Thanks for all your nice comments. Sorry I'm slow - I've been writing these chapters on my phone and been sending them to my e-mail, then posting them. So if there's any errors, it's because I write them on a tiny screen and don't have much time to look over them online. Enjoy and comment if you want me to keep going.

Chapter 5: Out of the Hospital

"King me."
Ryan smirked as Jack placed one checker on top of one of his. After a week, Ryan, Emma and Sarah were granted permission to visit Jack. It had been a long week. Just all being together again seemed to lift the kids' spirits. The past week had been hard - Jack was in a lot of pain, while Ryan, Emma and Sarah were generally just down. Tomorrow, the Evans family was going to be in Cleveland. Finn was trying to talk Rachel into going out with Quinn and the girls while he went to the Browns game with Ryan, Sam and Adam.
"Who wants some cookies?" Rachel asked, bringing a plate of cookies in for the kids.
"Me!" all four kids shouted. The three older kids ran up to their mother while Jack lay in his bed. He was still recovering from chemo, but he looked better. He was still wearing equipment, and he had mouth sores and had lost his hair. Thanks to Finn he wasn't alone in the last one. He'd stopped vomiting, but still got headaches and nausea and was tired a lot. He still had a big appetite, even bigger than before if possible. That was obvious as he gobbled down two of Rachel's cookies.
"It's so nice to see all four of them together again," Finn whispered to Rachel.
Rachel smiled and nodded. The good thing about the kids being kids was they were easily distracted. Had they not been in a hospital room, they could easily seem like four siblings from a typical family.
"Hello, Hudsons." Finn and Rachel turned to see Kurt and Blaine standing there.
"Kurt! Blaine!" Rachel gasped, giving them each a hug. "What are you guys doing here?"
"I came to help my brother and see my nephew," Kurt said.
"But how'd you get to his room?" Finn asked.
Blaine smiled. "We're family. Of course they let us in."
Kurt looked at Finn and rolled his eyes. "Finn, I'm going to be a good brother and tell you that you look awful. Was it really necessary to shave off your poor lovely hair?"
Finn rolled his eyes. At least Kurt was still acting like Kurt, always critiquing everyone's looks."I don't like it either, Kurt, but at least when I do this, Jack won't be alone and have someone who chose to look like him."
"Whatever, Finn." Kurt turned to Rachel. "You look really pretty with your hair shorter."
Rachel smiled. "Thanks, Kurt."
Kurt then scanned the room. "For a place called Rainbow Babies and Children's hospital, this place doesn't have much color."
Normally Finn was annoyed by Kurt's obsession with fashion and style, but today he was grateful for the distraction.
"So, the Evanses are coming to Cleveland tomorrow," Rachel said.
"Awesome!" Kurt said. "Me, Rachel and Quinn are going shopping."
"I think I'm going to be at the hospital tomorrow," Rachel said. "Finn's going to be at the Browns game with Ryan, Sam and Adam."
Finn put his arm around Rachel. "No, Rach. You need a break. Go do girl stuff with Quinn and our daughters."
"I'll hang out with Jack tomorrow," Blaine said. "Rachel needs to get out and I know Kurt's going to want to hang out with Rachel and Quinn."Rachel shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Fine. To please all of you, I'll go out tomorrow."
Finn kissed Rachel on the forehead, feeling a weight lifted. "You need to go out and have fun, Rach."
Rachel kissed back. "So do you, Finny." But Finn was convinced Rachel needed it more. Neither of them had spent much time outside the hospital since Jack got sick, but Finn had been the main one to take the three older kids to school and sports or be home with them at night. Finn was very worried about Rachel. From their high school days she'd been very fragile and emotional. Simple things could shatter her. When there was a big blow it would temporarily destroy her life. Finn felt the need to be strong, even though both he and Rachel were dying on the inside.
"Tomorrow's going to be a stress free day, Finny," Rachel said.
Finn smiled and ran his hands through Rachel's hair, tucking a strand of it behind her ear. "You're so beautiful. Despite all the pain we've been through, I'm so happy we got married. I love you."
Rachel gave Finn a hug. "I love you too."
Finn put his arm around Rachel as they watched their children laughing with Kurt and Blaine. Things were finally looking up. "I think maybe letting our families and friends help us was the best decision we could have made. The kids love Kurt and Blaine."
x
The next morning, Blaine was at the hospital with Jack while Finn and Ryan took the train downtown to meet up with Sam and Adam. Kurt, Rachel, Emma and Sarah were meeting up with Quinn and Maddie at the mall. Then in the evening the doctors were letting Jack leave the hospital for two hours so they could all go to dinner together. It was the first time Jack would be leaving the hospital since he got sick. To say Finn was nervous was an understatement. What if Jack got germs? What if people stared?
"I can't wait to see Adam and Uncle Sam!" Ryan said to Finn.
Finn smiled at his son. "Neither can I." He loved how the Glee club had stayed close all these years and were like one big family. All their kids considered the other New Directions alumni their aunts and uncles. At least once a year everyone got together in Lima. He hoped his kids would one day have a group of friends like that.
The train pulled into Tower City. Finn and Ryan got off the train and went to meet Sam and Adam inside.
Sam hid a smirk as soon as he saw Finn. "Changed your look, I see."
"It's okay, Sam, I don't think I rock the bald look. I just did it so Jack would have someone who looked like him."
"Got it," Sam said.
"How are the seats?" Finn asked.
