Going in a New Direction
A/N: Basically, this is what I think should have had happened in New York. As a major Quick shipper, Glee disappointed me with the lack of adorable Quinn/Puck moments (moment in the hospital excluded, of course). Please review, but no flames. Well, no really REALLY harsh flames.
He was on the roof of the hotel. He didn't have his guitar with him. He didn't want to sing. He sang to himself when he was happy, so he hadn't sung to himself all year. And he only sang to people he really cared about. So that was also a no. He stared at the New York skyline, at the glittering lights of the city. Behind him was the roof greenhouse, with millions of lovely flowers. But he didn't see anything lovely anymore. Not since last year. He slammed his fist against the stone.
Damn it Puck!" He growled to himself. "Acting all mushy about a girl!" He put his head on the cool stone, breathing heavily. "She's just a girl." But he didn't even believe himself. She was so much more than "just a girl."
Quinn wasn't sure if she wanted to cut her hair. She had always liked its length. She could do so many hairdos with it. But maybe a haircut would look good. She turned to Rachel and Santana. She was glad that Lauren was doing a root beer chugging contest with the guys. Quinn had mixed feelings about Lauren. She admired Lauren's frankness, but she sometimes hated her for telling everybody about Lucy Caboosey, and for another reason she couldn't fathom why.
"What do you guys think?" She asked. "Short or long." Santana interrupted her eyelash curling briefly.
"Short," she said. "It's time you changed." Rachel pondered for a moment.
"Either short or long looks good on you Quinn," she said. Quinn smiled. She was glad she had patched things up with Rachel and Finn. She was happy for them and their relationship, but she couldn't help the pangs in her heart whenever they did something lovey-dovey. It wasn't Finn she missed, just the security of love. Suddenly, Kurt burst in, and put his hand on the door dramatically.
"Quinn Fabray!" He called. Quinn stood, stifling a smile. Kurt had something hidden behind his back.
"You need to come up to the roof pronto!" He said. Rachel and Santana giggled.
"Kurt, nobody says pronto unless they're playing Scrabble," Quinn deadpanned.
"Well, this gay boy does," Kurt said proudly. "But in all seriousness. Someone needs you right now." Quinn's brow furrowed. Who needed her? Rachel and Santana had stopped laughing, as though they understood.
"Oh Quinn," Rachel said. "Kurt, is it...?" Kurt nodded.
"Who?" Quinn asked. Kurt took a guitar out from behind his back. Quinn walked forward, hesitantly, until her fingertips brushed the cords.
"I don't know," she said. "We haven't spoken all year." Santana rolled her eyes at Quinn's cluelessness.
"Go to him Quinn," Rachel said confidently. "He won't turn you away." Quinn steeled herself.
"Where is he?" She asked Kurt.
"On the roof," he replied. Quinn took the guitar and rushed off.
Puck breathed deeply, trying to control himself. He ran a hand through his Mohawk. He had lied when he had said his mom had made him shave it. He had shaved it to show he was now responsible, not the guy in the Mohawk that banged his best friend's girlfriend. He heard footsteps behind him, and turned around. And there she was, holding his guitar. She was wearing a short sleeved, white shirt with pink, yellow, and green flowers on it. Under it were baby pink leggings and pale yellow ballet flats. She looked so innocent, so… pretty. Not hot, not sexy, pretty.
"I brought your guitar," she said hesitantly. Puck took it from her hands, and put the strap over his shoulder.
"Thanks Quinn," he said softly. Quinn moved closer, until there was barely any distance between them. Puck trembled, and then mentally cursed himself for being such a pussy. He pressed his lips together when she leaned forward, staring out at the NYC skyline.
"Do you remember when we were kids?" She asked. "Before you had your Mohawk? Your hair was all curly, and lighter back then."
"So?" Puck asked, more harshly than he intended. Quinn didn't look at him.
"So I always thought you had the nicest hair in school," she said. Puck stood closer to her. Taking a deep breath, he put his guitar away, and took out his iPod. He clicked through it until he found the song he was looking for. Walk Away by the Script, Karaoke version.
I don't know why she's with me
I only brought her trouble since
The day she met me
If I was her, by now
I would have left me.
I would've walked away
But now I've broken away.
Somehow instead she forgave me
She said a woman's got
To do what she's got to do
Even if it means she's denied herself the truth
Cause when you're in too deep
You wake up when it's too late
You've fallen in love in the worst way
And if you don't go now then you'll stay
Cause I'll never let you leave never let you breathe
Cause if you're looking for heaven
Baby sure as hell it ain't me
So walk away (walk away) walk away
Oh save yourself from the heartache
Go now before it's too late
So walk away (walk away) walk away,
Oh save yourself from the heartache
Oh, go now before it's too late
But still she stays.
