Two Years Old, January 15, 1997

You know those types of friends who you meet really young because you live in the same neighborhood or you both share a common thing with your family and your parent's pair you up? That's what Noah Elijah Puckerman and Rachel Barbra Berry have. They were the only Jewish kids in their age group besides Jacob Bin Isreal, but even as a toddler he was a weird boy. Rachel and Noah met when they were two, the Berry's had just moved from New York where Rachel started her long years of training in the performance arts.

The first time the two met the Berry family was barely moving in and Ava, Noah's mother spotted them. She wasn't sure of them being Jewish, but as soon as she saw the family had a child her Noah's age, she rushed to get her boy and introduce the children. "Noah, darling, you'll have a new friend now!" Noah didn't pay any mind to the words of his mother as he played with his toy car. Singing from a small voice could be heard from inside the home, making Noah drop his car.

"Song," he whined, trying to get down to find the music. He kept whining, as most children do. His mother proceeded to knock on the door and welcome her new neighbors. A man opened the door, the music getting louder. "Song!" Noah pouted.

"Hello, I'm Ava Puckerman and this is my Noah, we noticed you were new to town and decided to introduce ourselves!" Ava told the man in front of her. The music was still going on, the voice singing sounded small and cute.

"Well, I'm Leroy Berry, my husband, Hiram, and daughter, Rachel is inside, practicing her favorite song, but feel free to come in. Rachel would love a new friend. We are just starting on dinner." He opened the door more widely to let them in.

Rachel ran up to the door. "Daddy, up!" she whined, pulling on his pant leg. Leroy picked up his little girl, tickling and making her giggle. She was a smart little girl, even at 2, but she was as any other two years old was. She looked at the two neighbor.

"Rachel, are you going to say hi?"

"Hi, I Rachel Barba Berry and I are 2." She had practiced since she was 18 months old to say that, even if she still had a problem pronouncing 'Barbra' She looked at the woman and boy at their door as her father let them in. The adults sent the kids to play, not realizing that soon these two would be best friends.


3 years later, 5 years old, August 20, 2000

The two children were closer now than ever. At two, when they met, the two instantly were attached at the hip. They did everything together, well everything a 5-year-old can do...

"Noah! Hurry!" Rachel whined, pulling her best friend along to the big building in front of them. Both children were starting kindergarten and were in the same class. They were going through this new step together. She was excited while Noah dragged on whining.

"Rachie! I don't wanna go! I sleepy!" he whined softly, trying to dig his feet in the dirt, so the petite girl couldn't drag him into the new building. The only interaction the two children had with other kids was at JCC and all of them were a bit older than the two five-year-olds.

Rachel kept trying to drag her best friend into the elementary school, his strength even at 5 over powered her, making her fall on her butt in her brand new sun dress. She pouted softly, tears in her eyes. "Ouch!" she mumbled, sniffling a bit.

"Rach are you okay?" the tall boy asked, helping her up.

Rachel nodded softly, biting her lip softly. The tears brimmed in her eyes. "Fine!"

"Rachie, don't cry!" He took her hand as they walked in.

She walked with him, still a pout on her lips, but she did feel a bit better. She held his hand tightly. "Noah...? W-what if they don't like me?" she whispered, her eyes on her favorite person in the world. She didn't make friends well. All her teammates in her dance classes and her singing lessons hated her. She knew of the other kids in Lima, while they were friends with Noah she really didn't have any friends besides him, at least.

"Who cares? You're awesome..."

"Thanks, Noah!" Rachel smiled, that thousand watt smile and skipped along to the front door dragging a whining Noah along. The two were going to be known as the problem duo together.

That's exactly what they were when Dave Karofsky pushed Rachel off the swings at recess, Noah punched him, pushing him down. Arts and crafts day consisted of Rachel cutting the tied end of Santana Lopez's ponytail when he ruined the painting Noah did. They were protective of each other and always were around to protect the other from someone else. Rachel always wanted to be friends with Noah. She hoped she always would.

That was broken for Rachel on Noah's sixth birthday when she was the only girl at his party. "Noah?" Rachel commented, tilting her head. The other children at the party consisted of all the other boys in their class.

"Rachel! You came..."

"Of course I did, you're my best friend!" Rachel smiled brightly, playing with the left side of her pig tails. It was one of her nervous ticks when so many people were looking at her. Being a performer, she wanted everyone's approval.

"He can't be your best friend, he's a boy... You're a girl..." Finn stated matter of factly, his dopey-ness apparent even at age 5.

Rachel pouted. "I-I... Noah?" Rachel pouted confused as to why anyone would think that she and Noah couldn't be best friends when they had been friends since they were two.

"Yeah, Noah... You can't play with girls without being one." Dave Karofsky told the boy.

"That's not true, Dave!" Rachel claimed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at Karofsky

"Just go away, Rachel..." Noah commented, not even looking at her.

"N-Noah?"

"Go play with your dolls or something Rach! I don't care!"

"No! I'm not letting you tell me we aren't friends! I know we are Noah! You just don't want to be isolated from the boys during play time at school." Rachel glared at the other boys at the table who ignored her. "I'm not losing my best friend!"