Hello Readers. So, I haven't actually seen On My Way yet, but when I read the re-cap, I just knew that a PQ one-shot needed to be written. There are some already, but this is what I thought about when I heard about the accident. Everything goes along with the plot from season 3. Imagine this is the scene we will never get to see because the RIB have dismissed our ship. So, I'm throwing every Puck and Quinn fan a life raft. It's got a little AUness to it, but I think you all will enjoy it. Hope y'all like it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Glee.
Moment of Impact
He didn't even know what the visiting hours were. He wasn't even sure if it was alright for him to be there since he wasn't family. He had no idea what room number he was looking for. He didn't even know where to start. Regardless of the things he wasn't sure of, Puck knew where he needed to be. He needed to be with her, by her side, making sure she was going to be okay. She had to be okay.
As he made his way down the stark, white halls of Lima Memorial Hospital, Puck was suddenly hit with a memory about one of the last times he had been at the hospital. It had been with her. This particular memory was from one of the best days of his life. It was the day his daughter had been born. As much as he remembered the way Beth looked, it was her mother that invaded Puck's thoughts. He remembered her discreet smile. He remembered the soft, whisper-like quality of her voice. He remembered the way her hair had been disheveled and how a few stray strands framed her face. He remembered the light pink fabric of her robe. He remembered seeing his own breath on the glass as he watched his sleeping baby. He also remembered her question.
"Did you love me?"
"Yes, especially now."
He had loved her. He had loved her for her strength. He had loved her for her grace and elegance. He had loved the way she looked at him. He had loved the way she treated him, like she knew he was more than a Lima Loser. He had loved that she had believed in him. He had loved her because he had thought that she had loved him too. And maybe she had. While she may have never admitted it or told anyone, Puck knew that she cared about him. Somewhere, in the depths of her heart and roots of her soul, Quinn Fabray would always hold on to a part of Noah Puckerman. He held on to parts of her as well, and that was why he found himself wandering the halls of the hospital.
As he walked deeper into the hospital, Puck couldn't help but think about the girl that had changed his life. For better or for worse, that girl had been everything he needed.
"Excuse me sir," A nurse in scrubs smiled at the teenager as he approached the nurses station at an intersection of hallways. "Are you looking for someone?"
Puck pushed his hands into his pockets and nodded. "Yeah."
Smiling, the woman studied the teenager's face. "Do you know what floor or wing?"
Puck looked up and read the sign above the door to his right, Intensive Care Unit. He didn't know if that was where she was, but he knew that it was bad, that her injuries were bad, and that she was in bad shape.
"I'm not sure. I think she's here."
"What's the name?"
Puck cleared his voice as a lump formed in the back of his throat. It was starting to feel real. He had heard about the accident at the wedding. Yesterday had been crazy. First he was going to a wedding and then it was as if everything he knew had changed. Mr. Schuester had interrupted the wedding with the news and comforted the group as reactions turned to tears, guilt, and regret. He had said that there wasn't anything that anyone could do, that this type of thing took time to know what the repercussions would be, and that they were trying to keep visitors away for now. But Puck couldn't seem to stay away. He didn't care if she wasn't awake. He didn't care if she was bruised and broken. He only cared about seeing her. So, after laying in bed the whole night thinking about her, Puck had decided that he would go to the hospital.
"The name?" The nurse smiled at the teenager as she asked again.
"Fabray. Quinn Fabray." Puck choked as her name constricted his throat.
The woman glanced at the clock on the wall and smiled. "Visiting hours are almost up. You can come back this afternoon." The boy's face fell, and the woman could tell that he wanted to see her. "Are you family?"
Before he even knew he had said anything, Puck answered. "Cousin. I'm her cousin."
The nurse smiled and stepped closer to the computer on the desk. She didn't think he was family, not that she could tell, but she was going to help the teenager. He looked anxious and worried. The least she could do was tell him where she was. The nurse clicked the mouse a few times and then looked at Puck. "She's in four-oh-nine." The nurse pointed to the double doors. "Walk through the doors and take a right. It'll be the fifth one. You'll only have fifteen minutes."
Puck inhaled sharply and nodded. "Thanks."
