Spoilers: Up to 1x22 ~ Journey; just to be safe
Disclaimer: I am just borrowing them for the fun of writing, BUT I do own the plot, ideas and original characters.
A/N1: I edited this chapter, so all mistakes are mine.
A/N2: This story is mostly AU after Mash-up (1x08), but with some of the topics discussed in the later episodes and music used, I may sneak in a conversation, cover the same topic, or use the same song, but I will put my own twist on it and may use some of the music.
...
Mother's Day was just what Rachel and Deborah wanted; simple and relaxing. The gift Puck and Rachel got from their parents as an 'early birthday present', was more than they ever expected, but were both already looking forward to the getaway. They knew they'd miss Abby, but it would be their last weekend together, away from home at least, before Puck headed off for boot camp at the end of June.
As the weekend came to a close and the new week began, the family put aside the eventful beginning to May, with Abby's first birthday, Dena's arrival and Mother's Day, to return to a normal pace. Orla stayed, as promised, until Monday, when she returned home. Her visit had been short and sudden, but they were happy to see her and invited her back any time.
The biggest change was for Deborah. For the last several years, she had worked a regular job and now being on maternity leave for the rest of the school year was strange for her; especially because everyone else was back to school or work. She definitely enjoyed the time with her newborn daughter, but did miss seeing the rest of her family. Her sister-in-law, Susan, who watched Abby for Rachel and Puck, spent a lot of time at Deborah and Ethan's with Abby, giving the two women an opportunity to have adult conversations and to spend time together, since they get along so well.
...
At school, the Glee Club focused on practicing for the annual concerts at the middle schools, where new McKinley students came from. Those performances, as well as the day and night concerts at McKinley were coming up starting the last day of May and going into the first few days of June, just before prom. They also were figuring out what songs to sing at graduation and it didn't take long for set lists to be made for their various performances. This gave them a chance to focus on practicing and getting ready for all their end-of-the-year concerts.
Teachers were handing out last minute assignments for all the students. Many decided to just add a research paper to the end of the year work, while others doubled up on lessons to make sure everything they wanted to cover had been completed. All the Seniors were all being watched extra carefully to make sure their grades didn't slip to a failing grade, that could keep them from graduating and thankfully none of the Glee Club Seniors were in danger of that happening.
Graduation plans were already underway and the Seniors were picking up their caps and gowns, which made the coming event even more real for everyone. Just seeing Puck trying them on at home was enough to bring tears to Deborah's eyes. Having just had Dena, memories of Puck and Arin as newborns had been fresh in her mind and remembering a newborn Puck and comparing him to the soon-to-be high school graduate was an emotional moment for her. Rachel knew things were changing and after seeing him trying those items on reminded her how soon those changes would happen. It was definitely an emotional time, because she realized things were happening soon and it wasn't just being talked about; all of their discussions and thoughts were becoming a reality.
While his mom and girlfriend were focused on all the changes that were going on, for the first time since he'd gotten it, Puck pulled out his class ring. He'd purchased it the year before, just after his dad had given him and Rachel all that money. It'd been delivered over the summer, but he didn't wear it, choosing to just wear the rings that related to his family, but now that graduation was getting closer, he decided to wear it until school was out, along with his other rings.
...
Deborah and Ethan's birthdays were coming up at the end of May. Both would be turning thirty-seven and they were having a big party at one of the local parks to celebrate with friends and family, and to introduce Dena to everyone, similarly to the year before when they introduced Abby to everyone at their party, though this year, it wasn't a surprise. Plans were well underway and Ethan and Deborah's various friends and family would be joining the party, along with the Glee teens and other mutual friends they had in Lima.
As the last Saturday of May arrived, it was party day, but it was also a big day for Puck and Rachel. Later, after they'd had some time to spend with friends and family, the young couple would head up to Sandusky to spend a few nights away from home.
Having the party at a local park, the large group of family and friends had plenty of parking and room to hang out and enjoy the late-Spring day. Dena and Abby were definitely getting most of the attention, seeing how much Abby had grown since people had last seen her last and with meeting Dena for the first time.
The year before had been filled with nervous butterflies, because Ethan's family was meeting Puck and Arin for the first time, and also seeing him and Deborah back together after many years apart. It was a big moment for the Ballard-Puckerman family, and now those nerves were gone. They'd had many opportunities over the past year to hang out and to get to know each other. The cousins were all friends and enjoyed hanging out and the adults were in the same place; comfortable with each other.
Aside from the birthdays and seeing Abby and Dena, a big topic of conversation was graduation. Puck, and Ethan's brother's twins, Logan and Laura, were all graduating that year, so the families were not only emotional about that, they were also trying to come up with a day they could have a family graduation party, because it turned out the twins were graduating the same day as Puck, so they wouldn't be able to attend the others' graduation. They settled on a party, so the adults agreed to figure out plans later on, when the cousins had more time to figure out what they wanted to do.
...
A little after two Saturday afternoon, Bree walked over to Puck and Rachel. They were sitting with some of their friends and cousins at one of the picnic tables in the shade, talking lightly, while Abby slept soundly in her car seat on the table, "hey you two," Bree greeted quietly, so she didn't wake Abby up.
"Hey," Puck smiled, "what's up?"
"Not much. I wanted to give you guys this," she said, handing something to him.
Puck raised a curious eyebrow and took a name tag from her, reading the name on it, 'Brianna Olsen - Concierge Manager', and laughed lightly, "why are you giving us your name tag?"
She joined his laugh and smiled, "so when you check in they know who you are. I told them my nephew and his girlfriend would be staying there for a few nights, so to treat them right and that you'd give them my name tag when you got there."
"Oh, alright," Puck nodded, shifting to pocket the item so it didn't get misplaced, "thanks."