Sam pulled out the tickets. "Lower concourse. Near the 30 yard line."
Finn smiled. "That's great."
Sam smiled back. "I'm glad to see you're being stress free. I heard from Quinn who heard from Kurt that today's going to be a stress free day."
"Kurt's still a gossip," Finn said.
Sam laughed as Adam came over. "Daddy, Uncle Finn, when are we going to the stadium?"
"Let's go," Sam said. "How've you been, Ryan? I heard you've started soccer."
"Yeah, it's fun," Ryan said. "I like it."
"Very cool," Sam said. "What's your number?"
Ryan smiled at Finn. "Five of course. Just like my dad for his sports in high school."
Finn smiled back. He was glad Sam was succeeding in keeping Ryan's mind off Jack's illness.
"We have our first game tomorrow," Ryan said as Finn felt a sting of guilt. He'd totally forgotten because he was so preoccupied by Jack's illness. Was he that bad of a parent? He put his arm around Ryan, trying to help his guilt go away. "I can't wait for your game tomorrow."
Ryan gave Finn a surprised look. "I didn't think you'd go. I thought you'd be at the hospital."
"Jack is not my only child, Ryan. You and Emma and Sarah are still just as important."
Sam leaned in and whispered, "Were you planning on going?"
Finn whispered back, "I'd forgotten and I feel terrible."
Sam patted Finn's shoulder.
Finn, Ryan, Sam and Adam went into the stadium to watch the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns' biggest rivals were the Steelers - or rather, the Browns fans hated the Steelers and the Steelers loved beating the Browns. Today, however, things were going differently. The Browns got ahead in the first period and just stayed ahead from there. While watching the game, talking with Sam and listening to their sons, Finn was able to get his mind off things.
"Thanks for letting us come with you," Finn said to Sam as they left the arena.
"It's what friends do," Sam said. "You needed a day out of the hospital. Let's go to dinner."Finn and Sam drove to the restaurant they were going to for dinner. Kurt and Quinn were waiting outside the restaurant with Emma, Sarah and Maddie.
"How was shopping?" Sam asked.
Maddie grinned. "Shopping is ALWAYS fun when Uncle Kurt takes us."
Finn looked at his daughters. "Did you two have fun?"
"Oh yeah!" Emma said as Sarah nodded. "I got two new sweaters. They're really pretty."
"Good," Finn said. He just noticed Rachel wasn't there. "Where's your mom?"
"She's getting Jack at the hospital and they'll meet us here soon," Quinn said.
"Oh look. Here they come now," Kurt said, pointing at Blaine's car. Blaine got out of the car and opened the door as Rachel loaded Jack into a wheelchair. Rachel wheeled Jack up to the restaurant as Blaine followed. Despite the fact that his son was in a wheelchair, wrapped in a blanket and looked tired, Finn couldn't help but smile at the sight of his son back in civilization.
Ryan, Emma, Sarah, Adam and Maddie ran up to Jack and flocked the six kids began jabbering, Rachel and Blaine came up to Finn, Kurt, Sam and Quinn. "Did you and the guys have fun?" Rachel asked, standing on her tiptoes to give Finn a quick peck on the cheek.
"Yes I did," Finn said with a smile. "What about you? Did you and Kurt and the girls have fun?"
"Oh yeah. Just to let you know, I let our two splurge a little. I just - feel bad about everything they're going through."
"I understand," Finn said. "I totally forgot Ryan's first soccer game is tomorrow."
Rachel sighed. "So did I. What has become of us, Finny?"
"We're parents of a kid with cancer and three healthy kids, Rach," Finn said. "We need to focus on the three healthy kids more than we have. Luckily, we did that today."
Rachel gave Finn a hug. "I love you."
Finn hugged back. "I love you too."
"Hey Finchel, are you ready for dinner?" Quinn said.
Finn smiled. "Sorry, we were just talking. And yeah, we're ready."
Finn and Rachel went to the long table they'd reserved. Jack's wheelchair sat at the foot of the table. Finn and Rachel sat on either side of him, with Sam on Finn's other side and Quinn on Rachel's other side. Kurt was beside Quinn and Blaine was beside Sam, while the other kids sat near the head of the table.
"How was he at the hospital today?" Finn asked Blaine. "He slept most of the day," Blaine said. "I don't think he's getting any sicker."
Finn breathed a sigh of relief. He turned to Jack. "Hungry tonight?"
"Oh yeah!" Jack said. At least that hadn't changed. Jack had always had a big appetite, bigger than any of his siblings'. He always ate the leftovers off the plates of his parents and siblings at dinner. "I want a deluxe cheeseburger and the large fries," Jack told Finn. "Oh, and a chocolate milkshake."
Typically Finn didn't allow his kids to eat such high calorie meals, but Jack never got out anymore. He was relieved when Ryan, Emma and Sarah ordered smaller, more healthy meals. The Hudson, Evans and Hummel-Anderson families enjoyed a nice dinner together before the two hours were up and it was time to take Jack back to the hospital. Kurt, Blaine, Sam and Quinn hung out at the house with the Hudson and Evans kids while Finn and Rachel took Jack to his room. As they left Rachel took Finn's arm. "He seemed great today."
"I think getting out of the hospital might have been what he needed," Finn said.
"I think today was what we all needed," Rachel said. "I'm so glad New Directions came into our lives."
Finn squeezed Rachel's hand. "So am I."