Stay Just a Little, a glee fanfic

Title: Stay Just A Little

Chapter/s: 1/1
Word Count:
Pairings: Puckleberry(Rachel/Puck)
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rating: 2,366
Summary: Puck's got everything he ever wanted…doesn't he?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I wish I owned things but I don't. Sadly, and the only part of this I do claim, is the plot.

Puck walked out of the brightly lit building and wandered his way to the nearest park. No doubt, the years had tamed him a bit. No, not the years. She had tamed him. Rachel Berry was everything he didn't know he needed. And when he'd figured out that she was in fact the woman he could love for the rest of his life, it hadn't been long before he'd slipped a Tiffany diamond on her slender delicate finger. They day Rachel had agreed to be his wife…yeah. That was the best moment of his life.

His phone rang breaking his concentration and he frowned pulling it out of his pocket. Holding the offending device to his ear had breathed out a short "hello" his mind everywhere but on the voice on the other end.

"Mr. Puckerman?"

—-

Rachel was standing on the stage, the final curtain was about to fall. This would be his moment. She'd become the star they all knew she would be. Rachel Berry was in lights on almost every sign in New York. It was amazing. When had she grown up so much? When had her dreams come true? When had his?

"Mr. Puckerman, its time." He nodded to the stage hand and took a deep breath before walking out on to the stage. The crowed managed to go silent, causing Rachel's form to visibly stiffen. He could only imagine the thoughts in the brunettes head in that moment. They were all false, and ridiculous he was sure. Puck waved at the crowed and chuckled lightly when Rachel spun on her heel looking madder then he'd seen her in ages, before watching her face soften.

She'd run to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. The way her eyes sparkled, in that moment, it was a moment he'd try to recreate for the rest of his life.

"You came" she smiled, almost accusingly. She didn't like surprises. The fight they'd had before she left the apartment had been a rather ugly one. The subject was of course this show. Closing night on the new Broadway musical she'd mad famous. But he shook his head looking at her disbelievingly. Like Puck would miss it for the world.

Kneeling to the ground in front of her the crowed was so silent you could have heard a pin drop from the top balcony as he inhaled deeply and smirked up at her in a way he hadn't done since high school.

"Marry me?"

Maybe he should have been more poetic. But Rachel had to know he wasn't a man of words, and as he slid the velvet box and held it up to her, he couldn't help but smile. Tapped to the inside of the box, visible as he opened it, was the phrase he'd mumbled to her so many times before. Right before a show, it was their ritual. Make me proud.

But it was stupid, she always made him proud. There was no way she could ever not make him proud. But her eyes welled up and she sniffled a bit looking at the box, the ring, crowed and finally at him; her eyes said 'that's why you didn't want me to know you were coming.'

"Of course Noah! I love you so much..so much. You know that right?"

He shook off her question and slid the ring on her finger kissing her tenderly as he pulled her to his chest, his arms snaking around her waist.

"Baby girl, you should know there will never be a show I won't come to."

The crowed cheered.

—

Months had passed. Maybe more, maybe less; it all rushed by so quickly. With Rachel, every day was a whirlwind. Work, shows, casting calls, recording sessions; everyday Rachel came home tired and content with her work. It was dream though. And she was living it. Puck would never be unhappy about that. And somehow she always made time for him. Helped him with his work, helped him write this song, or that song. Made sure he never felt like she was slipping away from him. What a woman.

Puck could remember the day he had called home, all ears and told his mom she was right. And Rachel was a good girl, and she was his fiancée. His mother had cried. Hell, he'd cried. That was what he loved most about Rachel, he had to admit. She never judged him for being human. Never asked more or less from him then he could give. Never judged when he made mistakes. And he damn it did he make mistakes.

But then the call had come. Everything was changed. Forever.

—

She was pale as she laid back in the hospital bed and panted, glaring at him between screams of pain and anger. Puck was still grinning ear to ear as she told him she'd 'cut off' his dick if he ever came near her with it again. He knew that was a lie. And he gripped her hand reassuringly, letting her know she wasn't alone as he used the other hand to grip behind her knee holding the leg in place.

Birth was a scary process. He remembered being around when Beth was born. It was a shocking experience. Somehow this was nothing like that. Softly he sang to her. Every song he knew, some songs he was just making up. Anything to calm her down; sooth her sprit, or at least make her stop cursing.

It was a habit she'd no doubt learned from him. Maybe that was the point. She had mellowed him out – he in turn, had made her a spit fire. The likes of which he'd never seen before.

Hours later, a few curses that still had him shifting uncomfortably and wincing, and in his arms, at seven-pounds, eight-ounces was his little girl. His little Aria Michele Puckerman. Perching on the edge of the bed he smiled at Rachel and leaned down softly kissing her forehead before laying the baby in her arms.

He looked at Rachel again, who glanced up at him fear shining in her eyes as she gently rocked their daughter and he chuckled softly.

Make me proud.

