A/N: Welcome to chapter 6! First of all, I would like to thank you all for the great reviews. They have been very encouraging. This chapter came together fairly quickly because I had part of it already written. As promised, someone ends up in the hospital. Winter break is over so this chapter covers the time from early to late January. Look for Valentine's Day goodness in the next chapter. I realized that I've been making Quinn pretty nice and sweet, so I decided to bring back a little bit of the HBIC (Head Bitch In Charge). Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Going back at school after two and a half weeks off was not an easy routine to get back into. Quinn had gotten used to sleeping in late and wasting her days away watching daytime talk shows and reading books and magazines. After New Year's Eve, her relationship with Puck had changed. She no longer kept her guard up, but opened herself up to him completely. They were a real couple now in every sense of the word. She loved it when he kissed her before he left for the garage in the morning and loved waiting for him to return in the afternoons. Because he was working longer shifts almost every day, Quinn would make him a lunch and drive it over to him and they would eat together. If people didn't know better, they would probably assume that they were a married couple who had been together forever.

Quinn didn't mind going back to classes. Almost all of the baby drama had died down. She no longer heard people whispering about her in the hallways, or calling her things like "slut" or "whore" like she did before. She didn't know if it was because they stopped caring, or that they knew she was dating Puck, or if she was just so happy that she didn't really pay attention to what people she no longer cared about were doing. Regardless, she was glad not to be the topic of discussion anymore. It was almost as if she was invisible. Quinn also welcomed some of the work as well, because it gave her something to do when Puck was at practice or at work. She was happy to be back at rehearsals for glee, too. During the first week back, Mr. Schue wanted them to find a new "hello", whatever that meant. When Rachel sang "Gives You Hell", Quinn didn't know who she felt worse for, Finn or Rachel, until the club found out that Rachel was dating the star of Vocal Adrenaline, Jesse St. James. She felt sorry for Rachel for the way the rest of the kids had reacted.

"Why do you care what they think?" Quinn asked her one day before their English class began.

"Are you talking to me?" Rachel responded.

"Yes, I'm talking to you."

"Oh, because usually you ignore me and I never thought you would ever speak to me after I told Finn about the baby."

"I told you before, I'm not mad at you. In some crazy way, I guess I should be thanking you."

"For what?"

"If you hadn't told Finn, I don't know if I ever would have. Lying about it was just so convenient, so I lied to everyone, including myself. I decided that I shouldn't care anymore what people think. Which leads me back to my question."

"I don't really know. They already don't really like me, although I suspect it is just because they feel inferior to me because they lack my vocal ability. I just don't want to hurt the team."

"So you're going to give up a chance at love for the team?" Quinn asked. Maybe she was still a little selfish and self-centered, but she thought Rachel was being more ridiculous than usual.

"Yes? Don't you think that's what's best, too?"

"Honestly? I think it sounds completely stupid. And I'm not saying that just so you can forget about Finn, even though I'm totally over him. You actually put a lot of effort into glee. Don't you think you should deserve to do something for yourself?"

"You're right," Rachel said. "But what if it doesn't work out and I take this big risk, this gamble of epic proportions for nothing?"

"Someone once told me that life if just a bunch of experiences," Quinn remembered with a smile. "If it works out with you and Jesse, awesome. If it doesn't, then you learn from it and move on."

"Thanks Quinn, this really helped a lot."

"You're welcome," Quinn replied. "But, you know, this doesn't mean we're friends or anything."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Puck was exchanging books at his locker when he felt a hand brush over his shoulder.

"I missed you at Mike's party last week," Santana said, standing in front of him.

"What do you want?"

"Why weren't you there? Chang said you would be."

"I had other plans," Puck replied.

"Like what? Playing house with Quinn?"

"Go away."

"No, seriously, Puck," she said placing her hand on his arm. "I missed you over break. I didn't have anyone to kiss at midnight."

"That's your problem. I had someone."

"Are you really telling me that you don't miss us? We're smoking hot together."

Puck swallowed hard. Santana had some sort of power that must render men speechless. He had to be honest with himself, sex with her was decent, and she was always willing to give it up. But it never meant anything, he thought.

"Number one, no, I don't miss us. Number two, there never was an us. Look, whatever you think we were, we're done. Can't you take a hint? If I'm not calling you or texting you, it's because I don't want to be with you."

