Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with this fandom.

A/N: By the way, I know that Glee probably practices primarily in the mornings with the exception of Tuesdays when they have an extra practice in the afternoon. To suit my purposes, Glee club practices only in the afternoons at the moment, but they change for the following year.

This chapter is not important, heck I don't think it was even very well written, but it does give some insight to the Puck/Santana relationship. Anyway, if I put Interlude in the name of a chapter, it means that it focuses on someone else's back story or view with/of Santana or Brittany (at least that's the plan at the moment, so far I have Puck and Sue, I doubt I'll throw in any others. I may recycle Puck or Sue for a second Interlude but I doubt it.) This is all I could give, I have an almost done chapter (WITH BRITTANY AND SANTANA) almost done, I just already had this written out so I figured I'd post it for this week as it IS FINALS WEEK(s) for me.

Chapter 6 - Interlude – Puck

"Live with all your might, fight with all your life" – Higurashi (manga)

If asked by the right person, Puck would be the first to admit that he wasn't the most observant or intelligent resident of Lima; but when it came to Santana, especially when you know someone as long as he had, it's impossible not to notice small changes in them that no one else could pick out. Over the few months, he'd noticed such a change in Santana. He was glimpsing part of her he'd thought was lost, long ago when they had started all the lies. While she still wore her usual scowl, she seemed quietly happier and more relaxed. Although there was still an edge in her voice, something about the tone had seemed, softer almost. But then she was never really nice to anybody even when she was younger.

Puck remembered that day when they had begun to live the lies until they became real. No, it probably started before then, the first time they met when she rescued him. Rescued him, the stud and badass of McKinley High, people would laugh and call it a joke if they heard about it now. Noah Puckerman being picked on by someone besides Santana, the thought was absurd, laughable even. But he'd only been five years old.

He'd thought she was the coolest girl he'd ever met, and she just looked at him and said, "Idiot. You fight back. Like this." She closed his fist and he threw his first punch. Unfortunately, his father had seen the outcome of the fight and gave him a beating for being rescued by a girl. The very next day Puck had gone up to her and asked her to teach him how to fight.

"Sure," she said. "My name's Santana. What's yours?"

"Noah," he muttered.

"Louder," She had demanded. "My brother says that if you can't say your name proudly, you're not much of a man at all."

"My name is Noah Puckerman!" He practically shouted.

She nodded in approval and led him off into a secluded corner telling him, "This way." She gave him his first lesson, dodging. Each day, his father made sure that he had the proper motivation to fight for himself, each day that passed when Noah didn't win at school, he was beaten twice as hard as home. Often he escaped over to Santana's empty house, whose parents were often gone. Only her brother ever came home, and even that was few and far between. In fights, it became apparent that Santana and he worked together; they were unbeatable, they learned to read each other's moves so fluidly that in later years would look at though they were dancing instead of fighting. His father was satisfied with that idea at the moment because it seemed as though his son was pulling his own weight in a fight.

But in fifth grade, his father decided that his son was relying on Santana too much and decided to "toughen" him up. A week later he was sent to the hospital and at school he started showing new bruises every other day. He didn't want to tell anyone, and Santana never asked why he refused to let her over to his house, she never asked why he was hurting all the time. Although, he had the feeling that she knew. One day, he missed covering up some of his bruises and his teacher took notice. She sent him down to the nurse's office to get looked at. When asked what had happened, he had panicked and lied telling the nurse that Santana had given him these bruises in a fight. She was called into the office that day and sitting across from her, he held back his shock when she had supported his lie. That was her first lecture, and that was the day they began their facades. He'd gone over to her house afterwards, and began to explain the situation. It was her idea to create new identities for them to support the lie he'd told, but he could tell that she was barely containing her fury at his father, and herself, for letting it get that far.

Now, instead of defending the ones being picked on, he began to pick on the easy prey taking out his rage and unfairness of the world on them, while she did nothing to prevent it. He could tell it was eating her up inside, he could tell that she understood why he had to do this, but she had been taught by her brother to always, always protect those weaker than you. Despite this knowledge, he had secretly felt both relieved and honored that she had chosen her friendship with him over what had once been her own strict code. He didn't know when the ice had started forming around her heart, but if he thinking back on it now, she probably had to harden her heart and ignore her feelings each time she heard or saw him bullying someone. She understood why he was doing these things and was willing to sacrifice her ideals to keep him safe.

By the time high school had rolled around, he had noticed that she hadn't even given a glance at the people who were being bullied, when before she would have lashed out at the bugger who even thought about it.

He wasn't quite sure how but by the second year of high school his father was often gone for weeks, sometimes months, at a time, and with his absence was unable to "teach" his son about growing up. He had a feeling Santana knew why, but at the same time it felt like a subject that he shouldn't approach. So instead, he was just thankful for all the things that she had done for him. If he stole, she would take the blame. If he got beaten by his father, she would take the blame. If he needed someone to confide in, she was there. She had so many opportunities in the past to ditch him and other friends but she never did. If she could give it to him, all he had to do was ask. He had wanted to learn how to please a girl through sexual means, and had asked her for help. Although she was reluctant at first she had let him. He knew that he always took more than he gave and he owed her more than he could ever pay in his lifetime.

Not to say he didn't try though. But each attempt to repay her was countered by her doing something for him that was more important. He taught her how to play guitar, but she had taught him how to defend himself. He taught her ways to sneak around the school around the school; she had introduced him to Quinn. He taught her how to steal; she never did, unless Sue asked her to, but still took the fall for his crimes when she could. He tried to teach her how to pick locks; she had rolled her eyes, picked out the hardest lock and unlocked it five seconds flat. He let her crash at his place when his parents were out and she had offered him sanctuary when his father was home.

He knew he paid a price for his existence and she did too. He had never wanted that of her, so if something was giving her happiness again, letting her be herself, even if he was just a bit jealous, he hoped that it would last. Because even though she would forgive him for all the events leading up to this outcome, he might not ever forgive himself for taking her opportunity to be happy away.

A/N: wow… uh… I think I made Puck too sentimental. Ah well… Sue's soon… time to ruin her character (crosses fingers, I hope not). Look forward to a good chapter next week, promise.