A/N: So I was listening to one of my favorite songs, and I decided I would write a story about it. One day I might write a story about it that's a multi-chap, but for now I'll stick with a one-shot. Yes, this is a Puckleberry fic, not Finchel. Also Blaine, Brittana, Fuinn, and Chang Squared. For what it's worth, I do like Faberry, it just fit to make them enemies here. Also, Shelby is their age, and not Rachel's mom. The song is The Man Who Can't Be Moved, by The Script. I do not own the song or Glee. Please review!
Rachel woke up, the man she'd fallen in love with a couple months ago laying next to her. He noticed she moved and wrapped his arm around her, "Morning Rach."
Rachel smiled at him, "Good morning Finn. What do you want for breakfast? I was thinking muffins from that bakery down the street." Finn nodded. It was a Saturday morning in New York City. Rachel pulled on her favorite jeans, a t-shirt and a sweatshirt her old boyfriend left behind. She didn't love him anymore, but she loved his sweatshirt. Rachel kissed Finn bye, and went to the bakery down the street.
As she walked she noticed one of the TV screens in a window shop had a picture of him on it. She frowned and went inside the store. The news anchor voice boomed inside, "Noah Puckerman, a musician from Manhattan, has a sleeping bag in front of this little flower shop, Big Apple Florist. He has a guitar and a backpack. It's been said he hasn't moved since 3pm yesterday. He says he's waiting for an ex, and knows if she ever decides that she misses him, she can know where to find him."
The focus went off of Noah playing guitar to him standing and talking, "Well, we had a bad break up last year, but I miss her so much, and this is where we met, so I figured, she'd know where I am now." Rachel swallowed hard. That was where they met.
The view went back to the news anchor, "Noah has been carrying her picture around, asking people to tell her where he is if they see her. He says 'People keep trying to give me money, but they don't understand, I'm not broke, I'm a broken hearted man. I just can't move on, coz' I'm still in love with her.' Back to you Wendy."
Rachel blinked a couple times and left the store. As she walked to the bakery down the street, she noticed a young girl pointing. Her mom nodded and they continued to walk. A man from behind her tapped her shoulder, "Are you that girl that guy's waiting for?"
Rachel looked down, shaking her head, "No." She got her damn muffins and went home. Slamming the door she called out to her boyfriend, "What did you do while I was gone?"
He smiled, and grabbed her hand, "I cleaned the kitchen."
Rachel's eyes widened, "Wow! I'm impressed. Now let's eat!"
They had just finished their muffins, and Finn was getting dressed so they could go catch a movie, when Rachel's cell went off. She answered when she saw Kurt's name, "Hey." There were four other voices on the line. She recognized them all, Blaine, Santana, Tina, and Mercedes.
Kurt immediately shushed them, "Have you seen the news?"
Rachel sighed, they had all met Noah during those three years they went out, "Yes."
Santana swore in Spanish, "You saw him too, right?"
Mercedes spoke her opinion, "Girl, I think he really loves you. Maybe you were wrong."
Rachel out away the leftover muffins, "No, I wasn't wrong. I made the right choice breaking up with him."
Blaine laughed, "Remember at our wedding, that week after you guys met? You were the happiest I've ever seen you when you were with him." Tina agreed.
Santana scoffed, "Don't deny it Berry." Rachel heard Brittany in the background saying she missed her Puckleberry.
The seven of them worked in one of those giant ass skyscrapers you see in pictures of NYC. They all lived close and worked on the same floor. There was another guy they were friends with who worked their, Sam. He was also Noah's best friend. And there was Tina's boyfriend, Mike. Rachel met Noah when she was getting flowers for Kurt and Blaine's wedding rehearsal, yes they had a rehearsal of the wedding. Noah was buying flowers for a sick friend. Brittany and Santana were dating, and had been for the past six years, since they met three years after high school.
Rachel spoke calmly, "I have to go, Finn and I are going out."