With each step, Puck felt the weight of the situation seep into his skin. He had no idea what to expect. Mr. Schuester had been vague with the information he'd shared. There had been a flood of questions, but Puck's first reaction was shock. He had just seen her at Regionals. He'd seen her dance and sing and laugh. But now, now he wasn't sure if she'd ever do any of that again.
Puck passed one door, then two, and then he paused as he passed the third door. He could hear the faint beep of a heart rate machine and wondered if it matched Quinn's breathing. Feeling his nerves pool in his stomach, Puck almost turned around to leave. His knees wobbled and he leaned against the wall for stability. His body was telling him to turn around, but his heart was pushing him forward. He couldn't leave her, not like this. As much as it hurt to take the few steps toward her room, Puck did it anyway.
The door to room 409 was cracked, and he pushed it open with his hand. He had no idea if anyone was in there, but he figured he would take his chances. The beeping became louder as he walked further into the room, and his eyes widened when he saw her.
She was hooked up to so many machines. Her temple was bruised and a cut spanned the length of her brow. Her left eye was black and small cuts and scratches peppered her cheeks, arms, and hands. He could tell that her bottom lip was cracked and dried blood stained her coral lips a darker red. A breathing machine covered most of her mouth, and his hands moved to his own lips. He wanted to move the tube, take it and throw it, rip out IVs, tell her to wake up, but he knew that he couldn't. She was almost unrecognizable. Those machines were probably what were keeping her alive. Puck let his eyes roam across her body, and each time he saw an injury, he winced. Her left arm was secured in a sling, and her left foot was suspended in the air. Puck could only assume that it had been crushed in the accident. There was no telling was her gown and blankets covered. He only hoped she was in little pain.
She looked tiny and fragile and it made Puck clinch his fists. Rage and anger rushed though his veins. He felt like he needed to protect her, to take care of her, and to keep her safe. It didn't matter whose fault the accident's had been. If he ever found the driver of the truck, Puck felt like pummeling the person, beating the life out of him or her just like the life that seemed vacant from Quinn's body. She was too good of a person for this to happen.
Puck stood silently as he looked at her, somehow hoping that she would open her eyes or mumble some sort of response. Maybe she could tell he was there. If she did, he wanted to know that she knew he was there. He was hoping to see her crack open one of her eyelids to reveal one of her haunting hazel eyes. Maybe she would move her hand or toes. But there was nothing, only the beeping of machines filled the room. Puck ran his hands over his face and sighed heavily. Of all the people that could have gotten out of Lima and made something of themselves, it was her. But now, now those thoughts seemed improbable.
On the right side of her bed there was a chair pulled next to her bedside, and he walked hesitantly toward it. Had someone been there? Was it someone else's seat? There hadn't been anyone in the room when he walked in. Was there someone in the bathroom? Puck looked to the bathroom but there were no lights on. He was alone. He was alone with her.
Puck sat down and took a few deep breaths before he said anything. He wasn't even sure if she could hear him, but that didn't stop him from speaking.
"Hey." He waited for a second, accustomed to hearing a response, but then he remembered that she probably wouldn't say anything back. "I'm sorry." What was he supposed to say? An apology seemed the most logical. He was sorry for her getting into the accident even though it was no fault of his own. He was also apologizing for everything else, for all of the things he never did say, for Beth, for the hell she had been through in the last two years. There were thousands of little things he could have apologized for. He licked his lips as he looked at her closed eyes. "I wanted to make sure that you were okay, but..." Puck was interrupted by footsteps.
"Hello?" An older woman's voice lingered in the air.
Puck glanced over his shoulder and smiled wearily. Judy Fabray was standing in the doorway. She looked like she had been crying. Her face was red and puffy, dark shadows stained the skin under her eyes, and her usual smooth, blonde bun was loose and unkempt. He could tell that she was startled to see him, so he began to stand up.
"I'll go." Puck had never had good timing and shook his head as he rose to his feet.
