I'll admit that this was a sad one to write! I do feel bad for Finn and Rachel and Allie. The reception I got to the last chapter really meant a lot to me, so thank you so much! I hope this chapter meets your expectations and you review if you want me to keep going!
Chapter 26: Grief
Allie went back to school the day after Finn and Rachel found out about the baby, but neither Finn nor Rachel could go back to work. At least not yet. It was too hard to. Neither of them were in the right frame of mind.
Allie had cried pretty hard when Finn and Rachel broke the news to her at the hospital. It was also the first time she had seen either of her parents cry. Finn's heart had broken when Allie looked up at him and said, "Mommies and daddies don't cry."
"We do when we're sad," Finn had told Allie.
"I'm sad, too," Allie had said.
It had only been yesterday, but Finn could barely remember that day. It had been like a big blur. He had felt completely numb. Kurt, Blaine, Brittany and Santana had spent the day at their apartment, and Ryder, Marley, Jake and Harmony had also come by for a while. Puck, Quinn and Daniel even came in from Connecticut. It was almost too hard for Finn to call his parents to tell them that their second grandchild was gone. His mother had started crying on the phone. Rachel called up her dads and Shelby, all of whom were also pretty upset.
Shelby had offered to take Allie to school the day after they found out. Allie had seemed better by the morning, but Finn and Rachel knew that was because she was so young. She didn't fully understand what had happened. They'd done their best to put on happy faces for her, but as soon as she was gone, Rachel broke down again.
"It's not fair," Rachel said tearfully.
"It isn't," Finn agreed. "You're such a good mother... I'd think that we were meant to have another child. And Allie's so good with Daniel, she'd make a great big sister."
Rachel began pacing around the living room as Finn lay on the couch. "At our age, this doesn't happen very much," Rachel admitted.
"That makes it even more confusing," Finn said. He grabbed Rachel's hand and Rachel knelt next to the couch.
"I'm almost afraid to try to have another baby," Rachel said. "What if this happens again?"
"It didn't happen with Allie," Finn pointed out.
"Yeah, that's true," Rachel admitted. They heard the doorbell ring. "Let's just try to be strong for whoever this is."
Rachel opened the door, and Finn was relieved to see Rachel smile slightly when she saw her two best NYADA friends who hadn't been in New Directions. "Thanks for coming by," Rachel said, giving Katie and Anna each a hug.
"Yeah, Kurt called and told us," Katie said. "We had to come see you."
"How are you two holding up?" Anna asked.
"It's still sinking in, really," Finn said.
"How's Allie?" Katie asked.
"Well, she was really upset yesterday, but she seemed better today," Rachel said. "She's so young, she doesn't really understand."
"We're really, really sorry," Anna said, giving Rachel a hug.
"Thanks," Rachel said. "I really miss you two."
"Oh, we miss you too," Katie said. "The three of us need to hang out sometime soon." The two of them were still sharing an apartment.
"I did come to see you in the Nutcracker during Christmas season," Rachel told Katie. "Allie loved it."
"Yeah, I remember you mentioning that," Katie said. "That really meant a lot to me."
"You were really good," Rachel said. "Anna, how are auditions for your acting roles going?"
"There is one TV show that seems to be interested," Anna said.
"That's really, really great," Rachel said. Finn was glad that Rachel's friends seemed to be taking her mind off things.
"Finn, do you like teaching?" Katie asked.
"Yeah, I do," Finn said, hoping his students were behaving for the sub. "Next year, Allie's going to be old enough for kindergarten."
"I wonder how she'd feel if she got you for her teacher," Anna said.
"Rachel and I don't think that's the best idea," Finn admitted.
Katie and Anna stayed at the apartment for a little while longer before they had to get back to work. After they left, Rachel turned to Finn. "At least we know we have lots of support. I mean, they came by today, and our Glee friends all came over yesterday."
"Yeah, Blake called yesterday too," Finn said. "And we've gotten lots of texts and e-mails from our other Glee friends."
"I just wish this hadn't happened," Rachel said, snuggling against Finn.
Finn began stroking Rachel's short brown hair. "I wish it hadn't happened, too."
"I was already wondering the things about it I wondered when I was pregnant with Allie," Rachel said. "Like what the gender was, if it would look more like you or me..."
"That's so sad, realizing we'll never find out those things," Finn thought out loud.
"Finn, do you feel like you just want to stay here and not go back to work?" Rachel asked. "I just want to stay here at the apartment with you."
"I don't know how my mom did it after my dad died," Finn sighed. "I never knew this baby, and I'm so sad."
"I bet she went on mostly for you," Rachel said. "Just like we have to go on with our lives for Allie."
"I'm not even sure when I'll be ready to go back to work," Finn said.
"We'll probably both have to go back before we're ready," Rachel said, taking Finn's hand.
Finn put his hand on Rachel's stomach. His heart still broke knowing that their baby wasn't there. He felt his phone vibrate and looked at the caller ID. He picked up the phone, knowing it was okay to talk to this person. "Hey, Mr. Schue."
"Finn, Burt called me to let me know," Mr. Schue said. "Are you and Rachel as okay as you can be right now?"
"I think that's a pretty accurate description of how we feel," Finn told his former Glee director. "It's just - one day the baby was in Rachel's stomach, and now he or she's gone."
"You and Rachel are meant to be parents," Mr. Schue said. "You're such great parents to Allie, and one day you'll have another baby."
"Allie was pretty upset yesterday," Finn said. "I don't think I've ever seen her that sad."
