Chapter 34
oOo
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Summary: Will the proud music teacher eventually find love with the beautiful kindergarten teacher or will he forever come second to the football coach? Rated M.
Disclaimer: None of these characters belongs to me except for any OCs found wandering. I own nothing save for this computer.
Kurt looked from the tall brunette smirking at them and back to Noah. "Donna?"
Sarah moved forward, sliding an arm around Judith's shoulder as the little girl looked anxiously between her parents and the man she'd come to love so much. Daddy Kurt looked funny, she thought, and she ignored her aunt to slip her hand into Kurt's. His hand was cold but she could warm it up if she held it long enough.
"Come, Judith, let's go and get those cookies we made, huh?" Sarah tugged at the little girl who didn't look at her but kept staring at her 'Daddy' Kurt.
Kurt, realizing that maybe Judith really should go with Sarah, smiled down reassuringly at her. "Go ahead, sweetie, we'll be in shortly. I have presents for you, remember?"
That was the best thing he could have said for Judith's face lit up as her signature, "Yay!" rang through the air; she scampered off towards the kitchen, Sarah moving more slowly after her.
Behind Kurt, Noah was still staring at Donna, a cold, almost implacable look on his face. "Donna, why are you here?"
Donna looked at the two men, one who had been hers for just a little while and flipped her dark hair behind her shoulders. She turned away from them, walked back into the living room and flung herself onto the love seat.
Noah slid his hand into Kurt's as he moved into the room, tugging him to sit beside him on the longer couch. He had wanted to tell Kurt about her, warn him, prepare him… whatever. Now here she was and he was afraid.
Kurt stared at the woman who had given birth to his stepdaughter. She was beautiful, he had to give her that. He could see traces of Judith in the shape of her face, maybe around the eyes, but that was it. Judith's sweetness and light didn't exist anywhere in this woman. He tightened his lips as he took her measure.
Donna, on her part, was taking in everything about the man for whom her ex-husband had fallen head over heels, apparently. Her daughter had not stopped singing 'Daddy' Kurt's praises from the moment she'd stepped into the old Puckerman residence. She was heartily sick and tired of hearing about this paragon. She had nothing against him personally but she was here to get her daughter and she wasn't about to let Puck and his bit of fluff stop her.
Noah watched as his love and the woman he'd had a child with sized up each other. It would have been funny in another universe, he guessed, but right now he was deadly serious about blocking her from Judith.
"Look, I told you over the phone more than once: Judith stays with me," Noah's voice suddenly gritted out and he would have startled Kurt if he had not tensed up enough before speaking for his husband to pick up on it.
Donna tossed her head, a move that was beginning to annoy Kurt, and sneered at Noah. "I'm her mother, Puck; you might have full custody but there was nothing in the agreement that said she couldn't spend holidays with me!"
Kurt squeezed Noah's leg to calm him and he smirked as Donna looked at where his hand was. Noah actually did relax a bit but his voice was still low and angry when he spoke. "Why now, huh? All this time and you never took her for a holiday. Who are you trying to impress?"
Twin flags of color appeared on her high cheekbones and her blue eyes darkened. Her lips tightened before she waved Noah's words away dismissively. "I was busy, okay? I talked to her sometimes, didn't I?"
"Yeah, when I called you to let her talk to you!"
Noah's voice had risen and Kurt leaned into him, turning his head to eye him warningly. They didn't want Judith to hear them bickering; no child should hear her parents fighting like this.
"I told you, I was busy, getting my life together. Now everything is settling down and… and I think Judith should spend some time with me… now."
There was a tense silence as Noah stared at her. He knew exactly what the deal was with Donna and he glared at her before turning to Kurt, a faint smile easing the tension in his face.
"By the way, you haven't been formally introduced; Kurt, this is my ex, Donna, Judith's mother."
Kurt's brow furrowed faintly at the look of triumph in the woman's eyes and then he said, "It would have been a pleasure, I'm sure."
