Thanks so much for all your support of this fanfic! It's by far the longest one I've ever written, so the fact that you guys have stuck around for so long means a lot. And thank you for all the nominations in the Glee fanfic awards. I'm still tallying them, but later today I should have the finalists up, as well as voting instructions. And the Glee Season 5 photoshoot pictures were so cute, by the way! Anyway, sorry for all the random comments. Enjoy this chapter and review if you want me to continue!
Chapter 41: Valentines
Allie felt a nudge as she was sleeping. She looked up and saw Finn. "Hi Daddy."
"Hi Allie," Finn said. "I need your help with something."
Allie sat up. She loved doing things with her parents. "What?"
"Well, today's Valentine's Day," Finn said.
"I know that," Allie giggled. "Silly Daddy."
"Well, I want to make it special for your mommy and I need your help," Finn said.
Allie sat up. "I'll help you."
Finn smiled. "Good!"
"Where is Mommy?" Allie asked as she followed Finn into the kitchen. In the kitchen, there was a basket of flowers on the table.
"Caylie was up a lot last night, so she's still sleeping," Finn said.
"Poor Mommy," Allie sighed.
Finn nodded. "So, I was thinking we'd make pancakes for Mommy. Does that sound good?"
Allie nodded excitedly. "Yes!"
"I think so too," Finn said. "So, what should we put in them?"
"Chocolate chips!" Allie said.
"I love chocolate chips," Finn said. He got the chocolate chips out of the cupboard and put them on the table as he began to get out the other ingredients. When Finn had his back turned, Allie thought she'd be safe to sneak some chocolate chips.
"Allie, what are you doing?" Finn asked.
Allie smiled with guilt. There was no fooling her dad. "I wanted some chocolate chips."
"You'll have them in the pancakes," Finn said as he took the bag of chocolate chips.
Allie pouted. "Okay. Are those flowers for Mommy, too?"
"They are, do you think she'll like them?"
"She'll love them!"
x
A little while later, Finn and Allie had finished making the pancakes and had also cut up some fresh fruit. They went to Finn and Rachel's room and nudged Rachel. "Rach, time to wake up," Finn said.
Rachel opened her eyes. "Happy Valentine's Day, Finny."
Finn gave his wife a big hug. "Happy Valentine's Day to you too, Rach."
"Daddy and I made breakfast for you!" Allie said.
Rachel smiled. "You did?"
"Yeah!" Allie said.
Rachel gave Allie a hug. "Well, thank you Allie."
"What about me?" Finn asked.
"Thank you too!" Rachel said, giving her husband another kiss. Finn and Allie led Rachel into the kitchen, where they'd set up Rachel's place. "It looks so good!" Rachel exclaimed.
"Of course it's good, Daddy and I made it!" Allie giggled.
"You're right," Rachel said. "And those are beautiful flowers." She picked up the card Finn had put next to her placemat. "Let's see what's in here."
Finn got one of his famous half smiles. Rachel opened the card and began to read it out loud. "Dear Rach - Don't stop believing that you are my somebody to love. Living without you is like living with no air, so keep holding on to our love. I imagine us in the near and far future, with Allie and Caylie and a lot more babies that make us smile. You can't always get what you want, but I have you and my life would suck without you. (Hello, I love you!) Hello, goodbye, wait, no goodbye, that gives me hell. Open your heart to me, though you do that borderline every day. I'm so glad you aren't Jesse's girl anymore. I'm forever yours faithfully, and I'm loving touching squeezing you any way you want it. You are my only exception. Don't go breaking my heart, though I know you never will, because there's a light that only you and I see. I'm so glad I decided I wanted to marry you, because you're amazing just the way you are. Last Christmas and every other Christmas you've been with me, no one needs to ask "do they know it's Christmas" because you've made our Christmases together so special. You are my firework, and we sound perfect when we sing together. We finally got it right, and everyone wants to be "losers" like you and me. You could never go your own way, because you don't stop collecting a jar of our hearts. We're finally done pretending, and it feels so good. I love New York, because I'm here with you and the girls. You can't stop the beat of our love, when we are young and when we get old. I would never be the same without you, because we found love the first time I ever saw your face. I just can't stop loving you, so here's to us. How deep is your love? Very deep, because you're more than a woman to me. When I'm without you, I want to cry. You and I have had paradise by the dashboard light, and when it comes to love, we are the champions. We have roots before branches, but you're included in both. You get what you give - and that's why you have so much love. You're the one that I want, and we've got tonight for a good time. Love, Finn."
"What was all that for?" Allie asked.
"Your dad took a bunch of songs we sang to each other and together and made them into my valentine," Rachel said, looking so happy.
"I still didn't understand it," Allie said, looking confused.
"Hey, I've never been the best writer!" Finn laughed.
"I loved it," Rachel said, kissing her husband.
"Look behind the card," Finn said as he gave Allie a smirk. Allie knew this meant that there was another surprise for her mom there. Rachel looked at it and screamed.
"What is it?" Allie asked.
