A/N: Yes, this is similar to "Unrequited" RIGHT NOW. But oh…let's just say at Chapter 9 and beyond, this story is going to go in a VERY different direction and stay that way the rest of the way through….. Ohh, I can smell the angst muffins now!!!

"Noah, I'm sorry that I don't sound excited. You have to expect that I'd be a little bit shocked."

Puck lounged on his couch, rolling his eyes at his mother's voice on the phone.

"Mom, I understand that you're shocked but you could at least sound a little happy for me…"

"Oh, honey," Maggie Puckerman sighed on the other end of the phone, "I would just be happier if I knew her better, I think. I just don't know much about her. I don't even know if she's worthy of my baby…"

"Seriously, Mom?"

"Yes, seriously! This is a very serious step in your life and I guess…I guess I thought I would have a close relationship with the girl who would become your wife. You know, kind of like the relationship I have with Rachel." You could marry Rachel, Noah, Maggie thought woefully.

Puck groaned. He knew this conversation would be difficult. He probably should have told his mother before he had proposed but he had waited. And now here it was, two days after the weekend away and Kim was at work, sporting her new engagement ring and already beginning the wedding planning.

"Well, Mom….Kim's family wants to throw us an engagement party. So if you come down for that, you'll get to spend time with her and her entire family. If that doesn't make you happy, I don't know what the hell will."

Maggie could tell her son was getting angry so she stopped her train of thought, took a breath, and started again.

"Honey, just promise me that you'll have a rabbi at the wedding."

Puck sat up on the couch, annoyed at her pushing. "Mom, she's not Jewish."

"But you are," Maggie reminded him, "and it's your wedding, too."

"And because you are of two faiths, you should have both represented at the wedding. She can have her minister or whatever but a rabbi needs to be there too." Maggie was insistent.

Puck sighed. His mother was right, he knew. And he hated it.

"Fine…I'll talk to Kim about it."

She smiled into the phone. "Thanks, honey, that's all I ask…So what does Rachel say about it all?"

Puck shrugged. "She seemed happy for me when I showed her the ring. I need to call her. I haven't actually talked to her in a few days."

"Well when you talk to her, give her my love."

"I will. I'm gonna go now, Mom. Bye!"

Puck hung up the phone and reclined back down on the couch. His mother was going to be annoying about this whole marriage thing, he knew. But he had to admit that it made sense that a Rabbi would be there. No, he wasn't the best Jew. He was actually a pretty awful Jew…but his heritage was Jewish and he had always been proud of that fact. So yes, Mom, Puck thought, you win….I'll talk to Kim about it.

The week after Thanksgiving found Puck standing in the back of a stuffy restaurant's banquet room, staring at an engagement cake that was the strangest shade of pink he'd ever seen. The engagement was only a month old but Kim's obsession with all things wedding was slowly taking over their apartment. How many bridal magazines did one woman really need? The dresses all looked the same: white, long, lace, beads. What was the big fucking deal?

And then Kim's mother had planned the engagement party as soon as she heard that her baby was marrying "the most handsome physical therapist we've ever had the pleasure of knowing." (Kim's mom, Lois, was always kissing his ass, which unnerved him a bit. She actually gave off a little bit of a cougar-ish vibe with the way her eyes would travel over him appreciatively when she didn't think he was looking.) So now here he was, about to meet Kim's huge family so everyone could stand around and toast the fact that they were going to get married. The whole thing was damn weird.

As guests began to filter into the room, Puck's eyes swept the group for familiar faces. Kim's family was huge (and rich), so a lot of guests had been invited. His "to invite" list was very small: his mom, his sister, a few college friends, the few of his co-workers that he could actually say he liked, and Rachel. And I guess by inviting Rachel, Wren gets invited too….

Puck gaped when Rachel walked in. Her hair was in loose, cascading curls and pulled back away from her face so that it fell down her back. She was wearing a short blue dress and heels with ankle-straps. She looks amazing. Puck lifted a foot to go walk over to her when someone tapped his shoulder. Turning, he saw his future father-in-law, Bill, who threw his arm around Puck's shoulder and said, "There are some people I want you to meet. Come with me." With a quick glance over his shoulder at Rachel, Puck was whisked away.

