First things first! Who else was kind of po'd that Puck had a total of like 6 words the entire episode of Glee on Tuesday and those words were him telling Quin he was breaking up with her cuz she was fat? Seriously? WTF?
OK, now that that's out of my system… I realize that I should updating 'Waking Up In Vegas' and 'Decisions' but this has been kicking around my head for a few weeks now and I needed to get it out.
I hope you guys like it. Please review.
Disclaimer - I don't own Puck, Rachel or anything associated with Glee. They all belong to Fox and Ryan Murphy.
"Noah, why are you doing this? I don't understand?" Tears filled Rachel Berry's eyes as she stared at her boyfriend. "I thought you loved me?"
"Baby, I do love you, that's why I'm doing this." He closed his eyes for a long moment before slowly opening them to look at her. "I'm not getting out of Lima. Quinn and Sadie are here and I'm going to be wherever Sadie is."
"I would never ask you to leave your daughter. Is that what this is about? Sadie?" Rachel stares at him. His daughter? He was breaking up with her because of his 2 year old daughter? "I love Sadie, Noah. You know that."
"I know that you love Sadie. She loves you too but you are not meant for this life Rachel." He gently took her face in his hands as he stared down at her, tears swimming in his eyes. "I won't let you give up your future for me."
"But…" She began but was cut off by his lips pressing against her.
"There is no 'but', Rachel." He whispered as he rested his forehead against hers. "You need to go, baby. You need to go, see the world and be the star that I know you're meant to be."
"But I don't want any of that if I don't have you to share it with." Tears spill from her eyes as she buries her face in his chest.
"I'll be there, baby. I promise. I love you. Don't you ever forget that." He kisses her once more and she clings to him, trying to imprint memory in her mind. "And when you're ready, when you're done, you come back to me."
She tried for two weeks to contact him but he steadfastly refused to see her - which was probably the smart thing for him to do because she's pretty sure if she saw him again she'd never be able to leave.
Deep down she knows that he was right to end things. She doesn't want to admit that because that makes her seem really selfish but it was right thing to do. His life is here. His daughter is here. Sweet little Sadie, she's the most important thing in Noah's life and Rachel knows that he could never leave her.
She stops by Quinn's the day before she's set to leave for New York and she's a little surprised to see the blonde with tears in her eyes.
"Sadie's really going to miss you." She sniffles and Rachel feels tears sting her eyes.
"Is she here? I'd really like to say goodbye to her." She peered into the living room in search of Quinn and Noah's daughter.
"Puck came by this morning and picked her up. I think he needed to be with her today, otherwise he'd just be thinking about you leaving…"
The tears she was fighting finally burst and Rachel throws her arms around the girl who was once her enemy but became one of her best friends.
"I really going to miss you, Quinn." She pulled away to look at her. "Promise that you'll take care of him for me."
Four years go by way too quickly. Sometimes it feels like it was only yesterday that she left Lima (and Noah) for New York and Julliard and then other times it feels like she's been gone for so much longer. She takes a deep breath and shifts uncomfortably in her graduation gown as she stands in line to receive her diploma. All of the hard work (and sacrifice) was for this. This was the first day of the rest of her life.
She takes a breath when she hears her name being called and plasters her most brillant smile on her face as she strides across the stage to receive her diploma.
Afterward she's hugging her dads and making plans with her now former classmates to meet for drinks when she thinks that she sees a familiar Mohawk weaving it's way through the crowd toward the exit. She does a double take but the Mohawk has disappeared and she's certain the she must have been imagining it.
She gets back to her apartment later that night to find a bouquet of lilies outside her door. When she opens the card a tiny smile finds her face.
Congratulations. This is only the beginning. It's only a matter of time before your name is up in lights on Broadway.
The card isn't signed but it doesn't matter. She'd know that handwriting anywhere. Apparently she hadn't imagined that Mohawk after all.
Her first role on Broadway isn't a starring role. It's not even a supporting role. She's in the chorus but she doesn't care because she's on Broadway and even if she's not playing Maria, she's still in West Side Story. After her first performance, she's on a high from the applause when she runs back stage with the rest of the cast. After she washes the makeup from her face and changes back into her clothes, she heads back to her table to grab her bag and freezes when she sees a bouquet of lilies sitting in front of her mirror.
Tears fill her eyes as she leans over to smell them. She picks up the card but doesn't even need to read it. She knows who they're from.
You were amazing. I couldn't take my eyes off you.
Her first starring role on Broadway isn't Maria like she always thought it would be. It's actually Elphaba in Wicked - which kind of scares the crap out of her because Idina Menzel played her first and she's pretty much Rachel's idol.
She gets rave reviews after her first performance from critics and fans but that doesn't matter to her. What matters most is the bouquet of lilies waiting in her dressing room after the show with the simple card that read.
I always knew you could do it. I'm proud of you, never forget that.
The next bouquet arrives the day after she wins her first Tony. There's no card this time, but it doesn't matter. No one except him sends her lilies.
Three days later she's standing outside a house she hasn't seen in years. Taking a breath she knocks on the door and waits with bated breath until the door opens and she looks up into Noah's beautiful eyes for the first time in 7 years.
"You told me that when I was ready, when I was done, that I should come home to you. Well I'm done and I want to come home."
"It's about damn time Berry!" His arms are around her in less than a second and she sighs when his lips find hers.
She's exhausted. Completely totally and utterly exhausted. But the perfect baby girl in her arms makes it all worth it. Tears fill her eyes as she looks up at her husband, who's staring at their daughter in awe.
"She's perfect baby." Noah's voice is barely a whisper and she sighs happily as he wraps his arm around her shoulder and presses a kiss on her forehead.
"So, have we decided on a name?" They both look up at the nurse's voice. Rachel looks up at Noah for a moment before smiling down at her daughter.
"Her name is Lily."