You Can Always Come Home

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Quinn pulled her car into the drive, stepping out and pushing her sunglasses up. She had looked him up in the phone book and found Puckerman Constructions just off the highway. She looked around for a moment, trying to figure out which sweaty worker was the sweaty worker she wanted.

"Excuse me," she called sweetly to a man passing by. He looked her up and down, dropping the wood in his hand and making his way over.

"Now what can I do for you little lady?," he grinned.

"Hi, I was wondering if you could tell me where I could find Pu-Noah Puckerman please?" He pointed behind her towards a white and brown trailer, than nodded his head and went back to work. She began walking towards the building, tiptoeing around pipes and tools that lay scattered along the ground. She made her way up the stairs and knocked lightly on the door.

"Its open.," she heard him call gruffly. She took a deep breathe in, anxious as to what would happen next. She turned the knob lightly and pushed the door in, feeling cool air rush against her face. She stepped in and turned to see Puck, clad in his usual plaid, and talking away on the phone. He looked surprised to see her, quickly saying goodbye to the person on the other end and hanging it up.

"Quinn, what are you doing here?," he asked getting up. She hadn't really rehearsed anything on the way over, hoping she would find the words to say when the time came.

"Look, I know you don't owe me anything. I know that I don't even deserve the time of day from you, but I need you to listen to me.," she said, her voice shaking, "Just five minutes and I wont ever darken your doorway again." He crossed his arms and leaned against his desk, nodding his head and finally making eye contact.

"Fair enough.," he said lowly. She walked closer to him, leaving a few feet apart, and began her speech.

"What I did to you, to everyone, it was selfish.," she began, "I thought that running from my problems would make them go away, but all it did was bring me more." Puck remained expressionless but still attentive.

"I was wrong, completely and totally, and I never considered how you felt for a moment. You changed who you were for me and gave up your whole life to make mine easier, and I don't think I ever thanked you. I was self-centered and immature, and I know the mistakes I made can never be mended. I don't have the words or answers that you deserve, but for all the pain I caused you and everything I drug you through, I am sincerely sorry." Puck remained quiet, staring at his feet. She wanted him to at least say something, anything at this point, to let her know he had heard her. She waited a moment longer than turned to leave. Just as she grabbed the handle she heard him speak up.

"I get it ya know." Quinn turned to face him, slightly confused as to what he meant.

"I get why you left, why you stayed in San Francisco.," he mumbled. Quinn stood awkwardly by the door, not sure if she should respond or not.

"It doesn't make it ok-"

"It sure doesn't.," he interrupted, making his way to the front of his desk and sitting on the edge, "but I understand." Quinn walked back over towards him, resting beside him on the desk.

"At first I didn't know why you left, ya know? I knew things had gotten shitty but they could get better right?" Quinn nodded avoiding his eyes, "I mean I never expected giving her up to be easy for us, but I didn't think it'd be that hard either." She felt guilt wash over her at the mention of their baby.

The aftermath of their adoption had left Quinn broken and Puck lost. They had argued the morning she was born, Puck fighting Quinn on keeping her and Quinn trying to reason with him about their futures. Things had gotten worse when the nurse brought her in, letting Puck and Quinn each have one last moment with her. Quinn couldn't hold her, knowing that the minute the little girl laid in her arms she would never let her leave them. Puck however had jumped at the chance, cradling the small seven pound, seven ounce infant in his huge arms. Quinn had never seen him smile like he did while holding her, breaking her heart into one more piece. He had been the one who had named her as well, Quinn trying to avoid any attachment to the baby.