Episode 18
Finn and Rachel's House – West Village – Saturday Morning
"Finn wake up"
Rachel shook Finn lightly careful not to wake the sleeping baby next to him.
"What's wrong?" Finn asked once he was fully awake and noticed the look on Rachel's face.
"I can't find Rose"
Rachel had woken up just 10 minutes before to see that Rose was no longer in their bed. Thinking that Rose had just gone to the toilet Rachel went to check and instead found a broken photo frame and no Rose and after looking everywhere Rachel still hadn't found her.
Finn quickly jumped up and after gently taking Henry into his arms, the two went in search of Rose. They checked every room upstairs and downstairs and just as Rachel was about to grab the phone to ring the police Finn noticed the door of cupboard under their stairs was open slightly and there was a blanket sticking out of it.
"Rachel" Finn called to the panicked women "Over here"
Finn opened the door to see a crying Rose curled up wrapped around the blanket from her bed. Rachel and Finn carefully knelt down and moved closer to Rose
"Rose, are you okay?" Rachel asked, she crouched into the cupboard and took Rose in her arms.
"I'm really sorry, it was an accident I promise" Rose cried into Rachel's neck.
As gently as he could with a sleeping baby Finn knelt down into the cupboard next to Rachel and Rose.
"Oh, Rose we know that sweetie" Rachel soothed, wiping Rose's tears "Are you okay, are you hurt"
"No" Rose shook her head still openly crying loudly "I didn't mean to I just wanted to look at it but I couldn't reach it so I jumped up but I knocked it and it fell"
"Rose sweetie calm down I promise we are not mad, we were just worried when we couldn't find you" Finn promised. Henry was now awake and Finn held him close so he wouldn't start crying as well.
"I was worried you would send me back to that place" Rose whispered once she had calmed down. Finn and Rachel shared a look of concern before they went back to Rose.
"You never have to go back to that place Rose" Rachel said, firmly, holding Rose close. Rose returned the hug with equal force.
Rose looked at Finn then at Rachel "Promise"
"Promise" Rachel and Finn replied in union. The small family cuddled in silence for a few minutes as Rose eventually calmed down.
"Are you going to be my new mommy and daddy" Rose asked cautiously.
"We are, if that's okay with you" Finn replied. Rachel took Henry from Finn so that he could share a cuddle with Rose who hugged him just as tightly as she did Rachel.
"I would like that" Rose answered as she pulled away from Finn.
"Us too"
"This is a very nice cupboard, very cosy" Finn lightly joked as he put Rose on his knee and moved closer to Rachel.
"We should sleep in here" Rachel added pulling Rose's blanket over all four of them.
"Like Harry Potter" Rose wondered slightly amazed at the thought.
"Exactly like Harry" Finn affirmed.
"But just one night daddy is far too tall" Rachel joked earning a laugh from Rose. It was a great sound to Finn and Rachel after what they had found just a few minutes before.
"He is very big" Rose laughed looking Finn up and down.
"Oh really" Finn laughed as he began to tickle Rose. Her laugh filled the entire home.
XoXo
"Here you go sweetie"
Finn handed Rose's a plate of waffles and strawberries as the three-year-old sat in the living room watching cartoons.
The small family actually fell asleep in the cupboard for two hours before waking up for some breakfast. Finn had gone to the diner close to their house and bought all the breakfast food he could think of. He knew it wasn't just for Rachel, Rose, and Himself but Puck, Quinn, NJ, Santana, and Mercedes.
Finn settled Rose on the couch with her breakfast and cartoons then went back to the kitchen where Rachel was feeding Henry his breakfast.
"You think she's okay" Rachel wondered as she watched Rose, who seemed a lot calmer than when they had found her earlier.
"I do yeah" Finn replied as he handed Rachel her breakfast "And I think we did quite well too, our first hurdle as parents"
"Yeah to us" Rachel cheered as she high fived Finn with her free hand. Rachel placed Henry in his high chair then started eating her own breakfast. She kept sneaking glances at Rose who was still quietly eating and watching telly.
"So how long do you think we have until they all get here" Finn smirked. It was only 9'0 clock in the morning but Finn and Rachel were surprised their friends hadn't already broke down their door to see the children.
