After a night at the hospital, sleeping on and off and having his lungs drained as he slept, Puck got to go home. Luckily, as long as he didn't get hurt, stopped smoking anything, and didn't do any rigorous activity for the next 6 weeks at least, he would make a full recovery.
Puck spent Wednesday at home with his mom. In the late afternoon, social services came by Puck had to tell them everything about his dad. He was thankful that his mother kept Sarah occupied in the kitchen while he was telling them everything. She didn't need to know the truth about the monster Puck fought off.
Once he had finished telling them every memory he had of his father, they brought Sarah in and began to ask her questions. Puck held his breath waiting for her every answer.
"Sarah," the social worker asked, "did you know the man that was here over the last week or so was your father?"
"Yeah," she answered confidently. "He kept telling me I was his baby girl."
"Did he ever do anything that hurt you or made you feel uncomfortable?"
Sarah was quiet for a moment, trying to think. "Mmmm… I don't think so. He got mad at me last week though and yelled…" She turned to Puck to finish her sentence. "He said 'I'm so angry I kinda wish Noah was here'." She did her best manly voice to mimic her father's voice.
The social worker nodded and gave a small smile to acknowledge Sarah's answer.
The rest of the visit was fairly easy. They discussed what was going to happen to his father and what all this would mean for the family.
Finally, the social workers left and Puck was left to enjoy his night with his mom and sister. He knew he had to go back to school tomorrow and face everyone. Hopefully they would completely believe the juvie story.
He walked into the choir room for the usual morning glee meeting and everyone was shocked, Santana most of all.
"Puck," Mr. Schue exclaimed. "No one told me you were coming back today."
"Hey man, how was juvie?" Mike asked over everyone's side gossip and conversations.
"Psh, I got sick of it. I picked a fight with a guard and when he broke my arm they let me go as long as I didn't make a big deal out of it."
Puck could see Santana sitting in the back, raising an eyebrow, but he ignored it.
"Right, well, take a seat and we'll get started." Mr. Schue said, lightly placing his arm around Puck's shoulder before gently pushing him towards the chairs. "Glad to have you back."
Puck winced slightly at the touch but it went unnoticed by almost everyone. He took his usual seat and the glee meeting began.
Nothing eventful really happened the rest of the day. It wasn't until after their glee rehearsal after school that Puck was getting tired and irritable. He had taken a painkiller before he left the house, but needed another one and didn't want to take it in front of everyone.
So leaving the auditorium, everyone went their separate ways and Puck took out his pills, taking one and putting the bottle back in his jacket pocket.
"So, did juvie get you into drugs or something?" Santana asked from behind him.
Puck turned around and sighed. "What are you talking about? Did you get all mental while I was gone?"
Santana gave a smirk and reached towards his pocket. "You know what I'm talking about. Popping pills now?"
"Just leave it Santana. They're for my arm. Now, I've got places to be." Puck moved away from her and began to head towards the school exit.
Santana didn't move, she just called to him while he walked. "You're lying about something and I will find out. Trust me on that."
He waved a hand over his shoulder, dismissing her comment. He wasn't going to worry about her when he had more important things to be thinking about.
The next day wasn't as easy as his first one. It was Friday and no one seemed to be paying attention to anything that wasn't gossip and rumors. Most of them were now regarding him. He could tell this was the work of Santana.
After an entire school day of people making shit up about him, some of them actually having the guts to confront him about some stuff, Puck had had enough. At their glee rehearsal, Puck walked into the choir room, only to be bombarded with more questions.
"Puck, this better not be true," Quinn stated, sounding angry and in full bitch mode.
"What are you talking about Quinn?" He asked exasperated.
"That you were gone looking for Beth instead of in juvie."
"That's fucking insane Quinn. Why would I do that?"
Quinn let out a huff and crossed her arms over her chest. "Because you are mad at me about giving her up and you want her."
"Yeah, that's definitely not true. I was in juvie, not looking for a baby that isn't mine anymore." He walked past her and went to take his seat but was stopped in the middle of the room.
"What about the rumor that-" Rachel began to ask.
"It's probably not true. All this shit is just rumors! Leave me the fuck alone about it." Puck was really agitated. He had gotten to take a painkiller during lunch today, but all the bullshit he kept being confronted with was not helping keep him calm.
"Yeah guys," Finn said, putting his arm around Puck's shoulder and squeezing him tight for a moment. "Our Puck is just your average juvenile delinquent-"
"Don't touch me dude!" Puck said angrily. His entire upper half was still in a lot of pain when people touched him.
