A/N: Big thanks to all of my readers and subscribers for sticking with me! And thanks to Guest, MsJanelle32, DanaRenee101, Guest, andsoitis, QuickFan, RAGML, olacindy, Guest, MaximumFire, readbetweenthesigns, and Spencer007 for your lovely reviews.
Once again, it's taken me three months to put out an update. I'm sure none of you are particularly shocked by that, but I am trying... seriously! I am. On the positive side, this chapter is the fifth longest one I've written for this story, so I hope that helps make up for the timing a bit. Not going to lie, I wrote this chapter, scrapped it and re-wrote it, and I'm still not a big fan but decided that I had kept everyone waiting for long enough and decided to just toss it out there anyway to see what you all thought. But, I also have another chapter that's almost done that is particularly delicious and lemony if I may say so and I'm excited to let everyone read it, and I felt this chapter was a needed bridge to that chapter. So I hope you all enjoy it!
Wedded Bliss?
After ten days of bliss soaking up the Caribbean sun and enjoying the sand and the surf, it was time to head back to Virginia and face reality once again. It was a hard transition, considering they had been in full-blown wedding mode since they had gotten engaged, and things were not exactly unicorns and rainbows when all of that was over and everyday life had resumed.
They had barely had a couple of months to adjust to living in their new townhome in Quantico before Quinn had to go back to school to complete her final semester of law school at Georgetown and Puck was set to leave for Camp Lejune, North Carolina for an additional two month special operations field training. So why not make the best of the time they had together before he left, right? Puck thought as he drove home from the base a month after they returned from their honeymoon.
As an intern at the law clinic, Quinn's caseload was practically crippling. It wasn't odd for her to spend ninety hours a week working on her cases and going over client files, and Puck knew just by looking at her that she was practically driving herself into the ground. She didn't just have bags under her eyes, she had full sets of luggage, her skin was paler, her hair didn't shine as brightly as it had even just a month prior, and she was definitely moodier than she had been before. It was almost as if she had completely forgotten the happiness and joy and freedom they had felt after getting married and enjoying their honeymoon.
Puck and his team had been doing some practice maneuvers and exercises for the past month as they prepared to leave for field training, but after talking with some of his friends and with Finn, he knew he needed to make sure the two of them were ok and that she was going to be able to handle things on her own for the months he was going to be away and not work herself to death. She needed to figure out how to relax a bit before she burned herself out, and Puck thought he knew just how to help her relax.
It wasn't a tough decision to make as to how to go about with his plan on helping Quinn relax, but as soon as he made it through the door and realized she wasn't there, his plans were put on hold. Grudgingly, he set his gear down and set about making dinner alone, yet again.
It wasn't until three hours later when Quinn finally drug herself through the door, dropping her shoulder bag and a load of files onto the table, the blonde looking worse for the wear once again as she slid her heels off and leaned against the entryway wall. Puck pulled himself up off of the couch and wandered into the kitchen, pouring his wife a glass of wine before taking it out into the hallway and handing it to her without a word.
Quinn offered him a soft smile and a gentle kiss before making her way toward the couch, setting her glass on the coffee table untouched before plopping down and laying her head back on the couch cushions, shutting her eyes for a few minutes.
"You look like hell," Puck commented, earning him a snort from his wife.
"My day was great," she snapped back sarcastically, "And how was yours."
"Long and exhausting," Puck replied, leaning in toward his wife, "And you didn't let me finish. You look like hell, but you're still as beautiful as the day we met."
Quinn opened her eyes and quirked an eyebrow at her husband. "Nice save," she commented, watching him scoot closer before accepting another one of his kisses, "But in your defense, I kinda feel like hell, so I know I probably look like it too."
"Well babe, I think you look a little worn out, but I do think I know something that'll make you feel better," he murmured, leaning in toward her once again and kissing her.
He started off slow, running his lips down her jaw to her neck, slowly making his way down as he ran his hands up and down her sides. The slight moan that escaped her throat was all he needed to push on a little further, running his hands up her sides, stopping momentarily to rub his thumb against her nipple before continuing up to her shoulders. Helping her ease out of her suit jacket, he didn't think twice about tossing it over his shoulder carelessly... that is, until Quinn went stiff in his arms.
"Babe, what's wrong?"
"Nothing," she replied, pushing him away from her, Quinn stood and retrieved her jacket from the floor, "It's just, if we're going to continue this, I'd like to change first."
"Why? I don't mind."
"I know, but I do mind," she murmured, picking her jacket up off of the floor and draping it over her arm, "I only have a handful of suits I can use for meetings, and I don't want to have to dry clean this one if I don't have to."
"So what?" Puck replied, standing and making his way toward his wife, looping his fingers through her belt loops and pulling her close, "I'll pay for it."
"It's not the cost, it's the convenience," Quinn explained, pushing him away, "I don't have time to pick it up from the dry cleaner right now, so why are you making such a big deal out of me wanting to change?"
"Maybe it's because I think your power suit is hot," he murmured, his fingers closing around the button on her slacks before undoing the clasp and dragging the zipper down, "And maybe it's because I've been fantasizing of bending you over this very couch all day."
"Just… let me change first, ok?" she pushed, gently unhooking his fingers from her pants before turning and walking up the stairs, leaving a slightly perturbed and hurt husband in her wake.
Deciding to give her a few minutes, Puck took the time to grab another beer, sitting down on the couch for a few minutes to watch Sports Center while he let her change. After all, marriage was all about compromise he kept telling himself, kicking his heels up on the coffee table and slamming his beer. He watched a few baseball and football highlights, finishing Quinn's forgotten wine before checking his watch and deciding he had waited long enough, turning the TV off before heading upstairs.
Quinn, on the other hand, was flat out exhausted. She knew she had been slacking on the home front and the fact that she and Puck had been home for the past month and a half and she and Puck had only had sex a grand total of twice since they had returned home from their honeymoon, where they had lost track of the number of times they had made love, was all the more depressing. So, despite how bone-tired she was, she knew she needed to suck it up and love her husband that night.
Sorting through all of her drawers, Quinn tried to find something sexy to wear but just the thought of putting on some of the stuff in her drawer had her recoiling slightly, the idea of putting on a set of skimpy lingerie and parading around their bedroom sounding entirely unappealing at the moment as all she wanted to do was curl up into bed and pass out until morning.
Settling on a set of matching green and black panties and bra, she made her way into the bathroom and tweaked her hair a bit, lathering on a thin layer of scented lotion before she heard the telltale creak of the bedroom door opening. Glancing up into the mirror, she watched as her husband strode into their bedroom, catching her eye before making his way toward where she stood while looking her up and down, appreciating the view.
"I've gotta admit, I love the power suit, but hot damn, Q," he replied, walking up behind her and wrapping his arms, "Have I ever told you how much I love the color green?"
"I thought you liked the color red more?" she asked, twisting in his arms before helping him take his shirt off, "Or was it black?"
