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I was too scared to move, to breathe… to speak. I didn't like feeling scared it made me feel vulnerable. I wanted to see if Puck was ok but I didn't want to take my eyes off the assailant. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I couldn't cry. I needed to stay strong. I cried a lot early on but I soon learnt that it didn't help or bring people back. The tears felt foreign in my eyes and it was blurring my already impaired vision. I'm glad it was dark, my hands were shaking horribly and I didn't want them to see that.
"Put your weapon down," they finally spoke. The voice was female and it took me off guard.
"Y-you put down your weapon," I tried to say as confidently as I could, "I'm the one with the gun. I could shoot you three times over before you could even walk over here and hit me with that wooden thing."
"You broke into my place, stole my food, do you honestly believe I'd put the weapon down and let you keep yours?" She bravely said to me, the one with the gun, "we will put them down at the same time or nothing."
I thought about it for a moment and then replied "Fine. We drop them on three."
"Agreed" she said back.
I nodded, little to her knowledge I still had my other pistol in its holster, if she tried anything it would be out in less than a second.
"1... 2…. 3" We both say together.
I hear the wood hit the floor as I bend and place my gun on the ground. I see my flashlight next to where I put my gun. It must have fallen off the couch when I jumped out of the way. I thought about it for a moment before I picked it up and as soon as I stood up I turned it on and flashed it at the female attacker.
I nearly fell over when I saw who it was. My eyes widened. "No way," I was barely able to get out.
"Would you be so kind and remove that light from my face?" She asked.
"Rachel," I spoke dropping the flashlight on the ground.
"How do you know my name?" she started, "well I was hoping that the world would know my name and it would be up everywhere in lights. However that will now never happen, but back to my original question, how do you know my name?"
Definitely Rachel.
I didn't know what my emotions were doing. I wanted to cry, to laugh, to scream her name, to tell the world she was alright, to hold her in my arms and never let her go. I was unable to form words. What would I say anyway? I slowly walked over to her, my eyes never leaving her face. When I finally reached her I placed my hands on either side of her face making sure she was real.
"Quinn?" She choked out, "is that you?"
"It's me," was all I could get out.
My eyes had adjusted to darkness and being this close I was able to see every inch of her.
"I don't believe it," she sobbed and threw herself into my arms.
I hugged her tight against me. She was alright, Rachel Berry was here and she was ok. I had one hand firmly on the base of her back and the other resting against her head. I felt her shake under me followed by a small sob.
"Rach, it's okay," I whispered squeezing her tighter to me, "nothing is going to happen to you now."
Her brown eyes glanced up at me as tears fell from them; her grip tightening that much more as her face returned to drowning itself in my shoulder. I don't remember the last time I felt like this, warm, secure, happy. I'd spent so long shutting emotions out in favour of survival. And now she was here, safe, alive.
Rachel's voice broke me out of my stupor "Quinn I don't mean to interrupt our reunion, but who did I just knock out?"
"Fuck!" I exclaimed running over to where Puck lay face down, "Puck?"
I heard him moan and roll over. I put my hand where he had been hit, there was no blood but there was one hell of a lump.
"What the hell just happened?" he asked rubbing his head as he tried to sit up.
"Careful," I say helping him, "the person that hit you, it was Rachel."
"Oh okay," he replied, "RACHEL!"
"Yeah. Rachel is here. I was just as shocked as you." Actually I think I was more shocked than him.
"Rachel," I said taking her hand, "come over here."
There was silence for a second and then Rachel began to cry again.
"I am so sorry Noah" She gripped my hand tighter, "I didn't know who or what you were, I thought you were breaking in to steal my food and kill me."
Puck pulled Rachel into his arms for a hug. She released my hand and I immediately missed the warmth.
"Rachel it's fine really," Puck replied, "it was a good hit, at least we know you can stand your ground against anything if you need to."
She laughed and it sounded like all the angels of heaven were singing.
"What are you guys doing here anyway?" She asked looking back over at me, "You couldn't be looking for me because really it was a one in a million chance that you actually found me here."
