I don't own Glee.

Have Faith In Me: Chapter 13

Kurt sighed as he pulled his Navigator into the hospital parking lot. Allie hadn't been at school all day because it was Monday and they were supposed to let Puck wake up today. Dave had said he'd tried to text the girl to see how it had gone, but of course she didn't answer him. Kurt smiled at the lady in pink behind the desk as he walked to the elevator, pressing the button for the fifth floor. Once arriving outside Puck's room, he took a deep breath before forcing a smile onto his face. He turned to great Puck only to be surprised at the fact the boy was still asleep.

"When they took him off the drugs he had a seizure," Allie said, her cheek resting on her knee as she watched Kurt sit down. "That alone would have been dangerous enough, but they probably would have let him stay off of them. But since he has a spinal injury and is in that halo, they won't want to risk him having anymore. They've tried a different drug to deal with the swelling in his brain and then they're going to try again in a couple days."

Kurt nodded as he took in Allie's appearance. She looked exhausted. Finn had told him that Ruth was making her go home every night to sleep but the girl had admitted that she was having nightmares and couldn't sleep. When Finn asked her what she normally did when she had nightmares, the girl had told him she would call Dave but that she was still upset with him so that wasn't going to happen.

"What about the tube?" Kurt asked gesturing to the breathing tube that sort of made him sick. He couldn't imagine having to rely on a tube to breathe.

"I don't know. Probably after he wakes up but no one has actually said anything." Kurt nodded again, not really sure what to say. He looked around the room for a moment, only then noticing the absence of Mrs. Puckerman.

"Where's Ruth?"

"She had to go to work." Kurt started at Allie like she was crazy before gesturing to Puck in the hospital bed, raising an eyebrow. "I know. But her boss said she can't miss much more work. If she hadn't gone in today she would have lost her job and since she's raising Noah and Sarah on her own, she kind of needs it. I mean the only reason she has insurance to pay for all this stuff is through that job. She was here this morning when they tried to wake him up but then she went to work."

"I'm sorry, Allie," Kurt said at a loss of anything else to say. The girl simply shrugged before hugging her arms closer to herself. When Kurt took a second glance he realized she had a McKinley football sweatshirt on, with the number 67 on the pocket. Kurt knew if she turned around the shirt would read Karofsky across the back. He smirked slightly.

"Dave's worried about you. He says he keeps calling you and texting you but you won't answer. I told him to come here but he feels like he's prying on Puck's family. I know he said some horrible things to you and hasn't really appreciated you much lately, but you should remember he's like family to you." As Kurt spoke, Allie lowered her head so her forehead was touching her knee, almost as if she refused to talk to him. "He's scared, Al. I know that doesn't give him a reason to be a dick to you, but we both know he lashes out when he's cornered. He just really needs his best friend right now, you know? Just…just think about calling him back, okay? I think you could use him right now, too. Finn told me about the nightmares."

When Allie sat up her face was wet with tears. She bit her lip before reaching out for Noah's hand. Kurt knew she wanted it to look like she was comforting Puck, but he knew that it was really the only source of comfort she had. The two stayed silent as they watched the steady rise and fall of Puck's chest. Kurt knew if he was awake the boy would be complaining about how uncomfortable the halo screwed into his skull was or how bored he was, or that his beloved mohawk was gone. It was weird seeing the normally so animated and loud boy now so still and quiet.

"I know I should call him. I know this isn't easy on him and I know this is sort of my fault. But do you know how long I've had this on my shoulders, Kurt? I've known since we were in seventh grade. He came home from some sleepover at Finn's or Mike's or somebody, and all he could talk about was how cool Finn was, and how cute his pajamas were, and just how all around awesome Finn was. And he had this glint in his eyes, like the one he gets now when he talks about you. And I just knew right then, but I didn't say anything 'cause I felt like he should figure it out without me telling him. He figured it out the next year, I think, when he couldn't keep himself from watching Finn in the locker room. That's when we started to pretend date. It's been four years of me just keeping this to myself, asking nothing in return. I do it because I love him, but he always seems to take that for granted. Yeah he thanks me and tells me he loves me and everything. But four years is a long time to keep a secret for someone when they only seem to use you half the time."

