Chapter 1

Please say you are joking

AN: Hello my lovely readers. So I know for those who read my Dramione stories that I have not updated in a while and that is because I have hit major writers block with those. So please if you do read them let me know your thoughts and possible ideas for what could happen next in them. It may help to get the juices flowing on those again. Until I am able to get over my writers block for those I am going to continue with some Glee fics. Hope you enjoy!

P.S. Check out photobucket for pictures related to the story. Search for ssteele2989 and the album is the same title as the story.

Rachel had not been back to Lima since graduation. She had been accepted into Julliard and from there became a star on Broadway like she had always know would happen, but here she was driving down the interstate ten years after leaving to come to her high school reunion. She wouldn't have accepted but Kurt had convinced her otherwise stating that she needs to come home and see everyone for they all dearly missed her. Rachel wasn't very convinced. The only people she talked to from school were Kurt and Santana since she too had gone to Julliard and had ended up being her room mate. At first it was hard for them not to kill each other but they soon became close friends and Rachel now counted Santana as her best friend. Though they sometimes were still at each others throats.

But here Rachel was driving home to her fathers' house and a life of drama she thought she had left behind. Rachel knew that something bad was bound to happen on this trip and her fears were deemed right when the minute she entered the boarder in to Lima she saw flashing lights in her rearview mirror. Rachel checked her speedometer and realized she was going 55 in a 45. She pulled her car over and put on her best show smile. She was praying that she could get out of this ticket. She saw a male cop get out of his car and walk towards her. There was something familiar in his gate and manner of walking but she couldn't place it. She rolled down her window as the cop stood at the driver side of her car.

"License and registration please." The cop asked without looking at her. Rachel was frozen in her seat; she would know that voice anywhere. She groaned and looked up at the man standing next to her car. 'Please tell em you are joking' she thought, thinking that God really did have a sick sense of humor.

"Noah?" she asked looking up at him.

"Holy shit, Rachel Berry, what the hell are you doing here?" Puck exclaimed looking at the petite woman sitting in the red sports car.

"You're a cop?" Rachel asked ignoring his out burst.

"Shocking I know, but what are you doing back here. I would have thought you would be making it big in New York." Puck said leaning on her car and peering in the window. Puck had to admit to himself that she had grown up and was damn sexy, not that he would ever admit that.

"I came back for the high school reunion and I will have you know that I have had a very productive career on Broadway headlining in no less than five shows and was nominated for a few Tony awards this year as well." Rachel said. There was the Rachel Puck knew.

"Well good for you. We will have to catch up sometime; I think we are all going to a karaoke bar later tonight. You still friends with Hummel?" Puck asked.

"Yes I am." Rachel replied simply.

"He will give you the details then, good to see you Berry, and try to keep to the speed limit." Puck added with a smirk. Rachel nodded and let out a long breath as she watched him walk back to his car. Rachel pulled back on the road and finished her drive to her childhood home not able to stop thinking of how good Puck had looked in an officer's uniform. She finally made it to her fathers' house and pulled into the driveway. She sat in her car and stared at the house. It looked as though nothing had changed. It looked the same as the day she left for Julliard. Her fathers had insisted that she stay in New York even for holidays and they made it a point to come see her instead since they loved the city so much. She got out of her car not worrying about her bags right now and walked the short distance to her front door. She placed the key in the lock and turned it stepping back into her old home.

"Dad, Daddy, I home." Rachel called stepping into the entry way. Everything was exactly how she remembered it. Though it didn't feel like home to her anymore.

"Bunny is that you." Her Daddy called coming around the corner and smiling at his little girl. She smiled back and gave him a warm hug. "Jeremy get your bottom down here and say hi to our little princess." Her daddy Liam called up the stairs. Her Dad came bounding down the stairs and picked Rachel up in a tight hug.

"Hi Dad." Rachel choked out.

"You looked wonderful and so grown up, doesn't she look so grown up Liam." Jeremy said putting Rachel down and ruffling her hair. Something she had always hated but loved that her dad still did that to her.

"How was your drive? Are you Hungry? Do you need us to bring your bags in?" Liam went on.

"Darling give her some breathing room. It is a long drive from New York and I am sure she is exhausted. Rachel why don't you go lay down and we will bring your bags in and wake you when dinner is ready." Jeremy said kissing Rachel on the head and sending her up to her old room. Rachel opened her bedroom door which still had a large gold star on it and looked at her room. Her fathers had left it just the way it was when she left. Most parents she knew of turned their children's bedrooms into a craft room or exercise room the moment their children left but her fathers had almost made it a shrine to her adding posters and play bills from her performances to the ones she already had in her room the only difference was that all of her performance bills and posters were framed and all hung on a single wall. Rachel sighed to herself kicking off her shoes and falling onto her bed. She curled up on her bed and before she knew it she was out like a light.

Rachel woke to her phone vibrating in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw Kurt's name on her caller id.

"Yes" She asked trying to stifle a yawn.

