AN: First off, OMGLee…the amount of reviews for the last chapter were much more than I ever expected! It is officially my most reviewed chapter yet. I thank you all so much! It truly made my week. So, now that is taken care of I don't own any of these lovely characters. R&R!
Saturday night was a busy night for all of the glee kids. Rachel had to explain to her fathers that morning why they received an email alert saying that there was a charge to her emergency credit card for only fifteen dollars. Rachel told them some lie about needing snacks for a movie night that she, Puck and Quinn had and no one had any money. Luckily, Rachel's dads bought it with a stern warning to never again use the card for something so petty. Puck had made the mistake of stopping by that afternoon to try to get some time in with Rachel but she unfortunately was only up for a rather quick make out session before she began frantically running around the house making sure that everything was perfect for tonight.
Puck decided that watching Rachel run around determined for perfect was cute but Puck would rather been the one to hold her attention so when he was able to stop her for just a moment he said goodbye and promised to call before the night was over. Puck was barely out of the house before Rachel went back to her frantic movements.
When Puck arrived at Finn's house, he noticed from the cars that most of the football team was parked out front. Since football season was over and all the baby gate stuff had gone down, Puck had barely spent anytime with any of the football guys. He wasn't about to admit it but he spent most of his time with Rachel and Quinn, and this guys night was definitely needed. There was no way that he was going to survive on only girly stuff much longer. Puck knocked on the door and almost immediately Matt opened the door without even looking to see who it was. Walking in Puck saw that everyone's attention was focused on Mike and Artie who were playing Modern Warfare and by the looks of it, things were getting pretty intense.
For the next two hours, Puck sat around as everyone took turns challenging Artie who had been officially deemed the master of the video games. Puck wasn't exactly the most comfortable but since no one seemed to be talking to each other about anything other than video games, he seemed to be able to avoid severe discomfort. At the moment, he realized he sure hoped he was going to have Finn back as his friend, because he was definitely spending too much time with women. Also at that moment his phone vibrated in his pocket, he had a text message.
You're bonding right? This isn't all of you sitting around playing World of Warfare is it?
Puck laughed at the text from Rachel while at the same time appreciating her concern.
It's Modern Warfare. I wouldn't be caught dead playing World of Warcraft.
Puck knew that he hadn't answered Rachel's question but as he expected she pressed the issue in her response.
That's trivial Noah. Are you bonding?
Puck rolled his eyes at her persistence, thankful she wasn't around to them berate him for doing so.
As much as us men do. He responded.
That's all I ask. ;)
Puck couldn't help at but smile at Rachel's attempt to flirt via text message. It took her a long while to explain to her the concept of the smiley faces. She refused since to her they just looked like punctuation. He had it now that she was angry they didn't have one that looked like a star.
Puck was thrown from his thoughts when a throw pillow made contact with his head.
"What the-" Puck said looking to find everyone in the room staring at him.
"Dude this is guys night. You don't text your girlfriend during guys night," Mike said. Puck gave a look at Mike, "Who said that was Rachel?"
"That goofy ass grin on your face," Finn said.
"Last time I checked," Puck said, "I'm the only one in the room with a girlfriend. So if you could all keep your girly jealousy to a minimum that would be fantastic." the room fell quiet, "Now, you could all continue on with what you were doing."
All the guys turned around and decided it was time for a new video game. As the guys started arguing Puck noticed that Finn wasn't looking as happy as he had been thirty seconds ago. He got up off the couch and went over to Finn pulling him into the kitchen.
"Dude, what's wrong?" Puck said low enough that the guys wouldn't know they were talking feelings.
"I thought Puck didn't do chick flick moments,"
"I've seen quite a few since then. Now what's up?"
"How's Quinn?" Finn spit out quickly.
Puck hesitated for a moment, "Uh, she's doing alright now."
"What does that mean? What happened?"
"Look man, I know you slept with her."
"She told you?"
"She told Rachel, who told me. Look man I know that I don't have a lot of room to judge, but this is Quinn."
"What does that mean?"
"Cougars are the love them and leave them type. Random Cheerios who go down on you after an hour. Quinn deserved better than that, even after what happened."
"I know."
"Well then maybe you need to talk to her,"
"What happened? You said she's alright now. Why wasn't she alright before?"
"Quinn had a little scare; she thought she might have been pregnant again."
It was then that Finn got that look of complete bewilderment on his face, "Is she?" was all he managed to say.
