Disclaimer: Ownership is neither claimed nor implied.
A/N: Apologies for any inconsistencies with actual law, I'm just giving it my own spin.
The bottom fell out of their perfect world at the beginning of the following week. Puck had dropped Quinn off at home after school before going to work. Quinn found a letter waiting for her. She opened it and almost went into shock, it was from lawyers representing Russell and Judy Fabray. They were suing for custody of the infant known as Beth Puckerman.
"RUTH," Quinn shouted, frozen to the spot, her heart beating through her chest. "Ruth," she called again. Ruth came running into the family room, she'd recognised the distress in Quinn's voice and didn't know what to expect. She saw Quinn holding a letter in front of her, the paper was shaking, one hand at her mouth. Quinn looked as though she was about to be sick.
"What is it?" Ruth asked. Quinn held the paper out to her, not able to speak, tears filling her eyes.
"They can't do this," Quinn whispered. "How can they do this to me? They can't do this," she repeated.
Ruth read the letter twice, hardly able to believe that two people who supposedly loved their daughter could put her through this trauma. "Damn right they can't do this," Ruth said through gritted teeth. How dare these people? "Call Noah. He needs to know about this right now," she instructed Quinn.
Quinn did as Ruth asked. Puck's first response was crude. "Over my dead body," he added a second or two later. Puck spoke to Mr Epstein who told him to get home to his family, he assured Puck that he could make the time up another day. He also gave Puck his brother's phone number.
"Give him a call, he's a lawyer, he specialises in Family Law. He knows you work for me," Mr Epstein advised, his voice and manner calm. Mr Epstein told Puck not to worry, his brother, Abe, would sort it out.
Puck arrived at home very shortly afterwards. He found Quinn and his mom in the family room. Quinn was inconsolable. Ruth was trying her best but Quinn needed Puck to tell her everything would be ok. Puck gave his mom the number for Abe Epstein and asked her to call him and explain the situation.
Abe asked for Quinn and Puck to come in to his office to see him the following day. He couldn't give any firm assurances until he saw the paperwork and could see what he was dealing with. He knew from his brother and Puck's Nana - they constantly talked about the 'little darling' - that Beth was a happy, well looked after baby. He knew that the young parents had a lot of support and that they were doing really, very well.
For the rest of the afternoon and evening, the atmosphere in the Puckerman home was incredibly tense. Quinn couldn't switch her mind off. She knew how ruthless her father was in his pursuit of something that he wanted. She knew her mother was just a puppet who would follow any instructions that Russell Fabray issued without question. She wouldn't dare to question.
"Why are they doing this to us?" Quinn asked for what must have been the thousandth time, her voice barely a whisper. "They threw me out when they found out I was having her, why are they trying to get her now?" she looked to Puck for an answer even though she knew he didn't have one.
Ruth did her best to allay their fears but until they knew anything for sure, it was all just lip service. Abe Epstein had advised against Quinn contacting her parents directly to find out what they were playing at. Sarah arrived to give her support as soon as she heard what had happened.
That night Quinn lay in bed trying to sleep. It was no use. She could hear from Puck's breathing that he wasn't asleep either. Neither of them knew what to say. Quinn turned in his arms and tucked her head under his chin. "We'll be ok, won't we?" she whispered, desperately needing to hear the words.
Puck rubbed his hand up and down Quinn's back in comfort, "Of course we will," Puck whispered his reply. "There's no way they're going to win this. They haven't got a chance," he told her, with a lot more confidence than he actually felt. Even as he said the words Puck was trying desperately to make himself believe them. Eventually they slept.
Ruth called school the next morning to let the Principal know that neither Puck nor Quinn would be in until later. She explained that they had an urgent appointment and would be at school as soon as possible. Ruth and Sarah went with them to see Abe Epstein. Abe asked Ruth and Sarah to wait outside with Beth as he needed to speak to Puck and Quinn first.
Abe studied the paperwork and he found that Quinn's parents were citing that Puck and Quinn were unfit parents. He followed procedure and made contact with the Fabray's lawyers and set up a mediation meeting. "The outcome of this meeting," Abe began to explain, "may be that your parents are given access to see Beth," he finished, watching Quinn's face intently.
"We've never stopped them from seeing Beth," Puck explained. "Apart from Mrs Fabray calling to see her when she was a week old then sending her a stroller, they've never even attempted to see her," he added, feeling so incredibly helpless.
"My dad threw me out when he found out I was pregnant," Quinn stated hoarsely, without emotion. "I called the house the day after she was born, my dad hung up on me," she said, then her voice cracked. Puck hauled her a little closer, his chin on her head, her face buried in his chest.
"So how have you managed financially all this time?" Abe asked. "Have they continued to support you? What about your medical expenses?" he inquired, making notes.
"We've managed," Puck replied, his hand jiggling Quinn's shoulder a little. In truth, the Puckermans had been the ones to support Quinn both emotionally and financially throughout her pregnancy and since.
