Hello!:)

It's time for another update! But, before you start to read the new chapter, I wanted to thank you so much for your amazing response! I'm overwhelmed!

But, most of all, I wanted to thank those who took their time for reviewing it! Thank you so, so, so much! .amazing!

Hope you enjoy this chapter too!

Puck read for the tenth time the message that Rachel sent her, while he was waiting for her at the station.

From: Rachel* "I need to go away from here for a couple of hours. I'm just tired of everything. Would you come with me? I need you. Please."

As soon as he read for the first time the text, he called Schue and called in sick and sent a text to Sam and Finn that he wouldn't go with them to the gym that day. He didn't like the tone of her message and, sure as hell, wouldn't leave her alone if she needed him. He wrote her to meet him at the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge City Hall Station. He knew the perfect place if she wanted to be alone for awhile.

He was worried sick; Rachel was always optimistic and happy and he wanted to keep it that way. He couldn't think about anything that could be the reason behind the unhappiness of Rachel's text but he wanted to beat the crap out of the thing that made her feel like this.

He was pacing absent-mindedly when he felt someone call his name. He scanned the crowd and saw a familiar face. She ran and slammed against him, hugging him tight.

"Thank you, Noah" she muttered against his chest. He hugged her just as tight and kissed her head, saying "Babe, what happened?". She shook her head, inhaling deeply, and than she looked in his eyes "I don't want to talk about it yet." He noticed that her eyes were red and puff. She had definitely cry; he decided to let it go for now and nodded in agreement.

"So" she continued "Where are we going?". He smiled at her and, after tucking her under his arm safely, they entered the station. When they arrived at the ticket office, he told her "We're going to Brighton beach. It's where I go when I'm down or just want to be by myself. I thought that, right now, you need it more than I do".

She smiled sadly at him and rose on her tip toes to kiss his cheek. "I really do. Noah, I-I want to thank you again. It's very nice of you to spend the afternoon with me even if I'm not the best company right now" she said with a small voice; he couldn't stand the sight of her looking so defeated.

After he brought two tickets, he told her "Rach, believe me. It's not a problem at all. Just for being here with you, my day just went a thousand times better". He flashed her a big smile and it grew even bigger when she launched herself in his arms, hugging him. She nuzzled her nose against his neck, taking in his scent and relaxing against him, while he lifted her up from the ground. The embrace lasted for a couple of minutes; then he put her down, took her hand in his and the two walked to the right platform. As soon as they sat on the train, his arm wrapped her again and she leaned her head on his shoulder. They spent the whole trip in a comfortable silence.

When they arrived at destination, they immediately went out on the street and walked towards the beach. There weren't much people: only a few persons with their dogs and some couples. Noah tugged her lightly down the Boardwalk and on the beach, he wanted to take her to a little playground right on the sand. They sat on the two swings, facing the ocean, and stayed like that for what it seemed hours until Rachel decided to start talking.

"Noah, do I look weak in your opinion?" she asked, not looking at him. He watched her like she went insane "B, you look anything but weak. You're fucking fierce!". "So why everyone think that?" she questioned without skipping a beat "All my life, I've been told that I was nothing and that I was so worthless and weak that I would never make it. All my life, Noah. And sometimes I just think that they might be right". She was staring at her shoes covered in sand.

Next to her, Noah was fuming; he growled his next question "What happened Rachel? Who is the fucker that told you that?". He was ready to kick some sorry ass so they will think thrice before make his girl cry again (in his mind, she was his since he set his mind to get her).

"I have some problems with my dance teacher. She hates me since my first lesson with her: she calls me names, tells me that I'm not sexy or good enough to play a lead on Broadway and that she pities the ones who will scripture me because their show will definitely be a flop. And today she told me, in front of the whole class, that I am a 'privileged, self-indulgent, mediocre idiot who thinks that will be the next big thing when, in reality, I am nothing'" she wiped a tear that rolled down her cheek "And I couldn't do nothing to stop her. I just had to swallow everything she says and stay silent because otherwise I could be expelled. But I'm tired to feel like this. I'm tired that every time I try to prove them wrong, they just don't care and try to tear me down". She was sobbing now and she felt Noah's hand upon hers.