"Not long to be fair I'm surprised they are not already here" Rachel replied. As soon as the words left her mouth Rachel heard their front door open and close. Rachel winked at Finn as NJ ran into their kitchen with Quinn and Puck following behind.
"I know it's early but I don't care" Quinn stated with a wide smile, as Puck and Finn shared a hug.
"Hi guys" Rachel greeted them as she continued to eat her breakfast.
"Aww look at him, I remember them that age, let me at him" Quinn gushed as she took Henry out of his high chair and began cuddling and tickling him much to the delight of the one year old.
"Hey NJ, can I have a hug please" Rachel smiled at her godson. NJ climbed up Rachel's leg and into her lap. He kissed Rachel's cheek then Rachel gave him some of her waffles.
"So where is Rose?" Puck asked. Finn pointed to the TV room attached to the kitchen where Rose was still watching cartoons, she hadn't noticed the new additions to the Kitchen.
"Hey Rose, come here" Rachel called. Rose looked up to see the other people in the kitchen and slowly walked over to Rachel.
"Rose these are our friends Quinn and Noah, they are coming with us today" Rachel explained.
"Hi" Rose waved to Quinn and Puck who smiled back at the shy girl.
"Hi sweetie" Quinn smiled with Henry still in her arms, who had become fascinated with her blonde hair.
"Hi, I'm NJ" NJ proclaimed waving at Rose. Rose eagerly waved back, glad there was someone else close to her age.
"I'm Rose" Rose replied with a shy smile "Do you wanna watch Cartoons"
"Yes!" NJ exclaimed as he jumped off Rachel's knee.
"Here NJ have some of these" Finn said handing NJ some waffles before he could run off.
"Fanks Uncle Finn" NJ cheered as the two children went back to the TV room. The four adults watched as the two children got settled back on the sofa with their breakfast both immediately engrossed in the Saturday morning cartoons.
"Well looks like those two are best friends now" Quinn gushed looking at the two children "they are probably going to get married someday"
"Slow your horses Quinn, here have some breakfast" Puck laughed handing Quinn a plate of bacon and eggs.
Rachel laughed at her blonde friend before looking at the two children who were laughing at the cartoons "They do look cute together though"
An hour later Rachel, Finn, Rose, and Henry were all ready for the day and waiting for Sam, Mercedes and Santana to arrive so that they could start the day. The children were so excited to go to Toys R Us so Rachel had put a DVD on for them as they were getting inpatient for the others to arrive. Rachel and Quinn were having a coffee in the kitchen as Finn and Puck watched the film with the children.
"So how is it so far?" Quinn asked as she watched Rachel closely, Rachel knew she wanted a real answer.
"Wonderful and scary at the same time" Rachel admitted before taking a drink of her coffee. The incident that morning had scared Rachel but it also proved to Rachel that she and Finn could do it as well, they could be parents to the two children who had been left by their birth parents.
"Sounds like being a parent" Quinn agreed with a smile. The two enjoyed their coffee for a few minutes before the heard the front door open and close. Rachel smirked at Santana and Mercedes as they walked into the kitchen.
"I know I know we are a little late" Santana argued holding up her hands in surrender "But we needed something to get us through the day"
"If you have alcohol Santana I'm going to kill you" Rachel accused pointing a finger at her friends who quickly shook her heads.
"A Starbucks coffee Rachel jeez!" Mercedes shrilled waving her to go cup in Rachel's face. Rachel just smiled back at her friends who quickly noticed the other people in the TV room.
"Aww look at them all" Mercedes gushed as she noticed the three children sat together watching Aladdin.
"You two certainly have cute kids" Santana agreed, Rachel could see the sincere smile on Santana's face as she looked at the new additions to their family.
"Rose this is Cedes and Sans" Rachel called to her daughter as the four friends walked into the TV Room. Rose turned from the TV to look at Rachel.
"Hi" Rose waved to Santana and Mercedes, Rachel had already explained to her who they were.
"Hi sweetie, we are your cool aunts" Santana explained as she pointed to herself and Mercedes. Quinn looked at the two alarmed.
"Hey!"
"They are cool, Auntie Sans gives me pennies when she says a bad word" NJ explained to Rose with a wide smile. Quinn looked back at Santana with slight anger.
"What!"
