Disclaimer: I don't own anything. The characters belong to Ryan Murphy and Company. I'm just playing in thier sandbox. The song belongs to Clay Walker and the songwriters. This slightly AU.
Author's Note: I just couldn't resist writing this little one-shot. This song came on when I was in the shower one day back in May and I just couldn't get Puckleberry out of my head while listening. It took me almost six months to finish it but here it is. I hope you guys like it. By the way, the little bit in italics are lyrics from the song that I used as dialouge. Enjoy :)
One, Two, I Love You
Noah Eli Puckerman sat on the wrap around porch of the house he'd designed and built for the woman he loved. A broad grin crossed his face as he watched his wife of nearly ten years playing with their children in the front yard. Noah had loved her for as long as he could remember. And they'd been through so much together - as well as apart. No matter what, he always came back to her and she to him. His eyes closed for a moment as he went back in time to when they were so young and carefree, when he first started loving his soulmate.
#~#~#
Kindergarten, five years old
You and me and mother goose
Learning lines to nursery rhymes
That's when I fell in love with you
#~#~#
The day care center of the JCC was chaotic. Children of different ages running around was almost giving Mrs. Greenburg a migraine. It didn't help that three of her most problematic charges were huddled in a corner, no doubt conspiring against her.
"Berry, you kow you gotta! She likes you!"
"Noah!" Rachel Berry, precocious little five-year-old as she was, looked around to make sure the Rabbi's wife wasn't paying attention. It was common knowledge that were she and her two partners in crime - Noah 'Puck' Puckerman and Blaine Anderson - went, trouble always followed. "What if we get in trouble? Daddy said if we get in trouble today, we can't have ice cream when we go home."
"Rachie! Come on, Puck's right. If it's you, Mrs. Greenburg won't get mad. Puck and me will get in trouble but not you." Blaine tried to reason with her. The boy who was at least six mnths younger than Rachel could have easily passed for her twin, But that was because they were unknownly related through their mothers - well Blaine's mother and Rachel's surrogate bearer - and that a strong familiar resemblance that ran deep in the Corcoran bloodline. "She's not paying attention anyway. She's too busy getting Jacob out from under the table after Dave chased him around trying to give him a wedgie."
#~#~#
Back when it was
One, two, buckle my shoe
Three, four, shut the door
Five, six, pick up sticks
Even then my heart was yours
#~#~#
Looking for their caregiver, Rachel tried to figure out how to carry out their plan without getting caught. It would be risky but making trouble with her two best friends was one of her favorite things.
"Okay, but if we get into trouble I'm not giving either of you any of my cookies for a week!"
Both boys nodded gravely. They knew she'd make good of that promise. And Rachel's Bubbie's cookie were too yummy to resist. To be denied those cookies was like the end of hte world.
"We need a plan."
The tiny brunette bit her bottom lip with a mischievous gleam in her eye. In that moment, Noah Eli Puckerman knew that he would never love any other woman in his life the way he realized he loved Rachel Barbara Berry. One day, that girl would be the one he married and spent the rest of his life with.
#~#~#
College days miles apart
So afraid you'd forget
Writing letters every day
And ending every one like this
#~#~#
Puck opened his eyes as he heard the peels of laughter. Their oldest boy Micah was chasing Rachel around the yard with a water balloon. The sight brought such joy to him that he couldn't help going back in time. Memories flashed in his mind's eye. Some good, some bad, some in-between.#~#~#Rachel Berry had been in New York City for three months after coming back to the place she'd always dreamed of living in. It was the second semester of her sophomore year at Juliard. After a semester at NYADA, she wasn't happy and before she knew it her boyfriend since Junior year of high school - and the boy she'd loved since she was twelve - was helping her decide if she wanted to transfer to NYU's Tishe or the prestigious fine art school currently in attendence.
"I miss you so much Noah. But I know you have to stay in Lima a little longer. I just wish Quinn would finally make up her mind about Beth. It's been four years. Either she wants to be part of that little girl's life or she doesn't."
She heard a sigh on the other end of the phone.
"I know Berry. S'not the munchkin's fault. Q's just being a bitch like normal." Puck ran his hand over his recently shaved head. "It's a big pain in my ass. 'Sides, you're the only real mother she knows. Keeps asking when we're goona go to NYC to be with her Momma."
Rachel's heart melted and broke at the same time. With her there and Noah at Ohio State - he'd gotten several sports and performing arts scholarships in both states but an issue with Beth's custody made it impossible to accept the ones in New York at the time - she was missing out on time withe the child that had crept into her heart and awoken her maternal side. She had applied to OSU as a back-up in case they couldn't go together as a family. But her Noah insisted that she follow her dreams and they'd follow her there when things were resolved with Quinn.
