Author's Note: After close to two years writing Glee fanfiction – and jumping back and forth St. Berry and Puckleberry – I've decided the time has come to rewrite (and hopefully finish) my first baby. I've improved quite a bit as a writer since I first started working on 'Never Gonna Be Alone', and it's time it also reaped the rewards from it.

AU (sort of) from 'Mash-Up'.

Disclaimer: Not mine. It belongs to RIB and Fox.

Never Gonna Be Alone

One: Before The Storm

Rachel

She's sitting on Brad's beloved piano, rehearsing the piece her coach gave her for her music school's charity concert in a few weeks. Her mind is far away though – even though her fingers execute the classical melody flawlessly – remembering the early days of her relationship with Noah, a jumble of make-out sessions, thrown slushies, bathroom apologies and an ultimatum born from jealousy that led to a difficult choice to be made by five of her eleven teammates (even though Kurt won't admit it, she knows it was hard for him to give up the tenuous bond he had formed with his father over his new place as kicker for the McKinley Titans).

"Are you sure about this, Noah? I mean, choosing us over football means you'll start every day with a slushie to the face".

A side glance at their huddled teammates. A smirk. Her heart thundering in her ears. "Bring it". Relief washes over her as she steps in his arms for a grateful hug.

The team of eleven disbands for that afternoon shortly after. Michael, Matthew, Brittany and Santana leave together, taking a visibly upset Quinn with them, apparently to go to the mall grab a piece to eat. Artie invites Tina, Mercedes and Kurt over to his place – his mother has made her county famous caramel cookies. Mr. Schuester bids Noah and her goodbye, distracted, a small frown marring his forehead. They stay alone in the choir room, still hugging, her cheek against his chest and his against the crown of her head. A deep sigh abandons him as he stiffens in her arms and pulls back. Confusion muddles her mind as her brown eyes lock with his hazel pools, recognizing the steely determination that winks at her from inside his eyes. "Noah?" She asks quietly, and he answers by tugging her towards the last riser, sitting on one of the chairs and encasing her small hand into his larger, calloused ones.

"There's something you need to know, Rach", he says gruffly, his eyes locked to their hands, wrapped together. "I'll understand if you leave me after I tell you, but listen everything before you make your decision, 'kay?"

She nods once, worry gnawing at her insides, her hand twisting inside his so that she can entwine their fingers together. She squeezes his hand once, reassuringly, waiting for him to speak.

"I'm the father", he says a little while after, his voice quiet and fearful, his eyes still fixed on their hands. Less than two minutes later, he feels her hand stiffen within his and bites his lower lip anxiously.

"W-what?" She stutters, ice replacing the blood in her veins as her mind weighs with the implications of his words. He nods, the words bursting from his lips like water behind a broken dam, revealing her everything from the fateful afternoon when Quinn walked in his bedroom with a box of grape wine coolers and a shattered self-esteem, how she came onto him and he was powerless over the attraction he felt for her.

He tells her how Quinn rebuffed his offers to take care of both her and their daughter, calling him a Lima loser and saying what happened between them was his entire fault, for he got her drunk on the wine coolers that she conveniently forgot she brought to his house and took advantage of how she was feeling fat and ugly. He tells her he doesn't love Quinn, but he's not his deadbeat of a sperm donor and he wants to take care of his child even if Quinn doesn't want anything with the baby.

He drives her home when she asks him to, after he's done telling her his side of the story. The drive to her house is silent, but she doesn't let go of his hand. She's just stunned with everything he just told her, with the implications of Quinn's lie, with the consequences of it over Finn's and Noah's lives and the two boys' lifelong friendship. She's just shocked, not hurt. It happened before they even considered being together… She just wants to help him be there for his daughter – she can see that's what he wants the most.

Once he's parked in front of her house, he turns to her, eyes full of anguish. "Say something, Rach", he pleads with her, voice small and frail. She turns to him, cups his cheek with her hand, slides her fingertips along his beautiful cheekbone and, with eyes locked with his, says the something he wants her to.

