Hello Dear Readers:)
Sorry that this has taken so long to get up but I've other fanfic ideas swimming around in my head that I have had to get rid of before I could continue writing this. Once again thanks to the lovely Lisa for being my beta – love you
and as always I own nothing
Enjoy xoxo
Chapter Ten
After a while Rachel left Puck in the pool and went inside to find Finn and Santana. "Guys," she called out, entering the house.
"In here, Rach," Santana called out from the lounge where she and Finn were watching some crappy horror flick Finn had chosen.
"What are you doing in here?" Rachel asked. "It's beautiful outside."
"Giving you and Puck space. Totally saw you macking on each other and kept away," Finn replied, not taking his eyes off the screen.
Santana punched him in the gut. "What he said, except much more tasteful," she added.
"Well, considering you aren't even watching the movie, San, you should come out and hang out," Rachel told her, turning to leave before she paused and said, "Bring the loser with you."
Rachel found Puck sitting on the steps of the pool where she had left him. She pulled her sunglasses back over her eyes and went to sit next to him. "So our secret is out. I'm pretty sure San was spying the whole time and Finn saw enough to guess."
Puck pulled her into his lap and kissed her. "And here I thought Finn was too dumb to get it."
"Noah, that's an awful thing to say about one of your best friends."
"Oh, come on, babe, ten bucks you were thinking the same thing and also how long it's going to take him to figure out San like him."
Rachel gasped. "Did she tell you?"
"Nope, but you just did. I'm kind of sneaky that way."
"I can't believe you tricked me!" Rachel said, hitting his chest. "You can't tell anyone."
"I'll make you a deal: you don't tell my mom about us yet and I won't tell him."
"Why don't you want your mom to know? Are you ashamed of us?" Rachel asked, shocked that they had finally got together and he didn't seem to want to tell people.
"Babe, there is no way I'm ashamed of us. I'd scream it from the rooftops if I could, but you know my mom. She will have our wedding planned in a week and that will be even before your dads find out."
"I guess you are right," Rachel sighed.
"Of course I am, Rach. Plus, it's not like you can't tell anyone. Finn and San already know."
"We know what?" Finn asked and he and Santana finally joined them outside.
"That Rachel and I are officially dating," Puck announced, causing a huge grin to come across Rachel's face and Santana to cheer. "But we aren't telling my mom until we are able to get Rach's dads on the phone to tell them, so don't say anything tonight."
"Oh really? I was hoping to see her reaction to the news."
"No, Finn, I wasn't sure about it either, but Noah is right and I want to tell my dads without Hannah planning the wedding before they know," Rachel said.
"Wedding? You're dating, not engaged."
"True, San, but my Ma has been waiting for Rach and I to get back together since we first broke up after that week of dating."
"Okay, fair enough. This news stays between the four of us until you say otherwise," Santana said.
"Well ,I do plan to tell my mom," Rachel let the group know looking at Puck.
"That's fine, babe. Shelby, your dads and then my ma."
"So we say nothing till then," Finn said, smiling before picking up Santana and throwing her in the pool. Rachel's hands flew to her mouth gasping as Puck laughed at the scene in front of him.
"Start running, Hudson!" Santana exclaimed as she came to the surface of the pool swimming to the edge.
"What's the point, San, it's not like you're strong enough to push me in let alone pick me up and throw me," he replied before launching himself into the pool over her head in a bomb.
Rachel stood, pulling Puck with her. "Where are we going?"
"Lounger. I'm not sure I want to be anywhere near Finn and San's fight."
"So you want to just lay on the lounger with me?"
"Well, I was more thinking I would lie in the sun and you could bring me snacks and drinks," she commented throwing his suggestion from earlier back at him.
"Whatever. You know that's not going to happen."
"It's true," she said pulling him onto the lounger with her. "Plus you are totally useless in the kitchen."
Puck looked at the girl next to him and scoffed. "I didn't know my girl was a liar. I'm awesome in the kitchen."
"I guess."
"In fact, I'm awesome in every room of the house."
"And there he is," Rachel said, rolling her eyes. She pulled him down for a kiss anyway, broke it long enough to let him know that if his cooking was that good, he was in charge of the dinner the following night.
The afternoon faded into early evening so the four of them got ready and jumped in the car and headed to dinner at Puck's. Hannah welcomed them all with open arms, as did Carole and Burt welcoming the boys back from camp.
"Ma, stop it," Puck said to Hannah, having left him last to hug and hugging him a little longer than the rest.