"And all the girls in my class; they're all hoity-toity and they look at me as I am scum. It's like junior high and high school all over again. I thought that once I left Lima behind, it would change it all. Guess I was wrong" she sniffed and sighed.

Puck got up from the swing, went in front of her and he held out his hand for her. She grabbed it and got up as well and let his embrace make her feel protected. It felt so good be held by him, feeling his heart beat and be lulled by the gentle raise and fall of his chest: it was like a safe cocoon.

At last, he decided to speak "Rach, they are fucking envious. This is why they try to bring you down. Believe me, I was just like them". Rachel looked at him confused and whispered "What do you mean?".

He sighed deeply and continued "I was a bully when I was in high school and I know why people bring someone like you down, basically we have the same mind. They are threatened by your talent because they know that they will never be as successful as you're going to be. I felt like I was going to be a little town loser and I would be stuck in there for all my life, this is why I tormented most of the kids in my high-school…well, because of that and because some of them gave me the creeps". He shrugged and looked down at her. Her eyes were shiny and big and they were staring back at him. "Really?" she asked surprise. He raised his eyebrow as if he didn't understand what she just said; she clenched her fists on his coat and told him "You're different. I don't know you from a long time but the Noah I know it's very different from a bully. Sure, you're a little bit rude and uncouth but you're a good-hearted man. So, what changed?"

He gave her a small smile at her and answered "Maybe I'm not changed. Maybe I'm pretending to be good just to make a good impression on you". She shook violently her head and looked into his hazel eyes "No, I'm sure of that. I came to know you in these months. So don't tell me that your behaviour is a farce because I won't believe you. And I know that your friends have really high opinions of you. So, what happened that made you change your behaviour?"

He looked at the sky and sighed. There was not reason for him to lie to her. Since the first time at the diner, he felt like she would never judge him, no matter what he told her. It was so easy to be him with her.

"I don't know if I'm really changed" he finally said "but here I don't feel as worthless as I felt back home". He felt her squeeze him tight. "But we're not here to talk about me. Babe, don't let these fuckers have the upper hand. You're a fucking fighter and they are just full of bullshit. Okay?" He grabbed her chin and lifted it a little bit higher. Her eyes were dark brown, two deep pool of chocolate, and were staring into the Puck's hazel ones.

His voice was soft while he said "Promise me that you won't let them get you down. And if you'll ever have another low day like this, you'll call me. Okay?" He stopped with his thumb a tear that escaped from her eyes. "Promise" she said in a broken whisper.

They started to move towards the shore, both unhappy for the temporary separation: she crossed her arms on her chest, trying to shield herself from the freezing wind, while Puck put his hands on his pockets.

After a couple of minutes, he asked her "Why did you call me?". "Excuse me?" Rachel looked at him with surprise, so he just repeated "Why did you call me?", emphasising the last word. "I mean, you could have called Lopez or Finn that know you since forever. But you called me. So, why?". His tone was gentle: he didn't want her to think that he wasn't happy to be there with her, he was just curious.

Rachel thought about the answer for a couple of minute while they kept walking and then said "I don't know. You were the first person that came up in my mind. I didn't even think about my brother or Santana… it was just you".

Truth to be told, in those days, Noah was a constant in the petite's brunette's thoughts: his eyes, his laugh, the way that he licked his lips when he was looking at her, how his gaze softened every time he talked about his little sister and mother or how he smiled at her when he heard her laugh. Small things, but that Rachel noticed and were burnt in her memory forever. She was falling fast for him and that scared her to death: her last relationships failed miserably and she didn't want to ruin what they have. Sure; it wasn't her fault that Brody decided to cheat on her with her dance teacher (yes… the same dance teacher that caused her breakdown) and that Jesse preferred his career to their relationship. Her heart was pretty bruised and she didn't want to lose someone that became such an important part of her life. She didn't know if she could handle that.

