Disclaimer: Ownership is neither claimed nor implied.

A/N: It's been nearly twelve years since Puck, Quinn and Beth moved from Lima to New Haven...how are they doing?

"She looks so beautiful, so poised," Quinn whispered to Puck as they sat in the audience among the other parents, the grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. She'd already growled at him because as usual, Puck had arrived late and that had seriously pissed Quinn off. For a change. Not.

"Yeah, she looks amazing up there," Puck agreed proudly. He really wanted to stand up and whistle loudly, cheer his baby on, but Quinn had already stopped him from doing that. Apparently, a ballet recital wasn't the place to stomp and cheer 'like a hooligan'. At least, it wasn't in the rules according to Quinn. And who was Puck to argue with someone who was the supreme keeper of all knowledge on every subject under the sun?

Beth went through her routines, first her solo then the piece with the other kids. She'd seen her mom and dad in the third row and she'd had a beaming smile on her face ever since her dad had waved at her. Beth had been worried that her dad wouldn't be able to come to see her dance today, her mom had said that her dad was really busy at work and might not be able to make it, but he had, he'd come, he hadn't let her down. Beth had heard her mom and dad shouting about it last night when she woke up to go to the bathroom. Beth heard her mom and dad shouting at each other a lot these days. And she didn't like it.

"Baby, you were wonderful," Puck cried when Beth ran to him, as soon as she was released from her ballet teacher's debrief. Puck hugged Beth tight but he managed to resist the urge to pick her up and spin her round. "I think we should go out for dinner tonight, what do you think?" he asked Beth but looked at Quinn for her answer.

"I'm not sure, I'm really tired," Quinn started to answer uncertainly, Puck sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Again? Seriously?" he thought. Every time he came up with any sort of suggestion lately, she knocked it back. For fuck's sake. He wasn't talking about spending their life freakin' savings on a trip to the freakin' moon, he was talking about stopping off at Kinahara Kosher, a local restaurant they'd discovered soon after their move to New Haven, a place where he could get a really decent Kosher meal, because he damn sure couldn't get one at home, Quinn had never quite got the whole Kosher deal. Then Quinn asked the million dollar question.

"Where were you thinking of going?" Quinn asked, there was definitely a weary hint to her voice, Puck recognised it, then ignored it.

"I was thinking, Kinahara," Puck answered, hopefully.

"I might have known you'd want to go there," Quinn hissed. "No," she replied, "I do not want to go out to dinner tonight," she stated, her voice was like cut glass and her eyes were like chips of ice.

"Fine," Puck sighed. "I don't know what your problem is lately," he said quietly as Beth ran ahead to excitedly make plans for the weekend with one of her friends, "but do you think we can at least be civil to each other in public?" he asked, although his voice was as cold and as hard as Quinn's had been.

"Fine," Quinn replied, but managed to make it sound like she meant anything but 'fine'.

"Fuck knows," Puck sighed a couple of days later as he sipped his beer. "I have absolutely no idea what I've done to piss her off, but I must have done something and it must be fucking huge because this has been going on for months," he said into his phone. "Look, do you think you can get Frannie to talk to her? Find out what's up? I mean, she just won't talk to me and to be honest, I'm getting kind of pissed off with all the arguing and fighting and the cold fucking shoulder," he muttered. "Thanks Karl," he said to his brother-in-law before he ended the call.

"Life's a bitch, sugar," a husky female voice said beside him.

"And then you marry one," Puck finished the phrase with a self-mocking snort. He glanced to his side and found the hostess from his favourite restaurant, sitting on the stool next to him. "Hi Dana," he said. "Drink?" he offered, catching the eye of the bartender, he was ready for a refill anyway.

"Don't mind if I do," Dana answered with a flirty grin. "So, what's happening in your life right now, handsome? Besides you being in the doghouse at home," she asked. "I'll just have a beer," she answered the question from the bartender. "You and the missis hit a rough patch?" she inquired with a slightly playful look on her face. Puck sighed. He didn't really want to answer the question. For one thing, he felt it might be a bit disloyal to Quinn, answering questions like that and for another, he didn't want to think that they couldn't work this out. Whatever this was. "I'm a good listener," Dana encouraged with a sultry hint to her voice, she smiled and nudged Puck's knee with her own. Puck glanced at their touching knees, he couldn't stop his eyes from drifting up the length of her smooth, tight, tanned thigh to the hem of her exceedingly short skirt. He swallowed hard.

Puck was well aware of the less than subtle flirting that Dana was indulging in, same as he was aware of the more subtle version she demonstrated every time he went into the restaurant. She didn't particularly care either if he was with Quinn or alone, if they came in for dinner or if he called in through the day to pick up some takeout for lunch, she still flirted. Puck was also aware that he wasn't completely immune to that flirting, it sparked an excitement in him that he hadn't realised he had been missing. Until now. Puck turned further towards Dana, he couldn't stop the half smile from tugging up one side of his mouth or the glint that appeared in his eyes.

"Want to get out of here?" Dana murmured as she leaned closer to Puck, her firm breasts brushed against his gloriously muscled and beautifully tattooed arm. Dana had deliberately leaned that close, used the excuse that the bar had become a lot noisier. "Want to go somewhere, maybe? Somewhere quiet?" she asked breathlessly and allowed her hand to 'accidentally' brush over his groin.

Puck saw the pulse beating in her throat and felt his mouth go dry. He licked his lips and swallowed, his eyes locked onto the thump, thump, thump of that vein. Puck took a moment to breathe, then raised his eyes to look directly into hers. "Thanks, but no," he answered. "I think it's time I went home, to my wife and my daughter," he said decisively. "Goodnight Dana," he added before he swallowed the last of his beer and left the bar. "What the fuck were you thinking?" he chided himself as he walked back towards the garage to collect his truck. "Fuck," he sighed, Puck knew that he'd had far too much to drink to get behind the wheel and drive home. "Shit," he breathed and took a second to mentally kick his own ass and knock himself back into reality. Puck pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Joe? Hi. Want to do me a favour?" he asked hopefully. "Cool, I'm at work, see you in ten."

