AN: And thus the conclusion of Stay with Me. It's funny b/c I actually wrote this chapter first, and the story idea stemmed from it. Anyway, thank you SO much for reading and all of your support! My readers are the best! Please read and review! :o) Love you guys!
Stay with me
Don't let me go
'Cause I can't be without you
Just stay with me
And hold me close
Because I've built my world around you
And I don't wanna know what it's like without you
So stay with me
Just stay with me
"Stay with Me" ~ Danity Kay
It was an unusually cold March afternoon. Puck was thrashing about his room. He had to get out. There was nothing to keep him in Ohio anymore. He was tired of being second best. He was tired of not being enough. He was not going to be a Lima Loser anymore. He had tried to convince Quinn to let him help with the baby, but even after the truth came out, she told him she wanted to go it alone. He couldn't stand the way those words had hurt him.
He'd passed Berry in the hallway that day on his way to talk to Quinn, and there was still some spark between them that he couldn't deny. He didn't know why, but he'd never really gotten over Rachel. They had dated for a week, but she had impacted him in many ways. She had this enormous faith in him that he didn't even have for himself. Still, she was in love with Finn. It didn't matter that Finn had yet to do anything about it since his break-up with Quinn. It didn't matter that he caught Rachel staring his way instead of at the tall, gangly teen on more than one occasion. He didn't know what to make of that, but he figured it was just pity. It hurt too much to hope that it was more than that.
She was there for him that evening after Quinn had shot him down, like so many times before. No questions asked. After that moment of weakness he'd shared with her, he figured things would change, and they did. They talked more in social situations and she offered to be his friend which he hesitantly agreed to. She'd share her homemade cookies, and he'd make jokes. He'd come to remember why he'd asked her out in the first place; in the end, it had little to do with his erroneous "message from God." It slowly became more than that. She was passionate, smart, beautiful, and loyal. If he didn't feel like such a loser all the time, he'd want to make her his girl. But Rachel deserved better.
Puck sat on his bed, thinking about Rachel. Their paths had crossed many times over the years. Somehow, it always came back to her. Puck wasn't sure why this girl was so prominent in the most important moments of his life, but if his feelings held any indication, then he knew she was supposed to be there. Sure, he was grateful for her; she was the only one there for him. But, to him, it wasn't enough. He couldn't hold her back. He knew he had to leave, had to get out. Puck had said millions of times that he didn't want to be like his father…but yet, he was leaving. Just. Like. Him.
Pushing that thought aside, he grabbed some duffel bags and stuffed clothes in them. He grabbed some toiletries and his iPod. He checked his wallet; he'd need some cash before hitting the road, but he could always stop at an ATM. He'd need gas too; he wasn't sure where he was headed, and he'd rather wander aimlessly on a full tank of gas. Being abnormally sentimental, he grabbed some pictures of his mom and sister, the one of the Glee kids at Sectionals, and the snapshot of him and Rachel taken during the brief week they dated. He hoped once he was gone, she wouldn't forget about him. He wouldn't forget her. Sighing, he bounded down the stairs.
It was now or never. He was going to make it out of there. Then, he walked out the front door and saw her. What was with her sixth sense? Had she sensed that he was pulling away, that he was leaving? And even then, why was she here?
Rachel stood at his driveway. The wind whipped her hair around her face, and she shivered. She had no coat, and even in the low-forty-degree weather, she insisted on wearing skirts. He longed to go to her and hold her, but he couldn't risk it tearing his heart out again. Slowly, he made his way to her, stuffing his hands in his pockets, fighting the urge to touch her. He wanted to ask her why she was here and how she knew, but he didn't quite have the words. His questioning, hazel eyes bore into her confused, chocolate ones.
"Don't go," she whispered, eyes pleading with him.
"Why should I stay?" he growled, feeling angry all of the sudden. "Give me one good reason."
She bit her lip, and he saw she was conflicted. For the first time in sixteen years, Rachel Berry looked speechless. Puck honestly didn't know what was going on in that pretty little head of hers. He expected her to say Quinn, the baby, school, Glee, your responsibilities, your mom, anything.
Anything but what she said.
"I love you."
He looked at her as if she had grown three heads. Had he heard her right? Instinctively, he took a step toward her. She grabbed one of his large hands and held it between her smaller ones.
"You have to stay. Please stay, Noah," she begged. "I don't know what I'll–"
Her words were cut off when his lips crashed forcefully into hers. He gently wrenched his hand free from hers in order to thread it through her long brown locks as he slid his other arm around her waist, pulling her close. Her hands were trapped against his chest for a second before they traveled up his pectoral muscles to his shoulders to clasp behind his neck. His tongue slipped across her bottom lip, begging for entrance into the hot, but sweet, caverns of her mouth.
She sighed as she allowed him to explore her mouth. Rachel eagerly returned the kiss she had waited so long to taste again. This boy couldn't leave, because if he did, he'd be taking her heart with him.
When she broke the kiss, they were both panting, and Puck rested his chin on the top of her head and kept his hands at her hips, not willing to break his hold on her. She moved her arms to settle around his waist. She squeezed him tightly and buried her head into his chest.
"Rachel…" he whispered.
He felt her shake her head into his chest; he tightened his arms around her tiny frame. He could feel the edges of his heart slowly being sewn back together after her admission of love. He kissed the top of her head once more as she shifted her head to the side so that she could speak.
"Please say you'll stay, Noah. Please. Don't leave me," she whimpered.
When she looked up at him, she noticed his eyes mirrored hers, glassy from unshed tears, but also full of love. He cupped her face with his hands and, without breaking eye contact, he pressed a gentle, lingering kiss to her lips.
"I'll stay."
So take my hand and I won't look back
Though I've lived tossed along these waves
I will stay
"Satisfy" ~ Vedera
