Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, any of its characters or the plot of the show. Glee belongs to Ryan Murphy and Fox
Well, here is yet another long awaited update. I'm sorry that this has taken so long. I've had a lot of family stuff going on. I feel as though my writing skills have gone downhill and are no longer up to par. I'm trying my hardest to get them back to where they were when I first started writing.

Santana was in motel room when Puck got there just after noon. She was sitting cross-legged on the bed, leaning against the wooden headboard with Jake's head on her lap.

"Hey, San." He said; his good mood quickly diminishing as the seconds passed. It was only because he realized the bomb he'd have to drop on her.

"Noah." She acknowledged. "What the hell is going on with you?"

"I fucked up, San." Santana got off the bed suddenly, making Jake whine at the loss of his pillow.

"What do you mean you fucked up?" She asked accusingly. Her mind instantly went to the fact that Rachel was in town and Santana knew how attractive Puck was. But Puck wouldn't do that to her again, right?

"Not that, San. I didn't cheat." He assured her, though his expression was grave.

"What's worse? Did you kill someone?"

"I've got a daughter." He confessed quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"I have a daughter!"
" You're kidding." Santana insisted.

"You think I'm- Would I fucking kid about this?" He exploded.

"I don't think you would."

"No. I fucking wouldn't." He growled.

"Alright, I'm sorry." She back peddled, hoping to God that the kid was at least two.

"She's five." He told her; as though he could read her thought for the second time.

"Five? You mean to tell me that you have a daughter with-"
"Rachel Berry? Yeah." He ran a hand over his head.

"And she never told you?"
" Not until yesterday."
" Well, damn." She said, honestly not knowing how to respond to this situation. "What does this mean? For you and Berry?" She questioned cautiously.

"It means that we have a daughter, San. That's all it will mean. She kept it from me.

"So, this is for real?" She asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"You have to ask again? You don't trust my word?" He roared, his anger rising again quickly.

"I can't say that I'm surprised. After all, sometimes you get so wrapped up that you forget to 'wrap up'." She retorted, her anger bubbling to match his.

"Damn it. I have always been careful. I was careful with Rachel and I was careful with you."
" Apparently you weren't careful enough!" She yelled. She then took a calming breath to get herself under control. Now wasn't the time to fly off the handle. Puck looked exhausted and upset. "Baby, come here. Sit down." He silently did as she did. "What happened?"
" I went to see Ma yesterday. I asked her why she never told me that Rachel had a kid and was no longer a Berry.

She completely avoided the question. Told me that Rachel asked her not to tell me."
" Noah, everyone knew she got married."
" You knew?" He asked incredulously.

"Of course I knew, and before you say anything, keep in mind that you never asked. So I didn't tell you. After my several trips back to Lima, you never asked about anything there."

"You could have told me anyway."
"Are you serious, babe? We may not have been friends those times, but you were happier not knowing. So please, just let it go."

"Yeah. Okay. Whatever."

"Continue your story." She urged.

"Yeah, um, she, uh, told me to go through a mental time line. At first I was all, 'what the fuck?' Then I ran into Rachel and Ana." He paused, "That's my daughter. Her name is Analeigh. Anyway, I ran into them and I saw her eyes. She has my eyes." He paused again to smile brightly. The brightest Santana had ever seen from Puck. "And then I confronted Rachel about it. She told me that I was Ana's father. Right after that, I went and got shitfaced at McKinley." Santana berated herself for being such a bitch. He only got drunk when he couldn't deal with whatever he was going through. She should have known that.

"If Ana is five does that mean that Berry was pregnant our senior year?" Santana inquired. Puck nodded.

"She found out the day after the party." Santana looked down.

"I'm sorry about that. I was a bitch back then. Is that why she never told you?" Santana hoped beyond hope that she wasn't the reason.

"She said she didn't want to ruin my 'future'. Then she went on to say that she didn't want me to end up hating her because of it."
"I don't think she was trying to be selfish. I'm sure she thought she was doing the right thing." Puck stared at Santana like she was absolutely nuts. "What?"

"She called you a whore today?" Santana just chuckled.

