Title: Just Know That You're a Star (Don't Let Him Dull Your Shine)
Category: Glee
Genre: Drama/Romance/Humor
Ship: Puck/Rachel, Finn/Rachel (mentions)
Rating: Pg-13
Warning(s): Coarse Language
Word Count: 8,145
Prompt: Rachel's dads go to Noah because they are worried about Rachel. They don't like Finn and they think the relationship is unhealthy and they're worried that the whole "year before graduation" fling will turn into more and that she'll end up sacrificing her dreams to stay with him. They don't think they can say anything to her so they ask Puck to help them save Rachel from Finn and herself. Puck thinks it's kind of messed up and if her dads think he's better for Rachel than Finn then things just got serious. by bella8876 – puckrachel drabble meme (part seven)
Summary: "I might not be the better guy, Rachel… You don't even have to pick me… I'm not asking you to… But I'm asking you to walk away from him… 'Cause you matter more than either of us…"

Just Know That You're a Star (Don't Let Him Dull Your Shine)
-1/1-

Puck heard them arguing in his front yard from where he was sprawled out on the couch, watching lame day-time TV. Usually when somebody's dad rolled up on his lawn, he'd be out the back door and booking it as far away as he could get. But then, they usually had bats and they were pissed 'cause he supposedly worked his magic on their daughter's chastity belt. And by supposedly he meant definitely. Only, it'd been a long time since he cashed in a v-card, or well, even hooked up with anybody. What? He was growing or some shit… Whatever. And the dudes on his lawn, bickering back and forth, weren't just anybody's dads. They were Rachel's. So he like, knew them. Didn't mean he didn't check for any hidden weapons, but still…

The tall, black one – Leroy – was rolling his eyes and scoffing at whatever the short, white one – Hiram – was flapping his jaw about, his arms waving wildly in a good impression of Rachel's story-telling skills. And 'cause he was ninja, Puck stuck close to the open window and listened hard for what they were talking about; he legit needed to be prepared just in case they had a bone to pick with him. He couldn't imagine why, since the one time he and Rachel almost did get it on, he stopped that shit. They should have given him a medal for being able to say no to her; legit, haven't they seen the skirts she wore? Never mind the knee socks that were like a Catholic school girl dream waiting to happen… And that was one dirty dream too.

"I'm just not sure how much she'll appreciate our meddling when she finds out…"

"By the time she finds out, she'll appreciate it," Leroy argued, brows raised high. And suddenly Puck knew where Rachel got her sneaky, manipulation skills from.

"You can't know that for sure!" Hiram scoffed, reaching up to shove his glasses back up his noticeably Jewish nose. "You don't think she's going to wonder why he's suddenly taking an interest in her relationship?"

"I don't see why… He's got just as much reason to worry as we do…"

He pursed his lips. "Again with your soul mates theory…"

He grinned. "It won't always be a theory. You'll see soon enough."

They were on the porch now, with Hiram pacing back and forth and wringing his hands as Leroy calmly leaned next to the door, arms crossed over his chest.

"What if it doesn't work?" he worried.

With a sigh, Leroy pushed up off the wall and walked to his partner. "There's no guarantee… But that doesn't mean we shouldn't exhaust every avenue."

Shoulders slumping, he nodded. "I know I'm being dramatic… And I know you're trying to be reasonable, but I feel like we're pulling out the big guns first… Shouldn't we try something less drastic first?"

"We've already tried talking to her. You know how she is when she gets into the boy-zone… It's like her ears are filled with cotton and all she hears is Finn! Finn! Finn!" Leroy pursed his lips. "Call me crazy, but I miss the times she'd spend hours dissecting musicals until I couldn't enjoy them anymore."

"Those were the days…" he sighed mournfully.

"We're doing this…" He took Hiram's shoulders in his hands and squeezed lightly. "And years down the road when they're both happily living up to their star potential in New York, we'll know that this was always the right choice…"

His eyes narrowed. "Separate bedrooms."

Amused, he patted his shoulder. "Sure, honey…"

"Don't be condescending; I'm well aware that hormones will make it difficult… But she promised me she'd wait for twenty-five," he told him, hopefully.

"Yes and she was with Finn… Trust me, when she's with a boy that gets her hormones raring, twenty-five will seem like fifty…"

His pursed his lips in a frown. "Why must you dash my hopes with logic?"

Hiram reached out and feathered his fingers through his husband's hair, stroking his neck lightly. "I'm preparing you for the inevitable, dear…"

"Fine…" He straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. "Let's get this over with then. The sooner, the better…"

Turning, they reached out and took the other's hand before Leroy pushed the doorbell.

Puck waited a few seconds before opening the door; he didn't want them to know he was eavesdropping. Leaning in the doorjamb, he nodded to them in greeting. "What up, Berrys?"

