My last attempt for this pairing and I don't know where this came from or where it went. It had a life on its own and I let it flow.
A Movie
Sometimes she had thought it would easier. Of course, she had thought roles would be directly handed to her because she was too talented for her own sake. All that had been a dream just like when she had gotten into NYADA. Things were never that easy because as talented as she was, she wasn't the only one.
So even if she had gotten a few small roles in some productions, she still hadn't gotten her Equity card and that was a major pain because that meant she couldn't audition for the big roles. So, in true Rachel Berry fashion, she had been working on her plan B to get the aforementioned card.
She just needed her SAG card and that had to be easier to get, right? Wrong.
Who would want an inexperienced girl as a lead? Well, maybe she had been aiming too high so that had led her to smaller roles. She had been an extra in a sitcom and even got one line in one of those typical crime shows before her character had been killed.
Kurt and her fathers had obviously been incredibly excited about seeing her on TV but for her that wasn't enough. This was just means to an end.
And that was why the world found her now chatting up the crew members of some new show, she had honestly never heard about. But it was clear that when you're in the business, you can't possibly enjoy it as you might want.
"Cookie?" She beamed at some camera man who rolled his eyes but still grabbed one. "So what can you tell me about the show? Who's the lead?"
Well, she didn't get the answers she was looking for at the first time but after a while of lurking around, she finally gathered enough information.
The show was set in New York – duh! – and told the story of different people who were connected for one reason or another to show business. There was the struggling actor, a successful fashion photographer and a musician who was about to be discovered and blinded by fame.
In her opinion, it was little trite but if she could get a small part she was on her way to get her SAG card and then the Equity one, so she was more than happy to hide her disgust behind a big, bright smile.
After her insistence – a lot of her insistence – she got a very small part as a girl who worked at a coffee shop and would just take the order of Tobias – the musician about to be discovered. It was just that but she at least had an outfit to try on and more of the behind the camera experience.
"Morning, I'm Jamie. What can I get you?" Rachel recited over and over again as the woman helping her with the outfit, tying the apron around her waist, glared at her.
"It's one line. Could you stop repeating it? It's making me dizzy."
Rachel narrowed her eyes but ignored the comment as the woman left to help some other extras.
When the time to shoot her scene came, Rachel felt confident. She was going to kick ass because that one line would steal the scene of whoever this man who played Tobias was.
(She really wasn't prone to be star struck unless the person in front of her was a Broadway legend so… she didn't mind who this newcomer was.)
She stood behind the counter and smoothed her hands over the apron she wore before studying her surroundings until the director came in, following there was a certain someone she hadn't seen in a very long time. Someone she didn't know what he was doing there.
"Everyone ready?" The assistant director called loudly but Rachel was still staring at the man a few feet away who only smirked at her in that unnerving way he had always done. "You, hey, you, the clerk? Go to your position."
"What? Um, yes. I'm, I'm sorry," Rachel babbled and pretended to do her job as a coffee shop clerk.
...
New York is all about bright lights and dark times. There's a scene in which people get lost in, a rhythm that drives them. It's a perfect place if you're willing to adapt, go with that flow and soon swim against the current because that could lead you to rule the city. And you know what they say, once you make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.
Noah Puckerman had had a sweet time in LA. It had been all about a good time, about enjoying his freedom and the new life as an adult of some sorts. Still, he had returned to Lima for a number of reasons which if not all wrong had not been the best. Soon he had found himself needing to leave – leave, not run away like some people liked to think. He was a free spirit and he was drowning in that small town.
With no money left in his pocket, he soon realized it wasn't likely that he could go to LA again but maybe New York would welcome him with his guitar. There were tons of street performers so why couldn't he be one of those?
His mom and sister – and new found brother – were having a fit when he happened to bring up the possibility of him being a bum. And they weren't better when he mentioned that it would be more than likely that he'd find his way to a bed every night – his mother had slipped a sheet with New York health clinics' addresses onto his dresser and Jake had given him two strips of condoms he had stolen from the nurse's office.
