Disclaimer: Shocking, I'm sure but I don't own Glee! Hope you enjoy!
AU: Kurt never went to Dalton! As stated earlier I was thinking about still including Blaine…after seeing Bills, Bills, Bills…that is most definitely going to happen. It was AWESOME!
Thanks to:
Bonesluver – I was going for gruesome so I'm glad I accomplished it. And hopefully there will be a lot more violence and death and mayhem coming soon. I know I haven't put a lot of the other Glee kids in yet but I do have plans. Plus, next chapter…Florida!
Nova802 – I am so psyched that you like this story. I've read almost all of yours and LOVE them. It will be a long journey for Rachel…if she manages to get by the zombies that is. There is lots planned…hopefully all good stuff.
Ang-Vamp – I LOVE cupcakes! They are a tasty treat especially when watching/reading zombie fics…like wine and cheese. Another chapter with an emotional Puck…but next time we see our favorite Mohawk teen…I PROMISE to have him lead a daring rescue.
I'm deeply flattered by your reviews, I hope you continue to enjoy my take on the zombie genre.
AN: Here is the second part of Chapter 2…Florida will be Chapter 3 (and the way that is going will most likely be broken up in parts too…isn't the first day the best part of any zombie movie?). Please enjoy and review!
Italics = Flashbacks
Chapter 2 – Part 2
Day One (Ohio):
He was drunk…fuck that he was wasted. And he didn't really give a shit either. He had started the day faking the whole being okay crap, tried to ignore the sad looks everyone kept giving him (at least from those that gave a shit) but once school was out…that was it. He had no reason to hide…he had nowhere TO hide from his thoughts. As surprising as it was, school helped keep his thoughts from wandering to exactly what today was. For almost anyone else, it should have been a good day…the day to celebrate the birth of a kid.
What else was he supposed to do…lie in bed and cry like a little sissy bitch? Fuck that, he was a bad ass mother fucker…he was Puck. It wasn't until after football practice, where he had taken special enjoyment in tackelin' his fellow teammates into the field, all in the name of football…right? that he realized that he shouldn't be sad or depressed about it….fuck they should be celebrating. Never mind that she wasn't there, she was somewhere and he hoped she was having the best day ever with her new family (Shelby was a hot cougar…it wouldn't be long before some guy snatched that hot ass up and officially replaced him in Beth's life).
What better way to celebrate than with alcohol so he went to the Kwik Shop, used his fake id to get a shit load of some cheap crap (the clerk knew he was underage but an extra twenty added to the total shut his cakehole), found a nice secluded spot at the park, far enough away from prying eyes but close enough to home that he could walk his drunk ass to later and attempted to replace all the liquids in his body with alcohol.
So yeah, he was completely wasted. Only problem was…the shit wasn't working. He was practically paralyzed from all the alcohol coursin' through his body but his brain wouldn't shut the fuck up. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if he didn't have the memories of his little sister and her first year. Cause now, he could easily imagine the same things happening with his little girl. Her first tooth and how much it would hurt her and how he wouldn't be there to comfort her. The first time she rolled over, the first time she would do the funny butt rockin' and then finally crawling. He remembered that his sisters first word was Dada, even though the fucker had never even been there. His mother told him it had something to do with it being the easiest sound a kid could make at that age, still pissed him off than that his sis started with that, instead of Mama or even Puck but within two months, he made sure that she soon learned both (though it sounded more like Fuck and got him in trouble ever time she said it…which was a lot). Beth would probably do the same, but unlike his dad, he wanted to hear her say it…he wanted to BE there.
When was this supposed to get easier? That's what his mom kept telling him. It would get easier. Was she saying that shit for him or herself? And how the fuck exactly was it supposed to get easier? Wasn't every year special for a kid? For a parent?
Surviving the terrible twos and then the even more horrible threes…preschool, kindergarten, first grade moving onto high school and then college.
Their first smile, their first laugh and their first temper tantrum.
Their first haircut, their first time picking out an uncoordinated outfit and their first time tryin' makeup.
Their first day at school, their first gold star, their first rendition of the ABCs and their first time reading a book to you instead of the other way around.
Their first best friend and their first heartache when said best friend pushes them in the play ground because the popular kids told them that it was the only way to be a part of their exclusive club.
Their first mean teacher, their first A, their first C, their first F, their first grounding.
Their first bike ride with trainees, their first bike ride without them, their first nerve rackin' driving lesson, their first license, their first car, their first fender bender.
