Disclaimer: I do not own the Glee world
A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys. Love you lots!
Chapter 3: Threats
"That signing of documents and shit? I'm not doing that."
Rachel stared at him like he was a Tony award that had someone else's name written on it. Basically, she was confused.
"What do you mean you're not going to sign the adoption papers? If you don't do that then she can't be adopted. We'll be stuck with her." Rachel wasn't sure why she'd said we seeing as 'Baby Girl Fabray' wasn't really her responsibility.
Puck looked her straight in the eye. "I know," he stated, simply.
Rachel laughed weakly. "Please tell me that this is some prank of yours that I don't understand because from the way that you're speaking you sound as though you want to keep this baby."
"I'm not shitting with you, Berry. This little girl is mine."
"So you're going to raise her? On your own?" Rachel asked him in disbelief.
"If I have to." He replied turning his back on her.
"But Quinn wants -"
"Quinn's not here. She left. So this is my decision to make."
"Right, ok. Can I ask you one question?" Rachel enquired trying to get her head round this massive turn of events.
"I guess."
"Are you completely and utterly insane?!" she cried.
Puck glared at her over his shoulder. "Keep it down, Berry, she's gone back to sleep."
"Noah, you can't raise this child on your own. Do you have any idea how much it costs to bring up a baby? A recent study claims that it costs $200,000 to raise a child to the age of 18. That's approximately $11,000 a year. Do you happen to have just over ten grand left over from your pool cleaning job last summer?" She didn't wait for a reply. "And just when are you going to procure the time to look after her if you can't afford some form of day care; you've got school and not to mention commitments to football and Glee? She's not a flour baby, Noah!" She paused to take a breath and Puck jumped in before she could get going again.
"What in the name of shit is a fucking flour baby?" he asked, bewildered.
"It's what they sometimes use in parenting classes. Kids have to carry round a bag of flour for a week and pretend to take care of it. The point of the reference is that you can't give this baby back when it's three o'clock in the morning and she's screaming, vomiting, pooping and won't go back to sleep and you need to get up in three hours to go to school. She's a real human being and she's going to take a lot of looking after!"
"Look, I don't have all the details worked out right now but I'm gonna sort everything. I'm bound to get some sort of money from the government and the rest I'll have to earn by getting a permanent job."
"You're going to drop out of school?! But what about your future?"
"Berry, I'm a single dad still in my teens. What sort of future do you see me having?"
"But that's my point!" she said earnestly. "Do you want to be stuck in Lima for the rest of your life grilling burgers or running items through a checkout? You're talented at football and singing so you've got a fair chance of getting a scholarship to a college somewhere. Not to mention that you're giving up the rest of your life to look after this child when it might have a happier one with a different family." He glared at her but she carried on regardless. "Her adoptive parents will probably be able to afford nicer clothes, more presents and a bigger house for her. She won't get lonely when her Dad is working all hours to try and afford to send her to nursery."
"You can't know how her life is going to turn out, Berry. She might end up with complete freaks that treat her like shit. If she's with me at least I know she's gonna be safe."
"And you think your mom's going to be happy about you bringing home a newborn baby who cries all night and pukes everywhere?"
"You don't know anything about my life, Berry. I know this isn't going to be easy but I'm going to do all I can to do right by daughter."
"But what if doing right by her is letting her go? Maybe you're being selfish by keeping her. You're thinking of what you want and not what your daughter needs." Rachel was very glad that Puck was holding his daughter and thus his hands were occupied because judging by the death glare he was currently sending her way she was lucky to be alive.
"I know what's best for my daughter, Berry," his voice was low and dangerous, causing Rachel to gulp. "So shove your busybody nose out of my life. No, scratch that, out of our lives."
"Ok, look, you're obviously on some sort of 'new father high' that's made you take leave of your senses. It is thanks to my actions that this situation has come about; if I hadn't phoned Mr and Mrs Fabray then the adoption would definitely be going ahead. So like it or not, Noah, I have had a major contribution to this little girl's short life and I intend to do what's best for her and I believe that comes down to her being adopted. I have the adoption worker's number on my cell. I'll try and get her to stall this adoption procedure for a couple of weeks. We're nearly through spring break now so that'll give you some time to see how you're going to manage this around school because you're not dropping out, I won't let you."
Puck fully turned round to face her and raised an eyebrow. "You're not the boss of me, Berry. If I want to be a high school drop out then I will be."
She sniffed and thought, 'we'll see about that!' before saying, "Ok, so if in a couple of weeks you haven't managed to convince me that you're capable of providing for your daughter then I'll make sure that she's adopted."
"Oh, yeah? And just how the hell are you gonna manage that?" he sneered at her.
"I'll call Quinn." Rachel actually saw some of the colour drain from his face. "And when she hears that her daughter's being raised by you she'll come back and force the adoption through."
"You wouldn't," he challenged.
"Don't think that I wouldn't do the best thing for your daughter, Noah. I care about her too."
He went very quiet and turned his back on her again. She came up and placed a hand on his arm. "Look, I'll do all I can to help you get started."
"I don't need your help, Berry," he said, shrugging her arm off. "Me and little Miss Puckerman are going to be just fine without you." Rachel could see this ridiculous adoring look on Puck's face as he looked at his daughter and she was sure that if he knew it was gracing his features he wouldn't be letting her see it.