But in true Puck's fashion – lucky son-of-a-bitch – one of those stupid pot head friends he had made in LA happened to work as a clapper loader and he had called him, telling him how he was going to NYC and he could get him a spot in the crew if he needed it.
With this news, Noah Puckerman decided to gather his stuff and leave town.
After the first few days of meeting the crew and living with two guys who smelled like dirty socks, Puck was ready to give up. The guy who was supposed to be the star of the show was a complete schmuck and made ridiculous demands which stressed everyone else in set.
Many of them were witnesses of the screaming matches between this asshole and the director, the producer and even the one in which he left a crying make-up artist – whom Puck tried to comfort repeatedly inside the prick's trailer.
The gloomy weather in New York was kind of badass, though. Puck liked to walk around the city, have a beer or two while flirting with chicks he'd never take to his bed because currently was… a really bad place. He had fun and was ready to go on with his routine when hell broke loose on set.
"You're fired!" The lady producer shouted and for the first time the jerk paled.
"You can't fire me. I'm your whole show. You need a name to promote this thing-"
"Maybe but without you we have a shot at getting good critiques," the woman said, smiling evilly – it was kind of hot for a fifty-something year old lady but Puck wasn't about to make a move at the moment. "Everyone knows that as much as your abs get praised, your acting doesn't match the attention."
Burn!
After that, the dude couldn't say a thing. The woman was right. And a few minutes later, a car was taking the asshole back to the place he had crawled out of – which was probably a huge beach house in Malibu but, who cared right?
There were a few cheers in set but soon these were replaced by the commotion it caused to lose the star of the show. There wasn't much time to cast anyone new – at least not with a high profile that could buy them some free publicity.
At the time, Puck was working serving them coffee and some snacks because it happened that some personal assistants of the producers were, well, very involved with the douche who had just left.
"It's impossible we can find someone in less than a week," the director complained, though he was one of the happiest people on set when they had gotten rid of the prick.
"Maybe we'll need to suspend the shooting for a while," Lady Producer said and it was then when Puck started to worry.
If the shooting ended, he would be out of job and, as badass as he was, he really didn't want to sleep on the street. People were crazy in New York and he had watched way too many crime shows to know a guy like him would end up dead or being accused of murder in a month if he happened to lose his job.
"C'mon," Puck interrupted in a groan. "It's not like it's that hard. A good looking dude who can sing and prattle a few lines." He snorted. "Even I can do that."
And after the little, creepy smirks on the producers faces, Puck's fate was written.
Two days later, the make-up artist he had banged was giving the finishing touches to his look so he could shoot his first scene.
All his acting experience was a high-school musical, glee club and faking it with a few cougars over the last five years of his life. It was pretty good for a guy who wanted to be a bum, huh?
...
Never had he expected to see her there. Hell, he knew she would be this awesome star because she was already demanding like a star and so hot she should have come with a warning sign. But she was supposed to be this classy chick, dressed to kill on a stage, belting out those tunes she knew by heart. Instead he found her in a small coffee shop behind a counter, dressed as a clerk.
And shit, this scene was part of the second episode of the show – after he had proved himself worthy on that pilot, they were given the green light to have half a season until they proved they could give the network some decent ratings.
They were working against time, so before they shot the scene, he had no time – not even to rile her up.
"Action!"
This guy he reprised, Tobias, was supposedly a dude who was cocky but never had had a chance with his music until now. He wasn't from New York and had little money left before he signed a contract to record his first album.
"Morning, I'm Jamie. What can I get you?" Rachel recited, completely in character. This Jamie girl didn't have much background, except that she was shy and pretty. Her smile flicked a switched in him and he couldn't help the little chuckle that went through his lips.
He was supposed to be miserable, since he still hadn't found a job, but seeing her made him a little flirty. "Cheapest coffee you have?" He replied, waiting for the director to scream at them because they hadn't followed the script.
