AN: hey there, readers! long time no write. I understand, the suspense is killing you! but I have good reason as to why I've had no updates! My computer was broken, and I have a job. Both suck entirely. Anyways, heres a quicky to fulfill you're demands. be nice, theres a lot of puckleberry intake. READ IN BETWEEN THE LINES. alrighty, enjoy.

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Thursday, May 14th

11:14 am, somewhere near the school

"You know, you really are awful!" Rachel stamped her foot in protest, crossing her arms. The group had broken off into their usual pairs, as they scattered for the safe house. Puck has pulled over his truck, after him and Rachel began yelling furiously at him. "Truly, one hundred percent awful."

"Don't you ever think of other people, Berry?" Puck slammed his truck's door, and jumped in front of her as she made her way for the empty field. "Don't you ever stop and think of what we could have?"

"We? Puckerman, there is no we." Rachel twirled quickly to face him. She barely reached his shoulders, yet her eyes bore into his soul like a dagger thrown by one thousand men. "I have me."

"I meant the team!"

The park was abandoned, seeing how it was during school hours. The only person was an elderly lady walking her dog as briskly as she could.

"I meant our family!"

Rachel didn't say anything. She couldn't.

"Don't you remember when we were younger? It wasn't all about getting the promotion, or even getting the job done. It was about us growing up. You couldn't stop singing. Finn and I never went anywhere without a football. And don't even get me started with Artie and his camera!" Puck leaned forward, and hissed into her ear. "We grew up to fast. This mission, our first mission, is bringing us back to that."

Rachel swallowed, and licked her teeth softly with her tongue, trying to focus.

"I'm not leaving you, captain, but I'm warning you. This might be a the other guys' last time out. Until we're adults, that is. Call them up when we turn twenty one. We'd be the most kickass team ever."

"They're quitting?" Rachel muttered, turning her face away from his chest, in an attempt of not being closed in.

"Taking a break. We're not quitters. We weren't trained to be quitters."

"I don't want to take a break. My place isn't in those hallways. My place is out here. I'm getting that promotion, whether you try to stop me or not."

Puck nodded.

"I'm not sure what I'm doing yet. I'm here for you though."

Rachel nodded.

Standing in the center of the empty park, Puck had one last thing to address.

"Its agreed that you're not allowed to go to the party." Puck suddenly broke into a smile. "You're grounded."

Rachel's jaw dropped, and smirked openly. "Damn. I had the cutest shoes!"

"Seriously though, too dangerous. Schuester knows who you are. He knows what you look like. Rachel Berry is going to be staying home that night."

"Rachel Berry will be staying home that night." Rachel rolled her eyes, and brushed past Puck, heading for the truck once again.

"Hey! Superstar!" Puck called out to Rachel who was scurrying towards the truck. "Where does this leave us? Like, we?"

"Wherever you want us to be, Noah."

Thursday, May 14th

5:08 pm, TOA Safe House's Living Room

Three of the seven teenagers leaned over the pile of books at one of the desks. The teams homework had to be done eventually. One of the seven teenagers wasn't home, instead was on a date with a Miss Quinn Fabray. One of the seven teenagers was counting money, prepared to pay the pizzas that were on their way. And two of seven teenagers sat unevenly on the couch, starring at a few pictures. Pictures of wigs, contact lenses, and implants.

Rachel Berry wouldn't be going to the party. Caroline Streisand would be.

Kurt fiddled with the different pictures, as Rachel criticized each one.

Sam counted, out loud, the money, getting stuck every time someone interrupted him.

Puck, Mike and Artie worked on three sets of homework, bored out of their minds.

"How about this one?" Kurt motioned forward beach blonde wig, bright blue contacts, and a black form-fitting strapless dress with ruching along the side seams. "And then we could get you a fake nose for the night. It's a dead give away. You're so Jewish."

Rachel's hand automatically went to cover her nose, as the rest of the crew laughed. It was a well known fact that Rachel was a proud Jew.

"Touch her fucking nose and die, Hummel. It's a piece of art." Puck muttered, not even looking up from Finn's biology essay. "And that dress shows way to much skin. Its nothing like Rachel at all."

"Exactly. No one will recognize her."

Puck muttered a few hated words and sighed. "You better wear a fucking sweater."

