Disclaimer: Ownership is neither claimed nor implied.
A/N: Beth meets another Aunt.
Saul and Abe Epstein came for dinner on Christmas day along with Sarah. Abe took the opportunity to sit with Judy and talk privately. He discussed a number of options with her and gave some very sound advice. He also noted to himself that actually, Judy Fabray was a remarkably fine woman.
The meal, again around the dining room table, was fun, loud and one of the best times that Quinn could ever remember spending with her mother. She didn't think she'd ever seen her mom laugh so much. During the meal Puck answered a knock at the door, outside he found a slightly older version of Quinn and a guy he'd never seen before. "I'm not sure if this is the right house…" the blond began, hesitantly.
"Yes it is," Puck replied. "You must be Frannie," he said as he stuck out his hand to shake hers. "And Peter?" he asked, turning to the guy beside her. "Is that right? I'm Puck, Quinn's boyfriend," he introduced himself. "Come in, everyone's through here," he said as he took their coats. Puck led them through to the dining room, where Frannie was as amazed as Quinn to see their mother giggling almost hysterically at something Abe had said to her.
Quinn looked up and saw her sister. She jumped up and ran to hug her. "Frannie! I thought you were coming tomorrow," she exclaimed.
"We were," Frannie agreed. "I just couldn't wait till tomorrow to see you all so we set off straight after lunch. Peter's parents were more than understanding," she explained. Frannie pulled back to look at her sister's happy, smiling face. She turned to her mother and hugged her tight. "Mom," was all she said. The three of them hugged together, tightly. "So," Frannie said, sniffing back the tears, "where's my gorgeous niece?" she demanded.
"Here she is," Puck said proudly, standing behind Beth's highchair. Beth gave a cheeky grin to her mommy and the new people stood beside her. Quinn made the introductions and after everyone had welcomed Frannie and Peter, Ruth stood to offer the newcomers something to eat and drink, both offers were gratefully accepted.
"I'm so sorry to interrupt your evening," Frannie apologised, "but after Quinnie's call last night I just couldn't wait any longer to come and see that they were both ok," she told everyone.
"You're not interrupting anything," Ruth replied. "You're more than welcome to eat with us. It's nice to meet you both, finally," she added. "Have you thought where you'll be staying tonight?" Ruth asked, an idea forming in her mind.
"No, not yet," Peter replied, speaking for the first time. "We'll probably just book into The Courtyard or one of the other hotels here but we haven't actually done it yet. I can't see all of them being full. Then again, it's Christmas, they just might say there's no room at the inn to be traditional," he grinned. "We've always stayed with Judy and Russell whenever we visited, but…" his voice trailed off, his eyebrows raised, shaking his head.
"Noah, Quinn, can I have a word with you in the kitchen please?" Ruth asked quietly. They both followed. "How would you feel if Hannah and I went to stay at Nana's for a few days? Your sister and her husband can stay here in my room, with you and your mother, give you all some time together. Maybe help your mother get some perspective and think about her future?" she suggested.
"Ruth!" Quinn cried, amazed once again at the generosity of the Puckerman family. "We can't ask you to do that," she insisted.
"You didn't," Ruth smiled. "I'm offering. You can have something of a Christmas together, your sister can get to know Beth a little. It might be just what your mother needs, to help her adjust. Listening to her today, I think she's in shock," she added. Ruth was genuinely concerned about the state of Judy Fabray's mind.
"Thanks mom," Puck said, hugging his mother. "I think it's a really good idea," he agreed.
"Ok, we'll go tell them," Ruth told both of them with a grin, hugging her son back. In the dining room she approached Frannie and Peter to quietly make the offer.
"I'd really like you to stay here. I think your mother may need the support," Ruth suggested and bit her lip as she waited for their reply.
"Are you sure?" Frannie asked, shocked at the offer. "I mean, we can go to a hotel, I'd hate to think the Fabray family is taking over your home," she added, a little embarrassed.
"Ha," Ruth snorted. "Your sister's been doing that from day one," she claimed, then she grinned and hugged Quinn to her, "but we love her for it."
