Chapter 4

An angry man is again angry at himself when he returns to reason

-Publilius Syrus

Two weeks, four days and twenty-one hours is the amount of time that has passed since the accident and although Puck hasn't told anyone, he is beginning to discover the withdrawal symptoms that come when you are too far away from H. There is this sense of depression, the sense of self-worthlessness when he is awake. Sometime, when Quinn hasn't brought Beth over, he feels like killing himself, like climbing to the top of the building and jumping off, but then there is always that face. Jesus and Puck can never do it because there is unfinished business. He's heard about Jesus, and he wants to know more.

He is flipping through the channels on the television when they come to him. There are two of them, one dressed in white, the other in blue; both have the same coloured jacket, black; the colour Puck has come to associate with death.

They're expressions are indifferent at most, not something you'd expect from visitors; but he gives them the respect that they deserve and switches off the television as he steels himself for the words that are about to come out of their mouths. He catches a glimpse of their badges and this is when he, for the first time in many years, feels truly intimidated.

"Mister Noah Puckerman?"

Puck looks away from the black screen and straight at the man who is speaking. He looks way older than he is and Puck is sure that this man's job cannot hold a candle to his, cleaning pools was the best job in the world. There was no need for stuffy suits, no need for badges, and most importantly, no need for a college degree. These are things that he's been telling himself in order to calm his nerves. He eyes the man as warily as the man is eyeing him.

The man looks stern, angry almost and for some strange reason this is something that is beginning to affect Puck. Puck swallows the saliva in his mouth and hardens his gaze at the man.

"That's me." Pucks's voice is hard as rock as he stares right back at the man and steels his gaze.

"I'm Captain Jordan Price, and this is my partner, Lieutenant Braiden Gift, we're with the Ohio State Police Department and we're here to speak with you."

Puck is beginning to feel slightly more than nervous at this point. He's done H, smoked weed, been into shop lifting, been to juvy, what is this all about now?

"Mister Puckerman, we have some good news for you and some bad ones", Jordon Price continues, Puck notices the gold band around his left ring finger and there is a slight tugging at his heart when he remembers that he'd barely worn his when he was qualified to be called a husband. The man spots him looking at the ring and stuffs his hands into his pockets.

"First, we'd like to let you know that the man who hit you has been arrested and brought in for questioning. I've spoken to the DA and she says that he's looking at about two months, maybe even three. That's the good news."

Puck looks Jordon Price up and down. He knows that this is not the only reason this man is here. In the time he's been out, they must have withdrew samples of his blood, and found the drug in his system, they must've noticed his depression over these few days and they most absolutely must know that this is not just a one off thing but something that has already grown to an addiction, Puck swallows hard.

"Mister Puckerman", the Lieutenant speaks up and looks him in the eye. This man is not much older than he is; he's probably twenty-five, twenty-six years old? Puck stares him down, trying to intimidate him. But it doesn't seem to be working. "We have reason to believe that you are endangering your daughter's life", he throws the report onto the table where the hospital staff normally place his food and Puck slowly picks it up.

There is are sentences highlighted in yellow so they stand out from the other words and that is when he sees words like 'Heroin found in blood stream', 'patient seems to have injected the drug intravenously'. And when he flips to the next page the words of the judge that are highlighted somehow don't surprise him 'Mr. Noah Puckerman poses a threat to his seven-year old daughter, Beth Fabray Puckerman and therefore visitation rights have been revoked for a minimum of twelve weeks', Puck looks up at the men in front of him and shakes his head.

They cannot do this to him; there is no way they are taking his little girl from him. There is no way he will let them.

"You bastards!" he exclaims as he rises from his hospital bed and lands a punch on the lieutenant's left jaw. He is quickly subdued by the captain and pressed tightly against the bed, the sickeningly familiar sound of handcuffs coming from his back. "There's no way you bastards are taking my daughter away from me! Not a chance in the world!"

"Calm down Mister Puckerman, if you don't do as I say, I'm afraid I'll have to take you downtown. I'm giving you a chance here", Price's voice is low and calm, almost as if he's seen this a million times before. "You're gonna cooperate", it's not a question but Puck nods his head anyway, this could be his chance to show that he's better than this, that he's indeed a good father.

"Will you… ", he hesitates, he hates to show manners to scumbags like these but he doens't have much of a choice. "Will you please let me go? I need to speak with Quinn about this", he says but is cut off by the lieutenant.

"I'm afraid the report was submitted by Miss Lucy Quinn Fabray", the man takes a deep breath, still cupping his sore cheek. "She's requested that we do all in our power to keep you away from her and your daughter. We've spoken to the judge and he's issued a warrant that allows us to keep you away from their house under all circumstances and that is what we will do. As for your heroin addiction, you will be put into a rehab centre as soon as you are discharged from this hospital."

They leave and Puck feels colder than ever and then he looks up.

There is a slight bitterness within his mouth as he stares up at the ceiling, the thought of losing Beth sinking in unpleasant taste is the taste of betrayal, something that he is unfortunate to be familiar with. He'd thought that the accident was a blessing in disguise, that it was something that would bring him and his ex-wife together again but he was wrong. Why did Quinn choose to do this to him?

Puck sits up, his head throbbing as he picks up the phone. There is a voice.

"Operator, who do you wish to call."

"Quinn, Quinn Fabray." He tells her and in an instant, the call is connected to the receiver of his ex-wife.

"Hello?" she asks and immediately there are tears in his eyes as his lips are trembling. Betrayal. How could he speak to someone who's turned him in and prevented him from visiting his little girl? He feel a lump go down his throat and he is angered.

"Crap you", his voice is harsh but he doesn't care. "Crap you Quinn, how could you do this to me? I thought you said we were better; that there could be another beginning for us?" there is a note of anger, hatred and vulnerability. But he doesn't stop there, even though his eyes are teary and his lips are trembling. "How could you let them take her away from me?

She is quiet for a few heartbeats and when she speaks, her voice is calm and measured.

"When we were in high school, you smoked weed, fought in public, got into juvy and I gave you a chance Puck, damn I tried and now you shoot heroin?" she pauses for a brief moment. "How do you expect me to chance my daughter's safety in your hands?" her voice is stern and he can see what she means but he cannot help from exploding.

"Crap you Quinn, you know what? I'm gonna fight you for the full custody for Beth and you know what else? I don't care what you told the police, I'm going to take Beth away from you and you will never see her again." And then he slams the phone down and breathes heavily. This, truly means war. And even though he is angry with Quinn, he is angrier at himself and then for the first time in his life, he looks up into Heaven and prays that Jesus be his Shepard because no one else can be.

A/N: Hey there! So here's the conflict! Hoping to receive at least 25 REVIEWS for this chapter by next Saturday. Chapter 5, will be posted in about one to two weeks time and i hope that when it is out, you will read and review!