OK, so I've decided to make a 3-5 shot story depending on how many reviews I get. This is part 3. Part 1 was Coffee Proposal, and Part 2 was Puckleberry Wedding. You should probably read those if you haven't. So, in conclusion of this boring authors note, enjoy! :)
As Puck walks home from work, he still can't believe his luck. Not only is he walking back from a music studio after a day of putting the final touches on his new album, but he is walking home to his apartment in New York. His nice apartment in New York, which, in his wifes words, is the greatest city in the world. And that brings him to the biggest reason he's so lucky, his wife. His amazing, beautiful, smart, sexy wife of five years.
If you had told Puck at the beginning of sophomore year in high school that he would end up falling in love, and later marrying, Rachel Berry he probably would have punched you. Now, he can't imagine his life any other way. Without Rachel he would still be stuck in Lima, brandishing the title of Lima Loser. His wife vehemently disagrees, claiming he could have done it all on his own, but without her he wouldn't have had the incentive or encouragement to do it. She was the one who helped him graduate, and then apply to NYU. Rachel was the one who helped him find that job singing in a bar five nights a week which ultimately led to a guy from a recording label offering him a contract. And now he's on his way home to his wife after a long day of finishing up his fifth album
All Puck can think about is getting home to his wife. She would likely talk his ear off about Wicked rehearsal, and how her starring role would enable her to win yet another tony award to join the other three she has sitting proudly on the mantle in their living room. The thought breaks his face into a huge smile. Just thinking about how excited she gets when talking about her work can make him excited for her.
As Puck walks into their apartment building the only going through his mind is getting upstairs to his wife. All he wants to do is see her beautiful face, and have a nice dinner with her while they talk about their days. And then, after a shower, lock themselves in their bedroom until they both have to go back to work on Monday. They had both gotten the weekend off so they could spend some much-needed time together.
With thoughts of a lazy weekend running through his mind he opens the apartment door with a blinding smile on his face.
''Rach?'', he calls out. Usually he comes home to the sound of Rachel singing in the kitchen while she cooks, but today he hears nothing.
He walks farther into the apartment with a look of concern crossing his face. Rachel gets off at five thirty every day, and is normally home by six. Anytime she's been even a minute late she calls to let him know, but a quick glance at his phone soon shows him that no missed calls or text messages have been overlooked.
Puck continues his search walking into the kitchen. There's a sweat covering his skin, a worry clenching in his stomach, and his heart speeds up when he finds the kitchen uninhabited, and spotless.
Calm down, Puck. She probably had to run to the store for something, and forgot to tell you. He tries, unsuccessfully, to calm his racing heart and nerves.
He continues searching, feeling his heart float closer to his stomach with each empty room he finds. His heart is somewhere in the vicinity of his ribcage when he finds something that sparks a feeling other than worry in his heart.
The floor in the living room is literally covered in stick notes, calendars, pens, and notebooks. And in the middle of the colossal, yet organized mess, is Rachel. He breathes out a sigh of relief, then sucks it back in as it dawns on him. The woman sitting on the living room floor isn't Rachel Puckerman his loving, beautiful wife. It's Rachel Berry. You know, the Rachel before her and Puck got together. The crazy, controlling, and borderline insane Rachel Berry. The woman who is currently writing furiously in a pink notebook, and muttering under her breath seemingly unaware that she isn't alone.
Puck would be lying if he said he wasn't a little nervous. The last time he had seen her like this was when she had gotten egged by Jessie St. Jackass. He had gone to her house to make sure she was ok after the 'unspeakable incident' because, hey, Jews gotta stick together. At least, that's what he told himself, that it was just concern for a fellow Jew, and not feelings for one miss Rachel Berry. The point is that Puck found Rachel in the same state as she seems to be in now. Scared, nervous, and in Freak-out mode.
''Rachel?'', he asks with a nervous edge creeping into his voice.
His nerves spike up when he receives no answer other than Rachel continuing her furious writing.
He tries something different, knowing that he wouldn't gain her attention by talking to her. Puck walks up, carefully stepping over his wifes planning supplies, and sits down next to her. He gently takes the notebook out of her hands and sets it down on top of a calendar. This forces Rachel to look at him, and she stares at him for few moments just blinking before it seems to sink in that her husband's home.
''Noah? When did you get home?''
''It's seven-thirty, Rach.'' he responds in carefully measured voice.
''No, it can't be. I got home at three, and then sat down to revise my five-year plan because I-'' Rachel stops herself mid sentence. She had taken half a day from work so she could revise her plans, the come up with a creative way to tell her husband about a new change taking place in their lives. According to her husband she had been sitting on this floor for about four and a half hours, and she didn't have time to think of a way to tell him.