"Thank you," Frannie said, accepting the offer, taking Ruth's hand in both of hers, "thank you so much."
"Hannah, guess what?" Ruth smiled at her. "We're going to go stay at Nana's. Come on, let's go get some things packed." Hannah bounced out of her seat and ran to her bedroom, excited to be going to Nana's for longer than just overnight.
Judy looked on, tears in her eyes. "Ruth, I can't tell you how much you astound me," she said, struggling to speak as her voice broke, "with your generosity and your understanding." Ruth gave Judy a tight smile and patted her shoulder. She understood the devastation of such a life changing event, the break up of a marriage, she'd lived through it herself. The people that Judy needed around her right now were her daughters. Ruth could give her that at least.
They all worked together to clear up after dinner, the dining room and kitchen restored to order. Quinn brewed another pot of coffee while Puck spoke quietly to Abe before he left along with Saul, Sarah, Ruth and Hannah.
"So, how are you really?" Frannie asked her mom once they were sat round the kitchen table.
"Well," Judy began, "there's no permanent damage."
"That's not what I meant," Frannie said quickly, "I mean how do you feel? What are your plans?" she asked.
"I don't think that now is the right time to be rushing into things," Peter put in. "Judy, we'd like you to come home with us for a while, give yourself some space," he offered, Frannie nodded her head in agreement.
"That might be a good idea, mom," Quinn agreed and nodded too.
"Isn't that a bit like running away though?" Judy asked.
"No, it's giving yourself some breathing space, time to recover and to consider your future away from all the stress," Peter corrected, his voice gentle.
Judy looked at both of her daughters. "What do you think? Should I?" she asked, trembling.
"Yes mom, I think you should," Quinn said quietly. "You need some time. Time away from here."
"What do you think Noah?" Judy asked.
"Oh, hey, don't ask me," Puck shrugged, holding his hands up in surrender. "It's a family decision," he reminded them.
Judy looked at him frowning, "And you think that doesn't include you?"
Puck glanced at Quinn, she nodded at him. "You're stuck with all of us now," she whispered.
"Well, in that case, I have to agree," Puck replied, taking Quinn's hand, "I think you could use the distance, to make you feel safe again," he said softly, putting into words what everyone else was thinking.
Judy nodded, considering their words. "You're probably right," Judy agreed, nodding. "I can't decide anything right now, I need to think," she admitted. Judy looked round at her gathered family. Her two daughters, their partners and her granddaughter. Judy began to cry. "I don't deserve you. Any of you. I've failed you all," she cried.
Frannie and Quinn both jumped up to comfort Judy. They both knew that it had been Russell who had controlled Judy, she hadn't been able to stand up for either herself or for them. "It's a new start mom. A new you. A brand new Judy Fabray," Frannie encouraged with a strained smile.
Beth must have thought it was time to be free of her highchair. She started to cry too and reach for Puck. "Dadadadada," she wailed, her little mouth pouting.
Puck lifted her immediately. "Hey baby girl. Is everyone ignoring you?" he asked before he kissed her cheek. "I'm going to take her up for her bath. We'll be back soon," he announced.
"I'll tidy up in here," Quinn said, rising from her seat too. Quinn made short work of washing the cups, encouraging everyone else to relax in the family room. She joined them just before Puck returned with a bathed and pyjama'd Beth. He put her on the floor for her to play before her supper and bed. She'd gone all shy again and crawled to Quinn, pulling herself up to stand against Quinn's knee. "Are you all happy again?" Quinn asked her daughter. "Did daddy sing to you?" she added even though she really didn't need to ask that question.
"From what I've seen and heard, daddy always sings to her," Judy smiled. "In the bath, in her bedroom, in the kitchen, everywhere," she said, waiting for Puck to deny it.
"Now that's true," Quinn grinned up at Puck. "You do. You're always singing to Beth."
"That's because she likes me singing to her, don't you baby girl?" Puck asked as he picked Beth up and hugged her. "You like daddy to sing to you, don't you? Mommy likes daddy to sing to her too," he whispered then grinned at Quinn, she blushed at the knowing look in his eye.