"Noah, you have been gone for three weeks."
"Yeah, yeah." He could see Rachel and Santana laughing while Finn seemed to be in the same situation as him with Carole across the room.
"Noah!" Hadassah yelled, flying down the stairs and into his arms after he had managed to send his mom back to the kitchen.
"Hey, Dassie," he said picking her up and twirling her around. "Miss me?"
"Only a little."
"How was your trip away with ma?"
"Good. It would have been better if you were there," she answered as he placed her back on the ground.
"Well, next time we can all go," he told his sister. Looking up, he noticed Burt, Finn and Santana chatting on the sofa, while Rachel was missing. He guessed she had gone into the kitchen with his Ma and Carole.
"So, Rachel made mud cake. If we are sneaky we could probably taste the icing. Do you want to?"
Hadassah looked up at him with a smirk that he knew mirrored his own. "Let's do it."
The two of them walked into the kitchen scoping out the area. Puck put his arm around Rachel's shoulder as the three women stopped talking. "You don't have to stop talking about me just because I'm here. I already know how awesome I am."
Rachel elbowed him in the stomach. "Your manners clearly didn't come from your mother."
"How was the camp, Noah?" Carole asked, changing the subject.
"Great, thanks, Carole. I can't believe it was our last time going. Finn and I talked about it on the flight home."
"I can't believe you are all going into your senior year." Carole said as Hannah nodded. "Look at me getting all...well, old sounding."
"You are not old, Carole" Rachel told Finn's mother.
"I knew there was a reason I liked you Rachel, but unfortunately yes I am. My son is graduating this year and off to college next year. "
"I guess so, but don't they say you are only as old as you feel?" she smiled.
"Very true. This is good because I still feel young enough to visit you in New York and watch you performing on Broadway."
"I don't know about that," Rachel blushed.
"Don't be so modest, Rach," Puck said. "You will be there." He watched Hadassah swipe her finger along the icing on the edge of the cake which was sitting on the counter behind them. He smiled at his sister, knowing she hadn't got caught. "So, when's dinner? I'm starving."
"Give it five minutes," Hannah told them.
"Well, I'm going to wash up," Rachel said, turning to leave. "Oh and I put the boys stuff in the wash before we left tonight, so you wouldn't both be stuck with three weeks of dirty clothes," she added, smiling before she headed to the bathroom.
"Noah, if you don't marry that girl I will disown you," Hannah said.
"Ma, I'm starting my last year of high school. I'm not getting married," he told her, rolling his eyes and avoiding actually lying to her before saying he was heading upstairs to pack some extra clothes and stuff to take to Rachel's.
"You know, I bet they are dating by the end of the summer and engaged by the end of senior year," Carole said once Puck was out of the room before the two older women burst into a fit of giggles. "And you know what, Hannah? Even all the time Rachel was dating Finn, I don't think she ever looked at him the way she looks at Noah," Carole told her friend.
"She would be perfect for him," Hannah said smiling as she and Carole went to set the table.
P&R
Puck got to his room and pulled out another bag from under his bed and began stuffing it with clean clothes.
"You remember I'm washing the clothes you took to camp at home right?" Rachel asked, leaning on the doorframe to his room.
"Yeah, just don't want to have to come back here if I don't have to. Your house is so much closer to work and plus you're there. Why would I want to be anywhere else?" he asked, reaching out and pulling her to him, kissing her swiftly.
Rachel pulled away. "You said you didn't want to tell anyone yet."
"Everyone is downstairs," he replied, kissing her again.
She relaxed into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, intertwining her fingers with the bottom of his Mohawk.
"Dinner is ready," Finn said, breaking the two of them apart. "And you are lucky it's just me who caught you. I heard our moms discussing your engagement by the end of senior year."
Puck rolled his eyes and Rachel laughed. "See, I told you someone would see." She hit him lightly. "Wait till me get back to mine so your mother doesn't start measuring me for a white dress."
Finn shook his head at the two of them and led the way back downstairs.
"So, how much will you boys be home this summer?" Hannah questioned when they were eating. "Or are you just going to live at the Berry's again?"
"I packed an extra bag. I'm heading there tonight," Puck told his mom. "It's closer to the garage then here and I start work again tomorrow, right Burt?"
Burt nodded. "How about you Finn? Are you planning on coming home or are you planning on living at Rachel's this summer too?"
