Title: Patience Is For Amateurs (sequel to At Least She's Jewish by cleanslate)

Characters: Rachel/Puck, OC, Gleeks

Rating: M - Puck has a potty mouth and Rachel/Puck are married and totally do married stuff.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I only own the CDs, DVD and a McKinley Football sweatshirt I got on eBay.

A/N: A huge cyberhug for cleanslate for letting me play with her fanfic and major thank yous to knkykty who rocks my world as a beta. Shout out to my tweeple who keep me entertained with their awesome.

"Whoever said patience is a virtue is totally full of shit." Noah A. Puckerman, Sr.

Rachel smiled weakly as she and Mr. King walked into the living room to sit on the couch. She chewed on her thumbnail nervously while she lowered herself carefully to the cushions. In her head she knew that she and her husband were doing everything humanly possible to help their son thrive but the sinking feeling in her stomach was currently winning the argument. The idea that their son and the babies she was carrying could be taken from them had been her predominant thought from the moment the social worker had shown up at their house.

Seeing the panicked look on her face the older man tried to reassure her. "I promise this won't take any longer than it has to. My whole purpose in coming here is to find out if the allegations held any merit. I'm here to collect data then report those findings back to my supervisor."

"I'm sure you understand how it feels more like an inquisition than a fact finding visit to me and my family, sir," Rachel whispered. She absentmindedly stroked her belly as she looked from Mr. King to her son and husband sitting in the kitchen.

Asher had decided that they should play Go Fish to pass the time in an attempt to stay downstairs. He was feeling nervous and wanted to keep an eye on his mother. He was also very protective of his younger siblings and didn't want them to be scared like he was when he had to answer questions.

"Da?" he asked. "Do you have any threes? Um, Mama looks scared to me. She is doing that thingy with her thumb when she doesn't want to talk. I wish I could sit next to her and tell her it's okay."

Noah squeezed his son's shoulder. "Yeah, I wish we could sit next to her too but we have to follow the rules. Go fish."

The boy exhaled loudly as he drew a card from the deck. He glanced at the pictures in his hands then set down a matched pair. "Papa?" he asked. "Can we please go upstairs so I can put some play clothes on? I feel weird having company when I'm wearing pajamas."

Noah nodded. He took his son's hand as they quietly tiptoed through the living room and gave a small wink as they walked past his nervous wife. She gave him a half-hearted smile in return then went back to her conversation with Mr. King. The sadness was obvious on her face but he tried to push it aside as he and Asher climbed the stairs to help get his son dressed.

"Da?" Asher said quietly. "I'm scared that Mr. King will take me with him when he leaves and I won't see you and Mama or the babies ever again."

Noah sat down on the carpeted floor and motioned for his son to sit next to him. He knew that his son picked things up more quickly than other kids his age but sometimes he was downright intuitive.

"He's not going to take you away from us," he said quietly. "Your Mama and I have showed him that we can take good care of you and that you're safe with us. It's going to be okay, Bug."

Asher climbed into his lap and clung to his father's shirt. The sound of a small sniffle was soon heard as he felt a warm hand gently pat his back. They both sat there in silence until the sound of Noah's cellphone ringing in his back pocket startled them both.

"Who is it, Da?" Asher asked.

Noah flicked his thumb to unlock his phone. He had to admit that he had the same question as well.

Hudson

"It's my friend Finn," he replied. "Weird. I'm gonna answer it. Can you get dressed by yourself while I see what's up?"

Asher nodded. "Mama said earlier it was going to be a long sleeve shirt day. I want to wear my red hoodie today, the one with your football number on it."

Noah tousled his son's hair. "Awesome idea, Bug. I'll sit right here while I talk to him just in case you need some help."

As his father spoke in hushed tones, the little boy pawed through his dresser drawers for something to wear. He found the sweatshirt he wanted, an undershirt along with a favored pair of jeans. He easily slipped them on, then began to rifle through his comic books to find one to read while he waited.

"Okay, so you guys will be over at six?" Noah said for the third time. "You know how Rach is about scheduling. It's been a pretty shi- um, uh, crappy day so don't be late."

When his father's voice began to become louder as he spoke, Asher fidgeted unconsciously as he tried to focus on the diversion of reading but the agitation stopped as soon as the noise canceling headphones were slid over his ears.

Noah winked at his son. "I apologize for hurting your ears, Ash. I'll talk to Finn more quietly while you keep reading. He and Quinn are coming over tonight so we're trying to decide what to make for dinner."

Asher nodded his head before he collapsed into the beanbag chair with a smile.