By that time Allie seemed to be on a total roll and Kurt didn't have to heart to stop her. She was gripping Puck's hand tighter, and the gleek worried for a moment that she might hurt him before he remembered that the jock was sedated. He turned his attention back to Allie, watching her wipe tears from her face.

"I've got shit going on in my life too, you know? My father's not dead, Kurt. He left mom, my brother and I when we were young. Now he spends his days getting drunk and tricking his daughter into giving him what little money she has just so he can spend it on drugs. He's been calling again lately, and that night I came to your house drunk I swore I saw him following me. And I'm in all AP classes. I mean between worrying about Dave, and my father, and classes and exams, and how I'm ever going to afford a good college, when do I have time to think of myself. But I don't really get to voice any of these concerns because all we're ever allowed to talk about is Dave. And you know I didn't mean to out him. I really didn't. But I know him, and he's always going to hold that over my head. And that's just-just not something I can take.

Kurt frowned slightly as he started to take in what the girl had said to him. Standing quickly, he crossed the room and pried Allie's hand out of Puck's. He pulled the girl close to him, hugging her tightly before whispering into her hair:

"Dave loves you. And I know he's a jackass most of the time who's full of himself, but he's so worried about you and he cares about you so much. I'm not telling you that you have to forgive him. But he's changing, Allie. I think this whole thing with his dad and Azimo has really changed him. Just give him one last chance to prove that he would do anything for you just like you would for him."

Allie whipped desperately at her eyes, refusing to look at Kurt for a moment. He followed her gaze back to Puck and felt his heart break for the girl. He knew that even though they hadn't been together long, she had always had a crush on the jock. But she had never acted on it because she had to take care of Dave. Kurt also knew that Puck had been taking care of her, calming her fears about Dave being angry with her and hating her. The small girl was lost now and neither boy in her life was able to help her. After staring at Puck for a long time, Allie turned back to Kurt.

"I'll call him. Probably not tonight, I still need to think, but I'll call him."

"That's all I ask," Kurt said with a smile. He placed a kiss at the girls hair line before walking out of the room, throwing one last glance at Puck.

It was raining when Dave got to the hospital. He knew Allie needed her space and needed to think before talking to him, but he needed to see her. He had gone to her house, but Luke said she hadn't come home from the hospital yet.

As he walked in through the automatic doors he shook the rain out of his hair like a dog, smirking as he thought how annoyed Kurt would be to see him do so. He stood racking his brain trying to remember Puck's room number before making his way to the elevator. He was trying to mentally prepare himself, remembering how bad Kurt said his fellow teammate looked. Taking a deep breath, he walked inside the room.

Puck looked worse than Dave was expecting and he had to take another breath to steady himself. He turned and found Allie curled up in a chair next to the bed, asleep. She was hugging her arms close to her body and he smiled when he realized she was still wearing his sweatshirt. He quickly pulled off his letterman jacket and covered her up with it. Brushing her hair off of her face, he began to quietly sing the song that he had been listening to in the car to her.

"She's all laid up in bed with a broken heart while I'm drinking jack all alone in my local bar. And we don't know how. How we got into this mad situation, only doing things out of frustration. Tryna make it work but man these times are hard. She needs me now but I can't seem to find the time. I got a new job now in the unemployment line. And we don't know how. How we got into this mess is it God's test? Someone help us cause we're doing our best. Tryna make it work but man these times are hard…"

He sat lost in thought as he continued to sing. How had he and Allie ended up in such a messed up situation? How had things gotten so out of control? Was Puck going to make it? Was he going to take care of Allie, or was he just going to be like the long list of men who had screwed up or walked out of her life? Dave didn't know the answer to any of these questions, he just hoped things were going to get better soon. As he grew closer to the end of the song he rose from his seat and took a step closer to Allie. He placed a kiss on her forehead before singing the last few lines.

"Oh these times are hard, yeah they're making us crazy. Don't give up on me baby." Taking one last look at the sleeping couple, Dave walked out of the room trying to figure out how to make things better.

'He's awake!' It took Kurt a moment to focus on the text message Finn had just thrust in his face, but once he finally read the two words he couldn't help but smile.

"Oh thank God." Kurt breathed, heading downstairs to wake up Dave. It had been about three weeks since the accident and this was the third times the doctors had tried to let Puck of the sedatives. The second time had resulted in another seizure and having to rest his halo. After that, the doctors had decided to keep him under for a couple more weeks, giving his brain more time to heal. They had done a scan the day before and were ready to attempt to wake him up once more. Kurt had wanted to be there for Allie, but she said she thought Puck wouldn't like other people there to see if something went wrong and Kurt had to agree.

