It Should Be Me, Part 15/15
Title: It Should Be Me
Chapter: 15/15
Pairing: Puck/Rachel
Rating: NC-17
Words: 5345
Summary: When Rachel's driving everyone crazy before Regionals, the glee club recruits Puck to relax her. Will he succeed or will he make everything worse? And what will Finn think of this?
Spoilers: Only up to 'Sectionals' though stuff from the back 9 may pop in if I think it fits with my plot line.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot. Also, some of this is from Puck's viewpoint, and he's kind of an offensive guy, so I'd like to point out that his viewpoints don't always reflect mine. I don't own either of the songs included.
A/N: Here we go with the final chapter. I really hope the ending lives up to what you guys were expecting; I didn't want to go any further than the last line because I felt that would be stretching the story out for no reason other than to make it longer. I want to thank everyone who has read this story. You've been so supportive and your responses are the whole reason that I continue to share my writing. As always, please read and review. Even though this is the last chapter, I would still love to know what you think, not just about the chapter but about the whole story overall now that it's finished. Thanks! And I hope to see you at my next story!
Singing key: Rachel is italics, Cheerios + Tina are bold italics, and Puck is bold.
"Rachel, let us in!"
Rachel hadn't left her room since she had gotten home from school. She knew that Quinn was probably worried because she was so quiet on the ride home (not to mention that she had rode home with her and Matt instead of Noah), but she just wanted the night to herself. So, after she had finished singing, she had settled down behind her locked door to work on her homework (darn teachers; it was only the first day of school!). Quinn had knocked on her door to ask her if she wanted to do their homework together, but Rachel had told her that she just wanted to be alone.
The truth was that yes, she knew that she was going to move past today's discovery with Noah. She loved him and that was all there was to it. Finding out the truth had hurt though, especially knowing that all of her friends had been in on it and not one of them had bothered to tell her as they watched her fall for Noah. She just needed the night to reevaluate her relationships and reassure herself that her friends really are her friends.
What she hadn't counted on was Quinn being worried enough to call in the troops.
"Rachel Berry, I swear to God that if you don't let us in, we will break down this door!"
Rachel wouldn't have believed that statement if it hadn't come from Santana, but she knew the head Cheerio well enough to know that she would carry through on it. Sighing deeply, Rachel got up from her desk and unlocked and pulled the door open.
"What do you guys want?" she asked, annoyed.
"It's about damn time," Santana said, pushing past Rachel into her room. Brittany, Quinn, and Tina immediately followed. "Why in the hell did you lock yourself in here?"
Rachel rolled her eyes at the Latina. "I wanted some privacy. What's so wrong with that?"
Quinn huffed. "I have been living here for two weeks and the only times your door is ever not open is when you have Noah in here. So when you locked me out when I know that Noah isn't over, I got worried."
Brittany nodded, her ponytail bouncing. "So she called us to come over and help you with whatever it is that's bugging you."
"Nothing's bugging m..."
"Don't lie," Tina commanded. "Quinn told us that you ditched Puck at school. So, what's wrong?"
Rachel sighed again. She didn't really want to go into it, but she knew these girls well enough by now to know that they wouldn't leave her alone until they got the truth out of her.
"All of you told Noah to sleep with me before Regionals," she stated bluntly. Might as well just put it right out there for them to deal with.
Every single one of them immediately looked sheepish. While they exchanged a look, Rachel crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for their responses. Quinn spoke first.
"We did, but you have to understand that it was before any of us really knew you like we do now," she admitted.
That didn't make Rachel feel any better. "Why is that important? Didn't it occur to any of you that I have feelings just like everyone else and would be hurt when I found out what you had done?"
Santana frowned. "Honestly, Rachel, I never really thought about you having feelings. It's not like you ever act hurt even after everything we've done to you over the years."
"Just because you don't see it doesn't mean I don't feel it!" Rachel exclaimed.
"We know Rachel; we know that now more than ever before," Tina said, in an effort to calm her down. "And to be fair, I think Brittany did think about your feelings."
Rachel turned to her best friend to find her vigorously bobbing her head in agreement. "I really did. Kurt wanted to pay someone from the hockey team to have sex with you, but that was a really mean plan. So, I suggested Puck because he was our friend and I knew that I could ask him to not sleep with you. And I did, and he agreed not to."
"But we have slept together Britt, you know we have," she pointed out, cheeks heating up. She had never admitted this fact to Santana or Tina (Quinn had figured it out because they do live together after all). She could also feel a fury growing in her at Kurt. He had wanted to pay someone to sleep with her?
"I know, but I changed my mind at the 4th of July picnic," Brittany stated.
Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
The blonde grinned at her. "When you were talking to Jack," Santana let out a disgusted sound over his name and Brittany nodded at her, "I went back to the blankets and he asked me where you were. You should have seen his face when I told him that you were with Jack! I knew that he really cared about you then, so I gave him permission to go after you because you had just told me that you wanted him too. Oh, and I threatened to hurt him if he slept with you and then ditched you."
Rachel was touched that Brittany had been protecting her for so long, from both Kurt and Puck, but she had to ask her final question.
"Why didn't any of you tell me the truth after you saw how close I had gotten to Noah?"
They were again silent as they considered her question.
"It just didn't matter anymore," Quinn said thoughtfully.
Santana nodded in agreement. "It was obvious that he loves you and you love him, so why he started hanging out with you wasn't important."
"Can you honestly say that it makes a difference to where you are now?" Tina questioned her.
Rachel stared around at her friends and saw that each of them were giving her hopeful looks. Rachel sighed yet again.
"It doesn't. I had already decided that before you guys even came over. I know he loves me even if he hasn't said it yet, so what the glee club asked him to do doesn't matter anymore," she admitted.
They all smiled at her and then Brittany frowned.
"Do you forgive us for asking him to do it and for keeping it a secret?"
Rachel nodded. "I do, but no more secrets like that from now on, okay guys?"
"No problems there," Tina agreed.
"And risk getting kicked out of your house?" Quinn questioned at the same time, an incredulous expression on her face. "Your dads treat me like a princess and I actually kind of like living with you. It's like what having a sister should be since my sister and I have never been close."
Santana rolled her eyes and made a gagging sound over the mushiness. After Quinn and Rachel both hit her in either arm, she frowned. "How did you even find out about this whole thing?"
Rachel explained about the conversation she had overheard in the hallway. When she was done, all four of her friends wore identical scowls.
"They actually asked him to sleep with you near Sectionals?" Santana nearly growled out.
"Yeah, but I'm already sleeping with him, so it's not that big of a deal."
"But they don't know that," Quinn pointed out. "So it kind of is a big deal."
Brittany grinned in a way that made Rachel's skin crawl. "They must pay, and I think I know just how to do it."
"I don't want to hurt them guys," Rachel protested. "I mean, if they hadn't done what they did, then Noah and I wouldn't be together now."
"They were going to pay someone to sleep with you Rachel. And you were a virgin!" Santana reminded her passionately.
"You have to do something to pay them back," Tina agreed.
Rachel sighed. She knew that there was no changing their minds, so she might as well hear them out.
ooooo
"What the hell are you doing here?"
After Rachel had ditched him at school, he had driven home. He couldn't believe that he had probably just lost his girl. He knew that she didn't like to be lied to, especially after what Finn had done to her. He also knew that he wasn't going to let her go without putting up a fucking fight. When his doorbell had rang, he thought it might be Rachel giving him a chance to explain. Instead, he had opened the door to find Finn. What the fuck?
"Dude, we need to talk," Finn announced, shoving his way into Puck's house.
"No, we don't. Get the hell out," Puck growled at him. He sure as hell didn't want to talk to the guy that had caused Berry's trust issues.
Finn crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm here to help you and I'm not leaving."
Puck shut the front door (his ex-best friend was stupidly stubborn) and crossed his arms over his chest. "Why the fuck do you think I need help?"
"I know that Rachel came to school with you and left with Quinn and Matt. You know, I'm on the baseball team too; I saw the way you guys were over the summer. Dude, you've been happier with her than I can remember you being since your dad took off. And you make Rachel happier than she ever was with me. She loves you Puck; even I can see that. So, I'm here to help you get her back," he explained.
Rachel loved him? Fuck yeah! Puck didn't say this though. Instead he frowned at the other boy. "You want to help me get Berry back? I don't get it; don't you love her?"
Finn ran a hand over the back of his neck. "A part of me always will, but I screwed up any chance I ever had with her when I screwed Santana. Besides, we broke up nearly four months ago. And, no matter what I did, I do want her to be happy. If that's with you, then so be it."
Puck was shocked. Apparently while he was so wrapped up in Rachel over the summer, Finn had grown up. He hadn't sounded like the brainless dope he normally did just now; he had actually sounded mature.
"Okay, what did you have in mind?"
Puck couldn't believe that he was letting Finn help him out, but he wasn't willing to give up Rachel for anything.
Finn smiled. "You know her better than anyone of course, but what do you think about...?"