"S'up?" Joe, the young apprentice, asked as soon as he arrived at the garage. "What did you need me to do?"

"Drive me home," Puck answered. "I need you to drive me home," he sighed, pissed with himself for doing this again, to himself and the kid.

"No problem," Joe said with a grin. "Keys?" he suggested, holding his hand out for Puck's keys.

"Cheers," Puck muttered as he climbed into the passenger seat of his truck and Joe climbed into the driver's seat. "Did Steve mention the extra shifts to you?" he asked.

"Yep and thanks, I appreciate it," Joe replied. He was grateful for the extra money. Joe was trying desperately to support his family on the money he earned outside of school hours, just like Puck had done before he graduated from WMHS. Joe was in almost the same position, he was a senior at Wilbur Cross High School, where Quinn worked as a guidance counselor. Joe was taking care of his girlfriend, who had dropped out of high school, and their six month old son. Puck saw a lot of himself in Joe. They drove in silence until they reached Puck's house, Puck was lost in thought, trying to figure out his life. "Doesn't look like anyone's up," Joe commented as they both got out of the truck.

"Quinn and Beth will probably be in bed already," Puck replied as he dragged a note out of his pocket. "Here you go, thanks bud," he said, slapping a twenty into Joe's palm. "See you after school tomorrow," he added as Joe walked away down the street. Joe waved before he turned the corner, just as Puck went into the house. Puck leaned against the heavy wooden door and sighed, he knew if Quinn woke up there would be another fight. Was he ready for this? He wasn't sure.

"Where have you been?" Quinn demanded as she switched the hall light on, blinding Puck in the process.

"Kelly's," Puck replied with the name of the bar that he tended to frequent after work. He stayed where he was, propped against the door, he didn't think it was wise to move just yet. Puck decided he might as well just wait for Quinn to get pissed, yell at him, tell him he wasn't getting into her bed tonight and then flounce off to their bedroom where she'd slam the door so he'd know she meant it, then he could wobble his way to the den and crash there till morning. He already knew he was going to wake up mushed into the oversized, comfortable sofa, with a killer headache and a sandpaper tongue.

"You couldn't even remember that we had a conference with Beth's teacher this evening?" Quinn demanded. "You know she's acting out at school, right?" she asked. "Why would I even imagine you'd be bothered?" she sighed to herself. "You know what, Puck?" she asked without expecting an answer. "This isn't working for me right now," she informed him. Puck didn't respond, he wasn't sure that he could. His brain was slowly processing what Quinn was saying. What the hell did she actually mean by that? Puck tried to concentrate. What was she talking about? "I think you should look for somewhere, an apartment or something," she added before her voice caught in her throat.

"You want me to move out?" Puck asked in disbelief, he felt like he'd been slapped across the face or kicked in the nuts. "What the fuck?" he thought. Sure, they'd had a few arguments lately, a few fights, but Jeez? Move out? Seriously? What the fuck?

"I can't be near you right now," Quinn answered through her tears, she was trying like hell to stop herself from crying but she wasn't making a very good job of it. "It's too hard, I think you should go, now. Tonight," she added firmly as she turned away from him, she couldn't look at him, she didn't want to.

"No. No," Puck stuttered, he felt befuddled, sideswiped. Where the hell had that come from? "No, I'm not moving out. We can work this out, Quinn," he insisted. "I don't even...you don't talk to me, you won't tell me what's wrong, I don't know what I've done that's pissed you off so much that you won't even speak to me. Please, Quinn. We can work this out," he pleaded. "Talk to me, Quinn," he begged quietly, "tell me what's wrong, tell me how to fix this."

"I'm pregnant," Quinn whispered without turning around. The second the words escaped from Quinn's lips, her breath stalled, she couldn't breathe at all, it was like she'd breathed out but her body couldn't remember how to breathe in. Quinn started to crumple to the ground, Puck sobered up in an instant and caught her just before she hit the floor.

"Shhh, it's ok, I've got you," Puck murmured into her hair over and over again as he rocked her, comforted her. Quinn became aware that they were huddled together on the floor, with her back against his chest and that she was crying almost uncontrollably. "Shhh," Puck repeated. "A baby?" he asked with a smile as he hugged Quinn to him. "Seriously? We're pregnant again? When is it due?" he threw the questions at her, Puck couldn't control the stupid grin or the thrill, the pride that shimmered through him.

"End of June," Quinn sniffed, she couldn't say anything else, she was still having difficulty in controlling the sobs. "I think," she added to herself.

"Same month as Beth," Puck commented, he didn't know what else to say, Quinn still sounded pissed. "Does Frannie know? Your mom? Anyone?" he asked as he counted in his head. Four months? She was four months pregnant already and hadn't told anyone? What the hell was she thinking? Puck looked back at Quinn for her to answer, she shook her head and sniffed again. "How long have you known?" he asked, he felt like he was having to extract the information syllable by syllable.

"Six weeks," Quinn admitted. "Maybe eight," she corrected herself silently. "Or ten."

"You've known for six weeks and you didn't say anything?" Puck asked. He was shocked, stunned actually, that Quinn would keep something like this to herself. What was she thinking? "You don't think you should have maybe mentioned this before?" he suggested. Now he was pissed. God. Puck shook his head and held on to his temper. Just. For fuck's sake. What had she intended to do? Wait till she was in labour then tell him? He sure as shit wouldn't know from looking at her or touching her, she hadn't undressed in front of him in ages and just recently, every time he tried to hold her or hug her, even in bed, she pulled away, moved out of his reach.

