One Big Happy Family

33

Puck and Beth spent a few more weeks in Lima. Puck spoke to Quinn almost everyday, and she was leaning on him a lot. Between Quinn and Beth and everyone else, Puck was being pulled in all different directions and it was becoming too much for him.

Puck was grateful when he got a phone call from his publicist telling him to come back to L.A. to strategize and plan for his album release.

"Hey." Quinn answered the phone.

"Hey." Puck said. "Can I come over? I wanna talk."

"Sure." Quinn responded. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Puck promised. "I'll be there in, like, ten minutes."

"I'll see you then." Quinn noted.

Puck hung up the phone. "Beth!"

"Yeah?" Beth responded.

"We're gonna go see Mommy." Puck told Beth. "Come on."

The pair went to the Fabray house, and Quinn let them in.

"Hey." Puck said.

"Hey." Quinn repeated as she greeted Puck and Beth. "Come in. B, Gramma was looking for you."

"Okay." Beth nodded as she ran off to find Judy.

Quinn looked at Puck.

"It's nothing bad." Puck began. "But I have to go back to L.A."

"When?" Quinn asked.

"They want me back within a week." Puck answered. "With the album release coming up, they wanna talk about PR strategies and public appearances and stuff like that."

"Oh." Quinn muttered.

"You can still call me when you need me, and I can fly back and forth to see you, and Beth could stay a few more weeks if she wants." Puck explained. "But I can't stay."

"No, I know." Quinn nodded. "You have to get back to work."

Puck nodded back. "What about you?"

"What?" Quinn asked.

"Do you want Beth to stay?" Puck wondered, pausing for a moment. "Or do you wanna come back with us?"

"You want me to come to L.A. with you?" Quinn questioned Puck.

"I'm gonna be working a lot the next few months, and Beth will be starting school again." Puck reminded Quinn. "She could use help with homework and you could work on getting an agent and going on auditions."

Quinn looked at Puck.

"It's just an idea, Quinn. You can take time to think about it." Puck added. "But I can't stay here anymore. I can take care of you if you come with me."

"I don't need you to take care of me." Quinn stated.

"Really? 'Cause that's kinda what I've been doing for the past month, putting my life on hold to handle yours." Puck blurted.

Quinn folded her arms and raised her eyebrow.

"I didn't mean it like that." Puck muttered. "I just-"

"I think that's exactly what you meant." Quinn noted. "And since I'm such a burden to you, then I'm glad you're leaving."

"Can you listen to me?" Puck asked, getting annoyed. "That's not what I'm saying."

"You should go home and start packing for L.A." Quinn suggested.

"Quinn, listen to me!" Puck commanded loudly, making Quinn jump.

Quinn looked at Puck.

"I'm sorry." Puck apologized softly. He paused and took a deep breath before exhaling slowly.

"Don't yell at me like that." Quinn said softly.

"I know. I'm sorry." Puck repeated. "It won't happen again, I promise."

Quinn nodded slowly.

Puck looked at Quinn and cupped her cheeks before kissing her.

Quinn wrapped her arms around Puck, deepening the kiss. Still, she was the first to pull away. "Noah."

"I'm sorry."