AN: In response to the one review about veggie burgers and buns not being vegan, I'm actually a former vegan and know for a fact that the veggie burger at Denny's IS vegan. My ex-boyfriend took me there once and I made sure it was vegan before ordering it. However, you are right about half the breads and veggie burgers out there not being vegan—why do you think I stopped being a vegan?

Rachel moved back to Lima after the holidays. Puck was stunned when she walked up to him before homeroom after New Year's, books in her hands.

She rejoined New Directions like nothing had ever happened, and everyone was glad to have her—they'd just barely won sectionals, after all. With her, they'd win Regionals for sure.

Weeks went by, everyone worrying about college applications and graduating. For once, Rachel wasn't freaking out. She'd put off college for a year to do Jesse's movie, the apartment in LA ready for her once school let out.

At first, Puck tried to convince her to let him come with her. He'd be her assistant and get everything she wanted. Then, they'd move to New York together, him working while she was in school.

But Rachel wasn't having it. He wasn't going to work for her while she was becoming an actress. She even threatened to break up with him (a threat she had no intention of carrying through with) if he followed her to Los Angeles.

So instead, Puck sent in a few applications to schools on the west coast. If Rachel was going to be in California, he at least wanted to be in the same time zone as her. And when he got accepted to San Francisco State University, he saw a look on Rachel's face that's he'd never seen before—one that said she was proud of him.

The day Puck got accepted to college, he went out for dinner with his mom and sister, promising to call Rachel when he got home. Ever since the disastrous dinner at his house, Rachel seemed to keep her distance from his mother. She still talked with Amy—the two had a weekly Skype date—but she avoided his mother. Rachel told him it was because she didn't want his mother to feel embarrassed about her faux pas.

While Puck was at dinner, celebrating a day his mother never thought would come, Rachel was in her room with Kurt, the two of them having their own celebration.

"Let me see the letter again," she laughed, placing another scoop of vegan ice cream into her bowl.

"Give me the ice cream first," Kurt demanded. "I plan on framing this, and I don't want your sticky fingerprints all over it." Rachel sighed, handing him her bowl before he handed her the piece of paper in his hand.

"Dear Mr. Hummel," she read, her eyes scanning over the letter. "We would like to offer you admission to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University for this coming fall. Enclosed you will find information regarding orientation…" she trailed off, only caring about the first sentence. "I hope you know how jealous of you I am. You got into fucking Tisch. They only take the best."

"I know!" Kurt laughed, taking a bite out of Rachel's bowl. "I'm still in shock. I keep expecting to wake up and this all be a dream, but it hasn't happened yet."

"What did Blaine say?" she asked. Kurt's boyfriend was a junior, and Kurt moving to New York in the fall was going to be hard on the young couple.

"We agreed to take it one day at a time. It isn't going to be easy, but we're going to try. He's applying in New York for next year so we can be together again."

Rachel smiled a little, handing him back the letter. "Well, I hope it works out."

"What about you and Puckerman? San Francisco to LA is almost 400 miles. How are you two going to work that out?"

"We'll call and text. Besides, I'm going to be busy with the movie and he's going to be busy with school. But we'll visit every once in a while and we'll see each other at the holidays. I don't know what he's going to do when I move to New York," she added, biting her lip.

"What are you talking about?" Kurt asked, staring at the ceiling from her floor. That was the nice thing about being best friends with someone who was gay—her dads never had an issue with Kurt spending the night. Noah, on the other hand, was a whole other issue.

"I'm just putting off college for a year. I plan on being in New York with you next year," she said. "I know he's expecting me to come to San Francisco with him, but I just know New York is where I'm meant to be."

"And I'm assuming one Mr. Noah Puckerman doesn't know of these plans of yours?"

Rachel shook her head.

Kurt let out a sigh. "Rachel, it's this movie all over again. The longer you keep this from him, the madder he'll be that you lied and you two will end up broken up and pissed at each other. I'm not being in the middle again!" he declared.

Rachel made a face. "Okay, I'll tell him. But I'm going to wait a little. He deserves the chance to be excited about his acceptance. I'm just glad he's not going to end up cleaning pools for the rest of his life," she laughed.

The whole next week, Rachel tried to find the right moment to tell Noah of her future plans—the ones that involved her moving to New York instead of joining him in Northern California.

She finally found the right moment Wednesday after lunch. Rachel and Puck had started eating lunch together after her return from California. Normally, they sat with Kurt and Blaine, but Kurt was out sick and Blaine was spending the hour in the library studying. So, it was just Rachel and Puck.

"So, I was thinking after this movie is done and you're finally free, you come up to San Francisco and stay there. We'll get an apartment together until I finish school, then we'll move wherever you want to, me working so you don't have to."

Rachel placed her hand on top of Puck's, sighing. "Noah, we have to talk about this." She bit her lip nervously, not sure how to put it.

Puck knew his girlfriend well. He knew her biting her lip meant she was nervous or didn't know how to say something. Or both. "You don't want to come to San Francisco," he said, his eyes falling on her.