Leroy looked down at his husband and then back up to Puck and cleared his throat. "Hello Noah, if you're not too busy we were hoping we might get the chance to discuss something with you…"

He glanced over his shoulder. His little sister, Sarah, was knocked out after he took her to the park to run off all her energy and his ma was working. He didn't know exactly what they wanted to talk about, but he knew it had to do with Rachel. Since Berry was his girl – maybe not in the way he wanted, but still enough that he cared – he opened the door wider. "C'mon in…" He stepped back, stuffing his hands in his pockets, and then made for the living room. "You, uh, want something to drink?" He wasn't really good at the whole hosting guests thing; he usually left that up to his ma or, y'know, just told his friends to get their own shit, they knew where the kitchen was.

"No, no that's fine," Hiram assured, taking a seat at the edge of the couch.

He sat like Rachel, all straight and stiff, hands clasped in his lap tightly. Leroy was more relaxed, leaning back into the couch, elbow on the armrest, feet crossed at the ankle.

"How's your summer going, Noah?" Hiram wondered.

He shrugged, taking a seat in his favorite armchair. "All right, I guess… Girlfriend dumped me when she found out I tried to sabotage our Prom King and Queen chances…" He rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

"Prom King, really?"

He smirked. "Yeah, I know, shit's nuts… But Lauren wanted the crown and I'm a lady-pleader, so…" He shrugged.

Hiram frowned at him, eyes narrowed. "Yes, we've heard all about your lady-pleasing ways…"

Leroy glared back at him, brows raised. "Excuse my husband, he gets… antsy from the heat."

"No worries… I, uh…" He rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly feeling like he was under a microscope. "I know everything that went down with Quinn and the baby, that probably looks bad and it's… That's all on me, y'know? It's not like I don't think about it or…" He sighed, sitting forward. "I grew up a lot. It kinda forced me to." He stared at them seriously. "Me and Lauren, we didn't work out, but she was the first girl I really tried the long-term thing with, and…" He shook his head. "I dunno… I guess I learned I can do it, I just have to find the right girl or whatever…" He licked his lips. "Anyway… What'd you guys need to talk about?"

Hiram relaxed a little, taking his words to heart. "No, I'm sorry… Rachel's told us you've done a lot of maturing and I shouldn't have jumped down your throat… I think she mentioned that Lauren girl; she said she was quite proud that you'd put so much effort into wooing her…" He nodded.

Puck scrubbed his fingers over his 'hawk, eyes falling. There was something about people saying they were proud of him that always made him feel weird, especially when it was coming from someone like Rachel.

"Actually, it's Rachel we wanted to talk about…" Leroy shifted forward in her seat. "I'm sure you know that she and Finn have…" His jaw ticked, lips twitching with distaste, "reunited…"

He snorted. "Yeah, caught on to that when they locked lips at Nationals…" He rolled his eyes a little. "I know they were in the moment or whatever, but talk about bad timing…"

Hiram nodded. "Worst timing," he agreed. "In fact… We think the expiration date on Finn and Rachel has long passed and she's…" He sighed deeply. "She's holding on to something she should let go of…" He stared at Puck meaningfully.

His brows furrowed. "You're not into Finchel?"

"God, even their portmanteau is obnoxious," Leroy muttered.

He blinked. "The fuck?"

"Portmanteau, Noah… A merging of names." His eyes brightened a little. "Like Puckleberry… They put together part of your surname and the end of Rachel mixed with her last name…"

Dismissing it, he cocked a brow. "Right, so you're just anti-Finchel, or… anti-Finn?"

Hiram frowned. "Both."

Puck nodded slowly. "No offense, but what's this gotta do with me?"

He straightened his posture, readjusting his glasses. "We've tried talking to her about relationship… about her future…" He frowned. "She told us that she still has her plans for New York and that she and Finn are only engaging in a relationship during senior year before going their separate ways…" He raised an unconvinced brow. "That gives him a year to convince our little star to give up on Broadway and settle down in Lima. Now…" He shook his head, "We're not saying that Finn is a master-manipulator, but when it comes to him Rachel can be… blinded by her idealistic romanticism of their…" His lip curled disdainfully, "affair."

Puck blinked. "Okay, so what I got out of that… really Berry speech…" He sighed, wrapping his mind around it as best as he could. "Is that you think Finn's gonna be a douche and hold back Rachel from Broadway and New York and all her big ass dreams, right?"

They nodded simultaneously.

"Again, no offense, but what's it gotta do with me?"

