Just a little something I wrote up last night. It's a 5-part, short fic. The whole thing should be posted by the end of the week. Canon up til the Klaine proposal but everything after that is fair game. Finn didn't die but he's not a part of this story. Warning - Puck/OC and Rachel/OC relationships to start. Enjoy!
Rachel had always tried to live in a way that would leave her without regrets. Life was too short and she had always planned on living life to the fullest. She'd decided early in life what she wanted to do with it. She then worked towards her goals with a drive that left her friendless and covered in slushies for most of her school days. She was obnoxious in her self-belief and driven past the point of decency on many occasions. Her peers hated her and her friends put up with her on her best days. Her worst days had ended alone in tears, even if they had only occurred at home in the privacy of her bedroom.
Her motto had always been that it would be worth it in the end. It would be lonely at the top and high school was just training for that. Glee club had become easier near the end, her former tormentors finally acknowledging her talent, if not her other positive qualities. She'd fallen in love more than once and found a small place for herself within the walls of the choir room. She'd escaped McKinley with most of her dignity intact and had ended up in New York the same day.
She remembered being put on that train by Finn and the club like it was yesterday. It amazed her that it had seven years since she'd arrived here. Her relationship with Finn hadn't survived the distance and neither had many of the friendships she'd carefully cultivated during senior year. She had however ended up living with a few of them over the years. She'd initially lived with Santana and Kurt for her first year in the city. But after a particularly messy breakup with Blaine, Kurt had left the loft and never returned. Blaine had moved in a month later and the three of them had become a makeshift family. Sam and Quinn had moved to the city separately but within months lived together in a building down the street.
Rachel sat on the fire escape and blew out a breath and watched it form in the cold air before her. She pulled the blanket more securely around her shoulders.
The little New York family had only grown since Kurt had left. Sebastian Smythe had moved to NYADA and wooed the hell out of Blaine, carving a place for himself in the process. They'd been together for five years now and it was hard to believe that Blaine had ever been with anyone else.
"What are you doing out here, Berry?"
Rachel let out a shaky breath as the final member of their group sat down beside her on the fire escape. She turned to face him and regretted it as her breath caught in her throat. Her fingers twitched as her eyes roamed over the hard and deeply beautiful facial features of Noah Puckerman. Noah Puckerman, the reason she was currently sitting alone on a fire escape thinking about regrets. Her eyes met his before moving quickly away to stare out into the cool night.
"Just needed some air. It's a little loud in there." She explained as her fingers fisted under the blanket.
She could feel him watching her, the way she'd always felt him watching her. He just wasn't watching her the way he had when they were younger. She wasn't the focal point of his world anymore and she wished she'd really seen him when she was. The man next to her was her greatest regret and there was nothing she could do about it now. It was too late.
They sat in silence and for the first time in years it was uncomfortable. The tension built between the two of them until she couldn't stand it anymore.
"You should get back in there. It's your party and I'm sure your g-girlfriend is wondering where you went." She stammered on the word girlfriend and her jaw clenched.
He was silent still but she refused to return his gaze. He'd always known her best and she refused to ruin this for him. After another minute of silence he sighed quietly. Her eyes pressed shut tightly and she felt the air shift as he stood and left her. Tears pricked at the corners of her closed eyes but she refused to allow them to fall.
She reflected on simpler times. She remembered a time when she'd had his full attention but she'd never known what to do with it. So she'd ignored the attention and she'd ignored him. She chased the fairy tale that Finn promised instead of exploring what Noah wanted to give her. She wished that she could say she'd figured it out sooner but it had only been a few weeks ago that she'd realised how she felt about him. They'd known each other for most of their lives and been friends for ten years and it had taken her until now to really see him. Another regret.
A high-pitched giggle reached her ears and she felt the first tear escape. Jenna.
"There you are."
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and she leaned against Sebastian's chest. His lips pressed against her hair and she sighed as more tears fell.
He held her tighter and she brushed at the tears that would stain her cheeks if she didn't get some control. She buried her face into his neck and breathed in the comforting scent of her best friend. The knot in her chest loosened and she began to relax as he sang softly in her ear.
"Thanks." She mumbled before pulling back and smiling into her favourite pair of green eyes.
"Anytime, pretty girl." Sebastian replied easily.
He dropped his arms as she moved away and knitted his fingers through hers. They stared out at the night sky as the cool air repaired her flushed skin.
"I'm not going to ask about it, not today anyways. But I do have a bone to pick, Rach." His tone became serious and she met his gaze tiredly. "I know what you're feeling and I'm sorry, but you offered to throw him this party and you've spent most of it sitting out on the fire escape. So I need you to march your hot ass into that party and be the perfect host." He put his fingers on her protesting lips and shushed her. "And after making the rounds, you're going to drink your weight in wine and sleep with that record exec friend of Puck's. You wanted him a month ago and he's still hot now."
Rachel felt a smile slip across her lips. "He's here?"
"He is. So stop moping. There's nothing you can do about Puck. So go in there and make me proud."
He pulled her to her feet and kissed her forehead. His thumb wiped her cheek and he winked at her before turning around and pulling her back into the party. Her chin lifted and she propped a smile on her face, and if it was a little dim and a lot fake, well, nobody said anything. She wandered around the room and talked to everyone, sans birthday boy and his date, making sure that everyone had enough food and drinks. She ignored any knowing smiles or gazes that held pity and eventually found herself sticking to the people who didn't know her so well.
With all of her guests served, Rachel kept her own glass full of her favourite wine. She could feel a delicious tingle in her toes as she flirted with Craig, a music exec that she'd met a few months ago. At some point his hand had found her hip and as the party wound down, her attention was focused more on his lips than saying goodbye. She was vaguely aware of Noah thanking her for the party as her fingers brushed through Craig's black hair.
"She looks busy Puck." His date giggled before pulling him towards the door.
Trusting that her friends would clear everyone out, she pulled Craig towards her bedroom. She heard giggles and whispers and felt him watching her from the door. She closed her bedroom door to block it all out and smiled up at Craig.
"Here we are." She said quietly as her fingers played with the front of his shirt.
She backed him towards the bed, pushing him to sit on the edge. His hands found her hips once more as her fingers pulled down the zipper of her dress.
"I'm having a bad day, Craig." He opened his mouth but she covered his lips with her hand. "I'd like you to make me forget."
His lips kissed the palm of her hand as her dress fell to the floor. His hands began exploring her exposed skin and her hands moved to his hair.
"I think I can do that."
Somewhere around her fourth orgasm she'd forgotten her own name, but it wasn't until the seventh that she forgot the disappointment in his gaze as she'd pulled his friend into her bedroom.
Let me know what you think? Update either tomorrow or Wednesday. Thanks!