"Yes, daddy. I understand perfectly. Of course. I'll pick out the arrangement today after glee. I'll see you next week" Rachel hung up her phone as she walked into the choir room, blinking back tears. Instead of taking the empty seat next to Finn, she walked to the back row and sat down next to Puck, who appeared to be equally upset. He took her hand as she sat down, clenching it tightly as she shook her head and let some tears slip out. The glee club and their coach watched the two in morbid fascination. They watched as the badass and usually strong girl began to silently cry. They listened intently to the private conversation going on between them.
"She didn't make it. They got there too late to save her." Rachel sobbed. Puck wrapped his arms around her tightly, falling to hold back his own tears.
"I need to go to the florist after this to pick out the proper floral arrangement to give to her family. My dads aren't coming home until next week, so they'll miss the funeral. I just can't believe she's really gone." Rachel said, breaking down and clinging to Puck as if her life depended on it, sobs racking her body. Puck held her tighter as his tears fell faster.
Mr. Shuester moved the rest of the club to the hallway to give the two teens some privacy, which Finn was not happy about.
"That is not cool. If something's wrong, she should come to me for comfort." Finn complained.
"Well, whatever it is, it involves Puck as well. He was crying, it has to be bad." Santana said.
"We should do something for them. Show that we're there for them." Mercedes said.
"Yeah, Rachel's done so much for this club. It's time we do something for her for once." Quinn said.
"We could make her a picture. Pictures always make people feel better." Brittney said, clapping and hopping up and down.
"That's a good idea. Why don't you make a picture for Rachel, from all of us?" Santana suggested, smiling as Brittney agreed excitedly.
"We should sing for them," Mike suggested quietly.
"What was that?" Tina asked, looking at Mike curiously.
"I mean, what would comfort Rachel Berry more than music. If we sang to her, she would realize that we're there for her. That she doesn't have to rely on only herself anymore." Mike elaborated.
"That's a really good idea." Kurt said, the others agreeing shortly after.
"I think I have a song." Artie said.
They discussed their performance for another ten minutes before walking back into the choir room. Puck and Rachel were still in the same position but the tears had slowed. They didn't seem to notice that the club had left, nor that they were back. Rachel stood up and walked to the front of the room.
"I need to get something out. This morning, one of Noah and mine's best friends from Temple was in a car crash on her way to school. This girl was my best friend and was practically my sister. She lived at my house four days of the week. I just received news that the doctors had done all they could to save her, but had failed. I'm hoping that, by singing, it will make the numbness go away, though I doubt it will. Hope is still good, I guess. I'll be singing Queen's No One But You." (A/N: Rachel Puck Both)
A hand above the water
An angel reaching for the sky
Is it raining in heaven -
Do you want us to cry?
And everywhere the broken-hearted
On every lonely avenue
No-one could reach them
No-one but you
One by one
Only the Good die young
They're only flying too close to the sun
And life goes on -
Without you...
Another Tricky Situation
I get to drownin' in the Blues
And I find myself thinkin'
Well - what would you do?
Yes! - it was such an operation
Forever paying every due
Hell, you made a sensation
You found a way through
One by one
Only the Good die young
They're only flyin' too close to the sun
We'll remember -
Forever...
And now the party must be over
I guess we'll never understand
The sense of your leaving
Was in the way it was planned...So we grace another table
And raise our glasses one more time
There's a face at the window
And I aint never, never saying goodbye...
One by one
Only the Good die young
They're only flyin' too close to the sun
Cryin' for nothing
Cryin' for no-one
No-one but you
The song ended and Rachel found herself unable to control the tears as she felt Puck wrap his arms around her tightly. She could tell her was crying as well. The two left the room together and the rest of the club watched them go with concerned expressions.
*Friday*
"We put a little something together for you guys," Tina introduced as she guided Rachel to a seat front and center. Puck followed, sitting down next to her. No one had been able to separate the two since Monday.
"We picked this song because we wanted you guys to know that you can come to any of us if you ever need anything." Quinn said, looking at Rachel as she said this. Rachel gave a weak smile. The two were on their way to having a tentative friendship, but Quinn had just taken the final step in proving to Rachel that she really wanted to be friends.
Artie:
You've got a friend in me
Mercedes:
You've got a friend in me
Quinn:
When the road looks rough ahead
And you're miles and miles
From your nice warm bed
Finn:
Just remember what your old pal said
Boy, you've got a friend in me
Kurt:
You've got a friend in me
Santana:
You've got a friend in me
Brittney:
You've got a friend in me
Tina:
You've got troubles, well I've got 'em too
There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you
Mike:
We stick together and we see it through
You've got a friend in me
You've got a friend in me
Brittney:
Some other folks might be
A little bit smarter than I am
Kurt:
Bigger and stronger too
Maybe
Quinn:
But none of them will ever love you the way I do
It's me and you
Tina:
And as the years go by
Mike:
Boy, our friendship will never die
Finn:
You're gonna see
It's our destiny
Artie:
You've got a friend in me
Mercedes:
You've got a friend in me
Quinn
You've got a friend in me
Quinn surprised everyone by walking over Rachel and hugging her tightly. Rachel hugged the blonde back and let her tears fall.
"I know I could never replace the friend you lost, but maybe, I could step into the best friend spot?" Quinn suggested, quietly.
"I would like that." Rachel responded, giving the blonde a small smile. Quinn hugged Rachel tightly again. The club then took the cue and gave hugs and words of comfort to Puck and Rachel. Puck surprised everyone by actually hugging Finn, who returned the quickly. Somehow, that made everything better between them.
"I made you a picture because they always seem to cheer people up." Brittney said, handing Rachel a piece of paper. Rachel looked at it and tears formed again and she hugged Brittney tightly. Puck smiled when he saw it. It was a drawing of New Directions with BFFL written over the top. And that was one thing they learned that year, that they couldn't get rid of each other if they wanted to.
The picture is in a frame and hangs above the mantle in the home of Rachel and Noah Puckerman. They have weekly dinners since they all returned to Lima after graduating college, all of them work at McKinley High and all help out in one way or another with glee.