There were a lot of things that Puck had anticipated for his reunion with Finn, but he could have never predicted that it would feel like this. He had forgotten hat it was like to be swept up in the emotions that came with just being in his former best friend's presence, but it was all still there, this muscle memory that time neither time nor distance would ever erase. The hug was just as familiar, the smell and warmth just the same. He was glad for it really; it was comforting knowing that some things would truly never change.

"It's really good to see you, man," Finn grinned as he sat down across the table from Puck. It was at his favorite diner in the city, this greasy spoon of a place that Rachel would never dare to step foot in. He had started going there a few weeks after he came into the city when he needed to get some space from her. "I can't believe you're finally here."

"Sorry it's taken so long," Puck apologized. He gazed up at Finn beneath his dark lashes. "How's Rach?"

"Can we get into that later? I just want to here all about your music career and what it's like in LA," Finn pleaded. He knew that he had to tell his friend the truth about his marriage, but he wanted a little time first. "Seriously, dude, tell me everything."

So for the next hour, Puck did. He told him all about those first weeks in California and the endless open mic nights and the big break that had come when he had cleaned the pool of some low-level A&R rep from Geffen. He talked about writing his first album, how some of the songs were actually tunes he'd done back in Lima. He talked about his first big show at the House of Blues and then the subsequent small tour that had taken him around the country. Finn's face was beaming with pure pride by the time Puck had delved into the Grammy nominations and what had happened on his last tour, the first he had headlined to sold-out crowds.

"It's still surreal, you know?" Puck smiled. "It's great knowing that I can take care of Ma and my sister. It's almost everything ever wanted."

"Almost?"

Puck was quiet for a minute before he looked into the familiar warm brown eyes that had been his definition of home for most of his adolescence. "I've done a lot of this alone, you know? I never imagined how lonely some of it would be. I have a great crew around me, don't get me wrong, and I have made some awesome friends out in LA. But people that really know me are still far and few between. Sometimes I think Chang is the only one who really knows the person I am because he can still see the guy that I used to be. I didn't expect that part. I always thought I'd have you with me."

The last line comes out like a whispered confession. "You know you could have called at any time and I would have been there," Finn pointed out. "You're the one who didn't want to talk to me."

"You had Rach, Finn. After what happened, I knew I couldn't just hang out and pretend that we were just friends. I wasn't mature enough. I needed time. It's still hard."

Finn looked down at his hands. "Being married is hard too," he admitted. 'In fact, we're kind of separated or whatever. I didn't want to tell you and have you feel sorry for me. It still sucks admitting that this is another thing I failed at. But Rach's career is bigger than we are and I'm not sure that I ever really stood a chance. I tried, man, I really did. I'm just not enough."

"You're more than enough, Finn," he argued. "You're everything."

The two were quiet for a moment before Puck reached across the table and bravely took Finn's hand. It was too fast and too slow all at once. "I'm leaving New York, Puck."

"Where are you going?"

"Well, I can always go back to Ohio and try my hand at teaching there," he said. He was silent for a long moment before he peered up at the man across from him. "Or I could come out to California and hang out with you for awhile. We could get to know each other again."

Puck's face lit up. "I am in the middle of writing my next album. I could use some help with the drums," he proposed excitedly. "My house is plenty big, you could even have your own bedroom."

Finn grinned. "It's okay, we're used to sharing from when we were kids," he teased. He squeezed Puck's hand in his tightly. This felt good, it felt right. It felt like and ending to New York and a beginning to everything else. "So that's what we'll do."

"That's what we'll do."

A year later, after the divorce papers were signed and Puck had dedicated his third album to Finn, the two of them quietly came out in a small sidebar interview in Rolling Stone. Rachel surprised them by sending a nice selection of craft beers with a congratulatory letter, and a now-married Santana and Brittany came into town to go to dinner with them and Chang. They had a wedding of their own the year after back in Lima, this weird hybrid ceremony that had Puck's rabbi officiating at Finn's mom's church. Kurt stood up next to his brother and Santana punched Mike repeatedly until he gave up his place as Puck's best man. Puck hadn't really cared ether way. His mind was just focused on the three weeks that would come after with Finn in Tahiti.

Fin.