"No problem," she smiled, leaning over to smile at Abby, "she finally gave up, huh?"
"Yeah, with so many things going on, she stayed awake as long as she could," Rachel replied, adjusting the blanket over Abby, "and I hate for us to leave without her being awake, but I don't want to disturb her."
"You guys have time. No hurry," Bree admitted, "it's only a two-hour drive."
"Yeah, but I'd like to go soon," Puck added, "so we can get up there before it gets dark. I know it's a holiday weekend, so it's gonna be busy and neither of us know our way around there very well."
"Understandable," she agreed, "if you have any problems you can always call."
"We'll keep that in mind. Thank you," Rachel smiled, "and thank you for upgrading us."
Bree nodded, "no problem. I hope you guys enjoy your room. It has a really nice view."
"That sounds wonderful. Our last room was nice, so I'm sure we'll enjoy this one, too," Rachel replied.
Puck nodded, glancing at Rachel, "we did have a nice place. Can't wait to see this one."
...
The party began to die down a little after Puck, Bree and Rachel started talking. Some locals and a few of the out-of-town guests were first to leave, including Ethan's former teammates from Detroit. They also made sure to say 'goodbye' and 'good luck' to Puck, because they weren't sure if they'd see him before he went off to boot camp, though Puck and Nate would continue to talk often, like they had been through Facebook and text messages for over a year. Puck was glad to have someone to talk to who had been through exactly what he was planning to do in the Navy, but their friendship wasn't just because of that; they had similar interests in other things so they got along well.
With everyone slowly leaving, Puck and Rachel realized they should get going. Abby was still asleep and they didn't want to just leave her at the party with her dads, who were staying at the house to watch her, so they talked to their parents about what to do. David offered to return home with them, and they could settle their daughter in her crib for the rest of her nap before they left. Thankful for the suggestion, the teens shared hugs with their parents and siblings and then made their way home.
Once they got back, Puck and Rachel took Abby up to her room and when Puck took her out of her car seat, she woke up from the movement. The teens gently said 'goodbye' and laid her down and waited until she fell back to sleep before they got ready to leave.
...
By three-thirty, Puck and Rachel were on their way to Sandusky in Rachel's car. It was a trip they'd taken in the past, so they were familiar with the drive and it gave them more time to take in the scenery they passed on their way. They'd only been out of town about ten minutes when Puck saw Rachel wiping her eyes and he knew why she was upset, so he reached over and rested his hand on her shoulder, "it's okay, babe. It's just a few days."
"I know," she murmured, taking a deep breath, "it's just hard. She's used to us going to school and coming home after a few hours. Tonight we're not gonna be there to give her a bath or put her to sleep. I know our parents have watched her in the past, but it's..."
Rubbing her shoulder, Puck squeezed it gently, "I know," he replied, glancing at a sign for another town, "if you're too upset to go, we can go home, babe. I can turn around at the next exit."
"No, don't do that," she shook her head, looking at him, "I want to go. I want to be alone with you. I just need a few moments, that's all," she assured him, reaching up to take his hand in hers, "I definitely wouldn't turn down a weekend with you."
Puck smiled lightly and squeezed her hand, "she's gonna be fine. She'll wonder where we are, but we'll be home soon and I'm sure we can get her a bunch of stuff while we're gone."
Rachel blushed, "I was planning on that."
"Great minds think alike," he winked, letting a few moments of silence pass before letting go of her hand to brush along her cheek, "so you good? Or should I pull over to kiss you better?" He wondered with a grin.
A light chuckle escaped her lips and she shook her head, "no, you don't have to pull over. Save it until we're in our room. I'm okay. I just needed a few moments to get it out of my system."
"Understandable, but just know if you have second thoughts, say something, okay?" He glanced at her as they joined hands again.
Rachel nodded happily, "I will. Thank you, Noah."
...
Getting through her emotions and relaxing, Rachel contemplated their weekend and got an idea for when they arrived, but kept it to herself; she wanted to surprise her boyfriend.
The two-hour drive north passed peacefully and came to an end as they pulled up to the familiar hotel, Castaway Bay, and found a place to park in it's lot.
"We're here," Puck smiled, turning off the engine, "ready for a weekend together?"
Rachel leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips, "definitely," she confirmed, before shifting and getting out of the car.
Puck smiled and followed her lead, grabbing his phone and climbing out to meet her at the trunk. "Have you thought much about what you want to do while we're here?"
"Not really. I know there is quite a bit to do," she motioned around, "but it's busier this weekend than it was before, so there will be more people here. I guess we can just go with the flow."
Laughing lightly, Puck opened the trunk and pulled out his duffel bag, shouldering it and then grabbed her larger bag to carry, "you do realize there's an indoor waterpark, right?"
"Yes, I do, which is why I chose that phrase," she replied with a grin, reaching for her smaller bag and threw it over her shoulder, along with her purse, "I don't know if I want to use the waterpark, though. It seems too crowded. For the reasons why we're here, it'd be difficult to be alone together, which is what we want."
Puck nodded in understanding as he closed the trunk and locked her doors, "I get it. That's fine with me. We can always make a family trip up here sometime to play around in the park, but right now, it's not why we're here," he agreed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as they walked towards the entrance.
Rachel smiled, glad they agreed and leaned her head against him while they walked, content and happy to be there. When they reached the doors, they pulled apart and Puck opened it for them and once they stepped into the tropical themed lobby, they went right over to the check-in counter to wait. "Do you have your aunt's name tag?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah," Puck reached in his pocket and pulled it out, "I don't know why it matters if they know who we are or not. Now they'll just make sure they're on their best behavior."
"I think that's the point, Noah. She wants to make sure we don't have any problems while we're here," she replied while they waited.
