Prolog

His hand was shaking over the paper that waited for his signature. Just above where he was to sign was Quinn's, a single drop of water was just beside it, maybe a tear.

No… he couldn't do it… it was his daughter… he loved her, even after only knowing her for minutes. And he couldn't give her up.

And why should he? He had taken care of his sister Sarah since he was 10, and there father left them. Not like his mother looked up from the bottle long enough to care about feeding her, clothing her or taking her to school or girl scouts.

But if he wanted to do this he needed a new job, no way was he letting his daughter grow up with a father who was a pool boy… no… he needed to be honest to himself… with a father who was a prostitute. There he said it, he was a prostitute.

So new job, and he couldn't trust nana Puckerman to take care of his daughter when he was at school or work like he had done with his sister, nana was too old now, she was in a retirement home and everything.

But who could he trust to help?

Quinn didn't want anything to do with Beth; in fact she had already signed away custody rights, so she was definitely out.

Finn didn't want anything to do with him after he knocked up Finns girlfriend, kind of understandable but rather irritating right now.

Who else did he have?

Santanna was a bitch with capital B and her parents wouldn't trust her with a canary. How would he be able to trust her with his daughter? He couldn't.

It was the same thing with Brittany, except the bitch part.

Rachel was Finns girlfriend and wouldn't go against him, and anyway, she liked the thought or her mother getting a new daughter, so would newer help him with something that would rob her of that chance.

Tina and Artie were too unknown to judge, but the fact that he didn't know them very well spoke against those choices.

Mike and Matt were good football players, and could play a mean game of Halo, but he knew they had no childrearing experience. If no one else were possible they were better than nothing, at least he thought so… but, no… maybe not.

Mercedes couldn't be trusted with secrets, and if he was to have a chance with being a teen father he had to keep it on a need to know basis, or he would never have a moments peace from the know betters of Lima. Plus she was bff with Quinn and supported her choice wholeheartedly.

Talking about best friends, what about Aretha's old bff Hummel? He didn't know all that much about him. But he did know he had a high moral code. And according to Finn he had been taking care of the house since his mother died at eight. And, he had a job as a mechanic, if nothing else he might be able to help him find a proper job, which could actually support Beth, Sarah and him. He didn't need to think of his mother, and at least the house was paid for, and the taxes were one of the only things he could trust his mother to actually pay, so he wouldn't have to worry about that at least.

Yes he needed to talk with Hummel. But first, he needed to tell Shelby that she couldn't have Beth, because Beth was his, and there was no way he was ever giving her up.

…o0O0o…

Shelby was pretty cool. She understood his reluctance in giving up his daughter, and after he explained the situation with Sarah she even agreed that it wouldn't be too big a problem for him to raise her well. Hell she even agreed to take her back to Lima, as long as he promised that should it ever become too much, he would give over custody to her.

Now he just needed to find Hummel and see how much he was willing to help, if nothing else, at least he could trust him to keep his mouth shut. He knew from the whole baby gate thing that he didn't like rumors, that were the whole, and only, reason he hadn't told Finn like Rachel did, even if it could have scored him points with Finn.

Talking about Hummel, there he was.

"Hey Princess. Can I talk with you?" a cautious Kurt Hummel turned and looked at Noah Puckerman.

"What do you want Puck? Have you already said goodbye to your daughter, quite frankly I thought she meant more to you, considering how adamant you were about keeping her."

"That's what I want to talk to you about. But I need to keep this on the down low so could we go somewhere a little more privet?" Kurt looked shocked and a little apprehensive, might be the quite satisfied yet rather wild look in Pucks eyes. But he trusted him, he might have thrown him in garbage containers, slushied him, locker checked him, thrown pee balloons at him and… dear Gucci why did he trust him again? No not trust him, know him. And right now all Puck wanted was to talk, and he had enough empathy in him to understand why he would need to talk in this situation, it isn't every day you give up your firstborn after all. But why that satisfied look, well nothing for it, he wouldn't find out if he didn't go with Puck, and so he lifted his bag, NOT a purse, and followed him.

…o0O0o…

As soon as the door closed, behind Kurt, to the empty hospital room, Puck started talking. "I'm keeping her." It was said in a determined voice.

