Beth was no dummy, she figured out that Puck wasn't actually her uncle, but rather something else at a mere five years old. She asked Shelby who told her the truth, something she told puck she would do when Beth finally asked the truth. The little girl had quite a range, on top of her intelligence. Shelby home schooled her and sent her to private vocal coaches. Now that she was ten, her curiosity killed puck. He spent his Saturdays with her. Sometimes they would just get a pizza and hang out at pucks apartment. He used to send Layla and Baya away for alone time with his little girl.
The first time Beth asked him about Quinn he almost choked on his pizza. He hadn't expected the question. She only wanted to know about her birth mom. Shelby was her mom and she would never replace her, but she just wanted to know about the woman who puck had loved; the woman who had helped her mom get what she always wanted.
Quinn was indescribable to puck. He held resentment towards her. He had a hard time not being a jerk about her, but for Beth's sake he knew that he had to be nice. So he was. And now she wanted to meet Quinn. He told her about how her mom was blonde, just like she was; and how she could sing like nobody's business. Then he told her about her boldness, how Quinn never really took any shit (whoops) from anybody. Beth always laughed when Puck swore, so he knew that she wasn't exactly offended. She never told Shelby either, or else Puck would've gotten this major talking to and he hated those talks with Shelby. She kinda scared him and he never really wanted to be around her.
Beth never referred to him as dad, she called him Puck. It would've hurt too much to hear her call him dad, mostly because he knew he'd never be her dad. He was just her father. And he was her uncle Puck. They went to the zoos together and the museums, he took her on the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier for the first time last summer. Puck had bought Beth her first guitar when she was six, it was a mini guitar and she took to it almost immediately. Hell, that little girl could read music before she could read books. She was skilled on the piano and he had had no trouble teaching her to play the guitar.
That was why Puck was glad that Rachel had come into his life again. She seemed like she would keep in contact with her former classmates. At least, maybe Finn or someone like that. Then again, she hadn't even tried to keep in contact with him and he knew that she probably wouldn't keep in contact with her ex.
He texted her one afternoon and hoped she'd text him back. But he didn't get a chance to reply when she texted him because he had to work at the pizza place. When he got off work at eleven, she was sitting on the curb outside of the restaurant.
"I was going to come in but I hate being that person, so I thought I'd wait outside," she told him, a soft smile on her face.
"You're either fucking crazy, or daring as shit Berry," Puck laughed and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. He felt her thin arms wrap around his waist and hold him close.
"Let's go get some coffee, or hot chocolate if you still don't drink coffee," Rachel said and released him from the hug.
The pair wandered down the street in silence, Rachel's heels clicking against the cement. Puck led them to a diner he knew was close by, okay six blocks away, and opened the door for her when they got there. She entered in and sat down in a booth; he followed her and sat across from her, spreading his legs across under the table and nudging hers.
"So what's up Jasmine?" Puck said after he ordered a black coffee for himself and Rachel ordered herself a latte.
"Shut up," she laughed, "how did you know about that?"
"I know everything," he winked at her, "no, but really. My ex took her daughter last week, and her daughter was just really excited about it all and got this poster and all this stuff with your face all over it."
"Your ex, you talk to her?" Rachel questioned curiously.
"No, not exactly. We just broke up, a couple days ago," he told her with a nod.
"What happened?" she asked him.
"You," Puck was honest. He wouldn't hold back the secrets.
"What do you mean me?" Rachel was kind of worried.
"Well, after I saw you that first time at the restaurant, I couldn't get you out of my head. And then, well," he awkwardly laughed.
"You did not have a name flub in bed!" Rachel exclaimed and the waiter looked curiously at them, setting their coffees in front of them.
"Yeah well, oops," Puck laughed and took a drink of his coffee.
Rachel shook her head and looked downward. It wasn't like she never thought about him. In fact, she thought about him quite a bit. She never let anybody know. Hell, half of the people in her life didn't even know a damn thing about her young life. She didn't tell anybody about her glee club days or Finn, the scandals of New Directions. She didn't tell them about Puck at all. He was always in her head, but never in her stories. Most people only knew she had 2 gay dads if even anything. As far as most people knew, she was just Rachel Berry: off Broadway actress.
