Promise of a New Day (Part 1)
A.N. Thanks to everyone and I apologize for the delay again. Shouts to fresch and BittyAB18 for their reviews that made me realize I'd need to add a bit more explanation than what I had originally intended for some aspects of what happens between our primary couple (I think you'll recognize some things, ladies)—and I hope you all approve.
Links are for the full chapter (so they will 'spoil' the parts not posted, but I'm ok with that if you are). See my profile for full links or add these to youtube for new photo album: /watch?v=lx6F70oEV2g
and playlist: /view_play_list?p=9AC6F4C2D7366448
But if you don't want to be spoiled, only watch the first 5 pictures in the slideshow and listen to the following songs on youtube:
Dream Catch Me by Newton Falkner: /watch?v=SA8Ew7s0yH0
I'm in Love with You by Joy Williams: /watch?v=saG3yNfxd6E
Brave by Gavin Mikhail: /watch?v=vn0s8b-9BU
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee, songs, or anything familiar. Photos are of real people and I've borrowed them for this story.
…
Rachel had a bit of a dilemma: to tell her boyfriend that Jesse showed up to watch her perform, then the girls practically demanded he stay and hang out with them that evening and the next day…or not to mention it. Clearly, Noah was a bit…excitable…about the subject of Jesse…even when the situation was obviously harmless. She decided that she'd been honest with him this entire time, so she would continue to be—but she might leave out a few unnecessary details—like the innocuous kiss on the cheek. She wanted to be honest but she wasn't going to miss hanging out with her friends in the city tomorrow, even if that group of friends included Jesse. Besides, Rachel knew that she needed to stand up for herself a bit and make it clear that she could make her own decisions. She was just a little nervous about how that would go over…she most certainly didn't want to lose Noah over this silly business with Jesse, but she was 95% certain that it wouldn't come to that.
She was right.
That night after Jesse went back to his apartment in the city, promising to meet up with the Broadway Gang the next morning, Rachel called Noah.
"Hey, babe," he answered warmly. "I've been waiting to hear from you. How'd it go? You killed it, didn't ya?" He wasn't putting on an act—he seriously had been looking forward to hearing about it. He was ready for them to get back to normal—without the weird tension because of that fuckface Jesse.
So of course, everything was fine while Rachel was animatedly describing the show and how well she did and what a good time she and her friends had after the showcase. The tension came back when she mentioned that one tiny detail…
"I should tell you that Jesse St. James, the boy, attended the show. I didn't invite him, but the camp shows are public knowledge and he wanted to see me perform."
Puck grunted in acknowledgement that he'd heard her, but he wasn't sure exactly what to say without being a dick. He decided (for once) to try that rule 'if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all', to see how that would work. He took a swig of soda for good measure—to really make sure he wouldn't say something to fuck things up.
Rachel continued. "And since we have a free day tomorrow, the girls asked Jesse if he'll join us hanging out in the city. I just want to be honest with you, but I don't think there is any reason why I shouldn't join them." She stated her case plainly and firmly. She involuntarily squeezed her eyes shut as she waited for the response.
Puck choked on his soda. The spit-take he did might have been funny—if he'd been watching Finn do it. But since it was him and since it was about Rachel and that asshat Jesse, it wasn't fucking funny at all.
Rachel's eyes flew open wide. "Noah! Are you ok?"
Puck got a hold of himself and after he finished coughing, he answered. "Yeah, s'nothin'. Sorry. Just swallowed my Coke wrong."
"I'm sorry to hear that…So as I was saying, tomorrow we'll be taking our only day to do some fun tourist activities related to theater and the arts. I expect the group will include Alexa, Jen, Lilli, Rob, Blake, and Jesse. And me of course. It should be nice to have the day off while the directors evaluate our performances and prepare the schedule for the Family Finale. You're still attending, right?"
"Uh-huh," he affirmed.
"Don't you have anything more to say, Noah?" Rachel asked, surprise and some annoyance reflected in her tone. "It's hard to converse to someone who is only grunting his responses."
"Well, I choked too," Puck said flippantly.
"Choking does not count," Rachel huffed. "If you're upset, we need to talk it out. Not that it will change my course of action in this matter, but we should still talk."
"Why should I bother talking about it if you already know how I feel but don't give a shit?" he griped.
