I Don't Mean To Presume Chapter 34: 34 Keep On Tryin', a glee fanfic

34 Keep On Tryin'

Rachel took her seat again and felt Puck's arm come around her shoulders. The sheet music was being passed around and she took her pages and smiled, "This reminds me of my dads." She told her boyfriend.

"Yeah? LeRoy an' Hiram like Poco?" Puck inquired with a grin.

"Well they're always saying that the key to making anything work is to keep on trying," Rachel explained. "And this really is great for a group number Artie."

"Been thinkin' too," Artie smiled his thanks. "Maybe we don't do a ton of solos for this one, Poco sang it mostly with blended voices. So if we did want some lines to be similar to solos, we could have two voices instead of one. I think it would suit the song better."

"And it's a dramatic change from the duet," Coach Sue nodded her understanding. "Did we have any thoughts on the third song?"

"What about Fun?" Blaine suggested, "They have great harmonies and some wonderful solo opportunities in their songs. And Some Nights is very evocative... it fits us as a group too."

"God does it," Puck grinned his agreement.

"I like it," Rachel nodded, "And the arrangements will be fun to work on, no pun intended."

"Well let's start with the Poco song and see how it goes," Coach Beiste suggested. "Blaine, if you'll pull the music for your suggestion, maybe we can try that out next week."

"So you're just tossing the idea of solos out? Except for the duet?" Mercedes objected, "Seriously?"

"Girl you are just determined to not be happy," Santana snapped. "Chill out. It's not like anyone is muzzling you. We all get a chance to try out the duet. And Blaine just said that there's great stuff for solos in the other song if we use that one."

"You really are being negative Mercedes," Rachel added quietly. "Everyone gets a chance here, Blaine and Kurt told us how things worked in the Warblers and we liked it. They vote on who gets solos and what songs to do."

"It's been working really well all year," Lauren added. "So don't think you can just come in and after two practices tell us we're all doing it wrong."

"If ya'll don't want me here-"

"No one is saying we don't want you," Rachel snapped. She was so sick of the drama and attention grabbing and meanness. All she wanted was to sing and perform and be with her boyfriend. "This is Glee. Remember? 'By its very definition glee is about opening yourself to joy'. Maybe we haven't always remembered that in this club but it's about time we did."

"Yeah 'Cedes you got a great voice, but seriously? Rachel might have been demanding about solos in the past, but she worked her ass off for them," Puck pointed out. "You can pull off those high notes, but the rest of your singing...you don't put nearly as much into it. You want somethin' you work for it."

"Hey I'm living with her and the amount of practice she puts in is insane," Sam told his ex-girlfriend. "You're a talented singer but I don't think anyone here realizes, except maybe Puck, just how much Rachel works on her talent."

"Because it's not enough to be talented," Sue pointed out. "Talent without hard work and training won't do it."

Rachel sighed, "Guys, we're not getting anything done here. And while I'm grateful for the acknowledgement of my hard work, if Mercedes has made up her mind about me nothing's going to change it. Let's just get to work."

Puck looked down at her, "Baby, you all right?" She could tell he was worried, his hand was rubbing her upper arm and his hazel eyes were dark as they met her eyes.

"Just... a little tired," Rachel admitted. "Daddy wants you to come over after practice today. Dad's picking up your mom and Bekah. We're all going to have dinner and talk about New York."

"Can definitely do that," He agreed. "Any chance of some time alone with you before everyone come over?"

"Hmm...maybe half an hour?" Rachel sighed, "Not really long enough is it."

"Wanna try for a quickie?" Puck was whispering in her ear now, teasing her. "I swear I'll make you come Rache."

"We've never had one, really, except for lunch that one day," She smiled up at him. "Let's do that." His answering grin was absolutely wicked and she shivered in delight.

Then, of course, Mr. Schuester snapped for them to pay attention and the moment was over.

Rachel was doing her best to not squirm in frustration where she sat. Dinner had gone wonderfully, and the plans for New York and an apartment in between Julliard and NYU's campuses were solidifying quite nicely. Her boyfriend adored her, she was head over heels for him, and in Sam she even had a brother. She had great friends, and a wonderful future to look forward to. There was only one fly in the ointment.

Puck's old truck had finally had a nervous breakdown. He was fixing it as quickly as he could but the part he needed had to be ordered. So for two weeks Sam had been giving them both a ride to school. That meant they had very little time alone for the past two weeks.

It was even more annoying because Puck had been fairly excited about taking her to prom 'in style' whatever that meant and he was trying to save as much money as he could by doing the work himself. So weekends when he normally would have been with her he was working on the truck.

