"I. . . I. . . You're dead. You can't be here." Judy stammered, her face completely drained of color. She studied him, frozen in disbelief. He was thinner, dark shadows laid heavy under his eyes. He had cuts and bruises every inch that she could see, all in various degrees of healing.

Puck took a step back from her. "It's crazy I know. I never," he swallowed hard, "died, I was held captive. I've been a prisoner of war. It's been all over the news; I'm surprised that you haven't heard."

She hugged her son in law tight. "It's been a whirlwind with Quinn going into labor and"

Puck cut her sentence off. "Oh Quinn! How is she? How is the baby? Is it a girl or a boy?"

Thinking back to the scene that had just unfolded in Quinn's room, Judy pursed her lips tight. "Oh Honey there's no easy way to say this."

Puck's face fell. "No. Is something wrong? The baby. . . Is the baby okay? Quinn?" His mind raced. The thought of his beautiful wife and new baby had been the only thing to keep him going through the hell he had to endure.

Judy wrapped her arm around Puck's neck. "They are fine. Puck, I think there is something you should know about Finn."

XXX

Ella was tiny perfection. Her small body nestled perfectly in Quinn's arm, her eyelids fluttering in her sleep. Although she was small, she was strong. Even the doctors were amazed by her ferocity for life. She had a small struggle with stabilizing her breathing at first, but now here she was snuggled next to Quinn, wrapped tight like a burrito, with no wires, machines, or anything.

"Quinn, maybe you should put her in the bassinet now. You're dozing off." Finn said quietly.

Quinn swatted him away with her hand. "I'm fine. I sleep better with her with me."

Quinn's eyes shut, and within minutes the only sound in the room was her soft breath as she drifted into deep slumber.

Finn watched as the two slept peacefully. Quinn had been Puck's life, his reason for living. He loved her so much, and the bundled baby in Quinn's arms was a continuation of that love. It wasn't fair. Puck should be here taking in this sight, relishing this perfect moment.

Rachel came rushing into the room. "Finn! Finn turn on the TV!"

Finn shushed her. "Quinn just got to sleep, Shhh!"

Rachel grabbed the remote turning on the small TV. "NO! It's Puck Finn! He's alive!"

Just then Puck's face flashed across the screen, the news reporter chatting cheerfully. "In other news, Second Lieutenant Noah Puckerman has been found alive and is safely back with his family tonight after a heroic rescue. He was thought to be dead after a bomb explosion last year."

"Quinn! QUINN HE'S ALIVE!" Finn shouted, smiling from ear to ear.

Ella began to cry. "Finn! What. She was sleeping so peacefully." Quinn moaned opening her eyes.

"PUCK IS ALIVE" Rachel and Finn screamed in unison.

Quinn jerked, Ella scrunching her face into a tight red ball, annoyed. Quinn bounced her slightly, the infant returning to sleep quickly. She was unfazed by the bombshell that was exploding right in front of her on the TV. Puck was alive. He was alive. He had been held captive, after being found wounded after a bomb explosion that had killed several others. He was alive. Ella was going to meet him after all.

XXX

Puck went to walked in the room, but his head was spinning. He had just gotten off the phone with his mom, who had confirmed the awful truth that Judy had told him. He stopped, as he heard Quinn's melodic laugh wafting through the room. His heart sank. She was right there. No longer thousands of miles away, but mere inches. However, things had changed since he'd been gone. He had left behind a dream, and returned to a nightmare.

He yanked back the curtain and stepped inside.

Quinn's face lost all color, her mouth gapping wide. Finn and Rachel sat motionless, Rachel throwing a hand over her mouth. Tears welled up in Quinn's eyes. "It's you. It's really you."

Finn stood up. "It feels so good to see you, He walked over to hug Puck, but Puck pulled away."

"Is it true? Tell me. Is it true?"

They all stared at Puck blankly.

Puck yelled, "IS IT TRUE?" his body was trembling. A cool sweat broke out across the back of his neck, his eyes darting everywhere around the room, except for the little pink bundle that was nestled in the clear bassinet next to Quinn's bed. He couldn't let his heart be broken like that. He yelled again. "Did you or did you not hook up with Quinn?"

Finn was completely taken aback. "Whoa, what? I never man, I swear."

Puck shook his head. "Everyone's saying it. Why would my own mom lie to me? Is this a game? Are you getting me back for high school? Some sort of twisted vengeance?"

He turned and faced Quinn. Tears streamed down his face. "The whole time I was gone, I thought of you. Others were losing hope, fading away to nothing right before my eyes. I kept strong through all that torment, through all that hell, because of YOU. You Quinn, you were what kept me going. I had to stay strong; I had to survive so I could get back to you. My thoughts were nothing but you. Were you sleeping ok? Were you eating right? Was the baby growing? Apparently your mind was elsewhere."

Quinn wiped away tears, her mouth trying to form words. "Puck I love you. I would never do that."

Puck grabbed his head. His heart was racing in his chest. Tears streamed down his face. "No. I love you Quinn, I love you so much. So much it hurts. But I can't. . . I just can't. . . I don't know what to believe anymore." And he stormed out of the room.

XXX

Puck wasn't sure how long had passed. He certainly did not expect to end up here. The house loomed over him; he had been away for so long that the place he once called home now felt like foreign territory. He unlocked the door, using the spare key taped to the underside of the Ohio State gnome on the front porch. The house hadn't changed much. A throw blanket was thrown haphazardly on the couch, and dishes were in the sink, like they had all left in a hurry. Had the baby come suddenly? Was it even time for the baby? He tried to do the math, but he wasn't sure what day it even was. He walked past the bedroom and paused at the door. He went to open it but it was too painful. He opened the door to the spare bedroom, the room they were going to convert into the nursery. The bland white walls were freshly painted, lively and bold. He walked in, running his hand across the crib. He moved over to the dresser. A few baby knickknacks were scattered across the dresser along with some coral colored picture frames. They were empty, a stack of pictures on top of them waiting patiently to be put in a frame. There was one frame sat upright. "Ella" it said it cutesy, curly teal font. In it was a 3D ultrasound picture of a tiny baby who, even with the scrunched up face, Puck could tell looked just like Quinn. He sat down in the floor, holding the frame and began to cry.