Broken

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

Chapter 1: Cuts Like A Knife

Before heading to his niece Tracy Anderson's third birthday party, Noah "Puck" Puckerman paused for a moment, wrestling with his inner demons. He carefully wrapped bandages around his wrists to conceal the evidence of his struggles. With a sigh, he pulled on his signature cut-off shorts and applied bright green body paint, hoping to channel a little of that old McKinley High spirit.

When he arrived at the party, Tracy immediately caught his attention. She was a tiny bundle of energy, completely unaware of the heavy hearts surrounding her—hearts weighed down by the recent loss of Beth Corcoran, his daughter who had cut deeply into Puck's soul. He'd known Beth since she was a toddler, or at least, that's what Shelby, his former almost-lover, and Quinn, his first love, had always believed.

As Puck settled down among scattered toys, Tracy quickly claimed him as her playmate, fiercely warding off anyone who tried to join their world. "Leave Nono alone; he's playing with his real friend!" she declared, her words filled with the same determination Puck had once shown on the football field.

Later, Tracy eagerly led him to her bedroom, away from the hushed voices of the adults. When Quinn Fabray checked on them an hour later, she discovered a heartwarming sight. Puck lay on the bed, holding a sleeping Tracy against his chest, both of them looking more peaceful than they had in weeks. His green paint was gone, his skin bare, and he wore different clothes—perhaps trying to shed more than just his party costume.

Just then, Tracy's grandfather, Burt Hummel, appeared in the doorway, eyeing his granddaughter's outfit with amusement. "Those are my sweatpants, you know," he said with his signature Hummel smirk. "Tracy hid them after I compared Puck to Nick yesterday." Quinn had to bite her lip to suppress a laugh, careful not to disturb the quiet scene.

Fifteen minutes later, as the sounds of the party grew softer, both Puck and Tracy awoke from their nap. Tracy's eyes drifted to Puck's wrists, her voice soft and serious. "Beth knew about your scars, Nono," she said, breaking their peaceful silence. "I told her before she left us. I yelled at Nana Shelby and Queenie before you came. And I shouted at those meanies who called you a loser. You're my best friend, and I love you." Her fierce loyalty stirred something deep inside him, and Puck could only smile at her unwavering support.

Tracy then noticed Quinn watching from the doorway and let out a protective growl, turning her attention back to Puck.

Leaning close, Tracy whispered something in Puck's ear that sparked a deeper emotion in him. Driven by raw emotion and a sudden need to take her, he scooped her up and rushed out of the house. Sam and Jake later found them at McKinley High, tossing around a football as if nothing had changed.

Noah's emotions, which were pent up for so long, finally burst free. He lifted Tracy into the air, his voice breaking as he shouted, "I know Tracy isn't Beth!" Fighting back tears, Noah pulled back one of his bandages, exposing the harsh reality of his scars. His voice trembled with emotion as he confessed, "Last night, I tried to end it all. A drawing from Tracy pulled me back from the edge." He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket, showing them Tracy's childish green scribble. "Tracy became my lifeline. I hadn't seen Beth since she was two! I couldn't bear the thought of her seeing me as worthless, like my dad. But Tracy… in her eyes, I wasn't a failure. I was her hero!"

Noah paused, the weight of his words overwhelming him. "After losing Finn, I joined the Air Force because I felt so lost. Now, without Beth, that emptiness is back."

His breakdown was raw and real, but Tracy, with a wisdom beyond her years, gently caressed his face and hummed a soothing melody. Sam, witnessing his friend's pain, helped Noah to his truck, carefully securing Tracy in her car seat.

"Can we visit the cemetery?" Tracy asked quietly. But instead of Beth's final resting place, they found themselves at Elizabeth Hummel's grave. Tracy's voice broke the silence. "Do you think she wanted to leave Grandpa Burt behind? Dad Kurt dreamed of being a father ever since Queenie had Beth, and now he has me!"

With determination, Tracy led Noah to Finn's grave. "Would you follow Uncle Finn off a bridge?" she challenged, giving his foot a playful stomp. "Aunt Beth is why I care about you! She told me you were the greatest dad ever and her Hulk, not mine! I always knew you were special, but I thought you were like Grandpa Burt, not the Hulk! Queenie can still have more babies, and Nana Shelby has Mama Rachel for grandchildren! Don't blame yourself for Aunt Beth being gone! Now, let's show Queenie you're not the failure you think you are!"

The emotions surged through Noah, but this time, a flicker of hope sparked in the darkness. Sam guided him back to the truck, and they made their way to Kurt's house, where Noah found solace resting his head on Tracy's lap. As sleep began to claim him, Tracy whispered to Sam, "Nono was staring at Uncle Finn's memorial tree so intensely before I got him to play football. Maybe you should tell him what I said at Uncle Finn's grave. Could you text Papa to make sure everyone except Grandpa Burt leaves?"

Sam silently nodded, understanding the weight of her words. Upon arrival, they found the house clear, except for Burt, who emerged from inside. Noah stepped out of the truck, and Burt's voice broke the silence, "Beth's death isn't on you, Puck! You've got to stop carrying this guilt!"