Leroy tipped his head and stared at him like he was being an idiot. "We need you to talk sense into her… She's not listening to us and even if she was, she'd chalk it up to a 'parents just don't understand' moment…" He shook his head. "Look, son, we know that you have the same kind of dreams… You want out of Lima and you'll do whatever you have to in order to get out…" He stared at him searchingly. "If anybody understands what it means to want out and exactly what it could mean if they don't, it's you…" He nodded. "And let's face it, if there's anybody who's going to reach her, it'll be you…"

He looked away, mulling over what they were saying, and chewed the inside of his lip thoughtfully. "She's stubborn… And she's got it in her head that Finn's some Prince Charming…" He snorted at the idea; his own views of Finn and his actions making him more than a little jaded toward his old best friend. Yeah, he had a big part in everything that went wrong, but he had front row seats to the Finchel show and watching Berry trip all over herself to be Finn's perfect girl wasn't just nauseating, it was disappointing. And grating. And really fucking hard to watch. Maybe Rachel made some mistakes of her own, but she didn't deserve to be treated the way she was, and not by the guy whose ass she was sure the sun shone out of. But he kept his mouth shut, well as much as he could, 'cause he promised not to get back up in Berry's business, trying to avoid the whole Quinn-repeat with Finn. He was trying to be a better guy, a better Jew; he made that promise in a moment of weakness and he regretted it now.

"It's not as if we're saying she shouldn't have a boyfriend or that she shouldn't find love," Hiram pointed out. "But we just don't think Finn is… right for her." He twisted and tugged at his fingers. "It's not just the Jewish factor, although we were really pulling for that," he admitted. "But Finn is…" He sighed. "He's small-town and he doesn't want to change that…" He raised his head to stare at Puck pointedly. "Rachel is a star, Noah… And I'm not just saying that because I'm her father. I'm saying that because I've witnessed her talent, I've cultivated it, and I won't watch her throw it away for a boy who doesn't even know what he has in front of him." He shook his head staunchly. "Their relationship isn't good for her; it's unhealthy… She gives and she gives and she changes herself to fit this mold she believes is needed to stand at his side and it's not… It's not fair to the strong and competent girl I know her to be…" He raised his chin and said with all authority, "Finn Hudson won't destroy the future Rachel deserves, not if we have anything to say about it."

"So you want me to talk her into ditching him?" He sucked his teeth thoughtfully. "She won't go for it… She'll think I'm blowing smoke or causing shit for no reason…" He shook his head. "Finn's got her wrapped around his finger and he already told me to keep my distance…" He ground his teeth a little. "I wanna help… The last thing I want is for a fellow-Jew to get stuck here in Lima, but I don't see how I'm gonna change her mind…"

"Maybe you don't have to change it so much as… distract it," Leroy suggested, raising a brow. "If she had somebody else vying for her attention, somebody who suited her better, somebody who… offered her the kind of acceptance and understanding that her current suitor can't…" He smirked slowly. "She might be persuaded to let go of her teenage fantasy and open herself up to something a little more aligned with her dreams…"

Puck stared at him a long moment. "You want me to… seduce… your daughter?" Twilight Zone, meet Puck.

Leroy and Hiram exchanged a look. "Not… exactly."

He frowned. "Look, if this is some fucked up plan where I make her fall for me and leave Finn, only to dump her so she spends the rest of the year too heartbroken to take up with Finnocence, I gotta tell ya… Shit's cold!"

"Of course not!" Hiram scoffed, glaring. "The last thing we want is to hurt Rachel… We simply want her to recognize that what she thinks is right for her is really wrong… That she could be much happier with somebody who has the same goals, same ideals; someone that will encourage her to leave Lima and be more than just his girlfriend or wife… We want her to find real love, Noah… With somebody who can love all of her and not just pick up where they left off as soon as he feels like he's being ignored or she might be making leeway in getting past her heartbreak..." The sour look on his face and what he'd said make Puck think they knew a lot more about Finn and their repetitive break-ups and reunions that he'd expect, and they didn't like what they'd heard. Then again, Rachel hardly ever shut up and these guys were like her best friend, so it made sense she'd told them everything that had been going wrong with Finn…

He licked his lips. He couldn't say what they were suggesting wasn't tempting. He'd wanted Rachel for awhile; like before the whole revenge-kiss even. Maybe even as long as when they first dated and she dumped him 'cause the fantasy life wasn't fair to either of them. If there hadn't been Quinn and Beth to consider, he probably would have fought to keep Rachel around. But then again, he had a lot of growing up to do and some big mistakes to make and he wasn't the same dude she first dated. When her and Finn went splitsville after winter-break, he'd had high hopes. When she came in asking to sing that duet to make Finn jealous, fuck yeah he thought it might be a chance for him to get her to look his way again… But then he realized that changing Rachel's mind wasn't in the cards; she had her sights set on Tall and Dopey and when she wanted something, she got it, whatever the consequences. And then Finn was telling him he should back off and he was tired of making the same damn mistakes, of falling for girls that only ever wanted Finn, so he did. He walked away and he kept his head down and crossed his fingers that she'd wake up and get over Finn and maybe it'd even be mutual enough that Puck getting in there wasn't against bro-code or whatever. But, like usual, Finn kept her wrapped around his finger and Rachel just kept desperately wishing he'd come back to her.

