After Deployment

8

Quinn headed back to the choir room and found Puck in the hall with Sarah.

"Hey." Quinn said with a smile as she glanced at Sarah. "I thought you said we were leaving."

"We are." Puck stated. "Sarah's coming, too."

"You're pulling Sarah out of school early?" Quinn asked.

"Nope." Puck shook his head. "She got suspended for the rest of today and tomorrow."

"What happened?" Quinn wondered.

"Wanna tell Quinn what happened, Sarah?" Puck asked.

Sarah shrugged. "You can tell her."

"She punched a girl in the face at lunch." Puck answered.

"Sarah?" Quinn raised her eyebrow.

Sarah shrugged. "If Kelsey wants to act like a bitch, I'm gonna smack her."

"She broke the girl's nose." Puck added.

"The rest of my class said I'm a hero. Besides, Kelsey's been talking about getting a nose job since, like, sixth grade." Sarah stated. "All I did was present her with an opportunity."

"Yeah, if you use that excuse on Mom, she'll kill you." Puck warned Sarah.

"Please." Sarah muttered, shaking her head. "I'm a first-time offender. And thanks to you, Mom's used to way worse behavior so she won't ground me."

"Mom's working tomorrow." Puck informed Sarah. "Which means she's not the one who's gonna ground you."

Sarah froze and looked at Puck.

"I'll make sure Mom doesn't find out about this, and I'll make sure that it doesn't go on your record." Puck promised. "But that doesn't mean you're off the hook, Sarah."

"Noah." Quinn said.

"Let's go home." Puck decided as he looked at Quinn and Sarah. "Come on."

-

Puck took Quinn and Sarah home and led them inside when they got there.

Puck closed the front door and looked at Sarah, who was hurrying up the stairs.

"Not so fast." Puck said. "Come here."

"Quinn, do something." Sarah requested.

"Noah, why don't you at least let her put her bag away first?" Quinn suggested.

Puck nodded. "She can do that after she gives me her cell phone."

"My phone? Are you serious?" Sarah asked Puck. "You're not my dad, Noah."

"Phone." Puck repeated. "Now."

Sarah huffed as she threw her phone at Puck before she went stomping upstairs.

"Go easy on her." Quinn said softly. "She's a kid."

Puck nodded.

"Are you gonna go through her phone?" Quinn asked.

"No." Puck shook his head as he put the phone facedown on the counter. "'Cause I remember the things I was sending and getting when I was her age."

"Sarah's a good kid." Quinn reminded Puck. "You and I weren't."

"She is a good kid." Puck agreed. "Which is why I'm gonna make sure she keeps her head on straight. Especially because I don't live here, so I can't see to it myself."

"Okay." Quinn said. "But go easy on her."