A/N: Thanks so much everyone for all of your amazing reviews, alerts, favourites, etc! This is the first fic I ever wrote and it's been quite the experience.

Anyway, this is the final chapter of Sick Muse, but I'm currently debating whether or not to write an epilogue. Let me know what you think, since I'm at a loss on what to do. Part of me wants to, but there's a part of me that is okay with how I ended things. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Thanks again for reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I merely used Ryan Murphy's amazing characters to get me out of my writer's block.

Puck swung by to pick up Quinn at 10:27 am that Saturday. When Rachel greeted him at the door, there was no mistaking that the girl was smirking. She knew full well that Puck was never on time, but he made an exception for Quinn. Interesting.

"What's up, Berry?" He asked with a half-smile, arching one eyebrow suggestively. He lowered his voice. "Did you have a dirty dream last night?"

"Excuse me?" Rachel scoffed, clearly offended that her pride at playing matchmaker was greeted by Puck's crass attitude. "I'll have you know, Puckerman," the brunette pointed a finger in Puck's face. "That I am in an excellent mood today because I was able to complete my rigorous workout routine in under 45 minutes and was therefore able to enjoy my fathers' company before they had to leave abruptly for their day at the spa. As you may or may not know, my fathers, a doctor and a lawyer, are supremely busy six of the seven days of the week..." Rachel kept talking, but Puck checked out of the conversation the moment he saw Quinn come down the stairs. He stepped around Rachel and entered the house, not even waiting for an invitation.

Ordinarily, Rachel would've been insulted by Puck's behaviour, but since Puck was acting this way because he had just seen Quinn, she forgave his rudeness. She sighed contentedly, smiling smugly once more, and shut the front door.

"Hey," Puck greeted Quinn, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. He clenched his jaw and smiled up at her.

"Hi," Quinn answered quietly. Rachel rolled her eyes at the two of them. Puh-leeze. All of this shyness is unnecessary! They've seen one another naked.

She cleared her throat. "Noah, Quinn has something she wants to say to you." Quinn quickly glared at Rachel, then turned to look sheepishly at Puck. Rachel smiled at the couple before her and shrugged her jacket on. "As for me, I am leaving to help Finn with his homework. He still doesn't have the necessary 2.5 GPA that he needs in order to play basketball this season—speaking of which, Noah, how is your GPA this semester?"

Quinn and Puck gave Rachel an incredulous look. Smiling apologetically, Rachel took the hint. She grabbed her backpack and keys, waving back at them sweetly, as she shut the door behind her. At least they're allied against me, she thought as she walked away from her house, still smiling smugly.

"What's this you need to tell me?" Puck asked Quinn the moment Rachel left, a smile tugging on his lips.

Quinn wet her lips and smiled back at him, shaking her head softly. "Nothing. I'd rather get our visit to my parent's house out of the way first."

"Okay," he responded, clenching his jaw once more before smiling. He walked out of the Berry's house, as Quinn gathered her purse and jacket. When he turned back to see if she was following him or not, he caught that smile on her face again; he felt the familiar fluttering in his stomach—the one that made him want to vomit and sing at the same time. Acting on reflex, he did the first thing that came to mind: yell at her to hurry up.

"Jesus, Fabray! You think I have all day?"

Quinn rolled her eyes. She was expecting this. After all, she was dealing with Puck. She tried glaring at him as she walked briskly towards the car, but couldn't shake the feeling she got when she was with him. She shook her head, a small smile forming on her lips before she even reached him. He responded with one of his smirks.

"Princess," he said as he opened the passenger door, bowing and waving his arm dramatically. Quinn laughed, sliding inside gracefully, and mumbled her thanks.

Puck shut the door and slowly walked around to his side. He stalled a little as he figured out a way to bring up what his mom had said to him; about maybe being a family. If he wasn't mistaken, his mom wasn't completely against the kid they were expecting... Come to think of it, she seemed fucking happy about the little girl. But, given his track record, this was not a good conversation to have with his baby mama. She'd shut him down on more than one occasion and his pride was suffering. No one said 'no' to Puck if he could help it.