"Puck is going to drive me back tonight to get my truck and I'll throw some more stuff in a bag. Plus I figure with Kurt still in New York and Rachel's dads away, I might as well be with friends and keep Rach and San company."
Santana watched the conversation remaining silent. She could finally see what Hannah had said at the shops was true about Rachel having a hold on the boys, but it seemed that their friendship was rooted deep and this was something she found herself wanting to be a part of. Maybe if she had been different through the last couple of years she could have had these friendships too.
She watched Puck and Rachel across the table and they seemed to be having their own conversation without the need for words. She turned her head to look at Finn and for the first time ever in her life she wanted what Rachel Berry had, but she wanted it with Finn Hudson. He turned his head and smiled at her before turning back to talk to Burt about some football team she didn't know.
Dinner flowed with a relaxed atmosphere, but Puck couldn't wait to get back to Rachel's. He felt cheated that they had only been together for a couple of hours and yet they couldn't actually be together with his mom around.
He offered to clear the table as Rachel prepared the cake to serve. "I know what you are doing," she told him as she was cutting the cake and he stacked the dishes into the dishwasher.
"Is it so bad that I want to be around you?"
"No, but when have you ever helped with the dishes?"
"I think chatting with Finn and San will keep Ma distracted enough."
"I guess it helps that your mom got called into work this morning, so she could check on San's dad," Rachel added.
"Yep," Puck said, pulling her away from the cake and kissing her.
It didn't take Rachel long to relax into the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer but, when he tried to deepen the kiss, she pulled away resting her hands on his arms. "Noah, we can't. We are lucky it was only Finn that found us before."
"I know, you're right, but I've just waited so long for this."
"I know, me too," she told him placing a hand on his chest. "Let's just get through dessert and then we can go home." Rachel pulled away and started dishing out the cake before taking it out into the dining room.
Puck remained in the kitchen stacking the dishwasher when he realised the words Rachel had used: 'we can go home'. She, of course, had meant her house, but it made it sound like they lived together and he realised he didn't mind the sound of it at all.
Rachel walked into the kitchen and smiled at him. "We can finish that after we have cake," she said, taking his hand before handing him a plate. "Go back in and I'll just cover the cake up."
Puck left the kitchen with the plate Rachel had given him plus another one for her.
"Where's Rachel?" Hadassah questioned. "Did you kill her for the rest of the cake?"
"No, brat, she was just putting the cake into a container so it doesn't get gross."
"Good because she makes the best cakes ever."
"Thanks, Dass," Rachel said walking back into the room and taking her seat next to Puck.
"If this whole Broadway thing doesn't work out, you should totally open a café," she told Rachel with her mouth full.
"With discounts for friends and family," Burt added.
Rachel laughed. "I'll think about it."
"No, she won't," Santana told the table. "She isn't going to have to worry about a second choice. She will take Broadway by storm and everyone will know her name."
Rachel shook her head embarrassed as Carole said, "But she has a big enough heart to not forget her roots."
"And everyone in this room can account for that," Hannah said nodding.
"Please stop," Rachel mumbled covering her face with her hands as Puck rubbed her thigh under the table.
"She better not forget us," Puck stated.
"I might keep Kurt," Rachel said.
"Why Kurt?"
"I'll need a stylist. He is really all I'll need from Lima," she joked.
"What about the rest of us?" Puck asked as the room held their laughter while he didn't seem to get the joke.
"Well, I'll need good friends, so I guess Quinn and San can fill those rolls, Mercedes and Tina could be my hair and make-up girls, Mike and Britt can do chorography, Artie could be my agent and Sam and Finn could be my body guards."
"You forgot me, Rach."
"Did I?" Rachel asked, sharing a smile with Santana. "Well, I guess I could keep you around to be my date to red carpet events." Rachel patted his cheek. "Until I start dating James Franco, Andrew Garfield or Chase Crawford. Then I'll have no use for you."
The look on Puck's face was priceless and Rachel couldn't contain her laughter anymore and completely lost it, the rest of the table laughing with her.
"You think you are all so funny don't you?" Puck said, pushing his chair back and standing.
"Noah," Rachel said, wiping the tears of laughter off her cheeks and grabbing his hand. "I'm sorry, but you should have seen your face."
"Whatever," he said, collecting the plates up.
"I'll do it, Noah," Hannah said.
"It's okay, Ma."
"Yeah, Hannah, let us clean up. You cooked," Santana added, picking up other items from the table and following Puck into the kitchen.