Kurt laughed, "What, that guy you met like four months ago and decided was your soul mate? Whatever Rachel, you're making a mistake." Everyone on the line agreed.
Rachel was getting mad, "Ok, I get it. You all want me to get back with him. It's an intervention! But I don't care! Listen I am not changing my mind. Now I have to go, bye." A chorus of byes followed her bye. She put her phone in her purse.
Finn walked out, "Who was that?"
"Oh, just Kurt and them. Let's get going, and, maybe we should take the car."
Finn frowned, "Ok."
After the movie Finn and Rachel went to their favorite Chinese restaurant. They sat down and the waiter came out to take their order, "What you like?" Rachel started to order her tofu chicken and veggie on steamed rice when the waiter stared at her, "Hey, you girl in picture from news, aren't you?"
Rachel shook her head, "I don't know what you're talking about, sorry." Finn stared confused, but just ordered his food anyways. As they ate they started chatting, "So how's the cafe doing?"
Finn nodded, "It's cool, I guess. How bout you and your, whatever it is that you do?"
Rachel smiled in spite, Noah always knew what her job was, "It's great. And I'm a sales analyst at Morgan Stanley."
Finn just shrugged, "Yeah, that." Rachel sighed and took a bite of her tofu. That was one thing this whole issue made her think about. Noah never forgot, or didn't care. The second she had something to say, even the smallest thing about some bug she and Kurt saw and how Kurt freaked out he would be all ears. And he never forgot. She kinda missed him, but wasn't breaking up what she wanted to do?
Forcing a smile she started talking about his friends Artie and Matt. They were these two guys Finn worked with. She said they should come over sometime. Finn nodded a little. They finished most of their lunch in silence.
"Hey Finn, I'm gonna head over to Santana's, ok? You drive home I'll be home by tonight." Finn got in the car and said that was fine. Rachel pushed her feet through the light snow that was falling. She arrived at Santana and Brittany's apartment building and pressed the button for her apartment. They buzzed her in and she walked up to their apartment fast.
Rachel was kinda cold now, and her boots were wet. Santana got her a blanket and sat down and Brittany handed her a glass of coffee, "It's snowing Rachel."
Rachel sighed, they were trying to guilt her. He was out there, on that corner where they met, in the snow, "I know San, I know. It's like, the more I think about him, the more I miss him."
Brittany looked at Rachel kinda sad like, "I talked to him today, gave him a sandwich and coffee. He said people have been giving him food and blankets and money all day. For a while he said he gave it back and said he wasn't poor, but eventually he just started taking it. He really misses you Rachel. He started to tear up when I talked about how you're doing now."
Santana nodded, "You're being selfish."
Rachel shook her head, "No I'm not. Listen, can we just sit down and watch movies and Gossip Girl reruns with a tub of ice cream?"
The couple nodded and pulled out The Notebook. Rachel got the tub of chocolate ice cream from the freezer and got three spoons. At about 9pm Rachel said bye to her closest girl friends, and started to walk down Wall St. She heard Billionaire playing out of her back pocket, "Hey Blaine."
"We need to talk about all this stuff that's happening, ok?"
Rachel sighed, "Yeah."
"He misses you, why can't you be happy with that? Why can't you be happy with him? I don't get it, he's gorgeous, and smart. And he can play the guitar like nobody's business. I can't even remember why you guys broke up. Wasn't it coz he proposed?"
Rachel looked at the stars, "Yeah. He proposed to me, and I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment, or to be in that kind of relationship. I freaked out and called our relationship off."
Blaine chuckled, "I don't get you. You are the only straight girl I know who is in her late 20s and doesn't want to settle down."
Rachel thought about his words, letting them sink in, "I'm independent, is that so wrong?"
Blaine scoffed, "Yes."
Rachel kept walking. She heard some person talking about how The Man Who Can't Be Moved was told to move by a police officer. Rachel walked faster to avoid the conversation, "The police tried to get him to move. I don't know, it's like, now everyone recognizes me."
