Title: Traces in the Sand
Written by: lacksubstance
Rating: M
Summary: Quinn Fabray is a twenty two year old, happily married to Noah Puckerman. They have a four year old daughter. After her pregnancy, he shaved the Mohawk, dropped the rock star lifestyle, and enlisted into the military. There he befriends Santana Lopez, a mysterious female, who doesn't realize just how significant she will become to the Puckerman family.
…
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST—0600
Noah Puckerman sits outside on his makeshift spot. The sun isn't even peeking out of the horizon as his boots kick in the sand. He holds a picture in between his fingertips, looking at the back every now and then with a letter in the other hand.
Be safe out there. We miss you xoxo
—You're Two Favorite Angels
He smiles as he looks over it with who are indeed his two favorite people in the entire world, his four year old daughter and beautiful wife. How he got so lucky so early still blew him away. He didn't originally see it that way though.
Getting Quinn pregnant wasn't even something he meant for to happen. He wanted to just sleep with the most popular girl in their high school—the forbidden fruit as he and his teammates would call it. So when word came out that she was pregnant he couldn't just not be there; he couldn't be like his father.
When she was pregnant, he did everything he could to be there for her, even got a job at a pizza place, washing dishes, which sucked ass. He stopped flirting with other girls, without even realizing it—it was then that he realized he actually loved Quinn and that was when he decided he had to keep her. It wasn't until she gave birth to Beth that he proposed to her and she surprisingly said yes.
They married after they graduated high school and he just knew he couldn't provide a balanced life for his family washing dishes, so he ditched his Mohawk without telling Quinn and when she saw him bald, it was when he told her he enlisted. She was pissed and upset at first, even smacked him, but she understood why he did it. Now they have a better life than he could ever imagine—only downside was being away from them.
"What you doing out here Puckerman?" He turned his head to the raspy female voice. She's pulling her dark hair into a tight pony, walking over to him tiredly.
She sat down next to him, resting her knees up to her chin. She plucks the picture out of his hands and smiles, before turning it over to look at the small message written in neat handwriting.
"That was taken during her fourth birthday over the weekend," he points to the little blonde next to his beautiful wife. They both had frosting on the tips of their noses. He smiles because he's glad they're happy, but upset that he couldn't be there to celebrate with them.
"I can't believe it's been a year," she sighs, handing it back to him. He grabs it softly, placing it back in his pocket by his chest—like they're close to his heart and to protect him through anything.
"Yeah I know. I'm just waiting for them to give the orders that we can go home," he states as she nods in agreement. "What you gonna do when you get home San?" He asks curiously. As long as they've known each other, having gone through basic with one another, he felt like he didn't know much about her. She always said her life wasn't interesting enough to talk about, so they never did.
Santana shrugs. "I don't even know. Hibernate, I guess," she smirks and he laughs, pushing her slightly, making her laugh fully.
"Nah man, you'll come with me. I want you to meet my girls," he said, patting her shoulder. She raises her eyebrows questionably.
"Does your wife have a sister?" She jests and he rocks back in his seat, smiling widely just as their sergeant comes out.
"Lopez, Puckerman! Let's get ready to move out! We leave at 0700 hours!" He yells and they stand up quickly, saluting him to let them know they heard him. He turns away to give the rest of his men and women the same warning.
They watch him walk away and begin to move over towards their belongings to pack everything up. He leans over to Santana's ear. "She does actually, but I don't think you could handle her. You'd have a better chance with my wife than her," he says returning her smirk, walking in front of her and she shakes her head.
"Sounds like that's a challenge bro," she adds as he turns around, shrugging obviously, before turning away to walk to the tents and set everything up.
…
Santana carries her rifle in hand as they walk among the dusty ground. She's surrounded by a bunch of big men, bulky and just tall, but she held her weight. Anytime they gave her hell, she'd jump on top of them and take them to the ground—playfully of course. It was nothing serious though; they were her family, especially Puckerman—who just goes by Puck. He's a good guy, even though she thought they'd just butt heads. They were actually kind of similar, only not when it came to the outside world.
Being in the Middle East was a whole other universe. It's like being in seclusion and for Santana, she was thankful to have everyone she loved and cared about here. She didn't have a family to come back to or to miss, so in an eerie way, she hoped out of all her platoon members—she hoped she went first, if it came down to it; though she never told anyone that.
Puck; however was her closest friend, next to Finn. He was from Colorado and they met at the airport—Puck she actually met the first day of basic—he's from Ohio. Santana was born and raised in California.
They didn't expect any attacks today, but the problem was they never do. It was just routine to always move camp every two days to keep the enemy off course. The worst thing about the Middle East is that the climate was so fucking bipolar—during the days it's hotter than Satan's ass and during the night it's colder than the Arctic; at least for a California girl that's how it felt.
"All right troupe! Keep a look out," Sergeant Shuester states and they just keep walking along the makeshift path as the sun beats down on their layered bodies.
Santana's boots push through the thin sand as Puck walks next to her, sweat pouring off their bodies. "At least my wife will dig my awesome tan when I get home," he jests and she chuckles at his stupidity.
