Broken

Chapter 5-This Pain is Just Too Real

A/N: Wow! The response to this story is blowing me away! Thanks so much for all the anonymous reviews I can't write back to! :) I'm pretty sure you all guessed right... Let's continue, shall we? Don't own any of it.

Standing in the doorway to the kitchen, and blocking Rachel's exit was one very irate Santana. "What the hell Puckerman? You told me you were busy with school work tonight. And here you are, having a nice dinner with Finn and some random big-nosed freak? What the fuck?" Santana glared at Rachel, and she shrunk back in her seat. "Who the fuck are you?"

Rachel looked at Finn and then Puck, trying to hold back her tears. She was trapped. She couldn't get out. Finn and Puck set her up. They let her sit by the door, they knew this crazy person was coming here. They hated her and wanted to scare her into leaving. "Umm...I'm Rachel." Rachel muttered, hoping to avoid any violence.

"And you're here, eating my dinner, why? Just felt like it?" Santana scoffed, not seeing the anger filling both Finn and Puck's eyes. "I mean, I heard from Dave that Puck had some new whore, but I didn't think she'd be such a freak. You really outdid yourself this time Puckerman."

Rachel couldn't handle anymore. She started crying violently. She didn't understand what she did to anyone. She didn't sleep around, she didn't hurt people. Why do people keep hurting her? She stood up and pushed past Santana and into her room, slamming the door. She turned on her iPod and blasted My Immortal, the sound of Amy Lee's haunting voice calming her. Your face it haunts, my once pleasant dreams. Your voice, it's chased away, all the sanity in me. These wounds won't seem to heal, this pain is just too real, there's just too much that time cannot erase. I try to tell myself that you're gone... Rachel made up her mind that she wasn't helping herself or them by staying there. She obviously messed things up with Puck and his girlfriend and Finn and Puck both lost a friend because of her. She started packing her bags, ignoring Pixie scratching at the door and the yelling Puck was doing in the kitchen.

Finn walked into her room and saw her packing a bad. "Rachel, please? Don't go, you can't. I just got my little sister back." Finn knew he was on edge of a break down. If Rachel were to leave, their father's would never forgive him. He's supposed to be protecting her, not letting her go off on her own in New York City. "Rachel, god, please? Stay."

Rachel sighed, "No, I'm screwing up your life worse than dad and daddy's. I just need to leave. I made both of you lose a friend, now Noah is fighting with his girlfriend. I just need to leave." Tears started to fall down Rachel's face, she couldn't keep messing up her family's life. She couldn't move on, she was only setting them back. There was an easy solution, leave. "I'm...sorry Finn...I just..." Rachel sobbed, picking up her bag, she flew from the room. Hearing Puck still fighting with his girlfriend, Rachel let out a sob, sounding more like a whimper. She opened the door to the apartment, running down the hall, running from her problems. Tears blurred her vision most of the way down.

Finn ran to the door right before it slammened shut. He pulled out his phone, calling Quinn. He needed her to find Rachel and bring her back.

…***...***

"Leave, now." Puck ground out through tightly clenched teeth. "Fucking leave, and don't come back."

"Why, so you can have fun with that freak? Don't think so."

"Santana, you need to get out now before I force you to leave." Puck was mad to the point he was seeing red and not even focusing on who was in front of him, just that someone was hurting Rachel, again. He stood up and towered over Santana. "Things are OVER with us. Rachel isn't some whore or some freak. She's Finn's fucking sister, okay? So go run back to wherever the hell you came from and get over yourself. Things have changed. I've grown up, you need to too." Someone had to hurt Rachel...again. What has she done to deserve this? Puck felt a sudden need to protect Rachel, without thinking, he lightly pushed Santana out of the doorway. Rachel. Was the only thing running through his head. After he pushed Santana out of his way, he heard a small whimper coming from the hallway. Fuck my fucking life.

He couldn't get to the door fast enough. The next thing he knew, Rachel was flying out the door, slamming it behind her, he wasn't fast enough, he didn't get to her in time. I failed her, I didn't save her. Puck was staring, mouth open at the door, wondering what the hell just happened. He was in such shock, he didn't notice Santana still there, or Finn talking on the phone to Quinn. What did bring him back to his senses was Pixie scratching at his leg and whimpering. "Hey girl," Puck bent down and picked the small dog up. Pixie looked longingly at the door, whimpering slightly. Puck stoked the dogs back, vaguely hearing Finn tell Quinn what happened.

When Santana huffed behind them, both Puck and Finn turned towards her. "Get the hell out of my house! Now! You've caused enough! I don't care if Puck still wants to see you, it's his life, but it will not be under this roof! Now get out!" Finn seethed, not being able to hold back any longer. Finn had dealt with enough today, and now this, his baby sister gone. This was the final straw.

