Sorry about the wait, this chapter just did not want to co-operate. But it's finally finished, and there will be a short epilogue to follow shortly. It's already mostly written in my brain so it should be out soon!

Thanks for all the reviews and alerts! Enjoy!

Nine

Puck leaned against the doorframe as he watched Kurt paint the wall a soft pretty purple. He had no idea where he'd be if it hadn't been for the other boy.

'Looks good,' he said, startling the other teen who'd been singing along to the Lady Gaga song that was on the radio.

'Grab a roller, and it'll look even better sooner,' Kurt offered waving his roller at the paint supplies by the door.

Instead Puck pulled Kurt into a hug, 'I don't even know how to thank you.'

Making sure to not get the lilac paint on Puck, Kurt turned in his arms, his brow furrowed in confusion, 'you're welcome, but what are you thanking me for?'

'For this,' Puck waved an arm around the room, 'for everything. If it wasn't for you I'd probably be out on the street, living out of my truck or something.'

Kurt gave him a soft smile, before giving him a chaste kiss, 'you don't have to thank me for that.'

'But still,' Puck stated as he pulled Kurt into a tighter hug, 'you are amazing.'

Kurt didn't say anything; he just wrapped his arms around Puck's neck, letting the slightly bigger teen to hold him.

'So are we going to paint or what?' Schuester asked as he made himself known from where he'd been leaning against the doorframe watching the pair.

Kurt had been Puck's rock through this whole mess, and then he'd designed the nursery for Beth. He was convinced that if Kurt didn't make it onto the stage, which he was destined for, he could have a career as an interior decorator. He'd completely redone Schue's apartment so that both Schue and Puck could live together and not be on top of one another. And quite honestly the place looked that much better for it.

The nursery was the only room they were completely redoing from scratch, and the purple, blue and pink colour scheme with mystical animals was perfect. Mostly owing to the mutual secret love that both teens had for mythology and anything related.

Of course, Schue had only seen Kurt's sketches of the room to really base his opinion on.

With an affectionate kiss to his boyfriend's lips, Kurt pulled away from Puck, 'we really should get to work.'

Puck pulled Kurt back into his arms for a heated kiss, though he kept it PG because his guardian was in the room with them.

Over the course of the next two weeks, all their glee mates handed Puck a gift for the baby. Nothing huge, just little things like toys and clothes.

They had gotten the furniture that Schue had in storage and some from Burt, who had kept most of Kurt's because they had wanted to have more children, but Kurt's mother had gotten sick.

One night, several weeks later, Puck was fixing dinner when his cell phone rang. He tucked it between his shoulder and ear as he continued to cook.

'Mrs. Fabray?'

They'd had a few brief conversations since the coffee shop, but they hadn't really been about anything other than the baby.

'She's gone into labour and I don't know when it started, she had a back ache yesterday and now her water's broken and the doctors say she's progressing nicely but it's been hours and she's walking around and I know you want to be here and I'm sorry I didn't call sooner-'

'Judy!' Puck yelled into the phone, finally cutting off her babble.

She gave a weak, 'sorry,' that Puck waved off even though she couldn't actually see him.

'I have to call Kurt, my truck finally gave up and died and we're waiting on a part, and Schue is at some meeting at the school, but I will be there as soon as I can,' he offered as he turned off the oven and the elements he'd been using. He'd been making dessert as he made dinner.

'I am sorry about freaking out on you,' she offered again, feeling slightly calmer knowing that someone was coming.

'It's okay, I think, given the circumstances, you're allowed to have a freak out,' he chuckled softly.

'Why are you so calm?' she asked.

'I haven't a clue,' Puck offered, getting a small laugh from the older woman. 'I'll be there as soon as I can get there,' he assured her again.

After hanging up, he dialled Kurt, who jumped at the chance to get out of the house. His dad was still at the garage and he hated being alone in the house. He had tried to get a pet of some sort but his father had refused, never giving him a clear answer as to why.

