A/N: Sorry for the late update, this is long overdue. I had some internet troubles and couldn't post it faster, but here it is and hopefully all the next chapters won't take so long to update.

When Rachel woke up, she was sore and her nose was dry, and she felt like shit. She slowly sat up and looked out her window to see the sun starting to set. Downstairs she heard noises coming from the kitchen and knew her mother was home. She gave the yellow ball one last look before she walked back to her drawer and placed it in its place.

Standing up, she stretched out as she walked out the door and downstairs. Shelby was in the kitchen cooking breakfast, humming softly as she stirred a pan of soup. Rachel sat at the table placed her head down on the table with a groan, causing Shelby to look behind her.

"Hey honey, how was school?"

"Fine," Rachel said, not sure exactly how she could explain the day to anyone. "The classes were okay, and some of the students were pleasant." Shelby smiled and looked back at the food.

"I'm sorry about earlier today, something came up and I couldn't get out of it, but I'm making your favorite vegan soup." Rachel looked up and smiled at Shelby, who frowned as soon as she saw Rachel's face. "Are you okay? Nothing bad happened at school, right?" Rachel looked confused for a second before she remembered how she fell asleep. Crap. She mentally scolded herself and forced a smile.

"Everything's fine, I'm going to wash up for dinner, I'll be right back." With that she got up and went back upstairs. She went to her room and sat down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. Her mother didn't need to know, right? Rachel thought about telling Shelby about the day, but she wasn't sure if she was the person she needed to talk to.

Rachel groaned and fell back on her bed. She needed to get Santana to remember her, but she couldn't do it alone, she just didn't know how. She needed someone who she could tell everything, without worrying about them being biased, spreading rumors at school, or try to take matters in their own hands.

She thought through all the people she had met at school, and none seemed a good idea. But then she thought of one person, and she sat up. Should she? Rachel looked at her phone, which was carelessly tossed on her bed next to her backpack. She didn't have to worry about getting Puck's number, he had already put it in there, and he seemed like a reliable person.

Slowly, she grabbed it and went to his name. She grinned as she looked at what he put his name as. Noah. She took a deep breath and texted him. When she was done, Shelby called her down and she quickly washed up before going downstairs to eat dinner.

Rachel walked back to her bedroom after dinner and changed before flopping down on her bed, exhausted. She had found out that they wanted Shelby to help with the music classes and clubs after school, so Rachel coming home to find the house empty was soon going to be a common occurrence. Rachel was happy for Shelby, she really was, she just wished she had got to spend some more time with her mother after they left New York, but it seemed some things never changed.

A sudden vibration caused Rachel to jump and she grabbed her phone to see three texts from Puck. She smiled as she read each one, including hers.

Hello Noah, I apologize for the late text, however here it is just like you wanted. –R

Hey Rachel wat r u up to?

Rachel couldn't help but roll her eyes at the text talk.

Well txt me when u get this I'll probably be awake

Rachel quickly responded to Puck and stared at the ceiling waiting when she was done. Soon, she felt her phone vibrate in her hand and she looked at the text.

Wats up my hot jew bro? You feeling okay?

Of course I am, Noah. What do you mean?

U just look like u had a lot on ur mind 2day.

Rachel breath got caught in her throat as she stared at the text. Had she been that obvious?

If I tell you, will you promise not to tell anyone else? I'm serious Noah.

I promise.

It was all she got back from Puck, and Rachel closed her eyes and sighed. Should she tell him? She honestly wasn't sure if that was the best idea ever, but she needed to tell someone or she else she would mess something up, and she just knew she would. Her phone vibrated again and she looked at the text from Puck.

Meet me the football stands before Glee.

Rachel sighed and before she knew it she responded back.

Okay.

She stared up at the ceiling tiredly and closed her eyes, wondering how she was going to get Santana to remember her.

The next day, she found out who Brittany was. She had seen the tall blond walking with Santana in the halls, and when she looked down at their hands she saw their pinkies intertwined, causing her heart to break a little bit. Santana looked at her direction and scowled before looking straight ahead again, with Brittany smiling happily being oblivious.

Rachel went through the rest of the day practically the same, including the facial slushy and name calling on Santana's part, and after the last period she and Puck went to the football stands, which were empty. They sat down and Rachel looked at her phone and frowned at the time.

"Noah, must we do this before Glee? I hardly doubt that I could fit what you want me to say in less than five minutes, which is when Glee starts." She looked up to see Puck looking at her seriously.

"Glee can wait, it's just one day anyway. Besides," Puck pointed at himself and grinned. "It's time you talk to your bro." Rachel sighed and unconsciously fixed her skirt.

"I don't know where to start…" Puck nodded.

"How about when you freaked out Santana?" Rachel swallowed harshly and opened her mouth, before closing it again. After a few moments of collecting her thoughts, she opened her mouth again.

"I…me and Santana…we've met…already…"

"Yesterday, right?" Rachel shook her head.

