Disclaimer: I own nothing
Authors note: sorry for the very very very late update. Ive been very busy but I made up for it my making this chapter a long one. I hope you like it there is a lot more Faberry. Keep reviewing, I love all the feedback it makes me smile so so much. love you all
Seeing everyone's faces made me smile, I was home, back to security and back to the only family I had left. I wondered what everyone would do when they saw Rachel; in shock like I was and just stand there a gape or crowd her devouring her with hugs. He second one made me scowl to myself, something inside me wants me and only me to be able to hug her and hold her in my arms. I didn't know where this jealousy was coming from, and it worried be a little bit. Everyone else had the right to hug her and have her attention, why was it that I wanted it all? She wasn't mine, but I wanted her to be, almost needed her to be. I was feeling almost possessive and I still didn't know why, I could have almost taken her a runaway so I didn't have to share her. I looked back at her smiling face as she saw everyone, the excitement was radiating off her and I knew I couldn't do that. I felt the car pull to a stop and Puck sigh, just like he always has when he arrives home. He looks at me and smiles as he is jumping out of the car. I smile back and undo my belt and climb from the car and was suddenly embraced by everyone, all talking at once, I could only pick out a few lines here and there.
"I'm so glad you made it back"
"How did you do it?"
"Nice car."
"Is your head ok…?"
I smile and try to reply back to everyone but I think it's a story that is better told later. I turn back to the car and see that Rachel is still sitting in the backseat. I smile at her through the window and open the door and hold out my hand.
"Come on," I whisper to her, "welcome home."
She gave me her hundred watt Rachel Berry smile and interlocked our fingers. This small gesture sent butterflies raging throughout my body. What the? I heard gasps as she climbed from the car; I kept my eyes on her because I didn't want to know how they were reacting. I felt the grip on my hand tighten and decided to look at everyone. They were just standing there looking at her, trying to speak, looking to me and then to Puck and then back to Rachel. I knew what they were thinking, how on earth did those two manage to find Rachel Berry of all people, while getting chased by a massive horde of the infected. I asked myself the same question, I didn't have an answer then and I still don't have one now.
I watched the emotions on Finn's face as he looked at her, he then began to walk slowly forward towards us, his arms stretched out. He looked like one of the undead, I had to hold back a chuckle. Soon enough they all had snapped out of their trance and all began to run towards Rachel. They were pulling her every which way, but her hand never left mine. Everyone was trying to talk to her, hug her. Kurt and Finn were fighting each other for her attention, it looked like two children fighting for their mother's attention. I felt another hand on mine, I look and see that Finn is trying to pry our hands apart.
"I can take it from here Quinn," he said not looking at me and waving me away.
He did not just do that. He did not just brush me away like I delivered him a package and mean nothing. I almost wanted to punch him in the face until Rachel turned around and looked at me. She gave me a sympathetic look and shrug, I just smiled at her and nodded. I watched everyone pull her from side to side all wanting to talk to her. I lowered my head and looked at my hands. I missed her already, what was that girl doing to me, always on my mind, always wanting to be around her. I sighed when the door closed and Puck and I were left to unpack the car of what we found. I turned around to walk to the car to find Sam standing there.
"I thought you would have been trying to talk to Rachel," I say to him walking around him to the car.
"I will get my chance later," he told me following me to the back of the car, "I'm more interested about you and Puck at the moment and how the tell you managed to get back here with no bikes but Rachel and a Jeep."
I laughed out loud the comment he made. It did sounded completely impossible, crazy impossible even, when he said like that.
"I guess we were just very lucky," I replied still smiling and handing one of the bags to Puck.
"Very," he agreed, "But I want to know how you did it."
I began to tell him everything after we lost contact, Puck getting hit over the head by someone that turned out to be Rachel, how scared I was for the first time in a long time. Sam thought that it was good that I was beginning to feel again, but I didn't like it, it made me feel vulnerable, weak almost. I told him the rest of our journey, from crashing our bikes to finding the Jeep. I felt the relief wash over my face again when I told him how I felt when we drove through those gates and seeing everyone's faces. He looked at me and smiled at he wrapped his arms around me. Sam and I have this connection, I don't know how it started, but he is always there on the other end of the radio and I feel safe with him there. When that connection was lost I felt very lost and alone even with Puck there.
"I'm glad you made it back safe though," he smiled taking one of the bags from me.
I turned to reply but as I did I hit my head on the edge of the car, right on the lump. The pain was immense and it almost knocked me out. Sam helped steady me and I reached up to rub the bump and for the second time my hand came away covered in blood.
