Chapter 14

Rachel sighed and shook her head as she replaced her books in her locker. Sectionals had gone wonderfully, they'd won which was nothing less than a miracle considering how much work they'd had to do. But they'd won, they'd gotten standing ovations, and she'd killed 'Again' just like Sam said she would. And Sam had said if they needed him he'd sit in on rehearsals so if something happened to one of the other members he wouldn't be totally ignorant of the music they were all working on.

Working with Sue in Glee Club wasn't as easy as with the Cheerios. Sue and Mr. Schuester fought constantly and the assignments weren't getting any more helpful. Glee Club was like an ongoing battle between the two adults in the room. The only bright spot was that the solos were voted on now. But unfortunately since she wasn't the most popular girl she rarely got them. Finn, Quinn, Santana, Mercedes and Kurt tended to sway the voting in their chosen direction and everyone else was so used to one of them taking the lead that it was as if they forgot what she could do.

If it weren't for Puck, McKinley would be a nightmare. Rachel smiled in spite of her lousy mood, Noah Puckerman was without a doubt the bright spot in every single day. Even when he was tired or in a bad mood he'd at least wrap an arm around her and kiss her. If he didn't feel like talking he'd say so. A lot of the time his moods were due to exhaustion, he worked part time at Mr. Hummel's garage during the school year. Between football, basketball starting up, Glee and his job it was a wonder he had time to see her. But he'd been adamant that he wanted to keep dating her when she'd offered to put their Saturday night after Synagogue dates on hiatus.

Sundays were spent doing a lot of homework and housework and she was spending as much time at Puck's house as her own these days. She'd talked to Mrs. Puckerman about Eliana coming to her house along with the twins after school. Since she, Sam and Puck had to babysit anyway it seemed better to have all three kids together. It didn't allow for a lot of privacy but at least they got to spend time together.

That was the other good thing besides winning Sectionals. Afterwards her dads had finally gotten custody of Sam's little brother and sister. Stacie and Stevie were still adjusting to Lima after Chicago but being with their big brother and Rachel made it worthwhile. They'd pronounced Puck cool, and Stacie had a complete crush on him, much to Eliana's amusement.

She was just getting the last of her things for the weekend when she saw Puck come around the corner of the hallway. She couldn't help the smile on her face, every time she saw him she was just amazed at how gorgeous he was. His face was furious though, scowling like a thundercloud, and Rachel hoped Finn hadn't done something truly stupid. The now second string quarterback had the tendency to say and do things Puck found extremely offensive. Then she felt it, the cold sting, the sticky slushy syrup all over her back and hair, at least two slushies from the feel of it.

Puck's reaction was shout of fury that echoed like a roar in the hallway, metal lockers made for an excellent echoing effect the analytical part of her brain noted. Then she was shoved against her locker roughly, "Stupid bitch." The jersey was red, dark jeans, big hands, slamming her hard against the metal of the locker door.

And then Puck was there, his eyes black with rage, throwing a boy a half size larger than him against the lockers and pummeling him angrily. The air was filled with meaty thumps, groans, the smack of flesh on flesh and Puck's cursing. Getting herself upright on the slushy slippery floor wasn't easy in heels but Rachel managed. "Noah," She called his name, keeping out of the range of the fists flying. "Stop it both of you," Rachel snapped getting a little angry herself. Neither boy was inclined to listen, both of them with bloody knuckles, faces that would be bruised and their adrenaline up.

She saw Sam, Mike and Artie watching in shock and realized that endless as the fight seemed to her it had only been going on for a few minutes, "Sam, help me stop them." She didn't quite shout but anyone with her amount of theatrical training who couldn't project her voice didn't deserve to set foot on a stage. The boys who weren't encumbered by wheels darted into the fray and began to try and separate the combatants.

It was Puck who was the hardest to control, despite being shorter than the other boy he was so angry he nearly decked Mike. Blaine and Finn arrived to throw their weight into the battle and between the four boys they managed to separate Puck and the darker skinned boy who'd thrown the slushies. The Glee club boys managed to get the two fighters across the hall from each other though Puck was still struggling and trying to get back to pounding on the other boy.

Sue's whistle shrilled through the halls and that seemed to startle Puck enough that his eyes weren't quite so black with sheer rage. Rachel darted across to her boyfriend and reached up to cup his face ignoring her brother's admonitions to be careful. "Noah," She stroked the skin over his jaw, "I'm all right. Please calm down before there's real trouble. Please. If you're not here this will happen all the time. You can't get expelled."

That got through to him unlike anything else and Puck stopped struggling against Mike and Sam, relaxing with a small groan against the lockers. "Shit," He sighed. "This is gonna really hurt tomorrow."

"What is going on here?" Sue was looking particularly dangerous in a bright red and black tracksuit.

"Coach, this…" Rachel pointed at the other football player and summoned all of her acting skills. Her voice resounded with outrage as she continued, "Neanderthal slushied me, then pushed me into the lockers and called me a 'stupid bitch'." She wrinkled her nose at the boy, "I don't even know his name. Noah was coming around the corner. As he's always been a gentleman with me in school I'm certain he was going to assist me in standing again. Somehow though a fight began."

"Puckerman?" Sue was frowning at the boy with the Mohawk and torn knuckles. "That what happened?"