He slid in beside her, still smiling, and nodded.

"Showtime."

Their drive to Dudley Road was completely silent. Puck knew better than to mention his conversation with his mom during their drive; Quinn was already nervous, so why add to her anxiety? He took his eyes off the road to look at the girl next to him. She was currently wringing her hands in her lap, taking deep calming breaths every so often. He wondered if the breathing was something she'd learned in Lamaze. Smiling to himself, he hesitated, as he reached for her hand.

"Chill." He said simply.

Upon feeling his touch, Quinn's anxiety dissipated and was replaced with surprise. She smiled at the simplicity in his gesture and didn't pull her hand away. She took one last shaky breath and settled comfortably against her seat, letting Puck clutch her cold hand the rest of the drive, while their little girl did somersaults in her womb. Even she knew how important this meeting was.

Quinn knew that Puck was right. She couldn't live off of the charity of her friends; she needed her parents more than they could ever imagine. She loved them so much, though she didn't have a clue how they felt about her. Today was the day she'd come face-to-face with reality... whether she wanted to or not.

Puck turned onto Dudley Road, squeezing her hand a tiny bit. He parked the car in front of the Fabrays' house and he turned to give Quinn a lopsided grin.

"Ready?" He scratched his mohawk nervously. Quinn bit her lip, looking at her parents' house with wide eyes. Puck saw as determination overruled her uneasy feelings, making her green eyes flash. She nodded once, not even looking at him. As if on cue, they both pushed their doors open and got out.

Quinn stood beside the car, neglecting to shut the car door, as she stared up at the house. So many memories came flooding back, overwhelming her. Puck walked around towards her (This could go so so so wrong.), took her hand in his again, and shut the door. She faced him, staring into his hazel eyes, looking for strength. He smiled, rising his eyebrows at her teasingly, as if to say You're Quinn mother-fucking Fabray. She worried her lip once more but managed to give him a shaky smile.

"Just give me a sec."

He nodded, "Take all the time you need."

She'd never heard him speak so softly. Something about the tone calmed her. He was so crass ninety percent of the time, but on the rare occasion he was on his best behaviour, he was capable of anything. He leaned against his car, crossing his arms as he waited for her, pursing his lips in a worried fashion. He turned his head to look down the road, giving Quinn some privacy.

She stared up at her house, remembering the last time she'd been there. Remembered Finn tightly pressing her suitcase against his chest like a shield. Gripping it as though he feared that dropping it would mean detonating another bomb. He'd shifted on his feet uncomfortably, waiting for Quinn to finish pleading with her mother. Finally he'd had enough of her begging, knowing it would change nothing, and he put a firm hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her away.

Quinn remembered her throat closing in on itself, making it so very hard to breathe. Constricting to the point where she felt as though she'd never be able to speak again. And when she did speak, her voice wasn't really her own. The voice was wheezy and high pitched; the voice of a coward, begging for one more chance. Quinn Fabray wasn't a coward, but whoever was speaking for her was.

She had been so scared, so weak, that her own parents didn't recognize her.

She blinked, letting two stray tears fall down her cheeks. She dug the heels of her palms into her eyes and breathed a shaky breath. It's going to be fine, she reminded herself once more.

She finally tore her eyes off her parent's house and looked at Puck. She watched as he scuffed the pavement with his shoe, his hands buried deep in his pockets. An unreadable expression on his face as he waited for her to collect herself. No rushing, no fear, no firm gentleness. Instead, she found patience, courage, and a quiet resilience. Quinn smiled to herself, going to stand in front of him. He leaned back a bit, as Quinn straddled his legs, taken aback by this sudden proximity. He cocked his head to the side, smiling at the girl before him. Leaning forward, Quinn's lips met his in a soft kiss. Puck immediately relaxed into the kiss, putting his arms around Quinn's waist. Quinn pulled back after a few moments and when she did, Puck's lips puckered forward, trying to stay in contact with her mouth.

