525,600 minutes

chapter 14

Rachel skipped the rest of the day; she'd text Indi and Artie letting them now she was going home, she felt only a little guilty at her lie that Beth had a temperature. She did feel a little warm anyway.

"Where is your birth certificate?" Rachel asked Beth not really expecting an answer; her father's kept everything neatly in files but it seemed that one vital document was missing; most likely packed away in a box of Shelby's personal effects.

"You should really get a better lock Berry, I picked that in ten seconds."

Thankfully she had already settled Beth in her bouncy chair or else she would have thrown her when she jumped in fright.

"What are you doing here Puck?" She snapped, she already guessed his answer though.

"Quinn freaked out at lunch, couldn't catch much except Beth and Rachel." He explained for once without his signature smirk or sarcasm. "Santana happily filled in the blanks."

"I can't find her birth certificate." Rachel told him. "It's the only way we can be sure."

"She may be a year older but I can still recognize my baby girl's face." Puck reached down and scooped her up expertly; he had had a lot of practice with his younger sister. "Hey there pretty girl."

"I should have suspected something." Rachel groaned. "How did this happen? It's like a twist in one of those ridiculously over the top teen dramas on TV."

"We made it to Regionals, we just had Jacob mime in the background and Mercedes sang your solos." He explained slowly his eyes drawn to the little girl who kept grabbing his nose. "There was this coach of a rival choir, she showed up at the hospital after Beth was born. She adopted her."

"Shelby Corcoran." Rachel filled in. "My biological mother."

"Small world."

"She died a few months ago, my fathers were listed as guardians. She didn't have any family." Rachel said emotionlessly. "Except for a daughter who she told to never contact her again."

"We had no idea." Puck looked at the petite brunette something akin to pity on his face; she hated being pitied. "It was an open adoption but Quinn refuses to even talk about Beth. I used to get pictures but nothing for the last few months, I guess I know why now."

"My Dads are completely besotted with Beth, I don't know if they can be persuaded to give her back to a seventeen year old high school boy."

"I can't support her." Puck frowned. "I know that, and I know your Dads can give her everything she could ever want. She deserves to have that kind of life; I just want to be able to see her, hold her, you know?"

"Noah you are welcome to visit with Beth anytime." She told him gently brushing at her sister's curls. She was still her sister regardless of her genealogy. "But I wont let her be around you while you insist on being a juvenile delinquent. You have to stop throwing slushees and tossing kids into dumpsters. You have a daughter, it's time you grew up a bit."

Puck nodded slowly, he knew that but it was far easier to hide behind his bad-ass persona than it was to admit that he had dreams outside of this town, that he actually cared about people. That kind of thing got you killed in high school, Rachel knew that all too well.

"My mum will probably kick me in the nads if I don't clean up my act soon anyway." Puck chuckled trying to put on his usual swagger.

"We're at temple every Sunday if she ever wants to see her granddaughter." Rachel offered.

"She's being raised Jewish?" Puck smiled, a real genuine smile. "Now she wont have to pray for my and Beth's immortal souls."

"What are you going to tell Quinn?"