(Quinn's point of view)
I turned on the radio, and Passionfruit flooded through the speakers.
Listen
Seeing you got ritualistic
Cleansing my soul of addiction for now
Cause I'm falling apart
The water coming from the shower head was the hottest that it could be, but I didn't feel it. I could only hear Puck singing Drake's line like he was here with me.
Tension
Between us just like picket fences
You got issues that I won't mention for now
Cause we're falling apart
Passionate from miles away
Passive with the things you say
Passing up on my old ways
I can't blame you no, no
I remembered the agony, the guilt. Everything that I didn't let myself feel five years ago, I was feeling and reliving and I hated it.
I don't remember losing my balance, but I do remember the migraine that came after getting up from sitting in the tub.
I glanced at myself in the mirror. My eyes were red. A few days ago, the lines in my face weren't there and neither were these dark bags that were forming under my eyes.
Was this what they felt for the past five years? It's only been a few days, and I could barely keep up with my emotions.
Shocked, I opened my bathroom door to see Daniel holding my recent picture of Beth.
"Is this your daughter?" He asked.
I nodded, clutching my towel.
"Quinn.."
"Daniel, it's been a long day. I got into the worst argument over that letter that Shelby sent and if I'm going to be honest I just want to lay down and sleep."
"Ok. Right, I'm sorry to bring it up. Good night." He dropped the picture on my desk, kissed me on the forehead and retreated to his room for the night.
I sighed once I spotted my engagement ring on the nightstand. Daniel didn't deserve this. This was my mess. I had to make it right.
…
(Finn's point of view)
Today was a great day!
For once, I was going to get some answers. Rachel was right. I would choose to take care of myself. I whistled along to Blink 182's song I miss you when it came on.
I had 15 miles to go and a half of tank of gas left. I had time to think, until my cell rang.
"Hey Rachel."
"Hey Finn. I just left work. Is this a good time?"
"Sure. What's up?"
"I just wanted to let you know that I set things right with Shelby."
I fell silent, wondering if me following this P.O. Box number was worth it. What would this do to Rachel?
"That's great! I'm glad." I said before running my hand nervously through my hair.
"Anyway, I thought you should know. And Finn?"
I paused.
"When you're ready, you should call her. She'll be waiting to hear from you. I'm sure you two have a lot of things to talk about."
"Definitely." I tapped my fingers nervously on the wheel.
"Well, I'll talk to you soon Finn. Good luck." She said before hanging up.
I sighed.
Why did my battles always involve people I cared about getting hurt?
20 minutes later, I parked my car across the street from the post office.
With my hands stuffed into my pockets, I found my way inside. I found the picture in my phone, looking for the box number, when a guy pat me on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, Is this your P.O. Box number?" He asked.
"No, but I have a return address to this box number." I said studying him.
He seemed like he was in his mid-twenties, maybe a recent college graduate whose parents have money.
He was wearing a deep brown corduroy blazer with a beige shirt and some fitted jeans.
"I'm Daniel."
"Finn."
"I'm here with my fiancé. She's gotten a few letters since we came home, and I was hoping to meet the sender here before things got worse." He claimed. I froze.
"Wait, you have the same return address?"
"Yes, that's right. From someone named Shelby."
"Quinn is back?"
I never thought I'd see her again, let alone hear her name.
"Do you know her?"
"We have history. I'm not sure she talks about me but it would be great to see her again. We didn't end things the way I expected." I admitted.
"If you're not in a hurry, I'd like to buy you lunch." He offered.
"Sure."
…..
(Santana's point of view)
It made my day when Quinn rang my doorbell at 8:14A with a Vanilla Bean Frap from Starbucks and apology money inside of a cheap card.
"They substituted the regular milk for almond milk." She said awkwardly.
I laughed before throwing my arms around her. She squeezed me back.
"I'm so sorry Santana." She mumbled.
"All is forgiven..as long as you take me on a vacation. I could use some adventure free of drama." I added. She laughed, wiping her tears.
After spending the whole night depressed listening to Get it over with by Rihanna, I was too happy to come out of my foul mood.
I swore that I would lose both of them in one night, trying to protect each of them from each other, but no.
When Quinn left, Puck came back and held me. I think he had news to share, but we didn't speak, we didn't laugh, we just sulked preparing for the worst. After hours of crying and running noses, I fell asleep in his arms on the couch. When I woke up, he was gone, probably to get breakfast.
"Is he?" Quinn gestured.
"Not here? Nope. I don't know where Puck is." I said. Then, my doorbell rang and a tan Puckerman with a large IHOP bag greeted us.
"Good morning." He greeted eyeing me then Quinn.
Their gaze lingered a little longer than normal. I guess Quinn felt it and turned to wash her hands and I grabbed plates, just waiting and watching for what was about to go down.
….
(Puck's point of view)
The Sun had set and it was getting colder when Santana said that Brittany was outside waiting for her, which left me with Quinn. Great.
Yesterday I yelled at her, and today we were just trying not to let the awkwardness bother us too much.
"You're quiet." She suggested as we walked back from the boardwalk where we had food and drinks.
"I'm thinking."