But he made it so hard for her to pretend that she didn't harbour any romantic feelings for him: they were so different yet so similar. Life had been pretty tough for both of them but, when they were together, it was as if everything was good again.

Noah smiled at her answer and took a good look at her. Her long locks were flying in the wind; even the black bobble hat couldn't hold them still completely. Her nose and cheeks was red because of the cold and the previous cry.

She looked like a mess, but she was one of the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Noah" Rachel brought him back to reality "can I ask you something?". He hummed positively and waited for her question. "Why did you decide to become a stripper? I'm sure that you're very good with the guitar and I'm positive that you have so many talents in you. What made you decide for that kind of job?". He laughed at her question and answered with another one. "Do you want the truth?"

He started talking as soon as he saw her nod. "Money, women and good time. I was 18 when I arrived here from my little home town in Massachusetts and a job that promised me lots of money and thousands of women sounded like paradise to me" Rachel made a face at the statement "and I'm great at it, you can't deny it". He poked her side, making her blush and squirm at the same time.

"You're quite talented, I admitted it. But what will happen when you'll stop? What did you want to do when you were a child?". He looked at her amused and told her "B, when I was a child I wanted to be a lion tamer, an astronaut and a rock star. And I really don't think they will come true. I'll think about the rest of my life when I'll cross that bridge… until then, I'm more than happy just enjoying the ride".

She sniffed and blew softly her nose. He looked at her and then at his watch before saying "Come on, babe. Let's go somewhere warm; don't want to catch a cold, do we?". This gave him an excuse to slide his arm over her shoulders' blades and hold her close in a side-hug, leading her towards the Boardwalk.

Noah took her in a little cosy diner just a few minutes away from the beach. As soon as they got in, he led her to a booth and sat in front of her. They were taking off their coats and laughing at something funny he said when an old masculine voice boomed in the room.

"My, oh my! I'll be hanged if he isn't that Puck boy! Loreen, come here!" he shouted at the closed kitchen door. It swung open, showing a quite enraged woman "You done with the shouting, Michael? I'm not old like you, I can hear you alright! But I don't think they heard you in China so you might yell a little bit louder!".

The old couple bickered for another couple of minutes and Puck laughed out loud at their antics; this caught the attentions of the two owners. The woman squealed as soon as she saw him and ran to him with arms wide open. Puck got up just in time to receive a huge hug by Loreen. She was around 65 years old, her mocha-colored face featured more wrinkles that Noah remember but her eyes had the same warm light. He hold her just as tight while she said "Oh Puck! I'm so happy to see you again!", then she grabbed his face in her hands and continued seriously "Do not ever make that much time pass again, young men. Did you forget the way? And don't you think about me, getting older and older and bored to death because of him?". The woman indicated her husband who replied with a "Whoa, woman! I'm funny as hell! Not my fault you have no sense of humour!", which earned him a glare from Loreen. He stepped up and hugged Puck too. Michael was older than his wife of a couple of years, his skin a little bit darker and had moustache. The threesome spoke happily for awhile, leaving a dumbfounded Rachel staring at them.

Finally Loreen noticed Rachel and stared at her for a couple of seconds. Then she turned towards Puck and slapped his arm, making him wince. "Where did your manners go, mister? Why have you not introduce us this lovely lady of yours yet?". Rachel opened her mouth to explain to her that she wasn't 'his' but Noah anticipated her by saying "My bad. Loreen, Michael; this is Rachel. Rach these amazing people are Loreen and Michael Williams, they were my first tenants here in New York.". Rachel didn't know how to take the fact that he didn't correct her.

Rachel got up and shook both of their hands, saying with a soft smile "It's a pleasure meeting you, Mrs and Mr Williams. I must say that your diner is adorable". Loreen put both of her hands over her heart and said with a sweet voice "Well, aren't you the most adorable thing ever? Isn't she, Michael?" and slapped his husband's chest with the back of her hand.

"Absolutely" the man smiled warmly at the petite woman and continued "You are stunning, Rachel. But I must ask you something, did he abduct you? If he did, blink twice and I will call the police!".

