Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.

A/N: I'm so excited! This is my very first fic. It was supposed to be a oneshot, but the Will conversation happened and my ideas just kept growing, so it's multi-chaptered instead now. Please read and review.

Rachel Berry wasn't happy. Mr. Schuester had decided that the best way for the Glee Club to bond one last time before heading off into summer break was to take a trip to a nearby water park. Now, she couldn't deny that the club really needed a chance to relax and spend some time together socially. After all, they'd never completely recovered from babygate and their subsequent devastating loss at Regionals, and normally Rachel was all for club unity, but this was just pushing it too far. Surely they could bond appropriately in a way that allowed everyone to remain on dry land.

When Rachel vehemently protested this newest plan (and really, where did Schuester come up with his horrible ideas?), she knew exactly what everyone was thinking. They undoubtedly believed that she was experiencing typical female adolescent insecurities about her self-image. They would be very wrong though. It may have been a problem in the past, but she now had zero reservations about her body. She worked very hard to look the way she did, so she knew that she could hold her own against any of the Cheerios, even in a bikini. Besides, her average skirt was roughly the size of an overlarge headband; who could possibly believe that she had body image issues given that proof?

Despite appearances, Rachel was well aware that she was less than popular even within glee. Santana and Quinn still called her those ridiculous names (Manhands? Rupaul? Really? Her hands were incredibly feminine thank you very much. And she was clearly a girl. Had they not seen the skirts?). Brittany went along with them, but Rachel wasn't sure she actually understood that they were in fact insulting Rachel, seeing as the blonde believed that day and night came from the sun and moon playing hide and seek. In fact, she suspected that Brittany thought Rupaul was actually her middle name. Mercedes and Kurt both clearly thought that Rachel was a selfish bitch; they had never exactly been secretive about that. Finn and Rachel currently weren't speaking and hadn't been since they had broken up. Their relationship had gone along fine until, having finally gotten Finn's little problem under control (or so they thought), they decided to have sex for the very first time. Two extremely unsatisfying seconds later, Finn was crying at his inability to last and Rachel was trying really hard to keep her mouth shut. Because crying after sex? Totally not a turn on, not even for her, advocate of sensitive men. Things had gotten really awkward afterwards, and they broke up a mere two days later. Unfortunately, even though the relationship had long since disappeared, the awkwardness lingered. Finn couldn't even make eye contact with her without turning bright red. Mike and Matt were still really quiet, at least around her; Rachel didn't think she'd ever had a full conversation with either of them. Artie and Tina were perhaps the nicest members of glee to Rachel, but they were both wrapped up in their own issues since they were finally trying to overcome Tina's lie about her stutter and begin a romantic relationship.

And then there was Puck, or as she preferred to call him, Noah. While he hadn't gone back to throwing slushies on her and her fellow gleeks, tossing Kurt in dumpsters (though he sometimes really deserved it…Bad Rachel!), or trapping Artie in port-a-potties, he was still a Neanderthal. They never spoke, unless one counted his disgusting innuendos speaking (she didn't), but it seemed like she frequently caught him watching her. Everywhere. Seriously, she'd catch him staring at her in glee, tracking her movements in the hallways, and focusing on her in chemistry instead of the teacher. It was really creepy and always made her wonder what he was plotting to do to her next, because it couldn't be a good thing that he kept watching her like that. Even more disturbing was the sensation she'd get every time she caught him and he'd flash that smirk at her. It was like an itch under her skin and she wasn't sure how to get rid of it or what it was because it wasn't anything like what Finn had made her feel or even what she had felt that one week she had dated Noah during fall semester.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand-that blasted water park. Even Rachel's questionable standing among her teammates wasn't what caused her unhappiness with Schuester's latest idea. Granted, she wasn't looking forward to Noah's lewd comments about her swimsuit (she really needed to go shopping for one of those) or the oh-so-creative insults Quinn and Santana would throw at her in this new setting. Perhaps she should have been worried that, taking advantage of the copious amounts of deep water, Mercedes would distract Mr. Schue and the rest of the glee club while Kurt drowned her so they could split all of Rachel's future solos between them, but she wasn't. No, the thing that worried Rachel most was the fear that her deepest, darkest secret would be discovered. Her greatest shame. Something she had hoped to keep to herself all the way to her grave.

Rachel Berry never learned how to swim.

ooooo

As the final glee meeting of the year drew to a close that Tuesday, the final day of school, Rachel remained in her seat in the center of the front row. She waited patiently for the rest of the members to leave so that she could speak with Mr. Schuester about this asinine idea alone. Once the final member had drifted out (Finn looking determinedly at everything but her), she stood up, smoothed down her short purple skirt, and approached the teacher who was clearing the choir room of his personal items for the year.

"Mr. Schuester, I really think this trip is a substandard idea."