"How about we get this show on the road, Sam is going to meet us there" Finn said. He got off the couch and switched off the television. Everyone quickly grabbed their coats and bags and Rachel put Henry in his new stroller. The group left the townhouse and made their way to the subway deciding it would be the easiest way with so many of them.
"So where are we going then?" Santana asked the two children, she was at the back of the group holding the hand of the three and two year olds.
"Toys R Us, then the zoo, then the kid museum and to get new pyjamas" Rose listed off with excitement.
"Oh, this is going to be the day from Hell"
"Auntie Sans" NJ declared pointing at his aunt. Santana quickly handed Rose and NJ each a dollar. She realised it was probably going to be an expensive day for her as well.
Toys R Us, Times Square – Saturday Morning
Thirty minutes later the group walked inside the Toys R Us in Time Square. Everyone's eyes immediately went to the giant Ferris wheel in the entrance and Rose and NJ immediately began to jump up and down in excitement while still holding on to their father's hands.
"WOW!" Rose gasped as she clutched Finn's hand tightly. Finn picked her up so she could have a better look. Rose pointed to the Barbie Car carriage "Can we go on that one?"
"DADDDY DADDY LOOK!" NJ shouted as Puck picked him up as well. They were children and adults running around the store and NJ had a habit of running off so Puck kept tight hold of his son.
"I can see it Buddy" Puck laughed, amused at his son's and Rose's excitement. Puck looked over at the line to see it was over a mile long but Puck knew there was no way they would get out of going on the ride.
"Can we go on it?" Sam marvelled as he moved over to Finn and Puck who looked at him in surprise that his excitement matched the children's.
"Well looks like you guys can go on that and us girls can…." Santana looked around the store until she saw a small café "Have a drink over there"
"Go on then" Finn agreed, he knew there was no way Santana or Mercedes would wait over an hour for a ride.
"You guys go on that then we will get some new toys okay" Rachel told the excited children, who both nodded their head eagerly then ran over to Puck. Rachel looked up at Finn with a smile.
"Want me to take Henry" Rachel asked. Henry was awake but still in his stroller although he did seem eager to get out and look around the loud store.
"No, it's okay, he can come on as well"
"Yeah, he can be my partner on it" Sam beamed as he took Henry out of his stroller and walked over to the back of the line where Puck, NJ and Rose were already waiting.
"Okay let me know when you guys are close I want a picture" Rachel told Finn.
"Of course," Rachel gave Finn a kiss then walked over to the café where her friends already had a table. Santana was in line getting them all a drink.
"I feel bad for the guys they are going to be in that que for ages" Mercedes mused, from the small café they could see the front of the line and the guys and children were nowhere near it.
"I personally think they are just as excited as the kids to go on it" Quinn argued.
Mercedes nodded "Probably true"
"Here you go ladies, milkshakes all-round" Santana sarcastically cheered as she put down a tray of four milkshakes handing one to each of them.
Santana took her a seat then took a big drink of her strawberry milkshake as she looked around the loud and colourful store "God what is this place"
"Santana we've only been here ten minutes" Quinn argued with a slight smile, she was almost enjoying seeing how annoyed Santana and Mercedes were in the Toy Shop.
"And I already know I hate it" Santana quipped with a smirk right back at Quinn. Before Quinn could reply a phone started to ring and they looked towards Mercedes when they realised it was her phone.
"Sorry guys it Matt" Mercedes apologised as she took out her phone "I'll be back in a minute"
Mercedes got up from the table to answer the call and Santana once she saw Mercedes was far enough away turned to Rachel and Quinn.
"Mercedes thinks Matt is about to propose" Santana stated with a knowing look. Quinn and Rachel immediately gave Santana an alarmed look.
"What!"
"He had lunch with his mother and Mercedes thinks he was asking for the family ring" Santana added. Rachel took a drink of her milkshake hastily wishing that it was alcohol.
"That's reaching, even for Mercedes" Rachel questioned.
"Do you think she would say yes?" Quinn wondered. None of them could really believe how quickly Mercedes was moving with Matt and after everything she did to make Sam a part of their group Quinn couldn't believe that Mercedes didn't even seem to care that Matt never made an effort with or even acted like he liked them.
"Of course, she will, it's the security she always wanted" Santana answered, she seemed to think she knew the real reason that Mercedes was still with Matt, he offered her something that Sam never could.
