Drafted
April 28th, 2016
Josh fidgeted with his tie nervously. Kurt and Blaine were also putting the finishing touches on their suits.
"I can't believe tonight might change Finn and Rachel's lives," Josh said as he looked in the mirror.
"And maybe you and Noelle too," replied Blaine.
"Me?" scoffed Josh. "Ha. Yeah right. Finn's the number one quarterback in the United States in the NCAA. He'll be a first round pick, if not one of the first two."
"And you will be too," said Noelle as she came out of the bathroom. Josh let out a wolf-whistle at the sight of his wife.
"Looking good, Sis," Kurt replied.
"Thanks Kurt, a famous singer has to look her best for her wide-receiver husband," Noelle smiled, adjusting her hair.
"Well, let's go get Finn and Rachel," said Josh. "Chicago awaits us, yet again."
"It's hard to think we were here four years ago for Nationals," said Noelle. "I'm glad my MS has been in remission since junior year."
"Well, with you in New York at NYU, and Josh at Vanderbilt, I was surprised you two made the long-distance thing work," said Kurt as they gathered their things and headed out of the hotel room and down to the large suite that the Hudsons were staying in.
"Hey, no one saw Josh being recruited the week after Finn coming," Noelle teased. "And you know Dean Winters was happy to let me travel back and forth to Nashville during the football season."
"You definitely racked up those frequent flyer miles going back and forth to help Mr. Schue and Rachel with the New Directions too," Blaine laughed.
"Hey, I got class credit for that, thank you very much," Noelle scowled. She knocked on Finn and Rachel's hotel room door. The sounds of Rachel talking and the squeals of Finn and Rachel's son made Noelle smirk to the others. While Noelle and Josh had flown in from Nashville, Rachel, Finn, Kurt, Blaine, the kids and the Hudson-Hummels had driven from Lima due to Rachel's condition.
"Who bets that Chris is having another terrible two's moment?" Noelle laughed. The door opened to reveal a very pregnant Rachel, who looked frustrated.
"Hey Momma, having trouble with Chris again?" Noelle teased as the group entered the suite. Finn and Rachel's three nearly four year old daughter, Cadence, was parked on the sofa in front of the television, watching Dora the Explorer while Finn was in the bedroom with their two year old son, trying to get him into a designer suit that Rachel had picked out.
"Ugh, yes," Rachel moaned. "He is all Finn, I swear. I hope this one is a girl for MY sake. I wish we had decided on finding out the gender, but we decided to wait this time."
"Come on Buddy, look how handsome Daddy is in his suit!" Finn's voice came from the bedroom.
"No!" Christopher said. "Suit dumb!"
Noelle seized this moment to rescue Finn and walked into the bedroom.
"Christopher Finn Hudson, this is a big night for Daddy," Noelle said to her nephew as she sat down next to him on the bed. "And Uncle Josh. They're going to find out where they get to play professional football! Don't you want Daddy and Uncle Josh to be happy?"
"Yes," pouted Christopher as Noelle stroked her hand on top of his head.
"Then let's get you dressed so Daddy and Uncle Josh won't be late," said Noelle.
"Okay," said Christopher. Finn and Noelle helped Christopher get dressed. Finn let out a low-whistle at the sight of his son.
"Lookin' sharp, there, Bub," said Finn.
"Yeah, very handsome," Noelle added.
"Really?" Christopher asked as Finn carried him out into the living area.
"You sure do, Kiddo," said Josh, ruffling Christopher's head.
"Alright, time to go!" said Rachel. She turned to Blaine and Kurt, who were sitting with Cadence and watching Dora with her. "Cady, baby, turn off the TV."
"Yes, Momma," Cadence replied. Kurt used the remote to turn off the TV and Blaine picked up his niece to giggles and shrieks as he tickled her.
"Cady, you are so pretty," Noelle replied with a smile as she kissed Cadence's cheek.
"How is it that Cadence is so well-mannered and Chris is a tantrum-throwing one?" Kurt muttered to Rachel as the group headed out of the suite.
"It's just a phase, Cadence was like that for a little bit, but then became well-behaved," Rachel replied. "Chris will too." She took a deep breath. "I hope."
"Ladies and gentlemen, the 2016 NFL Draft is officially open! The Titans are on the clock!"
"Please God, let the Titans draft Josh," Noelle muttered as Josh and Finn sat waiting for the phone calls that would change their lives. The two had been given a big waiting room for Rachel, Noelle, the kids, Kurt, Blaine, and whoever else had joined them. Carole sat with Christina Koontz in a corner, discussing Finn and Josh's potential teams. Burt and Michael Koontz were discussing numbers with Finn and Josh's agents. All of a sudden, the phone rang and the group froze.
"No..." Noelle whispered as Josh's agent answered it.
"Hello?" the agent replied. "Yes, this is Mark Evers. Yes, absolutely. Let me get him." Mark turned to Josh. "Josh, the Titans want to talk to you."
"Oh my god!" Noelle sobbed. "Josh, take it! Whatever they offer you, take it!"
