she sat there listening to the baby's steady, although quick sounding heartbeat. A wave of emotion washed through, tears pricking her eyes as she caught Will's gaze. His eyes were watery as he smiled at her from his spot next to where she lay. His hand caught hers and squeezed before he pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles.
"It's pretty great isn't it?" Dr. Galiano asked, smiling at both of them, still holding the wand to Rachel's stomach.
With a laugh, Rachel wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm sorry I'm just a mess. That was amazing, but is the heartbeat supposed to be that fast?" She asked, her parental concerns immediately kicking in.
"Oh yes, the heartbeat sounds perfectly healthy and strong." Dr. Galiano said, putting the wand away and making more notes before pulling up a stool across from them.
"Everything seems to be great. Do you guys have any questions before I leave you today?" She asked, filling out the form so Rachel could make her next appointment.
"Okay, well next month we will have your appointment and then we will be sending you off to get your 18 week ultrasound at the facilities on this medical campus. We don't have the means to perform them in office, but the results will be sent to me. So start debating now if you want to know the sex." She said with a laugh, handing Rachel her appointment slip.
"Have a nice day guys. See you next month." Dr. Galiano said with a smile, leaving them to gather their things. Rachel led the way to reception, making her appointment before grabbing Will's hand to walk with him out the door.
They walked to the parking lot in a happy silence, the sun only brightening their mood. It wasn't until they had gotten in the car and pulled away that Will spoke. "How amazing was that?" He glanced toward her with a happy smile on his face.
The ecstatic look on his face causing Rachel to giggle. "It was pretty great wasn't it?"
"Great? Great doesn't even begin to describe it!" he said, his hands leaving the wheel one moment to gesture emphatically. He was watching the road with a grin on his face. "I just feel amazing, don't you?"
Rachel nodded, all of a sudden overcome with emotion again. She watched Will's face as he drummed his hands against the steering wheel to the beat of the song on the radio. He looked ecstatic, smiling and humming along as they made their way back home. For the millionth time since they had been dating she realized just how lucky she was to have such an amazing man be the father to her baby.
Will pulled into the parking lot of their apartment building, finding a spot quickly and turning off the ignition. He undid his seatbelt before turning to Rachel. "Okay hun, we have about an hour before we have to be at the park and setting up."
He leaned down toward Rachel's stomach, "Baby, we are going to need to get ready fast so try to not make Mommy sick okay?" he asked, laying his hand where the doctor found the heartbeat earlier.
Getting out of the car in seconds, he helped Rachel out. They walked to the door together, though parted as soon as it was open. Will walked to the bedroom to change and Rachel hurried into the kitchen to chop the watermelon and cantaloupe.
She had just laid the last wedge on the tray when Will came into the kitchen. Laying a kiss on her neck he turned to get the grapes and berries out of the fridge. "Honey, why don't I finish up here and you go get ready." He asked, snapping open a plastic container of strawberries and dumping them into a colander to run under cool water.
With a small sigh to herself, Rachel headed into the bedroom to get changed for the party. As she pulled her new sundress down from the closet she thought again about how much had changed for her. Today was the going away party she was throwing for her fellow glee members. Most of them were about to go away off to college and she wanted this one last chance to be together, like they used to be. She knew everything had to change, that they couldn't stay the ragtag group of performers they used to be. Though part of her was glad for that, instead of only being held together by their one thing in common, they were a family now and in many ways the only family she had left.
The yellow fabric of her midi dress felt soft against her skin as she slid it over her head. It had been her first real purchase with her first paycheck and although it wasn't expensive by any means it felt good to spoil herself a little. She could hear Will taking the food and supplies to the car, the door repeatedly slamming every few minutes. She was just smoothing on sunblock and sliding on her white sandals when Will walked into the room.
"You need any sunblock?" She asked, holding up the tube to him.
He grabbed the bottle with a smile and popped the cap open, rubbing the solution into his palms a little before rubbing his arms. "You look beautiful honey." He said, bending down to cover his legs.
Rachel was surprised to see him wearing shorts. She hadn't noticed what he was wearing earlier. Sure, she had seen him in casual clothes quite often over the years but rarely in the summer months, and even then he wore jeans and t-shirts. He looked handsome and beach ready, his khaki shorts and light blue polo. His sunglasses were hanging from the open portion of his shirt and his curls looked damp, like he had just gotten out of the water.
"You look handsome as well darling." She said, standing on her tiptoes to give him a kiss when he stood.
"Okay," Will said, clapping his hands together once, "Everyone ready to go? How about you baby?"
