FIC: By Your Side - Chapter Three (Dave/Puck)
Title: By Your Side
Author: kosherrainbow
Beta: with help from both nubianamy and imaginaryglory
Rating: PG13, safe
Word Count: roughly 5,200
Warnings: cancer, minor character death,
Summary: When Noah Puckerman is left to raise Beth on his own, he is surprised to find just who ends up standing by his side. Dave/Puck
Written for Glee Reverse Big Bang. Art Prompt Found Here
Artist; nubianamy
Chapter 3
Whenever took a while. Nearly six months to be exact. He wasn’t quite sure the exact reason, but he was well aware all of the reasons he gave himself for not calling Dave Karofsky, even though the most legit of reason just seemed to be excuses. Not only to himself but he was telling these excuses to Beth as well. First, it was because he was busy taking care of all the legal stuff, and Shelby’s will. Then, it was because he was busy getting back to work, working on his next screenplay. Beth’s new school year started, and his insistence that she take school more seriously than he very did seemed to take precedence. Then he told himself; David was a busy single father and doctor, who probably only offered assistance out of his ‘newly’ found politeness.There were a number of times he had to pick up the phone with the intent to call. Even weird little things, like a movie or something he saw, or something Beth did or said. The ease at which that instant desire to call the other man unnerved Noah Puckerman more than anything, despite how many times he told himself it was just because Dave understood what he was going through, and was just trying to help. Grateful, that’s all it was. So, he never hit the dial button.
His reasoning continued; as much he appreciated his help, this was something he needed to figure out on his own. He and Beth would have to deal with their feelings and find their own routine. And yes, they struggled every now and then; sometimes she fought harder or he let her go to easily, but they were getting there.
There only major setback in the first six months had been when the twelve year old had started her period. Theoretically, he knew it had to happen; she was a girl, after all…but his mind had set that on the back burning, filling ‘still have a year or two before I have to worry’. He hadn’t expected knocking on the door of the bathroom one Saturday morning, simply to see if she was okay only to be met with her hysterical voice on the other side. Unable to coax her out, he was forced to head out to store and stand alone in an aisle full of feminine hygiene products with no clue as to what to buy. He looked down the at the number his brain had already began to dial only to find it was Dave, he stopped punching the numbers, embarrassed and cleared them to dial Rachel instead.
However, Rachel was no help as Puck tried to reason with girl as she hung over the side of the toilet, emptying her stomach while he held her hair back. When she finally calmed, he helped her back into he bed, moving her trash can closer.
‘’Beth, sweetie, drink some water, I’m going to call the doctor and get an appointment with you.” He told her gathering some trash.
As soon as the doctor was mentioned, “No, I’m fine…”
“Yeah, ‘fine’ just tossed her lunch, and ‘fine’ is having a fever.”
She still shook her head at his counter argument, “I’m not going.”
Her persistence led to a screaming match, albeit a slightly hoarse one on her part, later that night which led him to call the only person he could think of, “Hi, yeah, Dave? Its Noah…”
Xxxx
Dave pulled into the driveway of Noah’s house slightly sooner than he had promised, having drove a little over the speed limit after getting the call. Merely out of concern, he had told himself, but he couldn’t completely deny the voice that told him it was the fact it was Noah Puckerman who had had called; the same man who hadn’t called in nearly six month. But to be fair, he had reasoned, Noah had a lot on his plate, was adjusting to a nearly entirely different way of life. He knew from experience the confusion, but still wanting to prove everyone around you that you can make it on your own.
And the realization that asking for help wasn’t admitting defeat. A realization Puck had seemingly discovered. Dave turned of his engine and went to retrieve a sleeping Kyle from the back seat. The ten year old was getting heavier by the minute, but thankfully Puck had waited for him by the door.
“I’m sorry….”
Dave shrugged it off depositing Kyle on the couch, “Its okay, he can sleep through anything. And carrying him was the easier option than trying to wake up him….Is Beth…”
That seemed to prevent any further awkward moments as the focus turned to the girl. Dave checked on her as well as he could, but decided fairly early that she needed to get at least an IV, as dehydrated as she was getting. She protested, but in the end was carried out to Noah's car.