The hushed conversation between the two men continued as they caught up on recent events in each other's lives. Several times Noah glanced over to his son, who was apparently going through all of his comic books and had stacked them into neatly organized piles. His son was very much a mix of his wife, the part that needed order, and himself, the part that needed excitement as much as possible. It was obvious things were taking too long so he needed to cut his call to Finn short.

Noah interrupted his friend mid-sentence, "Uh, Finn? I gotta go. Somebody is getting squirrelly so I think it's time for some gaming while we wait for Rachel to finish." He paused a moment to wait for a reply. "Yeah. Thanks. It'll be over soon and we can get back to our lives. I'll see you later Finn and don't forget the beer. Bye."

Downstairs, Rachel and Mr. King continued to talk about her son's therapy, what adaptations had to be made for him at school, as well as the diet his pediatrician had put him on. She was starting to get tired when her son and husband walked back through the living room.

"Hi babe," he said, smiling. "We're gonna go in the back yard and throw the football around while you two talk, okay?"

She gave them both a kiss then quietly nodded as she watched them leave. She absentmindedly rubbed her belly for a moment before she failed miserably to stifle a yawn that had snuck up on her.

"I do apologize, Mr. King," she said as she blushed. "I haven't been sleeping well lately since the twins started their internal assault. It's starting to get harder and harder to get comfortable."

Mr. King nodded. "I can imagine." He folded his leather clad notebook then smiled at Rachel as he spoke. "Well, I think every concern has been covered in the interviews with yourself, your son, and your husband. I do appreciate your willingness to cooperate with us, Mrs. Puckerman. You'll be hearing from my office by Monday."

She pushed herself off the couch to stand with the social worker and politely shake his hand. "Of course, sir," she said quietly. She opened the door for him then exhaled loudly as she shut it behind him. A few swift kicks to her midsection reminded her that she needed to try to eat again since her breakfast hadn't stayed down. Rachel paused again as she thought for a moment on what might be light and easy to digest. She popped two slices of bread in the toaster and waited.

Her husband's booming voice startled her a few seconds later. "Babe. You didn't tell us that he left! You okay?"

Asher rushed to his mother's side at the kitchen counter and wrapped his arms around her. He stood there for a while talking to her belly as she giggled. "What are you doing, Bug? You're laughing a lot, are you telling jokes to the babies?" she asked.

"Yes, Mama." Asher nodded. "They are laughing a lot. Can you feel it?"

The three of them stood there for a few minutes with their hands spread wide, feeling the fluttering of kicks and jabs underneath. It had been such a long morning that a quiet and happy moment was exactly what they all needed. Rachel exhaled loudly. "I can, Bug. It's one of the best feelings when they remind me how strong they're getting. Thank you for making them laugh, Ash."

"I'm being a good big brother, right, Mama? Right, Da?" Asher smiled.

"Yeah, Bug. You're doing a great job so far," Noah quickly replied. He had scrambled for a response when he saw that his wife had started to tear up.

This was definitely not how he had envisioned having some time with his family before having their friends over to catch up. Because of all the emotional drama they were already going through, the arrival of the social worker had just made them take a few steps backward. The rest of the day would have to be focused on Rachel and making sure she was feeling her best, he reminded himself.

"Can you get dressed now, Mama?" Asher asked. "We need to get food for our friends tonight. Papa said Finn and Quinn are coming over tonight and we can have cream puffs for dessert."

Rachel pursed her lips and raised an eyebrow at her husband who was trying to stifle a smirk.

"You promised cream puffs," she sighed. "You had to promise something you know is my personal Achilles' heel so I will be unable to say no. Jerk."

He nodded while their son broke away from them and began to do a happy dance. "You love me, Rach. You love me despite my obvious skill of food blackmail. Admit it. C'mon." He gently dragged his fingers through her hair until she put both of her palms on his cheeks.

"I love you because of your superior verbal skills, Noah Asher Puckerman, not in spite of. You also seem to have some sort of sway over me when you touch me," she laughed. "I probably shouldn't have given all those secrets away so easily."

Their son stopped dancing to watch his parents talk quietly to each other. "Da, stop trying to kiss Mama. She needs to get ready to go to the store," Asher scolded.

Rachel's eyes widened. "We'll just have to continue this discussion another time since we have a few things to do before Quinn and Finn arrive." She placed a peck on her husband's cheek before she turned and excused herself.

Quinn and Finn stood outside their friends' door with their arms full of movies, pizza toppings and the cupcakes Rachel had requested. After Noah had quietly hinted to his friend earlier that day that something was happening at their house that he couldn't really say more about until later, the newly engaged couple had tried to guess what it could be.

"Maybe they're looking at buying a house?" Quinn suggested.