"Noah! I do not appreciate you cursing at me!"
"I'm not cursing at you," he started to explain. But he could envision Rachel's 'angry face' and her little hands on her little hips. He knew she'd say it was the same thing and she still didn't appreciate it. So he switched gears. "I'm sorry. I forget sometimes. I don't mean to upset you."
"Thank you," she said more calmly. "I do appreciate that."
"Yeah, thanks. I just…I don't see the point. I don't trust Jesse, but I do trust you. I'm not gonna stop you from doing your theater tour or whatever, and it sounds like you wouldn't let me stop you anyway."
"I wouldn't," she said more assuredly than she felt.
"Right, so that's it. Done. Good talk."
"Noah," she sighed. "We have to determine where your underlying feelings of insecurity about our relationship originate and how to eradicate them."
Shit, what the hell is she talking about now, he wondered. "What?"
Rachel realized she needed to spell this out. "I have come to believe that your possessiveness has reached a borderline of what would be considered appropriate for our relationship. I think this comes from some fears you must have about me or us or both. I had hoped that me professing my love for you and selflessly vowing to postpone my plans for New York to stay with you in Ohio for college—that would show you how much you mean to me and how much faith I'm putting in our relationship."
"Fuck," he muttered, momentarily forgetting that he was trying not to swear during this conversation. "Sorry," he said right away. "About saying 'fuck', and the other stuff too. I'm not trying to be an ass, it just comes naturally," he joked lamely.
"Oh, Noah," Rachel sighed sweetly. "I'm not trying to make you feel bad; I'm trying to improve our relationship. You're not…an ass. And I love you, you big jerk!" she exclaimed emotionally.
"I love you too, baby. You're…amazing. I don't know what a fuck-up like me did to deserve you," he pondered aloud.
"Don't talk like that! We deserve each other! We're perfect!" she declared. "Right?" she asked anxiously, needing to hear validation that he agreed.
"Right," he nodded. "You know you're right."
She nodded into the phone. "I usually am," she beamed. "And I have an idea."
Puck raised his eyebrow, but listened appreciatively to Rachel's plan. Basically, she had this whole scheme for him to arrive in New York a day before the finale so that the two of them could spend the night together in her hotel room without her disapproving dads. She even had a different flight in mind that he would pretend to take—she researched all the flight times and everything. Which shouldn't have surprised him at all—it's Rachel. And of course, Rachel assumed that once Puck arrived with no hotel room (since the combination of his own hotel room and another plane ticket to New York would be insanely expensive), he'd get to stay in her room on a cot—or maybe in a room with her dads (which was a scary prospect). But either way, it would only be for one night before they all flew back to Ohio together.
"That's one heck of an evil plan, Rach," he chuckled. "And I approve."
"So you'll do it?" she asked hopefully.
"Yeah, of course. How could I miss spending an extra day alone with you in New York? I can't fuckin' wait for this weekend."
"I can't wait either," she sighed dreamily.
…
While Rachel and Puck were working through their issues, Finn had been busy too. When he left the locker room after getting Puck's advice to go after Quinn, he realized he needed to figure out what to say first. And that…was easier said than done. Finn needed to clear his head and really like…have a plan. He decided to go where he always went when he's stressed—the bowling alley.
Usually he could easily let his mind go blank while watching the bowling ball crash into the pins, but this time was different. All he could think about was Quinn. All he could see was Quinn. He could still hear her singing, "If you wanna stay, just say," with her eyes—those incredible eyes—looking at him full of…questions…and…love.
It hit him like a wave. He had answers.
Finn nearly walked out of the bowling alley without returning the rented bowling shoes. He apologized to the dude behind the counter, quickly exchanged his shoes, and hustled out of there.
He had the beginnings of an idea…a great one.
…
Wednesday was Rachel's big day out exploring the city with her new friends and Jesse—all with the full knowledge of her wonderful boyfriend—and she couldn't help telling everyone in their little gang how understanding Noah was and how productive their talk was the night before. She was on such a high, she didn't notice the eye-rolls of the others around her.
Lilli elbowed Jesse with a smirk, "Is she always like this?"
"I wouldn't really know," Jesse said, with a trace of sadness. "We broke up over a year ago and haven't really been in touch, until recently, that is."
