Pairing(s), Characters: Rachel/Puck, Rachel/Finn, Glee club
Summary: Rachel finds herself slowly feeling for Puck again while in a relationship with Finn. Yeah, I know, fabulous summary... xD
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee au any of the characters. I do have my own little Puck-bot hidden in my closet though...
RACHEL
Even under the heavy influence of alcohol, Rachel still had the ability to cry. Even zaidi so than when she wasn't, actually. And the mere feeling of Finn grabbing her kwa the shati and literally flinging her off Noah, then the image of him snatching Noah kwa the collar, alama and beginning to ngumi, punch him, again and again, repeatedly was enough to make her vomit (part of it being the alcohol, of course). Her hand flew to her mouth as the urge grew, tears already flowing from her eyes. Quinn, who she hadn't actually realized had been present, hurried to her side, trying to shush and calm her and shield her from the scene as Rachel began to let out choked sobs. She vaguely appreciated the effort, but the fact that Quinn's own eyes were shining and the voice that tried to console her was breaking wasn't assisting matters, but only making things worse. Of course the rest of the club-- every single member-- chose to make their appearance at that exact moment, and the scene at large caused cries of grief and resentment, choked sobs, and even a "Not again!" from someone. Just like last time, Mike and Matt struggled to pull Finn off of Noah. Finn must have become stronger since last time, for Noah's face was blemished and beaten when he got up. Unfortunately there was no Mr. Schue around to help anything this time. Just Finn against Matt and Mike, who were still grappling with him, trying to control him.
"You-- bastard!" Finn yelled, his face contorted with rage and his cheeks flushed with anger. "Why did I ever even forgive you?! I should've known you'd try to steal every-- single-- good thing-- in my life!" Noah didn't respond. He seemed to have gained enough dignity since last time to stop trying to defend himself. "Say something!" Noah still didn't. He lay on the ground, completely and utterly defeated. There was nothing to say.
"Finn, stop it!" Rachel yelled, breaking free of Quinn's embrace and stepping in front of the bloodied Noah on the floor. "Don't blame him for anything-- it was me, all me!" Finn laughed. It was a scary sound.
"Yeah-- of course, of course Rachel, of course it was you. It's always you-- au Quinn, whatever-- I get it, wewe know. I'm just-- is it because I haven't had sex yet? Yeah, I bet that's what makes him so desirable. He's such a stud, isn't he? And I'm just-- I'm just some plain, no good, dumb punda loser inayofuata to him, right? I'm--"
"No, Finn, I swear it wasn't wewe either. It was all my doing--" she stumbled a little, walking towards him. Through her drunkenness she was somehow finding her words, although they all slid off of her tongue in a slippery motion, not really choosing them before she spoke them. Her brain had been fuzzy before, but the last dakika seemed to have cleared it slightly. "It was never anything wewe did, I still-- I still care for you, I swear, I really do, but it was my own, fumbling brain and moyo that made me fall for Noah--"
"Don't. Call him that." Rachel was surprised.
"Why?"
"It-- it makes it sound like wewe upendo him. Calling him kwa his first name. Don't. Use it." Rachel took a deep, quavering breath.
"I'm not going to stop, Finn. Because I do. upendo him. I'm sorry, and I don't expect wewe to just accept this and walk away--"
"You think?"
"I never wanted wewe to find out this way, really, I wish wewe hadn't--"
"How long has it been going on?"
"What?"
"This. wewe two. How long?" Rachel wiped her eyes, though it did no good.
"Since the road trip to New York started. But honestly-- honestly, I think it's been coming a while." Finn let out a long, drawn-out breath.
"Let go." he said, looking at Matt and Mike. They looked uncertain. "Seriously. I'm not gonna do anything." They did, slowly. Rachel looked around, surprised no security au anyone had interrupted them, dragging them all outside. Guess they weren't as into that here. Finn just walked away, to who knows where. Rachel watched as Quinn shot her a guilty look, then ran after him. She touched his hand and alisema something to him, but he just shook his head and kept walking. Quinn's face shown with tears. Rachel turned and kneeled down inayofuata to Noah.
"You okay?" she asked him quietly. He turned his face away from her, and her moyo gave a tug as she noticed he was crying. Not all-out, tears streaming down the face, but his eyes were bright and a few had actually trickled down.
