Author's note: I have a lot of music suggestions for this chapter. Even more than I have listed, but those are the prevalent ones. And for those of you unhappy with Lauren's presence, I have good news: this is the last chapter you will ever see her dominating presence. After this chapter, just brief mentionings.

Music Suggestions: 'Dancing with myself' by The Donnas, 'Teenage dream' by Glee Cast, 'Everything she does is magic' by Ra, 'Start me up/Livin' on a prayer' by Glee Cast, 'Hello' by Martin Solveig & Dragonette, 'Como la flor' by Selena.

Disclaimer: Don't own Glee.

Prom Queen, Continuation

It was the Friday before the prom, and Puck had last minute plans to enact.

Puck jogged up to Sam and pulled the blond reserve quarterback aside just before he entered the locker room. Sam turned his gaze to Puck inquisitively.

"Dude, what's this about?" Sam asked speculatively, his eyes narrowing slightly as Puck scanned the area around them. "You're kind of acting like that time you wanted me to spy on Rachel."

Puck's gaze zeroed in on Sam. "That's 'cause it kind of is."

Sam drew in and released a deep, gusty sigh. "Dude, come on. Not this again. Seriously."

"No, dude, you come on. Do you have any idea what it's like keeping a secret from Rachel? You owe me." Puck countered, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Alright. What do you want?" Sam relented, leaning back against the wall and crossing his own arms.

"This is the mission," Puck stated ominously. Sam rolled his eyes. "If St. James does anything, anything, that physically or verbally hurts Rachel and I'm not around, I want you to take him out. I don't trust him, and if Finn's anywhere around, something stupid's bound to happen. Just keep close to her and make sure nothing happens to her, got it?" Puck concluded, staring Sam down.

"Sure, I got it. I like Rachel. She's kinda intense, but she's cool." Sam agreed, standing up from the wall and shrugging one shoulder.

"Thanks." Puck said, reaching out to clap Sam on the shoulder. Turning, they both started moving back towards the locker room. "Maybe after all this crazy prom business, things'll go back to normal."

"I doubt it." Sam countered doubtfully, yanking the locker room door open and stepping through.

"You're probably right." Puck agreed, following Sam.

oooozoooooo*oooaoooooooo*

"Quinn, I'm still worried about Mercedes." Rachel confessed, leaning in close to Quinn.

Quinn glanced up at Rachel from her algebra textbook. "In what way?"

"When I went after her on Monday, after she ran out of practice, she was very upset over the fact that she didn't have a date for prom. But that wasn't all she yearned for." Rachel explained in a heartfelt tone. "I think, if it is alright with you, that you should ask Sam to dance with Mercedes, so that every aspect of her ideal prom night can be fulfilled."

"Wait. Are you telling me that I should order Sam to dance with Mercedes?" Quinn asked, a hint of incredulity in her tone, snapping her textbook shut to focus solely on Rachel.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly phrase it as such, but yes." Rachel replied earnestly, her eyes bright.

"I'm not going to make Sam do anything." Quinn stated firmly. "It wouldn't be fair to him, or to Mercedes. What if she found out? I think that if anyone wants to dance with her, they will, and if not...it's their loss."

"I'm not denying that you have a point. I would probably be moderately upset myself." Rachel conceded, folding her hands together. "However, I would be even more devastated if I were to sit at a table all by myself all night, watching all of my friends dancing with their dates, wishing for just one dance."

Quinn sighed. "I see your point. Alright, a compromise. If no one asks her by the time you're on stage, I will suggest delicately to Sam that he should."

Rachel smothered her victorious smile into something a little more subdued. "That will work perfectly."

Quinn grumbled something indistinguishable and went back to her homework.

oooonooooo*oooooorooooo*

Keeping up with so many people at one time was hard work. Puck appreciated James Bond and Charlie's Angels, but in real life, spywork was way too much work. He'd only been there at prom for ten minutes, and he was already worn out.