"We came into New York because we were looking for supplies, food, medicine, ammunition, fuel and whatever else we could scrounge up." She was looking at me intently and it was hard to focus on the story, "We all decided that we needed to search a bigger city because all the smaller ones had been cleaned out already. Puck and I are scouts, we come in on bikes and make sure the place is safe before we bring the cars in. Turns out it wasn't safe, we got cornered every way we went and then Puck decided we needed to get inside. So we did and this just so happened to be the place we stopped in front of."
She smiled. "I'm glad you did" she replied reaching for my hand.
Puck tried to stand up and would have fallen back down if I hadn't of supported him. He was heavy but nothing I couldn't handle.
"Put him on one of the beds upstairs," Rachel suddenly said, "he will be more comfortable there."
Perfect idea, why didn't I think of that? Come on Fabray get with it. I reached down and picked up the baseball bat and handed it to Puck to help support himself.
"Thanks," he said taking it out of my hand.
We found the room where Puck had previously opened the windows and laid him on one of the beds. Rachel had given us some of her last painkillers to help the throb in Pucks head.
Both of us knew that one of us needed to be stay up and keep a look out and it took me ten minutes to convince Puck that he needed to rest and that I was fine on watch tonight. When he finally agreed he turned over with a huff and went soundly off to sleep.
I turned to Rachel, I could finally see her properly because of the moon light that came through the window. She was sitting on the other bed looking up at me. The small girl's once perfect hair was now a mess, her face was covered in dirt, her cheeks a little sunken and she had dark rings under her eyes. I should have been here for her, she shouldn't have had to go through all this alone.
"Rachel?" I whispered.
"Mmm?" she answered.
"How much have you slept lately?" I asked.
"Not a lot," she replied dropping her head, "since it had gotten really bad I've been to scared to sleep too long just in case help came or those things got in."
She paused
"I wouldn't have had more than 3 hours sleep a night," she sighed.
I slid onto the bed next to her and put my arms around her. "You're safe now Rachel, sleep and I will protect you from everything."
"I know," she said smiling snuggling into my side, "Thank you Quinn."
The night was quiet, calm, almost peaceful. After Rachel drifted off to sleep I reluctantly slid her out of my arms, but kept her hand in mine and stood by the window and looked out. It was clear and the moon showed me everything below. The undead seem to have dispersed and there were only a few left lingering in the street. I saw our bikes, still standing where we left them which surprised me with the amount of undead that were in the street. I woke Puck up a few times during the night just to make sure he didn't have a concussion. He offered to take over watch a few times but I didn't let him, he needed to recover.
I sat and watched as the undead passed below. There would have to be thousands of undead here in this city and that was the reason there were no bodies that lay strewn in street. The city would have been picked clean by those things. They could have as easily gotten in here and the same thing could have happened to Rachel. This made my blood run cold, I looked over at her, warm, soft, beautiful. I couldn't imagine her as one of those things.
I looked out the window again as one of them stopped and sniffed the air. My heart stopped as its head turned and looked up at me. My eyes widened and I didn't move. Was it looking at me? It couldn't be. Still looking it took a step towards me and snapped it teeth together. I was not breathing, I was not moving. It couldn't get me up here I know but if the others came back there would be no chance of escape. I breathed out a sigh of relief as it turned and stumbled up the street.
"Quinn," Rachel said from behind me making me nearly jump through the roof.
"Ahhh" I yelled as I jumped and put a hand to my chest, "Geeze Rach, you scared the hell out of me."
My heart was beating at a million miles an hour and I looked out of the window desperately hoping that the sound didn't attract anything.
"I'm so sorry Quinn," she said rushing over to give me a hug.
I wrap my arms around her pulling her closer to me, "it's ok. I was just a little on edge."
"Quinn what happened?" She asked me quietly.
"Well I was watching one of the undead and then it looked at me and…." I began turning to look out the window again.
"No not that," she said, cutting me off. I looked back around at her, "back home when it all started."