"We didn't last time, so I don't see why we would this time."
...
It only took a short time for the couple to get checked in and when Puck handed over his aunt's name tag, the woman at the counter took it and admitted they'd been expecting them, but nothing else was said about it. Once Puck signed for their room, they were given an information packet as well as their room keys and soon were waiting for the elevator to take them up to their floor.
Taking the elevator up to the top floor, Puck and Rachel followed signs for room numbers and finally came to a stop outside of the room. Using one of their key cards, Rachel opened the door and stepped inside first, flipping on the light as she went. "Wow," she smiled, looking around, "now I know what everyone meant by the upgrade."
Puck smiled as he saw the bathroom near the door, and off of it was a bedroom, along with a large living space with a couch, a table and chairs, a bigger TV, a small kitchen area and a door out onto the balcony, "yeah, definitely. Gonna have to thank Bree for this," he agreed, closing the door and moving into the bedroom to set their bags down.
Following him, Rachel dropped her things by the others, "we should call our parents to let them know we're here and check on Abby," she started, getting her camera, "but first," she paused, taking his hand and guiding him out of the bedroom and over to the large glass door. Opening it, they stepped out onto the balcony, "I want to take in the amazing view with you," she motioned towards the landscape of the water and the mostly cloudless sky.
"Don't have to ask me twice," he grinned, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug, "you look gorgeous anywhere."
Rachel's cheeks began to flush as they hugged, "thank you, Noah, and you're quite handsome yourself," she smiled, standing up a little taller to kiss him, "I'm so glad we're here."
Returning her kiss, he replied, "I'm really glad, too. We needed this and I look forward to when we can have more of these."
"Really?" She asked, looking at him curiously.
"Yeah, definitely. I hope I get stationed somewhere on the East coast, so we're at least in the same time zone, but if not, wherever I am, I hope you'll visit," he explained, "then we can have weekend getaways in other places."
"I'd love that, because I'll visit as much as I can," she assured him.
"Good. And I'll get home as often as I can, too. We'll have to talk about our visits, though. I don't think we'll be able to surprise each other, or we might pick the same weekend to visit and that would be awkward for me to get home and find out you're visiting me," he added with a laugh.
"Oh wow!" Rachel blushed, "I've never thought of that, but you're right. I don't want that to happen, so I'll let you know when I want to visit."
"Cool," he kissed her gently on the cheek.
Relaxing in his arms for a moment, Rachel figured out what she wanted to do that night and grinned at Puck, "I'm gonna take a few pictures then I'm gonna go change. Could you call home?"
"Uh, yeah, sure. Why do you need to change?" He asked, surprised at her words.
"I just thought I'd get out of these jeans and into some shorts or a skirt or something," she shrugged.
"Oh, alright," he nodded, taking her camera and turning it on, "but I think we need a picture together first," he replied, holding it up and turning so their backs were to the water.
Rachel leaned against him, "you just don't want me to be behind the camera all weekend."
"Exactly," he smirked, kissing her and snapping a picture as soon as their lips touched.
...
As they pulled apart, Rachel's cheeks were red, but she couldn't complain at his reasoning, so they posed for a few pictures and then she took her camera back so he could go call their family.
Puck moved into the living area and took a seat on the small couch while Rachel snapped a few pictures outside and used his cell to call David's number, not sure if Alan would be at the house yet. After two rings, he answered, "hey David," Puck greeted.
"Hey, Noah. Did you guys get there alright?"
"We did. Just got into our room a few minutes ago. Rachel's taking pictures," Puck grinned.
David laughed lightly, but chose not to say anything about it, "hang on," he paused and after a moment he could hear talking in the background, so he knew David put him on speakerphone, "we're over at your parents with Abby and Kona," David explained.
"Alright, saves me a phone call," Puck smirked, "hey!"
Alan, Deborah and Ethan all greeted him, "how was the trip up?" Ethan asked.
"It was fine, actually. Wasn't as busy as I thought it would be, but the hotel is," Puck explained, "it was a little tough to leave Abby, but we got through it," he watched Rachel come inside, snapping a few pictures of the room as she did. Waving at him, she pointed to the phone and Puck took the hint, "Rachel says 'hi'."
"Tell her we say 'hi' back," Deborah chimed in, "and don't worry about Abby. She'll be fine."
"We know she will be," Puck assured them, noticing Rachel putting her camera down and going into the bedroom, so he knew she was going to change, but was surprised when she went into the bathroom with a small tote bag, "I'm gonna let you guys go. We're gonna figure out what we're gonna do tonight. Give Abby a hug and kiss for us and tell her we love her, please."
"No problem, Noah. Have fun and we'll try not to call or text unless it's an emergency," David replied.
Puck smiled, "thanks. I'm gonna turn our phones on silent, so if you do message us and we don't answer that's why."
"Understandable. Talk to you later, Noah," Alan added.
Hanging up his phone, Puck did as he said and turned it on silent, and then went into the bedroom to find Rachel's. He found it on the dresser, so he turned the volume down on the ringer and noticed the bathroom had a door into the bedroom, which was closed, just like the one going into the living area. Now he was even more curious at what she was doing, which is the real reason he cut the conversation with their parents short, "Rachel, is everything alright?"
"Of course it is, Noah. Why do you ask that?" She called from the bathroom.
"Because you're changing in the bathroom with the doors closed," he noted.
"I'm fine, Noah. I'll be out in a few minutes," she replied simply.
Raising a curious eyebrow he gave in, "alright. Well, do you want to go to dinner at the restaurant here or order something from room service?"
"Um, I'm not sure. Let me think on it," she answered.
