Disclaimer: Ownership is neither claimed nor implied.
A/N: A necessary intervention...
In the days and weeks that followed the accident, Puck found that forcing himself to get out of bed each morning did not get any easier. The only thing that made him even want to put his feet to the floor and check out of the window to see if the world was still revolving, was his daughter. To make himself see to her needs was the only reason for him to keep going. Puck made sure that Beth was fed, that she was clean and that she was loved. He read to her, he sang to her and played with her, just as Quinn had always done. He went to school and he went to work. He tried to keep his tears to himself, keep them for when Beth was asleep and he was in bed, alone. Every night Puck buried his face in Quinn's pillow, and he swore, he could still smell her very faintly, if he concentrated hard enough.
Everyone in glee club was getting worried about Puck, they could all see that he was losing weight, they could see that his face was becoming drawn. They'd all noticed that Puck rarely smiled at anyone anymore, except for Beth and occasionally his sister. Finn and Rachel, along with the rest of the group, decided it was probably time for an intervention. Finn consulted with Mrs Puckerman, and it was decided that she would bring Beth to the glee meeting that was set for after school on Friday. Mr Schuester and Miss Pilsbury were in total agreement with idea.
Puck was the last person to enter the choir room on Friday afternoon. He walked in with his hands in his pockets, his head down, as he usually did these days, and as usual, without even being aware of it, gave off the aura of being downcast. Puck jumped, was a little startled, when he heard his daughter's laughter, Beth had giggled when she'd spotted him and wriggled till her nana had allowed her down onto the floor. Puck looked round in shock, his hand on his chest. "Hey baby," he said softly and bent over to pick Beth up when she toddled over to him.
"Up daddy, up," Beth said and then giggled at him. She smiled and showed her teeth, she blinked slowly and sighed as she hugged her daddy.
Puck kissed Beth's soft wispy hair as he picked her up, he felt the usual glow and warmth in his heart as he straightened up with her in his arms. "What are you doing here?" he asked Beth, he glanced towards his mom too, he expected her to answer, not Beth.
"Noah," Mrs Puckerman began softly and stood up too, she had her hands clasped together under her chin, she felt unbelievably nervous, she didn't want to alienate her son, she wanted to help him and she had no idea how to do so, she'd never lost anyone that she loved like he had lost Quinn. "Everyone is really worried about you, we don't think you're coping very well," she paused as her voice started to break. "None of us are, really," she admitted, "but look at you, you're losing weight, you're not sleeping, you're just going through the motions," she stated quite bluntly. "The only thing you are doing is looking after Beth. Your classes are suffering more now than they ever have, you're in danger of not even graduating," she said and swallowed as she wondered if she'd gone too far. "We all want to help. All of us," she offered.
"Even me," a new, tremulous voice stated from the doorway. Judy Fabray stood there, with tears in her eyes, twisting her hands together. Puck turned at the sound. "Oh," she breathed, her hands flying to cover her mouth at the sight of her granddaughter. Tears streamed unchecked down Judy's face. "She looks so much like Quinn," she choked out, she was barely able to speak.
Puck walked slowly towards Judy with Beth in his arms. Beth had tucked her head under her daddy's chin, she had her thumb in her mouth, and she looked shyly up through her lashes at the stranger in front of her. Judy's heart melted even more, even Beth's mannerisms were so like her mother's. "Beth, baby," Puck said gently, and lifted her slightly away from him so that he could look her in the eye. "This is your Grandma Judy. Do you want to let her give you a hug?" he asked. Beth shook her head and squirmed to get even closer to her daddy.
"We'll work up to that," Judy said with a catch in her voice, it was almost a sob. "Can I shake your hand, Beth?" she asked the little girl. Judy felt that she really needed to make some sort of physical contact with her daughter's child, she was like a piece of her daughter still here on earth. Puck whispered into Beth's ear, words that Judy couldn't hear, but whatever it was that he said, it worked, Beth stuck one hand out towards Judy, towards the grandmother that she'd never met since the day that she was born, but she still kept the thumb of her other hand in her mouth as she warily eyed up the stranger. Judy grasped the pudgy little hand and gently shook it, she couldn't stop the noise that bubbled up from the pit of her stomach, it was both a sob and a laugh.
