Here by Me

An: Hello there. So again I was inspired to write a short one-shot Puckleberry story. Hope you enjoy. The song is Here by me my 3 doors down. Great Band. If you like this one check out my other 3 doors down Puckleberry inspired story Landing in London.

I hope you're doing fine out there without me
'Cause I'm not doing so good without you
The things I thought you'd never know about me
Were the things I guess you always understood

Puck sat in a dodgy bar nursing what he was sure was his fifteenth beer. His eyes were bloodshot and his face had a dark shadow of stubble on it. He didn't care though, he didn't care if his clothes were wrinkled or that there were like twenty hot loose woman walking around the bar. None of it mattered anymore. Nothing mattered with out Rachel. For three months Puck had tried to get that night out of his head but nothing helped. He had screwed up and he knew it and at this point he would give anything to take it all back.

"I can't believe you would even ask me that Noah." Rachel yelled at him but he didn't care he was pissed and hurt and he was out to make her feel the same way.

"What am I supposed to think when I see you walk out of a restaurant while you are supposed to be at the theater with some assholes arm around you and you were looking pretty damn cozy?" Puck yelled back.

"He is a co-worker on the production Noah. We were talking about the show and having a good time. Why is it any time I talk to a man you go off the handle. I can't take much more of your jealousy." Rachel shouted.

"Oh I am the jealous one?" he asked disbelieving. "You threw your Tony at my head when some girl called my phone by accident and you thought I was cheating on you." Puck yelled.

"How did she know your name Noah? Explain that." Rachel screamed.

"She listened to my voice mail." Puck said. "I have never cheated on you." He tried to get through her head.

"And I have never cheated on you Noah, so why would I start now?" Rachel asked.

"Why did you cheat on Finn Rachel?" Puck asked and he knew the minute those words came out of his mess that he had seriously fucked up.

"Get out." Rachel growled at him.

"Rach babe I didn't…." Puck began.

"Get out!" Rachel yelled.

"Rachel don't do this. You know I didn't mean it." Puck pleaded with her.

"Fine then if you won't leave I will." Rachel said going back to their bedroom and locking herself in. An hour later she emerged carrying her bags, her face stained with tears. Puck had tried pleading with her through the door but all he could hear was her crying and that had him cry and he didn't care. He was losing the only woman he had ever loved. The only woman who understood him or even really cared about him other then his ma and sister. Rachel had been the only one who had ever believed in him. He was heartbroken that he was losing that because of a sstupid comment that was said in the heat of the moment. That was the last time he had seen Rachel.

So how could I have been so blind for all these years?
Guess I only see the truth through all this fear,
And living without you…

Puck remembered the first time he realized he was in love with Rachel Berry. She had been away at N.Y.U for a year and through out that time they had talked almost every day. They had grown closer their senior year and she had encouraged him when he decided to go to an OSU satellite school just outside of Lima for auto mechanic and music theory. He was hoping after a year to transfer to a bigger school but his ma got sick and he had to stay to take care of her. Rachel had been his rock those few months and had even come home during her summer break to help him out with his little sister even though she had vowed she would never come back, she had even made her fathers come to New york for holidays.

He didn't know how he would have survived if she hadn't been there. She knew everything that needed to be done from packing lunches, to laundry, house cleaning, doctor's appointments, his sister's summer soft ball games. Rachel had kept track of everything and when she left to go back to New York a hole was left in his heart. He decided that once his mom was better he was transferring to a school in NYC so he could be closer to Rachel.

Rachel had been walking back to her dorm after a dance class when she saw a familiar man with a mohawk walking across campus. Puck had spotted her and gave her a bright smile. He had just been texting her telling her that he was with his ma and sister at the Lima mall. Rachel had dropped her bag and ran launching herself into his arms.

"Noah what are you doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were here. You just told me you were in Lima at the mall" Rachel asked.

"I go here, or didn't you hear that?" Puck teased her.

"But I thought you were transferring to OSU Columbus and I should have known something was up when you said you were at the mall with you mom and sister." Rachel said.

"OSU didn't have the one thing I was looking for." Puck told her looking into her big brown eyes.

"What's that?" Rachel asked missing his point.

"You." Puck said lowering his lips to her and kissing her. Rachel inhaled sharply her eyes fluttered closed and she wrapped her arms tighter around his neck kissing him back fiercely. Puck's knees went weak when she moaned his name against his lips. He knew this girl would be the end of him.

And everything I have in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

Puck groaned and took another drink from his beer remembering that first kiss between them. Those first few years had been the best of his life. Rachel had been the best and all he wanted was Rachel back. He would make a deal with the devil if it meant getting her back. He would give away his autographed 1960's les Paul if it meant he could have just one more night with her. The world had become colorless to him. There was nothing anymore. The best six years of his life gone because of one stupid comment.

I can't take another day without you
'Cause baby, I could never make it on my own
I've been waiting so long, just to hold you
And to be back in your arms where I belong

"Noah why did you come to New York?" Rachel asked as they lay in her dorm watching a movie.

