AU Note: Thank you all for reviewing, and for putting this story on your alerts! I am really grateful for any feedback I get. Here's chapter 3! A little Quinn and Artie interaction. After all, the boy sorely needs some better advice. And who better to give it than someone who fell for Puck's wily ways?


Support System

You're going to need to step up your game.

Artie stared, dumbfounded, at the crisp piece of notebook paper in front of him and read the message that was neatly written in purple pen on it one more time. He looked across the table at the girl who had passed him the note just seconds ago and mouthed "What?"

She gestured impatiently at the note, motioning for him to write back to her.

Artie sighed and wondered exactly what universe he was in right now. He knew he should have been suspicious the moment Quinn Fabray walked into the library and sat down across from him. They'd been in the library at the same time before, but she had never, ever sat near him. Not even after she joined Glee. Not even after the whole world found out she was pregnant and she was relegated to the bottom of the food chain like the rest of the school's "losers." She had always been too good for Artie, and now they were passing notes?

He scribbled hastily on the piece of paper: What are you talking about? He folded it and passed it back across the table.

Quinn opened the note, rolled her eyes and wrote: I'm talking about Tina, you jerk. She scrunched up the note and tossed it back to him.

Artie uncrumpled the note, and went a little paler as he scanned what was written. What did Quinn know about him and Tina? And if she knew…how many others did too? Did the whole school see Tina yell at him in the hall just now? Artie stifled a groan.

"I heard she yelled at you in the hall after lunch," Quinn whispered. "Can't say you didn't deserve it."

"Shh! No talking in the library," said the disgruntled old hag of a librarian, as she fixed a disapproving eye on Quinn.

Quinn glared right back at the librarian and said in a voice that distinctly communicated the fact that she was hormonal and possibly emotionally unhinged "I'm discussing this algebra problem with my friend, so back off lady."

Quinn then turned the same glare on Artie, and he shrunk a little in his wheelchair. "Geez, Quinn. Pissed off, much?"

"Not as pissed off as I hear Tina was." Quinn retorted, bringing them back on topic.

Artie grimaced a little at the memory, but rearranged his features into his best I-don't-care face. "Whatever. I don't even know why she was so damn pissy. It's not like she can even blame it on hormones like you. Unless she was PMS-ing."

Quinn exhaled loudly, clearly exasperated. "Are you stupid? Did someone drop you on your head when you were a baby? Or were you just born that way?"

"Hey! I was minding my own damn business before you showed up. I don't really feel like being personally attacked right now." Artie grumbled, trying to turn back to his History essay.

"And you think Tina felt like being personally attacked? She told all us girls what you said the other day, Artie. At first I couldn't believe it, because you seem so…harmless, so nice. Different. But it turns out all guys are the same. Scum." Quinn said bitterly.

"I didn't even say anything that bad! You're grilling me like I'm a goddamned murder suspect over here!" Artie shot back, trying to keep his voice low so as to not attract any unwanted attention from the librarian.

"Didn't say anything that bad?" Quinn said, incredulously. "You are an idiot. You told her that you didn't like anything about her, and that if she wanted to be with you, she'd have to be somebody else!"

"That's…that's not what I said." Artie muttered. He could feel his neck beginning to flush, and he really, really didn't like the way Quinn was looking at him.

"You told her you didn't like her makeup or her clothes, when you know very well that's how Tina expresses herself. And you told her that she needed to wear tighter clothing if she wanted to be with you! And you know she's crazy about you, and that she'd do anything for you." Quinn continued, her voice shaking.

"You exploited that. You took advantage of the way she feels about you, and you tore her down. Isn't her self-esteem low enough without your help?" Quinn finished.

"God. When you put it like that…you make me sound…awful." Artie said, a little remorsefully.

Quinn softened a little at the sight of Artie's face. He does look sorry. Maybe I should cut him some slack.

"I didn't think I'd hurt her that badly. I just…I just wanted her to see me as a stud, as someone who was manly and in control." Artie said. "I don't want her to think of me as useless…" he gestured at his wheelchair. "I wanted to show her I could be a strong guy."