"Woah Quinn are you ok," Sam asked obviously seeing the blood.
"Yeah," I replied, "I think I just reopened the wound on my head."
Sam carted me off to our makeshift doctor's surgery, which is just a room full of medical supplies and bits and bobs that will help with wounds we acquire, and he washed out the wound and then tells me to go have a were able to rig up a water system for the bathroom on the bottom floor, connected to a small tank outside gathering rain water and generator we stowed away inside the house. Mike and Puck set it up, none of us are really sure how, but they did it and they made the room sound proof almost. A low drone was all that could be heard from outside. The water isn't great, and half the time it's not hot, but we manage. We all get full showers twice a week, more if we're lucky with the rain.
I strip of my clothes and toss them in a pile on the floor against the wall and turn the taps on, at first the water is cold but soon enough the water is warm, not as much as I'd like it to be but it will do and I step in. The warmth felt great on my body and my sore muscles, the water stung my head but I stood there and let the water run over it. I washed my hair the best I could without bumping my head and the rest of my body until I was clean with not a speck of anything left on me. It felt good to be clean, I don't mind getting down and covered in dirt and sweat but feeling clean is amazing. When I stepped out of the shower I grabbed my towel and dried myself off and looked at myself in the mirror. My head looked nasty but at least it was clean, my body showed splotches of blue, purple and back, bruises coming up everywhere. There was also some beginning to heal. I wrapped the towel around myself and left the bathroom and headed upstairs to my room and pulled out a pair of sweats and a loose shirt. I threw them over my bra and underwear and headed back down to Sam to patch my head up.
He didn't do much, just put some antiseptic solution on it and then put gauze over it with a sticky bandage. I smiled at him and thanked him before walking to the kitchen. On my way I heard Puck telling the rest of the group what had happened while we were out down to the gory details. I didn't need to hear it again, ive experienced it once and it wasn't something I really wanted to relive. Except the Rachel part, I would relive that every day if it were possible was the most alive ive felt in ages.
I snuck into the kitchen to find a vegetable soup sitting in a pot on the bench. It smelled amazing. I went to the cupboard and pulled out a bowl and helped myself, it felt like I hadn't eaten in weeks. I walked back past the group and then up onto the third floor balcony and sat eating my soup watching the sun set on another day at the end of the world. We didn't know if it was the end really, we just assumed, everything around us went to hell so quickly it just seemed like the end. We always talk about the hope of finding a cure but we all know that it's just a pipe dream. Our only hope is that these things end up starving to death or end up becoming a mass of decaying rotting flesh, either way that could take years and who knew how long we could survive on the food that we find, it will all expire eventually. We have been growing a vegetable patch with all different fresh foods that will grow all year round and some at different times just so we will have something to eat at any time of the year. It's too dangerous to have pets of any kind, chickens and roosters are too loud and would attract the infected, so there goes eggs and meat, and cows are just too big to look after along with other farm animals. We hunt, well Mike does at least, once a week we eat a huge meal, deer or something of the like. We do the best with what we have and that's all any of us can ask for.
After the sun had set I headed back inside, washed up my bowl and spoon and put them away. People seemed to have dispersed from the living area and were back to what they normally do, moving busily around the house. Blaine stopped and asked how I was doing and if I needed anything. I didn't need anything but thanked him and gave him a hug. A lot of my friends asked me how I was as I moved about the house and I gave them each the same answer. I was fine. Tired. But fine. Santana was on sentry duty, Puck and Sam were out by the Jeep, I saw Kurt follow Blaine into the kitchen. I didn't know where Mike and Tina were, I couldn't seem them about. Brittney was folding some washing. I was looking for one person in particular and she was the one person I couldn't seem to find.
I could feel my eyes begin to get heavy and drop, I had a big few days and I was excited to get back into my own bed and just sleep. Neither Puck nor I will be disturbed tonight to do lookout duty because of the last few days, but we will be getting straight back into the swing of things tomorrow. I climbed the stairs slowly, every muscle aching and calling out for bed. I heard murmurs coming from Finn's room, no doubt which was where Rachel was too. I wanted badly to stay and listen to what they were talking about but I just needed to get to bed more than anything. I knew it was early but I was absolutely exhausted. I made my way to my room and changed into my pyjamas which was really just a singlet and my underwear. It usually takes forever for me to get to sleep because I spend hours thinking about everything, but tonight I was sleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
I didn't know how long I had been asleep before my door opened and someone walked in. I thought it may have been Sam coming to check on me and to see if I had concussion, but instead the person opened up the covers and climbed in next to me, their small arms finding their way around my waist and pulling themselves closer. I smiled. Rachel. I roll over so I am facing her and place my hands on her side.
