A/N: So I got this idea and just had to write it. Puckleberry of course!
Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or the song.
Babygate had been broken almost two months previously when Finn finally asked Rachel out, and Finn wasn't the guy she thought he was. He puts her down constantly especially in Glee. People started to notice the difference. After sectionals Mr. Schue had started to try other male leads. Rachel hardly sang a lead with Finn anymore. But pretty soon other girls were getting leads over Rachel as well. Rachel understood, everyone deserved a chance. But Rachel was still Rachel and had recently taken to giving advice to people whether they wanted it or not.
That's when things started to get weird. Rachel got a lot quieter. She didn't talk unless spoken to directly or couldn't avoid answering the question. When Finn missed a note(and it had been really obvious) Rachel said nothing. She sat in her chair and just stared at her feet. That was when they knew something was really wrong.
Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, and Artie tried to talk to her, but often she would just walk away or Finn would magically appear and tow her away.
Puck saw it too but he was closer to it than anyone else. After babygate Rachel was the only one who would talk to him. They had actually been getting pretty close but no one seemed to notice. Then she had started dating Finn, but hadn't let her friendship with Puck change at all. But one day she just refused to acknowledge his presence. He spent his free time trying to figure out what he could have done, but couldn't come up with anything. Then she started acting weird in glee, and she wouldn't be in temple either. This worried him. He was officially concerned for Rachel Berry.
He had tried dropping hints that someone should try to figure out what was wrong with her, but the original Gleeks had gotten nowhere. He paid more attention, but could come to only one conclusion...Finn. She had been fine until they got together. Then he started to notice that Finn didn't look at Rachel. He would stare at Santana and the other cheerleaders, but not Rachel.
But Puck was smart enough to know that Rach wouldn't listen to thing he said against Finn (That was if he could get her to even look at him in the first place). Puck didn't know what to do (Well actually Puck thought he should beat the crap out of Finn, but there was this voice in his head that sounded like Rachel telling him not to be stupid). Ok so the truth was that yes Puck wanted to beat the crap out of Finn, but Noah really just missed Rachel and both "sides" of him knew Rachel would never forgive him if he beat up Finn so he stayed out of it.
He went to the auditorium one day during lunch and sat in the audience. He was almost asleep when he heard someone walk on stage. He opened his eye and saw Rachel sit down at the piano. It dawned on him right then that he hadn't heard her sing in weeks! She avoided leads like her life depended on it. Where had all his girl's dreams gone?
She didn't sing. She played a few chords like she was thinking about it, but then she burst into tears and slammed her head down on the keyboard of the piano. Puck was on stage in 3 seconds flat, and had her gathered in his arms by 4 seconds. She grabbed onto his shirt like it was the only thing keeping her breathing. He just held her as the minutes ticked by. She finally turned her head so she could see his face. "Noah do you think I'm pretty?"
He would have laughed if she didn't look so serious and broken. "Shit Rach, You're gorgeous! Who told you otherwise?" She smiled up at him before burying her head against his chest again while completely ignoring his question. Puck didn't want to push her so he pretended that he hadn't asked. They sat there silently and he just held her. Then her phone went off.
[1/4Finn] Where r u? I'm back from Doc.
[RB*] Talking to teach. Meet u in caf. in 5?
[1/4Finn] Wht u wearin?
At this point Puck wanted to look away but watched anyway.
[RB*] Normal...
[1/4Finn] Come on bear I told u to dress hot! : (
All Puck could think was what the fuck was Hudson's problem
[RB*] Sry
[1/4Finn] Whatever c u in 5
"I'm sorry Puck I have to go"
"Uh uh Rachel you aren't going anywhere without an explanation!"
"Not now. I have to go" With that she ran from the auditorium.
What kind of shit has Finn been pulling? Puck was extremely pissed because of the conversation that had passed between his Rachel and the "Golden Boy". He couldn't watch anymore. He needed his friend back.
It started with little things. He would text or message her to say goodnight or good morning. He would pass her in the hall and smile. Basically he did any small thing he thought might make her smile. Slowly he worked his way to talking to her where he would whisper a comment in her ear when no one was watching.
One day Finn wasn't in school so he sat by her in glee (where once again she didn't sing). As they were walking out of the room he made sure they were the last two in the room as she pulled out her phone to text one of her dads for a ride. He pulled the phone from her hands "I'll give you a ride." He had given her no choice as he grabbed her bag and walked out to his truck forcing her to follow.
When they made it to her house he shut off the ignition and followed her inside before she could close the door. "What do you want Puck?"
"Answers."
"Well you haven't asked any questions."
"Ok #1 since when do you call me Puck?"
"Isn't that your preferred name?"
Puck decided to get to his real question "What has Finn done to you?"
Rachel ducked her head "I don't know what you are talking about."
He put two fingers under her chin and lifted so she was looking at him "yeah you do"
"I'm trying to make him happy. To make our relationship work"
"And in the process you've forgotten who you are? Rach you are so much better than this. You are beautiful, funny, and lately I can't seem to get you out of my head. Literally! There is this voice in my head that sounds just like you...and she won't shut up." He nudged her soldier at the last part the continued. "Sometimes I wonder if the real Rachel is trapped in my head trying to get out and replace this imposter we have been seeing for the past few months."
