Thank you so much for the reviews and your votes. Currently I'm at 12 for yes and 3 (counting some non-reviewers) for no.

Please allow me to give you a hint at what the survey question will bring to this story. You're saying either yes or no to something involving Quinn. Yes will lead to more angst and overcoming for Quinn. No will make for a shorter easier to handle story. I will continue to take answers through chapter 3. By the time I post chapter 3 I should be up to the point in my own writing where I need to finally make that choice. Well, you guys need to make that choice for me :D

All mistakes are my own, this is beta'd by me, myself, and I.

The First 24

Chapter 1

December 19 – 6:52 PM

Rachel was pacing. No, it wasn't her nerves. Rachel Berry-Fabray never got nervous before a performance, especially one that she'd done more than a hundred or so times. No, she was pacing because the curtain was rising in less than ten minutes and the front row center seat was still empty. She promised she'd be there, and the chair was empty. She'd heard the news of the verdict on the radio while on the way to the theater. She now started to fear that her wife was dragged out by Santana to celebrate the win.

It had happened before.

But never for a big performance like this. Whenever Quinn made a promise, she kept it. She wasn't quite sure whether she was angry, or worried. She hurried back to her dressing room and couldn't help but smile when she saw a fresh bouquet of roses that hadn't been there when she left. Upon closing her door behind her she pulled the note out of its holder to open it.

To my love,

This may be your last performance on the big stage before going to the big screen, but I know you'll be perfect. As always.

Yours,
Quinn

Rachel's nerves calmed some. Just a tiny bit though. The show was to start shortly and her wife still wasn't there. She dug into her purse to pull out her cell phone. No missed calls. No new text messages. A sigh left her lips as she scrolled through her contacts until she found Quinn and hit the call button. Four rings later before the call was picked up.

"You've reached Assistant District Attorney Quinn Berry-Fabray. I'm unable to answer my phone right now, please leave me a message and I'll call you back as soon as I can."

Just as she was about to call Santana to yell at her she heard her name being called by one of the stage hands. There wasn't enough time to give her friend a call. She placed her phone back into her purse and exited her dressing room. Ever hopeful that Quinn would be seated in the front row.

"You okay Rach?" Jeffrey, Rachel's leading man had just taken his place, his hand resting on her hip.

She shook her head and rested her hand on his shoulder. "I can't get a hold of Quinn. She was suppose to be here."

Before Jeff had a chance to answer they heard the music starting. They'd be able to talk once the performance was over. Jeff had always been a close friend of Rachel's, ever since she entered the Broadway scene 12 years ago. He mentored her and helped get her to where she was today. This wasn't just Rachel's last Broadway show, it was also Jeffrey's. Fans for both stars had the show sold out within an hour of the tickets going on sale.

With Rachel moving to the big screen, Jeff decided to live a more laid-back life with his wife and two children. They didn't doubt that they'd remain friends long after their last performance. Who knew though, maybe they could still get together for impromptu performances. Nothing that was ever scheduled, just something they'd do on the fly for a small number of fans.

Rachel's eyes kept searching the audience for any sign of her wife as her and her fellow stars seamlessly moved from scene to scene. She tried to focus on Jeff, he knew she was worried and starting to go into panic mode. He whispered to her over and over again when they were close to one another to calm down. To stay relaxed. But it did nothing for her nerves. But, being the star that she was she needed to push through.

The show must go on.

Even when you have a lying wife who can't keep her promises.

But then again, there was a bouquet of two dozen roses sitting in her dressing room from her wife. The wife that wasn't in the front row like promised. Her mind instantly started creating a million different reasons as to why Quinn wasn't in her seat. Jeff noticed the girl's distraught expressions and when they shared a dance and song at the end of Act 1, he held her closer then he normally would. It offered little comfort to the stressed woman.

After a quick costume change for the start of Act 2, Rachel was at her wit's end. It wasn't like Quinn to not show up without a phone call.

During her Intermission, things only got worse. She hurried back to her dressing room and retrieved her phone. After a deep, shaky breath she opened her eyes to see what she feared. No missed calls. She did though, have a new text message.

Santana: You and Q still coming to the pub after your show?

If she wasn't worried before, she was now. She quickly scrolled through her contacts and dialed her wife's number one more time. After four rings it was the same thing.

"You've reached Assistant District –"

She ended the call before the voicemail message could go any further. She scrolled down one more on her phone and called Santana.

"Thought you had a show short-stack." Santana's voice rang through her ears.

"Intermission… Where's Quinn?"

Santana let out a soft laugh before responding. "At your show?"

"Nice try. She's not here. Where is she?"

By that time Santana was starting to panic some herself. "What do you mean she's not there? We both left together from the office at 5. She said about picking up some flowers then going to your show."

Rachel's heart sank. Last time her wife was seen was over three hours ago. It was already after 8PM and pushing 9. She still had one more act to go before her show was over. "Well the flowers are here. She must have paid for them and had them delivered... I can't get a hold of her Santana. I'm getting scared. It's not like her to miss a show. Especially after she made me a promise that she'd be here."

"I'm sure she's fine Rach, don't panic. Just go finish your last show. Think of the fans."

