The Glee-ful Stride

After her Christmas break-up, Rachel faces reality that maybe she and Finn were not meant to be. As she decides on the journey to introspection, Puck supports her on her growing pains and they develop a mutual understanding. Their budding friendship help bring the best out of each other—which makes Finn uneasy. It is revealed that despite having a stable relationship with Sam, Quinn's unresolved feelings for Puck make it harder for her to accept Puck and Rachel's sincere affections. This is the Finn-Rachel-Puck-Quinn-Sam pentagon that I've been craving for! DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters and all the use of this is for leisure only.

CHAPTER 1

"Hey. Do you want to, say, hang out on Football night?"

"Huh? Oh, Puck's taking me." smiles Rachel innocently, as she smoothens out her lip gloss.

"Oh, yeah, Of course. I didn't know what I was thinking." Finn clearly defeated, mustered a smile back.

"See you around, Finn!" and she closed her locker door.

Finn tried walking alongside her, wanting to talk. He opened his mouth, and when he came to the conclusion that he didn't know what words to say, he closed them again and walked to glee club.

"Surprise!" Puckerman sheepishly led Rachel to their hideout.

Rachel laughed. It was one of the countless places where they talked their hearts out.

"Sneaky you! I didn't figure that out!" her mouth became the size of a melon.

Puckerman joined in the laughter. "Well, with Noah Puckerman, surprises must be epic." He leaned beside her and brushed the hair that the wind blew in her face. "This is really sweet of you, Puck. I never thought you had it in you."

"Well, I think you deserve this. Every time I remember how people instantly judge you, I realize how brave enough you are to handle it—in as much as to admit it to others."

"I've never admitted it to myself until the day Finn officially broke up with me. I thought of what a pathetic loser I've been, making it all about me and expecting people to think that nothing happened."

"Hey. If everyone were perfect, then we wouldn't human, now would we? I don't blame you for all you feel. The reason why you react the way you do is because you just want people to see you as what you can be. That's how you handle things. I handle it my own way by being a badass. I bet Finn handles it by thinking all about himself."

"But Finn's a good person."

"That's what he wants you to think. Don't get me wrong, Finn's a good guy, but between himself and the people who are important to him, he'll choose himself. He plays it safe with what he believes in—he believes in things pragmatically because of the way they are, not because it's what he thinks is right. And that, in a sense, is selfishness. But he hides it more. So you see? You're both on the same page. Santana luring him in is an example of that. He slept with Santana to boost have what he had lost. Don't get too frustrated with yourself. You're just man enough to face the consequences of your selfishness. And personally, I prefer that." He smiled.

"I am amazed at your depth, Puck. I've never seen this side of yours before."

"I've never shown it."

Rachel placed her head on his shoulders. "You're a great person, Puck. And this place is perfect, by the way. It's peaceful and there are ducks."

A few moments passed with utter silence.

"Puck?"

"Hmmm?"

"Thanks for everything."

"Hey, no biggie."

"Are you still friends with him?"

"We're friends, but we're not friends. He may tell me things—stuff that happens to his life but I don't tell him personal feelings or anything. I like being in control of myself. We joke around, but, honestly... I don't think he'll have my back when I need him, that's all."

Rachel just laughed a little but made no comment. She felt her eyelids flutter a bit, then shut close from the serene wind that calmed her. When he felt sure that she was asleep, Puck kissed her on the forehead and looked on.

Striding on the way up the corridor, Rachel hit the wall with a sudden force.

"Hey, Berry. Can't get enough of hot guys, can you?" Santana smirked.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean Puck, kiss-up."

"You can't have everything to yourself, Santana."

"You still can't get over the fact that I'm hotter than you and boys take one look at me and they drool."

"Get a life, Santana." Puck emerged, eyes shot.

"Can't get any lower, Puckerman?"

"You've got Finn already, so buzz off."

"Really Puck? Not after that night at your place? Or is Berry just fair-play for you?"

"Look, I don't know what you're game is, Santana, but picking Rachel won't make you any better. You've amused yourself too much by picking on people."

"I laugh at my hand. Have you ever listened to yourself? I don't know this new "Puck", all I know is that after a few days, he'll come back to his player senses. By the way," leans closer to Rachel, "Don't get comfortable with all of this. He hasn't taken his medicine yet so his brain isn't functioning properly. Noah Puckerman will always be Noah Puckerman. So better throw your hopes in the trash bin, Berry. You just have to face the reality of your unattractiveness."

"I said, QUIT IT, SANTANA!" with a sudden push, he sent Santana rolling to the hall.

"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH ME LIKE THAT, PUCKERMAN!"

"What's going on?" The shadow of Finn's form blocked the hallway.

"You laying a finger on Satana, Puckerman?"

