What up! Here's chapter 4 :) PS: I really want to get into a drag-out fist fight with this whole interface because it's not saving my formatting. Or maybe I'm not smart enough to understand. So the random /\/\/\/\/\/\/\ indicate a break!

"Finn's moving back to Ohio. He and Rachel are getting divorced. Word on the street is that you're the reason." Mercedes said in one breath.

"What do you think?" Puck asked.

"I don't know what to think, that's why I'm calling to ask you." Mercedes said.

Puck didn't mind the ridiculous rumor as much as he minded Mercedes doubting him. Did he always have to be the one fucking up everything? Had he not been proving that he was more than a Lima Loser the past four months?

Mercedes was always going on about how much he'd changed and how much he matured and how proud she was of him. He thought she'd at least give him the benefit of doubt. But as soon as Finn opened his big, dumb mouth—because Puck was sure Rachel wouldn't sink that low to throw him under the bus—Mercedes actually believed this crap. And even if she didn't fully believe it, she still questioned Puck as if he was guilty. With friends like these...

"Puck! Hello?" Mercedes yelled.

"On a date. Bye." he hung up on her just as Leah sat down.

"Please don't tell me that was one of those 'rescue me' date moves!" she said smiling.

"Come on. I'd be way more stealthy than that."

"I figured. A pool cleaning delivery man almost sounds like a cover-up for a secret agent job." He liked her giggle.

"Hey, we can head to the batcave if you think you can handle it." Smooth voice, charismatic invitation- by the way she smiled at him, Puck just knew he was scoring that night. And that would be the best (and most legal) way to get his mind off the catastrophe that he was roped into.

"While that doesn't sound like a bad idea, maybe some other time? There's a live band on campus tonight... maybe we could do that?"

Ah, rejection. He guessed he could respect that. Girls who gave it up in the first date weren't girlfriend material... NOT that he was looking for a girlfriend or anything. He contemplated skipping out, but a band sure sounded a whole hell of a lot more stable than going home thinking of the 50 ways he was going to kill Finn Hudson.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Mercedes got the hint and brought Sunday dinner to Puck's apartment that week. Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and peach cobbler... his favorites. He thought to blow her off until he smelled the deliciousness coming from the bag.

"You can only eat if you do two things. Letting me in would be first." she said. Puck stepped aside so Mercedes could walk in.

"Second, you have to accept my apology." Mercedes smiled her most innocent, apologetic smile. Puck was still pissed with her.

"Apologize for?" Mercedes sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes, but answered anyway.

"For not taking your side when I felt like I knew you were better than that. I didn't have all the information then. I shouldn't have approached you like that."

Hm. All the information. He just hoped she'd tell without him having to ask for it.

"Yeah, you really suck for that. Don't let it happen again." Puck said. He wasn't going to outright tell her how much his feelings were hurt, so she'd better take that statement to heart.

"I brought my own plates and utensils. I don't trust anything your kitchen. C'mon and sit. There's tons to discuss and pieces for you to fill in."

Mercedes served the food and Puck was internally deciding how much to tell. He didn't want to say anything that made him or Rachel look bad, but for once, maybe he just needed someone close to talk to. He wasn't opposed to trusting Mercedes with the Rachel thing. He'd opened up to her about the 15K he had in savings, and about what he could remember regarding his shitty father. She'd opened up about her relationship with Sam, and even asked him for a few sex pointers (it felt good for him to use his expansive knowledge to give back to the community). So, as far as conversations went, Mercedes and Puck had gone pretty deep.

But everyone knew Puck's dad was a deadbeat. Everyone knew Mercedes and Sam were screwing around. No one knew what Puck felt for Rachel though, not even Puck himself.

"So you haven't even tried to call Finn since everything went down? I bet he could use a friend." Mercedes hinted.

"That's funny. Is the same friend that accused me of breaking up his stupid marriage?"

"I spoke to Kurt. He told me the whole story..." And Mercedes went into the tale.

Right before Rachel showed up to Puck's house, Finn walked out during an argument. Puck knew that. However, he didn't know that the argument started over sex. That was enough to make Puck want to peel off his skin.

"Apparently, Finn wanted to make love and Rachel was doing homework. Which I could see why he'd be a little annoyed- she was on break then." Duh Mercedes. Duh Finn. Did no one know Rachel after all these years?

"It's Rachel we're talking about." Puck filled in. It was all the explanation necessary.

