Author's Note: The children are my creation, but the canon characters belong to their creators. Feel free to leave a review!

New York City held a certain flair after dark. Noah Puckerman plucked away on the strings of his acoustic guitar as his wife held conference with her best friend in the kitchen. Kurt Hummel came over with a bottle of wine just after dinner, leaving the father of three to supervise his brood of troublemakers.

Just above the balcony of his loft, his eldest Caroline snored. He tilted his mohawked head back and smiled. She spent her day bouncing between grade one excitement and tap dance classes. She was light on her feet, just like her mother. Across Caroline's bedroom he heard the thump of a pillow. He sighed. Raising his fist, he pounding lightly on the wall. "Fiero," he warned

"Sorry Da," his son mumbled.

"He started it, Daddy!" Franny, their middle child, shouted.

Noah rolled his eyes. How Caroline managed to sleep through her sister's shouts was a miracle. "I don't care who started it. I finished it. Now go to sleep. You've got choir practice tomorrow. Fiero, you're not allowed to be late to soccer again."

He heard beds creek and the light went off. The faint glow of the spaceship nightlight reflected back at him. The music producer turned back to the New York skyline. Inside, the light from the kitchen warmed his back. The thin, red t-shirt likely wasn't great for late fall in the city, but he didn't really care. Once the kids went to bed, the night was his. And Rachel's. But, he shrugged, friends didn't often visit. At least not on a rehearsal week. Two more weeks and his wife of seven years would take the stage as Elphaba. She hadn't shut up about it since she first got the part and while it meant Noah had to take a more hands-on role at home, it really didn't matter to him. He loved when she got the theatre glow. Happy wife, happy life.

The wind caught the bottom of his sweatpants. Noah propped his legs up against the railing of the balcony and sighed. Buying this penthouse was a great idea. All this space to himself . . . he loved the apartment in Brooklyn, but there wasn't enough room for three kids and two dogs. And a cat. Noah cringed. He hated cats. But Caroline wanted one for her birthday and God help him, he couldn't say no to those big, brown eyes. She looked too much like her mother.

Noah's phone vibrated on the glass coffee table. With a groan, he leaned forward and snatched it up. He squinted at the caller ID. A picture of his daughter Beth glared at him. He shouldered the piece of technology and glanced over his shoulder.

"Hey honey, how are you?"

Hi Dad – I'm fine. I'm good. How are you?

"Oh you know, pretty good. Missing you. Seems like you were just here."

She laughed. I just was.

"I know, but a month isn't long enough, kiddo. You know how much Rach and Quinn love seeing you."

The fourteen year old sighed. I know. I wish I could come more, but I got school and stuff.

"I know," he nodded. Noah sat up further against the couch, putting aside his guitar. "You doing okay?"

Yeah – of course I am! I just, you know, wanted to call.

"Okay. You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

I know Dad, she sighed.

They spoke of common things, like classes and Beth's friends. Shelby Corcoran sent Noah's daughter to one of the best prep schools in the country. He kept up conversation with his daughter's adopted mother and while it was awkward at first, both agreed it was best to put any thoughts of the past aside in order to benefit Beth. After all, Noah was now her son-in-law and he wasn't about to take a backseat in how his daughter was raised.

Quinn was involved, to an extent. It took a while, but after careful explanation from his wife, Noah understood being in Beth's life was difficult for Quinn. The thought of giving her daughter away still haunted the young woman. Despite having children of her own, Quinn would always see Beth as her first daughter who she had yet to do right by. Noah made a point of telling Quinn such thoughts were unfounded, but the pediatric nurse didn't believe him.

Dad?

"Yeah, honey?"

How do you tell if you . . . if you love someone?

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He prayed this day would not come for at least another three years. Better yet, he hoped she would have this conversation with Shelby, or Rachel.

"Well . . . uh . . ."

She sighed. Never mind. Forget I asked.

"Honey, don't be like that. Just – give me a minute. I didn't think I'd have this conversation with you yet," he chuckled.

Mom and I already had the talk.

Noah's cheeks lit up. "Oh. Good. That's – good." He rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out what to say next. "What's he like?"

He's nice. Really sweet. He – he calls me his sugar bear. Noah snorted. Dad! Don't laugh!

"I'm not!" He tried to hold in his chuckles but failed. "Okay, so sugar bear. What else?"

He holds my hand when we walk down the hall and he kisses my cheek when he says goodbye on the bus. Sometimes we go to the library and do homework together. Mom likes him. But . . . I don't know. He's sweet but he's not . . .

"He doesn't make your heart skip?"

Yeah! Exactly! How did you know?

Noah glanced over his shoulder as his wife's laughter reached his ear. He felt his heart do a little jump. "It's something I have a lot of experience with."

That's the problem, though. Like, he doesn't make me . . . feel anything. And I don't know how to tell him without upsetting him. What do I do, Dad?

Noah planted both feet on the ground and leaned his forearm on his knee, holding the phone to his ear with one hand. "Tell him exactly what you told me. In the long run, he'll thank you for being honest with him."

I don't know. He really likes me. He's calling me his girlfriend!

"Be forceful. If he doesn't listen the first few times, tell your mom. Or call me. You know I can make a trip out without much work."