Rachel improvised as well when her smile grew a tiny bit and she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. She poured him a cup of coffee and added a cupcake to his order. His character had only enough money for the coffee – and without considering a tip for the pretty waitress.
"It's on the house," she said and they traded a flirtatious glance.
"Thanks." His hand barely grazed hers when he grabbed the order and it was enough. Next he had to sit next to a window, working on the lyrics he kept on some ratty old note pad before getting a phone call that would change Tobias' life.
It was perfect the first time. So perfect that he and Rachel were told to be a little more flirtatious the second time. By the third, they were playing with their fingers over the counter.
Talk about on screen chemistry.
...
"Rach. Rach!"
Rachel was walking a little faster and faster as she heard him approaching her.
"Princess, stop moving those tiny feet before I haul you over my shoulder."
She turned around, glaring at him and that ever present and sinful smirk was on his face. "What?"
He frowned and shoved his hands in the pockets of his black pea coat. Why had he always looked so confident, as if he didn't worry about tomorrow and that sole fact made him own the moment? "Not even a hello, Noah?"
"Hello, Noah. I'm busy. I have to get home." She was about to leave when he hurried and stood before her again.
"Are you embarrassed or something? 'Cause you did great, babe. You owned that scene with me today."
"I know I'm that good but…" She huffed and rolled her eyes because she wasn't supposed to feel hurt. They were never friends – sure, he was there for her when she needed brawn to save her and she was there when he needed someone who was good at keeping secrets but they were never more than two people who felt ridiculously attracted to each other for no apparent reason. "Why hadn't you told me you were in the city?"
His smug expression turned blank. "Did I have to? You didn't even bother to call. I don't have your address and the few things I know about you are because Satan is living with you and Hummel. And because you and Finn have that sick relationship where you make the other miserable."
She wanted to be angry at him, to scream at him but she was tired. Tired of always end up losing against the world. "I have to go."
"Berry," he muttered and grabbed her by the arm. "Let's start over, 'kay? Clean slate."
"Noah."
"Let's have fun. Go for a drink and talk – I mean you talk and I pretend to listen."
She snorted a laugh.
"We can even make out a little if you feel lonely." He waggled his brow suggestively and she smacked his arm playfully. "I heard about your shitty record. Seriously, baby, you need to start looking for better schmucks."
"Noah," she whined. "Shut up. If you're going to mock me for my awful love life, then you better be buying me some drinks."
He chuckled, draping an arm around her shoulders. "I know this place where you can get some awesome fruity, girly drinks-"
"You take your bimbos there?"
"Yeah, you know."
They laughed and kept on walking down the street. This would be a night to catch up and be friendly, nothing more. They would try for the umpteenth time to be friends and not ruin it by kissing in a time of despair.
...
Her plans were the same of always: achieve her dreams. Like usual, she had crazy plans to do so, though he had to admit she was persistent, sometimes viciously so but he had been all too fond of it when they were younger and even more now that she was all woman.
It was unknown to him if she had realized she was being a tease but he doubted she was unaware. It was a bit strange to see her like this but not completely unwelcome – though, in the back of his mind still lived that fantasy of having her naked in his bed wearing knee socks.
Of course he knew nothing about what had happened to her in the last two years. Not even a shitty message or anything that at least told him she was alive.
By the time he shared the story of how he had gotten to the show, she was laughing but clearly jealous. She kept wondering why he got things the easy way and then remembered he was the boy with a single mother, a father who never could care less about him, the one who had fathered a baby girl who couldn't keep and had ended up in juvenile detention for his mistakes, the one who always wanted the girl who was taken. Easy wasn't exactly what he got – except when it came to his lovers.
"I gotta bounce," he said, standing up. "Early morning and – who would've thought? I have to be there if I want to get some money."
"Oh. Right, of course. I understand. I have a few auditions to attend as well."
He frowned as she slipped her jacket on. "This is not a steady gig, then?"
Her eyebrows knitted together. "No. My part was just that, a few lines. But it's enough to get my SAG card."
