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"Ok you've got my numbers?"

"Check."

"Your mom's numbers?"

"Check."

"Mi Ma Jean's and Aunt Sarah's?"

"Mr. Jacob's, Mercedes and Mr. Kurt's, the President's, Gandhi's…"

"Alright smartass I'm just making sure."

Puck slammed the trunk shut as he made his way around the car, Beth laughing a little as he chunked the spare house key to her. He and Quinn had decided on taking a vacation before Christmas, the two renting a cabin by the lake a few towns over. They were taking the time to just breathe for a bit, without the concerned glances and pathetic looks from their friends and family, and escape from everything to focus on working through their issues without involving Beth.

"Now you're gonna stay with Finn and Rachel understood? And the only other place your allowed to go is Mercedes and Kurt's or Mi Ma's ya got it? No late night sneaking over here and calling Balen over to…you know…"

"Have sex?" Beth asked as Puck flinched, pointing down to her pregnant belly while cocking an eyebrow, "Because God knows that's never happened."

"Beth, please, stop," Puck grumbled as he held his hands and shook his head, "I'm your father, don't say shit like that."

"I'm just saying-"

"Well don't," Puck interrupted exasperated, "Look just promise me you'll do what I say, ok? Please?"

"Duh dad, I'm not that kid anyways," Beth sighed, "Besides I can't exactly sneak anywhere these days."

"I'm counting on that," Puck mumbled as he flicked her belly button, heading back inside the house to call for Quinn, "Now we'll be back the morning of Christmas Eve, but if anything happens with you or the baby you let Finn and Rachel take you to the hospital and you call us ok? We're only a few hours down the road and I left you the directions and cabin number just in case."

"Dad, please, I got this," Beth said sternly as she rested her hands on her father's shoulders, "I'm sixteen ok? I'm completely capable."

"Beth, please, humor me," Puck shot back as he mimicked her actions, "I'm your father and I worry, so just do what I say."

"Yes sir, I promise," Beth agreed as he smiled and pecked her forehead, turning away and heading inside to find his wife.

"Quinn, baby," he called softly as he knocked on their bedroom door, finding his wife in the bathroom as she stared in the mirror, "Hey, you almost ready?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm coming," she nodded as she shook her head, Puck's voice having awoken her from her daze. She quickly pushed past him as she made her way towards the dresser, reaching down for her luggage while Puck shouted behind her.

"Here babe, let me get-"

"Puck it's ok I can-"

"I know I just want to make-"

"Puck really, I'm cap-"

"Quinn-"

The suitcase thudded loudly against the hardwood as it landed on Puck's foot, him groaning agitatedly in pain as Quinn pushed it off.

"I'm sorry-"

"It's fine, Quinn it's fine-"

"I just thought I had it and then…" The two of them grew silent as they stood, Puck leaning down to nurse his foot as Quinn watched guiltily.

"Hey, it's ok," Puck assured her as he leaned up, Quinn looking as if she was on the verge of tears.

"I didn't-"

"We're gonna get through this ok?" Puck whispered as he pulled her closer, his hands rubbing her arms up and down as he locked into her eyes, "Everything's gonna be ok, I swear." Quinn forced out a smile as he kissed her cheek, her skin crawling uncomfortably as she pulled away quickly and leaned down to retrieve the luggage.

"Baby-"

"You got everything you need?" she asked politely as Puck's question got cut short, him nodding oddly in response as they began marching down the hall.

"Beth, come tell your mama goodbye," he shouted down the hall until their daughter finally emerged, timidly hiding behind her dad and waving while trying her best to use his body as a shield. She'd been doing the same routine all week as she dodged her mom, hiding her baby bump behind the counter or wearing baggy shirts. She felt guilty about being pregnant while her mom struggled with not being so, feeling as if she rubbed salt in the wound whenever she walked around with her protruding tummy. Beth knew that if anyone deserved a baby it was her mom and dad, having spent the days after the loss of her little brother or sister wondering if they felt the same.

"Now you have all our numbers?" Quinn asked as she walked towards her daughter, Beth growing rigid as she fluffed her shirt.

"Yes ma'am, and dad left the cabin's number and directions in case."

"Good, good," Quinn smiled as she finally weaved her way around Puck to Beth, opening her arms wide and trying not to cry at the warm feel of Beth's swollen stomach against her own, "You call us everyday ok? Just let us know you're alright."

