Thanks so much for all of the reviews! It's truly wonderful to hear from all of you. AN: Italics indicate flashbacks, or thoughts, and the like.

Quinn Fabray was never one to back down from a challenge, but facing the father of her baby in the presence of five and a half other witnesses wasn't exactly something she would call enticing. She held her breath as his footsteps drew closer and she chanced a glance at the man who, for all intents and purposes, was the father of her child. He stood still and she assumed he was holding his breath, too. Emma placed a calming hand on her back. She had a way of doing that. A guidance counselor to the very core, she was the rock to which they all held tightly to.

She didn't even realize she had paused midway in placing a fork on the placemat in front of her. It hovered over the red pattered plate as Quinn watched the hallway, waiting for her three-year-old daughter to drag her biological father into the kitchen by his finger.

There were many events that brought them to this particular night; beginning with the afternoon Kate was brought home from the hospital.

XXXXXXXXX

Three years ago.

"Mr Schue, I'm not going to break." Quinn shooed Will away as he hovered over her. "I can get dressed by myself."

"I know, I know. I'm just here as… a precaution." And thank goodness he was because as soon as Quinn tried to pull her pants up over her incredibly sore body, she lost her balance and almost hit the linoleum floor. Will braced her and leaned her against the bed, pulling the sweater down over the tank top she now wore.

Quinn grumbled, "Fine, fine, rub it in."

Instead of reveling in the fact that he was right and she was wrong, he merely looked up and asked, "Can you stand?" She nodded. "Okay, put your hands on my shoulders and I'm going to pull these up for you."

A few months ago, it would have been inconceivable to think that Will Schuester, her glee director and Spanish teacher would be helping her pull up a pair of pants. But after holding her hand through labor and seeing much more of her than either of them had probably anticipated, a pair of pants seem like a walk in the park. He held onto her arms and supported her as she buttoned them up.

"Thanks."

Will turned to the bassinet next to the bed. "Her turn." He lifted the baby out without disturbing her sleep and settled her into the carrier. She watched as he double-checked and triple-checked the straps, making sure her daughter was as secure as she could possibly be.

The entire ride home, Will flashed the hazards and went 15 in a 45 mph zone. When it came time to bring James home, he was a real rebel: he chanced 25.

Though the kid next to them on the scooter seemed to be going faster than they were, Quinn didn't mind. She turned around and looked at her daughter, fast asleep in the safe confines of her triple-checked car seat.

XXXXXXXXX

Quinn's heart hammered against her chest as Puck finally made his appearance, trailing behind his daughter. The mohawk had been shaved off and he was wearing a nice button down shirt. Quinn's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him. He looked physically uncomfortable under the gaze of all those in the kitchen.

"Hey, Puck." Will stepped forward and held out his hand. "Glad you could make it."

Quinn let out the breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She watched as Puck glanced at the hand before taking it. "Sure, Mr. Schue. Thanks for inviting me."

Neither man made any mention that it wasn't the first time Noah Puckerman had been invited to Sunday night dinner. Emma stepped forward before the tension could settle in too deep.

"Noah, why don't you come sit over here with Finn. Maybe you can help him with James." James chose that moment to fling baby food at Finn's forehead.

Quinn watched as Kate tugged on Will's jacket and whispered none too quietly, "Daddy, why did Mommy call him Noah? Momma said his name was Puck."

Will looked at Puck and laughed. "Noah is his name, sweetie. Puck is a nickname. Like how I call you Kate."

"But my name is Katharine."

"That's right."

Quinn watched as Puck stared at the little girl hiding behind Will's legs. Except for the eyes, it was like looking at a mini-Puck. He shot her a small smile and a quiet, "Quinn," as he sat in the chair next to Finn. Finn wiped the baby mush off his forehead and clapped Puck on the back, handing him the spoon. "He's all yours."

Quinn finally set the fork down and watched as Puck looked at the spoon and then at the baby. Puck dipped the spoon into the mushy peas and James shook his head.

"Start with the applesauce."

"What?" Puck glanced up at Quinn.

"Start with the applesauce. It's his favorite. Then try the peas."

Puck shook the peas from the spoon and dove into the applesauce. James happily opened up and gobbled it down, getting only half in his mouth and half in his hair.

Will bent down and whispered something in Kate's ear. She nodded and climbed up on Puck's lap.

