The Private Escapades of Puck and Quinn

by BMontague

A series of one-shots focusing on Puck and Quinn's 'private' relationship post-high school and how each encounter helps shape their life together. Rated M for language and lemony goodness.

9. Anchors Aweigh

A/N: Ok, ok. I am so very sorry for keeping this update from you for so long. I have been working on it for a while, but having two little kiddos under the age of 5 running around and trying to juggle a heavy caseload at work on top of that has been a bit overwhelming. My excuse sucks, and I apologize, but I hope this makes up for it a little bit. I especially want to apologize to the few people who have PMed me, quite upset over the fact that I take forever to update. I apologize. I know it's frustrating and I get frustrated too when some of my favorite fics take forever to get updated as well, but it wouldn't hurt to be a bit nicer with the way you phrase some comments. Some harsh criticism like that really don't motivate a person to write faster when they are slightly inflammatory. :( Anyway, back to the story!

Holy crap 16 reviews on the last chapter! That is the most I have ever gotten for a single chapter and it seriously made my month! Thank you all so much! Think we can get to 75 next? :) Thanks SA, msdiannaagron, F1lo2, Bre723, QuickFan, A Amanda A, rebelstarsaligh, gleeothfriends90210cccjsdAMD, gLdStR, olacindy, walkingthegardengnome, Ellii51, MsKylie93, Marine04, andsoitis2 and I'm a gleek1994 for your kind words and wonderful reviews! You are the reason I keep writing. Also, thanks to those who have added me as an alert or favorite story and to all the readers patient enough to trudge through 15000+ word chapters… Again, sorry for the length. It's a bit longer than I was hoping for/anticipating, but I got rolling and I hope you like it.

Also, serious bonus points if you can tell me the origin of the title and it's relation to the story!

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Anchors Aweigh

Quinn sighed as she made her way through the lush green campus, the pathways lined with old stone and brick buildings. The late spring weather in New Haven was rather warm as she walked back to her dorm after class, making her way past several academic buildings and a few of the secret society buildings, each of those latter edifices earning a shiver from her as she walked past. The clubhouses or "tombs" of the Skull & Bones and Scroll & Key societies gave her the creeps every times she saw them, the monolithic structures hiding all of the secrets of some of her fellow classmates.

She had dated around for the first month or so when she first got to Yale, eager to experience something new and different with people who didn't already know her past. Somehow, over the last summer she had convinced herself that leaving all of her anchors of the past in the past was the best way to move on and start a new life with a clean slate, much like she had done when she shed the "Lucy" image of middle school when she transferred to McKinley's school district.

No, before she had even arrived in New Haven, her mother had her convinced that all of the pains and problems of the past would dissipate once she found someone worthy of her. Or in other words, a guy that met her mother's criteria of "proper breeding." So she dated around, hanging out with a few guys who fell within the proper class status, had the right personal and family connections and were practically almost guaranteed a spot within one of the infamous secret societies here on campus.

But no matter how much she tried, not a single one of them interested her in pursuing something other than a first date. Most of them actually bored her.

She hurried past the buildings and walked briskly toward the dorm building she would call home for only a few more weeks until she was able to move out and move off campus into an apartment if she wanted to. However, despite being excited at the chance to live independently for a while, she really couldn't complain about her current digs.

The "dorms" here at Yale were less the traditional dorms her friends from back home complained about and more like hotel suites, two girls sharing a space that would probably fit three or four of her friend's dorm rooms put together, complete with a private, en suite bathroom. On one of her first visits from nearby University of Connecticut, Santana had made a point of not only bitching about the size of Quinn's room, but actually measured it, calling her roommate and asking her to measure their own room in the process for comparison.

She smiled to herself, taking comfort in the fact that she would get to see Santana that weekend. The Latina had taken quite an interest in coming down from Storrs, which she likened to a less populated Lima complete with cows and farmland, to party in New Haven with Quinn and her friends. Quinn knew it had something to do with a few girls that lived down the hall that seemed to take Santana's mind off of her and Britney's own "break" after last summer and wished her friend well, but she knew Santana's heart was still aching, just like her friend knew her own heart ached as well.

Before she could dwell on lost loves and her own so-called "anchors of the past," the leaves on the bush next to her rustled before someone popped out in front of her, a yelp escaping her throat as she jumped away.

"Gotcha!" Jason said, her goofy boyfriend grinning back at her.

"Geeze," she breathed, holding her hand against her racing heart, "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Sorry babe," he smiled, bending over lightly to kiss her on the cheek before holding out his hand "Let me escort back to your dorm, m'lady? You know, it's the least I can do."

"Such a charmer," she replied, taking his hand before the two of them continued on their way back toward her dorm.

Jason continued to ramble on about something or another, but Quinn's mind began to wander back to what she was thinking about prior to him popping out of the bush. Sure, she got to see Santana on a fairly regular basis, but besides the occasional Facebook message from one of her friends, it had been a long time since she had seen any of her other high school friends in person. She felt a slight pang in her heart at how much she was really starting to miss them. College was a wonderful opportunity to branch out and find herself and become independent again, something she was incredibly thankful for after last year's car accident and several months of rehab trying to get back to functioning at 100%.

She was also glad to be free of a lot of her "anchors from the past" as she referred to them…well, that was not entirely true. If she were being honest, those "anchors" weren't really burdens of her past. They were milestones that helped change her life for the better, helping her grow into the person she was today.

She hadn't seen Beth since she left for college and she yearned for another chance to be a more regular part of her life, if Shelby would let her. She missed her little girl, and although she got updates and pictures from Shelby on a regular basis, she wanted to see her and get to know what kind of person her daughter was growing into.

And sure enough, as soon as she started thinking about Beth, memories of him came to flooding back. She felt terrible about how she left things with Puck at the end of the school year. They had shared such an incredible prom together, full of drama and love, but their parting was less than ideal. They were kind toward one another for the remaining few days of school, performing at graduation and even posing for pictures together, so their parents had photo reminders of how far each of them had come in the past several years.

But she was miserable without him. Puck was right, they had rediscovered something incredible and they should have fought to hang on to that, but she quit on them before they even had a chance to start something. The more she thought about the way they left things the more it hurt, and she knew she made a colossal mistake.

Ready to apologize profusely and do anything to make amends, Quinn had gone over to his house about a week after graduation, only to find out from his mother that he had shipped out to boot camp a day prior. She laughed humorlessly at the irony of her situation, always having the worst luck of any person on the planet. As soon as she found something good, God decided she didn't deserve to be happy, always finding a way to kick her back down.

She could remember collapsing on his front porch steps and crying, his mother startled by the sudden show of emotion from the usually collected blonde, but she didn't care who saw her break down. Life was too short to concern herself with what people thought anymore, but it was slightly reassuring when his mother took a seat next to her on the step and wrapped her arms around her, the supportive embrace letting her know that she wasn't alone in missing him.

What was even more surprising was when Santana brought over a letter, yes an honest to goodness paper letter, she received from him about three months later. He had enclosed an official picture of him in his Marine Corps dress uniform, the former rebel looking devilishly handsome and squared away sitting in front of the American flag. San figured she may have wanted an update on how he was doing.

But by that time she had started dating Jason and she wasn't quite sure what to write back, all of the emotions from the past making it difficult to formulate proper words and sentences to explain to him how she felt. So she decided not to write again, figuring he had probably moved on and was just keeping up pleasantries with her after everything that had happened their senior year. But she did keep his picture, hidden in her desk drawer next to a few pictures of the two of them and Beth.

She also didn't want to start an argument with Jason over her ex. After seeing a picture of Quinn and Beth in the hospital in her dorm room, Jason had a few questions. She told him the truth and after plenty of tears and an hour or so of explanation, he understood what happened…and was surprisingly supportive of everything. He gave her major props for making the decision she did and was floored by everything that happened to her back in high school.

Overall, Jason was a really good guy. He was kind, caring, sweet, and supportive of her from the time he first met her. He always went out of her way to make her feel special and even though she eventually found out he had a lot of family money, you would never know considering how down to earth and easy-going he was. And while she realized that looks weren't everything and she really tried to avoid being that shallow girl she was back in high school, he was definitely attractive as well. Tall, dark and handsome was an understatement for him. He was just about as tall as Finn, with crystal blue eyes, a perfect white smile and the most luscious dark brown hair she ever had the privilege of running her fingers through, and the super deep, sexy accent he had was just the icing on the cake. She had to chuckle lightly though as he was somewhat of a metrosexual. He was very particular about his wardrobe and took extra care in styling his brown spiked hair just perfectly before they went anywhere, sometimes taking even longer than her to get ready.