Priority number one: not pissing off Zizes in the final hours. So he had to be constantly aware of where she was at all times.

Equally important, but for different reasons, keeping tabs on his hot little spitfire of a girlfriend, and all of the luggage that had followed her to prom, also required constant focus.

Lastly, he had to keep an eye out for Coach Sylvester and find an opening for Artie.

On top of all that, he still had a set to perform, kicking off the glee club's performance along with Artie and Sam after everyone finished eating and the dance portion of the prom started up.

He was really glad he'd had the forethought to catch a few z's while he was babysitting his baby sis earlier that afternoon.

Spying Jesse out of the corner of his eye, sans Rachel or any other compromising witnesses, Puck smiled maliciously and stalked over.

Creeping up behind the former Carmel rockstar, Puck settled his arm across Jesse's shoulders, causing Jesse to startle. An even wider smile spread across Puck's face as he pulled Jesse in closer as if they were old friends.

Jesse looked appropriately cautious.

"Listen." Puck stated in an authoritative, yet casual tone. "I'm not gonna do anything stupid like try and undermine Rachel's judgement by threatening you and telling you to stay away from her. Hell, I won't even mind if you ask her to dance...so long as she accepts. But, if you make any kind of move on her, upset her in any way...I have no problem with going back to juvie." Puck finished in a dark tone. Patting Jesse's chest roughly, Puck let his message convey itself through his eyes as his gaze drilled St. James' long enough for him to see the deadly intent swirling inside before backing away with a cheeky smirk and a salute.

One less thing he had to worry about.

ooooooowoooo*ooouoooxoooo

Tearing her eyes away from Noah as he leaned against the far wall, staring up at her with a look that spoke volumes of where and who he'd rather be with in that moment, Rachel scanned the crowd in front of her. As she poured more of herself into the song, the music reaching a crescendo, Rachel happened across Mercedes on the dance floor, beaming up at Sam as he swayed them back and forth in time to the song.

Searching out Quinn, Rachel found Quinn already looking back at her as she danced with Finn. Subtly, Rachel widened her eyes slightly and ticked her head in Sam and Mercedes' general direction. Glancing that way, Quinn shook her head negatively.

"It wasn't me." Quinn mouthed towards Rachel. She then smiled, clearly pleased with her boyfriend's forthright and chivalric action.

Nodding that she understood, Rachel smiled inside and worked towards wrapping up her ballad performance.

Mission accomplished. On the Mercedes front, anyway. She still had a delinquent boyfriend to keep out of trouble.

Glancing back towards the boyfriend in question, he had disappeared from his previous position and was lurking suspiciously towards the punch bowl.

Speaking of...

Rachel finished her song and exited the stage in record time.

ooomoooo*ooozooooo*ooooeooooo*

"Tora! Tora! Tora! It's go time." Puck whispered as he crouched down next to Artie. A second later, he smoothy stood up and started ambling over to Coach Sue.

Until he was abruptly jerked to a halt and forcefully reversed in the opposite direction.

"Noah, what are you doing?" Rachel hissed at Puck, bodily tugging him backward by the tail of his jacket. Her surprise attack lent to her success in getting him more than ten feet away from Coach Sylvester before he stopped. It didn't stop her from her scathing rebuking of his intentions. "You absolutely cannot spike the prom punch! Are you insane?" Rachel questioned in hushed exclamation. "You're incredibly lucky the band wanted to take their five minute break before my performance with Blaine, and I happened to catch that miscreant glint in your eyes as you worked your way across the floor."

"How did you know what I was doing?" Puck queried dubiously, pivoting around to face her.

"Mercedes told me in the girls' room at Breadstix." Rachel answered primly. Rachel's eyes widened suddenly at something over his left shoulder. "Hush. Coach Sylvester is coming this way. I think she suspects."