"Yeah, you're right. Anyway she told him to back off and he got all upset and said her being so involved at school was making her distant. She said that he needed to find something to be passionate about so he'd spend his time more usefully since he's not in school and barely working. Then it went on to him complaining about how much he hates New York and that he didn't plan to be there much longer. And he left."

Number one: Finn really did have a big mouth. He must have told Kurt the absolute play-by-play. And two: Mercedes had a good memory. The whole story was 100% believable.

"So Rachel rides around looking for him and ends up at your place. Your turn."

"She's crying and so I pull her inside and she says she's looking for Finn. My mom was hovering so I took her upstairs and told her to spill it. She told me the same thing without the pathetic details of Hudson getting pissy because she decided to do homework instead of give it up. Then she started having a mini-panic attack or something about how they probably never should have gotten married because they were going in two different directions. I just sat and watched her freak out until Hudson flew in, then she flew out, and I told him to follow her." He wasn't ready to tell the part about his mini-argument with Rachel.

"Finn initially thought you'd done something with her."

"Yeah, well my track record isn't the best." Puck shrugged, using self-depreciation to deflect how much he actually wanted to do something with Rachel.

"Then he later realized the both of you were still completely dressed, so you couldn't have done anything."

"I didn't do anything, but Finn's still the same idiot if he thinks nothing can happen with clothes on. It's me you're talking about here!" Good thing they weren't in the same city. Puck would have gone and beat Finn's ass days ago.

Puck knew his anger was irrational, and that Finn was going through a tough time, as the divorce was probably a huge surprise to him. But Puck had finally a real reason to be outwardly angry, after several months of being secretly angry with the guy.

"I thought they'd at least make a year." Mercedes said. Even though she was full-on gossiping about them, she seemed a little discouraged about the apparent divorce. Probably thinking of the future of her and Sam's relationship.

"You couldn't have expected that shit to work out. Why get married out of high school anyway?" Puck mumbled.

"So if you feel that way, why'd you be the best man?"

The million dollar question Mercedes. He never believed in their marriage. Never wanted them to get married, let alone be together.

"Because I don't have marriage counselor listed on my resume. It was the least I could do." For having deep feelings for Finn's girlfriend/fiancée/wife was the unspoken part of that statement.

"Hm." Mercedes said, looking at him as if she had more questions. Puck was grateful when she switched the subject to what her plans were for the upcoming week.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Puck dreamed about Rachel that night. Not the normal, super sex fantasy dreams though. He dreamt she was lost in New York and he flew (chartered a private jet, to be exact) all the way out there to find her. It jolted him awake, and he realized he was sweating.

He was still pissed with her. That bullshit she pulled in his bedroom was like a slap in the face. Rachel had wanted him to act on her middle school fantasies, even though she was engaged. How was he supposed to know that she wanted him to ruin her marriage? And how could you even request that of a person? She wanted to be woman enough to get married, but she couldn't be woman enough to stop it if she wanted.

Her indecent proposal basically told Puck that all she thought he'd amount to was that same old Lima Loser, fucking up life for everyone.

That was the part of him that was pissed. A whole 45%. The other 65... no 55% (math sucked) was worried about her. She was off in New York alone, getting a divorce at 18.

Puck remembered when they were little and that "I'm made of rubber, you're made glue" comeback was popular.

I'm made of rubber, and you're made of glue. Whatever you say bounces off to me and sticks back to you.

That was Rachel's automatic saying. Puck actually believed the bullying never got to her until he caught her crying after school one day. Of course, that didn't stop him from making her life a living hell at McKinley, but it made him realize that shit did bother her. It made her a little more human.

His mind caught up to his body a moment too late. The phone was already dialing and "Berry" was the name on the screen. He wasn't going to do the hanging up thing, because that was a punk move. He'd check to see if she was alive and get off.

It was after 3 in Cali, but 12 on the east coast. Hopefully she'd be sleeping.

"Noah?" Rachel answered. So much for the sleeping part.

"Berry." This was harder than he imagined. What to say, what to say?

"It's 3 am in Los Angeles. Are you ok?" Rachel asked. She sounded so concerned. She was getting a divorce and probably feeling shitty about life, but at that moment it sounded like her only concern was Puck.

"Uh yeah. I had a dream about you and I just wanted to make sure you were ok." Puck didn't mean to tell the truth, it just came tumbling out.

"What happened in the dream?" Rachel asked. Shit. He didn't expect her to ask that. He expected her to say that she was or wasn't ok.