"I will," Beth murmured as she pulled away quickly, her eyes avoiding her mothers as she backed away.

"Alright well we love you and take care of yourself alright? We'll be back soon." Quinn kissed her daughters cheek and then turned to Puck and the door, the two waving behind them as they continued to call our to their daughter.

"Be safe Beth!"

"And don't even think about doing something stupid!"'

"Beth come on, what's wrong?"

"You're belts digging into my stomach, that's what's wrong!"

"Well just take it off and then we don't have to worry about it."

"Way to sweep a girl off her feet hun."

"Baby you know I can…well figuratively, you're a little on the heavy side these days and-"

"Really Balen? Really?"

"I'm just saying, I honestly love you but I'm only one man and…"

Beth groaned as she rolled away from her boyfriend, one hand rubbing the tender spot on her stomach as the other became entangled in her hair. She'd spent the afternoon with Balen at Mercedes and Kurt's apartment, not "technically" breaking any rules as the two made out on the couch.

"What's wrong babe? You're all grumpy and distant."

"I just don't feel good, that's all," Beth lied as she struggled to push herself up, Balen scooting over on the couch and helping his girlfriend sit up.

"And you swear you're only five months?" he asked curiously as he stared down at his girlfriend's baby bump, Beth flashing him an annoyed glance as she tugged on her shirt.

"Yes, ass, and I'm only getting bigger so embrace it."

"I don't have a problem with curves, I just have a problem with your immobility." Beth chunked one of the pillows at her boyfriends before the two shared a smile, Balen moving to lay flat beside Beth as he began playing with her stomach, "So seriously though, what's up with you?"

"I don't know, I just feel really guilty lately," Beth mumbled as she held her shirt up, Balen's fingers rubbing and tapping against her skin as they searched for movement, "And I can't stop thinking about my parents and what they're going through."

"Wait, you were thinking about your parents just now?" Balen asked disgusted as he flashed her a disturbed face, "'Cause baby that's just weird."

"No, I-oh shut up," Beth grumbled as she swatted at her boyfriend, Balen laughing as she missed and wobbled a bit, "I just mean I keep thinking about what they're going through and all, how they must feel when they look at me."

"Look at you? Look at you how?"

"Like some undeserving brat who's getting the baby they want," Beth muttered as she toyed with her bracelet, "Like I should've been the one to lose a baby."

"Hey now, don't talk like that," Balen interrupted as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "You know they don't feel that way."

"But it can't help them to see me and my swollen stomach all the time," Beth argued back as she motioned down, "I'm like a walking reminder of everything they should have."

"Beth you can't think that way," Balen pleaded as he pulled her closer, "You know your parents don't think that way about you, they never could, and they would never wish something like that on you. Yeah it might be hard and stuff, but you're their baby too and they don't feel anything but love for you." Beth smiled as he kissed her softly, still feeling a bit sad as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I just wish there was something we could do ya know? Something to help cheer them up somehow."

"Maybe there is," Balen thought out loud as he turned to meet Beth's eyes, "I mean haven't we learned anything? Operation Puckabray-"

"Oh Lord Balen-"

"Operation Jakurt-"

"Kurcob if you ask dad-"

"I mean after all the shenanigans our parents have pulled, haven't we been taught anything?"

"That wearing tight bikinis and using gay guys will get your man back?"

"No-yes, technically speaking, but more than that," Balen said as he shook his head, "What I'm saying is we can do something to cheer your parents up, plan something nice for them when they get back." Beth thought it over as Balen scrambled off the couch, heading towards the counter for his keys as he chunked Beth her shoes.

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously as she slipped on her flats, "You already have something in mind? Oh tell me it doesn't involve your nun chunks or "mad skills."

"Baby, please," Balen smiled as he grabbed his wallet and her hand, "I reserve those for only the most dire of situations. And, ya know, fight club." Beth rolled her eyes as he dragged her off the couch and out the door, jabbering away the whole time as he rattled off his plan.

"Trust me, what I'm planning will totally cheer everyone up."