She smiled back at him as they walked and he kept talking about his upcoming baseball games that weekend, nervous that Princeton may give them a run for their money, but he didn't seem so concerned about Dartmouth. They were a bunch of pussies, according to Jason. She also found it kind of ironic that she ended up with another jock, impressed that she managed to steer clear of the football team, but mixing it up by dating an Australian on the baseball team. She was actually quite shocked that Aussies actually played baseball, considering it was more America's pastime than anything, but Jason was just a monster athlete. Prior to coming to Yale, he had gained all sorts of notoriety for his abilities, with several minor league teams scouting him. He could have even gone to some of the big baseball schools in the United States like Nebraska, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas and Vanderbilt, but he was also quite intelligent and chose instead to try his hand at Yale, earning himself an academic scholarship and a starting spot as the Bulldogs short stop, quite the feat for a sophomore.

He truly was an all-around good guy and for that Quinn was exceptionally thankful.

They continued walking and talking, Jason leaving her at the front steps of the dorm and kissing her before telling her he would call once they got home from their road games and running off to make it to practice on time. She watched as he jogged away from the building, turning around briefly and waving, only to almost trip and fall in the process. She laughed at how much he reminded her of Sam, his goofy and outgoing mannerisms similar to the blonde boy she used to date in the past. He was less of a nerd and was probably smarter than Sam, but she liked him regardless. She thought she probably could have loved Sam too, but she just didn't feel the same spark with Sam that she felt with Jason…or with Puck if she were being honest with herself.

She sighed as the brief thought of her mohawked ex flittered through her head for a second time that afternoon. She had tried to focus on the present and look forward to the future, but her past with Puck and the memories of their little girl kept sneaking up on her every day until she finally relented and allowed herself to try and come to terms with her past, even if it was just to help herself move on and move forward. She let herself remember all of the memories; the good, the bad and the downright ugly, but maybe that would eventually be the key to moving on, coming to terms with her past.

She made her way up the stairs and into her room, checking around for any sign of her roommate for a few moments before allowing herself to glance at all of the pictures around her desk and on her bedside table. Many of them were of her friends from high school or of her, Santana and Brit, and there were even a few of the whole glee club as well. But the one picture that never failed to catch her eye was the shot of her, Puck and Beth at the hospital the day the little girl was born. It held a proud spot on her nightstand and it was probably her favorite picture out of her entire collection. Initially she tried to hide it, fearful that Jason would get upset at seeing the photo every time he stayed the night, but after letting him in on the full story, he didn't mind at all. She smiled at the photo, Puck beaming brightly down at the tiny little girl wrapped in the pink blanket in Quinn's arms.

She could remember that day like it was yesterday. She thought she looked like crap and felt exhausted and wanted to protest when her mom snapped the pic, but she couldn't remember a time when she was happier than that moment holding her newborn daughter. Finally meeting that little person that had grown inside of her for nine months, the perfect mix of the best of both her and Puck.

Quinn set the picture back on her nightstand before lying down on her bed and closing her eyes, reminiscing for a few moments. Last year, she had made a big deal about not wanting to drag the anchors of her past into the bright lights of her future, informing Rachel of such when the brunette was still contemplating whether or not to accept Finn's marriage proposal. However, realistically, looking back on the past few years and reflecting on where she was now in her life, she wasn't really dragging any anchors with her. Puck and Beth helped make her who she was today. They may not be her future, but they definitely weren't anchors to her past. They didn't drag her down and hold her back from her dreams. Above all, they both helped her grow and mature and for that, she owed them more than she would ever be able to describe.

Truth be told, she felt really bad about what she said to Rachel all those months ago about her relationships with the boys in her life, not so much about what she said about Finn and Rachel getting married too young, but by acting like Quinn's own relationship with Puck meant nothing to her. In reality, by the time snow had fallen in New Haven that winter, she still hadn't forgotten about everybody in her past. She still thought about Puck.

Part of her felt horribly guilty since she did have a boyfriend and he was a great guy, but there was just something about Puck that she couldn't forget. That she couldn't quite get past.

He was out in California now with Marines and who knows where that would take him. She missed him, she had always been able to talk to him and relate to him, and while she had moved on for the most part, there would always be a part of her that loved him.

She shifted in her bed and hugged her body pillow tighter, thinking back on how hard it was when they parted last. She still felt the ache in her chest at how she kicked him out of her house the morning after prom after they made love. That morning may have been the worst morning of her life. In fact, it may have been the worst day of her life…well, the day she made the decision to put her daughter up for adoption was the worst day of her life, but that morning was definitely a close second. Despite the discomfort and ache in her chest, she and Puck did manage to take a picture together, with Beth, at graduation, but by that time, they still hadn't quite reconciled fully yet. Hence the trip to his house a few weeks later.

However, Puck's mom had known she was hurting and gave her his address in California before she left that day. She even wrote him a few letters that summer, apologizing for reacting the way she had and asking him for his forgiveness, hoping that they may still have a shot in the future like he said. But when she never got any response, she kind of gave up and tried to move on, dating around for a bit before settling on Jason.

Did she really think of Jason as settling? That thought in itself was a bit unnerving to her as she clutched her pillow tighter.

He was her boyfriend, she was supposed to love him, but recently she had started second guessing herself and it was incredibly frustrating. Sure, Jason knew the whole story about Beth and Puck. Sure, he was rather understanding, explaining that his own mom had been a teen mom when she had his older brother and commenting that he really admired her for what she did, since that decision couldn't have been easy. But despite how good he had been to her, was she really settling by being with him? Part of her always felt more reserved with Jason than she had been with Puck, but that was normal considering the circumstances, right?

Just as she was starting to drive herself crazy, the shrill of her cell phone broke her out of her daze, grabbing it off of her nightstand before answering.

"What's up, hooker?"

"So good to hear from you too, Santana. You still coming down this weekend?" she asked, rolling her eyes at her friend's greeting.

"Yes ma'am I are. Heading your way tomorrow night, so wear your party panties…shit's gonna get outta control!"

"Oh God," Quinn replied warily, "What do you have planned?"

"Oh nothing, you know, the usual," Santana replied, her usual comment whenever she was planning on hitting the town and partying hard with some of the girls she met from Quinn's floor on her first visit to New Haven. Quinn knew her friend was hurting from her own parting with Britney, and while she had no doubt they would eventually get back together, she just needed time and space, just like Quinn.

"The usual, eh? So are you even staying with me this time or will I not see you for a few nights?" Quinn joked, knowing exactly which buttons to push. Even though she was teasing her friend, Quinn was kind of hoping she would be sticking around this weekend. She could really use a friend to talk to about all of the muddled emotions and nostalgia she had been feeling lately, and while her and Santana hadn't always been the best of friends, she was always honest and always seemed to understand what Quinn was feeling.

"Ha, you're funny," Santana replied, quickly changing the subject, "So about this weekend, I um…I'm kind of meeting an old friend on Friday night, if that's ok. I promise you they're cool, I just wanted to give you a heads up."

"Oh," Quinn replied, trying not to sound too disappointed, "That's fine. I was just hoping to see you at some point this weekend."

"Oh no Fabray, you're coming with," Santana said.

"I don't want to intrude."

"Dude, you're not intruding. You're coming. End of discussion. See you Friday!" she replied before hanging up quickly.

Quinn hated when she did that. Was a simple "good bye" so difficult?

x-x-x-x-x

The next day's classes flew by quickly and just as promised, Santana was pounding on her door at 6pm sharp. Before she really knew what happened, Santana had her in a whole new outfit and they were now seated at a corner table on the patio of one of the local favorite bar and grill's.

The waiter really hadn't argued with them on asking for their ID once Santana flashed him a little cleavage, the ploy making Quinn blush as he dropped off their glasses of wine and let them peruse the menu a little more before ordering.

Santana looked through the menu, asking Quinn to order her a salad while she got up to use the restroom. Quinn simply rolled her eyes and agreed, hoping that no manager would come up and ask to see some form of ID for the alcohol they just ordered and getting thrown out when they found out they were only 18 while Santana was away. This was her doing, not Quinn's.

Even so, she pulled the wine glass up to her lips and took a drink, allowing the deep flavor to wash over her tongue, reminding her so much of the last night she spent with Puck a year ago. This was actually the first time she drank wine since that night, and it was oddly fitting considering how nostalgic she had been getting lately.

Before she could dwell on it any further, someone cleared their throat behind her. Quinn fully expected for it to be their waiter, looking back down at the menu once more before deciding what she wanted. However, before she was able to order, a deep voice broke her train of thought.

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?"

She swallowed hard and closed her eyes momentarily, able to recognize that voice anywhere.

