Five...six…and a five, six, seven, eight…step and turn, step and turn, grapevine to the right, hop, shuffle to the left, pivot, pivot, jazz-hands…STOP!

Mr. Schuester ceased shouting instructions and surveyed the damage that his new choreography had wrought.

Tina was hopping on one foot because Artie had accidentally run her over with his chair. Finn, Santana, and Britney were in a heap on the floor because Finn had mixed up his rights and lefts (again). Kurt was in a shouting match with Mercedes because he accused her of purposefully blocking his light. Rachel and Puck were ignoring the carnage and suspiciously smiling at one another while Quinn looked on in disgust.

Mr. Schuester tried to re-establish some semblance of order. He helped pick Finn and the girls up off the floor and separated Kurt and Mercedes from their diva-off before returning to the front of the practice room.

"Guys, we really need to concentrate on this. It's crunch-time. I know it seems like we've been rehearsing for sectionals forever, but it is coming up sooner than you think."

"We still aren't sure of what songs we will even be singing at sectionals," Kurt pointed out.

"Yeah," Mercedes added, "We just keep changing our songs week after week after week…"

"We're not just changing our songs, we're expanding our repertoire. But, I do get your point," Mr. Schu said as he held up his hands in mock defeat.

"I think it's kind of cool," Finn chimed in, "it's like we're in one of those spy movies and our set-list is like the classified information that has to be kept out of enemy hands until it can be revealed and cause a commotion at some huge government convention—or in our case, sectionals."

"You don't, by any chance, hear voices in your head do you?" Artie asked half-kidding.

Finn shrugged. "Only when I forget to take my ear-buds out."

"Dumbass," Puck muttered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Mr. Schu cleared his throat. "Well you're in luck because today I am prepared to share the songs that I have selected for sectionals. Finn, would you do the honors?" He gestured to the drum set. Finn sat down and started a drum-roll.

"And…the finalized list of songs we will be singing at sectionals includes…"

KNOCK, KNOCK

A sophomore who volunteered with the front office poked her head in the room and said, "Sorry to bother you, but the principal is requesting a meeting with you immediately."

"Do you know what this is regarding? We're really busy."

"He said something about a sick janitor and needing a cheap replacement…"

Mr. Schu stopped her, "Thanks, I will go see him right now." He grabbed his bag and said, "Sorry guys, I guess the announcement will have to wait until next rehearsal. Don't forget to practice the choreography."

Mr. Schuester left the room and the students began to gather their belongings.

Rachel grabbed the plate wrapped in aluminum foil that was next to her bag and walked toward the front, "Before you leave, would anyone like a cookie? I made them last night."

The plate contained red and pink sugar cookies in the shape of hearts.

Most of the glee kids grabbed a cookie and sat around munching. Kurt abstained from the dessert by saying, "A moment on the lips is worth a year on the hips."

"These are good Rachel. What'd you make them for?" Mercedes asked.

"It's my one-week anniversary with Puck, and I just wanted to celebrate a little. He said that he doesn't mind sharing."

Puck had been surprised when Rachel had showed up at his locker that morning with the cookies. Although the idea of anything so cutesy usually made Puck want to punch a puppy, he had appreciated her thought and effort even if he didn't really want to eat the cookies himself.

"Why don't you have one Puck, looks like Rachel worked hard," Finn said. Rachel practically beamed at him for standing up for her.

"I have a hard time eating a cookie that's in the shape of a human organ, it's just not natural," Puck stated. "You don't see people making cookies that look like kidneys or livers."

"It's okay," Rachel assured him. She offered the plate to Quinn, who was seated a little off to the side, "Would you like one?"

Quinn's stomach felt okay, but she didn't want to take too big of a chance so she said, "I'll just take a half." She took a large red one and split it down the middle.

"You're good at that," Puck observed quietly.

Quinn shot him a puzzled look.

He gestured to the cookie piece that was in her hand, "You know, breaking hearts."

Now Puck wanted to punch himself in the face for being such an obvious moron.

Quinn and Puck stared silently at each other for a good twenty seconds. They barely noticed as the other students finished their cookies and started to leave.

Soon, Rachel, Puck, Quinn, and Finn were the only ones left.

Puck snapped out his trance and went to stand next to Rachel. Quinn's eyes followed him.

Finn got up and said, "I guess I should go too. I have a tutoring session in the library."

"What subject are you being tutored in?" Rachel asked.

"Just English and math and history and junk…"

"Oh." Rachel couldn't help but think that was an awful lot of subjects. "Well, good luck."

"Thanks." Finn called over to Quinn, "I'll call you later tonight."

Quinn smiled and Finn exited.

"I also have to get home," Rachel announced. She re-wrapped the plate of cookies with the foil and went to put them in her bag when Puck grabbed her arm.