Finn let go and took his own seat, not even bothering to finish his sarcastic insult.
Before Puck could take his own seat, Santana began to walk to him in the middle. "Well, see here's the thing Puckerman. Your story just doesn't add up…" Her confident bitch attitude was practically dripping from her voice.
"Drunk driving a car into an ATM and going to juvie for a week and a half? All of that was only ever even heard from Jacob, by the way, so we know most of it can't really be true. But the funny part is that I talked to you on Monday night… and you said… what was it again… you had a month left in the joint. So it really is quite a surprise to see you back so soon."
Puck sighed but it turned into a coughing fit that brought him to his knees on the ground. Santana backed away from him as Mr. Schue walked into the room. He saw Puck on the floor and ran over to the teen.
"Puck? Puck, are you okay?" Mr. Schue placed his hand on Puck's back and watched him cough.
As the coughing ceased, Puck pulled his hand away from his mouth, allowing himself to see he had coughed up blood. Dr. Prong had warned him that might happen a couple times, but that it would be okay. Mr. Schue, however wasn't aware of this, and he saw the blood.
"Noah, I think you need to get to a hospital. Can you stand up?"
Puck nodded his head and stood up slowly. Once he was standing, Mr. Schue grabbed a tissue from the box on top of the piano and handed it to Puck.
Puck wiped the blood off his hand and looked around. Everyone was in shock, but only Santana and Mr. Schue had seen the blood.
Santana automatically went into soft bitch mode. "Alright, now you have to explain. Why the fuck are you coughing up blood?"
Mr. Schue gave Santana a look, letting her know to watch her language, but he too, was curious.
Puck could see how concerned everyone in the room had suddenly become. He looked at the doors and indicated that someone should close them. Rachel jumped up from her chair and quickly closed the door. Mr. Schue grabbed a chair from the front row and brought it to Puck. Once Puck had sat down, Mr. Schue pulled another chair for himself and Santana took a seat in the front row.
"I wasn't in juvie, okay?" Puck began, his voice low and slightly nervous.
"I was living on the streets in Columbus." Everyone waited for him to continue, but he didn't say anything else.
"Why would you do that? And what does that have to do with the blood?" Finn asked bluntly.
"Because my dad came back. Is that what you want to know? My dad came back Finn." It was easier for Puck to address Finn directly than to tell everyone in general.
Finn tensed up slightly. He remembered the bruises and lies Puck used to tell. They had an unspoken rule that they never talked about it.
"He came back, beat the crap out of me a couple times, then kicked me out of the house. Told me not to come back or he'd kill my mom and sister. I had nowhere else to go, so I just drove, and I ended up in Columbus."
Mr. Schue's eyes snapped to Puck's face. "Noah, I have to report this… and you need to be checked out…"
Puck shook his head. "Already taken care of Mr. Schue." Puck slowly stood up and pulled his shirt off.
After several audible gasps from people in the room, Puck continued.
"He broke a rib and it hasn't healed properly. I spent Tuesday night in the hospital after I drove back here. Ma and I spent Wednesday with social services."
"Dude, you should have called me!" Finn said angrily, standing up from his seat.
"Really man? Call you? If you hadn't realized, you kind of hate me lately." Puck replied bitterly.
"Yeah, but I would have been there for you on this. I have in the past, you know that!"
Other people in glee began to put the pieces together. They realized Puck's dad had done this for years before he left. It all explained so much about who Puck was.
"Puck…" Kurt chimed in gently. "Any one of us would have helped you."
"Well, what's done is done. The streets sucked and I did a lot of shit I regret, but it's all fine now, okay? Just leave it alone." He directed the last line at Santana, hoping she really would leave things alone now.
"Wait… what'd you do?" Finn asked, not taking a hint.
"Don't worry about it. Street stuff, okay? I just need to get through this." Puck put his shirt back on and hated that he'd let anything about Columbus slip out.
People seemed to get that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. They accepted his answers and let him be for now.
After glee that day, Mr. Schue pulled Puck aside gently.
"Puck are you sure you're okay?" He gave his best sympathetic teacher smile but it only made Puck irritated.
"I'm great Mr. Schue. I love telling everyone everything about me." He answered sarcastically.
Mr. Schue paused for a moment before he spoke again. "Well if you ever need to talk, I'm here, but I think you should also go see Miss Pillsbury. She might be able to help."