He knelt down holding Rachel by the waist, eyelevel with her stomach. "Are you ready to go too little one?" He smiled, then stood, kissing Rachel's head as he steered her out the door.
Rachel noticed the car was packed as she took her place in the passenger seat. Even though other people were going to be bringing food and snacks Rachel felt it was her responsibility as a good hostess to provide the majority of the party supplies. Although she knew she shouldn't feel this way, the fact that she was dating Will only added to her established role as the head of the team in her mind, which caused her now strong mothering instincts to kick into overdrive.
The drive to Faurot park wasn't a long one, and before she knew it they were parked next to Puck's old truck, watching as he helped Mike unload two canopies from the back. Will got out quickly to help, Rachel following his lead. They unrolled the canvas canopies, erecting them quickly, while Rachel directed from her spot on the soft, warm grass.
They were only a short distance from the Children's Memorial fountain, which Rachel found beneficial. The cool droplets of water from the fountain would occasionally get caught on a breeze and land on their hot skin, giving them a temporary sense of coolness. The long table Mike had brought was set up and soon Rachel was unloading many trays of fruit from the coolers Will had placed underneath before he left to pick up the rest of the food from the apartment. She was straightening a rogue piece of watermelon when she saw Puck snatch a strawberry off the tray in front of her.
"Hey Rach, how you feeling?" he asked, biting into the strawberry before grabbing another.
She smiled, not looking at him, content on organizing the fruit in front of her. "What? No, 'Hey there my Jewish-American Princess'? My-my Noah, are you off your game?" She asked, playfully shoving him with her shoulder.
"Nah, you know my game has no end." He paused to pop a grape in his mouth, swallowing before continuing. "You still are my princess, I just figure I like Shue and if he is treating you and the baby right, well then he deserves me not hitting on his girl. Since you know you wouldn't be able to resist me if I did."
Rachel laughed, shaking her head. "Oh so true, Noah! However do I withstand your advances?" She cried dramatically, the giggles growing stronger when she made eye contact.
Puck shook his head at her antics, grinning at her. "It's good to see you happy though Rach, really. It's about time someone put a genuine smile on your face, because the ones you had been sporting for the last year? Not so much. I could see right through your show face."
Looking up at him in shock, Rachel couldn't believe someone had noticed. Puck caught her unspoken wonder and laughed. "What? Rach, you don't think I know your show face from your genuinely happy smile? Who spent all of one summer helping you practice it? Me, that's who."
He cleared his throat, glaring in the direction of his truck. "So Ma sent over the blankets you asked for, where do you want them?"
She looked around, "Let's spread most of them out under the other canopy, we can leave the rest just folded in case someone wants to lounge in the sun."
Puck headed back to his truck to retrieve the blankets Mrs. Puckerman sent over. He piled blanket upon blanket from the bed of his truck onto the grass. Rachel watched in amazement at the seemingly never-ending pile. She had just counted the twentieth blanket in her head when she saw Kurt's car pull in on the other side of Noah.
The sun was glinting bright against Kurt's windshield as she watched him climb out of the car followed by Blaine. Excited to see her best friends again, she started to hurry toward them when she saw the backseat door open behind Kurt. In what felt like slow motion she watched Finn emerge, the sun backlighting him and causing his tall frame to seem shadowy and ominous.
She glanced at Blaine, whose forehead was creased in worry, his usual beautiful smile nowhere to be seen. She looked at Kurt next, his careful expression guarded. Though the look of pity and concern peeked through on occasion Unable to stop herself she locked eyes with Finn, feeling her stomach drop.
She wasn't sure why seeing him was such a shock. Though nothing had been confirmed, it hadn't escaped her attention that Finn had been extended an invitation. In fact she vaguely remembered assuring a confused and concerned Kurt that, "Of course it is okay to invite Finn. He is your brother as well as a member of glee. I don't mind seeing him."
The night she had spoken to Kurt was hazy in her mind, but she remembered feeling comfortable and confident as she sat talking to him while Will read the paper on the sofa across from her. She had felt empowered by Will's presence and now faced with Finn, alone, she felt that confidence drain from her.
She watched as Kurt hurried over his hat throwing a shadow over his pale face. "I am so sorry Rach." He whispered to her. She glanced over at Blaine who was opening the trunk, watching Finn with a look of disdain.
"I tried to text you but you obviously never got them." He uttered to himself before speaking to her again. "I wasn't even sure if he was coming until Blaine and I were in the car and he was outside my car window asking for a ride."