She smiled at his reaction and whispered, "I'm ready," sliding her hand in his.

They walked to the front door quickly, both knowing that the sooner they entered the house, the sooner they'd leave.

They stood on the front porch awkwardly, neither brave enough to ring the bell. Finally, Puck rang the doorbell and waited for the door to open, rocking on the balls of his feet in anticipation, Quinn's hand still tightly gripped in his. He turned to look at her, as she nervously fidgeted with her hands. She met Puck's eyes and bit her lip. Without a word, Puck grabbed her free hand and gave them a comforting squeeze. Quinn responded with a small smile.

The door swung open, making both teens jump, and Judy Fabray, tall, slender and graceful, was on the threshold; her eyes popped when she saw her youngest on her doorstep. Quinn and Puck immediately unlatched their hands, staring at the woman in front of them. She smiled, pulling Quinn into a hug. When she registered who Quinn was with, her smile twitched for a millisecond.

"Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness!" she kept repeating, her voice dripping with emotion. "Quinn!" She pulled away, examining her daughter. Her green eyes grew when they saw the bulge in her middle.

"Hi, mom," Quinn said softly, fighting the urge to cry as uncertainty filled her with dread.

"Please, come in!" Judy Fabray urged. Looking at Puck again, she added. "You, too, Noah! My goodness! I haven't seen you since Quinn's fourteenth birthday party!"

Puck stepped in after the mother and daughter, his hands buried deep in his pockets.

"Yep," he answered with his mom-winning smile. Time to turn on the charm, Puckarone. "That was a while ago," he added stupidly. Smooth...

"That's right," Judy replied smiling warmly at the boy. "You didn't have a mohawk back then…" she finished with a wink at her daughter. "Please, follow me to the living room."

Quinn and Puck looked at one another. Both wondered why the older woman was so friendly and welcoming when her husband was sure to give Quinn the swift kick in the behind again if he came home to find his pregnant daughter in his home.

"Uh, mom?" Quinn asked, following her mother to the living room. "Where's dad?"

Judy's face fell for a moment, before extending her arm, motioning for both Puck and Quinn to sit. The teens' eyes locked again and they sat in the couch, much like Quinn and Finn had sat not too long ago. Quinn realized the contrast between that situation and the one in which she found herself now. Then, her parents had found out through Finn that she was carrying a child, but now it would be her turn to come clean. She turned to look at Puck, realizing how this boy had given her a choice, while Finn had made the decision for them, deciding her fate. She had never been so grateful for having Puck in her life. He met her gaze and shifted uncomfortably. His eyes darting all over the place as though he expected her father to jump out at any moment.

Realizing that the man wasn't home, Puck looked back at Quinn, giving her a lopsided grin. Slowly turning his head away from Quinn, Puck faced Judy.

"Mrs Fabray, where's Mr Fabray?"

Judy cleared her throat, but finally answered.

"Mr Fabray is not home." She said, ironing out the wrinkles in her dress. Looking at Quinn, she added in a matter of fact tone, "Your father left me."

An audible gasp was heard and Quinn covered her mouth, remembering where she was. It wasn't proper for her to express her surprise. She swallowed hard, fighting to keep the contents of her stomach down. She felt the walls close in on her, water filling her green eyes. Taking a shallow breath, she finally mustered the strength to ask, "Why?" Did I cause this?

Her mother smiled sweetly, blinking her eyes furiously to keep her emotions at bay. She swallowed hard before answering. "He left me for another woman. Lemonade?"

Quinn open and shut her mouth, unable to form coherent thoughts and finally voice the questions that nagged at her. She gaped at her mother, shaking her loose curls as she shook her head, furiously trying to make her mother's statements untrue. Finally, she looked up and met her mother's eyes.

