Epilogue: Only Thing I'll Ever Need

Author's Note: So, this is it. The final chapter. I've enjoyed writing this fic and interacting with all of you. All of the reviews that have been left on the story have made me incredibly happy. I want you all to know that I will be taking a short break from writing because I've neglected my summer reading project for college. After I finish the book, I will return to writing. I have a great idea for the next multi chapter fic, and I'll be posting soon. As always, I don't own Glee or any of its characters. I also don't own the company Carter's. I'm just a lowly sales associate there. The chapter title comes from As Long As We've Got Love by Javier Colon featuring Natasha Bedingfield. The flashbacks that happen in the chapter are in italics.

April 2023

"You know, I feel like I have a hand in making you and Finn husband and wife." Sylvester said, coming up to Rachel when she returned to the hospital after her maternity leave.

Rachel looked up from the patient's chart she was looking at with an eyebrow raised. "Oh really? How do you think that is?"

"Schuester. I need to have a word with you." Sylvester said, going up to the Chief of surgery the morning he was assigning interns. "I would like to have Berry and Hudson on my service. And if one of them ever comes to you and asks for a transfer off of my service, you are to tell them it is too late for that."

"What do you have up your sleeve?" Schuester asked, pouring himself a cup of coffee. Sue Sylvester was one of the best surgeons in the hospital, but she was a pain to deal with in the morning.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just think the two of them would work well together and push each other. And that's what we need in the hospital."

"That's just the way I see it. Now, I need a resident to help me out with one of my cases for today? Are you up for that on your first day back?"

"Of course. What kind of case is it?"

"Sorry to interrupt, Sylvester, but Rachel is still just supposed to be doing patient rounds, not surgeries." Finn said, going up to the nurses' station to get a patient chart. "And those are doctor orders." He turned to Sylvester. "But I'm free to work on a surgery."

Rachel glared at Finn. It was one thing to remind their superior that she wasn't able to do surgery for a few more days, but he didn't have to volunteer himself for the surgery.

"Great, then come with me original Hudson. And new Hudson, keep an eye on the patient in 212. He coded last night."

Rachel sighed as she grabbed the chart.

December 2024

"So, I know we said we weren't going to get Chris any clothes for Christmas, but I couldn't resist getting him this shirt I saw when I was out shopping for Noah and Quinn's baby shower." Rachel said, handing Finn a bag from Carter's. "Will you wrap it for me?"

"Rach, you know I can't wrap shirts very well. Why would you do this to me?" Finn said, grabbing the bag. He reached his hand in and pulled out the gray tee shirt. "You could have made it a little easier for me and at least folded it the way clothes have to get folded before they get wrapped." Finn said, trying (and failing) to correctly fold the shirt.

"Wait, you have to read the shirt. I want to know what you think of it."

Finn looked at the clock on the stove in the kitchen. It was three in the morning and was technically Christmas Day, and Chris would be up in four hours. He was running out of patience with wrapping presents.

"Rach, I'm sure the shirt you picked out for our son is going to be okay but if you want me to read it, I will." He unfolded the shirt, read it, and smiled.

The shirt said "Best Big Brother in the World."

"Merry Christmas, Finn." Rachel whispered.

"When did this happen?"

"Back in September. During Kurt and Blaine's engagement party. I'm sure of it."

"Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn." Rachel said, coming up to him with an orange plastic party cup in her hand. "Do you think Chris is going to be okay with my dads tonight?"

Finn took the cup out of her hands and put it on the table. "I think he's going to be fine, Rach. Let's get some water in you. And some food, too."

It seemed Rachel had other ideas. She tugged on one of Finn's hands and dragged him back to one of the rooms in the apartment.

"Uh, Rach. What are we doing?"

She tried to focus on Finn's face. "Strip. We're having sex."

Finn chuckled. Of course it had to happen when she was drunk out of her mind.

"I don't want to wait another month to tell people." She said, sitting on Finn's lap. She laid her head on his chest and looked up at him through her bangs. "It's Christmas. People are coming here in nine hours. I think we should tell them then. Because, honestly, a month won't make any difference."

Finn kissed the top of her head. "We can do whatever you want, babe."

February 2025

"I have an iffy feeling about going to the merger party tonight." Rachel said, zipping up her black dress. She stepped back from the bed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She smiled when she saw the small baby bump peeking out from her dress.

This time, her and Finn were having a girl, and she was right, so she got to pick the name, which she was still working on figuring out.

Finn came into their room from the hallway where he was telling the babysitter last minute instructions about Zoey and Chris. "Why are you feeling iffy?"

"Well, we're merging with St. John's. That's where Sylvester's rival works, and I've met her once and it did not go over very well. And rumor has it is that Jesse is back from UCLA. Apparently they didn't have enough room for him and his big ego."

Finn rested his chin and Rachel's shoulder. "I'm sure tonight is going to be fine. Remember when you were pregnant with Chris and you thought the waiters were looking at you funny? I'm sure it's just another thing like that."

