It was Thursday night and that meant that Rachel was at the Mercury Lounge. She sung there every week and had for the past couple of months. They were paying her well since she was fairly well known and she was between shows so she figured why not?
"Alright guys, I'm gonna go a little old school if that's okay with you. I think you'll know the song though." She looked to the band behind her. "Hit it!" The music started up and she smiled, swaying along to the beat. "I saw him dancin' there by the record machine. I knew he must'a been about seventeen. The beat was goin' strong playin' my favorite song. I could tell it wouldn't be long 'til he was with me. Yeah me. I could tell it wouldn't be long 'til he was with me. Yeah me. Singin' I love rock n' roll. So put another dime in the jukebox baby. I love rock n' roll. So come on take the time and dance with me."
There was an instrumental break and Rachel laughed, looking at all the drunk dancing in the crowd. Until she saw the man standing in the front with the beer in his hand and the smirk on his face. She smiled at him and almost missed her cue to start singing again.
"He smiled so I got up and asked for his name. But that don't matter, he said, cuz it's all the same. He said can I take you home, where we can be alone? And next we were movin' on and he was with me. Yeah me. We were movin' on and singin' that same old song. Yeah with me. Singin' I love rock n' roll. So put another dime in the jukebox baby. I love rock n' roll. So come on take the time and dance with me."
"Whooooo!" He yelled for her.
"I love rock n' roll. So put another dime in the jukebox baby. I love rock n' roll. So come on take the time and dance with...I love rock n' roll. So put another dime in the jukebox baby. I love rock n' roll. So come on take the time and dance with...I love rock n' roll. So put another dime in the jukebox baby. I love rock n' roll. So come on take the time and dance with me." She smiled and nodded graciously as the crowd cheered and announced that she was taking a break but she'd be back for one more. As soon as she got off stage, she went straight to the bar.
"Already bought you a drink." She heard from behind her.
She turned around to hazel eyes and a mischievious smirk. She looked at the cocktail he was holding out for her. "Thank you. But I can't drink tonight."
He sighed and drained the glass in three gulps. "What can I get you then? Soda, water, what?"
"A soda would be great." She watched him as he talked to the bartender and cocked her head to look at him.
"What?" He asked.
"What are you doing here Noah?"
"Watching you kick ass. That's what I'm doing."
She rolled her eyes. "I meant, what are you doing in New York?"
"Visiting." He answered. "But I was in the village earlier and overheard some people talking about how the great Rachel Berry performs at this club on Thursday. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see you in all your glory."
She laughed. "This isn't my glory, this is what I do for fun."
"Whatever." He takes a long sip of his beer. "So how you been Rach?"
"I don't have time to tell you everything I've been doing."
"Gee thanks." He replied. "Glad you're happy to see me."
"I am happy to see you, but I have a show to do." She looked at the stage where there were some really drunk patrons trying their hand at karaoke. "Oh good Lord. This makes my inner diva cringe."
He chuckled. "Good to know there's still some of the old you in there."
"Would you like an abridged version of what I've been doing for the last twelve years?" She asked. He nodded, so she took a deep breath. "I moved here after graduation, went to NYU, got accepted into Tische. Did a couple school plays, graduated with honors. Got the understudy for Elphaba in Wicked, actually got to play one night. Rest is history."
He nodded once. "O-kay. Sweet."
She rolled her eyes. "What about you Puckerman?"
"Uh, barely graduated. Didn't get into college. Followed your bitch of a mother around until she slapped me with a restraining order. Hit rock bottom, got in touch with Sam again. Me and him are trying to start a record label out of Ohio. I teach guitar lessons on the weekends."
"Shelby isn't letting you see Beth anymore?" Rachel asked in disbelief. Before he could answer, one of the bartenders told her she was back on in five minutes. She looked at Puck apologetically.
"Go." He told her. "I'll still be here when you're done."
"Okay guys." She said when she was back in front of the microphone. "I was going to perform one of my favorite songs for you, but um...I'm gonna change things up. Think of this as...my personal tribute to a Jewish musical icon." She put her hand over the mic and whispered to the band. The music started and she looked to see Puck's reaction. He had a huge smile on his face as soon as he recognized the tune. "Where it began, I can't begin to knowin'. But then I know it's growin' strong. Was in the spring. Then spring became summer. Who'd have believed you'd come along? Hands touching hands. Reaching out. Touching me, touching you. Oh, Sweet Caroline. Good times never seemed so good. I've been inclined. Come on guys, sing along. To believe it never would. So now I look at the nights and they don't seem so lonely. We fill it up with only two. And when I hurt, hurting runs off my shoulders. How could I hurt when holding you? Warm, touching warm. Reaching out. Touching me, touching you. Oh, Sweet Caroline. Ba ba ba. Good times never seemed so good. I've been inclined. To believe it never would. Oh, Sweet Caroline. Ba ba ba. Good times never seemed so good. Oh, I've been inclined. To believe they never would. Oh no, no..." The band played the final few notes of the song and she took her bows, waving as she exited the stage. "Well?" She said as she joined Puck again. "Did you like it? It was secretly dedicated to you."
He laughed. "Thanks. It definitely made my night. So, where were we?"
"Noah," She put her hand on his arm. "I sung that because I was hoping that then you wouldn't be terribly angry when I bailed on you. I'm so sorry. I have to get home. Someone's waiting on me."
He looked at her hand. "I don't see a wedding band."
"I'm not married." She responded.
"Boyfriend?" She shook her head. "Girlfriend?"
She laughed loudly. "No!"
"But there is some kinda man in your life."
She hesitated on her answer. "Yes, I guess you could say that."
He raised an eyebrow. "What? You think he wouldn't like me or do you just really wanna blow me off."
