A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last time! My inbox was flame free and I'm so glad of that. :) As always, I don't own glee or anything else I might reference. Flashbacks are in italics.

Chapter 20

Quinn's POV

Quinn and Rachel had finally managed to get all five of their children in bed. The twins and Ruby had been the easiest. Jade and Antonio kept waking each other up with their cries until Rachel finally took her youngest child out of the nursery until Quinn got Jade to sleep. Rachel returned with a sleeping Antonio and laid him in the second crib.

When Rachel came back in, Quinn had quirked her eyebrow at her wife. "We can't keep doing this every night, you know," she said.

"Sage and Rosie weren't perfect angels when they were this small either, Quinn," Rachel said, leading Quinn back to their room. "And I promise you, he is the last one."

"I know he is," Quinn said, wrapping her arms around Rachel ans kissing her cheek. She held Rachel almost too closely, thinking of the dreams she'd been having.

"Quinn, what is it?" Rachel said, looking into her hazel eyes. "You act like I'm dying."

"I...I can't tell you," Quinn said, nuzzling into Rachel's neck as her tears fell.

"Baby..." Rachel said, feeling the tears hit her skin. She stroked Quinn's face. "I'm the one who should be worried that you'll leave me, not the other way around."

"I can't leave you, baby," Quinn said quietly.

"Are you still trying to protect me from our son?" Rachel asked.

Quinn bristled, trying not to tell Rachel that she still didn't consider that little boy her son. "No," she said. "I just really can't leave you."

"You almost did," Rachel pointed out.

"And it was a mistake, Rach," Quinn said. "We're both tired...I just want to go to bed, okay?"

"Okay," Rachel said, kissing her cheek and opening their bedroom door.

Quinn pulled Rachel onto the bed and snuggled up to her, both of them passing out from exhaustion.

Laurel was about to turn sixteen and was very excited to be presented to the coven as their future high priestess. Her grandmother, Sequoia, was the current high priestess, and her mother, Rowan, would take over for Sequoia when the time came. Her presentation at the full moon ceremony would mean that she was of marriageable age and would be able to choose her mate, whether it was a man, or a so-called "giver". Laurel had her sights set on a young man in the coven who called himself Palo. He was a bit older than herself and all of the girls in the coven fawned over him because of his strength and stature. Laurel had fallen for him because of his piercing hazel eyes.

It was a tradition in the Rowan coven that the young maiden would give her intended suitor a favor on the night of her presentation. Laurel had worked on the blackwork for her favor night and day for months until it was just right. It was a satchel with the coven emblem on the front and room for their hand-fasting date below. Palo was a fine horseman and she'd often seen him riding in the village. He almost always had his parcels strewn about the horse's back in front of him, dangerously in peril of losing one or more of the things he carried. Laurel wanted him to have a satchel to keep his parcels safe from harm and hoped that Palo would accept the favor and her hand in betrothal.

The one thing that made Laurel nervous about that night was the fact that her brother would be there. She'd always been taught to love her brother and she'd tried, but he always seemed to ruin the things she'd worked hardest on. Perhaps it was her own resentment that her brother had a father who loved him above everything else and she'd never felt that connection with Joshua. He loved her mother and brother and seemed to love her, but she never could shake the feeling that he resented her for not being his. It wasn't her fault (or her mother's, for that matter), but Laurel got the impression that Joshua blamed them both. For that reason alone, Laurel wanted to be hand-fasted as soon as her mother would allow it so she could be with someone who did love her.

Laurel finished dressing herself and took a deep breath, coming out of her rooms. For whatever reason, her parents and brother were in the main room of the house waiting for her. The three of them clapped when they saw her and she blushed crimson. "What's this for?" she asked.

"It's not every night that my daughter is presented to the coven," Rowan said, kissing her cheek.

Laurel blushed. "Mama," she said.

"I made you something," eleven year old Ash said, handing her a small package.

Laurel smiled, opening the package. "Thank you," she said. Inside the package was a necklace of several large stones. "Did you make this yourself?"

Ash nodded. "Papa and I found the stones and he helped me string them," he said.

Laurel smiled from Ash to Joshua and hugged her little brother. "Thank you, it's very pretty," she said.

"You're welcome," Ash said, hugging her tightly.

