Thanks again for the awesome reviews. I didn't know how well this story would work out, but I think it's working pretty well.
I do not own Glee
Puck was shaking, physically shaking. He had been waiting for Rachel to come out of surgery for four hours so far, and it didn't seem like it would ever be over.
He remembers, yes he remembers seeing her for the first time in kindergarten and thinking she was pretty. He can tell you what she was wearing, a canary yellow dress and black Mary Jane's, her hair in cute little pigtails. He remembers her sitting down next to him and sticking out her little hand.
"Hi my name's Rachel and I am going to be a star." She had smiled brightly and the little boy couldn't help put smile back. They were friends that entire year, with slumber parties and play dates, and that was also the year they made the pact they would be friends forever.
After Noah's father left when he was nine he changed into Puck, and he broke that promise. He can recall the day perfectly, because she had broken down crying and told him that he promised.
"You promised Noah, you promised." She told him as she cried and tried to reach out for his hand.
He had just pushed her away and said that she was a loser and he wasn't her friend.
"You can be a star all by yourself and don't bother talking to me again."
In the seventh grade he watched as the small brunette was brutally tormented by Quinn Fabray and her follower ands he did absolutely nothing even when she begged him to.
"Please Noah, just help me." She had asked on a certain day in the eighth grade her eyes wide and pleading.
He had just looked at her and laughed "You're such a loser man hands." He snarled pushing her aside and walking off towards his football buddies, ignoring the sobs he heard as he turned his back on the small girl.
It was in the ninth grade when he first started to slushy her, and when she simply stopped talking to him altogether. She used to at least acknowledge his presence, but know she just steered away from him, and didn't even berate him for the harm he was causing. It was also the year he found out how much he missed her.
It was sophomore year when they had there fling that lasted all of five days. It was the day he remembered that promise he made her, and when he made a new one; He would never hurt Rachel again…at least purposefully.
It was today that he realized he was in love with the tiny brunette and he needed to tell her. She needed to know that he wanted to be with her for the rest of her live and his. The minute he was able to see her, he would tell her conscious our not.
Shelby Corcoran was a lot of things, but one thing she didn't consider herself was Rachel Berry's mother. She hadn't wanted anything to do with the girl after she was born, and she didn't want her after she had found her again. Except Shelby did want the girl, but she felt jealous. She was jealous that she missed out on sixteen years of memories, that she would never be able to tell Rachel's children stories of their mothers' childhood.
She was just sitting with her adopted baby girl Beth when her phone rang on that cold December night.
"Hello?" She asked shifting her daughter to her hip and holding her phone to her ear.
"Shelby it's Leroy Berry."
For some reason the sound of the man's voice made her stomach hurt and her heart beat faster.
"Is something wrong with Rachel." She asked trying to stay as calm as possible.
There was a pause on the other end and Shelby closed her eyes tight knowing inside that their was something wrong, seriously wrong.
"She's been in an accident." Leroy managed his throat thick with emotion.
Shelby blinked and hugged her baby girl tighter "Where is she?"
"She's at Memorial, in surgery."
She breathed a sigh of relief at least she was somewhere instead of anywhere.
"I'll be there as soon as I can."
"Shelby, if you are going to be here, we need to discuss some things."
She nodded and then dumbly realized that he couldn't see it "I will."
She hung up quickly putting her daughter into a winter coat and wrapping a blanket and throwing her own jacket and shoes on and running out the door. Her daughter might die and she might never have the chance to say she wanted her, that she had always loved her.
Sam Evans didn't know Rachel Berry very well, in fact he had only talked to her on a few occasions. Sam however, knew that Rachel was mistreated by everyone at McKinley and most importantly her teammates. He didn't understand why everyone was so cruel to her, she was a nice girl.
He couldn't look at his girlfriend, he truly felt disgusted when he heard Hiram yell at her. How at twelve years old he thought could you be so cruel to someone who never did anything to you? He didn't know who Quinn was at that moment, he knew she wasn't a very nice girl, but he never thought she was mean.
"Sam," The blonde girl sitting next to him started hesitantly "do you hate me?"