"No." Puck said as the two stood in silence for a long time, "Look, I sound like a total chick when I say this, and you can blame Rachel. But why me? After what you said at sectionals and the whole messed up situation. Why can you forgive me and not Quinn?"
Finn looked at Puck for a minute, "She was supposed to love me. The stuff I said at sectionals I'm sorry; it was out of line. Well maybe not entirely but-look, I get that it was a mistake. But you and I, you are like my brother but Quinn, I don't know it's different."
"I get that, Finn, I do. She's been punished enough all of that."
Finn opened and closed his mouth several times in an attempt to say something. But what was the right thing to say to your ex-best friend sort of friend who was showing you that just as much as he fucked up, you did your share as well. When Finn finally spoke, it was the last thing Puck wanted to talk about, "Look, I get now that you both think it was a mistake. But why did it happen in the first place?"
Puck was suddenly weighed down by shock and the sadness of having to open up about his biggest regret. While the consequences were complicated and troubling, Puck realized that the why of everything was rather simple, "Alcohol. It was the Saturday that the Glee club went to that Vocal Adrenaline invitational, before the rest of us joined. Brittany was having one of her crazy parties, there was a lot of alcohol and then, well yeah."
As sensitive as the subject matter was, Puck realized that he had been missing Finn. Finn could be the most clueless person, but the conversation they were having in the middle of the Hudson kitchen reminded him that there was some sort of reason inside Finn's head.
"So, was the baby the reason that Rachel wouldn't take you back during sectionals," Finn said breaking the silence.
"Yeah. I told her and she kind of freaked out. Not that I blame her,"
"You guys are good now?"
"Yeah, we are."
"Good, she deserves someone who isn't going to treat her the way I did." Finn said remembering several occasions where he had been less than leading man material for Rachel's love life.
"While we are having this moment that I'm sure you will agree, won't be spoken of after this, can I ask you something?" Puck asked.
"Yeah, sure."
"Do you think by being with me that Rachel is holding herself back."
"What do you mean?"
"Okay, so the Rachel Berry that was there when I joined glee isn't the same girl. Yeah she is still kind of crazy and she hasn't stopped singing. But look at the showcase; that was a prime opportunity for Rachel Berry to show off what she does best and sing a solo, hell I'm sure Shuester would have given her ten solos if it kept her happy. But instead, she volunteered the idea of the duet with Quinn, and she had the duet with me. Not once did she complain or change her mind and decide to sing a solo too. "
"You're worried that because of you Rachel is singing less solos?"
"It's not that. The first time we dated, she spent almost all of the time that we weren't making out singing or talking non-stop. Sometimes she's quiet and it's nice but she doesn't ask to do as many activities involving singing. Between the changes I've seen in Rachel and the stuff you told me before sectionals, and then her last week; what if you're right and because of my inability to not screw up I hurt her? What if I'm not good enough for her?"
"The great, studly, badass Puck is really asking these questions?"
"Rachel belongs in that same category I put Quinn in earlier."
"Have you talked to Rachel about all of this?"
"Well…no."
"There's your problem dude. It is also why dudes don't talk about this stuff. Because I don't have the answers. Only Rachel does. So if your faith in your badassness if wavering the only place you can go is straight to the source and talk to Rachel."
"Dude, did you just compare Rachel to God?"
Finn stopped and stared at Puck for a moment, "Uh not intentionally, but yeah."
~~~~*~~~~
At Rachel's house, things were quite different than at Finn's. After watching Dirty Dancing, Kurt had taken over and insisted that everyone give each other manicures and pedicures and Kurt wanted to do full makeovers on all the girls and everyone, some reluctantly, agreed. Rachel sat and watched as Mercedes was painting Tina's toenails a shiny shade of blue that Rachel had in her collection. Kurt was playing with Quinn's make up as Santana and Brittany were filing each other's nails. Rachel didn't feel left out, only rather pleased with herself. From what she could make from her text messages, Puck and Finn were getting along great at his house. And here in her house were six people who had become her very good friends in the last couple of months, and she couldn't have been happier. Rachel watched as Quinn laughed at something that Kurt said happy to see the blonde smiling again. With everything that she had gone through the last months and even in the last week, Rachel knew that Quinn deserved to smile.
"You know," Brittany began announcing to the whole room, "the good thing about being in a relationship with a girl is that your parents let you have sleepovers all the time. Like your parents just let you have sex."