Puck sipped his coffee slowly, admiring Rachel. God she was still as gorgeous as the last time he saw her; dressed in a tacky red graduation cap and gown, her brunette locks straight down her back. She'd had this gorgeous smile on her face, her diploma in her hand. She was taking pictures with Tina and Mercedes. He'd winked at her and waved his diploma, reassuring her that he too had received it. Then, he left.
In her face he could see more maturity, though it still held a bit of childhood playfulness he could recall from high school. He'd missed out on a lot, not knowing her from high school on. However, he relished his life now.
"So, elusive Noah Puckerman," Rachel finally began speaking again, her hands wrapped around the coffee cup, "what have you been doing since graduation?"
"You wouldn't believe me," he told her and took another drink of his coffee, draining the cup.
"Yes I would, I always believed you," Rachel quietly spoke and extended her hand, touching his arm gently.
"I'm a lawyer," he told her and the waiter poured more coffee into his mug, walking away soon after. Sure, the Mohawk was gone but Puck still had the intimidation factor.
"Seriously? That's really great Noah, I'm sure you're impeccable at litigation," she smiles, "what type of law do you practice?"
"Contract law, I work with a lot of professional athletes," he tells her and drinks some more coffee. She's hardly touched her latte.
"Noah, that's amazing, I'm proud of you," she told him and he could see the sincerity in her face. He hated that she was always using his first name and making him want to hear it more. Like, he wanted to hear her moan it out. Inappropriate, Puck, he was kicking himself mentally.
"Thanks. The pizza place is fun, just for extra money to keep my apartment," he told her and smiled. He wasn't sure why Rachel made him so happy, but she did.
The silence overtook their table once more. He took large gulps of his coffee while she took small sips. Soon enough, the waiter had filled Puck's mug about six times. They just sat there, taking each other in.
Rachel watched how Noah's jaw clenched. Sometimes he'd take in a breath, like he was going to speak again but he didn't. It was like he could not find something to say, or at the very least, how to say it. She missed his Mohawk, though she'd never admit it. His eyes kept looking back at hers, as if he were attempting to read her mind. She kept pushing any thought of him out of her head.
Puck looked to his watch, it was nearly two. They'd been sitting here in silence for the better part of two hours. It wouldn't have been so bad if he didn't have to still get home and then pick up Beth at seven to take her to her dance class.
"Crap," he said and pulled his wallet from his pocket. He extracted a twenty dollar bill and set it on the table.
"What's up?" Rachel asked, stirring from her thoughts.
"I have to go, I have to pick up Beth in five hours," he said, rambling in a way.
"Wait, Beth Beth?" she asked, drinking the rest of her second latte.
"Oh, uh, yeah," he said, a smile on his face.
"That's awesome, how long have you been spending time with her?" she asked and stood up simultaneously with him.
"Eight years," he admitted, wondering if she'd be mad. He'd spent more time with her mom than she had, though she wouldn't really know that.
"Wow, that's amazing Noah. Is that why you chose Chicago?" she questioned and they walked outside. He hailed a taxi with ease and opened the door for her. She slid down the seat and he followed her in.
"Kind of," he told her and let her give her address to the taxi driver, "I have a question."
"What's that?" she responded.
"Do you keep in touch with Quinn?" he asked her and she bit her lip. She should have guessed he only wanted to reconnect with Quinn, especially after telling her about Beth.
"No, but I'm friends with Santana and I think she might, why?" Rachel was curious and she wanted Puck to tell her outright.
"Beth wants to meet her. I don't really want her in my life, but I can't keep her from seeing Beth," he admitted.
"So Beth knows, then, she's not in the dark?" Rachel responded.
"Yeah, she's known for about five years now," he told her, thinking about how weird it was when Beth had asked him if he was her father, "she figured it out all on her own."
"She's smart, like you," Rachel smiled and looked at the front of her apartment building. "I'll do some fishing and see what I can find out," she said and smiled.
"Thanks Rachel," Puck said and Rachel stepped out of the taxi, walking around to the door. Puck rolled down his window.
"hey Rachel!" he shouted and she turned, walking back towards him.
"Yes, Noah?" she said and leaned down to the window.
Puck extended his body and kissed her cheek gently. "Thanks for tonight, it's been good seeing you. I'll call you soon," he told her.
"Bye Noah," she said and pressed her hand to her cheek as the taxi pulled away. A little bit of excitement filled her again, she'd missed him a lot.