"So you would rather commit reputation suicide by being with Quinn?" Santana asked in disbelief. "In case you haven't noticed, her status is rock bottom while mine is sky high."

"You know something? You're not hot shit. You weren't even that awesome in bed."

"Oh, like Tubbers is any better?"

"Actually," Puck said in a low voice with one of his signature grins. "She is. Chew on that for awhile."

The head cheerleader stood for a moment in stunned silence as Puck slammed his locker shut and walked away. Neither one of them noticed Quinn standing at the other end of the hallway. Even though she couldn't hear anything, she knew she had seen enough.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On days when Puck didn't have to work, Quinn usually waited in the school library while he was at basketball practice. The day she saw Santana and Puck near his locker, however, she marched straight to the gym when school let out.

"Brittany, have you seen Santana?" she asked, walking up to the blonde before Cheerios practice.

"She's talking to Coach Sylvester about something. I'm not sure what. Ever since I told them about my dog turning into a unicorn during the full moon, Coach Sylvester doesn't let me come into her office. I don't know why."

"Thanks," Quinn said with a smile. Sometimes, she missed being in cheerleading just because she missed out on all of the pearls of wisdom Britt had to share.

Quinn approached Coach Sylvester's office just as Santana was leaving.

"I want to talk to you, Santana," she said firmly.

"What do you want Preggers?" she replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "I have to get to cheerleading practice."

"I saw you talking to Puck today. Leave him alone."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, you heard me. Were you not in glee practice on Monday when Puck made it clear that we're officially together now, or are you just deaf?"

"How long do you think that will last for, princess? You and I both know that Puck can't be tied down."

"He's never tried."

"So you think he's going to try with you?" Santana scoffed. "Here's the deal, he's only with you because he knocked you up and he doesn't want to be a deadbeat like his dad. Nice job trapping him.

"Maybe thats what you tell yourself to make it through the night, but I know that's not true," Quinn said without flinching. "So I will tell you again, leave Puck alone."

"Or what? What are you going to do to me in the state you're in?"

"I may be pregnant," Quinn said quietly as she moved to stand within inches of Santana and looked her straight in the eyes. "But I can still smack that stupid little smile off of your face and then my two best friends will come and finish the job for me. Are we clear?"

"Is there a problem ladies?" Coach Sylvester asked, coming out of her office.

"I don't know, is there?"

"No," Santana replied icily and walked away.

"You know Q, sometimes I do miss having you around. If we decide to add a blimp to our routine, I'll let you know."

Quinn wasn't exactly sure if that was Coach Sylvester's version of a compliment, but she took it as one and made her way down to the library.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Santana tried to talk to me today," Puck said, setting down his Wii remote. They had been playing Wii bowling since they had finished their homework.

"I know," Quinn replied, placing her own on the coffee table.

"You do?"

"Yeah, I saw her."

"It's not what you think. She was trying to get me to get with her. But I swear, I told her 'no'."

"I believe you."

"You do?" Puck said in disbelief.

"Yup. Which is why, after school, I told her to stay away from you, or else she would have to answer to me."

"You know, you're really hot when you get bitchy."

"Puck," Quinn said seriously. "She told me that you were only with me because of the baby, because I trapped you. Is that true?"

At the time, Quinn was focusing so hard on not clawing Santana's face off to wonder if there was really any truth to her words. As the day went on, though, it started to gnaw at Quinn, making her doubt herself.

"Are you kidding me?" Puck asked. "No fucking way. I told you that I wanted to be with you. If there was no baby and you were still with Finn, I would probably still be trying to get with you. I love you."

"I love you, too," Quinn replied, sliding into Puck's open arms. "I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Do you know, I totally called her out? I even told her she wasn't very good in bed."

"I'm sure that bruised her ego."

"Yeah, but not as much as when I said you were better."

"You did not really say that, did you?" Quinn asked.

"Ummm, yeah. Are you mad?"

"No," she decided. "Did you mean it?"

"Definitely," he grinned. "But maybe, we should go test out my theory."

"You're still an egghead sometimes," she said kissing him.

"Is that a 'yes'?"

"Shut up," Quinn replied as she took his hand and led him towards their bedroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Quinn looked up from her English book when she heard her phone ring. The caller id on the display told her it was Puck and she smiled as she opened it.

"Hello," she said.

"Hey, beautiful, how are you?"

"I'm OK, just working on some homework. What's up?"