"No, I don't think you understand," Quinn pressed, her words barely coming out. Puck stared at her, worried that this was too much for her to take. Given what he'd learned about her hormones and her deal with crying at the drop of a hat, he panicked. She can't get too excited, he realized. "Was it because of me?" she breathed.

Her mother's overly sweet expression softened immediately upon hearing these words.

"No, Quinnie, no." Her mother insisted. She glanced at Puck, registered his neutral expression, and kept talking. "Turns out your father had been seeing this… this… woman for a while." Judy's bitter voice stung Quinn. She once thought the world of her father, but after he threw her out, she'd reluctantly come to terms with how horrible he really was. But knowing that he later abandoned her mother for some... woman... Quinn couldn't believe it.

Figures, Puck thought bitterly. I find out that the douche tried screwing with my mom and he goes and does this to Quinn. He shook his head bitterly, realizing that what Mr Fabray had done wasn't bad-ass... it was just bad. He hurt his family, he hurt his rep... He looked at Quinn and Mrs Fabray. Does he even love them?, he wondered. He thought back to the times he'd sext Santana or juggled more than one Cheerio at a time. He'd never stopped to think how it affected them, but witnessing Quinn's breakdown, was too much. He stood, ignoring Quinn's panicked look, and immediately started pacing.

"Who?" Quinn practically yelled, tearing her eyes away from Puck to look at her mother. "How could he do this to you?"

"Shh, Quinnie," her mother looked at her sternly. "Not in front of company." She looked pointedly at the pacing teen, who in turn glared at her. Puck couldn't believe how completely cool Mrs Fabray was behaving. Can't she see that Quinn's, like, freaking out?

"Mrs Fabray," Puck said, as he stopped pacing, still glaring at the woman before him. He'd never seen Quinn act so out of control, but he figured too much of her world had fallen apart for her to readily accept that her father would no longer be in her life.

"Quinn deserves an answer." He shook his head. "You let your husband kick her out and then you let him walk out on you without calling Quinn? Asking her... no, begging her to come home?" Judy looked down, unable to meet Puck's incredulous eyes anymore. "She deserves one straight answer. If you'd like, I can leave." He made a motion to leave.

Quinn turned to look at him, worried that he'd already disappeared. Her green eyes pleading with him to stay. He nodded once, realizing that Quinn needed him there. He had promised to stay with her, after all. Besides, there was no way he was leaving her alone with her mother.

"Oh, no, Noah, that's not necessary," Judy answered, still not meeting his even stare. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair, focusing solely on her daughter. She tried to smile. "I'm surprised you hadn't heard of it, Quinnie, seeing as Lima is full of gossips."

"I haven't been going to church, mom," Quinn retorted icily. Puck nearly laughed when he saw Mrs Fabray's reaction.

"Are you sure I can't get you any lemonade?" Judy asked, trying to change the subject.

"No, mom… When did this happen? When did he leave?" Quinn pleaded. Judy smoothed her skirt once more, stalling. She sat up straighter, crossing her ankles beneath her chair.

"A-about a month ago." Judy stammered. She looked uncomfortably at Puck, but kept talking. "He found out I'd been trying to..." she looked at her hands uncomfortably. "To... get in touch with you."

She lifted her head, finally meeting her daughter's questioning eyes.

Her mother's words did nothing to relieve the pain Quinn felt in her chest. Her own father left her mother because she showed concern for her...? How much did he loathe her for making one mistake?

Judy's gaze faltered under Quinn's pained expression and she looked at her hands once more.

Puck, however, looked at Quinn, a soft smile gracing his features. I was right. As though feeling his stare, Quinn's tear-filled eyes locked on Puck. She felt as relief washed over him, somehow affecting her, as the weight bearing down on her heart lessened. She didn't return his smile, but he knew that she would be okay.

