Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me through this fic! I really appreciate all the reviews, favorites, and follows, and I love sharing the joy of Puckleberry with you guys. There will be one more chapter after this one.

Chapter 13: Fate

Rachel made sure to change as many things as she could. She moved their wedding date a few months later than what she'd remembered it was. She chose Mexico instead of Florida for their honeymoon. Thankfully, Noah's proposal was the same, and she was ecstatic at getting to experience it firsthand. She'd acted surprised, and he bought it, though Kurt had looked at her a little strangely.

She toyed with telling Kurt about her knowledge of the future. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Telling someone would make it real. Part of her thought it might have all been some psychic dream. Another part of her knew it had happened, but she couldn't find a way to explain it in words that didn't make her sound certifiably insane. Besides, she felt that if someone else knew of the impending accident, it might actually cause it to happen, illogical as that seemed.

Needless to say, she kept her mouth shut. And most of the time, she enjoyed her life, forgetting that it had been previously shown to her. After all, she'd only seen a glimpse. There were so many great times in between that she hadn't been aware of—glee reunions, weddings, baby showers, parties, holidays. And there were the times she'd known about and wanted to experience firsthand—traveling, building a home with Noah, Broadway performances, that mile high club induction … she had an amazing life, and she never let herself forget it.

When the invitation for Bombshell came, it turned out to be starring one of her closest theater friends. But she had to decline. She couldn't risk going to that show.

The weekend of the accident, Rachel was a nervous wreck. She'd begged Noah to stay home from work on Friday. Now that she'd canceled their theater plans, maybe fate was looking for another way to take him away from her. She prayed to Patti to help her through this, but there was no answer. Noah went to work, and of course, he was fine. Their Fire Island trip with Beth on Saturday was also accident-free. She cried herself to sleep on Saturday night, enveloped in Noah's slumbering arms and yet never feeling more alone. She needed to get through one more day, and then that'd be it. As of Monday, she would have no more knowledge of the future. Whatever happened from then on was up to the universe.

At Beth's game on Sunday, she made Noah sit as far away from the field as possible, terrified of stray softballs falling from the sky. Whenever he asked why she was being so paranoid, she could only answer with, "I have a feeling something bad's going to happen." She didn't know how to tell him that this could be his last day alive.

Since they weren't heading to the theater after dropping Beth at home, Rachel convinced Noah to drive the truck into the city to get to Shelby's apartment. He hated the idea, but she didn't want him anywhere near Manhattan on foot. To his credit, he saw how worried she was and agreed.

They returned home to Brooklyn safe and sound, deciding to plan their summer vacation trip to Vegas over takeout.

"Where are you going?" she asked when he hung up the phone with the Mexican place and started putting on his shoes.

He looked up at her blankly. "Gonna go get our dinner."

"You didn't ask for delivery?" she squeaked.

"It's two blocks away. Why would I do that?" his forehead creased. "Seriously, what is gonna happen walking to Pablo's?"

"I'm coming with you." She slid on her own shoes and they headed outside. She gripped his hand and kept alert, looking for errant bike messengers and speeding cars.

They arrived at the Mexican restaurant and Rachel breathed an immense sigh of relief that they'd made it.

As the bell over the door jingled to announce their arrival, the man in front of the counter turned to see who had entered.

Rachel swallowed a scream as she took in the masked gunman in front of them and the frightened employees behind the counter. One of them was in the midst of handing over a pile of cash.

"Get out!" The masked man shouted, and Noah, who had already stepped in front of Rachel, started backing away, taking her with him. "Faster!" The man waved his gun around, and they stumbled backward, holding onto each other. Rachel's heart pounded. She prayed again for Noah's safety as they headed outside.

The masked man came tearing out of the restaurant and a car careened over the curb to pick him up. As Rachel and Noah jumped out of the way, Noah tripped on the curb edge and fell into the street. The car barreled forward, avoiding Noah and Rachel, and it zoomed away, almost colliding with another car going the opposite direction.

The second car swerved to avoid hitting the robber and skidded right to the spot where Noah had just fallen. He was halfway to his feet as Rachel ran toward him. There was a sickening crunch and then everything went black.