A/N: I know it's been forever since this has had anything added but the muses just weren't giving me anything until now...*sighs*
Disclaimer: *See Chapter 1
The sudden silence that washed over the room was enough to make him think that Quinn at one point let her eyes close. The only thing that told him any different was the tight hold she still kept around his neck. Muffled by his bare shoulder, it took him a few minutes to realize Quinn was muttering to herself. When finally it came through clearer, his heart began to hammer in his chest.
"No matter what…" If he didn't understand the context she would just be mumbling nonsense on repeat. "He promised…" Several times he thought about finding a way to peel her off for no other reason than to see if she was able to rest her eyes, maybe get some sleep. Quinn could fall asleep right there for all he cared, wrapped around him in what would otherwise be classified as a chokehold but she seemed almost afraid to let the words die. Puck let his callused hands knead light patterns across her neck, wondering if eventually the repetition would be enough to let her eyes close.
"If you're not going to sleep, do you want Becca to help you with your hair?" Against his shoulder, she nodded, for a moment wondering how much the little girl had seen. If she was thinking more clearly, if she knew how to stop it, she would be pouring thick apologies. At the moment, she could only hope the girl wasn't suddenly afraid of her. Kissing her temple, he used his free hand to call his sister back upstairs.
Reading the display nervously, the little girl quietly made her way back into the room. She had been so quiet in fact that Puck didn't even register her reappearance until she was standing right in front of them, placing her niece beside her brother before taking in the scene in front of her. It was true that Quinn hadn't stayed with them for very long but in the little time she had, Becca learned quickly that she was a strong and determined girl. Anyone who dealt with someone like Noah had to be. It was the only way to get him to stop being stupid. She had a courage and confidence about her that convinced the girl Quinn was exactly the kind of person she was going to grow up to be. Now though she was nothing stronger than a ghost, a hallowed out shell of the friend who used to spend hours painting her nails and teaching her all about boys. Her brother almost always found them, rolling his eyes at all the girly stuff. Beyond that, he never said much, just to stop asking Quinn so many stupid questions. They both of course ignored him. Now it's my turn she thought, remembering all of the times her brother's girlfriend was there for her when her mom was stuck at work.
Taking her face between his hands, he folded a strand of loose hair behind her ear. The eyes staring back at him were still clear and cold and void of every human emotion he'd ever had thrown at him. All except for the fear. That he knew from past experience could be there for hours before she finally got brave enough to come back to them. Unwinding her arms from around his neck, she made no motion or protest to stop him. Instead her stare simply intensified, her clammy hands shaking so hard she wouldn't even be able to hold a pencil.
"Give me your hands," he murmured, his palms outstretched. Swallowing hard she brought them back out of her lap taking him with such a grip that anyone else would probably pull away within seconds. But Puck barely flinched, soft lips brought across her knuckles as she held them. "Good girl. Becca's going to come up behind you and start. If you wanna stop, we'll stop. Quinn shook her head firmly, the tips of her hair still a little damp. They couldn't stop. She didn't want them to. If they were touching that meant he wouldn't be able to. Giving his sister the go-ahead, he offered her a soft smile, hoping that she understood just how thankful they were. "Go real slow, okay?" Nodding silently, she came up on her knees, working the bristles slowly through her hair. Puck could feel his throat beginning to close while he watched her, small and delicate hands working with so much focus, almost as if she was afraid to screw it up. He was quick to realize that after what she'd seen become of Quinn, her behaviour wasn't badly placed at all. Puck never really understood why girls started humming while they were doing their hair but when Becca started off quietly, a quiet calm washed over Quinn. Her hands went still and if he wasn't mistaken, she looked a lot more relaxed. She no longer needed him to keep her steady but her gaze kept him there, already having learned that to change it on her when she could hardly make sense of up or down was asking for more than their current share of problems.
If she wasn't so concentrated on every line of his face, Quinn would have easily collapsed in his arms. She felt her emotions begin to crawl back up, not because she was hurting her but rather, how gentle she was. The quiet song she kept to herself almost made it worse. The few times her mother took the time to do things like this for her were so few and far between she had only enough to hold in one hand. The warmth of fresh tears began their journey down her cheeks, the sight of them making Puck's chest hurt. Brushing her cheek he smiled sadly.
"Noah?" Puck looked up at his sister, preparing to find a way to answer the question he'd seen in her eyes since he and Quinn walked in the door. "Why is she so sad?" He almost told Becca to mind her own business but then remembered how quick she was to take care of her, most of it done without asking. Noticing the harsh bite she had on her own lip he gently tugged it free before finding his words.
"She got in a fight with her mom," he whispered. The younger Puckerman raised her brow in confusion. She'd gotten in a lot of fights with their mom. Sometimes they made her cry. Sometimes she yelled but they never made it so she couldn't talk. Realization struck her when she took in the similarities between this situation and the one that brought the blonde to them the first time.
"I-Is it like before?" she asked hesitantly. She watched her brother nod slowly, eyeing Quinn when her shoulders began to shake. "Oh...Does…Does that mean she's gonna live with us again?"
"I think so," he said softly. "That okay with you?" Rebecca nodded slowly, more than a little afraid to see this side of her brother. There was never a doubt in her mind that he loved her but he got annoyed with most of the things she asked almost all the time. Now he almost seemed too nice. But then she figured, as long as Quinn wasn't crying anymore, seeing Noah act like this was okay. It was strange but okay. Though she was only eight years old, there were things even she took note of about their relationship. She could see now why they made a baby together. Even though Noah insisted that it wasn't supposed to happen, that it was an accident, that he did something bad, she could see it.
"Is Quinn your girlfriend?" Puck's eyes nearly jumped out of his head, every muscle in his body prepared to reject the idea. All they had was about a year's worth of late night phone calls and a baby. That didn't mean they were in a relationship. Did it?
"I don't know," he said honestly.
"You made a baby."
"Bex, just because two people make a baby that doesn't mean they're in a relationship," he clarified. "It just means that they made a baby." Even though she wasn't talking, Quinn didn't miss a minute of the current conversation. As honest as he was trying to be with his sister, there were tones in the things he said that left her crestfallen. No, Beth wasn't planned. And no, they hadn't been in a relationship at the time. But that didn't mean things hadn't evolved between them. The last couple of days had been proof of just how much either of them were still holding onto.
"Yeah but…"
"What?
"You love Quinn." Puck startled, the surprise on his face impossible to hide even if he wanted to. Becca offered a small and knowing smile, the glint of a secret in her eye she'd expertly kept from her brother. "You used to say it all the time. Especially after."
"I never told you that," he mumbled. And he honestly hadn't. His sister was in the third grade. What the hell did she even know about love anyway?
"You don't always have to use words. That's what Mama always says. When you really love someone, it's in all the stuff you do for them," she said shyly, her cheeks flushed realizing now she'd been caught. "You're always on the phone with her. I know I'm supposed to be sleeping but sometimes I hear you. And it's always really late…Sometimes she cries but you fix it. You make her feel better. I don't know how but you did it today. She's still sad but and a little scared but she knows you'll fix it. She's only crying a little bit," the little girl whispered.
"Where the hell are you getting all of this?" he mumbled, distracted by the weak smile that came across the blonde's face. His sister just shrugged pulling the brush through her hair once more. Almost everything his sister said was true and he hadn't shared a word of it with her. Becca was more observant than any of them ever gave her credit for.
