InsaneJournal

Who: Quinn Fabray and Noah Puckerman.
What: Quinn just had a baby.
Where: Quinn's room at the clinic.
When: A few hours after Quinn has the baby.
Rating: A for adorable. Also for awwwwwww. Because you will say it.
Status: Complete.

Having a baby was even more painful than she had thought. She didn't even remember most of it. It was just a haze of pain and screaming at Puck. And holding on to Maria and Puck's hands for dear life, and listening to Jess's reassurances. And almost breaking Puck's hand, and screaming at Puck for complaining about his stupid hand when she was in the middle of giving birth. And it had felt like it was too much and she had been sure she couldn't do it. But then it had been over and nothing could have prepared her for Dr. Wilson putting the baby, her baby, in her arms. She was so tiny and helpless and completely perfect. And suddenly Quinn couldn't imagine how she had ever thought she could give her up.

She'd been resting for a few hours, but now she was awake, and Puck was there and she knew there were so many things they needed to talk about, but she didn't even know where to start. "I'm sorry about your hand," she said. She was quiet for a moment. "And that I called you a jerk. And told you that you sucked like...forty times. And said I hated you. I didn't mean any of that...well...except the thing about childbirth hurting so much worse than your hand. I meant that."

She smiled. "But I don't hate you. I really don't. And I don't think I could have done that without you here."

Puck was in a daze. He'd never experienced anything like today in all his seventeen years. Everything had started out so normally, (or as normally as it could for a kidnapped teenager with an unlimited credit card) but then Quinn's water had broken and everything had changed. He'd been nearly as panicked as Quinn for a moment or two, but then he'd laid eyes on her, and saw how scared she was, and everything else faded away. The only thing that was important was helping her. He'd held her hand nearly every second from the moment he got to her, until she was holding their baby in her arms.

He glanced down at his hand. Dr. Wilson had given him an ice-pack to put on it before he left. Quinn had been screaming and yelling that she hated him, and he'd been convinced she was trying to break his hand on purpose. He was pretty sure he'd yelling something about his guitar hand, and then she'd squeezed tighter and screamed at him again and Maria had swore and called him something completely inappropriate.

But then it was over and all the screaming and craziness went away. Maria and Jess hugged them both and went out into the waiting room to tell the others, and the doctors had taken the baby away to clean her up. He'd let Quinn rest, never taking his eyes off her. Sitting in the chair quietly thinking about what he felt, and what they were going to do. The doctors had let him hold her before they'd taken the baby away, and as Puck looked down at her, he had felt something he'd never felt before. He felt like a dad. She was so tiny and beautiful. She looked like Quinn. He never wanted to let her go.

Puck smiled when she started speaking to him. He stood up, tossing the ice-pack back down onto the chair, and made his way over to her side. He flexed his fingers once or twice before slipping his hand back into hers. "It was worth it." He said, the side of his mouth creeping up into a half-smile. He reached his other hand out and tucked some of her hair behind her ear. "Thank you for letting me be here." He said honestly. "I know...I know I haven't been the greatest through this whole thing, but it meant a lot to me that you wanted me here. I can be better, Quinn. I told you once that we could be a family. And I still mean that."

Quinn was happy, which as strange because she'd been so convinced at the beginning of her pregnancy that it was the end of her life. And in some ways it had been. It had been the end of her life with her parents, her life as head Cheerio and the most popular girl in school. But maybe that was a good thing. The past months had forced her to grow up and had showed her there was more to life than being pretty and popular. They had showed her that family wasn't always the people you were related to, and that sometimes the people you would never expect would end up being the best friends you could ever find.

But more than that it had made her realize that Puck was a good guy, and a lot better than she had given him credit for. She'd spent so long pushing him away and clinging to the belief that Finn would be better, that he'd be more responsible about this. And part of it had been that she was sure it would be easier for Finn to let go, to not get attached to a child that wasn't his. But she'd realized over the past few months that, even though he could be a jerk sometimes, Puck was more grown up than Finn would ever be. And he deserved better than the way she had treated him.

"This is where you were supposed to be," she said quietly. "She's yours as much as she's mine, and it wouldn't have been fair of me to keep you from that." She smiled, a little watery as she tried not to cry. "You've been so good to me. You've been a jerk sometimes too...but you've been better than I deserved after how I treated you." She wiped her eyes. "Oh my god...we have a baby." And just like that she was crying again. "We have a baby and she's just so perfect...and...I want her. I didn't think I did, but I do."

She was quiet for a moment and then she looked at him. "And I want you there," she said. "You're her father. But I need to ask you something, and I need you to be honest with me, okay? Because this is important." She closed her eyes and took a steadying breath. "Did you love me?" Because if he had, if he hadn't been lying about that, then maybe they could find a way to make this work. Otherwise, best to end it now. They'd be two friends who had a kid, nothing more and nothing less.