"Hey," I whisper.
"Hey," she replied, I could tell she was smiling.
"Are you alright?" I ask.
"Yeah I'm fine thankyou"
"Did anyone show you to your room?" I asked half hoping that they actually didn't.
"Yeah they did and its lovely, but I couldn't sleep so I came to find you instead."
She came to find me. Take that Hudson. The butterflies were again bursting to get out, this girl made me feel things that no other has before. What was happening?
"Well you can stay as long as you like," I tell her.
"Thankyou Quinn," she replied snuggling in closer intertwining our legs.
Oh dear god one of Rachel Berry's legs were between mine and incredibly close to my centre, and I surprised myself by actually wanting her to move it higher. I could tell that our faces were mere inches from each other because of the slight brush of Rachel's breath across my face. I could feel myself losing control, and I couldn't let that happen. However before I could do anything Rachel snuggled into my shoulder.
"Goodnight Quinn," she yawned, "thank you for letting me sleep here."
And then she promptly went off to sleep leaving me here wide awake with my heart racing and my mind going in circles.
You should have kissed her then Quinn Fabray. No you shouldn't have you are straight, you don't like girls remember. Then why was she making you feel this way? You are imagining it, it's all in your head. What's with all the butterflies then? You are just feeling this way because someone is finally showing you some attention. But she is a girl. It's the end of the world, does that really matter?
I spent the best part of the night at war with myself the same things going around and around in my head. By the time I got to sleep again it felt like minutes before I was awoken to Rachel stirring next to me. While she was sleeping I managed to removed her leg from between mine which helped me to relax somewhat. I looked over at her and she was staring up at me and smiled when we made eye contact.
"Morning," she smiled.
"Hey," I replied getting lost in her eyes, "Did you sleep alright?"
"I slept fantastically," she told me stretching.
I saw that she was wearing a loose light yellow shirt and was able to see the outline of her breast clearly indicating she wasn't wearing a bra. I couldn't help but stare.
"What are the plans for today Quinn?" she asked causing my eyes to quickly flick back up to her face.
"Um probably just jobs around here, but we will go and have breakfast first." I told her, "After we get dressed."
She giggled and climbed out of bed showing off her bare legs and that she only slept in a pair of boy leg underwear. My mouth dropped open and all I could do was gawk at her. This woman was trying to kill me I swear.
"See you in a minute," she smiled as she walked from the door.
I sighed and threw my head back down on the pillow. It was obvious the war wasn't resolved even after staying up half the night trying to work out what I was feeling. I slowly climbed out of bed and went to my draw and pulled out a black shirt and a pair of blue denim shorts. I missed wearing all the dresses I used to wear but they are too impractical now. I got myself dressed and walked out the bedroom door and walked straight into Rachel.
"Woah Quinn are you okay?" She asked our faces extremely close again.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I told her stepping back and brushing myself off feeling very embarrassed.
We both turned and walked down the stairs towards the kitchen. During breakfast there was talk about a traffic jam of cars that could be full of supplies heading out of New York City.
"I don't remember seeing that," I say to them.
"It's because you went in and came out at a different point," he told me.
I did remember however that we did try and get out but we couldn't get through all the cars and kept having to turn around. I thought someone was just trying to keep people out but it could have been as simple as a traffic jam.
"I remember that we couldn't get out in one section of New York because of cars blocking the way," Puck speaks before I was able to.
"Exactly," said Mike walking in, "Tina and I got back from looking around there last night; it was pretty deserted, not much life there other than animals."
"How are you this morning Rachel?" Tina asked, "I still can't believe they found you."
"I'm great thanks Tina," she replied, "I'm very glad they found me."
Her hand found mine under then stable and she intertwined our fingers. I didn't pull away I just looked over at her and smiled.
What are you doing Quinn? If you don't like her and she likes you, you might be giving her the wrong idea. But what if you do like her but she doesn't like you back?I wish love was simple.
After breakfast I was on lookout duty and Rachel came up with me so I could teach her what to do when she had to come up here on her own.
"Here are the guns, you have three to choose from," I began.
"I know guns Quinn," she said taking me aback, "I was taught, I needed to know."
"Okay we can skip this step then," I smiled turning around, "well actually there isn't much to it. You sit here with the binoculars and look around if you see something unusual talk into the radio and someone will come up for a second opinion. However if you see something of importance that needs everyone needs to know about, say, a group of the infected, call code black over the radio. Everyone is always listening in, we'll all hear. Got it?"
