A/N: I looked up Police Academies in Ohio and found one in Lima so I used that one. Also, I found out that the academy's programs are 4 years long and that in order to apply you must be 20 so I changed that a little because Puck is 18. Also, you're supposed to have a spotless past, I changed that too because otherwise Puck wouldn't have been able to join the academy. I can't remember whether Puck's probation officer's name was ever said so I invented one.

I'm so sorry it took me more than a week to update, but I spent last week with a fever and soar throat and today I finally got around to write this. I promise that the next update will be on time and longer too! Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!

Mrs. Weitzman patted Puck on the shoulder when he stopped outside the glass doors of the entrance of the police academy. "It's not going to be easy," she said once again. "I got you in using some favors people owed me at the department but you have to pass the interview on your own and once you do that, your new life will start. You will study for four years and once you're out of here you will be a cop." She chuckled softly as if she was picturing Puck in his future life and couldn't believe it, she honestly wanted to help him but he had to show that he truly wanted to change and grow up.

"That really helped me, thanks," Puck said sarcastically. He clutched in his hands the papers he had to give to the front desk and gulped around the lump forming in his throat.

Mrs. Weitzman pushed him forward, "I better not see you again, Puckerman. I'm putting my ass on the line here to help you."

Puck glanced at her from over his shoulder and took a deep breath. He had talked about it with his mom who had first cried because she was proud and then because what if he got himself killed? Puck had rolled his eyes at her and mumbled something about not even being a real cop before the next four years passed. Sarah, his sister, had hugged him really tight begging him not to leave her alone because she needed her big brother. He had laughed and said that she didn't need to worry because even if the academy accepted his application, the place was still in Lima and they would still see each other every week-end.

Puck turned around again still feeling somehow uncertain on what he was going to do. He ended up pulling his cell phone from the pocket of his jacket, his mind going back to Finn currently in New York with Rachel and Kurt and to Quinn away to Yale. He glared down at it and went to his contact list, his thumb hovering for a moment over the buttons before he pressed, "Delete all contacts". He needed to close that chapter of his life so he could move forward.

Mrs. Weitzman was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and he didn't even waste time trying to explain. He nodded to himself, mumbled a thank you to the woman and then turned around finally walking inside the academy.

The hot hair of July was suffocating outside but the building was cool from the air-conditioning and Puck shivered at the change of temperature. A blond officer was sitting behind the front desk, a bored expression on her face while she looked at the computer in front of her.

Puck walked up to her and cleared his throat. "Good morning, ma'am," he greeted, trying to be as polite as possible. The woman raised her brown eyes to him and smiled.

"What can I do for you, kid?"

"I have an interview to get into the academy."

She frowned. "You look a bit too young for that. Show me your I.D."

Puck had expected that so he quietly pulled out his document and showed it to her. "The department sent me here, said you could make an exception."

The woman nodded handing back Puck's I.D. "There are some exceptions but you're still young. Are you sure you really want to do this?"

Puck stopped himself from saying that he didn't really have any other option and instead nodded and asked for the interview room. The officer pointed to a hallway to the right and told him to stop at the third door. Puck nodded his thanks and then followed her directions.

He knocked once when he reached the door and waited until he heard a gruff voice saying, "Come in."

Inside the room, sat behind a big white desk, there was a man with short black hair and big moustaches on his face. He looked about forty and it reminded Puck of his grandpa. The man looked up when the door opened, old blue eyes scanning Puck from head to toe before he told him to take a seat.

Without hesitating because Puck knew all too well that this was his only chance, he crossed the room, sat down and pushed the papers Mrs. Weitzman had given him toward the man.

"I'm Sergeant Marcus," the man said distractedly while he collected the papers and started reading through them.

"Noah Puckerman, sir."

Sergeant Marcus nodded and then raised his head pushing aside the papers. "Why do you want to become a policeman?"

And Puck had studied the answer to that, knew that he couldn't improvise and that what Mrs. Weitzman had suggested he said was the best chance he had. "I made some mistakes in my past and I believe that by becoming a policeman I could improve, become a better person. I want to become a better person," he said, emphasis evident in his voice. "I think joining the academy could be the best thing to happen to me, it would help me grow up and become a man and I know I can make a difference."

The Sergeant narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms over his expanded belly. "Why is that?"

"Because of those mistakes I mentioned." Puck licked his lips and tried to calm down his nerves. "I know young delinquents."

"You know, if you were ever arrested you can't become a policeman." Sergeant Marcus glanced down at the documents Puck had brought to him and then looked back at Puck. "Yesterday I got a very long report from a probation officer about how you're the right man for us and how you really need this and that making an exception for you as the department requested, is the right thing to do." He leaned forward over the desk, his eyes studying every expression that crossed Puck's face trying to discover exactly how honest and determined the young man sitting in front of him was. "I believe that it's better to keep someone out of troubles, that if we can help then we have to."

"I really want this, Sir," Puck said. He closed his hands into fists and furrowed his brow in determination. "I need this," he added. "I screwed up more than I can say and Mrs. Weitzman believes this is my only chance at becoming someone and I believe her."

"We have lots of applications, Mr. Puckerman."

"I know."

Sergeant Marcus stared at him for a few more seconds and then nodded. "If you were to join our academy, you would have to study a lot, and do a lot of exercises and there are going to be exams and no one can say if four years from now you will actually be a cop or just someone who tried."

Puck nodded but didn't interrupt him.

"You will have to give more than everyone else because even though you have a good word from your probation officer and the department signaled you to us, you aren't a kid with a great past. You've got to show that you are no longer a delinquent and I'm not talking about just saying you aren't one."

"I'm ready," Puck said. He honestly believed that he wouldn't get another chance and this was his only shot at being someone different from his father. Maybe he wasn't going to be a rock star but dreams weren't really for him. He had been serious at saying that he saw himself in prison or death and he wanted to change that and he didn't need dreams to accomplish that. He took Mrs. Weitzman's words about this being his only chance of redemption and kept them close to his heart. It was become a cop or stay no one, he didn't know any better.

Sergeant Marcus nodded again, picking up a pen and scribbling something on the corner of his notepad before he extended his hand to Puck. "You will have an answer soon enough, kid."

"Thank you, sir."

Summer had left town from two weeks before Puck got an answer, right when he had been sure that he had somehow got the interview wrong and that his future had gotten screwed up even before starting. He was mowing the lawn when the mailman arrived, waved at him before putting the mail in the letterbox and continuing down the street.

When Puck retrieved the correspondence he almost didn't pay attention to anything determined to only bring it inside and then get back to what he was doing, but the first envelope, blue and white, caught his attention. He turned it over and saw the emblem of the Shawnee-Apollo Basic Police Academy and tore it open, the other letters falling to the ground.

His eyes moved quickly over the paper inside that told him he had impressed the interviewer officer and that they will be glad to accept him to take part to the first exam in two weeks. Puck wanted to shout and then pick up the phone and call Finn but he didn't have Finn's number anymore, had tried his best to cancel it from his memory as well, and it still felt small compared to what his best friend was doing. He ended up folding the letter and putting it in the back of his jeans before going back to finish his housework.

Later that night, he told the news to his mother and to his sister who jumped on him and hugged him and Puck told himself he was doing this for them too so they could be proud of him. He smiled honestly for the first time in months and finally put out of his head thoughts of his former friends and their amazing lives.