His head snapped up from the stacks of sheet music he was sorting through at the sound of her voice. "Rachel, why are you still here? I dismissed the group; you're free to go."

Crossing her arms and barely restraining the urge to roll her eyes, because really, was he even listening, Rachel forged on determinedly. "I believe that if I applied my considerable creativity I could come up with a much better bonding experience for our group. As it stands, everyone will merely split into their normal cliques and go their own ways once we arrive at the park. That really defeats the purpose of the entire experiment. If we truly wish to mend fences within the club and strive for a more cohesive unit next year, allowing us to triumph at Regionals, we need to do something where the entire group will be forced to interact."

Having made her point, and quite skillfully if she did say so herself, she waited for Mr. Schuester to respond. When a full 30 seconds passed and he was still deciphering her speech, she began to tap her foot impatiently. It really shouldn't take a teacher so long to form a coherent response.

"Rachel," Mr. Schuester began slowly as if he was still working through what she said, "we've already decided on the water park. We made the decision as a group and the others seemed really excited about it."

"Clearly we did not decide as a group!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "I made it quite clear that I did not approve of the idea, but you merely ignored me as you always do. How will I ever push my 88 proposals for glee club through next year if you, as the team's academic advisor, never provide support to your team captain?"

"88? I thought you said you had 60 proposals?"

"Over 63, and new ideas never sleep Mr. Schuester," Rachel chastised the stunned teacher. "Who am I to argue when my muse rears its head? Besides, that figure came from clear back in November; of course the number has gone up since. Anyway, the number of proposals is irrelevant to this conversation. The point is that if I am to uphold my position as captain, I require your full support, something which has been sadly lacking all year."

Mr. Schuester was quiet for another long stretch of time as he sorted the last of the music. Rachel could feel the smile fighting to appear on her lips. She had clearly gotten through to him, so surely in just a few more seconds he would offer to hear her ideas on a new team outing and this whole water park business would be put behind them. Then nobody would learn of her embarrassing secret.

"You're right Rachel," he finally said. "I should support your efforts to improve the club." Rachel's grin broke out. "And I'll start that with the first practice next year." That same grin disappeared with those words, but Mr. Schuester, taking no note of her facial expressions, continued on, "We've already decided to go to the water park and there's simply no time to change the plan. I will, however, think about what you said. Everyone splitting up once we get there won't work, so maybe I'll require that the entire club stick together for the trip. That should fulfill your request for time together while waiting in line for the rides."

Slipping the last of the music into his bag, he grinned kindly at Rachel, completely oblivious to her discontent, and headed towards the door. "I'll see you on Saturday." And with that he was gone, leaving an unhappy glee club captain behind.

Well that certainly didn't go as planned, Rachel thought to herself as she stared at the door where the painfully unaware teacher had disappeared. Heaving an annoyed sigh, she went back to her seat and bent down to lift the handle of her pink roller bag.

"That's a view a guy could get used to."

Once again restraining the urge to roll her eyes, Rachel stood up, smoothed down the back of her skirt, and turned around to face the bane of her existence, who was currently lounging in the doorway. She strode forward confidently, pulling her bag behind her.

"Move."

"Don't feel like it," Puck smirked insolently.

Ignoring the itch that formed under her skin at the sight of that smirk, Rachel rested her free hand on her hip, cocked her head to one side, and addressed the infuriating boy.

"I have plans tonight and seeing as they don't involve you, you need to move. I require plenty of time to prepare." Her mind already on her plans to search the internet for swimming tips and an out-of-town public (she shuddered) pool to practice in, she missed the irritated look that crossed Puck's face.

"Maybe your plans should involve me," he stated firmly, looking down at her.

The harshness of his voice startled her out of her reverie. Great. What had she done to annoy him now?

Meeting his surprisingly intense hazel eyes, she questioned, "What will it take to make you move? And why are you even here?"

"Forgot my bag." He considered the first question. "I wouldn't mind knowing why you're so fucking set against the water park. Scared you won't measure up to the other girls? Santana does have one hell of body; Quinn too now that she's gotten rid of the baby fat." He leered at her, "I don't think you have anything to worry about though; not with a tight little body like that."

Fighting a blush (and losing), Rachel did roll her eyes this time. "Honestly, that's not something I worry about anymore. Plus, I'm not, you know, a bitch."

Puck smirked. "Cussing, Berry? Am I rubbing off on you?" He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

That damn blush deepening, Rachel shook her head at him. "Seriously, move. I need to go home." She needed to get away from him, but that part went unsaid.

Completely ignoring her, he continued to guess at the reason she didn't like the water park idea. "So it's not the thought of wearing a bikini," he paused for a moment with a faraway look in his eyes as if relishing that picture before continuing, "and you're too damn confident to worry that Kurt or Mercedes might try to drown you and steal your solos…"

How the hell did he know that? she wondered silently.

"…then that means," he hesitated briefly, considering. "Berry, can you swim?"

