Author's Note: I don't even know where this story came from, but it stuck with me. Hope you like it. For this to work, consider that Rachel lost her virginity to Jesse after 'Bad Reputation', but everything else happened exactly like it did in canon.
Thank you for the reviews, the alerts and the favorites. It's so cool to see that people are liking this crazy little plot bunny that won't leave me alone. Please check the St. Berry twist of this plot – 'Fatherhood'. I'm on a Jesse/Rachel roll right now (blame the awesomeness that are Lea Michele and Jon Groff) and, when I couldn't pick the main pairing for this, I decided to write both! It's possible that they'll be updated simultaneously.
Keep in mind that for this to work, Rachel and Jesse had their first time after 'Bad Reputation'. Everything else happened exactly like in canon.
Disclaimer: No, RM, the Insane, hasn't adopted me yet.
To Be A Father
Three
Safe in the knowledge that Santana and Brittany are keeping Rachel company while he does what he has to, he drives to his house, showers quickly, tells his mother he'll stay over at Berry's for some days until her fathers come back from their trip and rushes out, not offering an explanation for his hurry (which he knows it won't be a problem with his mother since she's already planning his wedding to Berry and shit like that. Anne Puckerman is fucking crazy, legit).
He jumps back in his truck and drives to Carmel. Jesse St. Jerk has a fucking lot of explanation to give. And he has an ass-kicking to deliver.
Puck makes the drive to Carmel pretty quickly. He had earlier hacked into Berry's laptop and quickly scribbled St. Jerk's address on a piece of clean paper. He knows Berry will be pissed with him once she hears what he'll do to St. Jerk, but someone needs to kick some sense into his ass, and who better than him, the boy who was forced to give up his little girl the day before? St. Jerk is fucking loaded, he has no excuse to turn his back on his baby and baby mama.
(Other than being a bastard, that is).
He arrives at the St. James manor and presses the door bell insistently. He has no idea whatsoever of what he'll say if it's a maid or some shit like that who answers the door, but luckily it's Jesse who answers, his eyes widening with arm and something very close to worry flashing in his face before the cool, collected mask returns to its rightful place. "Puckerman? It's awfully early for you to come knock at my door", St. Jerk says coolly, and all Puck sees in front of him is Rachel crying brokenly. His blood boils, and he doesn't even stop to think: he pulls his fist back and slams it against his nose.
"Fuck!" Jesse croaks, and Puck leaps at him, punching him hard, all the time with the image of Rachel crying in his eyes, and the sound of her sobs in his ears. He has thrown quite some punches into St. Jerk's face when he realizes that Rachel's baby daddy isn't fighting back. In fact, he has this resigned expression on his face, like he knows he's fucked it up and wants to be punished for it.
Puck steps back, breathing heavily, and looks long and hard at the other boy. After a moment, he says, "You're not fighting me off". Jesse shakes his head negatively, his eyes hollow and sad, and he sits down on the open doorway, Puck throwing himself on the small porch while still examining him.
"Of one thing I want you to be certain, Puckerman – I love Rachel. She's the one for me, has been since the moment I saw her singing at you guys' Sectionals" Jesse says quietly. "And I know she's having my child, who I love too. She's not the kind of girl to lie about something this huge just for payback. She'll be an amazing mother, because she has the biggest heart I've ever seen in someone".
Puck stays quiet because he agrees. St. James shuts up for a moment, looking thoughtful, before he looks down and sighs deeply. "But I don't. I'm ready to be a father; I don't want to be a father right now. If I get involved in Rachel's pregnancy, I won't be able to leave her in the fall to go to UCLA, meaning I'll have to give up on my dreams and will end up resenting Rachel and the baby. I don't want this to happen, and Rachel and the child don't deserve it. So, for her sake, for the baby's sake and for my sake, it's best if I walk away now".
St. James' words echo in Puck's mind, and he reluctantly is forced to admit that the former lead of Vocal Adrenaline is right on his motives to want to stay away from Rachel and their baby. Deep down, both he and St. James want to do what's best for their children and baby mamas. For Puck, it meant caring for Quinn during half her pregnancy and giving Beth up for adoption. For St. James, it's to walk away from his girlfriend and unborn baby (both of whom he loves), because to stay will only cause more hurt and pain in the future.
Puck rises and helps St. James up, the two teenagers coming to a silent understanding. Puck holds his hand out, and St. James takes it, shaking it firmly. "Puck, you're a good guy. Promise me you'll stick around Rachel and her baby".
Puck walks away without answering, because that's a promise he made to himself and to Rachel the moment she slipped her positive pregnancy test into his hand. He'll take care of Rachel and her baby, helping her out in what he can.
Meanwhile, at the Berry household, Rachel wakes up to the sound of Britney Spears coming from the living room, two female voices that she recognizes quite well singing along. She frowns, because what are Brittany and Santana doing at her house? A quick glance outside tells her that Noah must have left when she was asleep, so she takes a quick shower, changes and go downstairs.
"Good morning, sunshine!" Brittany greets her happily, hugging her tightly. "I hope we didn't wake you up, but Coach Sylvester taught us a new routine to Britney's 'Toxic', so we were rehearsing!" She pulls Rachel into the living room, and she smiles at the blonde and the Latina, who nods at her in greetings.
"Berry, Puck went to run some errands for his mama and will be right back", Santana says coolly, but she leaves the kitchen and returns with an unopened bottle of Gatorade and a packet of crackers, both of which she hands to Rachel. "It'll help with the morning sickness", she says softly, and Rachel widens her eyes in panic and fear.
Santana notices this and tunes down the TV volume before turning to Rachel. "Look, Berry, no one deserves going through what Quinn did. At least you've done the decent thing – you told St. Jerk about the baby. His loss if he doesn't want to be a part of his kid's life. I can assure you that the guys at glee will be more than happy to help. Puck especially".
Rachel's eyes fill with tears. "I don't understand why you guys are being so nice to me".
"I like you!" Brittany says brightly, wrapping her arms around the brunette and hugging her quickly, and Santana's whole demeanor softens immediately.
"You may be annoying and super irritating and have the fashion sense of a blind nun, RB, but you're on our team. And when you're part of a team, you look out for each other. Kinda like you did giving fake panties to Jewfro so that he wouldn't blog about Quinn being preggo earlier last year".
"We're friends", Brittany states with a smile, and Rachel has to fight back the urge to cry. Her baby may not have a father, but it has a mother and a whole bunch of crazy aunties to look after it.