His voice was light but husky and Donna took in the porcelain-fair skin, cheeks rosy from the cold and the full, red lips. Blue-green eyes stared at her from between thick dark lashes and a lock of dark chestnut hair flopped onto his high forehead which he smoothed back occasionally.
She noted the long legs clad in the tightest pair of jeans she'd never worn and she was sure his waist was slimmer than hers. Anger boiled in her – definitely not jealousy, she swore – and she tossed her hair back as she stared at the man who now shared her husband's life and bed... and now her daughter.
At Noah's less than gracious introduction, Donna frowned, her mouth turning down unattractively. "You know, when I heard that Puck was marrying a man, I thought someone was pulling my leg. Now I see you, you're barely a man, after all."
Noah tensed beside her but slowly relaxed as Kurt caressed his hand before entwining their fingers. Kurt let Donna's petty words hang in the air before smiling, his lips curving in that smile that Noah loved best. The Mona Lisa had nothing on his beautiful husband.
Kurt's light laughter made the hackles rise on Donna's neck and color flooded her face as he retorted: "Now I see you, I realize why he'd want me enough to marry me."
She leapt to her feet. "Why, you_ you little…!"
Noah got to his feet after sliding a quick but gentle hand down Kurt's tense arm. "Don't say it or so help me, Donna!"
"What?! Huh, what are you gonna do, Puck?" She spat the words at him, her eyes full of the meanness that Noah had begun to see after the first wave of lust had passed.
He looked at her, deadly calm and said, his voice cold and low. "If you ever want to see your daughter again, just try me."
The words dropped like weighted stones into the pool of silence and the tension deepened and spread among them. Kurt watched as she realized how shaky her ground was and felt a twinge of satisfaction as she backed down. She flung herself back into the seat and folded her arms across her bosom.
Noah remained standing for a second and then took his seat again. "You know what, I'm tired. We," he glanced at Kurt with a slight quirk to his lips, "are tired. Give me your number and I will call you tomorrow. Aht!" He held up a hand to stop her in her tracks. "Tomorrow, I said! Do not push me, okay? You do not want to push me on this, Donna!"
Back in the kitchen, Sarah and Judith jumped when the sound of the front door slamming reverberated through the house. Sarah looked at Judith with a sad little moue of her lips and then tried distracting the little girl.
"Hey, hon, maybe Daddy Kurt will think about presents now, huh?"
She was only partially successful in her attempts because, although Judith did get up from the kitchen table, her usual bounce was missing as she made her way out into the living room.
Kurt held his arms open and wrapped them around the little girl when she came to him. He lifted her onto his lap and hugged her to him, one hand brushing her messy hair away from her forehead.
Judith snuggled into his lap and then looked up at him, her eyes large and dark. "Can I get my present now, please?"
Kurt looked up at Sarah and then over at Noah before saying, with a smile in his voice, "I've been dying to give it to you, sweetie." He eased her from his lap and then turned to Sarah, pulling her into a one-armed hug. "Is it okay if we go now? I'm kind of tired and I think this little one might be, too."
Sarah hugged him tightly and nodded before hugging her brother. Noah held her a little longer, whispering, "Thanks," into her ear before they gathered up Judith's things.
Judith pulled away briefly to hug her auntie tightly around the waist and then ran to the hall closet for her coat. Noah moved off to help her and Kurt was left standing with Sarah who took his hand.
"Kurt, I'm so sorry. I tried calling you guys but I couldn't get through." She smiled faintly as Kurt's eyes widened guiltily.
"Oh, yeah, cell phones… Ugh, we forgot about them, I guess, because we didn't need them in Miami."
Sarah laughed and then pulled him into another hug. This time she whispered, "Don't worry about Donna; Noah will take care of it."
Kurt pulled back and smiled wanly at her. "Yeah, I know. It's just… so soon after the honeymoon. Gosh, I wanted to tell you all about it, so much!"
They laughed a little before Kurt headed out to the front door, Sarah following behind him. "Don't worry, I'm gonna get all the details I can stand from you two!"