Blaine laughed, "And you wanted to be on Broadway."
"That's why I didn't try! I hate being a household name, someone everyone knows. You should see the looks I'm getting. It's like everyone is thinking, 'Your ex is sitting in the cold snowy night, and you couldn't care less,' but they didn't date him! They don't what a pain he was! They think they understand, they don't."
"I don't know Rachel. I'm sorry. We'll talk tomorrow at work, promise. Bye Rach."
"Bye Blaine," Rachel walked into her small apartment to find candles and roses and a perfect late night dinner. She giggled, "Finn?"
He came out of the bedroom, "Hey. Hungry?"
They sat down and at his spaghetti and garlic bread. He took a sip of the champagne, "Rachel." He got on one knee, "I love you. Will you marry me?"
Rachel started crying, "Yes!"
The next morning Rachel woke up and Finn was already gone. She got dressed and got coffee and left for work. As she arrived at the office Sam walked up behind her, "I hate you."
Rachel looked hurt, "Why?"
"Do you have any idea how annoying Noah is? He was driving me crazy before this whole 'I'm not moving,' crap. He constantly asked me about you. And now. I hate you."
Kurt walked up from behind them, immediately grabbing her hand, "What the hell is this?"
They were heading to the conference room to meet with the rest of the group. They all worked together as analysts, Rachel was the boss. She smiled. "I'm getting married," she said as the entered the conference room. Everyone turned to look at her.
Blaine grew red with anger, "What? This Finn guy you've been dating for like three months is good enough to marry you but the guy all your friends loved that you dated for three years wasn't good enough? Kurt, can I kill her now?"
Kurt simply shook his head, "Sorry, no. But, in her defense," he said sarcastically, "they've been together for four months."
Brittany looked at them all sadly, "I miss Puckleberry."
Rachel sighed, sitting at the front of the long table as they all took their seats, "Guys, I'm sorry, but, me and Noah aren't happening. I'm gonna go talk to him tonight and tell him to go home."
Mike frowned, "That guy on the news, he's talking out you?" Mike never knew Noah. He met Tina last year right after they broke up. He'd just moved to the company from Florida.
Everyone but Rachel nodded. Mercedes scoffed and leaned back in her chair, "Yeah."
Rachel sighed and dropped the subject, focusing on their work.
As soon as Rachel's meeting was over, she asked her boss if she could get off early. He said yes, so she grabbed her coat and her purse, and started walked down the familiar path to Big Apple Florist. As soon as she got close she saw him. He was strumming and singing a song that she knew she would have loved. He turned a little and saw her. She walked up to him and looked down, "Hi Noah."
He stood up, placing his guitar back in its case and dusted himself off, "Rachel, hey."
Rachel cleared her throat, "I'm not coming back. You might as well leave this stupid corner and go home."
Noah frowned, "Why? You say you aren't coming back, but you don't really kn-"
Rachel stuck out her hand, "I'm getting married, next month."
Noah looked down, "Oh. Well I'll be here if anything happens and you change your mind. I know somewhere in your heart, you still love me. I still love you. I wrote a song for you, it's called 'The Man Who Can't Be Moved.' One day you'll hear it on the radio, it'll become huge. You won't be able to not think about me, I swear."
She frowned, trying not to let herself cry, "No! I will never love you again! I won't come back, nothing is gonna happen. Noah, you and I aren't supposed to end up together, get it?"
A crowd had gathered. Noah frowned, slamming his guitar case shut, rolling up his sleeping bag, and flinging his backpack over his shoulder, "Fine, bye Rachel." He walked off in the opposite direction of her house.
Rachel turned and walked to her apartment. Finn wouldn't be home yet, so she could down a bottle of Vodka and watch some TV. As she unlocked the door, she heard an odd sound from the bedroom. She walked in to find a blonde girl sitting naked on top of her fiancee. The two stopped and the blonde rolled over to hide under the blanket. "Shh Quinn," Finn whispered as the blonde, Quinn, tried to explain. "Rachel, I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd be, I, I'm sorry."