"Poor Allie," Mr. Schue said. "Finn, you know that everyone who was in New Directions with you has your back. And everyone who you worked with while you were directing the choir."
"I know that," Finn said. "We're so lucky to have such good friends. Say hi to Emma and the boys for me."
"Of course I will," Mr. Schue said before hanging up.
Finn turned to Rachel. "That was Mr. Schue, calling to check up on us."
"It's thanks to him and glee that we're here together now," Rachel said.
"Even before glee, I could tell that there was something special about you," Finn told his wife.
Rachel snuggled up to Finn when they heard the doorbell ring. Finn went to the door and saw Burt, Carole, Hiram, LeRoy and Shelby at the door.
"Thanks for coming," Finn said, letting their parents in. When they'd talked to their parents yesterday, they'd told them that they'd come to New York to spend some time with Finn and Rachel.
"We feel so horrible for you," Carole said, giving Finn a hug.
"You kind of know how we feel, Mom," Finn said. He turned to Burt. "So do you."
"Well, yes and no," Burt said. "They say that in there are orphans, widowers and widows, but there is no word for a parent who loses a child."
"That's what we are now," Finn said sadly.
"There isn't a word for what Allie is now, either," Rachel added. "A child who's lost a sibling."
"Speaking of Allie, Mia's mom is bringing her home today," Shelby said.
"Yeah, it's too hard for us to go out," Rachel said. "Too hard too soon."
x
Later that day, Finn and Rachel's parents left so that they could have some time alone with Allie. They went to the apartment lobby to meet her, then brought her up to her parents, promising to come back later.
"Hi Mommy. Hi Daddy." Finn smiled when he saw his daughter come into the apartment. He pulled Allie in and gave her a hug. "How was school?"
"My teacher and my friends are sorry," Allie said.
"You can tell them we said thank you," Rachel said, hugging her daughter. "Are you still sad?"
"Yeah," Allie said. "I wanted a baby brother or sister."
"We wanted you to have a baby brother or sister," Finn said, his heart breaking.
Allie reached into her pocket. "I drew a picture today." She handed it to Finn and Rachel. Finn noticed that since she had a cast on her arm still, it wasn't quite the neatest, but he got the general idea. Allie had drawn a picture of Finn, Rachel, herself and a baby.
"I love it, Allie," Rachel said, hugging her daughter.
"Allie, we love you," Finn said.
"I love you too," Allie said.
The family sat quietly together for a little bit before they heard a knock on the door. Rachel went to the door and saw Kurt and Blaine. "Hey guys. Come on in."
"We were thinking about you the whole time we were at work," Blaine said as he and Kurt hugged Finn, Rachel and Allie.
"Thanks," Finn said. "We love you both."
"We love you too," Kurt said, reaching into his bag and getting out his laptop. "And a lot of other people do too."
"What's the laptop out for?" Finn asked, confused.
"The two of us made some calls last night, and we put something together for you guys," Kurt said as he turned on his laptop. He then turned it so Finn, Rachel and Allie could see it.
Finn realized that Kurt was playing a video. He recognized the music he heard. Then he realized what the video was - the New Directions alumni were singing the same song that they'd sung the first time a New Directions member had gone through a tough time. Only this time, rather than Finn and Rachel leading it, it was for Finn and Rachel.
Kurt: You're not alone
Together we stand
I'll be by your side, you know
I'll take your hand
Blaine: When it gets cold
And it feels like the end
There's no place to go
You know I won't give in
Kurt and Blaine: No I won't give in
Brittany and Santana: Keep holding on
Santana: 'Cause you know we'll make it through,
We'll make it through
Brittany and Santana: Just stay strong
Brittany: 'Cause you know I'm here for you,
I'm here for you
Brittany and Santana: There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on
Santana: 'Cause you know we'll make it through, (Brittany: we'll make it through)
Puck: So far away I wish you were here
Before it's too late, this could all disappear
Puck and Quinn: Before the doors close
And it comes to an end
With you by my side
I will fight and defend
Quinn: I'll fight and defend
Yeah, yeah
Jake and Harmony: Keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Just stay strong
'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
So keep holding on 'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through.
Ryder and Marley: Hear me when I say, when I say I believe
Nothing's gonna change, nothing's gonna change destiny
Whatever's meant to be will work out perfectly
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
La da da da
La da da da
La da da da da da da da da...
Mike and Tina: Keep holding on
Tina: 'Cause you know we'll make it through,
We'll make it through
Mike and Tina: Just stay strong
Mike: 'Cause you know I'm here for you, I'm here for you
Artie and Betty: There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
Sam and Mercedes: So keep holding on
'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through
Sam: Keep holding on
Mercedes: Keep holding on
Sam and Mercedes: There's nothing you could say
Nothing you could do
There's no other way when it comes to the truth
Rory and Sugar: So keep holding on
Joe and Kitty: 'Cause you know we'll make it through,
Rory, Sugar, Joe and Kitty: We'll make it through
Finn and Rachel were both crying at the end of the video. "How did you do that?" Rachel asked through her tears.
"We divided up the song last night and called everyone to ask them to record themselves singing their parts," Blaine said. "And then we put it together."
"You two are the best," Finn told his brothers-in-law.
"We love you," Kurt reminded them. "All three of you. And so all our friends from Glee."
"I love all of them too," Allie said.
"You will get your baby brother or sister, Allie," Kurt said. "I know you will, one day."
"And you are going to get your second child," Blaine said to Finn and Rachel.
Chapter 27 preview: Finn and Rachel return to work after everything that's happened. Another Broadway producer discovers Rachel. Allie spends some time with some New Directions alumni.