Tracy's Room
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee.
Chapter 1: Sleeping Beauty
The Anderson home was eerily silent, the usual echoes of joy and laughter replaced by a thick, heavy quiet. Four-year-old Tracy Anderson, the cherished daughter of Kurt and Blaine, was in a coma at home, her tiny body still and serene.
Just a week prior, Tracy had been in a car accident with her aunt, Beth Corcoran. The crash had left Tracy comatose, her lively spirit confined within her unconscious body. Their home had been converted into a makeshift hospital room, with the soft hum of medical equipment in the background.
Puck, the tough guy with a heart of gold, was Tracy's most regular visitor. He'd sit by her bedside for hours, holding her small hand in his, whispering tales and singing gentle lullabies. His voice, typically filled with vitality and laughter, was now laced with a quiet desperation.
One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the room, Puck sat by Tracy's side. His eyes were red-rimmed from crying, his heart burdened with worry. But he was resolute, his usual hard exterior replaced by a softer, more vulnerable demeanor.
"Hey, Princess," he murmured, his voice barely louder than a whisper. "It's Uncle Noah. I brought you your favorite teddy bear."
He nestled the teddy bear next to Tracy, its plush fur brushing against her arm. Puck took a deep breath, holding back the tears that threatened to fall. He was a fighter, always had been. But this was a battle he couldn't wage alone.
"I know you're strong, Tracy," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "You're an Anderson, after all. And Andersons are fighters."
He paused, swallowing hard. "We all miss you, kiddo. Your dads, everyone. So, please, wake up soon."
As Puck sat there, the room was filled with a heavy silence. The only sound was the soft beep of the heart monitor, a constant reminder of the fragile life that hung in the balance.
The days turned into weeks, each passing moment a terrifying reminder of the accident. But through it all, Puck remained by Tracy's side, a beacon of hope in their shared fear. His tough-guy exterior had softened, revealing a man who cared deeply for this little girl. His presence was a testament to his unwavering loyalty and the depth of his love.
A week later, Tracy's room was filled with tension. Kurt and Blaine sat across from Puck, their faces etched with concern. Puck was visibly agitated, his hands clenched into fists.
"Puck," Kurt began, his voice gentle. "The accident… it wasn't your fault."
Puck's reaction was immediate and explosive. He shot up from his chair, knocking it over. His eyes were wild, filled with a mix of anger and despair. He began throwing things around the room, his movements frantic and uncontrolled.
"No!" he shouted, echoing off the walls. "You don't get to say that! You weren't there!"
Kurt and Blaine watched in stunned silence as Puck's anger unfolded. They had never seen him like this, so raw and vulnerable.
Finally, Puck stopped, his chest heaving. He turned to face Kurt and Blaine, his eyes filled with tears. "I was driving the car," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "How can it not be my fault? Beth is dead and Tracy is in a coma! My daughter is dead and yours is in a coma because of me!"
His words hung in the air, a painful reminder of the tragedy that had befallen them. Kurt and Blaine exchanged glances, their hearts aching for their friend.
"Puck," Blaine said softly, "Accidents happen. It's terrible, and it's heartbreaking, but you can't blame yourself."
Puck looked at them, his expression one of utter despair. "Yeah, but I do," he said. "I blame myself for giving up Beth, I blame myself for getting Quinn pregnant, and for not being a better friend to Finn. Now, Finn and Beth are dead. While Quinn dumped me because I killed our daughter!"
And with that, he sank to the floor, his body wracked with sobs. Kurt and Blaine moved to his side, wrapping their arms around him. They didn't have the words to make it better, but they could offer their presence, support, and love.
Once Puck had pulled himself together, he brushed away his tears, pulled out a copy of Sleeping Beauty from his backpack, and started to read. In the meantime, Kurt's folks, Burt and Carole Hummel, slipped into the house, joined by Rachel Berry and her spouse, Jesse St. James. It wasn't long before Rachel found a spot next to Puck, who tried his best to pay her no mind. Not too long after, Rachel had everyone else give them some space.
Soon, Puck puts the book down, and says, "I'm sorry, Rachel. Maybe if I had done something…"
Rachel turns Puck to face her and then says, "Finn took his own life, Puck. It took me half a year to stop blaming myself. How could you have known Finn would do that? Puck, that other car hit you. You didn't hit it, and you didn't cause Beth's death or hurt Tracy. Got it?"
As Rachel yells at Puck, his girlfriend, Quinn Fabray, enters with her best friends, Brittany and Santana Lopez. As soon as Puck notices Quinn, he pushes Rachel out of the room and barricades the door.
For three days, Puck only let Nancy Abrams, Artie's mother, who was Tracy's nurse, into her room. Nancy learned a long time ago that when it comes to Puck, it's best to stay out of his way. Burt, Quinn, Santana, and Rachel all tried to talk to Puck before they left, but he wouldn't listen. Rachel tried calling Puck every day, but he wouldn't answer her calls.
On the fourth morning, Kurt and Blaine were stirred awake by Puck's rendition of Tim McGraw's "My Little Girl". Soon after, Nancy tiptoed into their room, whispering, "Puck's barricaded himself in Tracy's room. He's blocked her window with her dresser and keeps calling Tracy 'Beth." By midday, they learned from Sam Evans that Puck had left the Air Force four days prior.
