Part 2 of the Sunday 2-fer! Enjoy!


She so wasn't the type to kiss and tell, but this was pretty monumental. She had to tell someone else she trusted, besides Jen. And who would appreciate this life tidbit more than Puck?

"Are you ok? I'm in rehearsal. Trent is giving me the death stare." Puck answered.

"Crap! I'm sorry. Give me a call later after the show. Richmond or Roanoke, Virginia?"

"Richmond, tour stalker." Yes, she had added the rest of the 3-months of tour dates to her personal calendar. You couldn't quite extract all the crazy from Rachel Berry.

"But you're on the line now. Can you spit it out in 30 seconds? I've left the room." Puck continued.

"Trent's going to be so mad."

"20 seconds."

"Even less than that. Isaac got to play in the 'berry patch.'" Rachel gushed. Puck cheered on the other end of the phone. Rachel wondered if he was impressed that she used his euphemism for her vagina.

Yes, somehow that conversation happened within the past 3 weeks.

"The drought ends! This makes me more proud of you than any of your other real success. Hopefully it met your incredibly low standards?"

"He was romantic about it, so I was blissed out. Definitely the best ever."

"Yes, because the only two people you've screwed were still practically teenagers. Besides, you haven't had the best until you've been with me. Gotta run. I'll FaceTime you." Puck said and hung up.

"You wish." Rachel said. She didn't know if that was a comment to him or to herself.

/\/\/\/\

"Look, I know you like her but respect the rehearsal environment." Trent told Puck later that day. Trent had an autograph signing event before the show that night, and he dragged Puck along as punishment.

"Don't like her like that." Puck mumbled. The guys had been ragging on him ever since the morning he'd arrive back from Rachel's place. Breakfast without any kind of action–definitely unheard of from Noah Puckerman.

"Well she likes you. I call my parents after every single show and they still don't know every city I'm in." Trent said.

"Ugh. That's just how she is. Can we please drop this ridiculous fucking conversation before this shit starts?" Puck asked. He was annoyed already and even more so by the smug smirk on Trent's face.

Of all the fan-related events, autograph signings had to be the worst. Don't get Puck wrong, the fans were awesome. But writing his name 60 gazillion times sucked. He was never the best at spelling, so he usually screwed up someone's name on those personalized requests. Then the incessant noise and camera flashes–Puck was just all around moody once it was over. And then they had to do a quick interview with the local country radio station.

"How is it on stage with Trent, Puck? Are you really having as much fun as you look?"

"Absolutely. Every single show is a party. I hope you'll be there tonight." Puck winked at the DJ giving the interview. He had a running trend of trying to flirt with every female interviewer. However, this one wasn't falling for it.

"Of course I'll be there! Now Puck, the rumors are running rampant. What's going on with you and pop sensation Rachel Berry?" The DJ asked. Puck knew Rachel would hate the term "pop sensation."

"Oh this is still a thing in the celebrity gossip world? That was weeks ago. Didn't Angelina Jolie have another kid or something?" Puck asked.

"Sounds like Puckerman is evading the question." God, this DJ was becoming more unattractive with each question and comment. However, Puck just leaned back in his chair with ease. There had been weeks of media training for him at the beginning. Once he figured out that it was all just a game of giving a good interview, Puck knew how to play it.

"No evasion. Rachel is just a friend. You read the gossip, obviously she can do a lot better than me. I've ruined my fair share of pop star lives." Puck said. But somehow that came out in a way he didn't expect. It sounded like he was pining for her, but she was too good for him. And then, bringing up his brief relationship with MiMi from years ago. He was not playing the interview like he usually did.

"So, no rekindling of that high school relationship? Ever?" The DJ asked.

"You really did your homework." Puck said.

"And Trent. We've all seen you out with Kara Adams. What's the story there?" This DJ was all about the relationship in this interview. As Trent gave his BS answer, Puck snuck off to where Archie was calling him.

"Figured I'd save you." Archie said.

"Thanks. Ready for this Rachel thing to blow over. Are there really no other celebrity friendships between a guy and a girl?"

"There's nothing new under the sun, kid. Personally, don't think a man and a woman are made to be friends. Hands will eventually go south. Predicting your hands, in this case." Archie said. If there was no hope, then Puck might as well dive in.

/\/\/\/\/\

Isaac whisked Rachel away on a weekend getaway to LA. They hung out and had a lot of great sex, but something still held Rachel back. On her flight back to the east coast, Puck sent her an iMessage. Thank God for in-flight wifi.

"Ma called me. Isaac did not buy you a ring, right?"

"Tell Rebecca to stop reading the worst gossip. Just spent the weekend with him. No ring. Just lots of sex ;)"

"Woman after my own heart. Let's date after the tour."

"Rolling my eyes like wheels right now. I couldn't handle your country rockstar lifestyle. Besides, I think I may give Isaac a serious chance." Rachel wrote back, her heart stuck in her throat. Puck had been saying things like that a lot over the past month. Who knew if he was serious? Why did she even care anyway?

"Before you guys get all exclusive and serious, you need a taste of this babe." Rachel decided she should change the subject before things got out of hand.

"10 more stops on the tour. You must be excited for the end." In true Noah Puckerman fashion, he left the conversation hanging in the air.