Quinn smiled a little at this. "You're so misguided, Artie. Tina already thinks you're Superman – I can tell by the way she looks at you. I can't believe you thought that preying on a girl's weaknesses would make her like and admire you."

"It worked for you." Artie mumbled under his breath.

"Wait, what?" Quinn said, not quite sure she heard him right.

Artie couldn't quite bring himself to lift his head and look Quinn in the eye. "Puck said-" Artie clapped his hand over his mouth, unsure of whether or not he should go any further.

That time she definitely heard him. "Puck said what?" Quinn lowered her head so that she was eye-level again with Artie, staring at him long and hard.

Artie just shook his head. Puck is going to kill me.

Suddenly it dawned on her. The stupid boy went to Puck of all people for love advice. No wonder…

Quinn started to giggle uncontrollably. She tried valiantly to stifle her laughter and her face was turning purple from her effort.

Artie looked up, shocked. Has she gone crazy?

"Are-are you OK?" Artie asked, a little afraid of what her answer might be.

Quinn took a few deep breaths and calmed down. "You went to Puck for advice, didn't you? And he told you that if you insult a girl, she'll think she's not good enough for you and she'll fall all over herself trying to win your approval." She paused. "Like I did."

The guilty look on Artie's face said it all.

"Artie. Do you actually want to be with Tina? Go to the movies with her? Veg out on the couch and watch TV with her? Take her out to dinner? Or do you want to sleep with her once, maybe twice, and then forget she exists?" Quinn asked.

Artie flushed beet red and mumbled, "Be with her."

"That's what I thought." Quinn said, triumphantly. "Don't you see? Puck doesn't have girlfriends. He has conquests. And I was stupid enough to fall for his trick. Because, let's face it – he is really, really good-looking."

"But when I got pregnant? And what I needed was a support system? I knew he wasn't going to be able to give up his Casanova ways to get serious about being with me. I lied so that I wouldn't have to do this with him. I lied because I knew Finn, as dumb as he is sometimes, would be a better support system than Puck could ever be."

Quinn shook her head. "But this isn't about me. It's about how you're going to make it up to Tina. She deserves better than Puck's moves."

Artie was quiet for what seemed like an eternity. He nodded slowly. "I fucked this one up, big time, huh?"

He looked at Quinn and smiled a little. "You're surprisingly nice. And observant."

"I didn't even think you thought twice about people like me and Tina. I never thought I'd see the day that you'd stick up for her," Artie continued.

Quinn shrugged. "I know I haven't always been…great to you guys. But I like Tina. She's starting to come out of her shell…and I feel like I've gotten to know her a little 'cause of Glee."

Quinn's face brightened a little, "She came up with these kick-ass dance moves for our Madonna song. Rachel is probably going to try and take the credit…"

Quinn rolled her eyes, "But really, Tina did the bulk of the choreography. And she was worried that I'd be jostling the baby too much. She kept asking me if she needed to change the steps."

"Anyway, I think she's too good for your sorry ass." Quinn finished, jokingly.

"I want to make it right." Artie said, earnestly.

"You will." Quinn stood up, and started putting her books back into her book bag.

Artie looked up at Quinn and flashed her a small smile. "Thanks for knocking some sense into me." He paused. "For what it's worth, I think you're doing a really good job of handling all…this," he gestured awkwardly towards her stomach.

"You don't need to settle for Puck if you don't want to. You have the rest of us Glee club losers, too."

Quinn smiled, her eyes a little moist. "That means a lot, Artie. I'm trying, I guess." She chuckled. "Not being mean to others. That's what a mother would do, right?"

"Plus, I'm a sucker for a good love story. Mine might be on temporary hold right now," Quinn said wistfully, her hand on her belly, "But there's no reason you and Tina can't have yours."

Quinn picked up her book bag, hooking the strap over her shoulder. "I should go. But, I'll see you later, at Glee?"

Artie nodded. "See you later, Quinn." He turned to face his much-neglected History essay.

I've got to make it up to Tina.