"I never want to see you again Santana. Don't call me, don't come around. If Rachel doesn't come back or we don't find her, it'll be your fault. Now leave." Puck said emotionless, he held the dog close, his mind trying to catch up with everything. In all honesty, he told the truth, he never wanted to see Santana again.

"Like she was? How that turned into my problem? You can't blame all your problems on me!"

"Sure I can, watch me." Puck was just looking for someone to blame now and she was a safe target.

Santana was close to tears, "Whatever Puckerman. Finn, I don't even know what I did but I'm sorry." Finn watched Santana huff and storm out of the apartment.

"What was all that about?" Finn turned towards Puck, brows knitted in confusion.

"Huh, something that happened back in the summer before our junior year." Puck turned towards the couch. "What are we gonna do?" Puck sat down, looking back up at Finn.

"Quinn's going to go look for her, she had a good idea where she might be. Now tell me what happened." Finn sat down, he trusted Quinn to find his baby sister.

"Well, it all started when..."

Flashback begins.

Puck woke to sun streaming into his room. Westerly High School had just let out for the summer and he was excited to start what would be a very relaxing summer vacation. Even though the beach would be packed, yes even the private breach, he still had the amazing in ground pool. Sure there wasn't much to do in Westerly, but Providence and New Port are only a short drive. Puck finally stood, his cousin would be here soon. Running down the stairs he called out for his mom. "Mom, when does Chrisi get here?" Puck walked into the large kitchen, his mom starting to carry breakfast to the table.

"She'll be here around noon. Can you go tell your father breakfast is ready?" Puck nodded heading out into his father's office.

"Morning Noah, what can I do for you?"

"Mom says breakfast is ready." His father stood, walking behind Puck.

"Chrisi's here! Chrisi's here!" Puck's younger sister, Bridget yelled, running down the stairs and right out the front door. She greeted her cousin of the same age with a bear hug. "Ohmygod! We have so much to do! And Noah is going to take us to the beach and we have to go to that new movie..." Bridget carried on, listing the numerous things they just had to do.

Puck walked down to the front door and hugged his cousin when he saw her. His aunt and uncle lugged several suitcases out of the back of the car and placed them in the lose stone of the turnaround drive way. "Here, let me get those." Puck picked them up and brought them into the house and right up to the guest bed room.

When Puck came back down, his aunt and uncle were giving hugs and leaving for the airport. "Alright kids, let's go get breakfast before the day begins." Mrs. Puckerman led the kids back into the house and into the sun room or where they liked to eat breakfast.

The kids fell into a routine of sorts, breakfast, beach or something else, lunch at Friendly's or sometimes Puck would pick something up at Joyce's and take it back to the house to warm it up but if the girls were really lucky, Puck would get take out from Chen's. By the time both his parent's were home, Puck headed to that night's party, lucky for him, they were usually thrown on the beach or one of his friends houses (who lived practically on the beach) so he could walk there and sometime later, stagger back to his own home.

One particular night, two weeks into Chrisi's stay, Puck dropped the girls off at the movies with a couple of Bridget's friends. "And your sure Sophia's mom is driving you home?"

"Yes Noah, I can call you if we need you." Bridget hugged her brother one last time before jumping out.

"Well...Bridg, I'm going to that party, so I might not hear my phone."

Bridget shook her head, "It's okay, and I know she's driving us home."

Puck nodded and waited for his sister and cousin to enter the theater and see them join their friends. Puck took one last look at the theatre before driving off.

Hours later, way too many beers to remember, and a few shots that went down a little too easily, Puck finally stumbled a crossed her. "San," he slurred.

"Hey Puck. Whoa, you have really been drinking tonight. Wanna leave?"

"S'yeah..."

Puck woke up in a strange room, he couldn't remember anything. The familiar chirping of his cell phone made him get up, pulling it out of his pants pockets, he saw his mom's number flashing across the screen. "Shit..." He hesitantly picked it up, "Hello?"

"Where the hell are you?" His mother screamed into the phone. "You need to get your ass home, NOW! And when you get here, don't plan on leaving anytime soon. You're grounded. I expect you within half an hour" She hung up before he could even respond. Puck sighed, getting dressed in clothes that still reeked of alcohol. Sneaking down the stairs, he quietly left the Lopez's home and began his walk home.

When he finally arrived home, a police car sat in the drive. Puck was pretty sure he didn't do anything besides go to Santana's. His parent's never called the cops; they knew he would be home in the morning.

"Mom?" Puck yelled out as he walked into his home.