She sat silently for a few minutes. "He told me to choose."
"I kinda figured as much. But you shouldn't have to choose."
"I know." She was silent for a little while longer. "I have to end it don't I?"
"That's up to you Rach. I can't tell you what to do or what is right. But if you want to end it there is this song I found"
He didn't have time finish the sentence before Rachel broke into a huge grin. "I haven't sung in so long!" Puck handed her the music and began to walk to the door. "Wait this song has a guitar part. Stay and practice with me?"
"I would love to Rach, but I think this is something you have to work on by yourself, but if you want to perform it I will accompany you when that time comes." He gave her a peck on the cheek before he walked out the door.
She walked into Glee practice with her head held high for the first time in what felt like ages. She wasn't going to let Finn tell her what she could and couldn't do. And she definitely wasn't going to let him tell her what she was allowed to sing. She walked in and sat next to Puck and smiled at him. He took this as a sign, so he took his guitar from beneath his chair and checked the tuning. Rachel was wearing her signature short black skirt, but had paired it with a McKinley hoddie.
Finn walked in to see Rachel sitting next to Puck. He grabbed her hand and said, "Hey Rach let's go sit over here."
She pulled her hand away. "Thanks, but I'm fine right here Finn. You may sit over there if you would like, but I believe that I will stay here."
Finn stared at her like she had grown some extra heads and Puck tried really hard not to laugh. Thankfully Mr. Schue chose that minute to walk in and before he could get a word in Rachel's hand shot up. "Yes Rachel?"
"I have a song I would like to sing." Finn sent her a death glare that she ignored.
"The floor is yours Rachel do you need music for the piano?"
"This song has guitar accompaniment so if Artie of Puck could assist me on acoustic guitar that would be great."
"Puck's better with acoustic" Artie stated, so Puck shrugged and walked up to the front of the room like it hadn't all been planned beforehand. Puck started to strum the opening chords and waited to hear Rachel's voice join his playing.
According to you
I'm stupid,
I'm useless,
I can't do anything right.
According to you
I'm difficult,
hard to please,
forever changing my mind.
I'm a mess in a dress
can't show up on time, But according to him According to you But according to him I need to feel appreciated, According to me According to you
even if it would save my life.
According to you. According to you.
I'm beautiful,
incredible,
he can't get me out of his head.
According to him
I'm funny,
irresistible,
everything he ever wanted.
Everything is opposite,
I don't feel like stopping it,
so baby tell me what I got to lose.
He's into me for everything I'm not,
according to you.
I'm boring,
I'm moody,
you can't take me any place.
According to you
I suck at telling jokes cause I always give it away.
I'm the girl with the worst attention span;
you're the boy who puts up with that.
According to you. According to you.
I'm beautiful,
incredible,
he can't get me out of his head.
According to him
I'm funny,
irresistible,
everything he ever wanted.
Everything is opposite,
I don't feel like stopping it,
so baby tell me what I got to lose.
He's into me for everything I'm not,
according to you.
like I'm not hated. oh-- no--.
Why can't you see me through his eyes?
It's too bad you're making me decide.
you're stupid,
you're useless,
you can't do anything right.
But according to him
I'm beautiful,
incredible,
he can't get me out of his head.
According to him
I'm funny,
irresistible,
everything he ever wanted.
Everything is opposite,
I don't feel like stopping it,
baby tell me what I got to lose.
He's into me for everything I'm not,
According to you.
According to you.
I'm stupid,
I'm useless,
I can't do anything right.
Everyone in the room faced Finn as the song came to a close. It had been obvious she was singing to him. Finn went from shock to raging anger in a matter of seconds. He looked like he would pounce at any second. Puck moved to stand in front of Rachel just in case, but she pushed passed him and right up to Finn.
"In case that was unclear we are done."
"You don't get to end things! I'm Finn Hudson!"
"Yeah that's nice and all, but see I'm Rachel Berry! I may have temporarily forgotten that, but I'm good now. And I'm ending this! Killing it dead, burning it, putting it in a chest, locking it, throwing away the key, then burying the chest on the ocean floor. Now if you'll excuse me it has been quite awhile since a Rachel Berry storm out and I feel like now would be the perfect time to bring them back."
With that she was gone. Finn looked irate. Kurt and Mercedes were already texting the good news and downloading the videos they had shot of the whole incident. Everyone else just looked on in shock as Puck ran out after Rachel.
"So you look awesome in my hoddie"
"I found it this morning in my closet. I had forgotten I had it. You want it back?" she asked as she began to peel off the hoodie.
Puck stopped her "Nope it looks better on you, but I might have to find you one with my name on it so everyone knows you're mine." With that he kissed her hard. When she finally pulled away for air she looked up at him and smiled "I'm yours...and it's about time"
"You're Beautiful Rach."
A/N: So let me know what you guys thought!