Chapter 17

Approximately one year later…

"Thanks again, guys, for the party," Noah acknowledged his fellow firefighters.

"Well, it's not every day that one of our own gets his Master's degree and retires from the FDNY," Sam commented. "We're really gonna miss you around here, Puck."

"Thanks, Sam, but it's not like we won't see each other any more," Noah replied. "Hell, we've got a gig on Saturday night."

"Yeah, I know," Sam admitted, "but it's been cool workin' with my best friend all these years…"

"What are you doing these days, Puck?" Mike inquired.

"Well, right after Rachel completed her first year in 'Wicked', her agent approached her with a new project," Noah began. "Seems this guy, Will Scheuster, is developing a musical loosely based on 'Pride and Prejudice'…but contemporary, with a 'Rock' edge. He'd seen Rachel in 'Mama Mia!' and then in 'Wicked', and he thought she would be perfect for 'Liz', the female lead." Noah paused for a moment, and then continued, "Apparently, he was looking for someone to collaborate with on the music, who could also put together the orchestrations. When Rachel heard that, she suggested me."

"Sounds cool, Puck," Mike commented.

"It's an awesome opportunity," Noah agreed, "that's for sure; not necessarily what I thought I'd be doing, but definitely a great first step. We just started working on it a couple of weeks ago. He's a good guy and he's got a lot of great ideas. The workshop will probably begin in about six months."

"How does Rachel feel about all this?" Dave asked.

"She's excited, of course. She gets to originate a role, herself, and she's really stoked. Of course she's a little concerned about…" Noah heard his wife entering the fire station, and he excused himself to greet her.

"I was wondering what happened to my two favorite girls," he teased, kissing Beth (who was visiting for a few days) on the cheek and Rachel on the mouth. "Wow, honey, you taste really good," he commented, licking his lips.

Rachel rolled her eyes as Beth explained (with a devilish grin), "We stopped to have lunch at that Kosher deli about a block from here, and Rachel totally devoured a huge corned beef sandwich with a side of coleslaw and a pickle."

"Thanks for outing me, Beth," a displeased (and slightly embarrassed Rachel) commented as Noah chuckled, commenting, "Can't help that 'Little Puck' likes his meat," as he wrapped his left arm around her, gently caressing her prominent "baby bump" with his right hand.

"You Puckermans and your dead animals!" Rachel chided. "I was completely happy eating Tofu…" she exasperatedly commented.

"Yeah, except you could never keep it down," he reminded her, "and when I grilled that steak, you ate more of it than I did…and you didn't throw up, either."

"I know," she acknowledged with a sigh, "it disgusts me, but the baby seems to like it. I just hope I can drop this weight in time for the workshop." Noah shook his head; to him, Rachel had never looked more beautiful. She definitely had that "pregnancy glow" that he had heard about. Sure, she was carrying a little more weight, but she was seven months pregnant…and her "rack" was unbelievable. The doctor had already confirmed that for her height, she was well within the normal range (actually at the lower end) and not to worry. If it took a little longer to get back to her pre-pregnancy weight, well…he would definitely enjoy a "curvier" Rachel for as long as it lasted.

"Don't worry about the workshop, Baby," he comforted her. "As long as our little man is healthy, the rest will take care of itself."

"Easy for you to say, mister 'six pack abs'," she retorted. "If my butt gets any bigger, it'll need its own zip code."

Noah grinned; his hand slipped down slightly, subtly caressing her behind, and he bent down and whispered in her ear, "Honey, like I've been sayin' all along, it's just more cushion for the pushin'."

Rachel shivered involuntarily at his touch and blushed deeply (he still had that impact on her, even after a year together, nine months of that married). She did her best to maintain a stoic countenance and rolled her eyes (again). "Well, don't get too used to it, mister," she confirmed, "because when Rachel Berry walks out on that stage, it will be in a size 2."

Noah merely smiled at his wife's comments; after all, Rachel usually accomplished whatever she set her mind to. He had learned long ago that sometimes, silence was the best response. He merely pulled her a little closer and kissed her lightly on the temple. She responded with a soft smile and a contented sigh, wrapping her right arm around his waist in the process, while they continued chatting with Beth and the men at the firehouse.

It has been said before; life can change on a dime. A year ago, Lieutenant Noah Puckerman, FDNY, was firmly ensconced in a carefully crafted (albeit empty) bachelor's existence. Women were interchangeable, good for a drink, a laugh and a quick fuck, never to be considered again. A chance meeting with a feisty little actress with a big voice and a heart to match created a paradigm shift in the world as he knew it, and he would be forever grateful to the bad wiring that precipitated that life-changing encounter. As he smiled down at his beautiful wife, his hand still resting over where his soon-to-be born son resided, he mentally shredded the rule book that had guided his life from the time he was 14, confident in the knowledge that she was, in fact, the exception to the rule.

Author's Notes: Thanks again, fair readers, for accompanying me on this little journey. What started out as a brief, one-chapter story morphed into this more detailed narrative. It ended up considerably longer than I intended and I hope it was as fun to read as it was to write. Now, on to other adventures…

Also...if you've ever considered rescuing a Greyhound, please do. They need good "forever homes" and they are truly wonderful animals.