Realizing he wasn't going to get anything from her until she came out of the bathroom, Puck grabbed their bags and moved them a little more out of the way and went to get the menu for room service from by the phone in the other room. Opening it up, he flipped through the few pages while he waited for Rachel and wondered what she was up to.
Hearing the bathroom door open, Puck turned, expecting Rachel to be coming towards him, but she wasn't in the room, so he knew she was in the bedroom. Before he could take a step, she appeared in the doorway and his eyes fell open in shock. She was not wearing what he expected; she was now dressed in a very revealing piece of lingerie. The top was noting more than a soft pink lace bra, showing off a lot more than her bras usually did. Attached to the bra was a see-through mesh in the same color, that wrapped around her toned abdomen and came to end at her hips, with a thin band of matching lace to tie the piece together. The matching lace panties, covered very little, and though he'd seen what was under them many times before, he rarely got to see her dress like that and his body quickly reacted to the sexy side of Rachel Berry she was showing him.
Rachel hoped his back would be turned when she came to stand in the doorway, but when she saw him facing her, she leaned against it and kept quite, watching his reaction. She expected his shocked expression, but the longer he remained silent, she began to worry it was too much, "Noah? Don't you like it?" She asked nervously.
Puck snapped from his trance at her words and shook his head, "I don't like it. I love it!" He assured her quickly, closing the distance between them to wrap his arms around her, "and I hope you can feel just how much," he murmured against her neck.
Relaxing against him for a moment, she smiled and could feel exactly what he was talking about, "I'm glad," she replied softly, pulling away to reach up and begin unbuttoning the shirt he hand on, "because I was thinking we could really enjoy our evening and order room service later," she suggested, taking a step back and guiding him with her so they were moving further into the bedroom.
"I think that's a perfect idea, gorgeous," Puck replied with a grin, letting her take the lead.
When Rachel had his shirt open, she pushed it off his shoulders and tugged at the t-shirt under it. Within moments, she had the item tossed to the floor with his other shirt, while Puck kicked his shoes off. Before Rachel could reach for his belt, Puck wrapped his arms around her again and this time kissed her lovingly on the lips.
Rachel deepened the kiss and stood on her tiptoes, slipping her arms around his neck to hold him close.
With his arms around her waist, Puck guided her backward to the bed and with one hand reached for the blankets without breaking their kiss. Pulling back the covers, he gently laid her down on the soft mattress and pulled away from her lips, "I'm not gonna make you do all the work," he whispered with a smile, standing up to remove his jeans.
"I didn't mind," she admitted, kicking the blankets towards the foot of the bed, knowing they wouldn't need them, and settled comfortably against the pillows.
Free of his jeans, but leaving his boxers for the moment, Puck climbed onto the bed and found his girlfriend, "figured we could take our time. I definitely don't want to rush."
Rachel smiled and reached up to pull him down for another kiss as he straddled her hips and got comfortable over her, "I agree," she replied, taking in the view of his toned abs, as one hand gently traced along his soft skin.
"You like that?" He wondered, curiously, glancing down to watch her hand on his stomach.
"I do, very much," she nodded, "I've always thought you were very handsome, but those workouts you've been doing are working and I haven't been able to truly appreciate you."
He couldn't help a light blush grow on his cheeks, "it's just a few workouts a week with dad, Finn and Uncle Ben to keep me in shape for boot camp," he murmured, "but thanks. I know what you mean, too," he glanced over her body, "I've always loved you and thought you were gorgeous, but it's been a long time since I've been able to really see how amazing you are."
Rachel rested her hands on his cheeks and smiled at him, "thank you, Noah. It feels wonderful to hear you say that. To know that you'll always love me and think I'm pretty."
Puck leaned in and kissed her gently, "and I'll tell you that every day for the rest of our lives," he promised, kissing away a tear that slipped from her eye.
"Noah, let's make love," she smiled softly.
Shifting a little, Puck reached up and brushed some of hair from her eyes and returned her smile, "I think that's a great idea."
...
The young couple easily moved into familiar territory, but took their time, unlike times in the past when they were worried about their daughter waking up or being interrupted by a phone call or visitor. This weekend was a rare time for them and they wanted to soak in and remember everything they could, because they knew once they returned home, life would return to normal, but also get busier as it got closer to graduation.
Neither wanted their moment to end, but both reached their peaks at the same time and slowly began to come down from their highs by settling against their pillows to relax in each others arms.
"I gotta admit, this isn't how I expected our evening to start, but I loved it," Puck smiled, brushing some of Rachel's hair from her face.
"I loved it, too," she replied softly, her eyes drifting closed in contentment.
Shifting slightly, Puck reached for the sheet and pulled it over them, "your outfit is new."
Rachel nodded, "yes, I got it the day the girls, Kurt and I went out to look for prom stuff."
"And you've been hiding it for almost two weeks?" He smirked, remembering the night she went out shopping.
"I have been," she grinned, "and I may have purchased a few more to add to the ones I already own."
Puck grinned, "did you bring any more along?"
"Maybe," Rachel leaned in and kissed him, "you'll have to wait and see, so no snooping in my bags."
"Fine," he sighed, "but you just look so good in them and I wish I could see you in them more often."
Rachel shifted closer and kissed him, "all you have to do is ask, Noah," she murmured, "you know I have others."
"Yeah, but it just doesn't seem like something a guy should ask his girlfriend," he admitted.
"Asking is different than telling, Noah," Rachel explained softly, "telling me I have to wear them is definitely not something you would do, I know that," she added, "but you could mention you'd like to see me dress up more often and then I could decide if I want to."
Puck nodded in understanding and smiled at her, "then I'd like to see you dress up more."
"I'll think about it," she winked.
"Fair enough," he glanced at his watch, seeing it was a little after seven, "sunset is around nine. Want to order something from room service and then go for a walk to watch the sun go down?"