"Santana I'm sure it's more than that" Rachel argued half-heartedly.
Santana gave Rachel a pressing look "Is it?"
"Guys she's coming back" Quinn rushed out as she saw Mercedes walking back over to them. Mercedes sat down none the wiser she had just been talked about as she put her phone back in her bag.
"Everything okay?" Quinn wondered.
"Yeah he was just saying he probably would be able to make it because the dinner thing is going on later than he thought" Mercedes explained not able to hide her disappointment as well as she had hoped.
"It is eleven thirty" Santana quipped. Rachel glared at Santana, not wanting her to start an argument in the middle of a toy store.
"Well he has work as well" Mercedes added, although even she knew that her friends wouldn't believe her. Matt simply didn't want to spend the day with her friends, the people that meant the most to her. Nobody spoke for a few moments not sure what they could say to make Mercedes feel better.
"So, Quinn, anything that NJ wants as well today is on me" Rachel told Quinn. Rachel and Finn had decided to buy NJ some new toys as well so that their godson wouldn't feel left out.
"Rachel, you don't have to do that"
"Hush, he's my godson and I want to, I don't want him to feel left out" Rachel argued, Quinn reluctantly nodded her head, she knew there would be no way to talk Rachel out of it.
"Does that count for all of us? Because I saw this Barbie I've had my eye on when we walked in" Santana teased as she finished off her milkshake.
Rachel smiled playfully at Santana "Anything to make a little girl happy"
XoXo
Twenty minutes later Finn text Rachel that they were at the front of the line so the four friends went to watch and take photos as Finn and Rose went up in the Barbie Car carriage and Puck, Sam, NJ, and Henry squeezed into racing car carriage. Rachel took hundreds of pictures as the children all squealed in delight as the Ferris wheel went around and even Santana cracked a smile at the children's enjoyment.
Once the ride had finished the adults decided to spilt up so that they could be finished in the store quicker as even Rachel and Quinn had decided the store was too busy and loud for them. So, as Puck and Quinn took NJ to the Marvel section of the store and Santana and Sam took Henry to the baby section, Finn and Rachel took Rose to the Barbie Doll house. Mercedes had taken another call from Matt and was waiting in the café for them all to finish.
"I mean marriage already, they have been dating for what 7 months" Rachel ranted. She had just finished explaining to Finn what Santana had told her about Mercedes and Matt. Rachel had been glad they had spilt up so that she could rant to her husband.
"Yeah you're right" Finn mused absentmindedly as he watched Rose who was looking over the Barbie cars. She had already chosen some Barbie's and their accessories and had then moved onto the Barbie Cars and Planes.
"Why don't you have more of an opinion about this?" Rachel snipped lightly nipping Finn's arms, who just laughed lightly at her.
"Because I know better" Finn laughed before turning to his wife "Rachel you're worrying about something that hasn't even happened yet"
"I know I just never thought that one of my friends would even date let alone marry someone that doesn't even like us" Rachel explained
"And you don't know that she is. I can't believe that Mercedes would marry someone for extra security in her life" Finn argued. While their group of friends all agreed that the money was one of the reasons Mercedes was staying with Matt, Finn couldn't believe she would go as far as marrying him for it.
"Santana thinks that's the exact reason that she would" Rachel reasoned.
"What about this one?" Rose wondered holding up a blue Barbie car, the look of amazement had been glued to Rose's face since she had walked into the store.
"That is the best Barbie car I've ever seen" Rachel exclaimed with excitement to match Rose's. Rose nodded her head in agreement then went back to looking at the Barbie planes.
"Stop worrying about this until there is something to worry about. I sometimes think you guys would be worried even if she was marrying someone that you did like. I can't even imagine what they said about me before we got married" Finn acknowledged only half joking.
"They loved you" Rachel smiled reaching up to kiss Finn quickly. Rachel pulled away from Finn to see Rose smiling up at them.
"Can I get a Barbie House? They need somewhere to live" Rose asked.
"Of course, sweetie let's go find them" Finn said taking Rose's hand. The three of them spent another twenty minutes in the Barbie Section getting a house, car, and plane to go with the Barbie's Rose had chosen. Rose also picked some Barbie furniture and accessories.