Their first job, their first paycheck, their first promotion and their first resignation/firing.
Their first party, their first drink and their first hangover.
Their first boyfriend, their first date and their first school dance.
Their first puppy love, their first true love and their first lost love.
It was all there, every year meant something special…some 'first' that was experienced and needed to be remembered…cause isn't that what part of growing up was about…isn't that what LIFE was about…a series of firsts no matter how good or bad that experience may have been.
Puck knew life came with its ups and downs and raising a kid, even if he hadn't been sixteen but much older would not all be kittens and rainbows. He helped raise his little sister. He knew everything that came with a kid. He knew Shelby had her work cut out for her…after all, it was his kid…no matter what the adoption papers said…Beth was a Puckerman and if he and his little sister was anything to go by…Shelby should be experiencing her first gray hair about now.
Puck chuckled at the thought and then groaned as he turned onto his side. Alcohol always did make him a little philosophical…yeah, and it made his vocabulary more extensive too. Something like how a person can't play pool worth a shit sober, but put a couple of drinks into them and suddenly their hustling college students out of their tuition money (Brittany…enough said).
He had to get up. He can't remember exactly how long he had been there but the sky was completely dark and it was starting to get a little chilly. Plus, his mom would be worried and she worried enough that he couldn't bear to make it worse. He groaned as he sat up and picked up his shit, tossing out the empties and heading to his truck. He was glad he remembered to throw his letterman jacket in the bed before locking his keys inside the cab so he wouldn't do anything really stupid. His mom had a spare just for these instances. He'd pick his truck up sometime tomorrow probably before class started.
Feeling a little warmer and a little more mobile…he began walking. Another thing about him and alcohol…his sense of direction would get all fucked up. Sometime later, he realized that he had been heading down the wrong side of the street so now he was about an hours walk from home instead of the few minutes. He stood there dazed barely recognizing the neighborhood he had wandered into. The houses were bigger in this neighborhood…bigger lawns too; all nice and pretty with the perfectly cut grass and the perfectly weeded flower beds with driveways that looked newly paved not cracked and uneven like his. Bet none of this fuckers' worked as hard as his mom…she spent more time away from home than in it...just to keep the fuckin' roof over their heads and food on the table all because of the asshole that fathered him and his sis didn't have the balls to deal with the responsibility of raising a family.
Puck was about to go to a really dark place, one he had visited many times before since his dad left them but rustling next to him caused him to turn. One of those perfectly trimmed hedges shook and if he had been sober, he probably would have at least stepped away but instead he just watched the tiny leaves shake back and forth before something sprinted past him at warp speed. He watched the dark mass cross the street out of sheer curiosity…before he had to blink rapidly by the blinding light that flashed on as the figure moved passed one of the driveways. Weren't those things supposed to be set so that small animals couldn't trigger it…must have been a big cat…or dog. Was it a big cat or little dog? Now his inebriated brain was curious…he searched the lighted area to see if he could find out.
And there it was…his very own Burning Bush on Mount Horeb…but for Puck, it was in the shape of a small gold compact car. The light attached to the garage shone right on top of it, making it sparkle like a Star of David (not only does drinkin' make him philosophical but also helps in finding his religion obviously). It was the Star of David thought that helped remind him whose car it was…he remembered the necklace from his long ago dream and how it shone like it had a light of its own against the tan smooth skin of her chest.
It hit him…she would understand exactly what a fucked up day it was today. After all, wasn't today the one year anniversary of the day she last saw the woman who gave birth to her? The day that she had been replaced by a new baby was the same day he had been replaced as a parent. She would understand what he was going through…more than even Quinn would, who practically signed the papers before Beth was even out of her stomach. He and Berry ultimately didn't have a choice in the end; she couldn't get her mom to stay and he couldn't keep his daughter.
Before he knew it, he stumbled across the street, up the driveway and almost tripped over the few steps leading to her front door. He hesitated for a few moments befor knocking on the red door. He could hear movement inside before a gap appeared in the curtain that otherwise hid the interior from visitors. He saw the doe like eyes of his fellow Jew before they disappeared. He panicked in the split second between that and the sound of a lock turning before the door opened. He couldn't help but let the look of pain be expressed in his own eyes as the small woman stood in front of him.
"Noah." It was said softly almost a whisper…not a question wondering why he had shown up at her door or in disappointment over his obvious state of intoxication, just a statement of his presence as if she was expecting him.