"Mmhmm, mommy loves daddy to sing to her, it really turns her on, that voice, those eyes. Oh yeah, mommy loves daddy to sing to her," Quinn thought to herself and felt a little shiver shoot through her entire body.
Beth didn't settle very well with a lot of new faces surrounding her and only mommy and daddy familiar to her. She stayed close to Quinn, trying to climb up on her lap. Quinn picked Beth up to sit on her knee. As soon as she was there Beth let Quinn know she was ready for her supper. Quinn reclined the chair and settled back to feed Beth. Neither her sister nor brother-in-law had expected that. Peter shot up and out of the room. "Quinn!" Frannie exclaimed, her eyes open wide. "I can't believe you just did that. Without warning us," she cried.
"What?" Quinn asked looking down. "You can't see anything and it's supper time."
"I'll go make sure he's not too traumatised," Puck said, smiling at Quinn. He stood in front of Quinn's seat, hands on the arms and leant over her to kiss her smiling lips, then further to kiss Beth's head. Beth didn't falter, she carried on with her supper. Puck found Peter in the kitchen. He turned to look at Puck as he walked in. "Are you ok, man?" Puck asked. "The way you pealed out of there I thought you might be feeling ill or something," he suggested.
"No, not ill," Peter replied, "I just didn't expect Quinn to…err…to," he nodded towards his own chest.
Puck knew what he meant. "To feed our daughter?" he asked, used to the reaction from people. "Well, it's not a job I can do, you sort of need the right equipment," Puck informed Peter knowledgeably.
"I'm sorry about that. My reaction, I just….I've never…" Peter stuttered.
"You've never been around anyone breastfeeding a baby before?" Puck asked. "And you think I had before Beth was born?" he thought to ask.
"But you've had months to get used to it," Peter argued.
"True," Puck admitted. "And to be honest, when Beth doesn't want to be fed anymore I'll miss seeing them together like that," he added then flicked his eyebrows up then down, a naughty little smile on his face. "I won't mind having the boobs back all to myself though, sometimes it's just not cool sharing them," he told Peter quietly. Peter laughed, understanding where Puck was coming from. "Do you want a beer?" Puck offered, going to the fridge. "We don't really keep anything stronger in the house, sorry."
"Yeah, thanks, a beer would be good." Peter nodded. Puck and Peter sat at the kitchen table, drinking their ice cold beers and sorting out the wrongs of the world. They both agreed that if Russell Fabray should miraculously be hit by a falling piece of space debris and wiped off the face of the planet, it would be no bad thing. Quinn found them there a short while later, Beth asleep in her arms. "I'm just going to take her up to bed. You two ok?" she asked.
"Yeah, we're good," Puck smiled. He turned to Peter, "Do you want a hand up with your bags?" he asked. Peter agreed so they followed Quinn up the stairs.
Puck showed Peter into his mom's bedroom, indicating the bathroom that joined with his sister's bedroom and also pointing out the guest room that Judy was occupying. "We're down the other end of the hall, Beth's room is opposite ours. You can't usually hear her from this side if she wakes in the night so you shouldn't be disturbed," Puck explained.
Ruth had changed the linens on her bed when she packed hers and Hannah's bags to stay at Sarah's house so the room was good to go. Peter left the bags on the bed and followed Puck back downstairs. "Does everyone call you 'Puck'?" he asked.
"Most people do," Puck replied with a nod, "even my teachers. I hate my name, Noah," he said with a grimace. "My mom, sister, Nana and Judy call me Noah, and my Rabbi," Puck thought about it for a second, "just about everyone else calls me Puck. I prefer it," he added.
Puck and Peter walked into the family room and found the ladies all sat chatting. Puck nudged Quinn aside and sat on the huge comfortable recliner with her, Quinn shifted to sit across his lap, sipping her coffee. "Did you want another beer?" she asked Puck and Peter.
"No thanks," Peter replied, smiling, "and I'm sorry I ran out of here earlier, you just took me by surprise," he apologised to Quinn.