As much as she always hated to admit it, Santana was right. What she hated most of all, was the fact that Santana was almost always right when Rachel fell into one of her panicked state of minds. "Yea, I guess you're right."

"Of course I'm right. Listen, I'll try to call her while you're doing your last act. Britt and I will even pick you up when you're done tonight if she's not there by then. Okay?"

Rachel nodded her head a few times and wiped away a stray tear. She really was thankful for her friends. "Yea. I'll talk to you later."

"See ya Berry."

The diva hung up her phone and scrolled back up to Quinn's name.

"You've reached -"

Again she ended the call once Quinn's voicemail message started up. "Rachel?" She looked up when her door opened and Jeff stepped in. "Any luck?" She just shook her head, tears slowly streaming down her face. Quinn was definitely going to have hell to pay for this one. If not by Rachel, then by him. He'd never seen the girl so lost before. "Do you want Deanna to go on for the last Act?"

She seriously considered it. She wasn't quite sure how she'd be able to complete the show. There was still another hour left. Act 3 was the longest and most emotionally involved of the three. It involved the death of her character's husband, played by Jeff. "I'm scared Jeffrey." She melted into his embrace when he offered it to her.

Ever since the moment they first met, he'd been almost like a big brother to her. He'd been there for her through each of her fights with her wife. Just like Santana had been there for Quinn. She loved him like he were part of her family. "I know you are honey. She's a bright woman."

"She's not bright enough to be here."

The older man laughed softly at her dry humor. "There ya go Rachel, redirect the worry to anger. That'll get you through watching me die. For the 125th time this season."

"I need to do this for the fans. They paid to see my last performance." She dabbed at her eyes before moving away from him to her mirror. After fixing her running make-up she turned back to him. "And I'm gonna go out with a bang." Putting on her best actress face she continued. "Come on my love, I do believe we have fans to entertain."

Rachel and Jeffrey made their way out of her dressing room and back to the stage. She seemed perfectly fine until the curtain raised and she saw that empty seat one more time. Unsure of how she was even standing at that point, she started going through the motions of the last Act. Everything was fine, however, until she heard the fake gunshot and saw Jeffrey collapse to the stage. At this point in the show she was to collapse beside him in tears. She couldn't move her feet to get closer to him. The sound of the gunshot sent her into a fit of tears, yes. But they were real tears.

When the curtain fell, signaling the end of the show Rachel still hadn't moved from her knees on the stage. Jeffrey stood and ran to her side. He was starting to become scared on her part. "Rachel… Rachel look at me." She did so. "Do you want me to take you home tonight?"

She shook her head. "My friends Santana and Brittany are picking me up. They know I can't get in touch with Quinn and said they'd be here if she wasn't. And obviously she's not."

"Alright." He stood up and helped her up too. "We're almost done. Come on Rach, just a few bows and cheers then you can get out of here."

She nodded and took a deep breath to fight off the tears. She wiped at her eyes to find smeared make-up. It was to the point she no longer cared. Something in her heart was telling her that her wife wasn't okay. Everything was a blur from the time she took her bow to getting back to her dressing room to find Santana and Brittany sitting on her sofa. "Any luck?"

Santana just shook her head.

December 20 – 12:33 AM

-6.5 hours missing-

"Rach, do you want a drink?"

The brunette shook her head. Ever since the moment they got her home she'd stayed curled up on her side of the bed holding one of Quinn's pillows. She was stroking the back of it. Deep in her thoughts, she was trying to convince herself that it was her wife she was holding. She tried to convince herself that what she smelled wasn't just the remnants of her shampoo but was her actual hair and perfume.

"San and I are gonna stay here tonight. We don't want you to be alone. She's on the phone with the police to tell them she's missing." Brittany sat down on the bed behind her friend's knees and carefully placed her hand on her hip. A fresh set of tears took over her yet again. She abandoned Quinn's pillow and sat up. Before Brittany had much of a chance to react she was being pounced on by the sobbing shorter woman.

Brittany really wasn't sure what she could do other than to just hold her. The dancer allowed her head to rest on top of her best friend's. Her and Santana had to be strong for Rachel right now. A week before Christmas, and nobody could find Quinn. Nobody could find her wife. Granted Quinn was her and Santana's best friend, but she was Rachel's wife. There was a bond there that the two other women didn't have, and couldn't have.

"Lo-Jack!" Rachel screamed out as she made a mad dash for her phone. Her hand shook so much when she picked it up and started scrolling through the contacts that the device slipped out of her hands and landed on the carpet at her feet. "Santana!" She picked up the device again. She tried to curb her sobs long enough to hand her phone to her friend. "Quinn's car… it has Lo-Jack."

Santana's eyes lit up. "I could kiss you right now Rachel, you're a genius." She grabbed the diva's phone and scrolled through her contact list until she found the number she was after. She was in better shape than the star to make the phone calls.

Review for me :D Don't forget that I'm still taking answers for my blind survey through chapter 3. Leave a review with your opinion, as well as a yes or no. multiple votes are allowed, like if you voted last chapter you can change it this chapter.

See you all next week!