"That sounds wonderful," she smiled, staying where she was, "but do we have to move right now?"
Puck smirked, "no, we don't, but soon."
...
Slowly Puck and Rachel crawled out of bed and threw on some clothes and shoes before moving into the other room to look at the dinner menu. After making a few selections, Puck called in their order and found Rachel sitting on the balcony on one of the chairs. Kissing her cheek, he took a seat next to her and smiled, "it's nice out here."
"It is," Rachel agreed, "it's a bit chilly, but not too bad. Though when it gets dark it will get cooler."
"Well, at least if we go for a walk, we'll have more on than this," Puck motioned to her light robe and flip-flops.
"There is that," she nodded, laughing lightly. Standing up, she stepped toward him and sat down on his lap, "but I'm comfortable right now," she added wrapping her arms around his neck.
Puck smiled and snaked his arms around her waist, "me too, babe." Unable to resist, he slid his hand under her thin robe and let his cooler fingertips rest on her warm skin, before slowly moving to brush over her soft breast.
Gasping lightly in surprise, but not flinching away, Rachel surprised herself when she leaned into his touch, causing a blush to grow on her cheeks. It wasn't the first time he'd touched her like that, but recently, she'd realized she enjoyed his touches there more and a shiver throughout her body added to her reaction.
"Babe, what's wrong?" He wondered softly, leaving his hand where it was, while trying to figure out what he did to cause the reaction he was getting.
"I'm... It's," she bit her lip, ducking her head in embarrassment, "it's nothing."
"Babe, it's something. Come on. You can tell me anything," he reminded her.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up, "I like it when you do that. I... I don't know how to explain it."
Letting his thumb brush over her sensitive flesh once more, he kissed her cheek, "babe, it's normal. Everyone has places on their body that are more sensitive than others. I think, now that we're past the newness of being intimate, we're able to feel exactly where those places are. I know when we first began sleeping together, I felt sparks all over, even when you'd just kiss my neck. Now everywhere you touch, I feel sparks. I'm not saying our bodies are reacting less, I just mean that we're more in-tune to how our body feels and what we enjoy."
"Really? You feel like that, too? But you have so much more experience than I do. I understand for me, since you're the only one I've slept with, but for you, I would think you'd already know that," she admitted softly.
"Yes, I do have the experience of having sex with others, but I've never felt this way about anyone before, Rachel," he told her honestly, kissing her gently. "You are the only person I've ever fallen for and the feelings I get with you are a thousand times stronger than anything I ever felt with some random person," he assured her, "there is a difference. Some might not believe it, but I do."
A single tear slipped from her eyes and she quickly wiped it away. She wasn't upset, just happy to hear what he said, "that means a lot and now that you explain it, I believe it, too. And it's okay to feel like this?" She motioned to where his hand was still resting.
"It is," he smiled, "I'm sorry we've never really had a 'sex talk' like that, but I believe enjoying this is a turn on for you, which is something I'm definitely going to remember."
"Don't be sorry. We've both enjoyed our times together, so it really hasn't been necessary to bring up," she waved off his apology and continued, "I think having just spent some wonderful time together, the thoughts and feelings were fresh in our minds and we could bring them up without being interrupted by family or friends, but thank you for telling me," she finished, wrapping her arms around him.
Puck gladly returned her hug and then leaned back in his seat, while she was still in his arms and then settled in for a few moments, "you're welcome, babe. I'm always here to talk to."
...
Their late-evening dinner arrived a few minutes later and the couple reluctantly got up and moved inside. Rachel took a seat on the couch and Puck went to answer the door, since he had more clothes on than she did. Puck was greeted by one of the staff members and a small cart with their dinner items and after signing the check and tipping the person for bringing it up, he moved the cart into their room and over to the couch and coffee table.
Settling in to eat, the couple talked lightly over their meal and relaxed comfortably, loving the time together. They usually were with family or friends, so it was slightly difficult to have much alone time, but they loved being with everyone, so they did their best to get as much time alone as they could. The time usually was right before they went to sleep at night, so the extra time they'd have during their weekend would be a big change, but they would take any time they could get.
Puck and Rachel briefly talked about what they wanted to do the next day and kept an eye on the time. They didn't want to miss the sunset and though Puck had suggested they take a walk around the resort to see it, but the more they thought about it, they decided to watch it that night from their balcony and they could be out somewhere the next night.
Since it was cooler now, Rachel put some warmer clothes on and the couple moved onto the balcony to watch the sunset. Rachel did take some pictures, but put it aside to just enjoy the moment with her boyfriend.
"I think we should get up early for sunrise at six," Rachel said softly, leaning against her boyfriend as they stood by the railing.
Puck groaned, "really? Can we go back to bed afterward?" He wondered, draping one of his arms around her shoulders.
Rachel giggled lightly and slid an arm around his back, "of course. I definitely wouldn't want to get up for sunrise and stay up, when we don't have to go to school or anything."
"Alright, then I'm cool with that," he smiled, kissing her.
...
The couple watched the sun sink below the horizon and as the stars began to twinkle and the moon showed itself, they returned to their bedroom. They made love once more, before settling into the pillows and getting ready to go to sleep. They'd had an eventful day and even though they didn't want it to end, they also knew they had the weekend together and looked forward to being rested for it.
As the early morning alarm went off, the couple reluctantly got up and moved out to the balcony, bundled in warm clothes, to watch the sunrise. Both of them were half asleep and slightly groggy, but still enjoyed seeing the day begin.
"This reminds me of seeing the sunrise in Seattle," Rachel said softly as she snuggled against him.
"It does," he agreed, remembering their Nationals trip, "the scenery is different, but the sky looks similar."
