Rachel laughed as she walked down the halls with Molly, a new student at McKinley but an old friend. They'd known each other since the summer after sixth grade when they'd attended the same theatre camp. Every summer since then they'd gotten together.

"You're joining glee club right?" Rachel asked as they passed the choir room.

"Of course!" Molly smiled. "Your slushy stories don't scare me. Besides, someone needs to steal that overly bright spotlight form you."

Both laughing, Molly paused and gave a small smirk. Flipping back her brown hair she gave a dazzling smile to a passing guy in a letter jacket. The mow hawked singer gave his usual sexy smirk back.

Rachel stared at her friend as she kept watching the half jock, half performer. Glancing back at Rachel she asked, "Do you know him?"

Rachel's eyes darted back to Noah, no, Puck as he walked towards his locker where Lauren was waiting. She knew Noah, not Puck. Not the person standing there, acting as if he'd always been the athletic, insensitive sex god everyone knew.

Rachel knew better.

A six year old Rachel raced ahead of her fathers. A boy her age with a closely shaved head was running at her. Meeting in between their parents Noah grabbed Rachel around the waist and brought her to the ground. Fighting back Rachel managed to flip herself on top to pin Noah down.

Before he could do anything Noah's mom had picked Rachel up who was grinning and laughing. Her dad had also picked up her friend and put him back on his feet. "I won this time!" Rachel gloated.

"I would've won if I had been given two more seconds to flip you back under!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Yeah-ha!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Yeah-ha!"

Libby laughed. "You two fight like an old married couple."

The two kids looked up at Noah's mom, both with faces of disgust. "Ewww!" they yelled in unison.

"You're both to young to see it," Rachel's dad Elton agreed.

"Ewww!" they both screamed again.

Laughing the parents walked their kids into the temple. "Noah, where's your dad?" Rachel asked.

"He was still sleeping when we left." He shrugged. "We couldn't wake him up." Unnoticed by the two friends, Libby gave a scared glance at Elton and his husband John.

Nine year old Noah stared, amazed at what his mom was holding. His little sister.

"Would you like to hold Sara, Noah?"

He nodded quickly as he climbed into the hospital bed with Rachel. Both holding the tiny girl they giggled as she reached up her tiny hand to touch Noah's face.

"Look," Rachel cooed, "she already loves you."

Noah looked at the baby with a loving look. "I'm going to be the best big brother ever."

"I bet you will." Rachel smiled at her best friend. "Noah, what's that on your arm?"

Noah's spell was broken. "A bruise," he said simply.

"Where'd you get it?"

He faltered. "I ran into a door."

"It looks to big to be from a door."

"Well, it was a big door."

"Oh." The smile was back on Rachel's face. "Okay."

Libby took Sara from them, squeezing Noah's hand.

Libby came crashing through the Berry's front door a few months later. Carrying a little bundle that was Sara, she was crying and out of breath. Noah was close behind her. Both had some bruises and Libby's nose was bleeding.

"Noah!" Rachel screamed as she ran towards the door. "What's wrong?"

"Rachel sweetie," Libby crouched down to look Rachel in the eye, "where are your fathers?"

"Only John is home."

"Go get him for me."

Hearing the urgency in her voices cared Rachel as she ran into her father's study. Running back out John saw Libby and her bleeding nose and unusually silent Noah and nodded. He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed. "I need an officer. My friend has been put into a domestic violence situation."

"He's following us John. He can't be far behind."

"The father's coming for them! Please hurry!"

Hanging up the phone John grabbed Sara out of Libby's arms. Rachel didn't understand what was going on. Noah locked both the front and back door and both kids followed their parents upstairs.

Locking the door behind them Libby collapsed crying. Noah still hadn't said anything. All he had was a look of shock on his face. Rachel asked again, "What's going on?"

John picked Rachel up and put her in his lap. "You've noticed the bruises on Noah, right?"

"Yes."

"Well, Mr. Puckermen has been hitting both Noah and Libby. He's been getting drunk and not doing his job as a father or a husband."

Rachel stared in shock at her best friend. Running over she gave him a big hug. "Are you guys okay?"

Libby let out a loud sob.

"Libby, what actually happened this time?"

Trying to speak through her sobs, Libby finally managed to tell the story. "Noah and I were putting Sara to bed. He… he burst through the door. He came strait for Noah this time. I stepped in front of him and he hit me twice. But Noah had grabbed a lamp and hit him in the gut. I grabbed Sara and we ran. We were about half way here when he finally made it out of the house. I don't know how long it will take him to find us."

Just then there was a crash of breaking glass and then a whirl of a police siren. John looked out the window and saw an officer wrestling a man to the ground.

There was a knock on the door downstairs and John helped Libby up and brought her out of the room. "This is almost over," he kept whispering.

Rachel followed with Noah. "That was really brave, what you did to protect your mom and sister." Still in shock Noah just nodded his head, but his eyes grew wide when Rachel gave him a kiss on the cheek. "It's all going to get better."

A small smile came across his face.

Noah took a deep breath. How had Rachel convinced him to do this? He didn't sing in front of people, especially the entire eighth grade class.

He glanced over at the other side of the stage. Rachel gave him a thumbs up and a reassuring smile. Damn that smile.

Rachel was excited. She and Noah would be amazing. Noah had an amazing voice.