There weren't many times in life when Puck felt truly happy. He could probably count the instances on one hand. This moment, being here with Quinn, knowing that their little girl was healthy and sleeping just down the hallway, it couldn't even compare. Without letting go of Quinn's hand, he reached out with his free hand and grabbed a nearby chair, pulling it close to her bedside so he could sit with her.

Crying girls usually freaked him out, but Quinn was different. He didn't want to run away, or pretend it wasn't happening. He just wanted to make her happy again. But she was happy. In part because of him. That was definitely a new feeling.

His hopes skyrocketed when she said she wanted to keep the baby, and that she wanted him to be there. He couldn't help it. For so long he'd been struggling with Quinn's decision to give the baby up. He had hoped that maybe here, in Vegas, she might reconsider. But he'd been almost afraid to bring it up. Worried that if he pushed too hard, she'd retaliate the other way and his daughter would be completely lost to him. The smile that lit up his face was genuine as he thought about the life that they could have together here. He knew he wasn't the best guy in the world. But he could be a good dad. And he could be good to Quinn too. If she'd let him.

"Do." He said, still smiling at her. "I do love you, Quinn."

It definitely wasn't bad crying. Quinn was happy, happier than she could remember being in a long time, but she was also overwhelmed. Several emotions were hitting her all at once, and it was a lot to take. Still, she was happy, and she knew what she wanted in life, and that was enough.

She was almost afraid to hear the answer to her question. She cared about Puck, and it had taken this to make her realize just how much, but if he didn't feel the same way then she needed a clean break. He'd still be a part of their daughter's life, but it wouldn't be fair to either of them to keep going along like they had. She'd be fine on her own, she was stronger than she had been before, and he'd still be her friend no matter what. And anyway, maybe she could steal Maria from Michael and they could be heterosexual life partners or something. But that apparently wasn't going to be necessary. She felt a tangible sense of relief at his response and smiled. "Even when I'm gross and weepy and a mess?" she asked him, gesturing to her current state. She definitely wasn't as put together as usual.

"Oh," she said. "And...you know...I love you too, Noah."

"Don't be stupid." He said, smiling gently at her. "You are still completely hot. You're a total MILF now, you know that?" His tone was joking, but Puck's words were completely honest. Quinn Fabray had always been the hottest girl in Lima, but now he couldn't imagine there being a more beautiful girl anywhere. He didn't care what anyone said. He was completely and unabashedly in love with her. And she loved him too.

Still smiling that stupid smile, he leaned forward and kissed her.

Quinn smacked him on the arm, but she was laughing even as she did. "Be serious," she said with a grin. Still, it definitely made her feel good that he thought she was attractive even when she was in a hospital bed and exhausted. She might have grown a lot as a person, but she still had moments of vanity and didn't want to think she looked hideous or anything. But apparently there was no worry of that if Puck was still willing to kiss her.

"We have to pick a name," she said after a brief silence. "I never even really thought about it. I mean...I wasn't going to keep her, so there was never a reason." She looked at him. "If you suggest something like Drizzle, I will punch you in the throat." And she meant it.

Puck could see the happy glow rise in her cheeks. He knew Quinn better than she thought he did, and he could see that it made her happy to know that he still thought she was pretty. He'd tell her just how beautiful he thought she was, but she'd probably just smack him again and accuse him of sucking up.

"No punching needed." He said, squeezing her hand lightly. "You've already beat me up enough for one day." He chuckled softly.

The truth was, Puck had given a lot of thought to the baby's name. Especially since showing back up in Las Vegas. His mom and his sister weren't here, so Quinn and that baby, they were his family now. "What do you think of Beth?" He asked, his head down, staring at their entwined hands. He was strangely nervous that she would shoot down the name.

"Oh, you can take it," Quinn teased. It wasn't like she had hit him hard, and Puck was a football player. She hoped it took more than someone her size to do any real damage. Then again, she had done a number on his hand. "But all right. No punching. You get a reprieve." It was nice, to joke around and not worry about serious things. Because there would be plenty of serious stuff later.

Puck surprised her, pleasantly, by immediately suggesting a perfectly nice name. Definitely more mature than Finn. "Beth," she said with a smile. "I like it. So...Elizabeth?" It was a pretty name and one she'd always liked. "I also sort of like Mary." She didn't mention that it was because Mary was close to Maria, and Maria had become like family since she'd arrived her. She figured Puck probably understood with out her saying.

"Elizabeth Mary Puckerman?" she asked. It didn't quite flow right, but she liked both names. "We can just call her Beth. What do you think?"