Extremely uncomfortable that he had stumbled onto her secret, and fairly quickly at that, she fidgeted with the handle of her bag and smoothed her skirt with the hand that had rested on her hip.

"Of course I can," she declared confidently, though she avoided eye contact. Those eyes of his always seemed to see too much.

"You can't, can you?" he crowed loudly, laughter rumbling up from his chest. "Berry, how the hell does that even happen? Shouldn't a star be able to swim? Hell, my little sister can swim and she's fucking seven."

A blush of a different brand of embarrassment crept up Rachel's face. It was bad enough that he had discovered her secret shame, but did he really have to laugh at her too? Well, she was Rachel Berry. She didn't have to put up with this. She definitely didn't have to put up with him. Her resolve set, she dropped the handle of her bag, crossed her arms over her chest, and stared straight ahead at his chest.

"I spent my childhood in dance, vocal training, and piano lessons in order to become a triple threat," she said stiffly. "Swimming was not essential to my Broadway ambitions and so got pushed aside for other, more important lessons. I may not be able to swim, but I have other, more valuable skills instead." She lifted her head to meet his eyes proudly.

Wiping tears of mirth from his cheeks, Puck met her chocolate gaze head on and calmed down enough to say, "And that'll all do you a lot of good if you drown on Saturday." With that his composure was lost again and he collapsed against the doorframe in laughter.

Highly disturbed by Puck's clear insanity, Rachel took advantage of his slouching on the left side of the doorway to squeeze herself and her bag past him into the hallway. Inwardly fuming at his immature behavior, she nearly made it to the door to the parking lot before his voice called out from behind her.

"Berry, hold up a second!"

Despite her best instincts, Rachel found herself stopping and listening to his footsteps approach from behind her.

"So, how you planning to not drown Saturday?" he questioned, laughter still evident in his voice.

Not deigning to answer that, Rachel continued out the door into the parking lot. The sooner she was in her car and far away from him, the better. She came to a sudden stop though, when his hand landed on the bare skin of her upper arm. The unexpected heat from his touch actually shocked her into inaction.

Jerking his hand back as if he'd been burned, Puck looked down at the top of her shiny brown hair as she continued to avoid looking at him.

"Seriously, Berry, how are you going to learn how to swim by Saturday? You'd need private lessons to learn that quickly because no public class would have time with so many students. Actually, do they even offer swimming lessons to adults?" he wondered aloud.

"I'll figure something out; I'm Rachel Berry," she asserted before taking off again, head held high.

With her back to him, Rachel missed the fleeting moment of panic that crossed his face. His long-legged strides surpassed her quickly. He came to a stop in front of her, causing her to halt so that she wouldn't run into him.

"What is it now Noah?" She was really running out of patience.

"I'll teach you to swim," he offered, readjusting his black backpack on his shoulder nervously. (He had obviously fetched it from the room in the midst of his psychotic breakdown.)

She must have misheard him. "Huh?"

"I said I'll fucking teach you how to swim, Berry," he repeated, clearly annoyed.

She stood there dumbly staring at him. He had actually surprised her into silence. Noah was being nice to her? Voluntarily? Outside of glee? What in the world was going on? Had hell froze over while she was in the choir room? She may not have understood the offer, but she was tempted to take him up on it. Still…

"I don't know, Noah. We barely speak and you're not exactly patient. I'm a quick learner of course, but even I may need to practice each step more than once. I don't exactly feel like having you drown me because I've asked questions. And anyway, we'd need a pool and I don't own one or this wouldn't be an issue. And, I don't even own a suit right now…" she said this all in one breath before Puck cut her off.

"First off, who the hell doesn't own a suit?" When she opened her mouth to respond, he continued, "I'll try to keep my patience as long as you try not to test it. And the pool? Babe, I'm a stud. I'm sure I can convince a cougar to lend me her pool." He smirked lasciviously, placing extra emphasis on the word 'convince'. "You just buy a suit; I suggest a string bikini-less cloth to weigh you down, and I'll take care of the rest."

Rachel wrinkled her nose at his opinion on her swimwear and his undoubtedly dubious methods of convincing cougars. Shoving those distasteful thoughts aside, she considered his offer. On one hand this might be a really bad idea. She couldn't imagine how the two of them wouldn't fight nonstop for the duration of the lessons, but on the other hand, she really didn't want everyone to figure out that she couldn't swim. That would definitely tarnish her spotless image. So, fight with Noah for a few days or be humiliated in front of the entire glee club on Saturday? When put like that it wasn't a difficult decision.

Meeting those thickly-lashed hazel eyes, she thrust her hand out to him. "I acquiesce to your generous offer of assistance."

"English, Berry?"

"That means yes," she simplified for him, beaming.

He grinned lecherously as he took her hand, sending that same disturbing heat up her arm. "Awesome."

At his expression she frowned and just had to add, "But no string bikinis."