More tears meandered down Quinn's cheeks, but she didn't bother to wipe them. Why hide the fact that what was going on around her hurt? She brushed a blond strand of hair behind an ear, her eyes glazed over in fresh tears. She looked down at her hands. "Really?"

Her mother gave a curt nod, but her eyes filled with hope.

"I called the school to see how you were doing." She said awkwardly, clearing her throat. Quinn looked at Puck, unsure of what to make of this. Licking his lips nervously, he made his way back to sit next to her. "The, uh... only person who I knew to contact was Coach Sylvester. She told me that you were still excelling in school and," she smiled softly, her eyes meeting Quinn's. "And that you had won the show choir competition!" Her head involuntarily turned towards Puck, but she kept speaking. "When she hinted that you literally had nowhere to go, your father came in. He'd caught the last bits of my conversation. I thanked Coach Sylvester, but it..." she sighed. "Your father was livid. He accused me of disrespecting him and that's when... that's when he admitted to having a mistress."

"All of this happened last month?" Quinn stitched her thin brows together, her lips pouting in confusion.

"Yes." Judy's eyes darted between Puck and Quinn. She quirked an eyebrow when she noticed Quinn's hand tucked delicately in Puck's. She looked between them and they instantly let go of one another's hands, both looking away awkwardly.

"Quinn, is there something you want to tell me?" She asked, not unkindly.

Puck clenched his jaw and shrugged, looking at the girl beside him. It's now or never.

Quinn stared back at him and licked her lips nervously. It's now or never, she mused, echoing his thoughts. Nervously stroking her stomach, Quinn reluctantly met her mother's green eyes.

"Mom, Finn was right," she said softly.

"About?"

"When he told you that we hadn't done it," she stalled. "He was being honest." She looked at Puck again, somehow gathering strength from his presence. "He and I never had sex."

"But then how…?" Judy looked at Quinn's protruding stomach. A look of recognition grew on her face and she understood. "Noah?" Her gaze turned to look at Puck.

Quinn nodded, feeling ashamed again. She sniffled and released a shaky breath.

Judy swallowed hard. She rubbed her temples, trying to ease the tension she now felt. Finally, she looked back up at Puck and Quinn, a look of determination on her face. She stared at Quinn, her eyes scanning over her daughter's frame.

Her mother's scrutiny added pressure to the guilt that rested in the girl's chest and Quinn felt as more tears left a cool trail down her cheeks.

Judy drew a breath at last and cleared her throat.

"I appreciate your honesty, Quinn." She managed to smile at the teens. She looked at Puck sadly, remembering how active and mischievous Puck had been as a child. Had he taken advantage of her little girl? She thought back to when she first met Noah... Quinn talked of little else at home, so when she finally met the curly haired boy, she was immediately taken by how adoringly he looked at Quinn. Sure, he pushed her off of swings, called her names and terrorized his second-grade teacher, but when Judy caught him looking at Quinn... she could see his admiration for her. No. Noah hadn't taken advantage of Quinn. Even now, as he kept stealing glances at her daughter, Judy could see how much he cared for her. Their situation would have been romantic... if it weren't for the fact that they were both sixteen and confused. And that one of them was her baby... her little girl.

"You're so confused, Quinn." Judy bit her lip, a trait that Quinn had picked up from her. "I think you should come home, sweetie," she added softly.

Unable to believe her mother, Quinn turned to look at Puck, as he grasped her hand again. He didn't meet her eyes, so she didn't notice the dejected look on his face.

"We both need to rely on one another. We're all we've got." Her mother finished, dabbing at her eyes.

Not knowing what else to say, let alone trusting that this encounter wasn't a dream, Quinn finally breathed out a simple "Thank you."

Judy walked towards her and Quinn stood, letting herself get tucked into her mother's arms.

"I love you, Quinnie," she said into Quinn's hair. She pulled back and smiled at Puck. "Thank you, Noah, for coming with Quinn. I know it was probably hard for her to face me, again."

