Greetings! Longtime, no update. I was distracted by work and other people enjoying Valentines Day . So did you know the number of reviews for the last chapter doubled the average for all the others? How stoked am I? Thanks to everyone for their kind, complimentary words- I don't feel even remotely deserving. You guys rock!

Hey Klewald- do you know I've never heard of the word skeevy? I had to google it *blushes*…then I totally used it in this chapter….


Ain't nothing going to break my stride…

Puck was shocked out of slumber by the sound of Rachel's iPod blaring to life, his body jerking at the rude awakening displacing the petite brunette from his shoulder.

"What the fuck?" he grumbled as he glanced at the alarm clock. "6am? Berry you got to be shitting me."

Rachel yawned tiredly as she leaned over him to silence the music, before burrowing back under the covers. "Shhhh," she mumbled drowsily. "Go back to sleep."

He stretched his arms above him, cracking his wrist with an audible pop and then his head turned to the side to look at her. There were dark circles smudged under her eyes and her skin had sallow tinge to it. Though she had slept most of the night, having only woken up once when he had shaken her out of a nightmare, Rachel was still exhausted.

"Stop staring." She requested after a moment, her eyes popping open to meet his gaze.

Puck smirked and turned over onto his stomach breathing in the scent of jasmine on her pillow. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Puck groaned, reluctantly getting up and starting to dress. "I should get home before my mom wakes up and blows a gasket when my truck's not in the driveway." He looked down at her, her hand rubbing absently at the space on the bed his body had been occupying. "Do you want a ride to school? I can swing back to pick you up in about an hour." He asked as he sat on the bed near her to put on his shoes.

Rachel shook her head and sat up. "Thank you for the offer Noah, but I don't think I'll be attending today. Despite my considerable talents as an actress, I do not believe I could put on a convincing performance of normalcy at the moment."

Puck leaned over and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "Are you going to be alright by yourself? I'm ok with taking the day off to keep you company."

She shot him a wry smile that failed to hide the sadness in her doe like eyes, and pushed lightly at his shoulder. 'I won't be alone. I'm sure my Daddy has no intention of going into work today. So nice try Noah, but I have no interest in contributing to your academic negligence."

He shrugged in a universal 'it was worth a shot' gesture. "I'll stop by this afternoon then."

She nodded and murmured a goodbye as he gathered his keys and wallet, and headed for the window. Half way there he spotted the sweater her had loaned her on Saturday hanging over a chair and reached for it.

"No!" Her cry had him spinning toward her and she vaulted off her bed crossing to his side with quick steps, snatching the garment from his hand. "I'm sorry Noah, but can I keep it? Just for a little while?" Her cheeks flamed red with embarrassment and she refused to look at him.

Puck noted the way she clutched the sweater to her chest protectively and he gently tugged it back from her so he could shake it out and drape it around her shoulders.

Using the sleeves to pull her close to him, he kissed her forehead. "Sure."

She bit her lip and her fingers brushed tentatively over his stomach. "It just helps me maintain some sense of equilibrium, I can't really elucidate as to why." Rachel said unsurely and he shrugged. He wasn't exactly sure what some of those words meant, but he got the gist and chose to play the moment down. 'You don't have to explain shit. If it helps, it helps." He held her to his chest for as long as he could before he gave her one last squeeze. "I really gotta go."

She nodded and watched him climb out the window. When his Mohawked head was out of her sight she pushed her arms through the arms of the sweater and climbed back into bed. Curling up in the middle of the still warm Puck-sized dent in her mattress, Rachel hoped the day passed quickly.


Kurt was worriedly pacing in front of Rachel's locker when Puck rocked up to school just before the first bell. Puck glanced at the Fashionista who had failed to notice his presence and was muttering unintelligibly under his breath.

"Dude, what's got your panties in a twist?" Puck questioned as he crossed to his own locker opposite, spinning the combination and pulling out his underused biology text book.

The Soprano looked up at Puck's voice and peered around "Where's Rachel? Did she not get a ride to school with you?" Pucks eyebrow furrowed at the slightly hysteric edge to Hummel's voice.

"Berry's not feeling well, she's staying home today." He informed the smaller boy as he rifled around the abandoned gym socks lining the floor of the locker, searching vainly for a pen.

Kurt let out a relieved sigh "Oh thank Lord, Prada and Gucci. Have you seen Stalker Boys latest posting?" he demanded, his hand resting on one jutted out hip.

"Israel's blog? Can't say that I have. What's that skeevy bastard bullshitting on about now?" Puck asked with disinterest as he slammed the metal door shut. Kurt regarded him shrewdly as he wordlessly handed Puck a print out.

"It's about Rachel." He informed him unnecessarily. "And you, but mostly Rachel. I warn you, you're not going to like it."

Kurt was right, Puck didn't like it. As his eyes skimmed over the text, he found himself clutching tighter at the paper until it ripped in half and he dropped it to the floor. Kurt shivered as Puck's enraged eyes met his, "Where the hell is Jewfro now?" he demanded, and once Kurt had given him the answer he was off.