"I don't blame her. I was one up until a year and a half ago."
"I thought you'd be pissed and take my side."
"Baby, I've got your back, and I always will. But I think you need to take a breath and think. You need to be on good terms with your baby mama. Be mad at her all you want, but after speaking your mind a few times, just vent to me." Puck raised an eyebrow. "Don't give me that look. All I'm saying is that you can only give her shit so much before she decides that she doesn't want you around Ana." He frowned but nodded. Santana leaned over to him and kissed his cheek before whispering a reassuring, "I love you, Noah."

"I love you, too." He told her with a smile.

"Now, tell me all about Ana."

"I don't know much about her really. She is gorgeous, San, and smart. She knew I was her father just by looking at me. With how she talks, you can tell she was raised by Rachel and Truman. She is so much like Rach."

"She sounds amazing." Santana said quietly. She stayed silent for a moment, reflecting on everything she had just learned. "Um, look Noah. I think we should hold off on telling everyone about the engagement." Puck glared. "It's a lot to take in. You just found out that you've got a daughter."
"I don't see how Ana has anything to do with us being engaged."

"She just met you. I don't think she is going to be ready for a stepmom."
"That's nice of you, San." He told her, obviously surprised.

"Shut up." She retorted with a smile and eye roll. "I want to meet her."
"I'll talk to Rachel about it later." He assured her. "She wants to talk to me anyway." Santana smiled at her fiancé, "But before all that, I gotta go apologize to Ma for yellin' at her yesterday."
"You yelled at your mother?"
"She knew I had a daughter. She kept it from me too. So I went off on her for being a hypocrite."

"No shit? Of all the things you could have freaked out about, you choose being a hypocrite? You've grown up, Puckerman. I'm proud of you." Santana pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. "Go see your mom and Rachel. I'll be here when you get back."

"Don't you have plans with Brittany?"
"They can be done from here I think, so I'll just have her come here. Britts and I will be fine. Just go, baby." Santana smiled encouragingly.

"Alright. I'll see you in a while." He kissed her forehead. "I love you." He scratched Jake's head and with that he was out the door.

Santana sat back down on the bed, mind barely able to process what was going on. Her fiancé had a child, and now she felt the guilt slide through her like acid, burning her to her core. How do you apologize to someone for unknowingly stealing their baby daddy? She knew Hallmark didn't have a card for that.

Santana wanted to be mad. She always (only recently) thought she and Puck would eventually start a family together, but Puck already had one, five years in the making. The reality of him already being a father did not sit well with her at all.

She found herself utterly jealous of Rachel. Again. Exactly like they were when they were teenagers. This time, there was nothing she could do to win. Sure, she was the one engaged to him, but Rachel had him in a way that Santana couldn't. So, of course Santana was better. She couldn't help it.

Puck knocked on the door to his mother's house. He shifted from one foot to another, unsure of if he was welcome or not. So, he just waited for someone to answer the door.
"What are you knocking for?" Mady asked when she saw him on the other side of the door. Puck shrugged, not really wanting Mady to know what was going on yet. "Hey Noah, can you not just stand there? I've got to get to soccer practice." He rolled his eyes.

"Sure thing, short stuff." Mady growled.

"Shut up, Noah." She told him laughingly. Puck sidestepped around his sister.

"Where's Ma?" He asked over his shoulder.

"She and Brad are upstairs. Carmiya doesn't like to nape unless there are two people in the room with her when she closes her eyes. Weird."
"Mady, why haven't you left for practice yet?" Brad asked when he came down the stairs.

"Noah was at the door." Mady explained. "I'm leaving now, and if I'm late, Noah, I'm kicking the ball at your face." Mady grinned and ran out the door.

"Noah, I haven't seen you since the wedding in Columbus last year. You hate seeing your sister that much?" Brad attempted to joke, so Puck attempted to smile.

"It isn't Mady, it's Lima." Puck clarified. God knows that Brad would tell Mady that Puck had said something, so clarification was a must.

"Your mom will be down in a minute, and then you have some explaining to do."
"No, I don't. Maybe an apology, but she is the one that has explaining to do."
"Your mother deserves an explanation and an apology."

"Stay the fuck out of my business, Brad."
"I am your step-father, it's my business now."
"All you are is the tool Ma decided to marry, and the father of one of my sisters. Nothing else." Puck assured.

