A new chapter because I was feeling inspired! Keep the reviews coming =)
"Mr. Hudson, I see here that you don't currently have any kind of steady employment." The man shifted his glasses down to imply just how hard he was studying Finn's qualifications.
Finn shifted nervously in his seat. He wiped his sweaty hands on the seat of his pants, "Well, not right now but in Sept-."
The super cut him off. "September, Mr. Hudson, is six months away. You'd need to start paying rent at the signing of the lease. Plus security." The man didn't even bother to lift his eyes from the paper.
"Um, you see that won't be a problem because my girlfriend's parents are going to pay for it until then." He said as he fidgeted with his tie.
This finally caught the super's attention, "If that's the case, I'll need her here to sign the lease and guarantor letter from her parents."
Finn sighed, "Look, Sir. I really need this place. My pregnant girlfriend is in the hospital and we have nowhere to go because her loft just burned to the ground. Please, work with me here." The super noted the pained expression on his face.
"I will rent to you under one condition."
Finn's ears perked up, "Sure! Anything!"
The super looked him right in the eye, "I want six months' rent up front. To ensure that I will be paid until you get this "job."
Finn was exasperated, "I—I can't do that. It's too much money."
The super handed back the papers to Finn, "Well then I am very sorry, Mr. Hudson, but I cannot rent to you."
Finn gulped. This wasn't the end of the world, but it was the seventh time they were turned down for an apartment and Rachel was going to be released from the hospital any day now. They were freakin' screwed.
Finn returned to the hospital room to find Rachel asleep but Kurt and Santana were talking intently in the corner.
"Uhhh.. Hi?" Finn interrupted.
They both snapped their heads in his direction, "How did it go?!" They called out simultaneously.
"Didn't get it… again." He looked nervously towards the unknowing Rachel. Santana shot Kurt a sympathetic look, nudging him to say something.
"Listen, Finn. Santana and I have been talking about it and we've decided that we'd like to help out."
Finn looked at his stepbrother confused, "What do you mean?"
Santana smiled, "We mean say hello to your new roomies, Finnocence." As if choreographed, Kurt and Santana leaned their heads in together and gave Finn their very best jazz hands.
Finn grunted. He knew they were doing him a huge favor, and this really was the only way that they'd be able to afford an apartment but still… Kurt and Santana and a new baby. This was too much.
"Finn?" He heard her sweet voice whisper from behind him. He turned to see her in the bed, looking so small and frail, which worried him about the baby.
"Hey baby." He smiled at her and went to sit next to her.
"Did they tell you about the plan?" She looked up at him so hopefully that he didn't have the heart to tell her that he was only agreeing to this begrudgingly.
He stroked her forehead, "Yes, and I think it's a great idea." She beamed and clapped her hands. Welp, now he could never take this back.
They ended up finding a two bedroom with a loft space in Williamsburg. It was small, but enough room that at least they'd all get their own space. Kurt happily took the loft area, siting that he had his own floor and that was worth paying an extra $100 a month. Santana took the smallest bedroom that didn't even have a closet but how could she possibly expect two-well three—people to share that space. The things she did in the name of friendship. Finn and Rachel's room was a surprisingly good size. It had a big window overlooking a little park and an alcove that was a perfect spot for a crib. Sure, they both shared a tiny closet and could only sensibly fit a double bed but it was good enough. And they were together. Plus, there were totally awesome bars like right down the block.
Rachel laid on the couch with an ice pack on her forehead and her hand clutching her temperamental stomach. Finn sat next to her, stroking her hair and staring at her nervously.
"Rach, should I call the doctor?" He placed his hand on hers. She didn't even answer, she just moaned.
Kurt and Santana watched the display from the couch adjacent to them with disgusted faces, "Finnessa, this is what happens when girls have hormonal changes, ok? If you're gunna call the doctor every time Berry complains you may as well move him in here. He can sleep in my bedroom because it's so spacious." She glared and Finn didn't even bother biting back. He felt bad, he really did. He knew how much Santana and Kurt were sacrificing in order to make this whole thing work.
"Why don't we order some pizza- on me?" He offered hopefully.
