Hi everyone! Sorry the past few chapters have been pretty far spaced apart. With being on vacation last week and starting a new job, my schedule has been tighter. I hope you guys like this chapter though, I really enjoyed writing it. Quick's daughter is actually named after two of my Quick shipping friends from fanfiction named Bailey (one of them, FinchelQuick34, writes the best Quick fanfics ever!). Her middle name comes from my Quick shipping Glee Forum friend, DesiJLD. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and review if you want me to continue!
Chapter 36: Music Notes
It was mid-September, and Rachel was due in about a month. Today, she and Finn were getting Caylie's room set up. Finn was building the crib while Rachel was putting some toys and books on the bookshelves. Allie was at her viola lesson, so they didn't have to worry about taking the attention away from her.
"It's hard to believe we'll have two kids in a few weeks," Finn said.
"I know!" Rachel agreed. "And I can't believe Allie's six!"
"For the first time, she's older than my students," Finn said.
"It's crazy," Rachel said. Allie had started first grade in late August. She had also recently started taking viola lessons. The school let second and third graders try out for the school orchestra, so Allie wanted to start early for having a better chance of getting in next year.
"I'm glad Allie's involved with music in some way already," Finn said.
"Me too," Rachel said. "You can play your drums while she plays her viola."
"Or she could play her viola while we sing a duet!" Finn suggested.
Rachel began to feel tired and sat down. "What is it, Rach?" Finn asked.
"I'm just tired," Rachel said.
"We should probably take a break from getting the room ready," Finn said. "We do need to go get Allie soon."
"We can finish after she goes to bed tonight," Rachel said. They'd tried to do most of their preparations for having a baby when Allie was in bed or out. Allie had been going back and forth between being excited and nervous about getting a sibling. One day she couldn't wait, the next day she needed clarification that her parents would still love her after the baby was born.
"Want me to get Allie so you can relax?" Finn asked his wife.
"I'd appreciate that," Rachel said. She lay down as Finn gave her a kiss, then left the apartment to pick Allie up from her viola lesson. The viola teacher lived in their building, so he only had to go up a few floors. He knocked on the door and was greeted by Allie's instructor, Gina. "Hi, Mr. Hudson."
"Hi Gina," Finn said back. "How'd Allie do today?"
Allie came over proudly with her viola. "Daddy, want to hear me play my scales?"
Finn smiled at his daughter. "I'd love to."
Allie smiled proudly as she played her scales. At the end, Finn applauded. "You sounded great!"
"It's only been a few weeks, but she's pretty good," Gina said.
"She does have musical talent in her blood," Finn said. "My wife was on Broadway." He couldn't help but stir in a brag about Rachel.
"Allie has also told me many times that you're a good drummer," Gina told Finn. "And that you two won the National championship with your glee club."
Finn put his arm around Allie. "That we did! And I'm glad she thinks I'm a good drummer."
"And you and Mommy sing the best songs together!" Allie added.
"Allie, we should get home now," Finn said.
"Okay, bye Gina!" Allie said.
"Bye Allie," Gina said.
"So you had a good lesson?" Finn asked as they walked back to the apartment.
"Oh yes!" Allie said. "I love playing the viola, Daddy."
"Good," Finn said. Originally when Allie wanted to start playing an instrument, Finn and Rachel had suggested the violin, since it was the smallest of the strings and Allie had liked the strings at the music store, but she had really liked the looks of the viola.
"What did you and Mommy do while I was at my lesson?" Allie asked.
"We were getting Caylie's room ready," Finn said softly. Since he didn't know how Allie would feel about getting a sibling today, he tried to be as nice as he could.
"At least she's not sharing my room," Allie said. "I don't want her to wake me up when she cries."
"We got a three bedroom apartment so that wouldn't happen!" Finn said. He unlocked their apartment door and saw Rachel on the couch watching TV.
"Mommy!" Allie exclaimed.
"Hi, Allie!" Rachel said.
"Mommy, want to hear my scales?" Allie asked.
"I would love that," Rachel said.