"Noah, stop it." His mother said tiredly from the stairs. "I told you that you could come back when you had control of your anger."
"I did. Then I got here and Brad decided that everything was his business, and that he is my step-father. I'm 22. What he is doesn't affect me. So, it isn't my fault." Brad scowled.

"Elina, I'm going out. He better be out of here when I get back."

"Brad, you better not be telling me to kick my son out of my own house."

"With the way he is talking to me? Yes."

"Now, you knock it off, Bradley. He found out about Ana yesterday, so give him a break." She whispered the last part, and Brad deflated.

"Sorry, Noah." Brad clapped his hand on Puck's right shoulder. "I'll just let the two of you talk." He mumbled before excusing himself.

"He knew too? Did you tell Mady?"
"I couldn't very well hide that from my husband. Mady doesn't know."

"Okay." Puck didn't want to fight with his mother again, so he took a breath. "Look, Ma, I'm sorry about last night."

"Sweetie, you had every right to be angry with me. I didn't tell you and I should have."
"Yeah, you should have. But I know now. So, it's alright. I wasn't really mad about that. I was made that you weren't honest." She didn't apologize and he didn't need her to. It was true even when unspoken.

He left his mother's house feeling much lighter. That is, until he remembered that he still needed to call Rachel. He wasn't happy about it because he was calm now. She just made him made all the time anymore. Her name drove up resentment in him. He almost couldn't stand it. He had a feeling that her voice, beautiful as it was, would only make him grit his teeth.

He dialed the number she had written down and noticed that it had said "Calling Hudson". He couldn't understand why she hadn't actually given him her own cell phone number. Maybe she had doubts about his commitment to his daughter. This was going to be worse than he originally anticipated.

"Hello." Her voice greeted, sounding tired and upset.

"Hey, Rachel." He greeted easily.

"Noah! I'm glad you called. I didn't think you were going to." She admitted; her tone flooded with relief.

"You didn't think I'd call?"

"Honestly? Yes." He could feel the resentment from earlier rising in his throat.

"Why?" He asked simply, afraid to say anything else in case he was to vent his anger.

"Well, you're quite mad at me."

"We have a daughter, Rachel. No matter how pissed I am at you, Ana is what is important. Me being angry isn't going to stop me from talking to you." He told her. It was followed by silence. He quickly clarified with, "About Ana."

"Of course. I thought you might have gotten second thoughts." Puck didn't reply to that, because both of them knew it wasn't true.

"What did you want to talk about?" He was mostly afraid that she wasn't to tell him that she was leaving and that he would never get to see Ana again.

"I would prefer that we speak in person. Can we meet somewhere?"

"Sure. Where?"

"McKinley." She said without thinking. "I'm already here." She added. She didn't want to seem like she was plotting this specific turn of events. She actually was there. "By-"

"The tree." Puck finished for her. He was hesitant to answer. The tree held so many memories. Many of them he didn't want to remember when he was with Rachel.

"We can meet somewhere else if… If McKinley would be uncomfortable." Rachel instantly amended.

"No, McKinley is fine." He decided after a minute. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad this time. He thought to himself. He wasn't overwhelmed or drunk this time. So, that made the situation a bit more tolerable. "I'll be there in a few." He hung up before she could say goodbye, but she supposed it was because he wasn't really okay with meeting at McKinley.

Rachel began scolding herself for asking Puck about having second thoughts. The truth was that she was the one having the thoughts. She didn't know if she should have even come back to Lima.

It was much too forward to set up the meeting. She said as she continued to scold herself for her terrible decision making skills. The memories were intense, the space completely engulfed with yesterday.

The tree itself was engraved with their initials for crying out loud! P+RB. She could remember asking him to carve them.

It was one of the odd warm winter days. Puck wanted to make the most of the afternoon, so he invited Rachel for a relaxing Saturday at their tree.

"It's lovely to see the sun in January." Rachel gushed. She was leaning her back against Puck, who was leaning against the bark of the tree. They were sitting on a blanket to save their butts from the cold wet of the snow. "Noah, would you do something for me?"
"'Course baby."
"Carve our tree." She requested. He grinned at her. She stood up and gestured for him to commence the act.

He pulled out his pocket knife and began to carve. His arm flexed as he carved.

"There." He stepped away to reveal the letters.

