Chapter 4
Weeks had gone by, and the Hudson family was still trying to settle down in Lima.
Finn looked up from his laptop and smiled over at his beautiful little girl asleep on the floor next to Beth. He turned his direction over to the door as Puck walked in from work. He placed his stuff done as he called out for Quinn, "Qui.."
She turned the corner shushing him, "Shhh, the girls are napping."
She tiptoed up to give him kiss as Puck grabbed her waste pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her firmly...
"Is that so, well then Mrs. Puckerman.. I say we take this to the bedroom."
Quinn giggled as she tried to fight back, pushing him away, "Puck..."
Finn shook his head and stood up clearing his throat.
Quinn and Puck looked over at Finn with an embarrassed look on their faces.
Finn laughed as he grabbed his things and keys, "I was just leaving."
Puck, laughed a little too, a tight grip on Quinn still, "Sorry Man, didn't see ya there."
Quinn rolled her eyes, "Let go Noah. Finn I'm sorry, you don't have to leave..."
Finn shook his head still laughing and made his way to the door, "I have to go pick up Rachel and meet the realtor anyway."
He winked at Puck as he walked out the door closing it behind him. Puck smiled as he looked back at Quinn, leaning in for another kiss. Just then the door opened again. They both looked up to see Finn pop his head back in.
"But if my daughter catches you two doing anything, I will kick your ass. Have fun." With that he shut the door behind him, leaving a laughing Quinn and Puck.
He walked out the door and sat in his car for a bit thinking. He missed Rachel.
He drove to her old house and knocked on the door. Her dad opened the door, welcoming him in with a hug, "Finn, my son. How are you today? Come in. No Lexi?"
Finn hugged his father in law back, "No. She was napping with Beth before I left, didn't want to wake her. Plus Rachel and I have a meeting with the realtor about a house."
Leroy nodded and directed him towards the kitchen, "Well give her a big hug for me. Can't wait to see her this weekend again. Hiram and I want to take the girls, for a spa day and to see the new Disney movie that is out, we even invited your mother. We've missed Lexi so much.. Its so nice to have you all here again."
He placed a hand on Finn's shoulder as Finn smiled. "Its great to be home, she missed her grandpas and so did I."
They smiled as Hiram walked down the stairs, "Finn. Good afternoon. Come to take our baby girl home."
Finn smiled as he shook his hand, "Yes Sir, well to a meeting with our Realtor and then home... How was she today?"
Hiram walked over to his husband as they exchanged a saddened look, "Better, everyday will be better. She fell right to sleep on the couch when Quinn dropped her off this morning and then spent the day watching Funny Girl and looking at old photos."
Finn nodded as they both noticed the disappointing look in his face.
Leroy walked over placing a hand on his shoulder, "It'll get better son. Our baby girl is strong, she'll come through. And she has you, no one has ever believed in her more than you have, don't stop now. She needs you."
Finn fought back the tears welling up in his eyes.
"She's upstairs. Why don't you go get her."
Finn lightly knocked on the door before opening it, "Rachel, its me, can I come in?"
He pushed the door to her old bedroom a little more and found a sleeping Rachel sprawled out on the bed. He smiled softly as he looked around at all of the memories. Nothing in the room had changed since High School. And the look on his wife's face as she slept, matching the one he saw on Lexi earlier, still the same.
He walked over to the bed and lied down next to her. He leaned in moving the hair from her face and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. He shuffled a little and noticed something in Rachel's hand. A picture. He gently pulled it away and smiled when he saw the two of them. It was their first time at Regionals together. He closed his eyes remembering that day perfectly. It was the first of many I love You's.
Rachel moved a little and slightly began to open her eyes. He placed the picture down on the bedside table and then turned back to look at her. Their faces only inches apart.
"Hi."
"Hi."
"Your dads told me you were up here, I didn't mean to wake you, but I thought you might like to go see the house with me. Linda called and she wants us to meet her in thirty minutes. Would you like to come?"
He watched her eyes flicker a little as he waited for a response. She simply nodded.
He smiled as he slowly stood up, "I'll let you get your things, I'll be down stairs."
Before she could speak, he gently kissed her forehead again and made his way out the door.
Rachel sat up in her room and looked around thinking about what her life had become. Here she was, healthy and alive. With a beautiful family. A perfect daughter, a wonderful husband who she loved more than anything. A family, friends. And yet she had never felt more alone and empty.
She made her way downstairs as her dad's met her at the door,
"It was nice seeing you today baby girl."
"Be safe, love you."
She kissed them both as Finn held the door open for her.
The drive was a bit quiet. Finn asked the obvious questions, How was your day? Are you feeling okay? Are you hungry? All answered with simple answers and nods.
