Hey. So I know it's been a while since i've posted, sorry about that. A lot of crap going on. But anyho, happy 2012! First chapter of the New Year. Woot Woot! Hope you guys like this. I'm sick today, so i can't do much but lay in bed and drink tea, so i will be posting another chapter soon. Nothing else to do, why not write. :) Kay, so enjoy!

Disclaimer:I don't own Glee, or any of these characters, cept Eli. If I did you ask? I would be on a jet to Hawaii with Mark and Cory :D

Chapter 6

The music could be heard as soon as they stepped thru the doors. The hallways were only semi lit, so you could easily find your way to the gym. As they walked closer, the music got louder and louder, the halls getting lighter and lighter as well, the anticipation growing with ever step.

Rachel was glad this moment was finally here. She had spent countless days going back and forth with her feelings toward tonight, and she was just relieved it would finally be over. She knew she was going to enjoy this evening, as she finally saw all her friends, and also it being one of her only nights out.

She was also ready to be done with the knot that had formed in her stomach the moment she finished reading the invitation all those weeks ago. It had only grown stronger and stronger each day since then, and she was sick of it, so tonight she could officially put it to rest.

As she strode down the hall, Eli's hand gripped firmly in her left, and her right hand intertwined with Sam's, a new air of confidence hit her. She remembered all those times in high school when she walked down these exact same halls, chin held high, but with all those insecurities hid behind her eyes, dodging slushies and biting comments from the rest of the idiotic student body, alone. She looked at herself now, her beautiful little boy by her side, and she couldn't help but smile.

She had rid herself of all those insecurities long ago. When you're a mom at 19, you start to realize that there are way more important things to be worrying about then what people think of you. She stopped caring about making it out of this town, about proving something of herself, about making people like her. She was a new woman now, and she liked this version of herself a hell of a lot better than her high school self.

Though she would never verbally admit it, she still held onto one insecurities, and it was one she had to physically oppress almost everyday. Puck was that one insecurity to her. Wow, even saying his name in her head gave her a chill. He was the only person that could break her with a glance, ruin her with one word. She never wanted him to have that much power and it wasn't like she gave it to him out of choice, it kind of just happened, and she hates herself for it.

But that doesn't matter anymore, because he is out of her life now, and because of that, he has no hold on her. At least that's what she tells herself.

Why in the world is she thinking about him now? This is HER 6 year reunion. She should be enjoying herself! He isn't even here and he is already ruining her night. See, this is the hold she was talking about.

So she locks those thoughts away in the dark corner of her mind and squeezes Sam's hand, smiling up at him. As he smiles down, she still can't help but think his eyes are all wrong, but she smiles regardless. He is her present, and hopefully her future, right? Why dwell on the dumb past anyway.

They step into the gym and she takes a look around. Cheesy red and white paper streamers hang from the ceiling, slightly reminding her of her senior prom. Another great memory she will save for later, when she's alone, and can let the tears flow freely. The stage is only minimally decorated, but it looks nice. Their club was never about big and flashy things anyway.

Music is playing thru the speakers positioned at the ends of the stage, and the atmosphere is light.

Before she can stop them, memories start intruding her mind, bringing her back to high school all over again. It's only when Eli's hand leaves hers does she snap back into the present, only to see her well dressed son being swung around by a giant wearing a suit, all the while feeling herself being gently tugged in the same direction.

She finally registers what's happening when she sees the blonde haired beauty step out from behind the giant, who she now sees is Finn. Quinn comes over and hugs her tightly, and all the memories fade away, yet she knows they will come back later.

"It feels like I haven't seen you in forever!" Quinn squeals as she squeezes Rachel tighter.

"Sweetie, we just skyped a week ago. Remember, Eli came running threw the background in his Spiderman underwear, then locked himself in his room when he realized you saw?" Rachel laughed. He wouldn't come out for a good 35 minutes, and that was only after Rachel promised to make him chocolate chip pancakes for dinner.

"How could I forget? It's just I haven't actually seen you in person for so long. I forgot how small you are."

Rachel rolled her eyes, which caused Quinn's giggles to grow louder.

"I am the…"

"Perfect height for a petite woman your age, I know, I know. Your still really small honey, embrace it."

Rachel huffed in response, which made Quinn's giggles return.

Rolling her eyes yet again (this was going to be a long night), she turned to Finn and Sam, who were standing to the side, having what seemed like, a heated debate about their favorite superheroes.

"Superman is the bomb. Just admit that and we can all move on with our lives"

"I thought you were cool Uncle Finn! And cool people know that Spiderman is the best. So I guess I was wrong about you."

"Hey! I am cool! I am the coolest uncle ever. And that's why I think Superman is the best superhero ever."

"No! Spiderman is the best."

"No. Superman"

"Spiderman."

"Superman."

"SPIDERman"

"SUPERman"

"Spider!"

"Super!"

"Avatar!"

The two other boys turned to look at Sam with a look that could only be classified as disgust.

"Sorry, but I had to give it a shot. Continue."

"No. Actually I think we've discussed superheroes enough for tonight. Finn, I see you're doing well. Only two minutes into the night, and you've already got Eli all riled up."