The joke drew a loud laugh from the little group and, when the laughter subsided, she answered "There's no need. I'm here willingly" and glanced at Noah with a soft smile. Loreen noticed the little gesture and sighed contently. "You two are so cute together. So we're not going to interrupt your date any further. Sit! What can I bring you to eat?". They told her their order and she disappeared in the kitchen, her husband in tow.

As soon as they sat again, she asked him "Why did you let her think that we're together?!", eyeing him suspiciously. He raised an eyebrow and lean his back against his seat, looking at her with a smirk on his face. "Does it bother you?" he said with an amused voice. She straightened herself and smoothed an invisible wrinkle on her jeans while telling him "Not necessarily. I just think it's unfair to lie to such lovely people". She was about to kept talking but was interrupted by him "Stop right there, princess. We didn't lie to them. They just assumed things!" but she shoot back immediately "But we said nothing to correct their assumption!". At that point, he just shrugged "Still: we're not liars", making her huff and then, after a few seconds, he smiled at her and asked her "Are we fighting? Is this our first fight?". You could hear how he was trying not to laugh at his own question. She tried to keep a straight face but, as soon as she glanced at Puck, Rachel burst in a loud laugh, dragging him along with her.

They were still joking around when Puck's phone went off and he checked on it annoyed because he didn't want to be disturbed when he was with Rachel. He opened the message that just arrived.

From: Hudson "Hey Puck, do you know where Rachel is? It's all afternoon that I'm trying to get a hold of her but her phone is off. I'm kind of worried"

Puck showed the text to the chocolate-eyed woman, who immediately started to search for her own phone in her purse. She frantically turned it on and waited for a couple of seconds before calling her brother. She apologised profusely at him, telling him that she didn't want to make him worry but she had to go away for a couple of hours because she had a really rough day but that she was safe with Puck and they will see each other the following day, since he was at the club.

Rachel was answering the texts of a very pissed Santana when Puck's phone went off again, telling him that someone just sent him a text too.

From: Hudson "I trust you with her, you proved it with JBI; but she's a really good girl. You hurt her, me and Santana are going to make your life a living hell. Btw, thanks for taking care of her. I owe you."

Noah tucked his phone back in his pocket and gave his total attention to the petite brunette that was now sighing and looking desperately at her phone. So, he grabbed it and wrote a short text to Santana.

To: Santana "Satan, she's w/ me so calm ur tits or I'm going 2 throw the damn thing in the ocean. U'll talk 2 her 2morrow – P"

And he tucked her phone in his other pocket.

"Excuse me!" she stared at him with surprise in her eyes "May I have my phone device back?". He just shook his head and said "You told me you wanted to go away for awhile and we're still away, so no more fucking phones, babe". She thought about it for a couple of seconds and then nodded and told him "You're right, Noah! No more phones for the day!".

"Damn straight I'm right, B. About time you realize that I'm always right!" and he winked at her.

Rachel laughed out loud, throwing her head back and trying to cover her smile with her hand. That made him smile softly.

After Michael brought their food and they were halfway through it, she looked at him and asked "Noah, what is your biggest regret?". He stared at her and thought about what she just asked him. He sighed, passed his hand through his Mohawk and answered tentatively "I was a jerk at high school and I did a lot of shitty things. But my biggest regret also turned out to be one of the most amazing things I have done. So, I don't know if I can count it as a real regret".

She tried to find out something more about the topic. "Was it about a girl?" she asked timidly, receiving a small laugh as answered. Puck said "Yeah, sort of" and grabbed his wallet, opening it up and passing it to Rachel. The woman took it in her hands and saw a picture of a baby with blonde curly hair in Puck's arm. It was a really cute photo: the baby had a bright smile and a flowery dress and was hugging Noah, who had a matching smile on his face. There was no need to asked who the baby was: they have the same hazel eyes and the same cute nose.

Rachel asked cautiously "Is she your daughter?", but Noah surprised her when he shook his head. She looked back at the picture. She knew he had a little sister but she was 17 and this girl couldn't be older than a 9-year-old child.