"Well, it had to be pretty bad for you to actually call me." she continued. Whoa- was there a trace of anger in her tone? Of all the ideas you could have in the middle of the night Puckerman! You really out dumbed yourself this time.

"Doesn't matter. I hope I didn't wake you. I'll talk to you later."

"Oh no. You'll talk to me now. With you, there's never a later Noah." Rachel snapped.

"What do you want me to say?" Puck asked. Silence hung in the air, but he could hear her soft breathing so he knew she was still there. He was about to say hello when he heard a familiar sniffle.

Fuck. She was crying.

"Berry- c'mon don't cry." He was crap at comforting someone in person. How could he do this over the phone?

"Do you hate me?" Rachel cried.

"What!? Berry- what? No- why would I—"

"Do you have Skype? I—"

"I have an iPhone now. We can FaceTime." This was all happening so fast. Like 2 minutes ago he was sleeping. Now he was getting ready to video chat with Rachel.

"An iPhone?" Rachel said through her tears. Even crying, she had time for jokes. It was a popular Glee club insult rotation. Puck always had really grandma-ish cell phones, because he refused to purchase a smartphone.

"You can't be taken seriously here without one, apparently." Puck said, turning on the lamp next to his bed. He sat up and realized that he didn't have on a shirt. Oh well, maybe it would do her some good to look at a nice body.

Rachel's FaceTime came through, and she was sitting on her bed. She looked thinner than the last time he'd seen her, which was only two weeks ago. He hoped that she wasn't doing anything drastic like starving herself.

"It's comforting to see the familiar face of someone who doesn't hate me." She was bitter and jaded-kind of like a genuine New Yorker... or a woman going through divorce.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You know... divorce?"

"Yes. It certainly would be easier staying married though. I've embarrassed Finn, our families and friends."

"But you're not embarrassed?" He noticed she didn't include herself in that list.

"Surprisingly, no. I feel more like the Rachel Berry I should have been all along."

Puck studied her features, trying not to linger on her lips. She was really pretty. Rachel had always been pretty. She dressed weird, and she was annoying, but she was pretty.

"Is this weird?" Rachel asked him.

Waking up in the middle of the night to FaceTime with Rachel?

"Yup." Puck said. Rachel was totally checking him out too, and Puck flexed his pecs automatically. She rolled her eyes, but let out a soft giggle.

"I have to apologize. I've been doing a lot of apologizing lately." This depressed Rachel made him feel sad. She should never sound that broken.

"You didn't do anything to me." That little incident in his room was forgiven in his mind as soon as she started crying.

"I want to apologize because all these years everyone's made you to be the bad guy. You were always getting blamed for something. Even when it's not your fault and when things just happen and you're in the middle of it. I never had to be the bad guy, so I never imagined how you could have felt until now. But now, I'm the one who's breaking Finn's heart. I'm selfish because I only care about my future. I'm the bad guy because I don't want to compromise on my dreams. How can someone live under all these accusations?"

Crap. She was crying again. You know what's worse than someone crying over the phone? SEEING someone cry over the phone. Puck couldn't even hand her a tissue or give an awkward pat on the back if he wanted to. He just had to watch the whole thing.

"Look at me, Berry. I'm in LA. Everyone thought I'd be stuck in Lima, screwing up my life still. But with your help, I'm living in California. How do you live? You be a badass. You and Finn didn't work out. That sucks. But you're still 18- both of you guys have a ton of living to do. Maybe this is like a life lesson. Who cares what people say? At the end of the day, who the hell really cares?"

"I'm so tired of crying." And frankly, Puck was tired of seeing her cry too. There was only so much a man could take of it.

"Be a badass Rachel. Stop crying. Be a bitch if you have to. Whatever it takes for you to get through this with your head high in the end, do it."

"New York seems too big for me." Rachel almost whispered. This divorce thing must have really been messing her up, because that was the most un-Rachel thing she could say.

"It is too big for you. You're like a size zero." Corny joke, but it made her smile.

"Look Rachel, you know what you want in a world where no one else does. So get what you want."

What Puck wanted was in New York. Could he fly out there to get her, right then?

Not so fast Puckerman.

"You are still incredibly wise, even under all of the badass. I am still very surprised to hear from you. Will you tell me what your dream was about now?" Berry calling him a badass. That's the things his good dreams are made of.

"I won't. But you didn't die, so that's good."

"Will you at least tell me how you're doing then? I hear you and Mercedes are really close now." Rachel's facial expression showed that she definitely questioned that.

