Little Sleeping Beauty And The Soldier
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Glee
Chapter 1: A Better Man
As Noah Puckerman was reading Sleeping Beauty to a comatose Liza Marie Anderson, her grandfather, Burt Hummel, walked into the room and said, "I swear, Puckerman, since the funeral, you are the only one of Kurt and Blaine's friends who has come to see Liza Marie. My question is: Why? I mean, you didn't have to, Puck."
Noah looked at Burt and said, "Burt, Liza Marie was the only one who sent me letters or pictures while I was overseas. She was the only one who even acted like she cared about me. I wanted her to know that somebody besides her grandparents cared about her too. I tried to get Rachel and Jesse to visit her, but Rachel was being a bitch. My question is: Have the others called to check on her?"
Burt looked at Liza Marie and said, "No, they haven't, Puck."
Noah said, "I'm heading overseas in a couple of days. Will you keep me posted if anything changes, Burt?"
Carole enters and says, "Sure, Puck. And now I know why you were named Liza Marie's only godfather. I am shocked that out of all his friends, only you came to the reading of Kurt's will."
Noah said, "Me too, Carole. Hell, even Blaine's Dalton buddies couldn't believe I was the only McKinley friend who stuck around. God, we were never that close in high school. Rachel and Mercedes were his best friends. Kurt was there for me when my mother passed away, and then after Beth died of cancer. I guess Kurt and Blaine both became my friends after Finn died. I guess being Liza Marie's only godparent should have been my first clue as to how much our friendship meant to him."
Noah began to sob as he said, "God, I don't want to leave Liza Marie, but what if I don't make it back?"
Noah heard Liza Marie's voice, saying, "Your Uncle Hulk, goddammit! You will come back here for me! Do you hear me? Stop crying, soldier!"
This made Noah chuckle and whisper, "Yes, Ma'am, Little She-Hulk, Ma'am."
He then took her hand into his and kissed it. Looking at Burt and Carole, he said, "I am surprised that Quinn hasn't come to see Liza Marie as much as I have. When Burt was in the hospital, Quinn told Kurt to have faith. Now, Liza Marie is in a coma, and Quinn has only seen her once."
When Noah said this, Burt and he noticed that Liza Marie was clenching her fists. Noah then chuckled as he said, "I know, Little She-Hulk, that's messed up! Aunt Quinn told your dad to have faith that Grandpa Burt would wake up, and now she and the others don't believe that you'll wake up!"
Burt and Noah then took both her hands into theirs before saying in unison, along with Carole, "I believe that you'll wake up, Liza Marie!"
On the day Noah was deployed to Iraq, Burt and his sister Sarah saw him off. As he hugged Noah, she said, "I'll watch Liza Marie for you, Puck, and I'll try to get the others to care about her more. Ha, those assholes forgot you helped raise me, and now they're as neglectful as Ma was."
As Burt hugged Noah, he said, "Puck, you are a better man than your father, and I'm proud of you. Plus, you have shown me that Kurt made the right choice in making you Liza Marie's godfather. Now, go show those Iraqi soldiers why Liza Marie calls you Uncle Hulk." Soon Noah would be on his way to Iraq, praying he'd return to Liza Marie.
While overseas, Noah sent letters to Liza Marie and Burt or Sarah. He wrote to them and asked if there had been any changes; he felt heartbroken when the answer was no. One day, he received a letter from Burt with a picture of Liza Marie awake and smiling. Plus, a picture Liza Marie drew of him and her with Quinn. After seeing that picture, Noah wrote to Quinn, saying:
Dear Quinn,
I hope you and the others have gotten your heads out of your asses, for Liza Marie's sake. I read to her almost every day and was there for her. Did you know she wants you to be her new mama? Look, Quinn, I hate that you took Beth away from me, and I think with Liza Marie, we could be a family here. I can't do this alone, babe, and I need your help. Just think about it, okay? I miss you, and I understand why you stopped answering my texts or calls after the funeral. I also know I still love you, Quinn. We can make this work. Please don't shut me out, babe. Liza Marie and I need you. Okay? I realize Kurt and Blaine's deaths were brutal on everyone. But cutting me out of your life because you fear I'll die isn't right. Come on, babe. I know you well enough to understand what you are doing here. Please don't cut Liza Marie out of your life, too. She needs us both.