"Really? Do you know the first thing about taking care of a newborn baby?" she asked.
"Hey, I was eight when my sister was born and my douche of a father left pretty soon after that so, yeah, I have a vague idea of what this involves. Thanks for your concern," he added sarcastically.
"Ok, so you're not going to be completely useless then. But do you have any of the things she needs like a crib, clothes, food, diapers? How are you even going to get her back to your house? You can't drive your truck with her on your lap!" He didn't make any response to her words. "Are you even listening to me?" she snapped.
"I'm trying very hard not to," he replied, not taking his eyes off of his daughter.
"Noah! I'm trying to give you some assistance here!"
"And I've already told you, Berry that we don't require your assistance."
Rachel was starting to get very annoyed with the obstinate young man in front of her. But it seemed that he'd had enough of her too.
"I think you've prattled on enough, Berry," he said, before looking pointedly at the door. "So why don't you go home and think of somebody else to annoy."
Rachel stamped her foot and put her hands on her hips. She knew it made her look like a five year old but she didn't care. He hadn't said anything particularly hurtful but she felt like crying. She blamed all this on her severe lack of sleep.
"Do not think for a moment that I'm just going to walk away and leave you caring for this baby based on a decision you made a couple of minutes ago. I cannot in good faith allow you to mistreat this baby in any way."
"You think I can't look after my own kid?" he growled at her and Rachel took a step back, alarmed. "You honestly think I'd let her get hurt or intentionally put her in danger?"
"No, that's not-" she squeaked before he cut her off.
"I know you don't have the highest opinion of me but I thought you knew me better than that. But, you know what, Berry? I don't have to prove myself to you or to anybody. I can do this on my own."
Rachel was more than slightly unnerved by this side of Puck. She didn't think she could remember him ever being so passionate about anything.
"Now get out, Berry, before I call security on you."
"You'll what?!"
"Get security to force you out. You have no right to be here whilst I am this girl's father. If I don't want you here then I can have you removed." He smirked at her and Rachel gave him a frosty look back.
"I can call Quinn any time I want and have her taken away from you." She pointed out.
"I don't care," he replied, pronouncing every word deliberately.
"Fine, but when you get over this stubborn, proving-yourself mind-set that's currently occupying your head and you realise what a nightmare you've gotten yourself into on your own, you'll be happy to hear that I'm still willing to help you when you call."
She could sense his glower as she collected up her coat and purse and stalked out of the door.
'Ugh! Stupid obdurate boy!' Rachel thought as she stomped out of the hospital and over to her car. Couldn't he see that she was just trying to help him? She was still slightly in shock over the events of the last hour or so. Yet, she almost laughed to herself at the ludicrous notion that Noah Puckerman wanted to raise a child on his own. Because really, Noah 'Puck' Puckerman having the maturity and perseverance to commit to someone for the rest of his life? She didn't think so. Until only a few months ago he was the High School bully who would throw people into dumpsters, lock them in toilets or throw slushies in faces. Hardly a fitting role model for a young girl!
However, Rachel was willing to concede that he had appeared to turn over a new leaf since partaking in Glee. He definitely wasn't a saint but he was no longer the devil incarnate either.
She sat down behind the wheel of her car and rested her head against it for a few moments. She groaned as she realized she had to call the adoption worker to inform her of the change in proceedings since Quinn decided to uproot to who-knew-where.
The subsequent conversation was not the happiest that Rachel had ever had but she knew that it was better than the one the adoption worker would have to have with the prospective parents. As Rachel hung up the phone an overwhelming sense of guilt that she'd ruined 'baby girl Fabray's' life filled her and couple of tears rolled down her cheeks.
She rested her head against the steering wheel again and closed her eyes to stem the flow of tears. She tried to open her eyes again but they were too heavy. Her whole body was telling her to just rest here for a little while and she supposed it wouldn't be such a bad idea to have a quick nap to refresh. It wouldn't be wise to drive when she was so tired after all.
Her mind had just gone mercifully blank when the familiar jingle of her ringtone went off. She groaned and reached for the cell in her pocket and opened it without even opening her eyes.
"Hello?" she mumbled.
"If you mutter even one smug word then I will reject all future offers of help even if it meant I'd have to go without food or housing and then I'd die and then you'd have to live with that on your conscience for the rest of your life."
"Huh?" Quite possibly her most inelegant moment. Ever.
"I need your help, Berry."
A/N: Thank you for reading guys. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.
Thanks to those who answered my question about Quinn's due date – it just bothered me that I wasn't entirely sure what the time frame was for this story.
I have a few further questions because you guys have been so great so far;
1. When exactly would regionals be taking place? i.e. what month? Should they have already taken place by this point? Having no Glee competition experience I have a limited knowledge on what's involved.
2. What year in High School is everyone supposed to be in? This one really bugs me for some reason. We know Rachel's a sophomore but I don't think they state what anyone else is do they? I've made Quinn a sophomore too but that could be completely wrong for all I know.
3. Last thing is how many periods are there in a typical high school day and how many free periods do students get a week?
If you can answer any of those questions I would be soooooo grateful because I hate making stuff up on the spot. I like to make things as accurate as possible.
The number of reviews went down last chapter so if you could take the time to review I would really appreciate it!
Until next time,
Lil Drop of Magic