It has been a while since I published another fanfic. Please bear with me as I write these chapters as quickly as I can. I can't really guarantee that I'll update immediately but I will sure try to. Did that make sense? Probably not.

As mentioned on the summary, Puckleberry is on in this fic. So you have all been warned. Also, like all my fanfics, this one is a Fabrevans fic.

Enjoy!

Quinn Fabray did not intend on returning to Ohio years after she had graduated high school and left all the drama that came along with it. She now had a steady job in New York as a consultant and enjoyed the social life that came with it. She always had an affinity for traveling and her job gave her that opportunity. But when Rachel Berry called to let her know that she was to be married to Noah Puckerman in 2 weeks' time, she had no choice but to return to the place she dreaded the most.

She had left a lot of people in Lima. After graduation, Quinn told her mother that she had accepted her offer at NYU. With that came the reality that she could not possibly raise her child, Beth, and had accepted that Shelby - the woman who adopted Beth - deserved the child more. However, she requested to stay in contact with Shelby in order to continue a relationship with her daughter - even if it meant that she was "Aunt Quinn" to her very own daughter. Then there was Sam Evans - the one that got away.

After she gave birth to Beth, Quinn vowed to put her life back together and to be on top of the school's social ladder. She was, once again, accepted in almost all social circles in school including Glee Club and the Cheerios. She was also passing all of her courses with flying colours. Then came Sam Evans. His world revolved around her and her world felt more complete and at peace with him in it.

Sure, she considered Sam a pawn to help her become popular in the beginning since he was the football team's quarterback. But, much to her surprise, she was quite delighted with Sam's small quirks. Though he appeared to be tough, Sam was sensitive, goofy, caring and loving. He had his own insecurities and this made it quite easy for Quinn to relate to him on a personal level. She never smiled quite as much as she did when she was with Sam. Though she's capable of taking care of herself (which she made Sam fully aware of), it was nice to know that someone was willing to try catering to her every need anyway.

Then, almost in an instant, she made the biggest mistake of her life and cheated on him with Finn Hudson. In turn, he opted out of the relationship and they separated ways since but remained friends (though it was painful for Quinn to do so).

After they broke up, Sam had disclosed that his family was going through a financial crisis. The business that his father was in had gone bankrupt, which then forced the Evan's family out of their comfortable lifestyle. They lived in a motel and, in a state of need and panic, Sam had asked Quinn to help him with his siblings while Kurt lent him clothes to wear to school.

It was a difficult time indeed but Sam did not seem to be fazed by it one bit. A trait that Quinn respected and loved about him more - though she decided not to express such feelings to him. They had their time and that was that.

She had not heard from him since then. The last time they saw one another was when he left to return to Tennessee with his family because his father was offered another job there. Since then, Sam was just "another boy" she dated in high school.

While she was in college, she was forced to go out on dates by her roommate and could not help but compare them to Sam. A lot of them were too immature and some took themselves too seriously. Quinn needed a balance of both and, in the back of her mind, Sam was just that.

"The one that got away, huh?" the old lady sitting beside Quinn on the airplane asked thoughtfully. She had almost forgotten that she was sharing personal experiences with a complete stranger. However, that was a daily occurrence with Quinn. She learned to be more personable as a consultant. Thus sharing stories with strangers on a plane.

"I guess, in a sense, he was the first man I ever loved."

"How about that Finn Hudson boy?"

"We fooled around more than anything. I never felt as if I was sincere regarding my feelings for him. He was a good boyfriend but he's was an even better friend."

The old lady nodded in agreement. "That happened to me once," she started, "I may be old now but I was a piece of work back then."

Quinn smiled at the old lady, "I wouldn't doubt that for a second."

"There was a boy who worked for my family once. He was so handsome. He helped around the house, fixing things and what-not. But, you see, his family was poor and I was set to marry a rich gentleman that my family were acquaintances with."

"So what happened?"

"He got away. Never saw him again. To this day, I still think about him."

"Really?" she asks the old lady in shock, "After all these years?"

"When you have someone that loves you more than they love their own life, you don't let that person go. You just don't."

Quinn sat quietly during the remainder of the flight. As she looked out to the clouds, she could not help but wonder where Sam was at that very moment and if he was thinking of her.