"Hi."

Puck looked surprised but not uncomfortable at this development. "Hi," he responded.

Quinn wandered over to Will, grabbed his sleeve and dragged him into the living room. "What are you doing?"

His eyebrows scrunched together. "What do you mean?"

"If you're trying to instill father/daughter bonding here, it won't work."

"Quinn, yesterday that girl bonded with the UPS guy. I think Puck's chances are pretty good."

Quinn sighed and rubbed her temples, feeling frustrated. "I don't want him to hurt her."

Will rubbed Quinn's arms as he looked back at Kate animatedly showing Puck how to probably spoon baby food. "He won't. I won't let him."

"You're her father, Will."

"In name only, Quinn."

"You know that's not true." She felt the need to constantly remind him of that fact, even adding a little shove against his chest when he disputed it. He always said that he would back off if Puck ever came back. Of course, Quinn would never let him, but she did wonder what feelings were running through him as Puck sat at his dining room table. "She's yours, Will. Always has been."

"Puck is that little girl's flesh and blood. You can't deny him that."

Quinn crossed her arms over chest. "I never have. It's not my fault he was too much of a coward to show up."

Will sighed and looked at his shoes. "That's not entirely true."

XXXXXXXXXX

Quinn slept peacefully in the hospital room as Will wandered down to the nursery. He stood on the other side of the glass and let his head fall, the stress and exhaustion of the previous night taking hold somewhere between his shoulder blades.

"Mr. Schue?"

Will looked up and saw Puck standing a few feet away. "Puck."

The teen wandered over and looked through the glass, letting the question hang in the air.

"That one." Will pointed to the plastic bassinet containing a small bundle with a pink hat. "That's her."

Puck placed his hand against the window and looked down at her.

"She has your hair."

Puck smiled. "Poor kid."

Will cleared his throat. "Do you want to hold her?"

Puck shook his head. "Nah." He paused, taking a deep breath. "We both know she's not really mine."

"Puck…"

"Take care of 'em, Mr. Schue."

Will nodded. "I will." He watched as Puck turned and headed back down the hall and out of sight.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Anger flooded through Quinn. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She watched the hurt look cross his face at her snap. "I did tell you! But you were still a bit loopy from the drugs."

"Oh." She felt foolish, but she didn't uncross her arms from their protective position in front of her. "And you didn't feel the need to remind me after they wore off?"

"I guess I didn't want to see you get hurt. And that's my fault. I'm sorry."

Quinn nodded. "We promised we wouldn't do that."

"Quinn, I've only ever tried to do what's best for you. You're as much my daughter as she is. You do know that, right?"

"You know I do." She thought back on all he done for her: the bills and the diapers, the midnight feedings and the toys, the holidays and the birthdays. Will was there for it all. Sometimes she thought she saw Puck's truck turn the corner as she played with Kate on the playground, but that was all he ever was. A fleeting glance. Then one day, Will extended the invitation to dinner as he did every week and Puck finally said yes. Quinn had yet to work out why this week of all weeks, he changed his mind, but she thought it best not to delve too deep into the musings of Noah Puckerman.

"Come on." Will held out his arm and looped it around her shoulders. "Five bucks says he's covered in Gerber."

"Ten." Quinn smiled, before a cry erupted from the kitchen. She and Will hurried to find Puck in a state of panic as James wailed in front of him.

"Oh God, what'd I do?"

Emma smiled and placed her hand on Puck's shoulder. "Nothing. He's teething and cranky. You didn't do anything." She handed James a rubber ring and he happily started gnawing away on it.

Puck looked over at Will. "He's got your pipes, Mr. Schue."

Will blushed with fatherly pride. "Puck, you haven't been my student for two years. You can call me Will."

"Sure thing, Mr. Schue."

Quinn smiled and elbowed Will in the ribs. "And you gave me a hard time about not calling you Will."

Will elbowed her back. "It only took you a year and a half."

Quinn could have sworn she saw a ghost of a shadow pass over Puck's face as she and Will bantered back and forth. But like most ghosts, it was gone before she could be sure.

"Five more minutes," Rachel called as she set the oven timer. Kate held onto Finn's leg again as he tried to carry on a conversation with Will about his music scholarship to Ohio State.

"Daddy, where's my bear?"

