Chapter 7
Guess if they don't know you 'cause today that was yesterday
Yesterday is over, it's a different day
Sound like broken records playing over but you promised her
Next time you show restraint
You don't get another chance
Life is no Nintendo game
But you lied again
Now you get to watch her leave out the window
Guess that's why they call it window "pain"
Rachel sighed as she opened the door for the boys Monday morning, "Sorry I'm not in a better mood." She apologized as she brought them into the kitchen and gave them breakfast burritos. "I didn't take anything for the pain or to help me sleep so I kept waking up the whole night."
"You have to take something it hurts that bad?" Artie blinked at her, "What the fuck Rachel?"
Puck was giving Artie a look Rachel couldn't read, "Dude, getting hit hurts. Like a lot. I know you haven't taken a beating but its worse the next day and the day after that 'cause your muscles stiffen up. The bruises look a lot worse and you feel like shit," He studied Rachel. "Did the bastard crack your ribs? Is that why you weren't arguin' with Mercedes about singing?"
"One cracked rib, three bruised," Rachel nodded. "But the painkillers make me dopey and I can't concentrate and the sleeping pills make me so sleepy I can't function first thing in the morning." She shrugged slightly. "At least I can move now without hurting constantly."
"Okay so I gotta know, so that I don't touch you wrong today," Puck pointed at her arms with one hand, as he devoured his burrito. "So you gotta tell me exactly where it hurts. You know me baby, we start hanging out again, I'm all handsy. Don't wanna hurt you."
"Handsy," Rachel found herself giggling. "Is that what you call your constantly affectionate fondling?" She shook her head as she ate her own fruit and grain breakfast.
"Hell baby, you let me, I'll fondle you anytime," Puck was grinning at her and Rachel nearly blushed.
"Well my arms have a lot of bruises but they don't hurt as much anymore, they're starting to fade," She said hurriedly before she started to move closer to him. His eyes were so... warm. "I'm got a bad bruise on my stomach, and of course my right side, my ribs are bad. My shoulders are okay but my back hurts on the same side and my face...I've got a really bad bruise over my cheekbone on the left side. I've also got...marks on some of my more sensitive areas." Rachel could feel herself blushing as Artie stared, not getting it and Puck's eyes went hot and furious.
"Where," His voice had gone very low and gravely and Rachel shivered slightly. Why Noah being furious would give her such a different reaction than Jesse's anger she couldn't understand yet. When Jesse had gotten angry she'd been afraid, even if he didn't seem angry at her. Noah was very obviously angry but he'd gotten angry before and she'd never been afraid of him. "Rachel," His voice startled her out of her thoughts, and it was as if he was reading her mind. "'M I scarin' you?"
"No," Rachel shook her head, startled that he would even think so. "No I've seen you angry before. I never worried that you'd hurt me Noah. I never thought that." She lifted one shoulder in a shrug, "I was just wondering about that. Jesse being angry really scared me, even if it wasn't me he was mad at, after he left bruises on me I...him being angry..." She shuddered and looked at Noah. "No, you don't ever scare me."
"All right then," Puck looked at her, "Where then?"
It took her a moment to remember the original question and she blushed vividly, she could feel her cheeks burning, "I..." She cast a look at Artie and stood, putting her bowl in the sink before she went and stood next to Puck, keeping her voice a murmur the bespectacled boy wouldn't hear. "Please don't ask me that again. Not right now. I'll show you everything he did Noah, but don't ask me that in front of Artie. Because you know I'll tell you. And...I just..."
"All right," Puck's voice was still low, and rough, but it had softened since she'd first brought up the topic. "I'll take you home after school and you show me baby. I wanna know exactly." He touched her chin, "I gotta know what I'm up against."
"All right," Rachel nodded. "All right, its a deal." She stood tiptoe and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."
"For what," Puck looked at her curiously. "I just told you I wanted to see you naked," He reminded her quietly with a glance at Artie who was politely pretending he hadn't heard a thing.
