AN: So I've not written anything in a while so be kind :) This is a Puckleberry future fic with a few chapters if people are interested after this chapter. The rating is for the following chapters more so than this. Enjoy :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing those people working for FOX that I love to hate on so many occasions do.

"Rachel Barbara Berry! You're looking so lonely and sad I keep waiting for you to meet me one day wearing one of those hideous animal sweaters I managed to pry from your sad excuse of a wardrobe seven years ago!"

The immaculately dressed 24 year old Kurt Hummel exclaimed as he flounced into the pint sized off-Broadway divas dressing room. With a sigh the pair's eyes locked through the mirror as Rachel put down the brush she had been using.

"Kurt, you know I love you and I love your interest in my life. Really I do. I'm fine." She stressed. "Did you bring my dress? I can't believe I forgot to bring it."

"I did diva and you're going to look absolutely stunning! You'd look infinitely better if you had some dashing man candy with say a strong jaw, hazel eyes that just seem to fuck you from one look and hair that at one point in time may have been shaped into a mohawk."

With another sigh the tiny starlet turned to face the man she had called her best friend for the better part of seven years.

"Kurt, please, there hasn't been anything between Noah and I since we 'dated' - if you could call it for a week back in high school. You've been absolutely obsessed with trying to make something out of nothing since we bumped into him last week."

"You can't deny it Rachel, Puck has become a man. A man that any red blooded female, no any red blooded human would want to take a ride on. His arms Rachel, those arms attached to those fingers..." Kurt sighed wistfully as the thoughts of just how good one Noah Puckerman had looked the week previous. With a girlish laugh Rachel finally stood to embrace her friend.

"Kurt, do I need to remind you of a certain tall, dark and handsome man by the name of David who happens to be your incredibly loving boyfriend. Also clearly the most understanding man I've ever met for putting up with you." Kurt released Rachel blanched and clutched at his chest.

"You wound me Diva. I will have you know that he loves everything about me. That includes my four closets of clothing. I just want to see you happy and I'm quite certain given the rumours from school that that man could make you very happy."

"I'm sure he could Kurt. Now need I remind you I have a date with Tom tomorrow night? If things go well maybe he will make me very happy. It's time to get me beautiful. I'm so excited for tonight, all the original cast are going to be there!" Kurt walked over to the garment bag he had placed on the chair near the door and removed the form fitting dress that was sure to draw the attention of any man with a pulse, or woman for that matter. After Kurt was sufficiently happy with the way that Rachel looked he stepped back and clapped happily.

"You my darling look good enough to eat! Which I'm sure nearly every male will wish they were doing!" With a smile and a giggle Rachel kissed Kurt on his cheeks in the way Kurt insisted made them look worldly and headed towards the door of her dressing room. "Try not fall into the bed of anyone that is famous Diva - I might get insanely jealous."

"If I do you'll be the first person I call I promise. Now I need to leave and so do you or David will hide your favourite cashmere coat again for being late to meet him."

Blowing a kiss, Rachel opened the door and left down the hallway rushing in the hopes of flagging a cab down before she had to stand on the sidewalk of the bustling New York street. Back in her dressing room Kurt sent off a quick 'I'm leaving from dressing room of our favourite off-Broadway diva now xx' message to his boyfriend before scrolling through his contacts before settling over the desired name and hitting the call button. Making his way out of the halls of the theatre he barely let the person on the other end of the phone grunt out their greeting before saying, "Please tell me you own a suit and can be dressed and at the address I'm going to text you after I end this call within an hour."

Rachel surveyed the room, taking note of the many famous faces she recognised while trying to take deep breaths to calm the nerves that settled into the pit of her stomach. In just one short week she would be taking the stage in her biggest role yet since making the move to New York the minute after graduating from McKinley High. It was exactly what everyone had expected her to do and for that reason she felt as though she had more to lose if she were to not succeed in her ultimate goal of being recognised with a Tony. To her left she noticed Taye Diggs and Idina Menzel talking animatedly to the director of her musical and it took a moment for it to digest that yes this was her life now.

"Rachel Berry?"

She turned her attention away from studying the couple she had been watching to face the blonde woman standing in front of her. Looking stunned that the woman she had idolised not only knew her name but was initialising a conversation with her. Breaking out of the initial shock Rachel beamed a true smile, not one of her many perfected stage smiles.

"Yes, sorry, hi!" Pausing to gather her thoughts and stop herself from making a bigger fool of herself Rachel began again. "Sorry I'm an enormous fan of yours Ms Chenoweth so forgive me for having a total fan girl moment but I've seen you perform so many times and to actually meet you is amazing. I'm really failing at not making a fool out of myself aren't I?"

"It's Kristin and you're fine. I'm hearing wonderful things about your upcoming performance." She replied with a smile.