"Don't worry about it. It's a reaction I'm used to," Quinn smiled. "It's only once a day now so you've got till tomorrow night before you need to run away again," she teased.
"She is a beautiful baby though," Frannie sighed. "It'd be nice if she could get to know her cousin," she said quietly then squeezed her eyes shut waiting for her mom and sister to make the connection.
Quinn squealed. "Oh my God, you're pregnant?" she demanded. Quinn shot up to hug her sister. "That's fantastic. Oh, a new baby. When?" Quinn asked and almost sounded envious.
"At the end of June," Frannie said through her tears, squashed between her mother and her sister. Puck stood and shook Peter's hand.
"Congratulations man," Puck smiled. "Better get used to that breastfeeding stuff, and quick," he suggested. He noticed the look on Quinn's face. "Not a chance Fabray. Don't even think about it," he instructed as his arm went round her shoulder, hugging her to his side.
"What?" Quinn asked innocently. "I'm not thinking about anything," she denied. Quinn did not convince Puck at all.
"Yeah, right," Puck snorted. "I've seen that look before. Just keep thinking Nana and marks out of ten," he suggested. Quinn burst into laughter, hiding her red face against Puck's shoulder as Frannie, Peter and Judy turned quizzing gazes on them. "Don't ask. It's better not to ask," Puck shuddered.
They spent a lovely, pleasant evening chatting. Puck and Quinn told stories about Beth and gave lots of advice. Quinn and Frannie reminisced about their childhood, Judy reminded them of times with Grammy. Peter sat and listened to it all. He and Puck managed to chat together a little. Peter asked how Puck had felt in the delivery room. "Fucking useless," Puck answered honestly, quietly. "That's how I felt. I couldn't do anything for her, nothing. We've got a video if you want to watch it," he offered.
Frannie overheard. "Oh can we? That'd be so cool," she whispered. Puck got the copy that, with the help of the AV Club, had been edited to have the original sound on overlaid with Puck singing This Woman's Work. It was the first time either Frannie or Peter had heard him sing. They didn't even realise that it was him.
"Oh my God," Peter said quietly. "That was amazing," he whispered as the short movie ended. "Where did you find that song? That was beautiful," he added.
"We recorded it at school, the band that play in Glee club are really good and, yeah, the song is cool, I really like singing it," Puck answered, not realising they didn't know.
"That was you singing?" Frannie asked, her eyes open wide in surprise. "Wow. You're good. More than good."
"Yes he is," Quinn said proudly, rubbing his mohawk. Puck pulled away, embarrassed. "The first day back at school he showed a really edited version of that in Glee club, no sound or anything, then he knelt down on the floor in front of me and sang that song. It was so…ahhhh…." Quinn sighed, her hands at her chest.
"Not like the day we did the Sex Ed classes," Puck reminded her, starting off a new round of stories. By the time they were finished, everyone was thinking about going to bed. No one had mentioned that Russell Fabray could possibly be released in the next couple of days, but it was in the forefront of everyone's mind.
Quinn decided to be the one after exchanging glances with both her sister and Puck. "We need to talk about what we're going to do if he turns up here again," she announced.
"I think the first thing we should do is call the police again if that happens," Peter said decisively. "Judy, I really don't think you should see him, especially not alone. He'll try to give you the same I'm so sorry speech he's given you a thousand times before. We've been saying this to you for years but you just didn't want to hear it before. What ever gave you the strength to leave this time is a blessing," he said quietly, taking one of Judy's hands.
"Yes she is a blessing," Judy answered. "Beth. Beth gave me the strength to leave," she explained. "I just wanted to see Beth on Christmas, give her a gift. She's given me a bigger gift than I could ever imagine, could ever pray for. She's given me the strength to save myself," she stopped talking suddenly as her voice broke. The three Fabray ladies burst into tears hugging each other, even Puck and Peter found it hard to hold back the emotions following Judy's beautiful speech. Puck felt so proud that his daughter had been able to do that for another human being, save a person, just by being born.