"I love you".

Unknown to her, a small smile is curling her lips as she brings her piece to a finish, the sweet memories of that fateful day never ceasing to make her feel light and happy. Not a second after the last chord rings in the quiet auditorium, Noah storms inside, eyes hard and angry, his posture stiff and tense. The ruckus of his entrance startles her, and she looks up, eyes widening as she absorbs his posture. Her alarm increases when he furiously stalks to the music stands, picks one and slams it savagely against the helpless stage floor. "Noah!" She calls worriedly, pushing back the piano bench and walking around it so she can stand behind him, placing a hand over his knotted shoulder.

"WHAT?" He screams, turning to her with a growl. Back in the day, she would step back, terrified of his temper, intent into leaving him alone to work out his anger by himself. But, close to a month into their relationship, she has learned to deal with him. So she faces him head on, eyes wide and concerned, her touch light and soft. He's breathing heavily, shoulders moving up and down, muscles rippling underneath her hand and the fabric of his jersey. Rachel slowly moves her fingers in a light caress, humming quietly as she allows him his time to cool off.

After a while, he pulls her tight against his body, air escaping him in harsh puffs. "Take me home", he asks quietly, shuddering violently against her skin, and she nods, briefly leaving his arms to pick up her purse and bag. Once she has a hold on her purse and her trolley bag, Noah approaches her again and slides an arm around her shoulders, pressing a tender kiss to her hair. "Thank you", he whispers against the silky locks. She snuggles into his embrace and sweetly kisses his lovely arm, shrugging off his thankful words.

"Nonsense, Noah. But you're welcome". They leave the building behind, Rachel knowing he'll tell her what happened that left him so unsettled, Noah flashing back to the explosive scream match he just had with his bitch of a baby mama and using Rachel's soft, firm presence next to him.

They drive off, unaware of the scandal that's brewing behind them, the malicious, triumphant smirk that curls the lips of Rachel's own personal stalker and self-appointed McKinley High gossip king.

Later that same evening, Rachel is preparing herself to go to bed, mind flashing back to what Noah had told her once she had calmed him down, how Quinn insisted on refusing him the right to care for his child claiming Rachel would break up with him. She bites back a growl as she notices that Quinn tried to use heras a weapon to force Noah to give up his parental rights to their unborn baby girl. Well, I'll just have to find a way to make clear to her that she's wrong in her assumption, she decides with a small smirk (Noah would be so proud if he saw her) and a nod.

Her thoughts are dispelled by the tinny sound of Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies' pouring out of her phone. Frowning as she glances at her bedside alarm clock – Kurt knows she goes to bed exactly at nine in the evening, which is only ten minutes away – she leaves her vanity bench and paddles towards her bed, picking up her bejeweled phone. "Good evening, Kurt", she greets him primly, putting the call in speakerphone to carry on with her sleeping arrangements.

"Have you heard?" Kurt asks her eagerly, ignoring her polite greeting. Face to face with his ill-mannered behavior, she can't help an ironic retort to escape her lips.

"I'm fine, thank you for asking", she snaps icily, voice muffled as she slides her creamy pink flannel pajama shirt over her topless torso. She can almost see Kurt rolling his eyes, and it makes her giggle.

"Stop being such a diva for a moment and tell me if Mercedes got to you before I did!" Kurt crossly demands to know, his voice with a desperate edge in it. Holding her hair together and tugging it out from where it bunched against the back of her neck, letting it fall against her back, brushing a stray lock off her shoulder. "Rachel!" He demands anxiously, and she rolls her eyes.