They soon heard Puck's phone ring, followed by his outburst, "Quinn, I'm homeless, Beth is gone, and my mom disowned me after we broke up! She said I was no better than my dad and hadn't spoken to me in four years! Sarah disowned me at Beth's funeral, saying I should've fought harder for Beth! Tracy is all I have left, and she's the only one who loves me!" The house fell silent, and Puck unlocked the door.
Nancy quietly stepped into the room, and Puck asked, "What happened to Artie, Mrs. A?"
Nancy sighed, "We got sideswiped by another car, and Artie's spine was fractured in three places. It was a while before he could feel anything below his waist. I blamed myself for a year after his dad left us because he couldn't handle the medical bills."
Puck, gazing at Tracy, said, "Beth and I were about to go on a father-daughter date when Tracy begged to come along. We were singing to the radio, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in the ICU with Kurt blaming me for Tracy's coma."
Kurt walked into the room, saying, "I didn't mean it, Puck. I was just upset, okay?" Puck pulled out his phone and played voicemails from Shelby Corcoran blaming him for Beth's death. He then took Tracy's hand and began to pray in Hebrew.
Blaine took a quick look into the room, his eyes landing on Tracy before he stormed out to Santana's place to have a word with Quinn, who was helping Santana and Brittany with their boys, Finn and Noah, fathered by Sam.
Kurt had been the one to reach out to Quinn to talk to Puck four days ago. Now she was dodging his calls, and Blaine had reached his limit. When he pulled up to the house, Quinn and Santana were outside, locked in a heated argument as Quinn loaded some suitcases into her car.
Quinn spotted Blaine getting out of his car and shouted, "Like I told Santana, I tried to talk to Puck! I'm sorry Tracy's in a coma, but I can't help someone who doesn't want my help!"
Blaine exhaled deeply and said, "I'm not here for Kurt or Puck, Quinn. Sure, I'm frustrated with you ignoring Kurt, but I'm here to talk as one parent to another. Tracy is my flesh and blood, Quinn. She could've been your daughter if Kurt hadn't asked Rachel to be our surrogate. Puck's hurting here, Quinn. You've been the best thing in Puck's life. You were there for him after Finn passed away, he needs you to be there for him now." Quinn didn't respond and climbed into her car.
Blaine soon followed her to the cemetery and found her at Elizabeth Hummel's grave. As she stared at the grave, she said, "Hey, Mrs. Hummel, I'm Quinn. I bet Kurt told you a lot about me and my daughter Beth when he had a crush on Finn."
She glanced at Blaine then continued, "I'm sure you know about the car accident Tracy was in and that Beth passed away two weeks ago."
Her voice cracked as she asked, "Could you give Beth a hug for me and tell her I missed her every day since I gave her up for adoption?"
She looked back at Blaine and said, "Do you know how many stories I heard about Kurt's mom when I was pregnant with Beth? I know how you and Kurt feel, Blaine. I know Puck's hurting, but I've been hurting for fourteen years. I didn't want to give Beth to Shelby any more than Puck did. I missed out on everything in Beth's life. Kurt's mom missed out on meeting you and Tracy, meeting all of Kurt's friends. Mr. H becoming a Congressman, watching Rachel give birth to Tracy."
She looked back at the grave and then said, "You didn't give birth to Tracy, Blaine. Rachel willingly gave Tracy to you. I understand Tracy is still alive, but you have no clue how I feel."
They soon heard Carole say, "I do." They turned around to see Burt and Carole with Rachel.
Carole embraced Quinn, who broke down and said, "She's gone, Mrs. H, Beth is gone!"
They return to Kurt's house and notice Nancy standing outside with Kurt. As they step out of their cars, they hear the sound of things being tossed around inside and Santana's voice trying to reason with Puck. Then Puck's voice cuts through the chaos, "Beth was trying to get us killed, Santana! Beth and I were arguing about me bailing on her! Tracy was the first to spot that car and started screaming! I didn't have time to react! Next thing I know, I'm in the ICU, Tracy's in a coma, and Beth is gone!" They enter the house to find it destroyed. Carole takes Puck back to Tracy's room as the others clean up the mess.
Then Santana, Quinn, and Rachel walked into the room, their voices blending in a heartfelt rendition of "A Mother's Prayer" by Celine Dion. Soon after, Quinn had Rachel and Santana step out, and she gently kissed Tracy's forehead just as Puck returned to the room with Nancy.
Puck settled down next to Tracy and began to speak, "Beth was envious of the bond I had with Tracy. She couldn't stand that I included Tracy in our Father-Daughter date. She told Tracy I was a deadbeat who abandoned her because I didn't want her. Then she upset Tracy by saying that Rachel didn't want her either and had abandoned her to chase stardom. That's when Beth and I got into a massive argument, and we heard Tracy scream just before the collision."
Then Quinn lies on the other side of Tracy before she and Puck break down, saying, "I'm sorry, Beth," until they fall asleep. Soon, Rachel and Blaine storm out. Then Kurt gets a text from Jesse saying that Blaine is with him and Rachel is heading to Shelby's house.
Chapter 2 is on the horizon. My attention span is brief, my thoughts scatter in all directions, and maintaining focus is a challenge. It could take me a year to conceptualize Chapter 2, or it might not. I'm uncertain, but the only way I can assure you it's coming is by saying 'Coming soon' or 'To be continued.' For most of my stories, I haven't even begun to consider how to start Chapter 2. I'm overwhelmed with 'New Story' ideas, and negative reviews make me question whether I should continue the story.