She walked down the hall and stopped in the doorway to admire her husband. He was lying in their huge bed, shirtless, scruffy, and with reading glasses on (God, he was hot in his new reading glasses!) He was propped up against pillows going over paperwork for his landscaping and pool business. After graduating from college with degrees in business and landscape design, he started his company from scratch and had used his keen intelligence (hidden quite effectively in high school) and business sense to become an extremely successful business owner and highly respected member of the community.

Rachel thought about her own career while she watched him; after graduating from college with degrees in theater and education, she had gone on to perform in several off-Broadway shows and one Broadway show. But as much as she loved performing in New York, she knew she wanted to give her on-again off-again relationship with Noah a real chance. Besides, she missed home. She had gone away and conquered the big city, and in the process discovered that her heart still belonged to the Midwest. She was now working part-time as the high school drama teacher, acting and singing in the community theater she had helped start, and loving her role as a wife and mom. She wouldn't change a thing about her life.

As she started to cross the room, Noah looked up and smiled at her, sliding his glasses off and holding his arm out to her as he set the paperwork on the bedside table.

"Are they finally asleep?" he asked her as she climbed in next to him and snuggled up against his side.

Rachel snorted. "They would go to sleep a lot faster if you didn't wait until right before bedtime to wrestle and play and get them all worked up. I should make you put them to bed next time." She poked him in the ribs in retaliation.

"What?" he asked innocently. "They wanted to play with daddy. What was I supposed to do?"

Rachel huffed, but didn't take the bait. They had this conversation at least a few times a week, and if she was honest with herself, it didn't really bother her that much; she loved that Noah loved being a dad so much.

"I want to talk about something," Rachel said apprehensively. "And I don't want you to say anything until I get it all out. Okay?"

Noah turned to her more fully and adjusted the arm around her. "Okay. I'm listening."

"I had lunch with Kurt today. He and Blaine are doing well. They're so in love and they're just completely…happy in their lives together. They've started talking about having kids. Talking about their options." Rachel took a deep breath and Noah held his, hoping this was going in the direction he thought it was.

"I want to give them a baby, Noah. I want to be their surrogate. I've thought about this for a long time, since before they were even married. Long before I knew for sure if they wanted kids. My dads have talked about how lucky and blessed they were when Shelby gave me to them, and I want to do that for Kurt and Blaine. They would make such amazing parents. I want to give them that.

"Jonathan is three now, and Annabelle is 18 months. They're young enough that they wouldn't really understand what was going on, and we could explain everything when they're older. Kurt and Blaine are already so important to our family, they're honorary uncles to the kids; I would love to give them a baby and have all of us just be a big, extended family." Rachel turned and looked at Noah for the first time since she started talking. "Okay, what do you think?"

Noah looked at her closely for a moment and took a deep breath. "Are you sure this is what you want?" he asked carefully.

"With my whole heart, Noah," she said softly, placing her hand against his chest. "I want them to experience the same joy that we have with Jon and Belle. I want to help them realize this dream."

Noah suddenly threw his other arm around Rachel and buried his face in her neck. He held on tight for a minute, breathing in her familiar, comforting scent, falling in love all over again. Even after nine years of marriage, she continued to amaze him with her loyalty and the strength of her love for the important people in her life. The ambition that had made her so cutthroat in high school had been tempered by time, experience, and becoming a mother, and was now used for good.

"Absolutely," Noah said, muffled by her neck. "I'm in one hundred percent. As long as you're sure, I will do whatever you need me to do to support you and Kurt and Blaine." His voice was slightly shaky and Rachel thought she felt moisture on her neck.

"Noah, what's wrong? I didn't expect such a passionate reaction from you about this."

Noah sat back against the pillows, leaving one arm around her, and deliberated for a moment. He knew he wasn't breaking a confidence, exactly, but he still felt like he needed to be careful about what he revealed about his conversation with his friend.

"You know how Blaine and I go jogging every weekend?" he asked slowly. Rachel nodded. "Well, the baby conversation isn't exactly new. They've been talking about it for a while. They've looked into adoption, but there are still a lot of places that won't work with same-sex couples. They've looked into going through an agency for a surrogate, but a lot of individuals still hesitate to give their baby to two men."

Noah took a deep breath, calming himself before he got too worked up about the unfairness of a world that thought that Kurt and Blaine's sexuality was a negative factor - or a factor at all - in their ability to be amazing parents. He'd been a jerk to Kurt back in high school, but had learned so much since then. He considered the men to be two of his best friends and had even been a groomsman in their wedding four years ago. It had been Noah's idea to ask Kurt and Blaine to be Jon and Belle's godparents.

"Blaine broke down the other day. We came back here after our run, while you were out shopping with the kids and Kurt. He was in tears because while they haven't explored every option, they've already been rejected enough to make them start questioning if having kids will even be an option. Rachel, I didn't want to be the one to suggest it since you're the one that would actually carry the baby, but I wanted so much to tell Blaine that we would help. He just seemed so hopeless," Noah's voice cracked slightly at this.

Rachel cupped his cheek in her hand and kissed him softly. She knew he seemed like a badass on the outside, but her wonderful husband's tough exterior camouflaged a very soft heart. And he would fight to the death for those he considered family.

"This conversation isn't over," Noah said firmly. "This is a huge decision and something that we need to discuss more and maybe talk to someone about before we even consider making the offer to Kurt and Blaine."

Rachel tucked her head under Noah's chin and nodded her head.

"But sweetheart, I'm so proud of you and so glad that you want to do this for them. I'll support you even if you change your mind, but I'm thrilled that you want to give them this. I'm thrilled that we can have a part in giving them a child."

Rachel turned to him again. "Thank you," she whispered with tears in her eyes. "Thank you for being such an amazing husband and wonderful man."

Noah leaned over and turned off the light, scooting down in bed and tucking Rachel's small body against his own. He felt so blessed by everything in his life. Now here was an opportunity to share the wealth of blessings with two men who he had enormous love and respect for. He smiled to himself as he drifted to sleep. It was only right.