"I don't want it," Quinn cried then sobbed even harder. She couldn't put her feelings into words, she couldn't voice how intensely sad she felt, how distraught, how devastated. "I don't want it, I don't want it, I don't want it," she sobbed, repeating the words over and over again, quietly, through her tears.

"Hey, hey, come on," Puck muttered, he really wasn't sure how to say anything to her right now or even what to say to her. "Why?" he asked. Had she felt this way when she found out that she was pregnant with Beth? Was she just in denial? What?

"We're thirty years old, Puck," Quinn sighed as she used her sleeve to wipe the tears from her face, she really didn't know how she was going to explain this. "We've been parents for almost half of our lives, we've been married for almost that long, too," she reminded him.

"Yeah, so?" Puck replied with a shrug, his arms were still around Quinn, they were still on the floor of the hallway.

"I thought, now that Beth is so independent, I just thought that I-we would have more time to ourselves," Quinn explained then burst into tears again. "And now that won't happen till we're in our forties," she wailed. "I thought we wouldn't be tied down anymore with diapers, bottles, day care and stuff. I just want my mom," she sobbed desperately.

"Holy crap," Puck sighed. "This is what's been eating at you for the last couple of months?" he asked. Quinn nodded. "Shit Q," he murmured, "we always said we'd have more kids, right?" he said and jiggled her a little. "I mean, I always knew we wouldn't have just Beth, I'm just shocked that it didn't happen before this," he told her with a grin. "And we'll call your mom tomorrow, maybe invite her up to stay for a couple of weeks?" he suggested.

"God, no," Quinn shuddered as she sniffed and giggled simultaneously. "She'd drive me bat shit crazy inside two days."

"Well, whatever, we'll still call everyone tomorrow and tell them the news, right?" Puck encouraged.

"I suppose," Quinn reluctantly agreed. She hadn't told anyone because actually saying it, telling people, it made it all real, it meant she wouldn't be able to bury her head in the sand anymore.

"Mom?" Beth called quietly from the top of the stairs. "Is everything alright?" she asked, looking worriedly at her parents who seemed to be tangled together in a heap on the floor near the living room doorway.

"Everything is fine, go back to bed," Puck said gently with a smile towards Beth.

"I heard you crying," Beth added, giving Quinn a searching stare. "Are you ok?"

"I think we should just tell her now," Puck whispered to Quinn. "I hate to think she's worrying about us," he added, he remembered the days before his mom and dad had finally split. The constant, endless arguments, the screaming and throwing of things, it was awful, just awful. He and Quinn hadn't got to that point, not quite, but it still must have been upsetting for Beth if she'd heard them arguing over the last couple of months. Quinn sighed and nodded. "Come down here for a minute," he called to Beth, smiling at her so that she knew everything was really ok.

Beth walked slowly, a little nervously, down the stairs. Her heart was in her mouth, she didn't really want to say that she hadn't been asleep when her dad had come home, she'd been in bed texting her boyfriend - someone her dad didn't know about and she sure as hell wasn't brave enough to tell him. Beth had put her phone down to listen when she'd heard her mom tell her dad that she wanted him to move out. Beth didn't want her dad to move out, she really didn't, she didn't want her parents to split up. "S'up?" she asked as she knelt on the floor with her mom and dad, she tried to stem the involuntary shiver.

"We have some news for you," Puck began. Beth's heart jumped into her mouth and she shivered even more. "You're going to be a big sister," he added happily. "Isn't that great?" he asked with a big, beaming grin.

Beth let go of a shuddering breath that she hadn't even known that she was holding. Holy crap. As her dad often said. "This is what they've been fighting about?" she asked herself. Beth looked carefully at her mom. She didn't look very happy, not like her dad did. He looked thrilled to bits. "A baby?" Beth asked quietly after she'd gulped a couple of times. "You're pregnant?"

"That's right," Puck answered when it appeared that Quinn had been struck dumb.

"When?" Beth demanded. She wasn't entirely sure she liked this turn of events. Her mom certainly didn't seem to be enjoying it, in fact, she looked like she wanted to either throw up or cry. Or both.

"It's due at the end of June," Quinn said quietly and again added 'I think' in her head then trembled. Quinn had to swallow hard, she felt like puking right there in the hall. And she'd be the one who'd have to clean it up.

"I'll be fourteen by then," Beth commented randomly and without enthusiasm. Oh God. That meant her mom and dad still did it. Eeeewwwwww. Oh no. No. No. No, no, no, no, her mom and dad didn't do that, they were way too old. Urgh. "That's just disgusting," Beth thought, but wisely kept that thought to herself. "Do you know what it is?" she asked, she knew that doctors could tell that stuff with the ultrasounds they did, she'd learned all that in biology last year, along with all the other crap that girls have to go through. Blah. Periods. At least her mom wouldn't have any of those for a while.

"No, I haven't...errm, I err, no," Quinn stumbled to answer. In reality, the only thing she'd managed to do was pee on a stick that had told her exactly how many weeks and days pregnant she was. And it was a lot by the time she'd actually plucked up the courage to do it. She had yet to go and see a doctor. She'd sort of tried to ignore it, hoped it would go away. "Jesus, Quinn, you aren't fifteen years old anymore," she berated herself in silence. "So why do I feel like I am?" the little voice inside her head asked.

"I think we should all go to bed, get a good night's sleep and then we'll all have breakfast together tomorrow morning before work and school, ok?" Puck suggested hopefully. He was fairly sure he hadn't heard Quinn throwing up in the mornings - he would probably have noticed that - so hopefully, breakfast wasn't a suggestion that would upset her.

"Cool. Can we have pancakes?" Beth asked with a grin at her dad.