"No, before. When we were younger around eight, we had met each other and were friends. But then I had to leave, and I guess Santana left from that place quickly after me," Rachel smiled sadly. "I guess she met her Goldilocks already…"

"Shit, wait, you and Santana were friends?" Rachel nodded and Puck furrowed his eyebrows together. "It didn't look that way when you guys met again then…" Puck said recalling watching Santana and Rachel in Spanish class.

"She doesn't remember me…" Rachel looked up, her eyes watery. "How do I make her remember me?" She sounded and looked devastated and Puck couldn't help but be saddened too. "I can't do this alone…I don't even know how to do this…" Rachel looked down again and Puck looked out at the empty football field.

"Why don't you just tell her?" Rachel shook her head.

"No, I don't want to rush everything. She already hates me anyway…" Puck nodded and looked at Rachel.

"I'll help." Rachel looked up at Puck and smiled.

"Thank you, Noah."She looked back down and they sat in silence. He didn't know how long they sat there but next thing they both knew the bell rang and Rachel shot up. "Glee Club!" Puck laughed and looked at the time on his phone.

"Sorry bro, we kind of missed it." Rachel looked at her own phone and gasped.

"This is all your fault! You should have told me the time. I do not like missing things I'm committed to!" Puck raised an eyebrow and she crossed her arms and sat down again. "And I couldn't see Santana…" Puck laughed and gently punched Rachel's shoulder.

"No worries, if you wanna see Santana just stay out here." Rachel looked at him questioningly but did as told. Sure enough, a group of Cheerios walked out to the field and Rachel saw Santana in between Quinn and Brittany.

"Oh…" Rachel said, staring at Santana still.

"Fucking love those skirts. Makes their ass look good." Rachel looked away from Santana and smacked the back of Puck's head.

"Noah!" Puck rubbed his head and looked at her.

"Ow!" Puck pouted as he crossed his arms. "Damn, I was just staring at their ass." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Yes, just staring at their ass." Puck grinned at her and looked lower down her body.

"You have a good ass too, now if you just get rid of those damn skirts." Rachel slightly scooted away from Puck, who laughed and looked back at the Cheerios. "Don't worry, you're too much of my bro."

"I'm so glad then." Rachel said sarcastically and looked back up at Santana. The coach suddenly walked to the field with a blow horn and began yelling harsh things that would lower anyone's self-esteem. Rachel scowled as she watched the coach yell at the Cheerios, which most looked afraid and tired as she barked orders. "Who's that? She seems horrible."

"That's Sue Sylvester. Watch out for her." Rachel nodded and watched as they went into the pyramid. She watched Quinn on top, with both Santana and Brittany under her. Rachel sighed and stood up.

"I have to get going, besides, I believe you have football practice the same time as cheerleading practice." Puck blinked and looked up at Rachel before suddenly jumping on his feet and nearly falling down the bleachers.

"Shit! I was too busy staring at their ass," Puck started down the stands and yelled back at Rachel. "See ya, we'll talk later today, got it?"

"Okay." Rachel replied back as Puck ran down the stands and towards the boys locker room. She looked at Santana one last time before walking to the parking lot.

Quinn looked up from her place at the top of the pyramid and saw Rachel walking down the bleachers, heading towards the parking lot. She raised an eyebrow at the girl, and looked down at Santana for a second before looking up.

"Hey, S, RuPaul's straight ahead." Santana's head snapped up and she groaned when she saw her.

"Fuck, she's stalking me."

"Hey, San, that's new girl. She's kinda hot." Santana groaned again and looked at Brittany.

"Not now, B." Brittany frowned but nodded, muttering a "but she is" under her breath

Rachel drove home to the empty house and went straight to her bedroom yet again. She wondered if this was going to be an everyday thing, and sighed. Deciding having nothing better to do, she did her homework and sang to her favorite Barbra Streisand songs. It wasn't until it was late at night that her phone rang and she answered to Puck's voice.

"Hey, you busy over the weekend?" She could hear another distant noise in the background, which she guessed was the tv after she heard the distant gunshots.

"No, and what is that noise?"

"What noise? I'm play Call of Duty, so I don't know what noise you're talking about." Rachel sighed, she never understood the appeal of video games.

"Never mind."

"Meet me tomorrow at my house, and we'll think of how deal with Santana," Rachel opened her mouth to reply but Puck cut her off. "Shit, gotta go, my mom's home. See ya." Rachel heard the phone click and kept it up against her ear long after Puck had disconnected. Finally, she lowered it and bit her lip. She wasn't sure what Puck had in mind, but she hoped she wasn't going to regret telling him the bit of her past she did.

She shook the thoughts from her head though, and went downstairs to tell Shelby that her friend had asked her to go to his house. Shelby was uncertain at first, since it was a boy, but Rachel quickly assured her he was just her friend. Shelby finally agreed, and Rachel thanked her before going upstairs to sleep.

The next morning, Rachel walked to her dresser and stared at her phone, which was open to a text from Puck.

Meet me my place at noon.