Allie got her viola out of its case and played the scales for Rachel. Finn felt so proud of his daughter. He could tell by the look on Rachel's face that she was, too.
"Maybe I could play my viola at the wedding next week?" Allie asked.
"I'll talk to Uncle Artie and Aunt Betty," Finn said.
Allie smiled. "Yay!"
x
The next weekend, Rachel was sitting in the church pew with Quinn, Daniel, Santana, Brittany, Bryan and Tina. The drive to Ohio for Artie and Betty's wedding had not been easy for an eight months pregnant Rachel (or for Brittany or Quinn), but if they'd had it in LA, the pregnant women wouldn't have been able to fly out there.
"I feel so small," Santana said.
"I feel huge," Brittany said back.
"Bailey has been kicking so much today," Quinn added.
"I would have thought at least one of us would have given birth by now," Rachel said.
Daniel pointed at Quinn's stomach. "Baby!"
"Not yet, Daniel," Quinn said to her son.
"How's Allie doing lately?" Tina asked Rachel. Right now, Allie was in the back of the church, since she was the flower girl. She was with Finn and the other groomsmen, Kurt, Blaine, Sam and Mike, who was the best man. Mercedes was the maid of honor, and three of Betty's cousins and two of her friends from college were the bridesmaids.
"Today, she was fine," Rachel said. "You know she loves being a flower girl."
"How would she feel about being a flower girl in another wedding?" Tina asked.
"Are you saying - " Brittany asked, overhearing the conversation.
"Yes I am!" Tina said. "Mike proposed!"
"That's so exciting!" Rachel said, giving her friend a hug and looking at her ring.
"We're thinking this spring," Tina said. "But don't tell Mike I told you guys, he plans to announce it in his best man speech."
"We won't," Rachel said. She waved to Ryder, Marley, Jake and Harmony, who were coming in and sitting in a pew a few rows back, joining Joe, Kitty, Rory and Sugar. Rachel could also see Matt Rutherford and Lauren Zizes (who had begun dating this summer). Mr. and Mrs. Schuester were on the bride's side of the church with the Pillsbury family. Their sons would be the ring bearers.
"I think Betty and Mr. Schue are the only non-gingers in that family," Santana said, looking at the other side of the church.
"I wonder what Artie and Betty's babies will turn out to be," Tina said. "Since he's brunette and she's blond, I think Rusty and Rose Pillsbury are in for a disappointment."
"Well, I bet yours will be Asian," Brittany said to Tina.
"I think so too," Tina laughed. Before anyone else had a chance to say anything, Artie wheeled to the front of the church to wait for Betty and the music for the wedding march began. Rachel watched as Allie walked down the aisle in her gold flower girl dress to match the bridesmaids' dresses, followed by the Schuester boys with the rings. Finn winked at Rachel as he walked down the aisle with a red haired bridesmaid, and Rachel winked back. She was relieved when it was time to sit down, because it could be tiring to stand when she was so pregnant. Artie and Betty's vows did give the audience a laugh - Artie talked about thinking that Betty was mean when they first met, and Betty talked about thinking that Artie was a big nerd.
Rachel noticed that Quinn was looking very uneasy during the ceremony. She leaned over and whispered to her friend. "Are you okay?"
"Rachel, I think I'm starting to go into labor," Quinn whispered back.
Rachel immediately began to worry. Should she call an ambulance? Should she signal to Puck?
"Don't say anything," Quinn whispered again. "Not until after the ceremony."
The priest was about to ask Artie and Betty if they took each other as husband and wife, and Artie told him to wait a minute. Then, he stood up, and so did Betty. The audience gasped. They hadn't mentioned to anyone that they could do that.
"Before we take each other, we wanted everyone to know that we can do that," Artie said. "We had a new operation to help our legs work, and we've been going to physical therapy, but we wanted to wait for the perfect time to share this news with our family and friends."
"We aren't as mobile as the rest of you yet and we still need our chairs sometimes, but we are getting there," Betty added proudly.
The wedding guests applauded as the priest asked them if they took each other as husband and wife. They took each other, and the wedding party processed out. As the girls started to head to the reception hall, Quinn grabbed Rachel's arm. "Rachel, my water just broke."