"Sure," Puck replied, then kissed Beth's forehead before she leaned to kiss her mom. "Night," he said softly and winked at her as she sprinted lightly up the stairs. "Are we good now?" he asked Quinn quietly.

"I think so," Quinn replied, her voice a tiny little squeak. She still didn't sound like her normal self, but at least she didn't sound pissed.

"Can we go to bed? Together?" Puck asked with another hug around her. Quinn nodded. "Good," he sighed. "I have missed you," he groaned against the side of her throat, "so much."

"Ok, so, Quinn, this will be a little chilly," the doctor reminded her with a smile. Quinn couldn't help but suck in a breath as the icy, blue gel spurted onto her stomach, onto her slightly protruding stomach. "Here we go," he muttered to himself as he moved the transducer over the gel and concentrated on the picture on the screen.

Puck sat by the head of the bed, his fingers absently played with strands of Quinn's hair while they waited - not particularly patiently - for the prognosis from Doctor Clark. He glanced down and saw that Quinn was looking up at him with tear-sparkled eyes. Puck gave a little nod of his head, a what's up sort of motion. Quinn shook her head and glanced away. Puck took hold of her trembling hand and laced their fingers together. He couldn't remember the last time they'd held hands that way, so tightly locked together. And he felt the loss of it, like he'd been missing out on something.

"Ok," Dr Clark breathed then turned the screen further towards the nervous, anxious parents. "Quinn, I think you know what I'm about to tell you, right?" he queried.

Puck gulped. "Tell us what?" he croaked then swallowed hard. "Is something wrong?" he asked nervously.

"Oh, no, no, nothing is wrong," Dr Clark assured Puck then smiled gently at Quinn. "The pregnancy is progressing quite normally," he said. "You are, as I think you already know, just over eighteen weeks pregnant," he advised. "Do you want to know the sex of the baby?" he asked with a hopeful smile, he clearly loved this part of his job.

Puck looked to Quinn. Yes, he hoped she'd say yes. They'd known long before Beth was born that she was a girl and he hadn't been there with her for that, when the doctor had told her that, Finn had, he'd been there and Puck felt slightly cheated out of that moment. "Yes," Quinn whispered, her fingers were still locked with Puck's, she looked back at him and their eyes locked too.

"It's a girl," Dr Clark announced the second the word left Quinn's lips.

"A girl," Puck repeated almost silently as they both looked at the monitor. He couldn't take his eyes off the screen where their baby girl was swimming and shimmying around. "She'll be beautiful, just like you, just like Beth," he whispered as he bent to kiss Quinn.

For the first time in months, Quinn didn't turn away when Puck tried to kiss her. But she still didn't know yet. She still didn't know if he really wanted to be with her, if he really loved her or if he was just with her out of pity, familiarity. Quinn wanted to ask, she wanted to get it out in the open but she couldn't, she couldn't get the words out. They were all there, in her head, she just couldn't force them past her lips. She needed to know if Puck would stay with her. The reason she hadn't wanted to say anything about the pregnancy, hadn't wanted to tell him, was that she didn't want the baby to be the only reason he stayed. She didn't want that to be the only reason he stopped seeing her, stopped seeing that other woman. Stopped seeing Dana. And he still didn't know that she knew.

"Hey, Nana," Beth said with a grin at her nana Moya on the computer screen. "How are you?" she asked.

"I'm very well, Beth, thank you," Moya replied with a loving smile at her beautiful granddaughter. "And you?" she asked, Beth replied with the usual pleasantries. "I understand that your ballet recital was wonderful," she said with a barely hidden smile. Moya had adored watching the footage that Quinn had sent to her, she'd poured over every frame, shown it to people at work, she was so proud of her beautiful, talented granddaughter.

"Of course," Beth replied prissily. "I am after all, the granddaughter of a prima ballerina," she said, then giggled in a totally self-mocking way. "Sorry, I mean I know the granddaughter of a prima ballerina," Beth giggled. But it was true. Suze, her best friend in the whole world, was the granddaughter of a former Moscow City Ballet principal dancer. "When are you coming up to visit?" she asked, she felt like she hadn't seen her nana for ages, not in person anyway.

"Hey," Puck called over Beth's shoulder as he came in from working in the yard and found her talking to his mom. "Hi mom, did Beth tell you the news yet?"

"No, what news?" Moya asked, intrigued. Something good she hoped. Over the last couple of months Beth had confided in her that her mom and dad didn't seem to be getting along and she'd seen for herself that Noah looked strained and tired whenever they spoke on the computer. So did Quinn, for that matter. "Something about the baby?" she asked, hopefully.

"We had the ultrasound today," Puck said with a grin, "and you're getting another granddaughter," he announced proudly.

"Oh how lovely," Moya cried and clasped her hands together, although in truth, she didn't care what the baby was, boy or girl, as long as both it and Quinn were healthy. "Perfect, how's Quinn?" she asked. It had been a huge surprise to everyone when they'd been told, just a couple of days ago, that Quinn was pregnant with their second child. It had seemed like Puck was still in shock when he had told everyone the news. "Did the doctor say anything else?" she asked.

"Not really, everything is progressing normally, baby is a good size already, Quinn has to watch her blood pressure and her sugar levels again, they're concerned about gestational diabetes the same as before, but they'll keep an eye on her, everything is cool, right, Beth?" he said, passing on the important points that the doctor had discussed with them. Beth nodded happily.

"And did we get pictures?" Moya asked hopefully, she was excited to see the first images of her new granddaughter.

"We did, I'm uploading them right now," Puck replied and tapped a couple of buttons on his phone. Quinn had done the same thing about an hour ago for Frannie. "They should be in your inbox," he told his mom. "I'm going to shower so I'll see you later. Don't be too long, Beth, we're going out to dinner tonight to celebrate, don't forget," he reminded her, "Consiglio's, your mom's craving Italian," he said with a grin and an indulgent roll of his eyes.

