"Ok, so remember, we're meeting at the mall on Saturday at six-thirty for caroling at Christmas in the Center! Oh, and hey! Merry Christmas, guys!"

Quinn got to her feet, joining the line of glee kids filing out, waving goodbye to Mr. Schu as they went.

"Quinn? Could you stick around for a second?"

Quinn stopped on her way out of the doorway, and turned to go back into the rehearsal room, shrugging at the inquisitive looks her friends threw her as she pushed past.

"Have a seat," Mr. Schuster told her as the rest of the Glee Club exited, their happy chatter echoing down the hall. She sat obediently in the chair he offered, catching Puck's eye as he lingered curiously in the doorway and jerking her head angrily towards the hallway until he slunk away.

"How are you doing?" Mr. Schuster asked, settling back against the piano. "How are things going with the baby?"

"Fine," Quinn replied, confused. "Mr. Schuster, what's going on?"

Her teacher sighed. "Quinn we need to talk about the… arrangement you had with my wife."

Quinn let out an involuntary gasp. "Mr Schu, how did you…"

"I found out that Terri wasn't actually pregnant," said Mr. Schuster. "And she told me that she was planning on adopting your baby, and I just… I feel so responsible. So," he continued, suddenly business-like. "I found all these adoption agencies online, and there are a few that look really good—"

"Look, Mr. Schuster," Quinn interrupted, looking down at her hands. "I really appreciate your concern, but I'm not going to just give her away." At his confused look, she explained, "I mean, yeah I sometimes had my doubts about your wife, but you guys had a nice home and well… I knew you were gonna make a really great father. But I don't think I could part with her for anything less. I'm going to do this on my own."

"Your parents aren't supportive?"

Quinn laughed, reaching to her neckline, and pulling out the slim gold cross that hung there. "Please. One moment I'm the president of the celibacy club, the next one I'm pregnant?"

"Oh my God, Quinn, I am so sorry. Where are you staying?"

"At Brittany's. Her parents are really nice, and they had her when they were young, too."

"And what about Puck? He doesn't want to be involved?"

"Quite the opposite, actually," said Quinn, running an anxious hand through her hair. "He really wants to help but I know he's not ready to be a father."

Mr. Schuster frowned. "How do you know that?"

"Mr. Schu, he can't go a minute without hooking up with some girl behind the bleachers or sending her a dirty text message. Even if he does love me, I can't live like that."

Mr. Schuster sighed. "Look, I knew guys like Puck in high school. I know his type. But I also know him. And yeah, I've seen the way he looks at Santana, or Rachel, but I've also seen the way he looks at you. I've seen that look before, Quinn, and it's a rare one."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying maybe Puck deserves a second chance. Don't you owe it to your daughter to find out?"

Quinn felt the anger rise inside her. "Look, Mr. Schuster, its really nice that you care, and all, but you don't know anything about what's going on here!"

"I know I don't, but Quinn—"

"I have to go," Quinn muttered, standing quickly. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Schuster."

Quinn shoved open the main school entrance and the cold air hit her like a cement wall, stealing away her breath. She let it wash over her for a few moments, taking a deep breath and watching her exhale cloud in the frigid night air.

She thrust her hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone, dialing quickly. "Brittany, where are you?

"Quinn?"

"Yeah, its me."

"Are you still at school?"

"Where else would I be? Where are you?"

"Oh, um, I went home."

"God, Brittany!" Quinn growled.

"I'm sorry!" Brittany whined.

Quinn sighed. "It's fine. I'll find a ride from somebody." She hung up, and put her phone back into her pocket. She let her head fall back until she was staring up at the stars, trying to hold in her tears.

"Hey."

She whirled around. He was standing a few feet back, just outside the doorway, hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched against the cold.

"What are you still doing here, Puck?" she asked wearily.
"Waiting for you. What did Schuster want?"

"He wanted to tell me that he and his wife aren't adopting the baby. He found out she wasn't really pregnant."

"Well did they break up?"

Quinn sighed. "Probably. I can't imagine him staying with her after that. Plus I heard that Miss Pillsbury didn't go through with her wedding, so…"

"She didn't?" He asked, walking closer. "God, poor Coach Tenaka. He's probably heartbroken."

"Yeah well, they were an ill-suited couple anyway," Quinn replied.

"Well, I think we know a few of those around here," Puck said, bumping her shoulder lightly with his. She cracked a small smile, making him grin. "So, uh, what're gonna do now?" he asked her after a moment of silence.

