Title: Tea Party

Author: CSM

Summary: Finn plays tea party with his three year old.

Tea Party

Finn collapses on the bed, the morning sun just beginning to peek through the maroon curtains in his and Rachel's bedroom, but he's so exhausted he doesn't even care. Rachel is currently curled up on her side of the bed snoring softly.

The show he's currently filming, only recently switched to night shifts cause half of it takes place at night (what cop show doesn't take place at night?) and this new routine is kicking Finn in the ass, added to the fact that he's basically spending his nights running through empty alleyways in some part of New York City, he's literally just wants to collapse and sleep for the next three days straight.

He and Rachel are still trying to work out a routine with his new schedule, but with an over active three year old and a teething 8 month old it's easier said than done. Thankfully Rachel took some time of theatre to be with Chris, and with Ellie only being in preschool part time, it just worked out for them.

Finn just hates that he was around for every little milestone in Ellie's life, but because of this new role he recently got, his hours are all over the place, he's missing out on too many of Chris' milestones. A recurring guest spot on a popular tv show may be an amazing opportunity for his career, but the father in him hates that he's missing out so much in his kids lives.

He's just about to drift off to sleep when he feels it, a small hand colliding with his nose, repeatedly, "Daddy? Are you aseeps?Daddy!"

Finn groans as he slowly opens his eyes only to see Ellie's little head resting on the bed, inches away from his face, her little eyes are twinkling with mischief, her short brown hair is in a tumble mess on the top of her head. Finn has no doubt she probably tried to put her hair into one, like Rachel does, but her little hands are just too small to gather all of her brown hair, so it always ends up with half of her hair standing on edge while the other part is knotted in one. Finn grimaces at the thought, and decides to leave Rachel to deal with that.

"Daddy wake up!" Ellie calls out, poking him in the cheek, "No seeps. You come play with me."

"Baby girl, its too early. Why don't you come and sleep with me and Momma?" Finn asks, trying to coax the toddler into bed so he can go to sleep.

"No Daddy. Mr Suns awake so that means it's time to play." Ellie says thoughtfully, as she squirms away from Finn's arms to the end of the bed and tugs on his pants, "Mommy can play too."

"No, no." Finn says with a yawn, as he slowly sits up, rubbing his eyes as he tries to clear his still foggy mind, "Let Mommy sleep. We'll just have some Ellie and Daddy time right?"

"Yea! Last night Mommy had loads of Chrissy and Mommy time, so it's now Ellie and Daddy time." Ellie says excitedly as she takes Finn's hand and tries to pull him to his feet with all her might.

Finn frowns at her words as he stands and allows her to pull him along, to whatever adventure awaits them, "Did Chrissy stay up late last night?"

"Uh huh." Ellie says distractedly as she bobs her little head, "Mommy says Chrissy is getting another tooths. He bit me Daddy! So when Mommy was getting my apples juice I bit him too."

"Isobel!" Finn gasps, pulling Ellie to stop and turning her to face him, "You're not to bite your brother!"

"I no do it hard." Ellie says with a huff, folding her arms over her chest looking at her father with a look of incredulity. She's two, Finn doesn't even know how she knows these things.

"It doesn't matter Ellie, Chris is only a baby, he doesn't know any better, you do." Finn says sternly, "When Chrissy gets up you'll tell him sorry, and no Cinderella today."

"But daddy, that's not fair. " Ellie pouts stomping her little foot,

Ellie is currently obsessed with Cinderella, Kurt bought her the DVD a few weeks ago and the three year old got hooked. Finn jokes that Cinderella might be the new Barbra, (Rachel did not take to kindly to his joke). So they discovered the best way to punish Ellie was to take away Cinderella.

"Well Chrissy is only a baby, and it's not fair for you to take advantage of him like that." Finn points out, knowing his comment will go over the three year olds head, "When he gets up you'll give him a kiss and say sorry?"

Ellie sighs dramatically as she tilts her head back to look up at Finn, "Fine, but you play tea party with me and Mr. Snugglybun and Lady Tree-many." (Ellie loves the Wicked stepmother and insisted on calling her stuffed rabbit Lady Tremaine, but the little girl can't seem to get the name just right)

Finn blames Santana for being the reason his three year old even knows how to negotiate punishments. With a sigh he stifles a yawn and he holds out his arm and bows, "Princess Isobel, may I accompany you to the royal tea party?"

Ellie giggles loudly as she hooks her tiny arms in Finn's doing a curtsy with her Cinderella pyjamas. Finn is hunched over all the way so that they can loop arms as Ellie takes them to her room, "Daddy you can't be Prince Charming."

"And why not?" Finn asks in mock hurt, pouting and all, "Is your old man not handsome enough?"

"No Daddy, Mommy says you're loads handsomes." Ellie says matter-of-factly as she continues, "If I'm the princess then you 'pose to be the King and Mommy's the Queen."

"Then what does that make Chris?" Finn asks in amusement as he stands still when Ellie holds up her hands, telling him to wait as she goes to her little Cinderella table and chairs and begins to set up the tea party. "Would Chris be a prince?"

