Once again, sorry for the delay but thank you for all the reviews.

Oh, yes, and I HATE that Matt is off the show. I'm going to write a letter. Damn it. I will officially be ignoring the fact that the writers are jerkfaces and keep Matt in this and all other fictions. So they can just suck it!

Ch. 12

Yet I know that the goal is to keep me from falling

"Ok, everyone! It's great to have the whole group back together again. Santana, are you sure you're not too tired? I can excuse you from the assignment that I'm planning if you need a break." Mr. Schuster paused to look over at Santana. Her eyes were bright with excitement and – if it weren't for the wheel chair that she was sitting in- he would think that everything was completely normal with the girl. She had obviously gone to great lengths to cover up the compression braces that she needed to wear to protect her back. Still, he didn't want to overload her on her first day back.

"No, I'm good Mr. Schue." Santana tried to hold back her happiness, but she knew that she was grinning from ear to ear like a geek. It was her first day back and even though she was stuck in this stupid wheel chair, it was infinitely better than the hospital or being stuck in her room at home. Alone. Ok, that wasn't entirely accurate. Since she had been released from the hospital last week, Artie's mom had stayed with her so that her parents could be at work.

She knew she shouldn't resent the fact that they couldn't be there with her, they had used up all their personal and vacation days while she was in the hospital, but still. It kinda sucked that they couldn't be there. Artie's mom was great, but Santana still couldn't help but be overjoyed that things were getting back to normal. Well, as normal as things could get when she was trapped in a freakin' wheel chair.

Santana shook off her depressing thoughts and felt the smile begin to form on her face again as Artie reached for her hand, Puck raised his hand in a 'rock on' salute and Matt dropped an arm around her shoulders giving her a loud smacking kiss on the forehead. At least I have Artie, Matt and Puck. As she glanced around at the other Glee members, she saw Tina glaring at her. God, what was her problem?

"Ok, so here it is. Duet time. I've already picked out partners, and no trading guys. I put you together for a reason. So. Santana and Tina – Mike and Mercedes – Matt and Finn – Quinn and Kurt – Brittany and Artie – and…Puck and Rachel."

Will looked up apprehensively as he announced the last couple. He had had very good reasons for putting the pairs together. They were the members that he hadn't seen make a real connection with each other. Except Puck and Rachel. That one was pure meddling on his part. He would admit it, but he knew how heartbroken Puck was about Rachel and he secretly hoped that the two could work things out together while they sang. He saw Puck's eyes flash with hope and Rachel give him an agonized look.

"Ok, everyone. Pick out a song and get to work. We'll begin hearing what you've got next Thursday. I'll be in my office if anyone needs me…" Will could read the uncertainty and downright anger on the faces of some of his students and decided it would be the better part of valor to flee now.

Great, I have to work with a scary Goth chick who hates me. Santana couldn't help but glare at Mr. Schue's retreating back. Coward.

If Cheerleader Barbie thinks she can just swoop in and take Artie away, she can just think again. Tina stalked over to Santana and huffed out a breath as she planted herself in front of the other girl. "Come on. We'll rehearse in the auditorium." She spun around and left without waiting for a response from Santana.

Great. Santana rolled her eyes and slowly wheeled herself out after Tina. So much for Glee being the best part of her day.

Matt and Finn headed out the door discussing if they should hit McDonald's or Burger King to discuss song ideas.

Brittany and Artie were next to leave followed buy Mike and Mercedes.

Quinn and Kurt stood at the front of the room looking uneasily between Puck and Rachel. "Ok, well, we'll leave you two the choir room." Kurt said slowly, wondering it was a good idea to leave them alone at the moment.

"Yeah, ok, well bye." Quinn grabbed Kurt's hand and dragged him from the room as quickly as she could waddle.

"Geeze Mrs. Hart, would you like to leave my arm in the socket?" Kurt pulled away from her and massaged his shoulder.

"What?" Quinn stopped and gave Kurt the full benefit of her patented 'You're a Dork' glare.

"Really?" Kurt huffed out a disbelieving breath. "Mrs. Hart? From the 80's? Part of the Barbie collection. The Hart family? The knocked up one?" Quinn still looked blank and Kurt threw up his hands in despair. "Your lack of pop culture really astounds me."