"When you got home, she wanted you to hold her. She's a grown up. Quinn can take a bath all by herself. But she needed you to help. And you did. I ask you for help with stuff all the time and you always say I can do it by myself. But you didn't this time. And when she's happy, when she can talk, she doesn't like it when you help. But you always do it anyway. Because that's what you do when you love someone. You help them, even when they can do it by themselves, even when they don't want you to. And...You fight a lot. But you never hurt her. Not like Daddy used to do to Mom." He wanted to stop her right there, remind her that she was lucky enough to know nothing about their father but he managed to hold his tongue. "And yesterday was your birthday. Except for me and Mom and Finn, you don't like it when people tell you happy birthday. Because they're not your real friends. Or your family. You could've stayed home and played videogames all day and Mom wouldn't get mad. But you went to go see the baby. You wanted Quinn there too. Even though we're your family, you wanted your whole family."
"They aren't quite the same," he pointed out. Not directly anyway. But if he squinted a little, if he went over the earlier parts of her explanation, they kind of were.
"You don't bring the baby back with you. You go visit every day but you always come back by yourself. This time it's different." Yeah…The kind of different that left him wishing he had his head in a porcelain bowl. "I have those questions too but for later." Nodding slowly, he sighed. Not until he smoothed it out with his mom did he even know how to begin explaining it to an eight year old. Still, there was something in her observation that alerted him to just how much she understood for a girl her age. "Santana's your best friend, like Finn except she doesn't come over." He found himself rolling his lip. Yeah….and that was true for a lot of reasons she wasn't ready to hear about yet. He could see the unease that washed over Quinn's face when the name fell from his sister's mouth. He wasn't about to call Lopez his best friend but there were certain things about her he could tolerate over almost everybody else. His friend Finn was dumber than a box of rocks sometimes but he was on the short list of acceptable associations longer than anybody in Lima.
"What are you getting at, kid?" The girl just shrugged, a sly smile across her face.
"Quinn is your girlfriend. You just don't say it with words. And you love her too, otherwise she wouldn't be in your room wearing your clothes and holding your hands like that."
"She's scared, Sissy. Anybody'd be holding hands to feel safe." Again the girl shook her head.
"But it's different. When I'm scared you hold me and you sing. When Mama's scared you hold her hand and say things to get her to calm down. You did both for Quinn. And now you're the only one who can touch. You're the only one allowed to touch her in places that aren't okay, the places that make babies…"
"Rebecca," he warned, watching Quinn flush in embarrassment.
"What? It's true. She used to be with Finn and they were boyfriend and girlfriend." Puck's face became a hard line, every nerve in his body determined to erase that part of his past completely from his memory. Really the only reason she knew anything about her relationship with his best friend was because Finn came and went as he pleased, the second son Ava "adopted" from the time he was no more than two years old. "He wasn't allowed to touch because they didn't love each other. They just thought they did."
"Okay, stop right there. I think we get it." His little sister was honestly scaring the crap out of him. How the hell did she already know so much? And to imply that their kind of love was the only one where sex was okay? Becca had all but aged 12 years right before his freaking eyes.
"Noah?" The frustration wasn't as easy to hide now, but his sister hardly seemed phased by the expression, probably because it was one he almost always wore. "Are you guys finally gonna get married? 'Cause that's what people do when they wanna make babies together. You and Quinn did it backwards but that's okay." No, it really wasn't but he got the point regardless.
"Let's take this one step at a time, alright? First we have to tell Mom about the first part." The little girl nodded slowly, suddenly more embarrassed than ever that she'd even asked all these questions. "But you're right about one thing. I do…I care about her just as much as I care about you and Mom."
"Because she's family," she mumbled. No matter how strangely woven together they were, she was family. Some would say it was simply based on the idea that she gave him Beth but the year without their daughter to give them reason to be in each other's lives proved to be the one thing they needed to understand just how many things made a family.
"Because she's family," he echoed, the smile those words put on the blonde's face so big he almost wondered if it would be enough to get her to talk. When the only thing that lit up was her face, he took it without question, enjoying this expression so much more than the cloud that hung over her. "You know you're not allowed to talk like that," he mumbled.
"Sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted to know."
"Well now you do," he mumbled. Even though his sister laid it out for him step by step in the most obvious way, he still wasn't sure what to call them. The love between them went without question but he didn't want to put a label on them that would make Quinn uncomfortable. To be fair he flat out hated them. He'd never been a guy ready and willing to hold down anything that resembled a relationship. But he and Quinn had gone zero to sixty in less than a minute and even then it freaked him out to realize how unafraid of the whole thing he was. Contrary to popular opinion he knew exactly who Quinn Fabray was and went after her anyway. Not strictly because she was hot but because there was something about her as a person that spoke to him. Having learned that people around them could see it so obviously only confirmed what he initially felt over a year ago.
Quinn could barely see straight listening to every word that seemed to fall with purpose and conviction out of Becca's mouth. Not until she so bravely spoke up did the older girl come to realize how simply laid out the situation was. Other than the naïve perception she had of Beth, every word made the most obvious sense. Usually she fought like hell to keep people from seeing her like this. Puck and his family were the only ones she managed to reveal herself to, sometimes without being asked by her emotions if they were allowed to just spill out the way they were now. And even for a little girl, the way his sister delicately weaved through her hair was a kind of love and care she didn't think a person so young would even have. Despite having to live here with no other options while she was pregnant, this was the only place she even considered close enough to calling home. Now, if everything worked out the way they hoped, she could do so with more assurance.
"I do," she whispered hoarsely, her gaze so intense he had to scramble to steady himself. Even with more fear in her eyes than he'd ever seen, she loved him. Regardless of the emptiness in her stare, he could see the emotion she wanted to let free but simply couldn't just yet.
"I know," he murmured. Rebecca chose to stay silent, her eyes shining with a spark of twisted joy that made Puck roll his eyes. "The great mouse detective…" he muttered.
"Hey!" she grumbled.
"You are a mouse," he teased.
"I told you to stop calling me that…" Regardless of the countless times she asked him to stop making fun of her height, there was something about him refusing to listen to her that made her smile sometimes. He told her a long time ago that teasing them and annoying them was the way he told the he cared. She noticed it with Quinn too but kept that piece of evidence to herself. Yeah it was annoying. Yeah she kept asking him to stop. But that was how Noah showed love. So she let him. But only sometimes. Easing her fingers through the blonde's hair one last time, she placed a quick kiss to her cheek. "There," she smiled, her voice soft.
"Thanks…" he mumbled. The little girl nodded, happier than she should be to have been able to do that for her. The fact that she was so scared still left Becca unsure of how much she was able to do for them. Despite her age, it was no secret how defensive the blonde had become, even around her. "You mind getting the baby a bottle? Not sure if she'll take it but she's been weird about food since everything. Just be patient. She'll take something when she's ready. Just have to keep reminding her." His sister nodded taking her niece and easing a finger down the side of her face when she fussed in protest. "We'll be down in a minute." Once the two were gone Quinn quietly returned to being curled up in his lap, her nose once more buried in neck in an attempt to bathe herself in the smell of him.
"You feel better?" She bit her lip unsure if "better" was the appropriate word to use. Not a lot had been solved but the love she'd been shown was enough to remind her just how completely different the two families were. Her parents' home was easily three times the size. The Puckermans' hearts beat theirs by leaps and bounds. Still, she found herself nodding, the softest kiss placed along his clavicle. "Should we go downstairs and wait for Mom?" He was never sure when Ava came home anymore. A nurse's shift was just that unpredictable. But if it got them out of this room, letting her believe that it would be soon was the way to go. Again Quinn nodded, Puck letting his arms wrap around her almost without thinking. The last thing anybody needed was their visit to Ava to take place in the emergency room. Seeing as she was almost completely lost in her head, it was up to him to navigate them down the stairs.