"You still like her," Lilli stated—it wasn't a question.
Jesse raised his eyebrow. "I like Rachel, yes, of course. But I'm interested in maintaining her friendship," he said honestly. Then he camouflaged his intentions. "It is mutually beneficial to keep ties with like-minded individuals who will inevitably end up in the same business," he finished authoritatively.
"Mmm-hmm," Lilli gave a long, skeptical look and affirmation, followed by a sly smile. "I guess following that logic, you and I should become better acquainted."
"I couldn't agree more," he grinned at her.
The group trekked through the Theater District, taking pictures along the way. As they stopped for lunch, Jesse couldn't help but sit between Rachel and Lilli.
And Rachel couldn't help but continue talking about Noah. When she reached the part about staying in Ohio for college, there were some audible gasps, followed by uncomfortable silence at the table.
"What?" Rachel asked with a frown.
Jesse looked around and spoke up. He did know her the best, after all. And he wasn't afraid of speaking his mind. "I would say that you cannot be serious, but unfortunately, I know you are serious."
"Completely serious," she nodded solemnly.
"Damn, girl," Lilli said. "I know you're crazy about this guy, but are you that nuts?"
Rachel crossed her arms but refused to dignify that with a response.
Alexa said hesitantly, "It's just that…you're still in high school. That's a really big decision to make about your future on a relationship that…well, it's high school," she finished ineloquently. But everyone nodded. They knew what she meant.
Rachel knew too.
"I understand your concerns, and I thank you for your candor," she said stiffly. "But I believe in my future with Noah just as much as I believe in my future on Broadway. I am willing to make compromises and postpone my return to New York."
After all the interjections from the others and protests from Rachel, Jesse continued. "Rachel, you know that we're all your friends here. We all want what's best for you. And you know what? Your boyfriend should want that too. Consider that when you selflessly throw away your future. Shouldn't he have at least made an effort to compromise as well?"
Rachel's jaw dropped as she was speechless for a moment. "I am most certainly not 'throwing away my future'!"
Jesse rolled his eyes. "Of course, you latch on to my phrasing to find a point of argument. But in truth, you can't argue with my logic. And your boyfriend didn't offer a compromise, did he?"
"No," she shook her head quietly and looked down.
Everyone else looked around at each other uncomfortably. They did not want to spend their 'fun day' with a crying Rachel.
Jesse put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, it's ok. I'm sorry I upset you. It's not like you have to figure out your future right now. We all just want the best for you, ok? Let's try to enjoy this day, shall we?"
Rachel nodded, wiped at her eyes quickly with her napkin, and smiled that kilowatt smile at the table. A smile Jesse knew well.
A show face.
"Thank you, everyone. I sincerely appreciate your concern on my behalf. I am truly touched. But I think for the sake of preserving good memories of this wonderful time, we should come up with new topics of conversation." She meant every word. She just had to maintain the smile in order to keep the tears at bay.
"Agreed," said Jen. She gave Rachel's knee a quick pat. "Let's talk about …" Jen searched her brain for a topic that would interest everyone at the table without excluding Jesse since he wasn't part of their camp or upsetting Rachel with talk about futures on Broadway. It was a rather challenging task. "Sex?" she ventured.
That earned her a napkin in the face (from Lilli), a gasp (from Rachel), and laughs all around.
…
After summer football practice, Puck would usually go home, scarf down a snack, make sure the kid didn't set the house on fire, and figure out if his mom was cooking or if the honors would be his. But today Matt asked him if he wanted to join some of the gang for a bite to eat, and after making sure that Sarah was safe at Mrs. Jenson's house, Puck joined them. He was a little surprised at the group's composition. He expected half of who he found: Matt, Mike, Brittany, and Santana. He expected but didn't see Finn. And since Finn wasn't there, he thought maybe he'd see Quinn, but he didn't. He did not expect to see Artie, Tina, Mercedes and Kurt,. But there they were, looking over the menus—all mingle-y and shit. Not that they weren't all friends—they kinda were—in that weird 'we're cool with each other in glee club but rarely hang out in non-club-related activities' kinda way. Even though glee made them all basically losers at the school, there was still a hierarchy and groups that hung out with each other more than others.
"Hey, guys," Puck greeted. "Expecting anyone else, or am I the last one?" he asked, trying to find out the deal with Finn and Quinn.