"Baby, if it's lacy and the only thing covering your lady parts, I love any and all colors," he murmured, kissing her softly, his hands wandering to her backside before he gripped her ass and pulled her up his front.
Quinn instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist and giggled, her mood changing drastically as he began to plant kisses along her breasts, his tongue snaking underneath the lace to pull a nipple into his mouth as he unsnapped her bra and pulled the fabric down her arms.
Laying her on top of the comforter, Puck helped expedite the whole process by undoing his belt and dropping his pants and briefs to the ground, kicking them off of his ankles as he settled himself onto the bed. He crawled up in between her legs and attached his lips on one of her nipples yet again, suckling until Quinn hissed with pain-pleasure before moving on down her body, leaving a trail of kisses down her stomach.
As soon as he reached the hem of her panties, he ran his nose down the front, kissing her softly over her covered core before pulling the fabric in between his teeth and slowly drawing them down her legs. He wanted to take his time and enjoy every second, but just seeing her naked like this for the first time in a few weeks had him on the edge as it was.
Sliding back up her body, Puck kissed her hard, guiding himself inside of her in one smooth motion, thrusting until they were both moaning as they reached their peak. Quinn fell over the edge first, her nails digging into Puck's back, sending him over the edge as well, his body trembling with his release before collapsing on top of his wife.
Quinn kissed his shoulder as she ran her nails up and down his back, the sensation soothing as he allowed himself a little indulgence for a few moments longer, Puck finally rolling off of her before gathering her into his arms and tucking her under his chin, succumbing to his own exhaustion shortly thereafter.
However, despite the exhaustion and thorough workout she just had, sleep continued to allude Quinn, making it the fourth night in a row she hadn't been able to fall asleep easily. She tried to find a comfortable position, but it felt impossible, her body tossing and turning and her mind refusing to shut down for the next two hours until finally Quinn couldn't stand it.
An hour later, Puck rolled over onto his stomach, tossing an arm over Quinn in the process. Only, Quinn felt a lot softer than he was used to, Puck cracking an eye open to see that it was not his wife under his embrace but merely her pillow in her place.
He checked the alarm clock on the side table, rolling his eyes as he saw the green flashing lights. Dragging himself out of bed and making his way down the steps, he rounded the corner only to be met with a sight he had become far too familiar with over the past month.
Clad in a sweatshirt and an old pair of his boxers, Quinn sat in the middle of a mass of files spread out across the kitchen table, sucking on a lollipop while typing away on her laptop, her eyes glancing rapidly between the pages and the screen as she went.
It took her a solid five minutes before she even noticed he was standing there at the bottom of the stairs, her body giving a slight jump as his presence startled her.
"Q, it's two thirty in the morning," Puck sighed, "What the hell are you still doing up?"
Quinn stuttered, pulling the sucker out of her mouth before answering, "I just – I couldn't sleep."
"So you decide to continue working yourself into the ground?"
"I'm not working myself into the ground. I'm just – I have a lot to get done and very little time to do it, so that's what I'm doing."
Puck watched her expression falter a bit as she took a sip of what appeared to be tea, her face blanching at the taste, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong," Quinn replied impatiently before finally relenting, "Look, I'm tired, believe me. But I have two major cases coming up and I got hit with a shitstorm of new information a few days ago, so it's been a little hard for me to shut my brain down. I've tried everything, but unfortunately, it comes with the territory in your last semester of law school," she tried to joke.
"Well maybe, I didn't wear you out enough earlier," Puck murmured, walking up behind her and kissing the back of her neck, "I think you should come back to bed and I'll make sure you're down for the count afterwards."
Slowly, he moved his hand toward her computer monitor, attempting to shut it while she was distracted, but Quinn was too quick, shooting her hand out in time to hold the laptop open, rebuking his attempt to get her to quit for the night.
"Really Puck, I appreciate the gesture, but I've got to get this done," she replied, her tone a bit sharp as she stared him down, "I get that this is hard for you to understand, but I am almost done with three years of hell, I am barely holding onto the top ranking in my class, and I'd like a good job after graduation so I can help subsidize our life and future together. So, would you please just drop it," she asked, her tone finally softening as she let go of his hand, "Please?"
Puck ran a hand through his hair frustration and confusion seeping out of every pore of his body. "Fine. But you know just as well as I do that you're going to be absolutely no good to anybody if you continue killing yourself like this without allowing your body and brain to recharge themselves. I really think you need to re-evaluate some of your priorities," he replied pointedly, shaking his head as he stared down at his wife, "You know, for such a smart girl, sometimes I wonder…"
"You wonder what, Puck?" she snapped back.
"Sometimes I wonder how you could be so damn clueless," he shot back, storming out of the room and back upstairs.
The next few weeks blew by in much the same manner. Quinn continued to stress herself out to the point of breaking down and crying or working herself up prepping for a case that she actually made herself physically sick with nerves on almost a daily basis, while Puck stood back and stayed out of it like Quinn had asked.
He wanted to help her, he really did, but when he tried to make her feel better, she either snapped at him and told him to mind his own business or would break down into tears again. Her stress level and mood swings were certainly not healthy for her physically or psychologically in the least bit either, and Puck would be lying if he said he wasn't incredibly concerned about current state of well-being.
They only had two more weeks together before his field training would take him away for another two months, and he wanted to make their time together count, so he was determined to figure out why she was behaving and reacting to things the way she was. He knew all about that dumb attorney/client privilege stuff and how she had to keep things confidential, but if there was something in her cases that was making her act this way, he wanted to know.
After yet another late evening, Puck finally convinced her to go to bed, the blonde too tired to argue with her husband before trudging up the stairs and passing out as soon as her head hit the pillow. He knew it was a bit of an invasion of privacy, but he couldn't help it, and while she slept he started going through some of the files on her computer, stunned to see that there wasn't really anything there with any of her cases to get her so upset.
Sure, each of her cases were contentious in one way or another, but Quinn was fairly level headed herself so he knew that these cases really couldn't be the problem, plus it wasn't like she was handling huge cases on her own just yet anyway. Hell, she was still a student, and if this is how she handled stress as a low level intern, he could only imagine what a future as an attorney would hold.
Overall, it appeared as though she had a construction dispute, a few divorces, a personal injury case, and a case pertaining to a bar fight, which actually made Puck laugh considering the fact that the man who was suing her client, the bar, had gotten his ass kicked by his own girlfriend out in the parking lot when he got a little too rough with her and he was now claiming it was the bar's fault for not protecting him…from his own girlfriend.
Ridiculous and hilarious, but nothing that would really keep her up at night.
Confused as ever, he shut her laptop and quietly padded back up the stairs, taking care to slide into bed gently as to not disturb his slumbering wife.
x-x-x-x-x
Their time together was dwindling rapidly, yet Quinn was still all over the place, the toll her work was taking on her wearing her down, continuing to make her sick and leaving her with dark bags under her eyes from lack of sleep. He had made every effort to ask her if she wanted any help, suggesting that she even talk to her supervising professor about lessening her case load or asking another student intern to help her out, but she just brushed it off, calling it all normal and ending the discussion there without another thought. He tried, he really did, but that only goes so far until someone actually accepts the help that you're offering.