Without missing a beat he said, "You look hot by the way. You are the only one I know who can wear yellow without looking jaundice. The shoes are to die for as well."
Kurt's ability to work fashion into even this moment made her giggle, momentarily causing her to forget her previous fear. She looked over at Finn again and saw him approaching her slowly, casually and her stomach dropped again.
As he cleared the car and stepped on the grass she saw Puck glance up, doing a double take at the sight of him. With a glare at Finn he left the blankets by the car and hurried over to stand in front of Rachel just as Finn drew near.
Finn looked surprised by the angry expression on Puck's face, looking between him and Rachel with confusion. "Rachel?" He asked, leaving the rest of his obvious question unsaid.
Puck straightened himself further and although he was shorter than Finn, he seemed more threatening. "Listen Finn, you and I have been friends for a very long time but if you upset her I won't think twice about kicking your ass."
Finn appeared flustered by his friend's remark, blinking a few times before stuttering out a response. "I'm not here to upset her, man.' He said, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "I just want to celebrate with everyone else."
He sounded sincere to Rachel's ears, but the unchanged tense posture of Puck's back told her not everyone had bought into his statement. She laid a hand on Puck's shoulder, seeing him glance at it. "Puck, really it's fine." She said, patting his shoulder lightly as she felt him relax.
Finn, sensing the tension wandered over to where Mike was watching the scene with confusion. To his credit he didn't ask why his two closest friends seemed at odds. When Finn had left Rachel turned to Puck, "Thank you." She said, giving him a hug. "It means a lot to know I have your support."
Puck squeezed her back gently, "Of course. You and baby Berry in there are my number one priority. I am not going to let an ass like Hudson hurt you, even if he was my friend."
"Is, Puck. Even if he is your friend, not was." Rachel reminded him lightly.
"Yeah, we'll see." Puck said offhandedly, walking back to his truck to retrieve his mountain of blankets.
Rachel looked to her side expecting to see Kurt only to find him by Blaine's side unloading lawn chairs from the trunk. Arms loaded, Blaine walked over to her. He leaned over, kissing her cheek before laying his chairs under the canopy. His arms free he returned to her side, wrapping her in a warm hug.
"Hey there." He said, putting his arm around her shoulders he stood next to her, looking around at their makeshift camp. "That was quite the scene earlier. How ya holding up, sweetie?"
"I'm fine, thanks Blaine." Rachel sighed. "I know it's childish, but seeing him unprepared took me right back to that day."
"I know, I know." He said soothingly, pressing a kiss into her hair. "It will be okay. You know that right? We are here for you."
"That baby in there," He paused, pressing his finger lightly into her stomach. "will be the most adored baby in the world. Yeah, the family may not be the most conventional. But take it from me conventional isn't all that fantastic. We will be your family Rachel, hell we already are. And I think we are a pretty fantastic one at that."
Rachel hugged him tightly before walking over to where Kurt was struggling to stack lawn chairs. The amount of chairs Kurt and Blaine had gathered was as plentiful as Puck's blankets. She was just about to bend to pick one up when Puck snatched it from her.
"Nuh uh," He said shaking his head. His hazel eyes giving her his customary, "don't fight me on this Berry" look when he caught her glare.
"Come on," Rachel pleaded. "Noah, the chairs aren't even heavy. Just let me help."
"You know you shouldn't be lifting things Rach. You need me to tell Shue? I so will if I see you try to pick up anything heavier than a blanket."
Rachel sighed in indignation and went to sit by Kurt. Blaine had relieved him from chair duty while Rachel was trying unsuccessfully to convince Puck to allow her to help. In that time Kurt had set up a lush bed of blankets and was nibbling on a slice of cantaloupe.
He looked over at her when she sat heavily.
"You know I wouldn't have brought him if I knew you would be upset right?" He asked, his blue eyes losing the mirth they usually held.
"I know Kurt," Rachel said, scooting closer and laying her head on his shoulder.
"Honey, I love you. You are my best friend forever and all that jazz. But I am warning you, if you don't stop enveloping me in your body heat I may never speak to you again. It's like sitting on the surface of the sun out here."
She pulled away and straightened his shirt with a giggle. "Sorry." She said, watching him dramatically fan himself with his hand.
Rachel took a moment to lean back and scan the park. She knew the rest of the guests would be arriving shortly and she wondered who was going to be the next to show up. Noah was still lugging chairs, followed closely by Blaine. Mike appeared to be raiding the fruit trays in the canopy next to theirs, and Will was still not back from the apartment.