"Fuck. I had no idea. We are barely into the fourth script and it's getting really fucked-up with the time. I think they will start promoting it soon but we are way behind schedule. But hey, who knows maybe you will get called again."
She laughed. "I'm meant for Broadway, Noah. Television is… not enough."
"Babs would disagree."
She shook her head. "Don't talk nonsense."
He just smirked, pursed his lips and nodded. Had they changed that much? Had they finally grown up and forgotten about some dreams and chances? She couldn't turn bitter on him now. She was this bubbly, high-maintenance girl with a body to kill for and sweet enough to need a shot of Nana Connie's insulin.
"I'll take you home," he said while slipping a few bills to cover his tab but also picking up a napkin with the number of the pretty girl who was bartending. Douche-y move because he knew Rachel was watching but they had nothing going on between them.
So in the cab ride to her place, they sat at opposites sides of the seat and spoke a few words but not much.
"Bye," was the last thing she said to him after thanking him for the conversation and drinks.
He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes as he got inside the car. Noah chuckled. "Good night, Princess. See you around."
When she closed the door of her apartment behind her, she released a breath she didn't know she was holding as she leaned her back against it.
"So you finally made it back," Santana said in a sarcastic voice. "Your girlfriend wanted to call the cops and report you as a missing person but you know me, I was hoping to end up getting some of your stuff and sell them on eBay. Someone must pay for that crap."
And then the fierce Latina swagger her way back into the kitchen in just a hoodie that covered enough of her to not be disgusted that she was parading around their food in so little.
When Kurt asked, she said she had met an old classmate – which was true – but he assumed she was talking about NYADA and not high school.
It wasn't good to go around unburying secrets and she wanted peace. Bringing Noah into her life was never peaceful even if it always was an adventure.
...
It was stupid. Frankly, it was just the stupidest thing they had done in a long time. They were adults so it wasn't like anyone could forbid them to be friends but Rachel didn't want for any of her other friends to find out.
He should've felt like he was her dirty little secret but in the back of his mind he didn't want to cause a scene, especially because he wasn't getting any and they weren't cheating on someone. It was just Rachel being… stupid.
"They will ruin it."
And yes, he could admit that if Santana found out she would start with her jealous crap because even if years ago Rachel wasn't a threat to her now… fuck, now this chick was pretty much like a nuclear bomb, you know? And then maybe Santana wasn't jealous about him but about Rachel – 'cause you never know with that woman – but then he knew her too well for them to have a clean fight so they would end up hurting each other and despite everything, he really cared about San.
"You think they can go against me?" he quipped but she just rolled her eyes and sipped from her coffee.
They were hiding inside the trailer he now occupied, since all of the sudden he was one of the show's stars.
He also knew Kurt wouldn't be all for them to rekindle their friendship – even if he did seem okay with it during high school. Hummel always talked about the amazing cliché they were – except they weren't. Like others, he realized about how soft he tended to be around Rachel when it was just the two of them and how Rachel blossomed into a confident and somewhat sexier woman – it was perhaps because he couldn't unglue his eyes of her.
"You're not beating them up."
"I can't. They are girls."
Her scolding look didn't go unnoticed.
He rolled his eyes. "I know Hummel is not a chick but the Hobbit will track my ass back here and there's no way I'm fighting with the dude. We're brothers by blood." Rachel arched an eyebrow at his words. "Spilt blood but I'm not allowed to talk about it so let's move on. How are your auditions going?"
She snorted a cute and rather loud laugh that sounded like a tiny piggy but he liked it. He always pushed her out of her comfort zone. "Nothing yet," she muttered.
"That sucks."
"It does indeed."
She visited him whenever she needed to get away from home and the bother that Kurt and Santana's constant questions had become. It wasn't like she was forgetting to pay her share of the bills because her dads were helping her through the rough patch but she now felt she owed them.
He offered a shelter of some sorts and free food which was very welcome. Who would've imagined he would be the one comforting the little girl who showered him in sugar cookies when they were eight and his father had just left? Life worked in cycles perhaps.
Next day, they were wrapping up a scene when Lady-Producer approached him.