Rachel looked at her friend. Santana, Brittany and Tina looked on, too, and Daniel just looked confused.
"All of you stay here for the reception," Quinn said. "It's bad enough that one of the groomsmen has to leave. Could one of you go get Puck?"
"I will," Tina said. "It's safest for me to run."
"Thanks," Quinn said, squeezing Rachel's arm.
"This is the third time you've done this, you should be a pro by now," Rachel said.
"It still hurts," Quinn said. "I want the epidural."
Puck came running in. "Quinn, we have to get you to the emergency room."
"Finn and I will watch Daniel for you," Rachel told Puck.
"Thanks so much," Puck said. "I feel horrible about having to leave. Don't leave until the party's over, promise?"
"Promise," Rachel said.
"Mommy be okay?" Daniel asked his dad.
"She will," Puck said. "Be good for your aunts and uncles, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy," Daniel said.
"Good boy," Puck said. He ran to get the car. Santana and Tina escorted Quinn into it, then the group went back to the reception.
"It must be something about Quinn being pregnant with a girl," Finn whispered to Rachel. "Whenever she is, she goes into labor at big events."
Rachel laughed as Mike and Mercedes gave their best man and maid of honor speeches. Sam, Mercedes, Mike and Tina sang a quartet for Artie and Betty's first dance. Since they were both still regaining their ability to move their legs, the dance was very slow, but it was still amazing that they were able to do this.
At the end of the dance, Artie took the microphone. "I think my wife and I need to sit now," he said, looking so happy to get to call Betty his wife. "But it's been brought to my attention by my groomsman Finn Hudson that we need a special performance. Ladies and gentlemen, Allie Hudson on viola!"
Allie looked excitedly at Finn and Rachel. "I get to?"
"I said you would, didn't I?" Finn asked.
"I didn't think I'd get to!" Allie said.
"Of course you do!" Rachel said. "Everyone wants to hear you play!"
Allie had never looked more excited. She ran up to the front of the reception hall, picked up her viola and played her scales. They sounded even better than they'd sounded when she played them for Finn and Rachel. At the end of the performance, Rachel was proud to see her daughter get her first standing ovation.
x
The celebration wasn't even over after the party. After Artie and Betty left for their honeymoon, Finn and Rachel knew that they had to take Allie and Daniel to the hospital to meet someone. Finn and Rachel both checked their phones. There was no word from Puck and Quinn. But they still had to get there.
"Do you think Aunt Quinn had her baby yet?" Allie asked as they got in the car.
"I don't know," Finn said.
"Mommy baby?" Daniel asked.
"I hope so," Rachel said. Finn drove the car to the hospital, where he, Rachel, Allie and Daniel headed for the maternity ward waiting room. After about half an hour, a nurse came out. "You're here for Quinn Puckerman?"
"Yes we are," Rachel said. She pointed at Daniel. "This is her son."
"You can go see her now," the nurse said.
Daniel and Allie walked ahead as Finn and Rachel followed behind. "Do you think Allie will be this excited when you're the one in there?" Finn whispered to his wife.
"I wouldn't count on it," Rachel whispered back. The nurse led the group into the hospital room, where Quinn and Puck sat on the bed, holding a little bundle.
"Baby!" Daniel exclaimed.
Quinn smiled at her son. "That's right. I had the baby."
"You're a big brother!" Puck said proudly.
"Yay!" Daniel said.
"Can I see her?" Allie asked.
"Of course," Quinn said as Daniel and Allie looked on. "This is Bailey Desiree Puckerman."
"She's so cute!" Allie said.
"Finn, Rachel, come meet your goddaughter!" Puck said.
Finn and Rachel walked over to the bed and looked at the baby. Bailey had Puck's nose and brown hair, but Quinn's eyes and mouth. "She's beautiful!" Rachel said.
"Three for three in terms of perfect babies!" Quinn said. "Not bad."
"Not bad at all," Rachel said. She smiled at Finn, having a feeling they'd have another perfect baby of their own in a few weeks.