"No Daddy! Prince marries the princess I'm not gonna marry Chris." Ellie says with a giggle, she goes to her bed and grabs a little stuffed rabbit all dressed in a sweater and skirt and a large straw hat, and places it in one of the seats, "See Lady Tree-many thinks you're being silly Daddy."

"I apologize Lady Tree-many." Finn says seriously, as he waits his turn to be invited to the table.

"Daddy." Ellie calls out warningly as she folds her arms and taps her little foot against the wooden floor.

Finn rolls his eyes but bows in front of the stuffed rabbit, knowing that you can't speak to thing unless you bow to it, "My deepestapologies Lady Tree-many."

Ellie giggles as she goes to stand in front of her window where she has a small sofa with all her stuffed animals, she puts a finger to her chin, her forehead wrinkling as she looks at them in deep thought. She looks so much like Rachel, Finn can't help but grin, "Ellie? I thought Mr. Snugglybun was having tea with us?"

"Nuh-uh. Him in timeout. He was naughty Daddy." Ellie says seriously, as she looks over her shoulder at Finn, "He can't play today."

"So who's going to join us then?" Finn asks mid yawn, he's hoping that once the tea party is over Rachel would be up so he can go to sleep.

"Mr. Fluffypants." Ellie says brightly as she grabs a stuffed alligator.

Rachel tried to explain to Ellie that the name wasn't appropriate cause alligators are not fluffy but have hard scales, but then Ellie countered with her alligator is soft and fluffy and the alligator didcome with jeans and a plaid shirt and Finn watched on in amusement as their daughter used logic to outdo her mother at the age of two. Finn worries for when Ellie is a teenager, with Rachel's temper and Kurt's wit, he thinks he's doomed.

"Daddy, you can come now." Ellie says going up to Finn and taking him to the pink plastic chair, with Cinderella's face on the seat.

"Why thank you Ms. Ellie." Finn says, grimacing as he kneels, his knees protesting on the hard wooden floor.

"Daddy! You 'pose to sit on the seat not kneel!" Ellie says stomping her foot.

"Ellie, Daddy is too big for the chair." Finn tries to reason, but Ellie will have none of that, when he sees her lips tremble he sighs and sits on the chair, his knees hitting the table and only one piece of his butt cheek is on the chair, as he prays that the chair does not break under his weight.

"Daddy! You making a mess!" Ellie reprimands as she takes one of the bright pink tea cup and holds it out to Finn, "Here's your tea, No spill it okay?"

Finn nods and grabs the small tea cup placing it in the palm of his hand.

"Daddy! You not holding it right!" Ellie protests as she grabs the tea cup from him and holds the handle with her index and thumb showing it to Finn, "You 'pose to hold it like that."

Finn yawns as he nods taking the cup from her and holding it up for her to see, and she nods in approval before she takes her own tea and sits on her seat, taking one of her handkerchiefs and laying it on her lap as she sits primly in her seat. Finn rubs his eyes, stifling another yawn as he tries to shift, but freezes when his knees his the table yet again and Ellie is sending him glare. He smiles at her sheepishly his eyes slowly closing as Ellie speaks with her stuffed rabbit and alligator.

"Daddy, would you like a cookie?" Ellie asks pleasantly holding out a plate filled with plastics cookies.

"Daddy!" Ellie shouts, bringing Finn back, he was no doubt dozing off on himself.

"Oh, sorry baby girl." Finn says with a large yawn, not even hiding it as he takes a cookie from the plate, "Thank You."

"Princess Isobel." An amused voice calls out.

Finn turns his head, smiling sleepily when he sees Rachel, still in her pyjamas with Chris in her arms, "Hey you."

"Hey." Greets as she walks up to the table kissing Finn on the forehead, "When did you get in?"

"Just in time for a tea party apparently." Finn says, with a yawn, as he tickles Chris' toes.

"Aw you poor thing." Rachel says as she runs her fingers through his hair, soothingly, "Ellie why don't you let Daddy take a nap, and you, me and Chrissy will make pancakes for breakfast?"

"But I'm having a tea party!" Ellie protest, her lip trembling when Finn stands.

"We can still have one when I get up baby girl." Finn reasons, "We can invite Mommy and Chrissy too."

"But I want to have tea party with you."

"Ellie, how about you and me make baby pancakes just for you and Daddy to have at your tea party later?" Rachel offers, "We can put pretty sauce on it too."

"Can we make cookie too?" Ellie asks, taking Rachel's hand, "You can't have a tea party without cookies Mommy."

Finn shakes his head at the little girl's words, following a few steps behind Rachel, "That's your kid Rach, always making things seem like it was her idea from the beginning."

"Go sleep Hudson." Rachel calls out, "I'll get you back for that comment."

"I'm holding you too that Rach!" Finn says trying to send her a suggestive smile, her laughter isn't quite the response he was hoping for. He yawns loudly and makes a beeline for their bed, collapsing onto the covers as he finally succumbs too much needed sleep.