Will looked down at his daughter as she sat on Finn's shoe, her arms and legs wrapped around him. She squealed as Finn lifted both his leg and her off the ground.

"I don't know, baby, did you leave it at home?"

"I saw it in the playroom," Emma called and Kate scurried into the other room to find it. She returned a moment later and proudly presented the brown teddy with a faded pink bow to Puck.

"Look, his name is 'Bear." Kate looked back up at Will when Puck didn't say anything. Will cleared his throat, watching Puck stare at the worn teddy bear.

"You know who gave you that bear, sweetie?" Kate shook her head and Will pointed to Puck. "He did."

Quinn's eyes darted back and forth between her daughter and the man who fathered her. She watched as Kate stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you for Bear. He's one of my favorites."

Puck hesitated before placing his hand on the little girl's head. "You're welcome."

Quinn cleared her throat, "Dinner's ready."

XXXXXXXX

Will and Quinn stood over the pink bundle as she wailed on the living room floor.

"Is she hungry?"

Quinn shook her head. "I just fed her."

"Burp?"

"Did that, too."

"I think she needs a new diaper," Emma piped up from the couch.

Will raised his eyebrows and looked at Quinn. She stared right back. "You're the older one, Mr. Schue. You're supposed to know how to do this."

"Just because I'm older doesn't mean I come with a manual." Both of them turned around and looked at Emma.

"Absolutely not." She shook her red-head vehemently.

Will sighed. "All right. It can't be that hard." He kneeled down and took out a tiny diaper from the pack.

It took two adults and three diapers before one was finally secured on Kate's squirming body, with Emma cheering from the sidelines. It was a small accomplishment but they celebrated nonetheless.

And when Quinn went to check on her daughter later that evening, she found Will sound asleep on the couch, Kate rising and falling with every breath he took. For not coming with a manual, he did pretty well for himself.

XXXXXXXXX

Quinn shut the front door behind Finn and Rachel and headed back into the living room where Puck sat on the floor listening to Kate categorize her Barbies.

"And this one's from a place called Malibu. I made a Lego car for her to drive. It's green. They don't make pink Legos."

Puck laughed. "Legos, huh?"

Quinn sat down on the sofa, watching them. "Yes, Will's taught her well." And there was that shadow again, flitting across his face.

Quinn glanced up as Emma returned from putting James to bed. She walked over to Will who stood in the doorway of the living room, but not a step closer. Emma put her arm around his back and whispered something in his ear. He gave her a tight smile and nodded back. Quinn frowned.

"Daddy, look!" Kate held up her Barbie in one of its new outfits.

Quinn's heart broke a little when both Puck and Will's heads turned in Kate's direction. Will seemed to notice and cleared his throat, looking down. Emma nudged him. "Will, she's calling you."

When Will raised his head, it wasn't his daughter he was looking at. Puck avoided his gaze and picked at the carpet.

"Daddy!" Kate held her Barbie up even higher and waved it around, as if trying to flag Will down.

Will gripped Emma's hand as he glanced down at his girl. "Look's great, baby."

Kate, pleased with herself, picked up a tiny brush and went to work on the doll's manufactured perm.

Puck cleared his throat and stood, brushing nonexistent lint off his jeans. "I should head out."

Emma stepped forward, as if to say something, but she was tugged back a bit when Will refused to let go of her hand. Quinn watched him grip his wife as if she was a safety net. He expertly avoided her eyes but Quinn could see the insecurity settle over him. It was in the set of his shoulders and the way his legs shifted his weight back and forth. Will Schuester was never very good at hiding his feelings.

Emma finally got her words out, even if she was still attached to her husband. "Puck, you don't have to go. I was just about to make some tea."

"Nah, that's all right, Miss Pillsbury – I mean Mrs. Schue - "

"Emma."

Puck smiled, "Emma. I really should head out. Gotta work early tomorrow."

Kate tugged on Puck's shirt. "You're leaving? But I haven't shown you my green Lego corvette."

Puck gently tugged on a lock of her hair. "Next time, kiddo."

"You'll come back?" Kate looked at Puck with eyes so much like Quinn's. Quinn knew from experience that Puck could hardly ever refuse that look.

"Of course he'll come back, sweetie." It was Will who answered for him. "Sunday night is family night, remember?"

This time, when Puck looked at Will, he didn't look for a distraction on the floor. "Sunday sounds great."