She was glanced over at the fountain and caught Finn's gaze. She looked away quickly, recognizing the way he was looking at her. He wanted to talk and she knew she wasn't ready to hear whatever she had to say. Not wanting to seem immature she counted to ten, trying to fight her instinct to run. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him approaching, his favorite worn basketball shoes growing ever closer.
As if by a miracle the sound of a car horn broke Rachel out of her panic. She looked up and saw Santana, Brittany and Quinn pile out of Quinn's new car. The shiny, cheerio red convertible was impractical for most of Ohio's seasons, but she had to admit the car made the already glamorous Quinn even more beautiful.
Rachel could see the sadness in Quinn's eyes behind her beaming smile as everyone crowded around the car making over how beautiful it was. Quinn had shown up at their door 4 days earlier, eyes puffy from crying. Will had just set dinner on the table when they heard a knock at the door. With a glance at Rachel he hurried to open it. She watched him open the door wordlessly as she heard Quinn's quiet voice from the doorway.
"Hi, Mr. Shue." Quinn said, her sentence cut off by a sniffle. "Is Rachel here?"
She stood as Will ushered Quinn inside before leaving to go get her something to drink. Rachel wrapped Quinn in a warm hug, feeling the blonde crumble slightly in her arms. Rachel couldn't remember Quinn looking this upset since sophomore year. Though she couldn't even begin to fathom what had made Quinn so distraught she led her to the sofa to patiently wait for Quinn to calm down.
Quinn's sobs quieted again as she wiped her eyes. Without looking at Rachel, she launched into her explanation. Her father's mistress had kicked him to the curb earlier in the day, ironically trading him in for a newer model. By dinnertime that evening he had come crawling back, bearing extravagant gifts for both her and her mother.
"I am not ready to forgive him." Quinn said, her eyes flashing with anger. "I felt physically sick when I saw him pull up in the driveway in a brand new car, a car which turned out to be mine. My mom though, she looked positively giddy when she ran out to see him. He has been gone for two years Rachel. Two years without a call or birthday card, nothing. Yet here he comes waltzing back into our lives like he had been at the store the whole time."
Rachel placed a comforting hand on her shoulder as Quinn drew in a breath to continue her story. "And how does he greet me? He kisses me on the head as he puts the keys in my hand. With nothing more than a 'hey pumpkin' he goes into the den to make himself a drink. He didn't even look at me."
Quinn looked at Rachel, her face growing bitter. " I just stood there in shock waiting for my mom to be upset and it never came. Instead she just smiled at me happily before joining him in the den to watch reruns of Glenn Beck."
Will had returned with the drinks by then, placing one in front of each of them while holding his own. He looked unsure if he should sit or not, but with Rachel's nod he took a chair across from them. Quinn took her cup, sipping it before glancing at Will.
"Thanks, Mr. Shue. It's delicious." She said, setting the cup down and folding her hands in her lap.
She looked at both Rachel and Will, "I am really sorry to just show up like this but this was the first place I thought of when I got into the car." Quinn glanced around the room, her eyes taking in their dinner waiting for them on the table.
"I am sorry, guys. I didn't mean to interrupt you, especially during dinner. I am going to go." Rachel watched as Quinn stood quickly, brushing her blonde locks out of her eyes and scooping her keys into her hand with an embarrassed look on her face.
"Wait." Rachel said, standing and placing her hand on Quinn's arm. "You weren't interrupting. Why don't you join us? We have plenty." She shot a look at Will who echoed Rachel's idea.
"Yes, of course Quinn. Please join us. I made more than enough and we would both love to have you." He stood and made his way into the kitchen to prepare a plate for her.
Rachel led her to the dining room table, pulling out the chair next to hers for Quinn to take. She poured Quinn a glass of cool water as Quinn took the seat beside her. Will returned with the plate, sitting it in front of Quinn before reclaiming his seat across from Rachel.
The conversation flowed easily during dinner. Rachel and Quinn swapped pregnancy stories while Will listened. Over dessert they discussed ideas for the baby's room, Will having very strong opinions on not painting the walls or buying anything until they found out the sex. Quinn agreed with Will much to Rachel's dismay, though she understood Rachel's desire to start buying already.
"I went through a terrible nesting phase when I was pregnant." Quinn said, laughing at the memory. "Even though I knew I wasn't keeping Beth I would constantly find myself dusting or sweeping. Mercedes' mom wanted to adopt me by the end of that first weekend."
By coffee, Rachel had her one tea she allowed herself a week, they had retired into the living room again. They sat together, Rachel and Will on the sofa and Quinn in one of the chairs watching prime time television. It was well past the evening news when Quinn stood, stretching.