"Rachel. Did you make it to town alright?" Kurt asked her.

"Yes I am at home now." She said sitting up and stretching. Her room was much darker then when she got home and she looked at her alarm clock and was that it was nearly eight at night.

"Good get ready; I am going to be at your place in thirty minutes we are all getting together tonight to sing karaoke. Wear something casual." Kurt said before hanging up. Rachel closed her phone and shook her head. She was not looking forward to this.

Much to his word Kurt showed up at her door exactly half and hour later. He was just the same as he was in high school. Perfectly groomed and wearing what he considered to be in style at the moment which Kurt called military chic.

"You look hot Rach. If I wasn't gay…" Kurt said taking in Rachel's look. Her long dark hair was curly and she wore tight jeans with a gray tank top with a design on it and a black leather jacket with matching flat boots.

"Hello to you too Kurt." Rachel said. "Dad, Daddy, I'm going out with Kurt don't wait up." Rachel called to her fathers. She grabbed her purse and keys and followed Kurt out to his car. The Drive to the bar they were going to was a short one and Rachel found herself becoming extremely nervous about seeing everyone again. Ten years was a long time to not talk to anyone. She was hoping to avoid most of them until the reunion and then be out of town before she could run into any of them. They pulled into the lot and the place seemed to be pretty busy for a Thursday night.

"Looks like we are the last ones here." Kurt said getting out of his car. 'Great' Rachel though to herself. She followed Kurt in and took a deep breath before crossing the threshold into the bar. Rachel instantly spotted her old glee group and couldn't believe how much some of them had and hadn't changed.

"Well if it isn't the speed demon herself." Puck said as they approached the table.

"Hello Noah, Hello Everyone." Rachel said smiling to everyone.

"Diva you looking good girl." Mercedes said standing up and giving Rachel a hug.

"You look great Rae." Brittany said giving Rachel a hug next.

"Thanks you two look great too. Mercedes I have seen you ads in magazines, they are stunning." Rachel said. Quinn nodded to Rachel which she returned.

"So how did Avatar on ice work out for you." Sam said standing up and giving her a hug too. Ever since Sam saw that on her list of things to do in her locker they had found something to bond over and learned that they were both closet geeks.

"Never going to let me live that down are you, nice glasses by the way." Rachel said laughing with him. Sam Shoved The glasses up his nose and smiled at her.

"Rachel" Finn said standing up and giving Rachel an awkward hug.

"Finn." She said trying to get out of his arms as quickly as possible.

"Long time no see Bitch." Santana said from across the table with what she called a shit eating grin on her face.

"Not long enough." Rachel said back winking at the Latina. "Mike Tina congrats on getting married sorry I couldn't make it." Rachel said turning to the Asian couple sitting between Santana and Puck.

"It's ok, we understand." Tina said with a smile. Rachel had been surprised to see that the two had stayed together through out all of high school and eventually got married.

"Well I have an announcement to make." Puck said standing up beer in hand. "Berry it seems we will be neighbors soon because my transfer to the N.Y.P.D. came through and I leave to move to New York City at the end of the month." Puck said. He was met with a choir of congratulations and well wishes.

"But Noah the crime rate is so high in New York you could get killed." Rachel said as Puck sat back down.

"Worried about me Berry?" Puck said with a smirk.

"I would be worried about anyone who chose to be a cop in a big city." Rachel said crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm sure I can handle myself." Puck said winking at her.

"I'm going to get a drink." Rachel said pushing out of her seat and walking up to the bar. When Rachel got back everyone was looking through the karaoke books and picking out songs to do.

"Rachel you must do a number from Wicked for us." Kurt gushed.

"I don't know Kurt." Rachel said trying to avoid singing tonight.

"Come on Rach. I would love to hear you sing again." Finn said making Rachel even more uncomfortable.

"Yeah Berry, we can't all make it to New York to see you perform." Puck said nudging her. Knowing she wasn't going to win this battle she agreed and let the dj know what song she wanted to do.

"Okay everyone we have a treat for you tonight." The dj announced. "A real Broadway star. So let's give her a big welcome back to our very own Rachel Berry." Everyone clapped and Rachel took to the stage and sang 'No Good Deed' from Wicked which was met with a standing ovation from the whole bar as well as calls for an encore. Rachel thanked them and stepped down from the stage.

"Okay I think we all need to take a road trip to New York to see a production. You were great." Tina said as Rachel rejoined her group of friends. Rachel thanked her and said that it would be great to see them all in town when she got back.

"Where is Artie?" Rachel said noticing he wasn't among their group.

"He is still in LA producing an album. He isn't gonna make it for the reunion." Mike told her. The two of them had started there own label that took off with in the first year.

"Still going strong then?" She asked.

"Doing great actually." Mike told her with a proud smile on his face. The rest of the night was spent catching up and Rachel found herself relaxing around everyone but Finn. It still hurt to be around him after they broke up at the end of high school. He broke her heart by telling her that he was never really in love with her that his heart had always belonged to Quinn. Since then Rachel hadn't been able to stay in a relationship for more then a few months. She couldn't blame Quinn. She was perfect and had seemed to grow even more beautiful if that was possible.