"Puck," she called and he turned around wide eyed, praying to whoever could listen to him that she hadn't found out about her assistant and the mess they had made in her trailer. He didn't want to get fired now that he was getting used to the good life. "I wanted to talk to you about a change of plans."
Shit. He was screwed. His character was going to get killed or go to jail or whatever and he was going to get his ass kicked to the curb because that was what happened when life got too good.
He gulped and nodded.
"We've liked what you've done with your character so far." There was a but coming soon – he could feel it. "But," there it was. "We would like to explore another side of him. You know we're just starting with this new romance between Tobias and Rose, the daughter of your new manager." Typical drama if you asked him but people dug it so it was fine by him. "We would want to play with a love triangle."
"You're bringing another dude for her?" He didn't like the prospect of competing with some asshole who probably had more experience in show business and a larger fan base than his current one – which was none.
Lady- Producer chuckled. "No. Not exactly. We were thinking about bringing back the character of your girlfriend, the girl who comes visit you often?"
"She's not my girlfriend. She's… a friend."
Yeah, by the look she gave him, she didn't buy it.
"Anyway, we liked your chemistry on screen and we're thinking it would be fun to explore how Tobias deals with fame while fancying a very regular woman and another who knows the business."
He blinked at her. "Which one will I – I mean, Tobias end up with?" It seemed important at the moment for whatever reason.
"We don't know yet. Probably with Rose but you know about these things, they can change at any point," she answered and handed him a new script. "Your… friend… must've gotten her copy this afternoon."
That explained why she hadn't showed up. Rachel was probably screaming her lungs out and rehearsing her lines like crazy.
The cheap title of the sixth episode was Jamie's Crying and he swallowed thickly. He knew the Van Halen song, of course, and since day one they had been using song titles for each episode.
"Okay." He croaked and then looked up at the older woman who was smiling knowingly, until she laughed.
"Good. We'll start with that next Monday."
"Sure. Bye."
That night he downed a whole six pack alone in his new place, the one he had rented now that could afford it. He went through the script and there was this one scene where he would kiss Jamie – well, Tobias would do it – and they would be talking softly and kissing and he would try to take her to bed but she would say no because she was a nice girl and he was going too fast. And Tobias would say that it was okay, and they would make out in his couch but by morning she would find herself alone and feeling cheap and… fuck it, Puck read it and knew that right there it was him and Jamie was Rachel and if they kissed, it would be some intense stuff.
He drank and tried to convince himself those kisses would mean nothing. That Rachel was an actress and he was a dude who had kissed many women before to know that it didn't necessarily mean anything.
He almost bought his crap.
...
Jamie was wearing fitting jeans and a loose tank with a beige cardigan, her make-up was barely there to make her look down-to-earth and sweet. She was telling Tobias the story about some costumer that day and he was looking for a couple of cold beers for the both of them.
He was barefoot, and soon he sat in front of her, at the other side of the couch. Both were talking and laughing. He told her about the prick who worked as his producer for the new record and when they fell into a comfortable silence, Jamie looked at him through her eyelashes, tucking her hair behind her ears and taking a sip from her beer which he swiftly removed from her grasp.
"What are you doing?" she murmured and saw him leaning forward. "Tobias," she breathed out, the warm air tickling his lips.
"Jamie," he replied just as softly before his hand reached up to tangle in her hair and press his lips against hers.
Soon he felt her arms hooking under his, her hands clinging to his shoulders as he deepened the kiss. They fell backwards on the couch – him with her on top. His hands became daring and searched for that stripe of soft and warm skin between the waist of her jeans and her shirt, while her nimble fingers snuck under his shirt, learning his hard muscles.
And his hand crept up under her shirt, until he touched the clasp of her bra. She jumped back, breathless and with her lips bruised, looking like a sexy mess.
"I can't do this," she said and stood up as he watched her taking her coat and her bag. "It's too fast," she added, frantically trying to leave as soon as she could but Tobias grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her to him.
