Disclaimer : I don't own Glee.
Puck sat in the middle of the empty recording studio, struggling to write the first song of his new album. On the wall hung a picture of his adorable son, Will. He couldn't believe how fast he was growing, he was his little man. In the photograph opposite, there was a picture of the love of his life. The woman who broke his heart and it wasn't even her fault. He stared at the two pictures and began to list the endless similarities between them in his mind. Sometimes, he'd look at Will and all he could see was her. It broke his heart in to a million tiny pieces every time.
He hadn't been in the studio since it happened. It was 4 years ago, but to Puck is still felt like yesterday. Luckily for him, he had enough money to support him and Will without having to work. It was a perk of being a platinum selling artist. Of course, he didn't worry about money at the time. In fact, it was probably the very last thing on his mind. The first year was a hazy blur for him, he was lucky enough that he had Quinn for support. Otherwise, he dreaded even thinking about the state Will would be in right now. But, after the first year past it started to gradually get better each day. His son had brought him to life again and he realized that he needed him just as much as he needed his daddy. So he dropped work. The only thing on his mind was his young son, so he made up for the first year he practically missed out on by spending every day for the next 3 years with him. It still didn't fill the huge hole left in his heart.
As he sat in the studio, he remembers back to the year 2002, he was eight years old. It was the year his dad had left and was one of the worst years of his life. He always used to look up his father, when he was growing up, he idolized him. This is why he always felt sorry for Finn, growing up without a dad. He couldn't live without his dad. He used to take him fishing at the lake and they'd spend all day Saturday working on cars and playing football. Puck remembers the last time he went fishing with his father, and just thinking of that day brought back a whole lot of guilt. Nobody at McKinley knew this, except for Finn but Rachel used to live next door to Puck when they were younger. They weren't friends, in fact Puck hated her. His mom would always force him to play with her because she thought it was important for him to mix with other Jews. Nobody would ever believe him but Rachel used to be shy. Sure, she did a whole lot of singing and dancing but off the stage, Rachel Berry was shy. When they had play dates, he'd play with his toy cars and she'd sit there, watching him and smiling shyly. It freaked Puck out a little. The night before the fishing trip he was so excited. He gathered all his stuff together and left them at the front door. It was just going to be him and his father. He couldn't have been more wrong. The next day, whilst he was helping to pack up the car, he heard the gate swing open and in walked Rachel carrying a fishing pole. He glared at her and the stared at his father.
"Noah, I know you don't want her to come but we can't leave her behind." He smiled. "Someday you'll change your mind about her. You'll see."
Puck stared at his father in disbelief, whilst Rachel stood at the gate.
"Dad! Look, we can take Matt, Mike or Finn just please don't bring her with us. I'd gladly bring anybody along, but her."
Unfortunately for Puck, his father didn't listen to him and the three of them set off for the lake.
After the vivid flashback, Puck began to feel inspired. He now knew what he was going to write about. The greatest love story he had ever heard. He grabbed the pen and scribbled down the first verse.
Johnny's daddy was taking him fishin'
When he was eight years old
A little girl came through the front gate holdin' a fishing pole
His dad looked down and smiled, said we can't leave her behind
Son I know you don't want her to go but someday you'll change your mind
And Johnny said "Take Jimmy Johnson, take Tommy Thompson, take my best friend Bo
Take anybody that you want as long as she don't go
Take any boy in the world
Daddy please don't take the girl
His father left a few days after the trip. It was because of this he tormented Rachel. In a way he blamed her. She'd spoiled the only chance he had to be alone with him before he left. He never told anybody this, but this is the reason he egged her, threw slushies on her, and used her to make Quinn jealous and all the other horrible things he'd deeply regretted. He didn't realize he had feelings for her until his junior year. When he saw her with Finn it killed him. He didn't even know where his feelings for her had come from. They had started to spend some time together when they were paired up in a duets assignment. He noticed his feeling develop stronger every time they were together, which was almost every night. When she found out about Finn and Santana, he was there for her. She called him her best friend, but he could tell she wanted more. A couple of months after breaking up with Finn, she kissed him. It was perfect. Sure, he'd kissed her before and she it was good but he wasn't in love with her then. The moment their lips touched it was like his fireworks. He knew then that he wanted to spend his life with her. Their relationship survived a lot of things. Jealous ex's, stalkers with ginger afros and a near death experience. Their love was so strong, nothing could come between them.