Years of habit formed his next words, "S'up, Berry."
She didn't say a word, only opened the door wider allowing him to enter her home. It turned out that that was pretty much the only thing she did say to him the whole night (she did briefly call his mom to let her know that he was safe and sound). It was so unlike her…the diva with strong 'suggestions' and opinions but in some way it was exactly like her to go against what any other person would have done.
She just sat there next to him at first and as his 'manly' sobs grew worst, she cradled his head against her shoulder, softly stroking his hair alternating between the short stubble and the soft hair forming his 'hawk, just allowing him to express everything he kept bottled up for the past year. All the thoughts and feelings that had plagued him that day came pouring out with no filter. He didn't feel like he had to hide anything from her…he didn't know why exactly but her actions released him from any self-imposed restrictions he had given himself on anything related to his daughter. He was Puck to the outside world…to his mom, the reason he became Puck in the first place since his dad left them and forced a young boy to grow up faster than he should have…to put on a brave tough exterior so that his mom wouldn't worry about him having abandonment issues; to his sister who needed to see someone strong, someone who would stick by her, someone she could look up to since the man who had run away was to chicken shit to stick around; to Quinn, who, no matter how hard he tried to prove otherwise, in words and in action…still thought he was a Lima loser; to everyone else, who saw the same thing as Quinn did just because his mom was rarely home, because his dad had skipped out on his family or just because…he was Puck.
Rachel had always seen him as Noah even when he tortured her on a daily basis with slushies and cruel taunts. He didn't know why…it was Rachel…she always did things differently from everyone else and didn't care what anyone thought.
The next morning, when he got to school…'Puck' had returned in all his bad ass glory. It would be almost another year before he would acknowledge the girl as something more than a classmate or even a friend. That her actions the night of Beth's first birthday had meant so much more than he could even wrap his head around and the only way he repaid her for being there for him when no one else could was to buy her favorite flavored slushie. The smile she gave him after her first sip of the corn syrup concoction let him know that it was all the thanks she needed.
The light headedness disappeared soon after the two-syllable word escaped his mouth as if by saying the truth the pressure caused by holding it back released him to breathe and think clearer. He was finally able to stand up right without feeling like he was going to throw up.
"Puck, That's not possible." His guidance counselor tried to say.
"Oh, wake up and smell the fetid smell of rotting flesh, Pippi Longstocking. Can your Windex poisoned brain come up with any other rational reason on what just happened?" Before the younger woman could reply to the insult, Sue Sylvester raised her hand silencing him, "Don't bother…I don't have time for this. I have a gym filled with teenagers that I have to convince…and I'm pretty sure they'll get a clue before you do."
Will Shuester didn't even acknowledge the taunt thrown at the woman he was falling in love with. "How much time do we have?"
The coach quickly covered up her shock with her response. "That depends, Will.' She turned her intense gaze back to the teenager. 'You were in the office when Walker came in?' he nodded his reply, "Tell me what you know."
He kept his answer short, just giving the facts as he knew them. That Walker had come in after some lady had bitten him. "He was gone for third period and it's almost lunch now…so about an hour…maybe a little over."
Sylvester nodded, "Just as I thought…takes about an hour before infection sets in…than its Hungry, Hungry Flesh Eating Hippo."
"What does that mean?" Mr. Shuester asked curious still not quite believing what was going on.
"McKinley High is just on the rim of the town's borders…which buys us some time but not much. Those 'sickos' are opportunistic…as long as there is food around, they won't wander far but as soon as it starts getting scarce or their prey starts running away they'll start following their walking all-you-can-eat buffet."
"Food? Like people?" Ms. Pillsbury said.
Puck could see the coach clenching her teeth trying to reign in the tirade that she normally wouldn't hold back when dealing with these two individuals. She didn't succeed. "Listen to me very carefully, you may not agree on what went on in that room, but you sure as hell know that something happened to those two people. If you want to make up some lame fantasy that will get you through the day…hell, throw some glitter on him and call it true love...I don't give a flyin' shit…but we CANNOT let anyone leave until we're ready…because whoever or whatever did this to Brian is still out there chomping on some other poor unsuspecting slobs…and in about an hour…those unlucky bastards will be chomping on someone else. By this time tomorrow, the whole town will be infected and running around looking for some yummy tasty treat. Either way, right now, this is the safest place to be…but it won't be if we don't get our asses in gear."
No one was more shocked than Coach Sylvester when the Glee instructor whispered, "I believe you, Sue."
