Alright friends, first of all I want you to know that I'm still working on Like Always but this idea just kept tugging at me. I love Carrie Underwood and I got her new CD for Christmas and listening to it it got me thinking how many of her songs fit Rachel and Puck (or could be changed to fit them). And thus my own twisted version of the iPod Shuffle challenge was born. So here it is a series of Puckleberry one (or maybe two) shots set to Carrie Underwood songs. Hope you enjoy!
And as usual I don't own Glee... But if I did... ;)
UNAPOLOGIZE
Rachel couldn't look him in the eye. She'd walked into glee with her head down and completely bypassed her usual seat, right next to him. She couldn't be near him while flashes of last night kept going through her mind.
She didn't pay attention for most of glee, which had everyone worried. But as soon as Mr. Schuester asked if anyone had been working on anything new her head snapped up and she had the old 'Rachel Berry' look on her face. "I have something I'd like to sing."
"Alright Rachel." Mr. Schue nodded "Why don't you come on up?"
Rachel slowly made her way to the front of the choir room and shook her head at the band as they looked at her for direction. "Can I just use your guitar?"
The jazz band's guitarist silently handed her his guitar. "Thanks." She all but whispered, giving him a small smile. The tall, gangly boy smiled back and headed back to his seat. The brunette strummed a few chords on the guitar before closing her eyes and relived the memories of the night before.
Rachel ran her fingers through her hair as she surveyed herself in the mirror. She needed to look perfect. Tonight was her and Noah's 6 month anniversary and he was taking her out. He hadn't told her much, only to 'dress nice', whatever that meant. She frowned at her reflection- boys sucked, they had no idea what it took for a girl to get ready for a date… and with 'dress nice' as her only clue she had gone through 6 different outfits- this one better work. He was due to pick her up in 5 minutes.
Shaking herself out of her thoughts she looked in the mirror again, she gathered her long hair into a ponytail and cocked her head to the side. She pursed her lips and let the loose waves fall back down around her shoulders. Down. Definitely down.
She cursed when the doorbell rang. It would have to do. She grabbed her purse and the white cardigan she'd thrown onto her bed earlier and ran out of her room. She practically flew down the stairs and was at the front door before her dad could finish yelling that Noah was there.
"Hi." She said breathlessly, looking up at her boyfriend.
He smirked at her. "Hey Rach, you ready to go?"
She nodded. "Yeah." She leaned over and kissed her dad's cheek. "Bye daddy."
"Bye pumpkin. Noah, don't forget her curfew."
"No problem, Mr. B."
"Have a good time!"
Rachel smiled as her dad waved spastically from the front door- he was such a geek sometimes. Noah laughed at the half amused half embarrassed look on her face and wordlessly helped her into his truck.
She smoothed down the skirt of her red sundress and nervously ran her fingers through her hair again as Noah made his way around the front of the vehicle. He shook his head as he got into the driver's side, watching her repeat her nervous habits. Shooting a glance towards the house he was relieved to see her dad had gone back inside. Then he grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, and pulling her closer he gave her a proper hello.
Rachel melted into the kiss. He brushed her jaw line gently with the thumb of the hand cupping her chin and ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. Rachel sighed and allowed him to deepen the kiss. He broke the kiss a moment later and gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Hi."
She could only blink at him as he smiled at her. Actually smiled, not smirked or grinned or leered, but smiled. His genuine smile always took her breath away. "Hi."
Puck grinned to himself as he started the truck. He loved that he could do that to her… He was the only person he knew that could render her speechless. "So where are we going?"
He looked over at her and grinned wider "It's a surprise, Rachel."
"But-"
"No buts. A surprise means you don't know 'til we get there."
Rachel sighed in frustration- he wasn't going to budge. "At least tell me if I'm dressed appropriately."
"You look hot, Rach."
The brunette frowned at him. "That doesn't answer the question as to whether I'm dressed appropriately Noah."
This time it was the jock who sighed. "Just take the compliment."
