Hey everyone, I'm baaaacccckkkk!
So first off let me apologize for keeping you hanging with this story for however months it's been. I really have no excuse because I have most of it written. The problem was however that there parts I didn't like when I was re-reading it/ working on the third book in this series as it were. I'm deciding now however that I'm just going to leave it as is and work with whatever I wrote long ago.
I also waited because I considering writing some storyline to explain what happens in between book one and two.
There's a lot of back and forth in this story in terms of couples relationships, in between stuff that happened from the end of Five Years I to Five Years II. This story takes place, as you may have guessed, five years after the end of the first one. So where we left it is Puck and Rachel's plan to get their significant others back. In the five years in between, did this happen? Did Rachel tell Finn about Ian? What happened with Quinn and Finn? Did they stay together? Kids? Marriages? Divorces?
You'll have to read and find out!
So before I post the second book, here is a preview of the first chapter of Five Years II. Read and enjoy!
"Noah, can you get the kids for dinner?" Rachel asked her husband.
"Sure babe," Puck said as he went upstairs. He returned only moments later with Ian and Bentley following closely behind.
It had been five years since Rachel considering telling Finn about Ian, who was now nine years old. It had been five years and nothing had happened. Rachel and Puck had this plan to tell Finn the truth so that they could get Finn and Quinn to break up and that Rachel would get Finn and Puck would get Quinn. On so many occasions Rachel came close to telling Finn but ultimately she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Finn and Quinn had their problems but they now had two year old twins and Rachel ended up pregnant with Puck's baby as well. She still loved Finn but she had a family with Puck and she loved him too. Besides, she couldn't break up Finn's family. He was happy and even though he deserved to know, Rachel knew it was in everyone's best interests to keep it all a secret, well everyone except the very inquisitive Ian who had decided he needed to know the truth about his father.
"Hey mom, can I ask you a question?" Ian asked as he sat at the table waiting for his dinner.
"Of course honey, what's on your mind?" Rachel asked as she placed a plate of mac and cheese in front of Ian.
"When is Brennan coming home?" the boy asked.
"Excuse me?" Rachel asked, almost spitting out her own dinner.
"I miss my dad," Ian said as he pushed some food around on his plate.
"Oh okay," Rachel sighed as she tried to find the right words. Ian had been asking a lot lately about his father and Rachel had no idea what to tell him. Puck always came in to her rescue but this time it wasn't going to happen. She looked at Puck who just nodded, indicating to Rachel that it was finally time for Ian to know the truth. Rachel sighed. She knew Puck was right but she wasn't ready, she couldn't. All she could think about was her little boy on the way and Finn and Quinn's twins. He couldn't know. Not now, not ever.
"Brennan has been really busy with work but I will make sure he calls you soon," Rachel said.
"Oh okay," Ian sighed just like his mom. "It is just I haven't seen him in two years, since he came back for Bentley's birthday and I miss him."
"I understand baby," Rachel said as she hugged her son. "You know that Brennan isn't your dad though right?"
"Yeah I know but I still love him and miss him as my dad," Ian confessed. "Besides you have never told me who my actual dad is. Bentley has Brennan, the baby on the way has Puck, but who do I have? It isn't fair, they have dads and I don't."
"Aww honey," Rachel said as her son began to cry. It wasn't fair to him. She had to tell him the truth. Maybe Finn and Quinn could get through it. Maybe her and Puck could get through it. All she knew at this point was that her son deserved to know the truth and fortunately for her, she didn't have a choice anymore. Puck was about to make that decision for her.
"Ian, your mom and I have something to tell you," Puck said as he sat down next to his step-son.
"Noah," Rachel said as she glared at him.
"I'm sorry Rachel and I know this is yours to tell but he deserves to know the truth especially now," Puck said.
Rachel sighed again. "Fine."
Puck smiled. He was proud of her. He was also somewhat happy that he might finally get his chance with Quinn. Things had been shaky with the two of them and Finn almost left but once Quinn got pregnant with the twins, he decided to stay and from what Puck knew they were working things out. In fact from the conversations he had with Quinn, they were better than ever. At least that is what she told him.