Now she was sitting in Glee club and trying not to squirm out of sheer need as she listened to Puck's wonderful voice. The song was wonderful, and each time she heard the chorus it reminded her of her friends. Artie's light Michael Jackson-esque voice was perfect for the song as he led the boys in the first verse,

"I've been thinkin' 'bout
All the times you told me
You're so full of doubt
You just can't let it be
But I know
If you keep on comin' back for more
Then I'll keep on tryin'
Keep on tryin'..."

Rachel took a deep breath and couldn't help grinning at Brittney, they'd all agreed she was bubbly and her voice was the best to lead the girls, setting the tone for the second verse,

"And I've been drinkin' now
Just a little too much
And I don't know how
I can get in touch with you
Now there's only one thing
For me to do, that's to
Keep on trying
To get home to you..."

She and Santana got to lead the chorus along with Puck and Sam, trying to fill the song with all the trust and friendship they all had for each other,

"And I feel so satisfied when
I can see you smile
I want to confide in
All that is true, so I'll
Keep on tryin' I'm
Through with lyin'
Just like the sun above
I'll come shinin' through
Oh yes I'll
Keep on tryin, I'm
Tired of cryin'
I got to find a way
To get on home to you..."

There was a short musical bridge, during which they'd all change positions, a fun little dance to go along with the movements that accompanied the song and then Tina would get her first solo, with Blaine to back her on vocals. Rachel had pushed so hard for this, she'd known Tina could do it especially after she'd done so well with Maureen.

And sure enough, Tina's sweet voice, pure and so filled with wonder rang out like bells on the third verse,

"I've been thinkin' 'bout
All the times you held me
I never heard you shout
The flow of energy was so fine
Now I think I'll lay it on the line
And keep on trying
To get home to you..."

The last chorus was almost a round, blending all their voices, overlapping as they repeated and emphasized and Rachel almost had tears in her eyes at the sheer beauty of the sound,

The guitars struck the final chords and she couldn't help grinning at Santana, "We were so right. Tina was perfect." She whispered.

"Hey I vote we say it loud," Santana grinned and looked over at Tina, "You got the official stamp T, B here says that you were perfect."

Rachel grinned when Tina blushed, "Really? Rachel you mean it?"

"I knew you could do it," Rachel told her. "Your voice is stronger than ever, all the work you've put into it this year has really paid off. But it still has that purity that I loved when we sang True Colors."

"You never said..." Tina blinked at her in surprise.

"You sing as if...you still have wonder in your heart Tina," Rachel smiled at her shy friend. "It's really beautiful to hear because you make everyone who listens understand what it is to feel so...amazed by the world." The rest of the club had been talking amongst themselves but a rare conversational gap isolated her words in silence and Rachel nearly blushed to find everyone staring at her. "What?"

"Hey at least this time you weren't in the middle of Breadstix saying you loved Finn," Lauren leaned across Santana to whisper sotto voice.

"Thanks Laur," Rachel said dryly.

"We've just never heard you...talk like that," Sugar was still staring at Rachel as if she'd grown another head.

"Then you haven't been paying attention," Puck groused. He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her in a backwards hug, kissing her hair affectionately. "She's been like this all year, and most of last year. Everybody's just used to my girl critiquing and trying to help they don't hear the compliments she gives 'em along with the criticism."

"Yeah an' guys," Mike spoke up. "She might not always have the kindest way of saying it, though that's improved a lot Rachel don't get me wrong." He assured her hurriedly and Rachel grinned flipping her fingers at him, "But she's almost always right. I mean she told me half the reason I wasn't singing strong was I wasn't breathing from my lower ribs. And that breathing was as important to dance as it was to singing."

"But she always makes comments like that," Quinn had been quiet since she'd come back but now that catty tone was in her voice. Rachel felt like flinching out of pure reflex, that tone had been cutting her down since before freshman year. "As if she's so much better than the rest of us."

"Uh, 'cause she is," Mike told her flatly. "And maybe sophomore year she would have left it at that. But she an' Puck came over to my house an' Rachel gave up her personal time to teach me an' Tina about breathing."

"Yeah she worked with me last year," Lauren nodded. "And she's the one who taught Finn how to read music."

"She taught me too," AZ nodded.

"Yeah she let me practice in her basement for my audition," Dave added. "I mean I always thought that was why you guys named her choir captain right? Because of all the stuff she does?"

"No," Mercedes tossed her head and Rachel wanted to curl into a ball as she remembered what had happened after she'd been nominated co-captain of Glee. "We just did that because we knew the Glee photo would be vandalized in the yearbooks and none of us wanted to be in it. There was only room for two people so we nominated Rachel."