Finn shook his head. "Nope. Their landlord said that if they make any improvements to the duplex that he'd take it off their rent so Puck wants to fix up the kitchen for Rachel as a Christmas present. She really want new appliances."

"You can't keep a secret for shit, Hudson," Noah groaned from the doorway. "I don't know why I keep you so well informed. Seriously."

The taller man jumped back at the unexpected voice interrupting the couple's external thought processes.

Quinn playfully stuck her tongue out at Noah. "I'm his fiancee so Finn doesn't keep secrets from me. Especially about my best friend."

Asher peeked out from behind his father with a pair of drumsticks in his hands. "Are you ready to play, Uncle Finn? I have the game all ready!"

Finn laughed loudly while Quinn beamed. There had been a gamer rivalry between the little boy and his father's good friend that seemed to grow every year along with Asher's skills.

"Noah!" Rachel called from the kitchen. "Let them in, please. I'm hungry for pizza and Quinn's red velvet cupcakes."

Noah stepped aside and made an exaggerated bowing gesture as he rolled his eyes. "So help me Hudson if Rach finds out I will make you pay," he said between his gritted teeth.

"Da! Stop being mean to your friend," Asher commanded. "You always tell me that I need to be nice, but why don't you need to be nice?"

"The kid does have a point, Puck," Finn agreed.

Before any rugburns, wedgies or noogies could be exchanged, Quinn swiftly set the bags down then covered both their mouths as she shoved them towards the living room. "No more fighting unless it's in a video game," she barked. "Got it?"

The blonde walked into the kitchen to see her friend attempting to stifle a yawn.

"It's just five and you're already tired?" Quinn laughed. "You'll be asleep by dessert won't you?" She sat down at the table next to Rachel and squeezed the other woman's hand. "Babies being active today?"

Rachel smiled sadly. "I wish that was the only reason I feel like taking a nap for the next week or two. It's just been a really long day. Thank you so much for coming over, I really need the diversion."

"Quinn?" Finn said from the doorway. "Want me to put the groceries in the fridge? Puck thought we'd start getting dinner in half an hour."

Quinn nodded but went back to the brunette who had started to chew on her thumbnail. "I'll listen whenever you need me to, Rach. I don't want you stressing yourself out, okay? It's not good for you or the babies."

"I know, I know," Rachel whispered. "Right now I just want to eat some pizza with my friends and enjoy their company until I fall asleep in the middle of a movie I've been wanting to watch forever. Can we do that, please?"

"Okay, but don't expect me to eat one of your weird concoctions, Berry." Quinn smiled. "Pineapple doesn't belong anywhere near a pizza. It's disgusting!"

Rachel's jaw dropped. "Pineapple is delicious and is the perfect accompaniment to tomatoes as well as cheese."

Several groans were heard from the three in the living room, then a small voice dramatically gagging.

Quinn winked. "Sounds like the peanut gallery agrees with me. So that's four to three, we win!"

Rachel winced. "I don't think these two are particularly happy with being on the losing team. They're kicking up a storm!" She rubbed her bump on the spots that were receiving the internal assault.

"Can I feel?" Quinn asked.

Taking her friend's hand, Rachel guided it to the place where she was feeling the most activity. "Ow! I think that's a foot and up here is a knee." She winced again.

Quinn's eyes widened as she felt the flurry of movement underneath her hand. She smiled as the jabs slowly subsided and Rachel exhaled loudly.

"That is the most insane feeling, Rach! I can't even imagine what it feels like on the receiving end," the blonde enthused.

"I have to admit it does make me feel better when I feel them move but when they play soccer like that it does hurt." Rachel half-smiled. "Some days I'm afraid that they'll crack a rib or two."

"Can that really happen?" Quinn gasped. "They can't really do that, can they?"

Rachel nodded. "It's more likely if you're petite or expecting twins and as you know, I won the lottery there. I have to say I was surprised to find out that old wives' tale was true."

Quinn blinked a few times in amazement as she squeezed the young mother's hand.

"We'll be okay, right?" Rachel said as she blinked some tears away.

Before Quinn could voice any of the many concerns that were now rushing through her head, a loud voice boomed behind her.

"Rachel," Finn groaned, "where did your son get his gaming skills because he just seriously beat me and Puck. I was beat by a five year old, Quinn! That kid is crazy smart. I figure he got that from his mother."

Rachel smiled. "I think he got his reflexes from Noah but I think he got his intelligence from both of us. My husband is incredibly smart, Finn." Her breath hitched as she paused. "He can fix anything if it's broken. He really can."