I have never spoken about what happened in Lima, Ohio when it all started. We all knew what happened, we all experienced it and never felt the need to discuss it. We would bring up parts of it when we were trying to figure out a plan. We would say "remember what happened when we did that last time," one of us would say but not speaking anymore of it. I was worried that if I opened that bag of worms there would be no going back. I put all those memories behind me to keep me sane. To keep me strong.
However Rachel had the right to know, after all it was her family and friends too. Even if it was hard for me I would try… for her.
"Please?" she asked.
I nodded.
"I was going back to Lima for my holidays, my exams had finished early and I was packed and ready to go," I began
-Flashback-
I ran through my apartment doing one finally sweep making sure I had everything before I left for home.
"Yes mum," I say into my phone, "I'm just about to leave, just making sure I have anything, I will see you soon."
The television was playing in the background talking about some virus that has been released that was killing people. I didn't think much of it because how many times have we been told that there was some killer virus on the loose.
I switch it off as walk past and pick my keys. I look around the room not knowing it was the last time I would see it.
It was late when I got home and mum ran out of the house and wrapped her arms around me.
"I've missed you so much Quinny" she said squeezing me tight.
"I missed you too Mum" I laughed hugging her back.
She helped me take my things inside and unpack.
"I'm glad you decided to come home for the holidays," she told me as we climbed the stairs to my room.
"Yeah, I am too. I've missed everyone so much" I replied smiling.
Yale was amazing, better than I could ever imagined but I missed everyone so much. We all talk online and ring each other regularly but it just wasn't the same. Everyone would be back here in Lima for the holidays, all except Rachel, she had rehearsals and she just couldn't get away, but she said that she would organise for me to visit her after I return.
After speaking to Mum about Yale over eating dinner she had made for me, I had a shower and then jumped into bed. It was the best feeling being back in my own bed in my own house.
I got woken by someone jumping onto my bed.
"Wake up Quinn!"
I would recognise that voice anywhere. Santana.
"Yeah Quinn get up, you can sleep when you are dead," And Brittany.
I lay there for a moment motionless until they both stopped moving, then I pulled out the pillow from under my head and pounded them with it. We ended up in fits of giggles hugging.
"I've miss you guys so much," I tell them.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah time for the I missed yous and reunion shit later," she told me, "hurry up and get ready, we are meeting everyone for breakfast."
Santana hadn't changed a bit, she is still the crazy Latina that if you get on her bad side she will go all Lima Heights Adjacent on your ass that I've missed so much.
She smiled and grabbed her girlfriend's hand and left the room.
"Be quick," I hear Brit call from the stairs.
I quickly run to my suit case and pull out my yellow sundress and threw it on. I then ran to the washroom and washed my face, brushed my teeth and did my hair. Then quickly ran down stairs to find Santana and Brittney sitting in my living room.
"Come on Q," she smiled, "Everyone is waiting outside."
I get dragged by my arms by both girls out of the door.
"QUINN!" Everyone yells as they run up and hug me.
It took FOREVER to say hi to everyone, I don't know what people must have thought as they drove past. I got told that we were meeting with Blaine and Kurt later and Mike and Tina were meeting us at the restaurant. It took a while but we finally got into our cars and went to breakfast.
Breakfast went to nearly noon and then they all fought over who was going to pay for me. We talked about what we were all doing and where we were. We all talked about how much we missed Glee club and how it just wasn't the same anymore but that was all a part of growing up. We left the restaurant after we paid and then we walked to the park where we met Kurt and Blaine. This reunion took another few hours.
By the time I was able to talk to everyone the sun was setting and everyone began to head home. Soon enough it was just Puck and I left.
"Can I walk you home?" he asked.
"Sure," I reply.
"Do you miss home Quinn?" he starts as we begin to walk.
"Yeah, I do a lot. It was hard at first but it gets easier," I tell him, "why are you worried about moving away?"
"I am a little bit, what happens if we all lose contact or something?"
"Well Puck we can only try our best I guess." I tell him with a smile and a small squeeze of his arm.
"Have you visited Rachel in New York?"
"No, I haven't had the chance. We both have been very busy," I paused, "I never would have thought I would miss Berry as much as I do."
We both laugh.