"Just us," Matt said. "I couldn't catch Finn after practice and he's not answering his phone."
"And Quinn is too busy thinking about Finn," Santana added, rolling her eyes.
Puck took the only seat left—next to Brittany and directly across from Kurt, who looked up from the menu, eyeing him with mild disdain—Kurt's usual expression. "You may also be wondering what we're doing here."
"Nope," Puck lied.
"I am," said Brittany. "This is kinda weird, right?" she whispered to Puck. He gave a slight nod along with a shrug.
"Well," Kurt continued. "We were here first, but when we saw Mike and Matt come in, we all decided to combine our groups. I assume that's ok by you?"
"I don't care," Puck shrugged. "I'm just hungry."
"And lonely," Brittany said.
Kurt and Tina both choked on their lemonades. Puck raised his eyebrow as he looked a Brittany. "What?"
"Well, aren't you?" Brittany asked.
"Obviously she means because Rachel's gone," Santana said pointedly.
"Yeah, well, she'll be back soon," he said gruffly.
"I'm surprised she hasn't decided to stay," Kurt said casually.
They were interrupted by the waitress taking their orders—Puck's drink and food order and everyone else's food order only. Once she left, they went back to their conversation.
"I wish I could've stayed. New York really was amazing," Tina said wistfully.
"Totally," Mike agreed. Brittany nodded rapidly. "The best."
"Maybe she wants to stay, or go back there next year, but we already talked about it. She said she'd stay in Ohio for college."
"What!" Just about everyone at the table said the same thing.
"Rachel Berry is ditching Broadway?" asked Mercedes incredulously.
Artie sputtered, "I think I'm in a state of mild shock at the moment." He held up one finger as Puck started to speak. "So you're telling me that Rachel Berry—the most self-centered, success-driven, scheduled, and yes, talented person we know—is giving up her dream? For you?" Artie shook his head. "My mind…is officially blown."
Puck folded his arms across his chest. "Well, shit, Artie, don't hold back. Tell me how you really feel," he said bitterly.
"Artie has a good point," Tina said, giving Artie a half-smile before turning to glare at Puck. "Did you ask her to give up her dreams? Why would you do that?"
"Whoa, let's not gang up on the Puckerone, ok? I didn't ask her to give up on her dreams, so back the fuck off. I just said I might want to stick around here for a while to see Dizzy grow up, that's all."
"But shouldn't you support her? Even if that means she'd go to New York while you stay here?" Tina reasoned.
Puck felt his stomach turn. The thought of that being his future—him in Ohio while Rachel was living her dream in New York—that sucked. "It's not like I don't want her to go New York—hell, I even want to go. You know, the band I'm in did pretty well there, so I'm pretty sure we'll kick ass if we're there for longer than a week."
"This isn't making any sense," Brittany said.
"Brittany's right," Santana said. "As much as I hate to be the voice of reason, especially when it comes to Rachel," she wrinkled her nose at the name, "you're not making sense. You want to go, she wants to go. The only thing stopping you is a baby that you barely see now even when you live here full time. Hell, you'd probably see her more often if you lived out of state since you'd be making special trips." Santana gave a satisfied look when she added, "Dumbass."
Matt put his arm around Santana. "I have to agree. You're kinda coming off as a selfish dick. Sorry, man, but it's true."
"Yeah," Mike weighed in, "you should at least say you'd support her if she decided to go to New York without you, even if you don't want to." Brittany nodded, trying to follow along.
"Need I remind you that you're in high school?" Kurt asked.
"Alright, alright," Puck said, putting up his hands in surrender. "Thanks, everyone, for kicking my ass. And thanks for sticking up for Rachel," he added. "She'll probably really appreciate that."
Santana looked panic-stricken. "You're not telling her what I said, are you?"
Puck chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't go into the details. She'll never know you were on her side, Lopez."
Santana looked relieved, quickly followed by her usual look of disinterest. But the wheels were turning in Puck's mind—he had a lot to think about. The group had a pretty good time together, and Puck even remembered to get a picture to send to Rachel—conveniently taken by Artie when some of the girls went to the bathroom.