Nearly an hour after Puck had been introduced to so many aunts, uncles, and cousins that he knew he would never remember, Kim finally emerged from her own mingling and linked her arm with Puck's.

He bent, dropped a kiss against her lips, and asked, "How's it going?"

"This is awesome. I hope your mother gets here soon, though. I can't wait for her to meet my parents."

Puck looked at the clock. "She should be here soon. It's a long drive from Lima."

Surveying the room, Puck finally spotted Rachel's blue dress. She was off in a corner...sitting on Wren's lap with their heads pressed together, talking in low tones. He was halfway across the room to finally talk to Rachel when he spotted his mother, who spied him at the exact same time and made a beeline for him. Stopping, he wrapped his mother in a hug.

"Hi, baby," she said into his shoulder. Seeing his teenaged sister standing awkwardly to the side, he snagged her coat and pulled her into a hug. "Hey, Sarahbear...."

Once the Puckerman clan all broke apart from their group hug, Kim joined them, grabbed Maggie's arm, and dragged her over to meet her mother.

Puck chatted with his sister for a few moments, asking her how school was and if Mr. Schuester was driving her crazy in Glee (because as it turns out, Mr. Schuester hadn't changed at all since Puck and Rachel had graduated.)

Finally breaking free when Maggie called for Sarah to join in on her conversation with Lois, Puck spun back the way he was originally heading to speak to Rachel, only to discover that she and Wren were no longer canoodling in the corner and had disappeared. Puck swore under his breath as guilt swept through his body. He hadn't even talked to her tonight. He was about to search the entire room for her when Kim stepped up in front of the room and tapped her glass to get the attention of the crowd. Motioning for him to join her, he slowly made his way up and stood next to her. She slid her arm possessively around his waist and he reciprocated.

"I just want to thank you all for coming tonight," she began. "Mom and Dad, thank you for putting this party together. And Maggie, I'm so glad you could join us." She looked around the room before continuing. "I am so excited about the fact that I am going to be marrying this amazing man. I wanted to let you all know that Noah and I have decided to get married the last weekend in May so mark your calendars, everybody!"

Everyone in the room clapped and Puck shifted uncomfortably. He hated this kind of shit. He just wanted to go home, knock back a beer, and relax.

"Noah?" She turned to him. "Do you have anything you'd like to add?"

He cleared his throat and said, "Uh...thanks for coming...." What the fuck was he supposed to say?

Kim beamed up at him and then proceeded to reach up and pull his head down for a kiss in front of the group. Catcalls and whistles came from her uncles and cousins. When he pulled away, he quickly scanned the room and found Rachel, finally. She was standing away from the crowd, alone, staring out the window. As Kim made her way over to one of her aunts, Puck excused himself and sidled up next to her.

"Hey stranger," he said into her ear. Rachel jumped, startled out of her train of thought.

"Hi, Noah," she didn't look up at him and continued to stare out the window.

"Where's Birdboy?"

"Apparently he had to make a phone call or something. He disappeared about five minutes ago."

Puck stood next to Rachel, looking first out the window and then over at her side profile. Something wasn't right with her.

"Rach? You okay?" He nudged her shoulder with his arm.

"I'm fine. Just really tired." Actually, you're getting married and that makes me so not fine. "Rehearsals have been exhausting and the show opens the first week of January so things are getting intense." Puck noticed that Rachel's voice was flat, missing the normally bubbly zest she had when she talked about her job.

"I'm sorry that we haven't been able to talk until now…and I'm sorry this party is so lame," he whispered, his hand on her shoulder. He saw her lips curl into a faint smile. "Don't you wish we could just go hang out at Applebee's?"

Rachel rolled her eyes at his last comment and said, "It's not lame...it's just an engagement party. Things won't get rowdy until the reception." Oh God…don't let me think about the reception. That comes after the wedding.

"Noah!" Puck turned to see Kim behind him, waving frantically.

"Yeah, babe?" He turned toward her and she stepped instinctively into his embrace as his arm went over her shoulder.

"Oh, hi Rachel," Kim said flippantly. Rachel nodded.

"My aunt and uncle have to be leaving. Will you join me to say goodbye?"

"Uh...sure." As he stepped away, he said, "Bye, Rach."

Nodding, she softly said, "Bye, Noah," and turned her eyes back to the window.

