This is a very short chapter. I've been hitting a lot of Bunnies, and Road Blocks and a couple of brick walls for the last couple of chapters. Please let me know if I'm losing you guys. After this chapter we will get back to the Purt creepiness! My Beta is MIA so I apologize for any errors minor or major, but it's all good. :-D Alright thank you all fro reading, please keep reading, I think my story kind of rocks and I need you guys to keep reminding me of that so please review even if it's a boring Chapter… Like this one is. I know it is, I feel asleep writing it, that's why it's short. Thanks you all.
Chapter 9
A whole new world
James sat across the table from the board of inquiry and two attorneys one representing Kurt Hummel, and the other one Noah. He was uncomfortable setting there looking as the other psychologists looked over his reports, which they had already done. The Attorneys there to represent and if need be argue the points of the two clients that weren't present.
"Doctor Bushfill, you have been the tending Doctor to Noah Puckerman over the last five years is that correct."
"Yes that is correct."
"I was looking over your files and you declared that Mr. Puckerman is a paranoid schizophrenic, however you also stated that he is a unique case. Is that Correct?"
"Yes Ma'am it is."
"Doctor the reason we are here is because you now claim that Mr. Puckerman is fit to lead a normal life with the stipulation that he continue to see a therapist and take mild anti psychotics. If he is a unique case then why is he being released so soon?"
"Noah has made a remarkable recovery in the last five years. He has shown no signs of delusions and we have not had a significant incident with him for over two years."
"I take it you are referring to when he tried to escape from the hospitals care?'
"He didn't try to escape the care of the hospital. He panicked because he thought that he heard what he claims to be 'The Monster' in his head laughing like Mr. Hummel. It is a very common action that people who are getting better feel when something like that happens. His mind was trying to rationalize what he was hearing and when it couldn't he ran from it."
The Doctor across from him leaned forward in her chair and made direct eye contact. James wasn't intimidated; she was setting in the chair that he had been offered many times before she took it. She knew he was a better psychologist.
"You're also asking that this Hospital proved him with housing and help him find a job."
"Yes I am."
"Please explain why."
"Noah came to us at a very young age; he has no high school diploma and no means, or family to take care of him once he leaves the hospital. I believe it would be in his best interest to accommodate these things for him, so that he may adjust better in the world that he knows very little about."
"I trust your judgment James, and we will accommodate Mr. Puckerman to the best of our abilities however, he will have six months before he has to start taking care of his own rent. Agreed?"
"That is acceptable."
Kurt Hummel's attorney jumped to his feet catching everyone's attention. His high powered suit made the public defender look like a popper, yet the public defender also looked at him like he was a tool.
"Mr. Puckerman is not allowed any where near my client do to the restraining order. Is he aware of that?" The distain in his voice was clear and James stiffened in his chair. The prate was acting like he was in a court of law.
"Yes, Noah is fully aware of that, and believe me Kurt Hummel is that last person he wants to see. Even if did, he is too ashamed of what he did to face the man head on. Also if you would please refrain from speaking Mr. Puckermans name as if it's a swear word. He has turned out to be one of the finest, most intelligent young men I have ever met in my life!"
Puck stood at the window that had been his little apartment for the last three years. He was rubbing the jeans that James had bought for him, feeling the fabric that was now so foreign to him. It was cores and stiff, nothing like the hospital issued pants that were less restrictive. In fact when he looked in the mirror it was hard to recognize him. The cloths, he hadn't worn actual cloths in such a very long time, and he had three whole bags of them.
If there was anything in the world that was more terrifying then the monster, it was this. He knew he was better. He hardly thought of Kurt, even watched him on the Jay Leno show and laughed at his jokes as if he didn't know who he was. Kurt was different too. Not the same boy he had fallen in love with. That made it easier for him to adjust. But he was leaving home, the safety of the hospital, his family.
He had cried when James told him he would be leaving in a week. He had cried everyday since that moment. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to pay bills or to shop for food, or pay his taxes; he didn't even know what kind of milk to buy for his morning fix. Did they serve whole, skim, or two percent at the hospital? Let's not forget cooking. Aries had brought him one of his wife's cook books. It was actually his. It was Cooking for Dummies.
They had given him a crash course on life in that last week. They had taught him how to budget his limited income from his new job. He was a bag boy at the local super market near his new apartment. A studio that James said was just the right size and when all was said and done was well with in his price range and in a good part of town. They had told him who to call to set up the utilities and told him how to get to his new therapist a Doctor Phillis Marno who by court order he had to see twice a week. Luckily he didn't have to pay for that.
They told him the bus routes around the city, even taught him how to clean, and Aries made up a shopping list of things that he needed to buy right off the bat, and then once a month after that. They were the simple little things that Noah always had on hand when he was at the hospital. Things like tooth paste, toilet tissue, paper towels, soap, sponges for his dishes. A nurse even tried to explain to him the very dynamic science of laundry. Aries simplified it by saying that he only had to separate the whites from the colors and not to worry about anything else.
The worst part, the hardest part, Aries couldn't hang out with him or he would risk being fired. Noah was literally going out in to the world alone. He had always heard that it was un-forgiving, but now he had no one to turn too when it got bad, with just the cloths on his back and a check from the state for eight hundred dollars. It was more then half of what he would make at his job. In fact his first check would go to his rent. He couldn't do this, but James said he had to.
"Puckerman the cab's here."
Noah turned and looked at Aries who was standing in the door way of his little room, Noah had a hard time seeing in to the hall passed his goliath best friend.
"Okay." Noah said as he looked out the window one last time.
Aries examined the boy, his warm deep eyes tracing over the cloths, the brand new white tennis shoes, watching Noah wipe tears quickly away from his eyes.
"You know, I remember this punk ass kid that came in here one time. He had this stupid Mohawk on his head; the dumb idiot didn't have a single shred of fear in his body. Tried and did get in fights with me every single day he was here for at least a year. Now, keep in mind this pain in my ass was one of the craziest sons of a bitches I had ever met in my life, but I admired him. Really I did, but then something happened."
"What?" Noah said with a smile wiping the tear from his eyes again as he looked at Aries with contending glare.
"He got better, got stronger. See, what happened was that he had kept himself in this dark place, but he fought through it. Now, he is one of the most bad ass people I have ever met and I'm proud of him. I know he is going to be okay, because what he accomplished in here, is nothing compared to what he can do out there." Aries lifted his head towards the window and Noah smiled.
"You don't think he is a pansy for crying?"
"Oh a real man will cry, but he keeps going, a coward will cry and hide. Come on Kid. The meters running"
Nothing sounded quite as final as James closing the trunk of the cab with all of Noah's new cloths in them. Like a jail cell being slammed or a gun shot. What ever it sounded like Noah jumped and held on to the straps of his back pack.
"If you have any issues call me. I will send some one to find you, but I don't think that will happen." James said his words bring an ending to the only place that Noah new. They shook hands and that was it. Noah looked out the window as Aries and James disappeared back in to the walls of the institution.