"What can I do now, Rach?" Noah asked as he walked in the kitchen with Asher. "I am a man on many talents after all."

When her son ran over and settled his head on her shoulder it nearly made the tears in Rachel's eyes spill over but instead she hugged him close and smiled widely.

"Mama, can we make the pizza please? I'm so hungry," Asher said as he batted his eyes.

"Oh yes, Bug." She nodded. "What would you like on your pizza? Mushrooms and pepperoni?"

The little boy shook his head. "I think I am hungry for bacon, Mama. Can we make some cinnamon breadsticks for dessert too? Yum!"

Finn picked up Asher and placed him high on his tall shoulders.

"Hudson, you need to be unbelievably careful with my son. Got it?" Noah whispered. "Rachel could go into labor early if she gets too stressed and it's way too early."

Finn nodded fretfully as he watched his fiancee and her best friend start to discuss with animated gestures what they'd like for dinner. There was no way he would want Rachel and Puck's babies to be born too early, he had heard stories about how tiny babies needed to have very expensive around the clock care. When Rachel, Puck and Asher were in that bad crash back in high school he remembered how petrified he was when he visited them in the hospital, so imagining visiting tiny babies bordered on terrifying.

Quinn was standing in front of the open refrigerator door, pulling multiple items out to make the salad she had decided on. "I'm not going to eat pizza, Rach, so quit trying to seduce me with its' cheesy goodness. I'm planning a wedding for next spring and there is no way I'm going to be an overweight bride," she asserted.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Are you serious? I'm about half way through a multiple pregnancy and you're concerned about being overweight at your wedding? I think Noah is going to have to roll me down the aisle due to my excess baby fat."

"Mama!" Asher chided. "My babies are not fat. That's not nice to say about people, you told me."

Noah grabbed his son from Finn to put him on his hip, so he could talk softly in the boy's ear. "We all had a hard day today and maybe you just need to give your Mama a hug. She always makes me feel better when I get angry and frustrated about stuff. Go on. Go sit on her lap and give her a hug."

Asher swiftly wiggled out of his father's arms and found his way onto his mother's shrinking lap. He lay his head down on her shoulder as he did earlier, placed a hand on her belly, then wrapped his other arm around her. He inhaled then exhaled gradually against her neck. "I'm really sorry, Mama. Today has been really strange and I don't know how to feel," he said quietly. "Can we just be happy again, please? I want to eat pizza and play video games and be happy with my family."

"Everything is okay now, sweet boy," Rachel soothed. "Don't worry about anything. Your Da and I are here so if you need anything to make you feel better you just tell us."

"Your Mama is right, Ash," Noah agreed. "Right now we're gonna make some awesome tasting food, then we're gonna beat Finn at some video games and then demolish those cupcakes that Quinn brought. Whaddaya think?"

Asher looked to his mother, who smiled, then back to his father before he grinned. "Let's do it, Da!"

The small group assembled their individual masterpieces, including Quinn who was told she must, then placed them on the counter next to the warming oven. After the first batch was started and the timer set, everyone ambled into the living room to begin the big competition.

Rachel lay down on the couch with Asher on the floor in front on her and Quinn settled in by the brunette's folded legs. When Finn and Noah walked in to do some gaming, they choked back laughter as they gestured toward the brunette who was yawning yet again.

"How much do you wanna bet that she's asleep before it's time to eat?" Finn whispered.

The two men exchanged looks but stopped short of continuing the conversation when they saw Quinn glowering in their direction. Noah began to whistle when he collapsed into his favorite chair with enough of a smirk to make the blonde growl.

The group played a rather heated racing game, save Rachel, until a delicious smell came wafting into everyone's nose soon followed by some shrill beeping. Quinn stayed behind to attempt to rouse the other woman while the rest ran to the kitchen to check on the pizza.

"Rach?" Quinn whispered. "It's time to wash up for dinner. C'mon, sleepyhead. It's time to get up and eat." She reached out to nudge the sleeping woman awake when the brunette abruptly sat up.

"No! You can't take them!" Rachel yelled. "Please, please don't take them!" Her eyes flew open and her arms began to flail while tears fell down her face.

Quinn swiftly brought Rachel into a hug as began to whisper soothing words into the panicked woman's ear. "It's going to be okay. You're going to be okay. You can tell me what's wrong and we'll figure it out together. It's going to be okay."

"Oh Qui-i-inn!" Rachel sniffed. "I-I'm so scared. I don't know how things are ever going to be okay."

A/N 2: Thank you to everyone who waited for this chapter! Real life took precedence for a while along with a bad case of writer's block but happily both are taken care of. Please take a moment to comment and/or review. It's what writers live for!