AN: So, I'm sorry I left you with a cliffie last chapter! Okay, maybe not too sorry! ;o) lol Anyway, since it's Christmas, here's a nice little chapter for you! Please enjoy! Thanks to you all; you all are amazing! Please R&R! :o)

Chapter 10: A Family Affair

Noah's green eyes burned into Rachel's brown ones. He leaned in to touch his lips to hers, but just as Rachel could feel his breath on her face, the door flung open.

"NOAH! We're home!" his mother yelled from the entryway.

Puck groaned inwardly as he backed up from Rachel. He knew he probably could steal a quick kiss, but he wanted his first kiss with Rachel to be special. For her, of course, because if he admitted he wanted it to be special for him too, he'd sound like a complete girl.

It didn't matter anyway. The spell had been broken the second Nina came bounding in the living room.

"Who are you?" Nina asked curiously, as she skidded to a stop in front of Rachel.

"I'm Rachel," she answered. "I'm one of your brother's friends from school."

"I'm Nina," the little girl replied proudly.

"Hey, Squirt," Puck said, ruffling her hair.

"Hey, Jerkface," Nina said, punching him in the arm.

Rachel smiled as she watched the siblings interact. She felt a slight pang of disappointment of not having a sibling growing up.

"Oh, I had no idea we had company, Noah," his mother said as she walked into the living room. "I hope we didn't interrupt anything."

Oh, nothing, just our first kiss. No big deal, he thought, urging himself not to roll his eyes.

"Mom, this is Rachel," Puck introduced.

"Hello, Mrs. Puckerman," Rachel said, stepping forward to shake her hand.

"Call me Hannah," the older woman said, smiling brightly.

"Rachel and I have a duet for Glee," Puck said. "We were just rehearsing."

"Actually, I'm just leaving," Rachel said hesitantly.

"You most certainly will not," Hannah said sharply.

Rachel panicked. Had Noah's mom seen them about to kiss? She glanced at Puck who looked just as nervous.

"I won't?" she peeped, eyes wide.

"No," Hannah cooed. "You must stay for dinner," she smiled widely as her eyes caught a glimpse of Rachel's Star of David necklace. "It's not often Noah brings friends home. Especially beautiful, Jewish girls."

Hannah smiled even wider as she gently nudged Puck. He winced.

"Real subtle, Mom," he groaned.

Rachel giggled through the whole exchange.

"I'd be delighted to stay, Hannah. Thank you for offering," Rachel accepted politely. "Let me call my fathers to let them know."

She excused herself into the kitchen, and Hannah nonverbally grilled her son. Her eyes told him, She's really pretty. I like her already. His eyes told her, Yeah she is. I like her too. Hannah nodded, very satisfied at his response. Puck just laughed and shook his head at his mom's antics. She meant well.

They ate dinner and engaged in normal conversation. Rachel did her best to mentally reel herself in if she felt like she was talking too much. Puck seemed to know exactly what was going through her head, and he smiled at her in encouragement.

However, Hannah didn't mind one bit hearing Rachel speak. She was impressed with everything about Rachel. In Hannah's opinion, it wasn't every day one met such a nice girl with Rachel's manners, intelligence, ambition, and beauty. Puck knew that if she could have her way, Hannah would have them married by dessert.

Nina seemed to be equally enthralled with Rachel. When she heard that Rachel could play the piano, Nina asked her to play and sing for them after dinner. Rachel turned about three shades of red.

"Well, I don't know, Nina," Rachel hesitated.

"Oh, please, Rachel!" Nina begged.

"Sure, Rachel, why don't you and Noah perform your duet?" Hannah suggested.

"Um, Mom, we really don't have to," Noah sputtered.

"Noah! I want to hear you sing too!" Nina whined, bouncing in her seat.

"Okay, okay, we'll sing!" Noah finally relented, throwing up his hands in defeat.

Hannah and Nina beamed proudly. Rachel caught Puck's eye from across the table. She smiled gently, and he had the audacity to wink at her, with his mother sitting right there!

After dinner, Puck and Rachel situated themselves in the living room. Rachel had suggested she play the piano and Puck his guitar instead of doing the choreography. They sang their duet, sitting, of course, because Rachel was pretty sure Noah's mother would've had a heart attack if she realized the amount of sexual tension between the two. When they finished, Hannah had tears in her eyes, and Nina watched her brother and Rachel in awe.