"He got tickets to see Wicked on Broadway!" Rachel said, throwing her arms around Finn. "And he also got us dinner reservations at Sardi's!"
"I know you love both those things," Allie said.
"I do," Rachel said. "Thank you Finn!"
"What about me?" Allie asked. "I helped make your breakfast and set the table."
"Thank you too, Allie," Rachel said.
The family heard some cries on the baby monitor. "I'll go get her," Finn said. Allie pulled out Rachel's chair, letting her mom sit down.
"How's your breakfast, Mommy?" Allie asked.
"It's very good, thank you," Rachel said.
Finn came back in with Caylie. "I think someone wanted to see her mommy."
"Hey Caylie," Rachel said, picking up her younger daughter.
"And about tonight, your mom and Beth are coming over to watch the girls," Finn said.
"Yay!" Allie said. She loved spending time with Shelby and Beth.
x
"My daddy made my mommy a card with all the songs they sang for each other in high school!" Allie told Mia, Gracie, Abby and Savannah. The girls were eating lunch and talking about what their parents were doing for Valentine's day.
"My brother's girlfriend sent flowers to our house this morning," Abby said.
"My parents are going to the movies tonight," Mia said.
"I got to help my daddy make breakfast for my mommy!" Allie said proudly.
"I bet it was gross," a voice said. Allie turned and saw Paige with a few of her friends.
"We weren't talking to you," Allie said.
"You know, my dad got me an iPad for Valentine's Day," Paige said, holding it up.
"Those are for grown-ups!" Gracie said.
"You guys are just mad your parents won't get you iPads," Paige said.
"I don't want to be like you!" Allie shot back.
"I think you'd like to have a dad who's famous rather than parents who had kids before they should have!" Paige blurted out.
The lunch monitor came over. "Is something wrong, girls?"
"We were just leaving," Paige said.
When Paige was gone, Allie turned to her friends. "I hate her."
x
Back in the classroom, the teacher was starting to pass out Valentines. The students had been told that they had to make Valentines for everyone, so everyone had to count theirs. There were twenty kids in the class, so everyone should have gotten nineteen valentines. Allie counted hers and realized she only got eighteen.
"Mia," Allie whispered. "I only got eighteen!"
"What?" Mia whispered back.
"Yeah," Allie said.
"I bet Paige didn't give you one!" Mia said.
"I don't want one from her anyway!" Allie said.
"Allie, who didn't give you a valentine?" the teacher asked.
"It doesn't matter," Allie said.
"No, it does matter," the teacher said.
"Paige," Mia said as Allie gave her friend a look.
"Paige, why didn't you give Allie a valentine?" the teacher asked.
"Because she's a brat!" Paige said.
"I told you, it doesn't matter!" Allie said to her teacher. She was sure Paige would just write something mean on the valentine.
"Paige, even though Allie says it doesn't matter, it does," the teacher said. "You're not getting a cookie."
Allie and Mia exchanged a smile.
x
"Hi Allie!" Allie turned as she was leaving school and saw Beth.
"Hi Beth!" Allie said. "What are you doing here?"
"Your mommy asked me and my mommy to pick you up," Beth said. (Beth's school got out a little earlier than Allie's, since she lived in a different part of New York.) "Your daddy decided to take your mommy somewhere else before dinner and the Broadway show, so you're coming to my apartment. My mom's in the car with Caylie."
"Sounds good!" Allie said. "Hi Nana!" she said as she got in the car.
"Hi Allie!" Shelby said. "Your mom told me to give you this."
Allie looked at the box Shelby gave her, a box filled with conversation hearts and chocolates. "I love candy!"
"It's your Valentine's day gift from your parents," Shelby said.
"Guess what happened at school today?" Allie said.
"What?" Shelby asked.
"Paige didn't give me a valentine, so the teacher didn't let her have a cookie!" Allie said proudly. She was just glad to see her nemesis put in her place.
"Well, that Paige girl is a bitch!" Beth said.
"Beth, don't use that word," Shelby said.
"What does that mean?" Allie asked.
"Ask your parents," Shelby said as Beth whispered, "Someone who's really mean."
x
"Thank you for the perfect night, Finn," Rachel sighed as she and Finn walked up to Shelby's apartment to pick up Allie and Caylie.
"Oh, it was my pleasure," Finn said. "You and the girls are the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"You and the girls are the best thing that's ever happened to me, too," Rachel said.
They knocked on Shelby's door. Beth came to the door. Allie was sitting on the couch with Caylie. "Looks like you guys are having fun!" Rachel said. "Even though it is late to be up."
"Rachel, there's no school tomorrow," Beth said. "Allie has something for you two."
Allie smiled and handed Finn a picture. "I made this for you two."
Finn and Rachel looked at the drawing of Finn, Rachel, Allie and Caylie. Allie had written "Happy Valentine's Day!" across the top.
"I love it!" Rachel said. "And I love you."
Chapter 42 preview: The Gleeks from outside New York get to meet Caylie when everyone travels to Chicago for Mike and Tina's wedding. Finchel sing a duet at the wedding.