Puck nodded. "Yeah. Of course," he replied, not lifting his head to meet either women's eyes.

Judy and Quinn agreed that she'd move in the following day. In a small way, Quinn was sad about leaving Rachel's. The Berrys treated her respectfully and did everything they could to make her feel at home. But, more importantly, she was afraid that if her dad ever returned, she would be out on the street again. She shook her head, trying to banish those thoughts, and chose to focus on the houses they drove past; blurring together with the landscape to make indiscernible shapes.

Both Puck and Quinn were silent on the drive back. Quinn felt sheepish and couldn't quite shake the feeling that Puck was upset with her. He was quieter than usual and hadn't made a single crass comment since they left Rachel's that morning. Something felt... off. Timidly, she turned her head to look at him.

"There's something we need to talk about…" She said, noticing that her voice sounded thick. "About my decision. Well, our decision," she added, clearing her throat.

Puck's hand tightened on the steering wheel and Quinn saw the muscle in his jaw twitch nervously. "About?"

They stopped at a light and neither knew how to continue; both focusing on their own insecurities, rather than pushing forward to find a solution. Quinn's thoughts raced as she thought of Puck's indifference, her confusion, Rachel's ability to help her despite the fact that she'd been terrible to her in the past… so many different perspectives. She felt as though she understood Puck, Finn and Rachel's emotions more than she understood her own. Like her mom had said, she was confused. Sixteen and pregnant and unable to identify exactly what she was feeling. How could anyone expect her to care for someone when she hardly knew herself? Understood her needs? Knew what was best for her…?

Puck clenched and unclenched his jaw, feeling as the tension grew thick around him. It was now or never.

He knew that this moment would either make or break his relationship with Quinn (Or whatever the hell we have). He knew that he should tell her exactly what he thought of her plans to move back in with her mom. Come clean about all that was congested in his constricting chest: all of his unspoken thoughts, worries and needs… all of them centred around a blonde with green eyes who wore a gold cross dangling on a thin gold chain. If anything, he would give anything to at least be in the room when his little girl was born.

The light changed and he kept driving. His thoughts swirled in his head, bumping and contradicting one another as though he were two people instead of one. Mrs Fabray had said that Quinn was confused, but he was just as fucked up as Quinn.

He smiled, as his thoughts started to clear. He loved Quinn. The way he felt when he was with her was magnified when she was missing. Her smile literally lifting his withering spirits. He knew that he should feel embarrassed about these thoughts, but all he could focus on was the fact that he needed to tell Quinn how he felt. Make her see that maybe they did have a future. That even after their daughter was taken by strangers, that they would be bound by her.

He cleared his throat and Quinn startled. "Quinn, I need to be honest."

Quinn's hands gripped her seat for support. She nodded quickly, encouraging Puck to keep talking.

"I get that you wanna give her up. But," he hesitated, unsure of what Quinn would make of it. "I want you to know that I'm not afraid. I know I'm 16, in high school, unemployed, whatever... but," he swallowed, turning to look at her. "I'm ready to help you. Like a real man." His gaze returned to the road ahead. There was a beat and he continued. "My mom... she knows that the baby's a girl. I told her this morning," Quinn's sudden mutism startled him, but Puck decided that now was the time to bare it all. "She wanted me to remind you that you're not alone. If anything, you have more support than anyone. You have glee club, Berry, my mom and well... you have me, Quinn." He turned to look at her, willing her to speak. When she remained quiet, he trudged on. "And... I was also wondering... would it be too much to ask if…" he pursed his lips, eyes focusing on the road, suddenly timid.

"If what…?" Quinn asked through pale lips.

"... If I help you out?" A small smile formed on Quinn's lips. "Y'know, with Lamaze, the delivery… Everything."

"Yeah," Quinn managed, hesitating a little. Her heart raced and she couldn't stop the idiotic smile that materialized on her face. They stopped at another light and Puck turned to look into her eyes.