And it wasn't just Quinn whose mood had been affected by her work either. As hard as he tried to keep it positive and motivating while at work, Puck felt like he was failing miserably at leading his newly assigned unit. His teammates had also noticed the change in his attitude since he had come back as well, taking shots at him one day about how, now that he was married and the honeymoon was over, the sex must have stopped and that's why he was miserable. Puck tossed a few insults back at them but their comments had him floored.
"I mean really, you're married now and all, and I guess you're supposed to be happy and all that shit, but you've been fucking miserable to be around lately," his Gunnery Sergeant Danny pointed out, "So be honest, when was the last time you and your wife actually fucked like rabbits?"
"Hey, you shut your fucking mouth," Puck spat back, "Don't talk about my wife like that."
"Well, I guess that answers that question," his unit's radioman Andy snarked.
Before Puck could punch the man in the face, his friend Danny butt back in, "Hold up, I didn't mean it in a bad way, champ," he commented, shrugging in the process, "I mean, you look like shit, you're losing focus, and your temper has been absolutely incendiary, often for no reason too. Plus, from what you've mentioned about Quinn lately, it sounds like the two of you need a solid, stress-relief fuck. Not some flowery love-making crap, just a nice thorough fucking."
"Plus, sex releases dopamine and melatonin, which help lower stress and blood pressure, as well as help you sleep. It lowers your blood pressure, is a natural pain-reliever and it boosts your immunity, which if what you're saying about Quinn is true and that she's already starting to get sick this early in the season, it's not a bad idea," their unit medical corpsman Reid added, "See, and if she doesn't believe you, just throw some medical terminology at her."
A few of the guys made a couple more comments on the subject, but Puck was too distracted to even hear them. He knew he was stressed out with the fact that he would be the official Executive Officer for his first field training as a team leader starting in the morning, and he knew how stressed out Quinn was. And while their schedules had sucked lately, his buddies had a point. When was the last time they had really fucked? Two months ago on their honeymoon? Had they really only had sex twice in the last two months?
Oh God…that was depressing.
Not sure he could rely solely on the advice of his teammates, he decided to give the one person who always gave him decent advice a call to see what his opinion was on the topic. Finn picked up almost immediately and listened to Puck rant for a solid ten minutes before ultimately agreeing with Puck's teammates, taking a few minutes to talk about his and Rachel's relationship and sex life before reminding Puck of his and Quinn's past.
The two of them used to go at it all the time, the physical aspect always one of the easiest parts of their relationship as they both craved the intimacy on a regular basis. And Finn thought that maybe Puck's friends were right too, maybe they just needed to get back to the primal root of their relationship and build back up from there to re-establish the intimacy that was painfully lacking. Both men knew Quinn was stubborn as hell and once she fixated on something, there was very little to pull her out of her tunnel-vision.
But it was worth a shot, Puck supposed, thanking his friend and making a mental note to change things with Quinn as soon as he got home. And if she was anything like the girl he married, he knew Quinn wouldn't mind her little distraction in the least bit. After all, they had to make the night count, so why not start ASAP.
x-x-x-x-x
It had ended up being a long day out on the training fields before he finally arrived home, the aroma of baked bread and hot oil hitting his nose as Puck made his way toward the kitchen. Leaning up against the doorframe, he stood there as she checked the bread in the oven before moving on to the chicken. He couldn't help but notice the way her face blanched at the chicken that she had begun to dice up, watching as she quickly grabbed a glass of water and downed it before she could gag anymore.
Maybe this wasn't a great time, he thought to himself as he watched her wash her hands and begin to chop up the veggies from the doorway. But then again, when is a good time anymore? And she looks so damn hot in her work clothes and that little apron too.
He knew he was being selfish, but if she had gone through the trouble of leaving school early for once and coming home to start dinner before he got there, maybe she was feeling it too, knowing that their time together was limited to the rest of the evening. After all, this may be the last night they got to see each other for a while, so maybe she was actually trying to make it a little more special.
Smiling to himself as he pushed off of the door frame, he sidled up to her while she was standing, winding her arms around her waist before kissing her below the ear. He drug his lips down her neck to her collarbone, smiling against the goosebumps that rose in his wake as he gently took the knife from her hands and set it into the sink before pulling her tightly against him.
"Mmm, I'm hungry," he murmured, his lips continuing to work down her shoulder.
"Puck," she giggled, "I'll never finish dinner if you keep this up."
"Maybe, that's not what I'm hungry for," he replied spinning her around and kissing her hard.
Quinn kissed him back, shuddering at the feeling of his hands running down her hips before she was snapped back to reality at the sensation of her skirt being pulled up her thighs, "Puck, please, I'm in the middle of making dinner. Can we do this later?"
"Nope," he smiled, pulling her skirt up around her hips before grasping her thighs and setting her onto the counter top. Ignoring her protests, he quickly pulled her blouse and apron up over her head and nuzzled her bra to the side, seeking her nipple with his lips.
She groaned at the contact, her nails digging into his back urging him on, Puck pulling her close to the edge of the counter before making quick work of his own pants and boxers. He kissed her hard once more before nudging her panties to the side and stroking his fingers up and down her slit, teasing her and grinning at her wetness before lining himself up and sliding in.
He decided to just go for it, the two going at it hard and fast on their counter top as he kept up a rapid pace, enjoying every moment of being inside his wife once again while Quinn's moans from above letting him know he was doing his job.
Quinn gripped his shoulders with one hand and the cabinet with the other hand, the initial shock of her husband's come on wearing into a mix of pleasure and confusion as his lips connected with hers. He hammered into her, her nails digging into his shoulder and his neck as she held on and whimpered above him, the pots and pans in the cabinets below them rattling on every thrust.
Her legs trembled as her feet tried to keep their grip on the cabinet door handles, Puck's own body quaking as they neared their peak together. A few more thrusts later found them both tumbling over the edge, both of them coming hard as Quinn clamped down on him like a vice grip as her body helped milk the rest of the orgasm from his body.
Completely satisfied and totally sated, Puck couldn't do anything but stand there between Quinn's legs, his breathing ragged as he took a few moments to collect himself before pulling back to kiss her again.
However, as soon as he caught her gaze, he knew something was wrong. Instead of sleepy and sated, the look in her eyes was nothing but pure fury.
He didn't even see the slap coming, her right palm connecting to his face sending a sharp sting through his jaw as he reeled back.
Quinn's eyes widened as her hands flew up to cover her mouth in shock, Puck holding his face and staring back at her, almost tripping over his pants around his ankles as he backed away from her. It might have actually been funny if it weren't for the fact that he must have fucked up big time for her to react like that.