The depth of her brown eyes was warm enough so he smiled at her. "Then let's kiss for a little while." He bowed his head and pecked her lips. He trailed kisses up her jaw and down her neck, and she giggled breathlessly.
"Tobias," she tried to protest.
"A little while," he begged as he gently led her backwards, until he pinned her against the wall and kissed her. "Just a little while."
"Okay," she whispered before he trapped her mouth in a kiss.
"Cut!"
Noah was feeling his mind was surrounded by fog and he had a hard time processing the words while his lips and hands were still on Rachel until she gently pushed him away.
"Noah," she murmured, half-laughing. "Stop it."
"Huh?" He muttered and soon he remembered where they were. "Fuck." He pulled back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "We, we done here?"
The second assistant smirked at him and the director exclaimed, "We have it. Unless you want to run through it again?"
He glared at the old man.
"Noah," Rachel warned him. "Quit it. Go to your trailer."
He knew someone made a whipping sound behind him but he really couldn't argue. Rachel had him wrapped around her pinky.
...
Two months later, the show premiered and Rachel decided to take Kurt as her date for the network's party. When he happened to see Noah Puckerman – and worse, when he realized he was in the same show that Rachel was in – he almost lost it. He was close to pass out when someone mentioned they were playing a couple but they wouldn't see any of it until the second and then sixth episode.
"What are you talking about?" Kurt glared at Puck who was in a suit, making many girls and boys sigh dreamily. "You and him? Together on screen in national television?"
Rachel shrugged her shoulder.
"Baby, come here," Noah called and Rachel blushed. They were being asked to take a couple of shots for some magazine to feature up-and-coming stars.
Kurt was on the verge of hysterics.
"When did this happen?"
"Does it matter?" Puck replied with Rachel tucked under his arm.
Their natural attraction to each other was perfect to create rumors about them being an item and the producers were happy about the free publicity, since from day one, Noah had been catching the eye of girls around the country and now Rachel, in her sexy backless dress, was going to call the attention of a quite a few men.
"Santana is going to be furious about this. She already was when you didn't pick her to come with you."
Rachel laughed. "We're not together. Noah is simply a co-worker."
"For the last seven months! And you hadn't told us a thing about it!"
"Well," she mumbled and looked up at Noah's eyes. He was smiling at her. "It was a little… secret between us. Besides television isn't my first option and I felt embarrassed to share that with you. I always pictured myself in Broadway and now, here I am, selling my soul to the devil."
"Don't be dramatic, Berry," Noah said.
"You don't understand. You're a soulless man who doesn't have a problem with taking his shirt off on screen."
"You didn't protest!"
"You two have a sex scene!" Kurt squeaked, reddened from head to toe.
"No!" Rachel replied.
"Kind-of."
"Noah, tell the truth."
"Oh, okay. No. We don't have sex. We only fool around a few times and you can see her in just panties and a bra."
"Puckerman," she growled.
He only laughed, of course. "What? I'm in just boxers!"
"He sings to me a love song," she said smugly.
"To get into your pants."
"Again?" Kurt wondered. "This is like real life."
"He hasn't got into my pants in TV or real life."
"No. Because in real life you used to be shy and in TV we are working on a show for teenagers."
"Even so."
"You two are so going to end up together," Kurt finally decided, smiling at them.
"We're not!" They shouted at unison and kept on bickering.
...
Two months later, they had a fan base. People wanted more of them and all those rumors, fed by the constant sightings of them together in the city, only served to make them more popular.
Rachel got a spot as a regular for the second half of the season and she was being praised for her talent. They recorded a song and it was released with some success for them. She had other offers in acting gigs but she was especially interested in an offer to work for a couple of months in Broadway.
Meanwhile, Noah had gotten a record deal in real life as a side project. He was still breaking hearts as Tobias and parading around shirtless for the pleasure of millions.
And they still claimed to be friends when they were asked about the other.
Now, when Santana asked her and when Blaine asked him, they refused to answer.