Puck stalked through the halls, his seething stare intent on locating a wild afro of fuzzy, reddish-brown hair. The students milling in the corridors dove out of his way as they took one glance at his murderous expression and happily gave the intimidating jock wide berth.

He was oblivious to the speculating whispers of his peers hazarding guesses as to the reason for his erratic behaviour. Steadily his search gathered a half dozen Juniors who surreptitiously skulked behind him as Puck continued to hunt his prey.

Puckerman's fight club skills were legendary, and judging by his current demeanour it was safe to say that, should they stick close, they would be treated to an epic demonstration of said skills on some poor unlucky bastard. Each of Puck's followers clucked gleefully at the prospect, but privately gave thanks that they had not garnered the wrath of the irate young man.

Further down the hall, Jacob Ben Israel was peering into his locker unaware of the narrowed eyes trained on his less that impressive physique.

Puck growled low in his throat as he came within reach of his target and in one swift motion had Jacob slammed against the locker, his muscled forearm crushing painfully against the boy's chest.

"Puck!" the red head squeaked in alarm, "What can I do for you?" he continued shakily, his hands grasping at his captor's arm attempting to loosen the hold. He was unsuccessful as the footballer leant his weight into Jacob's torso, constricting his air supply.

Puck was silent for a moment as he stared at the Blogger, who gulped audibly registering Puck's dilated pupils and the pulsing vein in his throat. Not good.

"What do you know?" The tone was so chilling it caused goose bumps to break out on Jacob's skin. So terrified, he couldn't formulate an answer which seemed to agitate his detainer more.

"I'll ask you one more time." Puck punctuated his words, his teeth bared. "What do you know?"

"Ab-b-bout Rachel?" Jacob guessed with a stutter. He knew that the object of his affection had been spending more and more time with the footballer, but unfortunately Jacob had failed to factor in Puck's reaction to his latest online entry. It was an oversight the wannabe journalist would come to regret.

Puck removed his arm from the kids chest, and before Jacob had a chance to take a much needed lungful of air he had fisted Jacob's shirt and slammed his back into the metal, lifting him so he was dangling a foot in the air.

"Who fucking touched her!?" The students, who had been straining to hear the drama unfold, were startled as Puck's voice rang out. "Show me the fucking photos Jewfro."

Jacob hurriedly fumbled for his phone, relieved when he felt his feet touch the ground though Puck did not relinquish his hold. Scrolling through the image gallery, he found the snaps in question and shoved the screen in the vicinity of the Jock's face.

Puck took the proffered device and flipped through the pictures, his gut clenching at the sight of Rachel slumped against a tall blonde boy, her eyes half closed. The images followed the couple as the boy evacuated the incapacitated girl from Matt's kitchen and up the stairs, clearly shouldering her dead weight.

Jacob was trying to inch away from Puck while his attention was diverted, but Puck grabbed his throat and pushed him easily back into place whilst not looking up from his task.

The last photo showed the blonde guy looking over his shoulder, as if to ensure his movements were not being monitored, and it was this picture that alerted Puck to his identity. After all, it was a face Puck had been exposed to countless times at football practice, in locker rooms and many a social gathering; His disgraced team mate, former kicker Alex Langenthol.

He pressed the back button to go back to the beginning and scroll through the photos again and must have gone a few pictures too far, as suddenly Rachel was no longer at the party. This new image depicted her leaning over her pink trolley bag, her white cotton panties just slightly visible beneath her short pleated skirt. Next was her face in profile as she sat in class, then her laughing with Kurt in the cafeteria, stuffing books into her locker, inspecting oranges at the grocery store…. Puck flipped through the photos faster and faster.

There were dozens of invasive photos, bu it was the one with the shadow of her body visible through ruffled yellow curtains, curtains that adorned a window Puck himself had stared at just the night before, which propelled his fist into Jacob's nose without warning, spraying blood over both of their shirts.

Jacob shrieked in pain clutching at his face, his glasses dislodged from the force of the punch. "Listen up you psychotic fucking whack job," Puck spat seizing Jacob's shoulders. "Berry is off limits to you and your creepy stalker tendencies. If I see you within 50 feet of her, or so much as breathing in her general direction-" Puck shook the shorter boy so hard Jacob's teeth rattled in his skull, the excruciating pain in his nose shooting through his entire face. "You don't talk to her, you don't look at her and so help me fucking god if you think about touching her I will tear you apart with my fucking bare hands. You got that motherfucker?"

"Yes, yes I understand." Jacob was practically sobbing and Puck shoved him one last time and let go of him in disgust.

"I'm keeping your phone." He informed him needlessly and then he was gone.

Jacob was left staring after the left tackle, oblivious not only to the snickering of his peers around him, but as to the cause; the warm wet patch of urine saturating the crotch of his pants.

This day was certainly not going to plan.