"I don't – I'm so –" she choked on her words as Quinn stared ashen-faced at her husband, "Oh God, I'm gonna be sick."
She quickly jumped off of the counter and booked it to their bathroom, the sounds of retching and gagging snapping him out of his own stupor. Puck fixed his pants and made his way into their bedroom, already planning how he was going to explain what just happened, but the sound of her tears following the flush of the toilet made him feel like absolute shit.
He took a seat on the bed, and rubbed his face with his hands, a pit forming in his stomach. Great, what can't I fuck up anymore, he thought to himself as he sat there and waited for his wife.
Tears rolled down Quinn's cheeks as she stood in front of their mirror and brushed her teeth, her entire body fluctuating between disappointment, frustration, and sheer shock and anger at her reaction. The last time something got this much of a rise out of her, she was slapping Santana in the choir room when they had come back for a visit during their freshman year of college.
But this was her husband, this was Puck, and he had done nothing to deserve what he received from her just now. She had her moments of frustration in the past, but never resorted to violence, so what the hell had come over her?
Sure, it had been a stressful few months and it wasn't like the sex wasn't good. It was actually fantastic and she finally realized how much she missed being that close to her husband, so why the fuck did she just slap him?
She had felt so out of whack lately and she hated the fact that neither of them had gotten to spend time together since they came back from their honeymoon. Maybe she needed to figure out a way to change things up if this is how she was always going to feel, because needless to say, if this continued on, she was either going to drive herself crazy or her husband would probably ask for a divorce on the grounds that she was certifiably nuts.
A few minutes and a couple of deep breaths later, Quinn emerged from the bathroom, her face and eyes red as she sat next to him on the bed and fiddled with her hands.
"I'm really sorry I hit you," she whispered, her voice watery as she tried to hold back the tears, "I just – I don't know –"
"I mean, I know I surprised you, and I shouldn't have pushed or been so… aggressive. That was not my intention at all and I failed at that. But I've missed you like hell these past few months," he sighed, running his hand through his freshly cropped hair, "We've had sex once since we came back from our honeymoon and that was two and a half months ago. I mean, I love you, and I want to be there for you and everything, but you've been so damn moody and distant the past few months that I haven't known what to do."
"I don't – I guess I just don't know what's wrong with me, especially to go as far as slapping you." She glanced over and saw his pink-tinged cheek and the outline of three fingers before the tears started to rise again, Quinn leaning over and kissing him gently, "I'm so sorry."
"I want to help you, Q. I want to take away your stress and your tension and do whatever I can to make you feel better, but I can't do that if you don't let me," he murmured, "And I'm not just talking about the sex. Babe, we just got married and while I know our schedules suck, this isn't going to work if we don't even try to make time for ourselves and each other. It's already taxing as it is, and if we keep this up, something's gotta give."
"Look, I know I haven't been the best wife, but school is just really stressful right now, and I promise it'll all be over in three months."
"Quinn, I'm not talking about you being a good wife or not. That's not the point. My big question is do you honestly believe that everything will be all over in three months when you graduate? What about studying for the bar exam? That's another two months after graduation. And starting a career?" he replied, his gaze steady on hers, "Honestly, if you get this stressed out over a construction case, a few divorces, and a dumbass who got beat up by his girlfriend outside of a bar, I don't know how you're going to handle real cases when you get hired on somewhere."
"I just want to finish law school strong and get this over with – wait a second," she replied, stopping herself as she realized just what Puck had said, "How did you know I had those particular cases?"
"That's not important."
"Hold up. You went through my stuff, didn't you?"
"Maybe, but I wanted to know what was causing you to stay up all damn night for weeks on end so I could help you."
"Did you not trust me or something?" she snapped, her calm demeanor completely gone as she began demanding answers now.
"No, it's not that, it's just –"
"Oh my God, Puck, I can't believe you went through my stuff! You had no right to do that! What the hell happened to trust and a bit of privacy?" she cried, "Not to mention the fact that you completely broke attorney-client privilege by helping yourself to information that was none of your damn business."
Exasperated, Puck stood and glared down at her, "Jesus Christ, Quinn! I'm sorry ok! I'm sorry for caring about you so much that I hurt when you hurt! I stress out when you're stressed out and I want to do everything I can to make everything better for you! So forgive me for wanting to help my wife out a little bit to make things easier for you when I'm gone."
"You know what? I can handle – wait, gone? What do you mean by gone," Quinn replied, her voice going soft as she glanced back up at her husband, almost afraid of his answer, "I know things haven't been going great lately, but leaving? Please, we can work this out, Puck."
Anger burned through his veins as he stared back down at her, "First of all, how dare you think so low of me that I would run at the first sight of trouble. I'm standing here right now after weeks of trying to help you out, and asking you what I can do to make things easier, and making dinner almost every night, and finding ways to show you that I care and I want to be here for you, and you've done nothing to acknowledge that. I'm not the one who runs away from my problems. You on the other hand –" he caught himself, forcing himself not to take a cheap shot and finish that statement, moving on instead to the more pressing issue, "And me leaving? Really, Quinn? You've known for months that I'm leaving for field training in North Carolina. I'll be gone for two months. Not forever."
Quinn felt terrible, her heart hammering hard as she felt already worse than she did after slapping her husband a few minutes ago.
How could she have forgotten?
Terrified to even ask the question, she found the words tumbling out of her mouth before she could even stop them, "When do you leave?"
And immediately, she knew that was the wrong thing to say. She winced at the level of hurt and fury radiating out of his expression, his eyes cold as he stood up straight and pointed to the large green duffle sitting on the floor below a neatly pressed camouflage uniform.
"Tomorrow, Quinn," he replied, his voice steady and even, disappointment laced in every word, "I'm leaving tomorrow at 0600."
Swallowing hard, he finally took his leave, exiting their room before heading back downstairs and attempting to salvage what was left of their dinner, leaving Quinn to break down on her own as she huddled up on their bed and cried.
Despite their vow to never go to bed angry with one another, things had been a bit rough for the rest of their evening and the following morning as well. She tried to wake up early to see him off, but he was totally silent the entire trip to the base, Quinn attempting to make small talk the whole way and receiving no feedback in the process. However, regardless of her efforts, she knew she had fucked up big time by being completely self-centered in her own world while completely ignoring her husband's.
She felt guilty to the nth degree, but nothing short of a miracle could have helped the situation they found themselves in prior to Puck's departure.
A few weeks had passed and to say things were tense would be the understatement of the century, considering the situation Puck's team found themselves in. His attitude was shit and his entire demeanor was far more unfocused and demanding of his other unit members, despite the fact that he was new to the gig as it was.
