She remembered growing up, how her daddy used to call her princess. Every time mother would scold her for something, Russell never failed.
"Come on, Judy, you can't get upset at Princess."
Quinn Fabray grew up thinking she really was a princess. Maybe that's why being thrown out of her home had such an affect on her; kings didn't banish their princesses. Did they?

Quinn found herself feeling very depressed that year. Who could blame her, right? She lost her social title, her home, her body, her boyfriend...
And then, she lost her child.

She didn't show it, but giving Beth up for adoption was the hardest thing she had ever done. Bethanee Olive Puckerman... excuse me, Cocoran. In the few short moments Quinn was able to hold her daughter, she fell in love. It was almost as if the past nine months filled with near loathing of this child for taking everything from her had disapperared. She loved her so much. Beth had a part of Quinn in her.

But she also had a part of him in her. So, when Quinn gave away Beth for both of their own good, she had to give away Puck as well. It hurt too much to see all the similarities Puck shared with his daughter. It was like seeing her every time she saw him. She rationalized that she needed to put sophomore year away entirely, and Puck was a part of that, right? Besides, it wasn't like he treated her perfectly. They fought all the time. Over his needs, or his mother not giving her bacon, whatever. He didn't treat her like a princess.

So, one day in the summer, the two were sitting on a park bench and while he idly traced designs onto the palm of her hand with his finger, she whispered, "I don't think we should be together." And that was it.

Sam Evans was a welcomed change at the beginning of Junior year. He was sweet, caring, horribly attractive, and at the top of the food chain. He never cared if she "didn't put out." He didn't have a badass reputation to uphold. And he was so into her. It was perfect.

(Sometimes she thought Sam was just as connected to his hair as Puck had been. But she was learning to become less picky.)

So, anyway, Quinn took his promise ring. She didn't think much of it. I mean, this is what she wanted, was to be fawned over by the hottest guy at school again, right? Complaining now would just make her mentally unstable. They were rather inseperable, really. It was a Saturday night, and the two were laying her bed watching Pretty Woman. Quinn had just said a snarky comment to Julia Robert's character when she felt Sam's smirk against her head. "You're such a princess," he teased. Her brow furrowed in response to the now unfamiliar word.

"What did you just call me?"
"Uh... Princess? Is that not okay?"
"No, it's fine. It's just been a while since anybody called me that."

When Quinn woke up on Sunday morning, she was still bothered by a recurring question in her mind.

What if she didn't want to be a princess anymore?

What if she missed feeling.. anything? That was possible, right? Taylor Swift wrote a song about it, if she was remembering correctly. Sure, last year had been hurtful, but she never felt like she was on autopilot like she did these days. And she was pretty sure she knew why.

Two hours later, Quinn was standing on the Puckerman's porch, knocking. Mrs. Puckerman opened the door with her robe still on, giving Quinn a brief glare once she realized who she was. She didn't ask the blonde any questions, only opening the door further to allow her in. "You know where Noah's room is," she yawned, heading back to her makeshift bed on the sofa. Quinn headed up the stairs, not bothering to knock on Puck's door. He obviously wasn't awake at this time of day, so she just made a show about sitting at the foot of his bed, shaking him awake.

Groggily, Puck's eyes opened half-way before he cocked his head to the left. "Again? Damn, Fabray, your fantasy self is getting busy this week..." he muttered before resting back on the pillows. Her eyes rolled as she pushed at his feet. "Puck, I can't decide if I'm flattered or disgusted that you've been having frequent wet dreams about me, but this isn't one of them." His eyes opened at that. "Quinn? What the hell are you doing here?"

She lightly bit her bottom lip trying to remember what she thought up trying to sleep last night. "Um... I've been thinking. And I think I miss you." She felt so idiotic, this wasn't the Quinn she had strived to be the past six months. But maybe that was a good thing.
"What are you going on about, Fabray? You're with Lemon Juice now. It's better for your reputation, remember?"
"But our reputations fit better. You're the badass football player that got sent to Juvy, I'm the bitchy, washed-up cheerleader that had a baby last year."
A smirk appeared on his lips then. "Everyone seems to have forgotten about that, you know."

A pause.

"I could never forget, Puck."