"You sing like a Disney princess," Nina marveled.

"Thank you, Nina," Rachel giggled.

"Hey now! What about me, Dork?" Puck asked, putting Nina in a loose headlock and tickling her sides.

"You were great too, Noah," Nina said between shrieks and giggles. "Now, let me go!"

Puck laughed as he let Nina go, and she pulled Rachel back to the piano and sat down beside her.

"Will you teach me something?" Nina asked sweetly.

Rachel glanced at Noah in surprise. He could tell she was touched by Nina's obvious fascination with her. But he could tell it scared her too. He just nodded in encouragement. He was so proud of Rachel at that moment.

"Of course," Rachel said, smiling down at Nina.

Rachel proceeded to teach Nina how to play Chopsticks, while Noah and his mom watched from the couch.

"She's a very nice girl, Noah," Hannah whispered.

"Yeah, she is, Mom," Noah sighed contently.

"Do you like her?" she asked.

"I do," Noah answered, smiling unconsciously as he watched Rachel and Nina giggle at the piano.

"Well, I think she's a keeper. Don't screw it up," she said with a wink. "Nina, it's time for you to get ready for bed."

"Aw, Mom," Nina griped. But she got up anyway and hugged Rachel tightly around the waist. "Come back soon, Rachel."

Rachel's breath caught in her throat at the sweet girl's words.

"Okay, Nina. Goodnight," Rachel whispered.

Nina hugged and kissed her mom and Noah before heading up to bed. Hannah was washing dishes in the kitchen, when Rachel offered to help.

"No, dear, you don't need to help," Hannah waved her off.

"Well, why don't Noah and I wash them for you, and you go relax?" Rachel proposed.

Noah groaned at Rachel's suggestion. "Seriously, Berry?!"

She grinned impishly at him and held up a sponge and a dishrag. "Wash or dry?"

Noah swiped the dishrag, rolled it up, and snapped it at Rachel, who jumped playfully out of the way. Hannah smiled in approval as the cute couple set to work washing the dishes.

The two worked in comfortable silence, with Noah reaching over every once in awhile and flicking soap at Rachel who proceeded to splash him with the faucet hose. The dishes were finished in record time, but in Puck's opinion, all too soon. Rachel folded the towels and wiped down the counter. Puck noticed that she had a little soap in the hair framing her face. So he leaned over and wiped it from her face, stroking her cheek with the tips of his fingers as he did. Rachel's eyes were shining as she looked up at him. She flushed slightly, and Puck decided he would never get tired of seeing that.

"I need to go," Rachel said quietly.

"I'll walk you out," Puck replied.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Rachel breathed.

"Yeah, we are so going to kick some Glee tail with our duet tomorrow!" Puck teased.

Rachel beamed at him. "Now don't forget: you cannot have any milk or ice cream tomorrow! Dairy products produce excess mucus which coats the vocal cords. Not good," she instructed.

"Yes, Mom," he sighed exasperatedly.

"Huh? Did you need something, dear?" Hannah called absently from the living room.

Rachel put her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Thank you for inviting me to stay for dinner," she said as they meandered to her car.

Puck smiled tenderly at her. "Thank you for being so awesome with my sister and mom," he said seriously.

Rachel wasn't sure how to say goodbye, and they ended doing the whole awkward "to hug or not to hug" dance before finally hugging. Puck wrapped his arms around Rachel, cocooning her in his grasp, and Rachel linked her arms around Puck's waist. Rachel sighed into his chest. Puck thought he could've stayed just like that, holding Rachel to his chest, for the rest of his life. Then, all too soon, she began to pull away so she could smile up at him. She leaned up to kiss his cheek like she did that very first night he admitted he cared for her. Then, she got into her car and left, smiling and waving one more time as she drove away.

Puck watched her leave with a smile on his face. Yeah, he was pretty sure he was whipped, and they hadn't even been on a real date yet.

AN2: Merry Christmas to you all! So, how's about some nice reviews in return?? Hehehe ;o) Remember, R&R = Love! :o)