After Deployment

50

Quinn walked out of the bedroom and looked at the golden retriever running around the apartment.

"Please tell me that's Jake's dog." Quinn said as she looked at Puck.

"That's..."

Puck trailed off as Quinn started crying while she watched the dog.

Puck furrowed his eyebrow. "Hey, what's wrong? I thought you loved dogs."

"It has my shoe." Quinn sobbed.

"Dammit." Puck hissed as he ran after the dog, who thought it was a game. "Max! Max! Drop it!"

Quinn cried while she watched Puck and Jake chase the dog. Finally, Jake caught the dog and Puck got the shoe.

"See? All good." Puck noted as he put his arm around Quinn.

Quinn took a deep breath and wiped her eyes, pulling away from Puck as she inspected her shoe. When she concluded that the shoe wasn't damaged, she looked at Puck.

"So that's Max." Puck said. "I've been training him since I started therapy, and he passed his service dog tests so he's ready to come home."

"He didn't pass his obedience tests." Quinn noted softly.

"He's a good dog, Quinn." Puck promised. "He's a golden retriever, so, you know, he thinks he's supposed to retrieve everything."

"You should've talked to me about this first." Quinn told Puck.

"I didn't talk to you because I knew what you would say." Puck replied.

"And you thought once I saw him, I'd be convinced." Quinn responded as she shook her head. "We're about to have a baby, Noah. Did you even think about that?"

"Of course I did." Puck stated. "But he's good for me. He gives me a purpose."

"He gives you a purpose?" Quinn repeated. "Not me or our baby, or your brother or your family? The dog?"

"Quinn, that's not what I meant." Puck said.

Quinn folded her arms and looked at Puck.

"Give him a few days to adjust." Puck requested. "I'll walk him and clean up after him, and I'll make sure he can't get your shoes."

"I don't want him in the nursery." Quinn added. "Or on our bed. Or the couch."

"Okay." Puck said. "Just give him a few days."

"He really is a good dog, Quinn." Jake added.

"Yeah." Quinn muttered. "We'll see."