"Yeah, I'll be okay without being shrinked, but thanks."
"Puck, singing about these past couple weeks might help you too."
"I'll think about it." Puck turned away and walked out the door, really debating if he wanted to sing for all of them about the shit he's just gone through.
On Monday in glee club, everyone seemed to be unsure of what to do around Puck. Everyone felt bad that they hadn't noticed anything. They just accepted the rumors of him being in juvie and no one even thought that something worse could be happening. It only made them feel worse when Puck stood up at the beginning of rehearsal and announced that he needed to sing.
"Mr. Schue, you said I should sing something. So I prepared something over the weekend when some stuff was happening…"
"Of course Noah, the floor is all yours." He was about to pat Puck on the back, but left his hand in midair, remembering that might not be the best idea. So he turned to the group and brought their attention to Puck. "Guys, quiet down. Before we begin this week's lesson, Puck's got something to sing for us."
Puck grabbed a guitar and stood in the middle, all eyes were on him. The music began and the band accompanied him, which he was completely okay with because the song really needed to be complete in order for him to feel everything he needed to feel.
No time for goodbye he said
As he faded away
Don't put your life in someone's hands
They're bound to steal it away
Don't hide your mistakes
'Cause they'll find you, burn you
Then he said
If you want to get out alive
Whoa-oh, run for your life
If you want to get out alive
Whoa-oh, run for your life
This is my last time she said
As she faded away
It's hard to imagine
But one day you'll end up like me
Then she said
If you want to get out alive
Whoa-oh, run for your life
If you want to get out alive
Whoa-oh, run for your life
If you want to get out alive (If you want to get out alive)
Whoa-oh, run for your life (Life)
If you want to get out alive (If you want to get out alive)
Whoa-oh, run for your life
Puck closed his eyes as he continued, channeling all his anger, fear, and sadness into the song he was singing. It was all he could do not to cry. He refused to cry over his father anymore, especially in public.
If I stay it won't be long
'Til I'm burning on the inside
If I go I can only hope
That I make it to the other side
If you want to get out alive
Whoa-oh, run for your life
If you want to get out alive
Whoa-oh, run for...
If you want to get out alive (If you want to get out alive)
Whoa-oh, run for your life
If you want to get out alive (If you want to get out alive)
Whoa-oh, run for...
If I stay, it won't be long
'Til I'm burning on the inside
If I go I can only hope
That I make it to the other side
If I stay, it won't be long
'Til I'm burning on the inside
If I go, and if I go
Burning on the inside
Burning on the inside
Burning on the inside
No one knew what to say. Puck's song was so passionate and raw that it made everyone scared to see him that vulnerable. In that moment he seemed like such a different Puck than the guy they knew.
Since no one was speaking, Puck knew he would have to open up more.
"My dad was officially brought up on charges of child abuse this morning… I'm not going to open up to you guys and spill all my feelings and secrets, but I know that you guys are going to be here for me. You've made that clear… This song… I had to run 2 weeks ago because there was no way I was going to survive… He left when I was 11 because he beat me so bad I was in the hospital for a week over the summer… hadn't seen him in 6 years. So yeah, I ran, not only 'cause he threatened me, ma, and Sarah, but because I was scared as fuck. I'm not scared of anything guys, you know I'm badass, but from the day he walked in the door until the day I got to drive home to my ma… I was terrified."
Puck took a deep breath, looking at his friends. "As long as he ends up in prison, this whole nightmare is over… Now can we please stop being all touchy-feely and shit?"
Mr. Schue laughed to relieve the tension. "Yeah Puck, no more feelings."
As Mr. Schue began the week's lesson, Noah Puckerman didn't realize how much his song resonated with everyone. There were cracks in the walls he'd put up and his friends were planning on helping him tear the walls down… or at least they'd help put in a door that Puck could let people in as he would see fit.
The song is 'Get Out Alive' by Three Days Grace. Other songs I considered were 'Hast Thou Considered the Tetrapod' by The Mountain Goats, 'Father of Mine' by Everclear, and 'Just Like You' by Three Days Grace.
Anyway, I hope you guys like it. It was fun to write and I know that some things might not be totally fluid regarding time or make since about the effects of meth. I've never done meth, so Google had to inform me on that aspect. The fic probably could have been better and I could have done more with it, but it kind of just took a turn I didn't mean for it to take, so this is what we get. Please review and let me know what you guys think.
I have no idea what I'm going to be writing next, but you can probably bet that I'll be making lives miserable.