Quinn sighed as she sunk into the soft sheets that covered the wide bed, her body relaxing instantly as the warm covers entangled themselves around her completely. She'd been bunched up in their car all day, her and Puck taking the third day of their vacation to sightsee around the small town. Their trip had been going wonderfully so far, the first day used for nothing but pajamas and fires and sleeping while the second had been all about finishing up the last of the Christmas shopping. Their time at the lake had been the most peace the two had gotten in months Quinn realized, her heart almost breaking when she thought about how long it'd been since she'd had an actual conversation with her husband about something besides Beth, or work, or bills. They were both more relaxed and at ease as they lost themselves within the little city of strangers and passerby's, neither having to be any one but themselves and think of no one but each other. And yet despite all the sightseeing, touring and time they'd spent together neither one had yet to bring up the reason while they were there, both of them avoiding it like the plague as they searched for new things to do in order to forget old things that happened. Neither seemed to really have a problem with this so far, Quinn hoping things would just slink back to normalcy while Puck feared the fallout of the conversation they'd yet to have, both knowing it was coming as neither dared to bring it up.

"Hey baby, whatcha thinking for dinner?" Puck called as he opened the huge oak door, his knuckles rapping lightly against it as he pushed it open.

"Uh, I don't know," Quinn answered softly as she pulled the blanket tighter around her, "Something you could possibly bring me in bed?"

"Oh there's a few things I could bring you," he said seductively as his voice became deeper.

"Yeah," Quinn drug out as she shifted uncomfortably, Puck making his way around the bed and climbing in as she scooted away, "So what were you thinking?" she asked loudly as she tried to interrupt his thought process, his presence so close to her making Quinn uneasy.

"I was thinking…Chinese?" he asked while he shrugged, turning on his side as he rested on his elbow, "Maybe order out and be completely lazy?"

"Completely lazy sounds perfect," Quinn agreed as she rubbed her feet, "I'm sore from all the walking we did today."

"I can help with that," Puck winked devilishly as he leaned in close, Quinn's breath actually hitching as he placed his lips on her neck. It wasn't that she was repulsed by her husband, she had missed being intimate and close to him like that more than anything, but the idea of sex and his hands on her body made Quinn physically shudder. All she could think about was what could've happen, what should've happened, the thought of him doing anything to her that could even possibly lead to another tragedy like that almost too much to bear as she laid beneath him.

"So-so what about dinner?" Quinn asked again as she pressed her hands against his chest, pulling her body away from his slowly as her head turned to block his lips, "Chinese right?"

"Er, yeah," Puck smiled as he hovered over her small frame, Quinn watching his eyes cautiously as she tried to figure out their next move, "Yeah, but in a minute." He moved his lips back down towards her own but was met with the side of Quinn's ear, having rolled her head away frantically as she tried to lean up.

"Qui-"

"I'm just really, really hungry," Quinn lied as she scooted out from beneath her husband, the confusion etched on his face deepening as she quickly got up, "So maybe you could run out and get dinner while I shower? Please?" Puck looked as of he wanted to ask her something or groan in frustration at the pressure against his jeans but he didn't, nodding his head softly as he too slid off the bed.

"Yeah, yeah I can do that," he mumbled as he grabbed his keys, Quinn breathing a silent sigh of relief as he headed for the door, "I'll be back in a few, love you."

"Love you too," Quinn whispered weakly as he walked out, sinking back down onto the bed as she buried her head in her hands.

"Balen what are-"

"Relax babe, I got this."

"Son-"

"Finn what are you doing with that-"

"Rachel, please, Im'ma man, and men use-fuck!"

"Uh oh big man, what'd you-"

"Artie would you stop moving? Every time you roll I lose my balance!"

"Well every time you jab your heel into my gut it kind of hurts!"

"Mercedes pass me the hammer?"

"Can't Kurt, Finn's too busy bleeding on it."

"Shut up! I'm fine!"

"Finn your dripping on the ornaments, stop!"

"Hey dad, could-"

"Balen hold on, I've got lights wrapped in places light shouldn't be wrapped."

"Mr. Schue do we have a saw?"

"Beth I'm not comfortable with you sawing wood-"

"Oh it's not for wood, it's for Balen and his hands if he whacks me in the head with that deer one more time-"

"Calm down preggo!"

"Shut up asshat!"

"Both of you stop! Now we only have a few more days to get this done, so stop whining and start nailing!"

"Yes Mercedes."

"And to think, I missed Hanukah for this."