"I haven't spoken to anyone of glee but Noah this afternoon, not after the fiasco of our glee rehearsal today", she replies dryly, sighing as she remembered how Finn tried to pick up a fight with Noah over a solo given by Mr. Schuester to her boyfriend, the solo only a flimsy excuse for the fact that Finn has been itching for weeks now to fight Noah because of his jealousy over the latter's lasting relationship with herself. She managed to keep Noah from jumping Finn's jealous butt and beating him into a bloody pulp, but not before chewing Finn out for being selfish and egocentric. She then stormed out of the choir room, going towards the auditorium, Noah following after her before leaving her on her own to go to his own team practice.

"YES!" Kurt squeals loudly, cheering for some minutes before lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "Have you read that despicable Jacob's blog tonight?" He asks her, and she scoffs in derision.

"Why in the world would I waste my time reading that buffoon's lies, Kurt? You know very well I prefer to stay away from him, both physically and extending into the cyberspace".

Kurt silences after her reply, as if it finally dawns on him who exactly he's so eager to pour this juicy bit of gossip to. On the other side of the line, he worries his lower lips, mind whirring as he carefully chooses the words to use so the blow to Rachel can be as softer and less hurtful as possible (he can't soften the damages it would cause to her relationship, and a little piece of his heart feels for Rachel and the hurt she'll have to work through).

"Kurt? If you're done I'm going to hang up. I'm five minutes away from my bedtime, and you know a Broadway ingénue such as myself needs to keep a strict sleeping regimen".

"Rachel… I think today's post is worth a go, sweetie. It's related to you, somewhat", he says carefully.

She snorts in disbelief. "Half of that blog's content is related to me. You seem forgetful of the fact that its disgusting owner is very openly obsessed with me".

Kurt hums in agreement and silences, considering his options. Rachel has a point – no matter how frequently and forcefully Puck gets to threaten Jacob with permanent physical damage to his self if he insists on stalking Rachel, the self-named JBI keeps writing half of his stuff about the reigning lead female of New Directions.

"I'm not forgetful of that, Rachel. But the post isn't about you – it's related to you". He pauses and then sighs heavily. "Rachel, please. You really need to check it out. It's important". The hint of urgency in his voice brings a frown to Rachel's forehead, and his next words cause ice to freeze her veins. "It's about Puck".

Kurt knows he has used the magic words when he distantly hears the sound of Rachel's steps, muffled by her bedroom's fluffy white carpet, followed by the telltale sounds of a laptop being powered up. After a few moments, he hears the clicks of keys being pressed. His heart clenches at the soft gasp that escapes Rachel's lips.

Rachel's heart nearly stops when the newest headline, in blood red capital letters, pops up from the screen. Under the title, there's an embedded Youtube video, and right below it there's Jacob's malicious writing, but it's the bright crimson letters that keep her attention.

Puck is going to be a daddy!

Oh, God, Noah! She thinks frantically. "Kurt, I have to go", she says urgently, rushing to tug her pajamas off her body and picking up the first dress she lays her hand on.

"I'm sorry, Rachel", he says sympathetically. "Call me if you need anything".

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bye", she says, hanging up immediately afterwards. Clutching her phone, her keys and slipping a thick jacket on, she inwardly thanks God that her fathers have decided to go to bed earlier than the usual time and quietly sneaks out her house.

Noah is more important now than her sleep regimen, and she's going to be there for him.

As she rushes towards his house, panic clutches at her heart. He hasn't picked up any of her calls – and Noah always picks her calls, never leaving her hanging or waiting if he can help it (he knows she can talk herself into a freak out if he doesn't answer). When she steps up to the front door – Mrs. Puckerman has the night shift at the hospital today – she's shaking so hard it's difficult for her to ring the doorbell. So, she chooses to knock forcefully at the front door, her fist rapping against the wood after a second when it doesn't open.