Kurt didn't like to talk on the phone when he drove and despite the growing nerves as Puck realized that he was going to be father he hung up and began to pace, though five minutes later he was down pacing in front of the building.

Kurt drove as fast as he dared; only stopping once at his dad's garage, since it was on the way to Puck's, to talk to his dad.

Kurt barely stopped as Puck climbed into his truck; he was practically vibrating with nervous energy so Kurt pulled into visitors parking spot.

'What are you doing?' Puck demanded, more anxious than angry.

'You need to relax, you're wound tighter than a priest at a brothel,' Kurt stated, turning so he was facing Puck. 'I know this is nerve wracking, but you knew this day was coming. You're prepared and you have help.' He cupped Puck's cheeks softly and gave him a sweet kiss, 'you are going to be fine.'

Puck inhaled deeply, before visibly relaxing as Kurt ran his hand through Puck's strip of hair.

'You calm now?' Kurt asked, and Puck just nodded. 'You have the bag?'

Puck's eyes snapped open and he began to panic, 'Noah!' he looked at Kurt, who was wholly unimpressed. 'Really, again?'

Puck scowled at Kurt, who simply raised an eyebrow, 'go get it. And leave a note for Schue!' he called after Puck, who was racing inside.

A few minutes later, Puck was tossing the bag into the back seat and climbing into the front, not having noticed the carrier in the back.

'Can we go now?' Puck demanded, not as irritated as he sounded.

'Did you leave a note?' Kurt asked, watching Puck with ill-concealed amusement.

'I called him and left a message,' Kurt nodded and started the car.

'I didn't mean to be mean,'

'I know, I'm just… fucking terrified,' Puck finally admitted.

Kurt took Puck's hand and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it, 'I know, but you have Schue and me and Dad and Carole and Finn and everyone in glee and Judy and,' he rattled off.

'I know, but what-'

'You won't!' Kurt blurted a little more forcefully than he intended. 'You're better than him. You are more of a man than he could ever hope to be.'

Puck nodded, what was it about Kurt that the slighter boy always seemed to know what he was thinking, what he was feeling, without Puck even having to say anything?

The rest of the ride was silent and Kurt dropped Puck off before he went to park somewhere. Puck was so reimbursing him for the parking if they didn't validate or something.

He headed to the neonatal unit, not needing to ask for directions, since he'd sent the last two summers volunteering at the hospital. If his Broadway career didn't pan out he was thinking of going into medicine, or something.

He found Puck and Judy watching Quinn as she slowly made her way down the hallway.

'How are you doing, Quinn?' Kurt asked handing off the bag to Puck.

'Fuck you, Hummel,' she snarled as she turned to head back to her room. 'You try pushing a watermelon out your ass and see how you do.'

'Awesome,' Kurt replied, looking a little frightened of the blonde.

Judy chuckled lightly before helping Quinn back to her room. Just then Mercedes appeared with Burt and Mr. Schue.

Quinn sagged against Mercedes as she rushed to the help the blonde. No one was really sure how the blonde had come to rely on Mercedes as she had, but it was kind of nice to see that Quinn wasn't completely alone.

When the doctor finally announced that it was time for Quinn to deliver, Kurt, Burt and Mr. Schue were banished to the waiting room. Before he left though, Kurt gave Puck a quick hug, as the bigger boy asked if he could let everyone know what was going one.

Kurt nodded before he followed the other two men down the hall.

He settled next to his dad, who was reading an old magazine, and sent out a mass text to their friends. An hour later, they hadn't heard anything but most of the glee club was there, Finn and Rachel having been the first to arrive. Quinn had officially broken up with Finn about a week after her return from the hospital. He had spent a lot of time with Rachel just getting to know her and her him. It had been Kurt's idea.

Almost ten hours later had the waiting area full of sleeping teenagers, as Burt and Will had a low conversation about everything. They had tried to get the others to go home, but none of them had wanted to.

Judy and Mercedes helped Quinn through the birth while Puck could do nothing but stand in the corner and watch, in mild awe. His respect for women shot through the roof.

