A/N: Thank-you to everyone who has alerted this story, and reviewed it. I have never been so overwhelmed by a fic so I truly appreciate it :) It is tough to write this story. I am not really a writer but I still had this idea in my head and I had to create something of it so I hope this chapter fulfils the expectations of those who were willing to alert this story! Of course as always thoughts, opinions and reviews are welcomed.
The song in this chapter is Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap.


"Oh Quinn" The familiar voice cried wrapping their arms around the mess that was Quinn Fabray, but it wasn't Puck.
"Rachel? What are you doing here?" Quinn asked trying to hide the disappointment in her voice.
"I thought I'd come help you look for him, have you heard anything yet?" Rachel was obviously concerned and Quinn was grateful to have some here with her but it hurt that Puck still wasn't home.
"Nothing… Rach what if something bad has happened to him?" Her voice started breaking, she was no longer able to hold back her tears, the worst thoughts began running through her mind, what if he is lying on the side of the road somewhere? Or worse, dead. Rachel was trying to hold strong for her friend, but she couldn't help but worry about Pucks whereabouts. He would never scare Quinn this way.
"I'm sure he is fine Quinn, he probably still needs to call off. How about you get dressed and we go have a look for him?"
Quinn slipped into some tracksuit pants and a sweat shirt, she honestly didn't care how crap she looked, she had bigger issues to worry about. Climbing in the passenger seat of Rachel's car she struggled to work out where to start.
"Uh, Rach, You live in New York. Why do you have a car" Quinn had only just realized how impractical this was, and wondered why she hadn't noticed it before, it was nice, and kind of new, she is a student how on earth can she afford this?
"Not my car Quinn, I hired it" Rachel smiled.
Quinn couldn't believe her friend, the girl she tortured for most of high school had actually hired a car to come and help her out, this was actually really kind of her Quinn thought.
"You didn't have to do that"
"I wanted to, you need someone with you right now, and Puck is my friend too so I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Do you mind telling me what happened Quinn?"
"His dad rocked up last night. I foolishly convinced Puck to talk to him. The man is like evil Rach, he basically called Puck a failure and Puck believes him, so he left."
Rachel let Finn know what was going on while Quinn paid for gas. She couldn't believe his dad would find him only to hurt him like that.

The pair drove around New Haven for a couple of hours before deciding to head back to Quinn's apartment, hoping that maybe he'd shown up there.
They opened Quinn's door to find Finn sitting on her couch, his face was shocked, a letter in his hand.
"Finn what are you doing here?" Rachel asked.
Finn didn't answer he simply handed Quinn the note, it was obvious nothing good was on it.

Quinn,
I am so sorry. You deserve better than this.
I love you,
Puck

Quinn dropped the note to the ground and ran into her room, their room, the room she and Puck were sharing their life together in. Throwing herself onto the bed she sank into a flood of tears. He'd come back, and she missed him, and now she had no clue where he'd gone and she was sure he wasn't coming home anytime soon.

Rachel picked the note up off of the floor. Finn still hadn't told her what it said he was just sitting face in hands on the couch that Puck and Quinn shared. The same couch he'd watch football with Puck on, the couch he'd help them move into this apartment. Finn was so excited when Puck and Quinn told him the news about their relationship, it was obvious to him that was the way things were always meant to be, and he couldn't be happier for them. No part of him could understand why Puck would do this, he was his best friend but Quinn had already been through so much and she was his friend too, he couldn't be OK with Puck hurting her.
Rachel read the note, and went into some massive rant about how he could do this to her, and how she'd already suffered enough, and that when he showed his face again he'd be getting a piece of her mind and how he'd be lucky if she even let that bastard near Quinn again. After she'd calmed down she plunked herself next to Finn, she took in a few deep breaths before turning to him.
"I am staying here tonight and maybe for the next few days…"
"What about school?"
"I'd only miss a few days considering we have thanksgiving break coming up. I am not leaving her Finn"
"Do you want me to stay too?"
"It'd be nice, but no, you can't jeopardize your job. I think we should have thanksgiving here, with Quinn though"
"Of course. You know I am angry at Puck too Rach… but maybe we shouldn't be too hard on him, he is still our friend. Isn't he?"
Rachel pondered the question, she cared about Puck, a lot. She understood his dad hurt him, but the pain he was causing Quinn right now was kind of hard to look past. Still…
"Of course he is. I understand things are difficult for him, but it I am still mad at him for hurting Quinn. I just want him to come home so things can work out the way they are supposed to.
Finn stood up and gave Rachel a kiss on the forehead.
"I should head back before I can't get a train anymore" Finn went and knocked on Quinn's door and stuck his head in, she was quietly sobbing into her pillow. He sat down next to her and gave her shoulder a stroke "It will be OK Quinn", Quinn didn't respond, it didn't feel like it would be OK at all.