"Well, look who's back suddenly becoming Superman! And since when did this happen, Hudson? When you learned that Rachel wasn't good enough for you? You're not as innocent as you look. Rachel deserves more than you can ever think she's worth. It's high time you defended someone who was as two-faced as you!"

Finn slammed his fist in Puckerman's face. "PUCK!" Rachel ran to his side. He wiped the blood dribbling down his lip, looked at Finn straight in the eye and said, "You just proved my point, Finn." Turning to Rachel, "No problem, babe, I've got you covered." And he brushed a flustered Finn away with his arm. Eyeing Santana, he said, "Get a life, I said."

"You shouldn't have done that." Rachel said as she gently patted cloth on his swollen lip.

"Hey," touching Rachel's arm. "That's exactly what they want you to think. Just because you look strong doesn't give anybody the right to embarrass you or put you down. They'll take advantage of that."

"Even though," she insisted. "You're not always there for me. I need to know how to protect myself."

"What makes you think that I won't be there for you?"

"Not you. I meant, people will always have their lives. Do you think people will actually care about me? I've learned about it the hard way—that at the end of the day, you're always alone. And I don't want to look like I should feel sorry for it."

"Exactly. I understand what you mean. But not all people are indifferent and disloyal, Rachel. One day, you'll meet those who will have your back. Trust me." He smiled and took her hands.

"Like you?"

"Yeah," With a glow in his eyes, "Like me." He squeezed her.

"I know what I saw." Quinn said, panicked.

"And you're reacting like this, because...?" Tina asked.

"BECAUSE! Because it was Puck and Rachel, it wasn't as what I have imagined it to be."

"Wait a second. Quinn, I don't get it. You're already with Sam. What's the big deal?" Mercedes pointed out.

"The big deal is that it's Rachel Berry."

"Look, I know I have been mean to Rachel, but she's not grabbing anyone of our boyfriends, so let's leave her to her troubles."

"I actually thought that Puck and Rachel were kind of cute together." Says Tina. All faces stared at her.

"What? They went out a couple of months ago; it's nothing."

"I just can't handle this. There must be some explanation."

"Maybe they like each other. Come on. How would you feel if somebody like Quinn actually hated that you're happy?"

"I said, I don't hate that they're happy. But..."

"But what? I'm sorry, I'm confused. A minute ago you said it was because of Rachel...?"

"I MEAN, I've never seen Puck like this. I never thought that he would be like this. Like how he is with Rachel, I mean."

"You mean like be with Rachel?" Tina asked as confused as everybody else.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "Urgh. It's not necessarily "being with Rachel". It's the fact that I get to see him all decent and all."

"Maybe he's in love with her." The colour drained over Quinn's face.

"Quinn, you don't look very good."

Mercedes took the cue. "Guys, why don't you go ahead and practice while I go accompany Quinn to the infirmary? All this talk is making her stressed. Mr. Schuester's coming in a minute anyway."

And she and Quinn went down the hall and turned corner left.

"Go ahead. Spill it." Mercedes smirked.

"Spill what?"

"I saw your face when Tina said Puck was in love with Rachel."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"I didn't bring you out just to have some fresh air, you know that. Denying won't do you anything."

At that moment, Quinn lost it.

"I thought I was going to make him change his ways. When we baby-sat for Nancy's sister's kids, everything felt so right. I thought we had something. I mean, I lost everything to him. My virginity, even our baby."

"I thought you didn't care about the baby."

Quinn started to cry. "I didn't care about the baby because I knew if I did, I'd have to rely on him for that. And I thought for a moment, it could work. Now he's with Rachel and I don't understand it."

"So this isn't about Rachel."

"I was confident when Puck went out with Santana because the last thing that that girl wants is a serious relationship—but with Rachel..." She couldn't move. Tears were furiously flowing from her cheeks. "I saw them in the bathroom and I heard what Puck said—he said that he was going to protect her, no matter what happens!"

"Listen, Quinn... I'm not saying that you don't have a chance with Puck. I'm just saying that maybe it's time that Puck deserves someone for him. Rachel, for all that she is, she talks for those who she cares about. And I think, and I know you too think, that Puck needs someone who knows him. And I mean, really knows him. Can you actually say the same? And besides," she held Quinn's hand. "You're forgetting about Sam—who loves you. Are there really enough guys who'd tell the whole world to stay committed to one girl? Count your blessings, Quinn. Loving Puck may not that be the best thing for you. It might cost you things that you didn't know you had." She held a deep breath and took Quinn towards the direction which they came in. "Come on, Mr. Schue might wonder where we are. Don't cry now. Puck isn't worth your tears."

Quinn wasn't sure of this.

"Mercedes?"

"Yeah?"

"Please, please don't tell anyone about this."

"No worries."

"Promise? Especially Sam. He'll freak."

Mercedes hugged her. "I promise. I'll give you a pinky swear if you want."