Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 18th cycle. Now cycle 19!

TV Titles Cycle - So this is Cycle 20! I wanted to do something special, so here we are! Some of you may remember a while back me asking for episode titles from tv shows. I've always found that a lot of shows have great episode titles, so this is how this cycle came to be. Each story will be inspired and titled after an episode from a different show. The influence of the episode may vary from story to story, not seeking to rely completely on it ;) You'll see...
Today's Show/Title: "Pushing Daisies" - Frescorts

A/N: Gained yet more time, still late! *whimper* I swear I'm not gonna make a habit of being so late. Did get to sleep some, this morning, but not enough apparently! Normality, come back to me!

BTW, if you haven't already, please check out Wednesday's "Bete Noire", Thursday's "And Jesus Brought a Casserole", and yesterday's "Are We Not Men?"? Poor little ficlets, feel like they will have gotten lost in the shuffle, being posted so late ;)

"Frescorts"
Quinn, Puck/Quinn
Companion & Sequel to "Listen Up, Mohawk Boy"

It was going to be her first really big school dance, she was going to stand out… And she wanted to make a memory, even more than an impression… though that wouldn't hurt either, in this place. So she had been preparing, for weeks.

She had gone out with her mother and gotten her dress, shoes, and they would go to the hairdresser's, on the day. And she had a date – it hadn't taken long for boys to ask her, which pleased her. So she had her pick; the person on her arm was just as much a part of the package as her clothes would be… she'd always remember.

They were going to meet at school; her hair appointment was very late… and she was fairly certain her mother had done that on purpose. Her heart was beating with excitement, even as she got out of the car and her mother drove away. And then just as soon as the car was out of view, there was her phone beeping. She pulled it out of her small handbag and saw she had a text message…

"Can't make it, I'm sick, sorry."

She stood there for a moment, disbelieving. The world came back to life when she felt a chill from the night air, and she looked up, looked around… There were others arriving, walking by her… They'd be expecting her, and now, what? She had to go, but… on her own? Her eyes were stinging, as she wondered what to do… What could she do?

"Nice dress," a voice startled her and she looked to find Noah Puckerman walking toward her. "Like a Purple Queen Quinn." She wasn't sure if the flush on her cheeks was from the cold or not. But then she snapped out of it and frowned.

"What are you doing here? Didn't you stand up in the hall there the other day saying it was stupid?" She pointed out.

"I changed my mind," he shrugged, leaving out the part where he was the reason her date had gotten sick, after a bit of a dare. "But see I got all dressed up," he indicated his outfit… It did fit him nicely… She wasn't going to tell him that. "So where's your… escort?" he asked.

"H-he's running late," she fixed a bit of hair that felt loose.

"Right," he nodded, playing clueless. "You shouldn't have to stay out here. How about I go with you then?"

"What?" she frowned.

"As friends, you know? Would be a shame to waste that dress," he pointed out, casually. She stared back at him, considering this… Part of her thought it was ridiculous, that she couldn't possibly… She did want to make that memory, but… with him, really? But then on the other side, he was dressed up; she wouldn't be so bad off with him by her side… and at this point he was her one option to having someone on her arm when she stepped through those doors, instead of getting in there, alone, looking for someone to stand in with her…

"Okay," she slowly responded, and he offered his arm with a smirk. "Don't do that," she frowned, and he stopped. She took his arm with a sigh and they marched into school. "Stop fussing," she begged as she felt him squirming about.

"Suit's kind of tight," he explained.

"It looks brand new, didn't you try it on?" she shook her head, aggravated.

"Well… I've been working out," he lied with pride; he'd gone and borrowed her would-be date's suit, after finding his own suits were no good.

"Right," she nodded. "Just try not to think about it?" she begged, not wanting him to be fidgeting like that.

"Not thinking," he promised, doing his best. She breathed out, keeping an eye on him for a moment before they made it to the gym.

"You're not going to pull anything tonight, are you? That's not why you 'changed your mind'?" she air-quoted with her free hand.

"Not tonight," he promised her, and there was the slightest of smiles on her face.

There were many on the dance floor already, so Puck had thrown her a look and, with it, asked if she wanted to join them. She was still hesitant about this thing, being there with him, but she offered her hand. "Watch yourself," she directed him, and when they got into position, she saw his hands were in no way inappropriate, which allowed her to relax and stop worrying so much, start enjoying the dance.

It was very much out of the ordinary, with Puck of all people… She'd never been this close to him; he wasn't as clumsy in this as she'd thought it'd be, he actually danced… She wasn't going to say it, but then there it was…

"You're kind of good at this…" she turned her eyes up, briefly.

"Don't sound so surprised," he gave a look.

"Yes, how silly of me, why wouldn't I connect 'Noah Puckerman' and slow dancing?"

"You really should," he smirked, and it actually made her laugh.

"Right, ladies man you are… All makes sense now," she went on smiling, carried away in the moment.

"I do my best," he spoke, spinning her and bringing her back, no more breath in them as they looked to one another.

The moment was broken by a change in song, but the evening carried on. The bedridden date was completely forgotten, her rescuing 'friend' date had restored the dance as the memory she'd wanted all along.

When the night was drawing to a close, Quinn had to part ways with him, before her mother came to get her. So she thanked him and, in the flush of the experience, she kissed his cheek before dashing on out, like Cinderella down the stairs.

Sitting in the car, heading home, her head rested on the door window, remembering, happy, her absent mind resting her hand to her heart.

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!