Finally relaxing into the conversation she found herself having an in depth discussion about Broadway through the past ten years. After talking for longer than she thought someone as famous as Kristen would talk Rachel once again found herself scanning the room and smiling to the people she recognised as they made eye contact. Focusing back towards the makeshift bar she met the eyes of the last person she expected to. Forcing a smile on her face she started making her way towards him meeting him halfway across the room.

"Well, well. Rachel Berry made it to Broadway after all."

"Jesse, hi! What a nice surprise to see you attending this event. How have you been? What brings you here to this event? It really is a lovely evening don't you think? Everyone looks so wonderfully dressed and the food and drinks are all delightful."

"I'm glad to see you're still as talkative as ever Rachel. It is a lovely evening. I've been living here since I graduated college in California. I have a role in the revival of Spring Awakening so naturally my attendance was vital. It's truly wonderful performing here in New York it was only natural that I would end up here."

Trying not to roll her eyes at his candour about his performance capabilities Rachel couldn't help but feel slightly jealous that he seemed to have made his way to Broadway and into the public eye a lot better than she had.

"That's wonderful Jesse! Of course you were always a fantastic performer so it's understandable you've secured an opportunity to perform in such a fantastic musical!"

"It really is isn't it?" The smirk which she remembered so vividly from the high school days when he broke her heart made its way to his face. "What is it you're doing here? Trying to make contacts to get into auditions?"

"Well actually..." She began before she was interrupted by a voice that was familiar and an arm making its way to her waist that brought so much more comfort than it really should.

"She's already scored a role St. Fucktard, and she will be showing you and your flouncy ass hair up just as she did all those years ago back in Ohio." Rachel refused to turn to meet the newest additions eyes and tried to open her mouth in the hopes of defusing the possibly explosive situation but was beaten by the latest addition to the conversation.

"Really St. Asswipe I've been hoping to run into you for a while because I never did get to have a little chat with you after that whole egg incident and I never fucking forget about a conversation I've wanted to have with someone." A flash of panic flashed across Jesse's face before he quickly and expertly masked it and the familiar fake smile was once again at home on his face.

"Lovely to see you Rachel, I'm sure we will cross paths again at some point it would be really great to catch up with you properly. Puck, a pleasure as always."

"Yeah the pleasure was all mine St. Fuckery say hello to your cast mate Robert I was having a lovely conversation with him about his understudy Jesse. Hmm Jesse – why does that name seem familiar..."

A deep flush made its way to Jesse's face before he could turn and walk away from the pair. Using his arm that was wrapped around Rachel's waist, which he took a moment to acknowledge the fact that it felt far better than it really to turn her to face him allowing their eyes to meet for the first time since he'd entered the party. With a trademark smirk he finally let go of her waist and watched as her eyes scanned his face before a smirk of her own made it to her face.

"How long have you wanted to call Jesse those names Noah?" His warm laugh caused her body to warm more than she cared to admit.

"You know me too well Berry. I always hated that guy and it fucking pissed me off that I was never able to retaliate for the whole egg incident." She watched as his eyes left hers and trailed down her body before slowly raising back to meet hers. "Your clothing has come a long fucking way from high school Berry, I mean damn."

"Is that Noah Puckerman for a compliment?" The response she got was a wink which did nothing to decrease the warmth his presence was causing her body. "What are you doing here?"

"That doesn't seem like a very good way to greet a dear old friend does it Berry?"

"I'd hardly call what we had a friendship Noah. I am really appreciative that you found time to come here to an event that is hardly your scene however and insult Jesse. I'm not entirely sure why you're here but it is rather nice regardless."

"Rather nice is all I get? Berry I ran into you and Hummel and all I managed to get off you was a 'Hi Noah' and then I turn up to an event to spend some time with you and all I get is that it's fucking nice that I'm here. It's been years and to be brutally honest I was pretty fucking excited to run into you on the street and even though Hummel was the one that seemed far more excited to see me – which scares me a little more than it should, I was hoping for a bit more of an enthusiastic response." Rachel's eyes found their way back to meet Noah's and she noticed the eyes that always seemed to have a slight smirk of their own portrayed the upset tone of his voice.

"You're absolutely correct Noah. I've been horribly rude; I just simply can't fathom why you would come here to a Broadway event. Why don't we go to the bar and we will get a drink and catch each other up on the past few years."

"I'm pretty sure my Mom has kept me up to date on everything relating to you Berry," The trademark smirk was back on his handsome face. "But this stuffy event, not to mention this fucking suit has got me ready to kill a fucker for a drink."

"As eloquent as ever Noah," Rachel replied unable to explain even to her conscious as to why she grabbed his hand to lead him towards the bar. Even more unable to explain the spark that spread like a wild fire from her fingers that were laced with his to the pit of her stomach.

To be continued.. if anyone is actually wanting more :)