While they started planning, Puck had to admit that it felt kind of awesome to have his friend back.
ooooo
When Rachel walked into glee practice the following day with the girls, she was highly annoyed. She was pretty sure that Noah had skipped school that day. She had been watching for him everywhere she went and hadn't spotted him even once all day. He didn't show up for math and Quinn had let her know that he wasn't in history. How was she supposed to tell him that nothing had changed between them if she couldn't even find him?
She took her seat in the front row between Quinn and Brittany and kept watch on the door. If Puck showed up, she was going to corner him and say what she needed to say. When Finn came in, he gave her a weird smile. What was that about? Santana reached around Brittany and hit her in the shoulder, distracting her.
"Are you ready to have your say with Kurt and Mercedes?"
Rachel took her eyes off the door long enough to acknowledge Santana. "Yes, yes, I definitely am."
She was going to use this as an opportunity to get out her anger at the two of them over not just the whole paying someone to sleep with her issue, but also their whole attitude toward her in general.
When Mr. Schuester stepped to the front of the room, Noah still hadn't shown up and Rachel could feel her heart fall.
"Okay guys, Sectionals are in four months, so we have some time to start working on new material. I also think that we should look into recruiting some new members. We won Regionals last year, but we definitely don't want to get too comfortable," he started.
Rachel's hand shot up. "Mr. Schuester!"
"Yes, Rachel?"
She could see the barely leashed irritation in his face, but she wasn't about to let that deter her.
"I have a number that I would like to perform."
Without waiting for him to give her the okay, she hopped up and hooked her I-Pod and docking station up. After she found the right song and hit play, she faced the rest of the glee club (she noticed that Noah had snuck in while she was busy with her I-Pod). After the guitar opening, she started singing.
Can't make my own decisions
Or make any with precision
Well maybe you should tie me up
So I don't go where you don't want me
You say that I been changing
that I'm not just simply aging
Yeah how could that be logical?
Just keep on cramming ideas down my throat
While she was singing, she noticed that Noah was watching her closely, and she knew that he was wondering if this song was directed at him. She didn't want him to worry and at the chorus, she started moving toward Kurt and Mercedes.
You don't have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I'll point you to the mirror
She had focused her attention completely on the two. Kurt sneered at her, but Mercedes' eyes had widened.
If God's the game you're playing
Well we must get more acquainted
Because it has to be so lonely
To be the only one who's holy
It's just my humble opinion
But it's one that I believe in
You don't deserve a point of view
If the only thing you see is you
From the way Mercedes was looking at her, Rachel knew that she had gotten the point of this whole song. Kurt still had his nose in the air though (literally, and really?), and as he was the worse of the two, Rachel focused her attention exclusively on him.
You don't have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I'll point you to the mirror
Kurt finally met her eyes, though it was clearly against his will.
This is the last second chance
I'll point you to the mirror
I'm half as good as it gets
I'll point you to the mirror
I'm on both sides of the fence
I'll point you to the mirror
Without a hint of regret
I'll hold you to it
The girls had joined in from their seats to help her out so that they sang the repetitious lines.
I know you don't have to believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I'll point you to the mirror
I know you won't believe me
But the way I, way I see it
Next time you point a finger
I might have to bend it back
Or break it, break it off
Next time you point a finger
I'll point you to the mirror
When she wrapped up her song, the expression on Kurt's face let her know that he'd gotten the message. She wasn't going to care what he thought anymore and she wouldn't take kindly to any further interference in her life on his part. He wasn't perfect and he had no right to mess with her. She was done with him.
Now, she just needed to fix things with Noah.
ooooo
Puck sat in his seat in the back corner and smirked. That was his girl, taking her anger out on Hummel in song. At first, he had been worried that she was going to break up with him, especially when she had met his eyes briefly before the first chorus. He'd been fucking relieved when she'd started walking to the two gossip queens instead.
He had skipped school to perfect what was basically going to serve as him expressing his feelings for her. He was pretty sure he had it down, but he was fucking nervous as hell. When Rachel took her spot with the three Cheerios and Tina, Finn gave him an encouraging grin (fucking pussy) and he raised his hand.
"Puck?" Schue sounded damn confused.
"I want to sing something," he said hesitantly. He couldn't believe he was about to fucking do this, but Finn had been right when he'd said that a public statement to Berry in song was the best way to get her back. So, Puck had picked the song and learned it.
He picked up his acoustic guitar and pulled a stool to the front of the room. Before he started, he met Rachel's eyes and saw that she was fucking curious. He smirked at that and began playing the acoustic version of the song he had chosen.
When you were here before
Couldn't look you in the eye
You're just like an angel
Your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather
In a beautiful world
I wish I was special
You're so fucking special
Puck locked eyes with Rachel while he sang. He really hoped that she understood what he was trying to say.