In the last few months, they'd become friends. With Lauren as a buffer, Finn didn't even seem to mind or care if he stuck up for his fellow-Jew or talked her out of Quinnifying her nose. But more recently, since Lauren dumped his ass and school let out for summer, Finn wasn't so supportive of their friendship. So what if he picked up Rachel sometimes for slushees and drove around for hours? Or if he took her down to the lake to swim on really hot days, bringing his bratty sister along so she'd have some girl-time with Rachel. Or if he had a pretty epic text war going on with her that was legit going to cost him some serious money at the end of the month; she liked to send him song lyrics and test his musical knowledge, so far he was a lyrical god! And yeah, all right, he hung out at her place a lot… Legit, chick had Rockband and even if she hogged the mic, shit was still fun. But when Finn called or wanted to hang out, he made for the door. 'Cause even if Rachel didn't know how he felt about her, Finn had a pretty good idea. The thing was, douche should just let it go; 'cause it didn't matter how much he liked her, Rachel was always hung up on him. And Puck played sidelines like a pro; he was used to it. That said, if she ever gave him the green light, he'd be in there so fast everyone would have whiplash.

"What makes you think she'd pick me?" he asked, and he really hoped the insecurity he was feeling hadn't shone through.

The sympathetic look they were giving him said different.

"We know our daughter, Noah… Perhaps even better than she knows herself…" Leroy stared at him sincerely. "When she talks about Finn, she talks about how lucky she is to be with him… When she talks about you, she praises how much you've grown, how talented you are, how excited she is that you've been looking into college…"

He shifted in his seat uncomfortably; so he told her about his plans to get out of Lima and make something of himself, he didn't know she was spreading that shit around.

"When she talks about you, something changes in her… She lights up and she's happy and she… She sees you as an equal, Noah… With Finn, she seems to think she's inferior somehow; that he matters more or that she has to be less of herself to be with him…" He shook his head. "There's a distinct line between being loved by someone and being desperate for their love…" His face hardened. "My daughter is not desperate and she shouldn't have to feel that way."

Puck knew Finn could be a tool; he'd seen it first hand. And he knew that sometimes he didn't stand up in her defense when he should; that he didn't seem to understand that she was more insecure than she let on. Don't get him wrong, 'cause Rachel was a strong and confident diva, but she'd been going through a lot since high school started and she was labeled pariah number wah. As far as he knew, Finn never manned up and apologized for the shit he caused and was still stirring when it came to her, but it wasn't his place to stand up and say anything. He did what he could when Santana started on her 'nobody likes Rachel' campaign but admitting he kinda liked her felt like he was spilling some deep dark secret that they'd read into more than he wanted them to. The thing was, he did like her… He felt things for her that he shouldn't, that he told himself he wouldn't, and he'd kept his distance and tried really fucking hard not to care or feel that way, even going so far as to put all of his attention on Lauren, who was seriously cool shit, in hopes that she'd distract him. It didn't work.

"Even if you don't want to be with her, Noah, all we ask if that you try to convince her to take a step back from her relationship with Finn and just… see it for what it is… A road-bump in life that she should just drive over already and move on…"

He snorted a little. "Yeah, I don't think she'll like me calling it that."

"And what would you call it?"

He raised a brow. "A tragedy," he muttered.

Leroy smirked. "Say what you have to… But say something." He rose from his seat then and held a hand out for him to shake. "Thank you for listening to us… I know our plea might seem a little… unconventional."

He reached out and shook his hand, quick and hard. "S' cool."

He watched as they walked to the door, Hiram reaching out for his husband's hand and squeezing.

"Hey," he called after them before they could leave. "You really think I'm a better option than Finn?" he asked, a little confused.

Hiram smiled at him. "We've given it considerable attention, Noah… And you are, by far, the better choice."

They waved before walking out the door and he sat back, forehead furrowed in deep thought.

Huh.

Shit was serious. 'Cause if the daddies-Berry thought he was a better candidate for the Rachel Berry boyfriend train, then Finn must've fucked up big… Or maybe it was just the idea that he could and probably would that had them biting this in the bud. Whatever it was, he knew he had to do something… He just wasn't sure how he was supposed to tell Rachel that her and Finn should be dunzo. He smirked. She was gonna chew his face off if he put it like that. And that just made the decision easier.

…

Rachel was in the middle of reformatting her closet; moving her heavier clothing on one side while she brought out her lighter skirts and shorts for the summer weather that had accostedLimawith its rolling heat.

"Bunny, you have a visitor!" she heard her daddy, Leroy, call up to her.