"Well I should get going." She said with a yawn, heading over to where Rachel was standing.
She hugged both Will and Rachel before walking toward the door. Rachel followed her, putting her hand on the door to stop Quinn from opening it. "Are you sure you don't want to stay? We would love to have you. We even have a spare room all set up."
Quinn shook her head, glancing at where Will stood in the living room cleaning up. "No, you should get back to Shue." She said with a smile while she opened the door. "After all, it won't be long until it isn't just the two of you anymore. Enjoy it while you can."
Rachel heeded her advice and spent as much time as she could with Will in the days that followed Quinn's impromptu visit. She hadn't given any thought to how much things were going to change once the baby arrived. As a result of Quinn's advice her and Will were closer than ever.
The fact that Quinn was obviously still bothered by the gift concerned Rachel as she made her way over to the three former cheerios. Quinn wasn't one to dwell on things getting her down; she found the problem and fixed it. If that wasn't happening something was definitely wrong.
Santana was the first to notice her approaching. "Hobbit." She said in greeting, no malice in her voice and a smile on her face.
"Satan." Rachel returned, shooting a smile her way. She was glad they had found a level ground, even if the nicknames still remained. Santana nodded a greeting as she past Rachel, Brittany trailing behind her.
"Hey Quinn. What's up?" Rachel asked, trying to seem nonchalant. She knew she failed when Quinn glanced over at her at her. Her face seemed sad as she drew in a shaky breath.
"Am I that transparent?" Quinn asked, leaning back on the hood of her car. "God, I hope I'm not that transparent."
She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear as she looked at the ground. "Rach, things aren't getting better. I thought if I gave it time I could accept him coming back, but I can't. Just the thought of going home and seeing him sitting there like nothing is wrong makes me so angry."
Rachel wrapped her arm around Quinn, rubbing her hand up and down the blondes arm soothingly. Quinn had been so supportive to Rachel after learning about the baby, she wished there was a way she could return the favor. She wondered if Will would allow Quinn so stay in the spare room until she left for school. After all it would only be a couple of days.
As if on cue she spotted Will pulling into a space a few cars away. With a quick smile at Quinn she excused herself, walking onto the hot parking lot to where Will was unpacking the trunk. He had just removed the grey cooler containing stuff for the barbeque when he saw Rachel.
"Hey honey." He called out, his eyes hidden behind his black sunglasses. "How's the party going?"
"It's fine." Rachel said, kicking at pebble that lay next to the tires.
"What's wrong?" Will asked, setting the cooler down and sitting atop it. He pulled Rachel onto his lap.
Rachel played with the hem of her dress, "It's Quinn. Things aren't getting better for her and I was just thinking…" She trailed off, unsure if she should actually ask Will if she could stay.
Will stilled Rachel's movements, laying his hand over hers. "Honey, you know you can ask me whatever you want right?"
"I was just thinking," She took a deep breath before allowing the words to form, "What do you think about Quinn possibly staying a few days."
She looked at Will's face, watching as he opened his mouth to say something. Wanting to stop him before he would say no she interrupted him. "Please Will? It would only be for a few days before she leaves for orientation."
Rachel was tempted to follow up her pleas with, "I promise to take care of her." The same argument she had given her dads when she wanted a puppy in third grade. She waited patiently for Will to make a decision.
He chuckled, putting his hand against her cheek and pulling her in for a kiss. "Honey, have I ever told you how much I love your enthusiasm?"
"Does that mean she can stay?" Rachel asked, looking excitedly at Will.
"Yes, she can stay." He said, laughing as she clapped excitedly.
"Can I stand up now?" He asked, groaning jokingly as she slid off his lap.
Rachel watched as Will stood and grabbed the cooler. She walked along side him feeling she was forgetting something. They were just about to step on the grass when she remembered.
"Will, wait." She said, holding her arm out in front of him to stop him.
"Is this another sit down moment?" He asked jokingly, turning toward her with the cooler in his hands.
Rachel took a shaky breath. "Finn is here."
Will was silent for a second and Rachel wished she could see his eyes through his sunglasses. "Okay," He said, seeming to sort through his thoughts.
"As long as he behaves then everything will be fine. We have to give him another chance honey. He was awful but he was also in shock. " Will said, kissing her forehead reassuringly before heading to the waiting grill to start their lunch.
Kat and Josh were just arriving as Rachel approached their tents. Kat looked summery in her white shorts and teal tank top. Her long curly hair was down, the sun giving it almost coppery highlights. She hurried up to Rachel wrapping her in a warm hug.