Finn started collecting the rest of the things on the table as Rachel told the adults to head into the lounge and that she would bring in some coffee. "With the boys gone, feel free to come and live at our house, Rachel," Burt said.
Rachel laughed as she left and entered the kitchen. "So Burt said I could move into your house, Finn."
"Why?"
"I'm pretty sure it was the cake and or the offer to make coffee."
"You are taking the rest of that cake home right?" Finn asked with Puck nodding in the background.
"Yes, and you boys can take some to work tomorrow," Rachel said, wrapping her arms around Puck's waist. "And you can take some for Burt too," she added to Puck smiling.
"He will be happy with that, babe," Puck said, kissing the top of her head.
"Okay, I'll make the coffees and take them through. You go and get your stuff and then we can head back to mine."
Santana smiled watching the couple as Rachel kissed Puck quickly sending him upstairs with Finn following behind. Rachel flicked the switch on the kettle and took mugs out of the cupboard set to making the drinks.
"You know where everything is pretty well," Santana noted,
"I guess," Rachel shrugged. "I'm here a lot."
"I'm sure."
Rachel rolled her eyes and went about the kitchen making the coffee then, ignoring Santana altogether, put them on a tray and took them into the lounge.
"Thank you, Rachel," Burt said, accepting a mug from her. "I was serious about living with us."
She laughed, handing Carole and Hannah their coffees. "I'll think about it, Burt."
"No, she won't," Puck said, entering the room with Finn and Santana on his heels. "Thanks for dinner, Ma, it was great, but we are off."
"So soon?"
"Yeah, I've got to take Finn to get his truck before going back to Rach's and we all have to work tomorrow."
"Fair enough," she said, standing and hugging her son before moving on to the others. "Rachel, thanks for the cake – you are taking the leftovers with you right?"
"Yes, Noah wouldn't let me leave it," she answered, collecting her purse from its place by the door and hugging Burt and Carole before leading the group out the front door. "Thanks again for everything, Hannah."
"You're welcome, sweetie, anytime you know that," Hannah told Rachel hugging her once more.
"Ma, let the girl go," Puck called, already sitting in his truck with Finn.
"Go. We will catch up for lunch at work one day. Santana too if she is there."
"Sounds good. Bye, Hannah," Rachel said, unlocking her car and getting in, Santana hopping in the passenger side.
They waved as Rachel reversed down the drive and started the car for home. Santana turned the radio up and the girls sung loudly until they arrived home. Both giggling, Rachel unlocked the door, and they headed upstairs to change.
"I'll meet you back downstairs," Santana told Rachel as she continued up to the third floor.
Rachel pulled out some black shorts and Puck's old WMHS t-shirt and padded back downstairs and into the kitchen filling the kettle and placing it on the stove she just lit.
"Rach?" she heard the boys voices yell out
"In the kitchen, Noah."
She was standing at the stove pulling mugs from the drawer beneath when she heard the TV turn on in the lounge and a few minutes later she felt Puck's arms come around her waist.
"Finn is watching TV, so we are finally alone," he said, kissing the back of her neck. "I wondered where this shirt had gone," he added.
Rachel smiled as she heard the kettle whistle and turned off the stove before turning in his arms. "You left it here once. You can have it back if you want."
"Nah, it looks better on you, babe."
She leaned up on her toes and kissed him, wrapping her own arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered pulling away and resting her head on his chest.
"I love you too, Rach. I can't say how much I did not want to be at my mom's tonight."
"She was so happy to have us all though and she is working long hours for the next couple of weeks. We might end up having Dass here for a couple of nights if you are okay with that?"
"Yeah, I guess" Puck mumbled.
"She is fine and we can tell her about us before you mom. Dass can keep a secret. Also I was going to ring mom and see if she and Beth wanted to come for dinner tomorrow. I figured you would want to see your girl."
Puck was speechless as he watched Rachel turn away and start making some coffees for them all. He pulled her back and kissed her firmly before breaking it and adding, "I love you so much, babe,that would be great."
"Just remember, you are cooking," she said.
"I remember. How about I just BBQ?"
"Sounds great. I'll make salad when I get home then," Rachel said, moving out of his arms and picking up the cordless phone and dialling Shelby's number.
Rachel tucked the phone between her ear and her shoulder and kept making the drink handing a mug to Puck as Shelby answered.
"Hi Mom, it's me."
"Hey sweetie, how are you?"
"I'm really good. How are you and Beth doing?"
"Great, Beth is getting up to mischief as usual but beautiful."
