Hey, people of the Gleek fan world! I'm back, Blue, with the second and the last chapter of this story. This is kinda long, well longer than I expected. I worked so hard on this that I had to keep on rescheduling my Glee-rundown-of-the-first-season day/night :)). So read and review please and ice cream will now be served as hail :D
Dislaimer: I don't own any Glee name, event or item mention in this story. I also don't own the song I used, that is under the Rascal Flatts's name. Although I own my own choreo of Push It (which doesn't even live up to the Glee's rendition of it) :P
No Glee practice, no meeting your ex.
No slushies, no saving your ex from the coldness, especially when it's grape.
Going to the beach for a small gathering of Glee members, only a 0.1 percent chance to talk with your ex.
It was a bright and sunny Saturday at 2pm for the Glee members as they plan to have some fun in the sun. The gang came out of their cars, trucks and convertibles and set up their scenery: lots of chairs and umbrellas, towels, more than 5 pitchers of iced tea, lemonade and water, 7 coolers filled with ice cold beer, a CD player, hundreds of CDs, mountains and mountains of food, and floaters, you're never too young for floaters.
As soon as they prepared the perfect setting, got into their bathing suits and done applying half a bottle of sun block, they sat on the chairs and towels as they took a rest from all the lifting and setting and heavy-breathing and sweating... and so on. A certain lady with the inner Beyoncé spoke after the comfortable silence.
"Yo, you guys alright? Mercedes said, her always sassy aura accompanying her voice.
"Yeah, what's the matter?" A very-fashionable-Kurt-even-though-it's-only-the-beach responded to her question.
"I mean, we're here in a rockin' beach and all we do is sittin' and breathin'. That's undope shit righ' here."
"What's undope?" Tina asked, finally accepting that a fake speech impediment wasn't such a great idea to use when surrounded by the people who you care about, cliché but awfully true.
"Girl, you trippin'. Don't cha dare ask me that kind of question, my slang is my rules only." Mercedes fired back, placing her hand on her hip and snapped her other hand, a signature move.
"Honest to God, sometimes I don't even understand a word she says." Kurt whispered in an even lighter voice than usual, getting a continuous snicker in response from Artie.
"So, where's Quinn?" Rachel asked timidly, getting Puck's full attention on the group.
"Probably at home, she needs her bed rest especially this time of her pregnancy." Tina answered while raking her hand through her long black hair.
Rachel mutely nodded, showing no smile or frown. Puck immediately turned his head away from them as he heard the "P" word, knowing that his eyes burn with the discouraging shade of guilt and pain.
"That's right. Maybe Finn's with her too, and if not he'd be an A+ singing buffoon." Artie joined in, partially taking the last part as a joke. Yeah, partially.
Puck tugged a corner of his lips upwards, appreciative of what his crippled friend just said.
On the other hand, it was Rachel's turn to remove her gaze at her friends as she swung her legs to the side of her chair, nervously twisting her luscious hair.
"Like, what we all doin'? Shouldn't we be divin', swimmin', splashin' and water-chasin'? Mercedes said, trying to hype up her fellow Glee members and also reminded them what the main reason really was on why they were in the beach.
"She's right, let's go swimming! But, I must warn you. Watch out for my shades, they're expensive Gucci. Splash them with a drop of sea water and I will whack you with my designer coat and scarf." Kurt threatened at them, giving a stink eye on Tina for no particular reason at all.
"Ooh, we're scared Hummel. Don't whip us with your soft scarf and silk coat! We would die!" Tina joked at him, playfully placing the back of her hand on her forehead and dramatically closing her eyes before laughing.
Artie and Mercedes laughed with the rocker that is, until Kurt had serious business written all over his face. He held up his coat and scarf on either of his hands. "Wanna try me?"
"Hell to the nah! Let's bounce guys!" Mercedes, followed by Artie who was being helped by Tina, hastily ran or rolled towards the water with Kurt playfully chasing after them, leaving Puck and Rachel on dry sand. They had no intention to move or talk ever since that whole slang with Mercedes and Kurt's death threat.
Hearing the laughs and squeals of her friends, Rachel painfully closed her eyes, secretly despising the feeling they had while she was having a gruelling day at the beach. She slowly leaned back on the beach chair they brought and stretched her legs on it as well, just staring at her fellow Glee members' envious merriment. Tina splashing Mercedes, Artie trying to kick water onto Kurt's shades, which the soprano is successfully dodging, she pondered. What if, they weren't there? What if, it was only her and Puck on the beach? What if this was the only time to actually make up with the guy? The downside of those questions would have to be the possibilities after. She hesitantly looked the corner of her eye to at least catch a glimpse of Puck. But God was good to her as he was almost in the same position as her, only he was sitting on a foldable chair.
