One year later...

Puck reclined back against his forearms and smiled as Jack ran by happily, kicking up a small flurry of sand onto his bright blue and green beach towel. He watched as the little boy, now six, threw the fluorescent yellow disc across the beach toward his sister. Gracie tried and failed to catch it, but Finn wasn't too far behind to retrieve it before it got swept away by the incoming tide. Another girl, this one with a cute button nose and mischievous hazel eyes, laughed loudly, her voice echoing up into the warm afternoon sun. Their new dog, Harper, darter happily between the four Frisbee players, yapping excitedly as he chased the disc from person to person.

"You know that your husband cheats at this game," Beth complained as she collapsed onto the pink towel next to Puck. "I mean, seriously, Dad, he doesn't even let Gracie beat him. I thought you were competitive but Finn takes the cake."

He smirked up at his daughter and shook his head. "You know that it's really nice to have you out here for a visit," he told her, reaching over to rub his hand over her forearm affectionately. Beth smiled prettily and it reminded him so much of Quinn at that very age in the moment that it almost took his breath away. "I know it's just for a few days but I'm really glad that you could make it out here before the baby is born. It's good for Gracie and Jack to get some special one-on-one time with their big sister."

Beth was thirteen now, living in New York City while Shelby directed a string of successful musicals on Broadway. Finn had helped them reconnect about six months, and the teenager had welcomed her biological father into her life with open arms. She had small fleeting memories of the letters and gifts he used to send before he stopped. A little warning from Shelby and a long, honest conversation from Puck later and she had fallen in love with the Hudson family. Gracie had taken to her immediately, and Jack basically regarded her as the older sister he had never had. Finn especially seemed to adore her and the admiration was quite mutual on Beth's end.

His oldest daughter's reappearance in his life had coincided with a reunion of sorts with Quinn. While they were far from being as close as they were when they were just two kids in Lima, Puck and and the former cheerleader had bonded once again over wanting to be part of their daughter's life. Puck had even flown out east for a long weekend spent with just the girls. Though he didn't want the separation of the two families to become a regular thing, he had cherished that time with Quinn and Beth. It had also given him a glimpse at what life could have been like if things had been a little different, and as his husband ambled over to take a swig of Puck's soda, he was glad that they had ended up just as they had.

And soon, they would be adding a fourth to their brood. A few months after they had gotten married and just before Puck reunited with Beth, Finn and his husband had sat down to talk about growing their family. They had briefly discussed adoption, knowing that there were so many children in the world who needed a good home; however, in all his impatient wisdom, Finn had wanted Puck to have a child of his own. He had explained that he had Beth somewhere (which was the catalyst to Finn contacting Shelby eventually), but Finn had worried that wouldn't be enough. It hadn't been an easy decision, but they ended up electing to pursue surrogacy.

It could have been a long process, but within a month, Puck had made his required deposits and they had entered into an arrangement with a beautiful graduate student named Brooke who was using the whole thing as part of her thesis. She got pregnant immediately, and Puck's mother cried when they told her the news. Gracie and Jack had mostly been confused, and Kurt had immediately starting planning the baby shower he wanted to throw for the newlywed couple. Thankfully, Blaine and Burt were able to reign him in early, but the same couldn't be said for the shopping spree that Carole had gone on. The nursery had been fully stocked within three months and with just four weeks to go before the baby's planned drop date, the family was excited.

"Gracie, come here so we can put some more sunblock on your shoulders," Finn called out to his four-year-old daughter. She smiled and ran over dutifully, her long ponytail swishing in the air. "Why don't you get something to drink too?"

"Okay, Daddy," she said obediently, taking the bottle of flavored water from Beth's outstretched hand. "Thanks, Sissy."

Finn and Puck exchanged a touched look. "You too, buddy," Puck called out. "You could use for a touch up and some H2O. It's hot out here today, don't want you to dehydrate or burn."

"C'mon, Harper," Jack called after the dog. The beagle nipped playfully at his heels as they raced toward where the family had set up base camp on the beach. "Hey, did you tell Beth the news yet, Dad?"

"What news?"

"We found out that the baby is going to be a little girl," Puck said with twinkling eyes. They had initially wanted to wait, but impatience had sat in somewhere near the beginning of the eighth month. Besides, Finn had been looking at paint samples and it was really hard to pick a shade that was neutral without it being white. "We're taking recommendations on names."

"I still vote for Dr. McStuffins," Gracie said, pushing her bottom out in a signature pout that screamed Rachel Berry. Finn saw it immediately and laughed.

Puck reached out and smoothed his youngest daughter's hair. "I told you, sweetie, we can't name a baby that. Besides, what happens when you grow up and don't like that cartoon anymore?"

"Duh, I'm always going to like it, Dad," she told him smartly. "I want to be a doctor when I grow up."

"That sounds like a good plan, honey, but we're still not naming the baby that," Finn replied. "What about you, Jack?"

"I just wanted to have a brother."