Moving them into the living room, he could barely make out the quiet conversation between Beth and his sister. Even though Becca was the more talkative one of the two of them, there was something about seeing her so lit up that gave him reason to genuinely smile. All three of them had seen their fair share of hurt but knowing how much she understood about how they lived made small moments like this so important. Beth to her credit wasn't screaming yet, though part of it was probably thanks to the fact that she was swaddled almost completely in one of her mother's tops.
"You doing okay over there?" he asked, guiding Quinn into his lap. The younger Puckerman seemed to barely hear him, a distracted muttering quietly leaving her mouth. He lightly snorted at the idea that they were virtually invisible. Quinn offered an equally amused expression, though hers was more a shadow than his. "We're not even here…"
Despite how long the previous night had been, Puck was wide awake, infused with a new bout of energy he hoped would take its time in tapering off. This was how he'd always imagined it to be. Almost…. As concerned as he was that she was barely present, it was better than the alternative. She could instead be screaming at the very sight of him. But today she only flinched for no more than a second when Rebecca touched her, all but begging for his constant presence. All things considered, today was shaping up better than he expected.
Slowly, he let his chin sink down into her shoulder, soft blonde hair tickling the tip of his nose. Quinn softly grunted at the added weight, the sound softening in her throat when she realized who it was.
"Hey," he whispered, his arms wrapping gently around her middle. When she was more herself, Quinn wasn't this open to touch. The sudden shift in behaviour was another bold tell reminding him just how haunted she was. Only a little girl would be seeking this much protection. With enough reassurance, she would be back to poking fun at him soon enough.
No matter how great a picture this was, it really shouldn't have had to come to this. To be quite honest, he still hadn't wrapped his head around any of it completely. He would consider it a dream if it wasn't so freaking messed up. This was supposed to be a dream come true. Why the hell did it feel like a complete nightmare? No dream involved his little girl, barely more than a year, having been abused by a woman he thought he could trust. Thinking back, Puck wasn't sure he trusted the woman at all. But Quinn had and at the time, that had to be enough for him. Despite their constant bickering, Puck always found a way to trust the blonde's judgment; even when said judgment extended to him and his less than stellar behavior. His mouth and how easily he poured crap out of it is what kept him quiet and compliant. As much as he reluctantly agreed, something inside of him encouraged keeping tabs, just to be safe. Remembering all too well how he grew up, one could never be too careful. It was the very least he could do for being the one to put them in such a position.
Puck's attitude had been the main reason they had faced the problem at all. If he had enough brains to wrap it up, or to not have sex, period, neither of them would be here. But they were, and as much as he lay awake at night in constant battle with his lack of morals, there was no changing what was already done. It wasn't that he regretted being with Quinn or the result of his lack of intelligence for all of two minutes but if he had simply been smarter about the whole thing, he wouldn't be clutching his two beaten girls like he was the only one standing between them and any other torment.
Starting small circles on the small of her back, he sighed. What had she seen out there? The bravest woman he knew couldn't be afraid of a storm. Their entire relationship (or whatever the hell they were) had been a fucking tornado. Quinn, from what he saw seemed to make it out almost unscathed, minus the spider web of confusion that was Beth's short life and all that came along with it. He knew enough to conclude that it had something to do with her father, a man Puck personally wanted to see six feet underground. He'd even go so far as to do all the work himself. Behead the bastard and dig the godforsaken hole his sorry as would rest in.
Watching her now, Puck couldn't help but marvel at how at peace she looked, even when she did nothing more than stare blankly out the window. Yes, she was still apprehensive as hell but at the very least she felt safe enough in this house to make small steps in the other direction. Upon closer look he could see the slight traces of fear in her delicate features, facial muscles tense as she kept herself as close to him as she possibly could. Blood. Always blood. What the hell did that even mean? Given how small she sounded earlier, and probably still felt, it couldn't actually be literal...Right? Even as insane as he knew the Fabrays were, none of them were tied to bloodshed and murder. Then again, Quinn's family had always leaned on the wackier side of the scale than most families.
"What'd you see, pretty girl?" he whispered, the possibilities still turning in his head. Even if she ever answered his question (which he doubted would come for a while), he knew that this was where they had to stay. Sure they hadn't figured out the legal three ring circus for Beth yet but there was no way Puck would just sit there while someone took her from them a second time. Not when there should not have even been a first. "Nobody's going anywhere," he promised, eyeing his daughter when she quietly began to stir. He wasn't sure if it was a quiet confidence for them or himself.
Taken completely from his current thoughts, Beth began to squirm, a soft whimper falling from her mouth, quickly building to a wail. Becca offered the little girl her free index finger, frowning when she held it in her mouth for all of five seconds before spitting it back out.
"Mmmma."
"I got her," he mumbled. Carefully shifting Quinn from his lap, he stood. Watching the curtain of her eyes rise slowly, he wondered how fear had replaced her calm so quickly.
"I-I didn't..." she whispered.
"I saw. It's okay. She forgets we're here sometimes. Then she'll remember. It's not anything you did. I'll get her changed real quick and bring her right back," he promised. Even though she hadn't protested, he knew Quinn's eyes were burning a hole into the side of his head. "Can you just sit with her?" he asked. Becca obediently took his vacated space on the couch, cautiously taking the blonde's hand in her own. "Thank you," he mumbled tugging gently at her ponytail. "You've been a big help today." The wide smile that spread across her face told Puck just how proud of herself she was. Today more than any other she'd freaking earned it. A small smile played across his lips as frantic eyes took in her hand and all the other injuries left by the storm. "Quinn got a little banged up, she's okay," he said hoping that was enough to settle her. Quinn flashed him a weak smile in thanks as she stood taking in all the doctoring Puck had done. "You're welcome," he said quietly.
"I put her bag on the table," his sister offered quietly. Once in the safety of the other room, Puck sighed, realizing how much natural spite the situation had taken out of her. On a normal day, the two would be dishing insults without missing a beat. Today she seemed almost afraid to move without permission. Moving back into the living room, he laid the baby across the opposite couch massaging her stomach softly when she began to squirm, trying despite her limitations to keep an eye on her mother.
"There she is," he whispered, offering a soft smile when apprehension slowly fell away in her tiny muscles. "Mama's not goin' anywhere, sweetheart." The words did little to reassure her, a laser-sharp stare making Beth unaware of practically everything else. "Lay flat for me," he prompted gently, doing his best to keep her hips down long enough to get the job done. He managed two more minutes of single-handedly maneuvering her body before the little girl began to scream, the sound making Becca cover her ears.
"Mmmma!"
"I got it. I got it…" he sighed taking up the empty cushion on her other side. Even just sitting beside her quieted the baby significantly, though determination had her reaching for loose strands of Quinn's hair. "I don't think that's the best idea…" he mumbled. Watching the events unfold, the younger Puckerman blinked.
"Why doesn't she take the baby, Bubbah?"
"When she's ready she will. She just needs a little time. Right now she's just scared."
"Why?"
"She's sick," he said hoping it was something believable. Puck of course was never that lucky but today's mood gave him hope that she would stop there. At least for now.
"The tea didn't work?" she mumbled, her face falling slightly.
"It did," he nodded.
"Does she need more? I can go make more."
"We're good. She'll be okay once Mom gets back. Right now I want you to go get your homework done, okay?"
"But—"
"We'll let you know. For now we'll just be hanging out."
"Okay…" If she hadn't been so damn attentive to them, an easy laugh would have fallen from his mouth when she parted with a dejected expression.