The reds, oranges and pink shades slowly appeared as the sun made it's presence known, lighting up the sky and the crisp May morning, "we've come a long way since then."
Puck nodded, "we have. Abby wasn't even born then and now she's almost thirteen months old. She's growing so fast."
"She is," Rachel agreed, "part of me wants time to slow down, so she doesn't grow anymore, but part of me is excited for when she's a little older and is talking and learning more. We'll be able to see more of her personality."
"I hope she ends up being like you," he said honestly, "gorgeous, smart, talented, supportive, loving, caring, honest, fun to be around. You're the whole package, babe."
Rachel's cheeks flushed at his compliment, "thank you, Noah. That means a lot, that you want her to be like me. I'd like that, but I'd also like her to be like you, too. You're an amazing person, Noah. I know you had a rough childhood and are a 'badass', but it also made you strong, so I wouldn't mind if she is tough and strong like her dad. You also have a wonderful heart and are loving, caring and protective to the people you care the most about. Those are important traits, too."
"Yeah, they are," he nodded in agreement, holding her close, "then let's say that we hope she's the perfect balance between me and you, but no matter who she ends up like, we'll still love her the same."
Leaning up a little, she pressed a kiss to his lips, "exactly!"
...
Puck and Rachel returned to bed and relaxed, falling back to sleep for a few more hours, to wake up a little after ten and ordered brunch. While eating, they called to check on Abby and Kona and Rachel's dads admitted that both of them seemed confused that Puck and Rachel weren't around, but Abby hadn't gotten too fussy and Kona seemed to be okay. The young couple was glad things were alright at home and knew they'd be home the next day, so it wouldn't be long before they'd see them again.
After a short conversation with Rachel's dads, the couple put the phone away and got ready for their day. By noon, they ventured out for the first time since they'd arrived to wandered around the resort to check it out. The last time they'd been there, they hadn't gone out at all and this time they at least wanted to see what was there to do.
For the next several hours, Puck and Rachel walked around the grounds of the resort, taking pictures of the view, various things they saw along the way and shared the camera to get pictures of each other. They even stopped people and asked them to take their picture, so they could have some together that didn't involve one of them holding the camera. During their trip, sometimes they'd even stop and pass some time just sitting together on a bench, relaxing and enjoying the free time they had.
As the afternoon wore on, they moved into the hotel and over to their gift shop, picking up a few things for Dena and Abby, and even got something for Deborah. She insisted they didn't have to, but Puck and Rachel hadn't listened to Ethan when he said the same thing, and they weren't going to for Deborah either.
After making their purchases, they returned to their room to have a little fun, and Rachel showed him another piece of lingerie she'd brought along. He definitely loved seeing her in it and enjoyed taking it off as they made love, showing her just how much he loved it.
Relaxing for a while afterward and enjoying the quiet time, the couple soon got ready and ventured out for dinner at the restaurant in the resort. The took their time while eating, but they still had a while to go until sunset, so they went back to their room to continue their fun from earlier in the evening, which also gave them something to enjoy while waiting.
A little before sunset, the couple bundled up and headed out on the resort's grounds, to the bench they'd picked to watch the sunset from. Snuggled together while sitting, they relaxed, enjoyed the view and soaked in their last night away from home. They knew the next few weeks would be busy, and they wouldn't get a lot of 'alone' time, but they hoped they'd have as much as possible, whenever they could fit it in; they'd definitely try to get more.
When the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, the couple returned to their room for some bedtime activities, before getting to sleep, knowing they'd be driving back to Lima the next afternoon and would want to be well rested for the trip.
...
Monday morning, the couple skipped sunrise and slept in as late as they could, but knowing they had to check out by noon, they didn't get to stay in bed as long as they wanted. When they finally crawled out, while Rachel got showered, Puck began to pack, ordered room service and it arrived just as Rachel was finished in the bathroom. Sitting down to breakfast together, they also called Deborah to wish her a 'happy birthday' and promised they'd be home mid-afternoon, so they could join the family to take her out for dinner.
After a light conversation with them, the couple returned to packing and a little after eleven they were done, so Puck took their two large bags out to the car, so they didn't have to carry it down all in one trip. While he was gone, Rachel double checked their room and by the time he returned, she was sure they had everything. Since they had some time left, they spent it just standing on the balcony taking in the last few minutes of their trip, before gathering up the rest of their things and heading down to the lobby.
While they waited in line, Bree, who was working, came over to say 'hi' and talked with them while they were checking out. After returning their key cards and signing for their stay, Puck and Rachel were both surprised when they didn't have to pay anything; their parents were covering the entire trip.
Bree walked the teens out to Rachel's car and after talking for a short time, they shared hugs and Puck and Rachel began their journey back to Lima. Rachel called her dads briefly to let them know they were leaving and they were just putting Abby down for a nap, so she'd be asleep until they got home and they knew she'd be happy to see them when she woke up.
The drive back to Lima was uneventful, which the couple was happy about, because it meant it didn't take them extra time to get home. They missed Abby and everyone else, so even though they enjoyed the weekend away, they were looking forward to getting back home to their family.
...
Pulling into their driveway just after two-thirty, Rachel and Puck collected their bags and headed inside, finding David and Alan watching TV while Abby was napping. Kona met them excitedly at the door and after greeting her and Rachel's dads, the couple took some of their bags up to their room quietly, and stopped in the nursery to see if Abby was awake. She usually woke up around three, so they knew if she wasn't awake, she would be soon.
Abby was sitting up, staring at the door when Rachel pushed it opened, the sound having caught her attention and she smiled brightly as soon as she saw her mom and dad, "mama! Dada!" She said softly, reaching up for them.
Rachel moved right over and smiled, "hey there baby girl," she carefully picked her up and kissed her cheek, "did you miss us?"