"You always make me feel beautiful," Rachel smiled up a him. "If you two are done we should get going."
"Yeah," Artie gulped down the glass of juice as he agreed, "Lots to do. If I can get the equipment logged out in the morning maybe we can do some shots after school."
"That'd be good," Puck agreed. "C'mon baby," He picked up her bag and hoisted it over his shoulder. "We plan this out right we can knock it out in a week or so, do the music, an' edit everything next week."
Rachel nodded slowly, "Noah?" She watched Artie roll ahead of them. "If I start to get crazy obsessed like I tend to...you'll tell me before you want to light yourself on fire right?"
She couldn't help smiling as Puck just laughed, "Rachel, you wanna calm me down all you gotta do is sing. Love your voice baby. And your crazy? It's pretty fuckin' awesome."
"That wasn't a yes," She pointed out as he helped her into the truck and lifted Artie in after her. It wasn't lost on her that he'd put her in the middle so she was snugged between the two boys. When he'd rounded the truck and gotten into the drivers seat Rachel regarded him expectantly. "I'm serious. I know I get...fixated. And I'm annoying. I just want you guys to tell me before I drive you both nuts."
"Rachel, you remember the last time I directed you?" Artie spoke up, an amused smile on his face, "You were scary intense but I think I was the one making you crazy."
"Yeah baby it ain't you who's gonna drive us insane," Puck grinned at her as he put the truck into gear and slung an arm over her shoulder and tugged on her curls.
"Hmm...so when do the two of you want to work on the musical parts of this endeavor?" Rachel let her head rest on Puck's shoulder lazily and sighed tiredly. "I won't be able to breathe properly for at least a few more days. So my part is out for a little while."
"Figure it'll take us some time to get the words an' rhythm memorized," Puck was rubbing her shoulder with his big hand, it felt impossibly good. "But by the time you're able to sing full out we should be ready. Been talkin' about how to split the lyrics up."
"Why don't you give that some thought Rachel," Artie suggested, "You and Puck. Music is your forte after all."
"All right," Rachel nodded. "I'll find the lyrics and listen to the song at lunch today, I'll be in the choir room if either of you want me for anything."
Puck's hand tightened on her shoulder slightly, "Why don't we join you." He suggested after a moment. "Don't really like the idea of you bein' alone. You remember what the cop said."
"Me neither," Artie seconded. "And we can talk some more about how to film everything at lunch."
"That sounds nice," Rachel agreed tiredly. "Noah?"
"Yeah baby?" Puck glanced down at her and she offered him a smile.
"Thanks again," Rachel wasn't sure how to really say it. Thanks was really all she could offer, thanks for the support, for the comfort, the anger on her behalf, for making her feel beautiful.
"My pleasure Rachel," Puck was smirking at her, that lazy 'I want to lay you on a flat surface' smirk that never failed to set her heart racing. "My absolute pleasure, baby." He cast a worried look at her, "That don't bug you or anythin'? Me callin' you that?"
"I'm the only one you ever have," Rachel wasn't sure what that meant but she liked how it felt. She'd noticed that the first time she and Noah had dated, all the other girls he'd been with, he called them babe. Her, he called baby, like she was something different.
"No," Puck frowned. "I've called lotsa girls baby."
"No man, you called Santana babe, same with Quinn unless you were talking to Beth. You don't call anyone baby," Artie reminded him. "Rachel's different."
"Well she always has been," Puck conceded without an argument. "Guess that's just one more way."
Rachel smiled, that was such a good feeling, she didn't know what it was yet, but she and Puck always had something. Maybe when she was healthier they'd figure out what it was.
Author's Note: So we have a few precursors as to what's to come and Rachel is coming to realize that she really can trust Puck and Artie. Just a litte note here, this is a story so its...compressed you might say. It took me quite a while before I trusted anyone new in my life (and therapy) but I'm not going to have this story spread out over years. So please take everything with a grain of salt.