His dark, mesmerizing eyes seem to admire the blended colors of orange and yellow from the sun that reflected on the abstract sculptures of the waves. His nose curved to perfection as he breathed a single breath and let it out just as the same. The mohawk caught her eye next, remembering the uniqueness about it. It had a rock edge yet it was tame and very well-groomed always. His fair arms, muscular but defined, were glistened remarkably as the afternoon's heat affected him tenderly. She saved the best for last, his divine lips. The taste of it makes her go into heaven's sweet bliss. The times that their lips locked always seemed forever, like interpreting their own story. Her eyes were already straining, so she immediately closed her eyes. The need to rest her eyes overcame her as a few tears came out. But that may not be the only reason water came out of her eyes...
Flashing her eyes open in a dash, Rachel discovered that she actually fell asleep. She must've took a long nap since the sun was almost setting and her friends were just sitting on the sand drinking some cold beverages as they looked beyond the horizon. She sleepily smiled at them, enjoying the view that she's admiring as well. She looked to her side to see the other-known-football-player-turned-singer beside her, but she just saw empty air. She instantly sat up, restlessly turning her head to find her fellow Glee member but failed. She stood up and wore her red skirt before walking bare foot to search for her ex-boyfriend. What she didn't know that some one– more like some people –were watching her every move.
"See? I told you she'll get up and find him. Pay up!" Mercedes said reaching a hand to Kurt.
He grunted as he gave his Gucci glasses. "This is the last time I make a bet with you." He said with the most adorable pout.
"Boy, you got lucky that we didn't bet on yo scarf or I would make it into a ticked out belt." She said, placing her newly-obtained sunglasses on top of her hair.
Kurt stared at her with bulging eyes before he honestly fainted on the sand. He picked up his head again and fixed a few strands of his precious hair and then returned to his unconscious state.
30 minutes of searching on the warm sand wasn't doing any justice with Rachel. Her impatience grew and her worry grew even more. She quickly wiped away the perspiration on her forehead and sighed desperately. She wasn't even sure if he really explored the beach, that she was over-reacting. She thought of the saner possibilities on what happened to Puck. Maybe he went to the bathroom, or maybe he went to his truck and got something. But strangely deep in her heart, she knew he was out there. She feels that she was walking the right way. She felt the softness of the sand, deep enough that she could sense his footsteps in the sand as though it was already faded away by the water. How does she do it? She's confused herself. Maybe, well just maybe, it's l...
There he is!
She ran towards him, only to slow down and stop just a few meters away. He was sitting on the sand with a gentle but discontented look on his handsome face. He was with his trusty guitar, playing around with some chords. She plainly stared at him in utter shock. She took a few steps forward just enough to hear him play. Her eyes slightly widened as she heard the melody, it was the same music he played in the last Glee practice where her eyes was just drawn to him, and only him. His angelic voice, despite his bad boy look, suited him perfectly every time he opens his mouth to just sing simple yet powerful poetic words.
I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house
That don't bother me
I can take few a few tears now and then and just let them out
I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me
There are days every now and again I pretend I'm okay
But that's not what gets me
What hurts the most
Was being so close
And so having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could've been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do
She just listened intently, savouring every word he sings. To her, this was a different version of Noah Puckerman the Singer. The usual Puck sings like it was no tomorrow, like he was on top of the world. He sings with such happiness and just feels and connects with the music. But the Puck she sees was calmer and more intact with the music. It's like the song is literally a part of him. His voice filled with dedication, passion, emotion, his heart and his soul. His eyes scream of pain, too much pain that Rachel can feel it as well. She walked towards him and went behind him. She sat down carefully so that he won't be able to sense her presence. Her ears were drawn to his voice again as he sang the next verse.
It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go
But I'm doing it
It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone
Still harder
Getting up, getting dressed, living with this regret
But I know, if I can do it over
I would trade, give away, all the words that I saved in my heart
That I left unspoken
What hurts the most
Was being so close
And so having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could've been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do
She let out a quiet sob, as a trail of a tear came down from her eye, almost challenging her to let it all out. She quickly dismissed that tear and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear then hugged her knees as he continued the heartbreaking song.
Ohh
Ohh yeah
What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing what could've been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was trying to do
Ooooh, oh…
"That was beautiful." Oh, no. Did I just say that out loud?
"I appreciate it." He surprisingly answered back, no hint of shock or confusion in his voice.
She slightly nodded and scooted over to him so that she was now sitting next to him. Neither of them looked at their imperfect halves, just at the orange horizon.
"Why'd you follow me?" He asked in a deep whisper.
"You want the honest, painful answer or a fictional, happy lie?" She nonchalantly said to him, staring at her hand that was on her lap.
"You know me all too well, Berry, to answer that question." He sighed as he laid his guitar on the other side of him.
She hesitantly looked at him, yet he kept his eyes at the sun again. "I was worried." She answered so gently.
He nodded and caught a glimpse of her at her sad eyes. Why did I ever let her go, I'll never know.
"Noah, I'm sorry." She caught him off guard with her words.