"There's something else," he hesitated. "Do you really wanna go back and live with your mom?"

Quinn's smile evaporated as quickly as it appeared on her face. The light changed and Puck drove forward. "Look, I get that you need your mom, Quinn." Puck said, taking advantage of Quinn's silence, again. "I was the one who suggested you see her in the first place. But..." He looked at her briefly, gauging her reaction. "But you're better than them. Who's to say your dad won't come back and kick you out? Do you think your mom will welcome you with open arms, then? Your dad's a prick, Fabray. A prick! Did you know he tried to get with my mom." He glanced at her and kept talking. Her face was paler than usual as she absorbed his worries, realizing that they echoed her own. "I was all for you moving back in with them, but now that your dad's gone, I can't help but think your mom will let you down again."

Quinn wiped a tear as it rolled down her smooth cheek.

"I just..." There was a beat before Puck finished his thought. He clenched his jaw, deep in thought. "I just wanted you to know that my mom is ready to support us. You and me. If they ever, for one second, think of throwing you out again," Puck's voice was rising as he thought of all the shit Quinn had to endure because of her parent's decision to remove her from their lives. They didn't desrve her. He took a deep breath, knowing that anger wouldn't help in this situation. "Please," he pleaded. "Just... call me. I'm here. I want to help. I want to be the guy." He turned to face her again. "The guy you trust."

Wiping another tear, Quinn laughed.

"You're being dramatic." She managed to smile.

They pulled up to the Berry's driveway. Turning in their seats to face one another, neither saying a word. Puck studied her tear-stained face, looking deep into her eyes. He took her hand in his and spoke softly.

"I may be acting like Berry right now, but it's only 'cause..." he licked his lips nervously. "I wanna be with you. I've managed to screw us up more times than I can count, but I'm ready, Quinn." She squeezed his hand, almost as though she knew what was coming and she was giving him some encouragement. "I love you," he said evenly, not hesitating one bit.

Quinn leaned forward, pressing her pink mouth against his lips, tasting her salty tears as their lips collided. She pulled back, resting her forehead against his, trying to catch her breath.

"I do trust you. Why else would I have agreed to see my parents?" She closed her eyes, committing the feel of his hand in her hair to memory. "But my mom and I need to work through our issues. I can't just... abandon her when my dad betrayed us both." She pulled back and Puck tucked an errant strand behind her ear.

"I get it," he nodded.

"But... I do want you there. With me." She smiled through her tears. "Through everything. I..." she avoided his stare. "I need you," she gasped.

Puck pulled her towards him, pressing his overzealous lips against her mouth. He stroked her bottom lip with his tongue and Quinn obliged, breathing in, as he breathed out. He pulled back, smiling at the girl who's hand now rest on his chest. He put his hand over hers, stroking her knuckles softly.

"I knew you'd come around," he said into her lips and he felt her smile against his mouth.

"Shut up," she laughed, nipping at his lip playfully.

Noah Puckerman knew exactly what was wrong with the scene in front of him. He gaped in confusion as women practiced their breathing, holding their partner's hand for support. He sat among the throng of men and women, a blond beauty clutching his own hand for support. A look of ease and complete trust etched on her porcelain face as she turned to smile at him.

It was a sight to behold: McKinley's resident player holding the hand of McKinley's fallen angel. Puck turned to look at Quinn, his mouth curved into a playful smile. It seemed as though Quinn finally understood that the key to Lamaze was to relax. She stopped her rhythmic breathing to take his free hand and place it on top of her abdomen. Puck's eyes grew as he felt the gentle kicking. His smile grew and he nuzzled his nose into Quinn's neck, relishing the feeling of her body against his.

Sure, they were a dysfunctional family, but they were a family. He knew that his little girl was going to be adopted, but that didn't stop him, or Quinn for that matter, from loving her with all of their might. She was theirs and together, they were family.