Puck smiled again. It was nice to joke around and not have the weight of the world on their shoulders every minute. They may be parents now. And they'd certainly both grown up a lot in the past eight months, but sometimes it still felt good just to be a teenager. Even if it was only for a second. He leaned forward and kissed her again. He couldn't help himself. Seeing her smiling and happy, and knowing that they had a healthy daughter. He couldn't resist.

His face broke out into yet another uncontained grin when she said she liked the name Beth. Maybe they were better together than either of them had realized. He nodded his approval when she mentioned the name Mary.

"What about Mary Elizabeth..." He started to say before the full impact of her words hit him. He looked at her in surprise. "You said Puckerman. You-- you want her to have my last name?"

"Mary Elizabeth," she said with a smile and a decisive nod. It had a nice flow to it and it was pretty, and it was a name they had both agreed on. And, most importantly, it wasn't Drizzle. "I like it."

She rolled her eyes and sat up to kiss him. "Of course I do, stupid," she said. "You're her father. She should have your last name. Besides, mine doesn't really mean much any more." Not after the way her parents had all but abandoned her. Puck was her family now, and she wasn't as bothered by that as she might have been a few months ago. "Mary Elizabeth Puckerman...Beth Puckerman. What do you think?"

Puck felt like he should be waking up at any moment. Not only was Quinn here, and happy, and kissing him, and keeping the baby...but she wanted to give the baby his name too. After a lifetime of being disappointed, Puck was starting to feel like it was a little to good to be true. What did he ever do to get so lucky?

He smiled as she kissed him again, enjoying the feeling of her lips on his, and the knowledge that now he could kiss her whenever he wanted. "I think it's perfect." He nodded. "Just like her." And you. He thought to himself.

"Quinn?" He asked her. "I guess now it's my turn to ask you a question." He pressed his lips together, gathering his thoughts before continuing. "I know you still don't have a roommate, and well...I told you I want to be there to help. So...um, what would you say if I asked if I could move in with you and the baby?"

"She is, isn't she?" Quinn said, smiling brightly. "She's completely and totally perfect. Beth. Our Beth." She laughed, full of giddy excitement. They had a baby and they had managed to name her without bloodshed and everything was already going better than she'd expected. She'd been scared of what might happen, but now she knew that Puck wasn't going to run off. She trusted him not to do that.

She didn't even have to consider the question. "I'd say yes," she said. "It'll be easier with you around...and anyway, it gets lonely sometimes. It would be nice having you around. And that way you can see Beth whenever you want. It'll be good." She felt oddly relieved that he had asked, because she'd been thinking about it and hadn't been sure how to ask him if he wanted to move into the extra room.

As he watched Quinn, happier and more excited then he'd seen her in months, Puck felt an overwhelming sense of peace. Things felt right. More right than they'd ever felt back in Lima. It was yet another reason why when everyone else was angry about being kept prisoner, Puck didn't mind so much. He had everything he needed here. Money, friends, and most importantly, family.

"You won't regret it." He said happily. "I'll show you I can be a great dad. I can make both of you happy."

"I'd better not regret it," she said, but her tone didn't have any bite to it. She was just teasing him, and she was sure he understood that. "I know you'll do fine, Noah." She trusted him to be a good father to Beth, and to not break her heart.

"I still can't believe we're parents," she admitted. "It's so...did you ever think it would be like this? I didn't." She smiled. "But I wouldn't change it for anything. It's been hard, but I'm happy. Really happy. You make me happy." And she really wouldn't change it, even if her life had been easier before Puck and her pregnancy. She had a family now and she wasn't giving that up ever.

Puck glanced down at the bed, his smile still apparent. He knew she was teasing. That was old hat with them. Before their relationship had tensed due to the stress of the baby, they had always teased on another. They'd been friends once upon a time. And now they could be more. What was new, though, was Quinn's faith in him. It filled him with pride knowing that she believed he was more than just a Lima Loser. That he could be a good dad, and a good boyfriend. He promised himself he'd do everything he could not to screw it up.

"You'd better start believing." He said, still smiling. He stood up, pushing his chair back. Wanting to be closer to her, Puck sat beside her on the bed, sitting back against the pillows, he slipped his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her close. He kissed the top of her hair.

"I'm happy too." He agreed. "We're a family now."

Quinn shifted to the side so that Puck could sit comfortably on the bed, then snuggled close to him. He made her feel good about herself, comfortable and safe. She knew now that he wasn't the loser she'd accused him of being in the past, and she was glad that it was him in her life. She just hoped that their relationship would work and that they'd be good parents to Beth. "I do believe you," she promised. "Everything is going to be just fine, and we're going to be the best parents Beth could possibly have."

She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. "A family," she said with a smile. "I like that."