"Hey sweetie. How was the appointment?" Kat asked, brushing a curl from her forehead. "Did you hear the heartbeat?"
Rachel nodded, giggling as Kat let out a happy little cheer. "Oh honey, I am so excited for you." Kat said, hugging her tightly. "I brought the cake you ordered, Josh should be right behind me."
Not knowing Josh was behind her Kat turned to make sure he was following and almost knocked the cake out of his hands. After a second of juggling the impressive sized cake box Josh managed to get a hold on it. Kat grabbed the bright pink box from his hands with a huff.
"Josh that took me 4 hours to do. You'd better not mess up my awesome creation." She elbowed him playfully in the stomach before walking away to find a place for the cake.
"Hey Rach." Josh said, leaning down to give her a hug. "Thanks for inviting me." He felt cool as Rachel gave him a quick hug. She was shocked at how comfortable he seemed in his jeans and long sleeved plaid shirt, even though it had to be one of the hottest days of the summer.
"Hey Josh," She said, pulling on his arm to show him around.
Rachel dutifully went through the party introducing him to everyone before leaving him with Blaine and Kurt. She would have done the same with Kat, but when she saw Kat surrounded by all the girls Rachel knew she needed no introduction. Tina and Mercedes had arrived while she was with Will and seemed to be Kat's biggest fans.
With a sigh she wandered back under the canopy to relax, surprised at even in the early stages what a toll pregnancy took on her energy. Rachel watched their little party with a smile on her face, pleased to have made everyone so happy. She only wished they could all stay this way, happy and together.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Lost in a daydream she wasn't sure how much time had passed before Will sat next to her, handing her a homemade veggie burger before turning to his own plate of non-vegetarian friendly version. Looking around she saw everyone under the tent chatting happily while eating their burgers.
"Berry!" Puck called out, his mouth full of his food. "You made this?"
He held up his burger, looking surprised. Everyone's eyes widened at the idea of the former vegan preparing anything with meat and it actually tasting good. Surprised looks passed through the crowd, everyone looking around and congratulating Rachel on her superb recipe. Rachel saw Finn shoot her a strange look from his chair across the canopy from her before returning to his food.
Lunch was finished quickly, the boys eager to head to the baseball fields and play a game. The girls stayed behind lounging under the cool shadow of the canopy listening to music and discussing their college plans. Kat and Josh sat near the edge of the canopy having their own discussion, which Rachel was sure had to do with the bakery. It was all either of them talked about when she was around.
Rachel's face was starting to ache from trying to maintain her show smile. After a half hour of hearing the girls incessantly talk about their plans, what they are packing, and roommates she had enough. She stood shakily, cursing her pregnancy hormones and tried to not cry. A small part of her still wished she could have those things, the awful roommates and inedible cafeteria food that the girls were so worried about.
She made it to the bathroom without a single tear falling from her cheek, but once the worn door closed behind her she let it all out. Remembering stress wasn't good for the baby she took deep breaths, allowing her lungs to fill completely. She counted to ten before looking at her reflection in the mirror. Wiping her smeared eyeliner away she steadied before pulling the door open again.
"Rachel?" She heard Finn say from behind her.
Her eyes widened as she froze. She didn't want to see him, especially when he was alone. She understood what Will meant about giving him a chance, but it didn't mean she was ready to do so. In true Finn fashion here he was, forcing her to see him. Sighing softly to herself she turned around to find herself eyelevel to his chest.
"Hi Finn, how are you?" She looked up at him, tucking her hair behind her ear.
He rubbed the back of his head again, looking down. Part of her wondered how he hadn't developed a bald patch yet. She fought the urge to laugh at that thought when he cleared his throat.
"I am fine, thanks." He kept his eyes on the ground, kicking slightly at the grass.
"So how can I help you, Finn?" She asked. She didn't mean to be so abrupt, but she was tired and didn't really want to deal with his crap at the moment.
"I… I was wondering how the baby is doing?" He asked, his eyes rising to meet hers.
Rachel was taken aback for a second before she collected herself. "The baby is fine, thanks for asking."
She wasn't sure why she was surprised that Will's advice of being open was working. He usually always had great ideas and insight. Rachel thought that there might be a light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe he would be a part of the baby's life.
"That's good." Finn said, nodding his head. "So, after this I am going to go home and tell Mom and Burt. They will be so excited."
"That's great. We're so glad you came around. The baby is due around the 10th of February." Rachel said, still leery of his excitement.