"And Finn," Puck reminded them all. "But he didn't have the balls to show up for the picture."

"Seriously?" AZ looked at Dave and then at Mercedes. "Shit." The big football player shook his head, "I'm sorry Rachel. We were jerks."

"It's all right," Rachel nodded and straightened her back. Her body was very conscious of Puck pressed against her back, she wanted to wrap herself around him like a clinging vine. "You didn't know me then."

"Yeah, unlike the people who said they were her friends," Puck's voice was mean as he looked at Mercedes and Kurt. "We're all different people now, but bottom line, there's a reason Rachel is still captain of Glee."

"Well maybe we should vote again," Quinn suggested coldly. "If the motives for electing Rachel before were less than pure, let's put names in the hat for captain and see who gets elected this time, when it's solely on merit."

"I don't see the point," Artie shook his head and his sentiment was echoed by Santana, Lauren and Tina.

"Rachel might not have had anything good to say about my voice," It was a surprise to hear Sugar speaking, she so rarely talked in Glee. "But she did tell me I was a great dancer. And that if she couldn't help me with my voice, she could help with acting and dancing. She got me into her advanced class. Convinced her teacher to audition me...and I got in." Sugar was smiling at Rachel. "I didn't get to tell you, she called this weekend, said that I had a lot of work to do but that if I was willing to put in the time I'd be caught up by the time of the recital."

Rachel grinned, "Sugar that's great! Why didn't you call me?"

"I thought I'd see you this morning but we missed each other," Sugar smiled. "So thanks, again."

"Yeah so, you see," Sam looked at Quinn. "Why would we need to vote again? Rachel doesn't make a big fuss about helping us. She just does it. She and Puck. Him and Artie have been helping me stay caught up in class. They come over when Rache is at dance class or her voice lessons and tutor me. So if we need a co-captain we could vote on that, but I'm fine with Rachel being our Captain."

"Yeah, Coach is always tellin' us, Captain's lead by example," Puck spoke up finally and Rachel could tell he'd been waiting for the right time to say this. "Is there anyone here who works harder than Rachel to help us be our best? Is there anyone who's willing to put in their time, their own personal time before school or on weekends, helping us? She's been working on arrangements for songs all year. Stuff that would really highlight our voices. And I'm just glad that Coach and Coach Sue are with us because otherwise, we might never have done so well in the competitions."

"You mean you came up with the vocal arrangements for Poco?" AZ voiced the question but it was echoed on nearly every face in the room besides the teachers.

"Uhm...yes?" Rachel wasn't sure if they were happy about that or not.

"It was great," Lauren grinned at her.

Rachel smiled and met Blaine's encouraging gaze only to encounter Kurt's disapproving look and Mercedes glare, "I just wanted us to shine...as a group. I love how we all sound together." She admitted. Puck's hands squeezed her hips gently and her breath caught.

"All right," Sue had clearly had enough of sentiment. "Berry clearly is remaining your Glee Captain. The vocal arrangement is solid; we'll work on the rest of the dance moves later. Berry, you and our best dancers and I will work on choreography."

"The rest of us will go over the arrangements for alternate songs," Coach Beiste told them. "Shelby has offered to help musically where I'm less than adept."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Mr. Schuester folded his arms angrily.

"No William," Sue told him with saccharine sweetness. "I expect you to arrange costumes for the kids and make sure they all have copies of the sheet music and dance routines. You can even use the Cheerios copier."

Rachel grinned, "Coach may Puck and I be excused for the rest of practice?"

"Resting on your laurels already Berry?" Coach Sylvester wasn't one to tolerate that.

"No ma'am. But I have the music for Some Nights in my locker. My locker is jammed and I need Noah to open it for me," Rachel lied glibly.

"Twenty minutes and that includes traveling time," Sue warned them. "And you'd better have that music when you come back Berry, or you'll be running laps when you want to be in toe shoes."

"Yes ma'am," Rachel nodded and hurried out of the choir room, dragging Puck with her.

"Baby what are we doin'," Puck sounded amused and a little befuddled but that was normal, she hadn't exactly told him her plan.

"The janitor's closet is close to my locker," Rachel told him. "I wore a skirt today on purpose." She found the door and pulled the heavy thing open, pulled him in with her and turned on the light. He still looked at little confused but when she reached for the button and zip on his jeans he got the idea.

"It has been a while hasn't it," He tugged her sweater up and palmed her breasts. "God I missed you baby."

"I need you Noah," Rachel groaned and pulled off her panties shoving them into his pocket before she reached into his jeans and found his cock, hard and ready and waiting for her. "Please, just..."

"Gotta be quiet baby," Puck warned her in between kisses, his tongue invading her mouth.