After Finn left Rachel decided to order Quinn a pizza. She walked into her bedroom Pizza in hand and sat herself next to Quinn.
"I got you this" She offered softly.
"I'm not hungry" Quinn mumbled, refusing to look at the tiny girl perched on her bed.
"You should try to eat something Quinn, nothing good can come out of starving yourself"
"Nothing good ever comes out of anything I do Rachel"
Rachel placed the pizza next to Quinn's bed and stood to walk out "I am staying on your couch, if you need anything I am here"
"I need Puck" she whispered.
"I know sweetie, but Puck needs time."
"How much time Rach? What if he never comes back, then what?" Quinn's cries grew harder.
"Let us not think about that just yet" Rachel wanted to reassure her friend, but Pucks letter made it sound like he wasn't coming home anytime soon, Rachel couldn't figure out what Quinn's next move would be, but if Puck didn't come home soon things weren't going to get any easier.
Quinn picked up her phone and dialed Pucks number again. Voicemail: "Puck, it's Quinn again. I got your letter, and I don't understand. You're just leaving me? You promised we wouldn't screw this up. Come home please, I love you so much. I left a key under the mat to our front door." Quinn pressed the end call button and cried herself to sleep.

Where are we? What the hell is going on?
The dust has only just begun to fall,
Crop circles in the carpet, sinking, feeling.
Spin me round again and rub my eyes.
This can't be happening.
When busy streets a mess with people
would stop to hold their heads heavy.

Hide and seek.
Trains and sewing machines.
All those years they were here first.

Mmm, what you say?
Mm, that you only meant well? Well, of course you did.
Mmm, what you say?
Mm, that it's all for the best? Because it is.
Mmm, what you say?
Mm, that it's just what we need? And you decided this.
Mmm what you say?
What did he say?

Waking up the next morning to breakfast by Rachel there was still no sign of Puck, she cried herself asleep again that night, and the next, and the next.
A week had passed since Puck had run out the door. Rachel was still crashing on Quinn's couch. Thanksgiving had passed, Finn and Rachel had tried to make a day of it, but they only managed to lure Quinn out of her room for about an hour. Not that they blamed her.
It was the last day Rachel could afford to spend with Quinn, she didn't want to leave her friend on her own but NYADA wouldn't be impressed with her continued absence.
"I'm so sorry I have to go home today Quinn. Do you want me to call your mom? Or maybe Santana? I don't want to leave you alone"
"It's Ok Rachel, I'll be fine" Quinn said in a small stubborn whisper.
"When are you going back to school?" Rachel asked concerned about her friend's grades for the semester.
"Not sure…"
"Have you let your teachers know about you absence."
"Yes" That was a lie. Quinn honestly did not care right now what happened with Yale, everything was too messed up to give a crap.
"I'll call to check on you tomorrow" Rachel said, concern still lining her voice.
"I am NOT a child Rachel. I can look after myself! I was going to do it alone before he walked back into my life, so I can do it alone now." Quinn hissed. She knew she was being unreasonable but she didn't care, her life was in shambles again all because she let Puck back into her life. Quinn couldn't understand why she'd be so foolish, she didn't want to bring anyone with her to Yale, but Puck was different. She really thought things could work this time.

"I know you're not Quinn, I am just worried about you"
"Well don't be. I can look after myself. I don't need Puck, and I do not need you and Finn falling over me."
"Sorry…" Rachel was hurt by Quinn's comments, she knew her friend was hurting, she knew she didn't mean it, but it didn't make things easier. "He'll come home Quinn" Rachel wasn't sure if her words would be true, but right now she just needed to find something to help Quinn.
Suddenly Quinn was in tears, violently sobbing into Rachel's shoulder.
"I'm not sure he will Rach… What… if… he… is… dead…" the words came out through her sobs. She didn't want to think of the consequences Puck's leaving could have. She refused to allow herself to consider something going wrong. She clung to the hope that he'd walk through their door that they could just move past everything and things would be good again. But it had been a week since Puck left, and reality began to dawn on her.
"Why would you think that Quinn?"
"He is supposed to love me, he wouldn't leave me for this long. Maybe something has happened!"
"I am sure he is out there"
"Then if he is he is willingly staying away from me, from our home and our future. How do I forgive him? How can we move past that?"
Rachel just shook her head, she knew that even if Puck came home there would be problems, but she still wanted to see him standing in front of them at least to know he was OK.
"I don't know Quinn. You love each other, if it is meant to be you'll find a way."
Quinn's cries softened into silent sobs "I'm so sorry for snapping at you Rach"
"It's OK, you're hurting. I understand"
"I just REALLY love him, I can't even begin to understand how hurt he must be if he has to run away from me. I wish there was something I could do. Do you think he is a bad person?"
"No, he is our friend, we all love him and he loves us. His dad has shattered his sprits, it isn't his fault his dad is such an ass." A part of Rachel was absolutely furious at him, but that didn't mean she didn't care for him.
The pair sat for a few more hours before Rachel climbed back in her car to head back to New York.
"I really appreciate what you did for me, and tell Finn thanks as well"
"Things will work themselves out Quinn. You are strong, and you know it."
Quinn smiled at Rachel's words before watching her drive away. This was the first time she had been alone since arriving in New Haven, and now she had no clue what to do.

