A/N it's been a while now I know and I'm not one hundred percent on this story either but I thought I would dip my toe back into writing. My last story got lots of lovely and amazing reviews but it also got a number of anonymous reviews that were mean and seeing as I stay away from all the fandom drama it confused me. I also had lots of work to do :( but it's mostly done now :D and as I still don't have a beta I apologise for any grammatical and spelling mistakes in the below.
History
The realisation that Rachel and Puck had a history came very gradually to the glee club, though it's was still shocking when it finally clicked in everyone's mind. They had seen the growing friendship, the signs that there was something between the bad boy and the good girl, the high fives, the seating arrangements in glee, him being the first one to get up to hug her after her MVP award. But it wasn't until the glee sleepover that they finally saw IT, the history that had been hidden from them all.
Mr Schuester had thought it would be a good idea for team unity if they spent a weekend together and with Holly Holiday as a female chaperone all parents agreed quickly and so one Friday all 13 members descended on Will's apartment. Lauren who had chucked glee club as soon as Kurt returned was not there but the new New Direction Blaine came.
"So pizza, karaoke and..."
"Unless you are going to say booze Schue, stop while you are ahead" Puck interrupted their teacher as they sprawled out around the living room "we are here for a lame sleepover, no need to beat us over the head with it"
"I bag the sofa!" Rachel suddenly cried out after looking around the small living room
"Awwwww!" everyone moaned as they were beaten to the punch by Rachel.
"Well Artie and few others can go in the spare room" Will tried to help "and I have lots of pillows and blankets"
"I still got the sofa" Rachel whispered at Puck who was sitting next to her
"Nicely done, Me.." Puck grinned down at her, her old nickname once again almost having slipped through his lips. He loved that their friendship was building up again almost too where they had been before, before high school, but he hated that he had been stupid enough to throw it away in the first place when it could have been the two of them, like it was supposed to be. Like it was going to be again hopefully.
Hours later Rachel stretched out on the sofa lazily her head cushioned by a soft pillow she could feel her eyes getting heavier and heavier as they all watched some film she was too tired to even recognise anymore. Her hand falling over the edge she felt it brush against Puck's shoulder as he sat with his back against the sofa before her eyes fell closed for the last time.
Glancing back at the girl he grinned as he noticed her exhausted but happy expression and reached over to pull the blanket over her tightly wrapping it around her as he placed the arm gently back on the sofa.
"She's asleep, turn it down a little" he told the room as he brushed her hair back from her face and settled down to lie next to the sofa on the floor ready to fall asleep as well now. On the other side of the room Sam and Mike shared a bemused look before returning to watching the television, filing it under another Puckleberry moment even it seemed more than that to the both of them.
The glee clubber's mostly falling asleep where they sat meant that the apartment was dead to the world by three am, Will and Holly retreating to the kid free zone of their bedroom. It started too quietly for any of them to hear, a quiet whimper and moan as Rachel tossed on the sofa her eyes moving rapidly under her eyes lids. Another whimper escaped her lips and her arm tossed out almost hitting Puck in the face as his eyes snapped open at the sound of Rachel's whimper.
"Mel?" he murmured sleepily dodging her hand as he struggled to sit up the moans and whimpers becoming louder more people waking up as Rachel groaned in fear and moved erratically on the sofa.
"What's going on?" Quinn demanded harshly as Puck got on his knees beside Rachel and tried to wake her up by shaking her shoulders.
"Mel? Melody? Mel wake up hun" he ordered desperately knowing exactly what she was seeing and why it was hurting her so much "Melly please!" he begged shaking her harder as she started to scream. Her piercing screams waking all of them up, Will and Holly scrambling from their bedroom coming to a stop as they found the glee club huddled around Rachel who was whimpering and screaming as she tossed and turned on the narrow sofa her blankets twisted around her legs as Puck kneeled at her side.
"Melly wake up please" he begged again "wake up and stop seeing it, I'm here Mel Apollo is here"
Suddenly starting awake with a scream Rachel's eyes flooded with tears which fell quickly as she launched herself into Puck's arms sobbing.
"I've got you, I've got you" he murmured picking her up and settling them back on the sofa, Rachel cradled in his arms.
"Pol?" Rachel sobbed into his shoulder his large hands running up and down her back in a soothing manner.
"I'm here Mel, I'm here" he assured her "and I'm not going anywhere this time I promise"
"What the hell is going on!" Quinn demanded again "who the hell is Mel and Pol?"
"Quinn, not now" Puck snapped looking up at them all knowing that they all had questions and Rachel was not in the mood to answer them and he wanted to concentrate on her right now "Schue I'm taking her home". Leaving no room for argument and keeping her in his arms he stood up and cradled her close walking her towards the door Sam hurrying before them to open the door.
"I'll get your truck door as well" Sam said darting in front of Puck who nodded in thanks still murmuring soothing words under his breath as Rachel clung to him "she ok?" Sam asked worriedly as Rachel was eased into the cab truck still clinging to Puck.
