I know it's been awhile (a long while) but I've been studying for my exams and this one is quite short, but I plan to make the next one longer. Sorry, x.

The Steps of Life

He didn't know how long it was going to last.

The news had only been out for like, a day, and already everyone was on his case.

They were all over him as though he'd committed a crime, as though he'd murdered someone. As though he'd disrespected them. As though he'd made a mistake.

He didn't understand.

Since the entire student body had figured out that Rachel was pregnant, not even including the fact that he was father of the baby, everyone had seemed to be talking like hawks. They were spreading rumors like bloggers, the words getting confused as they passed from one person to the other.

He'd expected their reactions.

But one reaction, the only reaction, he hadn't expected had been Puck's. The guy was a bully, he'd teased Rachel since their were toddlers. So when the news broke, and Puck had been surprisingly well spoken about the matter, Finn thanked his stars.

The one thing he didn't thank? Football practice.

"Hey, Daddy." one of the players teased as he walked through the doors to the locker rooms.

Finn rolled his eyes, slamming his locker open and resting his head in his hands.

"Got anybody else knocked up lately, C'ptain?" another joked.

"Hey! Shut the fuck up!" Finn turned around, recognizing the voice of his best friend coming from behind him. Puck walked past him, patting him shoulder twice amicably.

"Guys! On the field, now!" Coach Bieste yelled from the doorway, pointing with her thumb and index finger to outside the window.

Finn sighed, slamming his locker shut to a close and nodding towards the other guy, "You know you don't have to do that, man."

Puck shrugged, blowing the comment off, "I know, but I'm your man so I do it anyway." he told him. The pair walked beside each other as they left the room and headed towards the field, "Look, this whole thing... it's crazy, I know that, believe me. But you're my guy, so... I'll be there, man."

There was no need for a thanks, instead they just smiled in silence and joked along the way.

xx

"Rachel, there you are!" a voice calls behind her and she turns to see Jesse appear by her side.

It's been a while.

"Hey," she starts, the awkward silence kicking in.

He smiles, stopping himself in front of her and crossing his arms over his chest, "Are you OK?" he asks, raising an eyebrow as though he's unsure of what she's feeling.

The brunette frowns and steps around him to keep on walking, "I'm fine. I mean, you know, I've been better."

"Are you sure?"

"Jesse, what's this all about?" she asks him back, breaking her nerve.

"Look, I just... wanted to make sure that you were alright, is all. With everything that's been going on and everything, it's-"

She cut him off, placing a hand against his chest to stop him from going any further, "Everything that's been going on? You mean, like me getting pregnant? Every single person in this school finding out and tormenting me about itever since? Well then, no, I'm not OK. But I'm dealing with it in my own way. So if you don't feel that it's bad for your rep to be talking to me, then please, leave."

The girl walked off, leaving the lonely guy puzzled behind her.

What the hell?

xx

"I don't mean to be a bother, it's just that I'd really like to talk with you about your daughter."

The older man slowly nodded, curious as to why the girl was in his doorway.

Quinn Fabray.

She walked in as he held the door open for her (closing it afterwards) and took her seat down on the sofa.

"Can I ask what this is about?" the man questioned.

The blonde smiled, crossing her legs and folding her hands together in her lap, "Mr. Berry, I think that you're fully aware of your daughter's situation." she started, raising an eyebrow to check that he knew what she was on about, "Do you, by any chance, know of your daughter's plans for the future?"

He knew that she was headed somewhere with this, but he just couldn't tell where.

"Ms. Fabray, I don't think that this is a very apprporiate conversation to be having with one of my daughter's friends."

She gasped, "Sir, I am not one of her friends, believe me. I'm just... a good classmate."

"I see," he began, taking a seat across from her on his chair, "So what exactly are you trying to tell me?"

"Look, we all know that Rachel gave it up not-too-long ago at a party. But this whole thing kid of ruined the rest of my life because my boyfriend, the guy who I was meant to spend my future life with, turned out to be the guy who got her pregnant. So you see how this pregnancy involves me?"

"This pregnancy does not involve you, in any way, nor does it involve that football player. You can still have your life, Miss, because I don't want my daughter anywhere near him ever again." he told, emphasizing his last words.

She faked a shocked look, "They've been attached at the waist since the news broke; are you really sure that she got the message not to see him again? Because it sure doesn't look like it. All they've been doing is hugging, kissing, holding hands like some love-sick puppies and talking about how to raise that baby."

"How to raise the baby?" he asked, shaking his head at the thought, "No, you must have heard them wrong because that baby is being given up for adoption. We gave her some time to make up her mind but she never told us what she wanted, so we made the decision ourselves. Once that baby is born, it is going into somebody else's care."

"Are you sure about that?"

She smirked to herself.

She'd gotten there.