par·a·nor·mal
adj. Beyond the range of normal experience or scientific explanation
It had all started when Artie had announced during Glee that he had Paranormal Activity on DVD. Seeing everyone chatter excitedly, and remembering that her fathers were out of town that weekend, Rachel had graciously offered her home theatre system. Spotting a few hesitant looks, she had pressed and pressed until finally the rest of Glee had relented.
Winning Sectionals had provided the glue that still held them together. Ever since Rachel had revealed to Finn who the father of Quinn's child really was, the club had found itself teetering on the edge as everyone tried to figure out how to accommodate the new dynamic that now existed within their small family. Finn had calmed down somewhat and attended Glee, though he made sure to situate himself away from both his ex-girlfriend and former best friend. Quinn sat beside Brittany and Santana, giving Finn a mournful look as she smoothed the curve of her belly. Puck whispered around like a ghost, there but never really there. He showed up and did his part, sometimes conferring with Quinn but most of the time just skulking in the back corner.
And Rachel? Rachel wondered why she had opened her mouth at all.
Which was why she found herself flittering around the kitchen, pulling out chips and dip and anything else she deemed appropriate sleepover fare. This was a chance for them to capture back whatever it was they had lost, Rachel could feel it in her bones.
The bell rang. Rachel glanced at the clock and realized that whoever it was was early.
Plastering a smile on her face, Rachel felt her mouth pull down slightly when she caught sight of Noah Puckerman on her front porch. The dim yellow lights that burned on either side of her door cast faint shadows along his jaw and for a moment Rachel was struck by how lonely he looked.
'You gonna invite me in Berry?' He asked and Rachel stepped aside, trying to push down the colour in her cheeks. Puck took in the tank top and cotton shorts Rachel had on, pausing briefly to admire the way they sat around her hips and legs.
'Would you like a beverage?' Rachel asked him timidly. Puck shook his head, absently taking off his shoes and shrugging off his jacket. At Rachel's surprised look, he lifted a shoulder. He still remembered the lecture he had received while they had been dating when he had made the mistake of walking on the hardwood floors with his Chuck Taylors.
He walked into the kitchen and almost laughed out loud at the spread arranged on her granite counter top.
'Jeez Berry. There's enough food here for a fucking army,' Puck pointed out and watched her face crumple slightly.
'I wasn't sure what everyone's dietary requirements were so I simply purchased a bit of everything,' she told him, her eyes cast to the side as she arranged the bottles of soda into a neat line. An awkward silence hung between the pair before Rachel cleared her throat.
'How are you Noah?'
She was still the only one who called him that.
Puck bobbed his head, giving a Gallic shrug.
What did she expect him to say? The mother of his child wanted nothing to do with him and Finn hated him. The rest of the school whispered whenever he walked by, mentioning things like what a douche and can't believe he would do that to Finn! Puck had expected to be painted as a villain but he had at least thought the rest of Glee would find it within themselves to hear his side of the story.
They hadn't.
So Puck had walled himself off, hunched his shoulders in and stared at Quinn's stomach, wondering whether the baby was alright. Quinn had passed him a copy of the ultrasound last week and Puck had locked himself in his room later that night, staring at the grayish white outline with his heart in his throat.
'I hope you know that I didn't mean for all of this to happen,' Rachel repeated the words she had said the night she had come to apologize. Puck had received a plate of her I'm Sorry! cookies and for some reason he couldn't bring it within himself to hate her.
'It was gonna come out sooner or later,' he had mumbled. 'Besides, I'm actually kinda glad the shit hit the fan, you know?'
Rachel was biting her lip now and Puck muttered something about chick flick moments, heading towards the door when the bell rang.
A few minutes later and Puck found the corner of the room which wasn't occupied, listening vaguely as Mike and Matt argued over which of them got to sit in the center. The flat screen that Rachel's fathers had purchased swallowed up the wall it was mounted on and Puck felt his stomach fall ever so slightly when he saw Finn and Quinn together. They weren't touching or anything – Finn was staring straight ahead, occasionally speaking with Artie while Quinn bent her head towards Santana – but Puck knew that it was at least the beginning.
Not like you want Quinn anyways.