"Yay!" Kate jumped up and down, before Quinn picked her up.

"Easy there, munchkin. Don't get all wound up, it's almost bedtime."

Kate's face immediately fell and she pouted. Puck laughed, "Like mother, like daughter." He cleared his throat and looked at Quinn. "Walk me out?"

Words seem to fail her so Quinn just silently nodded. She deposited Kate in Will's arms without a word and followed Puck to the door. He opened it and stepped onto the stoop, but Quinn remained in the doorway.

"Thanks for inviting me."

She crossed her arms. "Will invited you. He's invited you every Sunday for the past three years."

Puck hung his head. "I know."

Quinn let the obvious question hang in the air, waiting for him to come up with a suitable answer.

Puck scuffed his toe against the brick. "I was scared. When she was born, I just didn't have my shit together. You know that. I wanted to be a family, but… I don't think I really knew what being a family meant. I knew that it sounded good. But I didn't plan ahead for the… responsibility, I guess. Mr. Schue did. He deserved you. And her." He sighed and finally looked up at her. Somehow, he looked older. "And you deserved someone better than me."

"And now?"

And there it was, that classic Noah Puckerman smirk. "I don't know. You tell me."

Quinn rolled her eyes. "You never change."

The smirk faded. "So you think." He stepped down onto the sidewalk and threw a wave over his shoulder. "See you next Sunday."

Quinn didn't know why, or perhaps she just didn't really want to think about it, but her stomach made the tiniest of flips when he said that.

"Don't disappoint me again," she whispered but he was already out of earshot. She sighed as she shut the door and took a moment to gather herself before facing her family again.

Quinn returned to the living room avoiding their glances and flopped down on the chair. "Well, I have to say, that went better than expected."

Emma snorted, "Yes, no broken bones or stitches. A rare occurrence in the Schuester household."

Quinn closed her eyes, remembering the time not too long ago that Kate tried to be helpful and undid James's highchair. He fell and split open his head prompting a late night trip to the ER. Kate cried for a week.

Will laid on the couch and stared at the ceiling, toeing his shoes off one foot at a time. Kate climbed on top of him causing Will to let out an "Oof" as she kneed him in the stomach.

"Sorry, Daddy."

"No problem, baby."

Quinn watched as Kate snuggled deep into the crook of Will's arm, her fingers playing with the collar on his shirt. It was a habit she picked up as a baby, rubbing the fabric of his collars. It was as much of a comfort to her as a blanket or prized animal. Finn's baby blanket and the stuffed bunny were packed way in the attic somewhere. If Quinn had known that all it would take to calm her baby down were Will's shirts, she would have forgone the toys and raided his closet.

She continued to stare at him.

"What, Quinn?"

She jumped not realizing that he had been watching her watch him. "You're being paranoid, Will."

"You were staring at me. How am I the paranoid one?"

She looked significantly at Kate before replying, "That's not what I'm talking about."

Will sighed. "I'm fine." Still, Quinn noticed that he hugged Kate slightly closer, as if someone would come around the corner and take her away.

"Liar."

Will glared at her but the topic was dropped. The return of Puck into their lives complicated things. It messed with the balance that they had worked so hard to build. As she said time and time again, they were a unit. There could be no construction or additions without careful blueprints being drawn up. And the last thing Quinn wanted was for Will to doubt his position in her life and in his daughter's life. After all they had been through, Quinn hoped that he trusted her enough to know that she would never place their unit in jeopardy.

XXXXXXXXXX

Quinn paced back and forth in the nursery, bouncing the screaming 4 month old. She was tired, so so tired. Kate had just started sleeping decent hours and on the odd day when she did wake up in the middle of the night, Will was usually able to sing her back to sleep. But that was the problem. Will was gone.

Quinn had told him to go, told him not to worry, she could handle it. And now here she was, close to tears and ready to tear her hair out because she couldn't even get her own daughter to sleep. She felt like a failure as Kate screamed louder. What would the neighbors think?

Quinn bit her lip as she made her way to the living room. Perhaps a change of scenery? No, Kate didn't seem to care. White walls or green, she screamed all the louder. Quinn glanced at Will's open bedroom door and silently cursed it.

But what right did she have? He was spending his first night away from the house in months. Months. Since well before Kate was born. He should be allowed to have a life outside of her and the baby. But when she brought this up, as a way to convince him to get out more and ease the guilt she felt, he responded with "You two are part my life."