She slowly turned her head to face that voice.

"Puck?" she gasped, astonished at his presence here in Connecticut.

He looked the same but different all at once. Gone was the mohawk and rock band t-shirts, but those same chiseled features, the twinkle in his eye and that heart melting smile was still there. If anything, he had gotten bigger, his arms and shoulders filling out the leather jacket he wore, a benefit from all the push-ups she assumed. She knew her mouth was probably hanging wide open in shock, but at this point, she didn't know how else to react.

"May I have a seat?" he asked politely, waiting for her to nod before sitting next to her in the empty chair Santana had been saving for her friend.

They sat in silence for a few moments before he asked how she was doing. She told him she was doing fine and they made very small talk until the click of heels against the brick became more pronounced.

"Oh, you made it!" Santana interrupted, gesturing to Puck and embracing him when he stood to greet her, "How was the trip?"

"It was good" he started, before Quinn cut him off.

"Wait, you knew about this?" she asked, glaring at Santana, "Your friend this weekend was Puck?"

Santana simply smiled before looking back toward Puck, "It's good to see you again, champ! How was California?"

Puck and Santana made small talk and joked around throughout the meal, but Quinn was still too stunned by his reappearance in her life after all this time, she barely contributed to the conversation. Before they could pay the bill, Santana stood and collected her things quickly.

"Well kids, this has been fun but it's about time for Snixx to go shake her ass with her girls. Try not to have too much fun without me," she announced, slinging her purse over her shoulder and grinning widely.

Quinn was stunned that she was bailing on them so early in the night and even more shocked that she was leaving her by herself with her ex that she hadn't seen or spoken to in almost a year. Puck seemed a bit surprised by her quick exit as well, his eyes wide as he watched her retreating form out of the restaurant.

And then the waiter came by and placed the bill at the table causing Puck to chuckle and roll his eyes.

"Typical Santana," he joked lightly, breaking the awkward silence that had settled between them, "Dining and dashing, sticking us with the bill."

Quinn chuckled too, making a mental note to slap her friend the next time she saw her. She reached for her purse, offering to pay for her and Santana's meals in the process when Puck cut her off, sliding his credit card out of his wallet and handing it to the waiter. Quinn was about to protest when Puck smiled again, effectively halting her entire train of thought.

"The Marines pay decent, but when you're stuck on a base for months on end, you tend to save money since there really is nothing to buy while you're there," he explained, signing the receipt, "Plus, I have one up on Santana. She owes me now."

"You should have at least let me pay for my dinner," Quinn gently protested.

"What? And miss out on treating a beautiful woman to dinner?" he teased, flashing her one of his signature grins, "Besides, you may not have known I was coming, but it is still the gentlemanly thing to do."

"Gentlemanly thing to do, eh?"

"Oh yeah, I'm all about manners now, Q," he replied, "And speaking of manners, since we haven't seen each other in a while, may I treat you to a coffee or hot chocolate or something?"

Quinn smiled at how cute he was being. Part of her was nervous about spending more time alone with him but the other part of her was anxious to get to know him again and see what he had been up to over the past year. It seemed like lately she thought about him almost daily, so maybe this would be her chance to put those questions to rest and help her to move on…or at least it would help her stop wondering what he was up to every minute of every day.

He held out his arm and she laughed, putting her arm through and resting it in the crook of his elbow as he escorted her out of the restaurant and to the nearest coffee shop.

Time seemed to fly when she was with him. They sat in the corner booth and joked around, telling stories about the past year and catching up, occasionally reminiscing on the better parts of the past and enjoying each other's company. It was so easy being around one another again and the conversation seemed to flow smoothly between the two of them.

Before either one of them realized how much time had passed, the baristas and employees were kicking them out to close up for the night, the two of them leaving and joking around, teasing each other like old times as they walked back toward campus.

As if she knew where this night may lead, Quinn let her laughter die down before stopping as they reached the edge of campus.

"So, I had a lot of fun tonight," she said softly, "It was good seeing you again, Puck."

He lolled his head to the side and chuckled to himself before meeting her eye again, "You're trying to give me the brush off now? Q, it's almost midnight, I'm not going to let you walk across campus back to your room by yourself."

Quinn scrunched her brow in confusion, not sure whether to take offense to that or whether she should be flattered he was being such a gentleman. But then again, she wasn't sure if she was ready to let him stay the night either, especially considering her boyfriend may not like that.

Holy crap, she thought to herself, slightly ashamed of the fact that she managed to completely forget about Jason for the entire night. She swallowed hard before replying.

"I'll be fine. This is a safe campus," she replied, trying to sound indifferent.

"Quinn, whether you like it or not, I'm walking you to your door," he stated, the hint of authority in his voice a total turn on to Quinn as he placed his hand on her lower back and began walking again, "Besides, you know my Ma would kill me if she found out I was rude and left you to walk across campus on your own this late at night. There are some fucking creepers out there, you never know."

Quinn simply laughed, the image of Mrs. Puckerman screaming at Noah for being rude or disrespectful flitting through her mind as they continued to walk and talk. After another half mile, they finally arrived at the front door to Quinn's building.

"Well, this is me."

"So this is where you live, eh?" he asked, taking in his surroundings, the giant stone building looming in front of him, "This definitely puts my last barracks to shame."

She smiled before nervously rocking onto the balls of her feet, "I uh – I would ask you up, but um…"

He sensed her hesitation and jumped in to help her out, "No it's cool, I get it. It's all a bit crazy seeing you again anyway."

"Yeah, it was crazy seeing you too," she replied, pulling her bottom lip in between her teeth, "I mean, crazy in a good way."

Puck stared at her, his mouth going dry as he watched her nibble on her lower lip. He loved watching her do it, that coy look she always got before biting her lip never failing to drive him crazy, wanting to capture her mouth with his own every time she did it. It was hard, but he finally looked up into her eyes and had to try hard to restrain himself from jumping her right there.

Here she was, in the flesh, and all of those feelings from last year came flooding back the second he saw her earlier that night. He missed her over the past year and wanted nothing more than take her into his arms again and never let her go.

He cleared his throat before forcing another smile, "Yeah, crazy. Though I think the crazy should be attributed to San, that sneaky bitch." She giggled at his comment, nodding in assent at his assessment of their friend before he spoke again, his voice trembling with nerves as he spoke a little too quickly, "And um, speaking of seeing each other again, I was wondering if I could maybe take you out again tomorrow night. For coffee or dinner or food or something, you know, whatever you want."

Quinn gave him a soft smile before gently nudging his shoulder, teasing him lightly, "For coffee or dinner or food or something? That's one way to ask."

He smiled back at her before she continued, "But um," she paused, asking herself if she really wanted to do this and go out with him again, or if she knew this was a bad idea and to cut it off right then and there. He was finally here, in person, right in front of her, and she would be lying if she said her heart didn't skip a beat or several the second she heard his voice at the restaurant earlier tonight. She didn't want to lose him again, but she did have a boyfriend, and she promised herself she would never cheat again, no matter what. The consequences were too much to deal with the past few times it happened, and Jason was too good of a guy to hurt like that.

However, this was Puck and he was finally here again, after all this time, and he was asking her out. Before she could change her mind, her mouth opened back up and her answer came spilling out.

"I would love to go out with you again."

Puck grinned widely and took her hand, leaning forward slowly as not to scare her off but desperately wanting to taste her lips once again.

Quinn saw him lean in, and despite how much she wanted to kiss him, she thought of Jason again and couldn't do it. She swiftly turned her head, Puck's lips grazing her cheek instead of their intended target. As he pulled back, he tried to give her an understanding smile, but Quinn wasn't blind. She saw the hint of disappointment flash behind his eyes as he drew away, pulling her hand up and kissing her knuckles instead.

"I'm uh – I'm here until Sunday when I need to report for duty," he explained, "But I would love to take you out tomorrow night, if that's still ok."

"Sure," she replied, forcing her voice to sound light and carefree while her heart beat wildly in her chest, "What do you want to do?"

"How about I pick you up here at 7 and we'll go from there? You seem to know this town better than I do," he replied, smiling back at her.

"Seven it is," she responded, "I'll see ya then."

She offered him a small smile before turning around and heading inside, checking over her shoulder a few times as she went. He gave her a small wave and called out that he would call her later, before turning around and making his way back to where he had parked his truck.

It had been a long day of travel and Puck wanted nothing more than to sink into a bed and sleep forever, but he was too amped up, his whole body buzzing with excitement at seeing Quinn again. She was even more beautiful than she had been when he left, if that was even possible, and despite the shallowness of their discussion earlier, simply being in her presence was incredibly calming and soothing. She was definitely "the one." Now he had to prove it to her.