Puck and I continue to ask each other questions until we reached my house and he walked me up to my door.
"Thanks for walking me home Puck," I smile.
"No problem Fabray," He smiles back, "See you around."
"Defiantly," I nod.
I'm still smiling as I walk inside. I put my keys down on the table and see a note from mum
Quinn,
Gone out for dinner with the girls, there is money on the counter for pizza.
I shouldn't be home to late.
Mum
Oxox
Good ol' Mum. I walk over to the counter and put the money in my back pocket then dial the number for the pizza shop. I ordered myself a medium barbeque meat lovers and a coke. The total came to 23 dollars and would be about half an hour.
I walk up to my room and change out of my dress and into my sweats and a shirt, then heading back down to plonk myself on the couch. I turned on the television to find that Funny Girl was on, this made me think of Rachel and before I knew what I was doing I had my phone out and was messaging her.
Hey Rach, Im back in Lima and caught up with everyone today, they said they wish you could be here too :) – Q x
I place the phone on the coffee table and go to the kitchen and get myself a drink to tie me over until the pizza got here. I find my phone flashing with a message when I come back.
It was from Rachel
Hello Quinn, Yes I wish I could be there too, I've been working hard rehearsing. Tell them all I miss them so much and hope to see them very soon. x – Rachel
I smiled she even sounded like her in the way she texts. I didn't want the messaging to stop so I quickly thought of another.
Funny Girl is on T.V, it made me think of you. – Q
Again in no time at all my phone lights up telling me I have a message.
That's sweet Quinn :) that does happen to be my favourite musical. –Rachel
I laughed to myself, however before I could reply the doorbell rang. It was the pizza guy, I paid him and went back to the couch. After I sat I picked up my phone to reply when I saw I had another message.
It was from Kurt.
Graduated Glee Clubbers, we are all going back to McKinley tomorrow to say hello to everyone and see how our dear club is doing. Meet there at 10am. – Kurt
I replied straight away.
Ok. See ya then. – Q
I spent the rest of the evening texting Rachel, eating pizza and watching Funny Girl. When the movie finished I said goodnight to Rachel and jumped into bed where I fell asleep almost instantly.
We met at the school at the time Kurt told us to and walked in together. It felt so natural walking down the hallways, like it used to be. We walked straight to the choir room where we heard Mr Shue giving the assignment for the week. It didn't take long for the Glee Clubbers to notice us standing there in the door and began to cheer for us.
We sat there and listened to the plans they had for sectionals and helped by giving some of our ideas, we couldn't let them lose, especially after last year.
We laughed, some of us cried and we sang and it felt good to back amongst good friends and in a familiar place.
"Hey Sugar," I smile as she walks into the choir room, "where've you been?"
She didn't reply. That was odd.
"Sugar?" I call.
She stood there with her eyes close and head tilted a little to the side. She stumbled forward, hands dangling at her side.
What the hell?
"Sugar stop playing around," Artie tells her as he rolls towards her.
Suddenly Sugar snaps open her eyes to look straight at him. Her eyes didn't look right, almost blank, unfocused. Before anyone could react she had closed the gap between them and sunk her teeth into his neck. Blood poured from his throat, a gargling scream escaping his mouth.
Puck runs over to them and grabs Sugar off the bleeding boy, she snaps at him, face covered in blood. He flings her across the room before she could bite him and she hits the door frame. She stumbles back up to her feet and lunges back towards Puck.
"Get an ambulance," I hear Blaine yell holding his hand to Artie's neck.
We hear screams coming from the hall, everything was happening so fast. But what was happening? I look over at Blaine trying to help Artie, Kurt was on the phone to emergency, and I could hear wide spread panic throughout the school.
I hear yells and growls and turn to Puck and Sugar. He was struggling, I'd never seen him struggle in a fight. Picking up a chair I rush over and slammed it into her, hoping it would knock her out for now, she needed help.
"What the hell is going on?" Mercedes cried.
"What do you mean you have no Ambulances?" Kurt yelled into the phone, "Where the hell are they?"
I look to Artie and he lays there on the floor coughing up blood, Blaine still by his side, one hand on his neck still trying to stop the blood, the other holding onto his hand.