…
Instead of going with the gang for food after practice, Finn had requested Quinn's presence on the football field. He thought about doing this in front of everyone, but he thought he'd probably get in trouble and wouldn't be able to finish. Instead, he mimicked Quinn's original gesture—a private serenade—well, except for those AV geeks whose names he still didn't know. But he recognized their faces and they readily came to his aid to play the music for him after he paid them for their trouble. With Quinn in place on the field, he cued the guys who started the music to Dream Catch Me. "Quinn, this is for you."
She smiled, though a little uncertainly. She was hoping that this was the sign she'd been waiting for—the sign that Finn had decided to stay with her. But she didn't recognize the music and wasn't sure what to expect.
Finn walked down the bleachers, microphone in hand, singing his heart out to Quinn.
"Every time I close my eyes
It's you, and I know now
Who I am."
"There's a place I go
When I'm alone,
Do anything I want,
Be anyone I wanna be.
But it is us I see
And I cannot believe I'm fallin'.
That's where I'm goin'
Where are you goin'?
Hold it close won't let this go.
Dream catch me
Dream catch me when I fall
Or else I won't come back at all.
Did she hear right? Did he say he was falling? Like falling in love with her? Quinn's heart soared.
You do so much
But you don't know
It's true
And I know now
Who I am
See you as a mountain, a fountain of God
See you as a descant soul in the setting sun
You as the sound just as silent as none
I'm young
Finn hoped she understood—but he knew he wouldn't be running away after this performance. He'd be facing Quinn, telling her directly everything he was trying to say, everything he thought she wanted to hear. The best part was, now he knew that he meant it.
There's a place I go
When I'm alone,
Do anything I want,
Be anyone I wanna be.
But it is us I see
And I cannot believe I'm fallin'.
That's where I'm goin'.
Where are you goin'?
Hold it close won't let this go.
Dream catch me, yeah,
Dream catch me when I fall
Or else I won't come back at all.
He finished the song. He set down the microphone on the grass. He strode purposefully toward her and pulled her into his arms. "I love you, Quinn Fabray. I really do."
"Oh, Finn!" she blinked back tears. "I love you too."
Finn bent down and he kissed Quinn like he'd never kissed before.
…
Seeing Finn and Quinn all happy and couple-y was great and all, but it just made Puck so ready for the day when he headed out to New York. Fortunately, he had a little project to keep him busy. And he wanted to perfect it before Rachel came home so he could reveal his surprise. It was all he could do not to tell her when they talked on the phone Thursday night. But he told himself he just had to get through the weekend. Then once she got back home after the finale show, he'd play it for her—probably get the band to play too. He realized he needed to get the band in on it and give them their parts—because he'd been writing all the instrumentation backing him on the piano, but at the same time, he kinda wanted Rachel to hear it first. It was for her and it had a really important message for her.
…
The thing was, he couldn't keep his mouth shut, even before he was ready. He kind of spilled his own secret. But to be fair, they were having the best reunion type moment or whatever.
First, he actually dressed up with a tie and everything so that when he met her off of the plane, he'd look so good she wouldn't be able to keep her hands off of him—that totally worked too—aided by the fact that he picked up flowers in the airport before he got to where Rachel was waiting for him. She squealed and jumped into his arms—slightly damaging the roses in the process, but he didn't give a shit. They totally served their purpose. "Hey, baby. Happy to see me?" he smirked.
"Yes!" she hugged him tighter.
"Well, these are for you," he chuckled. "They're for luck and for me to apologize for being such a…tool," he said, making an attempt to cut down on cursing for her.
"Oh, you are just the sweetest boyfriend ever!" she gushed—not even bothering to be sure what he was apologizing for this time. "I can't wait to get you back to the hotel and sex you up!" she whispered enthusiastically.
Puck cracked up laughing. Then he lifted her up and spun her around. "That sounds like the best plan ever."
And that's basically what they did. They spent hours, lavishing attention on each other. Rachel had prepared for his return by making sure to wear her black lacy lingerie under her blue sundress. As soon as they closed the door to her hotel room, she began slipping off her dress. She didn't even turn out the lights like she usually liked to do. (She knew he preferred to see her.) Puck was basically in heaven. His girl—his gorgeous girl—was giving him a strip-tease. He was hard in a flash. She pressed herself against him as she loosened his tie—damn thing. He questioned his wardrobe choice as it was taking forever to get rid of the layers—tie, vest (yes, a vest), button-down shirt, undershirt, pants, boxers…but the anticipation was awesome too. Watching her stand there in her lace bra and panties as she slowly removed his clothes, he made the conscious decision that they would take this slow. They would take their time and he would make everything up to her in ways that roses couldn't come close to doing.