Kurt's cheeks flushed and he laughed, a faintly embarrassed gleam in his eyes. "Ugh, Sarah!"
Noah kissed his sister on the cheek and then the three of them headed out to the car, bundled up against the cold Ohio night. Kurt buckled Judith into her car seat while Noah warmed the car up and just like that, that warm feeling of domestic bliss slid through him.
Making sure Judith was secure, Kurt made his way around to the passenger side of the car and slid into his seat, buckling up even as he slammed the door shut. "Whew, I can't believe this morning we woke up in 80-degree weather!"
Noah laughed at him, his eyes sparkling as he took in Judith staring happily out the back window into the night. They could see the festive lights of the other houses coming on and Noah felt a funny hitch in his chest.
There was no way he was going to let Donna rip his little family apart, not after he'd waited so long for this feeling of fulfillment.
He looked over at Kurt as they pulled out of the driveway, loving the way the dashboard lights illuminated the beloved face and he smiled to himself.
If it was a fight Donna wanted, it was fight she would get.
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oOo
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Two days later, Noah sat down with Kurt after Judith had finally settled down in bed and drew the slender man against him. They sat like this for a little while, just enjoying each other's presence but eventually, Noah sighed and tilted Kurt's chin up to him.
"Hey," he said, smiling softly as he gazed into Kurt's bright blue eyes. Kurt had a faintly quizzical expression on his face and Noah leaned down to press a soft kiss on his lips before settling back.
Kurt tilted his head and said, "What is it, sweetie? I know you've had something on your mind for a while. Is it about Donna?"
Noah had spoken with Donna the day before and set a day and time a week ahead when they could meet and talk about her demands. Honestly, it wasn't too much for a non-custodial parent to ask for her child to spend the holidays, but Noah just did not trust Donna an inch. He had made a few phone calls, calling in a couple of favors and he figured he could now negotiate from a position of strength. He only needed to fill Kurt in on what he had been doing.
"Yeah, babe, I need to tell you something."
He held Kurt's hand, playing with the slender fingers and gathered his thoughts. Kurt sat quietly beside him, waiting patiently for Noah to explain what had been happening. He breathed in relief when Noah finally looked up at him, a faint smile on his face.
"Look, you know I don't trust Donna, right?"
Kurt nodded, "Yes," and Noah continued. "Well, I've been checking around. It seems my ambitious ex-wife is planning to get married."
Kurt's eyes rounded in surprise and he started to speak but Noah stopped him. "Just let me get this out first, okay, babe?"
Kurt nodded but there were a hundred questions in his eyes.
Noah continued after sighing. "Yeah, she's planning to get married but apparently the guy is some sort of prude or something. I don't know how they hooked up but she has him fooled that she's a loving mom who, because of unfortunate circumstances at the time, was forced to allow me to get full custody of Judith."
"That's bullshit!" Kurt's cheeks were red with indignation. Noah had told him all about Donna and her selfish behavior, practically discarding Judith in her quest for stardom. The bitch! Kurt fumed as he waited for Noah to continue.
Noah chuckled at Kurt's reaction and nodded. "Yup, she's trying to act like some sort of victim and Judith's basically a prop in her little act."
Kurt cuddled up close to Noah and stared up at him with a little pout on his face. He was surprisingly possessive of Judith, almost as if she were actually his flesh and blood and there was no way he was going to sit around and watch that manipulative cow use the little girl.
"What can we do, Noah? We can't let her do this, can we?" Kurt's voice was quiet but there was a thread of steel running through it and Noah felt a flush of pride. His husband was no wimp; he would always go to battle for the ones he loved.
"Well, I did speak with a couple of people and this is what we can do." He straightened up a bit and turned to look Kurt fully in the face. "You can adopt Judith."
The next evening, Burt Hummel listened as his son ranted about Noah's ex-wife and the situation they were dealing with. He agreed that something had to be done; that little girl was the sweetest thing and she didn't deserve to have her mother manipulate her like this.
