Love Makes You Do the Wacky

(RATED M; Q/P/R/F, P/R)

CHAPTER IV- Ultimatums

"Dude! What the hell!" Puck yelled into the phone, angrily pacing Rachel's living room. "I was busy!"

"Well, put it back in your pants because this is important." Mike yelled back.

"It's not like we were doing anything," Puck whispered into the phone. He meant for it to be an inward whisper, but it just came out.

"What?"

"Nothing! What do you want, Chang!"

"!"

"What? Man, I couldn't understand you." Puck said, trying to calm down the taller boy. "Slow down."

"What, do you need a fucking translator! I said Coach is making us choose between football and glee!" Mike bite out. "Maybe if you'd come to practice this afternoon, we wouldn't have to choose! But you just had to get your freak on with Crazy Berry!"

"Hey! Don't talk about my girlfriend like that!" Puck yelled. "It's not my fault Coach is PMS-ing! He was just pissed. I'll probably just have to run a few laps and then he'll get over it."

"Uh-uh. He's not just PMS-ing this time; he's legit pissed off to the fucking tens!"

"Stop yelling, Chang! It's not helping!" Puck lost his breath from yelling so much and so loud. He sat down on the couch with a huff and ran his hand through his Mohawk. "Thanks for telling me, man. I'll talk to you later."

"Whatever." Mike said harshly and hung up the phone.

Puck thought about calling him back and ripping him a new one, but he just grunted angrily and clenched and un-clenched his fists before walking back up to Rachel's room. He kept running his hands through his Mohawk. When he got up to Rachel's bedroom door he stared into his reflection on the large metallic gold star hanging on the white wooden surface as if it would give him the answers he needed. He continued staring; listening to any sign that Rachel might have fallen asleep. When he gently pushed at the golden shape he peaked his head inside, hoping to see his girlfriend curled into a tight ball with her eyes shut, but instead he was met by Rachel snapping her head up at the sound of the wooden door creaking and crawling across the bed.

"Rachel, listen, I have to tell you someth-" He was interrupted by Rachel pressing her lips firmly against his; holding his face in her hands, pressing him into her like she never wanted to let him go, like he had been halfway across the world for twenty years and she had missed him so bad!

When Rachel finally let him go they stared into each other's eyes as she continued to hold his face. "I love you," she said.

His eyebrows shot up. This wasn't the first time that a girl has said she loved him, but he never had his girlfriend tell him that. He usually ends it before it gets that far. Puck sat down on the edge of the bed. Rachel hopped down and began to pace in front of him.

"I don't expect you to say it back, at least not right away, but I just had to let you know." Rachel said as she plopped down next to him.

A curtain of her dark hair hung between them, hiding her face. Puck tucked it behind her shoulder and lifted her chin. He kissed her chastely and began to lift her, but she pushed off.

"That's not all."

"Well, what else is it, Rach?" Puck asked. Rachel let out a heavy sigh and got back up and began to pace again. "Rachel," Puck grabbed her forearms, "what is it? Just tell me."

"I've only met your mother and sister once." He still didn't understand. "You haven't even met my fathers…."

"Me and parents don't mix, especially dads, so since you have two…." He trailed off. "Rachel, what is it? Do you want to have a family dinner or something? All six of us?"

"I can't have sex with you until you tell me you love me!" Rachel blurted out.

Puck was silent. He knew that Rachel had boundaries, so he should have expected something like this, but honestly he didn't. So he pulled her to him and kissed her; hugged her and said three words he never thought he'd hear himself say. "I love you."

Rachel began to form a bright smile, but then her face turned cold and hard. She reached behind her and grabbed a pillow. "Jerk!" She screeched. The pillow landed a hard plumph on the top of his head. He lost balance and nearly fell of the bed.

When he regained his composure he saw Rachel headed towards her bathroom. "Rachel! Rachel, wait!"

"Ugg! Noah Puckerman, you are so typical!" She yelled, still headed for the door.

"What? Rach?" He ran after her. "How am I—?"

"You," Rachel turned in a big movement, "are so typical! You didn't really mean it! All you wanted was to just get into my pants!"

"No, Rachel… I do lo—"

"Don't you dare say it!" Rachel pointed her finger at him. "You don't deserve to say it. You don't feel it in your heart, so don't try and make me believe it!" She turned back and ran into the bathroom with tears in her eyes.

He tried to run after her but she slammed the door in his face and locked it. "Rachel, please…."

"Go. Away!"

"Rachel, I need to tell you something." The only thing he heard on the other side of the door was broken sobs and water running. "Rachel," he continued, "Coach Tanaka—He's making us choose between football and glee." He waited for her to come out but there was still silence. "Can we talk about this tomorrow?" Still nothing. Puck gave up and walked out of the house and started up his truck; Rachel was silent in the bathroom, letting her tears fall without sound, but when she heard the loud rumble of his truck sobs racked her body.