"I'm sorry, Noah, I'm sorry--" she hiccuped. "I don't think alcohol and boyfriend finding out your cheating with his best friend are the best mix." she said, trying to make a joke. He still didn't reply. "But-- but now, we can maybe--"
"No." Noah cut her off.
"What?"
"No, Rachel we can't. Not--" he rubbed his head. Surely his was aching terribly as well. "We just can't, okay?" Rachel's moyo gave another tug, although this one was zaidi stinging. Painful.
"No-- Noah, we can't just--"
"We can. And we will." he looked up at her hard. He slowly sat up, wincing. "Can wewe go now?"
"Oh-- um, okay." she got up, backing away. Noah heaved himself to his feet, and, just like Finn, walked off.
***
PUCK
The only thing worse than being beat up? Being beat up kwa your best friend. Especially when wewe were the one who brought it on yourself. Puck's slow, drunken brain was having trouble figuring everything out. Now, all he wanted was to sleep. Preferably inayofuata to Rachel. He wanted to lie inayofuata to her, wrap, upangaji pamoja his arms around her small body and just goddamn sleep. But he couldn't. He couldn't be with her with Finn's looming face haunting him. His cries of rage and despair of being betrayed. It was impossible to be with Rachel while those picha and feelings were still fresh in his mind.
He walked. He kept walking right out of the club, and then for a few zaidi blocks before slumping against a store window, exhausted. His stomach rumbled. He looked around, and hurried to a trash bin on the other side of the bench whose arm rest he sat on. He leaned over to vomit-- he did. Wiping his mouth, he cursed himself for feeling tears sting his eyes again. Dammit.
He sat on the bench for quite some time. He wasn't sure how long. After however long it was, he slowly got up and walked back the blocks to the club. He hailed a cab. He got in, sleepily telling the driver his destination. He slept the whole way there. When they arrived, he fumbled with the remains of his wallet to pay him, then stumbled back into the comfortable warmth of the hotel. He knew he couldn't go up to their rooms. Instead he balled up his koti, jacket and pressed it against one of the small pillows on a kitanda in the sitting room off the lobby. He lay down, uncomfortable, and drifted into a restless sleep.
***
RACHEL
When Rachel woke up the inayofuata morning, she didn't get up right away. She lay there, half because of her throbbing head, and half because she just didn't want to. She didn't want to get up, get dressed, go out, and face the world. Not with the way she was feeling right now. Surprisingly, she remembered most of the awali night. Wicked, drinking with Kurt afterwards, perfectly clear. Everything afterwards, she was a tad fuzzy on the details, but the whole experience had been so traumatic and strong, the whole she could recall. She remembered Finn's hurt and pained face, and then Puck's cold rejection and teary, battered one. Her moyo throbbed just as much as her head.
"You awake?" Rachel rolled over, to see Quinn in front of the mirror, her hair tousled and bed-ridden. She wore a big white t-shirt, probably the size of a men's x-large. Her grey sweatpants were plain, very not what Rachel pictured her sleeping in.
"Yeah." she said, quietly.
"Need a recap?" Quinn asked her, examining her reflection.
"No. I think I've got the gist of it, thanks."
"I'm sorry." Rachel looked up.
"Oh, no, there's no need-- I mean, thanks. It's okay. I mean, it's not okay, not at all, but... thanks."
"You're welcome." There was a pause.
"I'm sorry I ever did that to you."
"What does that mean?"
"You know, a couple months ago, when I told Finn about wewe and Noah. I'm so sorry I ever brought that on you." Quinn actually laughed.
"Nothing like your boyfriend finding out you're cheating to bring two rivals together." she said, turning to Rachel.
"I know what wewe mean." There was another short silence. "I'm also sorry I never listened to you. wewe know, about telling Finn sooner than later. I wanted to, and I really think I was, but... it's that if thing, if only I hadn't had so many drinks with Kurt. If only I had just agreed to head straight back to the hotel with him."
"Well, nothing wewe can do about it now."
"I know." Tears stung Rachel's eyes again. Quinn noticed, and carefully sat down inayofuata to her. She put her arms around her as the tears began to flow-- and not for the first time that weekend, Rachel was glad Quinn was there with her.