Judy stopped him. "No. Stay." She sighed and walked to the other chair across from the bed and sat down. "I told Mr. Schuster that I didn't think visitors should come, not until we know more, but I'm glad you're here." She was glad someone was there. Russell Fabray, her ex husband and Quinn's father, had been out of town when he had heard the news. He was on a flight back home, but wasn't going to be there until later that night. Frannie, Quinn's older sister, had two more hours on the road until she'd be in Lima. Judy was relieved to have company. She didn't like being alone.
Puck smiled and sat back down. "I didn't know what to do. I wanted to come, but I..." He put his hands together to try and hide the trembling. He was nervous and an army of emotion marched through him.
Sighing as she smiled, Judy nodded slightly. "She'd be happy you're here."
Judy knew all about Noah Puckerman. She knew that he had made Quinn happy, that he got on her nerves, that he'd done everything he could when he found out he was going to be a father, and that he treated Quinn as best as he could. She also knew that Quinn had loved him.
Puck shook his head because he wasn't convinced Quinn would want him there. They hadn't had the most amicable senior year. Quinn had started out a totally different person. Pink hair, cigarettes, and black leather had been a complete transformation from the God-fearing, innocent, beautiful girl in yellow he'd known for so long. She wasn't the head Cheerio he'd lusted after as an immature sophomore. But things had gotten better. After they'd argued about trying to get Beth back, Quinn had finally found her head again. They had gotten closer. He'd even gone over to her house and told her that she was capable of whatever she wanted. And sure enough, she'd surprised everyone when she had told the glee gang that she'd gotten into Yale. But he hadn't been surprised. Not really. He always knew she was destined for greatness.
But now, as he looked at her fragile and broken body, Puck shook his head. He couldn't believe that it might all be taken away. After going through so much, now she had to face another challenge. This challenge, though, was going to be much harder than anything she'd faced before.
Puck swallowed and glanced at Ms. Fabray. "Can I...can I touch her?"
Judy nodded as a layer of tears coated her eyes. "Yeah." Seeing the boy with a mohawk look so scared and worried broke Judy's composure even more.
Puck looked back to Quinn and reached towards the bed. His fingers grazed Quinn's right hand and he flinched. He was surprised at her warmth. He thought she would be cold. The warmth of her skin made his heart beat fast. Warmth was a good thing, right? He gently moved his hand over Quinn's and held on to her, hoping to bring her out of the comatose state she was in.
"The doctors aren't optimistic." Judy's voice cracked as she continued, and Puck turned to look at Judy as she spoke. "They did a CT a little while ago to check her brain activity." Judy wiped the tears that streamed down her cheek. "And they say her spine is fragile. She may never walk again...if she wakes up."
Puck turned back to Quinn and felt his own tears. Puck wasn't a crier. He rarely showed emotion, but this was different. This girl was his first love. This girl was the mother of his child. Regardless of a recovery, Quinn would probably never be the same. Miracles happened, but that was a long shot. The girl he had fallen for and joined Glee for was gone, lost in an unconscious dream that was likely to last forever. He couldn't stomach the thought of that, though. She was Quinn Fabray. She was supposed to be the successful one. He had never imagined that she'd be put through something like this. Why was fate so mean to her? Why so cruel? He felt guilty. Shouldn't he have drawn a short stick too? Why was it her and not him? He knew he'd probably never amount to anything, so if he could take her place, he would have done it in a second.
As emotion and guilt ran through his body, Puck needed to make it better. He needed to make up for it all. The problem was that he didn't know how.
Puck reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. Thumbing between some one dollar bills and receipts, Puck pulled out a tattered piece of paper. He'd seen movies, TV shows, and heard about people telling stories to help people come out of comas before. So, as he ran the edge of the paper between his fingers, Puck shook is head. It probably wouldn't work, but he was willing to try anything.
As he looked at the old receipt from Breadstix, Puck smiled as he remembered one of the last times he had really been alone with her. It had been way back when she was pregnant, back when he was trying to convince her to stay with him and not move out and go with Mercedes.
"Do you remember the night that we went to Breadstix? The night you left?" Puck began the story and leaned closer to the bed.
"I haven't had bacon is weeks," Quinn said with a smile as she looked over the menu. "I want the BLT pizza. What do you want?"
