Finn waited a few days before he approached Rachel again. It was rare to find her knocking around the hallways of McKinley alone these days, and he knew that he wasn't exactly welcome to show up on her doorstep anymore. Their little confrontation a few days ago in Glee had proven exactly that, and he wasn't exactly looking for another argument with Puck. Besides, her fathers had always scared him just enough to know that they wouldn't be cool with the things he had said to her.

He went to her with the intent to apologize, but as soon as he saw her locker door, any rational thoughts flew out the window. Gone were the pictures of the two of them together and the silly little mementos she had so sweetly tacked up at the beginning of the year. Instead, there were pictures of her with what friends had taken her side in the whole latest Finchel debate. He particularly hated the one of her with Puck, the two of them laughing at the camera in a picture that had to be taken by Brittany because her finger half-covered the print.

"I think we should talk."

"I don't really want to talk to you right now, Finn," she said softly, turning back to her locker in search of her Spanish book. Finn put his hand on the locker next to hers and leaned in intently. It reminded her so much – too much – of how it used to be when him stopping by her locker was a regular occurrence. "You made it clear that we couldn't be friends last week, and since nothing has changed, I don't think we have much to say to each other."

Rachel tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and started down the hallway. "It's about Glee!" he called out, knowing full well that it was the only thing that would get her attention. She had agreed to do what was best for the club the other day, and as a dedicated performer, he knew that Rachel wouldn't let them fail. "Come on, Rach, it'll take a minute."

"It's Rachel," she corrected him curtly. "Only my friends get to use my familiar nickname. We can go to the choir room to speak. I believe that it is free this period."

Finn counted it as a small victory as he followed her down the hallway toward the room that had started everything between them. He couldn't count how many life-altering moments he'd had within the confines of the choir room. He'd fallen in and out of love there, lost and gained new friends. It's where he really found himself and thought he'd found his future. Now, standing at Rachel looking like she wanted to be anywhere but with him, he wasn't sure what lay ahead.

"Listen, we never really got to finish what we were talking about the other day," he began. "I know that you're still pissed at me for breaking up with you, but we have to work together. You can't keep letting Puck butt in whenever I try to say something you don't like."

"I think we both know that Noah does whatever he wants," she replied. "And I'm not angry at you, Finn. I'm disappointed that you wouldn't even consider how much I loved you before you broke my heart."

"I broke your heart?!" he laughed humorlessly. "You're the one who wouldn't marry me, remember? I asked you to be my wife, to stay with me forever, and you turned me down. You don't get to stand here and act self-righteous about that, Rachel. This is all on you."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "And this is why I can't talk to you, Finn! You refuse to see reason or even reality!"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you act like I'm some toy for you to possess, Finn," she shot back. "You only want me when you want me and at the first sign that I might have an actual opinion of my own, you discard me like you could care less. You did it when Quinn decided that she might be interested in you again last year and you're doing it now when things aren't going your way."

"It's not like that, Rachel," he argued back loudly. "I was willing to give you everything and that wasn't good enough for you. You had to have more; you always have to have more. Well, I don't have anything else to give to you."

Rachel took a deep breath and mentally collected herself before looking up at him again. "This isn't going to get us anywhere. I can't argue with you anymore, Finn, I simply don't have the energy," she told him. "I know that we have to get along for the sake of our friends. Nationals means too much to all of us for us to forsake that now. I think it's best that we don't have contact unless it is Glee related. I know that's going to be hard for both of us, but I really think that's the only way we can make this work for everyone. It's not fair for us to keep putting them in the middle. I promise that I won't throw any more tantrums like I did the other day. I will sing the songs that we agreed on and will do my best to make it look real. That's all we can do here. We owe it to them and to ourselves to win."

Finn fiddled with the string on his hoodie nervously. "Whatever, Rachel."

"Good, I can see you're going to be mature about this," she retorted. "I need to get to class. I will see you later, Finn, have a good day."

She didn't wait for a response before leaving him behind. They were just going to keep arguing in circles, and she couldn't take any more of the unnecessary drama. What was done was done. She was ready to regain her control and strength in the situation. Revisiting old ghosts wasn't going to get them anywhere. They only had a few more months until they took the stage at Nationals, and she had every intention of making sure they were perfect.

Rachel was still wrapped up in her thoughts when she turned a corner and ran smack into Noah. He wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders to catch her. "Whoa, Rach, where's the fire?" he teased. She grimaced up at him with a determined face. "What'd he do this time?"

"It doesn't matter," she answered truthfully. "I am done talking about and arguing with Finn Hudson. I am going to throw all my energy in getting us ready for Nationals and nothing is going to stand in my way."

Knowing that the determined look in her beautiful dark eyes spelled trouble for all of them, Puck knew that it was best that she cut her off at the bend in her forthcoming Crazy Berry train wreck. "I think you're frustrated, Berry. You've got to get it out for once and all and I think I have just the thing to do it."

Rachel smiled despite herself. "I am not sleeping with you, Noah."

"That's not what I am talking about, thought I wouldn't be entirely opposed if you were willing," he teased with a wink and an ornery smirk. Rachel ignored the tiny twinge of her that was a little charmed by his suggestive demeanor. There was no denying that the boy was delicious. His arms were lovely, after all. "I meant a physical activity of another kind. I have to admit, though, I'm pretty proud of you. Your mind was totally in the gutter there, Rach."