Sure, she knew exactly where he was: with the person that made up the other part of his life. He made sure she had Emma's phone number and address before he left, even though she had been to Emma's apartment many times before. Will always was the cautious one.

As Quinn pressed her cheek to her baby's in an effort to comfort the child, she paused mid-"shhh." Kate's forehead felt surprisingly warm. Quinn felt it again. Yes, definitely warm. Hot even. Frustration gave way to sheer panic. Her baby was sick and she was all alone.

She stared at Will's open bedroom door and debated for a whole five minutes before she threw clothes on and packed the baby in the car. The drive to Emma's was short but loud. Kate's wailing reached all time highs and her face went from pink to red. Quinn hit the gas pedal harder.

Hurrying up to Emma's condo, she knocked on the front door and waited. No answer. She knocked harder. No answer. She banged until her hand hurt and the door was suddenly flung open to reveal Will in nothing but a pair of boxers, brandishing a dustbuster as a weapon, his eyes bleary with sleep.

"What do you – Quinn? What are you doing here?" Quinn watched as the confusion drained from his face when he looked down at Kate in her arms. Panic took its place. "What's wrong?"

"Will?" Emma appeared over his shoulder tying up a robe. "Quinn, are you all right?"

At that moment, the stress, exhaustion, and terror took over and she let out a sob. "No, I'm not all right. She's sick and she won't stop crying and I can't do anything to help her. I'm a…" she hiccupped "terrible mother. I'm so sorry to wake you" hiccup "up."

Will took Kate out of Quinn's arms and felt her forehead. "Jesus." He turned to Emma. "Can you grab my clothes? We're going to the hospital."

"Hospital?" Quinn squeaked out.

"I'm coming, too." Emma left no room for discussion as she disappeared back inside to grab their clothes.

"Hospital? Why are we going to the hospital? Is it really that bad?" The worry caused Quinn's voice to go unnaturally high.

Will hugged her to him with his spare arm and ushered her into the condo. "It's going to be okay. It's just a precaution. She has a high fever and she's very tiny. But she's going to be just fine."

Quinn's sobs subsided to sniffles. "You don't know that."

"No, I don't. But I have a pretty good idea."

Quinn ran her finger across her baby's cheek. "I'm scared."

Will bounced Kate up and down and hummed in her ear. "Quinn, babies get sick everyday. Kate's no different."

Quinn gripped his arm. "Did I do something wrong? What if I… left the window open or something. It's cold out and –"

Will cut off her rambling by hugging her to him and placing a kiss on her forehead. "You're a great mother. You don't give yourself enough credit."

"I'm sorry I woke you up," she mumbled into his chest. "I'm sorry I ruined your night."

"Hey." He put a finger to her lips. "Not another word."

Emma returned fully dressed and handed Will his clothes. They piled into the car and made it to the hospital in record time. Lima, Ohio at 3am wasn't exactly a bustling place.

When the doctor asked who the baby's parents were, Will and Quinn stepped forward. When the doctor asked for family medical history, Will stepped back again.

He put up a calm, confident front for Quinn, but in a moment when he thought he was all alone, she heard him whispering over Kate's crib. "Katharine Willa, you gave your mother quite a scare." She watched as he leaned down and ran a finger across her cheek. "Gave your father quite a scare too."

Kate spent two and a half days in the hospital. Will was there for all 60 hours.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Katie-girl, time to get up." Quinn rubbed her palm across her daughter's back until drowsy eyes slowly opened and squinted in the sunlight streaming through the window.

"Momma?"

"Who else would it be, silly? Come on. We have to have breakfast and get ready for pre-school."

"Pancakes!"

Quinn couldn't help but laugh as the thought of fluffy pancakes covered in gooey maple syrup got her daughter out of bed in a hot second. Kate kicked the covers back and ran out the bedroom.

"Wait, you need clothes, munchkin!" Quinn knew it was going to be one of those mornings: Kate would refuse to eat anything other than whatever breakfast she happened to desire that day, then insist on wearing her pajamas to school, then struggle with her mother as she brushed her hair, and finally try and sneak out the door without brushing her teeth. Quinn rubbed her temple. She could already feel a headache coming on.

The doorbell rang and Quinn groaned. She jogged down the hallway and open the door, revealing a smiley Will on the other side.

