(Puck's point of view)
I walked quickly, turning to look over my shoulder every few minutes.
With a new cap and outfit and no phone, I knew it would be hard to trace me.
Still, I couldn't be so sure.
I began humming along to Love like this by Zayn to slow my breathing.
I was running out of time.
"That will be 68.75." She cut my thoughts.
I handed $70 cash and walked out of the super Walmart.
No trace, no lead, no finding Rachel.
That's my goal.
How could I manage to keep an eye on her without sharing too much? That would jeopardize her and Quinn.
I smiled for a split-second thinking about how tense Quinn was.
Her small form was not used to trouble, based on her Instagram, photos and texts.
I swiped her phone to get to know who I am dealing with. Just my luck, she could be the president's daughter.
I laughed at the thought because it wouldn't surprise me. She's been a student speaker, won awards and traveled out of country in her few years in college. She's gone to more states than most and her charity is off the charts.
That explains the anxiety at the mention of trouble.
This girl has never gotten a ticket let alone a bad grade.
Great.
That meant to protect them both, I'd have to lie or get her to watch Rachel while I go back home.
I had to figure that out and soon because if Rachel was attacking people then that meant that she would run again and possibly die out there alone.
I couldn't let that happen.
If I couldn't save my sister, I had to save her.
The engine revved to life, cutting my thoughts.
I sped down the familiar path back to her dorm room.
….
Of course, I took her phone and not her ID, naturally leaving me to wait outside.
I sighed, until I was rescued by annoying college kids.
"Hello handsome. Tell me you're not taken?"
A blonde said.
Her friend eyeing me curiously.
"I'm hoping to surprise my girl. She doesn't know I flew in from Toledo yet."
They instantly pouted and complained, prying.
"Out of state huh? Who would leave you behind?" The brunette wondered out loud.
I smiled softly.
Their pauses told me I had to give a name to get around them.
"Well, Quinn and I have our dreams and in time, we'll build them together."
"No way!"
"I never thought Fabray had it in her to be with the opposite sex." They admit as they let me pass.
"She's on the third floor. If she's locked out, tell her I'm off duty because of a family emergency." I heard them laugh but didn't look back.
It finally clicked.
These girls were upperclassmen RA's for her dorm.
After what seemed like forever, I was in front of her door. I knocked twice.
Quinn pulled me inside so quickly, I didn't think she had that strength.
I looked around quickly.
"She's showering." She answered my confusion.
"I met your RA's."
She groaned, taking the food bag from me.
"I sort of told them that we're dating, and I flew in from Toledo to surprise you."
She scoffed.
"What, not your type?" I mocked, jokingly.
She met my eyes briefly.
"You're probably not even single." She said.
"No, because I am with you, according to them, so you're not very single either." I said, equally pushing.
She laughed as she opened the bag of food.
"That's our cover story for everyone." I said smugly.
No one would question me being around occasionally.
She raised her brows.
"But we know nothing about each other. How are we supposed to keep up with that?"
"We get to know each other and stick to small things." I said matter fact.
Quinn pondered, her hand finding her lip.
"So, we're going to date backwards then?" She said in between small laughs.
I loved her laugh. It was so soft and girly. I swore her eyes changed color when she was happy.
I was curious about this girl as much as she was curious about me.
"Exactly." I said joining her laughter.
We laughed until we had tears in our eyes. Then, the door handle shook.
The door opened, and there in fresh clothes stood Rachel, the girl that I set free.
I didn't realize that I stopped laughing instantly until it was awkward.
She looked so much like my sister.
"Puck, are you okay?" Quinn asked, shaking my arm until I blinked.
I nodded, afraid that my voice would crack.
Quinn noticed something shifted, so she put her hand on my shoulder.
"Rachel, this is Puck. Puck, meet Rachel."
She smiled and her eyes fell onto the food behind me.
"I brought enough for 10. I hope you're hungry." I said, my throat dry.
She smiled and offered a quick thanks, before grabbing a plate.
Quinn read the room and cut the silence.
"Puck was admiring my music collection earlier. What do you prefer, movies or music?"
"You pick." She said dismissively.
Right, because she probably didn't know what was out.
Her life hit pause ever since she was taken about a year ago, I guessed.
That's how long I knew of her. At first, she was quiet, and then she slipped up when she hurt one of the men. So, they broke her down in the dungeon, locking her away from others for 3 months.
I would come by at night and play my favorite series loud enough for 3 months so that she wouldn't go crazy.
"Can we watch this space show where 100 juvenile prisoners are sent to earth?" Rachel asked.
It took all of my strength not to smile. By now, we had only gotten to season 3 and not the entire series.
"Sure!" Quinn hit play as we got comfortable around the tv.
Rachel settled for the chair, while Quinn and I sat on her bed.
She rubbed her hand on my forearm, resting her plate on the bed.
My eyes met hers, sharing a silent 'thank you.'
Just when the scene began and Rachel saw Clark for the first time, I could tell that she was grateful and scared.
Would she be able to hide forever, or would this new world get snatched from her all at once?
I sighed.
Her eyes were glued to the screen, eating slowly.
She was probably still used to not having food for days.