Finn pulled Rachel in for a hug "Nice to see you too Rach. And I wouldn't get him all riled up if he would only agree with the facts."

"Those aren't fa..." Rachel's glare made Eli rethink his words, shutting his mouth quickly.

The five stood talking. Soon being joined by Mike and Matt, Artie and Tina, and Mercedes and her date.

They all stood chatting for a while, mostly about how their lives were, their jobs and so forth, and, of course, gushing over Eli ever couple of minutes, while he just stood proudly in the middle, his smile reaching from ear to ear.

It was about 8:30 when Kurt, Blaine, Brittney, and Santana arrived. It would have been 8:20 if Kurt didn't have to run back upstairs to get his emergency, travel sized hair gel.

Santana quickly scanned the room, spotting Rachel in the middle talking with everyone. She was all smiles and laughter, so Santana knew he could've have shown up yet. He said he wanted was coming a little later, so that Rachel could at least enjoy some of her reunion before he came and screwed it up.

Santana smiled at the Rachel she saw in front of her. She was the animated and bubbly Rachel, carefree and happy Rachel. She loved this Rachel. It was like how she used to be in high school, minus all the bossy and 'I'm better than you' attitude. Rachel looked so youthful when she was like this, but still very put together and classy.

They all walked over to the rest of the Glee clubbers and said their hellos, instantly slipping back into their old routine.

After a while of talking, they decided to dance. Santana watched Sam and Rachel, close together and swaying to the music in the middle of the dance floor.

She sighed to herself. They looked cute together; they honestly did, but something was just… off. They didn't fit perfectly together. Her hands didn't fit exactly behind the back of his neck, and his arms looked almost foreign crossed behind her back.

And the way they swayed together, it was like they weren't completely on the same beat. Close, you could ever say very, very close, but not completely.

Santana did honestly feel bad for Sam. I mean, the poor boy was falling for a girl who had long ago given all of her heart away to another boy.

Though Rachel would argue (feebly if she may add) against it, Puck and Rachel, Puckleberry as most called them, was endgame, no ifs, ands, or buts. That's how it always was, and how it was always going to be.

Honestly, if Sam thought he could escape that fake, he might be more stupid than she already perceived him as.

Don't get her wrong, she liked Sam. Well, kind of liked Sam. Every since the night Puck left, she had this uneasy feeling about him. I mean, don't get her wrong, she is grateful that he helped put Rachel back together, and that he kept her company all this time, not to mention how he was a great male role model for Eli, but she always felt like he was trying to take Puck's place in Rachel's life, which he would never be able to do.

He swooped in and took Rachel for himself the second Puck was gone, and that didn't sit well with Santana.

She was worried of how he would react to Puck's arrival tonight. He would definitely act territorial if anything, but she'd be damned if he tried to stand in Rachel's way, which she almost positive he was going to do anyway.

She watched as he smiled down at Rachel. Yep, definitely felt sorry for him. Poor guy didn't know he was fighting in a war that was already won.

Eh, he was cute; he would find someone that wasn't completely in love with someone else just fine.

She moved her gaze over to the left, where Brit, her Brit, was breaking out all her old dance moves. Her girl had moves, and she knew how to use em. Just watching her made Santana break out into a genuine smile.

She was so caught up in watching the dance floor (where most of her friends attempted to dance, spare Mike, Matt, and Brit) that she almost didn't feel her phone vibrating in her clutch.

It was a text. From Puck. She was scared to open it, afraid it would say something along the lines of "Can't make it. Moving to Africa with my new wife." Or something equally as absurd, but she knew this night meant everything to him, so she swallowed the lump in her throat and opened the text.

'Outside, walking in now. Where are you? Is everyone there?'

She quickly typed back

'To the left of the doors, sitting at a table. Yep, everyone's here,' her eyes shot up and scanned the crowed, noting that Sam and Eli were missing. Maybe that would make the encounter easier. 'Cept Sam and your son, but they are her somewhere. Come on in'

She had never told him Eli's name. She didn't feel it was her place honestly. She wanted Rachel to tell him and explain the reasoning behind it. So Puck usually just called him bud, while she just said your son or the kid. Simple enough.

She was staring at the door now, waiting. Her heart was beating so loud, she could hear it in her ears. She thought she heard her name a few times, but was too focused on the door to acknowledge it.

As she saw that mohawed head stroll threw the entrance, she knew there was no going back.

Rachel was in the middle of the dance floor, laughing and dancing with Quinn, Tina, and Kurt, watching the guys try and fail miserably at Mike's, Matt's, and Brit's moves. Sam had taken Eli to the bathroom a minute ago, so she was just letting loose.

She had been wondering where Santana was. She had disappeared when they had all started dancing. She had asked Brit, who shrugged and said that she was tired, so she was resting at one of table's for a little while. Rachel decided to go join her, needing a break from all the dancing for a bit.

She had just made it thru the small circle when she spotted Santana at one of the tables in the corner, typing away furiously on her cell.

She was halfway to her when her head snapped up and stared intently at the exit.