Rachel gave a single, loud laugh. "As long as I get to wear my shoes."

"About that, Rach," Kurt gave a doubtful look, "I need you to wear heels."

There was a mission in itself.

Thursday, May 14th

9:08 pm, TOA Safe House's Living Room

"Can I please take a break?" Rachel huffed, bending over in frustration. "It simply can't be done!"

"In all honestly, it doesn't look that difficult, Superstar. Its everything you do, but a little more higher up." Artie snorted, as he leaned back, sliding a slice of pizza into his mouth, before high fiving Finn, who had returned from his date. "Balance is key, young grasshopper."

Rachel growled under her breath, and turned the treadmill on again.

She was running in five inch heels on the treadmill.

It was way more difficult then anything else she had ever done before.

Wrestling crocodiles. Not a problem.

Driving a train. Can do.

Climbing Mount Everest. Been there, done that.

Trying to walk gracefully in high heels.

Fuck no.

She had gotten walking covered. Gracefully, not so much. But walking wasn't really part of her escape plan. If she had to get out, she needed to run. Or rather, fight.

That was next. Simple moves, done five inches taller.

"Rest for five." Kurt ordered, clearly in charge of the session. "Water boy!"

Mike tossed a bottle of water in her direction, but it flew past as she slammed to her knees. Rachel had caught her left foot under her right and ended up on the ground. It was fun to watch, but Puck was the only one who saw the consequences.

"What happens when she is caught?" Puck gave a stupid look to Kurt. "Step on his toe?" Puck motioned towards Sam, who was still sobbing. Earlier, Sam had been volunteered to be the dummy. She stepped forward in attempt of a block, but ended up on his toes.

"We're doing this crash course for a reason, BAMF." Kurt snapped at the large, bored boy. "Would you like to train her how to look good and fight well in heels?"

Puck grazed his eyes over Rachel, who was balancing herself against the TV stand. In a way, it burned both of them.

"Wherever you want us to be, Noah."

It rang in his ears. Where did he want them to be?

"When the attacker shows up," Puck smiled directly towards Rachel. "Take the shoes off."

Rachel's eyebrows furrowed together in anger and consideration.

She just spent a good chunk of her night trying to learn the easiest ways on combat in her new shoes, when all of the time she could have taken them off.

"Fuck you, Noah."

Sam made a noise of disbelief. "Ooooooh! Rachel said a curse! Puck made her curse!"

Friday, May 15th

7:08 am, Rachel's TOA Safe Bedroom

"Spread the rumour." Rachel screeched from inside of her room, just as Mike was strutting by in nothing but his showering towel. "I can't believe I can't go to school because Sylvester told the teachers I was sick."

Mike look slightly offended, and frightened. Rachel was only in her bathrobe, and looked angrier then usual.

Standing there in fear, Mike couldn't stop nodding. Kurt walked by, and tapped him on the shoulder. "That time of the month, Mikey. Its going to be alright."

Rachel screamed loudly as Kurt continued on before her lamp could reach him. Instead it smashed against the wall opposite. Mike scurried away, catching up with Kurt for breakfast.

She wasn't that angry at Sylvester. She wasn't even that hormonal. She was pissed at Puck.

Which wasn't surprising.

He had left a fucking picture of ten year old her. She was wearing her favourite jean dress, and was at the piano bench. Puck sat next to her, with his guitar. Finn was behind the pair, on his very first drum set. Sam could be seen standing on the piano, singing his lungs out along with Rachel. And Mike was dancing around the entire room. It was taken by Artie. The only person missing was Kurt, but he didn't join them until age twelve. Three years before that, and four years after that, they couldn't actually physically stop dancing and singing and performing.

If Rachel could remember correctly, she had been ten for three months, and they had finally completed their first covert mission (in the rainforests of some unknown country). Breaking out into 'Don't Rain On My Parade,' was the silver lining to the hard work.

At first the activities had been cute, but shortly after age thirteen, Sylvester started to become worried. In hopes of stopping the music, she took their instruments. It never truly stopped them though.

After seeing the pictures, all Rachel wanted to do was pull Puck's head off, and break into song.

What's a girl going to do?

AN so? how did I do? Am I getting better? Or am I getting boring. Lemme know. Tank' ya. ;) :p