Moments

Deployment

"Q." Puck said softly as he entered the living room and stood in front of Quinn. "I have to get ready and go to the airport. Are you and Beth coming?"

Quinn looked at Puck and shook her head as she tugged on his hands. "Stay here."

"If I stay here, I'll get arrested." Puck stated.

"I'll visit you." Quinn smiled.

Puck laughed lightly. "Really?"

"Yeah, if you're in jail, Beth and I can visit you every day." Quinn answered.

"Yeah, and I'll have to pay a huge fine and sit in a cell for, like, five years." Puck responded.

Quinn nodded slowly as she got up. "I guess we can't keep you here."

"If I could, I'd stay." Puck promised. "But I'll be back next summer for good."

"Yeah." Quinn said, putting her arms around Puck. She kissed him and looked at him when she pulled away. "Beth wants to come, so we'll see you off."

Puck nodded. "I'm gonna get changed and get my stuff and then we'll go?"

"Yeah." Quinn sighed. "I'll go get Beth."

Puck gently tugged on Quinn's hand, stopping her from walking away. He pulled her close and kissed her. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Quinn said softly. She pulled away and went to Beth's room. Quinn took a deep breath as she knocked on the door and opened it. "B, go put your shoes on. We're gonna go with Daddy to the airport."

Beth frowned. "Daddy's leaving already?"

Quinn nodded slowly and put her hand out. "Come on."

Beth stood up and took Quinn's hand. The girls returned to the living room and put on their shoes. Quinn grabbed her phone and her purse as Puck returned in his uniform.

Quinn smiled slightly as she looked Puck up and down. Usually, she loved seeing him in his uniform. It made him look so grown up and mature - not to mention how incredibly hot he looked in it.

But Puck wearing it currently only reminded Quinn of him being gone again.

"Daddy, do you have to go?" Beth wondered.

"I do, princess." Puck replied. "But the next time I come home, I'll be home for good."

"We should go." Quinn said, not ready to say goodbye, but unable to say anything else.

"Yeah." Puck agreed. He grabbed his things and put his hand out. "Come on, Beth."

Beth took Puck's hand and walked out of the apartment with him, leaving Quinn to lock up.

The cab ride to the airport was uncomfortably silent. Puck held Quinn and Beth's hands tightly, but no one said anything. When they got to the airport, the driver thanked Puck for his service and comped the ride.

The trio headed inside. Puck didn't have much, so he held onto his bag and led the girls to one of the benches by his gate.

"How long are you going away this time?" Beth asked.

"About a year." Puck answered, glancing at Quinn. They had a policy to always be as honest as possible with Beth, and as she got older, it was easier for her to understand things.

"A year?" Beth repeated. "What about my birthday? And Christmas?"

"We just celebrated your birthday." Puck reminded Beth. "I'm gonna miss Christmas this year, but Mommy is gonna make it special like she always does and I'll be home soon. It all depends."

"On what?" Beth asked.

"Well, I'm going away." Puck said. "And I can't really take a break or a vacation from the place I'm going to."

"Why not?" Beth wondered.

"Because it doesn't work like that." Puck explained, wanting to spare Beth (and Quinn) the details.

Beth frowned.

"As soon as I can come home, I will." Puck promised. "Safe and sound. And then the three of us will be a real family again, okay?"

Beth nodded slowly as she wrapped her arms around Puck. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too, Beth." Puck said, rubbing her back as he looked at Quinn.

-

When they called Puck's flight to the gate, Quinn got up.

Puck got up and scooped Beth up. He kissed her cheeks and tickled her sides before squeezing her in a hug.

"Daddy!" Beth exclaimed, squirming in his arms.

"Next time I see you you're gonna be old." Puck reminded her. "Let me have a hug."

Beth smiled as she put her arms around Puck's neck and kissed his cheek.

"Be good for your mom." Puck requested as he put Beth down. "Be good and listen to her."

Beth nodded as tears pooled in her eyes.

Puck squeezed Beth's hand and held it as he turned to Quinn. "Babe."

"Promise me you won't die." Quinn said softly as she hugged Puck.

"I'm not going anywhere for a long, long time." Puck promised, squeezing Quinn in a hug. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her.

"Call whenever you can." Quinn requested, wiping her eyes as she and Puck parted. "If you can."

"I'll do my best." Puck nodded. He took Quinn and Beth's hands and put them together before letting go. "Be good. I love you both so much."

"I love you, too." Quinn said softly as she scooped up Beth, who was already crying.

Puck blew the girls kisses as he ran off with his bag.

Quinn took a deep breath and walked over to the window as she rubbed Beth's back. "Look, B. We can watch Daddy's plane take off."

Beth shook her head and buried it against Quinn's neck as she cried.

"I know." Quinn comforted Beth. "He'll be home before you know it."

The girls sat down at the window and waited for a while. Quinn kept her composure and gently rocked Beth back and forth. She wiped Beth's eyes and pointed at the window when she finally saw the plane start to move.

"There he goes." Quinn noted. "Wave bye Daddy."