Everyone paused, including Santana who looked at her Cheerio girlfriend with a stunned expression. Leave it Brittany to not only say something as random as that, but what Rachel didn't expect is the onslaught of questions that came her way following.
"Brittany, Santana," Kurt started, "You know we in Glee club are more than supportive of your new found love for each other, but you've been having sex for, well since before sectionals, and that is not a conversation I feel like having again," Kurt said remembering that it was him that Santana and Brittany came to in order to see if what they were feeling was what it meant to be gay. "It's your relationship with Tall, Dark and Mohawk that I'm interested in." Kurt said focusing his eyes on Rachel.
"Me?" Rachel squeaked.
"No one else has been able to tame the great Puck," Santana said joining the now six pairs of eyes focused on her.
"Well I'm not sure I'm comfortable sharing that information with any of you," Rachel said trying not to get flustered. She did NOT want to talk about her love life with all of these people.
"It's a sleepover Rachel," Mercedes said, "we're suppose to dish all the dirty on the boys,"
"Well then why aren't the rest of you being interrogated?"
"Because you're the only one with a boyfriend." Kurt said.
Rachel sighed. Never in her life did she ever think she would in this position, questioned about her relationship with a boy, AND the only one with a boyfriend.
"What do you want to know?" Rachel asked cautiously surrendering.
Suddenly Rachel was bombarded with several questions from five of the six people in the room. Quinn knew everything that there was to tell so she just rolled her eyes and gave Rachel a smile, "One at a time people," Quinn shouted.
"How's the sex?" Kurt blurted.
"Um, well, you see," Rachel stammered, "Noah and I, well, we aren't having sex."
Gasps came from around the room.
"You really have tamed that boy," Santana said.
"I wouldn't say that he is tamed Santana. That implies that he is a beast, which he is not."
"Not anymore. You know we are your friends Rachel, but everyone else is talking about how the great Noah Puckerman has settled down with Rachel Berry." Tina said.
"I think he loves you," Mercedes said, "has he told you?"
"Well, no."
"Do you love him?" Brittany asked.
"Well, yes. Yes I do."
"Have you told him?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Well, it just really hasn't come up."
"Rachel, you should tell him," Quinn said.
"Can we talk about the way Matt has been looking at Mercedes or something because it's really getting too hot under this spotlight?"
"Our diva can't take the heat of her own relationship," Kurt said.
"Matt and I are going out on a date tomorrow night," Mercedes interrupted.
Rachel had never been so happy to get out of the spotlight. So luckily that is how the girls and Kurt spent the rest of the evening: detailing every inch of Mercedes wardrobe and make up choices for her date with Matt. While the group was emerged in an online search for the perfect way for Mercedes to do her hair, Rachel snuck out of the room. Pulling out her cell phone. It was getting late and she wanted to say goodnight to Puck before it was too late to call. She pressed the button and waited for him to pick up.
"Hey baby," Puck said answering the phone after two rings. He was still at Finn's but it was down to just the glee guys and he didn't have to hide who he was talking to or how he talked to them.
"Hi Noah. I just wanted to call and say goodnight before it got too late to call and we are going to sleep soon anyway."
"Oh alright. Hey, can I come over tomorrow?"
"Sure. The girls should be out of here by noon and I've been recruited to prep Mercedes for her date with Matt tomorrow, but there is plenty of time in between."
"Are you saying that I now have to pencil in time with my girlfriend?"
Rachel laughed, "No. Provided I do not have a prior engagement, all of my time can be yours. Mercedes just happened to get to me before you."
"Rachel get your Broadway lovin' butt in here!" Kurt yelled from the other room.
"Sounds like your audience awaits you. Goodnight babe, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Goodnight Noah."
Puck hung up the phone and picked up the pillow that Mike had thrown at him. Matt was sitting next to Artie and the boys were going to watch the Hangover. Puck threw the pillow full force at Matt's head. Matt turned around looking at Puck confused and angry.
"I knew you were making oogly eyes at Jones!"
"What are you talking about man?" Matt said still upset about getting hit with a pillow.
"You've got a date with Mercedes tomorrow!"
And that's how the boys ended their evening. With The Hangover and heckling Matt about his
date with Mercedes.
AN: Okay, so the ending is a little weak, but I wasn't sure how to end this. Again, thank you for all you wonderful people who read and review and alert this story! It puts a smile on my face!