"Ok, dad," Beth replied and leaned back so that her dad could kiss her forehead. She watched till he'd left then turned back to the computer. "I'm still worried about them," she whispered to Moya. "Mom doesn't look at all happy, I don't think she's happy about the baby."

"Well, don't you worry about that, sweetheart," Moya replied. She thought that Beth had a point, Quinn hadn't looked any less pissed when she'd spoken to her a short while ago. Noah looked happier, for sure, but Quinn didn't. "I think I might come for a visit," she mused and stroked her chin thoughtfully. "I'll be with you at the weekend," she announced. "Don't tell your mom and dad, I want to surprise them," she decided and ended the call. "Surprise them and maybe knock their heads together," Moya thought with a frown. "Smack some sense into both of them. Kids. Damn, they never stop causing you worry, even when they're adults with kids of their own. I'm sorry momma," she whispered to herself in apology for the years of worry she had no doubt caused her own mother.

"So you finally knocked her up again?" Finn teased when he returned Puck's call.

"Yeah," Puck answered proudly with a big cheesy grin plastered all over his face. He still couldn't quite believe it even after he'd seen the proof. "It's a girl," he added.

"Still no one to carry on the name, then," Finn commented. "I'll swap you. One of your girls for three of our boys," he sighed. "Rach is pregnant again too," he revealed and sighed even harder. "If this is another boy it's just tough, I'm getting a vasectomy regardless," he growled, Puck could imagine the scowl on Finn's face. Puck wasn't totally convinced that Finn would go through with it, he'd been threatening that for the last five years.

"Is she still determined to keep trying for a girl?" Puck asked with a barely held in laugh. Rachel and Finn had produced six kids in less than ten years. All of them boys, all of them loud and obnoxious, all of them miniature Rachels. And Rachel was absolutely desperate for a little girl, just one, and then her family would be complete.

"She has tried every trick and suggestion that she's ever heard of, she's even researched how to get a girl on the fucking internet, " Finn groaned. "I swear, she even scheduled sex for certain times of the day because some freakin' idiot told her that if she got pregnant actually on the hour, it would definitely be a girl. I mean, which fucking idiot comes up with shit like that?" he asked. Puck didn't reply, he couldn't, he was almost crying with laughter. Puck wondered if he dare admit that it had been him and Mike who came up with that fake 'sure thing' when they'd all got together for a few days last summer - without the multitude of kids. They'd heard Rachel telling the other girls that she wanted to try to get pregnant again, wanted a baby girl and the rest was born from an encounter with a bottle of Jack Daniels. Or two.

"Well, congrats, anyway," Finn said without any actual cheer in his voice. "Tell Quinn we send our love," he added.

"Will do," Puck agreed. "And you too, dude, I hope you made it this time, then you can go get your nuts sliced and diced," he sniggered before he ended the call. Maybe Rachel and Finn could put on their own production of The Sound of Music. They'd certainly have enough kids for it. Puck sniggered again at the thought then got back to work.

"Hi," Moya called as Beth let her into the house late on Saturday afternoon. "Oh, sweetie," she crooned as she hugged Beth close. "How is everyone?" she asked quietly.

"Mom's taking a nap and dad's still at work," Beth replied. "He should be home soon."

"No, I'm here," Quinn called wearily from the top of the stairs. "Hi, Moya, how are you, I can't believe you're here, did you know your nana was coming to visit?" she asked Beth, Beth shrugged. "Was it a good trip?"

"It wasn't too bad," Moya answered as Quinn walked down to meet her. They hugged at the bottom of the stairs. "You know, you looked just like this the very first time I met you," she reminded Quinn as she rubbed the little bump of Quinn's tummy. "But your eyes weren't this sad," she whispered into Quinn's ear as she hugged her again. "Talk to me, tell me what's going on with you," she pleaded. Quinn gulped and nodded. Here was her chance, here was the chance to get it out, get it all out, to actually say it, say the words. "Beth, sweetie, could you make me some coffee, please?" Moya asked as she led Quinn to the den where they could relax on the huge comfortable sofa.

"Sure, Nana," Beth replied and skipped to the kitchen.

"Now talk to me," Moya urged Quinn as soon as they were alone.

"He's having an affair," Quinn blurted out then covered her mouth with a trembling hand. "At least I think he was having an affair," she corrected herself, "or maybe he still is, I don't know, I think it might be over now, but only because of this," she told Moya tearfully.

"No, I'm sure..." Moya started to say, to comfort Quinn.

"You really think I'd do that to you?" Puck asked from the doorway, causing both Quinn and Moya to jump, startled when they heard his voice, he sounded so hurt. "Quinn, I would never do that to you. Seriously. I love you, you know that," he insisted and sat down heavily beside her on the sofa. So many things now made sense. Puck pulled Quinn into his arms as she burst into tears and sobbed her heart out.

"I'll go see about that coffee," Moya said quietly, Puck nodded as he drew Quinn onto his lap. Moya looked back from the doorway and sighed as she watched her son slide back, get himself and Quinn comfortable. Beth came through from the kitchen with coffee, Moya shook her head and motioned for her to go back to the kitchen, she followed her granddaughter. "Let's leave your mom and dad to talk," she advised quietly.

Puck waited till Quinn finally stopped crying, he knew, from years and years worth of past experience, that she just had to cry it out. "I'm sorry," Quinn mumbled into Puck's chest once she could speak.

"I can't believe you thought I would cheat on you," Puck said quietly, his lips buried in her hair.

Quinn took another few moments to gather herself. "You can't tell me that something wasn't going on or at least very close to it," she insisted quietly.

