A/N: All I have to say is wow, the response to this story has been overwhelming and incredible. I know it's been awhile since I updated, but don't worry I will be updating this story; it just might not be regularly. Work has been nuts. Anyway here is the next chapter hope it doesn't disappoint. Please keep up the reviews good, bad or indifferent! As always I don't own Glee.
Searing Sun
Chapter 2
Puck watched Rachel's back stiffen and she turned slowly to face the rest of the room realizing that her tormenters were there in the room with her. Pain glazed her eyes as they swept over the gleeks taking in the familiar figures. But they lit up with joy when they landed on one particular figure.
Puck had to keep himself from standing up and sweeping her into his arms when her gaze landed on his. Happiness and surprise radiated from her eyes as she kept her gaze locked on him. Her gasp was painfully loud in the still quiet room. All of the gleeks eyes were riveted on Rachel waiting to see what the former diva would do in light of Kurt's comment. But the comment went unheeded as she shook off her shock and fucking squealed.
Puck felt as if he was in the twilight zone as Rachel Berry, queen of all that was proper, squealed like the high school girl that she was and ran across the room towards him. He shook off his shock and braced himself to catch her when at the last moment she veered slightly and jumped into the waiting arms of the person beside him. Puck's jaw dropped once again along with his heart as he watched Logan wrap his arms snuggly around Rachel as she buried her face in his shoulder still squealing.
"Logan your early! I thought you weren't moving here until the end of the month." The gleeks sat stunned unable to take their eyes off of the pair. Everyone in the room had been able to understand what she said without using a dictionary and that in itself was a miracle to them. Logan chuckled at the excitement in Rachel's voice hugging her close. He used the gesture to sneak a glance at the rest of the people in the room. He smirked slightly at the shock, dismay and jealousy he found there. He had really only done this audition to check out the people who had made Rachel's life a hell. So far he wasn't impressed and could tell that Rachel hadn't embellished any when she had related what these people were like.
Logan smiled warmly down at Rachel as he answered her, "I convinced my parents to let me come ahead of them; told them that I wanted to be here for you from day one given the circumstances." Puck clenched his fists against the jealousy rising in the pit of his stomach as he watched the reunion. He was too late it seemed and no matter how much he wanted to sucker punch the guy he knew he couldn't. So he just sat there with the rest of them and watched. "Besides what fun would Glee be without me?"
Rachel sighed and glanced around at the room, "You know I can't be in Glee," Logan opened his mouth to protest, but she stopped him with an upraised hand, "it has nothing to do with them," she glanced around again, "and you know it. I've gotten over that, but I can't be here after school or be going away for the competitions."
"You know you could just tell them." Logan didn't understand Lima and why she couldn't tell them. He came from a place where people were more understanding and she couldn't fault him for it, but she had no intention of telling anyone about Dean and this was not a good place to have this conversation. She grabbed his arm and gently led him out into the hallway where the gleeks couldn't overhear them.
"Logan you don't understand, this isn't like California, here I'm on the bottom of the social food chain and them knowing about Dean would be like throwing gasoline on a fire. I can take the harassment, but I won't subject Dean to it, I won't." She was near to tears by the time she had finished speaking, memories of the bullying and hurtful comments coming back to her, each one hitting like a brick.
Logan wrapped his arms around her once again, "Ok I can see your point and though I may not agree I'll respect it and not say anything. But please join Glee with me? Show those gleeks that you're better than them. You're a very talented singer and I know you love it. Just because Broadway isn't your goal anymore doesn't mean you can't have some fun."
"But Dean---"
Logan cut off her protest before it could begin, "I'm sure that your Dad's would love to see their grandson for an hour or two every day. And there aren't that many showcases, I'm sure you can find someone willing to babysit when it comes up."
Rachel didn't say anything for a few moments mulling it over. Yes she enjoyed singing and it would be great to have an hour or two to herself that wasn't filled with responsibility. But it also meant that she would be facing the father of her child day after day. "I don't know Logan, I'm not sure I could face him day after day."