''You've been her for four hours, Rachel? What is so important that you feel the need to revise every little thing about your five-year plan?'', he's not angry, just concerned.
''Because, Noah, this is something that will have an impact on everything we do know for the rest of our lives.'' Rachel says, hoping he might catch on to what she's trying to tell him.
''What could change our lives? We're already married, and you've won a tony. What else could it be? Oh God, is it something bad? Like a disease? No, it can't be! I'm not gonna lose you to some terminal disease. Yeah, you had the flu last week, but that doesn't mean-''
Rachel puts her hand over Noah's mouth to stop his nervous babbling. She can't help but to giggle at his antics.
''What is so damn funny? I'm a nervous wreck over here, and your laughing at me.'' the sound of his reply is muffled by her hand, but still understandable.
She waits for him to stop talking before removing his hand from her mouth, and laying his palm flat against her stomach instead.
He shakes his head. Still not getting it he asks, ''What?''
''Noah, I didn't have the flu. That was just morning sickness.''
''Oh, so it wasn't the flu, it was just morning - wait, what?''
''Noah, I'm pregnant.''
Puck freezes. Pregnant. Rachel's pregnant. Rachel's going to have his baby. He lets the news sink in before he presses his palm tighter, but not too tight, to Rachel's stomach, and a big grin takes over his face. Because Rachel Puckerman his wife, yeah, she's gonna have his baby.
''Really?'', Puck knows he heard her right, but he still needs confirmation.
Rachel nods her head excitedly. The subject of kids had come up more than once, but both had agreed that they wanted to wait for a more opportune moment. A time when they could be an actual family, and not have to worry about rehearsals or sound checks, tour dates or Broadway. The more he Puck thinks about everything presently happening in their lives, the more his grin shrinks.
Rachel, upon seeing the look in Noah's eyes, and his shrinking grin asks, ''What's wrong?''
''How are we gonna do this, Rach?''
''You don't want to have family?'' Rachel asks in a small voice.
''NO! Trust me, there's nothing I want more than to have a family with you, and I will love you and this baby to the moon and back. It's just, we both have full-time jobs. Your staring in a new Broadway show, and I just finished my new album. How are we going to fit a baby int it?'', Noah is quick to put his wifes worries to rest, but he can't help but voice his concerns.
''I've thought about all of that. You said yourself that you didn't want to tour with this album, and I do have an understudy. She'll just have to go on for me, with a lot of mentoring from me of course.'' Rachel shrugs her shoulders like it's no big deal, but Puck knows better.
''No, Rach. I'm not gonna let you put your dreams on hold because of me. You've been dreaming of Broadway and Tony's since you were, like, two.''
''I'm not giving up my dream, just putting it on hold. I'm going to tell my director tomorrow, and then help my understudy better herself in any way possible. I'm going to be a full-time mother for three years, and then ease my way back into the Broadway world when I can enroll our child in pre-school. And I'm not just doing it for you. I'm doing it for me, for us. Even if this baby does have the worst timing, it will be the best thing to ever happen to us. I love you Noah Puckerman, and we're going to have a baby and live our dreams, even if we have to put them on hold for a little while.''
Puck doesn't know what to say so he just pulls Rachel in for a kiss. The kiss is sweet and slow, and they remind of her why she fell in love with him. No matter how tough he acts, she knows there's a sweet, caring man on the inside, and the tears she feels sliding down his cheeks are proof of that.
''I love you so much. Both of you.'', he presses another kiss to her lips, then a tender one on top of their intertwined hands resting on the spot where their child is.
''I know.'' , Rachel responds before pulling him in for a kiss.
P&R P&R P&R P&R P&R P&R
''On the count of three, Rachel.'', the doctor says in a clear voice.
''One. Two. Three.''
Rachel grunts, and once again lowers her head to her chest, bearing down with everything she has.
''Come on, you're doing great, Rachel. Just a few more pushes, and we'll have our baby.'', Noah's tender voice matches the slow, gentle strokes his thumb is smoothing over her sweaty forehead.
Twelve freaking hours. That's how long she's been in labor, and this is the worst part. She's been pushing for at least twenty minutes, and she still has to push. All in all, the only thing Rachel is getting out of this whole experience is this, Labour. Is. A. BITCH!
She lets out a scream as she once again bears down with all her might, holding as tight as possible to Noah's hand. She can hear his voice giving encouragements, but she can't seem to focus on anything but the pain.
''It hurts, Noah.'' she whimpers once she's done pushing.
''I know, and I'm so sorry. Just think about our gorgeous, little baby we'll get out of this.''
''Ok, Rachel, one more big push, and you'll have your baby.''
''One. Two. Three.''