"Tell us," Santana threatened, "or I swear I'll share all those videos I have of you two being all fucking lovey-dovey in high school."
"What?" Puck scowled at her.
"Yup. Cameras, Puckerman. Every-fuckin'-where, thanks to Sylvester." She smiled evilly. "You will look like a wuss."
"Santana," Rachel called, frowning.
"And don't tell me this is to not hurt Finn, 'cause the Jolly Giant moved on. He's happily showing his man-boobs to that red-head with the breast problem."
"Breast problem?" Puck snorted. "Dude, it's like she has four-" he trailed off when people in the room glared at him viciously. "But who cares. I mean, what man wants a rack that big, right?"
Rachel huffed.
"And you get jealous of his comments." Blaine smiled.
"No!"
"You kind of do, Baby." Puck felt people staring at him again. "I always call her like that."
"Just admit it!" Kurt exclaimed. "Just say it."
"I like her. I've always have so I have nothing to admit," Puck spat angrily and stood up, ready to leave the place before they could even start with the dinner they were supposed to share that night.
Rachel blushed, looking down. Yes, she knew Noah liked her and had a soft spot for her but she was so scared of exploring a relationship with him. If Finn had been hard to deal with, considering how much docile he was and that they had been basically kids, she couldn't imagine how serious things could be with Noah. If Brody had hurt her when they had barely known each other, exploring the more physical side, she didn't want to know how passionate things would be with someone who knew her much more.
"She likes you as well," Santana said and Rachel's eyes widened.
Friends were supposed to keep secrets.
"What?" Santana shrugged her shoulders. "I'm tired of seeing him moping around thinking he doesn't have a chance because he does. Doesn't he? You've always kept him on arms-length because you're scared shitless he could be better for you than all those other douches."
Rachel looked at Noah in the eye and she felt her eyes welling with tears. "I am but… I can't push him away anymore."
Blaine sighed. "Do you like him?"
"Yes."
"Do you enjoy spending time with him?" Kurt asked knowingly.
She giggled and nodded. "I do."
"Do you want to make the beast with two backs with him?"
"San!" Everyone scolded but Noah who was laughing.
"What? She totally fantasizes about him."
"I do."
Noah's eyebrows almost hit his hairline. "Well, who am I to say no to that?"
Rachel laughed. "I just don't want to make a big deal out of this. I don't want the press to ruin it because it's private. And now with our show, and our characters, it will be hard."
"We can stay locked in," he suggested as suavely as he could.
"Ew," Santana exclaimed.
Standing up, Rachel walked to him. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into."
"You kidding, right?" Noah rubbed his chin to conceal the grin on his face. "I've been wanting to get myself into this since the time I saw you in a bikini and realized you had grown into a woman – that summer before we started high school." He rolled his eyes when Kurt cooed. "I wanted it again when I saw you on set a year ago."
She rose on tiptoes and pressed her lips to his.
"You better go to his place if you do anything nasty," Santana warned. "I don't want to witness the awkward morning after."
"She's here every morning, why would it be awkward?" Blaine asked.
"Oh, not Rachel. Puck. This is the first time he's having a real relationship with someone he loves. He'll be a real dork in the morning."
"I'd pay to see that," Kurt replied mischievously before Noah hummed contently after Rachel's kiss. His smile was like the one of someone who had had the best dream of all – like a child.
"Told ya."
...
The view from the penthouse was simply spectacular. And looking the cloudy mornings over Central Park was certainly amazing.
She sipped from her hot cup of coffee and sighed. A smile was adorning her face and she was completely comfortable in her own skin, in this world that she had never imagined at this level of detail but that it was just what she needed. She didn't only have her SAG card and the Equity one – she also had an Emmy under her belt, two PCA, a Tony and two Grammys, among many other awards.
Of course right across the shelves she filled with awards, there was another equally impressive but with certainly a larger amount of music recording sales certifications – gold and platinum decorating the room.
Suddenly, a strong pair of arms wrapped around her and she grinned when his lips kissed her bare shoulder.
