Author's note: HI! It's been forever and a half, I know! How have you all been? Where have I been, you ask? Oh well, let's see...actually, I won't make any excuses. I almost left the fandom completely. But we're getting such good things now that I didn't want to just leave completely. So I'll live here, in my little bubble in the outskirts, where the drama can be avoided and it can be all about fun!
It's my first piece in what feels like forever, so I hope you do all enjoy! Feel free to leave a bit of feedback, too! It's always appreciated! Also, if you're looking for me on tumblr., I'm not where I used to be. If that makes any sense at all. Shoot me a PM if you want to know where I am!
A Little Warrior
He probably should have called. It's starting to feel more and more like a stupid idea as he approaches their house. He should have called, given her an exact itinerary of his arrival, and let her pick him up from the airport. But the flight was coming in late, he didn't want to disturb her, and it would have ruined the surprise.
Luckily, his buddy was on board with the little surprise he had planned, so getting a ride back to his place was fairly easy. He offered the guy to crash on his couch for the night, but he chose to make the drive back to his own place just an hour away.
And when he reaches his driveway, it finally sinks in. He's home. Soon, he'll be reunited with his wife and kids and dog. He spots the light still on inside of the minivan they upgraded his truck to after they found out Quinn was pregnant with their second kid. It still hurt to let that truck go, hurt like a mother, it wasn't exactly safe for a newborn and a seven year old.
He shook his head, amused. He could picture her, in her rush, turning the light on to find something, only to forget to shut it off as she rushed inside with Beth and Eli in tow. Their dog probably greeted them at the door, distracting her enough to forget to check back at the car and see if she was missing anything.
"Thanks, man," Puck said, extending his hand out to his buddy in a parting gesture. "Let me know when you get home safe."
They're not words he would have used years ago, but he's a changed man now, in more ways than one. Not all of his friends were fortunate enough to come home to what he would be coming home to tonight.
Grabbing his duffel bag from the back seat, he offers him a parting wave before he heads up the driveway to the front door. The kid he paid to maintain the lawn must have come around recently. Either that or the creepy neighbor who's been trying to make a move on Quinn ever since they moved in must have had a hand at that. He reminded Puck of that boyfriend of hers he met years ago at McKinley. Safe to say, he definitely deserved being tossed in that dumpster.
Standing by the door, he takes a deep breath. Should he knock? No, that would ruin the surprise. He should walk right in there like it's any old day and see the looks on their faces when he does. Sounds like a plan. He just needs his keys. Fishing into the pockets of his jacket, he searches for the keys. He had them hooked to something. He just can't remember what.
Screw it. They're nowhere to be found and he wouldn't be surprised if he had left them at home. He's still not going to call her and ruin the surprise. Heading for the window near the living room, the one he knows is just a bit open and is always the cause of the draft in that room, he decides to break in instead. Just imagine the look on her face when she sees him.
He manages to get the screen up before he slides the window open. Come to think of it, he should really get that window fixed, before Beth's older and gets any ideas about sneaking in or out of it. He throws his duffel inside before stepping in himself.
The lights are all out. Have they already gone to bed? He mentally shrugs as he turns around and closes the window. Bad move, he thinks, just as he feels a force hit the back of his head.
"You better get out of here, you jerk! My mom says I'm allowed to use this!" the voice of his seven year old shouts at him. "And when my dad gets back, he'll kick your ass!"
"Beth!" Quinn shouts coming into the room with a bouncing baby on her hip just as Puck turns around. Her jaw drops at the sight of her husband, and it's not because of his hand on his head or the wince of pain he makes, but because he's standing right in front of her.
"Dad!" Beth shouts, dropping the snow shovel in her hand and rushing over to him. He almost falls over from the force of her running hug. Or maybe it's the concussion that's probably happened.
"Surprise," Puck says with a smile, as Quinn stands there in silence with tears in her eyes.
Beth pulls away from her father, glancing over at her mother with obvious tears welling in her eyes. "Mom?" she asks, walking over to her. Silently, Quinn hands a cooing Eli over to her before she rushes into Puck's arm and kisses him.
"Oh, gross," Beth says, holding Eli. "Cover your eyes there, bud. This happens a lot between them."
As Puck takes a step back and winces, Quinn sits him down on the couch and turns the lamp on. She pulls his hand away from his head and immediately grabs the baby bib that was on her shoulder, pressing it on his head.
"Nice arm you got there, B," Puck says with a wince. "What'd you hit me with?"
"Our new snow shovel," Beth answers. "Our old one broke, so mom had to buy a new one, and she was all, 'Don't tell your father he was right about the plastic shovel,' and...sorry."
Puck shakes his head with a laugh. "It's fine. I'm staring to think we should enroll her in softball or something. With that kind of strength..."
"You're still bleeding," Quinn says. She turns to Beth and tells her, "Honey, go put your brother in his coat jumper and grab your own coat."
Beth nods, turns around, and heads upstairs. Quinn turns to look at Puck with furrowed brows, and he can't help but laugh because he missed her being angry at him and pointing out his stupid ideas. Well, she hasn't yet.
"What would make you think that sneaking into your own house would be a good surprise, especially right around dinner?!" Quinn freaked out.
And there she went. He wouldn't have it any other way. He shrugged, because that headache was getting bigger and he couldn't think of proper words to help diffuse the situation right now. Then again, even when he hadn't just been hit over the head with a metal snow shovelhe couldn't find the right words to diffuse the situation.
So he leaned over and kissed her. He kissed her because he hadn't seen her since he took two weeks leave for Eli's birth; because he missed her; because dammit she was his wife and he wouldn't want anyone else by his side forever.
"Your an idiot," Quinn mumbled against his lips, fingers trailing over the free of stubble cheek of his.
"But I'm your idiot," Puck mumbled, pulling her closer.
"Ew," Beth said, coming back into the room with a marshmallow-looking, spitting image of his father, still happy baby in tow. "You guys are still gross."
"Keep thinking that," Puck tells her, "You'll stay away from boys for much longer.
Quinn grabs his hand and places it over the rag, having him hold it in place as she goes to grab her coat and the keys to the minivan. "All right," she says, buttoning up her coat. "Family trip to the hospital. Let's go."
"But babe, I'm fine!" Puck protests, getting up from the couch with a struggle.
"Let's see if you say that after the doctor tells us you have a concussion," Quinn says. She opens the door and ushers them out, grabbing Eli from Beth on their way out to put him in his baby seat.
"Sorry, Dad," Beth says, looking up at him.
"Don't tell your mom," Puck whispers, "But I'm actually really proud of you. She's got someone protecting her while I'm gone."
Beth nods, giving him a toothy smile. It's then that he notices that she's lost another tooth. Another one he missed.
"Did you do it?" Puck asks from the corner of his mouth, watching Quinn buckle Eli into his seat.
Beth nods. "His grass grows back in patches now."
"That's my girl."
So maybe telling his daughter to pour salt in their creepy neighbor's yard wasn't the best idea, or the most adult-like. But it was a comfort to know that Quinn had her own little warrior looking out for her while he was away.