Thanks again for the reviews. I think this will only be two more chapters. I finally know how I want it to end. I'm hoping for 100 reviews by the time it's done!
Also, I think I've come up with my next Puckleberry story (tentatively to be titled 'Chasing Juilliard').
At exactly 4:41pm on a Tuesday afternoon, Rachel received a highly distressing phone call.
"Rachel, there's been a car accident involving Puck's little sister. Finn and I were with him when he heard the news, so we've been waiting here with him and his mother, but I think you should come also."
"That's terrible! I hope she's going to be okay. How are Puck and his mother doing? I'm not sure if I should come, Quinn. I'm not a close friend of the family and I wouldn't want to be in the way."
"Trust me, Rachel, he'd want you here."
"I'll be there right away."
Rachel rushed over to the local hospital and into the waiting area that Quinn had directed her to. She immediately went over to Puck to give him a hug, but quickly moved to sit with Finn and Quinn so that he could continue comforting his mother. They all waited for word on Sarah's condition.
The doctor finally emerged saying, "Family of Sarah Puckerman?"
Everyone stood up and Mrs. Puckerman immediately rushed forward towards the doctor. Rachel unconsciously moved closer to Puck, now standing where Mrs. Puckerman had been.
"She's going to be okay. She has a broken leg and quite a few bumps and bruises, but considering the circumstances, she's lucky."
"Oh, thank goodness. What happened?"
"The police said that she was hit by a car when it ran up on to the sidewalk. The driver was…"
Suddenly, Puck interrupted angrily.
"The jackass was driving drunk, right? Just ran down my baby sister. I'm gonna fuckin' kill him. Just wait until I get my hands…."
Puck's speech halted when he felt Rachel timidly place her hand on his arm and quietly say, "Noah…"
In reaction, Noah just sat down on the chair with his elbows to his knees and his head in his hands. Mrs. Puckerman, Finn, and Quinn were shocked. Contrary to popular belief, while Puck certainly enjoyed his fair share of aggressive behavior, it actually took quite a bit to make him really angry. However, when he did become angry, he experienced rage that was impossible to ease. Yet, Rachel simply saying his name quelled stopped his anger in its tracks. It was as if her mere presence had a calming effect on him.
The doctor spoke again. "The driver was an elderly gentleman experiencing a stroke. He's not able to communicate at the moment, but the police think he was trying to steer his car to the side of the road and ended up on the sidewalk instead where he hit your sister. You can come in and see her now."
Mrs. Puckerman and Puck hurried back with the doctor to visit with Sarah, while Finn, Quinn, and Rachel remained in the waiting room.
"Wow, Rachel, that was amazing."
"What was, Finn?"
"I've been best friends with Puck for practically our whole lives, through some pretty tough times for his family. When he gets upset, I just step back because I know there's nothing I can do to stop it. But all you had to do is just say his name and it's like you made his anger go away."
Quinn nodded in agreement and while she knew this was not the appropriate moment to mention it, she just knew that this confirmed her suspicions that something was happening between Rachel and Puck, even if neither one knew it yet.
Mrs. Puckerman came back to the waiting room about 15 minutes later to retrieve her purse and let her son's friends know that he would be driving home with them. Finn went to get Puck, while Puck's mom pulled aside Quinn and Rachel.
"Thank you, girls, so much for coming. Noah is lucky to have such good friends. I will be staying here with Sarah tonight, but I think it's best for Noah to go home and rest. Here's some money for pizza…if you could spend the evening with him, I'd really appreciate it. I think it would be good for him to just do some normal activities. I know he puts up a tough front because he's such a 'badass', or whatever it is he calls himself, but I know this is hurting him."
"Of course, Mrs. Puckerman. We would be happy to spend time with Noah."
"Thank you, Rachel, and please call me Abigail."
Puck and Finn had just come back from Sarah's room.
"Ma, I should stay here with you and Sarah tonight."
"Sweetie, go home and spend some time with your friends. The hospital is hesitant to let even me stay. Sarah will be fine and she knows how much you care about her. Please don't worry."