***
When Rachel's tears dried and Quinn helped her dress, the two made their way downstairs in silence. Rachel didn't even acknowledge the clothes Quinn picked out for her. She saw her reflection in the elevator-- a red juu with a cropped white sweater and a black and white plaid skirt, plus small black kujaa with tiny red ribbons. She alisema thank you, quietly, and Quinn, although she must be confused on what exactly she was being thanked for, alisema you're welcome.
When they reached the sitting room, a curious sight met their eyes. There, on opposite couches, lay both a sleeping Finn and a sleeping Noah. Perched in a large arm chair between the two sat Brittany, sipping a cup of coffee. She gave both a little wave.
"They both snore." she announced. "You should dump them both. Mike doesn't snore." Rachel gave a little laugh.
"I'll be sure to take that into account, Brittany." Brittany nodded, seriously satisfied that Rachel was taking her sage advice. Just then, Finn gave a waking snort, and sat up slowly. The noise caused Noah to shoot upwards, then clearly regretted it, making a pained face and gingerly holding his head. The two met each others' eyes then expressly looked away. Coincidentally they both looked at Rachel next. Finn turned his head away again, but Noah was less prompt. His eyes lingered for a moment, staring into Rachel's brown ones. But only for one extra moment, then he swiftly got up and went to grab a glass of juice.
"Awkward." Brittany whispered loudly. Noah snorted into his juice, then quickly recovered and disguised it as a rather violent cough. Rachel flopped down onto the kitanda where Noah had previously been sleeping. He had left his koti, jacket sitting at the end. She checked to see if he was watching, then held the koti, jacket to her nose. It smelled like Noah. It felt like Noah. She rubbed the hard leather to her cheek. She almost wanted to wrap, upangaji pamoja it up and take it with her, but instead got up and handed it to him.
"Oh. Thanks." he looked up at her.
"Of course." she paused, then turned to Quinn and said, "Actually, I'm not going to have breakfast. I'm going to pack our stuff up."
"Rachel--" Quinn started, but she had already stalked off.
***
PUCK
In short, the morning sucked ass. Finn ignored him completely, as did pretty much everyone else, although he didn't think they all did so purposefully. Rachel wanted to talk to him-- sometimes he would catch her staring, au he would see her walking towards him, that determined gleam in her eye, but he swiftly turned away and started up a conversation with someone else. He wasn't sure if they were fighting, exactly, au just not talking. He decided on not talking. Because he wasn't mad at her, he just couldn't be with her.
The only one who didn't abandon him was Quinn. Which surprised him. Surely she wanted to be with Finn, but she stuck kwa him. He was pleasantly perplexed to find she was actually becoming a friend. He never would've put that down as something likely to ever happen. Once, as the two were inapakia the last of Kurt's far-too-heavy suitcases into the wagon, he asked her something he had been wondering for a while. "Did wewe ever tell a lie about me overreacting to some pretty boy wewe met a couple of times? After we broke up?" Quinn looked up, startled. Clearly it was the last thing she had imagined him saying. She cleared her throat.
"Um, yeah, I did. Why?"
"Rachel told me. On the siku we set out for New York. Before we..." he trailed off. "Anyway, why?" Quinn sighed, and sat down on the tailgate, holding her belly. She waited a moment before answering.
"Because I was ashamed."
"Of what? Breaking up with me?"
"Being dumped kwa you. I kinda thought wewe were the one Puck, to be honest. And when it didn't work, I was ashamed. Everyone thought we were meant for each other I guess, and I don't know, making wewe out to be the bad guy made me feel better about telling people we broke up." she paused, looking down at her hands. A tear fell on them. "I was being a complete bitch. I'm sorry. I am so sorry."
"Hey," he covered her hands with one of his own. "Don't worry about it. Seriously. Hell, I didn't even learn about it until a couple of days ago, and I only thought everyone was still mad at me about being the real father when they all gave me the cold shoulder." She sniffed loudly. "Come here." he pulled her into a tight hug, which she welcomed. They sat there for a couple of dakika before she drew back again, wiping her nose and pushing hair behind her ear. "We're friends, right?" he asked, just to clarify. Quinn gave a little laugh.
"Yeah, we are. Who would've known, right?" Puck grinned.
"What I said." There was a dakika of silence between the two. "Well. Should we go and tell the others the remains of Kurt's wardrobe are loaded?"
"We shall." The two stood up, Puck holding out his hand for her. She took it happily as she stood up, then linked his arm with hers as they walked.