At lunch, the entire cafeteria was buzzing with details of Pucks confrontation with Jacob that morning. Finn was staring at Mike who was recounting Jacob's terror and the exact shade of purple Puck's face had turned as he was threatening the other boy.

"I mean, Puck looked so mad I thought he was going to shove his fist so far down Israel's throat they'd have to feed the kid through a straw for life!" The Asian was declaring animatedly.

The loud, reverberating noise of the double doors forcibly banging open had all heads swinging to the entrance.

Mike and Finn simultaneously gulped as Puck appeared, unable to even describe the intensity of his expression. Later the entire student body would claim no one had ever seen the left tackle so tightly wound and demonstrably out for blood.

They watched the back of Puck's Mohawk as he crossed the area with long, sure strides, craning their necks to identify the location of his destination.

It was merely seconds later when he stopped in front of one of the Jock tables, a few over from where Finn and Mike sat with Matt and Mercedes, who had been flirting up a storm, and a newly arrived Artie.

"What's going on?" the wheelchair bound boy had just asked as Puck landed a powerful punch on an unidentified boy who fell out of his chair from the force behind it.

"Duuuuuude." Mike drawled as he stood up to get a better look. Finn followed suit, recognising his team mate, Alex Langenthol, shooting up from the floor and striking back at his attacker, connecting with Puck's cheek.

Puck didn't flinch, taking the hit and assuming his fight stance, he and his opponent circled around each other.

Fists began to fly and though Puck may have outweighed Alex by a good 30 pounds, he was lighter and more agile on his feet, easily ducking the punches and countering with a quick succession of jabs. He smirked everytime he hit skin, creating an audible thwack. It was his satisfied expression that had a couple of the other Jocks, who had been standing by jeering, deciding that Puckerman needed to be taken down a peg or two.

Two of them pounced, trying to hold Puck immobile so Alex could have free reign, landing a combination of cross punches and uppercuts to his stomach and torso. Puck grunted after each hit and it was then that Finn shook out of his stupor and reacted. Sure he and Puck were on the outs but they'd been friends forever and the Quarterback was certain that even now, if things were reversed Puck sure as hell would have his back.

"Chang, Rutherford!" Finn barked, his expression stony. "Let's give him a hand."

Mike was raring to go and followed at Finn's heels as they hurried to join in, Matt only a split second behind.

"You two help Puck, I've got Langenthol." Finn ordered and all three jumped to task.

The remainder of the students crowded in as the playing field was suddenly levelled.

Mike and Matt launched themselves onto the two jocks holding Puck, creating a struggle between the 5; elbows, knees & fists connecting all around.

Due to Finn's size, he easily pinned Alex's arms behind him and watched as his three Glee buddies gained the upper hand in their tackle, enabling Puck to break free.

Pucks gaze flickered over his former best friend and settled furiously on the boy he had restrained. "Stop!" Finn shouted as the other teen looked ready to pounce once again. "What the hell dude?"

Surprisingly, Puck did halt, clenching and unclenching his hands as his entire body vibrated with palpable rage. "I'm going to fucking kill you." Puck promised, his tone deadly as he addressed Langenthol.

"Why?" Finn tried to understand. Puck's glare did not stray, his usual hazel eyes almost seeming black with his anger.

"He touched her." Puck answered, "He fucking raped her."

Finn's grip slackened though he did not let go completely. "Who?" he ventured, though his gut told him the answer. Rachel. Finn knew Puck might believe his developed feelings for the petite brunette were the best guarded secret he had, but 10 years of friendship had allowed Finn to see right through him. There was no one else in Puck's world that he would literally and figuratively fight for, his mother and sister aside, but her.

Puck didn't say her name, but the look he and Finn exchanged confirmed it.

'That's a pretty serious accusation you're throwing there." Alex sneered. "Maybe whoever it is you think I touched, wanted it. Maybe she begged for it, wanting a real man to pop her cherry."

Puck let out a primitive roar and tackled Alex to the ground, his fists swinging blindly and accidently clipping Finn in the mouth. There was nothing Alex could do but try and protect his face as Puck let out all his aggression, knuckles splitting from the force he exerted, landing punch after punch.

A loud, ear piercing whistle had everyone freezing and Principle Figgins pushed into the throng of teenagers. "All of you, back to class." He glowered at the disappointed students who reluctantly gathered their things to leave.

Puck had paused with his clenched hand ready to deliver another blow that he couldn't bear to see wasted, especially since Figgins' appearance had Alex lowering his own hands, thus leaving his face unprotected.

The sickening crunch of bone breaking could be heard as Alex's jaw shattered, and Puck rose satisfied.

He looked up to see Figgins spluttering and the 5 other jocks looking at him in shock.

"My office Puckerman, now!" The Principle choked out after a moment, his facial expression contorted.

Puck grinned, his split lip and teeth smeared with blood. "Yes sir."


Hell hath no fury like a Puckerman out for vengeance :)