Hey Guys! I know that I said that I was adopting this story out, but I needed to do something to take my mind off the absolute hell my life has been for the past month, so i thought I'd pick back up on this story. I re-read it, and I like where I was going, but I do believe I will end it soon. It's just about run it's course. I finished my other fanfic, which was a sons of anarchy story. A Blast From The Past, if you're interested. :] So I know that the downtime on this story has been waaaaaaaaaaay too long, so I apologize for that, but I hope you guys still love me! Anyway, I'll stop rambling now, and let you get to the story.
ALSO! It's no longer in first person. I find it easier to write from the third person point of view, so I switched it up. Sorry if that confuses you!
"Hello?" Rachel sat there with the phone pressed to her ear, and decided that she didn't want to talk to him. But before she could hang up, His voice came through the phone again. "Rachel? I know that this is you. Would you please talk to me? I know I've done something wrong, but I can't fix it if you don't let me fix it. Please." Rachel couldn't help but soften a little at the desperate tone of his voice. "Noah." She breathed. She heard him sigh. "Hey baby." She shook her head. "We need to talk, can you come over?" "Sure. I'll be right there." Then they line went dead. Rachel hoped she was doing the right thing by calling him, but it was too late to take it back, so she just had to suck it up and talk it out with him. If she was honest with herself, she missed him. She couldn't help it. In the few months she had been living in Berryville, he had become one of her best friends, and she didn't want that to change because of some tension between them. So this needed to be handled.
As Rachel was sitting there wondering what she was going to do once Noah got there, there was a knock on her door. Her head snapped around to look at the clock, and her brow furrowed. It had only been about 5 minutes. There was no way Noah had gotten there that fast, unless he had been got up to answer her door and as she did, she yelled out "Noah, you know how I feel about speeding. I understand that you were-"The rest of her sentence trailed off as she looked up and realized that it was not Noah on the other side of her door. She swallowed around the lump that had formed in her throat. "Colton." She said, surprised when her voice was actually steady. "What are you doing here?" She asked, keeping her hand tight on the door, while her other one went into her pocket, and curled around the brand new cell phone that Santana had given her. He smirked at her, and she found herself comparing him to Noah. "I told you that this wasn't over. Just because you've decided to show your true colors by becoming Puckerman's little slut, doesn't mean I've forgotten about you. I told you that you were mine, and I meant it. Now let me in." Rachel stood there for a second debating what to do, but that was decided for her when he pulled open one side of his sweater open, and she saw the gun that he had pointed at her. She slowly stepped back and opened the door wide enough for him to step through.
Colton looked around, making sure that it was just the two of them, he didn't see anyone, but he asked, just to be sure. "We alone, star?" Rachel felt herself flinch at the use of the nickname that Colton had always called her. She nodded. "Everyone is out shopping. I just-" She paused when she heard how squeaky her voice had gotten. She cleared her throat, and started again. "I just needed to be by myself for a little while." Colton laughed, and for the briefest moment, Rachel remembered why she had fallen for him. But then he pulled the gun from under his sweater fully and she felt the fear come rushing back. "Well, that works out well for me. Not so much for you, though." Rachel fought her fear knowing that if he got the upper hand on her, she would be dead before you could say Broadway. "Colton, we just need to talk, why don't you put the gun down? When have you ever needed to threaten me?" She asked, trying to get him to put away the gun. He just shook his head. "No can do, Star. See the thing is now, that I don't trust you. Haven't for a while. And while I'm at it, I should inform you that I truly don't like that Puck guy. He's not right for you. You're a broadway star. You deserve better than some neanderthal. Don't you know that?" He asked, and Rachel saw that he was mad, and decided to calm him down. "Of course I do. I haven't let Puck near me since that day." She said. Silently adding, Noah is a completely different matter. Her eyes snapped up to Colton's as he stepped towards her. "I love you, Star. Why can't you see that?" He asked, somewhat desperately. "I do, Colton. I do see it. I know now that I was blind, and stupid trying to leave you." Colton stepped even closer and Rachel waited for her moment. She knew the exact second he believed her, and she lunged towards him, trying to grab the gun. There was a brief struggle, then a loud bang.
Outside the house, Noah, who had been walking up to her door, heard the gun and broke into a run. When he got into the house, he saw Rachel on the ground with blood running out of her side, and Colton standing over her holding the gun. Noah saw red, and lunged at him, and Colton, who was too stunned to remain in control, dropped the gun as he hit the wall. Noah just kept punching him, even when he heard the sirens, signalling that one of Rachel's neighbors had heard the gun and called the police. He heard them come running in, and it took three cops to pull him off of Colton. One of the cops looked at him, then Colton, then at Rachel. When Noah saw her, he broke the hold the cops had on him and ran over to her. "Rachel, baby you can't leave me. Not like this, do you hear me? I love you, and I need you here with me. Don't leave me, please, baby, please!" He felt the tears running down his face, but he couldn't bring himself to care about his rep at the moment. After that, everything was a blur of police, paramedics, and cuffs.
