No real excuses for the long hiatus... Life kind of just git in the way. But to get back in everyone's good graces I've already started on the next chapter, which will be Rachel and Puck's date. Maybe there will even be some steaminess... Hugs and ponies go to reviewers, on top of the love and rockets that go to those who haven't given up on me.

CHAPTER TEN:

JUST TRUST ME

"Hi Rach." Brittany smiled, bouncing up to the brunette's locker just after the last bell of the day.

"Hey Brit." Rachel smiled back, "What's up?"

"Well," the blonde responded as Rachel closed her locker "I was thinking about what you said at lunch, you know, about how you've never been on a date before?"

Rachel cringed "Yeah."

"I was thinking I could help you get ready or something."

"You want to help me?" She asked incredulously.

"Of course, silly." Brittany smiled wider.

"Okay…"

The blonde looped her arm through Rachel's as the two of them made their way to the parking lot. "So do you know where you're going tonight?"

"No. Does that matter?"

"Of course it matters! If you don't know where you're going how do you know what to wear?"

"I never thought about that." Rachel admitted.

Brittany shook her head, her blonde ponytail bouncing from side to side. "For a smart girl you don't know very much, do you?" Rachel just smiled indulgently at the ex-Cheerio.

"Whoa…" Brittany breathed as she got out of her car. She'd parked behind Rachel in the latter's four car driveway. "This is your house?"

Rachel looked up at the impressively sized abode. "All my life."

"Cool." The blonde smiled over at her. "With my mom and all my sisters around my house feels smaller than it really is."

Rachel smiled back at the tall girl wistfully as she unlocked the front door. "My dads are awesome, but they're not home a lot. I wish I had brothers or sisters running around... Noah's little sister is adorable."

"You met Puck's sister?"

Rachel nodded, confused. "You've never met her?"

Brittany shook her head. "Nope. I know Finn has, but he and Puck have been best friends for, like, ever… Santana met his mom once, I think. But the littlest Puckerman is a mystery. I don't think I even know her name…"

"Dani." Rachel supplied as she deposited her bag on the kitchen table. "Danica."

"That's a cool name." Brit replied, as she looked around the beautifully appointed kitchen. The island and countertops were made of deep blue granite and the cabinets and table and chairs were a dark wood. To balance out the dark there were stainless steel appliances and behind the sink a cheerful yellow and blue backsplash. There were fresh herbs growing in a planter on the windowsill and stainless steel pots and pans hung from a rack above the gas range.

"It means 'morning star' in Hebrew." Rachel offered lamely as Brittany wandered around.

"Your kitchen is awesome." The blonde stated. "Even I would cook if I had a kitchen like this."

"I love cooking."

"That's cool," Brittany smiled, "I don't really know how."

"It's really pretty easy." The blonde just nodded. "Do you want to see the rest of the house?" Rachel asked awkwardly.

"Sure." Brittany laughed.

The blonde gaped when they reached the dance studio in the basement. "Rachel, this place is so cool!"

Rachel nodded "Yeah, my dads-" It was her turn to gape when Brittany executed 3 perfect grand plies then extended her leg straight above her head. "Holy crap. Brit…"

Brit giggled "I know, right?"

"Does Mike know you can do that?" The blonde just wiggled her eyebrows. Then both girls burst into laughter. "Can you show me how to do that?"

"It's not really something you can teach… Are you bendy?"

Rachel nodded "I can do the splits; I just can't do them standing up."

"You could have been a Cheerio." Rachel just shook her head. After a few seconds of uncomfortable silence Brittany lowered her leg and smiled. "We'll work on the standing splits thing." She looked over at Rachel with an eyebrow raised as they started up the stairs. "Is there anything else I should know about you?"

"I don't have a gag reflex." The brunette admitted.

"What?" Brittany asked, shocked. Rachel just shrugged and continued up the stairs. "You cannot tell Puck that."

"Just come out Rach!" Brittany called out as she went through the brunette's underwear drawer.

"What are you doing?" Rachel asked, standing in the doorway of her walk in closet, her hands on her hips.

The ex-Cheerio turned around with a tiny scrap of black in one hand and a slightly larger scrap of red cotton in the other hand. "Do you want to sleep with him tonight?"

"What?" Rachel asked, her mouth hanging open in shock.

Brittany giggled as the blush spread across Rachel's cheeks and down her neck. "If you want him to see your underwear wear these," she held up the black thong, "and if you don't, wear these." She held up the red cotton boy shorts.

Rachel bit her lip nervously. "What if I'm not sure?"

Brittany furrowed her brow "Hmm… Go change, I'll find something."

The brunette frowned "What's wrong with this?" She looked down at the pink blouse, black skirt, pink knee highs, and black flats.

"Just change." Brittany ordered, turning back to the drawer. Rachel huffed and went back into the closet. "Oh my gosh! Rach, I got it!"

"Got what?" Rachel asked, poking her head out of the closet.

Brittany held up a sheer pair of purple lace boy shorts and a matching bra. "They're perfect. You can totally go to third base in these."

"Brit…"

"Just trust me Rach. You put them on and I'll find you the perfect outfit. Then we'll work on your hair and makeup."

"What's wrong with my hair?"

"Perfect." Brittany announced, looking Rachel up and down. "You'll totally, like, melt his brain."

Rachel barely recognized herself in the mirror. Her long dark hair was done in a loose fishtail braid that fell over herleft shoulder, with a few artfully placed tendrils framing her face and her eyes looked huge and dark, enhanced by the smoky eye makeup Brittany had applied. As for her outfit the two girls had decided on the gray jeans Santana had 'given' her, a lacy white camisole layered under an identical black one and a pair of purple flats –which matched the purple lingerie she wore. "What if I get cold?"

The blonde handed her a purple cardigan. "Take this, but don't wear it the whole time."

"Okay. I- Brit, thanks for helping me."

"No problem, Rach. That's what friends are for, right?"

Rachel's eyes stung with unshed tears when Brittany said the word friend –she refused to cry and risk ruining the makeup the blonde had painstakingly applied. "Yeah."

Brit grabbed her jacket and backpack as they walked through the kitchen towards the front door. "So I want all the details. Okay?"

Rachel smiled softly and nodded. "You'll be the first to know."

"Okay." The blonde smiled and started for her car. "Have fun!"

Rachel paced her kitchen nervously, rifled through her purse to make sure she had all the essentials –keys, phone, lip gloss- checked herself out in the shiny surface of the refrigerator and started the whole process over again. She was so nervous. This was her first date! She nearly jumped out of her skin when the doorbell rang.

She took several –what were supposed to be relaxing- breaths before heading for the front door. Pasting on her best smile she flung the door open. "Hi No-Finn. What are you doing here?"