"Mom, Puck, I'm confused," Ian said as he watched a few intense looks and a moment of silence take place between his mom and Puck.
"Ian, you have a dad and he is a great guy," Rachel began.
"Why have I never met him then?" Ian asked curiously.
"You have," Rachel said softly.
"I have?" Ian said confused.
"Yes, but he doesn't know that he is your father," Rachel continued. "Look Ian, your father and I were together in high school and a brief period in college. When I found out I was pregnant with you, your father and I were already broken up and I was dating Brennan. He knew he wasn't your dad but he stayed with me and planned on helping me raise you until he left but that is another story and not at all your or your sister's fault. Anyway, I thought it was better to keep it a secret because after college I hadn't seen your dad. That is until five years ago when he and your stepdad both came back into my life. I wanted to tell your dad the truth but he was with his old girlfriend and they were raising her daughter together. I knew I couldn't ruin their relationship and,"
"Their daughter and my sister?" Ian asked pretty sure he now knew who his father was.
"Well not biologically, but yes Quinn's daughter Beth is your step-sister," Rachel corrected.
"That means Uncle Finn is my dad?" Ian asked a little confused.
"Yes baby, your Uncle Finn is actually your dad," Rachel said as she looked at Puck.
"When did you plan on telling me, on telling him?" Ian asked angrily. He was only nine years old so he had no idea why his mom kept such a big secret from him and from Finn. He was too young to understand how complicated everything was about to get.
"She was going to tell you at the right time Ian," Puck jumped in. "You were so young and your mom just wanted to wait until you were old enough to understand and your Uncle Finn, I mean dad, well, it is hard to explain."
"I wanted to tell Finn I really did, but he was so happy with Quinn and the twins. I couldn't ruin that," Rachel said before immediately realizing what she said and wanting to take it back.
"I would ruin his life?" Ian asked with tears in his eyes.
"No baby that isn't what I meant," Rachel said apologizing. "I was just afraid he would leave your Aunt Quinn to be with me when he found out the truth and even though that was mine and Noah's original plan, I couldn't break up his family."
"So I was just a pawn in your and Puck's game?" Ian asked. "You were only going to tell dad the truth to get him back but then you changed your mind? Did you ever think it would make me happy to know the truth and maybe it would make dad happy too?"
"Ian, I am so sorry," Rachel said as she tried to comfort her son.
"I can't talk to you right now," Ian said as he ran upstairs trying to hide his tears from his mom.
"Oh Noah, what did I just do?" Rachel asked with tears in her own eyes.
"It is going to be okay babe," Puck said as he held Rachel close. "He was going to find out sooner rather than later. Just give him some time, he will cool off."
"I hope so," Rachel sobbed. "I just wish I had told him the truth before but I mean he is only nine, I didn't think he would understand."
"He is incredibly intelligent and asks a lot of questions," Puck reminded his wife.
"I just wish he could have been a bit older," Rachel admitted.
"Yeah I know," Puck added. "You know what you have to do now though?"
"I'll call him tomorrow," Rachel sighed. "Right now I just want to check on my little guy."
"Okay," Puck said. "Just remember he might need some time to process it all."
Rachel smiled. "I just have to make sure he is okay." With that she ascended the steps and headed towards Ian's room. The door was closed so she knocked. "Ian, Ian," she said before knocking again. "Open the door Ian," she tried again. Hearing no response, Rachel opened the door and fell to the ground in horror. She rushed downstairs where she gave Puck the worst news imaginable.
"Ian is gone," Rachel sobbed. "He's gone."
Okay so I just re-read this for like the first time in a long time and realized I pretty much answered all of the above questions in the first chapter and in my natural fashion added some great drama in there too. Let me know what you guys think and be assured that the rest of the story will be up very, very soon. All of your questions about the "five years" in between will be answered!
Have an awesome day!
