The early October sun seeped in through the closed curtains and Rachel yawned as she gently eased her body away from Finn's, gently padding her way into the shower. The past month had passed by in a blissful haze and she was honestly happier than she could ever remember being—even on stage.

Finn rolled over in his sleep and Rachel smiled as she shrugged on her robe and made her way into the en-suite bathroom. The girls had spent the night at their grandmother's, but she still felt the need to cover up; she had never been one for parading around almost naked. The warm water from the shower head soothed her body and she sighed a little as she wrapped herself into a plush red towel and set about brushing her teeth and blow drying her hair. She had a nine AM on call time so she applied minimal makeup to make the makeup artist's job a little bit easier and slipped on a bright yellow sundress. Back home in New York it was starting to get too cold for her to wear sundresses, but she loved the fact that it was still warm out in San Diego.

Finn was starting to wake up when she made her way back into his bedroom and leant over him to give him a soft kiss. He snagged her around the waist and pulled her back to him. "Did I wake you up? I was trying to be quiet, I have to be on set for nine today," she explained against his lips.

"No, bed got cold without you. Play hooky with me today," Finn told her pouting a little bit.

"As tempting as that sounds, and trust me it's really, really tempting, I can't. We're shooting a scene today that we only have today for so I have to be there. But on the bright side it's a scene that really can't be shot in the dark so keep your fingers crossed but I think I may be back in time for dinner with you and the girls."

"Fine, leave me all by myself, I see how it is."

Rachel laughed and brushed her lips against his again. "I wish I had an understudy for this movie. Unfortunately I have to be there," Rachel laughed softly standing up. "But I won't be late I promise. Want to take the girls out for dinner?"

"Sounds good Rach, I'll see you tonight."

"Bye Finn!" Rachel bent over to kiss him one more time before she slipped out of the room and down the stairs into Quinn's car - the one that she'd been driving for the past few weeks. In New York she rarely got the chance to drive, she was usually in taxis or on the subway - or when she had events, a town car - and she loved driving, she missed it. It was time that she missed having to herself and she made the resolve to start driving her own car when she could when she got back to New York.

While her day on set was short, it was an emotionally and psychically draining scene and she was honestly exhausted by the time she climbed back into Quinn's car later that afternoon. She said goodbye to the security guard at the front gate and made the short drive back to Quinn's to grab a quick change of clothes before heading over to Finn's.

When she walked inside she could hear the gleeful sounds of the girls out back on their jungle gym so she slipped her sandals off by the doorway and made her way out onto the deck barefooted. She snuck up behind Finn and wrapped her arms around his waist before she realised that he has company. There was a tiny, brunette man sitting across from Finn, and next to him was another man with darker hair. Their attention was on the girls, who seemed to be in the middle of some sort of swing competition, and Rachel fought back a laugh at the look of pure determination etched across Daisy's face as she mercilessly kicked her legs so she can be swinging higher than Delilah.

"Hey babe," Finn smiled, pulling Rachel around to face him for a quick kiss. "How was work?"

"It was—"

She was cut off by the tiny lighter haired brunette. "Oh my God! Finn Hudson you did not say that when you said you were dating a girl named Rachel that it was the Rachel Berry!"

"I'm sorry?" Finn asked, addressing him. "Rach, this is my step-brother Kurt and his partner Blaine. Guys this is my girlfriend Rachel."

Rachel laughed softly and extended her hand to the two men. "It's so nice to meet you!" She beamed shaking Blaine's hand.

"Oh dear God I can't believe I'm meeting Rachel Berry!" Kurt squealed and Blaine placed a hand on his shoulder to get him to calm down.

"Kurt, relax, she's a person just like you and me. Now say hello."

"Right I'm sorry. I got so excited and ahead of myself. I knew if we wanted famous friends we should of stayed in San Diego! Blaine I told you!"

Blaine rolled his eyes and Rachel and Finn laughed a bit. "No you didn't. You said and I quote 'that if we don't move to LA we'll miss out on all the finer things in life…including celebrity friends.'"

Kurt waved his hand in the air to dismiss Blaine's response and turned his attention over to the dark haired diva. "So how long have you been dating my stepbrother for?"

"About a month. Around the same time your step-sister started seeing Noah," Rachel explained taking a seat in the chair next to Finn.

"Wait Quinn is seeing someone? He'd better be a good guy because after everything that happened last time…" Kurt trailed off his attention shifted off of Rachel.

"I can assure you that Noah Puckerman is one of the best guys." Rachel said softly placing her hand on Kurt's arm.

"Dude you really should call us more often, maybe then you wouldn't be so out of the loop." Finn added glaring at his step-brother.

"Wait, back up, Quinn, our Quinn, is dating Noah Puckerman? As in the former teen sensation?"

Blaine rolled his eyes at Kurt's excitement and Finn and Rachel stifled their laughter. "I don't understand how you two have all the luck. Blaine and I have been living in LA for three years now and do you think I've seen anyone at all? No, I haven't even seen the fame wannabes like Heidi Montag. This is just unacceptable."

"What are you two doing here anyway man?" Finn asked.