Rachel shook her head slowly. "No, not really," she admitted in a small voice. "I want to go to New York. After the movie wraps, I'm going to apply to schools there and move there with Kurt. I just…I know New York is where I'm meant to be."

Puck nodded his head, trying to hide his disappointment at the fact that his girlfriend wanted to move further away from him, not closer. Instead of being 400 miles away, she'd be almost 3,000 miles.

"I guess I knew it was a long shot. I know you want to be in New York. And I'm not going to try and stop you. I'm just going to do my hardest to try and convince you to stay in California with me," he warned.

Rachel laughed a little, shaking her head slightly at him. "You're hopeless, I hope you know," she teased, kissing his nose once.

xxxxx

Regionals.

It was finally here. After weeks and weeks of training, the New Directions was at Regionals, going against Aural Intensity and Vocal Adrenaline, just like Rachel's sophomore year. Though this year The Dalton Academy Warblers were also going against them.

She just hoped the outcome this year would be different—last time they hadn't even placed. They'd come in dead last.

New Directions was performing last this time, so the whole group was seated in the audience, watching Aural Intensity perform their rendition of "One Day More" from the musical Les Miserables. It was okay in Rachel's opinion, but she was confident they could beat them with what they had prepared.

They finished up with a mash up of Edge of Glory/Marry the Night, both by Lady Gaga. They sounded good together, but the girl singing the solo parts didn't have a strong enough voice for it in Rachel's opinion. The crowd seemed to like it, worrying Rachel a bit.

Rachel tensed a bit in her seat as Vocal Adrenaline came to the stage. This was her first time seeing them perform after Jesse had left. She hadn't seen them at Nationals the year before due to her miraculously surviving a deadly plane crash with the boy sitting next to her who had her hand in his.

They seemed to have found a new "Jesse" for their ground. He even kind of looked like Jesse, though his hair wasn't arranged quite as well as Jesse's and he was a bit shorter.

The boys wore bright green shirts with black pants, green stripes running down the side of them. The girls were in matching green and black polka dot dresses. They were ugly in Rachel's mind, but maybe everyone else thought different.

Kurt, who was seated on Rachel's other side, leaned over to her, whispering before they group began singing. "Ugly outfits, don't you think?"

Rachel covered her mouth to suppress a giggle, nodding her head in agreement. "Jesse would have never agreed to perform in those. They look like they've gone downhill since he left," she whispered before the new lead singer opened his mouth and began singing.

Rachel covered her mouth to stop from laughing. They were doing Journey songs, just like New Directions had done last time when they lost to Vocal Adrenaline. Puck squeezed Rachel's thigh, trying to tell her to be quiet.

"They're doing Journey. Guess they're really struggling without Shelby as their couch anymore," Kurt whispered, Rachel nodding in agreement.

It was almost a mirrored performance of theirs from two years ago, them even finishing with Don't Stop Believing.

"Where was their Broadway song?" Puck asked quietly as Vocal Adrenaline cleared the stage and New Directions left the auditorium to get ready to go on while the Warblers took the stage.

"It was Don't Stop Believing," Rachel explained, lacing their fingers together as they walked out the doors and headed to the dressing room backstage. "It's from the musical Rock of Ages."

Part of the requirements this year was to perform a song from a Broadway musical as one of the group's numbers. Rachel was performing the one for New Directions.

"They're performance was a bit of a rip off of ours from two years ago," he murmured into her ear, letting go of her hand as he wrapped an arm around her middle.

"I know, except our performance was better than theirs," she laughed, kissing him once before heading into the girl's dressing area while he headed to the boy's with Finn.

The girls had all done their hair and makeup before leaving for Regionals, so all they had to do was change into their dresses.

Rachel pulled the dress out of the garment bag, pulling her skirt and blouse off. She looked over the dress, smiling at it. It was silver with a full skirt and a blue ribbon wrapped around the middle. The boys were wearing all black with blue and silver ties to match the girls' dresses.

Rachel pulled on the dress and strapped on her blue shoes, taking a deep breath. She was going on first, doing a solo number.

The girls joined the guys as the Warblers finished their performance. There was a short break after that while the stage hands set up the stage for New Directions.

"Are you nervous?" Puck asked, sitting down on a crate with Rachel in his arms.

Rachel shook her head. "Of course not. I was born to perform." Puck could tell she wasn't being entirely truthful—she was chewing on her lip. He didn't bring it up, however. He never knew how nervous Rachel would react.

Instead, he kissed her cheek, wrapping his arms around her middle tighter. "You're going to do great, Baby. I believe in you," he whispered as the stage hands walked off the stage. "Break a leg," he muttered before giving her a small push towards the stage, giving her a wave when she looked back at him.

Rachel closed her eyes and took a deep breath before walking onto the stage. Despite what she had told Puck, she was nervous. The last time she had performed publically like this was Regionals last year. She'd never had the chance to perform at Nationals, after all.