A sleepy-looking Nina Puckerman finally opens said door, hazily looking up at Rachel with a slow smile. Concealing her nervousness the best she can, Rachel smiles back at the young girl. "Hey there, sweetie. Isn't time for you to be on bed?" The 7-year-old smiles and nods sleepily, stepping aside to let Rachel in. The older brunette follows Nina into the living room, draping her jacket over the back of the couch and looking around to make sure Anne Puckerman won't have a messy house to fix once she arrives early the next morning. Nina can barely stand up straight, so Rachel takes her in her arms and climbs up the stairs to tuck the younger girl in. Nina falls back asleep when Rachel's halfway up the stairs with her, and Rachel struggles a little with pulling back the covers so she can put Nina on the bed, but she somehow manages.

Before going to Noah's bedroom, Rachel goes back downstairs and picks up her keys, phone and jacket. She thanks the Lord she had the insight to put her phone on vibrate – since Kurt's call, it has been blowing up with calls and texts, and she turns it off. She makes sure the door is locked, turns off the TV and the living room light before going back up.

Noah's door is closed and inside his bedroom it's quiet. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, she gently knocks at the door. "Noah?" She calls quietly, trying the doorknob. The door creaks open and she slowly steps in, heart breaking as she catches sight of him. Noah's lying on his back, eyes fixed sightlessly at his ceiling. When the door softly closes behind him, he turns towards her, and tears threaten to bubble up in her eyes as she notices how dark, stormy green his eyes are. She rushes towards the bed, and he clutches at her like there's no tomorrow, his face pressed against her stomach as he curls around her midsection. She begins to hum softly, her fingers sliding through his Mohawk comfortingly.

Noah.

Curled around Rachel's body, her voice humming softly and her fingers working their soothing magic in his hair, he is fucking grateful that he has Rachel by his side tonight. He's also so fucking grateful that he told her about his and Quinn's secret when they started dating, because he doesn't know how he would make through this goddamn night if she dumped his sorry ass.

And it had started as such a nice evening. After Rachel calmed him down enough for them to go to her home, they hung out together, watching a movie and talking about what had happened with Quinn immediately after his football practice ended. Quinn had cornered him right out of the locker room, pissed out of her ass that he kept insisting on taking care of their child when she repeatedly refused to allow him to. Unaware that he had told Rachel the truth, she tried to keep him silent by tugging at his insecurities, saying Rachel would leave him if she learned the truth. He had been sickly pleased at the deep blush that flooded her face when he said with a malicious smile, "There are no secrets at all between me and Rachel, Q", the implications of his statement blatantly clear – he trusts his new girlfriend enough to tell her everything that happened, while she, who's dating Finn for way longer than he is Rachel, hasn't done the same.

The fight ended with Quinn furiously storming away after once again ordering him to leave her the hell alone, and Puck himself storming off to the opposite direction, slamming his fist into a locker as he stalked towards where Rachel was, most likely rehearsing something.

When his mother's time to clock in at work arrived, he parked outside of his home, listening with half a ear to Ma's usual recommendations for Nina's care (as if he hadn't been doing so since he was ten). After he helped Nina with his homework and settled her happily into the living room with her Disney movies, he locked himself away in his bedroom, the door only closed so Nina could walk in if she needed anything. He then brooded his ass off, trying to find a solution for his troubles, one that hopefully would end with him, Rachel and the baby as one happy small family. When his brain was almost boiling out of his ears, he logged into Facebook, shocked at the amount of writings in his wall. He then clicked on a link one of his friends sent him…

… And felt ice shivering down his spine when it opened up.

It was a link to Jewfro's blog, where he announced for the world the truth about Quinn's baby paternity. The video embedded was a grainy record of his screaming match with Quinn, and he immediately put his phone on vibrate before hastily shutting his PC off and going downstairs. Nina looked curiously at him as he pulled the phone off the plug, and nodded as he instructed her not to open the door for Finn if he came over. He clenched his fists as he returned to his bed, wanting to kick that creep's sorry ass and then his own fine backside. It's fucked up. Now the entire school knows, if not everyone in Lima.

Fuck his life.