He felt slightly relieved at the fact that his executive officer would somewhat understand the pressures he was under, as he had just earned his lieutenant bars from Officer Candidate School the month before his wedding and this would be his first field training with his new team while in command. He just had to pray that his XO would be able to relate to the fact that he was truly trying his best, but everything at home had him distracted at times when he needed to be on top of his game.
x-x-x-x-x
Major Ryan Miller, on the other hand, had an inkling as to what was going on with his top junior officer, and he was none too pleased. He had known Puck for a while prior to the young man attending Officer Candidate School upon the completion of his degree from the University of Maryland, and had even personally recommended him for OCS, let alone for Army Airborne Jump School and Air Force Special Forces Training. His wife and Quinn had made a connection the very first time they met, the two women connecting instantly over their shared law school experiences and even their past high school athletics history as well.
Truthfully, the military was a tough life for families, especially young ones, and while Major Miller had known Puck and Quinn beforehand and had been a mentor to Puck for his last two years of college, he also wasn't completely stupid either.
Miller's wife had commented that he thought the two youngsters had been in a row prior to his deployment to field training, and given Puckerman's short temper and overall general attitude, he knew something was up. Additionally, given Puck's sour mood after almost every conversation he had with his wife over the phone, something was up, and while it really wasn't his business, his best officer had been severely lacking in leadership ever since he showed up at field training and he wanted to get to the root of the problem.
He knew that Puck was stressed out as he had just finished his college degree and had immediately gone on to OCS, finishing at the top of his class, so Major Miller knew he was a quality candidate for the executive officer position in his command. But even though his wife must have rubbed off on him, making Puck the most efficient and highest scoring trainee in the program, Major Miller was completely aware of Puck's habits of volunteering for deployments and extended training without consulting his wife, and he knew with Quinn's law school wrapping up, he was completely convinced the two of them were overextending themselves.
x-x-x-x-x
After having to put up with Puck's overcompensating and moodiness for several weeks, Major Miller decided to do something about it. Figuring it was better to approach him during his free time instead of in front of the team, Major Miller headed towards the on-base housing apartment Puck was utilizing behind the Officer's Club for the duration of the training. It was probably good that he was staying there too, as Puck would be able to enjoy a little more privacy and comfort than he would find in the barracks…and he'd be a little less likely to bite one of his teammate's heads off the next time one of them screwed up.
Puckerman was a good kid, and while Miller understood he had a bit of a trying childhood and a less than savory adolescence, he knew he had cleaned up his act after high school all thanks to the military, his girlfriend (now wife) Quinn, and their daughter Beth as well. But even though Miller had known Puckerman since he was a teenage enlistee, and he had always been such a hardworking, focused, determined young man, that focus and work-ethic had been slipping in recent weeks and Miller needed to know why.
Especially since it was Miller who put his own reputation on the line to write the letter of recommendation to send Puck to Officer Candidate School after he graduated college in the first place. He had shown such amazing leadership and potential while at work day in and day out, and he had managed to work his ass off in his spare time to complete a majority of his degree online, proving that he had the character and the chops to become a damn good officer in the Marine Corps.
Yet, Puck had been slipping up here and there, making stupid mistakes that he otherwise would not have had it not been for whatever was distracting him back at home, and as his mentor, Miller felt it was his responsibility to talk the kid through it and help him to not ruin his career as an officer before it even started.
However, the closer Miller got to Puckerman's room, the more he was starting to second guess the faith he put in the kid, as from the other side of the door, it seemed as though Puck had some company. Some female company at that.
Even though it really was none of his business, Miller couldn't help but put his ear to the door, cringing at the sound of a very feminine moan coming from the other side.
His blood began to boil as a wave of sheer anger washed over him.
Miller knew Puck had just talked to his wife two days prior, the poor girl spending practically the whole call stressing out about her impending finals and a trial she would probably be stuck working all weekend on so, as usual, they argued over the phone for a while. Puck complained about being more than a little peeved that she was using the same excuse as usual as to why she wasn't going to be able to make the five hour drive down from Georgetown to Camp Lejune, NC before Quinn more than likely hung up on Puck, the young man furious at his wife for the remainder of the day and into the next morning's drill.
Major Miller knew the men had worked hard over the past few weeks and decided that they all needed a break, so after lunch he decided it was best to give them a break by allowing them to take the rest of the day and the next morning off to attend religious services before starting back up Sunday afternoon.
However, despite giving them a break to rest and recharge, he sure as hell didn't intend for any of his men, least of all Puckerman, to spend his free evening engaging in an extramarital affair. What his men did on their own time was their business, but he absolutely couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Furious that the young man he had mentored and taken under his wing had decided to resort to this kind of behavior, Miller decided he needed to stop this at once, refusing to allow Puck to ruin more than just his career during these field exercises.
Extending the man a courtesy knock first, Miller wasted no time in turning the handle and bursting in, yelling for Puck to stand at attention.
Puck, on the other hand, was so startled, he fell backwards out of bed, his eyes going wide when he saw his Commanding Officer standing in the doorway. Fumbling on the floor for his boxers, he yanked them on as fast as he could before snapping up and standing at attention, thankful that the sudden intrusion quelled his erection almost instantly.
"Son, what the fuck do you think you're doing?" Miller spat, his face mere inches from Puck's as the younger of the two stood stock still, staring straight ahead, "I thought you were a Marine. A Marine never takes the easy way out. A Marine works through the thick and thin and every problem that may come his way. However, I'm standing here looking at a little punk, who chose the easy route instead."
"Sir, I'm not sure I follow. Sir." Puck commented, completely confused as to where this was all coming from.
"Well, follow me now, Puckerman," Miller shot back, "While it is usually none of my business what my men do in their free time, I'm beyond disappointed in you for choosing to take the easy route when you really need to work on your relationship with your wife instead. Now, I can't tell you what to do, but it's a pretty low move to take advantage of a rough spot in your marriage and find someone else to get your jollies off."
"Major Miller, sir –"
"I heard enough, Puckerman, and I know what you were doing right before I walked in here. So, I'm here to give you the option of doing the right thing and making things right between you and your wife," Miller continued, "Otherwise, you're certainly not the man I thought you were. You're already slipping in the field. No need to continue that slide into your personal life as well."
"Sir –" Puck tried again, only to have Miller get in his face once more.
"You know better than to interrupt me, son!"
"Sir," Puck replied more forcefully, turning slightly toward his CO, "That uh - that is my wife."
The comment stunned Miller into silence, the man backing off slightly as he finally glanced over toward the lump under the comforter.
The entire room was completely encased in an uneasy silence for a few moments, the lump under the covers shifting slightly as a head of tousled blonde hair finally emerged. Quinn offered her husband's mentor a wave, her face beet-red as she gave him a small smile and a soft "Hi."
"I apologize for the impropriety, Sir," Puck commented, breaking his stance to grab a slip of paper off of the breakfast table before handing it to his Commanding Officer, "But we were celebrating. We're um -We're expecting."
Miller took a peek at the slip before his gaze shot back up to his junior officer, the younger man not even trying to hide his smile as he reminisced back to the moment earlier in the day that changed his life.