"Have I told you how great you look tonight?" Puck whispered in her ear pulling her out of her trip down memory lane as she watched Quinn and Finn together.

"Noah you are drunk." Rachel said looking over at him. He was just a stunning as she remembered him, still fit and well toned, his t-shirt showing off just how well he was cut.

"No, maybe a little buzzed but I am far off from drunk." Puck said putting his arms across the back of her chair. "And you do look really nice. Very unlike the Rachel Berry I grew up with." He said nuzzling her neck below her ear inhaling the scent of her shampoo.

"Thank you Noah for the compliment, you are looking well too." Rachel said politely trying to ignore the chills Puck was sending down her back.

"Just well Berry, I would have thought fucking sexy, but I guess to each his own.' Puck said pulling back from her neck and looking at her deep brown eyes. Why had he never tried with her. His mother had always been on him about a nice Jewish girl and to be honest she still was.

"Noah Language!" Rachel said thankful that he wasn't so close to her anymore. It had been a while since a man touched her and Noah felt to good sitting that close to her and she didn't need that drama.

"Come on Berry, it's part of my charm." Noah said flashing her a smile. Rachel rolled her eyes at him but couldn't help smile a little. Underneath it all he was still very much the boy she knew in high school. " So I expect you to show me around town when I move." Noah said absently playing with her hair around his finger.

"I would be happy to though it depends on which station you will be at and where you will be living. I do not know what kind of salary an officer makes in New York but I must say I doubt you will be living in the same neighborhood as me." Rachel said.

"You still talk way to much you know that." Puck said. "Plus I though we could shack up together." Puck said wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"You haven't changed at all have you?" Rachel asked appalled that he would suggest such a thing.

"I have changed a lot Rachel, maybe I can show you just how much when I get settled in New York. You can pick the place and it will be my treat. A real date between us." Puck said looking at her intently.

"I don't think that is such a good idea Noah." Rachel said.

"Come on what is the worst that can happen. You realize I'm not a loser and actually find that you like me." Puck said.

"I have never thought you were a loser Noah." Rachel said knowing that a lot of people had told him he would always be a Lima loser.

"I think you are the only one beside my ma that ever thought I would make something of myself."

"That's because we were the only ones who really saw you Noah and not Puck. I am proud of what you have done with your life. It take a lot of courage to become an officer of the law especially considering your past with them." Rachel told him sincerely.

"Then go out with me." Puck said.

"Why?" Rachel asked.

"Because we are a couple of hot Jews." Puck said with a smirk.

"Not good enough Puck." Rachel said standing up and telling everyone good bye and leaving the bar.

"Berry Wait." Puck called after her as she walked down the street. It had been a short drive to the bar so Rachel had figured she could walk home.

"What do you want Puck?" Rachel asked continuing to walk.

"What happened to Noah?' He asked.

"I don't know why don't you tell me. You can be so nice and then you ruin it with a comment like 'we are a couple of hot Jews' is that all you really see when you look at me. Is that I am Jewish and apparently hot? Not that I am a good person with feelings and opinions and ideas?' Rachel asked turning around to face him.

"Trust me we all know you have an opinion for everything and I was just being a smartass. You know how I am. I can't take anything seriously. I think they call that a defense mechanism or something." Puck said with a shrug. "Rachel you are the only one who ever really got me and I want us to at least try and be better friends and if something more comes out of it then great if not at least we gave it a real try. After seeing Mike and Tina get married and now Finn getting engaged to Quinn I realized I need to settle down as well." Puck went on.

"Finn proposed?' Rachel asked in a small voice.

"Yeah I thought you knew." Puck said feeling like an idiot for spilling that. He knew Rachel had never fully gotten over what Finn had done to her. She had given the douche her whole heart and body and he crushed it all or at least that's what he heard from Kurt.

"No I didn't not like it matters right. Finn and I have been over for a long time." Rachel said turning around and continuing her walk.

"You really shouldn't walk around town at night. Let me give you a life to your house." Puck offered.

"Because the crime rate is so high in Lima." Rachel said with a small laugh.

"Berry don't make me pick you up and put you in the truck myself." Puck said and she knew she was serious with that offer.

"Are you even safe to drive Noah?" Rachel asked and Puck smiled hearing her use his first name again.

"I'm good Berry I only had three beers, plus chasing after your tiny ass sobers a person up." Puck said.

"I am not tiny." Rachel said annoyed that everyone said that about her.

"Whatever you say short stuff." Puck said opening his truck door for her.

"Watch yourself Puckerman." Rachel said getting up into his truck and buckling herself in. Puck laughed to himself and walked around the front of his truck and got in pulling out the bar parking lot quickly and taking Rachel home.

AN: Well let me know what you thought! Hope to hear your thoughts soon.