"What ever Liberace." Quinn rolled her eyes. "Did you really want to stay in there with Romeo and Juliet? I didn't. I have enough drama in my life without watching those two have a romantic implosion." When Kurt didn't answer, Quinn just shook her head. "Let's go have pizza. The baby has a craving."

"Yeah right. You mean you have a craving and you're blaming it on the baby." Kurt cocked a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Very perceptive." Quinn actually felt herself smiling for the first time in weeks as she took Kurt's arm and headed towards the exit.


Puck and Rachel were still sitting in the same seats starting straight ahead at the blackboard, not speaking. Puck wasn't sure what to say. He knew that Mr. Schue was trying to help, but he wasn't naive enough to think that Rachel would forgive him just because they had to sing together. He heard Rachel shift in her seat.

"Puck." He flinched at her icy tone and the use of his nickname. "Just because we may have to sing together for this assignment, don't think that it changes anything between us."

He felt anger starting to build. He knew he had fucked up. He was more aware than anyone how much he had fucked up and how many people were paying for it. Why did Rachel have to take every opportunity to throw it in his face? "Don't worry, I won't." He coated each word with as much icy disdain as he could. "So, what are we singing?"

"I hope you don't think I'll be pulling all of the weight in this assignment. Why don't you make a suggestion?" She still wouldn't look at him. Damn it.

"Fine." He let out a breath and tried to think of a neutral song that wouldn't have him breaking down or have them at each others throats. "How about Sweet Home Alabama?"

"Really? That's your suggestion?" Rachel rolled her eyes and gave a derisive snort. "How juvenile."

Damn it. Puck had to take several calming breaths to keep from loosing it. She was going to make this as hard on him as possible. "Well, then what would you suggest," he asked evenly.

"I would suggest that you grow up." Rachel finally stood up and reached to grab her bag.

"Damn it Rachel, what do you want from me?" Puck was up out of his chair and in front of her before she could move any further.

"I don't want anything from you. You disgust me." She began to turn away from him, but he grabbed her shoulders and held her in place.

"Why are you doing this? Rachel I know I hurt you, but it's not like you to try to hurt someone back. I don't expect you to forgive me right this second, but I love you. You're my best friend, I can't believe that you don't care anymore." Before he could even consider if it was wise or not, he lowered his mouth to hers and then they were clinging desperately to each other, tearing at each other's cloths.

He could feel himself backing her up against the wall; feel her tearing at the buttons of his shirt as she pushed it off his shoulders. When he finally came to his senses they were half naked, and he realized that he had been about to take her against the choir room wall. And she hadn't been about to stop him.

He pulled away slightly and they stool there staring stupidly at each other, breath coming in ragged gasps. "Rachel…"

She pushed away from him and began collecting her clothes. "This doesn't mean anything. If I had had sex with you just now, it would have been a convenience and nothing more.

"That's all this would have been to you? I love you. Can you honestly say that you don't feel anything for me anymore?" If she said that she would be lying. There was no way that all of her feelings for him had disappeared just because he had screwed up. He hoped.

Rachel looked at him with what he could only describe as hate in her eyes. Seeing so much coldness where there used to be so much warmth made him begin to think that he was wrong. Maybe he really had killed any feelings she had for him.

"Really? Are you that stupid? Just because my hormones got the best of me you think that I still care about you? This won't work. I can't sing with you. I can barely tolerate being in the same room with you," Rachel spat the words at him and turned away.

Hearing the words leaving her mouth, Puck could feel his heart breaking. He couldn't do this anymore. He couldn't keep leaving himself open to getting his heart stomped on. "You're right. I guess I am that stupid. Don't worry, though. I won't make the same mistake again." He pulled his shirt back on and zipped his jeans as quickly as possible and grabbed his bag. He didn't see the sobs that started to rack Rachel's body as he stormed out of the room, slamming the door.


"So, what song are we gonna do?" Santana just wanted to get this over as quickly as possible. Tina was starting to give her the creeps.

" 'In His Eyes'." Tina looked at Santana waiting for the other girl to challenge her.

"Ok. I think I've heard that one. From Jekyll and Hyde, right?"

"Give the girl a cookie," Tina scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"Ok, what it your problem? Does being bitch come naturally to you or are you practicing for the Olympic Team?" Santana was fast loosing her temper at so much derision being sent her way for no good reason.

"Like you're really one to talk. But in your case I guess being dumb goes along with being a bitch." Tina folded her arms and gave another eye roll.