Finn and Rachel quickly realised they couldn't carry the bags all day so they had decided to get everything delivered again. Once their Trolley was full of her new toys Rose decided she had enough that was until she saw the Build-a-Bear section and the Disney bears she could get. Rachel agreed to take her before they went to pay.
"I'll go find Santana and Sam and make sure they haven't gotten anything they shouldn't have" Finn said as Rose practically pulled Rachel over to the bears.
"Okay we will meet you at the tills once Rose has gotten her Build-a-Bear" Rachel agreed smiling down at Rose, who bouncing on her toes in excitement.
Finn walked off in search of Sam and Santana and Rachel and Rose went over to the Build-a-Bear section of the store.
Rose quickly choose the bear she wanted and watched in amazement as the Build-a-Bear worker filled it with stuffing. The worker then showed Rose all the outfits she could put on the bear. Rose stood silent and still at she looked over all the clothes that she could pick, Rachel watched her in amusement.
"Hey Rach" Puck called as he walked over to the mother and daughter five minutes later who still hadn't moved away from the bear clothes.
"Hey Noah, everything okay?" Rachel asked, she watched Rose pick up the Anna outfit from Frozen then shake her head and put it back.
"Yeah everyone is at the tills and I volunteered to come and find you. Santana is very eager to leave" Puck explained.
Rachel pointed over to Rose, who was holding two outfits going back between them both. Puck lightly laughed at the three-year-old.
"She's like you already"
"Rosie why you don't pick this one, we can always come back later and get another one" Rachel instructed. She picked up a Belle outfit from Beauty and the Beast and showed it to Rose, who nodded her head. Rachel picked up the matching shoes and handed it to the shop assistant who quickly put it together and into a box.
"NJ would like that one" Rose noticed as she pointed to the Thor Build-a-Bear by the counter.
"I absolutely agree" Rachel replied already amused that Rose had picked up on NJ's love of Thor and Marvel. Rachel asked for the other teddy and once they were both packed up, the three of them made their way to the others.
"So, Quinn told me about Mercedes and Matt" Puck said as they walked back through the Barbie section. Rose looked around in wonder again even though she had spent twenty minutes in the section already.
"Pretty unbelievable isn't it" Rachel quipped. Puck took the boxes from Rachel as she picked up Rose to carry through the busy aisles.
"Do you think that Quinn is going to expect the same from me?" Puck wondered. Rachel quickly looked to Puck who couldn't hide his worry.
"What you mean a proposal"
"Yeah, I mean I know we've only just got together but we are already more committed than most couples because of NJ and I'm just wondering if she thinks that's the next step" Puck rambled, Rachel was not used to seeing the PE teacher so nervous.
"Puck, you shouldn't do anything you're not ready for. Quinn loves you and I think that's enough for her right now" Rachel replied.
"You think" Puck wondered unsure with Rachel's answer.
"I do yeah"
"Okay good. You know when it does happen eventually. Do I have your blessing? We both know yours, Mercedes and Santana's approval is just as important as her parents blessing"
"You have our 100% approval Noah" Rachel affirmed. While it might not have been true just two years ago Rachel didn't think anyone else was better suited for Quinn than Puck.
Puck smiled sincerely at Rachel "Thanks"
Rachel, Puck, and Rose finally reached the others who were already loading everything else onto the tills ready to be bagged and delivered to Finn and Rachel's house. Rachel looked over at all the toys they had gotten and was impressed that it wasn't as much as she thought it would be when you let two toddlers loose on a toy store. When Puck put down the two Build-a-Bear boxes on the pile NJ quickly jumped out of Quinn's arms.
"IS THAT THOR!"
Central Park Zoo Entrance – Saturday Afternoon
After leaving Toys R Us the group went to the deli that was just across the street from the entrance to one of the playgrounds in Central Park. They quickly found a picnic bench and loaded all the food they had bought on to the table.
Rachel passed Rose a sandwich then gave Henry a jar of baby food and a bottle. After the one-year-old quickly fell asleep in his pram as everyone else finished their lunch.
Mercedes was still a little distant after her phone call from Matt and in just over an hour he had rang her another 3 times. None of the others had made a comment about it as they knew Mercedes would only get angry with them.
After twenty minutes, everyone was finishing off their own lunch as Quinn was trying to get NJ to eat his bag of carrots. The two-year-old was having none of it as he was eager to get to the Zoo, which was their next activity.