She whined. "Noah. I'm not trying to do that." She sighed. "You really wanna meet him?"
He shrugged. "Sure."
"Fine. But this does not go back to Lima with you, got it?"
He knitted his eyebrows together. "Is he like a serial killer or something?"
She rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go. It's, like, a twenty minute cab ride to my place."
If he was impressed when they walked into the lobby of the building, he was something else entirely when they got off on the top floor and Rachel walked to the door of the Penthouse Suite."
"Fancy digs, Berry."
She smiled, turning her key. "Broadway pays good." She opened the door a crack and looked at him. "Can you wait out here?"
He thought she was joking for a second, but when she didn't laugh, he just nodded dumbly.
"Thanks."
After a couple minutes, the door opened, but there was no Rachel. Or male for that matter. It was a woman younger than them.
"Hi." She greeted him.
"Holy shit, Berry's a lesbian." He muttered.
The girl's face wrinkled with confusion. "Uh, no. I'm Amanda, I was just leaving. She's in there waiting for you."
He slowly entered the apartment and looked around. It was nice. Like, really nice. "Rach?"
"I'm in the kitchen!" She yelled.
He walked through the living room into the huge kitchen where she was standing in front of the refrigerator. "Hey, Berry. I thought you said you weren't into chicks. You know that makes two of my exes. I'm starting to take it personally."
"Noah, I'm not..." She was interupted by a small boy running and clinging to her leg. "Oh, baby, I thought you were going to brush your teeth." She looked at Puck's even more shocked expression. She picked the boy up and walked closer to Puck. "Honey, this is Noah. He's an old friend of mine. Noah, this is Micah. My son."
"Hi." The boy waved, even though his head was mostly buried in Rachel's hair.
"Hey." Puck responded.
"Um, I'm gonna go put him to bed. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back. Honey, say goodnight to Noah."
"Night Noah."
"G'night little man."
When Rachel came back down, he was sitting on the couch. She joined him.
"Sorry about that. He usually falls asleep faster." She said.
"S'cool." He replied. "So...you got a kid?"
She looked at him wide eyed before giggling a little. "Yes, Noah. I have a kid."
"Are you divorced?" She shook her head. "Sorry, this is kind wierd for me."
"It's okay." She promised. "He's five. His dad's not in our lives. Hence, the baby sitter you're convinced I'm fucking."
He was about to respond when his head jerked to look at her. "Did you just say fuck?" She laughed and shook her head. "Finn's not the daddy is he?"
"God no!" She said almost a little too loudly. "No, just some loser with a bad condom. Not that I'd trade Micah for anything. He's my entire world. Which is why I can identify with the Beth thing even more now."
"I don't wanna talk about it." He snapped.
"Sorry." She whispered.
He sighed. "Whatever. Not your fault. So...you raise that munchkin all by yourself?"
She nodded. "Well, I mean. I have babysitters for nights like tonight or when I have a show."
"Still. Rach, that's awesome." She rolled her eyes. "No, seriously. Some people can't even raise a kid alone when they're doing nothin'. You're a friggin Broadway superstar and you seem like you got your shit under control. I'm impressed."
"It's an illusion." She chuckled. "Don't get me wrong, I love being a mom. But it just gets really hard when I'm trying to keep track of what nights I'm supposed to be where and whether or not I remembered to call Amanda, and showing up to dress rehearsal with pudding all over my clothes. And he hasn't even started school yet."
He put his hand on her knee. "Seems like you're doing a great job."
"Thank you. You know what's the worst part of it all though? It's that whenever something huge happens, like when he said his first word or he walked for the first time, there was no one there for me to share it with. You know? I mean, I would of course call my dads and they'd be thrilled. But there's no one here who loves him as much as me to say 'that's our son'." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "God, listen to me. You wanted to have fun with an old friend and I'm sitting here complaining about how lonely I am."
"Mommy?"
She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'll be right back."
He followed her this time, up the stairs and into a room he just knew she'd loved decorating.
"What's wrong, baby?" She asked, sitting down on the bed.
"I'm afraid."
"Of what, baby?"
He shrugged.
"Rach?" Puck made himself known. "Can I try? I'm kinda good at this."
She stared at him for a minute and got up. He took her place.
"Hey little man." He said. "I like your pjs."
"Thanks."
"So what's goin' on?"
"I got scared."
"What for?"
"I don't know."
"Did you have a bad dream?"
"Maybe."
Puck nodded. "Sometimes I have bad dreams too."
"Do you yell for your mommy?"
Rachel giggled behind him.
"Heck yeah, my mom's awesome." He answered. "Lemme tell you somethin' about my mom. She raised me and my little sister all by herself. Just like your mom does. And you know what?"
"What?"
"I think your mom might be even better at it than my mom was. What do you think? Your mom's pretty cool huh?" Micah nodded. "I think so too. She'd never let anything bad happen to you. You know that?" The boy nodded again. "So you don't got nothin' to be afraid of, right?"
"I guess not."
"So you gonna be a big boy and go to sleep? Trust your mom's gonna take care of you?"
"Yeah."
"Alright. Gimme five." He held up his hand and let Micah slap it. "Now tell your mama good night and that you love her."
"Night mommy. I love you."
"Love you too, baby."
"Goodnight Noah." He said before turning over.
"Night buddy." He responded, standing up and putting his hand on Rachel's back to lead her out of the room.
"That was amazing." She whispered out in the hall.
"What can I say, kids love me."
She hit his arm lightly. "Don't do that. You're kind of fantastic."
He smiled. "Yeah? Well so are you. Fuck that, you're amazing."
"When do you have to be back in Ohio?"
He looked up, with a grin. "I could be persuaded to stay a couple more days.