A/N: I'm going to be doing shorter, more frequent updates, instead of forcing myself to keep writing until it's reached what I believe is an acceptable length. This is hopefully to improve the quality of the writing, and also, because shorter chapters are easier for me to write, especially because it keeps switching between Puck and Rachel's POV.

He runs because that's what he's best at. He settles Quinn in his bedroom, offers to grab her a drink, and instead of going to the kitchen, he runs out the front door. He has no idea where he's supposed to go; he can't afford to stay in a hotel, and he lives with all of his friends, so there's no couch for him to crash on... the only place he can think of going is to Brittany's.

He sends a text message to his friends, letting them know that Quinn's in the apartment, and that he's going to crash on Brittany's floor for a couple of days.

Matt [4.30pm] Shit. I didn't think she'd really come back here, not after all she's done. I'll leave work early and see if I can get her to stay in a hotel so you don't have to stay with Britt.

Satan [4.35pm] Matt just texted me – he's on his way home now to throw Quinn out on her arse. I'll make sure Britt brings pizza home with her, and if I can, I'll bring round some beer and we'll get drunk and forget about the bitch.

Changster [4.42pm] Thanks for the heads up; I'll use the fire escape to get into the apartment... good thing it leads straight to my window!

Britt [4.50pm] We're going to be roomies! I'm not back at the room yet but Rach is and she's really nice! I'll let her know that you're coming :)

By the time he gets Brittany's text, he's already standing outside her dorm room. With no other options, he raises his hand to knock on the door, but it swings open before he can hit his fist against the wood.

A short brunette is standing in the doorway, wearing yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt with the name Hudson on the back. Her hair is up in a messy bun and she has no make-up on but she looks fucking amazing.

"Hey, I'm..." he tries to introduce himself, putting all his charms into his words, but she interrupts him.

"You're the douche from the bar, otherwise known as Brittany's friend who will be staying with us for a couple of days for reasons yet to be divulged"

"Wait... douche from the bar?" he asks, his eyebrows furrowing as he tries to understand her words.

"I saw you at the bar the other night. You were more than a little drunk and you acted like a total jerk. Normally, I'd hold it against you because first impressions last for a long time, but clearly, you are under emotional duress and cannot be held responsible for your actions", she rambles, her hands pulling nervously at her sweater.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he questions, more concerned with watching her lips than actually listening to what she has to say.

"Forget it. I'm Rachel", she says softly as she extends her hand, "please come in"

He follows her back into the room, his eyes glued to her backside, until he sees the photograph on Brittany's bedside cabinet. There's six people standing close together, all in various positions, but all clearly happy, and his heart starts to hurt. There's Santana and Brittany in the middle, arms around each other, pressed as close as possible. Matt's standing next to Santana, and he's looking at her in amazement, while Mike is standing on the other side of Brittany, laughing as his best friend's expression. He's standing next to Mike, smirking at Santana and Brittany, who, if he remembers correctly, were more than a little drunk. There's a stupid look in his eyes (love, his brain reminds him), present only because Quinn's pressing her lips to his cheek, whilst whispering in his ear.

Rachel sees where he's looking and looks at him with sympathy. "I take it the blonde is your girlfriend and the two of you are having problems right now?" she asks softly, her voice filled with concern, but his back rises just the same.

"What the hell do you know about relationships?" he hisses. "Are you dating anyone?"

"N-no", she whispers, hesitating over her answer. She doesn't want to be known as the girl with a dead boyfriend, and three dead friends – not here, not now and especially not by him.

"Well, then pull your nose out of my business. It has nothing to do with you", he growls, turning his back on her and collapsing onto the nearest bed, which luckily happened to be Brittany's.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I've set you up a mattress on the floor because I didn't want you to hurt your back, and I've already called for pizza to be delivered – Brittany asked me to order it, and gave me the phone number for your favourite place and your usual order – and the money is on the dresser by the door. It shouldn't be too long. The bathroom is down the hall; it's pretty easy to find, and if you need anything, help yourself. I'm just going to nip out for a little while", she says quickly, her eyes cast down to the floor.

