Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the song used in this fic, just the plot bunny.

Warning: Alcoholism and minor character death. Mild slash in later chapters.

Summary: Three-part drabble fic (plus an epilogue). A tragedy occurs in Puck's life and Kurt is there to hold him together. Minor character death. Kurt/Puck

A/N: I think in cannon Puck's dad ran away but for the sake of this fic his father died when he was ten in a car crash. Also as I have absolutely no idea about Jewish traditions and funeral services etc. Puck is not Jewish in this fic.

Song: Whiskey Lullaby- Brad Paisley

Whiskey Lullaby

Beneath The Willow

xxx

We laid her next to him beneath the willow
While the angels sang a whiskey lullaby

xxx

Puck POV:

My hands shook as I tried to fix the tie around my neck, to no avail, so I just left it as it was, my hands falling to my sides heavily as I stood there staring at my reflection in the mirror. I felt a tear slide down my face, traced its path with my eyes as I realised that my mom would have fixed my tie for me if I'd struggled before. She would have been the one to iron my shirt and pants, to make sure my jacket still clean, to hold my hand if I was scared or rock me to sleep if I had a nightmare.

Well, she would have before dad's accident, but once she started drinking she was lost to me forever.

There was a knock on the door before it opened slowly to reveal Kurt, dressed in a suit as I was. Our eyes locked in the mirror and I felt something that wasn't the grief and anger that had clouded everything in my life since dad's accident stir within me.

He smiled gently as he gripped hold of my shoulders, turning me to face him before he reached up to fix my tie for me and I couldn't help but smile slightly as his hands smoothed out the creases in my jacket, his touch soft, gentle, caring.

"Thank you," I whispered as he stepped back.

He smiled a little at that before looking at the watch on his wrist. "We have to go downstairs now; the car's waiting to take us to the church." He said gently.

I nodded, gesturing for him to go ahead of me as we left my room and walked down the stairs and into the living room. My Aunt Jenna and Grandma were sat waiting for us and Mr. Hummel stood over by the window. They all turned as we walked into the room. My aunt tried to smile when I looked at her but it came out more as a grimace, but I wasn't expecting anything else really, after all this grief was new to them, it was a shock. For me, it still hurt that she was gone but I'd been grieving her loss for seven years already, ever since that first drink she had after Dad's accident.

Kurt squeezed my shoulder lightly and started to follow his father out of the house and to their own car and I started to panic.

"Kurt, wait," I called, stepping forward to grasp hold of his arm, "Can you come with me in the car? I don't think I can get through any of this without you," I whispered so that none of the others could hear. Kurt just smiled a little and nodded his head before he moved to talk to his dad in hushed tones.

Mr. Hummel glanced up at me a few times as they spoke before he finally nodded and steeped away from Kurt.

"I'll see you all at the church," He murmured before leaving the house.

Kurt walked back over to me, laying a hand on my arm. "Are you ready to go?" He asked gently.

"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied before leading the way out to the car.

xxx

The church service was horrible. It was so stiff and traditional and so not how I remembered my mom that it made me cry all the more, my hand moving to grip hold of Kurt's that had rested upon the smaller boy's knee.

Once I had a hold on his hand I didn't let go once throughout the service, all through the burial my hand gripped his so tight I was sure I would break something, but I couldn't help it, couldn't hold back the pain that wracked through my body as I watched the casket lowered into the ground in a plot right next to my dad's.

He didn't once complain as I crushed his hand in mine; didn't flinch or try to loosen my grip, just continued to rub the back of my hand with his thumb in gentle, soothing circles.

xxx

He was my rock that day, hell he was my rock from the moment his arms wrapped around me in the hallway and McKinley right the way through the stressful weeks that followed as my aunt tried to convince me to move to California with her, before finally giving up and letting me move in with Finn and Carol, and I wondered when I was that I started to fall for the soprano.

Look at this, I've managed to completely finish writing this and thus I'm posting the whole thing today, only the epilogue left to go now. As always your comments and constructive criticisms are greatly appreciated.

Multi x