"Don't. I'll take the stupid cookies."

Rachel was surprised. "You will?"

"Yeah. My mom and brat of a sister will like them." He pulled her close, "Besides, you made them for me."

Puck took advantage of Quinn watching him and bent to kiss Rachel on the lips. It wasn't like their kiss in the hallway—that had been intense—but it was nice and comfortable. Rachel was much improved, and lately she had been wearing strawberry-flavored lip gloss which Puck thought tasted kind of good.

Acting reluctant, Puck finally pulled away. "Do you want to do something tonight?" he asked.

Rachel answered honestly. "I'd like to, but I have a lot of work to do. I have to write an English paper, and I haven't uploaded a new myspace video in ages."

Puck pouted and made some whimpering noises.

Rachel couldn't help but be amused. Puck was a good actor. If Rachel hadn't known about the plan, then she might be convinced that Puck actually wanted to hang out with her for real.

"What if you work really hard and get everything done quickly?" Puck almost pleaded.

"Okay. I'll try, but I'm not making any promises."

Puck gave Rachel a quick peck on the lips which was meant to be taken as added incentive, "Try hard," he said.

Rachel smiled and walked out of the room leaving Puck and Quinn alone.

"Things look like they're going well between you two," Quinn spoke up.

"They are."

"Before Rachel and I had detention together, I would have sworn that you were only dating her to mess with my head or Finn's."

Puck tried to look disinterested on the outside even though his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest.

"What made you change your mind?" Puck asked.

"Rachel did. She said that deep down you're a good person. She even said that you could be sweet and caring. From what I just witnessed in here, I guess that's true."

Puck owed Rachel big for saying all that crap about him.

"I have to know one thing though; do you really let her call you Noah?"

Puck had been meaning to talk to Rachel about that. He only really tolerated when his mom called him Noah. He liked the nickname Puck because it sounded more bad-ass.

"Well," Puck laughed, "there are worse things that she could call me."

"Like a loser?" Quinn asked.

Puck remembered how bad that had stung when Quinn had practically spat that word at him when he confronted her in the hallway the day he found out she was pregnant.

"I'm sorry I said that to you. I was just freaking out that day and you were there." Quinn sounded sincere.

Hearing her apologize was nice. "No problem," Puck responded relieved that she didn't hate him.

"It looks like it worked out anyway. I have Finn and you have Rachel although I'm still not sure what you and Finn see in her."

"She is high-maintenance," Puck acknowledged, "and she talks so much sometimes that I've thought about buying earplugs or duct tape for her mouth."

Quinn giggled.

Puck thought a bit. "I guess what I like about her is that she's real. She's blunt; she'll tell you what she thinks even when you don't want to hear it. She's also crazy talented, but she worked hard to get that way. And just look at her…" Puck trailed off.

"She is pretty," Quinn begrudgingly said.

"Why are you suddenly being so nice to Rachel? I thought you hated her." Puck said with suspicion. This whole conversation was weird as hell he thought.

"Rachel's still not my favorite person, but I've got bigger things to worry about. Besides, I'm tired of fighting. Since I'm no longer a Cheerio, glee club is kind of all I have left. I want you, me, Finn, and Rachel to all get along."

Puck wasn't sure he believed her.

Quinn's face suddenly lit up like she had a great idea. She jumped up from her chair, "You know what we should do, we should go out on a double date, the four of us."

Puck thought that hormones must be messing with Quinn's brain. "Are you crazy?" he blurted out.

Quinn clapped her hands, "It'll be perfect, we can go have dinner and just get everything out in the open."

Puck raised his eyebrows.

"Okay, not everything," Quinn quickly amended, "I still want to keep our secret, but we should learn how to get along. You're Finn's best friend and Rachel's boyfriend, and my…friend" Quinn settled on that word for now, "so we're going to be in each other's lives."

Puck hesitated. "Are you sure you want to do this?

Quinn nodded her head in affirmation, "I'm positive."

Puck couldn't believe this was happening but he decided what could be more fun then dinner with his fake girlfriend and the mother of his child.

"If you're positive, then I'm H.I.V positive," Puck said to assure Quinn he was serious.

"Great. I'll tell Finn."

"And I'll tell Rachel."

Puck looked at his watch and remembered that his mom wanted him to stop and pick up chips and dip before he got home.

"I've gotta get going," Puck said.

He was almost at the door before he recalled something that Finn had told him when they were running on the track last week.

"Hey Quinn," he called.

"Yeah?"

"Finn told me the baby's a girl."

"It is a girl," Quinn whispered half afraid to hear what he was going to say next. Most guys would probably prefer to have a son.

"I hope she looks like you." Puck said it like he meant it because he did.

With that comment, Puck turned around and walked out of the room. If he had looked back, he would have seen Quinn place her face in her hands and start to cry.