Rachel could always lose herself in Noah's arms, but this…there was something different…about his touch, about the look in his eyes. He always made her feel special and beautiful, but this was like their most intimate moments multiplied by a thousand. She held on to him tightly, kissing him passionately. She felt like they were so in tune with each other's movements, wants, needs. His hands, his lips, were everywhere she wanted them to be.
He felt her trembling around him but he wasn't ready for this to be over, so he slowed his pace, trying to prolong it, but Rachel wouldn't have it. She rocked her hips faster, thrusting him deeper inside her. "Please," she whispered into his ear. "Noah, more. Please, I need this, I need you now."
So he had no choice but to do as she asked. "Since you asked so nicely," he smirked as he pumped harder, getting back into the rhythm that had her clenching around him and saying his name over and over.
When they finally fell asleep, they both felt perfectly content in each other's arms.
…
The next morning, they lazed around a bit until Rachel realized her dads were going to arrive shortly. Their plan (her plan) called for Puck going back to the airport where she and her dads would meet him, pretending that he was on the arriving flight at noon instead of the one at ten her dads were on. Rachel jumped in shower first and started packing up most of her clothes so she'd have less to do later. Puck got in the shower after her and started shaving so he'd be well-groomed for seeing Rachel's dads and going to her show. He caught her eye in the mirror while he was finishing with the razor and he puckered his lips into a kiss for her. He couldn't help it. She hadn't put on any makeup yet, and she looked so fresh-faced and innocent, sweet and perfect. Damn, he loved that girl.
She giggled and blew him a kiss back. Happiness washed over in the simplicity of that moment. She loved him so much. She could picture the two of them in a place of their own one day, doing all the domestic things like sharing a bathroom, a bedroom, a life…and she knew it would be amazing. He caught her by surprise by asking to take a few pictures.
"For your memories," he explained, holding up the camera.
"But I'm not ready! I haven't done my hair or my makeup!"
"You look freakin' adorable, and I'm taking a picture right now," he declared firmly.
Rachel paused, "Fine, take it," she said with playful exasperation.
He did. "It's kinda nice, like this, the two of us alone here," he fumbled.
"I feel the same way," Rachel smiled, reaching up to give him a peck on the lips. "Let me just finish getting ready so we can get you to the airport so we can have more moments like this without my dads killing you."
It was as they were heading out of her hotel room holding hands when Puck brought up what he should have saved for later.
"So, I wrote a song…"
"Really? That's amazing! I'm so proud of you, Noah!" she hugged him tightly, almost causing him to drop his duffle bag.
"Funny you should say that…" he scratched at his Mohawk.
"Why? I'm always proud of you!"
"I know, you are. That's kinda what the song's about. It's about you. Us."
"I must hear it! As soon as humanly possible!"
Puck laughed. "I thought you might say that. I'll play it for you as soon as I can. I'm gonna play it for the band too, and see what they think about adding it."
"That's great, sweetie! Really exceptional news! But can you just sing it to me now? I really want to hear it."
"Well, it won't sound as good without the band playing their parts too."
"All I care about is you," she said solemnly, big brown eyes gazing into his..
Puck felt as if his heart was caught in his throat. "Damn, I love you, Rach. You know that, right?"
"I do," she said softly, "though I love hearing you tell me." She finished with a smile. "I love you too, Noah Puckerman. More than you could ever know." That's when Rachel remembered the piano in the hotel lobby. "And I'd love to hear your song. Now." She took his hand and began pulling him.
"Now? I don't know…" then he spotted the piano. "No, Rach, it's not really ready. Definitely not ready for a public performance." He felt his stomach flip with anxiety at the thought.
"Don't worry, there's hardly anyone around. And it's easy. I'll show you," she smiled. A memory of Jesse playing the piano at the music store flashed through her mind, but that was quickly replaced by the image of Noah kissing her in the mirror while he was shaving. She knew the perfect song. "I'll play a song for you first, so you can work up the nerve to play your song for me after I finish." She didn't wait for him to agree; she just took a seat at the bench and began playing.