"You're going to be fine," he told him, tears running down his cheeks, "just hold on."
Puck is still standing over Sugar's body making sure she wasn't going to get back up and mutilate someone else. Santana had Brittney in her arms, stroking her hair. Tina was in tears and had a tight grip on Mike.
"We need to leave the school," I finally say.
"Leave? I think it's best if we all stay here." Finn piped in.
"Are you not listening, seeing what is going on?" I say back to him, "People are being killed here. Look at Artie, look at Sugar."
"You are the one that killed Sugar," He yelled at me.
"Did you want her to kill someone else Finn?" I yell back at him, "That wasn't Sugar, I don't know what that was, but that defiantly wasn't her."
He didn't get a chance to reply because Artie began to take short breaths and Blaine called out "Guys."
We all turned and saw Artie take his last breath. His last moments were listening to us arguing with each other.
Blaine closed his eyes and stood up and looked at his hands, covered in blood. No one was moving, so I walked over and placed my hand on Blaine's shoulder. I saw tears running from his eyes, down his cheeks, I struggled to keep the tears back but it was too hard and they began to leak out of my eyes. I guided Blaine over to the seats and used tissues and began to clean the blood off his hands.
"Guys," Mercedes called, "Artie isn't dead, he is moving."
"Do NOT go near him," I tell her, "stay where you are."
"What are you talking about? He needs help," she snapped back.
"That isn't Artie," I said again walking over to her.
"What do you know?" she said pushing me out of the way.
What is it with people and not listening to me today?
Sure enough, a few seconds after Mercedes had bent over to see if he was ok, he rolled over and sunk his teeth into her arm.
"MERCEDES!" I screamed at her "I told you to stay back."
What happened next happened so fast it was a blur. We all managed to get out of the school, seeing students trying to eat each other, biting, snapping. I had a bad feeling taking Mercedes with us but she seemed fine, it was just a minor wound.
We all ended up back at my place, with the television on finding out what has happened.
The news stations were all fuzzy, the reporters not at their desks, the cameras tilted but still rolling, still broadcasting. Columbus, Washington, New York, no matter what station we flicked to it was the same. Until suddenly an Emergency Broadcast took over, channels went out like lights, taken over by a red screen and then suddenly, a man's face.
He looked panicked, shaking, sweat was beading at his forehead as he set the camera up correctly. I recognised him, he was the guy on the TV reporting about the killer virus before I left Yale. No. That can't be it, it was just a joke right?
"Citizens of the United States of America, if you are watching this you are safe. You have time. Precious time that others lack. 2 weeks ago the CDC was informed of a virus that was causing intense fevers and bleed outs, slowly resulting in death. 78 hours ago, we were informed the virus had mutated. The current virus, dubbed the "Z Virus" by internet fanatics, is on the loose. Transmission is through drinking tainted water sources or through direct physical contact with an infected host. Infected hosts will bite and ravage the uninfected, if bitten you're considered an infected host. These creatures are hostile, unforfiving, they are no longer considered sentient, no longer your friends or family. Survival is now our main concern. The CDC will report any further findings on all available TV and Radio channels."
We all looked at each other and just sat there in silence.
-End Flashback-
I looked up at Rachel, she released one of my hands to wipe the tears off my cheek, crying herself. I didn't realise I was crying, I didn't know that it all affected me the way it had.
The sun was just coming up when Puck began to stir, he rolled over and looked at us. He didn't ask us what was wrong, I think he knew and just didn't want to bring it up.
"We can't stay here much longer," he told us.
"Can you ride?" I asked concerned.
"I'll be fine," he smiled, "we just need a way out."
That would be a problem, we cancelled all communications with home base, so we were on our own.
"I can guide you out," Rachel suddenly said.
We both looked at her. Of course she could she lives here.
"How many ways out do you know?" Puck asked her.
"All of them," She said proudly.
"You are a life saver," I say squeezing her hands.
"Let's get ready" Puck told us.
We all stood up and looked out the window to the street below, soon we would be back out there, out there… with them.