"Finish the carrots or no brownie" Quinn instructed as she handed the bag to NJ who threw it on the table with a frown.
"Carrots suck" NJ moaned as Quinn handed NJ the bag of carrots again. Everyone looked on in amusement as NJ crossed his arms and pouted at his mom.
"He is definitely your son" Quinn quipped giving Puck a look to help her. Puck put down his drink and looked at straight at NJ, his eyes boring into his son's.
"NJ carrots now!" Puck demanded. NJ reluctantly picked up the bag of carrots and began to eat them, Quinn rewarded Puck with a quick kiss.
"You'll have to teach me that" Finn laughed as he watched Rose slowly pick up her own bag of carrots and begin eating them. The three-year-old quickly realised she would get the same treatment if she didn't eat her vegetables.
"It's all in the eyes" Puck pointed out with a slight smirk as he handed NJ some orange juice.
The group finished off their lunch and were cleaning it all away when Brittany skipped over to the large group.
"Hey guys!" Brittany cheered waving at everyone. Everyone greeted Brittany as the blonde took a seat next to NJ who quickly climbed on to her lap.
"Rose, this is my girlfriend Brittany" Santana told the three-year-old who was looking at Brittany curiously. Rose waved shyly at Brittany who beamed back at Rose.
"No, she's not, she my girlfriend" NJ affirmed as he wrapped his arms around Brittany's neck who gave NJ a quick kiss on the cheek. Everyone smiled at NJ little crush on Brittany, he always got jealous whenever Brittany and Santana got too close.
"Oh, yes NJ I always forget sorry" Santana laughed as NJ nodded his head before looking up at Brittany.
"Hey Britt" NJ smiled cheekily trying to wink at Britt, who rewarded him with another cheek kiss. NJ touched his cheek as Rachel quickly took a picture of the two of them.
"Oh, yeah definitely your son" Quinn chuckled at Puck, who wrapped his arm around Quinn and nodded in agreement.
"You finished those carrots because I really want you to come on the swings with me" Brittany wondered looking down at NJ. NJ quickly picked up the bag and gobbled up all the carrots left, ignoring his mother's plea to slow down.
"All done" NJ cheered as he threw the empty bag on the table smiling proudly at himself. With NJ, still in her arms Brittany got up from the table. She put NJ down and took his hand.
"Rose, you wanna come" Brittany asked smiling at Rose. Rose looked up at Rachel, a question on her face.
"Go ahead" Rachel encouraged as she quickly wiped the brownie crumbs from Rose's face. Rose got up from the table and the three of them ran over to the play areas where NJ and Rose immediately went over to the slide as Brittany watched them.
"She's here two minutes and she's already there favourite" Santana shook her head as she watched Brittany go down the slide with NJ and Rose on her lap.
"I think NJ is convinced she is a fairy princess" Quinn added with a smile as she took Rachel's camera and took a few pictures. Rachel and Quinn had been documenting most of the day.
"I think she is sometimes" Santana admitted with a small smile as she watched her girlfriend with a look of admiration. Quinn and Rachel shared a look before looking back at Santana with teasing smiles.
"Aww Santana is in loooooove" Rachel teased.
"Shut up" Santana snipped rolling her eyes. She noticed Mercedes look down at her phone with a small frown, she was clearly replying to another text from Matt.
The adults all relaxed for twenty minutes as Brittany played with Rose and NJ. None of them commented on Mercedes sour mood as she looked over her phone as they all just enjoyed the quiet before they went to the Zoo.
"Okay the little ones and I have decided it's time for the animals" Brittany explained as she walked back over to the group holding on to an eager Rose and NJ, who were both red faced from their run around the park.
"LIONS" Rose and NJ cheered together. The group all got up to walk to the Zoo entrance with Brittany, NJ and Rose at the front leading the group.
"Does she want kids?" Rachel wondered as she walked at the back with Santana. She looked down at the pram she was pushing to see Henry was still asleep, his mouth hanging open in the cutest way.
"We've never really talked about and if you ask her about it I will kill you" Santana snipped pointing her finger at Rachel. The two had only recently gotten back together so Santana wasn't ready for any serious discussions yet. One of her friends thought she was about to get engaged and another had just become a parent but Santana knew she wasn't ready for any of that yet.