Rachel sighed and turned around to look at Finn. "You're probably right." She shook her head, and reached over to get her clutch. "Well, I guess we should head out before I start thinking of reasons why we shouldn't go tonight."

"Oh my God, the rumors were true. Jesse is back from Los Angeles." Rachel said when she got to the hotel that the merger party was happening at. "This is a travesty."

Finn laced his fingers through Rachel's and kissed her cheek. "Everything is going to be okay. We can just ignore him for the night."

"Right. We can stick with our friends tonight and everything will be okay. Wait, Finn, he's coming over this way. What are we supposed to do?"

"Just keep cool." Finn whispered. "And let me do the talking."

"Finn. Rachel." Jesse said, nodding curtly at the two of them.

Finn narrowed his eyes and gave him a small head nod in acknowledgement. Rachel glared at him and reached across a table to grab cookie.

"Rachel, it looks like you've put on a little weight on since I last saw you. I think it's time to lay off the cookies for a little."

Rachel pursed her lips as the cookie she was holding was reduced to crumbs from her squeezing it too tightly.

Finn stepped closer to Jesse. "Don't talk to her like that. She's five months pregnant, it's natural."

"The baby must have your gigantor genes, then. Otherwise she wouldn't be the huge yet."

There was a loud popping sound as Finn's hand connected with Jesse's jaw. Rachel smiled, but her smile quickly disappeared when Jesse and Finn got into an all out brawl.

"Jesse, Finn, stop." She said, getting in the middle of them. Jesse pushed her to the side and she stumbled, hitting her head on the columns in the hotel.

"Oh my God, Rachel!" Kurt said, rushing to help Rachel. She stood up with one hand on her head and her other hand on her stomach.

"Kurt…the baby."

"Rachel, I'm sure everything is…oh, shit, you're bleeding. Finn, stop being immature and come help Rachel!" He turned his attention back to Rachel. "Okay, so here's the thing. You have to get to the hospital now because I don't want anything bad to happen to my sweet little future goddaughter that you have in there. You have to go to Columbia because it's closer. Is that okay?"

Rachel nodded as Finn came over and picked her up to go to the hospital.

"Finn, Rachel, is everything okay?" Schuester asked when they got to the front door where he was greeting people as they came inside.

"There's something wrong with the baby. We need to get Rach to the hospital." Finn said, brushing past the Chief as Kurt hailed a taxi to get them to the hospital.

"Finn, it hurts so bad." Rachel said, curling into his chest.

"We need to get to Columbia Hospital. And quickly." Finn said. "Speed. And if you get busted, I will pay your ticket. But my wife needs to get to the hospital."

The nice cabbie sped off towards Columbia.

March 2025

"She's getting so big, Finn." Rachel said, standing out of the nursery with Finn two weeks after Audrey Ava Hudson was born.

"Of course she is. She's a fighter like her mom is." Finn said, kissing the top of Rachel's head.

"I can't wait to hold her. Like, without all of the tubes and wires. And I can't wait for Zoey and Chris to meet their little sister."

"Our little family."

Rachel looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah. Our little family."

April 2025

"Momma, what's my surprise?" Zoey asked on her birthday as she walked down the hospital hallway with Finn, Rachel, and a sleepy Chris.

Finn reached down and picked up Chris as Rachel took Zoey's hand. "We're bringing your little sister home today."

"Really?" Zoey squealed. She started jumping up and down, and Rachel was sure that if she wasn't holding Zoey's hand that she'd start running throughout the hospital. "This is the best birthday present ever!"

Finn and Rachel smiled at each other as they turned the corner into the NICU. One of the nurses was standing near the front, holding baby Audrey. When she saw Finn and Rachel, she smiled and brought Audrey out to see them.

"Are you ready to take her home today?" the nurse asked.

"Absolutely. Rach and I finished painting her room last night. There's a lot of pink in my house now." Finn said.

"Can I hold her now?" Rachel asked.

"Of course." The nurse handed her to Rachel and smiled again. "It's been a few hours since she's eaten, so by the time you get home, you can probably feed her for the first time."

"Great, thanks, Olivia." Rachel said, completely taken away by her daughter.

Finn stood behind Rachel and wrapped the arm that wasn't holding Chris around Rachel's waist and Zoey stood in the center of Finn and Rachel.

"Olivia," Finn started, handing her his phone, "Would you mind taking a picture of us?"

"Yeah, that's fine." She took the phone and snapped a picture, then handed it back to Finn. He looked at it, smiled, and showed it to Rachel.

Their little family.

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who has read, alerted, favorited, and reviewed this story. This was my first multi chapter fic I wrote, and to receive such positive feedback was wonderful. Keep an eye out for my upcoming fic. Hopefully I'll have the first chapter posted within the next few weeks! Thanks again readers, and always believe in the tether.