"Judy, thank you for coming too," Mrs Puckerman said quietly. "I know that you want what's best for Beth, same as we all do," she added and noted the nods from several people around the choir room. "We all agree that the best thing at the moment, is for her to be with Noah," she stated and again, noted the nods of assent. "Beth needs to have consistency in her life, we don't want to change anything but we do need for Noah to have more support, to accept more support, from us, his family and his friends and from you if you're willing to give it," Mrs Puckerman concluded and looked to Judy Fabray to see how she would answer, she wasn't quite ready to see if her son was willing to accept the intervention.
"I am more than willing to do whatever I can," Judy answered honestly. "I just wish it hadn't taken this tragedy for me to wake up to the important things in life, not just how they appear," she said and took a calming breath. "I will never forgive myself for not being there for my daughter when she needed me, for denying her the love and comfort she needed and deserved," Judy admitted then looked around at the gathered friends. "I want to thank you for giving her that, both of you," Judy spoke to Puck and his mom, "all of you really," she added, because it was true, they had all supported Quinn in a way that she hadn't. "But especially you Noah. I know that you loved her more than anything and that she loved you too," she said kindly, and she did know that, she'd seen it in the hospital when Puck had held Quinn's hand and encouraged her through the birth of their baby. "You were both so young you could have chosen a different path, an easier path but you didn't. I'm so proud of both of you. This little angel is all we have left of her, we have to cherish her and help her grow in a safe, loving, happy, extended family," Judy announced firmly, she was still using every one of her skills to hold in her emotions, she glanced around once again, looking at people she barely knew, some were openly weeping, some were keeping it together, just.
"So, I know I need help," Puck said softly, as he perched on one of the tall stools in front of the piano, he sat Beth on his knee. "I know I can't do it all alone, I need to work too, Burt's been really good with time off and stuff," he added and nodded towards Kurt, acknowledging Kurt's role as his boss' son. "I am not going to turn into my father," he vowed, "I refuse to drop out of school, I have to graduate, for Beth, for Quinn," his said as his voice broke, Puck looked away and blinked several times, he waited until he had recovered slightly before going on. "It's going to be hard, but will you help me?" he asked, he looked around and saw that every one of his friends was nodding, each of them wanted to be able to do something, anything to help ease his pain, help ease their own pain, they all wanted to help.
Rachel was the first to reach him and hug him. "Of course we will Noah, all of us, won't we?" she asked as she looked back at the assembled glee club. Everyone murmured their agreement and they all stepped forward to gather for a big group hug.
Once everyone had stepped back, Puck looked at his mother, saw the love shining in her eyes. "I promise to start being more careful about eating and trying to sleep better too," Puck said softly, he gave his mom a half smile as he repeated her often said words back to her. "I know I won't be able to look after Beth if I get sick."
"That's all I can ask," Mrs Puckerman said with a relieved sigh, she was glad that Noah seemed to be accepting the intervention in the manner that it had been intended. "I only ask that you try," she repeated. "I know it's going to be hard, but I'm here, we all are, every step of the way, we're behind you. We love you Noah, don't ever forget that," she assured her son, she broke off with a sob and hugged her boy, she had a feeling that he might just have turned a corner, he might just have found the will to go on, to be the father to his daughter that he'd never had for himself.
Beth stood on Puck's knee and hugged her daddy tightly round his neck. "Sing, daddy, sing," she squealed, breaking the tension that had manifested in the room.
"Sing?" Puck asked, in an exaggeratedly surprised voice. "You want daddy to sing?" he asked and kissed her cheek. "What do you want daddy to sing for you, baby?" he asked, even though he knew exactly what Beth's answer would be, it would be the same song that she asked him to sing to her every night before she went to sleep.
"Sing me, daddy, sing me," Beth demanded happily. She smiled and blinked her huge eyes at him, and as usual, Puck was transported back to a time when Quinn asked him to do something, asked him to bring her something, asked him to get her something and gave him the exact same look. It had always been Quinn's go to move, her little flirty touch and it had worked on him every single time. Every time that Beth gave him that look, the one that was so reminiscent of Quinn, it was an action that made sure he was totally wrapped around her little finger, Puck's heart melted at the sight, he smiled back then hugged her tightly.
"OK," Puck sighed as though it was a chore. "Are you ready?" he asked, as Beth laid herself back across his knee, she nodded and stuck her thumb in her mouth. Beth looked up at her daddy as he smiled lovingly down at her. Puck cradled Beth in one arm and stroked her hair with his other hand as he would at night to lull her to sleep. Puck felt a sense of peace descend, he knew things were going improve, he knew that things were going to get better, he bent to press a kiss to Beth's forehead then straightened up and began to sing. "Beth I hear you calling, but I can't come home right now….."