Puck had been busy trying to shove four breadsticks into his mouth at one time when she asked the question. When he looked at her with his mouth full, she laughed a bit annoyed and amused. It killed her the way he acted sometimes. He was an idiot, but a loveable idiot.
Puck mumbled something that she couldn't understand and held his hand up as he swallowed. "That's fine. Get what you want." He knew his mother had been extra stern with Quinn, so he smirked and raised a brow. "I promise I won't tell mom."
It was looks like that that got Quinn every time. The mixture of deception and playfulness was fun. She smiled again but shook her head. She had something to tell him. "I need to talk to you about your mom."
"I know she's been on you about what you eat, but don't let that bug you."
"It's more than food, Puck." Quinn sighed and looked down to her lap. "It's everything."
"She's just trying to do what's best." Puck responded as he stacked toothpicks on top of one another.
"I don't think I can take it anymore, though. She stresses me out, and I don't think it's good for me or the baby."
Puck stopped building his makeshift structure and shrugged. "She just wants to make sure that everything goes alright."
Quinn was silent for a moment. "I talked with Mercedes yesterday, and she offered for me to stay with her. She said I can move in with her."
Puck looked up from the table and met Quinn's eyes. "You're going to move out?" He knew it wasn't a question he was asking because he could already tell that she had made up her mind.
Quinn nodded. "My things are already packed."
Puck felt as if he'd been punched in the stomach, slapped in the face, and stomped on. He hadn't expected this. He knew she wasn't happy, but he never thought she'd leave. Puck exhaled slowly and leaned back in the booth. "So is this it?"
Quinn's eyes shimmered with a layer of tears and she raised her shoulders. "I don't know."
"Can I change your mind?" Puck shook his head. "What does this mean about us?"
They weren't technically a couple, but they were working on it, or had been working on it. A waiter approached the table and the young pair ordered food, abandoning the conversation that they had been having. Neither of them wanted to talk about it.
"We had dinner, and then afterwards, we drove back home and I got your things." Puck spoke softly as he talked to Quinn. "You stayed in the truck. When I was in the house, I tried to come up with good reasons to make you stay." He looked down to the old piece of paper. "I did. I came up with five, but I never told you. When I got back to the truck, you were crying, and I didn't say anything." Puck sighed and shook his head.
Puck parked the truck at the curb, and looked at Quinn. Her cheeks were stained with tear marks and he knew she wasn't happy with her decision, but she thought it was for the best. As much as it hurt him, he agreed with it too. In the grand scheme of things, it was for the best. They sat silently in the truck for a moment before Puck cleared his throat.
"So, I'll get your stuff." He closed his eyes as he opened the door and got out of the truck. He wanted to feel her hand on his arm, stoping him, but she never did.
Quinn nodded and licked her salty lips. She flipped the mirror down and checked her reflection. She shook her head at her pink eyes and puffy cheeks. Her hands wrapped around her pregnant belly and she whispered softly, "We'll be okay."
Puck pulled the last bag out of the back and set it down in the grass. This was the moment he needed. This was the time to tell her not to do it. This was the time to tell her not to go. He thought about the reason's he'd come up with back at the house. One: I'll be a good father to our baby. Two: I'll always try my best to make you happy. Three: You make me better. Four: We can be an amazing family. Five: I love you. Puck balled his hands into fists and nodded at himself trying to muster up invisible courage. "Tell her. Tell her you love her."
With a breath to clear his nerves, Puck walked to her door. Before Puck could open it though, Quinn stepped out and smiled wearily. "I just texted Mercedes. She'll be out in a minute."
Puck swallowed all of the words in his mouth. "Okay."
Quinn took a step closer to him and reached for his chest. "I just need some time..."
With a look of feigned understanding, Puck nodded. "I get it."
The light by Mercedes front door came on and a figure walked toward the pair by the street.
Quinn wrapped her hands around Puck's back and held on to him. "I'm sorry." She squeezed his midsection tightly and buried her face into his shoulder.
Puck pulled her closer and sighed. "Me too."