~~~Two weeks later~~~
Santana walked down the hallway in the hospital towards the room they all felt like they lived in lately. Noah was back at work today, after two full weeks of not leaving Rachel's side. Kurt and Blaine had finally talked him into going back to work. Rory and Lea had gone back to Rachel's house and cleaned up the mess that everything had left. And Rachel? Well, Rachel was in a coma, and the doctors didn't know when, or even IF she would wake up. Santana walked into the room and sat next to the bed. She looked at the midget who had come barreling into her life almost 4 months ago, and felt her eyes burn with tears. She had thought for sure that she wouldn't like her, but Rachel tends to grow on you, and when she saw how Puckerman was around her, well, she decided that she was ok. Santana shook her head and wiped away a couple of stray tears. "Listen Bitch," She started, "We miss you. I know, crazy right?" She asked, shaking her head again. "You brought life back to this place, and mellowed my boy out. When you first rolled into town, you were this scared little girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders, and when you finally let us all into your little world, we finally realized how awesome you truly were. We need you now. You round out our little bunch of mistfits, Rachel. And if you ever tell anyone that I was nice to you, I'll beat the shit out of you."
Santana looked at Rachel again, half hoping that she hadn't heard her, and half hoping that she had. When Rachel stayed motionless, she let the tears that had been building for weeks break free. She missed her. She was sick of watching Puckerman wither away because Rachel wouldn't wake up. Even her dads, who they had called after the shit had hit the fan and had come down, were slowly losing hope of ever getting their little starlet back. Santana hiccuped away the last of her tears right as Kurt and Blaine came walking in. Kurt took one look at her face and just enveloped her into a hug, no words, just comfort. Blaine's eyes were sad as he took in the exchange between the two. He walked over to the bed and kissed Rachel's temple. Kurt broke away from Santana and wiped his face. "So, nothing new?" He asked, even though he knew the answer. Santana just shook her head, and looked back at the ground. Kurt sighed and walked over to Rachel. "You have to wake for us now, Diva." He started, feeling his heart break at her just laying there. He kept talking, but Santana walked out to find the doctor. She found him at the nurses station. He recognized her immediately. "Ms. Lopez." He said, nodding his head. "Could I have a moment, please?" She asked, being more polite than she had ever been in her life. He nodded, and followed her into the empty waiting room. "You guys told us that she only had superficial wounds, besides the bullet wound, and even that, you told us that it wouldn't cause any permanent damage." The doctor nodded solemnly. "So why, if nothing is causing her that much damage, is she not awake yet?" Santana demanded. The doctor sighed. "Ms. Lopez, according to all of our tests and paperwork, Ms. Berry should be awake. The only thing that would be keeping her unconscious right now, is Ms. Berry." Santana stood there for a second and processed what he said. "So you're telling me that the only reason Rachel is in a coma right now, is Rachel?" She said incredulously. The doctor nodded. "I'm sorry, but Ms. Berry isn't waking up until she wants to." The doctor shot her one last look, and then walked away. Santana pulled out her phone.
She woke up and looked around, seeing all of her friends standing around her looking sad. She got out of the bed she was lying in before she realized that there where two people not in the crowd of people. Rachel looked around past all the other faces, but she couldn't find Noah or Santana. She tried calling out to Kurt, but he didn't seem to hear her. She huffed and walked around the room she was in. There was a door at the far end of the room, and she had a feeling that she knew what was behind it, but she walked over and slowly opened it anyway. Her heart broke when she saw who was in the room. Noah was sitting at a desk with his head resting on his arms, and his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Rachel felt her own eyes start tearing up at the sight. Then she heard Santana's voice. "Rachel won't wake up until she is ready too. The doctors all say that by all medical reasons, she should be awake. So they can't give a solid answer as to why she isn't awake yet." Noah looked up. "I could have prevented all this. If I had just had the balls to stay when she whispered to me that night, I would have been with her, and I could have protected her." He said. Rachel heard that and thought, 'When I whispered to him?' She couldn't remember what he was talking about. Luckily Santana cleared that up. "She told that she loved you, and she didn't even remember saying it the next day, Puckerman. She was more upset because you said that you would be there when she woke up, and you weren't. THAT was why she was upset." Rachel's eyes got really big. THAT was why he wasn't there when she woke up?! "No one blamed you for running. You don't do feelings, you never have. You should have just told her." Noah scoffed and shook his head. Rachel felt the world around her going dark again as Noah started talking. "I didn't run because I was scared of her feelings, I ran-" That was all she heard before everything went black.