Stepping on stage Rachel took a microphone from the principal. Seeing the crowd made her heart beat pick up. This. Was. Awesome.

The back up CD started.

Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to gray
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee you go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces every time
And I don't need no carryin' on

Because you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

Will you need a blue sky holiday?
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don't need no carryin' on

You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day

Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know
That you could be well oh that strong
And I'm not wrong

So where is the passion when you need it the most
Oh you and I
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You've seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more time
You had a bad day

His voice was amazing. Rachel was lost on Noah's eyes while they sang the last You had a bad day together. She had actually wanted to do "What's Left of Me" but Noah had said it was too sappy for him. He was so... strong.

It wasn't the roaring applause that had been in Rachel's head but it was a good feeling. Walking off stage she almost jumped Noah in a hug. "That went amazing!"

"Good," he said with a laugh. "If it hadn't I wouldn't have heard the end of it."

She laughed quietly as the girl Mercedes started singing. Walking out the back stage door Rachel started walking towards the auditorium doors but Noah wasn't moving. "Rach, I need to say something."

Her heart stopped. No. Way.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"We've been friends forever right?"

"Yeah."

"And we can tell each anything right?"

"Totally."

"I like you Rach."

Yes yes yes yes yes! She smiled. "I like you to Noah."

He smirked. "Of course you do."

She rolled her eyes but laughed. Stepping forward Noah kissed Rachel for only a second.

Perfect.

Nothing more than that ever happened. Rachel was busy with dance and vocal lessons and Noah was getting into his sports. Coming back to school in ninth grade Rachel saw the back of Noah's head which was now distinguishable by the mowhawk he'd grown out this summer.

Suddenly she saw him lift up a small body. He tossed it into the dumpster in front of him.

"Noah!" She ran towards the dumpster where a few other boys were laughing. She recognized Finn Hudson from the couple of times she'd hung out with him and Noah that summer. She didn't know the other two. "Why did you guys do that?"

Noah glanced into the dumpster. "Have you seen what that kid is wearing? It's gay! He deserved it!"

Looking in with Noah Rachel saw Kurt Hummel lying on top of the garbage. Reaching out a hand she helped him stand up and climb out of the dumpster. He glanced around at the boys in fear and then ran away.

"You should all be ashamed of yourselves!" she screamed at the four boys. "You probably just scarred him for life!"

Noah and Finn looked a little guilty but the other two boys just laughed harder. "You probably juft feel bad for him because your dads are gay to!"

"Shut up Karofsky!" Noah snapped.

"Oh, defending your girlfriend?" Karofsky sneered.

"She's not my girlfriend! I don't even like her that way!" Noah yelled back.

Hurt showed in Rachel's face, which turned to fury which was about to turn into tears. Then she did her first storm off.

A couple days later Rachel opened up her locker to get her books. In her mirror she saw an apologetic looking Noah standing behind her. She was still mad at him though so she just slammed her locker shut and started walking away.

"Come on Rach! Wait up!" Noah ran up next to her. "I feel really bad!"

"I'm sure you do," Rachel snapped and kept walking.

"Rach!" Noah yelled after her and was about to follow her but he tripped. The grape slushy he had gotten for her slipped out of his hand, splattering Rachel all across her back.

Dripping in the flavored ice she turned on Noah, livid. "I will NEVER forgive you for this!"

Tears starting to form behind her eyes she ran into the bathroom, head in her hands.

Still on the floor, Noah slowly got up. Karofsky came over, still laughing. "Nice one Puck!"

Accepting the high five, Puck smirked. "Thanks man."

Puck sat on the bleachers, staring at Quinn. His baby momma. Finn's girlfriend. Man this sucked.

He heard soft footsteps behind him. No. Not now.

He didn't really listen to Rachel as she talked. She was just annoying now. Her perfect grammar. Her super long sentences where she didn't ever breathe.

"I just don't think we'll work out Noah. I hope we can still be friends though."

He felt her hand on his shoulder. She was so soft.

Bu then his eyes snapped to Quinn who was staring at the two of them. "We never were friends." He quickly jumped up and left. There was still a warm spot on his shoulder though.

That hurt. Rachel sat there shocked. So, all those years had meant nothing to him. Well, it was time to start acting like they meant nothing to her. She'd forgiven him this time for the slushy. Never again.

It was time to forget Noah. Time to start seeing him as Puck.

Rachel watched disgusted as Noa- Puck- played that stupid song to Lauren. Lauren? This was so gross. But she couldn't let it show.

She started dancing in her seat like Mercedes, but wanted more than anything to look like Santana right now. This sucked. What was even worse was that it looked like this was working. Gross.

The next day at glee Puck and Lauren came in about ten minutes late. Lauren's hair was sticking up in a few places. More gross.

Mr. Schue ignored it and kept talking. The two went to sit in the back row and Lauren put her legs across Pucks lap.

Vomit inducing.

"Rachel!" Molly nearly shouted in her ear. "Rachel! Come back to me chica!"

Rachel snapped out of her memories. It was like her entire life had flashed before her eyes. "Sorry! What were you saying?"

Molly rolled her eyes but continued. "I asked if you knew that guy with the mowhawk."

Rachel glanced up again and saw Puck slap Santana's ass and then pin Lauren against the lockers. She almost cried. "Not anymore."