As he made his way back to his truck, he realized he had no idea where Santana was and he hadn't really made any plans for where he would stay that night. When Santana came up with the idea to surprise Quinn, he got so excited and sidetracked by that, he really hadn't planned it all out if he didn't end up staying with her.

Sighing lightly, he started up his truck and drove to the nearest motel, checking into a cheap room for the night and hoping he would end up somewhere more comfortable and preferably with the blonde he loved the next night.

x-x-x-x-x

Quinn sighed as she made her way up the stairs and into her room. The whole night had been a bit of a whirlwind, from seeing Santana again to Puck showing up and then spending the rest of the evening with him…it was all a bit much to take in.

She definitely felt the chemistry between them was still there and everything was so easy and carefree when she was around him and she missed that. She missed that friendship where they could joke around and tease each other. She missed that connection that made her feel so comfortable around him that she could be honest and talk to him about anything and everything. And she missed that spark that burned brightly between them, that passion and desire to be with one another in every sense of the word. Physically, intimately, emotionally. She wanted it all back.

She cared about Jason. She maybe even loved him a little bit. But after seeing Puck again, she knew she would do just about anything to see where things may go with him. She still loved him and they had a deep history that she and Jason didn't share. Things with them were new and even after several months of dating, they were still getting to know each other. However, she and Puck had known each other for what felt like a lifetime and the pain and love ran deep between them.

She knew she needed to make a decision. It would be hard, but she knew she knew she needed to break it off with Jason if she planned on actually going through with it and meeting up with Puck the next night. She refused to cheat on him like she had with Finn and Sam in the past, and that wasn't fair of her to test the waters with Puck while someone out there thought she was being faithful.

She made her way up to her room, closing the door gently behind her and kicking off her shoes, slipping into her closet and changing into her pajamas before heading to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

Quinn stared at herself in the mirror as she washed her face and brushed her teeth, trying to think about what she would say to Jason if she were to decide to meet up with Puck.

Before she was able to think up the best way to break it to him, she was jolted out of her reverie by the shrill of her cell phone going off on her nightstand. Quinn closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she recognized Jason's ringtone, grabbing and answering it before it went to voicemail.

"Hey Jay, how'd the games go?" she asked, trying to sound as normal as possible despite the mess of thoughts running through her head.

"They went well, actually. I hit a home run in the first game and we won both today so that was good, but tomorrow should be a bit more difficult. Princeton is notorious for putting up a good fight on the ball field," he replied on the other end of the line. He paused for a moment before she heard him take a deep breath, "So, how was your date tonight?"

Quinn's eyes widened at his question, wondering if he was referring to her evening with Puck.

But that would be impossible, considering he was out of town with the baseball team so he couldn't have known. Could he?

She figured he was talking about her girls' night with Santana so she decided to tread lightly.

"You mean my night with San?" she asked, "It was good. We went out to Gella's on 6th street for dinner earlier and she took off after with some girls from the floor. She's probably quite intoxicated and hitting on other equally drunk ladies at the bar as we speak," she joked.

"That sounds fun. But I was talking about your date with that guy you were with."

Quinn swallowed hard, trying to think of something to say to explain everything but nothing was coming to her at the moment. She was hoping to be the one to control the conversation when it came up regarding Puck, but getting blindsided by him knowing about their evening was definitely not something she was prepared for.

"Um, I uh – how did you –"

"New Haven isn't that big, Quinn. One of the other guy's girlfriends saw you two at the coffee shop earlier in the night and thought it was strange. She called my buddy to see if you and I were still together and when he asked me the same question, needless to say I wasn't quite sure what to say after hearing that tidbit of information," he replied, his voice laced with hurt and frustration. Quinn closed her eyes and hung her head, feeling terrible that he found out like this. Before she could respond, he continued, "How long has this been going on? And were you ever planning on telling me, or at least breaking up with me?"

Quinn felt a teardrop escape down her cheek as she shook her head, disappointed in herself for hurting him like this.

"Jason, tonight was the first time I've seen that guy in a year. He –"

He cut her off, "Quinn, please don't try to placate me by telling me he's an old friend. I heard you were quite chummy and looked pretty close tonight, and after everything we've been through I think I deserve the truth."

"I am being honest with you," she replied, pausing before strongly exhaling, "Tonight was the first time I've seen that guy in a year, and yes, he is an old friend. Santana said she had an old friend coming through town tonight and he met us at the restaurant before San took off. I didn't know he was coming, I swear. But I will be honest with you, at one point in time, he was more than a friend."

"Great, an ex. Even more reassuring."

"Jason, I am so sorry. I was going to tell you that Puck had come to town but I couldn't think of the right words to say before you called. I wanted to tell you the truth, I was going to be honest with you, I really was –"

"Wait, your ex that you saw tonight was Puck? As in the guy you had a baby with back in high school rolled through town? This keeps getting better and better," he paused for a moment to let it sink in, "You know, I've noticed you've been distant lately and I've caught you staring at those pictures of you and him and your daughter more than once over the past few weeks, but I guess this really answers my question as to whether or not you still had feelings for him."

Another tear slid down her cheek and she felt horrible for essentially letting her emotions cheat on Jason by still having feelings and longing for Puck.

"I'm so sorry, Jason. I thought he was out of the picture and I had moved on, but seeing him again tonight… I don't know. I just don't know what to say," she replied quietly.

"Well, I'll say something then," he replied and Quinn flinched lightly at his anger. He paused before continuing in a softer tone, "Look, I like you Quinn, but it's painfully obvious you still have feelings for the guy. I don't want to be your second choice. You are number one in my book, but I can't keep being your number two. It's not fair to either of us."

Quinn nodded her head in assent as she told him she agreed.

"So right now, I think it's best if we take a break. I do care about you Quinn, but right now, I think it would be better if we broke things off for a little while. I need to concentrate on baseball and we both have finals coming up and I really think it's for the best."

"Yeah," she breathed into the receiver, "Jason, I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," he replied, his voice full of hurt, "I'm sorry too, but it still hurts like hell. I just think this is for the best."

"I'm sorry," Quinn repeated, feeling like she sounded like a broken record.

"I know," he reiterated, "Look, I gotta go, but I guess I'll see you around or something."

"Yeah ok. Good luck tomorrow." But that comment fell on deaf ears, the unmistakable silence and static of him already having hung up filling her earpiece.

She set the phone back down and crawled into bed, surprised that she didn't feel the same level of ache in her chest at breaking it off with Jason and it did when she broke it off with Puck. Maybe that was a sign, she thought as she clutched her body pillow tighter before falling into a restless, dreamless sleep.

---

After tossing and turning for the past few hours trying to go back to sleep, Quinn finally decided to get up and get around for the day. She had slept terribly the night before, her mind racing with thoughts of how angry and disappointed Jason had sounded on the phone balancing out how wonderful it was seeing Puck again.

She decided to head to the gym to work out some of her anxiety and continue to work on her prescribed strength training the physical therapist recommended after her car accident last year. She had come a long way since then and worked hard to get back to being 100% again, but every once in a while she felt the soreness and stiffness return to her back, motivating her to get back to the gym and keep up her regimen. Plus a little running and light lifting always helped her clear her head.

She was about thirty minutes into her workout on the elliptical when her phone buzzed, notifying her of a new text message. She rolled her eyes upon opening it, making another mental note to give Santana a piece of her mind the next time she saw her.

How was the rest of your night with Puck? Or should I be apologizing for interrupting any morning after activities? ;) – S

She would assume that…bitch.

But while Quinn was still a bit perturbed at Santana for springing Puck on her like that last night, she had to admit it was wonderful seeing him again. Santana was sneaky and conniving but she knew her friend understood how much she was hurting after Puck left last summer. Santana knew how much she still thought about him. Hell, Santana was the one who kept her posted on what was going on in his life, showing her pictures he had sent her via text message or mail.

She cracked a small smile before texting her back.

You're currently interrupting a pretty serious and strenuous workout…on the elliptical. Get your mind out of the gutter! Puck dropped me off last night but we may be going out again tonight. She thought about it for a second before typing in the rest of the message. Oh, and Jason found out. I don't know how, but he broke it off last night. All of this is kinda overwhelming right now and I don't know how I should feel or what I should do.

She didn't have to wait long before her phone buzzed again with Santana's answer.

Um, is that even a question? Go out with Puck so you'll stop getting all up in my grill about how he's doing. You know you still love him. And sucks about Jason, he was a cool guy and I would totally nail that if he were my type, but you love who you love, ya know? Stop getting inside your head so much and do what your heart is telling you to do…and you know it's telling you to do Puck…all night long! Get Some Already! –S

Quinn shook her head before stopping her machine all together, typing in a quick reply.