But Noah decided to speak "She was never mine to be so I guess that doesn't make her my daughter. I was 16 when I knocked her biological mother up; we were both young and stupid… we couldn't provide for her. So we decided to give her up for adoption. It broke my heart but it was the right thing to do. Her parents are great people; they let me see her every time I come back to visit my ma and sister since they live in Boston, and I can see that that little girl is their entire world". There was pain in his voice, like this wound never really heal completely.

"So, this is your biggest regret? Having her and not be able to keep her?" she asked softly, her eyes couldn't leave the face of that beautiful girl.

"No, my biggest regret is losing my ex-best friend. How could I regret the most beautiful thing I've created in my life?" he answered. Rachel looked at him dumbfounded: she didn't see the link between losing his best friend and the baby. But Puck put her out her misery when he said "The mother of the baby was my ex-best friend's girlfriend. I wanted to tell him as soon as she found out she was pregnant but she said that she would swear that the baby, our baby, was his and that she didn't want a loser as father of her baby". He clenched his jaw at the mere thought and, with a bitter laugh, continued "Of course, he found out. He punched me in the face, broke up with her and told us that he didn't want to see us anymore. He was my best friend since we were 3, every single moment of my childhood and adolescence is linked to him. With time, we tried to fix things but it was just… unfixable. You know?".

The only thing Rachel could do was nod. She could see that it was still a sore spot for him and, when she asked him the initial question, she didn't want to cause him pain. She glanced again at the photo and said "She's beautiful, though. She looks like you". Her voice was soft and caring and did wonders to calm Noah's nerves: he was scared shitless that she thought that he was a back-stabbing bastard. And he told her just that "Don't you think that I'm an asshole?", with uncertainty in his voice.

Rachel smiled at him and said "Noah, I'm not going to change my mind about you. I'm not going my judgement to be change for a mistake you made in your teenage years. You're not that person anymore and I'm not in the right position to judge you. I made mistakes too when I was younger". Puck laughed because he really couldn't picture what kind of big bad mistakes could she have done. She was too sweet. So he snorted and said "Rach, walking through the hallways without a pass isn't really a huge mistake".

Rachel was momentarily taken aback by his statement and retorted "I sent a girl who would threaten my lead in the glee club to a crackhouse – it was abandoned but she didn't know that; I was suspended for ballot-box stuffing because I wanted Santana to win for senior class president and I almost got married with my high-school boyfriend. I'm not perfect, Noah. I'm far from it".

Puck was speechless; he couldn't believe that she did all these things. It seemed so out of character of her. "The almost marriage doesn't count…you didn't get married in the end" was the only thing he managed to say.

But Rachel shook her head slightly and said in a soft voice "Oh, no. That count because I would have gone all the way with it. It was my ex who stopped it. It was the day I left Lima for New York: we were supposed to get married that day. I had my white dress in the car and a suitcase with some of my things, he wore his tuxedo and made me believe that, in a couple of hours, we would be husband and wife. But, instead of the Town Hall, he brought me to the train station and made me leave for the City because he said that we were too different and that he was dragging me down: I have always known what my future would be while he didn't had a clue about his; he didn't want me to put my life on hold because of him. I never cried that much as that day. But it was the best thing for both of us: I'm here, working my way to achieve my dream, and he found his way too. He joined the Army and he's waiting his first child with his wife. I even met her; she's lovely and they are an adorable couple."

Noah asked her shocked "You kept in touch with him? After he basically left you on the altar?!". He couldn't understand that: he and his baby mama could barely be in the same room together, let alone keep in touch. But Rachel smiled slightly and said "I hated him for the first couple of weeks but then I understood that he did what he did for me; because he cared so deeply about me that didn't want to see me in a life I thought I wanted but that wasn't really suited for me. And I can't thank him enough because of that. He was the first person who made me feel visible and loved. I think he will always have a special spot in my life".

Her gaze fell again on the picture of Noah's biological daughter that was still in her hands and said sweetly "You didn't tell me what her name is". A smile appeared on his features and answered "Beth".