"Santana." No answer, so she tried louder.

"Santana." Not even a budge, for her eyes were still trained on the door.

As she stood a few feet from her table, she decided to ask, "Santana, what in the world are you looki..."

The rest of the words got caught in her throat as she turned around and her eyes landed on the figure that had just walked in.

Brown eyes hit hazel and the room went blank.

The music faded away, the people faded away, and all she could see were those eyes.

No, it couldn't be. He wasn't here. No, it wasn't him, but those eyes. No, absolutely not. It couldn't be, but she decided to voice her thoughts anyway.

"Noah?"

Though it came out as a hoarse whisper, he heard it loud and clear, and the sides of his mouth curled slightly at the sound.

While walking into the building, he was going over all the possible scenarios in his head, even the highly unlikely ones, but one of the ones he was truly afraid of was that she would call him Puck instead of Noah when she first saw him. That initial reaction would kill him, because he could take her calling him Puck after the shock of him standing there wore off, which was fine. He expected that from her. I mean, he hurt her so badly that he, at least in her eyes, he deserved to be called Puck.

If she said Noah at first, he knew that somewhere, deep down inside her, she still held some sort of love for him, which meant, in his mind, he had hope. If Puck was uttered first though, she had let go of his memory a long time ago, and he couldn't handle that

So when she mumbled Noah, his heart leaped and he couldn't help the small smile beginning on his face.

"Rachel." His words came out evenly, though he was a mess inside.

Seeing her, after all this time, it took his breath away.

She was gorgeous, more gorgeous than he remembered, which he thought impossible, but there she was.

Her hair was slightly lighter, and a bit shorter, curling right below her shoulders. She wasn't stick thin either, but her curves made Puck's heart beat faster.

She looked like a woman now. Apparently 6 years really changes a person, and for the better in Rachel's case. She looked more confident, more in control.

He could tell she was still in shock, so he just waited. Since he didn't hear anyone yelling, and he didn't feel himself being talked to the ground, he knew that no one else had seen him yet, and that was fine with him. He was happy just relishing this moment, soaking up Rachel's beauty as long as he could, for he knew when the shock left her or when someone else noticed him, this quiet moment would be gone, and the drama would begin.

It was a couple of moments before she could speak again, for she felt as if she had swallowed her tongue.

He was here, standing in front of her. He had said her name, in that deep, sexy tone he has. Damn that deep, sexy tone! That stupid tone was the reason she couldn't think clearly.

She had dreamt about this moment many times in the past 6 years, always coming up with new things to yell at him and shove in his face. Gosh, she even thought about just going up and roundhouse kicking him, if she could even do that, but still.

She wanted to scream about how he just left her and his son. How hard he made her life. How he had completely annihilated all the dreams she had held so dear. She wanted to smack him, kick him, and just try to make him feel some kind of pain for what he did.

But now, with him standing in front of her, all those wants flew out the window. All she wanted to do now was run up and kiss him, which she wouldn't do but still. She had missed him so much, and now here he was.

She just stared into his eyes, letting the shock keep hold of her a little longer. She loved those eyes so much, and she let herself just drown in them for a moment. She knew the yelling and accusations would begin shortly, so she just took in all she could from this sweet moment, knowing it would happen again for a while.

She was waiting for it all to blow up. They had been gazing at each other for a few minutes now, and she was happy that he hadn't been smacked yet. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in how everyone seemed to be stuck in their own little worlds, not even noticing the staring contest that was going on.

Though she could see the shock in Rachel's features, she also saw that little bit of hope flare up in her eyes. Though they didn't talk about it, Santana knew she always wanted him to come back, though she knew the consequences it would bring. She was in love with this man, and that was a fact that might never change.

It had been a few more minutes, and just as she was thinking that maybe this wouldn't be as big of a scene as she had initially anticipated, the bubble burst.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Puck turned to see a fuming Sam behind him. Well crap, he had completely forgotten about Sam. This might be harder then he thought.

He stood up straight, making his eyes cold and hard, his tone even and firm.

"I'm here to see Rachel and my son."

Sam laughed bitterly. "Your son? You think you can leave and he is still your son?"

"He is my flesh and blood, not yours."

"I'm the one whose been helping with him. Who do you think you are? Just waltzing back in here like this?"

"I know I'm not some washed-up blonde idiot who sticks his nose into other peoples business."

"Seriously? This is my business. It became my business when you left."

"This is between me and Rachel. So stay out of it."

"You hurt Rachel enough, and now you'll have to deal with me."

"I can handle you with two arms tied behind my back."

"Really? You think so? Fine, let's see then."

"Stop."

Both boys looked back to see Rachel, still standing in the same spot she had been, with tears in her eyes.

"Stop. Both of you. You're scaring him."

Puck looked down to see a little boy wrapped around Rachel's leg, his face hid against her thigh.

That's when it hit him. That was his son.

TaDa! Hopefully, you guys liked it. It took me so flippin long to write, then my computer decides to hate me, so yeah.

Next Chapter: Puck meets Eli :)

Please Review, it makes me smile

3, D