Puck closed his eyes and felt the guilt dripping down his back. "I can't deny that the offer was there," he agreed. "But seriously, Quinn, I wouldn't ever do that to you, I'm not that guy," he promised. Quinn tilted her head to look at Puck. "I'm not," he assured her. "Since we were kids, since before Beth was born, for the past fifteen years it's been you, only you," Puck swore.

"And Santana," Quinn huffed, she remembered even if Puck was rewriting ancient history to suit himself.

Puck pushed up so that he leaned over her. "You remember the day you moved in with me?" he asked, Quinn nodded. "Since that day, when you came home with me after the competition, I think it was fate, written in the stars or something because there was never going to be anyone else for me. Ever," Puck told her, so vehemently, he was so absolutely determined that she would know that.

"How?" Quinn cried, getting herself all upset again. "How can you lie to me like that?" she demanded and tried to push Puck out of the way. If he was lying about the Santana thing then he could be lying about her.

"I'm not lying to you, I promise," Puck vowed.

"Well I remember hearing you fuck Santana when I first moved into your mom's house, asshole," Quinn growled as she reminded Puck of that night and fought to get up from the sofa. Quinn remembered it as if it was yesterday, the sounds they'd made up in that attic room were burned into her memory like music on a CD. And it still hurt, even after all these years.

"Oh God," Puck sighed, "I knew I should have come clean years ago," he muttered. "Nothing happened with Santana that night," Puck revealed. "I lied, I just wanted to make you jealous," he admitted. "Why do you think she took off so early?" he asked. "She played along for a while but then she wanted more and she wasn't happy when I wouldn't give it. Not that she didn't offer or try to entice me, she did, she was always offering, always trying to get with me. Till she came out," he added. "And that was the only reason she didn't ever rat me out, because I knew about her and Brit long before they went public. There was that one time with her that you knew about, it was that time you and Sam...when you and Sam...the time you were with Sam and something happened, remember?" he asked uncomfortably, Quinn nodded and gulped back a huge wave of emotion, yes, she remembered the time, and she was still horribly embarrassed by it. "Since that one time, the only person I have slept with or had any kind of sexual relationship with, is you. Even when we decided that we shouldn't be together, you know? Before we made it legal. I just didn't want to be with anyone else, nobody else ever measured up," he added softly.

"Really?" Quinn asked quietly, she could feel her heart begging for that to be the truth because even now, she always felt insecure when Santana joined them for any get togethers or reunions.

"Really," Puck confirmed. "Call Santana and ask her if you want," he offered. Puck was pleased that Quinn seemed to be distracted from the whole Dana situation, even though nothing had happened there.

Quinn sat facing Puck but looking at the pattern on the cushion that she was clinging to as if it could protect her from hurt. She tried a number of times to speak but each time her throat closed up. "I really need to know about her," Quinn eventually managed to say quietly with a croaky voice, but she still couldn't look at Puck. "I don't want you to stay with me just because of Beth, just because of this new baby," she informed him then took a chance and looked up into his eyes. Quinn felt herself get swallowed up in his beautiful eyes, she'd always struggled to resist those eyes. "I need you to tell me everything, I need you to be honest with me, for us to have any chance at moving forward from this, I need to know the truth," she explained quietly.

Puck nodded and shifted a little, made sure they were both comfortable, facing each other before he started talking. "For as long as she's worked there, she has always let me know that she is available," he said with almost painful honesty. "And yes, it is flattering, it is an ego boost to know that someone finds you attractive, flirts with you any chance they get. And yes, absolutely, I admit I have not done anything to discourage it and I apologise for that," he told Quinn. Puck's fingertips felt the tiniest jerk as Quinn fought her own instinct to pull her hand out of his light hold. "But I swear, on my life, I have never taken her up on it. It's not like I was even tempted, not really, maybe just for a second but even with all the fighting and stuff, I can honestly say, hand on heart, I have never, ever cheated on you. I love you, Quinn, I always will."

Quinn allowed herself to be engulfed in his arms, she allowed herself to be taken over and comforted. She allowed all of the pent up emotion, the hurt, the anger, the resentment, she allowed it all to just drain away with a physical sense of relief. "You need to shower," she said with a tearful sniff, belatedly realising that Puck was fresh in from work and was very, very dirty.

"Come with me?" Puck invited quietly. He stood and held his hand out for Quinn to take. Carefully, slowly, Quinn placed her hand in Puck's and let him draw her up from the sofa. Puck never blinked as they wound their way out of the den and up the stairs. Puck paused halfway up, a step below Quinn. Gently he guided her face to his, their lips joined, parted, joined, their tongues duelled.

"Oh," Beth breathed as she caught sight of her parents on the stairs, oblivious to anyone around them, they were only aware of each other.

Moya glanced over her shoulder. "They look a little happier, don't they?" she muttered with a wink at Beth. "Thank God," she yelled triumphantly inside her head.

Puck coaxed Quinn towards their bedroom. He slowly guided her into their bathroom and paused. "Shower with me?" he asked hoarsely, his words gruff, almost a growl. Quinn gulped and nodded. They helped each other out of their clothes, dropping each item on the floor with no thought to picking them up later.

Quinn felt cleansed, refreshed, renewed, as the water rained down on her. Puck knelt in front of her, his hands moulded her bump then he moved her leg, widened her stance, gave himself room to touch and tease her, to pleasure and please her. Quinn almost fainted with the strength of the sensations that flooded her entire body. She whimpered and shivered and looked down into Puck's eyes as he looked up into hers. "Now," she managed to groan.

Puck surged to his feet, solidly ready to fulfill her every need. "Like this?" he asked and thrust up into her. Quinn moaned and bit her lip, the crease between her eyebrows deepened as she undulated towards Puck, she lifted her leg to wrap it around his waist. Puck held her leg up even as he bent his knees and pulled her closer. He rocked into her, his movements smooth, rapid. Puck panted, out of breath, he saw the pulse beating in her throat as her head fell back against the tile. Puck growled as he fell on her throat and sucked.