But Noah, still lost in his turmoil, walked straight to Tracy's room, seeking refuge. His muffled sobs filled the house, and Tracy's soft voice carried through. "I'm sorry about your little girl, Nono." Noah's grief became uncontrollable as he murmured a Hebrew prayer, his pain raw and uncontained. As the song "Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle drifted from the radio—a painful reminder of his loss—objects being thrown accompanied Noah's anguished roar.

The following days were no easier for Noah. His mind was a whirlwind of emotions, all tangled with grief, guilt, and a desperate need to find redemption. He kept himself isolated, visiting Tracy at Kurt and Blaine's house during the quietest hours, when everyone else was asleep or distracted. Each time he saw her, the pain of losing Beth seemed to fade, if only for a few moments, replaced by a sense of calm that only Tracy could bring him.

But the truth weighed heavily on the others. Kurt, Blaine, and Sam often found themselves talking about Noah behind his back, their conversations tinged with concern for their friend. They knew Noah was struggling, but they also understood the delicate balance he walked—how any wrong word could send him spiraling.

"Do you think he'll ever come back from this?" Blaine asked one evening as he, Kurt, and Sam sat around the kitchen table, talking in hushed tones.

Kurt shook his head, his expression tight. "I don't know. I've seen him break before, but this is different. This isn't just about losing Beth. It's like he's lost a part of himself he can't get back."

Sam added quietly, "He's trying to hold it all in. But it's like a dam ready to burst. Every time he visits Tracy, I think he's clinging to the one thing that keeps him anchored. She's the one who sees him as more than a failure. She sees him as a hero, even when he doesn't see himself that way."

Kurt glanced at Blaine, and the weight of the unspoken words between them hung heavy in the air. They both knew what the truth was, the reason Noah was spiraling so much—it wasn't just about the death of a loved one. It was about the fractured bond between him and Tracy, about the part of himself he couldn't reconcile. They both knew the pressure of keeping up appearances, of wearing a mask, especially when it came to grief. But for Noah, the struggle was so much deeper.

"Should we say something to him?" Blaine asked, his voice hesitant, as if unsure if he could push Noah into confronting his pain.

"No," Kurt replied firmly. "He needs to come to us when he's ready. Forcing him won't help. But we should keep showing him that we're here for him, especially Tracy. She's the only one who seems to reach him in ways none of us can."

And so it continued. Noah came to Kurt and Blaine's house sporadically, usually in the dead of night or early morning. Tracy would be waiting, her tiny hands gripping his fingers tightly, pulling him into her world of innocence and love. And in those moments, when Noah was surrounded by Tracy's unwavering devotion, he would almost forget the storm raging within him.

But the others couldn't forget. They could see it, feel it—the weight of the silence Noah carried, the endless battle within him. They worried for him, especially as they watched how he avoided the people who could help him the most—his family. He shut himself off, retreating into a shell that not even Tracy's love seemed to penetrate fully.

One evening, when Noah arrived later than usual, his eyes were red-rimmed, and his posture slouched with the weight of whatever he was carrying inside. Tracy, as always, ran to him, her arms wide open in a gesture that was pure and full of love. But even as she wrapped her arms around him, Noah's eyes drifted toward the front door, where Kurt and Blaine were watching from the hallway. They said nothing, but the look on Kurt's face was filled with concern.

"Can we go to the park?" Tracy asked, tugging at his hand, sensing the tension in the room. She had an uncanny ability to know when things were too heavy, when Noah needed an escape.

Noah nodded wordlessly, allowing Tracy to lead him outside, away from the heavy silence of the house.

As they arrived at the park, Tracy chattered happily about school and the new puppy she had been begging her parents for. Noah listened, but his thoughts were elsewhere, drifting to the memories of the past that haunted him.

In the park, Tracy threw a ball in the air, and Noah caught it effortlessly. They played for hours, but with each throw, Noah's smile grew fainter. Finally, Tracy sat down on the grass and patted the spot next to her, looking up at him with those deep, trusting eyes.

"No more hiding, Nono," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't stand seeing you so sad."

Noah sat beside her, his eyes focusing on the clouds above. "I'm not good enough, Tracy," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "I've tried to be everything for everyone, but I keep failing."

"No, you haven't," she countered firmly, her small hand reaching for his. "You've never failed me, Nono. You're my hero. I don't care about anything else."

Her words were simple, but they struck Noah deeply. In that moment, he realized that Tracy didn't see his mistakes, his scars, or his past. She only saw him—just as he was. And in that raw honesty, he felt a flicker of hope.

But Noah still wasn't ready to face the truth, not yet. And as he dropped his gaze to the ground, he knew the journey back from this darkness wasn't going to be quick. It would take time. But with Tracy by his side, he was beginning to believe that maybe—just maybe—he could find his way back.

Back to himself. Back to the person he had once been before the weight of the world had crushed him under its pressure.

And maybe, just maybe, he could heal.

Chapter 2 will be up soon.