"Well, well, if it isn't Noah Puckerman, reformed delinquent." Sue Sylvester taunted jeeringly. She then rotated her gaze down to Rachel. "And constant thorn in my side, second only to Will Schuester, Rachel Berry." She returned her attention back to Puck. "Don't tell me you were going to use her as a decoy in an attempt to spike my punch, were you, Puckerman?"

Puck, who had just given Artie a small hand signal to go ahead and spike away, denied her specific accusation with aplomb. "Wouldn't even remotely consider such a thing. That kind of stuff is beneath me now."

"Uh huh." Sue agreed in a flat disbelieving tone, staring down at Puck. Puck returned the stare.

After a minute, Rachel broke the tense staring contest. "Coach Sylvester? Might I have a word with you?"

"Speak." Sue commanded, glaring at Puck for another second before redirecting her gaze to Rachel.

"I feared mentioning this earlier, but I witnessed one of the hockey players pulling a flask out of his suit jacket. I don't know what he had in it, but I sincerely doubt it was anything legal." Rachel confessed in a subdued tone.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Sue exclaimed, throwing her arms out wide. "Point him out to me, now!"

Rachel nodded, her wariness appearing mostly genuine. "Okay. But really, I don't want to get too close. I don't think I could handle the additional daily abuse should he recognize me and start bullying me at school in retribution." Rachel said, pointing in a general direction and gesturing Coach Sue to lead.

Storming off, Coach Sylvester took off in Rachel's indicated direction. Rachel snuck a quick glance at Puck.

Glaring daggers, Rachel wagged her finger at him before pivoting around and taking off after the enraged cheerleading coach.

He was so in for it later.

ooocoooooo*oooeooooo*ooooomoooooo

Rachel had to admit, the phrase "to hell in a handbasket" had an appropriate ring to it when applied to the current situation.

"Stop it! You're ruining everything!" Quinn cried frantically, torn between getting between the boys to stop them and fearing what might happen to her if she did.

Rachel, unfazed with such concerns, was on Jesse's left side, yanking on his left arm for all she was worth.

"You're going to get thrown out if you don't cease this barbaric display of testosterone this instant!" Rachel yelled as she continued to struggle, occasionally dodging the boys when one shoved the other. She felt vaguely like a rag doll being tugged back and forth between two stubborn children.

For the past few songs, after handling the debacle with Noah and the punch spiking, Rachel had accepted Jesse's invitation to dance. She'd been thoroughly enjoying herself all through Brittany's set, Jesse behaving himself and dancing at an appropriate distance, appearing to be enjoying himself as well. Less than five feet away, Sam and Mercedes were dancing as well, occasionally coming close enough to bump into playfully.

Everything had been wonderful, until Jesse leaned in a little too close and refused to back away. The rest, as they say, was history.

Blaine continued singing on stage, a very catchy number. Rachel almost attacked Finn herself for causing all this mess and interrupting her fun.

She and Quinn continued chanting "Stop!" until they were both blue in the face as the boys continued to argue. All to no avail.

Rachel noticed that Quinn had just reached out reflexively for Finn's arm just as a pair of arms settled firmly around her midsection and hauled her away. Rachel witnessed Finn's fist swing at Jesse before she was pulled back and shielded protectively by Sam. Surprised, Rachel didn't do a thing to retaliate.

Hearing Quinn desperately yell something after Coach Sue, Sam stepped back, crossed over to Quinn, and gathered her into his arms in a comforting manner without saying a word.

Finn and Jesse were hauled off and out the nearest exit by Coach Sylvester.

Rachel's eyes widened in horror.

What were they going to do now?

oooosooooo*ooouoooovoooo*

Tugging on Sam's sleeve to get his attention, Rachel smiled up at him gently in thanks as well as conveying that she'd look after Quinn, before sending him off to round up the glee club and have them all meet up at stage right.