He feels like a huge jerk, but before he has a chance to open his mouth, she's slipped out of the door.

Fuck.

Brittany gets back half an hour later, and her smile widens when she sees him slouched on her bed eating pizza. "You're here! I was really worried about you, and I really wanted to see you, but I couldn't leave the lecture early, and Rachel promised that she'd look after you, and she said she'd order pizza", Brittany rambled as she threw her bag on the floor and flung her jacket onto the bed. "Where is Rach?"

"She left", he mumbled around the piece of pizza he had stuffed in his mouth.

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know Britt! I'm not her bloody mother", he grunts, already defensive, and watches as the blonde's face falls.

"What did you do Puck?"

"Why do you assume I did something? Chick's bat shit, she just left all of a sudden after rambling about pizza and sleeping arrangements and all that crap"

"I'm going to find out what you did eventually Puck. Just don't hurt her... for me. She's really sad Puck, I can see it in her eyes, and I really, really like her. I want her to be happy, and I want her to trust me, and feel comfortable around us. Please don't screw it up for me", Brittany said seriously, resting her hand on his knee and she shifted around on the bed.

"Yeah, whatever Britt. I'm going for a walk. I'll be back in a while" he replied, leaving the blonde looking sadly after him.

He walked towards the only bar on campus with a reputation for allowing underage students and their friends in without checking ID. He was planning on getting good and drunk before going back to the dorm room and hopefully walking in to find Brittany and Rachel already asleep.

He stopped when he heard a girl crying in an alcove on the side of what looked like the library (Brittany had already sent them pictures of every building in case they'd need them for future reference – something Santana found adorable and he found fucking annoying).

"I hate it here. I don't know what I'm doing. I never wanted to be at NYU; I wanted to be at Julliard. I wanted to be learning how to become the biggest star of our generation. I wanted to get coffee with you without worrying what people thought, and I wanted lazy Sunday's where we didn't have to get out of bed, and I wanted to do those touristy things that people in New York take for granted. I wanted to be young and in love, and happy, but this is all wrong. I'm here alone, and I can't dance, and I can't sleep without your arms around me, and I can't sing because it hurts too much, and I just can't do this. This was supposed to bring us closer together but your face is fading from my mind and that jumper doesn't smell like you anymore and I just can't do this. I want to go back to that night... I want... I want... I want so many things. I want you. You are so far away, and I miss you so much it hurts. I just... I can't do this anymore. Please. Do something. I love you. I can't do this. Just... I can't. I'm not the strong one. You are the strong one. You got us through high school – all of us – and now you're gone... all of you are gone... and I'm alone, and I've never been alone before and I can't do this. Just... please. I can't be alone anymore. I love you", she whispered, her voice hysterical as she cried down the phone. "And I know you won't ever get this message but I have to believe that somehow, you know. Because you always knew before, and you have to know now because I can't do this if you don't know. I just can't. I miss you Finn. So, so much. This wasn't supposed to be our life. I had so many plans for us and this wasn't one of them. I know you won't ever check your voicemails but I needed someone to vent too and I needed to hear your voice. I just had to hear your voice one more time"

He walks away before she continues talking. Crying girls have always been his weakness and he's already discovered that this girl pushes all his buttons, and he isn't sure if the combination would have been a good one.

He turns back to the dorm because he's already learned that drinking while he's angry isn't a good idea and right now, he's pissed off. He's been feeling like a jerk all afternoon, but she lied straight to his face. She said that she wasn't in a relationship and acted all innocent and shy and stuff, but she was lying straight to his face.

She's just like Quinn, and he doesn't need another one of those girls in his life.

(Brittany's still awake when he gets back to the room but she knows him well enough to not say anything. He collapses onto his mattress and falls straight to sleep).