"I've been working on this damn Toyota and we told the guy that it would be ready tomorrow, but we're having some problems with it. They were wondering if I could stay late. Burt said he'd pay me overtime."

"Are you going to?"

"That's what I was calling to ask? Is it OK?" he asked and she smiled into the phone. They had been officially dating for just under a month now and she loved the place they were in and where it promised to lead. Normally, on a school night, Puck was home a little after the garage closed at nine. He would eat something for dinner, work on homework, which really consisted of watching Quinn do homework while he played videogames, and then they went to sleep around eleven.

"Yeah, it's fine with me. I'll put some leftovers in the fridge upstairs for you."

"Thanks babe. Seriously, don't wait up for me. I'll have to eat, do my Spanish for Schue and then take a shower when I get home."

"OK, you'd just better not wake me up climbing into bed," she joked and he laughed.

"Alright, I gotta go, maybe I'll bring you back a midnight snack. Later."

Quinn must have been smiling when she hung up her cell because Sara was starring at her. "Noah?" she asked.

"Yeah, he's working late tonight so it's just me and you tonight after your mom leaves for work."

"She's going in early tonight. Jeez, what is with the two of them?"

"I don't know, cold and flu season? The hospital is busy at the end of January and maybe people have a lot of car problems?"

"Will you stay upstairs until Noah gets home? It's kinda creepy up here all by myself."

"Sure, it's kinda creepy down there all by myself, too."

"Quinn, do you love Noah?" Sara asked abruptly, causing Quinn's head to shoot up.

"Yeah, I do," Quinn replied honestly. "I love your brother a lot."

"Good, because he totally loves you."

"And how do you know that?" Quinn asked, arching her eyebrow. Even though Puck had told her he loved her numerous times, she was curious to hear his sister's take on it.

"Because, he never spent as much time at home before and he's…nicer since you came around and he's always looking at you."

"Wow, you're observant."

"I get that a lot, and I've seen the way you get when he comes home or calls you, so that's how I know that you love him, too."

The two of them worked on their homework and watched Dancing With the Stars after Mrs. Puckerman left for work, until it was time for Sara to go to bed. After Quinn saw Sara up to her room she finished her Spanish homework. She wrote all of the answers down on a sheet of paper and tucked it inside of Puck's book with a note:

Don't say I never gave you anything. You might want to change a few answers to make it look like you actually did it yourself. Sara wanted me to stay upstairs until you got home. Hope work wasn't too bad. Love, Quinn

She stretched out on the couch and ran her hands over her bump. "Daddy's going to be late, looks like it's just me and you," she said, changing the station until an old episode of Friends came on and she drifted off to sleep. Quinn didn't feel like she had been asleep long when her phone rang. So help me God, if he forgot his house key again, she said to herself and reached for her cell on the end table. She was surprised to see "Ruth Puckerman" come up on the display.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice still filled with sleep.

"Quinn? I'm so sorry I woke you up," the older woman said, her voice tinged with panic. "Noah's been in a car accident, they are bringing him into the emergency room now."

"Oh my God, is he OK?" Quinn asked, sitting up, her mind frantic with worry.

"I don't know. I don't know how bad he is. Can you wake Sara up and come to the hospital?"

"Yeah."

"Are you alright to drive?"

"Yes. We'll be there and soon as we can."

"Be careful, the roads are slick."

"We will be," Quinn said ending the call. She was in a state of panic and had to steady herself as she rose from the couch. OK, take a deep breath and calm down, she told herself. She thought she needed to change quickly and hurried down to the basement and into their bedroom. She threw on a pair of black sweatpants and a red football hoodie she stole from Puck because none of hers fit anymore. Quinn grabbed her purse and coat from the hooks at the base of the stairs and went to wake Sara.

"Sara, wake up," she said, gently shaking the girls shoulder.

"What? What's going on?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"You're mom just called. Noah's been in a car accident. We need to go to the hospital."

"Is he OK? Is it bad?" the young girl asked, jumping out of her bed.

"I don't know," Quinn replied, her voice catching in the back of her throat. "You're mom said they were just bringing him in, so throw a hoodie over your pj's and we'll go."

Quinn drove slowly and carefully over the icy roads, silently praying that she wouldn't have to make any sudden stops, while Sara tried to muffle her tears.

"He's going to be alright," Quinn said, not knowing who she was trying to convince more, the girl or herself. They pulled into the parking lot and rushed into the emergency room waiting area to find Mrs. Puckerman waiting for them.