"Please send them up, thank you!" she returned, arguing with herself over whether her bunny-sweater was really too warm… It was just so cute, she didn't want to put it away until late fall…

She heard her door open and close and put her sweater on the summer pile before leaving her closet. She wondered who it could be that had come to visit. Finn didn't like stopping by her house often, he felt awkward around her dads. On the one hand, she found it rather sweet that he worried so much about what they thought of him. On the other, her dads were two of her favorite people and she wished he'd take the time to bond with them. So she was quite sure it wasn't him; besides, she was certain he had work today. Kurt had already texted her to say he and Blaine would be spending the day swimming; he invited her along but she'd already made plans to go through her wardrobe and so declined. Since Mercedes had been mysteriously absent for most of the summer, she figured it wouldn't be her. Mike and Tina were away at Asian camp. She knew for a fact that Artie was taking a film course out of town. It was most definitely not Brittany, Santana or Quinn. And nice as Sam had been since they'd all gone to prom together and his living situation had come to light, he too had been very busy with unnamed activities.

With that in mind, she grinned as she walked through the double doors; the only one left was Noah. He hadn't replied to her various texts since yesterday afternoon and she'd been worried about what might have come up. She knew his mother had the day off, however, so he would likely get a respite from taking care of his sister, Sarah. He usually texted her to tell her he was coming over though; she noticed that if she had plans with Finn or if there was a chance of him coming over, Noah generally stayed away. She understood that there was tension between them still, but sometimes it worried her that a boy she considered herself to be very close to, who she sometimes hesitated to put a direct label on, avoided the boy she was dating… When she brought it up with Finn, he often reminded her that he didn't like how much time she spent with Noah. She wondered, not for the first time, if it was considered lying when she simply stopped telling him about all of the time she was still spending with Noah. Driving around in his truck, taking his sister to the beach or the park, helping make dinner and do house chores when his mother was either too tired or working a late shift. To be honest, now that she thought it over, she was spending more of her summer in the company of Noah than she was Finn. It wasn't his fault, though, he had a job to consider and he was trying to save up some money before he quit, since he had plans in August for a fishing trip with Burt. Instead of feeling that familiar pang of disappointment that she wouldn't see him for weeks, she wondered what she and Noah would do during that time. Perhaps she could convince him to visit Music in the Park with her; he would love the local bands, she just knew it…

Excited now, her eyes fell to the familiar figure sitting on the edge of her bed, head turned as he perused the pictures she had on her bedside table. She wondered what he thought of the framed photo of the two of them; she remembered it vividly in her mind's eye. Her daddy had taken it weeks ago when they'd been playing Rockband; Noah had the guitar in hand and she was bouncing in the middle of the stage as she sang. Her father came down, camera in hand, and told them to stand closer together. Noah threw an arm around her shoulders and rested his chin on her hair, smirking as the flash went off. She couldn't remember ever smiling so widely. It was one of her favorite pictures; favorite memories even.

With a soft grin, her eyes danced over his distracted form. The heat had fortunately encouraged him to leave his layered clothing style behind and instead he was sporting a pair of board shorts and a white tank top that fit snugly against his firm frame, not that she was taking a nice long look at the way his abdomen rippled attractively or how the sleeveless shirt put his defined biceps on display, no… When her eyes darted up to his, she found him looking at her, a smirk tilting his lips.

She rolled her eyes. "You didn't text me back," she said.

"Nice to see you too, B." He motioned a thumb behind him. "Brought you a slushee."

She perked up, licking her lips as her gaze fell on the sweating cup that sat on her desk. She walked to it quickly, already anticipating the grape corn syrup that really wouldn't do her vocal chords any good. Oh, but it would be delicious. She picked it up with both hands, happily enjoying the way the freezing plastic felt against her palms. Even with her window open and a fan going, the heat wave was making her skin feel warm and a sheen of sweat had collected. She sucked the pink straw between her teeth and turned around to look at him appreciatively.

He grinned back, sitting forward and letting his elbows rest on his thighs. She couldn't help but watch the way the muscles along his back jumped and moved beneath his shirt. She felt her cheeks flush and hoped he'd chalk it up to the warmth in the room and not her admittedly ironic arousal for his bad-boy image.

She crossed her room in a few steps and took a seat next to him. "So… To what do I owe this visit…?" Her brows rose expectantly. "Usually you text me something suggestive and then we spend most of the afternoon aimlessly driving around in your truck."

"I walked over… Needed to think…"

She frowned. "Is something wrong?"

He licked his lips, eyes darting away. "I need to tell you something and I want you to listen really closely, all right?"

Her brows furrowed. "Of course, Noah. Whatever you have to tell me, I will devote my entire attention to." She sat up a little taller and waited.

He half-smiled at her and then stood from the bed. "You're not gonna like it… Fact, you might even try to kick me out or call me names or the fuck ever, but…" He turned and stared at her. "You need to hear it, I need to say it, and… And it's true, Rach, okay?"