I remembered when they gained weight, he'd starve them for a bit so that they were disoriented and living off body fat until they lose weight.
Some became sick and unhealthy and when that happened, they couldn't sell their services so he would 'sell' them. Others hid their food and stretched it.
When I'd transport, they would be unconscious.
I'd tell the 'customer' that he is responsible for feeding them and grooming them before return. I'd let them know what was unacceptable (scars and drugs because they were receiving drugs from us and we couldn't risk mixing anything).
But there were so many grey areas. If a customer paid for more than one day, we didn't necessarily inspect the women again until they were going back on the 'shelf.'
I wondered how many times my sister waited on the 'shelf' for some sick monster to take advantage of her.
I wondered if she ever saw their faces, or hell, if he sold her four years ago.
Or worse.
"All done?" Quinn asked, cutting through my thoughts.
"Yes." I gave her my plate to rest on the table.
She plopped back down on the bed next to me.
"Are you okay? You barely ate." She asked.
"Yes. I'm just tired." I said.
I was.
I've been sleeping in my truck and showering at my gym, LA fitness.
I haven't had a proper meal or bed since driving her to NJ.
I'm sure that I was dehydrated and maybe low on some nutrients.
"Why don't you rest? It's been a long day." She offered, fluffing her pillow and yawning herself.
"Ok." I said, finally giving in.
Quinn and I laid side by side before she shifted onto her side. Her hand landed on my chest over my heart, slowing my breathing and relaxing every muscle in my body.
It felt nice. It felt right.
That was my last thought before drifting off to sleep.
(Rachel's point of view)
I woke up on the air mattress that Puck got for me. At some point, someone covered me in the most warm and soft blanket ever. It smelled like fresh scented cotton.
I sighed, at peace.
My eyes didn't have to open to know that I woke up first. By the sound of soft snores in the corner, Puck and Quinn needed the sleep.
Quinn seemed stressed, maybe because of school. I heard her break down the day we met, but she never said why or if she felt better.
Maybe there hasn't been a good time to talk.
I attacked her and then when we met again, I fainted probably because I was malnourished.
Safe to say, binge watching the 100 was a great idea.
After months of isolation and darkness, I finally had light and faces that matched voices.
My eyes welled up with tears when I saw Clark in the 100. She wasn't what I imagined.
She was better.
And I had to thank her because if I didn't have her in the dark, it would have consumed me.
I blinked, remembering what it was like to shower yesterday.
Flashback
I walked quietly to the bathroom, too overwhelmed at my thoughts.
Quinn's room was beautiful.
The cream walls were inviting you to take a tour of her life. Her accomplishments, friends, family, her personality.
On her shelves hung handmade crafts of every color. She had an Ohio shaped maraca, I assumed because she is from there too.
She had a 3-D hand, holding her polish and Irish keychain.
My favorite was her collection of pictures that sat on her 'EKG' diagram.
As if her room wasn't cool enough, she had a framed Jersey, A Djembe drum, an acoustic guitar signed by H.E.R. and a picture with some friends at a Kehlani concert.
I wondered what her room at home looked like.
I froze.
I haven't seen my home in a year.
According to her calendar, I missed a year and 17 days.
That sunk in.
I stood in front of the bathroom mirror with my eyes closed. I hadn't seen my face in so long.
Every client that I saw was a blur. Most met me in dark rooms.
My fingers trembled as I peeled the clothes off of my body.
Instantly, I regretted it.
My hands trailed over my body in shame. I felt bruises and scars everywhere.
My eyes flew open when I heard a door close.
My heartbeat erratically.
My fingers traced my nose, my eyes, my cheeks.
My hair hugged my face.
I was mesmerized by my beauty and equally upset that a shadow of sorrow hung around me.
I ignored the bruises, the scars and rejoiced in that moment.
My perfectly round breasts complimented my shoulders, slender neck, torso and waist.
My lips curved up into a smile, something that felt foreign, but right.
I turned on the shower and let the hot water wash away the fear and blood that covered my body.
I let the soap lather and added shampoo to my hair.
I dreamed of this day.
The tears flowed quickly as I rejoiced and soaked up the water until it became cold.
End flashback
I found myself smiling, daydreaming about today, tomorrow, and next week.
What would I wear, who would I see? What new foods, drinks and things I'd try.
Would I get to see my family again? My friends? My home?
I bit my lip at the thought.
Would they remember me? Miss me? Did they still search for me or assume that I was dead?
I had so many questions and no answers.
I was so far from home. I had to get back to Ohio, but where would I go?
"Are you hungry?" Puck whispered, the sound of sleep still in his voice.
"No." I said too quickly.
"If you get hungry, there is still food left over. If you leave, the doors lock behind you." He said before laying back down.
"Thanks."
I turned on my side and picked up the tv remote and flipped through the shows.
Most of them were new.
I stopped when I got to Nikita, an old show I loved before my life was paused.
The main character, Nikita was arrested, but when they saw her potential, they faked her death and trained her to become a secret assassin for the government.
I didn't realize that the tears were flowing until my pillow was soaked.
I wiped them away and pressed play, resuming the show and relearning my life.