Once Puck finally agreed to leave the hospital, Finn drove him home in his car, while Quinn rode with Rachel. For the rest of the evening, the four friends played Guitar Hero, watched a movie, and ate pizza. Puck put up a strong front and pretended everything was fine, but they all knew he was just pretending. Finn knew because Puck only ate 3 slices of pizza, but Quinn's and Rachel's recognition of his feelings went a bit deeper. Around 11 o'clock, Quinn began to yawn.
"Quinn, perhaps you should home? Looks like you need some rest."
"Oh, I'm fine, Rach."
"Well the baby certainly needs her rest."
At mention of the baby, Finn entered his protective father role and insisted that he drive Quinn home. After the two left, Rachel prepared herself to leave also and Puck walked her to the front door.
"Rachel, I'm not really good at, you know, like expressing crap and stuff, but I just wanted to say thanks for today. I don't know what I would've done without you."
Rachel knew that this was probably the most feeling-laden thing Puck had ever said. She also knew that although he wasn't clearly saying it, the implication was that he needed her. And what kind of friend would I be if I left him now when he needs me the most.
"You know, Puck, I'm feeling tired and I'm worried I won't be able to get home safely. Can I stay here?"
Puck had a feeling that this was a mere excuse and she was really staying because she was worried about him, but the idea of having someone else in the house with him tonight was too comforting to pass up.
"Sure, you can sleep in my sister's room. I'll give you some clothes to wear."
About twenty minutes after they went to their respective rooms, neither one was sleeping. Puck was lying in his bed with his back facing the door, thinking about all that had happened today and what it would be like if his sister hadn't been so lucky. He heard his door open and although she didn't speak, he knew she was there. Both remained silent as she got into his bed and under his covers. She wrapped her arms around him and he could feel the entire front of her body pressed against his back. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Puck knew that under different circumstances, he would be incredibly turned on right now. However, in the front of his mind, he knew that Rachel's presence was meant for comfort, so that was what he felt. And so, Puck did something then that he'd never done before in front of anyone. He cried. Although she couldn't see him and although he didn't speak to her, he knew that she knew he was crying.
Sometime in the middle of the night, Puck had turned to face Rachel and so in the morning hours, they were sleeping face-to-face, their bodies not touching, but their hands intertwined on the piece of mattress between them. Both awoke at the same time, likely due to the sounds of Puck's mother's car pulling into the driveway. They remained silent with eyes fixated on each other and the seeming loss of their ability to breathe. Suddenly, the moment was broken by the voice of Puck's mother downstairs. Rachel quickly jumped out of Puck's bed and went into his sister's room to make herself presentable before Puck's mother came upstairs. However, Puck's mother didn't seem to care that Rachel had stayed overnight or that she was currently wearing a pair of Puck's boxers and his t-shirt. Mrs. Puckerman updated the both of them on Sarah's condition and once Puck heard he could visit Sarah this morning, he dashed upstairs to get ready. Rachel decided to leave while he was upstairs, partly because she was worried there would be awkwardness due to their sleeping arrangements the previous night. When Puck came back downstairs, he was surprised to see that she had left.
"Where's Rachel?"
"Oh, she had to go home, sweetie. That was nice of her to stay and keep you company last night."
"Yea, it was…"
For a brief moment, Puck's mind raced with thoughts about what was happening with Rachel and how that unfamiliar emotion he felt around Rachel could be classified; however, his mind was quickly rerouted to thoughts of his sister and he and his mother rushed off to the hospital.
After Rachel drove home, she sat in her car in the driveway, distracted by thoughts of this situation with Puck. When she went into his room last night, she solely wanted to provide him support and comfort. But when they woke up this morning facing each other with clasped hands, she was so overcome with feeling that she could barely breathe. She realized that she was beginning to get to a place where she couldn't picture life without Noah.
"Rachel, sweetie, are you okay?"
"Daddy, hi! Sorry, I didn't see you there."
"Why are you just sitting in your car?"
"Just lost in thought."
"How are your friend and his sister?"
"The doctor says she's going to be okay. Thanks for letting me stay over there last night."
"Of course, sweetie, your friend needed you. Come on inside; it's freezing out here."
"Okay, daddy..."