But I 'm a creep
I 'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don't belong here
I don't care if it hurts
I want to have control
I want a perfect body
I want a perfect soul
I want you to notice
When I'm not around
You're so fucking special
I wish I was special
Puck wasn't paying attention to anyone else in the room; he only had eyes for Rachel. She was smiling at him, her big brown eyes shining.
But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don't belong here
She's running out again
She's running out
She run, run, run run
Run
That was the longest note that he'd ever held, so he was glad there was a break before he had to sing again.
Whatever makes you happy
Whatever you want
You're so fucking special
I wish I was special
But I'm a creep
I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doing here?
I don't belong here
I don't belong here
Puck knew that he wasn't good enough for Rachel; he never had been. She was a star and he knew that she was going to get out of this town someday. He wanted her to be happy and if that meant she couldn't accept what he was saying to her here, then he would deal with it. But he was fucking selfish and he wanted her whether he deserved her or not. It she forgave him, he would never give her another fucking excuse to walk away.
He strummed the final note and stood up to go back to his chair. When he passed Rachel's chair, she jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, trapping his guitar between them. She cupped one hand over the back of his head and pulled his lips down to hers. After a short, but fucking intense, kiss, she let go and beamed up at him, her eyes glistening with tears.
"I love you too, Noah," she said softly.
His heart fucking soared (and what a pussy thing to think, but he couldn't think of any other way to describe it) with those words. She had figured out that he was trying to tell her he loved her with that song, and she felt the same way. His day had just become fucking awesome.
ooooo
As glee drew to a close, Rachel didn't think her day could get any better. Noah had sung to her in front of everyone (then he had ditched, so she figured he was embarrassed), and she knew that the song he had picked was his way of saying he loved her. She had seen the look in his eyes when she told him she loved him too and she knew that she'd gotten it right. She was pulling up the handle on her bag and talking to Quinn about their plans to take her dads to dinner tomorrow night for their anniversary when someone cleared their throat behind her.
"Rachel, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Rachel straightened up and turned to face Mercedes, waving Quinn off. "Yes?"
"I just wanted to apologize for what we did. I also wanted to tell you that when Kurt paid Nate Hallings to ask you out last year, I did warn Puck about it," the other girl explained.
Rachel tilted her head. "Thank you for that at least. Sorry, but I need to go; Quinn and Matt are waiting on me."
When Rachel left the choir room, she felt more at peace with herself than she had in a long time. Life was good. She had her friends, she had Noah (as soon as she found him; he'd run out so quickly), and Mercedes had actually apologized to her.
She was walking past the first floor janitor's closet near her locker when a hand shot out and grabbed her, pulling her in. She nearly let out a scream, but then her eyes adjusted to the dim overhead light and she saw that it was just Noah. He was leaning against the closed door.
"What are you doing?" she asked in confusion, dropping the handle of her bag.
A fire lit behind his eyes and he moved away from the door. A shiver ran up her spine as he crowded her backward; his eyes were so very green right now. She felt a rush of liquid between her thighs and her breathing picked up. Oh, God, he hadn't even touched her yet.
"What do you think I'm doing babe?"
She came to an abrupt halt as her back hit the wall behind her. Locking eyes with him, she answered.
"I think you're doing something that could get us expelled."
He smirked and stopped mere inches away from her. "And you fucking love it."
She whimpered at his words and he lowered his lips to hers. As soon as he wrapped his arms around her waist, she melted into him and opened her mouth so that he could slide his tongue inside. Their tongues twined together and he moved one hand from her back to slide up under her shirt and cup her breast through her bra, stroking a thumb over her nipple. Rachel twisted one hand in his mohawk and pressed her other hand to his chest over his nipple ring, rubbing it.
Rachel was so wrapped up in the kiss that she was caught off guard when he cupped her ass and lifted her up. When she wrapped her legs around his hips, settling her core over his hard length, he tore his mouth from hers. While he nibbled his way down her neck, he also talked (she loved his dirty talk).
"I bet you're already so fucking wet for me that you're dripping." He licked her collar bone and she moaned. "I could just fucking unzip my jeans and screw you through the wall." He kissed his way back up her neck and jaw to her ear. "Do you want that Rachel? Do you want me to rail you right here?" he whispered against her ear before sucking on her earlobe.
He slid one hand off her butt and, placing it between them, pushed her skirt up her thighs. When he slid a finger into her panties and over her clit, she hissed in pleasure. After circling her clit twice, he plunged his finger into her and she arched her back, letting out a cry.
"God, Noah!"