"Not really, but she will be. I'll explain everything Monday ok?"
"Ok then" Sam nodded closing the door stepping back and watched as Puck started the truck and drove the distraught Rachel home before returning upstairs where everyone was talking excitedly and curiously.
"What was that?" Finn wondered aloud "and why did Puck rush her away?"
"In case you hadn't noticed dear step-brother, Puck and Rachel are quite close" Kurt drawled before yawning and flopping back onto the sofa.
"That was more than being close that was history" Brit said slowly as she chewed on the end of her ponytail sitting next to Artie who had been asleep in the guest bedroom and had lifted himself into his chair at the commotion. "Well it was!" she defended herself as they all started at her in disbelief "they were calling each other nicknames and he wasn't surprised that she was having a bad dream"
"Either Brit has it right and we are all blind or it's just another Puckleberry moment" Mike brought the discussion to an end, ignoring the constipated look of Finn's face that was common every time someone mentioned Puck and Rachel's couple name "I guess we'll find out on Monday"
Gleeeeeeeeeee
"I'm sorry Pol" Rachel murmured as Puck pulled into her driveway and lifted her out cradling her close as he entered her empty single story house and carried her to her room.
"It's not your fault" he said gruffly as he placed her down on her bed and dropped the bag he was carrying over his shoulder with her shoes and purse in it "it never was"
"They blame me" Rachel said miserably rolling onto her side to stare at the photo frame that sat on her bedside table. Closing his eyes in defeat at her lost expression Puck quickly toed off his sneakers and dropped his jeans to the floor before quickly stepping out of them and joining her on the bed, folding her quickly back in his arms.
"That's because they are stupid" he told her viciously "and decided that it is better to push their remaining child away rather than actually deal with their loss"
"I blame me" Rachel whimpered in a broken voice "if I hadn't gone back..."
"You thought Dani was in that house, you went back in to save my sister"
"Except she wasn't in there and I lost my brother" Rachel burst into tears again her body shaking as Puck held her tight and muttered denials and comforting words under his breath knowing she wasn't actually listening to him. In fact Rachel was revelling in just having someone there for her as she broke down for once, she wasn't wrong her parents did blame her for the loss of her older brother four years ago but rather than force a confrontation they ignored her, not realising that they were at risk of losing another child.
"I miss him" Rachel sobbed into the pillow she was clinging to, Puck's soothing hands rubbing at her back "everyday"
"I know Mel" Puck gathered her tighter into his arms and held her close "I miss him too, it wasn't until I lost him as well that I became an idiot who hurt you"
"Pol..."
"No Mel, I hurt you and pushed you away because I couldn't deal with losing him either, because somehow in my warped logic that made sense"
"I thought you blamed me as well" Rachel admitted quietly as she clung to him "if my own protector blamed me, I had to be blamed"
"I never blamed you; I just didn't want to lose you like I had lost my father and Eli so I pushed you away. It's the worst mistake I ever made Mel, instead of being your Apollo I was your Hades"
"Still reading the classics?"
"You gave me the most kickass nickname in the world; I wanted to know where it came from plus those Greeks had it going on!" he joked lightly
"I assume you mean in the carnal sense" Rachel smiled weakly rubbing at her eyes
"Zeus was one randy bastard" Puck continued breathing a sigh of relief that he had gotten her to smile "but seriously I never should have stopped being your Apollo, your light, your protector"
"I wasn't exactly your Melody" Rachel admitted reluctantly as they cuddled on her bed the lightening sky out of her window going unnoticed as they finally hashed out what had happened to them years ago "I stopped singing, I stopped humming! For a while there I just stopped..."
"You stopped living and where as I should have been there to drag it out of you I wasn't there either"
"We could change that though" she said slowly "I mean I think we have already been doing it, but..."
"But nothing, I don't want it just as it was I want more this time Mel"
"More?" she asked worriedly
"You are over Douche Hudson right?"
"Of course I am Apollo!" Rachel growled affronted "as if I would like that boy after he got back with me solely so that we could win Nationals!"
"Well then how do you think Melody?" Puck taunted her with a smile before swiftly leaning down to possess her mouth insistently in a fierce demanding kiss that made the young women gasp taking advantage Puck slid his tongue into her hot mouth and bared her down to lie flat on her bed. Content to lose hours in simply kissing if it was this girl he was kissing.
Gleeeeeeeeeeee
Spending the weekend wrapped in each other they had almost forgotten that they would have to face the curious glee club at Monday's practise, but walking into school that day hand in hand they were harshly reminded of their differing statuses in school. Being greeted by a slushie to her face was not exactly a new occurrence for Rachel, Puck responding by pinning Karofsky to the row of lockers by his throat was new however.
"Do that to her ever again and I will remove any chance you held of ever having a hard on again" Puck growled from the back of his throat his expression more menacing then it had even been before "Rachel is off limits, comprende?"