"Hey Squeaks?" Rebecca turned, a layer of fear in her eyes that Puck hardly ever saw anymore. "They're going to be okay." She nodded slowly, a small part of her doubting just how okay they would be. "Come here a minute." She barely dragged her feet over to him, coming to stand in front of him nervously. "Look at me." Dragging her eyes up to meet his gaze, she gulped.
"It's like Daddy," she whispered. If he wasn't already feeling sick to his stomach, those words made him want to vomit. As much as he fought to tell her that no, this was something different, there were similarities that couldn't be ignored.
"I'm not Dad," he whispered trying to keep the edge out of his voice.
"I mean Quinn's mommy." Rolling his lip, he nodded. The wordless confirmation made the little girl's lip begin to quiver. "That's not okay," she choked.
"It's not," he nodded. "But I promise it'll never happen again."
"Because Quinn will be here where it's safe…" The blonde in question felt tears begin to form at the back of her own eyes and though it took more than her usual efforts, a nervous hand reached out to take the little girl in her lap. Looking her over, Becca sniffed, eyes hardening much like her brother's often did when she noticed the welt across her face. Her discovery needed no words at all, soft fingers gliding across the bruise that was slowly taking shape. What started out as a slow tremor became uncontrollable, forcing her to drop her hand and quietly bury her face in the blonde's chest. As much as the moment broke him, what unravelled him almost completely was the moment Quinn let her arms wrap around his sister in some kind of comfort while she cried.
"Where it's safe," he murmured pressing a soft kiss to her hair.
"I-I'm sorry…"
It was in moments like this Quinn wished more than ever that she could find her words. At eight years old a girl should never know what it felt like to be this broken. Gently massaging her scalp, she found a quiet hum, barely able to pull it forward in her mouth. Next to her Puck blinked, wondering if the words would come that were meant for the particular tune. When they didn't, he tried hard not to sigh, taking the small win for what it was. Quinn had been able to provide a level of comfort that in this instance wouldn't satisfy her nearly enough.
"I'm proud of you," he mumbled pressing a strand behind his sister's ear. "Wouldn't have been able to get it all figured out without you."
"You-You are?" Both she and Puck nodded together, the little girl clinging to her brother's girlfriend, seemingly convinced that if she squeezed hard enough all the pain would come out. "It's not okay," she repeated. "Mommies are supposed to love you. Daddies too but Noah says…Noah says that ours was sick…But he never went to the doctor to get better." This was the little girl she was supposed to be. Her gaze travelled between them, the nod they gave making the little girl shiver.
"She never went to the doctor either," he mumbled.
"Oh…" Despite the explanation she was given, something about the situation still didn't make very much sense. How did they end up with the baby? As much as she wanted to ask, she also knew she had already asked way too many questions, even though her brother never told her so.
"Can you listen to your brother for me?" The shock that lit up her face almost made Puck laugh. The only thing stopping him was his own brand of surprise. If the room wasn't so damn quiet he would've missed the whole thing. Rebecca looked absolutely lost, trying to make sense of what she just heard. She hadn't talked all day and that wasthe first thing she managed to say?
"Please?" Becca bobbed her head happily, kissing the blonde's cheek before bouncing out of the room. Though she seemed more than willing, the excitement was dialed back considerably. "Damn…First full sentence all day and you use it to tell my sister what to do." Quinn just rolled her eyes. "Thanks…" And just like that, every emotion across her face was wiped clean.
"Could I do it here?" she asked softly, too nervous to press her luck but more afraid to be away if something happened. "I promise I'll finish…I won't even watch tv this time." Puck wasn't even sure what drove him to agree to the deal. She'd never gone and broken so many rules in one afternoon. On the other hand, she was the main reason Quinn was able to form sentences at all. Reluctantly, he agreed leaving his sister with more joy than an eight year old should have at the idea of absolute silence and at least an hour's worth of homework. It helped that she was more driven than he ever was but still. When she finally settled, creating what they had come to call her study circle, he couldn't help seeing this as an everyday thing; a comfortable silence across the entire house while each went about their business. He would have to thank her later for bringing Quinn back to them.
The following hour came and went faster than he realized, only indicated by how quickly his sister came to stand over them, happy to extend her math notebook to her brother as proof. "Is it done?" All they got was a nod.
"She looks like a ghost…" she mumbled well aware that he was already burning holes in the back of her head for being so blunt. The look earned him a swift kick he would know just about anywhere. No matter how little she'd opened her mouth today, her feet were still in perfect working condition, at least when it came to punishing him.
"What was that for?" The blonde served him a pointed look, her gaze softening when she turned to Becca. "She knows that's rude," he muttered massaging his calf. Brushing his arm, she mutely allowed him to provide her with some kind of explanation.
"What did they do to her? You're not having another baby, are you?" Puck almost choked, hacking a cough that nearly scared his daughter. "That's why she got in trouble before…"
"This is different," he mumbled. His sister sighed heavily. He'd already said that. What she wanted to know was why it was different. "You'll find out when Mom gets home, okay? Then we don't have to tell the story twice." To be quite honest, he hoped this was something she might get distracted enough to forget.
"I'm not a baby," she grumbled. Yes she was. In the context of this situation she was very much still a baby.
"Bex, all you have to know is that she's sick and scared and she's going to need our help to get better. Can you do that?" She didn't miss the fact that he stepped around her question. Still, she agreed silently. "It's complicated," he said simply. "Really complicated." He himself wasn't sure what to make of it and in a lot of ways he was an active participant.
"Calculus is complicated," she said flatly. "Just say it. I'm not dumb." No, unfortunately she wasn't dumb at all. Still, he'd been put in a position that had him standing right alongside Ava while she taught her right from wrong. This was at least five different kinds of wrong it would take at least a decade to be ready for.
"Becca, you're eight." Quinn nudged him lightly. If he didn't give her some kind of satisfaction, they'd be standing here till his mom walked in the door, likely making a bigger mess of things than they already were.
"And?"
"She spooked," he said simply. "Not sure what happened but she hurt herself really bad and her mom didn't help her. Now, can we please stop with all the questions? I doubt she wants to remember it," he warned. Offering a shrug, still as confused as before, Becca turned on the TV, keeping the volume to a low murmur "Keep it down," he said quietly, ruffling her hair as he walked by her. "Is everything still in the truck?" When he got no answer, he sighed quietly placing the little girl in her mother's lap and wrapping her tired arms around her before kissed both of their foreheads. While Beth quietly sang his name under her breath it was Quinn who had to bite back a whimper. "I'll be right outside," he whispered. "Twenty minutes tops."
The minute he walked out the door, Becca could tell that Quinn was watching his every move. In all the months she'd known her, she'd never seen her so afraid. It wasn't like anything was going to happen to him in the short time it took to move a few things inside. Still, the little she knew made her sad for Quinn. She was smart, she was funny, and really, really nice. Nice people didn't deserve to have mean things done to them. Even though she wasn't nearly as interested as the blonde, Rebecca found her own eyes tracking him as he moved through the living room with all of the boxes.
"Shelby screwed up," he said simply while sliding a box against the wall. It was rare to see his sister choose to be this quiet. It was often a sign that she was either collecting information or genuinely concerned for someone. Remembering the moment of tears he wondered if it was even worth waiting for Ava to get back.
"So did you," she pointed out.
"Yeah but I'm not in jail, am I?" Becca simply blinked turning to face Quinn. It didn't take long for her to notice how protectively she gripped her daughter. Alternatively, the baby's face was almost buried in her chest. Walking over to them he carefully pulled apart her arms, slowly picking up Beth and resting her on his shoulder. In only moments a piece of his shirt was shoved in her mouth. Placing a kiss between her eyes, Puck began unbuttoning her onsie slowly so as not to scare her. As a breeze blew past her delicate skin, the little girl flinched, her bottom lip beginning to quiver. "Shh, I won't touch," he promised, slow with every movement to keep Beth from being as upset as possible.