Mark put the phone on speaker as the group crowded around.
"Hello, this is Josh Koontz," Josh said.
"Hi Josh, this is Jon Robinson, the general manager for the Titans."
"Hello Sir, how are you?" Josh asked.
"I'm just fine, Josh," said Jon. "We would like to offer you a position with the Titans as our first-round and the number one pick. We will pay you fifteen million a year."
Noelle nearly fainted. That was not what she thought they would offer Josh in terms of money.
"Deal," Josh said with a grin. "Thank you so much, Sir, this is for Noelle so she's not having to go all over the place right now."
"We understand, and that's the other reason why we wanted you," Jon said. "Everyone knows and loves the both of you here in Nashville. Honestly we need a little publicity. And Josh, we feel you would make a great fill-in QB as well, that's why we are offering a little more than your agent and I originally talked about."
"Thank you sir, that's great," said Josh.
"We'll make the announcement shortly, get ready to come on stage," said Jon.
"Thank you Sir," said Josh.
"And bring Noelle down too, okay?" Jon replied. "Oh, and Finn, I know you have your heart set on L.A., Cleveland, Cincy or possibly one of the NY teams, but we're keeping you in mind too, okay?"
"Thank you Sir, that means a lot to me," said Finn with a smile on his face. "My wife has the final say though."
"I understand, family first. Brothers-in-law on the same team would be a BIG deal though," said Jon.
"We'll talk," Rachel joked and everyone laughed.
"See you all in a couple minutes," said Jon. As he hung up the phone, the group cheered and hugged Josh. Noelle sobbed into Josh's arms as he kissed her.
"I'm so glad they said 'Yes'," Noelle murmured as she hugged Josh.
"Me too," said Josh. The group looked up at the television montior to see Roger Goodall, the commissoner of the NFL, walk out onto the stage to make the announcement. The cameramen from the NFL Network were already in the room, ready to film the group.
"Here comes Roger Goodall with the Titans pick," said the NFL Network commentator as Roger took the podium.
"The Tennessee Titans have selected for their first-round and the overall #1 draft pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, at wide-receiver, from Vanderbilt University, JOSHUA KOONTZ!"
The noise was deafening from the Titans fans and the rest of the crowd as the NFL network showed the group backstage. Everyone cheered as they saw themselves being shown and Josh and Noelle headed down to the stage as the network showed clips from Josh's career at Vanderbilt. Cleveland was on the clock now and Finn was hoping that they would call in a few minutes.
"Could you imagine if the Browns drafted you right after Josh?" Rachel murmured as they sat waiting for the phone to ring.
"I'd probably laugh," Finn replied. "You'd be okay with being stuck in Ohio still if I was?"
"Yeah, the kids would be close to our families," Rachel replied. "I'm still sad about my dads divorcing right after I walked out of the house the end of Junior Year, but I'm glad Daddy came around."
"Yeah, the kids are so lucky to have Hiram in their lives, and I hope LeRoy will come around eventually," Finn replied. They watched as Josh and Noelle came on the television screen, walking down the steps and onto the stage where Roger and Jon stood. Josh placed a Titans cap on his head and Jon handed him a Titans Jersey, the number "1" and "KOONTZ" on the back of the jersey. After hugs from Jon and Roger, Josh proudly held up the jersey and was interviewed by Deion Sanders.
A knock came at their private area's door and Finn answered it to see his coach, Urban Meyer, there.
"Hey coach!" Finn said, giving his football mentor a hug.
"Hi Finn, hi Rachel," said Urban. "Hi everyone, congrats to Josh and Noelle, that's great that they got what they wanted."
"Noelle's just so focused on her second album right now, it would be bad for her to put it on hiatus and move somewhere else," said Rachel as she hugged Urban. "She had already postponed it when we went back to help out at our glee club."
"I hope the Browns call you," Urban said to Finn.
"Honestly, me too, but I don't think it will happen," Finn said. Just then, the phone rang and everyone gasped.
"No way," Finn said. His agent Ryan hurried to the phone and answered it.
"Ryan Miller here," he said. A pause. Another pause. "His brother-in-law got fifteen mil with the Titans. How much?" Another pause. "That sounds fair. Hold on a minute." Ryan put his hand over the receiver and looked at Finn. "Cleveland wants to give you 20 mil a year to be their new QB."
Finn's jaw dropped.
"Oh my god," Rachel murmured.
"Yes! Absolutely!" Finn nodded and he kissed and hugged Rachel as Carole and Burt hugged them.
"Deal," Ryan said into the phone. "Okay, great!"
Just then, Noelle and Josh walked into the room again and noticed everyone hugging and crying around Finn.
"Oh my god, don't tell me!" Noelle said excitedly.
"The Browns?!" Josh whispered in excitement.
"THE BROWNS!" Finn shouted and Noelle screamed and bear-hugged her brother as the announcement was made.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, with the 2nd pick in the first round of the NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns select, from The Ohio State University, QUARTERBACK, FINN HUDSON!"