"Thinking about what?" She pushed.
"Thinking about the future." I said vaguely. She must have understood, because her hands found her pockets and we fell quiet again.
"I want to see her." She said after some time. I stopped walking.
"Quinn.."
"Before you say think about it, I have. I've imagined meeting her for five years." I sighed.
"And I want you to. I also want you to have a plan. The questions are going to come, Shelby and I will have to be ready to support her too." I said. She sat down by the edge of the water. I joined her.
She grabbed my hand.
"Puck, I'm sorry I left you alone. When I read the letter from you, I was hurt and betrayed, but I was also happy that Beth has you. I realized that you were right. Santana, Shelby, you are all doing what you can to make sure that Beth doesn't suffer from me not being there and that means a lot even though I know you're not doing it for me."
"The truth is, I kept Beth because that was the only piece of you that I had left." I shared squeezing her hand back. Right then, she shivered.
"Let's get you back." I said.
It being dark, and Quinn being Quinn, she tripped and I caught her right when the song changed at the nearby bar.
"Dance with me." She asked resting her arms on my neck.
We should take this back to my place
That's what she said right to my face
Cause I want you bad
Yeah, I want you baby
I've been thinking about it all day
And I hope you feel the same way
Cause I want you bad
Yeah, I want you baby
Our eyes met, and right when I leaned into her a rain drop hit her on the nose making her pull away.
"Let's go." I said lacing my fingers in between hers to escape the rainfall.
…..
(Quinn's point of view)
I shut the door, making my mom jump.
"Jesus Quinny! You scared me."
I found her drinking a glass of wine in the kitchen looking through old photos and listening to Sade's Kiss of Life.
"Where's Daniel?" I asked pretending not to see the pictures.
"He's in his room."
I quietly shuffled over to his room, only to find him looking at his phone.
"Hey baby." I kissed him. I continued as I sat on his lap dropping his phone.
"Hey love." He said in between kisses.
"You look great." He mumbled. I ignored him, pulling his shirt off.
"Quinn, in your mother's house?"
I nodded, kissing his neck, with my fingers finding his hair, trailing down to his chest.
"She can listen if she's bored." I joked. I guess I struck a nerve because Daniel abruptly caught my hands and stopped me.
"Not in a million years. Sorry Quinn." He grabbed his shirt, then his phone. I fell back on the bed frustrated.
"Babe, I ran into your old friend today. You remember Finn right?"
I jumped up.
"What? How did you meet?" I challenged.
"I followed the P.O. box number from your secret letter. He didn't know you were in town. In fact, he didn't know anything about you in the last five years, since you gave up his baby."
My skin was boiling.
"What the hell is going on Quinn? Talk to me?"
"How could you go behind my back like that?" I managed.
"You wouldn't tell me about it so I figured if we're getting married soon that we should bear each other's demons. No secrets." He said.
I was pacing.
"Listen Daniel, five years ago, I gave up my daughter so that Finn and I could have a future. I set up arrangements with a few people and I never looked back. Why are you trying to make me relive that?" I asked.
He sighed. "Why not Quinn? She's young, she's still out there. let's go meet her. You, me, Finn."
"What? No."
"Right, that probably wouldn't go well, especially since she's not Finns, am I right? I mean, the letter came in Shelby's name, but when I read the name at the bottom, Finn recognized it."
"You read my letters?"
"Yes, and so did Finn, so if I were you I would let Puck know right away." He said coldly.
Fumbling with my phone, I called Santana before grabbing my keys.
….
(Puck's point of view)
I was driving to my mom's house when my phone buzzed.
I would have answered, but a truck picked up speed and ran right into my side, knocking me out cold.
…
(Quinn's point of view)
"He's not answering." San said.
I started to panic. What if something happened to him? What if Finn got to him first?
"San, I'm going to share my location with you. If I don't answer your call, come get me." I said before hanging up.
I stepped on the gas. I had to find Puck. There was no telling what Finn would do to him for my lie.
It seemed like I was driving for hours before I turned down Elk street, and before I could make out what happened I called 911.
The collision looked bad.
I jumped out my car, running to the scene when I heard a nasty cough.
"You ruined me Puck, and now you'll pay for it with your life." Finn threatened.
"No!" I slammed into Finn, tackling him to the ground.
He got on top of me, pinning my hands against my chest.
"If it isn't the liar herself." He spat leaning in. He looked terrible, like he hadn't slept in days. I turned my head so that I could see Puck. His chest was barely moving.
"Finn, what are you doing?" I screamed.
"What I should have done a while ago." He said.
"Hudson, I would think twice. Police are on their way." Santana shouted.
Once he heard the sirens, he got off of me.
"Quinn, why did you lie to me? Why did you make me believe that she was mine?!" He wailed. I pushed past him and rushed to Puck's side the same time that Santana did.
"Puck, it's Quinn. Can you hear me?" He had blood coming from his nose, and his breaths seemed to be getting weaker by the second.
"Quinn.." He managed, chocking. I was gripping his hand for dear life when the paramedics came and took over. I drove right behind the ambulance.
"Quinn, call me with updates." San asked before I took off to get to the hospital.