Slamming the phone down, Puck found himself seething the entire next few days, part of him furious that his wife was still acting like he was burden to her now that they were married, and the other part of his worried as to whether this was how all of their fights would end up.
Don't get him wrong, the make-up sex had been great in the past, Puck intentionally starting many a fight while they were still dating just to get to the make-up sex. But make-up sex was only good in they were actually having it, not just arguing over the phone only to hang up on one another and stew about it the rest of the night and into the next day.
And frankly, if this was going to keep up and they were going to find themselves in these slumps for the rest of their lives, he didn't know what he was going to do…or how much more he could take before something had to give.
He returned back to his apartment earlier that afternoon with plans to sit and brood, possibly take a pointer from Rachel and actually write out what all of his frustrations were so that he would get it out of his system and out into the open but would also help him organize his thoughts better whenever it came time for his and Quinn's 'Come to Jesus' talk about the current dysfunctionality of their relationship.
Or maybe he'd just take a long nap and try to return to the field refreshed the next day. Lord knows his men deserved better than what he was giving them.
He had just changed out of his combat boots and camouflage BDUs and into his most comfortable workout clothes when his phone rang. Not in the mood to argue with his wife anymore, he pressed 'send' and snapped off a 'I'm not in the mood for this shit right now' before even looking at the screen, the young man on the other end of the line a bit startled by his reaction before explaining that a Lieutenant Puckerman had a visitor waiting for him at the main gate.
Grudgingly pulling his shoes back on, he grabbed his keys off of the counter before exiting the sparse apartment and heading toward his truck, making his way toward the gate to see who could possibly be visiting this weekend.
Much to his shock, he recognized Quinn's red SUV parked just outside the boundary, and he almost didn't believe it was actually hers and that she had decided to make the trip down in the past two days since he'd spoken to her last if it weren't for the fact that she was leaning up against the front of her car waiting for him.
Pulling in near the entrance, Puck produced his ID for the man at the gate and signed Quinn in as a visitor before taking a deep breath and looking up at his wife, not trusting his own voice to speak as he raised his hand in a wave instead. She looked absolutely breathtaking in a simple skirt and t-shirt, but he wasn't sure if he was quite ready to just forget the hurt and frustration of the past several months just because she looked hot that day. Plus, he really wanted some answers from her as to why the sudden change of heart, whether it was good or bad. He deserved that much at least.
Slightly put off by his lack of greeting, Quinn smiled back at him, knowing that she hadn't done much to help their situation either. And boy did she know she screwed up. And Santana let her know it too. Loudly. As did Rachel. Not as loudly, but equally as poignant in getting her point across.
She had the past two nights to stew about their latest argument, turning to her friends for a little advice and support only to get an earful as to how much she had been neglecting her husband and how she needed to open her eyes and see the rest of the world outside of class and her clinic schedule. Her mother also reminded her that she needed to take care of herself, the words sinking in the night before as she finally noticed the dark circles under her eyes and the pallor of her skin in the mirror before losing her dinner once again, the stress now taking on a life of it's own.
As much as she hated to admit it, her mother was right. She did need to take care of herself, and part of taking care of herself was figuring out what was going on with her first and foremost before moving on and taking care of what was going on between her and her poor husband.
She knew she had been selfish, and looking back on it now, Puck had been nothing but supportive and wanting to help her at every turn, but she had never let him, rebuking him instead. But it was Rachel who had informed her that Puck had spoken to Finn several times over the past several months, her husband commenting that Puck sounded more and more beat down and defeated each and every time he tried to do something to help.
Hearing that made guilt sear through her heart at the thought that she could be so absorbed in her own world that she couldn't see what her behavior was doing to the man she loved, and that guilt and disappointment she felt in herself continued to eat at her until she made the decision to just go and see him that weekend like she had originally planned. Packing up her bag that very morning, Quinn realized she needed to take care of a few things before she left town, stuffing the gift she had gotten Puck in her purse before heading out of town and making the five hour drive to North Carolina.
And now that she was here and finally had the chance to see his face again, it hit her hard how much she missed him over not just the past month he had been gone, but for the past five months since they returned from their honeymoon.
Climbing back into her car, she followed Puck's truck through the gate and parked next to him in front of the base's temporary housing apartments. She waited until he climbed out of the car before following suit, grabbing her overnight bag and the bag of carry-out she had stopped for and walked with him in silence until they made it to his front door.
Quinn knew it was going to sound strange, especially since this was the first thing she would get to say to him since their argument a few days ago, but she wanted to do something special for him, so she made the request anyway.
"Could you—I mean, would you mind giving me a few minutes in here alone"
Puck looked like he was just about to roll his eyes, but clenched his jaw instead, pushing the door open and letting his wife in before closing it behind her, giving her the space she wanted for a few moments.
A couple of minutes later, Quinn re-emerged from the apartment and signaled him to follow, Puck glancing around the space as he stepped back through the door. He couldn't help the smile that threatened to break past his cool and collected composure as he took in the once Spartan apartment, now aglow in soft candlelight thanks to their strategic placement all over the small kitchen, dining area, and next to the bed. The old wooden table that sat in the corner near the kitchen had been transformed as well, set neatly with a tablecloth, two place settings with real silverware, and candles in the middle to complete the look. And she had to have planned this whole evening too because there was no way she would have found any of this stuff in this p.o.s. apartment.
Turning back around to face his wife, who was waiting patiently near the door, Puck offered her a grin before holding his hand out for her.
"What's all this?"
"An apology," she whispered, allowing herself to be pulled into his embrace.
"Q, you didn't need to do this."
"Yes, I did. I told you I'd come visit this weekend and I know you were looking forward to it. So, me backing out was a total bitch move, Santana's words exactly. I'm sorry," she murmured, "Besides, I've kind of been craving Chinese for a while now."
"Well, it is my favorite place down here, so thank you."
As they settled in for dinner, Quinn made a point of trying to hold a conversation with him, asking him everything she could think of about how training was going and what it was like finally leading his own team. The table talk was a bit awkward and strained, but she wanted him to feel like all of her attention was on him, even going as far as shutting her phone completely off when it kept buzzing from her purse on the counter. And for a while, they just enjoyed talking about what had been going on in their lives as they ate, Quinn extremely grateful for her mother's calming words that she needed to talk to Puck about what was going on at work and elsewhere or the stress would drive her insane, not to mention he was her husband and he deserved to know everything.
After clearing the plates and stowing their leftovers in the fridge, Quinn sat back down in his lap and kissed her husband, savoring the truly unique taste that was Puck.
Confused by her complete one-eighty in the past few days, Puck couldn't help but be a little skeptical despite the lengths she had gone to see him this weekend, "What was that for?"
"Because you're my husband and I love you," she replied, leaning in for another kiss.
Pulling back slightly, he brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face, "Yeah, and I've been your husband for the past 5 months, but you haven't acted like you were that interested in me since we got back from our honeymoon."