"Won't touch what?" she wondered, her brow knit in confusion. "Aren't babies supposed to be used to...?" Her sentence trailed as she took in the small gashes and bruises against her niece's skin. "What the hell?" she muttered. Puck nodded, too concentrated on his movements to tell his sister to mind her tongue.
"Shelby screwed up," he growled, slightly surprised when Quinn slid in to take the little girl's hand around her finger.
"You mean she...?"
"Yep," he mumbled, his body going rigid.
"But I thought..."
"So did we," he said. His sister took a seat on the couch across from them trying to make sense of what she'd just seen. Sure her brother had been the biggest idiot of them all, his only shining moment, the one where they'd put Beth up for adoption but this was a baby. A small, defenseless tiny human being. Becca could feel tears prick the corners of her eyes as she watched them do everything they could to shield the little girl from her obvious fears.
"What are you gonna tell Mom?" she asked quietly, still trying to process what all she'd seen.
"The truth," Puck said. "We trusted her and she fucked up." Ignoring the fact that he just swore, the younger shook her head. Their mom worked at the hospital. When they finally told, she would be able to do something to help. She always knew how to help. Even so, they couldn't just…take her back, right?
"But what does that mean? You can't just...You gave her up for a reason."
"Yeah and clearly that was a very stupid reason," he muttered, eyeing Quinn next to him as she silently brushed across her daughter's checkered skin. There was no doubt that Puck was given reason to be his angriest. She wasn't about to call him on his attitude once she found her words. Still, his tone stung. Because he wasn't wrong in the slightest. Adoption had been stupid. Nothing about any of it spoke of good intentions. Quinn was just scared out of her own damn mind. So afraid that she didn't even bother to listen to the voices around her. She had found a home, been given the love of a woman who learned to love her as though she herself had given birth to Quinn. Even more importantly, she had Noah, who was more willing than she ever imagined he would be to be woken up at all hours to tend to a baby. A soft sigh slipped from her lips, this entire conversation making her wish she could just press a button and say yes. It would certainly spare all of them this hell.
"So you just...get her back?" she asked.
"Well no. There's still all the legal crap. Taking care of that tomorrow. But there's no way she's going anywhere," he said firmly. "Made that mistake once."
"But you don't have a choice," Becca said quietly, wising up considerably now.
"Like hell we don't," he growled, squeezing Quinn's hand as she saw her startle. "Just gotta talk to Ma when she gets home. She'll help make sense of this shitfest." His sister nodded, deciding that now was not the time to call him out on his swearing.
"I just...Why?" she whispered brushing quietly under her eyes.
"Some people aren't meant to be parents," Puck said honestly. "Think it's too hard. They don't know how to make sacrifices," he added kissing his daughter's forehead as she watched her mother in silence. The fact that he was offering the speech made Quinn smile. Both of them had done what they needed to do to break the cycle. Though looking back on all that Puck had ever done for them, there was not a doubt in her mind that he was absolutely nothing like the father he feared so much. Her sharp tongue was all she needed to notice that if she wasn't careful, she would become Judy. No matter how many times he told her otherwise, Quinn knew she was for the most part difficult. And still he had the heart to love her in ways she had never properly earned.
"But that's the point of..."
"Trust me, I know," he said. He wasn't sure if it was the need to keep things as calm as possible for Quinn and Beth or the severity of the situation, which he had to applaud his kid sister for taking all of this as well as she was, but Puck had no edge in his tone, simply choosing to drown in disappointment. In himself; in the woman who had betrayed them all. "Some just don't deserve to be called a mother," he sighed wrapping both his larger arms around his daughter's tiny frame, Quinn's hand now coming to rest at his leg. Even in all her fog, she knew how important it was for him to keep her close, that Beth knew she was safe. She would find another way to keep him just as close, another body part to touch just to keep herself sane.
"Huh?" his sister asked.
"Quinn called and we talked. She was..." Puck now turned to the woman in question, somehow asking if he could continue the explanation. She nodded pressing herself closer to him. "She called me in the morning and she sounded sad. I didn't want anybody sad on my birthdday. So I thought I'd take her to..." He couldn't say the woman's name without wanting to scream opting to leave it out as he continued. "Met Beth for the first time since giving her up. I went to see her a few times and I thought it would help." Why he was telling his kid sister this, Puck had no idea but he pressed on, somehow believing that if someone else knew, the less he'd have to say at dinner later. "Got Beth to say her name," he smiled, nuzzling Beth's hair in quiet praise. "Wasn't much but it worked for her. Reminded her that even though she wasn't home, all of these special days still meant something.
"And then we just..." Puck's next words brought his eyes to a close as he took another deep breath. "Shelby was just...mean. At first we thought it was just because we were there or that Quinn was closing in on her territory or something. Wouldn't talk to her right. Did everything she could to keep her from us. Since I had been there before, Beth knew who I was, even more confused when she took her away from me for stupid reasons. One thing led to another and we got into this fight about legal crap and Shelby's yelling just made it worse."
"Eventually she had to go out to her studio for something and after some more arguing left Beth with us. Comes home, rushes us out of the house. I knew something was up the minute she came back but I ignored it thinking it was just me being protective and all that. So we left. A little while later we get a call from a friend who says Beth hadn't stopped crying since we left." Puck could feel himself growing angry again, a fire building at the pit of his stomach as he clutched the little girl closer. "I guess she had gone to a bar and left her there. With a complete stranger. Just...leaves her. So anyway, she calls us over, telling us we better hurry, that Beth can't settle. I get there and she's scared out of her mind, almost blue in the face from cyin' so hard. Minute she sees me she won't let go." Puck quietly brushes a hand over his daughter's calmed face kissing her forehead before he continued.
"Few minutes later she comes in completely drunk and tears Beth away from me, just as I've calmed her down enough to stop crying. 'Course she starts up again, scared out of her mind. I can smell her breath from like ten feet away, watching her every move as I try and get her back. Which I don't until the cops show up and drag her off." Becca is uncharacteristically silent as she listens, absorbing as much as she can of the story. A lot of it she doesn't understand; it's a lot of words she's never heard, words that grownups use when they talk. But from the words she knows, she gets that none of it is good.
"I don't...I don't get it," she whispered brushing at her eyes. Noah just made a big mess. A really big mess. Well, really it was the lady they gave the baby too but whatever. Looking at the three of them now, she wanted to take back every single mean thing she's ever said to her brother. He made a lot of mistakes when she was little but he was also the only dad she'd ever really known. Their real one was always too sick. Thinking back on it, she's not sure she even remembers the guy. But the way Bubbah talked about him told her she really didn't care. He didn't tuck her in at bed time or read to her at night. Whoever the man was never sent her a birthday card or ever called. Noah did. Noah always did. Her brother always made time for her. And most important, he always said that he loved her, even after she had been mean to him.
"What's not to get?" Puck asked screwing up his eyes.
"No I mean...Why?"
"Hell if I know," he whispers, his voice catching. "What I doknow is she's not going anywhere."
"You said that already," Becca pointed out, her sharp comment somehow much quieter now.
"Because I mean it. She belongs here...at home. Be damned if she goes through the..." Puck stops then, not daring to continue.