When they pulled in to the drive way of the house Finn was in awe, it was perfect. As they walked around the house admiring all of the potential of their new home, Finn knew this was it, he needed not one more reason to make this house theirs. He'd only wished Rachel had the same enthusiasm as she aimlessly strolled through the house.
As Rachel and Finn walked in the door, Quinn looked up from the couch where she was sitting, her eyes leaving the book she was reading, a smile stretching across her face, "Hey you two, how was the meeting?"
Finn smiled as they both made their way towards the living room, "Great, we got it. We bought the house. It was perfect."
Quinn jumped up, "Oh my god, that's great.. I'm so happy for you."
Finn nodded as he began to go into detail about it, "Its got this amazing back yard, and the price is great, really close to you guys... its perfect, don't you think Rach?"
Rachel cleared her throat before excusing her self, "I'm gonna head to bed now."
She turned around and walked towards the guest bedroom.
Quinn sighed as did Finn. He was so upset. Why was she acting like this. He knew why, and if it were up to him he would let her be and hold her every night in his arms because she was everything to him, and he would give and do anything to protect her from this evil world. But he couldn't and he needed her to realize that she wasn't alone, that he needed her too.
He apologized to Quinn before storming after Rachel and following her into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.
"Stop!"
Rachel turned around, her eyes wide and confused.
"Stop it right now Rachel.." He through his arms in the air frustrated and hurt.
"This isn't about you. Its about us. I can't do it, not without you. But I'm at breaking point here Rach. I don't know what to do.. I didn't sign up to this all alone, or to be a single father."
Rachel stood there, in shock, tears welling in her eyes...
"I need my wife back, I need my best friend... The one who believed in me, and promised me that we would make it through everything, the good and the bad.. Where is she? I need her, her daughter needs her."
It's been so long since she'd felt anything.. "I'm broken Finn. You don't understand.."
Finn, infuriated, and hurt pounded on the door with a tight fist, "And you don't think I am? You aren't the only one who lost something Rachel. I did too. This didn't just happen to you... Don't you get that?"
Quinn stood in the hallway, tears rolling down her cheeks when Puck opened the door to their bedroom and walked out to grab her, "What is going on in there?"
She turned and just collapsed into his arms as he wiped her tears.
Puck brushed his hand through her hair as he rocked her in his arms, "Shhh, its Finn and Rachel, babe, the superman of couples remember? They'll be okay... They'll be okay."
Rachel inched herself closer to Finn, heart broken at the way he was treating her, "You will never understand, Never! I have nothing else Finn. Nothing, I lost it all during that accident."
Finn froze... "Nothing? You have nothing? God dammit Rachel, you have a beautiful daughter who loves you more than anything in this world, a daughter who needs her mom. A daughter who is here. I AM HERE RACHEL... You aren't the only who is hurting, but if this keeps up, you will have nothing!"
The door slammed behind him as Rachel fell to her knees in tears. Finn stormed out of the house nearly running past Puck and Quinn. He grabbed his Jacket and Keys and was out the door.
Hours passed as Rachel lied in bed crying. She loved Finn more than anything. And Lexi, Lexi was her perfect miracle. She'd let them down, she was stuck in the past and she couldn't push forward. Finn had crushed her tonight. The man who shared her dreams, who knew her well, who promised to never leave her side, the man who was nowhere to be found now. She wiped her face as she tip toed out of the bedroom and over to where Lexi was sleeping. She stood in the doorway as she watched the beautiful perfect little girl sleeping. She thought about what was running through her mind, her dreams, if she felt the same way as Finn.. If she thought that she only had a father. She quietly walked over to her side and brushed her stray hairs away from her face, she leaned down placing a kiss on her forehead. She loved this perfect miracle of hers. She sat there as she rested her head down in her arms on the pillow next to Lexi, crying...
"Mommy? Why are you crying?"
Rachel looked up to see the worry in her daughters eyes, "Are you sick? Do you want me to go get daddy or aunt Quinn?"
Rachel smiled a little shaking her head, "No, its okay. Mommy is fine, she just loves you very much."
Lexi smiled as she sat up a little grabbing her bear tightly in one hand, "I love you too mommy." She leaned forward throwing herself into her Rachel's arms, wrapping her tiny arms around her neck and hugging her tightly.
Rachel embraced her little girl for the first time in months. "I'm sorry, I scared you with my crying Lex.."
Lexi pulled away holding her tightly still, "Its okay mommy, Aunt Brittany said that sometimes people hearts hurt from loving too much and if it hurts then sometimes we cry."
Rachel nodded in agreement as Lexi hugged her mom one more time, "I love you mommy."