"I will, I promise Noah, but please, I need you inside me, it's been weeks baby, please," She moaned into his mouth and increased the pace of her hand on his cock. His fingers slid down to her thighs and into her nether lips, and she felt the groan that vibrated through his chest as he felt how wet she was.

"God that you get like this just for me," Puck muttered. "You gotta come for me Rachel. I gotta feel you comin' around me."

"Just fuck me please," Rachel would never have thought before Noah that she'd ever utter those words. She'd thought the word fuck was crude, degrading and dirty but with Noah... he might be uncouth at times but he was never degrading and when she cursed in bed, especially when she used that word, he loved it. He'd told her once he loved that his hot little Jewish American princess got so worked up for him she forgot to be a lady, that he got her so hot that all she wanted was to be fucked. And she'd giggled and blushed but she knew exactly what he meant because it was true.

"Oh god Rache," She knew the minute he lost control because he dragged her closer and spread her thighs apart with his knee. "You'd better come for me baby," He swore as his cock pushed up into her.

"Oh god Noah," Rachel shuddered as he filled her. "Baby, so...good." She loved how he felt, stretching her body, pushing deep inside her, grinding into her and then his fingers, still on her clit pulled and she nearly screamed at the bliss of it.

"Rachel, oh fuck me, Rachel," Puck was groaning into her hair, his hips pounding into hers. "Come for me baby, please...you gotta..."

"I...I..." She was gasping, pleasure overwhelming her as his body moved in and out of hers. "I...am...Oh God, Noah," Rachel groaned his name and buried her face in his shoulder as she felt her orgasm blow through her like a storm, lightening hitting every nerve in her body. And then it started again, Puck still moving inside her, "Oh, oh Noah...God you feel so good..."

He was groaning into her hair, his hips quickened and snapped into her and Rachel moaned as she felt his body get impossibly hard inside her. His voice was muttering her name, almost a prayer and she nearly screamed as she came again, her body tightening around his cock in unbearable pleasure. "Oh god, Rachel, I'm gonna," Puck groaned.

"Yes, please baby, yes," Rachel whispered, shuddering with sensation in his arms. "Let me feel you come Noah. Come in me."

She felt it when his orgasm hit, like a blow to his back driving his body hard into hers, his seed hot as it erupted into her body, his erotic groan of her name the most wonderful thing she'd heard today. Rachel shivered around him, his body relaxing into hers, leaning back against the counter full of tools. "God Rachel," Puck breathed against her neck. "Damn I missed this."

"Hmm...me too," Rachel loved how he held her afterwards, as if he never wanted to let go. "We're going to have time alone this weekend if we have to hide in the back of your truck to get it."

"It's nearly fixed," Puck soothed her. "Just need that part and its good to go. And I'll still be able to take you to prom. "

Rachel rolled her eyes, "Baby I don't care about Prom nearly as much as I care about being with you." She kissed him gently, "We'd better get back. Sue only gave us twenty minutes and we've used at least ten of that."

"I'll grab the music out of your locker," Puck reluctantly let go of her, their bodies separating. "You hit the bathroom and clean up." He pulled her panties out of his pocket and Rachel was very conscious of his gaze as she put them on. "God you're beautiful Rachel," He whispered. "I love you."

"Oh Noah, I love you too," She straightened her skirt and sweater before she peeked out the door. "We're clear. Just give me a second to make sure I'm presentable." Puck grinned at her and held the door open while she hurried out to the girls' room.

Rachel made sure her sweater wasn't too rumpled and her skirt was straight before she began to fuss with her hair. It wouldn't do to make it look too perfect, but slightly less mussed would be better. It wasn't as if anyone would believe that Puck would let twenty minutes alone with her pass without stealing a kiss or ten.

She emerged from the bathroom and saw Puck waiting at her locker, looking at something on the inside of the door. Rachel smiled as she came up to him. It was a picture her dads had taken at Sam's good bye party, she and Puck were sitting and talking, he was smiling at her and she was grinning. They both looked happy and full of life, in love.

"I like that picture a lot too," Rachel tucked her hand into his arm and gently shut the door. "By my count we've got five minutes left. If we hurry you'll have four to make out with me near the choir room before Sue pokes her head out and tells us to get in."

"Sold," Puck grinned down at her.

Author's Note: So I'm debating if I want to actually show them at Nationals or not. I know where I want this to go. And the ending is becoming more and more clear. So this is more... how much of the rest of the year do I want to show. I'm leaning towards wrapping it up soon but we'll see if anything else strikes me as needful for the story.

So we'll see. I've got ideas. But I also want the melodramatics to be over with. Hope you all are enjoying this though.