Rachel crossed her arms over her chest and slumped back into her seat in annoyance. "Thank you." She said frostily.
Puck shook his head and turned on the radio. "You can choose the station."
Rachel looked up at him, "Really?" Puck never let anybody touch the radio. He nodded. She beamed at him and went to work picking the perfect music.
He took her on a picnic. It was perfect and beautiful, with candles and flowers and music. The food was by no means gourmet, but that was because he'd cooked it himself- which in her opinion made it taste better. She almost cried at how sweet he was being.
When they finished eating he stowed the picnic gear in the bed of his truck, gathered her into his arms and began to dance with her. She closed her eyes and resting her head against his chest she listened to his heartbeat. "Rach."
At the sound of her name Rachel looked up at him. Puck leaned down and kissed her gently. "Happy anniversary."
Rachel closed her eyes and pressed herself closer to him. Then she opened her mouth and ruined everything. "I love you."
As soon as the words passed her lips he froze. They both stood stock still, every one of Puck's muscles clenched as he stood stiffly in her arms. "Rachel-"
"I'm sorry!" She said quickly, cutting him off. "I didn't mean… I meant to say happy anniversary. I don't- I mean I didn't- Just forget I said anything. I'm sorry."
The ride home was tense and quiet. Not even the music coming from the stereo could take Rachel's mind off the mess she'd made of things.
Puck pulled into Rachel's driveway and shifted the truck into park, but he didn't turn it off. "Rachel…"
The brunette undid her seatbelt quickly and opened the door. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Noah. I- I'm sorry." She slammed the door shut and didn't look back as she hurried into the house.
Rachel took a deep breath and strummed a few more chords on the guitar before opening her eyes and looking directly at Puck.
Last night I was pouring out my heart like a waterfall to you
And with one kiss I was a runaway train
Flying off the track to you
"I love you" came flooding out
Couldn't make it stop
Couldn't shut my mouth
I felt like a fool, then I lied and said I was sorry, but
I unapologize
I meant every word
Won't take back the way I feel about you
I can't unsay what you heard
'Cause you heard me right
And I won't try to fight 'em back, or hide my feelings for you
I unapologize.
You know people say a lot of things that they don't really mean.
And last night I told a little white lie
Hoping you'd forget the scene
We're feeling like a movie under that porch light
Couldn't help myself when you held me tight
I said what I meant, then I lied and said I was sorry
I unapologize
I meant every word
Won't take back the way I feel about you
I can't unsay what you heard
'Cause you heard me right
And I won't try to fight 'em back, or hide my feelings for you
I unapologize.
Oh, there's no time to be holding it all in,
Trying to pretend that I don't feel anything
Oh, I shouldn't have said I'm sorry
I meant every word
Won't take back the way I feel about you
I can't unsay what you heard
'Cause you heard me right
And I won't try to fight 'em back, or hide my feelings for you...
I unapologize
'Cause you heard me right, yeah
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
I unapologize
There was no clapping or congratulations when Rachel finished her song. Everyone, including Mr. Schue, just stared in silence, wondering what would happen next.
Rachel held her breath as Puck stood up. As he started walking she was sure he would continue right past her, out of the choir room and out of her life. If there was one thing he didn't do it was feelings. That was rule number one. Rule number two was no PDA. Their relationship hadn't been a secret exactly, but they'd never told anyone- he didn't want to have to explain himself to anyone, and she didn't want to drag him down the social ladder.
So she'd officially just broken both his cardinal rules. She closed her eyes as he got closer, trying to will her tears to go away. He stopped right in front of her, she didn't open her eyes, but she didn't have to, she always knew…
"Rachel."
She finally opened her eyes and looked up at him, but she didn't say anything- she would start sobbing for sure.
Then he kissed her. Not sweetly; deeply and desperately, he fisted his hands in her hair and tried to say everything with the kiss that he couldn't say with words. When the kiss ended he couldn't pull away, he just rested his forehead against hers and waited for her to open her eyes again.
"Noah-" confusion was all over her face.
"I love you too."
That's when the cheering started.