AN: On my 21st chapter, I realise that I was stupid to ever think I'd write this in 20 chapters...

I was only ever planning on 20 chapters... Usually, that's the way I roll for fanfiction. 22 at the most when I include prologue and epilogue... But this is gonna be a while... This is my holiday project I've decided.

Oh, this chapter is pure fluff... I had a cheery day. Thought Puck might want one too.

HiN4-cH4n: Oh!! Thank you!! Sorry about the crying! Here's your next chapter!

Alley83: Read the message about babygate down the bottom. Take your anxiety meds... Don't want anyone going crazy over the story... Thanks!

Jenny0305: I miss those days... Here's your next update! (P.S. I'm not that great of a writer... My English teacher keeps telling me I'm horrible)

Gleebaby: Hope this is too ;)

Karma22: I'M GOING TO LOS VEGAS! In the middle of my senior year mind you, but whatever... You all will be on spring break... crazy time of year, yes. But I'm not getting up to shenanigans (I really want to but they won't let me). Plus I'll be underage so I can't do anything but... I don't care. I'm going with my brothers, maybe my sister-in-law and my uncle and aunt... originally I was going with just Justin to go to New York, Boston and L.A. to look at universities (cause I want to go to uni in overseas and I'm already a citizen of Europe so working things out if I go to London would be easy... it's America that's gonna kill me) but I'm doing that in the first week then going to Los Vegas in the second... Your trip sounds pretty cool... I think my mum would've murdered me... You should've just bought a wrist strap for the tat though... unless it's a massive one... then... elbow gloves? Your new year sounded awesome. Read the babygate memo down the bottom. Glad I'm your longest review! And yeah, we should chat again ;)

Ashswim: Bipolar? Possibly belongs in a mental institute? Yells to your ears bleed? But you love her anyway? Yeah, that's my mummy :) LoL... Here's your next chapter.

Alimard: Cool, cause Noah's mum's not bad... she just a little dense... And yes, she just wants what's best for her children which she thinks in the long run, is a father... cause she doesn't want Puck to be the only one looking after Isla... at least, that's how I saw it. Josef's a douche... Like majorly, a douche. Trust me. I invented him (kind of). Douche. Uh... yeah... read the babygate memo. :) Yeah, I originally wrote smut but it didn't fit... well, Puck taking his shirt off always fits but... not within the context of what I wanted to happen in the long run... sigh I shall keep that bit of writing to myself for now...

Sweetcaroline1986: Ermm... babygate memo. End of the chapter. Read.

EscapeSomeday: Calm down, breath. Read this, then do your homework :P... Thanks! (makes goofy face and grins like made woman) Glad you liked it! (claps hands)

Chrpangel: Read babygate memo below... :) It's okay, I only took this long with the update because I greatly weighed up the possibility on whether or not I should change my mind and let Rachel in on the secret or not...

I mack your story is hell: I'm so sorry... I'll try not writing such long Author Notes... I'm really not up myself... Quite the opposite really, I have so many self confidence issues that I could fill up a years subscription of psychological magazines... And sorry if you stopped at chapter 12 because of my AN's... :( because I think they get longer from there on in... (looks nervously)

When morning broke, they migrated downstairs and their hands didn't break. Puck didn't find it odd. At the moment her hand was the only thing keeping him anchored and sane. Rachel dragged him into the kitchen, laughing at his reluctance, because he really wasn't hungry. He just wanted to lie in bed with her. Because waking up with someone in the morning, and waking up with someone fully clothed, were two experiences he'd never had before. He kind of wanted to relish it. "I just want to sleep Berry."

"I thought we just did." Rachel joked.

"No, I watched you sleep." Puck staggered forward, throwing Rachel off balance and spun the arm he was holding around Rachel's body so his arms were wrapped around her waist and made sure she didn't fall. She was caught tightly in his hold and apart from the moment of almost falling, she was quite happy about it. "Hope it wasn't too freaky."

Rachel smiled, leaning back into his arms. "Not completely. When you started drooling onto my pillow I became worried however. I don't know what sort of bacteria lives in there."

"Same bacteria that lives in yours after our make out session." He smirked and put his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled. "Thank you." he said as he breathed out, tickling her neck. "I think I've become a fan of sleeping with you."

Rachel blushed at the connotations of that but realised a beat later that his words had no traces of innuendo. It was her thoughts that betrayed her, not his. "I have become a fan of sleeping with you too."

Puck chuckled, kissing her neck lightly. "I've also become a bit of a fan of you."