"Obviously I know you work and who you work for," Abe said, rolling his eyes just a little. "I know my brother thinks very highly of you, of your whole family," he added. "I will do my absolute best for you guys," he assured them, "and try not to worry. I'll be in touch as soon as I hear from the other party," he said as he stood, wrapping up the meeting. He already knew that Saul Epstein was more than happy to give a glowing reference for Puck. The fact that they were both in school and doing well was also a plus.
Puck and Quinn left the office feeling a little more reassured that their baby wasn't about to be snatched away from them. Abe had assured them that the Fabrays were just grasping at straws, the evidence all pointed to Beth having loving, doting parents who had a great support system around them. Despite all the assurances Quinn knew that the sleepless nights wouldn't stop until the matter was resolved.
Before the weekend, the letter arrived stating the time, date and place of the mediation meeting. The letter also requested the presence of Beth Puckerman. Quinn contacted Abe and asked if they really had to take her. "Yes," Abe replied simply to Quinn's query. "I have a copy of the letter too," he told her. "It's not a choice, it's an instruction," he advised. "I would also advise that either Sarah or Mrs Puckerman attend with you, they can watch Beth before any introduction to your parents takes place," he suggested. "It's better if she has someone familiar with her," he informed Quinn. Abe also gave his promise that he would be with the young couple as their legal counsel. Puck, naturally, was worried about the costs involved, Abe reassured him that it wasn't anything they needed to worry about. Abe was doing this as a favour. Sarah had given his brother a new lease of life, Saul had found reason to live again. Abe wanted to help as a thank you.
The night before the meeting with her parents, Quinn could not sleep. She didn't particularly want to see her father at all. The last time she had seen him, he had given her thirty minutes to grab what she could of her life and get out of her own home. He had slammed the door behind her without even looking her way. Quinn knew she'd got off lightly because Finn was with her. If she'd been on her own, things would probably have worked out quite differently. Puck gave Quinn what comfort he could. Their loving that night was soft and gentle, wrapped tightly together, although they forgot one very important thing.
Russell Fabray sat beside his lawyer at one side of the large table in a drab and impersonal office. He didn't make any effort to make eye contact with either Quinn or Puck seated opposite him. The sneer on his face did not make for an easy meeting. Judy looked as though she desperately wanted to speak, she opened and closed her mouth a number of times without saying a word. Quinn was the first to break the silence.
"Why are you doing this to me?" she whispered, looking at her father. Russell did not reply, he turned his gaze further away making sure that he could not see his 'disappointment of a daughter'. He leant towards his lawyer and whispered something to him.
"Mr Fabray would like to see the child," the lawyer said as his eyes flicked around the people gathered in the room, he was clearly uncomfortable.
Abe spoke in a whisper to both Quinn and Puck and received their nods of agreement. "Mr Puckerman and Ms Fabray have no objection to Mr and Mrs Fabray meeting their daughter in their presence," he replied to the request. This made Russell look towards Puck, his eyes full of venom, then he turned his gaze on Quinn. He could no longer contain himself.
"You slut," he hissed at Quinn, leaning forwards across the table. "You dirty little slut," he repeated. Russell's face was puce, he could barely string words together, the anger was radiating from him. "And you," his finger pointed at Puck. "You took advantage of my daughter, my baby girl, how dare you?" he demanded.
"There was no 'taking advantage of' dad," Quinn admitted quietly. "It was and still is entirely mutual," she informed her father in an even, controlled voice. There was no way would she allow her father to blame Puck for something that she had wanted and had been an active participant in. This made Russell Fabray show something more of his true colours.
"Still is?" Russell yelled incredulously as though he could hardly believe his ears. "Still fucking is?" he demanded. Russell stood up abruptly, sending his chair flying backwards, he leant across the table in an attempt to hit out at Quinn. "You fucking little whore," he screeched. "Get out of my sight."
Puck leant across in front of Quinn to protect her the instant that Russell lunged forwards. "Hey," he shouted at Russell, looking at him in disgust. Puck grabbed Quinn's hand as they both stood. Mr Epstein stood at the same time.
"I believe that this meeting is over," Abe announced. He looked towards the Fabray's lawyer. "I trust that we won't be hearing any more about this matter?" he queried, his eyebrows raised high on his forehead. Abe glanced at Russell. "Mr Fabray, I can assure you that I will support Mr Puckerman and Ms Fabray to the ends of the earth to prevent you from gaining any access to their child. You sir, do not deserve a second chance," he informed the seething man. Abe closed the file on the paperwork that he carried with him, he directed Quinn and Puck to precede him through the door.
Once in the small foyer Quinn turned in Puck's arms and sobbed. Abe went to collect Sarah and Beth. "Has he ever hit you?" Puck asked quietly as soon as they were alone.
Quinn nodded. "Sometimes," she shrugged. "He hits my mom more," Quinn admitted.
"You don't ever have to worry about that again," Puck reassured her, his hands moving over her back, giving her comfort. "I won't ever let him near you or Beth. You're safe now," Puck promised as Sarah appeared with Beth. He took Beth in one arm and held her close between him and Quinn. He brushed a kiss on both of their heads knowing that their child would never have the frightening sort of upbringing that Quinn had known. He would die before hurt either of them. He would kill before allowing anyone else to.