"Consider the source," she smiled, elbowing him gently in the side as they started toward her classroom side by side. "Anyhow, consider my curiosity piqued, Noah. What, pray tell, do you have in mind?"

"Two words," he replied. "Fight Club."

"I am not fighting anyone, Noah."

Puck ignored the mental image of Rachel rolling around with Santana in revealing clothing. "You don't have to actually fight with anyone. You could just learn how to spar. We practice boxing in the gym and stuff. Come on, Blaine is in it, so you know that it can't get too violent. It's just a way to beat the hell out of someone or something to get all your frustrations out. You have to admit there have been way fewer dumpster dumps on my part since I started going."

"So I wouldn't actually have to hit anyone?"

"Of course not," he chuckled. "We have punching bags and practice mitts. It'd be good exercise, and I don't know, doesn't that produce endorphins or some shit? Just come one time and give it a chance. What could it hurt?"

Rather than point out each of the numerous injuries this stupid club could lead to, Rachel decided to just go along with it. It felt really important to let Puck feel like he was helping her, and she never had to go back if it was terrible. Once she agreed, he couldn't help but wrap her up in a tight hug and kiss her forehead excitedly. He told her to meet them in the wrestling room that night in seven and to bring treats. It was a newbie tradition.

When Rachel showed up in her favorite black yoga pants and a hot pink shirt that night, she had no idea what she was walking into. There were groups of guys paired off throughout the room, which was hot and dank. Rap music was blaring from an old radio in the corner. She watched one of the football players go around with a kid she sort of recognized from the marching band. Noah appeared a moment later, sweat trickling down his bare chest. His knuckles were taped, and he was holding a small pair of black boxing gloves.

"They're brand new, I picked 'em up for you today," he said as he helped her put them on. "I knew you would be worried about germs and stuff. I've got you set up in the corner. You can just leave the cookies by the cooler. The guys will find them when they're ready."

Puck worked side by side with Rachel for the next hour to show her the basics of boxing. She picked up the stance easily enough and moved onto different types of hits and punches. He should have been surprised that she was such a quick learner, but like everything else did, Rachel was just naturally talented. When she decided that she had enough for the night, he took a few turns hitting the bag and pretending that his former best friend's face was where the logo on the leather was. Then, when the lights flashed, it was time for the real action to begin.

"You should go if you don't want to see this," he warned her. Rachel looked afraid as the guys cleared the middle of the floor. There was an angry hockey player shadowboxing in the makeshift ring. "It may get bloody."

Curious to see what was about to happen, Rachel followed Puck to the edge of the crowd where Blaine was standing. "Stay here and don't move until I come get you. Blaine will watch over you in case anything goes down. Stick with him, okay?"

"Fine."

"Promise me, Rach."

She looked up at his very serious face. "I promise, Noah," she said, reaching out to squeeze his hand.

He looked down at her with a small smile and nodded before pounding his gloves together. He made his way through the crowd, and Rachel was surprised when he started to circle the hockey player. She had no idea that he would be fighting tonight. It was exhilarating to watch it, and she was only a little ashamed of the adrenaline coursing through her body when Noah landed the first punch. A few hits later and the hockey player was already starting to look worn. However, when Puck turned to glance back at Rachel, he landed a cheap shot to his left cheek. Puck snapped back into action and returned it with a mean right hook to his nose. He didn't relent until the hockey player was laying on the ground in the fetal position. When he gave up a few moments later, the apparent referee held up Puck's hand in victory.

"Still undefeated," he muttered as he came back over, taking the bottle of water from Blaine's outstretched hand. "What'd you think, Berry? Hate it?"

"You're bleeding," she said softly, reaching up to trace her thumb below the small gash on his cheek. He smiled and turned involuntarily into the touch. "You should clean it."

"It'll be fine," he promised her. "We should get out of here. Blaine, you have a ride?"

"Yeah, Kurt's picking me up. He thinks I'm here tutoring some of the jocks."

"Sweet, man, I'll see you later," Puck said before bumping his fist to the former Warbler. He grabbed his bag and led Rachel out into the brisk night air. They stopped beside his truck so that he could pat himself dry. Rachel was surprised when he took an antiseptic wipe across his cheek and pulled on a shirt. "Ma's a nurse, she'd freak if she knew what I did."

"I can see why," she replied. "It was scary watching you. I mean, I didn't want you to get hurt."

"Didn't know you cared so much, Berry."

"Of course I do," she replied, but they both knew he'd already known that. "It was also exciting."

He didn't say anything, only grinned at her as if he knew a secret she wasn't quite ready to figure out. "It's getting late. Do you need a ride?"

"I have my car," she replied, pointing to her Prius a few rows back. "Thank you for inviting me tonight, Noah. It was an enlightening and surprisingly good experience."

"Anytime," he replied before pulling her into a tight hug. "Night, Rach."

"Good night, Noah," she said in return before jogging over to her car. She quickly got inside and started the engine, knowing that he would wait until she was on her way safely before he would head home himself. She waved on the way by and then reached for the knob to turn up the stereo as she pulled out of the parking lot.

Rachel ignored Celine as she made her way toward home, instead thinking about Noah. He had somehow known that this was exactly what she'd needed, even when she hadn't been as sure. That did something to a girl, and for the first time in a while, Rachel was feeling empowered. She thought maybe there was something around the bend and that she would be able to move on from Finn. Noah was giving her that and she couldn't wait to see what else he had in store for her.