Rachel turned her head around and caught Puck's lips in hers. "Yes, I noticed." she said once she let go. "But this brings up the question of how big of a fan you are."

Puck blinked a few times then groaned. "Oh Rach, don't ruin a good morning."

With a confused frown, Rachel spun out of his arms, still not letting go of his hand as if she knew it was the only thing holding him down. She couldn't know that... could she?

"What do you mean by ruin a good morning?"

"Nothing." he murmured. He took two steps towards her, took her other and leaned over her, kissing her lips tenderly. "Nothing at all."

Rachel pulled back, running her tongue across her lips, making Puck groan. He let go of one hand and dragged her along this time, to the fridge. "What do you have in here?"

In a matter of minutes, Puck had decided the best way to go was pancakes, seeing as she had the mix. "Can you make these?" he asked.

Rachel shook her head. "Apart from baked goods, I'm not much of a chef. The occasional pasta sauce and penne however, nothing much more substantial than that."

"Huh." he stared at the instant mix with amusement. "This should be interesting then." He tugged on her hand. "Especially seeing as we're doing this one handed."

Rachel smiled and took the mix as Puck gave it to her. He opened the lid while she was holding it and turned the tap on so she could fill the mix up.

Puck shook the mix and while the two figured out how they were going to cook it. "I suggest you pour, I flip." Puck said.

"Can you flip?"

"Nope. Can you?"

"No."

"Well then, I flip. Because I have more hand eye coordination and I'm carrying the guns." He flexed his arm for demonstration and Rachel smiled.

"Your arms are lovely, Noah." Puck grinned, remembering when she said that last. He leaned down and kissed her lips, still shaking the pancake mix with one hand. (There was that little big of flour that refused to mix with the rest that was really starting to annoy Puck, but he realised that it was increasing his make out time with Rachel, so shook slower).

Rachel poured the batter into the hot pan and Puck did his best to flip them over. They did have problems and it was probably the most difficult thing either of them had ever had to cook but eventually they had one three stack and on six stack. Puck had chocolate sauce, chocolate ice cream, banana's and unsalted peanuts on top of his. He then found a box of mini flakes in the pantry and coated the whole concoction with it. Rachel just had strawberries, maple syrup and vanilla ice cream. "That's so plain Rach." Puck commented at her pancakes.

"At least it's not a heart attack on a plate." she said, notioning towards hers.

"Hey, this is healthy." Puck said. "Chocolate is good for you and can you see the banana? Plus, there's peanuts for protein. It's like a flake choc'n'crunch except on a pancake.

"A flake choc'n'crunch?" Rachel asked, cutting her pancake with the side of her fork and feeding herself. Their hands were locked underneath the side of the kitchen bench.

"Yeah." he said with a mouthful. "Like from the ice cream vans." When Rachel still looked blank, Puck's jaw dropped open and some of his food fell out. "Are you for real? You've never even heard of plain choc'n'crunch?"

"What's the difference?"

"One has flake!"

"Oh..." Rachel frowned. "No, I haven't."

Puck then proceeded to launch into explanation about vanilla ice cream drenched in a hardened chocolate shell that was rolled in peanuts and running down the middle of the cone was a flake bar. Puck was ultimately drooling at the thought so Rachel agreed to going out and getting one. "Seriously?" Puck asked.

"Well, of course. You seem so ecstatic about it and I'm quite sure you wouldn't try to poison me. So we shall find one of these ice cream vans and I shall try one seeing as it's such a heinous crime that I haven't."

"I have no idea what you said apart from we're going to track down an ice cream truck a week before December." Puck nodded seriously and leaned forward, pecking her on the lips. "And the fact that I know you're determined on finding one, makes you pretty awesome." He leaned forward and kissed her again, softer and longer than the first time. Rachel felt his empty hand reach up and stroke her cheek gently.

"You're pretty." Puck said, once they'd broken apart. "Like, really pretty."

"Really?" Rachel asked seriously. "You really think that?"

Puck nodded and smiled at her, gently stroking her cheek. "Wanna get out of here and hunt down those ice creams?"

Rachel smiled and nodded and after both of them put their plates away, but Rachel had a nagging feeling at the back of her mind. She wondered what it was but didn't want to ruin this... whatever this was.

So Rachel let him drag her back up the stairs, both of them laughing. Puck borrowed one of her dad's jackets, pulling it on one arm then switching hands with Rachel as he pulled his other arm on. Rachel did the same as she put on her coat and then Puck dragged her back downstairs to his car. "I'll need to go pick my car up later." she mentioned as Puck got into the car through her side so their hands wouldn't disconnect. When she saw his face fall, she quickly added, "Later though. Not now."