Ms. Pillsbury's eyes grew even more unnatural wide at the soft sound, "Will, you can't be serious?"
"Well, I'll be damned…welcome to the party, mop-head."
Puck ignored them as her words registered. Shit…he had to get out of here. Before he realized he was walking away from the trio.
He didn't even pause when his name was called, his eyes set firmly on the double glass doors that signaled his escape. "Where do you think you're going, Puckerman?"
He ignored the question and continued walking, he only needed a few more feet before he could slam down on the bar and he would be out. A firm grip grabbed him by the bicep which surprised him temporarily to halt. "I asked you a question."
He looked into the steel eyes, "My mom…sis…Berry." He could only rattle out those three words, his brain was working overtime…again…all he could think about were the three women in his life and how he had to go get them…protect them.
Her grip tightened, "And afterwards? After you find them…what will you do?"
Puck shook his head, did it matter?…he could figure that shit out later…right now, he just wanted to see them…make sure they were all okay.
"You will have nowhere to go…this disease, it's already spreading…there's no way to stop it and we aren't the only ones…soon the whole world is going to turn into shit. If you leave now, not only do you risk yourself but them too. It's not too late…your sister, she younger than you right?"
He nodded, "And your mom, where is she?"
"She…she works nights so she would be at home…sleeping." He stated mechanically.
"And the Diva?"
"She's sick…at home."
"Okay, the grade school isn't too far from here, only a few blocks over and unlike the walking hormones here, those kids can't drive to grab a snack…right?"
"I…I guess."
"Both your mom and Berry are at home…they probably haven't left and don't have any reason to get up and leave at least for a few hours right?"
He nodded again.
"I need your help, Puck.' He locked eyes with the older woman, seeing a steel resolve that would rival his girlfriends at her most diva-like moments. 'I need help convincing the putzes of this backwatered school. Short of dragging everyone by the nurse's office, I have no way of proving what you already know."
"Then what?" He asked quietly.
"Then we start making this school impenetrable…using whatever we got to make that happen so that anyone inside of it…is safe. Than…than you can go find your sis and mom…and as much as I dislike the little troll…Berry and bring them here…where it's safe."
He paused for a few moments, Coach was right…even if he managed to find them where would he take his girls? In every movie he had seen about zombies (with the exception for Shawn of the Dead…and since that was more of a comedy, he wasn't going to count it), there was nowhere to hide from it. Usually the characters found out too late…but they still had time…they had their warning via one Brian Walker. If she could get the rest of the student body and the teachers to work together, they could make the school some kind of temporary safe zone at least until they could come up with better options.
He nodded before another question escaped his lips. "How are you going to get everyone else to believe this shit?"
"Now, there lies my dilemma…my good looks and amazing talent can only get me so far. I'd figure those who don't believe…I'll just torture them until they do. Never underestimate the power of pulling fingernails off with a pair of pliers, Puckerman…it gets results." She looked over at where Mr. Shuester and Ms. Pillsbury were arguing…he trying to convince her that zombies did exist and her shaking her head severely against it, and suddenly the evil smile returned. "Damn, I left my good pliers at home."
While Sylvester's attention was occupied, Puck reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone to check the time. It was a little after eleven…he tried to ignore the panicked thoughts of his sister at her school. It would be less than an hour before lunch…a time where the kids will be out on the playground…outside. The background pic of Rachel didn't help his resolve to stay. It was a pic from their first date (corny? He dared anyone to say it too his face, he would just show them another pic stored on his phone of Karofsky and his bloody nose when the douchebag had remarked on it). Rachel had insisted that they needed one for prosperity. He had gotten up and slipped into the booth next to her after she had asked the waitress to take it. He was smirking but the smile on her face…was classic Berry, the real Berry smile and not the one she practiced in front of the mirror for future adoring fans and paparazzi.
An idea began to form. He rushed over to the trio of adults. "Ms. Pillsbury…you have the master combo for these lockers right? For when you like do illegal searches and stuff?"
The woman huffed offensively, "These lockers are school property, Puck…it's not considered an illegal…'
"What are you thinking, Puckerman?" Sue Sylvester interrupted seeing the look in the teenager's eyes.
He smirked, "That a picture is worth a thousand words."
AN: Well, there you have it…hope you liked it. I do want to warn you, that updates may not be coming as quick. I hope to have the next chapter done by next weekend (that would be ALL of it, no matter how much I have to split it up). Please feel free to let me know what you think. Thanks