I don't own Glee or the Song "Me without You" by Ashley Tisdale. I also do not own Noah Puckerman or Rachel Berry, I wish I did because they would have lasted for more than one episode.
Summery: While Puck left detention he stops by the auditorium and gets a big surprise. Takes place after "Mash- Up"
XOXOXOX
Noah Puckerman walked out of detention with a snarl on his face. He can't believe a stud like him got suckered into a detention by Schue of all people! He's fucking lucky he even stays in Glee, and he has the nerve of giving him detention for being late to his class?
"Asshole" He muttered to himself as he walks to his locker to get his letterman jacket, maybe he'll stop by Quinn's to see how she's been lately.
"Not that she'd tell me anyway." He thinks to himself. Quinn is still in denial about him even being the father of her baby. She's so convinced that Finn would make a better father than him. The dude was a fucking moron! What idiot would think you could get pregnant in a hot tub, when you're not only wearing your swimsuits but there was no penetration of any kind!
He shakes his head as he closes his locker and starts to walk towards the exit. No he wouldn't go to Quinn's; she would just throw him out anyway. He will be a part of his kid's life, he was not his old man! He goes past the auditorium and he could hear the fain sound of a piano.
He had no doubt who was in there but he was debating on whether or not to go in there and face her. Ever since their day on the bleachers when he refused her friendship, she stays clear of him, afraid he was going to go back to slushee her. In a way it hurt, didn't she know he wasn't that douche bag to her anymore because he actually gave a shit about her? She said so herself she knew he wasn't going to break up with her.
He doesn't know what it was about Rachel, but no matter what he ever did to her she never hated him, she always took whatever he gave her and moved on her way, with her head held high. In a way it made him admire her, but it also made him feel that much more like shit. Why would he do the shit he did to her? She was a great girl, yeah she was obnoxious but that's because she knew she was going places, and so did everyone else for that matter. Why she even gave him a chance at dating was beyond him, but he thanks the good Lord she did, even if he did screw it up.
Taking a deep breath he finally opened the door as quietly as he could. He could see her getting up from the piano and moving her way to the acoustic guitar that was resting next to her. He didn't even know she played guitar.
He sees her take a deep breath and closes her eyes as she starts to string out the chords and starts to sing into the microphone, almost in a whisper.
It's just you and me and there's no one around
Feel like I'm hanging by a thread, it's a long way down
I've been trying to breathe but I'm fighting for air
I'm at an all time low with no place to go
But you're always there when everything falls apart
As much as it hurts him to know that she's probably singing this song for the great Finn Hudson, the guy who gets every girl because he pulls those puppy eyes and stupidity sweetness on everyone, he loves her voice and he can tell this song means something to her so he slowly takes a seat in the middle aisle and listens to her angelic voice. He also knows she holds back a lot from people. He might always get forgiven by her but he knows it hurts her that no one gives her a chance, and she just wants to be liked. Its part of the reason he liked her so much, they had more in common than he thought.
And it seems like the world is crashing at my feet
You like me the best when I'm a mess
When I'm my own worst enemy
You make me feel beautiful
When I have nothing left to prove
And I can't imagine how I'd make it through
There's no me without you
No, me without you, no, no
Rachel knew who this song should have been about. It should have been about the boy she knows is exceptional for her. It should be about the boy who has the leading man musical voice. This song should be about the boy she's had on her mind since she first heard him sing. But it's not. Noah made her feel more wanted than Finn has ever made her. As much as she fantasized about Finn dumping Quinn and sweeping her off her feet, she knows that's just a fairytale, and fairytales don't exist for girls like her.
You hear what I say when I don't say a word
You are my rising sun, you're the place I run
You know how it hurts when everything falls apart
And it seems like the world is crashing at my feet
You like me the best when I'm a mess
When I'm my own worst enemy
Noah made have treated her like dirt up until two weeks ago but, there was always something about him. Something that made her forgive him every time he hurt her. In her heart she knew he was just as lost as she was. Whenever he would throw a slushee at her, she would see this look in his eyes that told her he was sorry, and he knows she's trying to be strong and not break. Those looks got her to hold her head up while everyone wouldn't give her the time of day, or use her for their own selfish reasons.
You make me feel beautiful
When I have nothing left to prove
And I can't imagine how I'd make it through
And there's no me without you
No me without you
And there's no me without you
No me without you
She finally opens her eyes and is surprised to see him there. Why would he be listening to her sing? It almost broke her when he denied her friendship she knew she blew it big time and avoided him and knowing what could have been if she didn't break up with him. She will never have Finn, and even if she did, she would always be second best to him. Quinn was the girl he loved and that wasn't going to change. But Noah…Noah could be her rising sun, and she knows that. Whenever he looks at her he makes her feel so beautiful and wanted and she doesn't even think that's his intention. He is just as good for her as she is for him. In her heart there is no Rachel Berry without a Noah Puckerman, it just doesn't work. You can't have a abrasive diva without a studly sweet bad boy to bring her down to earth once in awhile and she knows she helps him too, she tries to show him he is so much better than people give him credit for. Maybe if he knows this song is for him he'll understand. As she sings she sings straight to him with everything she has.
And when you say, "Baby, it's gonna get better"
I believe you and I wish that somehow
I could see me the way you do
With my imperfections, you think I'm perfect
When it's not easy, you make it worth it
When everything falls apart
She sings the last part as hard as she could, hoping he knows that she means it. Nothing has ever been easy to her besides singing and she knows he doesn't really think she's perfect and she has a lot of social problems, but whatever happens in the future she refuses to give him up, because he is worth it! As a friend, lover, or even just someone who's there, he's worth it. He always was. He could tell her everything will be okay and she'd believe him, he may be a lot of things but he's never lied to her.
You make me feel beautiful
When I have nothing left to prove
And I can't imagine how I'd make it through
She sees him stand up and her heart sinks as she thinks he's leaving, but to her astonish he's walking towards her and singing the last refrain with her, their voices molding together perfectly as they stare into each other's eyes.
There's no me without you
No me without you, no, no
No me without you
No me without you, no, no, no
As she strings the last chords of the song they just stare at each other; neither knowing exactly what to say. He clears his voice and smiles at her.
"That wasn't for Finn was it?" He laughs but he's still unsure of the answer. If he just misunderstood what he thought she was trying to say he's going to feel really stupid.
She smiles sadly as she takes off the guitar and puts it against the piano.
"No, it was for you." She admits looking down; she hopes he doesn't break her. She's taking a huge risk with her heart admitting this, because she means what she sang.
He lifts her chin with his finger and makes her look at him. "His eyes are so beautiful." She thinks to herself.
"There is no Noah without you Rach." He whispers and leans in closer to her and kisses her softly and it's true. He never saws the Noah side of him except to his mother and sister and even then it's rare. With Rachel all she has to do is look at him and Puck is gone, leaving only Noah in it's presence.
She kisses him back with a smile on her face. This is not going to be easy and god knows they both have a lot to discuss but for now that can wait. For now they are going to bask in the reality of what they both just admitted.
There is no diva Rachel Berry without the studly Noah Puckerman; it just wouldn't work.