"I told you, we were at Dad's and Carol's this morning and she said something about bringing the girls back so we volunteered to bring them back so I could get some time in with my favourite step-brother."

"More like he heard Daisy and Delilah talking about Rachel and his nosey self wanted to meet her," Blaine explained grinning at Kurt who huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Whatever, it ended up being way better than I dreamed of it being anyway. Although, now we're going to have to go and pay a visit to Quinn in New York before she gets back."

"Why don't you join us for dinner? We were just going to go out anyway." Rachel asked. Kurt's face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning and she again found herself biting back a laugh.

"That sounds great," Blaine replied. "Plus I think you just made the guy's year." Blaine laughed nodding his head over to Kurt who seemed to be in a daze.

-x-

Dinner was honestly wonderful and Rachel had a blast. Kurt and Blaine were really too funny and the girls became just a bit more lively around their uncles. Rachel found herself falling in love with this family the longer time went on. She'd seen the pictures of Finn and Quinn growing up, and later on with Kurt as well. She'd seen the girls as babies, and with various members of the family anywhere and everywhere. They're extremely close and while she herself had always been close with her parents, she kind of envies what they have.

She'd grown up an only child and while her dads doted on her constantly she'd always felt the longing for a mother or a sibling. Thankfully she'd had Santana for almost all of her childhood and really the two were so close they were basically sisters.

When they got home Finn excused himself to get the girls settled for bed, and Blaine went into the office to make some calls to tell the office that he'd be away for a couple more days.

So she found herself alone with Kurt out on the patio as the sun set behind them. They were quiet, but it wasn't an awkward quiet, it was a comfortable one and she was honestly content to just sit there quietly for a while.

Kurt cleared his throat and she looked over at him. "You seem really nice Rachel," Kurt started.

Rachel smiled at him "Thank you-"

"I'm not trying to be rude but I have to say something okay? Finn's been through a lot. When Brittany died, he was in really rough shape for a while. We were all really worried about him, but he kind of retracted into himself and shut himself off from us. But as time went on, he started to get better. I really think the girls are what pulled him through. But none of us ever thought he'd find someone else that he looked at the same way he looked at Brittany."

Kurt paused to take a deep breath before continuing on. "He's been through so much, and he really, really likes you Rachel. He's been doing well, but at the same time its kind of like he's been going through the motions. But watching him around you today, I noticed how much...lighter he seems. He's happy again. And if you're not planning on sticking around, I think it'd be best for him if you left now. I've read your interviews, and you state time and time again how you're not ready to settle down. This is about as settled down as it gets. So if you're planning on just leaving here in two months like nothing ever happened, just remember, he's been through a lot."

"Kurt I don't know what gave you-"

"Its okay, you don't have to explain anything to me. You're a nice person Rachel, I like you, but he's my step-brother and I have to watch out for him. Like I said, you two seem like a good fit, and maybe he can be your exception to your rule."

-x-

Later that evening Rachel was watching TV with Finn when her cell phone went off. She excused herself into the kitchen and was expecting Santana calling to give her heck for not calling yet that day.

"So you met my step-brother huh?" Quinn asked on the other line when Rachel answered.

Rachel laughed lightly and hopped up to take a seat on the counter. "Yeah. Sorry we told him about you and Noah, apparently he's going to be coming to visit?"

"Yeah, I managed to talk him out of that by saying I'll be back in California soon enough and he could meet Puck when he came down to visit as long as he promised not to turn into a screaming fan girl."

Rachel laughed at the description and ran a hand through her chocolate brown locks. "So things are going well with you and Noah then?" Rachel asked a smile forming on her face.

Quinn let out a dreamy sigh before she answered. "Things are going amazing. Make sure you tell Santana thank you for having him come over and lay naked on your couch Rachel. I'm happier than I've been in years. How are things with you and my brother?"

"Amazing. He's so wonderful Quinn, your mother did a good job."

Quinn laughed, "I'll be sure to pass that message along. I've got to run though Rach, Puck is waiting and I just called to apologize for Kurt, he gets over excited sometimes."

"You don't need to apologize for him. Him and Blaine were wonderful, they're really great."

"They are," Quinn laughed. "Anyway, I'll talk to you later, I've gotta go, Puck's getting impatient. Take care of my brother and if you two are going to you know at my house, do it in the guest room okay?"

Rachel threw her head back and laughed. "Will do Quinn. Have a good night tonight!"

"Oh, we will. Bye!"

"Bye!"

Rachel leaned her head against the cabinet behind her and smiled as Finn came wandering into the kitchen.

"What's so funny?" Finn asked, nestling himself between her legs.

"Your sister. She says hi."

"Oh really? Did she say anything else?"

"Just to not have sex in her bed."

Finn wrinkled up his nose and shook his head. "She doesn't have to worry about that. That's just wrong."

Rachel laughed and leaned forward and kissed him softly. "Speaking of beds, how do you feel about heading up to yours?"

"That sounds good." Finn agreed, helping her off the counter. As they made their way upstairs Rachel realized how perfect everything was going. She ignored the part of her that was saying that maybe everything was a little bit too perfect.

-x-