AN 1: After about five years, I'm finally able to go back and finish this. A big thank you to everyone who continued to read when I was unable to write. I hope you enjoy the story!
AN 2: To give credit where credit is due, Glee belongs to it's creators. Lyrics featured: "Funny Face," by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Always
Chapter 1: You Can't Always Get What You Want (Puck)
Must have been your paper chase that wasn't quite enough...
Blink.
Blink. Blink.
Turning away from the bright light streaming in from his window, Noah Puckerman began to curse his iHome for waking him up. Admittedly, he didn't curse as much since Beth was born, but he made the exception this time as he is willingly getting out of bed before noon during Summer break.
Must have been your angel dust that put me on your cloud...
Crossing his room, he changed the song to something more mellow, and started getting dressed quickly. Puck had scheduled his yearly physical for today, in less than an hour to be precise, and he needed to go to today's practice to get the permission form for football camp from the new coach. With about 20 minutes to eat and leave for the hospital, he knew this morning was already off to a bad start.
Turning off his iHome, Puck put his phone in his pocket before jogging downstairs, reflecting on his other summer plans. Its a Tuesday, right? Mom and Sarah should be home still. When did mom say I had to wash the car by? Ugh, I'll ask her later...if I can remember.
Smothering a chuckle at his last thought, Puck reached the kitchen, finding his mom starting on his sister's birthday desert: raspberry apple cobbler. He reached for a slice of apple from the cutting board, but his hand was slapped away.
"Noah, what time is your appointment today? You're cutting it awful close, mister. Not a good impression to make on the person who signs off on your athletic eligibility." His mom turned to him and ruffled his short hair. Sarah shaved the mohawk off before Hanukkah, leaving his hair to grow out a bit curly. Pulling apple juice from the fridge, he answered.
"Mom, I still have a while. And it doesn't take long to get to Lima Memorial from here." Puck put the apple juice back after a small sip, feeling sick to his stomach. Nerves probably, he reasoned. But I'm a badass, I don't get nervous. Doctors aren't scary and unlike Finn, I don't faint when I get blood drawn.
Finn. It was hard to think of him without grimacing. Puck's former best friend still hadn't really forgiven Puck for sleeping with his then girlfriend, and wouldn't speak to him most of the time they played Call of Duty with some of the other guys in glee. Finn forgave Quinn soon after Beth was born, and while they weren't dating again, they probably would be if Finn wasn't stringing along Rachel.
Rachel was probably the only friend Puck really could talk to nowadays. Matt had moved out of state, and Mike didn't really choose sides, opting to keep the peace through silence. Santana was mad at him for sleeping with Quinn while they were hooking up, Britany followed Santana. Quinn hasn't talked to him since Beth was adopted. Kurt and Mercedes ignored him, as per usual. Tina and Artie were nice enough, but they were better friends with Kurt and Mercedes, and hung around them more.
Rachel didn't really have anyone before the news was broken that fall day in glee; they almost treated her like a pariah. When he noticed that she was left behind by Finn after Sectionals, he took up her offer of friendship, spending most of his free time in the auditorium playing guitar or piano accompaniment to the songs she would sing. When she met Jesse St. James at the music shop early in the new year, Puck spent an hour telling her to be careful, even giving her a rape whistle "just in case."
Jesse's betrayal and the revelation of Rachel's birth mom, Shelby, only brought them closer. Of course, Jesse apologized profusely after the egging, stating that his teammate Gisele was blackmailing him into doing so. Rachel still hasn't accepted his apology, and Shelby just about disappeared after adopting Beth. All in all, a sedate end to the year.
Many changes were evident as the summer began; his days of "studliness" were long forgotten, trading in conquests for a break from the women of Lima, excepting Rachel. They would do homework together after Glee and hung out at each other's houses. All of the time they spent together affected Rachel as well, influencing her to relax a bit and enjoy the here and now. Their parents gladly welcomed these changes. Hiram and LeRoy Berry grew to like Puck, referring to him as 'Dennis the Menace' fondly on occasion (they hadn't forgotten his vandalism Freshman year). His mom took to Rachel really quickly, asking Rachel to call her Deb and insisting on dinner with both families after Temple.
Smack.
"Aw, mom!" Puck rubbed his left arm where he was just hit, "why'd you do that?"
"Noah, it's a quarter after ten. You need to stop daydreaming leave now if you're going to be there on time. Do you want to take something to eat on the way; I noticed you didn't have anything, and you've lost some weight recently." She looked at him with concern, as she began pulling out a loaf of bread.
"Naw, I'm still feeling a bit sick. I think I might have caught something from school a few months back."
"Well, do me a favor, and ask for a blood test to rule out mono. I heard that Lopez girl had contracted it, and knowing her, she probably spread it around half the school before school let out for the summer." He chuckled at the diss on Santana; his mom hated her.
"Ok mom, tell Sarah I'll be back after the appointment. I still have to change for football, so if she wanted to talk to me, I should be home between twelve and two. And before you ask, her birthday card is already on her bedside table." I grabbed my keys and wallet, kissed the top of my mom's head, and went to my Ford.
glee
"Noah Puckerman? Dr. Gerandy will see you in room eight now," the nurse told him. Puck put down the magazine he was reading and walked back towards the room.
Puck's height and weight were measured, and he waited for the doctor. Over the past few years, he struck up a sort of understanding with Dr. G, not receiving the repeat lectures on why not to sleep around Lima. The doctor recognized that Puck wasn't really receptive to long talks, so he gave him an informational packet to browse through and said his door was open whenever for questions (which there were quite a few of, after Puck read over the different types of STD's). He actually made appointments tolerable, which Puck wouldn't admit to aloud.
The door opened.
"How's my star receiver? Ready for this fall's season?" Dr. Gerandy asks, as he starts to look over Puck's chart. He frowns at something, then makes notes on the bottom of the page.
"Honestly, Dr. G, football isn't as fun as it used to be," Dr. Gerandy nodding, remembering the drama Puck had dealt with the previous year. "But I have to do something or I just get restless. You know, an outlet for frustration or something." Puck trailed off, picking at the small hole on the knee of his jeans.
"Yeah, Puck, I understand. Sports are a great way of achieving just that. Anyways, I noticed a few oddities on your chart, mainly that you lost twenty pounds since your last physical. Have you experienced any weird symptoms or made any changes in your diet that could have caused this?" The doctor looked somewhat concerned, worrying Puck. He ran his hand through his short hair nervously.
"Um, I've felt really sick for the past months or so. Like puke-on-the-OCD-counsellor sick," Puck thought back to Hummel being drunk last fall. "But it was never really that bad. Do you think it's Mono? Santana has it, and she has the habit of passing more than just gossip around." The doctor let out a dry chuckle, nodding a bit.
"Frederico's daughter? Yes, I've heard a few things about her... And no; Mono exhibits other symptoms than what you have. If you could please take off your shirt, then I can see if one of your ribs is misplaced; that could have caused the loss of appetite." Puck unbuttoned his flannel shirt, folding it quickly, and setting it on the examination table. He then raised his arms, forming a 'T' shape, allowing his ribs to be examined. As the doctor passed over his left arm, he frowned and gestured for Puck to lower his arms.
"Puck, what happened to your arm? This bruise is really serious, and without aggravating it anymore, you will definitely have some swelling." Puck looked at Dr. G first in confusion, then to his left arm. A blue and purple bruise, just now starting to resemble a smaller hand, was prevalent on Puck's bicep. His arm was prodded lightly, to asses damage, and he immediately pulled away from the doctor in pain.
"I-It can't...oh fuck-sorry Dr. G! I just...my mom smacked my arm this morning to get me moving 'cause I was running late. It wasn't even that hard! I have no idea how it happened," Puck trailed off in disbelief. Dr. Gerandy laid a hand lightly on his right shoulder.
"Puck, there are so many things that could be contributing to the bruising, so you don't need to worry as of now. You will, however, be missing today's football practice to get blood taken for testing. You shouldn't even think about going back until we have a clear idea of what's wrong." Puck looked at the doctor, and nodded seriously.
"Can I call my mom after the blood draw? I need to let her know I have to stay here later than expected."
Dr. Gerandy nodded.
glee
12:09 PM.
It had been exactly one hour and twenty two minutes since the blood was sent back to be tested. Puck still hadn't called his mom. He would get as far as the contacts page before chickening out, putting his phone in the other hand before starting again seventeen minutes later.
Home page.
Telephone page.
Contacts page.
"Puck, we have a partial panel done now."
Puck put his phone away, waiting for the news.
glee
12:19 PM.
He still needed to call his mom.
The results so far weren't too bad, Puck thought. At least I don't have IBS... Oh, well, here goes...
Contacts. Mom. Home.
Dialing.
Dialing.
"Noah? Do you have a flat tire, hon? Sarah was waiting to ask you for help on her Summer homework, and you didn't come home on time, and I figured... so how much longer do you think?" His mom spoke quickly, not letting Puck talk.
"Mom... I'm still at the hospital. They took some blood and are still running tests." He heard her sigh through the phone.
"Noah, did he say there was any chance of you having Mono? If that's the case, we don't need to test anything! That Lopez girl-" Puck interrupted.
"Mom, I don't have Mono. Dr. G thinks it's something else. You know how you gave me a smack this morning?" He paused for a moment, slowly releasing a breath. "It left a bruise. A bad one; all black and blue." He could hear the tears in her voice when she spoke.
"Oh Noah bear, I'm so sorry. Does Dr. Gerandy want me to come to the hospital? Do you want me to bring Sarah?" He thought about what possible news he could hear, and decided quickly.
"Mom, I'm fine for now, and I'll keep you updated. I promise. You know I love you, right?" This only made his mom cry harder.
"You think it's really serious Noah?" Shit, he thought, I need to act more normal.
"Mom, I'll be fine. I promise to call you right after I meet with Dr. G again. Oh, and if Sarah really needs help, tell her to text me the problem, and she doesn't have to wait for me to get home." He said, slightly mimicking the tone Rachel often used on him during their study sessions. He heard footsteps behind him, and knew he needed to go back to the examination room. "I'll call you later mom, bye."
After hanging up abruptly, he turned around, only to see the same nurse from earlier. She gestured for him to follow her, and he did, pocketing his phone as he walked.
glee
1:37 PM.
Dr. G had already told him some ideas of what could be wrong during their earlier consultation, with Anemia topping the list. He did a quick search on his phone, and didn't think it was as bad as he originally had thought, but the full blood work panel wasn't done yet. Dr. G opened the door, and entered the examination room with more paperwork.
"Noah, I have good news and bad news. What would you rather hear first?"
AN 3: Thanks for rereading the revised chapters! Revised 03-23-15.