Wow, I thought that was going to be pretty deep…until the last part. Perv. P.s. Do I even want to know where you stayed last night?

Quinn grabbed her stuff before heading outside to walk back across campus, bounding up the stairs of her dorm. As she rounded the corner toward her room, she saw Santana quietly sneaking out of a room down the hall from hers, her heels in one hand as she inched the door closed with the other.

"Well that answers that question," Quinn laughed, opening her door as Santana trailed after her.

"Don't talk so loud, my head hurts," Santana replied, plopping down on Quinn's couch and covering her eyes with her arm, "So, have you decided whether you're going out with Puck tonight?"

Quinn quickly changed out of her workout clothes and into her robe, pulling her hair down from her pony before looking back over at her friend, throwing her a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt in the process, "No. I don't know if I should. Jase and I just broke up and I don't want him to think I was rebounding too quickly. And I don't want Puck to think he's a rebound either."

"First of all, stop thinking so much. You talk yourself in circles, Q-Tip. You're almost as bad as Berry sometimes," she replied, stripping out of the red cocktail dress she was wearing before pulling on the sweatpants, chuckling lightly at Quinn's blush and attempt to look away, "It's not like you haven't seen it before, Blondie." She yanked on the t-shit before plopping back down and snuggling into the throw pillows, "And second, Jason figured it out on his own, so he must have suspected something for a while now. Plus, I know I can speak for Puck when I say he doesn't think he's a rebound, cocky bastard. He thinks this is simply a long time coming."

Quinn turned her gaze back to her friend's, "Wait, how do you know that? Did he say that?"

Santana smirked before shrugging, "Oh, and I think you should go with the black dress with the red dots."

"What?"

"When you go out with Puck tonight. You've got a bit of a tan and while you look hot in yellow, your legs look amazing in the black print dress. Pair it with some strappy gold sandals and you'll blow his mind. Trust me."

"What makes you think – How do you –?"

"Quinnie, use your words," Santana patronized, her eyes closed as she turned her face into the pillow even more, "And don't worry, after this nap, I'll make myself scarce tonight."

"Well, maybe I'm not even –"

"Quinn, shut up and get in the damn shower. I need my sleep!"

Quinn ran her tongue along the front of her teeth in irritation, perturbed that once again, Santana had her pegged. As much as that girl drove her nuts, Santana knew her like the back of her hand and she was incredibly grateful that their once strained relationship had grown into friendship she wasn't sure what she would do without.

She turned toward the bathroom and was in the process of closing the door when Santana called out her name again.

"Oh and your phone just buzzed. I think Puck wants to know what you're up to tonight, if I read that text correctly," Santana mentioned, grabbing Quinn's cell off of the coffee table and tossing it to her. Quinn scowled at the breach of her privacy before San shot her another trademark grin, settling back against the pillows once again, "And remember, don't text and shower. You could get electrocuted."

"Smartass."

"Skank."

"Hoochie."

"Yep, love you too," Santana yawned, "Now shower, you stink."

Quinn closed the door again and started the water, wiping her hand off before checking her message.

It was really nice seeing you again last night, Q. I was wondering if you were still interested in accompanying me out for coffee or dinner or food or something….and I was also kind of wondering if you knew if Santana was still alive. See you at 7? –Puck

Quinn felt her smile grow wide at the sight of his text, typing in a quick message before setting her phone down and stepping under the hot water.

x-x-x-x-x

Puck wasn't sure if he had ever been as nervous as he was at this very moment. He'd felt the pressure of playing in the state championship football game in high school. He'd been there in the hospital as he watched Quinn give birth to their daughter. He had drill instructors screaming their heads off in his face, calling him every name under the sun before making him run and do push-ups but all of that felt like cake compared to his current position: standing in front of Quinn's door trying to get up the nerve to knock.

In fact, he had been a giant bundle of nerves this entire weekend. Just the thought of seeing Quinn and surprising her after all of this time had him so nervous yesterday, he felt like he was going to vomit as he walked toward the restaurant Santana told him to meet them at. He was also a bit of a nervous wreck this morning as he waited for her to text back, praying she wasn't having second thoughts about going out again tonight. But now that they had gotten past those initial few hurdles, it would seem a bit silly to be as nervous as he was to simply knock on a damn door and take a girl out to dinner. But nothing with Quinn had ever been simple.

No, everything with her seemed to be a test of endurance and patience, time and temperance, hurt and love…most importantly love.

He swallowed hard, shaking his head at how ridiculous this probably looked. He was a Marine for God's sake, he should be able to pull himself together better than this. He cleared his throat and wiped his palm on his jeans, transferring the small arrangement of sunflowers he picked up for her to his other hand before raising his arm and knocking softly.

The seconds he waited felt like hours as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, hoping he had the correct room number as he stood there. Finally, after what seemed like eternity, the door opened and his jaw dropped as he took in the sight in front of him.

"Hi," Quinn murmured softly, looking down and blushing before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Hey," he replied, taking another long look at her before snapping out of it and trying to look her in the eye, the form-fitting black and red dress she was wearing making it difficult to concentrate on what to say next, "You look – wow."

She giggled lightly, the sound musical to Puck's ears as he handed her the sunflowers, "These are for you."

"Thank you," she replied, inviting him in and snagging a vase from her roommate's side of the suite, filling it and placing the sunflowers in there before setting it next to the window.

"Holy shit, this is where you live?" Puck asked, stepping into the room and looking around, "How many people do you live with?"

She laughed again before grabbing her purse, "Just me and my roommate."

"Are you serious? My entire barracks with all twenty dudes could fit inside this room."

"Yeah well, if it makes you feel any better, Santana actually called her roommate to make her measure their dorm room the first time she saw it too. I won't deny that they spoil us here a bit."

"A bit?" he laughed, smiling back at her before walking toward the door and holding it open for her, "And speaking of Santana, I take it she's still alive?"

Quinn chuckled too before closing her door behind her, "Oh, she's alive. Though I'm not sure I really want to know what that girl is up to tonight."

"Rough night last night?"

"You have no idea," she replied, the two of them laughing as they made their way down the steps and out to Puck's truck.

x-x-x-x-x

Overall, it had been a good night. Puck had taken her out to a cute little Italian trattoria near the marina and they fell into an easy conversation, talking about everything from his boot camp experience to her first year of school to everything else in between. He caught her up on people he still kept in touch with while she caught him up on the stuff he missed out on while he was out of contact for the few months during his initial indoctrination. Despite feeling better after hearing that he wasn't allowed to receive mail, emails or phone calls from anyone besides his mother over the first few months, a little part of her still wondered if he ever got any of the letter she sent during that summer and early fall. She poured her heart into a few of those letters and it hurt when he never responded, so hearing that he wasn't allowed to receive any messages for a while was reassuring…but she still wondered.

After dinner, they walked along the shoreline, chatting about where they saw their futures heading. Puck admitted he would probably be sent overseas sometime in the next few years while Quinn told him all about Yale and her involvement in the drama department. He was very proud of her that she decided to double major in theater and English, knowing that she would excel in anything that she did but glad to know she was still pursuing things she loved as well.

As they walked, he noticed her eyes light up as they passed an old fashioned ice cream parlor, a soft smile forming on his lips as he remembered how much ice cream she used to eat when she was pregnant with Beth. After making a few midnight runs to satisfy her cravings, he always made sure to keep the Ben and Jerry's fully stocked in the freezer when she lived with him. He took her hand and squeezed it gently, tugging lightly as he pulled her toward the shop.

Quinn seemed hesitant, commenting that she would have to workout extra hard the next day to work it all off. Puck simply rolled his eyes and told her she was crazy, smiling and telling her she could make an exception since it was a special night. They ordered their ice cream and sat outside on the bench, simply enjoying the company.

After they both finished, a slight awkward silence hit them for the first time in the past few nights, both of them warring internally with themselves as they tried to think of what to talk about next. They were both out of "light" topics and they had been having such a great time that neither one of them wanted to bring out any of the heavy topics and ruin the mood.

Finally, after a few moments, Puck broke the silence.

"So, um, are there any guys in your life?" he asked, not wanting to look her in the eye as he fidgeted with his spoon, "I mean, a beautiful girl like you probably has to beat all the boys off with a stick or something," he joked, though his comment came off rather humorless.

She took a deep breath and gently nodded, "Um yeah, there is," she replied, her hands trembling gently.

Puck felt his heart sink as he closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. He nodded in understanding, realizing that Quinn probably hadn't waited around for him forever. Maybe he'd been stupid coming back here and thinking they could pick up where they left off. Maybe Santana was delusional when she said that Quinn wasn't quite over him either. Maybe this whole visit had been a mistake.