Quinn heaved a sigh. "I don't know. I really don't know. I was so sure I could do this alone, but without my parents? I want so badly to be independent, but I just don't see how…" she choked back a sob, hiding her face in her hands. "I don't want to do this, Noah," she admitted, tears overflowing to stream down her face, strangely warm in the cold December air. "I don't want to raise our baby all by myself."

"I know you don't, babe," Puck murmured comfortingly, folding her in his arms. He was strong and warm, and Quinn was too tired to protest. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing into his shoulder. He stroked her back, rocking her gently until her tears slowed. When she tipped her head back to look up at him her eyes widened. Tears had made tracks down Puck's cheeks, glimmering in the light from the lamppost a few feet away, and his eyes were bloodshot, the lashes glistening and waterlogged. Mr. Schuster's voice sounded in her head, "Maybe Puck deserves a second chance."

Carefully, Quinn pulled back and reached up a hand to touch his cheek. She tugged off her glove with her teeth and gently wiped a few tears away with her thumb. Puck froze. Drawing in a deep breath, she slid her hands to the sides of his face and pulled herself up onto her tiptoes. Tentatively, she touched her lips to his cheekbone, tasting salt. Gaining confidence, Quinn moved her lips upward to his eyelid, gently kissing away his tears.

"I'm clean, you know," Puck said suddenly.

"What?" she asked, pulling away.

"For a whole month now," Puck continued, wiping away his remaining tears. "You can ask Santana or anyone else. No sexts for a month."

Quinn almost stopped breathing. "Really?"

"My hand to God," he said. "I told you I wanted to be with you, but telling you wasn't enough, so I'm proving it."

Quinn stared at him for a long moment. "Do you miss it?" she asked finally.

Puck smiled. "Not right now," he said, tightening his arms around her waist.

Quinn laughed. "A-are you serious?" she stammered.

"As a heart attack. Come on, call Santana, or Molly Hayes, or Jenna Laffrey or any hot girl I ever texted. They'll all tell you, none of them have heard from me since last month. Here!" He pulled out his phone.

"It's ok," Quinn said, pushing his hand away. "If you say you're telling the truth, I believe you."

"You do?" Puck asked.

"I do," Quinn replied. "That's how a family works, isn't it?"

"Family?" Puck inquired, smiling.

"Look, Noah, this isn't going to a walk in the park. I want to make sure you know that. Our lives the way we live them now will be over."

"But think about it," said Puck. "In a few months, there's gonna be this new person in our lives who we're gonna love more than anything. And we're gonna get to watch her grow and become her own person." He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek. "How cool is that?"

Quinn laughed, resting her face against his palm. "Yeah, I guess that is pretty cool, huh?"

"Exactly. This isn't just an end, it's a beginning, too. I think you need to remember that. And you don't need to worry about me, I know what I'm signing up for."

"Good," she said. "Because we're gonna need to tell your parents, and I don't know how they feel about Christian girls…"

"Oh shit!" Puck's eyes widened. "I completely forgot you're Christian. You know what, never mind," he said, pulling away from her. "Bye, Quinn, its been fun!"

"Shut up, you idiot," Quinn laughed, pulling him back to her.

Puck grinned. Letting himself be tugged back, he took her by the waist and caught her lips in a kiss.

Quinn sighed, folding her arms around his neck to return his kiss. After a moment, Puck pulled away. "You need a ride back to Brittany's?"

Quinn sighed. "Yeah that'd be great," she replied, eyes still closed.

"Come on," said Puck, sliding his fingers through hers.

"So I had an idea for a name," he told her as they set out across the parking lot, snow beginning to fall.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Uhuh," he said. "Drizzle!"

"Shut up," she muttered, bumping his shoulder with hers.

"Oh, no, wait!" He said, pointing to the sky. "Snow! Snowy. Snowing?"

Quinn giggled.

"No, Hail!" he said.

"Hailey," Quinn replied. They both stopped.

"Hailey," Puck tried. He smiled. "I like it, do you like it?"

Quinn smiled back up at him. "I do."

"Hailey," Puck said again as they began walking. "Ooh, or Flurry, like snow? Flurry Puckerman? Flurry Fabray sounds better…"

Quinn laughed. "We are so not naming our daughter Flurry."

"Why not?"

"Because. Its awful."

"I think it's nice."

"Shut up."

"You shut up!" Puck wrapped his arm around her shoulders and Quinn tucked her head against his chest and together they advanced into the snowy night.

~*~*~

So there you are, folks. My sappy happy ending. Hope you enjoyed it, because I did!

I think I may have set myself up for a sequel by naming the baby… maybe over break…

I'm in the middle of exam week so reviews will make me cry and whine about my stress less!