A/N: I do not own Glee.

Prompt – Shane Puck: You know, my entire life people have said that I would become a psychopath if I didn't learn how to feel. And I wanna, know, Cherie Rach, what the fuck is so great about feeling? Because I finally let myself, and I feel like my heart's been completely ripped out.

This… this is why Glee sucks. He was perfectly happy throwing slushies in people's faces and sleeping with cougars and not giving a damn what people thought. Then Glee came along, with Rachel freaking Berry, and suddenly, everything was different.

He actually cared.

She may not know it but it's her fault. She's the reason he started caring. She was the person that made him stop with the slushies and reduce the amount of people he slept with and she was the only person he felt like making an effort for.

Hell, he got into NYU for her. He was planning on following her to New York and she may have pretended that it wasn't for her but that was a lie. Every single person in Glee club knew that he only applied to NYU so that he could follow her and hopefully be with her when she finally got over Finn.

She knew the score. She was supposed to leave Finn in Lima and fly to New York with him and they were supposed to work crappy jobs just so that they could buy food, and it wasn't going to be perfect but it was going to be theirs. He may not have said the words out loud but she knew that he cared. She knew that he was going to New York to be with her – to finally get his chance at being her leading man.

She knew that, which is why it hurts so much more when she approaches him after Glee rehearsal and pulls him aside.

"Noah… I'm really sorry but I'm not going to New York anymore", she says softly, her eyes avoiding his. He's not afraid to admit that his heart sunk in his chest and the room seems to be spinning. This isn't the way things were supposed to go.

"What are you talking about crazy?" he teases, attempting to snap her out of it.

"Finn and I have been talking and we decided it would be best for our relationship if I stayed in Lima and did my degree here before moving to New York and conquering Broadway"

"But you got into Julliard, Rach. That's a million times better than OSU", he reminds her, his hands clenching into fists.

"Yes, but OSU doesn't have Finn", she says quietly, her eyes firmly focused on the floor.

"What the hell Rachel? You're sacrificing New York for Finn? For god's sake, when are you going to realize that you deserve better than Finn Hudson? I got myself accepted to NYU so that I could have a chance to be with you and you're throwing everything away to be with a guy who'll eventually get bored of you and run back to Quinn"

"Noah, I didn't know…" she pleads, her eyes begging him to understand. "I didn't know that's why you wanted to go to NYU, I promise, but I have to see this relationship through. I've wanted Finn for years and now that he wants me, I don't want to throw it away"

"Cut the crap Rachel. You and I both know you're lying. Every single person in Glee knows that I'm going to New York to be with you, so don't try and deny it. And just so you know, if you stay here in Lima with Hudson, you're never going to get out. He'll never let you go. The only reason he's fighting for you so hard now is 'cos he knows that if you go to New York, you're going to realize you deserve better than him"

"I'm sorry Noah but I'm with Finn and that's the way it's going to stay" she whispers, her eyes filling with tears.

"You know, my entire life people have said that I would become a psychopath if I didn't learn how to feel. And I wanna know, Rach, what the fuck is so great about feeling? Because I finally let myself, and I feel like my heart's been completely ripped out"

"Noah…"

"No, I get it. Finn's the goddamn golden boy and I'm the Lima loser that'll never amount to anything", he growls, his voice breaking with emotion. "I just wish you could see past that because I'm so much better for you than Finn could ever be"

"Noah…"

He just smiles softly at her, his heart aching in his chest, as he turns on his heel and walks away from the woman he loves, hoping more than anything that she'll choose to follow him to New York, even if she doesn't want to be with him because she deserves so much more than Finn Hudson and Lima, Ohio.