"How is our girl? I can't believe how big she's gotten since January! I love the vidoe you sent me."
"Growing like a weed. Starting to look more like a Puckerman everyday." Puck chuckled. "Ma was so happy when her blonde hair started darkening to my sister's light brown. I thik she's hoping it'll get to be near your lushish chocolate brown one day."
They often joked about Beth being Rachel's biologically since she hardly looked anything like Quinn or the Fabrays as she got older. It also didn't hurt that the brunette Jewess spent more time with the infant babysitting when her teenaged father was either at some sport practice or game or working to support the tiny baby.
The ex-cheerleader kept going back and forth about wanting and not wanting her daughter in her life. Rachel sometimes wondered if it was regret on signing away her maternal rights, never getting counseling over the way Beth came to be - both Quinn and Puck had been under some kind of chemical influence without either knowing and just thinking they were drunk when they both betrayed Finn by sleeping togehter. The quarterback would hvae never known about their tryst if the head Cheerio had gotten her way but the badass felt the need to clean his conscience of their transgressions. This made news of the pregnacy - and by extent, the paternity - easier to deal with.
"She's so great baby. I wish you could see her practicing. The dance clas you put her in is having a recital in the middle of summer. So you'll get to see her in action when you come home on Passover break. Hopefully by then things will finally be more settled and we can go back with you in the Fall."
"Puckerman! Get your ass in the locker room and suit up. We got practice in ten minutes. Kiss yur woman good-bey and get in gear!"
The reformed badass rubbed his face with his free haqnd. Practice interfering with cell phone time he got with his girl was so not koshier.
"I gotta go Rach. Coach is legit getting ready to ride my ass if I don't hustle."
"Okay. I love you Noah."
He grinned to himself before ending the call with the same way he ended each email he sent her.
"One, two, I miss you. Three, four, I walk the floor. Five, six, come back quick. And I don't want to miss you no more."
#~#~#
A little girl, a little boy
Playing on a swing in the yard
And as we watch I hold your hand
And you're still holding onto my heart
#~#~#
"Micah! Highter!"
Puck had been so lost in reminising he didn't notice his wife join him on the porch. Their son was busy pushing one of his sisters - Caroline - on the swing set while their other siblings - Beth, Eli and Jude played scattered around the yard.
#~#~#
And now it's
#~#~#
"Lakta for your thoughts?"
Puck laughed at Rachel's antics. She was always keeping him on his toes, one of the many things he loved about her.
"Life in general. Us mostly."
Rachel looked at her husband inquisatively.
"Oh yeah? Anything specific?"
"Everything. Our past. What we have now. Whatever the future holds." He tucked a loose hair behind her ear. "One, two, I love you. Three, four, let's have one more. Five, six, I wouldn't miss a day of this for all the treasure on the ocean floor"
"Oh Noah! You're such a romantic sap." Rachel smiled at himm while burrowing into his side. "What would the jocks and Cherrios at McKinnley think of your badass rep nowadays?"
"Considering I'm a famous songwriter married to the most recent up and coming budding star on Broadway and we've got a buck of awesome kids? Those tools in Lima can suck it. They called you a freak and me a Lima Loser but we're making it out here while they're back home."
"I love you Noah Eli Puckerman."
"I love you too, Rachel Barbara Berry-Puckerman."
"Come on. Let's go play with our rugrats."
#~#~#
One, two, I love you
Three, four, let's shut the door
Five, six, kiss after kiss
I can't wait to hold you once more
#~#~#
Later that night after putting thier children to bed, the young parents entered thier own bedroom to get themselves settled.
"Did you mean what you said earlier?"
"Every fucking word."
"Especially about having one more?"
Puck grabbed Rachel to him as he kised her.
"Anytime you're ready for the Puckarone to put another Kosher roll in your oven just let me know."
Rachel thught back for a moment to his response when he picked glee - and her - over football all those years ago. Then she glanced at the door to make sure it was locked.
"Bring it."
That was the night two of thier youngest three babies was made. Ezra and Aaron would be joined by thier baby sister Leah a year and a half later.
#~#~#
There you go everyone. Another story in the finished pile. For those of you out there reading my WIPs, I'm working on them. Hopefully there'll be a new chapter for one of them soon. By the way, I have a question for my fellow writers out there - when writing flashbacks can the same scenes work for different stories if the stories themselves aren't related to each other? Just something I've been wondering. Anyway, I hope everyone liked this. Reviews would be awesome but not required.