"I understand, thanks Quinn." She smiled taking a seat.
"I'm happy to help," I said sitting in the lookout's chair.
There was short silence before Rachel spoke again.
"Quinn?" she began.
"Yeah?" I spoke looking back at her.
"Why don't you have any photos or any memories in your room or around the house or anything for that matter?" she said looking at me, seeming very keen for my answer.
"We have learnt from past experiences that they can hold you back and cause major problems." I told her looking away.
I didn't like this story, but it was another that Rachel should know. It was another that I kept locked away because of how badly it affected me. No one but Sam and I know this story from seeing it first hand; the others know it because we told them. Just like before I didn't want to open this can of worms but I wouldn't not tell her.
"What do you mean?" she asked me.
"We were a few states out at this stage, somewhere in Delaware I think," I began, "Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury was still with us at that stage."
- Flashback-
Six months after infection.
It was early morning when I awoke from a peaceful sleep. It had taken me months to relax enough to get a decent amount of sleep due to my nerves. We were all sleeping together in the living room, some on the couches and others on the floor with a sleeping bag. The house wasn't very big, but big enough for us to live in. I look next to me and see that Sam is still sound asleep he must have changed shifts with Tina through the night as they planned. Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury were snuggled up together on one of the lounges. Brittney was asleep in Santana's as was Kurt with Blaine. Puck was snoring away, Mike was hidden in his sleeping bag and Finn was sprawled over the floor. I quietly stepped over the sleeping bodies and made my way to the kitchen. Once there I walked over to one of the cupboards and pulled out a bottle of water and an apple. I took a sip and then a bite. The apple was crisp and juicy, it was bursting with flavour, and it's not often nowadays that you get a good piece of fruit. I heard some moans but ignored it thinking it was someone in their sleep. I finished the apple and placed it in the bin. I took the lid off the water and put it up to my mouth, but before I could drink any the moans were louder and there was a banging, lots of banging. I knew instantly what this meant. I placed the water on the bench and ran for the front door. When I got close I peeked through a crack in the board on the window to find masses of the undead. I stumbled back and fell over a plank of wood that was lying on the ground. I hit the ground with a thud but scrambled to my feet as fast as I could.
"WAKE UP!" I say, loud enough for them to hear but not the undead, as I ran to the living room, "Wake up."
Everyone began to stir, but they weren't moving fast enough, with the amount of the undead that were outside they will break down the door in no time.
"Get up," I say shaking them and pulling the blankets down.
"What's up Quinn?" Puck asked rubbing his eyes.
"Hundreds of infected. Outside. Banging on door." My eyes were wide and once I had told everyone what I had seem their expressions mimicked mine.
"How did they get so close?" Santana asked me.
"We should have been out of here before it got this bad," exclaimed Blaine rubbing his hands together.
"Why didn't Tina tell us?" Finn Pipped in.
Everyone was on their feet no longer looking at me but up the stairs instead, to the place Tina was meant to be keeping watch.
Why didn't she tell us that they were approaching, she had binoculars, she would have seen them coming and it would have given us a chance to escape. I turned and walked up the stairs, Finn, Mike and Puck followed. We crept quietly towards the bedroom that faced the road, the one that Tina was in. I opened the door and walked through.
"Tina?" I called.
Nothing. No movement, to sound, no nothing.
"Tina?" I asked louder this time as I moved towards the chair.
When I walked around the Chair I found her sitting in it, asleep.
"TINA!" I screamed and she woke up.
I was fuming, but not as fuming as Finn.
"What the fuck Tina?" He yelled, "How could you have fallen asleep and put us all in danger like this. You are supposed to been keeping watch so this doesn't happen."
She looked confused, "what?"
"There are mountains of infected outside, banging on our door," He told her.
"What?" she asked again.
"Are you stupid Tina," he yelled in her face, "you have just signed everyone's death certificate because you can't keep your fucking eyes open!"
He had his hands on either shoulder and was shaking her. Mike quickly jumped in and got in between then and pushed him off. Mike copped a fist to the eye and Mike broke Finn's nose. Puck had to jump in between and managed to split them up.
"Grow the fuck up both of you," He told them, "we need to get out of here and we can't do that with you two having a bitch fit at each other."
Finn went to have go at him, but I put my hand up and stopped him before he could.
"He is right Finn," I said, "we need to go and get us all out, and you standing here wanting to argue over everything isn't going to help."
He walked off out the door in a huff and we followed closely behind.