—-

A year later, Puck stood nervously shifting at the end of the aisle as he the music began to play and he quickly turned his glance towards the door, smiling as Beth walked down the aisle tossing flowers here and there. It was nice to have his daughters at his wedding. Even if Beth didn't know she was his.

Soon after Rachel made her entrance, and his breath was gone. She was there, and all he could think was that he had gotten really fucking lucky this time. Because he'd won, and casting a glance at Finn he realized that even the former quarterback was a bit jealous of him today. As she finally made it to him she smiled nervously rolling her eyes as she stumbled a little in the heels she'd decided to wear for the wedding and kicked them off nonchalantly.

The look she leveled on him then made his smile widen and he nodded, taking her hand in his. "I do, a million times, I do." He said it just loud enough for his bride to hear, and her answering giggle was all he needed to know that she had too heard his comment. And he was floored again by the fact that the woman standing next to him, shared the sentiment.

"You may now kiss your bride."

"Don't worry, I intend to." And he wrapped his arms around her and dipped her low delivering the dramatic kiss that she lived her whole life for.

—-

Funny how in the face of everything you've ever dreamed of you don't have to change at all. All of the silly mellow dramatic tendencies you were ashamed of fall into place. Rachel had changed him because with her, he was the person he was supposed to be.

Not because she wanted him to be something he wasn't. That was true love as far as he could figure. Loving someone for who they are, ugly parts and all. Regardless of them, in spite of them. And maybe even because of them…

The next time they would get a call, it was much like the first, but a few years later. And again he was in a daze, his whole world was changing and there was nothing he could. The fear in her eyes that he couldn't erase drove him insane. How would he deal with it? How would she? He didn't know. All he did know was to worry. Because his world was ending; and there wasn't a way in heaven or hell he could stop it.

He wanted to be angry. To drink or cry or fight; to get angry at everything he believed in. But he couldn't muster the energy to do it. Now it was all about her. And how was he going to put this all to bed when he could barley breath without wanting to break down.

Hours later he was at the hospital. His daughter in his arms as the doctors spoke to him and his wife, Aria, was crying. Rachel was too. And for the life of him, Puck didn't know what was keeping him from crying as well. But he was cracking. With every word he could feel it, and he held his little girl close to his chest as he shook his head and fought reality. No. Not this time. Not again.

—-

Noah smiled down at the beautiful woman before him and leaned down kissing her forehead softly. "Make me proud." He murmured softly, smiling at the soft laugh she let out.

"Do I ever not make you proud?" Rachel's brown eyes found his, and seared him with a loving stare.

"Not in this life time" he assured her shaking his head. He watched as she yawned heavily and closed her eyes and he smiled gently. "You get some sleep baby. I'll see you when I see you." They didn't say good-bye. It wasn't their way. Good-bye meant forever. Meant you'd never see that person again. No. Puck would never say good-bye. And thankfully- neither would Rachel.

He walked out of the dimly lit room and entered the garish white of the room outside of it. The Asian woman before him smiled sympathetically and reached her hand out resting it on his shoulder lightly.

"We're all here, if you need us Puck." She said it softly. It was a whisper of reassurance. But the crack was getting bigger and he simply nodded and walked to the elevator. He could hear as the door opened and he stepped in-

"Don't worry Tina, he'll be fine. He just needs…to deal with it his way."

Mike Chang. When had he joined the party? He wasn't sure. But he didn't bother to care. Instead he hit the button for the ground floor and excited the suffocating space rushing out the front doors. The sunlight hitting him full force. Breaking him and healing him seemingly all at once. And he shivered and looked up to find her window and smiled softly.

"I'll never miss a show love, but this is one I can't stay for." And he knew she understood. And he knew that she was feeling the same way he was. And as he walked towards the park he shook his head remembering their earlier conversation.

—-

"Noah, I'm so tired." Rachel's eyes filled with tears as she gripped his hand and he couldn't help but to choke on the lump in his throat as he tried to form his response. The words where there. They were the hardest words he would ever speak.

"Baby, make me proud." And in the style perfected by them in high school she smiled weakly and nodded.

It's okay to let go.

"Do I ever let you down?"

I'm scared.

"Not in this lifetime."

Me too.

—-

"Mr. Puckerman?"

"Yes?" Puck chuckled bitterly knowing what was coming, whishing he could slow time, praying he wasn't right. But the chill up his spine confirmed it before the doctor said anything.

"Mr. Puckerman, this is Doctor Anderson at St. Mary's hospital. I'm sorry to tell you this, but your wife, Rachel Berry-Puckerman…she passed away."

His world ended that day. Because his world was her, and she was gone, and nothing would ever be okay again.

—

That night, he went to his in-laws house and got his daughter. His little dimples. His spitting image of the woman he'd loved and lost. And that night she asked him when Mommy was coming home. And he smiled weakly and kissed her forehead like he had done so many nights before and answered her question the best he knew how.

"Well baby, Mommy is with the angels now. In the choir, and when you listen to the rain at night, and it makes music the way you like. If you listen hard enough, you'll hear Mommies voice. She's telling you she loves you."

End.