When Dave insisted he go with them, they called Jake to keep an eye on Kyle instead of dragging him around. The trip was spent focusing on Beth and the road as tired as they were. It wasn’t until Beth was admitted for observation and a couple of test that the two really had a chance.
“Dave, thanks for…..everything.” Noah finished lamely.
The doctor just shook it off, “Its nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Silence threatened to fall between them when Noah spoke up again, “I’m sorry I haven’t called….”
“Its okay….I understand…uh, I should probably get back to pick up Ky…”
Noah nodded, ‘’I’ll probably just stay here for a while…feel free to stay at our place, Jake can show where everything is.’
Dave gave a grateful nodded of his head befor slowly walking away as if giving time for Noah to say something, but the other man had already turned back into his daughter’s room.
Xxxx
Beth was watching the daytime reruns of some once overly popular show with mild interest when Dave popped his head into the hospital room. “Hey, how are you feeling? Any better?”
She shrugged, “A little.” She looked around the room with a dislike the television had distracted her from.
“Not very fond of hospitals, are you?” He asked suspected it was linked to Shelby, which he understood. If it wasn’t for the fact he worked in one he didn’t know if he’d be able to walk into a hospital with any sort of ease.
It took a moment before she confirmed, “Not since Mom.”
“It can be tough….and I know it can be hard to talk to your dad, but he’s there for you to talk to .Anyways, you have lots of people, myself included, who would be willing to talk. And if you want to get away for a little bit, you’re welcomed at our place, Kyle misses you.”
“I miss him, too…”
His pager interrupted their conversation with a quick series of beeps, “I’ve got to get back to work….I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. And…” he considered her for a moment before continuing, “If your dad isn’t hear….and you get scared or feel like your about to panic, have the nurse page me and I be here as soon as possible.”
He received a smile in return and began to head of the room.
“Hey.”
He looked at the voice to see Noah standing there a cafeteria tray in hand.
“Hey.” Dave copied, “I just thought I’d check in on her.”
The words ‘you didn’t have to’ were on his lips but at the sight of Dave face’s makes him backpedal. “Thanks.”
The burlier man shrugs, “I have to go answer this page, but if your still here at dinner…want to have a cafeteria adventure together?”
Before he even realized it the words were out of his mouth, “Yeah, sounds good.”
Author: kosherrainbow
Beta: with help from both nubianamy and imaginaryglory
Rating: PG13, safe
Word Count: roughly 5,200
Warnings: cancer, minor character death,
Summary: When Noah Puckerman is left to raise Beth on his own, he is surprised to find just who ends up standing by his side. Dave/Puck
Written for Glee Reverse Big Bang. Art Prompt Found Here
Artist; nubianamy
Chapter 3
Whenever took a while. Nearly six months to be exact. He wasn’t quite sure the exact reason, but he was well aware all of the reasons he gave himself for not calling Dave Karofsky, even though the most legit of reason just seemed to be excuses. Not only to himself but he was telling these excuses to Beth as well. First, it was because he was busy taking care of all the legal stuff, and Shelby’s will. Then, it was because he was busy getting back to work, working on his next screenplay. Beth’s new school year started, and his insistence that she take school more seriously than he very did seemed to take precedence. Then he told himself; David was a busy single father and doctor, who probably only offered assistance out of his ‘newly’ found politeness.There were a number of times he had to pick up the phone with the intent to call. Even weird little things, like a movie or something he saw, or something Beth did or said. The ease at which that instant desire to call the other man unnerved Noah Puckerman more than anything, despite how many times he told himself it was just because Dave understood what he was going through, and was just trying to help. Grateful, that’s all it was. So, he never hit the dial button.
His reasoning continued; as much he appreciated his help, this was something he needed to figure out on his own. He and Beth would have to deal with their feelings and find their own routine. And yes, they struggled every now and then; sometimes she fought harder or he let her go to easily, but they were getting there.
There only major setback in the first six months had been when the twelve year old had started her period. Theoretically, he knew it had to happen; she was a girl, after all…but his mind had set that on the back burning, filling ‘still have a year or two before I have to worry’. He hadn’t expected knocking on the door of the bathroom one Saturday morning, simply to see if she was okay only to be met with her hysterical voice on the other side. Unable to coax her out, he was forced to head out to store and stand alone in an aisle full of feminine hygiene products with no clue as to what to buy. He looked down the at the number his brain had already began to dial only to find it was Dave, he stopped punching the numbers, embarrassed and cleared them to dial Rachel instead.