Kim and Puck walked over to where Uncle James and Aunt Bertha were standing and Puck shook the man's hand. Uncle James looked to be about 95 and he was wearing the saddest, sparsest excuse for a toupee that Puck had ever seen.

"Noah, that woman you were speaking to by the window...who is she?" Uncle James prodded.

Puck looked back at Rachel, who was still in the same spot with her back to him.

"Oh, that's my best friend, Rachel Berry."

Uncle James smiled. "Isn't the resemblance uncanny?"

Resemblance? "Huh?" Puck was clearly confused.

"The resemblance between Rachel and Kim...it's uncanny!"

Puck looked from his fiancé to his best friend and back again. "I guess I don't see it," he finally said.

Uncle James chuckled. "Are you serious? They could practically be sisters." Puck thought for a moment. Sure, they both had brown hair and brown eyes and were both short but Rachel's mouth was huge and flapped a million miles a minute. Rachel had long hair and Kim's was shorter. Kim had big, bouncy, juicy breasts and Rachel's were small....

"Nope, I still don't see it."

Uncle James just rolled his eyes at the daft young man in front of him and stuck his hand out. "Well it's nice to meet you, Mr. Puckerman. And welcome to the family."

The departure of James and Bertha opened a floodgate and soon, many of Kim's family started to pour out. Puck was pulled from group to group, forced to hug and chitchat, as each one left. When the room finally started to clear out and he could breathe again, he looked around for Rachel and Wren but they must have slipped out because they were long gone. Puck felt a twinge of guilt for barely even getting to talk to her but figured she would understand. Besides, he'd call her tomorrow.

Rachel kissed Wren goodnight in the car and told him she'd see him at rehearsal in the morning. Once she let herself into her apartment, she kicked her shoes off and slid into a chair.

I handled myself pretty well, Rachel thought. Sure, she probably shouldn't have been staring out the window during her entire conversation with Noah but she couldn't help it. The stars looked beautiful and gazing at them meant she didn't actually have to look at him. The whole time she had stared out that window, she had wished she were somewhere else. Anywhere else.

With a sad sigh, Rachel pushed herself out of the chair and went into her bedroom. Slipping her clothes off, she pulled her nightgown over her head and climbed under the covers. Settling in, she stared up at the ceiling.

Sure, she'd had a complete and utter breakdown when Noah had told her he was getting engaged but since then, she really was doing okay. She thought back to the conversation they'd had right after he'd proposed. He had sounded so full of happiness when he'd called after his trip and said, "She said yes, Rachel. I can't believe I'm getting fucking married!" Hearing him happy and knowing that this was what he wanted – and with the person he wanted – was almost like a bandage over her wounds. He deserved happiness. He had endured such a rough childhood with no father around. And then with the disastrous pregnancy that had destroyed friendships and caused such heartbreak when he was a teenager, things hadn't always been easy for him. No, Noah Puckerman had spent a lot of his life struggling and now, everything seemed to be going his way. Seeing him happy was the most important thing to her.

Rachel sighed, flipping over. I know that life changes. We can't maintain the relationship we had in college. It's just not possible. She had seen the relationship shift when Kim entered the picture; it shifted again when Rachel graduated and then changed even more when Wren had come onto the scene. The days of "Puck and Rachel" seemed long gone. It would never be just the two of them again.

Rachel flipped over on her other side, feeling guilty when she pictured Wren. The two of them were dating exclusively now and she was trying her hardest to fall for him. He cared about her a lot, she knew. They shared a common love of acting and music and they were really incredibly compatible. Wren was the exact kind of man she needed. In fact, he was perfect for her. Except he was too short, too skinny, didn't swear nearly enough, and didn't own Rachel's heart.....

Rachel hoped that as the wedding drew closer, she would be able to let Noah go for good and embrace Wren fully. She didn't intend to walk around with this lead in her chest for the rest of her life. She refused to carry the loss that churned in her stomach with her wherever she went forever. She knew she wasn't the one he wanted. If she could only stop wishing…

In six months, he would be someone's husband. The thought made her ill. She didn't know how she could maintain their friendship once he was married. To be perfectly honest, she didn't even know if she wanted to.

She had to get over these feelings for him. While Rachel had always been a dreamer, she certainly wasn't ignorant. She recognized lost causes when she saw them. And loving Noah Puckerman was certainly a lost cause.