She cleared her throat once again before continuing, "I mean, I should say there was someone else."

Puck eyes flew open as he looked back up at her, "There was?"

"Yeah, past tense," she replied, meeting his gaze, "We uh, we broke up last night."

"Last night?" he reiterated, trying not to sound as excited as he felt at hearing the admission, "Umm, I'm sorry to hear that."

She let out a humorless chuckle, "A girlfriend of one of the other guys on the baseball team saw you and me out last night and that was that."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean – I'm sorry I messed things up with you and your boyfriend. I kinda just popped back into your life and that wasn't really fair of me."

"No, it's fine. Really," she replied, finally looking back up at him and giving him a hesitant smile, "I mean, I feel bad he found out that way and things went down like they did, but it probably wasn't going to work out anyway. He is a good guy and all, I just didn't want to hurt him like I hurt Finn and Sam in the past."

She swallowed hard, wondering if he understood what she was trying to say. She didn't want to come right out and say that she didn't want to cheat on Jason because she didn't want to be too presumptive as to where this may lead with Puck, but she hoped he could appreciate that she was willing for it to end so she could allow herself to be with Puck again without cheating on anyone, making him feel like he was coming in second again like he felt for most of their sophomore year surrounding "BabyGate."

Puck wrinkled his brow in confusion, wondering why she brought the two guys he competed with for her affection back in high school up again. He hated the fact that he was always the side-show to her, someone she could go to after her other options ran out. She dated those guys and ended up hurting them in the process, so he got that she felt bad about it. But what about him? She hurt him too.

He puckered his lips, deep in thought before it finally hit him. She cheated on those other guys, and she didn't want to cheat on Jason again by being with him! At least, he hoped that's what she meant. Maybe he did have a chance to start over with her again…

"I'm actually really glad you came to visit me. It was good to see you again," she commented, crumpling her napkin in her lap, wondering if she should ask the same question of him. She saw how confused he looked, worried that he may have taken her last statement the wrong way and wondering if she misread this entire situation. Maybe he did just want to be friends and smooth things over…

She swallowed hard again, looking back down at her hands in her lap before deciding to rip the proverbial band-aid off quickly, "So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Are there any girls in your life?"

He glanced back up at her, watching her worry her lower lip in between her teeth. He pursed his lips as he tried to think of a way to answer her question. After a few moments of silence, he saw her eyes mist up a bit, her hands trembling as she licked her lips and prepared to say something.

Quinn felt absolutely sick to her stomach. Puck's silence was answer enough for her and she knew she was too late.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice gravelly as he spoke, "There is someone. For a while now actually."

If his silence was enough to make her feel sick, his admission was an even swifter kick to the stomach, her lungs seizing as she felt that horrible pain she felt on their last parting return again as she tried to force herself to breathe. She felt the breeze pick up and felt the first few drops of rain fall against her skin, but she was frozen, unable to function as she tried to process what he just said.

"I understand," she murmured before slowly shaking her head and standing, the tears welling more heavily in her eyes as the rain picked up around them, "I uh – I probably should get going."

She took a few steps, her body moving involuntarily as she tried to separate herself from the situation sitting on the bench behind her. Yes, she was running again, but if she didn't get out of there soon, the entire town of New Haven would bear witness to a very public emotional breakdown.

The rain began pouring down in sheets as she walked, her legs picking up the pace as she began to run, her heels clacking harshly against the wet pavement. She heard him call out for her a few times, but she couldn't turn around. She couldn't face him again. She couldn't look him in the eye and tell him she was happy for him with someone else again. It was hard enough the last time she did it last year and she didn't think she had the strength to do it again this time around. She thought she had moved on, but God was she wrong. Seeing him again dredged up so many memories, feelings and emotions, and now that they were back up on the surface, she felt like she was suffocating in the hurt once again.

She was so lost in her thoughts and emotions that she never heard him running after her, gaining on her until he caught up with her, pulling her under a nearby awning to get out of the rain.

"Have you lost your mind?" he asked, looking her up and down.

Quinn sighed, knowing she probably looked like a drowned rat at this point, "I don't know, probably."

"I mean seriously Quinn, as impressive as it is, you could break an ankle running that fast in heels," he replied, "You almost made it back to campus, but still."

She tried to crack a smile but she simply couldn't, her heart aching too much to even appreciate the lighthearted attempt at humor. He'd only been back in her life for a little over 24 hours and he had already turned it upside down and sent her emotions on another roller coaster in the short time he'd been back.

Puck took a deep breath before looking her in the eyes, "Look, you ran again, so I know what I said must have struck a nerve, but just hear me out."

Her lower lip began to tremble again as she shook her head, not wanting to hear him finish explaining.

But he wouldn't let her run again, his body shifting closer to hers trapping her near the wall, "There is someone and it's been the same girl for a while now." He felt her hand begin to tremble as well, her eyes refusing to meet his, but he continued, "She's a great girl. Wicked smart, unbelievably beautiful inside and out, funny, sarcastic, sweet when she wants to be, and sassy when she needs to be. She's always called me out on my shit and kept me in line, no matter how many times I've screwed up in the past. She has never let anything or anyone get in the way of her dreams, always finding a way to make life work out the way she wants it to. She's determined and I admire her for it."

Quinn felt the queasiness return to her stomach as she sat there and listened to Puck wax poetic about some girl, wondering if he truly knew how much this was hurting her. But he still continued on.

"She never fails to impress me and I can't begin to explain how proud of her I am for everything she's accomplished. She's amazing and she makes me laugh and things are just so easy when I'm with her, you know?" he asked, a soft smile creeping up on his face as he glanced around, the rain continuing to pour as they stood there, "I'm actually pretty sure she could be "the one.""

Quinn let out a soft gasp, biting the inside of her cheek and pinching her thigh hard to keep from cracking and losing her shit all together. She looked out toward the rainy street, a few rogue tears making their way down her cheeks as she unsuccessfully tried to hide it from Puck, refusing to meet his eye.

Puck had made it this far, finally seeing for himself that Quinn did still care for him. That she did still feel something for him. Her emotions were giving it all away. He cleared his throat again before continuing.

"Yeah, you know, she's probably the most incredible girl I have ever met. She's got golden blonde hair, these piercing hazel eyes and one of the warmest, most genuine smiles I have ever seen," he said, reaching out and grabbing her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers as his other hand reached up and tilted her chin to look him in the eye, "And she's sensitive, vulnerable, and insecure over a lot of things, but she's a pretty tough cookie. And believe you me, that is a fact. She almost broke my damn hand while I watched her give birth to our daughter. I've seen the cards she's been dealt, all the shit she went through with her family and the baby and the accident, and her strength and grace through it all is nothing short of astounding." He cupped her face and took another step toward her, "She's the one, and has been since our sophomore year of high school. You, Quinn, are the one for me. You always have been."

Quinn let out a soft sob as he finished his mini-speech, overwhelmed at how well Puck just articulated how he felt about her and how good it felt when his fingertips traced along her cheeks, helping her wipe away some of the tears. He gently squeezed her hand as his fingertips continued their path downward toward her collarbone, his breath warm on her neck as he caressed the exposed skin of her shoulder.

She finally allowed herself to look him in the eye, an instant lick of heat hitting her upon seeing the genuine love behind that warm chocolate stare. She felt herself lean into him as her hands trailed up his chest, her body moving on its own volition as she hooked her arms around his neck and drew him closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Until the need became too overwhelming and Puck took the plunge first, clasping a hand around her jaw and neck as he pulled her in and fused their lips together, the electricity between them almost enough to turn the simple rain shower around them into a full-blown thunderstorm.

Their lips melded together in a familiar dance, neither one of them wanting to come up for air and end the magical trance they found themselves under.

x-x-x-x-x

Neither one of them was quite sure how they got there or who initiated what, but before either of them knew it, they practically spilled into Quinn's room, knocking over a few picture frames and a speaker on their way through the door.

Quinn clutched the front of Puck's shirt as he leaned backwards and kicked the door shut, pushing her up against the wall and trapping her there between his arms as his lips continued to taste hers. Their tongues dueled for dominance as Quinn began to tug at the buttons on Puck's shirt, untucking the garment before giving up and yanking it up his sides, pulling it up over his head.

Puck smiled into another kiss before moving to her jaw, nipping and suckling at her neck as he brushed aside the wet strands of hair on his quest to find that hot spot behind her ear that made her moan every time he kissed it. His hands trailed up and down her sides, his fingers digging into her hips as her nimble fingers began to work on his belt, prying the leather out of the buckle and hastily unbuttoning and unzipping the fly.

