This is me being an idiot but this idea flashed into my head and I started writing it down, thinking it was going to be another one shot that comes when I'm lost on my stories or just don't have much time to write and I ended up realizing halfway through this was going to be another chapter story but it was to late. so I apologize for starting a new one but you'll all be happy to know I have word docs open for all of my chapter stories right now and am about to go start working on one right as soon as I post this so...there's a plus right? lol. Enjoy! oh and fair warning, holidays and retail are death so writing's going to be a little crazy these next few weeks but I'll do my best as always!

Shout out to CherryPower, Unsuspecting Sunday Afternoon and Ravenwolf2089 they are amazing so if you haven't already, go over and check out some of their stories as well :) Love you guys!

It's been 3 years since I graduated, leaving Lima, Ohio and most of my past behind to travel to NYU and finally get a start on my future. 3 years since I've seen or heard from anyone from New Directions besides Santana, Matt and Mike. They all came to NYU with me so we all ended up hanging out together. Santana and I were roommates all three years and this year we rented out an apartment with Matt and Mike so we could live off campus. Santana and I were best friends, she's dating Matt and has been for two years, Mike and I are close friends and everyone expects us to get together but we're not like that. For one thing, he's still in love with Tina, who broke up with him last year claiming long distance was too hard and that for now they needed to be just friends and the other thing is that even though it's been three years since I went home to Lima, three years since I've seen anyone(besides Britney who visits San all the time) from there besides the ones with me, three years since I talked to him, I still think about him all of the time and now, now I'm heading back home for Britney and Artie's wedding and I have no clue what I'm going to do.

"San…I can't, you guys go without me…"

"Rachel Barbara Berry get your ass down here with the bags in five seconds or I'm going to send Mike and Matt to carry you all of the way to the airport." Santana yelled back, both Mike and Matt waiting beside her.

Sighing, I knew she would make good on that threat so I grabbed my bag and started walking down the stairs, slowly, when I saw San I glared at her, "I hate you sometimes, you know that?"

"Yeah yeah, love you too, B now come on we're going to be late."

"What a tragedy" I muttered to myself as I felt Mike grab my bag and throw his free arm around me, "Cheer up, Legs, it's going to be fun seeing everyone again."

"For you, of course it will be you'll get to see Tina and probably talk her into getting back together like the two of you do every time you see each other."

"Quit whining, you know you want to see him so just get in the taxi and let's go." Santana snapped, cutting off whatever reply Mike may have made.

I got in the cab without another word and watched out the window as we drove to the airport. Matt, San and Mike were all chattering excitedly beside me but I couldn't join in. I couldn't help remembering that last night in Lima, when things could have been perfect if I hadn't messed everything up.

FLASHBACk

"You alright, Rach? I saw you and Finn earlier; things looked pretty intense between the two of you"

"I'm fine Noah. I was just telling Finn that we were over since I leave for New York next week."

"You guys have been together for fucking ever, why dump his ass now?" Noah asked, confused.

"I told you, I'm going to New York, he's staying here. He doesn't understand that, which is probably what you saw. He took it harder than I expected."

"How'd you expect him to take his girlfriend of three years dumping him out of the blue?" Noah asked, confused.

She shrugged, "I don't know. I guess I didn't really think about it. I always told him that when I left for New York, I was leaving my past behind me. I figured he'd realize that if he didn't come with me that he'd be part of it."

"Wait, hold up. What do you mean by that? You'll still be coming back for holidays and shit right? So how are you planning to leave your past completely behind you?" Noah asked, sounding more confused than ever.

"When I leave, I'm not coming back, Noah." Rachel replied, not looking at him.

"What about your dads? They live here, you'll have to see them right?"

"They're moving to New York this summer." She answered finally looking over at him.

"So you're just going to cut everyone off? Just forget you ever fucking knew us?" Noah asked.

"Of course I won't forget you, I'm just going to be so busy with school and auditions, I doubt I'll have much time for relationships that are thousands of miles away." Rachel replied, cocking her head, confused why he sounded so angry. Sure they had been friends the past couple of years but it wasn't like they were super close or anything. He was her now ex boyfriend's best friend and the person that she sometimes talked to when her and Finn fought but really they weren't close enough for him to be so upset by the thought of her leaving him behind.