He stopped himself as he told her the story. "I should have told you not to go. I should have said what I wanted. I should have convinced you that we'd work everything out." Puck shook his head. "But I didn't. I didn't fight. I didn't try. I just let you go." He leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily. "I've kept the receipt this whole time. I don't know why, but I have." He smiled for the first time is what seemed like forever. His smile vanished when he looked at her. Puck took another breath and shook his head. "I just wish I could change things. Like when we tried to make it work after Beth was born. I didn't do everything I was supposed to. I wasn't what you needed me to be. So, you left again."
Puck covered his mouth with his hand and closed his eyes. Now was the time to tell her. Now was the time to let her know that she mattered to him. He brushed a stray tear across his stubbly cheek and sighed.
"I want you to be okay. Be okay for your mom. Be okay for Beth. Be okay for everyone at school." Puck quickly wiped away another tear that slid down his cheek. "Be okay for me."
He hadn't told her, but he needed her. She was one of the only people in all of the world that made him feel important. She was one of the only people that had ever called him special. After they'd become friends again, the last few months had made him think about their relationship differnently. Each time she sat next to him in Glee reminded him that they could get close again, that they should get close again. And when she had found him through the crowded stage after Sectionals, he knew that things could be different. He wanted things to be different. He'd thought about it for a while, but never acted on any of his feelings. Puck was scared of rejection. He didn't want her to reject him because of their past, lose her because of previous bad decisions. Now it seemed like he would lose everything.
To make sure he told her how he really felt, Puck moved toward her. He lifted off of the chair and leaned close to her ear. Puck gently kissed her bruised templed and closed his eyes. "I love you."
Puck didn't know much about love. He was a self-proclaimed ladies' man. He had never wanted to be in a serious relationship. But Quinn had always been different. Their relationship had always been different.
Judy dabbed at her eyes. Puck's story had been beautiful. She knew that the teenager at her daughter's bedside loved Quinn. Judy knew that his feelings and pain reflected on his face were real. She knew that their relationship hadn't been perfect, but love didn't require perfection.
Puck's lips lingered on Quinn's skin and then he pulled away. He wiped his face and then turned to Ms. Fabray. "Will you keep me updated?"
Judy nodded and she stood up. "I'm glad you came."
Puck's breath caught as he looked back to Quinn. "Can I come back?"
Judy smiled. "Whenever you want."
Puck sighed and pushed his hands back into his pockets. "Okay." He swallowed the lump he felt in the back of his throat. "Thanks."
Judy walked over to Puck and touched his bicep. "Thank you." She wasn't sure if he would ever know how much this visit would mean to her.
Puck took one last look at Quinn and sighed. He turned and began walking out of the room, but each step felt like he was carrying bricks of lead in his shoes. He didn't want to go. He didn't want to leave her. The further he got from her room, the harder it became to breathe. Tears dropped from his eyes and used his shirt to wipe them away.
The mother of his child, the girl of his dreams, and the love of his life was back there clinging to life. It broke him down and wore out his emotions. He hated himself for not trying harder with her. He hated himself for not telling her that they belonged together when it really mattered. The dumber than usual, badass jock and perfect cheerleader should have never worked, but he knew that they could have. So, as he walked out of the doors of the hospital, he silently prayed that she would wake up, that she would be fine, and that they could try again after she recovered. If she woke up, he was going to spend as long as it took to get her back.
Walking to his truck, Puck thought about the moments of his life that seemed to affect him deeply. He knew that moments of impact can change people's lives. The first one that had turned Puck on his head was the day he'd fallen for Quinn Fabray. She'd changed him in the best kinds of ways. The second moment had been the day his daughter was born. Becoming a father had instilled a sense of maturity and responsibility Puck never knew he could have. The third one was the accident. It was this moment of impact that was going to take the biggest toll. This moment of impact was going to affect the rest of Puck's life. He was either going to lose the one person who had made him feel important and needed, or he was going to have another chance with the girl he loved.
Time would only tell which one was going to happen.
So, that's what I would love to see on the show.
I know the flashback to Breadstix would never happen, but a girl can dream, right? Haven't any of you ever wondered what happened with that?
I have no idea about Quinn's fate, that's why I left it up in the air. I hope they don't kill her off, but I can see RIB doing that. Ugh. They are such butt monkeys.
Hope you all liked the one-shot.
Review please. :)