When Kurt finally wound down, telling him what Noah had suggested, Burt smiled and nodded, even though Kurt couldn't see him. He waved Carole off, who had come to perch on the side of his seat but grabbed her hand to drop a little kiss on it so she wouldn't feel offended. He had to concentrate on what Kurt was saying though and Carole was too much of a distraction.
"So, Noah's idea is for you to adopt Judith? I think that's great, kiddo! However I can help, you know I will. I can probably pull in a couple of favors myself if it looks like things are going to get sticky, okay?"
Kurt sniffed, moved by his dad's offer and thanked him. "Okay, dad, I'll let you talk to Noah now. Hug mom for me, alright?"
He handed the phone to Noah and went to get them both some wine. It was pretty late and maybe wine wasn't a good idea so close to bedtime but he felt they needed it. They were still both on leave, Judith on Christmas break and they could sleep in the next morning. He listened absentmindedly as Noah spoke to his dad, outlining what he'd learned from his contacts in New York.
When Noah finally hung up he took his glass of wine from Kurt and took a big sip gratefully. Kurt slid onto the couch beside him, swinging his legs up as he leaned against Noah's chest. They stared out at the city lights that they could see through the closed glass doors to the patio and just relaxed for a bit.
When Noah finished his glass, he placed it carefully on the table beside him and slid an arm around Kurt's waist. Kurt hummed softly and leaned into him some more, knowing that Noah needed the comfort of touch right now.
Eventually, Noah's voice came, soft in the night. "You know I don't know what I'd do if I lost her."
Kurt looked up at him, placed his glass on the coffee table in front of him and then turned back to his husband. He placed a hand over the arm across his stomach and then brushed a soft kiss across the pensive lips.
"Sweetie, my family and I will move heaven and earth so you'll never have to worry, you know that." Kurt stared at Noah until he nodded. "Now, hold me, kiss me, love me… anything you want… but stop worrying, okay?"
Noah smiled down at the beloved face and nodded slowly. "I love the sound of that… and I think I want to kiss you now…"
Kurt hummed into the kiss and after a few seconds they deepened it, enjoying the flavor of the wine on their tongues. They never seemed to get enough of kissing each other and as the heat built between them, Kurt thanked whoever was responsible for bringing Noah back into his life.
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oOo
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"Okay, so let me get this straight: you are going to adopt Judith so her mom can't screw things up?"
Kurt rolled his eyes at Finn's summation but nodded. "Yes, basically, that's it. The woman has a new man dangling on her hook. He, apparently, is a bit of a traditionalist and she thinks she can 'close the deal' if she appears to be a 'loving mom'." He scoffed suddenly, "Yeah, right!"
Finn and Rachel had come over for dinner the following evening and while Noah was pulling a succulent roast from the oven, Kurt had filled them in on the latest drama.
He watched now as Finn's eyebrows furrowed. "Can you do that, without her permission or something?"
Rachel nodded vigorously, her eyes wide and dark as she listened with a worried expression. "Yes, Kurt, don't the laws say that she has to agree and sign something to that effect?"
Kurt bit his lip and looked down into his wine glass before replying. "Yes, the law says she has to. The thing is…" and he paused, wondering how much he should say in case he jinxed everything. "There's stuff that Noah can 'threaten' her with, you know."
Both Finn and Rachel's eyes widened as they stared at Kurt, twin looks of concern on their faces. Kurt raised a hand quickly and shook his head.
"No, not like violence or anything. Come on, guys!"
Rachel sighed with relief and looked a little shame-faced. "Sorry, Kurt, it's just that… sometimes these things can get heated and we were afraid…"
"Yeah, yeah, I know what you mean," Kurt smirked as he watched them relax. He would have been all for threats of physical violence himself, but Noah had something better.
"All I'll tell you for now is that she really doesn't want to mess with Noah. She might just find herself out one wealthy, conservative husband."
The conversation was put on hold as Noah popped his head out to call them in to dinner. Judith was with her 'bestest' friend, Briony, so it was just the four of them. They chatted about other things, most notably Noah and Kurt's honeymoon and Rachel gushed predictably over the photos that Kurt brought out to show them after dessert.