He stroked his finger inside of her, curling it upward to hit her g-spot. Letting the wall at her back brace her, he moved his other hand down and the sound of a zipper rasped loudly through the closet. The motion of his finger and that sound caused another rush of wetness to her core. When he removed his finger, she whimpered in protest. It turned to a gasp when she felt his cock against her opening, his other hand holding her panties aside. Instead of sliding into her though, he stroked himself over her clit. She moved her hands down to curl over his shoulders.
"Please Noah," she pleaded.
He stroked over her again teasingly. "Just tell me what you fucking want Rach."
"You know what I w...w...want," she stuttered out as he slid just the head into her and then back out again.
"Just fucking say it Rach and I'll fuck you," he whispered against her ear.
"I need you inside of me Noah," she moaned.
That was all he needed; he thrust fully into her in one smooth motion with a groan even as she cried out and arched against him. He placed both of his palms flat against the wall on either side of her and started stroking slowly and shallowly within her. He was completely in charge of their pace and she knew it was going to drive her mad. She tried to move her hips against him, but he had her pressed so firmly against the wall that there wasn't much she could do. When he moved one hand off the wall to rub against her clit with every stroke out, she knew he was driving her crazy on purpose.
"Noah, you can't do this," she said on a gasp. "It's not fair."
Stroking her clit, he smirked down at her. "You know what I want to hear babe; all you have to do is say it and I'll give you what you want."
His breath was coming so fast that she knew he wanted to let go as badly as she wanted him to. But she also knew that he was damn stubborn and would keep this slow pace until she gave in.
So, cheeks burning, she panted out, "Oh, God, Noah, please fuck me harder."
"Fuck yeah," he got out before his hips picked up speed.
While he thrust into her fast and hard, she knew that this was what he meant when he threatened to fuck her through the wall. Her thoughts were completely incoherent and she had started a nonstop moaning. This was just so...so...so...
"Ohhhhh."
She was so close but she just couldn't quite get there. She felt like every muscle in her body was tensed in anticipation of going over the edge, but she was missing that final push.
"Oh, Noah, I need...I need..."
He groaned out her name and came, still thrusting through his orgasm. He lowered his head and bit down on her collarbone and that was it. The tension in her body exploded and she let out a high, keening scream as she clenched around him, her nails cutting into his shoulders.
"Shit babe, I love that you're a screamer, but you'll get us caught," Noah said, voice muffled from where his head was still resting against her neck.
She let out a shaky laugh. "You knew that about me when you decided to have sex in this closet," she reminded him.
When they had both recovered enough to stand on their own, Noah pulled out of her and set her on her feet. They took care to clean up (and this was exactly why she kept a healthy supply of wet naps in her purse) and then he zipped up, she readjusted her panties and skirt, and they left the closet.
He took her hand and twined their fingers together. "So, I'll give you a ride home."
Rachel gasped. "Oh, my gosh. I totally forgot that Matt and Quinn were waiting for me!"
"Nah, they're not. I told them I'd take you home."
She glanced up at him. "I've wanted to ask you this since yesterday, but why did you agree to Kurt's plan?"
He shrugged. "I may not have been all that interested in being friends with you at the time, but I didn't want you to have sex with someone who was being paid for it."
She smiled to herself. Even when he had zero interest in her, he had still protected her.
He came to an abrupt halt in front of the exit and slid his free hand into his pocket. "Here."
Rachel dropped the handle of her bag to take whatever he was holding out. She looked down at what he had thrust into her hand and her heart melted.
"This is your class ring," she stated softly, studying the ring in her hand. It was the classic style, gold with a red stone in the center, his name on one side, and his year on the other. It had been threaded onto a delicate gold chain. She looked up at him. "You're giving me your class ring?"
He ran a hand over his mohawk and avoided her gaze. "Well, it's just...this way everyone knows you're with me." He met her eyes. "The chain's real gold."
She smiled brightly up at him, her eyes prickling with tears for the second time that day. "I love it Noah. I would love it even if I had to buy my own chain for it. Put it on me?"
He took the ring from her and she lifted her hair so that he could fasten the clasp of the chain. When he was done, the ring fell heavily on top of her shirt between her breasts and she turned to face him. She stood on her toes and kissed him.
"I love you Noah."
She dropped back down and grabbed the handle to her bag in one hand and his hand in her other. They had just stepped outside when she heard it so quietly she would have missed it if she weren't so attuned to him.
"I love you too Rach."
A/N 2: The song Rachel (with some help from the girls) sang was 'Playing God' by Paramore. Puck sang the acoustic version of Radiohead's 'Creep'.