Quinn reached around him and turned off the music. Puck bit his lip, wondering what she was going to say.
"Puck, I've heard this song before," she said. "The guy sings about what a horrible guy he is. But you, Noah Puckerman, are not a bad person!" Puck walked towards her, until there was no distance between them.
"Do you mean that?" He asked softly. Quinn nodded.
"With all my heart," she said. "We haven't talked this year, with me dating Sam, and then Finn, and then with you in juvie and dating Zizes, but… Goddamnit, I miss you!" Quinn bit her lip in turn. "I missed ever since we gave Beth away, and the only thing that kept us together was gone." Puck tucked a stray strand of golden blond hair behind her ear.
"I missed you too, Quinn Fabray," he said. "It killed me to come back from juvie and realize that you were with someone else." Quinn put a hand on his shoulder.
"Did you mean what you said in the hospital?" She asked, her green eyes wide and hopeful. Puck nodded.
"Yes," he said. "I did love you. And I still do." Quinn smiled, and it was so beautiful it hurt.
"I'm glad that you feel the same way I do," she said, and kissed him. Puck put his arms around her; fingers splayed against her back, and pulled her closer. He held her with one hand on her neck, the other on the small of her back. She ran her fingers through his Mohawk, and Puck trailed his kisses down to her neck. With her fingers, she pulled his face back up to him.
"Puck," she said. "I truly, deeply love you, and I want you to know." Puck kissed her again, his hands on her waist. Her arms circled his neck as she kissed him back passionately. He kissed everything on her face, from her cheeks to her forehead, and made his way to the hollow of her throat.
"Puck?" She asked, rubbing small circles in his back. Puck looked up at her, straightened himself up.
"Yeah babe?" He asked. Quinn grinned, and Puck grinned back. He loved making her smile.
"You remember when you told me how much you loved Star Wars?" She asked. Puck felt himself blush. "Well, after that, I watched every single Star Wars movie, just so that we would one day have something to talk about." Puck laughed and kissed her softly. They started when thunderous applause came from the greenhouse. Everyone from Glee Club was there. Rachel and Finn looked ecstatic, all the guys were pleased that Puck had gotten the girl of his dreams, and all the girls found it so romantic.
"It is about time!" Kurt cried, hand on hip. "Am I right?" Mercedes nodded.
"So right," she said. But she was barreled out of the way by none other than Lauren Zizes. Shit, Puck thought. What was he gonna tell her? He could feel Quinn drifting away, but he caught her hand and held on tight.
"Lauren," he said cautiously. "I am so sorry. I wanted to do this differently."
"Do what?" She shrieked. "Cheat on me with tramp Blondie?" Puck squeezed Quinn's hand again. She swept her hair behind her ear, and stepped forward.
"Lauren, please…" She began, but Lauren wasn't listening.
"Cheat on me with Lucy Caboosey?" She spat angrily. A collective gasp rose from the Glee Club. Quinn put a hand to her mouth as tears formed in her green eyes. Puck was shaking with anger. He put an arm around her shoulder, and pulled her close to him.
"Lauren! I love Quinn, and if that means that I don't want to be with you, then deal with it!" Lauren looked at him, mouth agape. Santana and Sam came up to her.
"Let it go Sumo," Santana said. Puck stared at her. Santana was the clingiest of his exes, so why was she defending his relationship? But he caught the smile between her and Quinn, and understood. The girl version of bros before hoes. Sam nodded.
"Come on, just leave them alone," he added. Lauren looked at him.
"OK, I understand if Hispaniola wants to defend her fellow twig bitch friend, but why you? Didn't she cheat on you?" Sam nodded.
"But I still want her to be happy," he said. "And if Puckerman makes her happy, so be it." Lauren walked off in a huff, calling over her shoulder,
"After this Nationals thing is over, don't expect to see me in the choir room again!" The club began to disperse, sharing smiles with the couple as they left.
"Thank you," Quinn said to Sam. "That meant a lot." Sam left with Santana, leaving Puck and Quinn alone again. Quinn was humming Across the Stars and Puck kissed her forehead.
"I love you Quinn," he said. Quinn kissed his cheek, and then stared into his eyes.
"I love you Puck," she answered. "Do you think I should cut your hair?" Puck took her chin in his hand, and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"You would look beautiful no matter what." And they continued their kiss, and this time, they had no interruptions.