He could hear sobbing, and police talking. "Where in the family room Noah." Puck walked past the stairs and through the living room and into the family room. "Are you sure?"

"Yes Mrs. Puckerman, we have him in holding. Monday he will be arraigned." The officer standing in front of his parents jotted a few things on a note pad. Puck was starting to feel confused. "We're just lucky we came across them. We'll call if we need anything. Take care." The officer turned to leave, giving Puck a nod.

Puck looked back to his parents, each holding a sobbing girl. "What happened?"

His father's red eyes looked up at him. "Where the hell have you been? Did you forget about your sister and cousin?"

"I crashed at a friend's house..."

"That's it Noah, I've had enough! Do you know what these poor girls went through? You knew your father and I were pulling doubles at the hospital!" His mother was now in tears, and he was just more confused.

His father stepped in and tried to explain. "Bridget called you a dozen of times. Sophia's mom couldn't bring the girls home..." Puck's face paled. "After they couldn't get a hold of you or us at the hospital, they attempted to walk home. After about 15 minutes of walking, a car approached them, and two older men tried to pick them up. But luckily a cop drove by, and saw them. Do you know what would've happened if that officer didn't drive by? Where they would be?" Puck closed his eyes, he didn't want to think what would've happened. Now guilt washed over him, he should have been home to go pick them up. "Enough of this partying shit Noah. If your grades aren't up, I will not pay for your college education. I'm done Noah, no more parties, no more of these one night flings, no more getting drunk, nothing! Go upstairs and shower, you look like shit." Puck bit his lip and nodded. Turning around he went upstairs and followed his father's orders.

The rest of the month and summer sucked. Puck couldn't go out unless it was for Bridget or Chrisi. Each night the whole family woke with screams from the two girls. Most nights Puck would comfort his sister or sing to them, he felt most of the guilt. He wasn't there for his baby sister.

Flash back ends

"...by the end of the summer though, everything was back to normal. No more nightmares or scared to go outside without someone. My aunt and uncle were pissed at me, but..." Puck shrugged his shoulders. "I stopped most of the partying, I still went to some, still had many more one night flings with nameless girls, but my grades stayed up and now I'm here."

Finn sat in a state of shock, eyes wide, mouth open. "Wow, I had no idea. Did the guys go to jail?"

Puck nodded, absentmindedly stroking the now sleeping dogs back. "Yeah, for attempted rape and kidnapping. It was only a few years, and I'm pretty sure they're out now. I don't know though, my sister's safe, that's all that counts." Puck looked at Finn. "See, I know how you feel. That helplessness over not being able to do anything for her. It sucks." Puck sighed, leaning his head on the back of the couch. "What are the chances of us getting put into a dorm together, then becoming best friends, and both of us having similar backgrounds?"

"Ha! Who knows...but it makes it a little easier, with you really understanding how I feel, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know." The guys sat in silence for a while. When Finn's phone rang, Puck lifted his head glancing at the clock, two a.m., great!

"It's Quinn." Finn felt relief, hoping Quinn found Rachel. "Quinn, did you find Rachel?"

"Yeah Finn, I have her. I'm coming to your apartment now. We'll be there in a few." Quinn was defeated. She had gone from public place to public place looking for Rachel until she finally showed a picture of her to a man at a coffee shop who pointed her in the right direction. Central Park. She found Rachel crying on a bench, a bag lying by her side. Quinn approached her, and Rachel lit up, she tried to say she couldn't go back, but after a heated argument, Rachel gave in.

Finn and Puck paced the floor, waiting for Rachel to come home. Even Pixie was anxious, following the guys back and forth. When the door handle moved, Puck and Finn froze, holding their breaths. It was pushed open revealing a tired Quinn and a defeated Rachel.

"Rach!" Finn ran over to her, gathering his baby sister in his arms. "I was so worried about you. We both were. Please never do that again."

Rachel sagged against her brother, sobs raking her body. "S-s-sorry."

"Shh, your home now." Finn pulled back, giving his sister a small, sad smile. Rachel looked around him, seeing Pixie and Puck standing close together. She pulled out of her brother's arms and slowly walked over to Puck.

"Can I give you a hug?" Rachel looked him over, not sure if that's what she wanted. But she remembered the feel if his arms around her and how she feels safe with him. Rachel gave a small nod. Puck closed the gap, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close.

Rachel continued to cry into Puck's chest. Finn smiled again before turning back to Quinn. "Thanks babe." He leaned down, giving her a chaste kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too. I'm so tired, I've been walking around for hours. I'm crashing here. We can talk in the morning." Quinn walked past Puck and Rachel and into Finn's room.

Finn looked at his still crying sister. "Rach? Are you gonna be okay if I head to bed? Or do you want me to stay?"

