It's been about a week since Santana ran into Finn at the beach. She promised to let Finn see Nicholas and she wasn't going to back out of it. She invites him over for dinner one day and everything seems to be pretty good. Nick likes him well enough and Finn doesn't pester Santana about telling their son the truth. Finn's pretty awesome with him too. They hang out in the living room and color together. When it comes bath time, Nick doesn't want to take it. He wants to hang out with Finn some more. But Finn convinces him to take a bath and he'll be here when he gets out.
They sit next to each other on the couch, listening to Nick splash around in the tub. "You're really good with him." Santana tells him, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I've had years of practice." He turns toward her a little. "Jack and Danny are pretty wild. They have Rachel's spirit and determination and Puck's crazy. Nick is pretty laid back compared to them."
"Well, he likes you. He usually doesn't get along with guys that I bring home." She then quickly adds, "Not that I bring a lot of guys around." She laughs a little. "I mean…like…guy friends that aren't Steve and Paul. He says they are only nice because I'm there. And then the very few dates I've ever had meet Nick have ran out the door. Not ready for that type of commitment. But he actually likes you."
Finn feels flattered by that. He's also a little happy that Santana hasn't found another guy. Which might be a little selfish but he doesn't care. "Well, he seems to be a good kid. You've raised him pretty well so far."
She laughs a little and turns the attention back to him. "What about you? Do you have a girlfriend?"
"Oh…uh…no, I don't." He answers and looks away from her. "Never really found anyone."
She purses her lips a bit and looks around. "Well, you'll find someone." They hear Nick call to Santana and she gets up, goes into the bathroom and helps him dry off and get dressed into his pajamas. She comes back out with Nick and he runs over to the couch, jumps onto it and sits super close to Finn. Santana laughs a little. "Bed time is still at 9. You have school tomorrow."
Nick pouts a little. "School is boring."
Finn laughs. "What? No. You got your friends there and p. e. and…what grade are you in?"
"First."
"Don't you get a nap time?"
"No. That's for babies." He laughs, Finn laughs too.
When it's time for bed, he begs for Finn to be there with Santana to tuck him in. Finn feels a little awkward about it. But he goes anyways, wanting to be able to this one thing with his son. It's pretty simple. Nothing like he thought it would be. Nick crawls into bed; Santana turns on a little night light and pulls the blankets up over him. She tells him she loves him and gives him a kiss. Nick makes Finn come over and he gives him a kiss on the cheek. Then they walk out of the room, close the door half way and Santana picks up his coloring book, then signs his little agenda and puts everything in his backpack so it would be ready for tomorrow.
"Thanks, San." Finn says in a whisper as they walk toward the door together.
She smiles lightly at him and looks down at the ground. "Look, what I did was stupid and messed up. I want you in Nick's life."
Finn nods his head. "Yea, I want to be in his life too. But you only want me here as some friend, not his father."
She huffs and puts her hands on her hips. She looks like her high school self. "For now, that's all you are." She snaps. "I'm not going to let you come in here, say you're his father and then get scared and run away. So, you can either be Finn the friend or no one."
He sucks in his bottom lip and nods. "Ok, I'll be Finn the friend."
They say good night and he leaves at once. When he gets home, he pulls out the picture Nick and him drew together and sticks it to his fridge. He takes a shower and then listens to his messages. Apparently Kurt told Burt and his mom all about the beach. He groans hearing his mom crying and telling him she feels so bad for him. He knows he'll have to call her and set everything right the next day. But he really doesn't know how to make this situation sound good.
He goes over a few times a week for dinner. He even went to one of Nick's bandits games. He's adorable in his little football uniform. Santana is so good with her cheerleaders. They do little simple cheers and apparently Santana wasn't kidding when she said Nick's a charmer. He keeps flashing smiles at all the little girls and they all keep calling his name out.
His team wins so they go to Santana's restaurant for pizza. Finn is invited and Santana takes a picture of them sitting together, Nick in his little football jacket, sitting on his lap, both of them eating a breadstick. Their expressions are practically the same and Finn can see how much they look alike in the picture.
"What are you doing on Halloween?" Nick asks after the other kids went home and Santana is cleaning up.
Finn shrugs, "Probably pass out some candy."
"You should trick or treat with me and Mommy."
Finn smiles a bit. "Well, if your mom lets me tag along, then yea."
"Tag along where?" Santana says, coming back into the dining area from the back.
"Can he trick or treat with us?" Nick clasps his hands together and juts his bottom lip out. "Please, mommy."
Santana laughs a little. "If you want him there and if he wants to be there I have no problem with it."
It's set. Finn will go over to Santana's house on Halloween at six o'clock and walk around the block with her and Nick. He's happy to be invited to go along with them. He feels like a real parent, being able to do this with his son. But he knows he'll still be Finn the friend and it kind of kills his happiness when he remembers that.