"Don't make me get up out of this chair." Santana growled.

"Like you could. Here's the music," she tossed the score for the musical at Santana. "Read it over."

Santana flipped through the book and found the song she wanted. As she read the words, a frown began to gather on her face. A horrible suspicion began to dawn on her. So, this is where the 'tude was coming from. "What exactly are you hoping to accomplish here?" Santana looked up at Tina and raised her eyebrows.

"Let me spell it out for you. You want Artie. So do I. So we'll let him decide." Tina leaned back and folded her arms.

Santana didn't even bother to deny that she wanted Artie. She was done putting up false fronts. "What makes you so sure that he'll choose you?" She asked coolly.

"Please! Artie and I have history together. All you have in common in a chair."

"Fine. Bring it Morticia." Santana folded her arms across her chest as she accepted the other girls challenge.

"Anytime J-Lo." Tina shot back.


"I really can't believe that Mr. Schue thought pairing Puck and Rachel would be a good idea." Mercedes was flipping through the songs on her iPod.

"I know, right." Mike was doing the same. "How about the Ramones?" He paused at Blitzkrieg Bop and looked over at Mercedes.

"That's a little too punk for this sista to handle." Mercedes shook her head. "Anyway, I couldn't help but feel sorry for Rachel. Having to work with the boy that broke her heart. I'm voting for some Mary J."

"Uh, since when does Mary J. really lend herself to duets?" Mike looked up from his iPod with a frown. "And what do you mean, Puck broke Rachel's heart? It's more like Rachel broke Puck's heart."

"Ok, what drugs are you on?" Mercedes looked up from her iPod as well. "He lied to her and used her."

"Um, no he told her the truth and she left him cold. That is not ok." Mike folded his arms and directed his full attention at Mercedes.

"Yeah, well what choice did she have after what he did to her?" Mercedes raised her voice a bit and glared at her partner.

"Plenty." Mike raised his voice right back. "She could have stood by him instead of being selfish."

Neither of them paid attention to the very pissed off librarian headed their way.

"Unbelievable! You are such a guy. What do you even know about it anyway?" Mercedes was working herself into full on diva mode.

"Hey, Puck is my boy. I asked and he talked." Mike slapped the table.

"So, he's talking smack about Rachel?" Now Mercedes was on her feet and bellowing.

"No. He just told me what happened. And I just know how Rachel can be…" Mike yelled right back at her.

The librarian was rushing towards them making distressed shushing noised.

"Oh, you are so out of line! I can not work with you." Mercedes lunged towards Mike.

"Good! I can't work with you either! You are so closed minded I'm surprised that your brain hasn't died from lack of oxygen." He was up in her face.

"Dumb jock!"

"Stuck up diva!"

"That is it!" And indignant voice cut through their argument. "You are both permanently banned from the library. I don't want to see either of you in here ever again!"

Mike and Mercedes both turned their heads and looked at the irate librarian.

"But…"

"That's not really fair…"

"Would the two of you like detention on top of banishment? I could easily arrange for that as well." The librarian looked from one to the other with raised eyebrows.

"No ma'am" Mike muttered grabbing his bag.

"Sorry," Mercedes gathered her things as well and they both exited the library as quickly as they could.


"Ok, Mamma are you ready to talk glee?" Kurt crossed his legs primly and examined his cuticles.

"I think so." Quinn leaned back in her chair and gave a contented sigh. "That supreme pizza was total brain food."

Kurt wrinkled his nose in distaste at the last congealed slice of pizza. "Let's hope so. Thoughts on our duet?"

"So…. I was wondering," Quinn stopped to clear her throat. "Would you help me out?"

"With?" Kurt arched one of his impeccably groomed brows in question.

"I was kind of hoping to get paired with Finn for this, so that we could work things out, but since I'm not…" Quinn trailed off looking at Kurt to see how he was reacting to her request.

"You want me to help you with a song that's going to get him back," Kurt stated in flat disbelief.

"Well, yes." Not really the response she'd been hoping to get, but Quinn wasn't about to give up now.

"Unbelievable." Kurt shook his head

"Excuse me." It was Quinn's turn to arch and eyebrow, and she was no slouch in brow grooming either.