"You're early."

"You're late."

"No, I'm not." Quinn looked at her watch. "Crap!" She sprinted down the hall, into the tiny kitchen leaving Will to shut the door behind her. "Kate, let's go! We're late!"

Kate stood on her tiptoes trying to pull her purple plastic cup down from the counter. "But I want pancakes."

Quinn grabbed the cup for her and poured a glass of milk. "Baby, we don't have time for pancakes."

"Daddy!" Kate jumped in Will's arms as he rounded the corner into the kitchen.

"Pancakes, huh?" Will glanced at Quinn and she glared right back, shaking her head.

"How about this: how about Momma gets your outfit out while I whip up some pancakes, huh? Sound good?"

"We don't have time," Quinn spit out through gritted teeth.

Will bounced Kate in his arms. "I'm dropping her off at school and I have a first period free so if I'm late, who cares. Just set her clothes out and I'll make sure she gets there. You won't be late for class. And she won't miss their daily hokey pokey."

Will grinned as Kate started singing, "You put your right foot in, you put your right foot out…"

Quinn's decision to take classes at the local community college was fully supported by Will and Emma. They took the brunt of the morning routine off of her, shuttling Kate to pre-school and her bitty ballet class. It was something for which she was incredibly grateful. Quinn glanced back and forth between two sets of puppy-dog eyes, cheeks pressed together in solidarity. Father and daughter looked absolutely nothing alike, but Kate had picked up many of Will's more frustrating yet endearing facial expressions.

"Fine. Munchkin, are you in a pink mood or purple mood?"

Kate looked down at Will's blue and green striped tie. "Blue!"

Quinn sighed and disappeared into Kate's bedroom as the crash of a metal mixing bowl reverberated around the kitchen. She shook her head, yet laughed. One of them, and she had a pretty good hunch on which one, would be covered in flour by the time she returned.

Sure enough, seven minutes later she came back to find Will with a good dose of flour smeared across his cheek and a maple syrup stain on his tie. Kate sat at the kitchen table, happily munching away on her breakfast. Quinn walked up and dabbed at the stain with a wet paper towel.

"You'll need to borrow James's bib next time."

Will gave her a wry smile. "I learned my lesson a long time ago. There's an extra tie in my bag."

"Of course there is." Quinn wiped up the last of the syrup and turned to her daughter. "Katie, your backpack's by the door. Don't forget to brush your teeth."

"Yes, Momma."

Quinn turned to make sure Will got the message. "Yes, Momma," he repeated.

Quinn rolled her eyes, grabbed her bag and blew two air kisses to her family.

She received two in return.

XXXXXXXXXX

It had taken them eight and a half months of living together for the first fight to come to a head. And boy did it. A little disagreement over Kate's care had turned the Schuester household into no man's land.

"Quinn, I didn't mean it like that." Will paced back and forth in the living room, running his hands through his unruly hair. It was 3am and Emma had taken the Kate to her place before Will and Quinn could come to blows.

"Oh really? Then in what way did you mean it because I'm pretty sure that you just called me a bad mother."

"Quinn, you know I don't think that. That's not what I - "

She cut him off. "I'm doing the best I can!"

"We both are!"

When Quinn got emotional, she got on the defensive. When Quinn got emotional and hormonal, there was really nothing either she or Will could do to calm her down. "You don't know what's best for her."

"But I'm learning," Will pleaded with her.

"I should've called Puck."

"Don't say that. Please."

"What do you care? She's his daughter, not yours!"

Will stepped back as if he'd been slapped. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out so he closed it again.

Quinn felt like a cement block had just been dropped on her chest. There was really only one way she could hurt Will Schuester and she just threw it in his face without a second thought. Quinn closed her eyes, feeling hot tears fall onto her cheeks.

"Will," she took a step towards him. He took a step back. "Will, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it."

He looked down at the ground. "Yes, you did. And you're right. She's not mine."

Quinn lost her battle to keep her composure and her voice cracked. "But she is. In every way that matters."

Will looked at her, his face full of resignation. "Not in the way you need." He grabbed his coat and keys and walked out the door without a glance back.

When Emma told Quinn at 4am that she hadn't seen him, Quinn threw her coat on and walked the neighborhood. He had the advantage of a car, but she walked for him anyway.

She returned at 7am to an empty apartment. She called Emma again at 7:10 and he was still nowhere to be found.