Although the weekend with Isaac was nice, Rachel was relieved to be back in her own home. Even Jen gave her an evening of downtime before Rachel powered into the next week. Between Jen and her manager, Rachel had secured amazing opportunities in the past two weeks. She was the new face of CoverGirl, was October's Cosmopolitan cover, and had an important meeting just about every day that week. Puck had called her, but she was walking into one of said meetings and couldn't really talk to him. Based on his tour schedule, he was in Houston, Texas. She'd call him back later, but in her five-minutes of downtime, she looked online for a review of Trent's show the night before.

The first results on Google News all talked about Puck's wild night out—including the two chicks he took back to his hotel. She had no reason to feel annoyed or upset, but she did. She powered down her phone and put on her game face for her meeting.

/\/\/\/\/\

Puck felt miserable. In all of his 24 years, he'd never had the flu. Now the last night of the tour, the show in Nashville, he was puking all day and running a high fever. It wouldn't have been the end of the world if he couldn't perform, they had a backup just in case. But Puck didn't want to miss the last show. Nashville was home. The crowd would be awesome. Trent always pulled out the big guns for the home show.

"You've got a fever. Do not come to rehearsal." Trent commanded over the phone. Puck was curled up in bed, freezing cold. Archie had already sent a doctor over to check on him, confirming that he had the flu and leaving instructions for medicine. The doctor highly recommended that Puck not perform, but fuck that. He'd sleep this crap off and make it to the Bridgestone Arena in time.

Well, he made it there in time and in one piece, but he didn't remember the drive over. Eli and Archie begged him to not perform.

"Can't let T down. I'm fine, see." Puck said, strapping on his guitar and playing a few notes. His playing sounded normal. His head was throbbing and he could barely see anything in front of him, but he could move and play. That's all that was needed.

"You won't let me down, Puck. The flu is serious man. You should rest up." Trent pleaded.

"Look, back off. I'm going out here and playing tonight. It's the last show." Puck said. Trent shrugged, knowing there was no changing his mind. Too bad, because Puck passed out on stage right after the first song.

He woke up in a hospital bed with the sun shining through the window. Puck groaned as he remembered faceplanting the stage. Did he land on his guitar?

"You're awake." Archie said. "Heed our warnings next time."

"The show went on, right?" Puck asked.

"Of course the show went on. One dead band mate didn't stop the show." Trent said, walking into the room. "I've been on phone interviews all morning telling everyone that you're not a drug addict, just an idiot who decides to perform with a 105 degree fever."

"That high?" Puck groaned.

"Also spoke to your mom, who was livid that you didn't listen to me and performed anyway. Rachel called." Trent went on.

"She did?" He hadn't really spoken to her in a few weeks. She was busy with stuff and didn't have a lot of time to talk.

However, she hadn't been too busy to be out on dates with Isaac and kissing in public. Puck thought in the back of his mind. Whatever.

"Yeah. Called to check in." Trent looked like he was leaving something out. "Doctors say you should be out this afternoon."

"Wait, why have I even been here this long?" Puck asked.

"Dehydration, monitoring, and autographs probably. They'll come asking for them once everyone figures out you're ok." Archie answered.

"And much needed rest. I'm definitely going to hibernate until the CMAs next week." Trent said. Puck kept his disbelief to himself. He'd forgotten about the CMAs, even after all the reminders Archie had given him for the past two months.

"Do I need to book the flight for your mother?" Archie asked him. Puck had always taken his mom as his date to the CMAs. She loved the glitz and the glamour.

"I think I'll ask Rachel this time."

"Ask me what?" Rachel asked, holding a bouquet of flowers as she walked into the room. Archie took it from her hands and set it with the rest of Puck's flowers that he was just noticing.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you busy doing stuff?" That came out way more bitter than he expected.

"Well I change my plans around when you decide to drop dead on stage. I've only got a day to teach you how to take care of yourself, even after that rude greeting. What are you going to ask me?"

"Sorry. Hey. Be my date to the CMAs." Puck said. Trent and Archie pretended to be talking about something, but he could tell they were eavesdropping. It honestly felt like he was proposing to her the way the room's atmosphere changed.

"You always take your mom." Rachel commented.

"Yeah and? This year I want you to come. Meaning that in all ways possible." Puck said. Rachel hit him. "You hit a man in a hospital bed!"

"You are disgusting. And you're giving me a week to prepare for this. Jen is going to kill you for the last minute rescheduling she'll have to do. Why didn't you ask me before I flew down here to check on you?"

"You act like I knew!"

"I told Trent to tell you." Rachel said. Both of them looked at Trent, who was wearing his most angelic expression. Rachel just shook her head at him and excused herself to make a few phone calls.

"Asshole." Puck said to Trent. He shrugged.

"You need to make your move before Mr. Movie Star has her completely." Trent suggested. Archie nodded in agreement. Archie had almost been like a father to him, so his opinion mattered to Puck.

"I don't think that friendships between men and women last, but I think they are the foundation of a strong relationship. You're still young, but don't think that quantity over quality will sustain you forever." Archie said. Rachel had said something along those same lines at the beginning of the tour. And now here at the end, Archie was saying the same thing.

The men were saying their goodbyes just as Rachel made her way back into the room. She pulled up the recliner, grabbed a blanket, and curled up.

"Jen wants to castrate you right about now. But she hopes you feel better. So does Isaac." Rachel said. A little bit of old-Rachel came out as she spouted off a continuous list of all she had to do to prepare. He was glad she came. The sound of her voice soothed Puck right back to sleep.


Next up, CMAs and the hookup we've all been waiting for...