'Is it alright if I sit here?' Rachel's voice made Puck pull his eyes up towards her face. Wordlessly he shifted to the side and watched as Rachel placed the pillows she had brought with her into a kind of cocoon.
'What exactly is Paranormal Activity about?' Rachel asked and he blinked down at her in surprise.
'You're fucking kidding me right?'
Her brow furrowed at his language. 'I'm quite serious. I must admit that I attempted to Imbd it before the showing tonight but my Myspace video schedule proved too demanding-'
'Shhhhh!' Someone yelled and Puck smirked as the lights died down.
'Is this real?' Rachel whisper-shrieked, clutching onto his arm as the prologue rolled. Halfway through the movie and Rachel had his hand sandwiched between her own, placing it in front of her face as she squeezed her eyes shut. Puck didn't complain. He wouldn't say it out loud but it was nice being able to protect her.
'Oh my god,' she hissed harshly when Katie stood by the edge of the bed, watching Micah as he slept. Rachel pressed herself into his side, her face finding the nook between his neck and his collarbone. Swallowing, he pushed aside how the tip of her nose grazed against his skin and sent sparks trailing in its wake.
When the movie crawled to an end and the lights came on, Puck felt Rachel release his hand and murmur an apology.
'Don't worry about it,' he told her.
'Dude,' Mike announced. 'That was awesome.'
'Weren't you scared?' Brittany asked, incredulous. Mike fixed her with a serious look.
'The mighty Changster doesn't know the meaning of scared.'
'But he apparently knows the meaning of idiot,' Matt retorted, slapping Artie's palm as Mike appeared affronted.
Rachel said they could sleep wherever they wanted and remembering the guest room, Puck waited until Rachel closed her door behind her before climbing up the stairs. Glancing at the gold star that hung on her door, Puck shook his head before turning down the covers and crawling in.
He was just about to drift off when he heard the door creak open.
Holy shit.
He held his breath, making his body still. Footsteps padded in, not as heavy as in the movie, but light and tentative.
'Noah?' Recognizing Rachel's voice, Puck felt himself relax. Blinking his eyes open, he made out Rachel's silhouette in the dark. Her hair fell down over her shoulders, one side sticking up slightly.
'What the hell Berry?' He muttered, rubbing his eyes. There was something tucked under her arm as she fidgeted.
'It seems that the movie has made me highly irrational and has made me unable to achieve my REM cycle.'
'It's…' Puck glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. 'Two o'clock in the morning. Please speak like a normal human being.'
'I'm scared,' she finally admitted. Puck wanted to tell her to fuck off, to leave him the hell alone.
'Why aren't you trying to find Finn?' The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Rachel flinched and Puck felt what he thought of guilt war inside him.
'I'm sorry to have disturbed you,' she said the words softly but Puck heard them loud and clear. His hand reached out and snatched her wrist. Her skin was warm and smooth beneath his fingers and Puck curled his fingers around her hand. He tugged her towards him and Rachel slid next to him. Something pushed against his bicep.
'What the fuck is that?' He jabbed a finger at the thing.
'This is Bacon,' Rachel said without a hint of embarrassment. Puck felt the snout and felt ears.
'Is that a plush pig?'
'Yes.'
'You named it Bacon?'
'What else would I have called it?' Rachel seemed confused by his question.
Puck decided to just accept things as they were.
'Alright. Just…go to sleep,' Puck said, turning his back towards Rachel.
'Goodnight,' he heard Rachel say. Her small body was just inches from his and Puck edged himself further towards the edge, remembering how it had felt when she had leaned over him and pressed her lips against his.
An hour later and Puck felt something curled into him. He startled awake, looking down and seeing Rachel grasping his arm. The tips of her toes brushed against his shins and Bacon was lodged somewhere above her shoulder. Grunting, he pushed the pig aside.
Something inside his chest wormed its way out, hot and nice and warm. She had sought him out when she was afraid. Not Finn, him. The thought made him pull her closer and he held his breath when Rachel shifted, letting out a soft sigh before burying her nose in his chest.
He couldn't explain what this tiny slip of a girl made him feel. But - just this once, just this moment - Puck didn't want to think.
But, he mused as he leaned his cheek against the crown of Rachel's head, he sure as hell didn't mind this form of paranormal activity.