Quinn waited on the couch until the front door opened at 9:13 and Will walked in.

"Hi," she sighed, a mixture of relief and exhaustion.

"Hi." He sat on the couch next to her and wiped the tears off her cheeks. Quinn leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry."

"I know."

"I didn't mean it."

"I know."

"Please don't do that again."

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Few words were needed. They'd used them all last night.

XXXXXXXXXX

Quinn opened the door with the spare key and dropped her bag next to James's sneakers and Emma's pink and yellow umbrella. The house was surprisingly quiet for 4pm. Usually when Quinn swung by Will and Emma's to pick up Kate, she was lucky if she could her herself think, let alone carry on a conversation.

"Hello? Emma?"

Emma walked into the hallway from the living room rubbing hand sanitizer in between her fingers.

"Hey, Quinn. How was your day?"

"Busy. If I didn't understand Statistics in high school, I have no idea what made me think I was going to grasp it in college."

Emma laughed, ushering Quinn into the kitchen where James banged his arms on the highchair at the sight of her. She placed a kiss on his forehead and picked some cheerios out of his hair.

"Where's Kate?"

Emma frowned. "What do you mean? James and I just got home. I assumed Will had her."

The panic took hold somewhere in Quinn's chest. "Where are they? It's Monday. Monday is Will's day."

Emma moved towards Quinn, sensing her rising anxiety, and attempted to seat her in a chair. Quinn bypassed the chair and paced around the kitchen.

"I'm sure Will has her. They probably stopped for ice cream or something else that she's not allowed to have."

As Emma tried to rationalize, Quinn had her cell phone out and was already dialing Will's number. Every passing ring echoed louder in her ear.

"He's not answering." Just as Quinn was about to hit redial, the front door opened and she could hear her daughter's voice.

"What do you mean, We should knock? I live here. I don't need to knock."

Quinn looked down the hallway, cell phone still in hand, to see Kate shrugging out of her tiny pink backpack, leading Puck in by his sleeve.

Puck answered Kate, "Yeah, you live here." His gaze moved to Quinn. "I don't."

Kate hurled herself down the hallway and into Quinn's arms. "Momma!"

"Munchkin, where have you been? I was worried."

"Uncle Puck picked me up."

"Oh?" Quinn avoided Puck's gaze, even though she could feel his on her. "And where's Daddy?'

Kate shrugged her shoulders with all the indifference a three year old could muster and wiggled out of her mother's arms before launching herself at Emma.

"Uh, Mr. Schue called and said something came up. Knowing Mrs. Schue was busy with the tot," he nodded at James, "and you had a late class, his options were slim. Both Finn and Rachel are back at campus."

"And he called you?"

Puck made a sound that was a mixture of sarcasm and defeat. "Like I said. It was slim pick'ns."

Quinn's mouth formed a silent 'o.' "And how'd he get your number?"

"What's with the inquisition?"

"I didn't mean it like - "

Emma piped up from the table, silencing the escalating war of words. "He's had it. Puck's number, that is. He's had it since before Kate was born. You know, 'just in case,' he always said."

Both Puck and Quinn looked down at their shoes, scuffing them against the hardwood.

"Well, you got your daughter safe and sound. I'll be heading out."

The use of 'your daughter' was not lost on Quinn and she mustered out a "Thank you" as he headed towards the door. Emma hurried up behind her and nudged her in the back.

"Ask him for dinner," she whispered.

"But it's not Sunday," Quinn retorted and received a stern glare from Emma in return. She groaned and called out Puck's name against her better judgment. "Wait."

He paused, hand on the doorknob. "Yeah?"

"Stay for dinner. I mean, if you can. Or want to."

His hand wavered ever so slightly. "You sure?"

Quinn felt herself smile. "Positive."

Puck sauntered back into the kitchen, much to the delight of one little girl. He even sat down across from James and fed him dry cheerios without being prompted to do so. Quinn silently watched the scene from the other side of the kitchen island, taking in the details: the way Puck's eyes showed nothing but rapt attention when Kate was talking to him or his lack of frustration when James threw cheerios at his nose.

With all the excitement in the kitchen, though, she couldn't help but think about Will and his motives in calling Puck. She glanced at the front door, expecting him to walk in.

Three hours and nine phone calls later, Will still hadn't come home.