Wrapping her little arms around Rachel's neck as best she could, Abby relaxed for a moment and then looked at Puck, reaching for him.
"Hey kiddo," Puck smiled, stepping closer and kissing her cheek, while she grabbed onto one of his fingers, "mom and I had fun, but we missed you," he said honestly.
"Yes we did," Rachel agreed, "maybe next time we go on a trip you can come with us," she added looking at her boyfriend.
Puck nodded at her idea, "yeah, I think that's something we could definitely do," he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Rachel's lips and Abby's forehead, "because I can't wait to start taking family vacations."
...
Abby was very happy Puck and Rachel were home, but it really wasn't put into perspective until after they'd gone downstairs with her. Puck had taken the rest of their bags upstairs and Rachel tried to put Abby down in her play pen, but she cried and reached for Rachel. At first, Rachel thought she hurt her or one of her fingernails accidentally scratched her, so she quickly picked her up and she calmed right down.
"What's wrong sweetie? Are you hurt?" Rachel asked softly, rubbing her back and looking at her arms and legs to see if anything was wrong.
Puck was just coming back downstairs and had heard her crying, "she's fine, babe. She just doesn't want you to put her down."
Glancing at him, Rachel turned her gaze to Abby, seeing how she was snuggling up to her, her small first holding onto Rachel's shirt, "really?"
"Yeah," he nodded, moving closer, "see how she calmed down as soon as you picked her up?" At Rachel's nod, he continued, "she missed us. She's used to us coming back in a few hours after school, but this time we didn't. Eventually she'll realize we'll always come home, but she's still learning all that."
Rachel let what Puck said settle in her mind as she held Abby, "is that why you're upset? You wanna be close to us, sweetheart?" Rachel pressed a kiss to Abby's forehead, "we're right here. We just went away for the weekend, but we're here now," she spoke softly, rubbing her back as she rocked back and forth a little on her feet to calm Abby down.
Puck smiled at them and took a deep breath, "yeah, and even if we do go away, we'll always come back to you," he promised, brushing his index finger over her cheek, "I'm going away soon, but I'll be back when I can," he added, wrapping his arms around Rachel's waist and kissing her cheek, "so no need to cry."
Smiling up at him, Rachel kissed him gently, "there's nothing wrong with crying for a little while. I know I'll cry when you leave, but I'll calm down, because I know you'll be home later," she told him honestly, "but I do understand what you mean with Abby. She doesn't get all that yet, so it will be different for her, until she understands more."
Standing with an arm around Rachel's waist, he rested a comforting hand on Abby's back, joining Rachel's, "exactly."
...
With Puck and Rachel easily setting in at home, David and Alan went back to their place to change for the evening. While they're gone, Puck and Rachel got Abby ready and then they, along with Kona headed across the street to the other Puckerman's home to see them and hang out for a while.
It wasn't long before the Puckerman and Berry family was heading out to dinner, in celebration of Deborah's official birthday that day, which happened to fall on Memorial Day, the reason why the kids were out of school. Puck and Rachel admitted they were really happy for the three-day weekend and thanked their parents, again, for their weekend getaway. It was definitely a trip they needed and really enjoyed the time away.
With conversations about their trip, the weekend, the party and plans for the upcoming weeks, the night got later and the family soon paid their bill and headed home. While standing outside of Puck and Rachel's, they shared hugs and said 'goodnight', so everyone could get home and take care of things before returning their schedules the next day.
Puck and Rachel easily got Abby bathed and changed into her pajamas, though when Rachel tried to lay her down in the crib, she clung to Rachel and got fussy again, just like she'd done earlier that day, "it's alright sweetheart," Rachel murmured, holding her close and kissing her cheek, "we're right here. Maybe daddy could sing your 'ray-bo' song. That might help and he hasn't done that since your birthday," she said softly, glancing at Puck.
"Ray-bo? She's got you saying it?" Puck smirked.
"Well, she can't say 'rainbow' yet, but she's trying. I thought she'd recognize it if I said it her way. Will you?" She asked hopeful.
"Yeah, I will," he nodded, moving out of the room and returning a few moments later with his guitar.
The song they were referring to was 'Over The Rainbow'. The mobile above Abby's crib played it, but it wasn't the original version from 'The Wizard Of Oz'. This version was the ukulele version made famous by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. After Puck and Rachel realized she liked the song and it settled her down to sleep, Puck found the guitar sheet music online and learned it for her. In the past few months he'd played it a few times, but he usually only did it as a special treat. She loved it and it usually put her to sleep, but sometimes she'd stay awake through the whole thing and Rachel would help her clap when he finished.
This time, Puck expected her to fall asleep and once Rachel had settled into the rocking chair with Abby, Puck began playing the song he'd memorized. Abby immediately recognized it and watched him with bright smile on her face as she settled against Rachel's chest, "somewhere over the rainbow, way up high. And the dreams that you dream of once in a lullaby... Oh somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly. And the dreams that you dream of dreams really do come true."
Puck smiled at his girlfriend and daughter as he played along, the notes easily familiar to him and he even added some additional runs on the guitar to add something original to it. He could tell that Abby was slowly drifting to sleep, but he knew if he stopped she would wake up, so he continued on, "someday I'll wish upon a star. Wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where trouble melts like lemon drops, high above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me, oh, somewhere over the rainbow, bluebirds fly and the dreams that you dare to dream, oh why, oh why can't I?"
By the time Puck finished that verse, Abby was sound asleep in Rachel's arms, but he continued to play and finished the song. Rachel smiled at him and he set aside his guitar to help her stand without jostling Abby too much and they carefully laid Abby down in her crib without waking her up, and then turned on the mobile so she could hear the song again. Puck wrapped his arm around Rachel's shoulders and kissed her forehead as they watched her sleep for a few moments, before carefully stepping out of the room and closing the door behind them.