But her words didn't erase the sombre look in his eyes. "Noah, it's alright. I... I won't if you don't want me to."

"Rach, it's..." Puck sighed, shaking his head. "It's not that. It just reminded me that I've got to do something today... by myself. And I'll probably do it after I drop you off at your car because it will probably be the only time I'll trust myself to actually do it."

Rachel squeezed his hand, concern in her eyes. "Do what Noah?"

It took a moment for the light to relight Puck's eyes and he leaned across and pecked her on the lips. "Change my facebook status to 'In Relationship' and then make sure there are enough therapists in the world to control the mass suicide that's sure to emerge." It wasn't a complete lie. He was planning on doing the first part and briefly considered what he'd do about the last part. He thought a formal statement would do, or maybe agreeing to mass produce an inflatable version of himself.

Rachel looked a little stunned by his quick revelation and moved away from him for the barest moment. But Puck noticed and uncertainty flashed in his eyes. "We are in a relationship now... aren't we?" Cause that would be like... awkward.

"Yes well..." Rachel frowned. "I didn't think you'd see it like that."

"I told you. I'm a fan of sleeping with you." some of Puck came out in the way he looked her up and down but the sincerity was all Noah. Rachel became quite amazed at how quickly she could separate the two personalities through his eyes but it just made her believe more so that she cared for him. It wasn't love, not yet. Well it was... but not romantic love.

At the moment, she simply loved him as a friend and liked him as a boyfriend.

Boyfriend?

Who had said that he would be her boyfriend?

Oh wait... he had.

Her stomach flipped and her cheeks turned bright red as Puck smirked at her, moving towards her, across the cab of the car. "Berry, are you speechless?" he asked.

Rachel opened her mouth and closed it several times and he grinned. "Am I going to take this as a yes to you being mine and no one else's?"

Again, Rachel opened and closed her mouth several times and this time she ended up smiling and nodding silently, her face an ever brighter red and her heart pounding a mile per minute. He just laughed and started up his car.

Rachel eventually started talking again, and they found that whilst they shared not much in common, they could find endless topics to chat about. He explained to her the basics of football and she explained to him why she basically thought it was barbaric. She the went onto talk about the beauty of Broadway and Puck tried not to gag but ended up expletively telling her how much he hated show tunes.

Rachel just ended up laughing because when she mentioned Avenue Q required puppetry, Puck said, "Oh hell no." and she then convinced them that if she found it playing near by they should watch it. "Fine, but only because you said the song, 'The Internet is for Porn' comes from it."

"I promise you, when you see it performed by Trekkie monster you'll be more than happy."

Puck then muttered something about 'Trekkie Monster' sounding like 'five year olds' and then Rachel divulged in the very adult plotline of the play and he felt kind of better about agreeing to watch it.

Eventually, after driving around most of Lima, they found the only ice cream van in the whole city that was actually open. They did have to chase it down at least ten streets before the guy in the car realised they were stalking him. Needless to say, Rachel and Puck had fun beeping the horn at him for eight of those blocks, (because during the first two they had to figure out how Puck would beep seeing as he was already driving with one hand. Rachel consented to moving over and beeping for him).

Puck pulled her out of the car and she felt like a five year old as they lined up and bought two flake choc'n'crunch's and handed one to Rachel. "How are you going to drive now?" Rachel said, waving the hands they had both decided through an unspoken agreement not to break.

"Let's not drive just yet." he said and once he made sure the car was locked, the two walked.

It was silent between them as they ate their ice creams in the cold. Puck wasn't sure what to say seeing as his mouth was partially occupied and he knew how much Rachel hated it when he spoke with a full mouth. But Rachel wanted him to speak. Actually, she wanted him to say one thing in particular. "Not that I'm not having a nice time Noah but I was wondering, why?"

Puck frowned, still biting off the crunchy outside of his ice cream. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, just that." Rachel sighed. "Why today? Why the ice cream? You were... well worse than broken last night and now you're standing here, holding my hand and eating ice cream like it's the most normal thing in the world."

"No offence, Berry. But it is." Rachel realised that she had just taken two steps back because not only had he called her 'Berry' but his hand wrapped around hers had stiffened and he had said it coldly. "You're my girlfriend, are you not?" he went on to say. "Which means we should be doing shit like this, right?"

"Noah, I didn't mean to upset you." she murmured quietly. Then added more gently, "And yes, as of this morning, I am your girlfriend." She leaned closer to him and rested her head just below his shoulder.

He sighed and grunted before realising he should just man up and tell her. "Look, I just wanted to forget about last night and like... put off thinking about it until I need to."

Rachel nodded understandingly and she squeezed his hand tightly. "I know you do not want to think about it but you should know; you scared me last night."

Puck leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, licking off some ice cream from her lips in the process. "I was feeling pretty shit last night so like... sorry."

"Didn't you say not to be sorry?"

He chuckled. "Apologies do seem to come up an awful lot in our relationship." But then his stomach grew cold and he remembered what he had to do. "Come on. We've been driving around for most of the day."

"It's only one, Noah."

"And we've been up since nine." he nudged her. "I've got to go make sure Isla doesn't think I've run away and probably should turn my mobile on again..."

"Oh!" Rachel's eyes were alarmed. "I've had mine turned off since we got on stage last night!"

"You know, it's kind of kinky how whenever we're alone together are phones are inconspicuously turned off."

"You know what inconspicuously means?"

"It's a sexy word."

"Ahh..." Rachel said as if she understood everything. "You do know it has more than five syllables, right?"

Puck rolled his eyes. "You're getting me confused for Finn again, babe. I have brain cells to rub together."

Rachel stopped and Puck tugged her hand before realising. He turned to see her looking a bit pained. "I... I'm not using you as some second best to Finn, Noah."

"I never thought you were babe." he replied with a frown on his face but then his frown deepened because now he was thinking that. Why'd she have to say that?

"I... I was at first, you know?" she said and his gut froze over. Literally. He felt his stomach turn to ice. "When we going out all of those weeks ago. For that week."

"Cause you still liked Finn back then." he muttered.

Rachel nodded and looked to the sky. "Then when... when we broke up you said we couldn't be friends. But you still were a friend. I mean, you were there for me in Glee and you at least stopped slushying me and then... when you were drunk you gave me this sort of... pathetic look. And I wanted to make it better, even though I was in complete shock because you are the first person I have ever seen inebriated. I realised I cared about you Noah and then slowly, those feelings for Finn disappeared. It also helped a lot that he insulted me with his whole refusal to do the photos with me. But apart from loving him as a friend, it's all you now Noah. I don't have any sort of romantic feelings towards Finn anymore, something I was sure would never happen. When you told me the other night we should just be friends, I... I cried." she sucked in a deep breath which almost made her choke when Puck started to kiss her. Rachel dropped her ice cream because she was that shocked but quickly regained herself so she could reach up and rub her hand up and down his mohawk.

He licked her lips and Rachel readily opened her mouth for him. She let him run his tongue over her own and didn't object when his arm snaked around her waist to pull her closer still. Not like she could anyway, seeing as his tongue was rammed down her throat.

When he finally pulled back, he was smirking. "You lost your ice cream."

"Where's yours?" she asked.

"Downed it during your speech." he said. "Cause I knew I was gonna have to do that and I didn't want to drop it like you did. Cause it would ruin my badassness. Now like, I really do have to go. Unfortunately. I... I have some stuff I need to handle so like... mind if I take you to your car?"

"And you do not want me to be there." Rachel assumed.

Puck shook his head. "No. Not for this."

Rachel nodded and got on her tiptoes and pecked Puck on the lips. "Well take me to my car then."

Puck smiled and pushed Rachel on ahead so she couldn't see the two ice creams, face down on the pavement.

~*~

When they were back at the school, his truck facing Rachel's car, both of them were reluctant for Rachel to leave. Puck kissed her hand gently. "I'll call you tonight."

"Okay." she nodded, squeezing his hand back in return. Rachel went to move but Puck tugged her closer. She smiled at him. "I thought you were the one who needed to do something alone."

He smirked. "Yeah, but I've always been the one who has a hard time letting go." Puck stared at their hands and twisted his fingers out of her grip, the two going without contact with each other for the first time all day. "I'll be seeing you Berry." Puck leaned down ant kissed her forehead.

"Goodbye Noah." she opened the car door and got out, walking over to her car. She turned and faced him before she got into her own car. "You can come over after... after changing your facebook status. If you want. My dad's come home at eight."

Puck just grinned at her. "Yeah, I'll see."

Rachel got into her car and Puck watched as she started it up. He almost followed her home, but eventually turned right at an intersection where she turned left. Puck beeped twice to signal another goodbye and Rachel beeped once in reply.

