Rating: T for language, it may go up later

Pairing: Puck and Rachel

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of the characters, yadda,yadda,yadda

I love the Puck and Rachel paring. This is my first fanfiction ever, but it had to be written and to be honest its kind of writing itself. Constructive criticism is welcome and greatly appreciated.

Ch. 1

Closed off from love I didn't need the pain. Once or twice was enough and it was all in vain…

Noah Puckerman sighed as he lay stretched out on the floor backstage in the school auditorium. He had been hiding out here for the past forty minutes listening to Rachel Berry sing her way through the vast repertoire of songs at her command. As much as Puck hated to admit it, he loved Rachel's voice. It had a soothing quality about it that made him feel better no matter how crappy his day had been. Today had been an exceptionally crappy day.

Santana kept showing up everywhere, obviously for the express purpose of making his life hell. Why wouldn't she leave him alone? She broke up with him for a totally bogus reason and now she seemed to take an evil delight in rubbing his nose in the fact that the she already had a new boyfriend. He often wondered how he had fallen for a girl who was so obviously the spawn of Satan. Her name should have been Satantana, he thought. Ugh.

Then, he had tried to talk to Quinn about the whole baby situation again. He wanted his baby. He loved it already and wanted to take care of it. But Quinn was being such a bitch. She wouldn't even let him finish talking before she began berating him. The word 'loser' had been thrown at him in so many variations that he had lost count. Plus she had gotten it into her head that he was trying to use his baby as leverage to get with her. As if. Puck really didn't like Quinn all that much, and there was no way on earth that he'd ever want to be with her. If it weren't for the baby, Puck would have steered clear of the ice princess completely. Instead, one drunken night full of irritation towards his best friend and some very bad judgment had tied him to her forever. Lord help him.

He really resented her telling him that he would never be any good for his own child. That was such crap. He wouldn't rest until his kid had a loving, safe environment – Quinn or no Quinn. He would always make sure that his child was provided for and loved. With an irritated sigh, he opened his eyes and realized that something was wrong. Rachel wasn't singing anymore. Instead a very loud and angry voice had taken its place. A voice that Puck recognized.

Pulling himself to a standing position, he crept towards the wings and peered beyond the curtains. Finn was standing in the middle of the stage shouting at Rachel. As Puck's brain registered what his best friend was saying, his blood started to boil.

"You know Rachel, this isn't my fault! I don't want to be in this situation! I don't want a kid; I just want a normal life. And you! You're not making this any easier for me! You walk around all day with your shiny hair and perfect smile and make me want to kiss you. And I can't! Because I now have responsibilities that I don't even want!"

Responsibilities he didn't even want? So what, now this innocent baby was a burden? Puck was fuming. And what the hell was with Finn? He was with Quinn, who was pregnant, and it wasn't enough for him? He wanted Rachel, too? The bastard! Ok, so maybe this mess wasn't of Finn's making, but Finn didn't know that. And on top of that, he was taking everything out on Rachel. She was standing in the middle of the stage looking at the floor with her arms wrapped around herself, like she deserved the wrath that was pouring out at her.

As Puck stood seething at the side of the stage he shut his eyes and though hard. 'Ok', he decided, 'so Quinn won't let me take care of my own baby right now. Fine. There are other people that I can take care of to prove to myself and her that I'm not a loser. Like Rachel. She needs someone to take care of her and protect her from the assholes in this school. Starting right now.'

Puck's eyes snapped open and he strode towards the middle of the stage where Finn was still yelling at Rachel. "Finn," Puck's voice carried across the stage surprising Finn into silence, "I think you need to leave now."

"What? No, I'm not leaving…"Finn sputtered

"I said, I think that you need to leave now." Puck planted himself between Rachel and Finn.

Puck saw the anger draining out of Finn. "Yeah, you're right. Just let me apologize…"

Puck glanced back at Rachel and saw that he shoulders were beginning to quiver. "No. I think you need to leave right now."

"Yeah, alright," With one last glance at Rachel, Finn turned away deflated, and made his way out of the auditorium.

Watching Finn leave, Puck was suddenly terrified. Maybe he should have thought this plan through a little more. Now he was left here alone with Rachel. A Rachel who was starting to sob. Shit. Shit. Double shit! He had never learned to deal with a crying girl. What was he supposed to do? He slowly turned towards her and took a deep breath. No use in trying to chicken out now after all of his resolve.

Puck reached out a hand and touched one of the arms that had wrapped protectively around herself. Rachel looked up at him and he could see the tears streaming down her face. Hoping that this was the best course of action he stepped towards her and wrapped his arms around her. What was the worst that could happen? He supposed that she could slap, kick, and otherwise mistreat him for daring to touch her, but this was the only comfort that he could think to offer her at the moment.

Much to Puck's relief, Rachel didn't strike out at him. Instead she leaned her head on his chest and cried herself out. Puck just held onto her and breathed in her scent. He didn't know what shampoo she used, but she smelled really good. Finally she raised her head and looked at him with her big shiny eyes and whispered "Thank you."

Those eyes and her body pressed up against him were beginning to make him feel a bit lightheaded. 'Must be all the unfamiliar nobility' he thought to himself. To Rachel, all he could say was, "No problem."

Rachel moved out of his arms and towards the piano. She was making a serious effort to pull herself together and get back to normal. It was kind of cute.

"I really am grateful to you; Finn seemed to be having some sort of a meltdown and was saying some very hurtful things. It was good that you happened to come along when you did. What did bring you to the auditorium? It's not usually a place that you seem to frequent." She shot him a curious glance from under her eyelashes.

Oh. Yeah, how to explain that one. He couldn't exactly tell her that he came here specifically to hear her sing, and that it hadn't been the first time that he had hidden backstage to that he could listen to her. No way. That was way too embarrassing. "Um. Well, I was looking for you. To, uh, you know, see if you could help me with singing. And stuff. For Glee." Well, shit. That was lame. Luckily, Rachel didn't seem to notice.

"Help you with your singing? I'd be happy to," Rachel offered him a tentative smile. "You do have a very good voice and a lot of potential. With some work, you could be extraordinary."

"Yeah, well, I can't be a Lima Loser forever," Puck muttered under his breath.

"Pardon?" Rachel was looking at him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Huh? What? Um, nothing. Just, uh…" God, could he sound anymore idiotic if he tried? Was this how it was going to be from now on? Stop being a jerk to Rachel and end of sounding like a raving lunatic instead? "What I mean is, do you have a ride home?"

"I was just about to call my dads to come pick me up."

"I could drive you. You know if you want." Damn. Still idiotic.

"Oh. Well, yes. That would be very nice. Thank you, Puck." She flashed him a smile and he felt his stomach clutch.

"Yeah, well no problem since I was headed home anyway and…"Stop it! Stop babbling! he ordered himself. What was wrong with him anyway? "Here let me help you with that," he grabbed her stack of books and sheet music, and practically ran for the door.

Song: Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis