Don't Give Up

A one-shot with the Puckerman family in the future of the Beginning Our Life/Never Forgotten Past universes.

Ages: Nathan-14 / Rose-9 / Andy and Belle-4

~~~~~GLEE~~~~~

Sarah crossed her arms over her chest, "I don't like the idea of this."

"Every kid has to learn," Jake told her while undoing the last screw from the training wheels on Andy's bike.

"We'll be right there the whole time," Noah added as he lifted Belle's bike up.

"Were you this nervous with Nate or Rose?" Marley asked while rocking Maya, her and Jake's 10 month old, to sleep.

"Of course, my kids are going to try and balance on two wheels with no help whatsoever," Sarah sighed, "It's nerve wracking."

"Alright, I'm ready," Belle walked into the garage. The four adults all smiled at her. She was wearing a helmet over her bouncy curls with wrist, knee, and elbow pads on as well.

Andy ran past her wearing only a helmet that wasn't even clipped together, "She's a wimp, right Dad? Belle's a wimp?"

"What's a wimp and how do you know what one is?" Noah asked.

"A scaredy cat," Andy answered with a smile, "Nate taught it to me."

The teenager slowly walked in the garage having just caught the conversation. He gave a small, guilty smile, "What's up?"

"Nathan," Sarah scolded with a shake of her head.

Rose ran out with the camera, "Aunt Rachel wanted me to video tape this!"

"Ok," Noah clapped his hands together, "Who's first?"

"Me! Me!" Andy jumped up and down.

Jake chuckled, "Then come on!"

Everyone followed Jake, Andy, and Noah to the sidewalk. Noah set up the bike while Jake jogged down two houses to wait for Andy.

"Hey, Nate, how about you run along him in case he falls?" Noah suggested quietly to his oldest.

Nate nodded and stood to the side on the grass.

"I'm ready," Andy stated confidently.

Sarah fixed his helmet before patting the top of his head, "Good luck."

Noah steadied the bike as Andy mounted it, "Ready?"

"Yes," Andy nodded.

"I'll help you start then you're on your own," Noah continued, "Cool?"

"Cool," Andy repeated.

"Here we go," Noah started running as Andy pumped his legs and Nate followed along.

Noah let go after the first house, but Nate continued running across the grass with his brother.

Sarah cheered as Andy continued without any help, "Go baby!"

Jake smiled as Andy reached him, "Awesome, dude!"

However, Andy didn't stop like planned. He kept riding. "Dad!" he screamed.

"The brakes!" Nate yelled, "Hit the breaks!" He sped up his running to try and reach Andy before the youngest Puckerman rode off the corner into the street.

"I don't know how!" Andy yelled back.

"I can't watch!" Sarah hid her face in Marley's arm.

"I can!" Rose zoomed in her camera.

It all happened in slow motion. Andy tilted just slightly to the side before beginning to tumble over. Nate jumped in front of the bike before it could go in the street, but was hit square in the stomach with it and stumbled backwards. Both boys laid stunned on the cement as their family came running at them.

Andy tried to hide his tears as Noah knelt down next to him, "Buddy, come on, are you alright?" Noah asked while helping Andy sit up.

"Anything hurt?" Jake questioned Nate.

Nate lifted up his shirt where two dark red lines marked where the handle bars hit him, "Just a little sore."

"I'm ok," Andy sniffled.

"Don't lie, it's wrong," Noah whispered as he gently rubbed his hands over Andy's scratched legs.

Sarah sat on the grass next to Andy. Softly, she ran her hand under his chin where there was a small scratch, "Can you move your jaw for us?"

Andy did as she said and blinked back more tears.

"I'm still rolling," Rose whispered to Marley.

"Well, you should stop," Marley replied.

Rose slowly put the camera down.

Belle whimpered, "I don't want to get hurt too."

"You won't," Jake stated. "You're wearing all those pads that Andy wasn't, so you won't get hurt," he continued despite Sarah and Noah's glares.

Noah helped Andy shakily stand and slowly walked him back to the house.

Sarah grabbed Belle's hand as well, "Are you going to go now?"

"I don't know," Belle shrugged, "That looked scary."

"It was," Andy turned around.

"Hey, don't scare your sister," Noah said. He looked at Belle, "It's really not that bad, you'll be fine."

She smiled, "Ok."

Once back at the house, Noah decided to reteach the brakes to Belle to avoid a repeat of Andy, "Watch, it's this simple, Silver Belle."

"Can I film Belle?" Rose asked Sarah.

"Of course," Sarah smiled, "But don't keep filming when she falls."

"You mean if," Rose corrected.

"She means when," Marley stated knowingly while setting Maya on the grass.

"Alright, no training wheels, part two!" Noah helped Belle on the bike, "Ready?"

"I guess," Belle said softly.

"I hope she falls," Andy muttered.

"Don't say that," Sarah scolded, "That's not nice. How about you play with Maya?"

Andy sighed, but sat next to the baby and started playing peek-a-boo with her.

"Here we go!" Noah started forward and let go after the first house like before.

Belle was smiling, "I'm doing it! I'm doing it!"

Jake stood in the middle of the sidewalk, "Awesome! Now stop."

Belle jerked to a stop and Jake barely caught her before she fell over. Belle looked up at her uncle, "Did I do it?"

"Yes, you did it," Jake chuckled and hugged her close.

Down two houses, everyone cheered for Belle, except for Andy. He watched angrily as Jake set Belle up again and helped her ride home before letting go and running along with Nate. When Belle reached Noah, Andy hit the ground in frustration.

"It's not fair!" he yelled.

Maya's big brown eyes watched him before tearing up. The baby let out a scream as Andy continued hitting the ground. Jake hurried and grabbed Maya as Noah grabbed Andy.

"It's alright, Daddy's here," Jake comforted, "Nothing's wrong."

"Calm down, big guy," Noah carried Andy into the garage, "You can try next."

"But Belle did it good and I fell!" Andy protested.

"It's not always a competition," Noah said, "Just because Belle didn't fall that doesn't make you a loser."

Nate walked over, "Hey, Andy, come here." He put his hands in his shorts pockets and smirked at his brother's weary expression, "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Andy slowly went to him, "What?"

"Want to know a secret?" Nate asked while squatting down next to his brother. When Andy nodded, Nate smiled, "I didn't learn how to ride with no training wheels until I was six and even then I was still bad at it."

"Why didn't you do it when you were four like me?" Andy asked.

"Because Mom wouldn't let me," Nate said softly.

Noah chuckled as he listened into their conversation. Nate was telling the truth, though. Sarah was so scared to let Nate learn to ride. She didn't want him to get hurt or even run away.

"And I was scared," Nate continued.

Noah knew that was a lie, Nate couldn't have been more excited, but he was calming Andy down and that's all that mattered.

"So you were a scaredy cat?" Andy asked in disbelief.

"Yup," Nate nodded, "See, you're already so much cooler than me. I think you should try again and don't give up."

Andy gave a determined nod then looked at Noah, "Dad, I'm ready."

