Rachel watched Finn walk away from her, tears rolling down her cheeks silently. She felt a pair of arms around her and leaned back into the embrace, sighing unhappily.

"Well at least I didn't have to come in there and make sure you were still conscious," she said, half serious.

Puck chuckled weakly and kissed her hair, "Come on Rach, I'll bring you home."

Rachel nodded and Puck unwound his arms from her waist, keeping one on her shoulders to keep her steady.

"So you're giving up?" he asked her as they walked out to his truck.

Rachel shrugged, hugging her arms around her.

"Looks like it," she said softly.

They reached his truck and Puck moved his arm from around her shoulders, opening the door for her. He waited until she was securely inside before shutting the door and rounding the hood to climb in. Starting the truck, Puck flashed Rachel a small smile; relieved when she returned it, and they were on their way. However, instead of driving to Rachel's house, Puck turned off down a small dirt road.

"Noah? Where are we going?"

"The swing," he replied simply.

Rachel stared at him for a minute, surprised; "I didn't think you remembered where it was," she whispered.

Puck shrugged, "I still come out here when I need to be alone," he told her.

He parked, turning off the truck and they both climbed out, walking over to the old wooden swing that hung from the lower branches of an oak tree that stood by itself. Rachel sat down on the swing, holding the ropes; and let out a sigh as Puck pushed her gently.

"What's buggin' you Goldie?" he asked, giving her another push.

Rachel smiled at the old nickname as the wind blew her hair around her face.

"Nothin'," she replied, "Everything Taz."

From the time they first met at Toddler Gymboree, they'd had nicknames for each other. Puck knew that Rachel's dads called her 'Star' so he called her 'Goldie' which became a private joke in school when she began putting gold stars next to her name on all her papers. And Puck's mom had called him her little whirlwind; which reminded Rachel of the Loony Toons and the Tasmanian Devil; so she called Puck 'Taz'.

"Finn?" he asked, giving her another push.

Rachel nodded, "You think I'm an idiot don't you?"

Puck grabbed the ropes, jerking the swing to a stop and Rachel gasped. He spun her once and had her facing him.

"You're not an idiot," he said furiously.

Rachel dropped her eyes, looking at the ground; but Puck wasn't having that, not at all. He grasped Rachel's chin in his hand and tugged her head up, eyes burning into hers.

"You. Are. Not. An. Idiot," he said again, punctuating each word, "You are smart, and talented. Beautiful. And you're not afraid to speak your mind, no matter what anyone says. If Finn can't see you for that, then he's not worth it Goldie."

Her eyes burn with tears and she can't stop them from falling. Puck is the only person she's ever cried in front of besides her dads and her surrogate mom, Sarah.

"What's wrong with me Noah?" she whispers brokenly.

All of a sudden, she's off the swing and sitting on his lap, him hugging her tightly as he sits on the swing. Puck doesn't say anything, just lets her cry and rubs her back, occasionally squeezing her just a little bit tighter.

Rachel finally stops crying, much to Puck's delight; and they sit on the swing, one of his legs pushing them back and forth gently as he holds her in his arms. It's always easy with them, this silence; because they feel connected to each other, like family; or maybe closer than family.

It's never been attraction between the two of them, though at one point in her younger days, Rachel did think that she and Puck would get married. But that was long ago, and they both knew, deep down; that they weren't meant for each other.

When his cell phone rings, they both jump in surprise. He reaches into his letterman jacket and pulls it out, making a face at the caller i.d.

"Who is it?" Rachel asks.

"Mom. We must be really late."