"So what do we tell her?" Even though he'd already said she was supposed to be quiet and let him do it, she really just wanted to help. She was nothing but mean to him after the baby was born, never letting him forget that what he did was super stupid. She'd told him time and time again that he didn't know how to be a dad. She almost hated herself now. Because she had it all wrong. He knew exactly how to be a good dad. She just didn't like the idea of sharing him. But really, she already was. He loved Quinn too. Mama always said that a heart always had more love. Becca had just convinced herself that she could have all of it.
"You don't tell her anything," he said.
"How am I supposed to...?"
"Just keep her from yelling at me," he said, the job more than enough for his sister to keep her hands full. "They're too scared to deal with yelling." Knowing his mom yelling might be one of the last things on her mind. Once she noticed what Quinn looked like, she would fall right into being a nurse. Beth would probably just confuse her and get him a lecture but he wasn't even thinking about the details of that. His sister nodded, still not entirely sure what she would say about why Quinn wouldn't talk
"So you're gonna..."
"I have to, Bex." Again, the girl nodded silently. As if on cue, a car they know as their mother's pulled into the driveway. Puck can feel Quinn's grip on him tighten a little as the door unlocks, her eyes shifting nervously. "It's just Mom," he whispered. He doesn't feel her relax until Mrs. Puckerman shows her face, a smile coming across it at the sight of Quinn.
"Oh Quinn what a lovely..." She stops then noticing an extra body in the room, her heart swelling for a moment before she's once again clouded with confusion. "Noah..."
"Ma, just lemme..."
"Don't tell me you took your...Noah I know how you...But..." Her son had gone around in circles for months following his daughter's adoption. What could he have done differently? What more could he have said to help Quinn understand? Would Beth hate him? As much as it broke Ava's heart, there wasn't a single thing she could do for either of them. So when they stayed silent and scarce for the weeks following, she said nothing more than try and pick up her own heart when she realized she could do nothing. She said even less when the phone calls began, crying silently over the bill when she saw that Quinn's was the only one she could see. It was in those moments she prayed for the young woman's safety and protection, learning rather quickly that she had little to none of it in her own home.
After some time she began to surprise herself with how often she thought to ask Quinn herself to come back. As often as she dialed, she quickly disconnected. She knew better than to disturb a grieving mother.
"What? No! I didn't steal my own kid," he supplied, the statement sounding somewhat bizarre to him even as he said it.
"Noah you better have a very good explanation for this," she said, the tension that's coated the room all day taking the razors from her tone.
"I do," he said quietly, easing callused fingers through Beth's hair as she finally fell asleep once more. Even while Puck retold the story, he was still surprised his mom was even listening. Even though he already knew she would be down to helping them, it was the first time she really took in his every word. Even weirder is that she's got nothing insulting or demeaning to provide, though the subject matter didn't leave very much room for jokes anyway. When he finished, he watched his mother's face fall at the sight of the little family sitting quietly as they bunched together.
"What do you suppose we do?" she finally asked. "We have to alert Child Protective—"
"No! I'm not letting my kid go through the system. I can't. I already did it once Ma and look at where it got her." Mrs. Puckerman nodded. "Please Ma...You gotta help figure somethin' out," he pleaded softly, the usual sarcasm and macho tones wiped clean. If Noah ever allowed himself it was this level of desperation that would put tears in his eyes.
"I...I'm not sure how much I can do..." she whispered. The woman may be a doctor but Ava Puckerman was at a loss as to how to help her son by legal means.
"We already had Rachel talk to a bunch of lawyers. Some of them are looking over her file now. I just...I need you to back me up here. Mama you're a doctor. You can't say that any of this is...healthy for...She's a baby. Our baby," he said quietly. The older woman swallowed hard, thoroughly choked up at the level of maturity he'd been able to find for this conversation. Still, parents as young as they were only ever went down two separate paths. Giving their daughter a better home was supposed to keep them going to school. Now, because of a bad home, they were right back where they started, only now the baby in her mother's belly was now fast asleep in her son's arms.
"Noah, your education is..."
"I'm not gonna quit school," he said quickly. "Quinn would kill me," he said, laughing lightly as a way to ease his own tense muscles.
"She won't be the only one," Ava scoffed. Puck nodded then, willing to accept anything he might need to at this point. "How do you plan to provide? The little you make with your summer job isn't going to do much."
"So I find another job," he said easily. "Was planning to anyway. When I thought we were gonna..." Puck let his voice trail then choosing to steer clear of that part of the conversation. "Look, I gave up on a lot of stuff. I quit things half way through all the time. I get passable grades but nothing amazing. But this is...This is my kid. She wasn't even here for an hour before I had to give her to someone who wasn't her mom And what did that get us? Nothing."
"You were trying to keep her safe and happy," his mother pointed out.
"Safe my ass," he muttered.
"Noah."
"Sorry. Mom I can't just...It's my fault she's even in this mess. It's on me that she's so confused and scared. Shelby terrified her. Won't let go of me. She's good with Quinn for a few minutes but when she can't see me all she does is scream her head off. We're workin' up to it but it's...I can't hand her off to strangers." For an overly confident guy, Puck's confession to his mother leaves him flustered and...dare he say afraid himself, though he'd never say the exact words. He assumed she saw it all already. He watches her eyes shift to Quinn who has grown impossibly small in the older woman's presence. Ava quietly observes, a fair list of questions on her tongue.
"Has she spoken?" she asked quietly taking in the glassiness of the younger woman's eyes.
"Becca got a sentence out of her. Besides that it's been one or two words and that's it. She's... Thunder freaked her out. She got a little banged up but I gave her a bath and treated the cuts. She freaks out on me too, only without the screaming. This one slept for a while," he muttered running a soft finger along Beth's spine, a sensation that prompted her to readjust so she was even closer. It isn't until he sees the clock on the mantle that he realizes his mom's home early. Why, he isn't sure but he can't help feeling glad that she is.
"Have they eaten?" Puck shook his head. Beth hadn't eaten for a few hours and he's almost sure as anything that Quinn can't even look at food right now. The tea his sister had prepared was long gone by now and barely enough to hold her over for the hours she'd already gone without putting a single thing in her mouth.
Much like she promised, Becca still hadn't left her place on the couch, waiting on her mom for answers. Slowly, she got up, quiet while she walked over to the baby's things and pulled out a small bottle. When she returned a moment later, she stood over her brother wondering if it would even be smart to try and pull her away. Her daughter is blocking their complete line of sight but from where she sat, Ava silently observed, the quiet maturity her daughter was showing in that moment something she had yet to see. Smiling softly at his sister, he invited her to take the baby, letting out a small sigh when all she did was whimper calling out to Quinn only a couple of times. Becca chose to fill the empty air with pointless chatter, a sound that left Beth completely enthralled.
"There's some chicken in the oven if you'd like to get her to try and eat a little something," she said softly. She'd been waiting for Quinn to stop by for quite some time. Under these circumstances, the joy has turned to something more painful. Quinn mutely shook her head at the mention of food, her stomach beginning to roll.
"Didn't even eat breakfast," he said quietly, carefully brushing his fingers across her arm. "Just a little?" he asked biting his lip. "Please?" Closing her eyes with a quiet sigh, she nodded, trying hard to hide the tears that threatened to fall. It was one thing for Puck to watch her fall apart. Ava would just feel sorry for her, trying every way she knew how to fix what couldn't be fixed. Only her son was able to numb the ache, and even now the blonde wondered how it was that he always did. He always found the right words, the right ways of touching her that drove her to agreeable silence. At times like these he seemed to be the only one able to shake loose the emotion inside of her. "You want some help?" Shaking her head, she takes him around the waist as her support. If she had asked to be carried the short distance, there would be no end to the pity in Ava's eyes.