Karofsky suitably cowed nodded dumbly unable to speak with the hand wrapped tightly around his throat, gasping for air as Puck released him the footballer watched as the resident baddass of the school hurried Rachel, who had stood silently by, away to get cleaned up.
"That's more like my Pol" she joked lightly as she twisted her now clean but wet hair into a bun, having no time to dry it under the hand dryers like she usually did.
"What belligerent?" Puck laughed opening his bag to pull out his clean McKinley gym shirt to give to her to change into.
"Oh and high brow language as well" Rachel teased "your Zadie would be proud"
"Don't tell him" Puck moaned in resignation "he will get all proud on me and he drones when he is proud"
"You haven't exactly..." Rachel started biting her lip quickly when she realised just how condescending her comment was.
"Given him much to be proud about over the last four years" Puck finished for her as he watched her strip off her slushie stained sweater and slid his t-shirt on over her simple black bra with no preamble. "No need to beat around the bush Mel, I know that I've been an idiot. And that it the nicest word for it"
"As long as Pol is back now" Rachel said absently gathering the large t-shirt in a knot at the side so that it didn't dwarf her small frame "and I already know he is" she added playfully going up on her tip toes to press a kiss to his lips.
"Looking sexy babe" Puck grinned as she fell back on to her feet and saw her outfit, her long toned legs cased as usual in their usual knee socks matching her black pleated skirt but her upper body encased in his school shirt that was tied tight to her body. "Ready to run the gauntlet?" he questioned with that sexy smirk.
"You keep talking all posh like that and you're going to get me all hot" Rachel joked with a fake blush waving at her face to cool herself down mockingly.
"Stop teasing me" Puck mock glared in reply as he wrapped himself around her and manhandled her out of the bathroom laughing "come on My Melody, let's get you to class" with this last statement he took her hand again and creating another stir in the hallway walked her to class. Kissing her thoroughly at the door before ambling off to his own class, knowing Mel would dump him in it if he didn't.
"Puck went to class today" Artie said in shock wheeling into the choir room at the end of the day "every class"
"Rachel is wearing his shirt" Finn added with a scowl "has been all day"
"That's cos Jerkofsky slushied her this morning" Sam informed them "then Puck pinned him to the lockers by his throat and threatened his ability to have an erection"
"What!"
"Yup, I was there. He look scared shitless"
"Here they come" Kurt said at his post at the door his eyes alight with the prospect of new gossip "and they are holding hands!" he added with a squeal before scuttling over to his chair next to Mercedes.
"Good Afternoon fellow Glee Clubbers" Rachel said brightly as her and her boyfriend entered the room.
"SPILL!" Mercedes ordered straight away as everyone took in Puck standing close to the petite brunette and the clasped hands.
"If you are referring to me and Apo...Noah, we are in a relationship" Rachel said with a beaming smile up at her boyfriend who grinned back before pressing a kiss to her lips.
"There are those nicknames again" Quinn scowled "Who is Mel and Apollo?"
"Obviously it is Rachel and Puck" Brit said with a roll to her eyes "duh!"
"Rachel is Melody because she is always singing and has her own Melody. Which means that Puck is Apollo but I don't understand what that is?"
"Apollo is the Greek of Light and War. He is my protector" Rachel said with a grin at Puck who slid his arm around Rachel's shoulders and tugged her close.
"But you were right about Rachel being Melody" Puck grinned at Brit "she has been singing since the cradle"
"What about the nightmare?" Mike asked only to look around awkwardly as Rachel paled significantly and glanced up at Puck whose jaw fixed into a rigid and angry line.
"I dream about a particularly awful night that I suffered four years ago" Rachel said stiffly her eyes watery and unfocused and if she was seeing something none of them could see.
"What you only get second place in a singing competition?" Quinn dismissed with a smirk and disdainful roll of her eyes
"Shut your mouth or I will shut it for you" Puck snarled quickly "Mel went to hell and back four years ago and I'm not going to let you sit there and belittle it!"
"Woo dude!" Artie whistled as Quinn blushed furiously
"I'm just speaking the truth" Quinn snarled getting to her feet, her momentary embarrassment forgotten "we all know that Rachel is an over dramatic cow"
"I lost my brother Quinn; I don't think that can be defined as being overdramatic" Rachel finally snapped turning away from Puck's shoulder where she had been hiding her face "four years ago I watched my brother burn and when I remember that in my nightmares I think I have the right to wake up screaming!"
"Ra..." Quinn tried to back track
"No, I don't think you realise how it feels to have your entire life ripped away in one horrific night. Because I didn't just lose Eli, I lost my fathers who blame me for his death; I lost Apollo who couldn't handle the loss either! So yes maybe I am being melodramatic but just remember you made me tell you this story, not me!" turning tightly Rachel stormed from the room quickly.
"We have a history Quinn, its one you cannot even begin to understand, but this will never be mentioned again. Mel can't handle it" with this last statement Apollo walked out to follow his Melody.