I don't need you to beat him up!

"Who said anything about beating? A stern lecture from Mr. Puckerman will make any prepubescent gargoyle run for cover."

He's not a gargoyle! Jeremy is actually really cute. He has-

"I don't want to know," he chuckled. "Save that for your mother, or Rachel. You remember that left hook I showed you?"

She sighed. Yes, Dad.

"Good. Use it if you doesn't take the hint."

Mom says nothing good comes from violence.

"And she's probably right. But in this case, I'm willing to ignore her rule. If it keeps you safe, I'm happy." He leaned back against the couch. "I love you, Princess."

Love you too, Dad. I'd better go. I've got a report due tomorrow. Say hi to Rachel and the kids for me, okay?

"Will do." She said goodbye then hung up. Noah shoved the cell phone in his pocket then stared up at the stars. It was still hard for him to believe some days he was the father to a teenager. He often thought it would be easier to believe it if they lived closer to each other, but Shelby made a point at Noah and Rachel's wedding.

"You have your life with Rachel now. You've got to give it time."

Once Caroline was born, it only seemed natural to invite Beth over during the summer. She was eight at the time of her first visit. Because of yearly visits, she at least remembered who Noah was.

His wife's feet poked out of the window as she climbed through. He remembered buying her those fuzzy socks for Hanukah. He moved the guitar to the table and smiled as she curled up by his side. She grabbed the throw blanket, one his mother gave them last year for his birthday, causing the man to sigh happily. He hadn't realized how cold he was till his warm wife squeezed in beside him.

"Kurt go home?" he asked as his arms wrapped around her waist. Rachel leaned back as her loose hair tickled his chin.

"Mhmm," she sighed, her eyes almost shut. "Who were you talking to?"

"Beth. She called to ask for boy advice."

Rachel titled her head up with a squint. "She called you?"

"What? Is it so hard to imagine I give good advice?"

She smirked as a snort started to escape her lips. "Well, now that you mention it . . ."

Noah pouted. "Why did I marry you? All you do is kick me when I'm down."

She laughed. "Because you secretly like my brand of crazy?"

"Secretly?" he nuzzled her neck. "I put that shit on a billboard and shout from the rooftops."

Rachel swatted his face away after planting a wet kiss on his cheek. He dry heaved as he wiped the red stain from his skin. "How many glasses of wine did you have?"

"Just one," she giggled. "Maybe three. I'll be fine for tomorrow." Noah just chuckled. He brought his legs up onto the couch and somehow managed to lay flat on his back with his wife sprawled out on his chest. With one arm propping up his head, he stared up at the sky. His eyes started to droop when he heard Rachel's voice.

"Kurt and Adam want to have a baby."

Noah cracked one eye open. "Like adopt? Did Blaine give them the number for their adoption agency?"

"No, they don't want to adopt. They want to have a baby."

"Uh, babe, and I hate to break this to you, but that's not anatomically possible."

Rachel smacked his chest. "Would you be quiet? I know that. He wanted to ask . . . well, he was wondering if I would carry their child."

Noah stared at his wife. "What?"

"They were thinking of paying someone to be their surrogate, but the longer he and Adam talked about it, the more they wanted someone they knew. That they trusted."

"So they thought of you?"

She nodded. "I told Kurt I'd discuss it with you first, but honestly honey, I want to do it. Kurt and Adam would make great parents. They deserve the happiness we and our friends have."

"Well, yeah, but . . . I mean . . ."

Rachel crossed her arms and propped her head up on them, staring into her husband's hazel eyes. "I've carried three healthy babies. I'm still young enough to have more. And I know we've talked about three being a good number, but this is different."

Noah sighed. "Are they paying for anything?"

"Kurt offered to pay for the appointments and medications, but I said he didn't need to."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far. I mean, you've got Wicked which will bring in some cash, but you know how expensive this stuff is."

Rachel nodded. "True. I'll call him tomorrow and talk more about it. Are you okay with it though, really?"

Noah recalled his wife's past three pregnancies. She was always so happy during that time. Cranky near the end, and she became a little more demanding, but she was one of the loveliest women to behold when she held his children. True, this time it wouldn't be his baby to take home after nine months of waiting, but it was the right thing. It was for Kurt.

He kissed her forehead "Yeah, I'm okay with it. Maybe this will warm you up to a Puck Junior."

She laughed. "I doubt that." Rachel laid her head back on his chest, tracing shapes with her fingernails on his chest. "Did Marley say if she was picking up Fiero for soccer tomorrow morning?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Jake's gonna bring Anna to the studio while he records a few tracks. You can visit on your break, if you want."

"I might. I've got two weeks until rehearsals are done and I've still got a few kinks to work out. And if I'm going to be carrying this baby, I need to let my bosses know."

Noah chuckled. "They won't be pleased. When you told them no more babies for a while, they started booking you for all those shows."

"Well, I don't blame them. I am a talent."

Noah and Rachel's laughter carried to their children's bedrooms. Caroline gripped the white window sill and smiled at her parents down below. Thank goodness her mother talked loud. I get a new baby! She crawled back under the purple covers and went to sleep.