Puck pulled over on the side street and tilted his head back. He felt the emptiness again. The numbness that stopped while he was with Rachel. And he had to put his head on the steering wheel for a moment to stop it. Because it all came flooding back.

AN: Please tell me if I got out of character for this chapter... I'm a little critical of myself and I know I absolutely want to throw myself out of a window every time I read out of character stuff. There was this really good story that I was reading... I absolutely loved it! But as things went along it was so out of character... Like Puck was making speeches and Rachel quit her Broadway dream and they got married in high school and everyone was fine with it...

BABYGATE MEMO

I think I need to talk to all you guys about the babygate thing... I wrote before that the reason why I put Karofsky in is because I wrote this thing AGES ago and was gonna post it as a one shot but then decided to include it into this story... but then I read all of your reviews and you guys won't like what I'm doing but you know what? I think you're going to like the overall outcome... because it incorporates, what I think, is the best scene I've ever written... Not the actual breaking of the news... that was pretty crap... What happens AFTERWARDS was pretty awesome. That's saying something cause I don't think much of my writing is good... I get quite surprised actually when you all review so positively... I'm waiting for the flamers... Or maybe they just gave up after the first chapter... So while I appreciate you guys wanting it to happen a certain way, when Babygate eventually breaks, don't be mad.

REVIEWS:

Mag721: I have the same wish...

In memory of the fallen: Thanks! Sorry I made you go crazy on the song... Glad it was worth it though ;)

1sweetmoment: GLAD! OMG, thank you so much for the shout out! Loving you for that... Oh, I just noticed you reviewed twice... DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT! Glad you played the song... hope you liked the more :)

Lauren: Wow, really? Thanks so much!

Xnerdark: THANKS! :D

JustAmazing: Oh wow, you're really not gonna like the next chapter... And no, not after Josef Stalin. There was this boy who used to pick on me named Josef... he had really big ears... like freakishly big. He was a douche... now he's a drug dealer... Figures... and oh yeah, I went to a shifty primary school. So yeah, Josef was named after him... But if you want to think about Josef Stalin, go right ahead :) Um... you laughed? Okay, not the reaction I was going for but whatever floats your boat... Now I'm laughing cause you laughed... And now, I'm trying to reply to other reviews and I can't stop laughing...

Gabi-in-wonderland: Aww... sorry I made you cry! Hope this chapter made you grin. Up until the last paragraph that is...

Myhiddenlove08: Yes! Last time I checked the poll, we were leading by 68percent! Wooh! Don't worry about the direction... I've got that sorted... Just smile!

Maggiequeen: Thank you! My brother thinks I'm a little too good at writing suicide fics... Which probably isn't the best thing to be complimented on... But what can I say? I love angst!

Avidreader90: I knew it! Most of you are bloody psychic... JUST DON'T TELL ME HOW THIS IS GONNA END! Cause I have two possibilities and I'm debating on which one to go with... I think you and half the other people reviewing should start a 'Josef is an Ass' club...

NicolasaMaria, Richiey, Mdemanatee, Adienna, Boleyn Girl13: THANK YOU!

Ncar08: I swear you should all start a 'Josef is an Ass' club... :) Thanks for the great review.
TheLlamasWillTakeOverTheWorld: Thanks! It's cool, no need to review o every chapter... Just every chapter now on in or your death with be quick and painful :D... I hope you know I'm joking... By the way, I LOVE YOUR NAME! And I love the fact you can sing the song in your head and read... that would confuse me to tears...

Chinainyourhand: LoL... Thank you! Thanks for telling me that because I only ever do that for really good stories so like... it was probably one of the top ten best compliments... Don't be cross though, there is more to come!

Taylah: Long time no hear... Miss u 2, and thanks for the review!

SpencerCollins: Trying very hard to get my nose pierced... Was about to do it too... then they said 'Lady who pierces noses comes back next week' and I said, 'Oh, that's fine!' Thanks for the review :)

Ch3lsBishop: I like smiley faces... it's why I love your reviews so much... cause your dp pops up...

November123: You're gonna want to kill her for saying that next chapter...

xDamnGirlx: WHAT?!?!?!?! HOW?!!? WHO!?!? WHEN?????????? I don't know whether to hate you or love you... I think I'm going to go jump out my window now...

I... I... (Hello, this is deep, deep into Bianca's subconscious... Bianca has kind of drifted off into space right now, but if you leave your name and a message she'll attempt to wake up from her daydream and get back to you soon)