Rachel holds Noah's hand in a vice tight grip, and bears down harder than ever, desperately wanting to end this terrible pain.
A shrill cry reverberates throughout the room, and Rachel's eyes immediately seek out the source. Her eyes find a little baby being cleaned off by the nurses.
''It's a boy.''
Rachel hears one of the nurses say, and she feels a blanket of warmth spreads throughout her body. Noah and her had decided not to find out the gender until the day their little bundle of joy decided to make its grand appearance.
A nurse guides Puck over to the crying baby, and shows him how to cut the cord. Puck carefully severs the last ties the little one has to its mother, and looks over at a tired Rachel proudly.
Once the baby has been cleaned off, and wrapped in a light blue blanket with a matching hat, Noah carries him over so that Rachel can meet her new son.
He carefull places the baby in Rachel's arms, then slides down next to them.
''Welcome to the world Matthew David Puckerman.'', Rachel says as she leans down to kiss her sons forehead.
Noah wipes the tears from his eyes, and smiles at his wife. He can't imagine what she had to go through, but he can't be more proud of her than in that moment.
''I love you so much.'', Puck says, and leans in to kiss both their heads.
''Sir, we need to make sure the baby is healthy.'', a nurse politely taps Puck on shoulder.
''Bye baby boy, Mommy will see you see you seen.'' Rachel presses another kiss to Matthew's fore head before handing him off to Puck so he can take him to the nurse.
Puck carefully walks over to the team of nurses that will take care of his son, never once taking his eyes off the little bundle in his arms. He places a kiss on the baby's head again, then turns him over to the nurses.
Puck's eyes are staring transfixed at the door the nurses just went out to take Matthew to the nursery when he her's a loud beeping behind him.
''Rachel!'', Puck's voice comes out in a horrified gasp as he turns around to see his wife lying unconscious in her hospital bed with a very scary pool of blood soaking through her bed sheets.
He hears a doctor shouting out a flurry of unfamiliar words, and takes in the scene of doctors and nurses working furiously over Rachel. His heart is pounding in his chest, and he feels like he's about to throw up.
''RACHEL! RACHEL, WAKE UP! WHAT'S WRONG WITH HER?'', Puck yells, hoping to get some answers.
Two male nurses grab his arms, and guide him to the door. Realizing what's going on, Puck fights them, and attempts to get to Rachel.
''Sir, we need to help your wife, and to do that we need you to go wait with your family.''
He stops struggling as their words sink in, and just walks with them back to the waiting room in a numb haze.
He walks through the double doors and into the waiting room with the two men still guiding him, and they deposit him into one of the hard plastic chairs. Puck can hear Rachel's dads, and his mom call out his name, along with all the glee clubbers, but he can't find it in himself to respond.
''Noah, hows Rachel?'', his moms voice breaks through the numb haze, and that's when it fully hits him.
Rachel, his wife of five years, is in a hospital room with doctors and nurses working to save her life. His wife just gave birth to their son, and now he doesn't even know if he'll talk to her again. Puck may never hear her laugh, see her smile, hear her sing, or hear her confessing her love for him.
Puck can feel the tears running down his face like a stream as he falls out of the chair, and onto his knees on the cold floor. He clasps his hands together in front of his face, and looks up in the direction of heaven. Oblivious to the scared and shocked faces of everyone else in the waiting room, Puck does something that he hasn't done since he was five years old. He prays.
''God, I need you right now, and I know I don't talk to you enough. But if you could listen just this once, I promise to be the best Jew I can be. Please don't take Rachel from me. She's everything to me, and I need her more than anything. Please don't take her. She's a great person, and a really good Jew. She's nice, and kind, and she loved me even after I made her life awful. I'll make you a deal, instead of taking a wonderful, caring woman, would you settle for a terrible, horrible man. I know I can't compare to Rachel, but please take me instead. She deserves to get to know her son, and have a real shot at life. Take my breath away, and my heart along with it, but please don't take Rachel.''
Puck ends his prayer with a whispered amen, and raises his head. He's astonished to find that everyone in the room has either dropped to their knees or bowed their heads in prayer with him. He can hear other people praying out loud for Rachel, some voices he knows, others he's never heard before. Puck hopes that if God didn't hear his prayer, that he might hear someone elses.
Puck feels the weight of someones arms wrapping him in a hug, and looks up to see his mother with her head bowed, silently praying for her daughter to make it through this.
He looks around to see the other Gleeks, even Kurt despite his aversion to God, with their heads bowed in prayer. He can see the shine of tears on everyone's faces, as he continues to sob and pray for his wife.
This is the scene the doctor finds when he enters the waiting room ten minutes later. A group of people praying for a girl who they may or may not know.