A little worried now she pursed her lips, but nodded.

He scraped a hand over his mouth and then back through his 'hawk, before he put his hands on his hips and blew out a breath. "When we went to New York for Nationals, I saw how you looked there…" He shook his head. "I saw how you fit in and how happy you were…" He stared at her searchingly. "It was like coming home for you and—and it should be…" He nodded. "But then all that bull went down with Finn and you were struggling… Suddenly it was like you thought you had to choose… Him or your dreams and I…" His brows furrowed. "I thought you had it right; I thought you'd figure it out… But as soon as we got back here, you and Finn were back on and I realized…" He stared at her. "You're gonna pick him."

Her lips pursed and she opened her mouth to argue.

"You promised to listen, so just shut up, okay?"

She glared.

"You can yell at me after," he promised, using that same face on her as the one he had when convincing her to give him an hour of her time back when she'd been considering Rhinoplasty.

Dubiously, she nodded.

He looked relieved and ducked his head a little to sigh, apparently collecting his thoughts. "Look, Rach, Finn is my boy…" He frowned. "Kind of…" He shrugged. "I mean, if I had to pick between you and him, it'd be a landslide…" He gritted his teeth. "Me and Finn have our problems, y'know? And I'm not saying it's all on him, but… But he's got his life planned out… He knows what he wants and it's—it's not the same as what I want… Not the same as what you want…" His eyes met her knowingly. "And the thing with him is that he might say he's okay with just having you for a year, but we both know that's not true…" He took a step toward her. "'Cause anybody who knows you, who's fallen for that crazy Berry charm, knows that there's no amount of time that's gonna be enough…" He swallowed tightly. "And Finn, he's… He says he's over it, over you, but he never lets you go, never lets you move on… And so you don't… You never really get a chance to heal or hate him or forgive him, 'cause he's just always there, right on the edge of your life…" He laughed bitterly. "So you keep waiting for him to be there with you, all the way, and the thing is… He won't be…" He shook his head. "Even if you stay here, even if you give up everything you've worked your ass off for to stay with him, he's gonna fuck you over… every damn time…"

She gripped her hands tight when they began to shake and clenched her jaw shut as words and fears began to build up in her.

"I'm not saying this to make you feel bad, Rachel… I'm saying it 'cause you know it's true and you're just ignoring it…" He rubbed his fingers into his palms and balled them into fists. "I know you wanna be in love and I know you want this picture perfect fairytale where some knight comes along and makes everything better… Makes all the bullying worth it or-or makes you feel like you're not weird or you don't stand out or you're not buckets of crazy, but…" He shrugged, staring at her with wide, if honest, eyes. "You are."

She scowled.

"And I don't know why you think that's bad, 'cause Rachel…" He stepped a little closer to her. "Those are the things that I like about you… Those—Those are the reasons you stand out for me…" He shrugged. "Yeah, I've been with Santana and Quinn and Lauren and a fuck of a lot of women—"

She rolled her eyes.

"But none of them matter to me like you do… None of them stand a chance compared to you…" He shook his head. "You're all big dreams and passion and when I look at you I don't just see some girl, I see you… I see this tiny little firecracker who's gonna blow people away with all her talent and her beauty and her hour-long-monologues about musicals and the Tony's and all that crazy shit I never think twice about…" He laughed under his breath. "You're the exact opposite of a Lima Loser, Rachel Berry, and the last thing you need to do is tie yourself down to one… 'Cause you deserve New York and they sure as fuck are gonna be lucky to have you…"

She blinked rapidly, tears warming her eyes. "Can I speak now?"

He snorted. "I'm surprised you lasted this long…"

Sighing, she stood from her bed, her head ducked. "I didn't realize how deeply you cared, Noah…"

"Pretty sure you still don't," he muttered, eyes darting away.

She raised her chin and peered up at him. "You think Finn's going to hold me back," she said, not a question but a statement. "And you think you won't."

He stared at her. "If there was any chance of me weighing you down, I'd walk away before it ever happened…"

Her brows furrowed. "What happened to love conquering all?"

He reached for her, tucking her hair behind her ear. "If he really loved you, he'd be looking at ways to go with you, Rach… Not to tie you down here…"

She shook her head slowly, her face falling. "Finn doesn't belong in New York…"

"Where do you belong?"

She looked away and she heard the answer crying out from her heart. "On a stage."

He smiled crookedly. "Doesn't that say it all?"

She swallowed tightly, lips trembling. "How do I say goodbye to him when I've spent so much time thinking he was all I'd need to be happy?"

"He really make you happy?" He raised a brow. "'Cause I remember you crying a lot… I remember him saying you should try dressing differently… Or talking less… Or fitting in more…" He shook his head. "You were made to stand out… And the happiest I've ever seen you was when you were in New York, just being you…"

She bit her lip. "How do I know New York's the right choice?"