No one said anything to Tina when we got down stairs, they had packed up all of our things which were sitting in a pile on the floor and had them ready to go.
"The cars and bikes are parked by the side off the house," Sam reminded us, "we may be able to climb out the side window and get to them from there."
"Worth a try," Blaine replied, "Its better than sitting here and waiting for them to walk through the door."
"We are more likely to get eaten out there though," Finn complained.
I rolled my eyes, he thinks he is always right and will get the shits if someone tells him something different.
"Finn. Shut up," Blaine told him.
Another fight erupted again with everyone shouting at everyone, pointing fingers, and swearing.
"STOP!" Santana yelled at the top of her lungs and everyone stopped and looked at her, "yelling at each other isn't helping to get us out, and if they get in here before we get out I swear I will go all Lima Heights on your asses."
Santana yelling and another huge bang on the door snapped everyone into gear. Mike climbed through the side window and silently as he could and we all passed him out things. He placed them on the back of the Ute and then jumped in the driver's seat. Santana, Britney, Tina and Finn all went with him.
Next we sent Puck, Kurt and Blaine through the window and into the car and they left following the Ute. Before we could get out the window there was an almighty crash signalling then infected were now in the house. Mr Schue, Miss Pillsbury, Sam and I were the only ones left in the house. Sam closed the door and barricaded us in with a shelf. We sent Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury out the window before us and they jumped into one of the bikes. Banging began on the door behind us and that made Sam and I move faster. He pushed me through the window and then followed me through, he then hopped on the last bike and started it up, I jumped on behind him after he started it and placed my hands around his waist.
"Lets go!" he yelled to Mr Schue.
He turned around and I saw his eyes widen, I snapped my head around to see that Miss Pillsbury was climbing back through the window.
"What is she doing?" I yelled jumping off the bike and trying to pull her out the window.
"I need to get the bag with the photo albums," she told me pushing me off, "they are the only memories I have left."
I let her push me off her and watched her climb back into the house. I shook my head and turned back and jumped on the back off Sam's bike. He just looked at me and shook his head and turned the bike around so we were facing the other bike which still contained a shocked Mr Schue looking into the window. We couldn't get passed him and he wouldn't let us pass, he wanted to wait for Emma. Sam and I turned and watched as she struggled with the bag. The door behind her began to break and the infected were trying to get in. As she went to jump out the window the strap on the backpack caught on something and pulled her back inside, she tried to free it but it was no use, the infected had smashed their way inside was headed straight for her.
"NO!" screamed Mr Schue as he dove off his bike and picked up his gun.
Neither Sam nor I was expecting him to do what he did next. He climbed back up though the window and began to shoot the undead. There was a gut retching cry told us that Miss Pillsbury had been bitten. The sound of ripping flesh and gun shots echoed in my ears, I wanted to look away but I just couldn't. We first watched Miss Pillsbury get over run by the undead and she disappeared from our site. Mr Schue tried to scramble back to the window and was half way out when the infected grabbed him and pulled him back in. The horror I saw in his eyes would never leave me. The look of pain and fear in his eyes was the last we saw off him as he was overrun by them. A few of the undead saw us as he fell back inside and they started for us, but before they could even get out the window Sam had put the bike in gear and we were out of there.
We caught up with the others at the end of the neighbourhood, they look down at us with confused eyes, but the tear filled look we gave them in return spoke more words than anything. They knew basically what happened didn't ask any questions. I clung to Sam as we drove away from the town with tears streaming down my cheek.
-End Flashback-
I looked up from my hands to find Rachel in tears. I smiled softly as the tears fell from my eyes too. I lifted my hand and wiped the falling tears away with my hands.
"And you saw it all?" she asked.
"Yeah," I replied, "Sam and I saw it all."
She stood up and pulled me into her arms, I felt sheltered and safe. I wished I could have stayed there forever.
"Sam and I only ever spoke about that once. It was after we had gotten to safety and everyone wanted to know what happened. We barely made it through telling them," I told her, "we never talked about it again and no one asked. It was just too hard to talk about."
"But you told me?" she questioned.
"You had the right to know," I replied to her, "you needed to know. They were a major part of your life too."
She looked as if she was about to say something else but Mike walked through the door.
"We have decided to go and check out that abandoned traffic Jam going into New York City," he told us, "Sam wants to take everyone."
Rachel and I glanced at each other, everyone was not a good idea, that was too many people, too many chances to make a mistake, too many for the undead to get a hold. We nodded anyway, rising from our seats and descending back into the house.