''Noah Puckerman?'', the doctor asks, catching the attention of everyone in the room.
Puck almost knocks his mother over how fast he stands up. He walks over to the doctor and notes the bloody state his clothes seem to be in, and the unreadable expression on the doctors face.
''How is she?'', Puck asks with a sinking feeling in his stomach as the doctors face remains neutral.
''We tried our best, but your wife had lost too much blood. I'm sorry.'', the doctors words don't sink in right away.
It can't be true. Rachel can't be dead. She just gave birth to their son. This is supposed to be one of the best days of their life. Instead, it's the worst day of his life, counting the day his dad left.
But it is true, The look on the doctors face confirms it.
''Can I see her?'', Puck just needs to see Rachel one more time.
The doctor wordlessly nods his head, then turns to lead Puck to her room. Upon, arriving at Rachel's room he can smell the strong scent of antiseptic in his nose, and notices that the nurses have cleaned the room, and changed Rachel into a clean gown.
Puck walks over to the bed and gathers both of Rachel's hands into his. He smooths his thumb over the gold wedding band on her ring finger, and feel the tears fall from his eyes.
Some part of his brain registers that the nurses and doctor leave the room, and close the door so he can have some privacy with his wife.
He studies Rachel's face, memorizing every angle, shadow, and detail. He strokes her hair off her head, and brushes her hair off her neck. It's when his fingers brush past her pulse point that he realizes it.
Rachel is dead. Gone.
His wife, the woman he's been in love with for eleven years is gone. Forever. Puck will never hear her laugh, see her smile, hear her sing, or hear her say 'I love you' ever again.
His legs give out, and he drops to the floor with his whole body trembling with the force of his sobs. He lays his head down on top of her chest. Where there used to be a strong heartbeat, he finds a silent emptiness.
He stays in that position, kneeling on the floor with one hand holding hers, the other stroking her hair, and his ear pressed against her hollow chest, until he fells a gentle hand run over his barley there hair.
He looks up expecting to see his mother leaning over him, when he encounters warm, rich coffee brown eyes. Eyes he never thought would open again.
''Rachel?'', he asks, disbelief in his tone.
''What's wrong, is it Matthew? Is he ok?'', sure enough it's Rachel's beautiful voice colored with concern for her newborn son.
''You're alive.'', Puck can't help but marvel over the miracle in front of him. She was dead, her heart was silent not two minutes ago.
''HEY, SOMEBODY!'', He yells. He should probably tell the doctors that his dead wife came back to life.
''Why are you yelling, Noah. There are other people on this floor, and I'm sure you just woke up a very unfortunate patient.'', Rachel chastises her husband.
''Please, don't ever do that again. Yell at me all you want to, hurt me, fight with me, and do anything you want, but please don't leave me.'', Puck is begging her by this point.
''What are you talking about? I would never leave you. I love you.''
Puck can't say anything over the sobs trying to escape his throat so he pulls Rachel in for a kiss. A kiss so intense that Puck swears the ground shakes. The kiss is full of everything he felt within the last twenty minutes, and leaves them both breathless. The don't break apart until the door opens, and a group of doctors and nurses enter the room, then freeze as they see the girl previously pronounced dead looking very much alive.
The doctor from earlier moves forward to take Rachel's vitals.
''Impossible.'' Puck hears the doctor mumble when he sees that absolutely nothing is wrong with her.
The doctor the walks over to the group of people still frozen at the door, and directs someone to go fix the paperwork, and for someone else to inform the couples friends and family of the miracle.
Miracle, that's the only way to describe what just took place. An ordinary girl died, then came back to life. It would be one thing if she had only died for a minute or two, but Rachel was dead for a good ten minutes. That doesn't happen. Except it did, and Puck knows he has God to thank for the miracle smiling at him with love shining in her eyes.
''Miss, would you like to see your son?'', a smiling nurse holds Matthew out for Rachel to take.
As Rachel holds the sleeping baby in her arms, Puck tells her everything that happened from when the nurses left the room to take little Matthew to the nursery to Rachel waking up.
''You scared me so much, Rach. I thought I had lost you.'', Puck doesn't even try to hide his tears or the torment in his voice as he recounts the horrific events of the day.
''I'm sorry I scared you, and I promise to never leave you.'', she leans in to give him a quick kiss, then gives her baby boy a soft kiss on the head.
''I love you, Rachel Puckerman.''
''I love you too, Noah Puckerman.''
They stare into each others eyes reveling in the fact that they still can.
''Hey Rach, we're parents.'', Puck breaks the silence right before the door opens, and their friends and family converge on them, showering the couple in hugs and kisses.
Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed this story. I cried while writing this, but I did give them a happy ending so I hope you aren't too mad at me. Review please.