"He pushed her Coach," Puck didn't answer the question of who'd thrown the first punch. "He's at least three times her size and if she'd hit her head Rae would have a concussion."

"And the fight?" Sue turned to look at the boy who'd slushied Rachel, "Mr. Azimio?"

"I dunno how the dumb bitch ended up covered in blue and red slushy, maybe it's her natural habitat," Azimio didn't seem to understand just how much trouble he was in. "And maybe I pushed her but she didn't get out of the way fast enough. Don't mean Puck's gets to whale on me for free."

"So your claim is that Puckerman threw the first punch," Sue looked at Puck. "Puckerman what have you got to say?"

"He pushed Rachel," Puck stared at the cheerleading coach. "All I did was push past him to help her up. I brush him and next thing I know I've got knuckles headed towards my eye. I don't turn the other cheek coach, I hit back and I hit harder."

"All right," Sue knew when people were lying but since the two people involved were each accusing the other and the only witness to the beginning of the fight was lying through her teeth she was at an impasse. "Azimio, Puckerman, you've got detention for the rest of the week. Azimio, if I even suspect you're thinking of the slushy machine I'll make it two full weeks. Puckerman, you get to go and talk to Pillsbury about your violent attitude next week."

"But coach we've got—"

Azimio's protest was cut off by a sharp look from the cheerleading coach, "I don't care what you've 'got' Azimio." Sue snapped furiously. "It's either detention or suspension. Which do you want?"

"I'll take the detention Coach Sue," Puck said quietly. He looked at Rachel and Sam, "Sorry to ask but can you guys get Eliana and keep her until I'm out? I'll come by your house afterwards."

Rachel nodded, "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up." She looked at Sue, "It'll only take a few minutes Coach."

"You've got five to get to the classroom Puckerman or I'll add another week for every minute you're reported late," Sue was well and truly pissed and Rachel blinked wondering for a moment if something else was going on.

"Get to the classroom, I'll grab some damp towels," Rachel told her boyfriend. "I'll clean you up there." She looked at Sam, "Can you get the kids? I'll study and wait for Noah to get out of detention and get a ride with him."

"Yeah no problem," Sam nodded. Rachel sighed in relief and gave Puck a little shove to get him going.

Rachel frowned thoughtfully as she regarded Coach Sue a week later. Puck was no longer in detention though the slushies hadn't stopped they no longer occurred with him in the vicinity. Coach was acting a bit… not odd but she was very terse. And she was less patient that usual.

Rachel was aware that most people tended to think Sue Sylvester's patience was completely lacking, but they'd never seen her coaching her Cheerios or demonstrating something to Becky. Coach Sue had an endless supply of patience when it was required. She just didn't think many people actually required it. Rachel was the same herself so she really didn't blame the coach one bit.

But something was different about Coach Sue these days, she reminded Rachel a bit of how her dads had been before the move, when they were trying to finish up projects at work, pack and arrange for everything to be ready in Lima. Stretched too thin was a pretty way of putting it. Mindful of the fact that she could end up with her head snapped off Rachel took a deep breath and approached the teacher. "I have the new routine you wanted Coach," She began quietly and handed the diagrams and papers to the older woman.

When Sue simply took them and put them down without a word Rachel took another breath, "Coach Sue, are you all right?" She blurted the words out and then was extremely conscious of the weight of Sue's gaze as it fell on her. That stern gaze did not encourage over familiarity but Rachel couldn't seem to stop talking now, "I don't mean to be rude, or intrusive and it's none of my business really. Except you're always so patient and you're interested and these days you're not. And it's not like you and you've been like this for most of a week and I've been getting really worried because it doesn't seem like anyone is really—"

Sue's voice was quiet and a bit creaky sounding, as if she was forcibly restraining herself from shouting, "Berry did I ask for your concern?"

"No Coach," Rachel shook her head and when Sue seemed to think that settled the matter continued without thinking. "I just… you're doing a lot, with Glee and the Cheerios and it just seems like you're a little tired and if there was something I could do, to, you know help… Well I would. I'd do whatever I could to help Coach. I just…wanted for you…to…well to know that."

Sue seemed a bit taken aback by the sentiment but she nodded slowly, "Thanks Berry." She said after a moment, "My sister is sick. I've been visiting her in my free time."

"But because of us you haven't had much free time," Rachel nodded. "Maybe… well we can get by for a few weeks without you in Glee. And Santana and Quinn aren't my favorite people but they'd be good to coach the Cheerios on a part time basis. Maybe you could take some time off?"

"Great minds think alike," Sue picked up the new routine and began to look at it. After a moment she looked over her reading glasses at Rachel, "Thanks Berry. I'll give you a shout if I need you for anything."

"Whatever I can do Coach," Rachel nodded firmly. "Just name it."

Author's Note: So it's been a while but I managed to get this cranked out. Sorry for the delay. I hit a wall with this story and it's been a hard slog to get going on it again. I've gotten inspired with other ideas, some for Glee, some for other genres and this fell by the wayside for a bit.

I promise the story will be finished eventually. Thanks for all your patience, faves, follows and reviews. I really appreciate all the support. You guys are awesome.

Hope you're all having a safe and happy holiday season.