Standing in the hallway, Rachel wrapped her arms around her boyfriend, "Noah, I love you singing that song."
"Thanks," he smiled, returning her hug and kissing her lips, "you can always join me, if you want."
"I know, but I'd rather listen," she blushed, "and it feels more like your song for her."
"Babe, I don't lay any claim to it," he told her honestly, "it can be our song we sing to her."
"Really?" Rachel smiled, contemplating his suggestion, "I don't know if she'd like me singing it with you."
"I don't see why she wouldn't. She likes your voice and likes the song, so why not?" He asked, guiding her into their room.
"When you put it that way, you're right," she agreed, "I guess I was thinking I should have my own song to sing to her, because it won't be as special if we both sing the same one."
"Yeah, I get what you mean, but it's how often we do it that makes it special. If we both sing it for her once and a while, she'll still get excited for it."
"That is true," Rachel nodded, "I'll try it out soon and see if she likes it. Maybe you could still play the guitar?"
"Yeah, I can do that," he agreed, deciding he should tell her why he hasn't played it much, "the reason why I don't play it too often is because I don't want her to get in the habit of needing it every night," he took a deep breath, "I leave in a few weeks and I'd hate for her to be difficult because I'm not here to play it," he paused, "I was actually going to ask you if your cameras recorded sound with a video so you could record me playing it."
Rachel smiled and nodded in understanding, "yes, my cameras do, and I don't know if you remember those daily videos I used to make of me singing, but I still have that recording software."
"Oh, I totally forgot about that," he blushed a little, but smiled, "that'd be awesome if we could come up with something. Maybe even record a few versions, so you don't have to play her the same one every time," he suggested, "we definitely have to do this before I leave."
Rachel stood up on her tip toes and kissed him as her arms wrapped around his waist, "we will," she promised, "and if we're going to do that, could I make a request?"
"Uh, sure," he nodded, unsure what she was getting at.
"Could you record 'Sweet Caroline' for me?" She asked softly, having thought about asking him and this conversation was the perfect time to bring it up.
Puck smiled and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, "baby, I'd be happy to record that for you and any other song you'd like," he told her honestly.
"Thank you," Rachel smiled, hugging him, "I've been wanting to ask you, but I wasn't sure how to bring it up. This conversation was the perfect time."
"It was," he agreed, "we can talk details later, but yeah, I'm definitely up for recording some songs."
"That's wonderful. I'll figure out the songs and we can maybe set aside some evenings coming up to do that," she suggested.
Puck nodded, "sounds good to me."
...
Lyrics used:
- '(Somewhere) Over The Rainbow' as sung by Mark Salling and Matt Morrison during the episode '1x22 - Journey' of Glee. It was also on the season one album 'Journey To Regionals'. Mark and Matt even sang it at the White House in 2010, when the cast was there for the Easter Egg Roll. This version is based on the ukulele version made famous by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. It's been in many movies, TV shows and commercials. The song itself originally was in 'The Wizard Of Oz'.
You can read more about it here at Wikipedia - 'Over The Rainbow'.
...
A/N3: Hope you all enjoyed. Please let me know what you think! And be gentle! I've been dealing with a lot, so I'm sure there are a few mistakes while editing. I'm so sorry it's been so long since an update on any of my WIPs and it may seem like I've disappeared, but I promise I haven't. My family medical issues got really bad and for the last 3-4 months I really haven't had any free time to sit down and write. This chapter has been written since early-February, but I haven't had any time to even edit it, until now. Hopefully as things get back to a semi-normal, I can have some more time to write. I miss it and I miss you all!
A/N4: Looks like this story has about 10-12 chapters left... But there will be a sequel, so don't worry... I've already planned out the last chapters, or at least a general idea of what I plan to do in each one.
A/N5: My dad and mom's medical issues flared up in late-February. Dad ended up having his left foot amputated in mid-March, so he was in the hospital and then a rehab center for about a month total, so we were dealing with a lot of things with him. He's doing alright and got home in early-April. Then about 2 weeks later, my mom had to be rushed to the ER for abdominal pain and a ton of other things. They couldn't figure out what was causing the pain, exactly, so she was admitted and 2 days later had exploratory surgery to find out what was wrong. We knew she had a cancerous mass in her pelvis (her cancer from a few years ago is back), which was putting pressure on some of her organs, so they had to take out some of the mass and she had an abscess that ruptured, so it gave her sepsis, after surgery she was in the ICU for 8 days, she had a lot of problems and we almost lost her, but with prayers and love, she thankfully pulled through. After a few more days in the hospital (in a regular room), she was released to a rehab center and just got home 3 days ago, spending a month away from home. I'm hanging in there, but I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off, because I've been doing the work of 3 people and visiting mom and dealing with everything. I've had like no free time, I'm an only child and it's so scary right now. I've started seeing my psychologist regularly again and my mom still has a 9-inch long incision that's still healing that I'm changing dressings on daily and taking both her and my dad to various appointments... My dad's sister is here and has been since mid-May, so I'm glad she's here to help out, but she's leaving in two weeks, and it's right in the middle of everything going on, because mom is starting chemo this coming week... As you can see I have a lot going on, but I'm still trying to write when I can and hopefully I'll be able to get some more updates out soon. I really miss you all and I appreciate your support, understanding and prayers for me and my family. It really means a lot. I promise I'm still around and still writing Puckleberry, just please bear with me... You can keep in touch with me on LJ, FF, and as EJ8302 on Twitter and Tumblr (I get emails when you message me on them.). I haven't been able to hang out on Tumblr for almost two weeks because of my lack of free time, but I'll try to get on there soon...
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