"Okay I won't mention it" Rachel relented holding her hands up in mock surrender. Santana walked over to Brittany who was now by the entrance as Rachel went to stand next to her husband who was paying the admission into the Zoo.
"You know I think you and I are the only normal couple here" Rachel acknowledged. She looked over at Mercedes who was still looking down at her phone then at Sam who looking longingly at Mercedes not realising he was being watched as well.
"Are you only just figuring that out?" Finn joked. He handed the tickets to Rachel as he picked up Henry who had just woke up. Rachel smiled at the baby who put his head-on Finn's shoulder as he slowly looked around his new surroundings.
"This has been a good day so far" Rachel sighed happily.
"This has been a great day" Finn agreed as the two walked over to their friends ready to enter the Zoo.
"Expensive though" Rachel smirked as she handed the tickets over to the Park worker.
Finn quickly nodded his head in agreement "Very, we are never leaving the house again"
XoXo
An hour later the group had made it all around the Central Park Zoo and after watching the children go wide-eyed at the Lions and Tigers Mercedes moved away from the group to take another call from Matt. She wasn't sure why he was ringing her so much but she knew it would only annoy him if she didn't answer.
After another 10 minutes' phone call in which Matt asked her a lot of questions about Sam but nothing about Rose and Henry, Mercedes eventually put her phone away as Sam slowly walked over to her.
"Hey Mercedes" Sam greeted cautiously as Mercedes put her phone away and looked up at Sam trying not to seem as sad and distant as she clearly felt.
"Oh, hi Sam" Mercedes said absentmindedly.
"The others have taken the kids to the sea lion show, I said I would come and get you" Sam explained.
Mercedes nodded "Okay thanks"
The exes began walking in silence over to the Sea Lion Section, they both knew there was tension between them but neither wanted to acknowledge it on a day that was supposed to be about the children.
"Is everything okay?" Sam wondered. Sam really already knew the answer, they had all noticed Mercedes distant mood and the tense phone calls she had snuck away for all day. Sam knew that Mercedes's mood was because of Matt and while he knew it would be awkward for him to ask about it, he couldn't help but be concerned for Mercedes.
"Everything is fine" Mercedes answered, sharply.
"How are things with Matt?" Sam asked again.
"Sam, we both know that you don't really want me to answer that" Mercedes acknowledged.
"Mercedes, we should at last try to get along it would make things easier for Finn and Rachel and it is pretty obvious to everyone that something is up with you today" Sam interjected as they passed the Tropical Zone, Sam was sure the walk was taking longer just because of how awkward they both felt.
"I'm just upset that Matt can't be here that's all" Mercedes shrugged off.
"Why isn't he here?" Sam asked
"He had a family thing he couldn't get out of" Mercedes replied
"Hmm"
"You might as well say it" Mercedes sighed giving Sam a pressing look.
"I don't really think you want me too" Sam snipped. He had heard a bit about Matt from Finn and Rachel, more so their feeling about Mercedes always absent boyfriend. Sam definitely had an opinion about Matt but he also knew better than to tell Mercedes, he was after all still her ex-boyfriend.
"It's not a big deal that he's not here, I'm not sure why everyone is making it one" Mercedes argued shaking her head as they reached the Sea Lion section
"Mercedes the only reason I'm here today, the only reason that I'm friends with Finn is because of how important it was to you that Rachel, Quinn and Santana like me. They were your soulmates and any guy was just lucky to be fourth place. I always knew that was true. So, I'm not sure why that has suddenly changed and you're letting this Matt guy get away with this" Sam ranted throwing his arms up in obvious frustration at Mercedes.
"You don't know anything about my relationship with Matt" Mercedes snapped.
"Maybe not but I do know that the Mercedes I loved would never would have stood for this she would have known how important today was for Finn and Rachel and the beautiful children they fought so hard for and she would have made sure the guy she was spending her life with knew that too" Sam concluded with a sigh.
He walked over to the group, who were waiting eagerly for the penguins, before Mercedes could say anything in response. Although as she stood there watching her friends laugh and chat together she realised there was nothing she could say, Sam was right. Matt should have been there.