However, Rachel was no help as Puck tried to reason with girl as she hung over the side of the toilet, emptying her stomach while he held her hair back. When she finally calmed, he helped her back into he bed, moving her trash can closer.
‘’Beth, sweetie, drink some water, I’m going to call the doctor and get an appointment with you.” He told her gathering some trash.
As soon as the doctor was mentioned, “No, I’m fine…”
“Yeah, ‘fine’ just tossed her lunch, and ‘fine’ is having a fever.”
She still shook her head at his counter argument, “I’m not going.”
Her persistence led to a screaming match, albeit a slightly hoarse one on her part, later that night which led him to call the only person he could think of, “Hi, yeah, Dave? Its Noah…”
Xxxx
Dave pulled into the driveway of Noah’s house slightly sooner than he had promised, having drove a little over the speed limit after getting the call. Merely out of concern, he had told himself, but he couldn’t completely deny the voice that told him it was the fact it was Noah Puckerman who had had called; the same man who hadn’t called in nearly six month. But to be fair, he had reasoned, Noah had a lot on his plate, was adjusting to a nearly entirely different way of life. He knew from experience the confusion, but still wanting to prove everyone around you that you can make it on your own.
And the realization that asking for help wasn’t admitting defeat. A realization Puck had seemingly discovered. Dave turned of his engine and went to retrieve a sleeping Kyle from the back seat. The ten year old was getting heavier by the minute, but thankfully Puck had waited for him by the door.
“I’m sorry….”
Dave shrugged it off depositing Kyle on the couch, “Its okay, he can sleep through anything. And carrying him was the easier option than trying to wake up him….Is Beth…”
That seemed to prevent any further awkward moments as the focus turned to the girl. Dave checked on her as well as he could, but decided fairly early that she needed to get at least an IV, as dehydrated as she was getting. She protested, but in the end was carried out to Noah's car.
When Dave insisted he go with them, they called Jake to keep an eye on Kyle instead of dragging him around. The trip was spent focusing on Beth and the road as tired as they were. It wasn’t until Beth was admitted for observation and a couple of test that the two really had a chance.
“Dave, thanks for…..everything.” Noah finished lamely.
The doctor just shook it off, “Its nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Silence threatened to fall between them when Noah spoke up again, “I’m sorry I haven’t called….”
“Its okay….I understand…uh, I should probably get back to pick up Ky…”
Noah nodded, ‘’I’ll probably just stay here for a while…feel free to stay at our place, Jake can show where everything is.’
Dave gave a grateful nodded of his head befor slowly walking away as if giving time for Noah to say something, but the other man had already turned back into his daughter’s room.
Xxxx
Beth was watching the daytime reruns of some once overly popular show with mild interest when Dave popped his head into the hospital room. “Hey, how are you feeling? Any better?”
She shrugged, “A little.” She looked around the room with a dislike the television had distracted her from.
“Not very fond of hospitals, are you?” He asked suspected it was linked to Shelby, which he understood. If it wasn’t for the fact he worked in one he didn’t know if he’d be able to walk into a hospital with any sort of ease.
It took a moment before she confirmed, “Not since Mom.”
“It can be tough….and I know it can be hard to talk to your dad, but he’s there for you to talk to .Anyways, you have lots of people, myself included, who would be willing to talk. And if you want to get away for a little bit, you’re welcomed at our place, Kyle misses you.”
“I miss him, too…”
His pager interrupted their conversation with a quick series of beeps, “I’ve got to get back to work….I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay. And…” he considered her for a moment before continuing, “If your dad isn’t hear….and you get scared or feel like your about to panic, have the nurse page me and I be here as soon as possible.”
He received a smile in return and began to head of the room.
“Hey.”
He looked at the voice to see Noah standing there a cafeteria tray in hand.
“Hey.” Dave copied, “I just thought I’d check in on her.”
The words ‘you didn’t have to’ were on his lips but at the sight of Dave face’s makes him backpedal. “Thanks.”
The burlier man shrugs, “I have to go answer this page, but if your still here at dinner…want to have a cafeteria adventure together?”
Before he even realized it the words were out of his mouth, “Yeah, sounds good.”