Forever yours, Puck
Noah never received a reply to his letter to Quinn, and he was not surprised that it had been returned unopened. He wasn't even surprised to learn that Liza Marie had written letters to Quinn as well. Noah hoped Quinn would get herself together soon because Liza Marie needed a mother. According to Burt and Sarah, Rachel wasn't much of one.
When Noah returned from Iraq, he couldn't hide the smile on his face as he saw Liza Marie, Burt, and Carole waiting for him. And as soon as Burt put Liza Marie down, she ran to Noah, who tossed her up into the air as he said, "God, I missed you, Squirt. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. Uncle Hulk had to take down the bad guys overseas for Ross."
Liza Marie said, "It's okay, Uncle Nono. You're here now, and that's all that matters." As they talked, they had no clue Quinn was there watching them, crying out of guilt over cutting Noah out of her life for nothing.
When they all arrived at Noah's house on the base, they saw Quinn's car parked next to Noah's house. Noah was the first to get out of Burt's truck and approach Quinn's car. But Quinn was the first to speak after rolling down her car window. She said, "Kurt told everyone he planned to make you Liza Marie's godfather. Rachel and I told him that Liza Marie and Beth were our only good eggs. Rachel can adopt, but I'm afraid to be a mother after screwing up my only shot at it."
Quinn didn't give Noah a chance to speak and left. Liza Marie chased Quinn's car after Burt had taken her out of his truck. However, Noah caught her and said, "She's leaving, Little She-Hulk, and she's not coming back." Although he hoped it wasn't true, he feared it might be.
When Noah took Liza Marie inside, he fell to his knees and cried as he held her. He said, "God, why!? First, everybody deserted Liza Marie! Now Quinn ditched us both! What the fuck?!"
Soon, Noah and Liza Marie began to cry as Burt and Carole held each other while watching them. When they stopped crying, Noah looked at Burt before saying, "I am not leaving Liza Marie like my dad left me and Sarah. I'll prove to everybody that Kurt and Blaine made the right decision. I am no longer the 'Lima Loser.' I will be the best dad Liza Marie ever had."
Then Liza Marie says, "You're my daddy, Hulk, and you're not a loser. They're all just assholes, Daddy Hulk."
Burt puts his hand on Noah's shoulder as he says, "Liza Marie is right, Puck. You are not a loser, and you are a better man than your deadbeat dad."
Carole says, "Finn might not have believed in himself, but he believed in you, Puck. Finn and Kurt both believe in you, and so do we."
She looked at Liza Marie before adding, "We'll help you with Liza Marie."
They soon heard Dave Karofsky say, "We all will, Puck." Then they saw Dave and his husband, Sebastian, standing in the doorway.
Noah and Liza Marie attended a Father-Daughter dance a month later. Liza Marie wore a Cinderella dress, and Noah wore his Air Force uniform. Michael Bolton's 'Fathers and Daughters' played in the background as they danced together.
As they danced, it seemed as if they were the only two people in the world. When the song ended, Noah picked Liza Marie up and whispered, "I love you, Liza Marie Puckerman."
As Burt and Carole approached them, Burt commented to Liza Marie, "You look like a real princess, Liza Marie."
Burt looked at Noah and said, "Puck, I'm proud of you, son. I'm sure Liza Marie will never forget this night or all you did for her. You gave her hope again, son."
Noah looked at Liza Marie and said, "You're wrong, Mr. H. It was she who gave me hope again. Ever since that first day, I visited her in the hospital. I promised myself that if she lived, I would be the best dad she could ever ask for. I may have missed my chance with Beth, but I'm willing to do everything I can to make sure Liza Marie has the best childhood ever."
Liza Marie said, "You're my Daddy Hulk, and I'm your little princess. You are the most awesome dad ever, and if they can't see that, then they can kiss my butt. I love you, and I don't care what they think. I'm your little girl." Suddenly the song "My Little Girl" by Tim McGraw started playing. Then Noah and Liza Marie got back out on the dance floor, and Noah began singing along.
Soon, Noah saw Quinn leaving and Burt following her. He was glad Liza Marie hadn't seen Quinn because he knew it would upset her. When Burt returned looking angry, he wondered what had happened. But he ignored it while dancing with Liza Marie to "Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong" and chuckling as he and Quinn sang along. As the song ended, Noah knew he would get Quinn back, no matter what it took.
Chapter 2 will be up soon. Since Puck is in the Air Force, I had to include "Love Lifts Us Up Where We Belong" in the story.