Summary: Rachel finds herself slowly feeling for Puck again while in a relationship with Finn. Yeah, I know, fabulous summary... xD
Disclaimer: I do not own Glee au any of the characters. I do have my own little Puck-bot hidden in my closet though...
RACHEL
Even under the heavy influence of alcohol, Rachel still had the ability to cry. Even zaidi so than when she wasn't, actually. And the mere feeling of Finn grabbing her kwa the shati and literally flinging her off Noah, then the image of him snatching Noah kwa the collar, alama and beginning to ngumi, punch him, again and again, repeatedly was enough to make her vomit (part of it being the alcohol, of course). Her hand flew to her mouth as the urge grew, tears already flowing from her eyes. Quinn, who she hadn't actually realized had been present, hurried to her side, trying to shush and calm her and shield her from the scene as Rachel began to let out choked sobs. She vaguely appreciated the effort, but the fact that Quinn's own eyes were shining and the voice that tried to console her was breaking wasn't assisting matters, but only making things worse. Of course the rest of the club-- every single member-- chose to make their appearance at that exact moment, and the scene at large caused cries of grief and resentment, choked sobs, and even a "Not again!" from someone. Just like last time, Mike and Matt struggled to pull Finn off of Noah. Finn must have become stronger since last time, for Noah's face was blemished and beaten when he got up. Unfortunately there was no Mr. Schue around to help anything this time. Just Finn against Matt and Mike, who were still grappling with him, trying to control him.
"You-- bastard!" Finn yelled, his face contorted with rage and his cheeks flushed with anger. "Why did I ever even forgive you?! I should've known you'd try to steal every-- single-- good thing-- in my life!" Noah didn't respond. He seemed to have gained enough dignity since last time to stop trying to defend himself. "Say something!" Noah still didn't. He lay on the ground, completely and utterly defeated. There was nothing to say.
"Finn, stop it!" Rachel yelled, breaking free of Quinn's embrace and stepping in front of the bloodied Noah on the floor. "Don't blame him for anything-- it was me, all me!" Finn laughed. It was a scary sound.
"Yeah-- of course, of course Rachel, of course it was you. It's always you-- au Quinn, whatever-- I get it, wewe know. I'm just-- is it because I haven't had sex yet? Yeah, I bet that's what makes him so desirable. He's such a stud, isn't he? And I'm just-- I'm just some plain, no good, dumb punda loser inayofuata to him, right? I'm--"
"No, Finn, I swear it wasn't wewe either. It was all my doing--" she stumbled a little, walking towards him. Through her drunkenness she was somehow finding her words, although they all slid off of her tongue in a slippery motion, not really choosing them before she spoke them. Her brain had been fuzzy before, but the last dakika seemed to have cleared it slightly. "It was never anything wewe did, I still-- I still care for you, I swear, I really do, but it was my own, fumbling brain and moyo that made me fall for Noah--"
"Don't. Call him that." Rachel was surprised.
"Why?"
"It-- it makes it sound like wewe upendo him. Calling him kwa his first name. Don't. Use it." Rachel took a deep, quavering breath.
"I'm not going to stop, Finn. Because I do. upendo him. I'm sorry, and I don't expect wewe to just accept this and walk away--"
"You think?"
"I never wanted wewe to find out this way, really, I wish wewe hadn't--"
"How long has it been going on?"
"What?"
"This. wewe two. How long?" Rachel wiped her eyes, though it did no good.
"Since the road trip to New York started. But honestly-- honestly, I think it's been coming a while." Finn let out a long, drawn-out breath.
"Let go." he said, looking at Matt and Mike. They looked uncertain. "Seriously. I'm not gonna do anything." They did, slowly. Rachel looked around, surprised no security au anyone had interrupted them, dragging them all outside. Guess they weren't as into that here. Finn just walked away, to who knows where. Rachel watched as Quinn shot her a guilty look, then ran after him. She touched his hand and alisema something to him, but he just shook his head and kept walking. Quinn's face shown with tears. Rachel turned and kneeled down inayofuata to Noah.
"You okay?" she asked him quietly. He turned his face away from her, and her moyo gave a tug as she noticed he was crying. Not all-out, tears streaming down the face, but his eyes were bright and a few had actually trickled down.