"A very surprising friendship, that's for sure. It's good to know someone from home, that's for sure. And she cooks for me and I look out for her. The friendship is Sam-approved." He didn't want Rachel to get any ideas, since everyone assumed he was always on the prowl for unavailable women.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Rachel asked. FaceTime was really inconvenient for questions like this. She had to see the "oh crap" expression. And Rachel's widening eyes gave away her interest, while her voice was as even as ever.

"Nothing serious." At least the truth to this question was easy.

"I have class early in the morning, but I also don't know when I'll speak to you again Noah. I feel okay and more like myself when I talk to you when I feel lost and upset any other time. Indulge me for a few more minutes."

Lost. His dream was right on target. And she felt like herself talking to him. That was intense.

"I'm here if you need someone to talk to." Rachel scoffed.

"I wish I could hold you to that. Cause therapy around these parts is sky high." Jaded Rachel was back. He hated her voice like that.

"Well this therapy'll be free. Just text me anytime you need an appointment and I'll let you know if I'm free. I'm serious Rachel. I know I'm an asshole and I've ignored your calls before in the past—"

"Forever." Rachel interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah. Mercedes has scared me to getting better at it. I'll put you on the 'must answer' list."

"Is this an actual list?" Rachel asked, her eyes lighting up at the sound of a list. Some things didn't change.

"Mental." He tapped his forehead and smiled.

"Well I'm honored. I'll be on your mind." Oh Rachel, you already are. "I need positive thoughts sent my way."

"You got it." Puck winked at her.

They wrapped up the call and Puck couldn't help the unbadass grin that appeared on his face. It got even more pathetic when his phone alerted him to check for a text message.

"Hi, Dr. Puckerman. Thanks again. Any appointments for tomorrow? Maybe not so early in the morning for you?" Rachel's message said.

Dr. Puckerman. Oh hell yes! He had delivery shift tomorrow until 1 a.m. so he could call her around 1:30 after he was showered and in bed.

"I have a 10:30 your time open. Sound good?"

"That would be 1:30 your time. No way, I can't keep you from sleeping two nights in a row."

Did Rachel know how some of her words held double meaning? She could keep him from sleeping any night she wanted to. Preferably, if she was awake and physically next to him.

"Too bad. I just added you to the schedule. I'll be awake anyway."

"Very well Dr. I'm sure there will be a whole slew of other problems I'll have for you tomorrow. *Goodnight*"

"Looking forward to telling you how crazy you are. Night."

He thought their messages were over, but about 10 minutes later his phone sounded again.

"Is this ok? I mean for other reasons..." Vague Berry, but he got it. She was still technically married to Finn. Finn was technically supposed to be his friend. Was it ok?

"Course not. Nothing we do is ok. Welcome to the club, princess."

They had their "therapy" sessions every day that week. A full seven days of talking to Rachel and FaceTime sessions with her. He even came home early on Friday and Saturday night just so he could make his appointment. Puck couldn't be in denial or hide from himself any longer—he felt something serious for Rachel. And now he really couldn't talk to Mercedes about it, because Rachel asked him not to.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Could we possibly keep this between us? I have enough of my personal business spreading around the old Glee club for this to be added to it." Rachel asked before they ended their call Monday night.

"Ok sure. I haven't mentioned anything to Mercedes, and she's the only person I'd really talk to. I trust her, but if you want this to be a secret I'm game." He wasn't offended by that at all. He liked keeping Rachel to himself. Besides, he had no idea how he'd explain this whole situation to Mercedes anyway without Mercedes jumping to very correct conclusions.

"She's the only person you'd really talk to? What am I?" Rachel asked him.

"Jealous?" Puck asked, grinning. She rolled her eyes at him.

"Admittedly, I am. I've only been trying to befriend you for the longest. I thought my cookies were the trick, but apparently her peach cobbler is the ticket in. Too bad I've been trying to live gluten-free or I'd try to make some to outdo her." Oh yes, Rachel was still as competitive. Despite her on-and-off depression, she really was the same Rachel she'd always been. Maybe a little less annoying and more attractive though.

"Is that why you're looking so small? These iPhones aren't that clear, but you look like you've lost weight."

"I haven't had much of an appetite lately." Rachel said softly. Geez, she'd better not start with the crying again.

"If you don't eat, I will fly to New York and force a ton of pizza and wings and doughnuts down your throat."

"I'll eat, because all of that sounds disgusting." Rachel said, making the face to illustrate how she felt.