Joshua and Rowan smiled at their children. Just a short time later, the family were gathered with the rest of the coven in the grotto just outside their small village. Sequoia was at the head of the circle and she smiled at her coven.

"And now, the moment my daughter has been dreading for sixteen years," Sequoia said, chuckling with the crowd.

"Mama!" Rowan said, laughing.

"It's true, dearest," Joshua said in her ear as he kissed the side of her face.

"It is my honor to present the next in our line of high priestesses, my granddaughter, Laurel," Sequoia said, extending her hand out, palm up, towards Laurel.

Laurel blushed, stepping forward into the circle.

The crowd cheered and Laurel took the favor she'd made for Palo from the altar, going towards the tall muscular boy.

"And now, she will choose the young person she wishes to be her suitor," Sequoia said, watching as Laurel went to Palo, then took a few steps away from him before turning back and standing before him.

"Will you accept this favor?" Laurel asked Palo, looking up at him through her lashes.

Palo gave her a crooked smile and nodded, taking the favor from her. He took her hand and kissed it gently while the crowd cheered.

Ash made a face and then looked to his parents. In a stage whisper, he said, "Does this mean Laurel is going to get married?"

Laurel's eyes went wide and her face flushed.

"Shh," Joshua said, stroking his son's hair.

"But Papa–" Ash said.

"We'll talk about this when we get home," Joshua said.

"But–" Ash said again, looking to his mother.

"Let your sister have her moment," Rowan said to her son.

Laurel looked at her parents and blushed deeper as Palo took her arm.

"My dear children," Sequoia said. "I now close this circle. Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet Again."

The coven repeated in unison, "Merry Meet, Merry Part, and Merry Meet Again." Then they disbursed. Rowan and Joshua nodded towards Laurel before taking Ash back to their home. Sequoia followed them, smiling back at her granddaughter and the young man with Laurel.

Palo smiled at Laurel and led her off to one of the stone benches. He held her hands in his and looked down at their laps. "I'm honored," he said.

Laurel smiled down at their hands. "Not repulsed or frightened because of my family?" she asked.

Palo laughed. "No," he said. "And I don't have anything to say to the other girls in the village, either."

"You're not one of those boys who will string me along, are you?" Laurel asked, before hearing a little voice giggling behind them.

"No," he said, looking for the source of the voice before he found it crouched behind a bush. He went to the culprit and pulled him up gently by his shirt collar.

"Ash!" Laurel said. "You're supposed to be with Mama, Papa, and Granny!"

"Someone had to check him out for them!" Ash said defensively.

"Go to them before I skin you alive!" Laurel said through gritted teeth.

Palo looked at the boy. "He hasn't harmed us in any way, Laurel," he said, patting Ash's shoulder.

"He's mortifying me as we speak," Laurel said, glaring at her brother.

"I think he just wants to make sure you don't get hurt," Palo said. "Isn't that right?"

Ash nodded. "She's my only sister and I have to protect her," he said.

Laurel sighed. "Ash, just go," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"I'll go as long as you promise not to kiss him," Ash said.

Laurel growled, getting up from the bench and lunging after him.

Ash ran away as Palo caught Laurel around the waist.

"I promise not to kiss your sister's lips," Palo called after the boy as he disappeared through the shrubbery.

Laurel blushed, looking at her betrothed. "I'm sorry about him," she said, stroking his face.

Palo nodded, holding her hand to his cheek as they gazed at each other. "He wants you to keep your virtue until you're my wife," he said. "I respect that. And I promise you, I will not force myself on you, even after we are married."

Laurel nodded, her eyes falling to his lips.

Palo noticed and smiled, kissing her forehead. "There will be plenty of time for that when we are man and wife," he said.

Laurel nodded, but she could feel herself wanting to kiss him anyway.

"I should take you back to your family," Palo said. "Don't want your father coming after me with his bow and arrows. I hear he has deadly aim."

Laurel laughed nervously. "He is the best hunter in the coven," she said. But he's not my father, she thought.

Palo led her to his horse and climbed up before he helped her onto his lap on the saddle. He urged his horse to go towards her house, his arms resting comfortably at his sides while controlling the reins. Laurel rested her back against his chest as they rode, feeling as safe as she had when she used to ride with Joshua as a little girl.