Before Puck knew what hit him, he was watching as the nurse tried to get Quinn to hold her baby, but she turned and pushed her away. Judy nodded to Puck in the corner and suddenly he was holding the crying infant.

She was beautiful and he was instantly grateful to Schue for his decision to not take Beth away from him. He had no idea how Quinn could not want this tiny little miracle. Sure the circumstances of her birth weren't ideal but it wasn't her fault.

Beth had settled and was sucking on Puck's finger when the nurse tried to take her from him. He almost growled at her, causing the nurse to chuckle.

'I just want to clean her up Papa Bear,' she offered. And Puck only realized that she was still covered in birth ew-ness.

He carefully handed her back to the nurse who quickly cleaned her up and swaddled her into a clean soft pink blanket.

She handed her back to Puck with a bottle, and told him he could take her out to his friends.

He was tempted not too, but Kurt was there, and Will and Burt and everyone who had been support through this whole thing.

Puck headed down the short hall and found them all, smiling at the dog pile they made as they all slept on each other.

Kurt was leaning against Burt, who nudged his son awake.

'I'm awake, the radiator is leaking,' he blurted as he rubbed his eyes.

'I think there's someone for you to meet,' Burt offered with a nod of his head to the door, where Puck was watching in amusement.

Kurt gave a soft "oh" of surprise before he rushed over to the pair.

He ran a soft hand over her head, thumbing the dark hair that was poking out from under the cap on her head.

'She looks just like you,' he offered, giving Puck a small smile. The only thing she shared with Puck at the moment were the dark locks and the maybe the darker skin tone, but with the lighting and having just fought her way out of a birth canal, it was hard to say.

'Nah, she's much better looking,' Burt offered from behind his son.

'What's her name?' Will asked, he'd herd them talk about them on occasion and call her Beth, but he had no idea if they had picked out a name.

'Elizabeth Sarah,' he replied as he passed her to Kurt, who choked on air. Puck suddenly looked worried, 'that was your mum's name, wasn't it?'

Tears weld up in Kurt's eyes, 'Dad,' Kurt stated a little desperately.

'I got her,' Burt stated, taking the infant from Kurt, who was shaking suddenly.

Kurt flung himself at Puck, who managed to stay standing as he caught the slighter teen.

Puck gave Burt a desperate look. Burt chuckled softly, 'you did good, kid.'

'I'm sorry,' Kurt pulled away, using his sleeve to wipe at his eyes.

'Don't apologize, I didn't mean to spring it on you like that,' Puck replied, running his thumbs over Kurt's cheeks.

'Alright Dads,' the nurse from before was standing in the door way. 'I hate to interrupt, but Miss Beth needs to be registered and then she needs to rest.'

'How's Quinn?' Kurt asked.

'She'll be sore for a while, but she's fine,' she replied, a little sadly.

'She doesn't want anything to do with her,' Puck stated a little darkly, before he reclaimed his daughter just as the others started to wake. They all flocked over and cooed, the nurse watched in amusement for about 5 minutes before she shooed them all away and guided Puck to the nursery.

'You okay, kiddo?' Burt asked, pulling Kurt into a one-armed hug when everyone was gone. Schuester had convinced them all to go home and get some sleep.

'Yeah,' Kurt nodded, 'just wasn't expecting him to name her after mum.'

'Well she was great woman,' Puck offered appearing out of nowhere.

'Thank you,' Kurt hugged Puck fiercely again.

'Hey,' Puck pulled Kurt just far enough away to cup his cheeks, 'after everything you've done for me, it was the least I could do.'

'Are you staying with Kurt tonight?' Will asked, he had talked to the nurse a few minutes ago. They wanted to keep Beth overnight, just for observation.

Kurt immediately turned giant puppy dog eyes on Burt, 'please Daddy?'

Burt chuckled, 'fine, just don't expect this to be a habit,' he added firmly.

No, the habit would be Kurt staying with Puck and Beth.

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