"Dave. Dave. Dave!" Dave gasped as he was roughly shoved awake by an excited Kurt Hummel. Although most of his injuries were healed by this point, his ribs were still a bit sore and definitely didn't agree to Kurt's rough wake up call. He threw his hand over his face, wincing while he mentally thought how he couldn't wait for three more weeks to pass so he could get this stupid cast off his arm and stop almost giving himself black eyes every morning.

"What, Kurt?" The boy said tiredly. He slapped Kurt's hand away when the smaller boy poked him in the ribs again. "Would stop? That still hurts, jerk. What was so important that you had to wake me up like that?"

"Puck's awake!" Kurt all but squealed. Dave quickly turned to Kurt, searching his face for any trace that he might be lying.

"For real? Like awake, awake? As in their going to leave him awake and not drug him up again after a half an hour, awake?" As he spoke he started to grin. Kurt was practically jumping next to him.

"Yeah! Allie just text Finn to tell him! I guess they finally picked the right drugs!" Kurt was already pulling close out his closet for both him and Dave to wear. "Come on! Get dressed! We're the only ones that know right now, so maybe we can see him before everyone else gets there."

Dave chuckled at his, well he wasn't sure what Kurt was at the moment. They had been getting a lot closer and every once and a while Kurt would allow Dave to kiss him. Dave realized he should probably ask Kurt what they were when he was brought out of his thoughts when Kurt threw his letterman jacket, that had been returned by Finn from when left it with Allie, at him, stomping his foot when he realized Dave had yet to move. Dave laughed again, kissing the boys forehead before walking to the bathroom to get ready. Maybe today was going to be a good day.

By the time the boys had gotten to the hospital, the doctors had declared Puck to out of danger. He still had to remain in the halo for another four months and would have to have a scan done on his brain every few months, but nothing was really life threatening. They told him he would have to remain in bed for another week, just to be sure, but then they would start him on physical therapy so he could soon return home. His broken leg and arm had mostly healed while he was unconscious and they would be taken the casts off next week. Dave was slightly jealous before he remembered that his wrist had been rebroken, making it worse than it was before.

The met Ruth in the hallway, dressed in her work uniform. She pulled both boys into a hug, not caring that she didn't really know either of them.

"It's a miracle," she whispered, wiping a tear from her face. "My baby's awake! I knew he was a fighter, that's the only good quality he got from his father. Oh I'm just so happy!" She pulled the boys in for a second hug, causing them both to grin at her. "However, I have to go to work. Even with insurance, these hospital bills are going to cost me a fortune. I made Allie go home and relax for a little bit, can you two sit with Noah until someone gets back?"

Kurt glanced at Dave as if he was asking for permission. Dave shrugged before nodding his head.

"Oh thank you!" She pulled the boys in for a third hug before shoving them into the direction of her son's room.

Puck was sitting up in bed when they walked in. His leg was still suspended at the edge of the bed, and he still had multiple IV's and a heart monitor attached to him, but Kurt was glad to see the breathing tube was finally gone. No matter what else was wrong with Puck, the only Kurt hadn't been able to get over was the tube. When he heard footsteps, only Puck's eyes turned towards them since the halo and brace was keeping him from moving his head.

"Hey, guys," Puck said, his voice sounding rasp from misuse.

"You better not let Rachel hear you like that, she'll be after you about protecting your voice," Kurt joked, a small grin on his face. Puck laughed before groaning and growing completely still.

"Don't make me laugh, man. It still hurts." Kurt apologized before pulling Dave in to the room and leading them to the two chairs. "Well you look better, Karofsky."

"Wish I could say the same for you, man," Dave said, glancing at Puck once again.

"Yeah, well, shit happens I guess. Hey Kurt, do you think you could excuse Dave and I for a little bit. I kind of need to talk to him about a few things." Dave looked nervous but nodded to Kurt that it was ok. 'This might not end well,' Dave thought as Kurt walked out of the room.

AN: The next chapter is wrote and should be up soon. I don't own the song, it's "For the First Time" by the Script. I keep picturing Max Adler singing it and I think he would be amazing at it.