He was seriously considering putting Nina to bed earlier than her usual bedtime and then proceeding to get drunk out of his ass when his phone began vibrating like hell. A quick glance at his caller ID informed him it was Finn, and he left the gadget alone. Finn insisted until his voicemail kicked in, and once it was done a new call lit up his screen. New glance at the caller ID, and his heart clenched.

Baby, it read. But he didn't pick up, no matter how much he wanted to beg her to come over. He tried to convince himself it's for the best to keep Rachel in the dark, a protection for her against Finn's rage – the next day will be hellish enough for both him and Quinn, who are pretty popular, without Rachel having to deal with the backlash of her secrecy towards Finn about the truth.

He was startled out of his brooding when a gentle knock came from outside, but didn't find within himself the strength to acknowledge it. After a moment, the door opened and Rachel snuck in, the sweet scent of her perfume wafting to his nose. The door closed behind her and he turned on his side, their eyes meeting and locking firmly.

She rushed towards the bed, hugging tightly, and he felt his weak restraint on his self-control all but evaporate at the tenderness of her touch. Tears exploded in his eyes, and he curled around her body, his face resting against her smooth stomach, shoulders shaking with his tears.

Now here they are, two hours later. He's grateful that she took care of Nina, tucking her in before coming to him. He's settled between her legs, fingers caressing softly the point where her smooth thighs peek from underneath the hem of her dress. Her fingers are curled around his Mohawk, massaging his scalp gently. He kisses her belly gently and his voice is muffled by her dress when he says, "Never leave me".

He hears a soft sigh escape her lips, fingers digging slightly into his skin. "Oh, Noah…" She whispers; her voice is thick with tears, but he's fucking proud of her for refusing to allow them to fall. "Never, baby. I'm here as long as you want me to be". Letting out a breath he had no idea he was holding, he slides his body against hers, his head coming to rest on her breasts, her hands warm and soft on his back, the strong and steady beat of his heart more soothing than anything.

Rachel

Her dress is still slightly humid over her stomach, where Noah rested his head when he broke down once she arrived at his bedroom. Her heart broke at his silent sobs; Noah never had cried in front of her, not even when they were children growing up together at the JCC. She hummed every slow song she knew, trying to offer him the comfort he clearly sought from her, and when he finally stopped crying, she allowed silence to fall over them. She didn't stop caressing him, but broke the silence a little later by telling him Nina's already sound asleep in her bedroom and the living room neat and organized. He thanks her sincerely, and in a lull of the conversation he asks her never to leave him.

Her heart cracks open and new tears flood up her eyes. "Oh, Noah", she whispers, her fingers involuntarily tightening against his skin. "Never, baby", her voice is thick and she looks straight to the ceiling willing the tears down. "I'm here as long as you want me to be", she vows, and feels him slide against her, his body deliciously pressed against hers as he comes to rest his head against her small breasts. Her fingers slide up and down his back, and she does what does best to offer him even more comfort.

She sings.

You're never gonna be alone, from this moment on

If you ever feel like letting go, I won't let you fall

When all hope is gone, I know you can carry on

We're gonna see the world on – I'll hold you till the hurt is gone.

When Noah relaxes over her, she allows a smile to curve her lips, knowing that her boyfriend understood what she tried to say. He turns so he's lying on his stomach against her body, his chin poking at her breasts as he looks up at him with a sweet smile. "Stay here tonight?" He whispers. She nods.

"I told you, I'm here as long as you need me".

His eyes sparkle with a bit of mischief when he turns on his back, pulling her with him and allowing her to straddle his stomach. His fingers slide up her body, coming to gently cup her cheek and curl lovingly around the nape of her neck, tugging her down so her lips hover over his. His warm breath caresses the tender skin of her lips when he whispers.

"Then what do you think of forever, Berry?"

A small smile curves her mouth when she whispers in reply, "Fine by me", before closing the small gap between their lips.