"So you'll call or email or whatever?" He asked.

Rachel shrugged, not really confirming or denying.

"Rach…" Puck started then shook his head, "Never mind. Want to get lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure" Rachel replied, smiling at him, glad he seemed to be over whatever it was that upset him.

She let him take her home since Finn had brought her to the party. When he walked her to her door, he surprised her by kissing her. She kissed him back though and for some reason found herself inviting him inside. He grinned because the last time he had been in her room was sophomore year. "Hey Rach?"

"hmm?"

"Wanna make out?"

"Sure" She replied, and that's how they ended up on the bed and before either of them knew it, their clothes were off and he was slipping on a condom. "Are you sure?" He asked breathing hard.

She nodded, kissing him hard before he slipped inside her.

After they finished and were lying cuddled on the bed, Noah kissed the top of her head, "I've wanted to do that since freshman year of high school."

She just nodded, sleepily.

"Rach?" He questioned.

"Hmm?"

"You're not with Hudson anymore right?"

"Uh huh" She replied still half asleep.

"Go out with me."

"WHAT!" She yelled, sitting straight up.

"Go out with me."

"What part of I broke up with Finn because he wasn't going to New York didn't you understand, exactly?" She asked.

He stared at her, frowning before answering, "We could make it work. Hell, if I tried I could transfer up to New York next semester. We'd make it work, babe"

Rachel just shook her head, "No, Noah"

"Why the fuck not?"

Rachel just kept shaking her head before finally saying, "I think you should leave. Good bye Noah."

He was still obviously angry but he forced himself to push it aside, nod and start getting dressed, "Lunch tomorrow, still?" he asked as he pulled his jeans on, turning to look at her.

She gave him a sad smile, nodding once, "Sure, Noah."

Grinning at her, "Great, we'll talk then, alright."

Another nod and he leaned over the bed to kiss her. She kissed him back, holding him to her tightly for a moment before letting go and watching him walk towards her door, smirk in place, eyes twinkling.

"Good Bye, Noah" She called softly.

"Later, Rach" he answered with a last wave before slipping out the door. She heard her front door shut and got up, slipping on the shirt Noah left on her floor, she went in search of her phone before calling up a familiar number.

"San? Yeah, I'm heading up tonight. "

And she left, just like that. Santana drove up a week later, and gave her a letter Noah had written when he found out she had changed her email address and phone number. The letter pretty much said that if she called him in the next couple days they'd get it worked out otherwise not to bother because what she had just done had, in his words, fuckin' sucked. He'd wrote out a bunch of crap about how they could work it out but Rachel mainly zoned in on the last line of the letter, "I've been halfway in love with you since sophomore year and I finally get a chance without dumbass Hudson in the picture, give me that chance, Rach, you won't regret it ever. Love, Noah.

There was also a P.S. that said, You know I'm serious when I hunt down Satan just to give you a pansy ass letter so call me.

She almost called him several times those first few weeks but never could make herself dial the phone until finally school and auditions and what not took up her life so fully she hardly ever spared a thought for what she left behind. Though whenever a guy asked her on a date or tried to get close, a pair of hazel eyes and a mischievous smirk would pop into her head and she'd quickly come up with an excuse and back out, running back to her dorm room or later her apartment, curl up, in his shirt, with her senior year photo album and a tub of soy ice cream and reminisce until one of her friends found her curled up, red eyes from crying, and forced her away from her album. Santana would try to get her mind off of it by taking her out while Mike and Matt would always tell her to call him, being as they were still in touch with him the most and knew he was still, in many ways, waiting for the call from her even three years later but she'd always mutter something about it being either too late or impractical and leave it at that.

End of flashback

Now however, she was getting out of a taxi, following her three best friends in the world to a plan where she was going to have to not only talk to the man she walked out on all those years ago but see him, face to face and though she was scared to death of the thought, a small part of her couldn't be more excited.