"I already told you why." Puck said kissing the top of her head.

"I know but I like to hear it." Rachel said smiling up at him. Puck smiled and chuckled at Rachel. She would ask him the same question every month.

"Because I realized I love you and couldn't live with out you. I was an idiot in high school and didn't realize how wonderful you were. So I came to New York to win the heart of the most amazing, talented, caring, woman I have ever met." Puck said kissing her each time he spoke those few final words. Rachel smiled into the kiss and pulled him down on top or her. Puck knew these were the arms he was always meant to be in. These were the moments that they would remember for the rest of their lives. Lives that Puck was sure they would have spent together for the rest of their lives. He had totally turned into a romantic sap when it came to Rachel.

As the days grow long I see
That time is standing still for me
When you're not here

The days with out Rachel had all seemed to blur together. He barely even went to work these days and he had stopped playing his music. There was no music without Rachel. She had always been his biggest and sometimes only fan. For some reason people didn't like his attitude and if it hadn't been for Rachel he would have lost out on a few gigs that he played on the side. She had always encouraged him when he was trying to write something new, or playing a cover that he couldn't get just right telling him that he didn't need to perfect the orginal, but instead, need to make it his own. Rachel had always told him that he was an orginal and needed to stay true to himself. He missed those words now.

Sorry I can't always find the words to say
Everything I've ever known gets swept away
Inside of your love

Puck sat playing his guitar on the floor while Rachel sat in the chair he had propped himself up on going over her lines. These were the nights he liked the most. It was so natural and laid back. No diva Rachel, no Puck. It was just simply Rachel and Noah. When she would start to hum her solo's Puck would smile to himself and play the music for her. Yeah he had totally learned the music to all of her numbers. The first time he had done that for her she had forgotten all about rehearsing her songs and pulled him towards the bedroom. They only made it half way down the hall. He loved when Rachel got all hot and bothered by him playing. She had been the only woman who could ever tire him out. Rachel smiled at him and he could see the love in her eyes and everything he knew went right out of his head and all that was left was Rachel and her smile.

And everything I have in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

Puck rubbed his face and looked around him. There were couples spread out all over the bar. He saw a girl kiss the guy she was with after he made a shot in pool. Puck missed having Rachel with him even if it was for stupid things like being excited about a pool shot.

"I can't do this." Noah said as he stood by the stage he was about to perform on. A local club was having an open mic night and Puck had signed up but now that he was here he had serious stage fright which totally messed with his badassness.

"Yes you can Noah. You did it all the time for glee." Rachel said.

"Yeah I was up there with eleven other people or at the very least you. I have never flown solo." Puck said looking down at Rachel.

"Then just find me in the crowd and just sing to me. Forget about everyone else and just sing to me just like at home." Rachel said placing a hand on either side of his face and bringing his lips to hers. "It's just you and me." She whispered to him. "It's time for you to get up there. I love you." Rachel said. Puck nodded and stole another quick kiss before he got up on stage and plugged his guitar in. He spotted Rachel in the crowd and she smiled at him and gave him a nod mouthing 'just you and me' to him. Puck closed his eyes took a deep breath and rocked his song. He was met with Rachel bounding into his arms. "You were amazing Noah. I am so proud of you." Rachel said. Puck took a shaky breath. That had seriously been one of the scariest things he had ever done and he was so glad that Rachel had been there.

Rachel had been at everyone of his shows until the fighting started and Puck had quickly realized that it wasn't the same with out Rachel there to cheer him on. Then the groupies started, he loved the attention, he wouldn't deny that. But none of the girls compared to Rachel. He had tried explaining that to her but she didn't seem to understand. She sometimes still saw him as the immature player in high school and that wasn't his fault. Not once had he even thought about another girl while he was with Rachel. But nothing seemed to get through to her when she was being stubborn, so she started coming to fewer and fewer shows and then had stopped coming at all claiming she was to busy with her new show. Well if she wanted to play at those games, he would to and he stopped coming to as many of her shows. Sure he was still there for opening night but he wouldn't go to anymore then that unless family or friends were in town. He felt like an ass for doing it but what else was he supposed to do. Rachel was pulling away and he didn't want to get his heart ripped out again like it had been with Quinn and Beth.

And everything I have in this world
And all that I'll ever be
It could all fall down around me.
Just as long as I have you,
Right here by me.

Puck went back to his beer. Shoulders hunched up hands on his face as a tear slipped from his eye. He couldn't even stand to look at other couples anymore because the hole in his heart began to ache again. Three months now it had been like this and he was sure each day he went with out Rachel. He needed her back. She was his rock when he had a diva moment, she was his cheerleader when he played, she was his lover, his best friend, his everything. Everything he had achieved had been because of Rachel and now it was all gone and he was sure he wasn't going to get it back. He was about to bring his beer bottle up to his lips when he heard a voice that made him freeze.

"Hello Noah."

"Rachel?"

AN: well let me know what you think. Should I leave it like this or do you want more? Let me know and Review.