Rachel walked up to the microphone stand, standing in front of it with her eyes closed, taking a few breaths. She opened her eyes, staring out at the sea of people watching her. Oddly, that seemed to comfort her.

She swallowed as the music started playing. She smiled as the familiar melody to "Climb Every Mountain" from The Sound of Music started playing. Rachel had sung the song countless of times in her basement and her room. She just pretended she was there again and her nerves slowly disappeared.

The normal confidence Rachel felt while performing started to return. She smiled as she started singing the song, looking to the side where she saw Puck watching her. She made eye contact with him and sang to him for a moment before turning her attention back to the audience.

The girls from New Directions joined her on stage, serving as her backup during the chorus of the song. She smiled at the audience, pulling them into her performance.

Rachel finished the song, belting out the last note and holding it until the music stopped. She took a few breaths before speaking into the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, New Directions," she introduced as the boys joined them onstage.

Mercedes handed Rachel a headset microphone, which she slipped on before the next song started. The group immediately went into their rendition of The Killer's song "When You Were Young", Rachel and Finn singing lead like usual. After all, that had worked for them in the past—there was no reason for them to change it up at competition.

For the past few months, they'd been working on new dance moves, which they showcased now. The boys did daring lifts with the girls. Rachel just prayed Finn didn't drop her as he lifted her up, her leaning back just like they'd practiced for weeks.

The song ended and they went straight into their last number, "Take Me Home Tonight" by Eddie Money. Puck, Sam, and Finn sang the lead on the last sing, the rest of them adding backup vocals.

This time, Rachel had requested to be partnered with Puck for dancing, which Mr. Schuester had agreed to. While he was singing, Puck was swinging Rachel around his body, a move the other guys were copying with their partners.

When they finished, the entire auditorium rose to their feet, giving them a standing ovation. Rachel grinned, squeezing Puck's hand tightly. When the curtains closed, he bent down and kissed her on the lips. "You were wonderful," he breathed once they broke apart.

"So were you," she complimented. "It's too bad we're graduating soon—you should get solos more often," she laughed.

Puck smiled, shaking his head a little, kissing her forehead. "I don't need solos. Just as long as Hudson doesn't get too handsy with you when you're dancing," he teased.

Rachel laughed a little. "He doesn't, he's a perfect gentleman," she promised. "You don't have anything to worry about with him anymore."

"Yeah, I suppose he's mellowed out a bit. I don't know if he's totally okay with us, but he seems really happy now that he's officially back with Quinn."

Rachel nodded. "Yes, and since Jesse helped me get back with you instead of trying to win me back, I don't think we have anything to worry about anymore. Well, except winning this and going to Nationals."

Puck took a seat, pulling Rachel onto his lap. "If we don't win, it's a travesty," he said, kissing the side of her neck.

Rachel giggled a little, tilting her head to the side a little, giving him more space to kiss.

Puck continued kissing up her neck slowly, his hands running over her stomach. "I suppose now would be the best time to ask you to come to the prom with me."

Rachel froze, his lips still moving over her skin. "Are you sure?" she asked. She knew prom wasn't really Noah's thing.

"Positive. I'm not going to let my girl stay home on the night of her senior prom. You only get one, after all. And I promise to make it memorable for you—memorable in a good way," he added.

Rachel smiled before shaking her head. "No, we're not going to go. You took me to the winter dance. That's all I need. It's time for me to do something you want to do. We'll go to the movies, or you can come over and spend the night at my house instead. Now come on, they're going to announce the winner's soon. We need to get on stage," she laughed.

Puck smiled, getting up and taking her hand. New Directions, along with Vocal Adrenaline, Aural Intensity, and The Warblers, all headed onto the stage as the judges walked up to the stage.

The trophies were on stage and Rachel looked at them with excitement. This was it—the moment they were waiting for.

"We'd like to announce the winners," the one judge said, holding up an envelope. "Fourth place goes to…Westville High's Aural Intensity!" The audience clapped politely while the members of Aural Intensity looked visibly disappointed.

The other judge handed them a small trophy, congratulating them.

"This place goes to the Dalton Academy Warblers!" the judge shouted. There was cheering and clapping as they were handed a trophy. Blaine gave one of the members, an old friend of his, thumbs up.

A third judge took the envelope, reading the rest of what was written. "This year's second place is…Carmel High's Vocal Adrenaline!"

Vocal Adrenaline looked very disappointed, but Rachel was practically shaking. They'd won! They were going to Nationals again!

"…which means this year's winners are McKinley High's New Directions!"

Rachel cheered, running up to the judge with Finn, taking the trophy and bringing it back to the group. "We won!" she was shouting, jumping up and down.

Puck lifted her up into his arms, kissing her cheek and hugged her tightly. At that moment, Rachel was on top of the world. She couldn't feel happier than she did at that moment right then.

Songs used:

Climb Every Mountain-The Sound of Music

One Day More-Les Miserables

Marry the Night-Lady Gaga

Edge of Glory-Lady Gaga

When You Were Young-The Killers

Take Me Home Tonight-Eddie Money (I prefer the cover by Every Avenue)