"Thank you." She whispered with a smile. He kissed the side of her head.

"Hey Rachel." Puck said loud enough to snap Rachel from her day dream.

"Hello, Noah. Thanks for meeting me here. Sorry about the location. I was already here."

"Don't worry about it." He looked at his fist and paused. "So, you needed to talk about Ana?"

"Yes. Analeigh and I will be returning to New York shortly. I thought we should come up with a plan so that you two can continue to get to know each other."

"Okay."

"I was thinking nightly phone calls, or at least calls every other night. And we can visit you when Ana finishes school."
"Ana is in school?"

"Yes. Kindergarten. Her schooling began early."
"But school is already over, isn't it?"

"She missed some important lessons after Arthur passed away. She only has a month or so of personalized lessons then she is out for the summer."
"Okay. I think that sounds like a plan." Puck told her. All he really wanted was to leave Lima and get himself back to Texas.

"I'm not sure I'm ready to be a father to a five year old Berry incarnate."

"Well, if that's how you feel." Rachel said sadly.

"What are you talking about, Rachel?"

"You aren't sure you're ready to be a father to a five year old Berry incarnate."

"Shit. I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"I understand, Noah. It's a lot to deal with. I'll leave my number with your mother. Call me when you are ready to be Ana's father. I'm arranging to leave Friday night, possibly early Saturday morning. I hope you work through this. You are an amazing man, Noah. I have no doubt that you'd be an amazing father. If that's what you're worried about, you shouldn't be."
"Thanks, Rachel." She tried to smile at him, but she couldn't quite make it genuine.

Rachel left him at the tree, claiming that she needed to get back to Ana. Truth was, the situation was getting very awkward. He, unfortunately, was left with his thoughts.

He did demand to meet Ana and be introduced as her father. Granted, she already guessed, but that wasn't the point. The point was that he, having demanded what he did, couldn't do that to his daughter. It just wasn't the way this needed to be handled. Whether he wanted to be or not, he was a father now. It was time to man up., He wasn't his father.

With that mentality, and squared shoulders, he made his way to his mother's house to get that phone number.

He didn't knock this time, instead he calmly walked in.

"Ma?" He whisper-shouted to make his presence known so, he didn't wake his sister.

"Back so soon, Noah?" Brad asked quietly.

"Yeah. I needed something from ma." Puck didn't elaborate, and Brad sighed.

"Noah, I know I'm not the guy you want for your mom, but she makes me happy. And I like to think that I make her happy. I'd like to be here for you, just like I am for Mady and like I will be for Carmiya. You're my stepson, Noah. I'm not going anywhere." Puck thought about what was said for a moment.

"Thanks, Brad. That means a lot." Puck said with an extended hand. Brad took the hand with a smile. Brad then clapped Puck's shoulder much like he had earlier, and left him to wait for his mother.

Puck was anxious to leave his mother's house. As much as he attempted to appreciate what Brad had said, he still couldn't find it in himself to trust the man who married his mother. He just wanted the phone number.

"Hello Noah. I certainly didn't expect to have you stop by again until you were set to leave Ohio." Elina whispered to her son.

"I hadn't planned on it. I just came by to get Rachel's number. She told me that you had it."
"I do. But I think I have something else that you should have. I'll go get what you need."

Elina made her way quietly upstairs. Puck shuffled his feet back and forth. What did she have that she thought he would need?

Ten minutes later, Elina headed back downstairs holding a shoe box. She immediately handed him the box. He opened it, unsure of the contents.

There were several discolored and bent envelopes inside. Some were thick, but all of them were sealed. They all simply said 'Noah' on them, clearly in Rachel's handwriting.

"Rachel gave these to you?"
"No. She's been sending them to me since she told me about Ana. Those are just the ones that were to you. She sent one for each of us when she sent a letter."

"Thanks, Ma."

Puck left his mother's house feeling a bit numb. His throat was constricted. Letters from Rachel. What was in these letters? Did he really want to read them?

Well, there it is folks. Chapter 10 and it only took three months! I'm not sure if I'm going to include Puck reading the letters in this. There may be a companion fic separate to this. It's really up to you guys.

Thanks so much for sticking with this. I love you all with all my heart! Please send me a review telling me what you think. Thanks!