Finn and Rachel's House – West Village – Saturday Afternoon
The group all enjoyed the penguin show for the next twenty minutes. They ignored the clear tension between Sam and Mercedes and focused on the children who were amazed as the Zookeepers feed the penguins as they jumped up from the water. Once the show was over and they had seen the rest of the zoo the group made their way to the Children's Museum.
At the Children's Museum, everything they saw amazed the children, as were Brittany and Sam who agreed to take the children around everything as the others took a break. Santana went around with them and Mercedes used it as an excuse to ring Matt again. Quinn, Puck, Rachel, and Finn went to the café to get a drink and relax.
Once the group had finished at the museum and Rose, NJ and Henry looked ready to pass out they all went back to Finn and Rachel's to have tea and watch a film that NJ quickly decided had to be a Marvel cartoon so that Rose could see how good Thor was. While the children watched a Thor cartoon with Santana, Mercedes, and Brittany the others put away everything that had been bought. All the toys and clothes were put away in Rose and Henry's new rooms. Rachel finally felt like everything was settled and they had everything that the needed for Rose and Henry to not only be comfortable but happy as well in their new homes.
Once the group had enjoyed a dinner of Chinese food for the adults and chicken fingers and vegetables for the children along with watching Mulan then Iron Man 1 everyone had decided they had had enough for the day. Truthfully the girls couldn't be around Mercedes sour mood anymore and Sam, Mercedes and Santana had had enough of the children's activities.
Once everyone had said goodbye, Finn and Rachel put away everything they had bought then Finn took Rose as Rachel took Henry.
An hour after everyone had finally gone home, Finn had managed to get Rose to take a bath and into her pyjamas. The three-year old had then asked for a bed time story from one of her new books before she would even think about getting into bed. Finn quickly agreed and settled into the lounge chair in the corner of Rose's room with his daughter cuddled into his lap.
"And they lived happily ever after" Finn concluded as he closed the book then looked down at Rose "Okay that's it, time for bed"
"But I'm not sleepy" Rose said through a yawn as Finn leaned over to put the book back on the new shelves next to the chair.
"I know but I am so do you think you could do daddy a favour and go to bed so that I could go to bed" Finn asked softly as he lifted Rose up and gently put her on her bed.
"Okay I'll do it for you, because I am not sleepy" Rose sighed sleepily pointing her finger at Finn, who nodded his head back earnestly for the benefit for his daughter.
"Oh, I know"
"Today was the best day ever" Rose smiled as Finn threw the duvet over Rose and then handed her the build-a-bear she had gotten that day. Rose quickly cuddled up with it.
"I'm glad you had a good day sweetie"
"The best day" Rose affirmed.
"They won't always be like this, sometimes you'll have to go to school, or tidy your room, stuff that are not as much fun as the Zoo" Finn explained. Rachel and he wanted Rose to know that not every day would be like the day she had just had but that she also knew that each day would still be filled with love from her new parents.
"I know I will tidy my room, this is the best room ever" Rose promised as she looked around her room with wide eyes. She still couldn't believe that it was her room.
"I'm glad you like it"
"I love it" Rose proclaimed. Finn nodded his head then gently kissed Rose's forehead then began to leave the room.
"Goodnight sweetie"
"I love you daddy" Rose said through another yawn as she cuddled into her duvet as Finn turned on her night light. Finn quickly span around to look at Rose, not realising the great gift she had given Finn at her words.
"Love you too" Finn replied beaming at Rose as she slowly fell asleep as he closed the door behind him.
XoXo
"She's asleep" Finn stated as he walked into their bedroom to see Rachel already getting into her pyjamas. Finn began taking off his own clothes as Rachel climbed onto the bed.
"He's also asleep" Rachel replied as she watched her husband undress and climb onto the bed next to her.
"I want to sleep" Finn sighed as he fell onto the bed, tired from the day's events.
"Me too"
"We should sleep" Finn affirmed as he turned to his side to look at Rachel who had laid down next to him. He moved the hair from her face and smiled sweetly at her.
"We should"
"Today has been a good day" Finn acknowledged. It had been expensive and tiring but hearing Rose call him Daddy had made it all worth it.
"A great day" Rachel affirmed as she snuggled into Finn "I'm so tired"
"Me too"
"We are probably never having sex again if every day is like this" Rachel laughed only half joking.
"Well we can't have that" Finn smirked as he rolled on top of Rachel and kissed her firmly, sleep long forgotten.