"You already know… Every day you spend with Finn, you're wondering if it's right…" He stared at her knowingly. "You knew what you wanted when you were in New York… It's only being back here, being that lost girl that people don't always like that makes you think it'd be okay to stick around, 'cause at least you have Finn and he doesn't think that…" He shook his head. "New York's not like McKinley, it's not full of assholes, Rach. They're not going to think you're a freak. Here you're a dreamer; there you'll be a legend."

"But I love him…"

"Do you?"

She swallowed thickly and raised her eyes to his. "Noah?"

He reached out and stroked her cheek with his thumb. "Does he make you feel like you can do anything?" His thumb dipped to trace her jaw. "Does he believe in you or stand up for you or even just know that you're the most talented and funny and crazy beautiful girl he's ever met?" His fingers brushed her lower-lip. "Does he look at you like… Like I do?" His whole palm spread across her cheek and cupped her face. "Does he make you feel like I do?"

Her breath stuttered out of her lips. "He…" She licked her dry lips.

"Does he remember your birthday? Or that you celebrate Hanukah and not Christmas?" He quirked a brow. "Does he know your dads names or that you sleep with a stuffed rabbit you named Patti?" He shook his head. "He know your favorite slushee flavor or that you prefer Christina to Britney? Does he know half of the useless shit I know, just 'cause I actually listen when you talk?"

She bit her lip.

"Does he have any idea what it means to you to get out of here? Does he even care if you do?" His fingers wrapped around the back of her neck and tugged her forward. "Did your dads show up at his place, worried that you were picking the wrong boy? That you were giving up your future for somebody who will never love you as much as I could… As much as I do…" He stared at her searchingly. "I might not be the better guy, Rachel… You don't even have to pick me… I'm not asking you to… But I'm asking you to walk away from him… 'Cause you matter more than either of us…"

She expelled a shaky breath. "I don't know what to do…"

He nodded. And then with a half-smile, he bent and kissed her forehead, lingering there. "Yeah, you do," he murmured, stroking her temple. And then he turned and he walked out of her room. She watched him go, but now it wasn't the attractive qualities that drew her eyes; it wasn't his broad shoulders or his muscled arms. She watched as he ducked his head and his green eyes darted back to her, like he needed to see her one last time before he walked away and left this monumental decision on her plate. Like he had to memorize her before he let her go. And the thing was, she didn't want to him to let her go. She didn't want him to leave at all. But if she picked Finn, she was fairly sure he would do just that… Because Noah didn't want to watch her throw it all away… Because he loved her too much to see that happen… Her stomach clenched and her chest ached and her face crumpled as the emotion of all that was said and all that was questioned washed over her.

She sat back down on the bed and was jarred out of her stupor when the freezing cold grape slushee she'd left behind toppled and spread its contents across her pink blanket. Hopping up, she brushed quickly at the back of her shorts to get it off before it sank in. Her eyes darted back to her blanket and watched as the purple liquid reached out quickly, spreading and soaking into the pale fabric, marking it as it went. And she thought of Noah and how he fit into her life; how he'd become such an expected and wanted figure in everything she did, every decision she made. And she thought of how much she liked that. How her life in Lima had always reserved a place for him to fit; be it good or bad. And that her life in New York would be just as adjusting. Because Noah Puckerman had already put his stamp on her, imprinting his way on her heart when she hadn't been paying attention, and she liked it that way. There was no distinct imprint of Finn; he wasn't a permanent fixture that she couldn't leave behind. He was just the last tie holding her back from accomplishing all that she had spent the majority of her life working for; wanting; deserving.

She turned then and hurried out of her room, letting the grape stain her blanket, letting it set. She ran down the stairs and past her dads, who called after her worriedly. She ran out of her bedroom and across the lawn and her feet padded quickly across the hard cement. Her arms pumped and her heart beat rapidly, and she chased after that figure making its way down the street, hands stuffed in his shorts' pockets.

The sun beat down on her so firmly, she felt sweat bead down her back and collect on her neck, she felt her hair weighing on her shoulders like a lead weight, but she kept running. And when she was close enough, she called out, "I choose me."

He stopped, not turning around right away and she stared at the tense lines of his back.

"It's not a choice between Finn and New York or Finn and you…" She panted a little, a stitch in her side. "I choose me, Noah…"

He turned around to look at her.

"And when it comes to me, when it comes to what I want and what I deserve, then those questions are answered… Because you and New York are synonymous… So in picking me, I'm really picking Broadway and the stage and New York. I'm picking you and me and everything that encompasses…" She stared at him searchingly. "But you have to be ready and prepared for that, because when I get that diploma, when I get the chance to leave, I will… And I want you to be on that train or the plane or whatever mode of transportation I take… I want you there… But I come first…"

He grinned slowly. "There's the Berry I know…"

She took a step toward him, her own lips quirking in a smile. "The Berry you love?"