Quinn rolled over slowly as she stretched her arms up above her head, yawning silently to herself as she rubbed the sleep from her eye. She pushed herself up while stretching her legs, trying to slide her body out of the bed quickly without waking Puck. The hardwood floor was cold as her bare feet planted themselves on it, her body shivering a bit as she wrapped her arms around herself. It felt like the winter snow was inside of the cabin, Quinn feeling her teeth chatter together loudly as she searched for her robe.

"Mornin' babe," Puck grumbled sleepily as he rolled over to face her, Quinn offering him a wave as she threw on her housecoat.

"Morning, I'm going to check the heat," she whispered lightly as she tiptoed out of the room, pulling her robe tighter around her tiny frame while shuddering. She walked towards the living room to see the fire put out, turning to the thermostat and staring in horror at the temperature.

"Puck," Quinn shouted as she headed back down the hall, "Puck it's broken!" She entered the room and quickly ran towards the bed, her lips in a pout as she threw the covers on.

"What's broken?"

"It's broken, the heat," Quinn mumbled through chattering teeth, "I tried to move it and it won't budge! It's broken and it's freezing outside!"

"Well I guess we better snuggle up," Puck cooed slyly in her ear as he wrapped one arm around her waist, Quinn's stomach doing a flip as he pulled her close.

"Puck-"

"Here, put this on top too," he offered sweetly as he grabbed the extra blanket off the foot of the bed, throwing it around her gently as he pulled her closer, "Better?"

"Yeah," Quinn answered weakly as Puck rested back beside her, his warm body pressed against her cold one as it heated up her skin. Quinn couldn't lie that he felt good beside her, his hot chest up against her freezing back almost seeming to melt away the icicles that had formed around her nose, but his hands made her nervous as they held her too close, the circles he was tracing over her stomach making her more and more uneasy.

"Ya know maybe we should call the office or something," Quinn suggested as she tried to push his limbs away, "See if they can fix it or something."

"Yeah, we could do that," Puck nodded as he pulled her onto her back, "Or we could do this." His hands moved to her cheeks as he cupped her face, Puck softly pressing his lips against Quinn's as he pulled her close. At first she had been completely caught off guard at the ease of his motions, her body quickly jerking away as she realized what he was doing.

"Puck, wait-" Quinn rested her hands on his as she tried to pull them off, Puck moving them down to her waist as he tugged on the robe's belt.

"Puck, please-" She began to slide away as she freed her legs of his, Puck moving to her neck as she turned her head.

"Puck-Pu-Stop!" The tone of her voice filled the room as Quinn pushed her husband away, crawling off the bed and towards the other side of the room as Puck reeled from her actions.

"Quinn, what-"

"I said stop, why didn't you stop? You're supposed to stop-"

"Quinn I'm sorry, I just-I didn't think-" He moved to comfort her by the wall but she moved to the door, Puck halting in surprise as she cowered away.

"Baby I didn't mean to scare you-"

"You didn't scare me ok? I just-I just don't wanna do that ok?"

"Quinn we don't have to, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-I-I just miss you Quinn," he sighed in exhaustion as his shoulders slumped, "I miss you, miss you so goddamn much." Quinn could see the sadness in his eyes as he shrugged tiredly, sitting down on the bed lazily while motioning towards her.

"Every time I touch you, every time I look at you, you flinch," he said lowly as he looked her over, "Like you're repulsed by me, like you can't stand me."

"It's not you ok," Quinn assured him as she inched farther away, "It's not you Puck I promise, it's me. I just-I can't do this right now, I can't be…close like that."

"Then tell me Quinn, tell me what you feel or what you're going through," Puck pleaded as he turned to face her, "Baby we have to talk about this, we have to work through this. We can't ignore this like we have other problems, this one we have to work out."

"Like other problems? What other problems?" Quinn asked confused as she stepped closer, his comment having wounded her a little as she waited for an answer, "What problems do I ignore."

"Quinn I'm not saying-look that's not the issue right now, the issue is that-"

"That I can't carry a baby?" Quinn asked loudly as she grew upset, "That I'm a terrible mother?"

"Quinn what the hell are you talking about?"