Quinn sat at the kitchen table, eyes trained on the yard outside the window, Puck sinking down in the seat beside her. He watched as his mom placed a drumstick and breast in front of her waiting expectantly. After five minutes of simply staring at the serving, she quietly pushed it away. His mother, patient as ever, quietly sends it back.
"There you are," his mother said softly. She too knew very little if any at all was going to be to be eaten. Regardless, she would feel better knowing that Quinn had tried. "Pick one. Noah will have the other." Deep down she knew the woman cared for her immensely. How else would she still be in this house after the story her son had just told? But she just couldn't. Even the sight of it, made her want to vomit, her father's words as good as a megaphone in her head. She'd been listening to the same rambling on repeat for close to an hour, and somehow, his words only seemed to hurt more each time. At least she isn't crying. When Puck quietly pulled her into his lap, his soft murmurs were enough to tell her that her face was soaked in tears. If she had enough sense, she would be flushing in embarrassment. Right then it was enough that she wasn't curled up against a wall rocking to shake out his voice.
"I'm right here. Won't let anything happen to you." Really she wanted to sob, rattle her insides until her bones crashed together. But she can't. She can't because crying of any kind involved noise and she wasn't allowed to make any. Puck gently brushed her cheek with his knuckle, his touch finally enough to make her lip quiver. "You're safe now…" It was that tone and the words themselves that pulled a small siren from the blonde's throat. As ready as he was for it, the sound still managed to put emotion in his own chest. "I'm right here," he murmured, an obvious catch in his repetition. Sliding her chair out for her, Quinn practically collapsed in his lap, her face buried in his neck when she finally allowed herself the protection.
"Think she's in shock," he muttered.
"Looks so," Ava whispered. "Did something happen?"
"I...I think she had it out with her mom." Ava grimaced, her gaze softening when she noticed how she held onto him. Based on the stories she'd heard, Judy Fabray was not a soft-spoken woman. Her tendency to drink just made everything more intense. "She packed up most of her stuff. Some of it's still in the truck. She came out with a split hand. I had to pull over so she could calm down. Says she chucked a bottle. The whole thing scared the hell out of her." Puck saw Quinn flinch as his mother took her hand prompting Ava to pull back.
"Let her have a look, Q. She just wants to see," he whispered. This time Quinn did nothing but stiffen as her hand was taken, dead eyes shifting to her one safe face. He did his best to keep her gaze as his mom looked her over. Tracing over the incision, caused the blonde to whimper softly.
"I'm going to have to dress this," she said quietly. "It's not too deep so I don't think it will scar," she said studiously. As she continued, Puck returned to his soft patterning along her back, the sensation making Quinn shiver. As thankful as he was that she'd labeled him as safe, the fact that it was only really him was hard to comprehend. Shouldn't the fact that this had almost everything to do with her father encourage her to stay as far away from him as possible?
"Squeeze, baby," he murmured, offering his hand which he let her squeeze the life out of. "Ma's gonna make it all better, alright?" Quinn didn't even nod in response, simply curling up in his lap at the mere idea of being touched in a place that already hurt more than she could say. "She has to," he said softly. At those words, the tears doubled, spilling over her already terrified expression. Puck brushed a knuckle lightly along her eyes kissing the side of her head as he did so. "I'll be right here," he whispered. Ava took her son's last words as enough of an approval to collect some antiseptic and gauze to dress the wound. When she was returned and prepared, she gave him a silent 'okay' with a nod of her head. "Squeeze the shit out of my hand," he prompted. Even with all the permission he gave, his hand was numb in seconds. Quinn let out an Earth-shattering scream as it made contact with her tender skin, glaring knives at the woman who made the sound fall from her lips.
"I'm sorry..." she said biting her lip, crestfallen at the terror in the young woman's eyes. His sister must have moved them upstairs to find somewhere quiet because as soon as her mother cried, Beth could be heard wailing right above their head.
"Dammit," he whispered. Unless she could get Beth figured out, he was going to have his hands full for at least the next two hours.
"Owie…" she barely whispered choking on a string of sobs. Watching a slight shift in his mother's expression, Puck bit clear through his own lip.
"How bad is it, Ma?" Ava shook her head sadly, every inch of her maternal instinct wanting nothing more than to hold the frightened woman in her arms.
"She's gone," she whispered. Shit… "She doesn't even see me. The poor girl is downright terrified…" Well, it wouldn't be the first time. And to think they were carefully pulling her out of her protective shell. Any work he and his sister had accomplished was good as gone now. Their little girl becoming inconsolable right above them was not helping any.
"Could you go help her with the baby?" Ava nodded slowly backing away from her place at the kitchen table. "Oh and if she wants to do anything herself just…Just let her. She's been really good with her today. I think Beth likes her. Quinn being upset freaks her out though." The last thing any one of them needed was Becca thinking she'd done something wrong. He couldn't juggle almost all of them right now. Once his mom had left the room, Quinn finally saw permission to absolutely shatter.
"She's done," he whispered, the promise only serving to allow Quinn to become even smaller in his arms. "I know it sucks now but it'll make it better," he said gently. Quinn's head snapped, the sudden motion releasing a soft "pop" that was obviously more frightening than it was painful If she weren't so torn up about it, Puck would have laughed at her disgust. "Think you can try and eat somethin' for me?" he asked gently, the very thought of food making Quinn more than queasy at its second mention. "For me?" he reiterated softly. "All I'm asking you to do is try. You're probably starving." She quickly shook her head, denying his assumption almost as soon as it left his mouth. The roll of her stomach was fast on its heels, betraying her denial. Puck smiled softly pulling the plate closer to them.
"Just do what you can."
"No." Puck's eyes glazed over for no more than a minute. She'd sounded small before but this time felt worse. Usually it was because of a memory she'd walked into and just couldn't get out of. Today something had happened to send her into hiding. Something he couldn't protect her from.
"Come on, sweetheart. Open," he said softly. Quinn shook her head once more, blond locks tickling Puck's shoulder as she did. "C'mon. Just this one. We'll go as slow as you want and put the other one away for later. You want your stomach to yell at me again?" he teased. Quinn frowned, biting her lip. "Beth's down for a bit," he reminded her. I'm all yours until this is done. Now open please." She grudgingly obliged parting them only enough to let the fork through and clamped down on the little bit in her mouth. "Gonna have to swallow it too," he said. "You know...The faster you finish up, the sooner we can get to bed," he pointed out, hoping that it was enough of a carrot to encourage her to at least finish half of what was on her plate. Quinn would honestly give anything to curl up in bed right now. Curl up next to him...to them and forget this whole day so much as started at all. Peeling off another little bit, Puck quietly brought the next bite to her mouth, which she accepted. chewing on it slowly. "Good," he whispered.
As hard as she tried, Quinn couldn't understand where he'd found so much patience. She could hold a fork just fine. She could freaking feed herself. And yet, she wasn't. Curled up in his arms, she was no better than a small child. To her utter surprise he hardly seemed bothered by it at all. He looked happy to keep repeating himself, happy to keep waiting until she finally gave in. The process continued for a good twenty minutes, only the breast of the two actually eaten before Quinn would have no more, deliberately clamping her jaw shut.
"No," she said meekly turning away from the plate as she did. He nodded sliding back in their chair as he collected what was left and wrapped it as she sat on the counter. Kissing her forehead, he made sure to offer her quiet praise as the fridge closed.
"Can you sit tight for like...a minute while I go check on them upstairs? I'll be right back, I swear." She nodded reluctantly well aware that they both had to go up at separate times if they were going keep Beth from screaming. Knowing that going over the minute he promised her was out of the question for her, he hurried up the stairs, stripped the shirt he wore and handing it to his mother. Noting the question in her eyes, he rolled his lip. "She sleeps better when one of us is 'here'. This one's brand new. I would make it something of Quinn's but since a few minutes ago, she wouldn't stop until she got her."