"Like the Kiss' song?" Rachel asked with a big smile. He bobbed his head and added "My ex-best friend wanted to call her Drizzle. I mean, come on! Drizzle? Sounds like the name of one of Santa's reindeers!". The woman burst in a loud laugh and then he kept talking "I was in a sort of glam rock loop at the time and, when I heard it, it just kinda fit. You know?". He finally shrugged his shoulders.

She looked at him, nodded and, looking at the picture, she sang in a whisper " Beth I know your lonely and I hope you'll be alright…" and that drew a small smile out of him.

She stared into his eyes and said "It's a beautiful name and she's stunning. She's going to be a heartbreaker". She winked at him and laughed when he mumbled under his breath "Don't say this kind of shit, Rach! I'm already trying to convince Frank and Denise to lock her in her room until she's 50, but they shrug it off and laugh! She has Puckerman's genes and we Puckermans are a hot bunch… They totally underestimate our hotness and I don't want Beth to be the twisted fantasy of some teenage fucker!". But she replied "I'm more than sure that she'll manage just fine. Don't worry."

She put her hand over his, squeezing it lightly but, when she was starting to move it away, he hold onto it and intertwined their fingers together. She blushed and smiled coyly at the sensation of their hands linked: his hands were warm and his callous fingertips drew invisible patterns on the back of her hand.

Puck grabbed gently her chin and she was force to take her eyes' off of their hands. "Want to take a walk?". She only nodded happily and, after a couple of seconds, they were already standing and saying goodbye to Loreen and Michael, who made them swear they would be coming back more often to see them again.

Noah put his hand on the small of her back and led her out, in the cold winter New York evening

Noah was looking out of the cab's window with a sleeping Rachel resting on his side. She fell asleep while they were in the subway, so he decided that it was for the best to continue their trip back home in taxi. The more he looked at her, the more he thought she was the most adorable woman ever. A cute pout made her lips look even more plump and tempting and the way she sighed and then wiggled against him drove him crazy. For the first time in years, he thought that it would be awesome to spend the night with a woman in his arms even without fucking her, and that meant a lot coming from him. He didn't cuddle, like ever. He was a please-machine: he sealed the deal (at least a couple of time) and then he got the fuck away, quickly. Never at his and Sam's place because he didn't want crazy chicks to stalk him.

But with Rachel everything was different; she was different and Puck had decided that he would just go with it. It was like he wanted to keep her safe from the rest of the world and feel her always next to him, her body pressed to his. Gosh, he sounded like a pussy! Don't get him wrong: he was still a fucking stallion, the only different things were that now the only woman he wanted to fuck senseless in every flat and vertical surface was Rachel and that he had feelings for her (which was a huge freaking deal for him). He wanted to hold her hand in public, hug her and scared shitless the other pricks who dared to make a move on her, make her laugh and kiss her until their lungs begged for air every time he wanted to.

The cab stopped in front of Rachel's place and Noah was forced to wake her up. "Rach, Rachel. Wake up. You're home" he whispered, shaking her lightly. She squeezed her eyes tight and yawned making cute high-pitched noises. Puck couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face: she was too beautiful and cute for her own sake.

"Come on, sleeping beauty, I'll walk you to your apartment" he said before telling the driver to wait for him. They got off the cab and opened the building's door. Rachel wasn't still much awake and she was leaning on Puck until they arrived in front of her apartment's door.

She dig into her purse until she found her keys and put them in the lock, turning it open. Then she turned on her heels and hugged Puck tightly and whispered in a sleepy voice "You are amazing man, Noah Puckerman. Thank you for today, I will never forget it". Before break the embrace, she kissed the corner of his mouth and then went inside her place, waving goodbye for one last time.

Puck leaned his forehead on the closed door and breath heavily from his nostrils. It was becoming harder and harder not to kiss her until their lips would be swollen and this time would had been the perfect opportunity. After he calmed his shit, he started to walk down the hallway and glanced one more time at the door, before stepping into the elevator.

What do you guys think? Let me know writing in the white box below!

Up next: the first of the two holiday's chapter!:)