Let Me Be Your Star
A Glee Fan Fiction
Chapter 10
A/N: I'm leaving for California on Tuesday and I most likely will NOT be getting a chance to update until August. I'm really sorry about the short-term hiatus, but I might be able to get one more update before I leave, but I'm not sure. BTW: The names I picked for Puck's sister and mother are Jewish names-I went on a baby name website to make sure I selected some Jewish ones because they make his mother out to be very true to her culture.

Rachel Berry really did love Finn Hudson. She had since she'd met him when he'd joined Glee club and been the first to befriend her back in sophomore year. She remembered when he'd carried her backpack into the school, across the parking lot for her, to the dismay of his current girlfriend, Quinn Fabray. They'd had their first kiss that year as well, while he was still dating the perfect blonde. That kiss had given Rachel hope, because she realized, in that single moment, that it was possible for her to get the guy and the perfect blonde to end up without the popular football player with the nice-guy persona.

She remembered their first official date as well, when they'd gone bowling-her first time, ever. He'd been begging her to come back to the Glee Club, while everybody has had replaced her with April Rhodes. He'd been the only one to understand her talent and want her to return. They'd kissed again. He'd even admitted that his feelings and their kiss had been real for him, despite Quinn's pregnancy.

They flirted together during class sometimes as well. And she'd come rushing to his defense when the biggest perv in the school had wanted to leak that story about Quinn's pregnancy around. She'd offered up a pair of underwear, allowing proof to his lies-and that had impressed Finn. Rachel had overheard Finn telling picture perfect Quinn that he wished that she was just a little bit more like Rachel. That had added a fresh coat of hope to her longing for a relationship with the talented boy.

Rather than voting for Kurt, as most of the Glee club would have done if his voice hadn't cracked during the first Diva-Off, he'd sworn from the beginning that he would vote for Rachel. He'd even helped her out when she was learning how to work her chair. On top of that all, she'd helped him to get a job so that Quinn would stop insulting him, picking fights with him over the money issue that would result in her parents finding out about the pregnancy. Of course, he was into her looks as well as her personality. He'd admitted that he liked her outfit when she'd changed her appearance because of Kurt's advice. But, he'd followed it up by saying that he preferred how she usually dressed. And, on multiple occasions, she'd caught him staring at her ass or her boobs.

He'd broken up with Quinn, and at first he hadn't wanted to be with Rachel-but he had realized he loved her, eventually. And she'd been the one to deny him. He hadn't given up easily. He'd told her straight out he wouldn't give up that easily.

Then there was when she got sick. That was when she realized he loved her too. It was confirmed at regionals though.

"Good luck," She smiled at her co-captain as they waited for their cue to start their Journey-inspired performance for Regionals that year.

"I love you," He said back to her in response. Her jaw dropped as he walked towards her and kissed her, long and hard, right before the music began and their performance started. Just as their relationship.

Then junior year had rolled around and she'd realized, after they'd broken up, that she could love another. She'd fallen in love with Noah Puckerman, and she'd realized it early in the year, when he'd been sent to juvie. She'd easily been the most upset member of New Directions when she news had been delivered. After all, he'd only ever been sweet to her and that had been proven when Santana's bitchiness had gotten to be too much to handle. When she'd claimed that nobody liked Rachel, Puck had stood up to her, saying that he actually did like her. And, he'd asked what was wrong and worked to comfort her when she'd learned about Santana and Finn having sex the previous year. He'd been just as sweet when he'd helped her make Finn jealous by singing that duet with her.

Not to add that he'd defended her to those rude football players, running at them with a guitar when they dared to insult her precious glee club. Sure, he'd been insulted as well, but the look he'd given her beforehand proved that it was mostly because they were making jokes about something she cared so deeply about and due to her performance. And, it had been his guitar used as a weapon and that was his baby. Not to forget that he'd made sure she was prepared for the game, chuckling at her "Let's kick some ass" comment before patting her on the helmet for good luck.

Of course, when he'd sung to Lauren for Valentine's day, she'd been deeply shocked. After all, she had just recently heard Puck tell Finn that he did, in fact, have feelings for Rachel that went deeper than the two being hot Jews. Still, he'd sung for the bitch and she'd been anything but grateful. She'd made him feel like shit afterwards. Rachel had never done that when Puck had sung a song that was so obviously dedicated to her before. She wasn't that rude.

He helped her throw that party as well, when she'd first started to embrace her bad girl side. He'd even made sure everybody came to the party-which had later been revealed to her by Kurt and Mercedes. He also never mocked her idea for original songs, as most of the club had done. He even hugged her when she'd won MVP.

He'd also called her hot, telling her that a nose job would delete her Jewish roots from her face and make her less hot. He even helped Kurt-which was a shock, seeing how they got along now-to organize that Babs-intervention.

He drove her home after the funeral as well. He was always giving her rides. And then there was New York.

"You really love him," Puck sighed as he held Rachel's hand as they walked down the street towards their hotel. Rachel could detect some sadness in his voice, but she couldn't place the reason. After all, he had Lauren. As much as she hated it.

"Yeah..."She nodded, a smile on her face. "I think I do," She answered.

"You want me to help?"

"I'm coming here after next year," She explained, looking around Times Square. "Why start something I won't be able to finish?"

"He loves you too," He swallowed. "He'd follow you,"

"I don't want him to give up any of his dreams for me,"

"Do you love him?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then you deserve to be with him. You should be happy. Let me talk to him."

"Thanks, Puck."

She sighed as she shook her head, walking from the bedroom in the suite and spotting the fallen bags outside of her door.

"Kurt?" She called.

"Yeah?"

"Did you go shopping?"

"No. Why?"

"There's bags on the floor but-you left the door open?"

"Oh, that? Puck came in a few minutes ago with some shopping bags but then he turned around and ran off, like, right after that."

"Where did he-"

"I don't know and I honestly don't care."

"Ass," She muttered as she grabbed her phone and slipped on a pair of flip-flops, sprinting from the apartment and to the elevator.

"RACHEL!" She didn't pause as Kurt yelled after her. She was too angry and too upset.

If Puck heard me talking to Finn then I have no right to tell him how I feel, she thought as she stepped into the elevator and hurried to the lobby.

But, if he heard-why'd he run off? Unless...was it possible that Puck felt the same way? She shook her head as she raced outside.

Just as she reached the street her cell phone rang.

"Hello?" She asked quickly. "Ayla? What's going-I can't understand you! Calm down-let me talk to your mom." Rachel said.

"Hena?" She sighed in relief as she spoke to Puck's mother. "What's going-you're on your way here? Why?" She wondered.

She paused as she listened, her heart dropping.

"Which hospital?" She asked finally. She nodded swiftly before hanging up and taking off running-she had no patience for a cab.