Noah was once again at Rachel's bedside, but this time he was actually talking to her, something he hadn't tried yet. "So, I feel stupid talking to you without knowing if you can hear me or not, Princess, but I'm gonna try and say this. Maybe it'll be easier that way. I ran from you that day because I was scared, yes, but not of what people think. I was scared of the fact that when you told me that you loved me, I wanted to say it back. And that is some scary shit, babe. I don't do feelings, especially with females I barely know. Ask anyone and they will tell you. I'm the town whore." He chuckled lightly through his tears at that. "But you made me want to be different. You made me actually be different. And that scared the shit out of me. But there it is. I love you, and you need to come back to me so that I can tell you that everyday for the rest of our lives. I want to be able to look into your eyes and say the words, not say them when you're unconscious in some hospital bed." Noah stopped talking after that, resolving himself to the fact that she couldn't hear him. He shook his head, and got up to walk away. "Noah?" He spun around so fast he was sure he got whiplash. Rachel's eyes were open and looking right at him. His face broke into the biggest smile ever, and he walked back up to her. "Hey Princess." He said, chuckling when she rolled her eyes at the name. Then she grimaced. "Water?" She asked, he nodded, and ran out of the room to the nurse's station. He yelled that Rachel was awake and wanted water. He didn't notice everyone in the waiting room, but they all followed him into her room. Everyone was crying and laughing at the same time, even Rachel.
~~~~~~Five Months later~~~~~~
Santana walked out to the back porch of Rachel and Puck's home, and looked around at all the red white and blue. She chuckled and shook her head. "Rachel, why are there so many streamers?"She yelled at the brunette who was dancing around with Mike on the dance floor. Rachel just laughed. "Suck it up Santana! The decorations aren't going anywhere!" Santana laughed again, and walked over to puck who was sitting at the table watching Rachel and Mike. She hit his shoulder with her own. "Sup fucker?" She said, earning an eye roll from him that made her laugh that much harder. "You have hung out with Berry way to much. You are starting to act like her." Puck feigned a look of horror before he started laughing. "Yeah, I know. I actually said neanderthal yesterday in a sentence." He said with wide eyes. Santana just shook her head at him before looking over at Rachel again. "When are you going to ask the midget to marry you? She said, Looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "I know that ring is burning a hole in your pocket." Puck nodded. "Yeah, it is. I'm going to do it when the fireworks go off tonight." Santana smirked. "How romantic!" She said. Puck got up and walked over to Rachel and Mike. "Shut it, Satan!" Santana laughed that much harder when she heard Rachel begin lecturing him on calling people names.
Rachel looked up at Noah, and was once again struck by how perfect her life was now. Colton was in jail, and she was surrounded by the people she loved the most. You can't really get better than that. She heard Kurt yelling, and when she looked at him, he was waving her over. She laughed, and went up on her toes to give Noah a quick kiss before running over to him. "Diva, we need to sing. I have the perfect song."Rachel just stared at him. He gave her his patented puppy dog eyes look. "Pleeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaase?" He said, making her laugh. She nodded. Kurt started clapping before running up to the mike. "Ok party people! Sit back and prepare to be wow-ed by the voice talents of the resident divas in Berryville, Kurt Hummel- Anderson, and Rachel Berry!" Everyone in the backyard started cheering, while Kurt walked over to Rachel and handed her a mic. "What are we singing, Kurt?" She asked, but he just smirked at her. She glared at him until she heard the first chords of the song filter through the speakers, then she was practically crying.
Kurt, Rachel, Both
I'm limited
Just look at me - I'm limited
And just look at you
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda
So now it's up to you
For both of us - now it's up to you...
I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good
It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
Because I knew you
I have been changed for good
And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the thing I've done you blame me for
But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share
And none of it seems to matter anymore
Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood
Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better
And because I knew you...
Because I knew you...
Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good.
When they were done, they were both crying and so were a few other people, but everyone was cheering. Right when it all calmed down, the fireworks started going, and Noah ran up on stage and took Kurt's mic. He looked at Rachel before dropping to one knee, and Rachel gasped and started crying again. "Rachel, when you came blowing into to town, you changed each and every one of us. And at first, I wasn't sure if I liked that, much less you." Rachel scoffed while everyone else laughed. "But as I grew to know you, I knew that you were the one person who could make change a good thing. And I wanted to be near you all the time. I never realized what I was feeling, because, let's be honest. I'm Noah Puckerman. He doesn't do love. But you changed all that too. Watching you lie in the hospital bed for two weeks cleared everything up for me. I love you, Rachel Berry, and I hope you feel the same way. So," He reached into his packet and pulled out the ring he had been holding onto for four months. "Marry me?" He said, looking into her eyes. Rachel stood there in shock for a full minute before she realized he was waiting for an answer. "Oh Noah, Yes!" She said, and he broke out into a relieved grin and slid the ring onto her finger before sweeping her up into a hug and kiss, while all of there friends cheered.
Rachel looked around her backyard at all of her friends, and thought back over the last year of her life. Love, loss, heartbreak, new friends, and old friends, and family. But most of all, Happiness. Who knew you gain all of that with a move and a new beginning?
So, that's it guys! :[ I'm going to go cry now, because it's over. I hope you like it, and I hope I did the characters justice. Don't forget to review! Thanks, Love you all!