Kurt blinked, rather confused, but slowly understanding dawned in his eyes. "Look Puck…" "Noah" confusion was back in Kurt's eyes. "Wha…" "You're talking to Noah right now, not Puck. Puck is a badass womanizer who doesn't care for anyone. Noah is a big brother and father who will do anything for those he loves, anything." He stood waiting carefully for a reaction, hopefully he would understand, but if he didn't he would MAKE him understand.

Luckily Kurt seemed to get it and only leveled Noah with a first searching, then understanding look. Finally he smiled rather sadly but with sympathy and asked. "What are the reasons you are telling me this, you wanted it to be private so I guess you don't want the rest of glee, or at least not Quinn to know. Am I right?"

Noah sighted, now came the hard part, asking for help. "Yeah you're right, I need your help. You see my mom is an alcoholic, have been since dad skipped out on us, so I have been taken care of my sister practically from the day she was born. But have had almost sole responsibility since she was two. But I had help then.

When I went to school nana Puckerman would look out for her, and she would help pay the bills until I was old enough to take care of them, but she's to old now, she's even in a retirement home, I can send Sarah over to her when I'm not home, like now, but she's eight now, she's old enough to take some responsibility for herself. But nana will not be able to help with Beth, and Shelby promised to help if it was really an emergency, of which I hope there will be none, and that's all fine, but I need a new job too, Sarah's old enough to ask now and I don't want my sister or my daughter to know I'm a…"

No he couldn't say it, not to the upper-class guy Kurt was. So he called it what he always called it when he told people what he was doing.

"That I'm a pool boy. And with nana too old to take in Beth during the day, every day I don't really know what to do. I don't know who else to ask, your practically the only hope I have of finishing high school, because make no mistake, it will not be my daughter I will be giving up on."

The last part was said with a stone hard face and flinty eyes; he would take care of his daughter, no matter what.

An understanding look came upon Kurt's face, but he still looked a little confused. "What exactly is it you need my help with?" Came the quiet question.

Noah sighted relived, he was at least willing to listen. "I really need a job, one that pays good enough to let me take care of Sarah and Beth, pay for daycare for Beth and that I can do in the evening, if that isn't possible then at least one that pays enough and I'll quit school. And maybe… I mean if possible… I mean if you would… sigh… I could really use some help with taking care of the little ones, if you want to of course, I'm not about to pressure you or anything and I know you have to get ready for college and…"

"Noah your rambling, take it easy and let me think." It was said in a hard voice, but when he looked at Kurt there was a small indulgent smile on his face, and Noah couldn't help but feel a little relived.

When the quiet in the room hit the 2 minute mark Noah started to fidgeting, and when 5 minutes past he started to sweat, really, Kurt was his best chance; he would make it even if he had to do it on his own, but it would be exponentially harder. After 12 minutes, just as he was about to speak up and angrily tell Kurt to just forget it, Kurt nodded and looked Noah right in the eyes.

"Here are what we going to do. My dad has been complaining lately that there's too much to do at the garage lately, and have been talking about hiring some more help around there. I will be taking care of Beth and Sarah while you work, so you only need someone to look after Beth while you're in school. But Noah, you will have to work very hard to prove yourself. I can get him to hire you, but you are the one who have to convince him to keep you."

"And what do you want for your help?" Noah interrupted with trepidation; this was a very big favor after all.

Kurt looked Noah in the eyes for a very long time, then let his eyes glide down and up again over Noah. Noah swallowed; here it comes, once a whore always a whore thought Noah bitterly. And this time he couldn't even pretend he was having sex with his future wife, like he usually did to make it easier on himself.

Then Kurt smiled. It was an almost loving smile, but with a hint of steel. "When it comes to me, you're ALWAYS going to be Noah, no more Puck, never again." Sounded the hard voice. And then softly; "I think that Noah is way more badass anyway."

Then with a clap of his hands, that made Noah jump he remarked. "We better go back, or they will think something is not right. By the way how are you going to bring Beth home without anyone noticing anyway?"

Noah answered while opening the door for both of them. "Shelby is bringing her home to Lima. She is keeping her overnight, and bringing her to me the day after tomorrow. I don't want to let her go, even for the night, and defiantly not for two, but if anyone finds out they are going to harry me about giving her up until I either go mad or start hitting people." The last part was said in an almost whisper but Kurt heard it anyway and just nodded in agreement.