"Oh come on Puck, don't tell me you didn't think it," Quinn yelled as she began letting her emotions get the best of her, "About how I wouldn't slow down, I kept doing too much, standing on chairs and moving around…"

"I don't think that at all Quinn," Puck shot back defensively as he got in her face, "I would never-I could never…Quinn I don't blame you, what happened wasn't because of you-"

"It was my fault I lost the baby right? My fault I lost the baby, my fault Beth got pregnant-"

"You know I've never said any of that-"

"You don't have to!" Quinn screamed as she threw her hands up, losing control of everything as she let it all go, "I know! I know what you're thinking, I know how you feel! Everything's my fault, I'm a terrible wife and mother…" Her voice trailed off as she turned away, not really having meant to open the can of worms that was this conversation. She wiped her eyes on the sleeve of her robe as she tried to stifle the gasp that built in her throat, Puck's eyes boring through her as his hands gripped hers.

"Quinn, stop it, Quinn," Puck said quickly as she tried to pull away from him, his grip on her wrists tightening as he tugged her forward, "Listen to me, listen!" Quinn met her husband's eyes as she blinked back the tears in her own, his demeanor completely having changed as he held onto her. At first she thought he'd be angry or pissed off at how erratic she was being, Puck sometimes unable to handle the fighting and losing his own temper. But something was different as he stared into her blurry eyes, his own having changed drastically as passionate anger and heated frustration were replaced with something looking like defeat.

"You and I, we're broken," he whispered softly as he held onto her tightly, "We have been, for a while now, and I don't know what to do anymore. I've done everything I can to hold onto you, but I feel like the tighter I hold you the farther away you slip. I'm at my last resort Quinn, I've run out of ideas and mischievous plans, and right now I'm running on hope that you love me enough to stay until I can figure out what else to do." Quinn looked up to see the sadness in his eyes, Puck not having opened up like that in awhile.

"I know that losing this baby has hurt you Quinn, more than anything else I know this has broken your heart, and if there was someway I could give you mine instead I'd do it right now but I can't and I'm sorry," he said softly as he shook his head, "But baby we had problems before this you know that, problems back from Beth getting pregnant that we never really handled because we didn't want to fight, but I think that losing this baby has just sent us over the edge now and made us realize we can't just ignore them anymore." Deep down somewhere inside her Quinn knew he was right, long ago having pushed their own issues aside for others over her fear of fighting.

"Because I feel like I'm always pining for you Quinn, like I always have to fight for you. I had to fight for you against Finn, against your family, now its against your friends or work…do you know how exhausting it is to always go to battle everyday just for a bit of your attention?" Quinn felt more tears streaming down her cheeks as he pulled her even closer, her uneasiness now replaced with guilt as he leaned down.

"And this year, babe this year hasn't been easy. I mean with Beth and you hiding that from me, having Balen forced down my throat, being blamed for their breakup, having to help them after their breakup, this baby, Mercedes and Kurt moving in…baby it's been a lot ok? I've had to swallow a lot and bite my tongue too many times because I wanted to be supportive, but enough is enough. Now I know I wasn't perfect and I didn't handle things right, I never should have walked out and I never should have said what I did, but I think you agree when I say I did a damn good job of keeping my cool considering the three ring circus I lived through." Quinn felt another pang of guilt as she averted her eyes, knowing she had been awful and distant but not realizing by how much until now.

"But you know what? For you, I'll do it everyday. I'd go to the end of the world and follow you into hell if you wanted to because to me, you're worth it. You're worth every goddamn thing I've had to go through all these years, and no matter how many times you rewind or replay, I will always choose you. Every. Fucking. Time." Quinn couldn't help but smile as he rubbed his hands over her cheeks, his face falling a little as he spoke again.

"But Quinn I don't know if you even feel the same anymore, if you feel that way about me. I mean I know we've changed and grown, but nothing that's happened to me has ever touched how I feel about you, and I don't honestly feel like you can say the same. There was a time when you used gay guys and tight bikini's to win me over, hell you even smacked my fiancé in the middle of our wedding!" Puck exclaimed as he smirked sadly, "But that girl, the one who loved me like that, I haven't seen her in a really long time. I miss her, I miss my best friend and my wife, I miss my Quinn and I just want her back. I want you back." Quinn tried to speak as Puck moved past her, heading for the door and grabbing the knob. She could feel her stomach sinking as he gripped the handle, her head screaming and lips moving as nothing came out.

"So we're staying right here, you and I in this room until I get her back," Puck said firmly as he turned the lock on the door, the bolt the only sound echoing as he moved to face her, "I've fought for you all these years, I'll be damned if I lose you now."