"Mom!" Sara cried as she embraced her mother. "Is Noah going to be OK?"

"What happened?" Quinn asked. "Do we know anything?"

"He was hit, thank God, on the passenger side by a drunk driver who was speeding and blew through a light as Noah was pulling into Joe's Diner. I guess he must have stopped there to get food after work. "

Quinn stiffened a bit. Why would he have gone there when she told him there were leftovers in the fridge? She had an overwhelming feeling of guilt that he had stopped there to pick up a cheeseburger with extra bacon for her as a midnight snack, but she didn't say anything at the moment.

"He smacked his head against his window pretty hard. The impact broke the skin so he needed a few stitches and he has a concussion. They are taking him in for a CT scan just to make sure that there is no internal bleeding around the brain, but they think he will be just fine."

"Thank God," Quinn said, releasing a huge sigh of relief.

"Why don't you sit Quinn," Puck's mom said. "We don't need you to get anymore worked up. Maybe I shouldn't have called at all until I knew more."

"No, I'm glad you did. I should be here. When can we see him?"

"Whenever he gets back, it should be soon."

Quinn unzipped her coat as she settled herself into a chair in the waiting room and leaned her head back against the wall. Instinctively, she let her hands fold over her belly, rubbing tiny circles on either side of her stomach when she felt a flutter. Stopping her hands, she held them in place and waited until the ripples came again. Quinn knew that she would probably begin to feel her daughter really move and kick at about the five month mark, but she was unprepared for the moment when it came. Hi baby, she thought. Do you miss your daddy? I think we'll be able to see him soon. He is going to flip out when he feels you move.

A half an hour later a nurse came over to where Quinn and Puck's mom and sister were waiting.

"Ruth, the doctor is in with him and would like to see you," she said. Mrs. Puckerman, Sara and Quinn all rose and began to walk towards the patient holding area when the nurse stopped them. "Are you all family?"

Mrs. Puckerman knew that only blood relatives or spouses were allowed to see patients in the ERs and ICUs of hospitals. She looked back at Quinn and smiled.

"Yes, Donna, we're all family."

The nurse gave Quinn a long, hard look before shrugging her shoulders and leading the way to Puck's room.

"Well, look who's here," the doctor said to Puck. "Looks like you're a pretty lucky guy."

"Yeah, I've got three awesome chicks," Puck replied with a pained laugh.

"What's the prognosis Dr. Stevens?" Mrs. Puckerman asked as Quinn walked over to Puck's bed.

"He said I'll live."

"That's right," Dr. Stevens said. "He has a grade two concussion. No brain injury. We will let him go home provided that someone will be there to monitor him for the next twenty-four hours."

"I'll stay with him," Quinn said smiling down at Puck. "I'll make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

"Who, me?" Puck replied. "Never."

"Are you sure, Quinn?" Mrs. Puckerman asked. "I'm sure I could leave work for the night."

"No, it's alright. I don't really think he's going anywhere."

When Puck was finally discharged, Quinn drove the three of them back to his house and helped him get into bed before sitting down next to him. A tear slid down her face when she turned to look at him.

"You scared the shit out of me tonight," she said.

"I'm sorry," he replied taking her hand in his.

"Why were you going to Joe's?"

"To get you a burger."

"I knew it. You're too much."

"I know," he said cockily. "At least we get to take the day off tomorrow."

"Yeah, of course I find this out after I finished all of my homework. Are you hungry?"

"Nah, not really."

"So today, at the hospital when we were waiting for news about you something happened," Quinn said.

"What kind of something?"

"This," she said, taking his hand and placing it over her belly. He looked at her like she was crazy for a moment before he felt it, their daughter moving.

"Jesus Christ!" he said. "Is that her?"

"Yeah, she's kicking or punching or moving around. I think she missed you."

"That is amazing," Puck said in awe. "I'm kinda jealous that you get to feel her all the time."

"You won't be when she keeps me up at night while you're fast asleep."

"Well, for now, I think I just sit like this and enjoy it."

Puck scooted down on the bed and placed his head on Quinn's bump as she covered his hand with her own.

"Puck?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm really, really glad you're OK," she said softly. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Well, you wouldn't be taking late night trips to the ER."

"I'm serious Puck."

"I know. I feel the same. I love you, both of you," he said and gently kissed the spot where their daughter lay.