He had a confused look on his face, wondering what she had done to him. She can never do anything to hurt him, he convinced himself.
"What? What for, Rachel?"
She place a hand on his broad shoulder, he shivered under her simplest touch.
"That song, music so striking as the lyrics was heavenly. I would've known that you'd be singing that kind of song because of all the troubles you have. More importantly, I imagined you serenading someone to it. And I bet she's a lucky girl." She finished with a half smile.
"Really? She is?" He asked with a small grin.
"Yeah, I mean Quinn will love that…"
Her voice trailed off as his grin disappeared and turned his head away. Concerned, she did things she wasn't supposed to do like cupping his cheek to face her.
"What's wrong, Noah?" She asked with all the care in the world.
His heart started to pound against his chest so hard, she finally called him Noah again.
"My problem is that… I don't want to sing it to Quinn Fabray."
Like him, her heart was having a battle with her rib cage as well. He was looking right at her, no sun, no sand, and no guitar, just her.
He leaned closer, forehead to forehead. He was so close, so wonderfully close to her.
"I don't want Quinn Fabray… I just want-"
Rachel didn't even let him finish that statement as she locked her lips right on his, which he gladly accepted. He easily wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his lap. Her hand flew off of his shoulder to the back of his nape, pulling him closer to her. Her other hand was draped over both of his shoulders as they romantically kissed on the beach. Both of them smiled against the other's lips as they realized that it didn't matter to them what the consequence will be after this, just as long as they were there alone and happy, they can just forget the problems that are crawling into their world. His tongue swept over her bottom lip, seeking permission to enter which she allowed. She opened her mouth more and his tongue just intertwined with hers automatically. Their tongues were dancing, the paired lips were in unity, everything they wanted was happening right there on the spot, in the perfect moment.
The need of oxygen was a needed reason to cut this fantasy short. She pulled away, her forehead still on his while their sweat mix together. She got lost in his dark orbs, and so did he. She started to caress the back of head as he hugged her tighter. She broke the moment of silence as she spoke her mind.
"Noah, what does this mean?"
"What are you talking about, Rach?" He answered nervously, not wanting to leave his unhappy world again.
"You like Quinn, I like Finn-"
"Rachel, please," Puck interrupted her desperately, scared of what she'll say. "Can you honestly confess to me that you like Finn more than me? If you do, I'll leave you alone for good." He continued with a hint of determination to let her stay with him.
She looked down and stared at his neck, trembling of fear. She knew her answer clearly, but afraid of what will happen if she said it out loud. But one's thing for sure, her answer will make her happy for all of eternity.
"No." She pulled back to get a clear view of his face, lighting up of relief.
A single word, then the weight of the world was lifted of his shoulder. "S-seriously?"
"Of course, I'm serious. But what about you, Noah? How will you help Quinn?" Rachel asked him as she placed both her hands on his shoulders yet again.
"It maybe my kid, but I'll do whatever it takes to have you back in my life. Please Rachel, I can't handle the pain of losing you again. I just can't." His voice was filled with such affection that it almost brought tears of both their eyes.
She kissed his forehead tenderly, his eyes closing in response.
"I'll never leave you again, Noah. I want you, I need you, I love you." She said with the brightest smile.
Saying that he is the happiest man alive would be a shocking understatement. He briefly kissed her again, just a sweet, loving one. He pulled back and smiled as well, thanking God that she gave him another chance to redeem himself. She stood up and held out her hand to him. He gratefully accepted and stood up as well. He protectively wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked farther in the beach. The breeze blew around them, and it must've been strong since Rachel shivered after.
"You okay, Rachel?" Puck asked his newly-acquired girlfriend.
"Yeah, I'm just a little cold." She answered sweetly with a grin, loving the feeling that he was incredibly concerned for her.
He removed his arm from her and began to take of his shirt. After removing it, he motioned Rachel to raise her arms up so that he can slip the shirt over her head and on her petite body. She fingered the shirt curiously, soft and comfortable, just the way he likes it. And by the looks of it, so does she.
"Better?"
"A little bit." She smirked at him, getting a chuckle from her boyfriend.
He wrapped his arm around her again, this time a little tighter as her body was pulled against his. And it was proven that body heat is a good way to warm up.
"This is more like it." She giggled and kissed his cheek quickly. "Thank you."
"I love you, Rachel. Everything you want and need, I'll be willing to give it to you." He kissed her softly and walked down the beach again.
It didn't matter that a baby was on the way or that a man was nervous as hell about it. They were together and nothing will change that. Surely in the future they'll start to compromise, but it's for their love.
They buried their demonically painful past.
They escaped the surprise ambush of the horrible present.
And they seek a bright, healthy future right before their eyes.
No matter what, one look at the same sun they experienced that day would cover the troubled shadows. And when the sunset appears, their love will unfold into a newer, sweeter chapter of their lives in his world, her world… their world.