The End
A.N.: I was listening to "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" by Stars, and one line put angsty Puckelberry futurefic in my head. See below. ;)
Disclaimer: If I owned Glee, there would be no cause for angsty Puckelberry futurefic, because we'd get our Noah a la Mash-Up back. Seeing as that's not the case, I'm guessing I don't own Glee.
Their hands brushed, and it took everything Rachel had not to flinch. She gripped his hand firmly, looking up into oh-so-familiar eyes, and smiled. "Yes, actually, I do remember Noah," she said to her manager, heart threatening to jump through her chest. "Quite well," she whispered, swallowing hard. She dropped his hand.
"Hi," he managed, palms suddenly damp. "I, uh...I didn't realize when Allen said he had a friend for me to meet –" She laughed, and the sound sent a thrill through Noah. I missed that sound, he realized.
"Yes, hard to believe, but not only do I perform, I help others perform too. Having my own label...it's been a dream." She smiled at Allen indulgently. "Probably his nightmare."
Allen laughed, "Not nearly, darling, my nightmare is waking you up the day after the wrap party." He smiled and patted both of them on the shoulder. "I see you two know each other well enough, I'll leave you be." He pressed a kiss to Rachel's head and moved off. As she looked into Noah's eyes, time slipped backwards. I can't breathe, Rachel panicked, pressing a hand to her throat. His eyes searched hers and she felt dizzy.
"Rach," he said urgently, snaking his arm around her shoulders and guiding her off to a seat against the wall and out of the crowd. He sat her down in it gently, kneeling to be at eye level. "Rach, are you okay?"
She looked at him, and saw the boy he'd been. Saw the boy she'd left a piece of her heart with, that day on the bleachers. She looked up at him and saw the young man, taking responsibility for his – their – mistake. She saw him walking away with the mother of his child, leaving her with the pain of confirmation that she was second best to her again, and always. "No, I'm not," she whispered as her eyes filled, "I lied to --" She stopped, gazing off over his shoulder to laugh bitterly. "I may not be fine, but it seems like you are, though..."
"Noah?" came the familiar voice. "What are you doing?" Just the inflection of the voice, the disbelieving and angry delivery, would've confirmed the speaker's identity to Rachel, sight unseen.
He stood, clearing his throat awkwardly. "Um, Quinn, it's, uh..."
Rachel stood, brushing herself off. "Hello, Quinn."
"Rachel?" she asked, disbelieving. "You came here to meet Rachel?" she questioned Noah, voice growing slightly shrill.
"Apparently Allen is Rachel's business manager," he explained, holding out his hands in supplication. "She seemed to get a little overwhelmed by the bar, so I took her off to the side here."
"I'm fine now, Noah, thank you. I'll just go to my office and sit a bit, it's been a long day." She smiled tightly at Quinn. "Sorry to keep him."
"Your office?" Noah questioned blankly.
"You didn't know? This is my club, Noah. Sweet Caroline." She smiled at him then, her heart in her eyes.
She turned and walked away.
She didn't look back.
Your Ex-Lover is Dead – Stars
God that was strange to see you again
Introduced by a friend of a friend
Smiled and said 'yes I think we've met before'
In that instant it started to pour,
Captured a taxi despite all the rain
We drove in silence across Pont Champlain
And all of the time you thought I was sad
I was trying to remember your name...
This scar is a fleck on my porcelain skin
Tried to reach deep but you couldn't get in
Now you're outside me
You see all the beauty
Repent all your sin
It's nothing but time and a face that you lose
I chose to feel it and you couldn't choose
I'll write you a postcard
I'll send you the news
From a house down the road from real love...
Live through this, and you won't look back...
Live through this, and you won't look back...
Live through this, and you won't look back...
There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave
You were what I wanted
I gave what I gave
I'm not sorry I met you
I'm not sorry it's over
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save
I'm not sorry there's nothing to save...
A.N.: Angsty, right? Worry not, working on something else already. Okay, so there's angst in that too. Can't help it. ;) But I promise a happier ending than this. Seriously.