With heaviness on her chest, Rachel rolled over and let the tears burn on her cheeks until she fell asleep.

"Holy fuck, Kim? You really need a wedding planner?" Puck glared at the massive binder Kim had in her arms.

"Oh, relax Noah. Mom and Dad are paying for her. But now our wedding can be exactly how we've always dreamed." Kim sighed wistfully as she thought about the fairytale wedding in her head.

"Babe…don't take this the wrong way…but from what I've heard before, wedding planners only cause problems." Puck pinched the bridge of his nose. Only six-weeks post engagement party and still five months out from the wedding date, he was already tired of hearing about invitations. Seriously, who gave a fuck about what font it was printed in. And should the paper be cream or ecru? Weren't those the same goddamn color anyway? And should the print be black or sepia-toned? He wanted to kill himself over those fucking invitations.

"Noah," Kim interrupted his silent bitchfest, "Do we want our wedding on a Saturday afternoon or evening? The wedding coordinator at my church needs to know."

Puck swiveled his head. "We're not getting married in your church." He realized his tone was harsh as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

Kim looked hurt. "Why not? I've gone to that church my whole life."

Sighing, Puck sat down at the kitchen table. "I didn't want to discuss this now but…I'm not a Christian and I don't want to be married in a Christian church."

Kim's mouth dropped open. "You're going to ruin my perfect day just because you're not comfortable?"

"Kim, would you be comfortable if I asked you to get married in a Synagogue?"

A horrified look flashed across her face. "Hell no I'm not getting married there."

Puck stood up. "That's what I fucking thought. We're not having it at a church. We can have it anywhere else…the zoo, some stupid botanical garden, wherever. You can pick wherever else you want without even asking. But we're not having it in a church." His eyes were angry when they met with Kim's sad eyes.

"I…I guess I understand. My minister can marry us anywhere."

"And that's the other thing." He was on a fucking roll now. "I want a rabbi there too. We'll be married by both."

"Noah!" she screeched.

"What? You marry me, you marry my Jewish faith…"

Kim stomped across the room and grabbed her keys. "Where are you going?" he barked after her.

"To mom and dad to discuss your…requests. Don't wait up."

She slammed the door behind her and Puck winced. Quietness settled over the apartment and suddenly, he didn't feel quite so bad. Fucking wedding planning.

Walking over to the couch, he collapsed into the cushions and turned on some TV. Time to watch some stupid motherfuckers get their cars repossessed in peace.

A month later, Puck realized that telling Kim that she could pick anywhere to get married other than a church was biting him on the ass. She breezed into the apartment on day after work, loaded down with pamphlets.

"Baby, we're getting married at the country club. I called them today and our weekend is still available since Mommy and Daddy have a membership. They have the most gorgeous lake and they set the weddings up right there." She practically skipped over to him and planted a kiss on his lips. "We'll have an outside wedding! It's going to be gorgeous!"

Puck gave Kim a jaw-clenching smile, realizing that he had created a monster. I'm getting married at a country club.

Puck needed a drink.

"Swans? Are you fucking nuts?"

Kim pouted, throwing the photos down at him. "The flock of swans would be swimming in the lake while were married. Can you imagine how beautiful the wedding photos will be?"

Puck dropped his forked and stared across the table at Kim. Her eyes were pleading.

Running his hands through his hair, he sighed. "Fine…we can have swans."

"Ohhh God, Wren…right there," Rachel moaned, arching her body upward to force his fingers deeper inside of her.

Wren leaned over her, leering at the look of ecstasy on Rachel's face as he worked his fingers inside her. He was a stud tonight. It must be all that Red Bull....

Rachel's body arched up off the couch again as she started to tremble. Fuck yeah, you're close, Wren thought as he bent down to bite and nip at her breasts.

"Come on baby…almost there…" As Wren spoke, he heard a knock on Rachel's door. She stilled, listening.

"Ignore it, Rachel. Whoever it is will go away," Wren rasped, his eyes focused on her nipples. Licking his lips, he leaned forward again. Another knock echoed through Rachel's apartment, causing Rachel to jolt in resonse. She shoved him off of her and he swore.

Rachel grabbed her robe and slipped it on her. She looked through the peephole. "It's Noah, Wren," she whispered.