Logan was confused, "him?"
Rachel took a deep breath, "Dean's father."
Logan's eyebrows shot up, this was the first time she had ever talked about Dean's father. "He was in the Glee club with you?" She bit her lower lip and nodded. "Who and did he even know you were pregnant?"
"No he had no idea it was a one night thing and we rarely if ever spoke again after. And Dean's father is Puck. He's the one with the Mohawk; he was sitting right next to you." Rachel watched Logan's face close down in anger and quickly put a hand on his arm. "Logan don't, getting into a fight won't help anything."
Looking at Rachel's worried face Logan took a few deep calming breaths and nodded, "What the hell kind of name is Puck?"
Rachel giggled "it's a nickname; his actual name is Noah Puckerman."
"Okay," Logan drew out the word so that it drawled out of his lips, accentuating his Texan accent. "Well now you really have to join, who else is going to stop me from beating his ass into next week? Pretty please? I'll make sure you don't even have to look at him if you don't want to."
Rachel giggled at the pout on Logan's face, "Fine! Fine! You know I can't resist that face, no fair, but I'll join. I'll talk to my father's about babysitting tonight and if they agree then I'm in."
The muttering and whispering started the moment the door closed behind Rachel and Logan.
"Did I just see that right or am I going blind, please someone tell me I'm going blind because no way someone that hot is friends or more with manhands." Santana searched the faces around her hoping someone would tell she was going crazy and that in fact that didn't just happen. She would wait in vain though, because it seemed everyone had the same crazy vision.
"Is it just me or did Rachel Berry actually just act like a normal person? I mean she wasn't even dressed like a grandmother!" Quinn was in just as much shock as anyone else. The girl that had drug out the very good looking male had looked nothing like the girl they remembered. She had been dressed in jeans, a tank top and flip flops. Actually now that Puck thought about it she had looked damn good. He wished he could hear the conversation going on out in the hall but no noise made it through the door.
"Let's get to the more important issue, what are we going to do if she ends up wanting to join again?" Kurt dismissed the rest of the chatter about Rachel's new appearance. "We all know how Rachel is, no matter what she looks like, she is still the same control freak wanna be star whose only goal is to be on Broadway."
"Kurt's right, we have all worked our asses off while she was off playing in California and we can't let her come in here like she owns the place and steal the spotlight." Mercedes threw in her two cents looking around at the rest of the members.
"Besides she doesn't care about this club, only about where it can get her." Kurt rolled along picking up steam when he saw that most of the members were nodding their heads agreeing with him. "I say that we let her back in if she want back in, we really could use her voice, but make sure she doesn't have a chance to steal the spotlight from any of us."
Puck watched in dismay, along with Mr. Shue, as the club settled back into plotting against Rachel. He had hoped that her leaving last year might have softened them at least a bit, but it seemed as if nothing had changed.
The sound of the door opening made silence settle over the room once more. All eyes watched Rachel and Logan walk back into the choir room. "I managed to convince her to come back to Glee." Logan's grin was wide and infectious and he seemed genuinely happy that Rachel would be there to annoy them every day.
"Wonder what closet he used to do that?" Apparently Santana figured the only way Logan would put up with Rachel was if he was getting something in return.
"That's great!" Shue choose to ignore the comment since it seemed Logan and Rachel was content to.
"I have a few things I need to take care of this afternoon, can I start rehearsal tomorrow?" Rachel inquired of Shue.
Shue nodded, "Might as well call it a day anyway, don't think we are going to be getting much done anyway."
Puck followed Rachel and Logan out of the choir room and into the parking lot. It happened to be that they were all parked in the same area, so he overheard Rachel tell Logan to follow her home as he climbed into his truck. Feeling jealousy rise once again in the pit of his stomach he didn't bother sticking around to watch them drive way. He simply stepped on the gas and headed home, hoping to get the image of Logan and Rachel embracing out of his head.
A/N 2: Ok so I know that there was no Puck/Rachel interaction in this chapter, but don't worry next chapter there is plenty! Review ;) Until next time.