Pulling a tissue out of the bodice of her dress, Rachel hesitated a moment before she shrugged and reached out to Quinn. Allowing the action, Rachel stepped in close and dabbed gently at the tears dropping silently from Quinn's eyes.

"I'm sorry." Rachel apologized in a somber tone. "This is my fault. I never should have permitted Jesse to come along."

"Rachel." Quinn said, grasping Rachel's hand and pulling it away from her face. She stared intently into Rachel's eyes. Her voice was clogged with tears. "This is not your fault. Finn's impulsive. And he's an idiot. It's a terrible combination."

A bubble of laughter escaped Rachel unbidden. Nodding, Rachel smiled hesitantly and held the tissue out for Quinn to take. Concern radiated from Rachel as Quinn took the proffered tissue and dabbed at her own eyes. "Will you be alright?"

"Yeah. Later." Quinn replied, her voice still thick with unshed tears. Sniffling, Quinn gestured towards the stage. "But we have other concerns right now."

"Agreed." Rachel stated crisply. Linking her arm through Quinn's, she led them both towards the stage.

ooooowoooo*oooooxoooo*oozoooooooo

Wringing her hands in an agitated manner, Rachel paced back and forth as Blaine, Tina, and Brittany sat on the edge of the stage. Brittany was crouched down right behind Quinn, hugging her from behind supportively.

Once everyone arrived, Rachel motioned them in close around her.

"We have a code blue emergency on our hands." Rachel informed them, urgency in her tone.

"Somebody's choking?" Brittany asked in a perplexed tone.

"What?" Rachel asked in a distracted tone, glancing over at Brittany's quizzical stare. "No. With Finn and Jesse being kicked out, we now have two sets, a total of four songs, missing in our lineup. We need to decide quickly how to fill them. However, first off, before we decide on anything, someone needs to be on stage right now, performing. Something, anything, to get their attention off of what just occurred."

Rachel paused when she realized they were all staring at her pointedly.

"While I would normally agree, in a situation such as this, it cannot be me. We need someone hot, popular...the vocal and the visual." Rachel then turned her eyes to Brittany, a plan in her eyes. "I think it should be Brittany. Can you Brittany?"

Brittany stood and saluted Rachel. "I have just the song."

"Excellent." Rachel cheered. Brittany turned away and crossed the stage to talk with the band. Rachel refocused back on the group. "Ideas?"

Blaine tentatively raised a hand. "I do. That is, if the guys don't mind backing a Warbler." When no objections arose, Blaine addressed Rachel. "We'll need a few minutes to work on the harmonies."

"That shouldn't be a problem. I-" Rachel stopped herself when the band cued up a familiar Billy Idol song. Probably the last song she would have considered for Brittany. Something she'd never heard anyone in glee sing. For Artie, though, it was coming around full circle. "As I was saying, I have an idea as well, and it won't take nearly as long to get our harmonies together. In fact, it'll only take a minute to catch Brittany up after her performance. Now, before we break off into groups, we need one more replacement to fill Jesse's block." Rachel stated, tapping her finger to her lip in thought.

Like Blaine, Jesse had requested a chance to perform with them. Being such a crowd pleaser in the past, Rachel hadn't given it a second thought. Until just that moment.

"I've been working on something." Puck volunteered hesitantly, holding up a finger.

His slightly uncomfortable posture told her that the song related to her somehow.

She couldn't wait to hear it.

"That's great, Noah. You can go on after our group performance. Is that alright?" Rachel praised with a smile, gesturing to the girls.

Puck nodded. "That's cool."

"Fantastic." Rachel cheered. Waving the boys off, Rachel turned to focus solely on the girls of the group. One in particular. "Lauren, would you mind..." Rachel began apologetically.

"Don't worry. I'm out." Lauren interrupted before Rachel could get very far. "I'm not really all that big on performing in front of crowds anyway."

"Good luck with prom queen." Rachel said in a genuine tone, clearly relieved at being let off the hook.