Puck's mind quickly flashbacked to the day he was seconds away from losing her. It was senior year and the Glee Club had finally made it to nationals. They were being held in New York and everybody was so excited. Puck could tell that the nerves were getting to Rachel so he took her out the night before the competition. They had some food and then Puck surprised her with tickets to West Side Story. He'd never forget the way her eyes lit up when he showed them to her. He was actually surprised as to how much he enjoyed the show, maybe it was because he spent most of it kissing Rachel. They were leaving the theatre when it happened. He appeared from nowhere, the guy in the mask. He grabbed her by the arm and held a gun to her head. Puck's heart stopped.
"Ok. If you do exactly as I tell you, there will be no harm done."
Puck looked in to Rachel's eyes and saw how scared she was.
"Look, take my wallet. It's got money and my credit cards in it." Puck was shaking like crazy.
"Hand it over!" the man demanded.
Puck gave the man his wallet yet he still held Rachel.
"This watch was my grandpa's, take it. Also, here's the key to my car. Take it all. Just please don't take the girl."
He handed everything over to the man and watched as he let Rachel go and ran off. Rachel ran in to his arms, the tears flowing uncontrollably down her face.
"Noah, he took everything. You have nothing left." She sobbed.
"Rach. Look at me. I have you, that's all I need. Nobody can take you away from me." He held her tight.
Puck knew then and there that he would never let her go again.
Same old boy
Same sweet girl
Ten years down the road
He held her tight and kissed her lips
In front of the picture show
Stranger came and pulled a gun
Grabbed her by the arm said "If you do what I tell you to, there won't be any harm"
And Johnny said "Take my money, take my wallet, take my credit cards
Here's the watch that my grandpa gave me
Here's the key to my car
Mister give it a whirl
But please don't take the girl
Things only got better after the incident. They finished high school together and they both set off for New York. Surprisingly, they both got in to Julliard. Sure, he had always expected her to get in but he never in a million years thought he would too. As they moved in to the tiny apartment her dad's had rented for her he realized that she was the only girl he would ever want to live with. The first two years of college flew by and Rachel began doing some Off-Broadway shows during the evening. He went to every single matinee. She'd make a little money but he was the one who kept them afloat. He played a lot of acoustic gigs and sometimes helped out at his cousin's restaurant. They didn't see much of each other but they knew their love was strong enough to survive, and it did. It was during his junior year of college when things started to turn around for them. It was a Friday night and Puck was playing at a small club in Brooklyn when he was approached by a man named Joseph Meyer who was a major record label executive. Puck was a little conscious at first but the smile he saw on her face when he was offered that record deal was enough for him. He spent the next few months selling records and touring whilst she stayed in NYC, in the big apartment they'd bought, which overlooked Central Park. She had finally made it on Broadway and was playing the role of Wendla in Spring Awakening. He proposed to her one night and she said yes. They were married within two months and he was thrilled to learn that he was going to be a father. He was in Houston when he got the call. He dropped the phone in horror as he heard his wife tell him that she had a condition. She could die if she had this baby. Puck jumped on the next flight home and begged her to have a termination. She refused. There was a lot of screaming and arguments which Puck deeply regretted now. Will was two months pre-mature, she'd collapsed in a cafe and he rushed to the hospital. Five long hours later he had a son but no wife.
He wiped a tear from his eye and wrote the final verse down.
Same old boy
Same sweet girl
Five years down the road
There's going to be a little one and she says it's time to go
Doctor says the baby's fine but you'll have to leave
'Cause his momma's fading fast and Johnny hit his knees and there he prayed
Take the very breath you gave me
Take the heart from my chest
I'll gladly take her place if you'll let me
Make this my last request
Take me out of this world
God, please don't take the girl
He glanced up at the clock and realized he had to pick up Will. He had big pools of tears forming in his eyes as he quickly wrote down the final two sentences, he wanted the song to come full circle.
Johnny's daddy
Was taking him fishin'
When he was eight years old.
He grabbed his guitar case and wrote on the top of the page which contained the heartbreaking lyrics
'Rachel Barbara Berry.'