A/N: Hello gentle readers! This is a short series that I'm working on during the Glee extended break. I am OFFICIALLY a Puckelberry fan, so you have been warned. This will not feature my traditional epic-length chapters, for the sole reason that they are just too darn hard to keep up when I'm in school. But I can churn out these short guys fairly easily, so I think that's probably better. Like most Glee fics this will feature songs, however not in every chapter. It's also my first Glee fic, so I'm trying to get a feel for the voice...it's a work in progress :0)

For this song Puck in in italics and Rachel is in bold :) The song is "Wish You Were Here" by Incubus

Disclaimer: No, of course I don't own any whole or part of Glee. If I did I would be writing this stuff for money, and not just when I'm supposed to be working!


He usually liked it when people stared at him. They were usually admiring. He didn't usually feel nervous. Of course, he didn't usually have solos either.

I dig my toes into the sand

The ocean looks like a thousand diamonds

Strewn across a blue blanket

Honestly, he was nervous as he sang, centre stage.

I lean against the wind

He spread his arms wide and the other eleven members of New Directions moved around him, like a cyclone. Dizzying.

Pretend that I am weightless

And in that moment I am happy...happy

The flurry of moving Gleeks parts, to reveal Puck standing still in the eye of the storm. Then she steps forward, their smoking gun of talent. Their hands reach to each other and the group sings the chorus together.

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

Rachel drops her hand away now, her fingers having never quite reached his. He falls back into the pack, weaving through the moving bodies, and she stands still, taking the lead.

I lay my head onto the sand

The sky resembles a back lit canopy

With holes punched in it

I'm counting UFOs

I signal them with my lighter

And in this moment I am happy...happy

The flurry starts again, swirling around her as her voice rings out, clear and strong, filling the room with her melody. They all stop, Puck by her side again, in the middle of the group. They all join hands, standing in pairs.

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

The chorus ends and the couples all spin away. Puck and Rachel turn to each other as the others begin to move again, weaving around them.

The world's a roller coster

And I am not strapped in

Maybe I should hold with care

but my hands are busy in the air saying...

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

The group stills again.

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

I wish you were here

I wish you were...here

They finish the song with another flurry of movement, once again around Puck and Rachel. He pulls her close and braces her hands on his shoulders. The others stop and join hands again.

I wish you were here.

"Great job!" Mr. Shuester clapped with an enthusiastic smile. The members smiled too--well, Rachel beamed, moving her hands away slowly. Shue clapped him on the shoulder encouragingly, and Puck grinned. Teachers rarely congratulated him on anything, let alone praised him.

Artie gave him a high (well, low) five and the others started to talk amongst themselves. Mr. Shue lowered his voice a bit and addressed his former boy band mate. "You're hitting everything right but you need a bit of work holding some of the longer notes," he began, and Puck felt his hopes drop. "You're dropping them too soon, particularly during the last verse."

Puck nodded and swallowed thickly. He should have known.

"But I know you can nail it with a bit of extra practice," Shue finished, surprising him. "Rachel?"

"Yes, Mr. Shuester?" she hurried over, looking like an eager to please puppy (albeit a really cute one).

"I would like you and Puck to work on Wish You Were Here as much as you can, okay?" he told them both. "I'm putting it on the set list for Regionals and so it has to be perfect."

Rachel nodded eagerly but Puck raised his eyebrows in surprise. "At Regionals? But Mr. Shue you always give the solos to Finn or Artie," he pointed out.

"This is your song," Shue promised him, squeezing his shoulder. "I know you can do this. Both of you," he added, looking at Rachel. She beamed at the praise, and Puck had to smile (smirk!) at that. He nodded at Shue, who moved on to talk to Tina.

Rachel turned her beaming smile to Puck now. "We have to set up a practice schedule Noah. Let's start Saturday and then we--"

"Calm down Berry," he sighed, running a hand over his mohawk. She was almost vibrating with excitement. "Are--are you okay?"

"I'm excited!"

"I can see that."

"This is your first solo Noah," she pointed out unnecessarily. "Except for..."

"Yeah..."

"...and we need it to be perfect for Regionals so--"

"So I don't screw it up you mean?" he cut her off bitterly.

"No," she shook her head, eyes wide. "I was going to say: so we can beat Vocal Adrenaline. Their dancing is exemplary but we have by far the superior singers."

"Maybe we should have Finn do it," Puck was pained to admit it. Rachel frowned. "He's our best singer...for the guys anyway."

"Finn has a natural ability," Rachel admitted. "But he's not better than you Noah. You just need to practice--"

"Look, Berry--"

"No," she cut him off, putting a hand on his forearm seriously. "Mr. Sheuster wants you and me to do this. He believes in us and I'm not going to disappoint him just because you and Finn have unresolved issues at the moment. Now, Saturday morning?"

He sighed. "Whatever."

"Good," she nodded, satisfied. "Be at my place at ten am." He sighed heavily and she slid her hand down to meet his, squeezing gently. "You're going to be great Noah, I know it."

He held her gaze, the air around him feeling warmer all of a sudden.

"Okay guys!" Mr. Shue's voice startled them to attention and Rachel's hand dropped away quickly. "Let's run through Don't Stop Believing before we go!"

They moved into formation.

TBC...