DISCLAIMER: I do not own, or claim to own, glee, any of its characters or any of the songs mentioned in this story.


Okay, this is a slightly shorter chapter, but I hope you like it nevertheless.

A big thank you to everyone who sent me information about the vacation schedule in the US, that really helped for when I'm gonna make Beth visit Quinn.

As always, tell me about mistakes in my English, please.

And review. Just please review.


Of Mothers And Mums

- Chapter 7 -

Lima Loser

Puck looked around the room. His old room. It still looked the same way it had when he had moved out of Lima back in the day. His Mum must have cleaned it regularly, though, because there was not one single speck of dust to be found on the furniture or the floor.

So here he was. He was thirty years old and back to living with his Mum, currently lying on his bed like a hurt little teen who'd just got dumped. A true Lima Loser.

He hated to think that Quinn had been right all these years ago when she had called him that and chosen Finn over him. But she had. Finn and she had made it to L.A., after all, and he was stuck back in Lima again. Looking at how his life had turned out, he could never have raised someone as precious as Beth.

How could his little girl ever be proud of a father like him?

"Why did you come back, then?" He spat out, feeling a kind of anger he hadn't felt for years surface. Yeah, he hadn't been angry at himself in a very long time. Not since he'd graduated, to be exact, after re-taking that memorable geography test. He had never really tried anything since then, and thus he had never failed. No need to get upset.

But now there was Beth, and he couldn't possibly go to her like this. She couldn't ever see him the way he was right now: a complete failure. He had no job, no money, and no life. So, somehow, he needed to acquire these three things before he could bear to look in her eyes.

There was a reason he had swallowed his pride and finally done what he'd successfully avoided all these past years: wind up on his mother's doorstep. He needed a base, somewhere where he could make plans; somewhere from where he could act.

He knew he needed a job first. A job was the key to everything else. Once he worked, he would be worth something. He would also earn money and find a place of his own. Once he would have moved out of his mother's house and regained his independence, once he would have a grip on his life, he would go to Beth.

So, a job. Cleaning pools wasn't an option; he'd learned that in L.A. There was no way to cover all the bills by doing that. Yet there weren't many other options for him, either. He had next to no education. Hell, he had barely graduated from High School. No one in their right minds would hire him.

"Noah, baby? There's someone here to talk to you." His Mother had burst into his room without him even noticing, and he jumped, sitting up on his bed.

"God, Mum! I'm 30 years old. I am not your baby." He spat towards her exasperatedly, before he laid eyes on the person that had entered the room behind her. "Oh, god, no!"

"Alright, I'm leaving the two of you alone for a while." Anne Puckerman said pointedly and left the room quickly, apparently wanting to get out of her son's line of fire.

"What do you want here, Berry?" Puck's words sliced through the air as soon as the door to his room had closed. "I thought you were somewhere in New York living your Broadway dream." He added bitterly.

"Well, I do live in New York most of the time. And I am living the dream I had since I was four, that's true." Rachel confirmed, raising her eyebrows at Puck's hostile look. "I'm here in Lima because Mr. Schue invited me to come and talk in front of the glee club." She ignored Puck's snort and went on. "And I heard you were in town, and, quite frankly, I wondered why you hadn't, well, sought out Beth yet." The dwarf-sized diva came right to the point.

"How do you know I'm here?" He counter-questioned, avoiding her actual question.

"Jewish community. Your Mum told my dads." She answered matter-of-factly. "The point is: I know you're here, and I know you haven't met Beth."

"You really have a way of putting your nose into things that are none of your business." He told the tiny brunette and was rewarded with a hurt look on the diva's side.

"And you're being ignorant, Noah." She shot back. "This is my business, very much so. Beth was raised by my mother and I've been in her life as her older sister for years now. I know both you and Quinn, and that better than Shelby ever did. I am the only one who was or is involved with everyone who is stuck in this complicated situation."

"So you want to play the mediator?"

"Yes." Rachel confirmed, meeting his eyes. "It's my duty."

"No, it's not, Berry." Puck objected. "You're just pretending to be a good person. You just invaded my life, and possibly Quinn's and Beth's, because you can't resist all of the drama this complicated situation holds." He accused, putting special emphasis on the words she had used herself to describe the giant mess - that still was none of her business - before.

"No, that's …"

"Oh, hold it." Puck cut the Jewish Broadway star off before she could contradict him. "I stay by my word. You got nothing to do with this. And if you dare to tell Beth I'm here, I can't guarantee for anything." He threatened.

"I just don't understand why you don't go to her." Rachel persisted, and that was when he had had enough.

"And I just don't understand why you can't get your bloody nose out of this!" He shouted. "You have no right to judge me, Berry! You have no idea!"

He watched Rachel shake her head. She was really hurt now, he could tell, and all he thought was: Good.

"Okay, maybe you're right and I can't understand your part in this." She snapped, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes. "But I do understand Beth's situation. I went through hell when Shelby refused to be my Mum back in our sophomore year. And I can tell that Beth is already wondering why you didn't answer her letter yet. Quinn did." She said, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.

Puck fought the guilt that threatened to flood him as he watched Rachel Berry fighting back her tears, but he knew he wouldn't apologize to her. She had gone too far, no matter her reasons.

"I just want to know why you won't go to her." She finally stated after she'd calmed down sufficiently.

"Oh, you really want to know." He replied sarcastically. "Let's see. I am a thirty-year-old who lives in his Mum's house. I don't have a job, and I don't have any money. I'm no better than my own Dad." He concluded, staring at the floor. "Beth doesn't deserve that."

"And so you're going to stay here and feel miserable for yourself until the day you die?" Rachel challenged.

"No! I'm trying to find a job, but look at me!" He cried out exasperatedly. She could not be that blind, after all. "Who would hire me?"

"Everyone's got something they are good at, Noah." She told him softly. "I guess you need to find something you're really good at and turn that into your job."

He looked her straight in the eyes. "Do you really think I can do that?"

"I know you can. You're Noah Puckerman, after all. There's nothing you can't do." She said. "And if you need help, don't hesitate to call me." She added as she turned around and began moving towards the door.

"Rachel?" He called to stop her.

"Yes, Noah?" She looked over her shoulder.

"Please don't tell her. Not yet." He pleaded.

"I won't." She promised.

"And thank you." He whispered moments after the door had closed behind her.


So, some Puck here. Promise he'll find a good job, I've already got something in mind. Any guesses?

I think it would really be a good idea for you to review. I'd write more and you'd be happy. See? Great deal!