Sam ran a hand through his bleach blonde hair and looked the girl straight in the eyes "I'm disgusted, I can't believe you could be so cruel."
Sam knew he didn't love Quinn when she broke down into tears and he honestly did not feel like comforting her. Maybe he was being mean by wanting her to feel like no one cared, but that was how that little brunette felt since she was twelve years old… that's too young to be hated for being yourself.
"I never…I just wanted to be popular." His girlfriend cried trying to explain why she had been such a…bitch.
Sam just glared at her "Seriously if that is the so called apology you are going to give to Rachel then you should just leave now, because she doesn't deserve that." He was fuming, absolutely livid.
"Sam it wasn't…I never had a choice."
Sam shook his head "That's the thing about life Quinn, you always had a choice."
He walked away from her and sat down next to Artie. In that moment he knew that he did in fact have a choice and when Rachel woke up he was going to become her friend and her confidant, because she deserved so so so much more.
Rachel was uncertain, as to why Greg had taken her to a beautiful little two story home, certainly it wasn't hers.
"Greg where are we now?" She asked reaching for his hand, feeling calm as her hand met his.
The guide smiled down at the young girl "We are at your friend Noah's home."
Rachel stood there mouth agape , not because she was shocked, she was proud. Ever since she had first met Noah in Kindergarten she knew he was destined to make something of himself. She never believed those people who called him a lima loser, because she knew deep down he had a heart of gold, and was just afraid to let the outside world see it.
"Do you want to go inside?" Greg asked, even though he already knew the answer.
Rachel swallowed deeply and nodded not able to speak, she was just too proud.
They were both suddenly transformed into a beautiful pink room, obviously belonging to a little girl, the room was beautiful, and so was the beautiful little girl inside it.
"Daddy," The blonde little girl shouted "Where are my pink socks?"
Noah suddenly entered the room looking much older, but not as tired as he always used to be. Noah looked happy.
"Beth, I think they are in your drawer silly goose." Noah smiled as his little girl as he walked over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of light pink star socks.
Rachel was shocked Beth as in Puck's Beth was living with him and calling him Daddy.
"Greg…how?"
He just shook his head "Just pay attention and you'll see."
"Thanks Daddy." She smiled at him and sat down on the bed to pull the socks onto her bare feet.
"Sweetie you remember you're going to Allison's house after school."
"Daddy are you going to the cemetery because it is Rachel's birthday?" The small girl asked looking up at her father with wide eyes.
Noah sat down next to his daughter and pulled her close "Yes, I want to go and tell her how grateful I am."
Beth smiled again at her father "I am happy too, because of Rachel I've got you."
He smiled sadly at his daughter "Your right you know. I know that you miss your mommy, but she and Rachel are together now."
Beth sighed "I know Daddy. Mommy is safe because Rachel is in heaven with her."
Puck hugged his little girl "Right you are my Angel, now it is time for school so get your little butt downstairs and in the car."
The little girl jumped up from her fluffy pink bed and hugged her father tight. "I know you miss her Daddy, but you'll se her again some day."
Noah held his little girl tight to his chest and looked up "Thank you." He mouthed to the sky.
The scene seemed to have dissolved and Rachel and Greg were in the meadow again
"Are you confused?"
"Yes, aren't I always. Rachel asked sitting down on the plush green grass.
Greg sat across from her and took her hands "Let me tell you the whole story. When you died in the hospital, Puck knew that he needed his daughter in his life in some way. Shelby felt so much remorse over not getting that reconciliation with you that she immediately complied. She wanted her little girl to know that her father loved her.
When Beth was three Shelby was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She died two years later when Beth was five and left Puck with custody of her. Shelby knew that he was the right one to raise her daughter and so she died with no bad feelings, she knew that Beth would be in the hands she was always meant to be with." Greg finished taking a deep breath.
Rachel wiped the tears from her chocolate brown eyes "Hey Greg?"
"Yes."
"It's not Puck, it's Noah."
It had always been Noah and for once since this whole thing started she felt that maybe she should choose death, because Noah deserved a good life, and so did Beth. If Rachel had to die for Noah to be happy then she most certainly would. She just loved him that much.