"I'm sorry, Noah, I'm sorry--" she hiccuped. "I don't think alcohol and boyfriend finding out your cheating with his best friend are the best mix." she said, trying to make a joke. He still didn't reply. "But-- but now, we can maybe--"
"No." Noah cut her off.
"What?"
"No, Rachel we can't. Not--" he rubbed his head. Surely his was aching terribly as well. "We just can't, okay?" Rachel's moyo gave another tug, although this one was zaidi stinging. Painful.
"No-- Noah, we can't just--"
"We can. And we will." he looked up at her hard. He slowly sat up, wincing. "Can wewe go now?"
"Oh-- um, okay." she got up, backing away. Noah heaved himself to his feet, and, just like Finn, walked off.
***
PUCK
The only thing worse than being beat up? Being beat up kwa your best friend. Especially when wewe were the one who brought it on yourself. Puck's slow, drunken brain was having trouble figuring everything out. Now, all he wanted was to sleep. Preferably inayofuata to Rachel. He wanted to lie inayofuata to her, wrap, upangaji pamoja his arms around her small body and just goddamn sleep. But he couldn't. He couldn't be with her with Finn's looming face haunting him. His cries of rage and despair of being betrayed. It was impossible to be with Rachel while those picha and feelings were still fresh in his mind.
He walked. He kept walking right out of the club, and then for a few zaidi blocks before slumping against a store window, exhausted. His stomach rumbled. He looked around, and hurried to a trash bin on the other side of the bench whose arm rest he sat on. He leaned over to vomit-- he did. Wiping his mouth, he cursed himself for feeling tears sting his eyes again. Dammit.
He sat on the bench for quite some time. He wasn't sure how long. After however long it was, he slowly got up and walked back the blocks to the club. He hailed a cab. He got in, sleepily telling the driver his destination. He slept the whole way there. When they arrived, he fumbled with the remains of his wallet to pay him, then stumbled back into the comfortable warmth of the hotel. He knew he couldn't go up to their rooms. Instead he balled up his koti, jacket and pressed it against one of the small pillows on a kitanda in the sitting room off the lobby. He lay down, uncomfortable, and drifted into a restless sleep.
***
RACHEL
When Rachel woke up the inayofuata morning, she didn't get up right away. She lay there, half because of her throbbing head, and half because she just didn't want to. She didn't want to get up, get dressed, go out, and face the world. Not with the way she was feeling right now. Surprisingly, she remembered most of the awali night. Wicked, drinking with Kurt afterwards, perfectly clear. Everything afterwards, she was a tad fuzzy on the details, but the whole experience had been so traumatic and strong, the whole she could recall. She remembered Finn's hurt and pained face, and then Puck's cold rejection and teary, battered one. Her moyo throbbed just as much as her head.
"You awake?" Rachel rolled over, to see Quinn in front of the mirror, her hair tousled and bed-ridden. She wore a big white t-shirt, probably the size of a men's x-large. Her grey sweatpants were plain, very not what Rachel pictured her sleeping in.
"Yeah." she said, quietly.
"Need a recap?" Quinn asked her, examining her reflection.
"No. I think I've got the gist of it, thanks."
"I'm sorry." Rachel looked up.
"Oh, no, there's no need-- I mean, thanks. It's okay. I mean, it's not okay, not at all, but... thanks."
"You're welcome." There was a pause.
"I'm sorry I ever did that to you."
"What does that mean?"
"You know, a couple months ago, when I told Finn about wewe and Noah. I'm so sorry I ever brought that on you." Quinn actually laughed.
"Nothing like your boyfriend finding out you're cheating to bring two rivals together." she said, turning to Rachel.
"I know what wewe mean." There was another short silence. "I'm also sorry I never listened to you. wewe know, about telling Finn sooner than later. I wanted to, and I really think I was, but... it's that if thing, if only I hadn't had so many drinks with Kurt. If only I had just agreed to head straight back to the hotel with him."
"Well, nothing wewe can do about it now."
"I know." Tears stung Rachel's eyes again. Quinn noticed, and carefully sat down inayofuata to her. She put her arms around her as the tears began to flow-- and not for the first time that weekend, Rachel was glad Quinn was there with her.