It was March now and Puck had been gone for almost 5 months. The snow had melted away and a cool Fall breeze was blowing over New Haven. Quinn was making her way to class, she wasn't sure why she was going, she never listened anyway, she was lucky she was smart or else those just scrapping through passes would surely be fails. Slipping into her seat at the back of the class she removed her light coat and scarf that had stopped the chill on the way over. Underneath revealed a cute sweater tucked into a skirt with a pair of knee high boots. She'd just gone through the daily motions after Rachel left. She dragged herself back to Yale, made herself look nice every day, and made polite conversation with anyone who tried to talk to her. She tried to look normal, to behave normally the exteriors she'd put up were designed to avoid questions, pity and to keep people off her back. How she hated pity. She'd been there too many times in her life to allow it to occur again so she went on like a ghost, hoping no one would notice. Her life was still "perfect" as far as anyone could tell, and that was the way she needed it.
"You know you really should take some notes" A cute blonde whispered from beside her, his grin so corny, so "perfect" it almost made her sick. How could anyone be so cookie cutter perfect, she thought to herself as she glared at the boy who was doing nothing but making conversation with her.
"What's it to you!" She snapped back. This was very unlike Quinn Fabray. He hadn't done anything wrong but dealing with someone trying to be cute right no was the last thing she wanted to do.
The boy was taken a-back by Quinn's tone.
"Sorry" he mumbled a frown replacing the toothy grin that had been on his face.
Now Quinn felt bad, it isn't like anyone knew how screwed up her life was, how could this boy have any clue that the guy that she'd been willing to share her world with up'd and left her. It wasn't his fault every time she had something going well for her something got screwed up.
"No I am sorry," she whispered back, "I'm just kind of never in the mood to be here. I didn't mean to snap at you." Quinn forced a smile, the boy seemed sweet but she'd rather go back to mopping on her own.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Quinn…"
"I'm Riley," This boy said outstretching his hand. Quinn shook it before trying to go back to ignoring all her surroundings but that didn't stop him being persistent, "You look like you could use some company," Quinn let out a small scoff at his comment, "maybe you'd want to come get some coffee with me after class?" Quinn couldn't believe he was asking her out, she could swear she was giving off the cold 'I'm not interested in small talk' vibe but he was still going, and now he was asking her out, surely he wasn't serious, how cocky did this guy have to be did he think that just because he had this 'I'm so innocent' look and a 'see how cute I am but I don't even know it' thing going on didn't mean she was just going to fall at his feet.
"Sorry, gotta study…" she replied bluntly, making sure not to leave any doubt that she was not interested.
"Maybe another time" He smiled as he ran his fingers through his hair.
Quinn just gave him a false smile and a nod, he just did not give up.
After class she ran back to her apartment, it had become a daily occurrence since Puck left, she was desperate to walk through that door and see him there, or to see some kind of sign that he'd been but everyday ended in disappointment. Approaching her door she knelt down to check if the key was still under the mat, it was. Still she'd hoped he might be inside… He wasn't.
There was a message on her answering Machine…
"Quinn it is Rachel, Please call me as soon as you get this. Finn's mom called today, she heard from Pucks mom… Quinn, I don't exactly know how to say this but the cops found his truck, there was no sign of him, I… I'm so sorry! I will be down tomorrow I promise!"
Quinn tossed her bag across the room, and started pacing, a million thoughts running through her mind. First she was sick, sick that he may be dead, but then she was angry, angry that he'd left her. There was no sign of him anywhere so what reason did she have to believe he was dead? He ditched his truck, and he isn't coming home suddenly she'd realized what this meant. He was gone, they were not going to get their life. Whatever they had wasn't enough to keep him, and now she was absolutely furious.
…Screw him! How dare he stuff my life up like this! How could he just leave me here when we had a life together!...
She picked up the empire state figurine Puck had bought her on one of their weekends in New York and through it against the door, letting out the loudest scream she could, using all the force her body would allow.
"GO. TO. HELL. NOAH PUCKERMAN!" She yelled to herself before collapsing to her knees. Her heart was thumping out of her chest, her breathing stressed and hard.
Catching her breath she gritted her teeth "I don't need you anymore. I have a life to live, and you are not stopping me!" she didn't care that she was talking to herself, something needed to change, she needed to live again, to have some fun to let loose, and she knew exactly where to start. Grabbing her cell she violently began to type.
"All Contacts: Party, Tomorrow night 8PM. Invite Anyone! 2/223 Masons Road. BYO – Quinn"
Relief filled Quinn's body as she pressed send. Puck was not going to have this big of a hold on her life anymore!

-

What will happen with Puck? What relevance will Riley have in Quinn's plot? And what will happen with Quinn's party seeing as she has invited everyone...
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!