Back to You

8

"Mommy, why do I have to stay with Finn's mommy?" Beth whined. "I wanna come with you again."

"I have a lot of work to do today. A lot of rehearsal." Quinn informed Beth. "I'll pick you up later. I promise."

"But I wanna come with you." Beth said. "I can stay with Daddy."

"You can't." Quinn shook her head. "Daddy's in some trouble and he needs a break."

"Again?" Beth frowned.

"I love you, B." Quinn told Beth as she parked the car in front of Carole and Burt's house. "And I promise that I'll pick you up later and we'll have waffles and ice cream tonight. And I'll let you stay up late and we'll have fun, just the two of us."

"Promise?" Beth questioned Quinn.

"I promise." Quinn nodded. "Come on."

-

Quinn parked in the McKinley lot and headed inside. She walked to the choir room.

"Sorry I'm late, Beth was..." Quinn trailed off when she saw Puck's girlfriend sitting in her seat.

"Quinn, I saved you a seat back here." Kurt smiled. "You're just in time for the performances."

Quinn smiled and nodded as she joined Kurt and Blaine on the top riser.

About halfway through one of the songs, Quinn excused herself from the room and headed to the bathroom.

When she walked back out of the bathroom, Puck was in the hall.

"Hey." Puck said as he looked at Quinn. "Is Beth okay?"

Quinn rolled her eyes and scoffed as she walked past Puck.

"Quinn, what's going on?" Puck wondered, grabbing Quinn's arm.

"Did you even bother listening to my voicemail yesterday?" Quinn asked as she pulled away and looked at Puck.

"What voicemail?" Puck questioned Quinn.

"The only voicemail I left you yesterday." Quinn replied. Puck didn't say anything, so she continued. "You know, the one where I said you can't see Beth anymore."

"What? Why?" Puck asked.

"What if she was sick? Or what if she got hurt?" Quinn began. "You would have no idea."

Puck looked at Quinn.

"It's not everyday we're in the same city and if we weren't right now, you would have no clue I left you a message yesterday because I wouldn't be standing here telling you about it." Quinn pointed out.

"So?" Puck muttered.

"So, it's not up to me to take care of you." Quinn told Puck. "I have one kid to worry about. I don't need to be worrying about a grown man who can't even be bothered with his own kid."

"Don't ever say I can't be bothered with her." Puck hissed. "I'm the one who wanted to keep her in the first place."

"And how did that end up?" Quinn asked, folding her arms. "Oh, I remember. It ended with you in juvie and me with full custody since she was four months old."

"I made a mistake." Puck said softly. "I was a teenager."

"So you choosing L.A. over us, was that just a mistake you made as a teenager, too?" Quinn wondered.

"I asked you to come with me and you chose not to. I asked you to let her come with me, and you said no." Puck stated.

"So you walked away from your daughter and moved across the country." Quinn nodded.

"I told you I loved you, Quinn." Puck reminded her. "You're the one who ran from me."

"I didn't run." Quinn responded. "You knew we were going to New Haven. You chose to leave."

"You asked me to. And I was stupid, but it's not like I didn't call or visit." Puck said. "I didn't disappear."

Quinn looked at Puck.

"Give me a second chance, Q." Puck requested. "I'm smarter now, I swear."

"Do you know how many second chances I've given you over the past few years?" Quinn questioned Puck. "And do you realize that if it wasn't for me, we wouldn't have her anymore? If I did the things you've done, she would've been taken away."

"I've been good with her, Quinn. If you don't like Ally, that's fine, but she has nothing to do with Beth or my parenting capabilities." Puck stated.

"I don't care what girl you're seeing this week or next week. I only care when it affects my daughter." Quinn responded. "And I don't owe you an explanation, but when I feel like my daughter's safety and well-being isn't secure, I'll do whatever it takes to fix that."

"Even if it means not letting her see me?" Puck asked.

"You've been the common denominator over the years, haven't you? Walking away and coming back whenever?" Quinn questioned Puck. "You're just like your dad, Puck, and you promised me that you'd never be like him."

"I'm not. I-"

"I'm done talking about this." Quinn cut Puck off as she walked away.