~~~~~GLEE~~~~~

"I'm a terrible mother," Sarah muttered.

"You are not," Marley assured, "You didn't know he'd fall again."

"Yes, I did," Sarah looked up, "But I didn't put all those pads on him like I should have, otherwise we'd be home right now with the kids and not in the emergency room."

Jake reached over and patted her knee, "Everything's going to be ok, Sars."

She scoffed, "My son is down that hallway right now getting stitches and probably a cast, how is that ok?"

The doors opened and Noah walked through with a drowsy looking Andy in his arms. He smiled at his family, "Look, Andy, look who's here."

Andy barely moved, "Who?"

"Mommy, Uncle Jake, and Aunt Marley," Noah answered while coming over to the three. "He was so brave," he told them, "Probably because they gave him a whole bunch of meds, but whatever."

Sarah stood and softly ran her hand over Andy's hair, "How are you, baby?"

"Tired," Andy whispered.

Sarah smiled, "I bet. Come on, let's get you home."

Andy reached up and tightened his arms around Noah's neck. His left wrist was wrapped in a small black brace, but Noah didn't seem to mind at it's roughness against his skin.

Jake walked behind them out to the car, "Those are some killer stitches, Andy. How many did you get?"

Andy mumbled incoherently, so Noah answered, "He only needed two. The doctor said it was good that he was wearing a helmet, though, otherwise it could have been worse."

Marley touched Andy's back, "Do you think you're gonna try to ride your bike again?"

Andy perked up and smiled a lopsided, stitch filled grin, "Tomorrow!"

"Ha, no," Sarah shook her head and opened the door for Noah, "You can try again after your wrist gets better."

"It's not even broken," Andy protested, "Dad!"

"I'm with your mom on this one," Noah said while pulling the car keys from his pocket and tossing them to Jake.

Andy fell defeated against his dad's shoulder, "Fine, but I'm not giving up."

Noah kissed the top of his head while setting him in his carseat, "That's all we ask."