I've been waiting all my life for this morning
Just to wake up next to you holding me
And your head is resting gently on my shoulder
Like you're whispering to me
I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you
So glad I found you
I'm in love with you
Puck sat down next to her, marveling at her confidence, talent, and beauty. A few people who had been walking through the lobby took seats nearby to listen.
When we're leaving dreams and rolling back the covers
All at once we're getting ready for the day
It's when you look at me in the mirror while you're shaving
Before I go on my way, you say
I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you
You're the one I choose
'Cause I'm in love
Rachel beamed at him, and Puck couldn't help but grin back at her and blow her another kiss.
Love is joy and love is pain
It's kissing in the rain
It's doing dishes when it's late
Isn't it, baby?
It's the art of compromise
It's hellos and long goodbyes
It's the picture of our lives
Isn't it crazy?
Puck laughed after she said 'crazy'—and at the thought of all those pictures they'd been taking.
So I'll call you when I get to where I'm going
And I'll tell everyone we know you said hello
And without fail they'll ask me if I miss you
Of course I do, you know I do
'Cause I'm in love with you
Oh, I'm in love with you
You're the one I choose
'Cause I'm in love
I'm in love with you
I'm in love with you
I love you just the same as I did the day
I fell in love with you
The small group around them applauded. Rachel stood up and did a little curtsy. "Thank you so much," she smiled politely.
"That was amazing, baby."
"I meant it too. I love you."
"Love you too," he said as he wrapped her up into a hug, followed by a brief kiss. The onlookers started to disperse after saying a few 'aw's'.
"Now it's your turn," she said simply.
"Alright," Puck nodded. "But I'm warning you, as soon as you hear this, you're gonna wanna sex me up so hard…"
"I think I'll be able to control myself," she said haughtily.
Puck shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you." He sat down at the piano bench and looked up at her with a smirk. Then his expression completely changed to a look so vulnerable, Rachel almost lost it right there. And then when she heard his composition on the piano, she was blown away. But the lyrics, his words, amazed her.
I am not as brave, beautiful, and patient as you are
But I am safe in your arms I listen as you say
"I'm proud of who you've become
and the person you will be tomorrow..."
And I know I would give anything up for you...
I'll follow through I promise to hold on
I'll never let go won't let you down
If you can stay proud I'll be brave somehow...
Rachel wondered if he meant it—that he would give anything up for her. Did that mean…?
I am not that brave... Sometimes I need to hear you whisper
"Everything's O.K... You'll be fine, I'll help you find your way..."
And I have nothing but faith in you
All that I am is what you are and we are
I would give anything up for you...
I'll follow through I promise to hold on
I'll never let go won't let you down
If you can stay proud I'll be brave somehow...
Whisper... You can save me I am listening
I am waiting for your best to come alive
And help me understand the reasons why
I'm here now living a feeling unlike my fear
Outside of this life I am here now for you...
I'll follow through I promise to hold on
I'll never let go won't let you down
If you can stay proud I'll be brave and
I will follow you I promise to hold on
I'll never let go won't let you down
If you can stay proud I'll be brave somehow...
As he finished, he looked into her eyes. "And I mean this too. You're worth it. I don't want to make you give up New York. I want us to be here together next year. I can at least apply to schools and try to get here for you."
Tears sprang to her eyes and she flung her arms around him. "I love you, I love you, I love you," she said between kisses.
He laughed before asking seriously, "And the song? What did you think?"
"Noah, that was fantastic! So beautiful! Of course I love the lyrics because they're so meaningful for us, but the music too has me stunned—you're so talented! I really am so proud!"
Puck actually blushed. Then he registered the applause—even more people were clapping for him than it seemed had been there for Rachel's song. He looked around wide-eyed before Rachel prompted him with her eyes and a little shove.
"Oh, yeah. Thanks. Thanks everyone. That's a song I'm working on called Brave, and it's all for my girl here." That elicited more clapping. Along with Rachel dragging him back toward the elevators.
"But I thought we needed to get to the airport," Puck chuckled.
"We do," she agreed. "But you were right about what would happen after you played that for me. Fortunately, we are in a hotel," she reasoned.