"I know," she replied, her eyes going misty, "And I'm so sorry for that. I just – I haven't been feeling like myself for a while, and it took what you said the night before you left, a verbal lashing from both Santana and Rachel, and a long conversation with my mom to finally get it through my head that I needed to take a step back and re-evaluate what the hell was going on and what was truly important to me. I am so sorry if I made you feel like I didn't appreciate you or that I didn't want you or love you. I'm so sorry, Puck," she said, her emotions spilling over.
Puck hated to see her cry, wiping a few tears away, "Q, I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have pushed you, and I know going through your stuff was wrong, I just didn't know what to do to help. I've just missed you, and both of us are so damn stubborn that it's hard to talk about what's bothering us. I just want you to let me in and talk to me if something is going on. We can't do this 'ignore stuff and hope they'll go away' thing now."
"I know, and while this last semester is tough and my grades and studies are important to me, you're more important to me than that."
"Thank you," he replied sincerely, "That means a lot."
"It's the truth, Puck, and I need you to know that. The vows I took at our wedding were not just lip service, and I'm sorry I turned into such an irrational, crazy bitch."
"You turned into Santana? She's the only irrational, crazy bitch I know," he joked, leaning forward and kissing her, lowering his voice to a whisper, "And I know. You're the most important person to me too, and I'm sorry I haven't been the most supportive. I just worry about you and love you and hate to see you so all over the place."
"I know, and while I can't make any promises about the whole 'not being all over the place' or even the 'irrational' and 'crazy' parts coming up, I just want you to know that I love you too," she murmured, "You've been so supportive, and I was so stuck in my own world and my own problems to the point that I couldn't see that. And I'm sorry."
"Thanks," he murmured, kissing her softly, "But honestly, that only answers half of my questions, Q," he admitted, finally putting into words what he had been thinking for a while, "What's going on, and what changed your mind about this weekend?"
Quinn swallowed hard as she allowed her eyes to trace over every feature on his face, "Well, um – I have something for you."
"You do? More than this?" he smiled.
"Yeah, it's nothing big or anything, but since you had a little surprise planned for me a few weeks ago in the kitchen," she explained, her cheeks blushing pink at the memory, "I have a little surprise for you."
"You didn't have to do that," Puck commented, watching as she stood and walked toward the counter where she set her purse, "I'm just thankful you planned something so thoughtful for me."
"Oh, believe me, I didn't," she replied under her breath as she grabbed the envelope out of her bag.
"What was that?"
"I couldn't help it," she covered quickly, turning around and smiling at him, making her way back over to the table and sitting in the chair next to his before handing him the card.
"To my kind, caring, sweet, and incredibly sexy husband," Puck said aloud as he read the front of the envelope, "Hmm, who is that guy?"
"Shut up, you know it's you," she grinned, "Just open it."
Puck closed his eyes as he tore open the flap, praying it was coupons for a few free sexcapades or something like she did for his birthday two years ago, pulling out a simple card instead.
"Read it out loud," Quinn remarked, paying close attention to her husband's expression as he opened his eyes and pulled the card out of the envelope.
His brow wrinkled in confusion as he read the words on the front.
"Happy Father's Day?" he asked, shaking his head as he re-read those three words again, "Q, Father's Day was a couple of months ago. Beth and I went to the zoo. I don't – this doesn't make sense."
"Keep reading and it will," she whispered, Puck finally opening the card as his eyes went wide.
'Next year, Beth will have a little brother or sister to help celebrate what a good daddy you are!' Quinn's neatly-penned handwriting explained.
Puck's eyes traveling over to the picture she must have had developed earlier.
There were three pregnancy sticks side by side in the picture… all of them positive.
He felt his heart begin to pound as he stared at the card, a lump of emotion rising in his throat as he whipped his head back around to face Quinn.
"Is this for real?" he asked, hope bubbling up in his chest, "Are you serious?"
"I know it doesn't excuse my behavior but it may explain the mood-swings, and irrational stress, and sickness, and maybe a few other little things over the past few weeks," she replied quickly, tears springing to her eyes as she smiled back at her husband.
"This is real?" he grinned widely, "You're – we're pregnant?"
Quinn smiled even wider and nodded back at him.
"We're going to have a baby?"
"Yeah," Quinn began to laugh as tears streamed down her face, "We're having a baby."
Puck let out a excited whoop as he stood from the couch, pulling his wife up too and clinging to her tightly as he kissed her hard, swinging her around a few times for good measure before setting her back down and cradling her face, his own emotions running on overdrive as he allowed one of his hands to wander down toward her abdomen.
"How long have you known?" he asked, grinning at his wife's gentle expression "How far along?"
"For sure? Since this morning," she admitted, "And I honestly have no idea how far along. I've been freaking out for no reason over stuff and I honestly just noticed that I had missed not one, but two periods only after Santana made a snide comment asking if I was being this way because I was pregnant."
"That woman and her Mexican Third Eye," Puck snarked.
"I know, it's kinda scary actually," Quinn admitted, laughing before kissing her husband again, "I um – I made an appointment for the ultrasound in a month. They told me I should come in sooner since I've been suspecting something for the past few months, but I wanted you to be there." She paused, smiling as more tears sprung to her eyes, "I know that I was the reason you didn't get to be there last time, and I need you there with me this time. So, I told them it could wait until you were done, or until we could find a time to come in together."
"I don't –" Puck stammered, struggling to contain his own emotions over the fact that he was finally going to be a part of this pregnancy from the beginning, "I don't know what to say."
"I know this wasn't planned… again. And I know that we may not be totally ready for this and all, but I just –" she paused, biting her lip before continuing, "I just want to know if you're ok with this."
"You want to know if I'm ok with this?" Puck asked borderline incredulously, "Quinn, I love you. I love Beth, and I love our family," he murmured, placing his hand back over her abdomen, "Of course I'm ok with this! Planned or not, this is a blessing and I'm absolutely thrilled at the idea of having another little one of our own. I want to be there for you and go shopping for baby stuff with you and I'll even go on midnight runs for whatever you're craving." He paused and took a deep breath before continuing, "And I can't wait to bring him or her home with us."
Quinn let out a shuddering breath before leaning forward and connecting her lips to his, tears rolling down her cheeks as they were both finally able to admit their deepest desire for their family without completely dredging up any hard feelings from their last pregnancy. Even though they had talked about their feelings regarding Beth, it was still a bit of a sore subject as deep down, neither parent ever wanted to let their little girl go and giving her up that day in the hospital was easily the worst day of both of their lives. But even though they would never be able to replace Beth, and never would thanks to their much improved relationship with Shelby, it finally felt as though they were on their way toward filling that void in their family. Like they were finally on their way toward their dream of a big, loving, family and the opposite of the families both of them had grown up in.
"So, since you talked to Santana earlier, does she know?" Puck asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"No," Quinn admitted, "Last time it felt like everyone knew or found out before you did. This time I wanted you to be first."
