The first thing she was aware of when she awoke was the blinding headache, the second was the boy in her bed. She quickly tried to move away but the arm around her tightened and brought her back to his chest. A muffled deep and groggy, "Sleep" was ordered and made her clench her eyes tight.

"What are we doing here Puck?" she asked. He momentarily thought to be glad that she said we even if she paired it with the nickname she hated before she continued. "You hate me. And love Lauren," she spoke the last derisively. "So why are we in bed together?"

"Berry," he started still not completely awake.

"No, I suck. Remember?" and the grin he couldn't hide at that had her turning away from him as she blushed. But the memory wasn't what she thought.

"Woah, slow down Babe," he told her as she chugged yet another glass from the keg. "How are you not throwing up, Berry?"

"I don't have a gag reflex."

"Awesome," he said and tried not to spend too much time thinking what that could mean. Why hadn't he perused her harder? "You'll regret it in the morning, just the same."

"I meant when you convinced me to have this party. Not whatever you're thinking. Point is you hate me, you'll stick up for me when no one else does but if there's anyone else, you're on the side that's torturing me".

"We could totally cut her hair now that's she passed out," Santana said with Brittany grinning at her side, Artie long sense passed out somewhere.

"No," Finn whined.

"You want any hope of ever seeing any of this, then the answer is yes," Quinn grinned maliciously.

"Seen it, and got to say not worth it. So easy -answers no," Puck inserted himself in the conversation when Finn wavered easily removing Rachel from their grasp.

"That's not true."

"It is. You said I wasn't all that bad at Sectionals, and told me I suck twice. You've basically ignored me other than when I demanded you sing with me since before Christmas break."

"We don't celebrate Christmas," he couldn't help but interrupt.

"Fine, winter break," she corrected annoyed. "Still true. You've kissed me when I. . . was firmly engrossed with loving others, but single you ignore me. It's only when there no chance I'll fall for you that you consider touching me- goodness knows you couldn't, wouldn't want to deal with actually getting me. "

"Hey" he tried to interrupt, seeing that this would end no where good.

"No! I want to know why? Why is easy to hate me? To walk away. I. . .I offered to sleep with you and you declined. Did you know merely kissing you would be enough for Finn to leave? You are his best friend and have known him for years. What couldn't actually touch me until you had enough liquor to make it bearable? You promised to stop throwing slushy's and I guess I thought that meant stop trying to ruin my life in general."

"Rachel," he said, trying to shock her out of her speech, not really liking this version of what she thought of him.

"And who are you with this whole Lauren shtick, yes please kick me again, I love to be put down by you," she mocked as she continued to rant, so he did the only thing he could think of to interrupt- he kissed her.

She pulled back looking at him shocked. "You wouldn't stop talking," was his shrugged response as he leaned over her. Then, " I don't hate you."

"Puck. . ."

"Rachel, I don't hate you. Stop and think, I don't stay and face the morning after, but here I am. Did you even realize that through all that my arm remained around your waist? I don't hate you. . .but you don't want me."

"Noah. . ."

"No, it's my turn. Also we both for the most part have our clothes on, Berry. And trust me, that was my choice and it wasn't an easy one."

"You can touch me if you want to."

"You won't remember it in the morning, babe," he told her as he helped her up the last few stairs to her room."Your permission or what I can do for you."

"But I want you," she giggled drunkenly.

"Just get in bed," he begged.

"No," she pouted. "I want you to touch me," she demanded before her hands reached for her shirt to pull it up.

"Stop babe. You'll blame me in the morning," he all but groaned

"I won't," she pouted.

"Come on, I'll lay with you till you fall asleep okay," he compromised trying to resist the girl.

"What about a good night make-out?" she asked hopefully.

And to that he had to give in.

"We're clothed!" she said shocked after peeking under the blankets, her silence only lasted for a moment, before "You really do despise me. I disgust you."

"Conversations like this are why I always leave before the girl is awake," he murmured before moving quickly and pinning Rachel to the bed. He kissed her mouth until she was too breathless to speak, then down the column of her throat, nipping at her pulse point before returning to her ear. "You're worth you remembering when I get your virginity," he whispered then used his teeth to tug down on the lobe, her only response a gasp. He returned to her mouth, "Lauren was a phase and a diversion. I could chase her while waiting for you, because she wouldn't ever say yes," he told between kisses.

"I could be just a phase," she whispered worried.

"Phases don't last almost a year," he told her once again at her ear.

"Noah," she partly said, partly moaned as he continued his ministrations.

"I can wait. I can wait until you're ready. And I'm definitely waiting until you're not hung over," he said kissing her once more before sliding to the side with just his arm around her. "So like I said before Berry, sleep. You're mine."

Content and trusting him more than she thought she perhaps should, Rachel curled into his side and went back to sleep.

The last thing she heard before she fell asleep was, "Besides who else is badass enough to deal with all that crazy?"

AN:I apologize if you find this out of character. Personally I think the wussy Puck that's infatuated with Lauren is out of character. (He remarked on Quinn's pregnancy weight for goodness sake!) Anyway here's hoping the bad boy isn't tamed forever (or I might cheer Jacob throwing him in a dumpster again. Last time it was due to the loss of his mohawk, this time he's lost his awesome.) He owned being a jerk whereas Finn is just unintentionally a jerk. Right now, Santana is the only bad boy we have.