Quinn jerked her head back. "No," she cried, she couldn't go to school with a hickie! What would the students say? What would the principal say?

"Fuck the principal," Puck growled with a grin and sucked on her throat again. Quinn felt him pound inside her, felt him rock her world. "Oh God, Quinn," he groaned as his body tightened, he gripped her even closer to him, pulled her right into him. "Ahhh," he shouted as he let go inside her, filled her. "Hell, yeah," he groaned as he felt Quinn go limp in his arms.

"Mom? Dad?" Beth called quietly as she knocked on their bedroom door. "Me and Nana are going out to dinner and then to the movies," she informed the silent room. "Maybe they're asleep," she called quietly to Moya.

"Maybe," Moya agreed. "Or maybe they're just busy getting reacquainted," she thought to herself. If Puck had heard what she thought, he might have had to shout something out, something like 'yay, winner'.

Puck had frozen and looked over his shoulder towards the door, he was hoping against hope that Beth didn't come into the room right now. Quinn was busy, incredibly busy, doing something that no daughter should ever see her mother doing. Her lips and tongue were doing things to him that should truly be illegal. And possibly were in Ohio. Thank God they lived in Connecticut. He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard his mother and his daughter leave the house. "Do that again," he groaned. Quinn did. And again. And again. Puck shivered as he exploded. Quinn literally passed out when Puck returned the favour, she actually blacked out for a few seconds. Puck looked smug and proud of himself once she came round.

"Mmm, I do so love coming to this restaurant," Moya announced quite loudly while they waited for the hostess to seat them. They were having to wait their turn because they hadn't called ahead to book. "What would you like to eat, sweetie?" she asked Beth as they perused the menu in the comfortable lounge area. "Mmmm," she sighed as she read out some of the items on the menu. "Thank you," she said to the hostess with a pleasant smile as she led both Moya and Beth to a table. "Thank you, Dana," she said as she read the young woman's name tag. Moya gave the girl a considered look then motioned her closer to whisper something. "We're having a little bit of a celebration," she confided to Dana. "My son and his wife are pregnant again, finally, it's been so long we all thought they'd never have any more children," she added with a slightly embarrassed giggle. "Anyway, I know that," she pointed to the huge cake in the well lit fridge, "that is his favourite dessert," she said with a grin. "How about you box it up for me and I'll take it home for them, they'll really appreciate that," she decided. "You probably know them, they come here quite often," she smiled at Dana, "Quinn and Noah Puckerman, although everybody calls my son Puck," she added and watched the slight flick of the eyebrow, the glimmer of annoyance that had flashed across Dana's face. Moya knew her job was done. She had subtly and without bloodshed, told the bitch to stay the fuck away from her son, leave him alone to take care of his family. Moya knew for certain that Quinn had nothing more to worry about.

"Want me to go make something to eat, bring it back here for a picnic?" Puck's murmured offer into the back of Quinn's neck made her shiver.

"Mmm," Quinn nodded and sighed as she moved sinuously under the covers and the weight of Puck's arm. "Sounds good," she replied in a husky, sexy voice. Puck leaned over a little more and kissed her, drew her further onto her back. It was a long while later that Puck actually forced himself out of bed, out of Quinn's loving arms and into the kitchen.

Puck had pulled some shorts on and was humming, singing and dancing around the kitchen while putting together a tray of snacks and nibbles ready to take upstairs to share with Quinn. "You really got me, you got me so I don't know what I'm doing, oh yeah," he sang with enthusiasm. "You really got me now, you got me so I can't sleep at night, you reall..." he jumped as his mom's voice interrupted his singing.

"Someone sounds happy," Moya said with a grin as she stuck her head into the kitchen. "You sure look happy too," she added. Puck grinned back at his mom and winked. "See you in the morning," she sighed as Puck sprinted back upstairs with the goodies. "We enjoyed the movie, thanks for asking," she called up the stairs after her son's rapidly disappearing back. "Yep," she congratulated herself. "All fixed."

"Now you're sure you have everything?" Quinn asked Beth for the tenth time in two hours.

"Mom," Beth growled. "I'm only going to be gone for a week," she sighed.

"I know," Quinn cried. "But I'm going to miss you so much," she wailed and hugged her close. "God, I'm going to miss you," she sighed tearfully.

"Are you girls ready?" Puck called from the bottom of the stairs. "Come on, we have to go," he cried as both Quinn and Beth paused at the top of the stairs to hug once again. "Beth, you're going to miss the train," he advised. "And if you do, Madam Natalia will rip me a new one, I promised you'd be there on time," he griped. Puck took Beth's suitcase and tossed it into the back of the truck. Beth and Quinn climbed into the back seat, Puck jumped into the driver's seat and within seconds they were on their way. "So you're sure you have everything?" he asked with a glance in the rearview mirror.

Beth groaned and nodded. "I'm only going to be away for a week," she grumbled happily at her parents. "I'll be back next Friday," she reminded them. Beth was going on a week long, intensive ballet boot camp sort of deal.

"You have money?" Puck asked, ignoring Beth's reminder. Beth nodded. "You have all your gear, right?" he asked, again Beth nodded. "What about your phone?" he asked and sent Quinn a sly wink through the rear view mirror. Yep, his mad skills had not left him, he'd picked Beth's pocket and she had no freakin' idea.

Beth patted her pocket with a smirk. Immediately the smug look on her face turned to one of panic. "We have to go back," she shrieked. "I forgot my phone," Beth wailed. No way could she go halfway across the country without her ever present phone. How would she be able to face-time Jordan if she didn't have her iPhone? And if she didn't face-time him, Candice Walters would sure as hell break her neck to jump in her place, without a shadow of a doubt.