"She's in no position to…"
"I know. Just keep doing what you're doing." Turning to his sister he smiled. "I owe you big time, don't I?" Looking up at her brother, Becca just shrugged. Most of the time when she did stuff for him, he rewarded her for doing more than was asked of her. She knew that this time was a little bit different. Yeah it was harder but she didn't really want anything. Quinn was back and she would get to be an auntie again.
"I just want Quinn to stop being sad," she mumbled.
"I'm working on it, kiddo. It might take some time but we'll figure it out, okay?" Becca nodded slowly, for once appreciating the kiss he placed atop her head.
"I love you, Bubbah." Her voice was so careful and quiet Puck had to strain to hear anything.
"Always," he nodded. Resting a hand on Beth's stomach, he lightly pressed down, the feeling bringing out a soft cry. Still she managed to stretch out her curled up limbs pressing into her father's touch.
"Da," she whimpered, her soft brown eyes meeting his. Taking in his face she let the tears glide quietly, her face twisted as she prepared to call for his attention.
"Hey, we don't need any of that, okay? Just relax…" The three of them watched while Beth all but buried herself in his neck. Ava frowned, finally able to see her tiny fingers and how frantically she dug them in.
"I…I still don't understand."
"Shelby lied…" he whispered. Loosening the lower half of her onesie, he was careful not to touch them when he angled her for his mother to see. When she did, Ava's jaw almost snapped out of its place.
"Oh Noah…" she whispered her heart tearing at the seams when she managed to put two and two together. Yes they had both missed their child something terrible. Yes, her son had spent over a year going over every single moment in his head. She even allowed him a year of senseless anger and frustration. Now that she knew, the anger he felt was the most valid emotion any parent had access to. She would never understand how anyone could take any degree of frustration out on someone so small and defenseless.
"That's where I was every day for a year. I watched it happen…I watched it happen and did nothing…" Though he said nothing beyond that, she could see the hatred in his eyes. Despite a lot of it being directed at himself, there was a fire inside of him that could kill the woman they wrongfully trusted.
"I-I understand…" she said hoarsely.
"Mommy she can't leave…" The last time Ava Puckerman heard a voice so small her son was six years old. Nearly a decade since and it still managed to break her heart into a thousand little pieces.
"No…No she can't," she agreed.
"Alright, pretty girl. You're gonna sit with my mommy so I can go fix yours, okay?" Before placing her in his mother's arms, he wrapped his shirt around her completely, kissing her temple as she adjusted.
"Da…"
"I'll be back real soon, okay? When she's better I swear you don't have to deal with me for as long as you want." Hurrying down the stairs, he froze when he noticed Quinn curled up on the floor. "Fucking hell…" he whispered. Walking up to her from the front, he sank down to her level and wrapped her tightly in his arms.
"He promised…He promised." Puck sighed. Yes, he had but no amount of time would have prepared him for what he walked in on.
"Hi sweet girl," he murmured. As angry as she was, as scared as she had always been, there was a song in Noah's voice that brought her to tears. Her brokenness was coming down in sheets that not even he could dry fast enough. "Can we move up to bed? Maybe closing those eyes for a minute will help."
"No!" she gasped clutching him like her very existence depended on his staying right where he was now. "Don't go…Don't go…Don't go…"
"I'm not going anywhere. We can lay together if you want."
"Noah hold me?" He had never seen her so detached from herself in his life. The mother of his child was no better than a child herself.
"Of course. You think we can get up off the floor?" The blonde shivered tightening her grip on him. "Good job." Kicking the door to his room open lightly, he barely set her on the bed before Quinn found her way under the covers. Coming up beside her he ran his fingers gently through her soft locks as she traced mindlessly along his bare chest.
"Noah stay." Massaging gently at the side of her head as she curled in on his arm, he let Quinn's leg come over and rest between his. "And when you'reready, we're gonna figure out what the hell has you so spooked," he promised.
The rest of their day was spent in bed, Puck only leaving long enough to rotate for Beth periodically. He took extra care to be quiet as he came and went. Even as he returned quickly, the fear in Quinn's eyes as she sat up curled up in fetal tore at him in ways he never imagined possible. Puck scooted closer to her; glassy eyes, a lip pierced and bleeding with trails of silent tears as he brought her in close.
"I was only gone a second," he said quietly, trembling arms wrapping around him almost immediately. "Not going anywhere, Q, I swear," he promised. Pulling away slowly Quinn could only glare at him. You said that last time she thought. Puck only smiled softly at the look in her eyes bringing a light kiss to her forehead. "The only reason I'd go anywhere is because of Beth," he said softly. "And even then I'm always going to come back," he added gently. His heart sank as her eyes clouded with doubt.
As much as Quinn wished to believe him, doubt was all she knew. Her father was gone. Judy, for all intents and purposes was nowhere to be found. Puck was all she had and even he had a history of loving and leaving. How could she suddenly start to trust that he could keep to his word? That's not to say that she thought him a liar. Not anymore. Being shaken to the core had brought every bit of it back. She couldn't help but think that if he wasn't physically touchable, he would find his opening and finish what he started. If she wasn't careful, every last one of her bones could be slowly and painfully broken while Puck had his back turned.
"Don't go," she whimpered clinging to him like the lifeline he always was for her. Pulling her into his lap, her small frame found a way to be completely tucked in against him. Puck could only shush her quietly as he kept his fingers along her matted hair. Looking at the alarm clock on his bedside table, he finally realized just how quickly the day came and went. The readout screamed 2am in big blue lights. Well that explained the extra layer of fear. It didn't take a scientist to know how the night would affect her. Puck was suddenly praising the laziness he and his sister shared. Thankfully she stayed relatively close to her room, making the baby easily accessible.
"I didn't want her to wake you," he explained gently knowing now that even if Beth turned to screaming, his trips were over for the night, unless absolutely necessary. "I won't leave anymore," he promised quietly. "Try and get some sleep, okay? I'll be here," he offered softly, the back of his hand brushing along her eyes still struggling between awake and asleep. "Don't fight it," he whispered. "You're gonna have to be nice and rested so we can talk to Berry's lawyer," he said not even trying to hide his lack of excitement.
The lawyer part of it was fine. Even Puck was grateful for that. It was the idea that he would be grateful to Rachel Berry that irked him. She wasn't the world's worst person; just incessantly annoying. The fact that she was culturally acceptable to his mother did even less to ease the frustration. His mother would be far too pleased if he "found himself a nice Jewish girl" regardless of how much Ava had grown to love Quinn. Puck still wasn't sure if it was all that genuine but if what they'd just gone through a few hours before was any indication, she was coming around. She would have to if they were going to give Beth the life she deserved. Watching her as she slept he sighed. Bouncing the little girl between homes was out of the question. As messed up as it was, knowing that they no longer had that problem eased him just a bit.
Puck's thoughts were interrupted as her warm even breaths blew across his neck. Carefully placing her back under the blankets he sighed "That's my girl," he murmured brushing a kiss along her forehead as she found peace in sleep. "Can we shoot for two hours? Otherwise I get cranky and nobody likes me when I'm cranky. Especially you," he teased. "And I got to be on my best behavior for the lawyer people." He could only hope that they one Berry found them had good common sense. If they kept from judging them for their age, even better though he wasn't holding his breath.
A/N: If anyone is still interested, hopefully that ties you over for the next little while. Thank you to those who are still here