Wren collapsed on the couch. "Of course it is…"

"I'll be right back…" Rachel opened the door and slipped out, closing it gently behind her.

"Hey, Noah," she said as casually as possible, given the fact that she was completely naked, soaking wet, and really aroused underneath her thin robe. And looking at him only ratcheted the whole thing up about ten thousand degrees.

Puck's eyes widened just as his nostrils flared. His eyes traveled down Rachel's body and back up, taking in her messy hair, flushed cheeks, ragged breathing, and the outline of her tiny, very erect nipples pressing against her skimpy robe. He shuddered, arousal shooting straight to his groin. He admonished himself because it was Rachel and he was an engaged man but FUCK! He was a man and this? This shit was nearly too much, even for him.

"Oh shit, Rachel. I'm sorry…I interrupted you and Wren…." For one of the few times in his life, he blushed red.

Rachel was humiliated. They may have a close relationship but they normally didn't see each other like this. Her body tingled from the remnants of Wren's touches and from Puck's closeness.

"Oh…it's okay. What's up?"

Wren, obviously. He grimaced at his own thought.

Puck took a step back, waving his hand in dismissal. "It's nothing, Rachel. Don't worry about it…" He swiveled on his foot and started to leave.

"Wait!" she yelled after him. "Noah!"

He turned back around and looked at her. "It's nothing that can't wait, Rach…You're obviously…uh…busy. I'll just call you later…." Like a lighting bolt, he was gone.

Rachel watched him go, tears springing to her eyes. She knew that Noah knew that she was sleeping with Wren. But confirming it to him by standing in front of him like a just-used Jezebel made her feel worse about the entire situation. Of course, reality was quick to bitch slap her across the face. Not that he cares anyway….

Stepping back outside into the chilly late February wind, Puck exhaled. He'd known Rachel for a very long time but he had never seen her like that. She looked thoroughly and completely fucked. It was one of the hottest goddamn things he had ever seen. Puck shook his head, trying to erase the mental images as guilt besieged him for even thinking such a thing about Rachel.

I have to remember to start calling. I just can't fucking show up anymore…

Two weeks after the embarrassing encounter outside Rachel's apartment, Puck showed up again, after calling first, with pizza and a six-pack of beer. Kim was working and Wren was somewhere (Puck wasn't listening when Rachel told him because he always zoned out as soon as the guy's name was mentioned) and for once, the two of them could get together.

As Puck stepped inside the apartment, his mind was assaulted with images of pert little nipples rubbing against silk. Mentally kicking his own ass, he shook the vision from his mind and slapped the pizza down on her table.

"I told them to go light on the sauce so you wouldn't bitch this time," Puck told her as she gathered some plates. She gave him a genuine grin in return.

They grabbed their pizza and their beer and went into her living room, where they both put their food on the coffee table and sat in the floor.

Rachel tossed Puck the remote. Turning the TV on, he flipped through the channels, stopping to balk at the old people dancing the Polka on RFD, before settling on "World's Wildest Police Videos." Rachel rolled her eyes as he grinned, staring intently at the show.

"What is it with men and car chases?"

"They're almost as cool as boobs, babe. Almost…"

They watched for a few minutes, Puck making random comments about this asshole or that dumb motherfucker, before the show went off and he was bored again.

"Rach…do you think it's insane to have swans at our wedding?"

Rachel furrowed her brow. "Swans?"

Puck groaned. "Yes, Kim wants swans to be swimming in the lake behind us when we exchange our vows. The whole thing makes me want to fucking throw up but I'm not paying. I was told by Lois to "shut up now and show up later." That, and providing my dick on the wedding night, are pretty much all I'm needed for."

Rachel forced out a laugh, trying to ignore the very horrendous thought of his wedding night.

"Well, Noah…you're marrying a rich, high-maitenance girl. I don't know what you expected but what you're getting? That's normal."

Puck growled, rolling his head back so that it leaned against the couch behind him.

"Rach, just promise me that when you get married, you won't do all this crazy shit. I know you're not the type for this type of thing but still…don't torture your future husband…."

Rachel nodded, wanting to emit a bitter laugh. Her own wedding? She had to survive his first.

A/N: I'm trying to remember to credit the songs that I use as chapter titles. This one is from the soundtrack to the movie "Center Stage" (which I LOVE!)