Kurt and Santana's demeanors lightened, "Fine. But I want peperoni and mushroom." Kurt bargained.
"NO!" Rachel shot up, sending the ice pack flying, "THERE WILL BE NO PEPERONI IN THIS HOUSE."
"Slow down, crazy. You don't have to have peperoni but Lady and I here will be indulging." Santana was talking with her hands, asserting her Lima Heights ruggedness.
Rachel was not about to be out-divaed. "Bring peperoni into this apartment and I will call everyone you love and tell them that you cried during Glitter." She threatened, tone dead pan.
Santana ran at Rachel, "I WILL KILL YOU BERRY!"
Before Santana could do any real Lima Heights damage, Finn ripped her away from little Rachel.
"SANTANA! She's pregnant!" He scolded, taking a shaken Rachel into his arms.
"I am OUTTA HERE. You with me, Hummel?" Kurt shifted his eyes between Santana and the couple nervously. He whispered a sorry in Finn's direction and grabbed his scarf. Before leaving he turned towards them and apologetically sighed, "I just really wanted peperoni." He waved and Santana slammed the door shut behind them.
Rachel looked down, blushing. She grabbed Finn's hand, "Sorry. I just—peperoni makes me sick. God, I am such a bitch." She cried.
Finn wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest, "It's alright Rach. We're all in close quarters, you're sick like all the time. It would get to anyone. They just need some space." He tried to reassure her. The stress was mounting, for all of them. Finn was in a desperate search for a job, Rachel was trying to balance a full-time school work load while dealing with severe morning sickness, Kurt was just trying to get some god damn sleep, and Santana hadn't gotten any action in weeks. They were struggling.
She cried into his chest, "I'm making this so hard on everyone." He rubbed her back, soothingly.
"No one blames you, Baby. This is my burden just as much as yours. I did this to you." He said as he motioned towards her still flat stomach.
She sniffled back, "I just want to feel like myself again. I'm so sick and when I'm not sick I am exhausted. Like full on body tired and Ms. July hasn't let up. I don't know how much more of this I can take, Finn."
Finn really was worried about her. He was pretty sure she had lost weight since learning she was pregnant, plus her dance classes were grueling and he was constantly anxious about the health of her and the baby. "I think it's time you tell Ms. July, Rachel." She looked at him like he was an alien, or like he was the stupidest person on earth- maybe a little of both.
"I cannot tell her. It will be the end of me at NYADA. It will be the end of my career, Finn. We may as well just move back to Lima right now. I'll buy myself a moo-moo and throw away all my shoes and you can just continually get me pregnant until I'm so unattractive to you that you start going to the local pub to pick up girls fifteen years your junior—" Finn stared at her, petrified. She was like sophomore year Rachel crazy right now. He wished he had a whistle or a siren or something to alert someone to come and save him. OK, OK, OK don't tell her!" He agreed.
In a not so shocking twist of events, she began to cry. Again. "I AM A MONSTER, FINN!"
He was trying his hardest to convince her otherwise, he really was. But there is just no way to deny the obvious. He just continued to rub her back and let her rant and cry and snot all over him until she tired herself out and fell asleep on his chest. He lifted her up and brought her into their bedroom and gently laid her on the bed. He tucked her in and placed a loving kiss on her forehead. He sat down next to her for a second to take in a peaceful, pregnant Rachel. There was hardly ever a moment he got to experience her like this. He reached his hand down to her stomach and lovingly rubbed the spot where their child was. He was so overwhelmed with emotion he felt like he could burst, but with Rachel's constant nausea and mood swings he sometimes lost sight of that. He brushed the hair out of her face and kissed her temple before returning to the living room. He was surprised to see Santana and Kurt sitting there, with two plates of peperoni-less pizza.
Santana offered them to Finn and shrugged, "I feel bad about what happened. She's okay right?"
Finn offered her a warm smile, "Thanks, Santana, she's fine just sleeping. For what it's worth, she felt really bad about what happened too."
Santana squeezed Finns knee because, for what it was worth, it really meant something that Rachel had (nearly) apologized too. They'd figure this living situation out, somehow.