"What are you talking about? She won't even recognize you. You're blacker than I am," Puck mouth gaps open and he teases, brushing his gloved fingers together.
"Tisk tisk, you racist bitch,"
…
It took a total of four hours for them to make camp on the other side of the mountains. The sun was at its worst as Puck and her finished setting up a tent that Puck and Finn will sleep in. Santana sleeps in the same tent as one of the female soldiers—basic orders and rules. Santana didn't mind though, she thought the girl she shared her space with was kind of sexy—blonde and brown eyed. She is someone you wouldn't normally picture in the military, but that was the point—Santana loved it.
Santana let out a huff and finally pulled her shirt over her head, exposing her sports bra and tight abs. "It's too fucking hot for this shit," she grumbles as Puck follows it suit. Most guys look at Santana when she gets rid of her shirt, but not Puck—he looks at her like his sister and he loved her, but not like that. He couldn't deny she was hot and he tells her so, but he couldn't stare at her like she was a piece of meat, especially because he was married and she loved females.
"You got that right. Might as well get tan all over—well from the waist up. I'd hate for your lady loins to get going from all this," he suggestively uses his hands for emphasis on his lower pelvic region. Santana looks at him like he's lost his mind, but decides to humor him.
"Oh yes, I'd get so fucking turned on when I see that, but I think you should be more careful about your own lady loins," she simply replies, lowering her pants just a little to expose her backside. Puck's eyes widen for just a moment, before Santana pulls them back up and rolls her eyes.
"I can't believe you just did that man," he says. "I'm a married man!"
"Whatever dude, you need to get laid though," she says in all seriousness and he nods frantically.
"Yeah you fucking think? I miss the way my wife could get me going," he states, fixing a tie on the tent, while pushing the peg further into the ground. "You know she was a virgin before me?" He asks curiously, but didn't look up at her.
"Yup—good wholesome Christian girl, saving herself for marriage," he adds, finally before meeting her eyes. She was looking down at him, her muscles glistening in the blistering sun.
"What happened? You're not worth the breaking of that commitment buddy," she jests, patting his rock solid chest. He rolls his eyes, knowing she's just trying to get a rise out of him. That's their relationship though—always goofing off and giving each other hard times.
"She got drunk at a party and I was the man whore. It just happened and I was planning to just 'hump and dump', so to speak and when she came to me that she was pregnant—I took on my responsibilities," he explains and she sighs deeply, sitting down on the sand.
"You're a good guy Puck," she tells him truthfully as he breaths out a huff, sitting down next to her. "You are and I know I give you shit, but you're like my brother and I love you,"
"Don't get sappy on me you fucker, please!" He jests and she pushes him hard so he lands on the sand.
"Fuck you dude! I'm trying to be nice here," he laughs from his spot on the ground and she smiles down at him. She knew he appreciated her words, but they never were conventional.
Silence fills within them, but around them voices echo from their fellow platoon members, having finished their own assignments to set up their own camps.
"Hey San," she turns her attention to him and he smiles warmly at her. "I love you too," he adds softly and she looks away, back down at the sand.
"Lopez! Puckerman!" They stand up at attention as Sergeant Shuester approaches them with papers in his hand. They salute him and he salutes them back. "I got instructions to inform you both that you'll be on leave by Friday," he tells them and they look at him with their eyes faltering a little.
"Sir—," Puck speaks first, wanting him to say directly what he's telling them.
"It's time for you two to go home for visitation, but you report back here in three weeks. So go home, rest in your beds, fuck your wife Puckerman, and give your daughter love," he says, walking away from them and they fall from their attention.
Santana turns to him and looks at him kind of sadly. She was happy for him, but this was her escape from reality. She enlisted so she didn't have to be home—she actually hated her life, but she didn't need to tell anyone else that. It would open more of a discussion and she didn't like being asked questions about her life in such depth.
"Puck I'm so hap—,
"Come home with me," Puck cuts her off with his eyes lit brightly with a breathless smile. She gaps her mouth open, before shaking her head.
"No—no I couldn't man. That's' your time with your family," she insisted and he places his hands on both sides of her shoulders.
"San I want you to meet them. I need you to meet them," he presses, which confuses her. He wasn't making much sense, but who was she to tell him no she couldn't meet his family? Besides, she wanted to meet the woman he loved and the little girl they created from a drunken hookup, turned romance.
She smiles softly, nodding. "All right fine, I'll come with you," he smiles widely and fist pumps in excitement, walking off to tell everyone else about the good news.
She watched him walk away a little confused. Something didn't feel right to her and it was making her stomach queasy. She continued to watch him walk around telling everyone he passed; she bit her bottom lip, trying to stomach the thought of meeting them. She didn't know why she was so nervous, but she wanted Quinn and Beth to accept and like her.
No pressure, Santana.
I wasn't sure how to start this per say, so I figured this chapter was going to be a short introductory to the story itself. Don't worry the chapters will be longer and the updates will not take forever. I really have all my ideas outlined, so hopefully with enough feedback, people will keep checking back. For now this is a Puck/Quinn story, but it will develop to something more. Anyway, this is also my Day 7 for Quinntana Week. I'm sorry it took so long!