She looked at the address after his text and she went through her clothes. After looking through everything, she had finally chosen for jeans and a plain shirt. She then went downstairs to see Shelby at the kitchen table reading. As Rachel entered the room, Shelby looked up and smiled, pointing at the already made breakfast.

"Morning kiddo," Shelby said as Rachel brought her plate over to the table. "You're dressed nice."

"I'm seeing a friend. I told you yesterday, remember?" Shelby looked confused for a few moments before groaning and rubbing her eyes.

"Right, I'm sorry it's just a lot is on my mind right now."

"It's fine." Rachel said with a shrug as she ate her food. She was used to this sort of thing, but it still took everything she had not to remember how her dads never forgot anything she told them. After talking about them settling into Lima, she excused herself to finish getting ready before heading out to Puck's house.

His house was small like hers, and she wondered if he also had just as small of a family as she did. Slowly walked to the door, and rang the doorbell. Soon a little girl opened the door, and Rachel thought she looked like a younger, female version of Puck. The girl looked up at Rachel and smiled brightly.

"Hi, who are you?"

"Hello, my name is Rachel Berry. What's your name?" Rachel asked, smiling back down at her.

"Melanie, are you Noah's friend?"

"Yes, is he home? If not I could just-" But Rachel was interrupted by a voice she recognized farther in the house.

"Mel, is that Rachel?"

"Yeah." Soon after her response, Puck appeared in the doorway. The second he looked at Rachel, he gaped at her and Rachel crossed her arms.

"Is there something you wish to tell me, Noah?"

"I thought your friends called you Puck." Puck waved off Melanie with his hand, and she stomped her foot in frustration.

"Damn. You look hot Berry. You should wear that more often." Rachel rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"Well, I don't have too many of these kinds of clothes, but I thought since it was our first official time hanging out at one of our houses, and it's outside of school, I'd commemorate this with something I usually don't wear."

"Noah, she talks a lot." Puck laughed and affectionately messed up his sister's hair, causing her to try and slap his hand away.

"You got that right, little sis," Rachel scowled at him and before she could open her mouth to say anything else he nodded his head towards the house. "C'mon, let's go to my room." Rachel nodded and they both went up to his room, which to Rachel's surprise, was cleaner than she thought.

"So, why did we meet at your house?" Puck walked to his xbox in front of his bed, and leaned back against the bed. He patted the floor and waited until Rachel sat down next to him before handing her the controller.

"Ever played Call of Duty?"

"No, I don't play video games. I have see no purpose in playing them, and why are we even playing them?" Puck looked at her as if she had grown two heads.

"Seriously? Not one video game?" Rachel shook her head and Puck sighed. "Dude, you seriously need to play some shooter games if we're gonna be bros. And we're gonna play games while we think of ways to get Santana to remember you."

"Oh, okay, I guess…" Puck shrugged, and the rest of the day was spent with him teaching Rachel how to play Call of Duty. After dying early more times than she could count, she had finally got the hang of it, and as much as she hated to admit it, she enjoyed it a little bit. Who knew shooting virtual people was so much fun? She had also found out she an amazing sniper, much to Puck's amazement and joy.

Puck's idea of helping her getting Santana to remember her was to "leave it to the Puckster", much to Rachel's annoyance. He had also told her to expect to see Santana more in school, whatever that meant, but after failed attempts to get him to actually include Rachel in his plans, she gave up asking.

"Want some?" Rachel looked at the drink and frowned at the beer in his hand.

"No, I don't drink alcohol." Puck shrugged and opened the can, drinking it. Rachel shivered as she watched him, wondering how he could even like alcohol. Puck sensed her watching and looked at her confused.

"What?" Rachel just shrugged and shook her head.

"Nothing." Puck gave her one wary look before looking back at the tv and continuing to play the game. When it was getting late Rachel excused herself and declined Puck's offer to stay for dinner, saying he probably didn't have a vegan friendly food at his home. Saying goodbye, she left and went home, and went straight to her home, collapsing on the bed and falling asleep.

Sunday was spent the same way, with her going to Puck's house to play Call of Duty, except that day Puck had invited Mike over for her to "get to know more of the guys", as Puck had put it. By the middle of the day, Puck was laying on his bed while Rachel played with Mike, who raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"She beat me." Was all he said, and Puck looked up with a grin.

"I train my bro well." Rachel only rolled her eyes and turned her head to glare at him.

"You owe me a broadway musicals marathon for this." Puck looked horrified and opened his mouth to object, but closed it again. He leaned closer and whispered in her ear low enough for just her to hear.

"I can't wait until you get to Santana and you can watch stupid musicals with her instead." Rachel only sighed and tried to punch him in the arm, but Puck easily dodged it. The rest of the day ended the same, and Puck walked her to the door.

"Well, bye Noah."

"See ya, and just wait until tomorrow at school, that's when thing's will really start."

"Are you trying to be cryptic? Because I can tell you now it never does any good, other than annoy people." Puck shrugged.

"Whatever, shit's just starting, just you wait."