***
When Rachel's tears dried and Quinn helped her dress, the two made their way downstairs in silence. Rachel didn't even acknowledge the clothes Quinn picked out for her. She saw her reflection in the elevator-- a red juu with a cropped white sweater and a black and white plaid skirt, plus small black kujaa with tiny red ribbons. She alisema thank you, quietly, and Quinn, although she must be confused on what exactly she was being thanked for, alisema you're welcome.
When they reached the sitting room, a curious sight met their eyes. There, on opposite couches, lay both a sleeping Finn and a sleeping Noah. Perched in a large arm chair between the two sat Brittany, sipping a cup of coffee. She gave both a little wave.
"They both snore." she announced. "You should dump them both. Mike doesn't snore." Rachel gave a little laugh.
"I'll be sure to take that into account, Brittany." Brittany nodded, seriously satisfied that Rachel was taking her sage advice. Just then, Finn gave a waking snort, and sat up slowly. The noise caused Noah to shoot upwards, then clearly regretted it, making a pained face and gingerly holding his head. The two met each others' eyes then expressly looked away. Coincidentally they both looked at Rachel next. Finn turned his head away again, but Noah was less prompt. His eyes lingered for a moment, staring into Rachel's brown ones. But only for one extra moment, then he swiftly got up and went to grab a glass of juice.
"Awkward." Brittany whispered loudly. Noah snorted into his juice, then quickly recovered and disguised it as a rather violent cough. Rachel flopped down onto the kitanda where Noah had previously been sleeping. He had left his koti, jacket sitting at the end. She checked to see if he was watching, then held the koti, jacket to her nose. It smelled like Noah. It felt like Noah. She rubbed the hard leather to her cheek. She almost wanted to wrap, upangaji pamoja it up and take it with her, but instead got up and handed it to him.
"Oh. Thanks." he looked up at her.
"Of course." she paused, then turned to Quinn and said, "Actually, I'm not going to have breakfast. I'm going to pack our stuff up."
"Rachel--" Quinn started, but she had already stalked off.
***
PUCK
In short, the morning sucked ass. Finn ignored him completely, as did pretty much everyone else, although he didn't think they all did so purposefully. Rachel wanted to talk to him-- sometimes he would catch her staring, au he would see her walking towards him, that determined gleam in her eye, but he swiftly turned away and started up a conversation with someone else. He wasn't sure if they were fighting, exactly, au just not talking. He decided on not talking. Because he wasn't mad at her, he just couldn't be with her.
The only one who didn't abandon him was Quinn. Which surprised him. Surely she wanted to be with Finn, but she stuck kwa him. He was pleasantly perplexed to find she was actually becoming a friend. He never would've put that down as something likely to ever happen. Once, as the two were inapakia the last of Kurt's far-too-heavy suitcases into the wagon, he asked her something he had been wondering for a while. "Did wewe ever tell a lie about me overreacting to some pretty boy wewe met a couple of times? After we broke up?" Quinn looked up, startled. Clearly it was the last thing she had imagined him saying. She cleared her throat.
"Um, yeah, I did. Why?"
"Rachel told me. On the siku we set out for New York. Before we..." he trailed off. "Anyway, why?" Quinn sighed, and sat down on the tailgate, holding her belly. She waited a moment before answering.
"Because I was ashamed."
"Of what? Breaking up with me?"
"Being dumped kwa you. I kinda thought wewe were the one Puck, to be honest. And when it didn't work, I was ashamed. Everyone thought we were meant for each other I guess, and I don't know, making wewe out to be the bad guy made me feel better about telling people we broke up." she paused, looking down at her hands. A tear fell on them. "I was being a complete bitch. I'm sorry. I am so sorry."
"Hey," he covered her hands with one of his own. "Don't worry about it. Seriously. Hell, I didn't even learn about it until a couple of days ago, and I only thought everyone was still mad at me about being the real father when they all gave me the cold shoulder." She sniffed loudly. "Come here." he pulled her into a tight hug, which she welcomed. They sat there for a couple of dakika before she drew back again, wiping her nose and pushing hair behind her ear. "We're friends, right?" he asked, just to clarify. Quinn gave a little laugh.
"Yeah, we are. Who would've known, right?" Puck grinned.
"What I said." There was a dakika of silence between the two. "Well. Should we go and tell the others the remains of Kurt's wardrobe are loaded?"
"We shall." The two stood up, Puck holding out his hand for her. She took it happily as she stood up, then linked his arm with hers as they walked.