Puck laughed loudly, remembering a time when he had said that about Sarah. He hadn't known about Jake at the time and had wished harder than anything that he could have a little brother. He had been decidedly disappointed when his mother had brought her home from the hospital in the stupid pink blanket. And then his mother had reminded him that he already had a brother because he had Finn as his best friend. Looking over at his husband, he was glad that only the first part of that equation had changed in the years since.

"Maybe next time," Finn said, reaching across to pat Puck's hand pointedly. They were already talking about a second child, one that would have Finn's DINA. "Beth, what about you? Do you have any names?"

"Let me think about it," she replied happily. "Does Dad have any recommendations yet?"

"Drizzle," Puck grinned. He looked at his daughter and then up at his husband. "It's what Finn here wanted to call you when you were born."

Beth had heard the story before many times but it was still one of her favorites. She still didn't know all the details over messy beginning, but she knew enough to understand that she had always been wanted by someone. Even when they were two scared teenaged boys, both Finn and Puck had wanted to be the father to the tiny, perfect baby girl. Quinn hadn't even really wanted to give her up, just wanted her daughter to have a better chance at life than any of the three of them could have given her at that point in time. Shelby had been a good, solid choice, and Puck could now look back at the situation with a certain wise gratitude.

"Dad, you can't name her that. All of the kids would make fun of her at school," she argued. "But you could name her Isabelle and call her Izzy for short. It's kind of close, right?"

"Isabelle," Finn exhaled, trying the name out. "I like it."

"Izzy it is then," Puck said, wrapping his arm around Beth's slender shoulders. He dropped a dramatic kiss on her forehead. "Thanks, kiddo, you're pretty smart."

"Like Mama, right?" she asked. It was the name that she used for Quinn as Mom was reserved for Shelby. Quinn and Puck had both cried the first time they heard Beth use the affectionate name for her birth mother.

"Just like your mom," Finn answered for his husband. "What about a middle name?"

"Well, I've actually thought of that," Puck said softly. He gazed up at his husband, brown eyes locking with hazel. "Isabelle Rachel Hudson, I think it has a nice ring to it."

Finn placed a hand over his mouth. "Rachel after Mommy?" Gracie asked excitedly. She tapped her little hand against her daddy's shin. "I like that, don't you, Daddy?"

"Me too," Jack declared.

"Your mommy would have loved it too," Finn added as he looked down at both of his children. He couldn't look back up at Puck just yet; he knew the tears would start to fall. "Isabelle Rachel Hudson, that's the perfect name for our little girl." Puck reached out and tilted Finn's slightly so that their eyes met again. "You know that you don't have to..."

"I want to," Puck assured him. "This little girl is going to know all about Rachel Berry-Hudson."

Four weeks later, on a quiet Wednesday morning, Isabelle Rachel Hudson made her grand appearance into the world. It wasn't dramatic or even particularly unique; it was a routine delivery of a healthy little girl who was the living embodiment of her father. Puck insisted that Finn be the first one to hold her, and his large hands had looked even bigger as he cradled Izzy in his arms. Sarah had flown into town that very night so that she could bring Beth out to California. Puck had picked them up from the airport and dropped his sister off at the hotel so that they could have their first night together with just the immediate family.

"She's so tiny, Dad," Beth said as she held her for the first time. She was situated in the middle of a little couch in the private room, Jack and Gracie flanking either side of her. "It's hard to believe that I was ever that small."

"You all were," Finn remembered. He could see each of them in those waning moments after birth. Beth had been quiet too, her fuzzy little hair hidden beneath a cap. Jack had come into the world squalling with wrinkly little fingers and eyes as dark as coal. Gracie had been a happy baby from her first breath, and he had sworn that she had smiled the first time Rachel had held her. "What do you think, guys?"

"She's pretty, Daddy," Gracie said without taking her eyes off her new sister. "Hi, Izzy, I'm Gracie. I am your big sister. That means that I get to tell you what to do but I'll also always share my toys with you."

"And I'm Jack, I'm your brother," the boy added. "I'll protect you and stuff but you have to keep your girly junk out of my room."

Puck leaned back against Finn's chest and sighed happily. "I can't believe I was alone two years ago," he said softly so that only his husband could hear. "And now, look at that. That's our family."

"One went to four," Finn said with a smile. "And then four went to five and now six."

"I guess that's what happens when you second guess your heart," Puck murmured as he watched Beth, Jack and Gracie fawn over Isabelle. "You realize it's not as closed off as you thought it was and you end up falling in love. "

Finn smiled against Puck's temple. "And then you live happily ever after?"

"And we all live very happily ever after."

The End.

Author's Note: I started this story four weeks ago with the intention of completing a project for NaNoWriMo, and here I am, twenty-seven days and 50,000-plus words and a bevy of new friends later. I know that my decision to pursue this pairing wasn't preferred by many, particularly my outspoken Puckleberry fans. However, for those of you who followed along in this journey and fell in love with the Finn/Puck story as much as I did, thank you. Particularly, I want to thank my perpetual readers and reviewers - Ravenna, Tommy H, Leo Thing, Donna 14 and Marla's Lost (love you for quoting your favorite parts). Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends and a very happy holiday season to you all.