"Right around mom's birthday. She is going to love that." Finn smiled down at her.
Rachel nodded. She had been around the Hudson/Hummel clan for a long time. She even made a cake for Carole's birthday party once. The one thing she missed about being with Finn was Carole. She had been an amazing mother figure to Rachel over the years and Rachel couldn't wait to be able to go to her for advice.
"This is so exciting, come here." Finn said, holding out his arms to hug her.
Unsure, she stepped forward into Finn's embrace. Gone were the tingling butterflies she used to get. Instead the butterflies were replaced with an anxiety that settled low in her stomach. She patted his back faintly before attempting to step back.
Finn tightened his hold on her, his embrace vice like around her shoulders. Ice cold dread filled her as she felt him nuzzle into her hair, inhaling deeply. Panicked she put her hands on his shoulders and shoved as hard as she could, staggering slightly when he let go.
"What the hell, Finn?" She asked as she regained her balance. At least my dancer training is still benefiting me in some way. She thought bitterly.
Finn looked confused by Rachel's reaction. "I thought we had made up. You know, gotten back together, for the baby. You know you want to."
"Why would you think that Finn?" Rachel asked, astounded by his stupidity.
"The way you've been acting. The things you've been doing." He responded, gesturing at her.
"What exactly have I been doing, Finn?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You made my favorite burgers. You haven't been able to stop staring at me. Come on, Rach. You know what you've been doing, why pretend?"
"Finn, I made burgers because it is a summer food. I completely forgot you liked them. As for staring at you, I most certainly have not." She scoffed at the idea, feeling affronted.
"So you don't want to get back together?" Finn asked, studying her reaction.
"Of course not, Finn. I am sorry if you got that impression but I definitely didn't mean to give it to you." She brushed down the front of her dress as a breeze blew by.
"So what, you are going to pretend to be the brave, headstrong girl you think you are and raise this baby on your own? I am old fashioned Rachel, if I am going to be raising a kid I am going to do it with the baby's mother or not at all."
"That isn't 'old-fashioned' you jerk. It's horrible." Rachel said, throwing her hands up.
"Rachel, is everything okay?" She heard Will ask, feeling his hand settle on her shoulder. He stepped in front of her, partially blocking Finn from her.
"No offense, Mr. Shue, but this is none of your business. It is between Rachel and me. So if you don't mind?" he made a move to walk behind Will.
"Actually Finn," Will said, raising his hand to stop him. "It is my business."
"That's what I meant when I said 'we are glad you came around.'" Rachel said, moving out from behind Will. She went to Will's side, clasping their hands together.
Finn was quiet a second. Rachel could see the gears in his head turning as he was trying to process what they were saying. He looked between them, his eyes settling on their joined hands. His face contorting slightly when he realized what they were implying.
"You and Shue?" Finn shouted, catching the attention of the rest of the party under the canopy. Rachel looked back to see Puck and Mike approaching them and the girls standing to see what was going on.
"Yes, Finn. Will and I are together now. You can still be a part of the baby's life though." Rachel said trying to keep her voice down. There were some people who didn't know about the baby and she wanted to keep it that way, if only for awhile.
"The love of my life and the man I think of as my surrogate father are dating and you expect me to be okay with it? Are you fucking crazy? Guys, did you know about this?" Finn asked Puck and Mike, expecting them to join in his disgust.
"Yeah man, we knew" Mike said, stepping up next to Will. "We think it's pretty great."
"Yeah Hudson, we do." Puck said, stepping in between Finn and Rachel.
A look of betrayal crossed Finn's face as he absorbed what his friends were telling him. He shook his head looking between them all.
"Fine," He glared at Rachel. "You want to be a whore and jump right into bed with someone, fine. Maybe I am better off without either of you." He said, looking at her stomach.
Will tightened his grip around her shoulders, kissing her head lovingly. "You should go Finn." He said, glaring at him from his spot beside Rachel. She knew he would have made Finn leave if it wasn't for her iron grip on his shirt.
"Yeah, get lost Hudson. We don't want you here." Puck said, stepping toward him threateningly.
Finn shot one more glare to each of them before he took off out of the park. With a gentle coaxing Will guided Rachel back toward the tent and toward the waiting hugs from Quinn, Blaine, and Kurt. The rest looked confused but supportive as they watched from the sidelines.
"So, how about some cake?" Kat asked, breaking the awkward silence. She clapped her hands together to get their attention. With a series of murmurs everyone gathered behind Kat as she revealed her masterpiece.