"I was wondering if you wanted to come for dinner tomorrow night?" Rachel asked.
"That would be lovely. Any special occasion?"
"Noah and Finn arrived home today and are staying here and I thought it would be nice for Noah to see Beth."
"I forgot they were getting home today. It would be great for Beth to see him too. She has really missed him," Shelby said. "And it would be nice to spend time with you and Finn too."
"And Santana," Rachel added.
"Oh yes, how is everything going with her and how is her dad?"
"Everything is much better than it was when I saw you last. Her dad did squeeze her hand yesterday, but hasn't made any other progress since then."
"That is a shame, but I'm glad the two of you are okay."
"Yeah, I really think that we have formed a good friendship which is nice."
"What time tomorrow?" Shelby asked.
"Noah is going to do a BBQ and we are both finishing tomorrow at three, so any time you want after that. Finn's shift finishes at five so I guess we will eat at six-ish."
"Okay, well, I'll come around with Beth at four that way Noah can have some time with her before he starts grilling."
"He will love that," Rachel agreed smiling at the boy in question.
"Honey, is there something else on your mind, because you sound different?" Shelby questioned worried about her daughter.
"There is something I have to tell you. Noah and I are dating," Rachel said, grinning as Puck wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her head before taking the two coffees Rachel had made for Finn and Santana through to the lounge.
"Finally," she heard her mom exclaim. "I'm so happy for you two, baby."
"Thanks, Mom, we aren't telling everyone yet until I can get my dads on the phone and tell them, only because you know Hannah she will start planning our wedding and what not and I want my dads to know first."
"That is fair enough, Hannah can be crazy like that, I mean I love the woman but she was trying to get me to help her set the two of you up months ago."
"I know, honestly I love her but she is not at all subtle," Rachel laughed, shaking her head as she heard a cry in the background.
"Oh no, Rachel, I've got to go. Beth seems to have had a bad dream."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow, give her give hugs from us."
"I will, see you then," Shelby answered hanging up.
Rachel picked up her own mug and refilled the one Puck had left behind and made her way into the lounge relaxing onto the sofa into Puck's side handing him his mug.
"Thanks, babe."
"You are welcome. Your girl is coming tomorrow at four," she told him smiling up at him. "And mom said she is very happy for us."
"Beth is coming tomorrow?" Finn asked, turning the TV off.
"Yep, she and Mom are coming for dinner."
Santana looked up from her place next to Finn. "Do you want me to do dinner tomorrow while you are all at work then?"
"No, it's fine, Noah is going do a BBQ and I'll get some bread on the way home and make a salad when I get here."
"I want to do something. How about I make dessert?" Santana asked, wanting to feel like she was being useful.
"I like dessert," Finn said causing the girls to laugh.
"That sounds lovely, San. I'll leave you my car in case you need to go out. That's if Noah can drive me to work and pick me up?" Rachel told her but looking at Puck.
"I can do that, I'll have to drop you off early though because we are both doing nine till three," Puck said looking at her.
"That's fine. I have work to catch up on from today anyway so the extra time would be helpful," Rachel explained.
"What hours are you working, Finn?" Santana asked the boy next to her.
"Eleven till five so we can hang out in the morning if you want," he responded.
"Sounds good," she said yawning. "But it's time for bed for me, night guys."
"Night, San," Rachel replied yawning herself. "I'm not going to be far behind you."
She watched Santana head upstairs before Finn announced that he too was turning in and he walked off down the hall towards the first floor guest room that he and Puck usually shared.
Puck collected the mugs and took them into the kitchen and stacked them in the dishwasher turning it on before re-entering the lounge. "Come on, babe, time for bed for you," he said holding his hand out to Rachel and pulling her to stand in front of him.
"I'm so happy that you are back, Noah, today was a great day."
"It really was," he agreed, kissing her softly. "Now off to bed, I have to get to sleep before Finn otherwise I'll have to listen to him snore all night."
"I'm going, I'm ready to fall asleep standing up," she yawned. "I love you"
"I love you too Rach, I'll see you in the morning," he said, kissing her again before turning her towards the stairs and pushing her slightly to head to her room. She got to the top of the stairs and waved at him before continuing onto her room
Puck checked the downstairs doors making sure everything was locked before switching the lights off and then heading off to bed himself. As he lay in bed he realized that everything had changed for the better and just like he had wanted. Tomorrow was the start of the rest of his life with Rachel and although he wasn't willing to admit it to anyone else yet, he knew he wanted it to be like this always.