"Thanks." Lauren replied with a smile. Turning away, Lauren disappeared into the crowd.

Rachel focused in on the remaining girls. "Anyone in the mood for a Bon Jovi/The Rolling Stones mashup reprisal?" Rachel asked gleefully.

oooooaoooo*ooooocooooo*

Just before he was out of earshot, Puck caught a familiar female harmonization from across the room and cracked a smile.

His Caroline rocked at damage control.

ooooeoooo*oooomooooo*oooonoooo*

Accepting the boisterous applause after their performance, Rachel and the rest of the girls exited the stage to the left. Taking the bottle of water Brittany passed her from the ice chest, Rachel sipped her water and watched as Noah climbed the stage from the opposite side. Moving to find a more comfortable view, Rachel continued to watch as Noah accepted the electric guitar handed to him before walking up to the center mic and adjusting it to his height.

Another minute passed before Noah drew in a deep calming breath and began to play. Recognizing the song, a smile blossomed on Rachel's face, and she began to move again, closer to center stage.

The moment he spotted her, his eyes locked onto hers and didn't budge for the entirety of the song.

"Do I have to tell a story, of a thousand rainy days since we first met?" Puck sang, really getting into the song as he began the second chorus. A song that he'd found by accident a few weeks before while downloading new songs for his shuffle.

He was having a blast, but the nerves were ten times worse than singing in front of the football team all those months before. This was the entire freakin' junior class.

However, when his eyes had found Rachel, right there in front of him with that private smile on her face, the rest of the song just...flowed.

For all the things that Finn screwed up, all those wasted opportunities, Puck was glad he was there to scoop them all up. Scoop her up.

oooozoooo*ooouoooooo*ooooaooooo

"And now, behold the tradition of our 2011 prom king and queen sharing their first dance." Mr. Figgins announced, sweeping his arm out towards the circle of space that had opened on the dance floor.

Rachel clasped her hands together and waited with baited breath as Kurt made his way to the floor beside Karofsky, only to watch the large football player run off a few seconds later. Rachel smiled and began to cheer when Blaine stepped into the vacancy and he and Kurt started to dance.

Bobbing to the music, "Dancing Queen" being one of her favorite ABBA songs, Rachel started slightly when she heard a voice from behind.

"May I have this dance?" Puck asked, holding out his right hand just in front of Rachel's right shoulder.

Rachel's smile was beaming by the time she spun around to face him. "You may." Rachel accepted with a slight head tilt.

Taking his hand, Rachel exuberantly laughed out when Puck spun her around dramatically before pulling her in close.

"I'm glad it's all almost over." Puck said, leaning in close to her ear.

"Me, too." Rachel admitted gratefully.

Just then, Quinn and Sam playfully cut a path between the pair, breaking them apart. Swooping her up, Sam pulled Rachel into an exaggerated mock tango, earning a peal of laughter as Quinn twirled and danced around Puck, which also earned some laughter and smiles.

The rest of the group somehow all gravitated towards them, until it was one unrecognizable blob of glee members, with no one knowing who exactly their dancing partner actually was.

Nothing changed when the song ended and melted into the next, from ABBA to Katy Perry's "TGIF".

It was a truly unforgettable night. For everyone.

oooomooooo*ooaoooocoooo*oooeooooroo

I couldn't help myself! I just like nice Quinn way too much. Bitchy Quinn is gone for the foreseeable future. Also, for those of you that want to know: Brittany's song is "Dancing with Myself" by the Donnas. I know, that was Artie's song in season one, but I really like the remake, and once I heard it, I could totally see Brittany singing it, so I went with it. Puck's song: "Everything she does is magic" by Ra. Another remake. Lastly, it's not mentioned, but "Beat it" by Fall Out Boy...I put that one in for Artie to sing by himself after all the guys sing early on. Yes, yet another remake. I'm on a remake kick at the present. So...thoughts? Criticisms? Praise?