He snaked his tongue out and licked the area just below her earlobe, his lips following shortly thereafter, earning him that short moan he was looking for. He felt the zipper on his jeans lower and felt the heat of her hands through the thin material of his boxers, his arousal already throbbing with need as she toyed with the waistband.

He wasn't going to last much longer at this rate, the frenzied state of undress turning him on even more as he groaned before seeking her lips once more. It had been too long and he needed her. Needed to be with her. Needed to feel her…badly.

He anchored one of his hands on one of her hips, pressing her harder into the wall as he kissed her, while the other arm wound its way around her back, tugging at the zipper of her dress until it reached the bottom, allowing his hand to sneak its way past the material and feel the smooth skin of her back on his palm.

Quinn groaned at the contact his hips were making against hers, the heat from his hands practically searing her skin as he held her there in place. His body surrounded her, possessed her, trapped her, and if the heat in his eyes was any sign, she knew he felt the want and need just as strongly as she did.

She tugged at his boxers, impatiently shoving them roughly down his hips and past his butt until she heard the belt buckle tinkle against the hardwood floor, rolling her hips against his as he pinned her to the wall. She could feel the heat of his arousal against her stomach, her own center throbbing as he continued to posses her mouth with his.

Puck almost lost it at the sound of her moans, her body warm, smooth and willing under his hands and he could barely take it anymore. He needed her. Now.

He ran his hands down her sides, bending and lifting her dress slightly before stepping more securely between her legs and grasping her thighs, pulling her up the wall and pressing her hard against it before wrapping her legs around his waist.

Quinn groaned from above him at the sudden shift and Puck froze, remembering the lingering back injury she sustained as a result of her accident last year.

"Shit, your back. You ok? Did I hurt you?" he asked hesitantly.

Quinn shook her head quickly, capturing his face in between her hands. "Fine," she murmured before placing another heated kiss against his lips, her hips bucking up against his, "I'm fine. Don't stop"

Her kisses became frantic and Puck quickly forgot all about his worries, his hands trailing back up her thighs, his fingers finding their way to her slick, hot center. His fingertips danced along the edges as he teased her, the thin barrier between them providing that last little stitch of clothing between them.

Quinn bucked again and a slight whine escaped her throat as she leaned into his touch, wanting more. Silently begging for more. She wanted to feel him again. Ached to have him touch her like he had last year, only this time there would be no bullshit or drama standing in their way. She felt his fingertips slip inside her panties and stroke her very ready center, another moan escaping her throat as her head dropped backwards and she felt the liquid heat begin to pool low in her abdomen.

Puck couldn't handle it anymore. The teasing had gone far enough and he was in desperate need of relief. He stroked her a few more times, catching her gaze, her eyelids drooping with every ministration his fingers made before he could no longer take it.

He yanked her panties to the side and eased himself inside of her, lowering her down onto him until he was buried to the hilt inside of her, a slow hiss leaving his mouth as a gasp followed by a moan tumbled out of hers.

Quinn's eyes shot open and her arms tightened around his shoulders, feeling the need to hang on for dear life as they stood there pressed against the wall. Her back arched away from the wall and her lungs burned, refusing to take air in as a throbbing heat took a hold of her, her body trembling as she held him close and savored being connected so intimately with him again.

Up until this point, she didn't think she had ever known such a complete connection with another person in her entire life. Jason's kisses were always sweet and warmed her heart, and his body moving with hers always managed to make her feel beautiful, desired and always got her off in the end. But Puck…

Puck's kisses were intoxicating and they made her head spin, the gentle swipe of his tongue across her lip stealing the very breath from her lungs every time their lips met. And the way he made love to her, the way he held her and thrust up into her, felt like a wildfire consuming her entire being.

Until now, her body trapped against his as he held himself still within her, she had never felt so whole, so complete with another person. He filled her, completed her, not only physically but the way he murmured in her ear and gazed into her eyes, she felt inextricably joined with him in ways that transcended all forms of description.

And then he began to move and her whole world started spinning, the delicious heat and friction causing her to cry out in ecstasy.

She felt her heart race as he picked up the pace, holding her hips tightly as he thrust up into her, his movements hard and controlled and driving her wild while his kisses remained soft and tender, needy and searching. And never in her life had she felt more wanton or more wanted than she did in that moment.

He pulled back slightly and smiled up at her, her jaw slack as she fought to keep her eyes open and watch everything that happened between the two of them. She felt her body start to twitch and her abdominal muscles begin to quake, Puck looking back up at her and kissing her hard before thrusting a few more times, the two of them coming apart together as they held each other, trembling.

After a few moments of trying to catch her breath, Quinn leaned back and watched Puck, his chest heaving as he buried his face in her neck. She brushed her lips across his temple and began to trace soothing patterns up and down his shoulder blades with her fingernails, simply content watching him as they both savored the post-coital glow surrounding them.

She smiled as he began peppering her shoulders and collarbones with kisses, slowly pushing them away from the wall and walking them over toward her bed, finally separating when he fully removed the rest of her clothing. She tugged him back down onto the bed with her, Puck taking his place between her thighs once more before smiling down at her and kissing her again. She moaned as he slid along her once again, reveling in the feel of his hard body against hers.

Relishing the feeling of completeness once again.

This was love, pure and simple, animalistic and raw…and despite the fact that her brain was a completely incoherent jumble of emotions, for the life of her, she couldn't remember why she was so scared to give into him the last time.

Why she had been so afraid of stop listening to her head and simply let her heart take her where it wanted to go.

---

The sunlight warmed her back as Quinn shifted slightly, a delicious soreness nipping all over her body as she stretched out her joints.

Last night with Puck had been nothing short of incredible, the memory of being taken hard up against the wall made her body tingle all over again. The time after that had been a little slower, as they both took their time exploring and reacquainting themselves with the other's body. Either way, Quinn was a sore yet happily sated girl, and nothing could possibly bring her down after the night she just had.

She clutched Puck tighter, nuzzling her face into his chest and sighing.

But something didn't feel right.

She snapped her eyes open, looking down and finally realizing she had been snuggling into her body pillow the whole time. Quinn felt a flash of panic wash over her as she looked around. She quickly glanced around the room, looking for any trace that he was still here. She listened carefully, hoping to hear the shower going or the toilet flush or anything to suggest he may be in the bathroom or something.

But she was met with silence.

She leaned over the side of her bed, searching the coffee table and floor for any sign of him at all.

But everything was gone. His clothes, his wallet, his keys, everything.

Gone.

The panic began to throb inside of her, her chest tightening with the realization that he was really gone. That he had taken off without even waking her up. She swallowed hard and clutched the sheet tighter to her chest, the tears beginning to well as her mind began to spin thinking about the possibility that he may have strung her along and hooked up with her again to get back at her for shutting him down and kicking him out the last time they were together a year ago. She knew she hurt him and she couldn't blame him for hating her after essentially doing the same thing to him last year, but she could honestly say she didn't see it coming this time.

If he played her, he played her well.

Tears started to flow freely and her heart ached, the loss already hurting as she sat there and thought about everything that had happened. She thought they could talk it out and work through it now that they may have another chance to be with one another again.

She thought he still felt that connection between the two of them. She knew she did.

And a small part of her still held out hope that he still loved her, because Lord knows, she still loved him. There was no denying that now. And she was tired of trying to convince herself otherwise.

She choked back the lump of emotion that lodged itself in her throat and laid back down, clutching her pillow tightly and closing her eyes, hoping and praying that when she woke up again, this whole thing would be a dream and Puck would still be there in bed with her.

No more than five minutes later, Quinn was jolted out of her half-asleep state by the sound of her door opening and closing. She shot bolt-upright, practically jumping out of bed and startling a rather unsuspecting Puck in the process, the man almost dropping the coffee holder he was carrying at the sudden movement.

"You're here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

He glanced back at her, taking her all in, "And you're still naked. I like it," he smirked.

She looked down at her lack of clothing and blushed. She looked back up at him and gave him a reassured, watery smile, launching herself at him and wrapping her arms around his neck before leaning up to kiss him, "You're here!"

"Oww, coffee," he replied, his posture trying to remain rigid as he tried to hold the two cups still to prevent them from spilling all over his hands again, "Coffee!"

"Oh, sorry!" she cried, detaching herself from him quickly and allowing him to set the cups and the bag of pastries down on her desk before looking back at her, "I just – I wasn't sure if I was going to see you again."

"Well, I'm glad you decided to remain in the nude," he joked, not even trying to hide the fact that he was totally ogling her, "Definitely a nice little welcome back greeting."