The cake was lovely. Kat had handcrafted a huge suitcase, the fondant tinted McKinley High red. The shiny metal clasps looked so real part of Rachel doubted they were edible, even though she saw Kat crafting them the day before. A top the suitcase sat edible stickers, each depicting the different schools they would be attending come fall.
Rachel and Will stood at the back of the line, Will embracing Rachel as she stood behind her. He would occasionally run his hands up and down her arms to comfort her. When they reached the front of the line Kat served them both a slice with a sympathetic smile.
Rachel took a seat next to Quinn with Will on the other side. Rachel turned toward her leaning in to get her attention. She knew Quinn didn't want people to know about her problems at home but if Quinn was going to spend the night this was the only time to talk to her.
"Quinn," Rachel said, keeping her voice low. "Will and I wanted to know if you wanted to stay with us until you left for school. We would love to have you stay."
Quinn's eyes widened as her smile grew. "Are you serious Rach? That would be fantastic. It would only be for a couple of weeks until orientation starts." She set her cake aside to hug Will and Rachel.
"Thank you so much guys." She said, picking up her cake. "Should I move in tomorrow? Would that be fine with you?"
"That would be great." Rachel said, hopping up and down excitedly. She couldn't wait to have her first houseguest.
-.-.-.-
The rest of the afternoon past uneventfully, everyone leaving as dusk settled over the park. Quinn ran over to the Rachel as she stood watching Will load the car. She felt Quinn hug her tightly before she was able to turn around.
"Thank you again Rachel. I can't tell you what this means to me. I promise to help out and clean." Quinn started naming off a list of chores she planned to do while she was staying.
"You don't need to do chores to stay. Our place is your place. All we expect you to do is make yourself at home." Rachel responded, hoping to put her friend's worry to rest.
Quinn was about to reply, most likely to protest when Santana called to her from across the parking lot. Both Rachel and Quinn turned at the sound of her name to see Santana standing by the trunk of Quinn's car. Brittany stood next to her shivering as a breeze blew across the parking lot. With another small hug, Quinn hurried across the parking lot to where the girls were waiting.
Blaine and Kurt were packing up their many chairs a few cars down. Sadness settled into Rachel as she made her way over to them. These two were her best friends and she didn't want to say goodbye. She knew they would only be a phone call and a 10-hour drive away if she needed them, but it felt like they were going to be on the other side of the world.
Kurt was the first one to notice her approaching and looked up at her with a sad smile. Setting down the chairs he was holding he hurried to meet her halfway. He threw his arms around her, giving her a tight squeeze he normally wouldn't allow since he claims his clothes wrinkle much easier than the mass-produced poly-cotton blend everyone else wore.
"You know I am going to miss you. I promise to be back every chance I can." He said, giving her another small hug before stepping back. "You have your ultrasound next month right? Promise me you will call me as soon as you know so I can start buying adorable baby clothes."
Rachel nodded, her eyes tearing at the thought of them being gone for so long. She hoped to make it out to see them before the baby was born. Blaine finished packing up the chairs and made his way over to them. He wrapped her in a loving hug before stepping back with a smile.
"Don't cry Rach," He said, wiping a tear from her cheek with the back of his finger. "We will be back. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving we will meet up at your apartment and have a movie night. We also will have our phones all the time in case there is an update with the baby." He shot Kurt a look over Rachel's head, which Kurt rolled his eyes at.
"It was one time Blaine. One time I forgot to charge my phone and you couldn't reach me."
"Which wouldn't have been a big deal except you left me waiting at the airport for hours until you remembered. Security was starting to get suspicious. Quite an end to a horrible weekend." Blaine countered, though kissed Kurt affectionately to show he was kidding.
Rachel heard Will close the trunk with a slam before walking back to where they were standing. Blaine and Kurt would be driving to New York early the next morning and this was their last opportunity to say farewell. With a small hug to both of them Will stood behind Rachel to allow her to say her goodbyes.
With tear filled eyes, Rachel hugged each of them repeatedly, standing back as they got in the car and pulled away. She stood there, Will behind her as they watched Kurt's taillights disappear in the darkening distance. She felt Will put his arms around her shoulders and place a kiss at her temple, guiding her back to the car.
Will opened her door, helping her in before closing it. He squeezed her hand reassuringly as he started the car and pulled out of the park. He looked over at her with a reserved smile, "That was a wonderful party sweetheart. You did a fabulous job."
Nodding, Rachel continued to look out the window. Fatigue overtook her as she watched the houses whizzing past the window. She felt Will squeeze her hand again softly as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.