A/N: I don't own Glee as always. But since they're probably going to put Jake and Marley together I thought this had to be written. Let me know what you think!

"So you and Marley huh?"

"Yeah what's it to you?" Jake snapped closing his guitar case and began to walk away.

"I'm gonna give you a little piece of advice."

"No thanks. Not really interested in brotherly advice." His progress if walking away was stopped when Puck grabbed his arm.

"It's not brotherly advice it's just something you need to hear. And you're not gonna walk away from me." The serious tone of Puck's voice scared him enough to make sure he stayed in the same spot.

"Whatever."

"Look Marley is going places."

"Yeah I know that."

"And you can't drag her down."

"What do you know about it?"

Rachel stood outside the choir room upon hearing Noah talking to his newly discovered brother. She didn't necessarily want to listen in but she wanted to be sure her friend was alright. There would be no way she would allow Jake to mistreat the boy he was in there with.

"Look I went to school with a girl like that."

"What happened to her?"

"She went to New York."

"What does that have to do with me and Marley Puck?"

"Look I had feelings for that girl. I was in love with her...if I'm being honest I still am."

When Rachel heard the confession she almost lost her balance. Noah was in love with her? No, there was no way that was true.

"Really?"

"Yeah really. And that's what I'm trying to tell you. She's going places and you can't hold her back. You've got options."

Jake hesitated for a minute before speaking, "What are they?"

"Number one you let her go and you never fight for her. Number two you fight for her and you follow her. Number three is you drag her down and keep her in this hellhole. But really there's only one choice."

"Which is what?"

"You let her go and never fight for her. Because if you do either of the other two you'll be dragging her down. She deserves better than that."

"You mean she deserves better than me?"

"I mean they deserve better than us."

"Isn't that up to them to decide?" A voice asked from behind the pair making the older of the two jump.

"Rachel." He muttered not looking at her yet

"So you're the one that went to New York?" Jake assumed, giving her a quick up-down

"That would be me."

"What do you think I should do?"

"I think you should tell Marley how you feel." She paused and walked until she was standing in front of her first boyfriend, "No matter how noble you think it is to let her walk away."

"What if she doesn't feel the same way? What's the point since she's already ENGAGED to someone else that just happens to be your best friend? And on top of that you're such a Lima Loser screw-up that you know she could never want you. Then with that shit even if she did want you, you'd only hold her back anyway so why would she stay with you?" He didn't realize he was crying until he felt the tear on his jaw quickly rubbing it away.

"Oh Noah. You'll never know for sure if you don't at least try."

"Yeah thanks for the advice." Jake began to walk out of the room opening the door but paused to look at his brother, "Seriously Puck. Thanks man, that's exactly what I needed to hear."

When the room was empty except for the two of them Puck finally let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. Here she was. The girl he had spent the past few months trying to forget about (unsuccessfully). What was he supposed to say?

"Why would you tell him that Noah?"

"Tell him what? The boy can handle the truth. He's old enough to get it. Sometimes you gotta break your heart to save hers."

"Why couldn't you have told me how you felt? Why did you just watch me walk away without saying a thing?"

"You were engaged to Finn. I couldn't say anything. I'd promised him that I'd stay away from you. Besides I would have just brought you down. I barely graduated high school, I had to give all my money to my no good dad, and I've got nothing to look ahead to. Why in the hell would I try to stop you from leaving?"

"Because it's like I told Jake. It's my choice and you took that away from me. You are so stubborn. I ask myself all the time why I miss this town so much and it always comes down to the little things. The way you'd wink at me in the hallway, how you'd walk me to class, the way you looked at me like I was the sexiest thing you'd ever seen."

"You are still the sexiest thing I've ever seen. Rach I just...I didn't wanna be the reason you didn't get New York. I didn't want to stand in the way. I love you and it's not fair to you to try and keep you here."

"I...I hate NYADA. My teacher is so mean to me and I was completely alone until Kurt showed up. I just need somebody who gets me, who knows how important it is that I make it. I need you Noah so if you could stop being noble and kiss me I'd really appreciate it."

"Of course Princess." Leaning down he lightly connected his lips with hers, "Guess I should tell Jake that I got the girl in the end shouldn't I?"

"Mhm but let's wait a few minutes before that. I have another use for your mouth." Running her fingers across his shaved head Rachel stood on her tip toes to kiss him again.