"Maybe you should take this one," Quinn suggested, handing Beth a brand new iPhone15. Beth stared in awe at the new phone in her hand for endless seconds before she squealed excitedly and hugged her mom, prattling on with her thanks. "It's for doing so well this year, both in school and in ballet, your dad suggested it," Quinn told her daughter, laughing happily at the sheer joy on Beth's face. "You can thank him when we get to the station," she told Beth before she wrapped her arms around her dad's neck from behind.

"Thank you, daddy," Beth mumbled as Puck hugged her close before she stepped onto the train along with all the other students from her ballet school.

"No problem, sweetie," Puck muttered before he kissed her head one more time. "Have a great time, work hard and listen to Madam Natalia," he advised. Puck forced himself to let Beth go to let Quinn have one more final hug.

"I can hardly get my arms around you anymore," Beth sobbed when she tried to hug her mom once again. "Bye, baby," she muttered as she bent to talk to her baby sister. "Just you stay there till I get back, ok," she teased.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about there," Quinn replied and kissed Beth's cheeks again, no, nothing to worry about there, the baby wasn't due for another six weeks. "Now you're sure you have everything?" she asked. God, why had they agreed to let Beth go on this stupid ballet trip.

"Yes, I have everything," Beth cried as the conductor called for everyone to be aboard. "Bye," she cried, "see you next week," she yelled.

"Oh God," Quinn wailed as Puck tugged her close to his side. "I hope she doesn't ever want to go away to college," she muttered. "Yale. She has to go to Yale, she can apply to Yale," she insisted to herself as the train drew out of the station and picked up speed.

"Maybe when she's eighteen we'll be more prepared to let her go," Puck suggested with a sad smile. He couldn't possibly imagine letting his baby go out into the big bad world either. How on earth had their parents let them go all those years ago? Quinn looked up at him, Puck laughed. "No, I didn't believe it either, even when I heard the words coming out of my mouth," he admitted with a chuckle. "Come on, let's go home," he encouraged and wrapped his arm around Quinn's shoulder.

"So how did you manage when she was a baby?" Quinn asked herself. She was absolutely distraught that Beth would be sleeping so far away from her tonight. It brought back memories of all those sad and lonely nights, when Beth was in Kentucky with Frannie and Karl and Puck and Quinn were stuck in Ohio. She sank slowly down in the bath, allowing herself to become completely submerged. Well, almost completely. Quinn jumped when she felt something tap on her island of a tummy.

"You're not trying to drown yourself, are you?" Puck asked with a grin. He was sat on the edge of the tub, he had one hand propped against the wall and with the other he was tapping Quinn's tight skin till the baby jiggled around in her stomach.

"No, I'm not quite that depressed," Quinn replied, mocking herself. "Listen, I know we haven't been out in a while," she said with a shy look at Puck. "I think we should go out to dinner tonight," she announced decisively. "To Kinahara," she added and waited with bated breath for Puck's response.

"Cool," Puck replied and dipped his head to lay a sweet kiss on her lips. "Is there enough room for me in there?" he asked with a flick of his eyebrows. Quinn bit her lip and nodded, she sat forward as Puck quickly undressed and stepped into the tub behind her. "Mmm, you feel amazing," he murmured into her ear as she lay back against him. "Hot. So freakin' hot," he sighed. Quinn shifted teasingly as she felt him grow against the small of her back. "We have the time," he said as he cupped her luscious, voluptuous breasts. Quinn moved more purposefully against him. "Keep that up and we aren't even getting out of the tu-u-u-u-u-b," Puck groaned as Quinn became even more purposeful in her movements, more determined to make him lose it. "Oh God," he sighed as Quinn lowered herself onto him and rocked. Puck lifted his hips up as far as he could, he gripped Quinn's hips and helped her to maintain her rhythm. "Babe," he groaned. "Fuck, you are so..." he hissed and sucked in a breath. He was close, so close. Quinn leaned back, altered the angle of his penetration slightly, she almost screamed in pleasure as her entire body contracted then melted as she flew apart. Puck thrust up one final time, he couldn't get any deeper, he felt Quinn become molten lava, he felt her flow all over him, he shifted quickly, shifted Quinn and pulled out of her, Puck aimed high, his release went flying high in the air then landed in their bath water with a splash. "You've always been able to make me lose it like that," Puck panted against her throat. "You're awesome, just fucking awesome," he sighed. Quinn almost purred. "I have something for you," he murmured into her ear.

"You just gave it to me," Quinn murmured back, "didn't you?" Puck laughed lightly and kissed her neck some more. The water was quite cool by the time they got out of it.

Quinn led the way into the restaurant, or rather, Quinn's stomach led the way into the restaurant. Subconsciously Quinn had chosen the dress that drew most attention to her seven and a half month pregnant belly. She looked ripe, she looked sweet, she looked amazing. Puck was proudly aware of the looks she drew, Quinn was happily oblivious. Maybe it was deliberate, but Quinn felt the need to constantly rub at her expanded stomach, to soothe the child within, to soothe herself.

"This way please," Dana requested with almost icy politeness and led the way to a table for two in the window. "May I take your drinks order?" she asked.

"Water, please," Quinn replied as she placed her small clutch on the table and placed her left hand on it. The black purse really made the pale skin of her hand stand out and her pale skin really, really made the huge emerald of her new ring pop. Puck had bought her the ring to reaffirm their love and commitment to each other and also because she had never had an engagement ring. Quinn knew that Dana would see it as yet another outward symbol that Quinn had Puck. For keeps.

"I'll have a beer," Puck answered quietly, his eyes were drawn to Quinn, to her ethereal beauty, she looked amazing. How had he ever been tempted to stray from her, even for a second? Puck had no idea, but one thing he knew for sure, it would never, ever happen again.