His smile slowly started to fade as he registered the red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks, his stomach sinking as he registered that something bad happened….or was about to happen soon.

"Quinn, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she replied, shaking her head and smiled, "You came back."

His brow scrunched in confusion, "Yeah, why wouldn't I? I wake up at the ass crack of dawn these days, and while watching you sleep was nice for a while, I needed a little caffeine and I figured while I was out, I should go grab my truck from the lot where we left it last night when you decided to run home in the rain," he teased, running his fingers through her hair, "Plus, my clothes were still pretty wet and my bag was in my truck, so I changed."

She glanced down at his attire, finally noticing that he had indeed changed into a pair of sweat pants and a Marine Corps t-shirt.

"Oh," she replied, feeling a bit foolish for her earlier panic attack.

He eyeballed her a bit longer, "Wait, why did you say you weren't sure if you were going to see me again?"

"I don't know," she shrugged and sighed, "For some reason I just had a mini-freak out and thought that after last year, you may want to just hit it and run. Give me a taste of my own medicine, you know?"

He continued to stare at her before raising one eyebrow in her direction, picking up his cup of coffee and taking a drink, "Wow Q, overreact much?" he asked, his voice still light as he set his cup back down and made his way back over to where she stood.

Quinn climbed back into her bed, embarrassed at her reaction and even more self conscious over the fact that she stood there and told him about her thoughts and fears regarding his absence this morning while completely nude.

Puck crossed the short distance quickly, tugging off his shirt and dropping his pants before climbing in next to her, pulling her close, "I already let you get away once, Q. And I'll tell you this much, it's not gonna happen again. I refuse to let you go."

He trailed his fingers down her sides before cupping her backside and pulling her up against him, earning him a small gasp. She smiled up at him, a light pink blush covering her face as she leaned up to kiss him.

"I don't ever want you to let me go again," she replied, tracing the features of his face, "No matter what I say or how ridiculous I act, please don't let me go."

"Deal," he replied quickly, capturing her lips with his as he teased his fingertips up her thighs.

Another thought hit her and she pulled back slightly, "What about the distance?"

"What about the distance?" he replied sternly, "It's not an issue, Quinn."

"Oh, I know," she defended, "I'm not trying to make an excuse or anything. I was just wondering how we were going to work this out. I guess we could fly in and out of New York City and San Diego. It's about a two hour drive here from NYC but it's totally do-able. I think tickets are –"

"Quinn, what are you talking about?" he asked, cutting her off and chuckling at her rambling.

"You're stationed out in California," she replied, "And I'm not driving across the country to come visit you when I could just jump on a plane and be there about two days faster."

"What?" he asked again, wondering where she was coming up with all of this. Finally, it hit him, "Santana didn't tell you, did she?"

It was Quinn's turn to be confused as she stared back at him, "Wait, what are you talking about? What didn't she tell me?"

"That I got reassigned?"

"Uh, no, she definitely managed to leave out that little detail," she replied, making another mental note to slap her friend again for failing to mention that, causing the second string of verbal vomit to leave her mouth that morning, "So you got transferred to Virginia or something?"

"Virginia?" he asked, somewhat amused at their little game of 'Where in the United States is Puck Being Stationed Next.'

"Yeah, Virginia. Isn't that the state on the East Coast with the most Marine Corps bases?"

"Yeah," he replied, shocked that she knew that, "How did you know?"

"I may have Googled it," she stated, looking down at his chest.

"You may have Googled it? Why?"

"Because I wanted to know where you may be stationed," she replied exasperatedly, smacking him lightly on the chest, "There, happy? Now you know I was researching and quasi-stalking you over the past year. I just was curious. Plus, Virginia isn't that far away, the trains run pretty frequently and it's definitely closer than California, that's for sure."

He smiled at her admission, wondering if he should share his little secret with her as well. He figured it was probably going to come out eventually, so he might as well share it now.

"I um, I have something to tell you," he said, watching her face fall slightly.

"Please let this be something good," she replied, only half-joking.

"About last year, I uh – I got your letters," he admitted, looking around the room and avoiding the hurt he knew he would see on her face after that revelation, "I still have all of them actually."

"You received them? All of them?" she asked, her lip trembling as she started to worry about why he hadn't written her back.

Puck leaned down and kissed her softly again, "Santana was right, you do think and worry far too much," he chided, "Get out of your head, whatever it is you're thinking."

She sighed and met his gaze again, before he brushed another strand of hair away, "I got all of them and kept all of them," he murmured, keeping to himself the fact that her letters were the things that kept him going when shit got hard and he wanted to quit. The motivation they gave him to succeed and turn himself into a better man for her was the fuel he needed to pull through and become a Marine. He figured he owed her the whole truth though, so he continued, "But we weren't allowed to write or call anyone other than our immediate family for the first few months. By the time our probation period was up and I was allowed to write, San told me you had found someone else. She said you seemed happy and I didn't want to mess with that. You deserve to be happy, Quinn, and I didn't want to ruin it for you."

Quinn bit her lip again as a tear rolled down her cheek at the admission. He had gotten her letters. He had read them and kept them, and they had meant something to him. She poured her heart out in those letters and when she ran out of patience waiting for him to write back, she turned around and found someone else. God, she felt foolish.

"I know what you're thinking and it's fine Quinn. We're here now and that's all that matters."

She ran her hand down his chest and nodded, realizing that he was right. Being here together was all that mattered, and after years of going back and forth, fighting the attraction between the two of them and finding excuses not to be together, they finally had another chance at happiness.

And they would be really be foolish not to act on it this time.

"You're right, we are here now," she replied, looking back up, "and that is all that matters. But tell me, if you're not stationed in California or Virginia, where did they place you?"

"Well, you're right that Virginia is a lot closer than California, and more than likely I'll probably be recalled back to a base in Virginia if I do ship out overseas next year," he answered, giving her a smile, "But for the time being, I've been reassigned to post duty much closer than you think."

"Where? Rhode Island?"

"Look at you and your research, Rachel Berry!" he teased, before finally telling her, "Try New London, Connecticut."

She simply stared at him for a few moments, trying to figure out if he was just pulling her leg, "New London? As in 45 minutes away, New London?"

"The very one. It's a naval submarine base, but they still like to post Marines as security for the base and when the posting became available, I volunteered," he admitted, "I wanted another chance to be close to you again."

"Are you serious?" she asked animatedly, bounding up and practically sitting on his chest, "You're stationed right down the road? That's amazing Puck!"

"Well, more likely than not, it's a temporary stint. Probably a year or so, seeing as how they're deploying us left and right, so I'll probably be called back to Virginia for a while before deploying. But I figured we could enjoy the time while we had it. Plus, the train from Bridgeport, CT to just outside Quantico is only a quick 4 hour ride," he explained, smirking back up at her before turning a bit more serious, "We could both make this work. But we both have to be willing to try this time instead of just giving up like we have in the past."

She smirked back down at him, leaning in and brushing her lips against his, "Babe, you better be in this for the long haul, because you're not gonna be able to get rid of me that easily from here on out."

"I like the sound of that," he replied, "So put your big girl panties on, cuz shit's about to get real!"

"Are you sure you want me to put my big girl panties back on?" she asked, tossing him a seductive smirk as she moved down his body.

He let out a hearty laugh before groaning at the sensation of Quinn grinding her hips down on his, easing his boxers down in the process. He leaned up quickly and captured her lips once again before she sank back down on top of him.

"Nope, I take that back. Leave them off," he hissed as she began to move on top of him, "Never put them back on."

---

A/N: Ok, so I know it has taken forever to update this and I apologize again, so I hope the length was a good enough apology. I'm not sure if this was good enough to meet a few of your expectations, so sorry if it didn't. I hope you liked it.

Also, I have already started writing the next "Escapade" after this one and I am almost done with my next chapter update on Be All That You Can Be, so hopefully I get those posted soon! Thanks again, and sorry for the long wait.

A/N 2.0: Big-time thanks for adding this to your Favorite Story collection: Rebelstarsalign, Quickcuddles (everybodyhurtsalittletoomuch), Bre723, copperandme, ahteeanuh, paceysnumber1, shesthemoon, LegolasLoverLimwen, NY65423432, Doutzenfan2054, tomoyoharuka5, gleeforall, plaincrazysuckup, Ms Quinn Fabray, DGalvan, TitchyTitch13, mairiina, 1992, walkinthegardengnome, katkathyy, andsoitis2, TheHeadbandProject, fakeemail1989, Katieb6, naninou, Ellii51, SydniBoBydni, daisie710, , bluemac832, msdiannaagron, reservedforskeletons and songbirdfabray.

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