The group cheered and jumped up and down as they celebrated and were shown on the television. The crowd in the Auditorium Theatre was roaring with approval. Urban hugged Finn as Finn cried into his shoulder.
"Congrats kid, so proud of ya," Urban said.
"Thanks Coach, thank you," said Finn.
"Come on," said Rachel excitedly as Carole and Burt picked up the kids into their arms. The group headed back down the stairs and Finn was handed a Browns hat by the runner. The entire group walked onto the stage to cheers and roars from the crowd as the Browns fans 'Woofed'. Finn joined the Browns fans as did Noelle, Josh, Rachel, and Burt. Sashi Brown stood with Roger Goodall, holding a Browns Jersey with the number "2" and "HUDSON" on the back. Burt set Cadence down and she walked over to Finn, who stood with Rachel as Finn was interviewed by Deion Sanders. Cadence, however, was looking at her mother, who seemed quiet through the whole thing. Cadence's eyes widened at the puddle around her mother's feet. She tugged on Finn's shirt.
"Daddy," Cadence said, tugging.
"Yeah, Pumpkin?" Finn asked.
"I think Mommy peed herself," Cadence replied. Finn and Rachel's eyes both widened as they looked down.
"Oh my god," Finn replied. "Rach, why didn't you tell me?"
"I didn't know," Rachel murmured as Noelle and Josh's jaws dropped.
"Holy crap," Noelle said. "Come on Rach, we need to get you to the hospital!"
"I don't think there's going to be time," Rachel said as the group hurried off and backstage. Carole and Christina hurried back up to the waiting area to get everyone's belongings. "The contractions feel really close but I thought maybe it was just indigestion."
A stagehand rushed the group back to the EMTS that were on standby.
"She's in labor," Finn said as the EMTs tended to Rachel. "Is there time for the hospital?"
"No, this baby is coming now," said one of the EMTS. "Lay down on the stretcher here, Rachel."
Finn helped Rachel onto the stretcher as the EMT laid down an absorbent pad under her. They removed Rachel's dress carefully and covered Rachel with a blanket.
"I knew we should've stayed back in Lima," Finn muttered. "Rach, I'm sorry Babe."
"No Finn, don't be," Rachel replied as he smoothed back her hair. Noelle stood on the other side of Rachel, taking her free hand. Josh, Kurt, and Blaine were keeping the kids occupied as Carole and Christina joined their husbands.
"Okay Rachel, the baby's starting to crown," the EMT said as she put on some gloves. "Give me a big push!" Rachel nodded and gave all her might, bearing down. Finn grinned and Rachel let out a groan as the head emerged. The EMT suctioned the baby's nose and mouth and checked for a cord around the neck. Seeing there wasn't one, the EMT delivering the baby looked at Rachel again.
"Okay, one more push, Rachel," reassured the EMT. Rachel nodded and pushed again and the baby wailed as it was born into the EMT's hands. The crowd that had gathered cheered and clapped as the EMT handed the baby to Rachel.
"Congrats Mommy and Daddy, it's a girl!" smiled the EMT as she put a towel over the wailing newborn.
"I knew it," murmured Rachel. "Hi sweetheart, hi, oh were you a surprise today," said Rachel. "We weren't expecting you for two more weeks!"
"Alright! I won!" Noelle said excitedly. "I didn't think I was going to but I did!"
"Won what?" Finn asked, puzzled.
"Today was my day in the baby pool that Puck and Quinn had going amongst the New Directions, Alumni, and everyone we know," Noelle grinned. "I won!" She turned to Josh, Kurt, Blaine, her parents, and the Koontzes.
"Fork it over, everyone!" Noelle smirked. Several bills were placed into Noelle's hands and after counting, she put the money in her purse. Noelle took a picture and posted it to Instagram, announcing the newest Hudson's arrival at the NFL Draft.
"This is one for the history books," teased Josh.
"So what's her name?" Kurt asked Rachel.
"Charlotte Emma Hudson," Rachel replied with a smile. "We wanted to keep the 'C' tradition going. So we decided if it was a boy, he would be Charlie and if it was a girl, she would be Charlotte."
"I think it's perfect," Carole smiled as she and Burt led Chris and Cadence over to see their new sibling.
"And we could still call her Charlie or even Char for a nickname," Noelle added as she helped Rachel get Charlotte to latch onto Rachel's breast.
"Chris, Cady, say hello to your baby sister Charlotte," Finn as he lifted them up to get a better look at their new sibling.
"She's so pretty," Cadence replied.
"She looks just like you did when you were born," said Rachel with a smile as Charlotte nursed.
"We'll meet you guys at the hospital," Burt said as he hugged Finn and kissed Rachel on the head. "Thank you for giving me another beautiful grandchild."
"You're welcome, Burt," Rachel replied. The EMTS loaded Rachel into the waiting ambulance and Finn climbed in after her.
"We're taking them to University of Chicago Hospital," the head EMT informed the others.
"Okay, and thank you," said Burt, shaking her hand.
"My pleasure, Congressman Hummel," said the EMT. "Congratulations on everything, everyone."