"You can't be human."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

During their FaceTime sessions, Rachel kept it pretty light for the most part. She took him on a virtual tour of the apartment she lived in. Puck noticed there was no trace of Finn anywhere in the place, even though that was their married home. He virtually showed her around his dump and she scolded him for keeping his room so messy. Rachel told him about school and some of her friends. He told her about work and a few of his friends (minus Callie and Leah, who he hadn't seen since their date the week before).

On Friday, they talked about their holiday plans. Of course, Puck didn't have a "holiday break" in the working world, but after next week, Rachel would be out of school for a month. He wondered if she would be back in Lima with her future ex-husband. Honestly, Puck was worried about a possible reconciliation. He knew he was a terrible person.

"Ha, I was supposed to spend two weeks in Michigan with Finn and his grandparents. Thank God that's not happening." Rachel said. Puck had to laugh at her relief.

"So you're going back to Lima?"

"Of course not. I have a whole month to explore the city without school stress. What about you? Spending Hanukkah in Ohio?"

"Thanksgiving was enough. They're actually supposed to be coming up here for a week. But I'm not sure if that's still happening—my mom hasn't mentioned it in a while." Puck called his mother the next day to verify.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Oh honey, did I not tell you? I'm working a few extra shifts so a couple other people can go out of town. And your grandmother's going to come in town for a while. You know she visits so rarely, so I didn't want to turn her away." Rebecca explained. "You should come home though!"

"I don't think so." Puck said.

"Are you upset with me honey? I swear everything's been so chaotic over here. Your sister's cheerleading practices and games are driving me up the wall. When does this football season end?" Sarah was a cheerleader at for the football team at her middle school. God, he prayed she didn't grow up to be a Cheerio.

"No ma, it's fine. I can pick up some extra shifts. Pool cleaning isn't big in December and deliveries at the deli will be slim since a lot of the students are going back to school. I'll lay low and hang out at the beach." It was getting chillier, like in the 60s, but Puck still liked going to the beach.

"Oh son, if you're trying to persuade me to come out there it's working. I promise I will be there next month. Right after New Year's." Rebecca said. Puck believed her too. He was surprised she'd waited this long before coming out to see him. That meant that she was not worried about him, for once in her life. He felt good to give her relief for once.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

He and Rachel talked about his mother's postponed trip the next night. She told him how proud she was of him for keeping in touch with his mother. Then she dropped the bomb that she and her fathers weren't on the best of terms. No wonder he hadn't heard her talk about them that much.

"I still talk to them every other day, but once they told me about how they goaded me into marrying Finn, even though they thought it was ridiculous, I lost a little respect for them. How could they let me make such a big mistake?"

"Parenting fail." That was really jacked up move, Dads Berry.

"Anyway, what are you going to do for the holidays now? You should come to New York!" Rachel exclaimed.

"Seriously?"

"I'm only kidding. Flights are ridiculous this time of year." Rachel said. Only she wasn't only kidding. Puck saw the way her whole demeanor brightened when she got the idea.

"Too late. I'm coming."

"You look serious about this." Rachel said.

"Of course I'm serious! Even quacks have to make housecalls sometimes, right?" Oh Puck was so serious. Rachel waited a beat before she grinned widely.

"If you fly all the way out here, know that you're staying here. And that I'm cooking or buying all your food."

"Deal!"

And Sunday, after confirming days off with his jobs, Puck booked the plane ticket for a five-day vacation in New York. He was flying across the country for Rachel. Holy crap.

"This seems crazy." Rachel confirmed. He nodded. He'd be flying in to see her in 11 days. "What are you going to tell Mercedes?"

"She'll be in Lima. She starts the tour in January, so she's gotta get her time in with Sammy before that starts." That was one thing Puck didn't have to worry about. He could not believe that he was going to be alone with Rachel in less than two weeks.

"Do you want to postpone therapy until you get here?" Rachel asked him. Her expression told that the question was deeper than that. Did he want to stop talking to her? No, not at all.

"That's up to you. I think you may need continued therapy for all the crazy you got up there." Puck said, going back into their long-standing doctor/patient role-play.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think that you actually liked to talk to me. And that this wasn't some mission for you to save me from the crazy." Rachel said, mirroring Puck's smirk.

"Now you're sounding so crazy, I think the house call next week is practically an emergency."

Woohoo! A P/R reunion to preface the real P/R reunion! leave me some love (or hate... whatever floats your boat) :)