Quinn's POV

Quinn woke up and groaned, hearing a baby crying. "I'll get him," she mumbled to Rachel, climbing out of their bed and running down to the nursery. She picked up Antonio before he could wake up Jade and walked him down to her room, bouncing him a tiny bit. "Listen, buddy," she mumbled into his ear. "Your Mama and I have to get some sleep, so you'll have to be very, very quiet." Quinn stopped at the edge of their bed and sat down, still holding the baby in her arms. He'd quieted down considerably since she'd picked him up and she saw that his eyes were closed again.

Quinn laid down with Antonio on her chest, just as she'd done with the girls when they were babies, and she held him close, letting her breathing and heartbeat soothe the baby to a deeper sleep. She smiled over at Rachel who was now stroking her son's back as he slept. "Night, Love," she said.

"Night, Quinn," Rachel said, kissing her once more before she heard another baby crying. "I've got Jade."

Quinn nodded, hoping Antonio would ignore his sister's cries and just go to sleep. She fell back asleep, still holding her unofficially adopted son in her arms.

Rachel's POV

Rachel walked back to the nursery and picked up Jade, sitting in the rocker with her daughter. "Shh, it's okay baby," she whispered as she rocked the tiny girl.

Jade whimpered, snuggling into Rachel's chest as they rocked together. She looked down at Jade and smiled, stroking her daughter's back. "You're still my baby girl," she whispered, kissing Jade's forehead. "And your brother is my baby boy. Just like he was before."

Rachel laid her head back and sighed, thinking of the visions she'd been having lately. Oddly enough, she'd shared the same dream that Quinn had, remembering that Quinn had once been her daughter and Jesse had once been her husband. There was a part of her memories that was still blocked and she didn't know why. She wondered when she saw that her son in that life was her son in this one, whether or not it had been sibling rivalry that had driven the wedge between Quinn and Antonio. What she hoped was that Quinn could get past the baggage and start a new trend with their son. It was the present that mattered now, not the past.

Rachel was still worried about David coming back and taking her son away. She supposed that she deserved it. After all, she took the boy from his father. But at the same time, she was bringing her son into a large, loving family, so who was she harming, really? She sighed, noticing that Jade was once again asleep, and she stood up carefully, placing her daughter in the crib. She leaned down and kissed Jade's cheek, yawning and going back to her own bed. When she saw Quinn and Antonio cuddled up on the bed, she smiled, climbing in on her side and snuggling up to the two of them. This was what she wanted all along–a complete family. The kind she and Shelby had dreamed of when she was growing up. Rachel still maintained that she and her mother had just needed time to get there.

Rachel yawned again, falling asleep beside Quinn and dreaming.

Rowan had cried herself to sleep that night in Joshua's arms. She was afraid that Laurel would leave their family and never come back. Joshua did his best and held his wife close, soothing her tears away.

"My love," he whispered as they laid together. "She is always going to need her mother. Haven't you seen that with your own mother?"

Rowan nodded, looking into his blue eyes. "But she's not my baby anymore...and Ash is getting so big...I feel like I'm losing my hold on them."

"You won't lose them," Joshua assured her. "They may not live under our roof someday, but they will always be our children."

Rowan nodded and smiled. "Our children," she repeated.

"Why does that surprise you?" Joshua asked.

"Because...you never called Laurel yours before," Rowan said.

"Oh, haven't I?" Joshua asked. "I thought for sure..."

Rowan shook her head. "No. Never. But she is yours. She has been since you married me."

Joshua nodded. "I loved her when I first saw her, just like I loved you the day we met," she said.

Rowan smiled, kissing him softly. "Just as I've loved you," she said. "And I regret nothing."

"Nor do I," Joshua said. "And I hope this boy doesn't make me change my mind."

Rowan laughed. "You sound like my mother," she said.

"Well, she is the wisest woman in our village," Joshua said, smiling. "Followed closely by her own daughter."

Rowan blushed. "I hope he loves her at least half as much as you love me," she said.

"He'd better love her twice as much," Joshua said, sternly. "As should the woman who steals our little boy's heart away."

Rowan smirked. "You are terrible, you know," she said.

"Oh I know," Joshua said, kissing her again.

A/N: This went in a different direction than when I started it. Hope it still was entertaining. Please leave a little something in the box? -Venna