He nodded, the sincerity in his face making her heart skip a beat.

"I have loose ends to tie…" She bit her lip. "I have to break up with Finn for good and I can't guarantee he'll take it well… Or that he won't blame you…"

He shrugged. "I can take it."

"It won't be easy… It'll take a lot of hard work, both here and in New York…" She raised her brows. "You'll have to go to math class."

He laughed. "I can do that."

She took another step closer. "I'll expect a monogamous relationship… No other girls."

He reached for her, his hand finding her hip and drawing her so close she could feel his stomach brushing her own each time he inhaled. "The only girl I want is a crazy Broadway chick with big dreams and a bigger voice."

She smiled warmly. "Then you're in luck… because I think she wants you too."

He ducked his head until their foreheads, sticky with sweat, touched. "You sure you're ready for this…?" He stared at her wonderingly. "You can let him go?"

Her hands slid up across his shoulders and squeezed. "It's not fair to him either… Being with him when I feel these things for you… When I want dreams bigger than him…" She felt sadness wash over her face for a moment. "You have to understand that I do care about him, Noah… But I care about me more."

He chuckled a little. "Is it weird I find a cocky-Berry hot?"

She laughed. "That could be this heat-wave…"

"We should cool down…" He squeezed her hips. "I know a pool a block over that we can sneak into."

He pursed her lips. "We've hardly been together a few minutes and you're already encouraging breaking and entering?"

"It's not a B&E… It's trespassing… And it's not wrong if we don't get caught."

"Noah!" she cried, unable to hide her amusement.

He stepped back and took her hand. "C'mon, Rach… Live on the edge… We've gotta get all your teenage rebellion out before we get to New York… We don't want that shit pasted across the tabloids, right?"

She grinned up at him. "You're a very smart and devious man, Noah Puckerman."

"Hells yeah, I am…" He tugged her along next to him. "We'll cool off and then you can call up Hudson and tell him the bad news…"

"That I'm going to New York or that I'm leaving him for you?"

"That's good news, Rach… The bad news is that he and his hand are gonna be getting really familiar this summer…"

She scoffed, slapping his chest. "That's awful!"

He wiggled his eyebrows. "But true."

Before she could argue anymore, he started jogging down the block, pulling her along with.

And despite her dislike of breaking the law, she couldn't say she didn't enjoy seeing him strip off his shirt and dive into the pool, all rippling tanned skin and teasing smirk. Hopping in after him, she told herself she'd accept whatever repercussions came from her hasty decisions. Be it getting taken away in a cop car for trespassing or leaving what she had thought to be the right boy to be with the clichéd bad boy. Arms around his shoulders as they floated in the center of the pool, her wet hair stuck to her skin as she smiled down at him, as he grinned up at her and his green eyes glinted with mischief and warmth, she knew it was the right choice. Perhaps in the next year, she and Noah wouldn't make it; she couldn't say for sure that they were destined for forever. But one thing she could and would take away from this was that she belonged in New York and she deserved a boy who knew and supported that.

She would have to thank her fathers for going over her head and seeking out the exact right person to teach her that lesson. As usual, she was a fantastic student, and she'd put her newly learned knowledge to good use.

…

Come graduation, Rachel Berry left McKinley with honors. She crossed the stage with the sound of the glee club and her dads cheering her on excitedly. A week later, she boarded a plane for New York city, eyes bright and dreams even brighter.

Stepping out of the airport and onto the busy sidewalk where vehicles and cabs were quick to pick up passengers and move on, she took a deep breath. "We've made it," she declared, smiling at her companion.

Kurt beamed back at her. "As if there was any doubt," he declared, vibrating with joy.

She blew out a sigh and looked around the less than exciting airport surroundings. "I can't believe I almost chose Lima."

He wrinkled his nose. "You made the right decision, honey."

"Damn rights," Puck said, sidling up to her and throwing an arm around her shoulder. "So?" He grinned, readjusting his guitar case on his back. "Feel good?"

Excitement hummed in her chest so deeply she practically bounced on the heels of her feet. She leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. "This is where I belong."

Blaineappeared then and smiled at the couple before he took Kurt's hand in his and squeezed. "I think this is where all of us belong…" He nodded. "We're gonna do great things; I can feel it."

Kurt nodded. "Time's a wasting… Let's get started!"

Puck reached down and grabbed up his duffel bag while Rachel gripped the handle of her rolling suitcase.

"New York's lucky to have you, babe," he said down to her, kissing her hair.

She smiled up at him. "It has both of us now, Noah… And it'll never let go."

He smirked. "I'm counting on it."

[End.]