She offered him a watery smile, but almost lost it completely when she watched two tears escape his eyes and roll down his cheeks, Puck not fast enough to wipe them away before she saw the rare showing of emotion from her usually tough and stoic husband.
"You have no idea how much that means to me," he murmured in return, "So, should we start spreading the good news?"
"Not just yet," she replied, wrapping her arms around his neck, "I kind of want to just savor this moment with you for a little while longer. Everything was so public with Beth that I kind of want to just keep it between us for a bit. Keep it special for just us for a little while. Then we can think of some crazy, fun way of telling everyone later."
"I like the way you think, Fabray," he grinned.
"Again with the Fabray? You know I hate it when you call me that."
"How does Hot Mama sound?"
"That could work," she grinned in return, leaning forward and capturing his lips.
"I think we should – I mean, I want to celebrate this," he smiled into her kiss, "But I'm not sure we have a lot of places or options to do so around the base."
"Really, Puckerman?" she teased, offering him her patented eyebrow raise before pulling him toward the bed near the back of the apartment, "I think I know a way we can celebrate."
"Oh, I really like the way you think, Mrs. Puckerman," he murmured, helping her pull her top over her head before diving straight into her cleavage.
"Careful, Puck," Quinn hissed, "Go a little more gentle on the girls, please. They're a bit sensitive."
"Right, my bad," he replied, changing his course to run his lips down her abdomen, placing a gentle kiss over the spot where his peanut-sized baby lay before continuing his assault further south and helping her out of her skirt and panties.
Shucking his own shirt and shorts in record time, he eased Quinn down onto the bed, kissing his way up her legs and teasing her folds, reveling in the ragged mewl that tore out of his wife's throat at the contact.
Pleasuring her was one of his all-time favorite things, and that night was no exception, his wife writhing under him as he took her to the highest high several times with just his mouth alone, Quinn seemingly extra responsive to his touch as she practically pushed him away after her third orgasm within ten minutes.
Primed and ready to go, Puck eased his way up her body, settling in between her thighs as he braced himself over her and lined himself up. Leaning down and kissing her gently, he was just about to slide into home when a thought hit him out of nowhere.
"Wait a sec, are we going to hurt it?"
"The baby?"
"Yeah, I don't want to like, hurt it or poke its eye out or anything."
Unable to contain her amusement, Quinn let out a giggle at the seriousness of his expression, "No, you're not going to hurt the baby. It's perfectly safe pretty much all the way up until it's born. I checked."
"Are you sure?" he asked, narrowing her eyes at her laughter, "I mean, were you able to do it last time?"
"With Beth? Yes, I was. Did I? No, I didn't," she clarified, glancing off to the side as she finally thought about it, "Though, for as hormonal as I was, maybe it wouldn't have been such a bad idea."
Stunned, Puck pulled back and caught his wife's gaze, "Hold up, you mean to tell me that the entire time you were living with me, you were horny—excuse me, 'hormonal' – and you never did anything about it?"
"Oh, I did something about it… I just – not with you, or anyone besides myself for that matter," she clarified.
"You're joking," Puck demanded, his eyes wide as he stared down at the woman.
"Nope, it's pretty common to get a little easily... excited... when you're pregnant," she admitted, reaching between the two of them and helping guide Puck inside her, hissing at the delicious sensation of him filling her up, "Now were we gonna sit here and debate this or were we actually going to celebrate?"
"Best. Pregnancy. Ever!" Puck replied through gritted teeth, each thrust coming harder and faster than the next until they were completely spent.
They gave themselves a few minutes to recover before starting round two, only to be interrupted by an unwanted intruder barging into the apartment and barking at Puck to stand at attention.
So much for their celebration…
"Well, I would first like to offer my congratulations, Mrs. Puckerman," the Major replied, completely unable to look back over at the blonde currently curled up under the covers, instead focusing solely on Puck, "And I apologize for intruding on the two of you."
Taking Puck's arm and pulling him toward the door, he continued in a tone much softer than before, "And I would like to offer my apologizes for what I said earlier. I should not have assumed the worst of you."
"I apologize if I have been distracted lately," Puck replied, "Things have been a bit rocky at home, but we've talked through it and it won't happen again. I won't let you or the team down, Sir."
"Son, listen to me. You're a married man now. I've been married to my wife Cameron for the past eleven years, so I'd like to think that I know a thing or two about marriage and the military. Some days it's gonna be easier than others, but it's always going to take work. So love your wife when you can, and be honest and communicate with her when you're not around, because let me tell you, this job is not easy. It's incredibly difficult actually. Not just on you personally, but on the both of you," Major Miller explained, "But mentally, you need to be 100% in at all times or you or someone on your team will end up dead. You know that. Problems will pop up, but you can make it work well with your wife if you both support and trust each other 110%. This is a hard life, for spouses too, but it's possible if you're willing to put in the work."
"Marines don't take the easy way out, Sir," Puck repeated, offering the older man a smile as regurgitated the same words Miller had practically yelled at him earlier.
"That's good to hear, son," Miller replied, turning toward the door, "I should – I'll let you get back to your wife."
"Oh, and Sir?" Puck murmured, catching his CO's attention once more, offering him a genuine smile, "Thank you."
"No problem," Miller smiled in return, "Remember, we start back up at thirteen hundred hours tomorrow. Now, go enjoy the rest of your evening."
"Oh we will!"
"Puck!" Quinn cried from under the covers.
"What? I'm currently standing here in my boxers. Like he has no idea what was going on before."
"I believe it's called propriety, Lieutenant," Major Miller joked before opening the door and stepping outside, "And congratulations again you two. Thirteen hundred, Puckerman."
"Got it, Sir," Puck replied, nodding in his CO's direction as it would be improper to salute while standing there in his skivvies.
Shutting the door and ensuring the lock was fully in place, Puck turned back around to see Quinn crawl out from under the covers, gloriously clad in only her birthday suit as she crooked her finger and summoned him back to bed.
"So, where were we," he asked, shucking his boxers as he made his way toward his wife.
"Well, I was thinking you may want a massage to ease the aches and tension of these past few months."
"Does this massage include a happy ending?" he asked, a wolfish grin spreading across his face.
"When has it ever not?" she challenged in response, biting her tongue and quirking an eyebrow as she pulled him back down onto the bed.
"God, I love you."
"You better because you agreed to put up with me for the rest of your life," she replied, kissing him gently between the shoulder blades as she began to kneed the muscles in his lower back, "Plus, you get to massage my back and feet when your child gets so big that I can barely move."
"With pleasure, Babe!" he murmured, groaning as Quinn ran a hand over his butt to his shaft, giving him a little squeeze as a promise of all the deliciously dirty things they'd do over the course of the evening and next morning.
And if Quinn was being honest about how…easily excited… she got during her last pregnancy, he had no doubt that there would be plenty of deliciously dirty things to come.
And if he were being honest, he couldn't wait!
Warning: next chapter contains lemons. Promise.