Olivia: So glad you liked the chapter! :D and don't worry no clichés the parents will be turning up, but somewhere no-one expects! Thank you :D
Books-R-Us: Thank you so much!
Stephhhh: don't tell my mom that she would stop me joining the army! :P but thank you so much!
Thanks for the continuing support on this story! :D Disclaimed as always!
Chapter 36 Rachel learning
Rachel climbed into bed next to Puck who was sullenly facing the wall an hour after he had stormed upstairs; hesitantly she curled around his back.
"Noah?" she whispered "I'm sorry that people know about my scars now"
"That's not why I'm mad" Puck sighed rolling onto his back "I told you your scars represent your strength, I don't hate them"
"Then...?"
"I'm pissed because you pulled yourself out of my arms" he snapped
"Seriously? You're stressing over me not wanting to be held because I was too angry?" Rachel demanded angrily pulling herself up to look down at him "were you there tonight, in fact today? I had a row with my friends in the middle of a shop and had to walk out, my ex's step sister decided to flirt with my boyfriend, I then proceeded to have a screaming match with the same women in front of everyone, and in the course of said screaming match she revealed my past to people I really didn't want to know, and then informed me that my rapist and abusive parent are out of jail. I was angry I was pissed, I was scared and I needed to vent and you are pissed at me? Well thanks a bunch for being so understanding" Rachel screamed pushing back the covers and tugging her clothes back on, storming out of the room before Puck could react.
Hurling himself after her he got downstairs just as the front door was being slammed shut, the silenced and shocked lee club glanced at Puck who practically tore the door of its hinges to see Rachel climbing on to the back of a motor bike and disappearing off down the street.
"Fuck!" he swore punching the door
"What the hell did you do!" Jess demanded
"I fucked up, again" he admitted sagging against the door frame, jumping as Luke stuck his head around the corner.
"I came to check up on Sweet's but I'm guessing that was her going off with Spud"
"Yep" Eli said from the sofa as Luke came in and fell onto the floor, Puck closing the door with a sigh and falling down beside him on the floor.
"Who's Spud?" asked Santana
"One of Sweet's friends" Eli answered evasively
"Not yours?" Santana pushed
"Not really Spud, Spud is a friend from the past, he's part of this gang and when Rachel's life gets tough again she runs to him" Luke explained keeping an eagle eye on Puck's whose face fixed in anger "not in a romantic way, they are just friends that turn to each other when shit gets stirred up" he continued to observe Puck and watched him relax minutely.
"When will she be back?" Puck asked under his breath to Luke
"Morning" Luke replied in the same volume "dude I know it sucks, but Sweet's...look lets go for a walk" he said nodding his head towards the beach, and getting to his feet. Puck getting to his feet to follow him out, as they walked down to the water's edge "Sweet's is a tough nut to crack at the best of times, she has miles of protection wrapped around her, you know her clothes, her vocabulary, it's all designed to protect herself, and I'm guessing that the drama was because you were pissed that she pulled out of your arms right?"
"Yeah I know it's stupid but it hurt, I was trying you know to look out for her and calm her down, and then I mentioned it upstairs and she got really pissed at me and left, I don't know how Spud got there so quickly though"
"Probably heard about the party and dropped by on the off chance Rachel wanted to escape" Luke said wryly throwing himself on the sand "he used to appear at school when she was having a bad day and whisk her away, used to piss me the fuck off"
"Well I'm pissed off that she took off with him" Puck swore throwing a stick into the ocean "instead of letting me talk and explain"
"Dude it's standard Rachel practise, she runs when she gets scared, and the idea of her parents being back is freaking her the fuck out, her and her brothers went through hell and back and the idea that they are back and able to move around freely is fucking with her head. So she goes upstairs and climbs into bed with you and says something stupid about how sorry she was about her scars and you snapped at her, and she blew up because her head is all fucked up with the idea that her own parents didn't want her because she did something wrong and now you wont cos your mad at her, so she pushed you away before she can get hurt again. It's not right, it's fucked up but that's Rach"
"You know I thought I would fucking hate you" Puck admitted leaning back in his elbows "but you actually seem to care that me and Rach are ok"
"I do care, I want Rachel to be happy and you make her happy"
"So how do I fix this?"
"Just got to show her you aren't going anywhere, you're not right?"
"No! I mean...uh no I'm not going anywhere I love her. You sure she'll be home by morning?"
"Unless she's drinking" Luke said reluctantly "Rach can really put them away if she's pissed off enough and..."
"You know where they will be? Puck demanded, knowing how angry Rachel was when she left.
"There are a few places we could check out, but it might be better to wait for her to come to you"
"No I need to show her that she can turn to me rather than Spud"
"Alright let's go then" Luke said getting to his feet and leading the way to his car.
Gleeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
"I just cannot believe that my pisstake of parents are out of jail, I mean what do they need to do to stay in there?" Rachel swore waving the bottle of vodka in her hands around as she vented to Spud sitting next to the fire, his arms wrapped around his legs.
Collapsing on the sand Rachel took another swig from the bottle and shook her head at the burn as it slid down her throat "wow I am out of practise"
"You want mixer?" Spud grunted
"No" Rachel shook her head taking another swig but smaller this time "where is everyone? I mean where is your 'gang'?"
Spud laughed "only you can make that word sound so distasteful, they're out on a job" he told her knowingly.
"If only they knew that you knew words like distasteful" Rachel replied teasingly "and you said you were going straight"
"I said that to shut you up" Spud laughed "anyway its keeping drugs out of Neptune, the sheriff should be happy"
"Yeah of course" Rachel scoffed falling down onto the sand and rolling onto her back staring up at the stars that littered the night sky "did you know?"
"Know about what?"
"Don't play dumb, did you know my parents were out of prison?"
"Yeah" Spud admitted grudgingly "but I got reasons for why I didn't tell you" he hurried as Rachel sat up and glared at him "they're on parole so they couldn't leave the state anyway and you were safe in Ohio, and they haven't been around here they would have been run out of town pretty sharpish, I didn't think there was any need to worry you"
"You should have told me" Rachel insisted "I shouldn't have had to hear it from it from fucking Hayley"
"Alright I'm sorry" Spud growled nabbing the bottle from her and taking his own swig before handing it back to her.
"There they are" Luke said pulling up in the parking lot set far back from the beach.
"How can you tell, it's just two people next to a bonfire" Puck objected
"Only two people who would be out here, its 2am" Luke said getting out of the car, Puck following his example as they walked over the beach towards the two people, something obviously being passed between the two of them.
"Hey Sweets" Luke greeted, the petite brunette's head shooting up to see her ex and boyfriend looking down at her.
"Oh hello" Rachel giggled, taking another sip of vodka.
"Drunk babe?" Puck asked sitting down next to her.
"Yep!" she giggled again "I'm angry with you though!" she insisted still laughing and therefore taking away the edge from her words.
"Course babe" Puck said with a small smile "come on let's get you home" he said picking her up gently "you can be angry at me tomorrow"
Spud nodded at Luke and took the bottle of vodka back from Rachel waving goodbye to the girl who was snuggling sleepily back into Puck's arms.
"Let her know I'll see her before she goes, and she really will be angry with you in the morning"
"Right" Puck said shortly turning to walk away, holding Rachel tightly.