Rachel squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. She threw the engagement ring at him, "You suck ass Finn Hudson, I hope you get an STD from your little slut!"
She ran out the apartment door. Finn pulled on some boxers and yelled after, running down the apartment hall, "Rachel! Rachel! Wait!" She left in a hurry, ignoring his pleases. She ran to the corner, but Noah was gone.
She sat on the curb, yelling at the sky, "Why are you doing this to me! What did I do wrong!" She tried to remember where his apartment was. She got up and ran down the street in the same direction he had turned and left. As she ran, hearing her feet hit the pavement, watching her breath puff out in front of her, she thought about how she'd have to go back to Finn's apartment to get her stuff.
She turned and ran up the stairs. She tried to open the door, it was unlock. She ran up the stairs inside, looking for 38B, his old apartment number. Knocking frantically she waited for the door to open, hoping and praying he would be on the other side of the door. When a young lady opened it, she cursed and ran back outside. Looking all around, she thought about where else he might be. Sam's house. She hailed a taxi and got in, stating the address like it was natural.
As soon as Sam buzzed her in, she got to his apartment fast, "Sam, is Noah here?"
Sam frowned, "No. Why are you out of breathe?"
"I ran all the way to his old apartment, the one on the same street as the flower shop. Someone else opened the door."
"He still lives there, which apartment did you go to?"
"38B."
Sam smiled sadly, but also very happy, "He lives at 38C, across the hall."
Rachel hugged him and thanked him, running back out to get another taxi. As she approached the building, she sighed, took a deep breath, and hoped for the best. Going up the same stairs she'd just been up fifteen minutes ago, she knocked on 38C, right across from the room she'd just knocked on earlier. The same women answered. Rachel banged her head the wall, "What the hell? You were just over there?"
Noah suddenly appeared in the doorway, "Rachel?"
She turned, throwing her arms around him. Whispering in his ear, she said six words he was prepared to hear her say, "You were right, I love you."
He hugged her tight, "I love you too. Rachel, met my agent, Shelby. She was over there at the neighbors a second ago, telling them to please be quiet for a moment." Rachel, barely listening, grabbed his face and kissed him. Shelby said she was leaving and left as the two kissed. Noah pulled her inside, shutting the door. Noticing the tear stain on her cheek, and black mascara running down her face, he pulled her onto his lap on the couch, "What's wrong? What happened?"
"The guy, my ex-fiancee, I found him in bed with another woman right after we finished talking. I realized you were right, we were supposed to be together, and I do love you. I was just so blinded by what I thought as true love, I couldn't notice that I actually had true love, but only when I was with you."
Noah kissed the top of her head, "Let's go get your stuff, you can stay here." With that, the two went back to her apartment, got all her stuff, ignoring the yells from Finn, and walked right back outside. After dropping all her stuff off at his house, the two went out for a walk.
They walked down Broadway avenue, hand in hand. Suddenly a news anchor walked up to them, "Noah Puckerman, is this the girl you were waiting for?"
He smiled, nodding, "Yeah, she's the one."
Two months later, Noah and Rachel set up at a coffee shop. Normally Noah just wrote the music and lyrics, this time he performed it too. And normally, he didn't do gigs, he did concerts. But this was different. He was playing The Man Who Can't Be Moved, and he was singing it with Rachel. All their friends were there, watching. They started the song, and soon as it was done, the whole audience broke into applause.
Brittany and Santana locked pinkies, and walked over to the couple sitting with Blaine and Kurt at a small table. "I missed my Puckleberry," Brittany said.
Sam, Mike, Tina, and Mercedes walked over. Sam put his arm around Mercedes, they started going out last month. "Puckleberry 2.0 is gonna last, right?" Mercedes asked.
Rachel leaned her head on Noah's shoulder, "Of course. We're never leaving each other's sight again."
Noah kissed her cheek, "We're together, forever. We swear."