Rachel looked up at her brother. She shook her head, "No, I'm not okay. I'm scared but go. Noah, can you stay?"

Puck looked down at her, then to Finn, and back to her. "Sure. I guess I can," Puck nodded before rubbing her back softly. Finn nodded and walked off. "Where'd you go tonight?" Puck asked softly, leading Rachel to the couch.

Rachel shrugged, she sat down next to Puck, putting about a two feet between them. Pixie hopped up into the spot between Puck and Rachel, whimpering. "Hey Pix." Rachel scratched the dogs head, right behind her ears. The dog fell limp into Rachel's lap, loving the feeling of her owner back home.

"Why'd you leave?" Puck asked, trying to get her to talk.

After a few moments of silence, Rachel looked up at Puck, tears in her eyes. "I'm ruining everyone's lives'. I mean, everything was okay, then that guy came, your friend, you yelled at him because of me and now you lost a friend because of me." Rachel felt the tears roll down her cheeks. "Then tonight, your girlfriend showed up, you had told her not to come but she did and it should have been fine but I was scared and she called me names and I lost it. So, I packed a bag to leave. But I was so scared..." She trailed off, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.

Puck looked at her, he wanted to comfort her, but he wanted her to talk a little. "Why? Why were you scared?"

"You...you pushed your girlfriend. I was scared that you would turn on me. On the other hand though, I felt guilty for making you yell at her. If it wasn't for me moving here, you wouldn't have had to yell at her or pushed her, Finn wouldn't have had to skip classes, both of you wouldn't have lost a friend, and Quinn wouldn't be out at all hours looking for me." Rachel glanced at the door, Puck saw it and shook his head. "You all must hate me..." She murmured.

Puck moved Pixie out of the way, she growled softly, "Fucking grr to you too." That made got a small smile out of Rachel but as soon as Puck put his arm around her, drawing her into his chest, she broke down-again. "Shh Rachel, we don't hate you. You don't have to be scared of me, I would never do that. I wasn't thinking, I was just so mad that someone was hurting you for the second time in one day. Don't feel guilty, she wasn't my girlfriend, and it would have ended sooner or later, whatever it was we had. Finn loves you, he would do anything for you. Quinn...she loves you too, and she was just as worried us Finn and I. I don't think she would have gone out if she didn't." Puck rubbed soothing circles on her back, willing her tears away. "Shh, it's okay and your okay." Puck dropped his head onto hers, the day finally wearing down on him. Rachel continued to cry, softer now, but he could still feel the tears soaking his shirt. Puck felt Pixie curl up next to him, just touching his thigh. They sat in silence for a few minutes, just until Rachel stopped crying. "Come on, let's get you to bed." Puck nudged her, hoping she would stand.

She didn't though, instead she pulled herself closer, shaking her head. "No, a few more minutes..." She mumbled, already drifting off to sleep.

Puck laughed lightly, "No, come on, now." Rachel shook her head again. "How about we compromise. I'll stay with you just until you fall asleep." It took her a few minutes to respond but she finally nodded, slowly standing and making her way to her room. Puck stood and glanced at Pixie. "Come on, are you coming Pixie?" Pixie perked up, looking at Puck and Rachel's retreating form before she jumped down and followed Puck.

Once Pixie was in the room, Puck quietly shut the door, standing there until Rachel came out of her bathroom. The bathroom light turned off and Rachel emerged wearing a pair of sweats and a large t-shirt. She crossed the room, climbing under her blankets. Once she was settled, she looked up at Puck expectantly.

He nodded, turning off the light before he went to the bed. He climbed in, with his back against the head board, he let Rachel situate herself against his chest before wrapping his arm around her. "Night Rachel." Rachel didn't get a chance to respond when Pixie let out a low growl. "Jeez, fucking grr, night Pixie." Rachel let out a small, very quiet giggle before mumbling a 'good night'. Puck allowed himself to sit and rub Rachel's back even though she was sound asleep. Later, he'll tell himself it was because he wasn't really sure if she was asleep or not. He kept hearing that giggle and vowed to himself that night he has to get her to do that more often. When his eyes grew heavy, he didn't even move, he just tightened his grip on her and drifted off to sleep.

A/N: Oh man! Two chapters, two days, feel special! A lot happened in this chapter. I hope we didn't lose anyone. Lol a shout out to Kkaty, who gave me the idea to include some of Puck's past. Take note, it's obviously very A/U. He and Santana are from Rhode Island. And I lied to you; there is no movie theater in Westerly. There used to be but it's now an Auto Zone. :) Okay, reviews are lovely, and give me inspiration to write more! xoxoxo