"After all of this you're still that selfish." Kurt kept shaking his head, hoping that he had misheard or was hallucinating the whole conversation.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I hurt Finn the most with this and I just want to make it up to him." Quinn was starting to get angry now. This was not how she pictured this conversation going.

"I think that the person who you hurt the most was Puck." Kurt leaned forward and looked Quinn dead in the eyes. "I don't see you trying to make anything up to him."

"Ok, I think that you need a reality check." Quinn waved Kurt's words away. "Puck is fine."

"Puck is not fine. After all you've done to him I think that you'd at least want to let him have some say in your pregnancy and your daughter's future. Instead you're plotting to get back together with Finn? And if you think for one moment that I'm going to help you get your claws back into that helpless idiot, you can think again." Kurt folded his arms across his chest and glared.

"This is really none of your business." Quinn's lips set themselves into a thin line.

"It is my business. Puck is my friend." Kurt stood and gathered his jacket and bag. "I hope you don't mind calling your mom for a ride home. I suddenly remembered a pressing errand that I have far away from you." Without a backward glance, Kurt strode from the pizza parlor, leaving a shocked Quinn behind him.


"Unbelievable." Matt slammed his locker closed. He was back to get his school books and give Britt a ride home after his meeting with Finn.

"I know right? This is worst assignment ever." Brittany huffed out as she leaned against the locker next to Matt's.

"Finn is such a jerk. He actually said that Puck, Quinn and Rachel need to pay for the pain that they are putting him through." Matt was still torn between anger and disbelief at the tirade that Finn had gone into in the middle of Burger King.

"And this is the guy that Artie thinks deserved our sympathy!" Brittany was shaking her head in disbelief.

"Are you serious?" Matt couldn't believe that Artie could possibly take Finn's side in this whole mess. There was one clearly injured party, and Finn was so not it.

"Yeah. It's obvious that Quinn is the one that really needs us." Brittany rolled her eyes. "Duh!"

"Uh, no I think you mean Rachel." Matt scrunched his eyebrows together.

"No, Quinn." The blonde Cheerio swung around to face him.

"Ok, Britt have you been sniffing glue again?" Matt asked gently. It really would explain a lot of things.

"Hey that was just that one time." Brittany's eyes flashed in anger. "And the one other time."

"If you really think that Quinn is a sympathetic figure that you are really high." Matt shot back at her.

"Matt, you're just as much of a jerk as Finn!" She balled her hand up into a tiny fist and punched Matt in the shoulder. "I don't think I need a ride home after all." Brittany whipped her head around and flounced down the hallway.

"Ow. Stupid pointy little girl knuckles," Matt muttered as he rubbed his shoulder. "Worst assignment ever. Thanks a lot Mr. Schue."


Puck whipped his truck into the driveway and slammed on the breaks. He still felt numb from his fight with Rachel, so it was probably the best time to do this. Anything that Quinn said to him wouldn't have much effect if he couldn't feel anything. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed before he could change his mind.

"Quinn, we need to talk."

"I really don't want to talk right now." He heard a slight sniffle and wondered if she had been crying. He squashed any traitorous feelings of sympathy he might be feeling. Now was not the time to weaken.

"Well tough. I've been letting this slide because you told everyone the truth and I thought I'd give you a few days to cope, but we need to get things settled."

"What things?" Quinn let out a weary sigh.

"I want to be a part of my daughter's life." Duh, he mentally added.

"No." Puck had to sit for a second to make sure he had heard her right.

"NO?" He barely recognized the voice coming from his throat. He really thought things might be different this time.

"That's what I said. Puck, you are not really father material. And I'm not really mother material. We're both too young. I'm going to give her up." Quinn sighed.

"Like HELL you are," She was so not giving his baby girl to strangers. Fuck that.

"Please," he could hear the trademark snotty, arrogance creep back into Quinn's voice. "I may want to give the baby up, but that doesn't mean I don't want what's best for her. Having you for a father isn't going to give her leg up in life. Give it up Puck. It's my body and my decision."

"This is bullshit. This discussion is not over!"

Puck disconnected the call and felt rage filling his chest. He hadn't been this angry since his dad left and he had drunk his way to alcohol poisoning. He'd become Puck after that and Puck had saved his life and his sanity. Maybe it was time to let him back out to play. Throwing his truck into reverse, he backed out of the driveway, a dangerous smile on his face. It was time to find the nearest geek and wreak some havoc.