"And your dads?"
She pushed him into the elevator with an evil grin. "Shut up and enjoy the moment will you?"
He did.
…
So Puck and Rachel got to the airport a little late, and Puck ducked away so Rachel could meet her dads while he hung out at the airport for an appropriate amount of time to pretend that he came in on the next flight.
Unfortunately, when the Berry's met Puck at the airport after his "flight" the first thing her dads asked was if he would be staying at the same hotel or if they needed to drop his bag off somewhere else.
"Actually," he said reluctantly, "with the cost of the flight, I didn't rent a hotel room. I was hoping I could crash on one of those rolling bed things."
Aaron and Marshall Berry exchanged a dark look before Marshall answered. "Absolutely not. That will not do at all. While we appreciate your willingness to get a cot bed, it doesn't seem appropriate for you to stay in Rachel's room without supervision."
"What if I stay in your room?" Puck asked desperately. He didn't want to do that…at all…because…ew. But he didn't have money for a separate room either. The Berry men nodded and they all headed back to the Hilton to ask for a rollaway cot.
Unfortunately due to the large number of guests for the Broadway Camp and other activities that day, the hotel didn't have any available.
"It's cool," Puck shrugged. "I'll just sleep on the floor for a night."
"That is not ideal," started Aaron Berry.
"Well…I do have two possibilities," Rachel said reluctantly. "First, we could contact a friend of friend of Noah's who lives in Brooklyn."
"Oh really? Well, that's a little far—especially for Noah to be all by himself," said Aaron. He was wringing his hands, worried about what Deb Puckerman would think.
"The second option is closer, but it involves other…uncomfortable aspects. You see…Jesse St. James has an apartment in the city. He would probably let Noah sleep on the couch if I call him. But then we'll probably have to invite Jesse to come with us to the Family Finale." Rachel looked at Noah miserably, silently asking him to forgive her for bringing up the option.
Puck fumed. That was the worst idea ever.
"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Marshall Berry. "Of course we should invite Jesse to join us. It would only be polite."
"Um, it might be kinda awkward," Puck spoke up. "Me, Rachel's current boyfriend, rooming with Jesse, Rachel's ex-boyfriend. It's not like we're friends…at all. In fact, we're the opposite of friends."
"Enemies," Rachel corrected—she couldn't help herself.
"Yeah," Puck nodded—he was used to Rachel doing that, so it only pissed him off sometimes. "We're pretty much enemies. I'd rather stay with the Jordan's in Brooklyn. I can figure out which train to take and whatever to get back and forth in time for the finale. Or seriously, the floor is fine."
Aaron and Marshall Berry agreed that they wouldn't force Puck to be uncomfortable (any more than they already were by preventing him from spending the night with Rachel), as long as his mother was ok with the Brooklyn arrangement. Unfortunately, they couldn't get a hold of Liv and Jake Jordan, and the Berry men wouldn't allow Puck to stay there if they couldn't reach them in advance. They also seemed really opposed to Puck sleeping on the floor 'when there's a perfectly good place for you to sleep'.
Unknown to Puck and Rachel, though they could guess, the Berry men wanted to have the room to themselves for their night in New York. But also, they were thrilled with the idea that Rachel was in touch with Jesse and any excuse to bring Jesse into their lives was a good one in both of their minds, even at the expense of Rachel's current boyfriend, who they weren't so sure was the best match for her anyway.
So a very disgruntled Puck was going to be shipped off to spend the night with Jesse fucking St. James—because the douchebag agreed in a heartbeat—to the delight of Aaron and Marshall Berry and the dismay of Noah Puckerman.
"You can keep your bag in my room, Noah, during the Family Finale," Rachel said, gently placing her hand on his arm. She knew he was unhappy. "We can go to the show and then come back and get it before you have to leave for the night." She mouthed 'I'm so sorry' to him. "It's just one night, then it will all be over, and we'll get on the plane and go home. All the bad will be behind us and we'll have all the good to look forward to, right?"
Puck nodded and sighed as he lifted his duffle bag.
Fuck his life.
…
A.N. I had something in mind, but I've decided to put it to a vote: tell me in your reviews if you want a peaceful or "non-peaceful" meeting of Puck and Jesse. And then, we'll have the conclusion of the story!
