Over the next two weeks, Rachel spent more time with Noah. Now that she didn't have to focus on Jesse, who had always demanded everything from her, she could have more fun with the other Glee guys. She and Noah became friends, even when he had told her they wouldn't all those months ago, on the bleachers. And her and Finn… After his little speech on the stairs, how could she resist him?

Puck was in the auditorium, practising his guitar, strumming out a song. As always, he had too much to thing about. Quinn was due in a month, his mother still wasn't proud of him and he still hadn't worked out a way to get Rachel… especially now that she was dating Finn. Why did Finn always have the girls he wanted? He was so much more of a stud than Finn. Did Finns dumbness attract girls or something? Was it cute? Oh well, thought Puck. Let him have her for now. Because Noah was slowly working his way back into Rachel Berry's heart.

Rachel walked around the empty corridors, singing softly to herself as she thought about the events of the past weeks. She had started dating Finn, finally, and her and Noah were friends now. They'd spent days together, hanging out in the park where they first shared their problems. And, New Directions were going to regionals on Saturday, and they were bound to trash Vocal Adrenaline, not to mention that club who had foolishly named themselves 'Aural Intensity', with their Journey medley. Thing were on the up for her.

Rachel walked into the auditorium, but stopped when she heard the music playing. She started moving again, interested to see who was playing, and was surprised to see it was Noah. As he started to play the chorus, Rachel joined in, singing sweetly to the music he was playing, still walking towards him.

Noah looked up, not that he needed to. He could tell whose voice it was instantly, but he met her eyes as she moved towards him, still singing. When the song finished, he smiled at her, and she grinned back at him.

"Afternoon Noah" Rachel said, as she sat down beside him.

"Hey Berry. You stalking me now or something? Knew you couldn't resist me." Puck responded, winking at her.

"Noah, your ego is ridiculously large. I simply came to practise my part of our Journey medley in a space that's somewhere near the size I shall be performing it in for regionals. Its important to get your volume right" Rachel rambled.

"You mean you need to make sure that you don't completely drown out Finn with your vocals." Puck said, smirking, happy to be able to point out Finn's imperfections.

Rachel looked at Puck. "Please don't insult my boyfriend like that Noah." She said with raised eyebrows.

"Its true and you know it. Anyway, talking of that, how are things going with you and him?" Puck asked

Puck was genuinely interested to know about Rachel and Finn's relationship. If there were any weaknesses, he wanted to know them. When splitting up Quinn and Finn, he had caused the weaknesses. But this time, Finns girlfriend wasn't going to let him in as easily.

"It's going fine thank you Noah." Rachel told him, warily, wondering what he was up to.

Rachel hadn't forgotten what Noah had said in the park when they were talking. She had watched happily as Pucks mistakes split up Finn and Quinn, happy to be given a chance to be with Finn. But she knew how much Noah could get to Finn, and she also accepted that Noah had an effect on her, even if she was ashamed to admit it. But she wasn't going to let him ruin things between her and Finn, not know that things were finally working between them.

Puck noticed her lack of a reply. Of course, he knew she would be on her guard. Rachel wasn't stupid, if anything, she was pretty damned smart. That was one of the main reasons Finn shouldn't be with her. She was smarter, more talented and so much better than Finn. And Puck hated that she would settle for so much less.

Two weeks later, regionals had been and gone.

At Kurt's house, the glee clubbers were gathering for their party. It was supposed to be a victory party, but after their defeat they changed into a party celebrating the club getting another year, and everything they'd done during the previous one. All of the kids and their parents were invited, as was Mr Schue, Miss Pilsbury and even Sue Sylvester.

Finn and Rachel were the last to arrive, much to Rachel's disgrace. Puck laughed at the blush on her face as Kurt told her and Finn that they were the last here. Then Kurt went over to the projector, playing all the videos they had of New Directions' performances. Then Mr Schue and Miss Pilsbury hosted a jokey award ceremony, before Kurt cranked up the music. Parents, teachers and kids alike mingled, talking and chatting.

Rachel was having a conversation with Quinn, when Puck and Finn came up behind them.

"Hey girls" Puck said with a wink to the girls and a smirk at Finn.

"Rachel wanna come dance with me?" Finn quickly asked his girlfriend, keen to get her away from Puck. Finn had noticed the two becoming closer fiends, and was scared history was going to repeat itself. Puck seemed to have an issue with wanting whatever girl he had. Or maybe Puck just had an issue with him.

"Sure Finn" Rachel replied, smiling at Quinn and Puck as she wandered of with Finn.

Puck watched them go, narrowing his eyes. He could feel himself tensing, and he struggled to control himself.

Quinn watched this exchange, taking a note of Rachel's blush at Pucks greeting, Finn's insecure actions and Puck's jealous glares. Over the past few months, Quinn had grown wiser, and took more notice of people's behaviour. She saw and understood more than she did before.

Puck approached Rachel as Finn was getting her a drink and had been sidetracked by Kurt asking him if he liked what he had done with the room.

"Hey Berry" He said. "Got over being trashed by St James again yet?"

"Noah, sometimes I wonder if you're pretending to be so obnoxious of if you really do have a problem" She responded, raising her eyebrows in anticipation of his reaction.

If anyone else had said that to him, he'd have punched them in the face. Or lower if possible. But Rachel said it in such an innocent, matter of fact way that he couldn't feel angry. He would let her tease him, but her only. It confused him how much he accepted things from her that he wouldn't take from anyone else. Except maybe his mum, or his sister.

"It's just a talent of mine I guess I have. Along with my studliness and my amazing singing voice." He winked at her.

Rachel laughed. "Studliness isn't a word Noah." She smiled at him.

The song changed. Sweet Caroline came on. Noah smiled at Rachel, took her hand and started dancing with her to the music. Then he started singing, with the memory of his last performance of this song flashing through his mind, and the time he'd had her but given her up. Rachel joined in with him, as it was their song, turning it into a duet that could rival Hello and Faithfully. They danced and sung though the whole song, and at the end they collapsed onto the sofa in a fit of giggles.

"I'm glad we can be friends Noah" Rachel told him. "When you left me on the bleachers that day saying we couldn't, I know I'd prove you wrong."

Noah smiled. He didn't know why he felt what he did, or why he wasn't shunning his feelings like any self respecting stud should, but he did know that he would one say win over Rachel. Finn knew it too. In the corner, he stood, drinks in hand, glaring at his ex best friend, and another of his girlfriends he was trying to steal.