The evening was long and relaxed and they managed to forget, at least for a while, Donna's looming presence in their lives. When Finn, with Rachel yawning prodigiously beside him, decided it was time to call it a night, Noah walked them to the door.
Rachel preceded Finn outside and headed towards the elevators and she waited while Finn spoke quietly with Noah.
"Hey, man, you know you can count on us for support… or anything, right?" Finn looked seriously at Noah as they stood at the apartment door. "Judith's a sweet kid; she shouldn't have to go through this."
Noah looked at Finn for a second and then nodded. "Of course, we know that; thanks, though."
Finn grinned at him, slapped him on the shoulder and went to join Rachel who waved back at Noah from the open elevator doors. Noah smiled, returned the wave and watched as the lift took them down. He closed the door and locked it before moving around the room and turning off the lamps. He thought Kurt was in the kitchen at first but then he heard the faint sound of running water coming from his en suite and he hurried to join him.
As he shucked his close hurriedly, he stared at the vague outline of Kurt's slender body through the steamed up shower glass door. A low hum or arousal caused his cock to twitch as he imagined the hot water running down his husband's body.
"Are you going to stare at me all night or are you coming in here?" Kurt's sultry voice spurred Noah into a faster pace and he cursed softly as he hopped on one foot, trying to get his jeans off quickly. Kurt giggled, knowing what was happening even if he couldn't see and turned his face up into the spray.
The door slid open and his husband's muscular body was soon plastered up against his back. "Hi," he breathed as he turned around, sliding his pale arms up over the broad, tanned shoulders.
Noah took his mouth in a kiss that intensified swiftly, groaning as Kurt's tongue entwined with his. He barely felt the water spraying on him as he slid his arms around and down Kurt's body to grasp his ass. He pulled him into him, feeling their hardening cocks clashing and he groaned again before tearing his mouth away.
"God, you have no idea what you do to me, don't you?"
Kurt stated at him through wet, spiky lashes, his pupils blown wide and nodded. "You can feel what you do to me, Noah." His breathy voice went straight to Noah's cock and Kurt smirked as he felt the organ twitch and harden further, rubbing against his lower belly.
That was the last thing either man said for a while because their mouths were occupied with other things. When Noah finally slid deep into Kurt's hot, welcoming body, they both cried out wordlessly and Noah stilled so Kurt could adjust. He mouthed along the pink-flushed shoulder and panted roughly, feeling as if he would die if Kurt didn't move soon. Finally, when Kurt pushed back against him, indicating that he was ready, Noah bit his lip and obliged him.
The tension of the past few days and their passion for each other culminated to make this a quick, rough shag and when Kurt cried out and stiffened, spilling his seed against the shower tiles, Noah's whole body clenched as he too came, burying his cries against the back of Kurt's neck.
The water was lukewarm by the time they completed their ablutions and they both staggered into the bedroom, barely taking time to dry off properly. Kurt dragged off the duvet quickly and grinned as Noah collapsed onto the cool, smooth sheets before sliding between them himself.
Kurt moved automatically into Noah's waiting arms and snuggled into him, their legs and arms entwined. They stared up at the dim ceiling as their bodies succumbed to the torpor of afterglow, their minds giving up the struggle to keep them awake. Kurt yawned widely and nudged his nose against Noah's warm neck, murmuring a soft 'love you' as he lost the fight.
Noah turned his head to drop a kiss on the smooth forehead, returning the soft declaration and then closed his eyes. The coming days were going to be tense but strangely enough he wasn't worried. He had Kurt and all the family on his side and there was nothing Donna could do to mess with him and Judith. He would see to that. He was willing to go to the mat for his daughter and if Donna didn't recognize that yet, she soon would. He sighed and slipped into sleep, one last phrase swimming up through the foggy layers of his mind.
Let the battle begin…
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TBC
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A/N: Okay, people, Noah's more than ready to take on all comers. Please, review and let me know how you're liking this so far.