"You left me alone in bed," he whined.
She looked up and over her shoulder to see him pouting, and laughed. "You're a big baby, Noah."
"I'm leaving in a week. For a month to Turkey. The least I expect is some serious quality time with my woman. Preferably in bed."
"I have rehearsals this afternoon but later we can enjoy dinner and then… you can pick something for us to do." She laughed at his happy expression. "Nothing illegal or… indecent of course."
"Let's define indecent."
She smacked him across the chest and he released a belly laugh.
"C'mon, Princess. I just worry about our relationship. I'll be away for a month and you'll be here, working on your musical… I'll miss you. It will be hard on us."
"We've been dating for two years, Noah. We live together. If a month apart – in which you can visit me if needed – is enough to drive us apart, then we're not meant to be together. Besides, it's not the first time." She saw him rolling his eyes. "You'll be fine. I know you have that rather voluptuous model that will play your partner," she spat as if her coffee had suddenly turned sour. "You will have plenty of action there."
"Be nice. I'm not pissy about the dude who will kiss you and… ravage you on stage – and that's every single fuckin' day."
She smiled. "Compromise?" He pursed his lips and cocked an eyebrow before cradling her face and kissing her until she had lost all the air in her lungs – and that was saying something. "God."
"Damn right," he murmured. "Who would have thought we would end up here after three years?"
"Not me," she whispered. "But we still have the show, so you can't complain about being apart."
"Yeah, but our characters aren't exactly together right now and that sucks."
"You know they'll fix that. People are in love with Jamie and Tobias." Rachel pecked his lips. "And you promote us quite a bit in every interview," she quipped.
"Whatever. But I wasn't talking about that." He stole her cup of coffee and drained the last of its contents. "I mean, a little over three years ago I was no one and now I'm on magazine covers all over the world, making movies and all next to one of the hottest women of the year according to Maxim," he said with a dreamy sigh at the end that made her laugh.
"And I'm with this year's second sexiest man."
"Oh, that's evil, woman. Next year I'm totally kicking Ryan Gosling's ass."
"I would appreciate you didn't, considering the following he has."
"Really?"
"I like him."
"No more than me."
"No." She laughed. "No man comes before you in my hottest men list."
"Good, because that time I was around Megan Fox, I didn't even-"
"Don't. I saw you. You're the worst liar ever."
"Your ass is way better than hers."
"Noah, don't be crude." She stepped away from him. "And I don't have time to discuss your tendency to glue your eyes to other women's bodies."
"I'm alive and it's not cheating!" He followed her as she smiled to herself. "I'm faithful."
"I know." She turned around and saw his pathetic attempt to look like an innocent man when he was far from it. "But that's because you know what you would lose if you did a thing to upset me."
He laughed. "Don't give me that speech. I saw you checking out Harry Styles at the last BRIT Awards. That's a new low for you."
"I was not!"
"You were, which is why I must tell you I'm working on my British accent."
She burst into laughter. "Silly."
"You don't fancy me? What about snogging?"
"Stop it!" she tried to squirm away from his embrace but he tickled her and kept talking in the worst British accent known to man. But she loved him too much to make a serious attempt to run away. "Noah!"
"Rachel Berry, I'm at your mercy. Do with me as you please," he assured dramatically and let himself fall into their bed backwards.
She stared at him for a couple of seconds and wondered how from seeing him as the annoying boy who kept showing up at the worst and the best moments of her life, he ended up being the one she loved. And how the heck had he managed to do it while acting.
"Are you sure?"
"Completely," he replied and smiled when she climbed into bed next to him.
"I want to cuddle," she admitted. "I want you to show me that you meant it when you say I'm special."
Hugging her, he kissed her temple. "I think you're wrong, Baby." She looked at him with big eyes, surprised. "I'm the special one 'cause you picked me this time. You're just the only one for me."
She bit her lip but soon she couldn't keep her smile hidden anymore. "We live in a movie, don't we?"
"God, I really hope is a franchise 'cause that shit never ends, you know?"
the end.