You Can Always Come Home

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Quinn had imagined this moment for years, one day seeing him again, only it wasn't under these circumstances. He seemed to be just as stunned as she was, his mouth hanging open and his eyes bulging.

"Quinn?," he asked as if his eyes were deceiving him. She could only nod, the sounds escaping her lips not quite audible. The two continued to stare, only to be interrupted by the sounds of Rachel and Finn coming down the hall.

"Quinn, I-" but Rachel stopped abruptly.

"Whoa.," she said.

"Awkward.," Finn added. The two made their way to the door, trying to figure out what to say next.

"Hey man," Finn said happily, trying to pretend the tension in the room was non existent, "come on in." Quinn stepped aside and let him through, the two never breaking eye contact.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Puck finally said, still looking at Quinn, "I had to work late and I knew I was gonna miss dinner but I figured I'd bring by dessert." He turned to Finn and Rachel, holding up a huge tub of ice cream.

"That sounds perfect!," gushed Rachel, making her way to Puck and pulling him in for a hug, "You understand my needs."

"Hey, I get it too.," Finn said defensively, "I'm just scared of them is all." Rachel placed a kiss on Puck's cheek then turned to the kitchen.

"Come on honey, help me get into this.," she said forcefully, tugging on his hand and trying to send a hint for him to leave.

"Sure, of course," he played along. It was now just Quinn and Puck again, silence falling between them. Quinn wanted to say something, anything, but she didn't have the words he deserved to hear after four year.

"What the hell are you doing here Quinn?," Puck finally asked. She was relieved one of them had finally spoken, not liking the tone of his voice however.

"I-I wanted to come home.," she stuttered out. Puck scoffed at her answer, shaking his head and staring at the ground.

"Why's that?," he asked. Quinn hadn't expected him to be thrilled to see her, but now that she was finally face-to-face it killed her to see the damage she had done.

"I-I just had to.," she stammered. Puck didn't seem amused by her response, not buying her answer. Puck was different than Rachel or Finn, he knew Quinn better than she knew herself. He could always tell when she was lying, mad, sad, everything, and she knew she wasn't going to be getting away with anymore excuses.

Puck looked as if he was about to say something else when Rachel entered holding two bowls and spoons.

"Come on you two, we're gonna sit on the back deck.," she smiled. Quinn took one last glance at Puck before following after. They all made their way outside and sat down on the patio. Quinn had no appetite as she sat across from Puck, nervously swirling the ice cream around in her bowl. She could feel his eyes on her constantly, as if he stared hard enough the answers to his questions would magically appear.

"So Mr. Schue told us about the school.," Rachel said trying to start a conversation, "congratulations Puck, that's huge!"

"Thanks.," he murmured politely, flipping the spoon in his hands back and forth. The four of them fell silent again, the chirping of crickets the only sound to be heard.

"You know Quinn has yet to see all the work you've done around here.," Finn said speaking up, "We'll definitely have to take ya around and show you."

"I'd like that.," she said softly. Puck didn't say anything but nodded, just staring down at the now melted goo in front of him. Quinn was racking her brain of anything to say when she heard a cell phone ring. They all looked up to find Puck pulling his out and answering.

"Hey, everything ok?," he asked. Quinn couldn't help but wonder who was on the other end. She looked to his left hand and found his ring finger still bare. She felt herself relax but wasn't sure why she should care, knowing it wasn't her place.

"Yeah, yeah alright," he said quickly, "tell her I'll be there in a sec." He got up and shoved the phone in his pocket.

"I'm sorry guys I gotta go, something came up.," he mumbled. He slid his chair in and made his way to peck Rachel goodbye.

"I'll see ya later.," he muttered, turning quickly and flying down the steps. Quinn felt horrible to say the least, leaning back in her chair and closing her eyes. She would've cried if Finn and Rachel hadn't of been there, the two now looking towards her sadly.

"Quinn-" Rachel began but she stopped her.

"I get it," she said sadly, "really, I do." She had expected him to be angry and upset, she just didn't think it would hurt her this bad.

"I'm just gonna head to bed, long day.," she said getting up and forcing a smile. She walked inside and turned down the hall, but she couldn't shake her feelings. She ran to the front door, flinging it open and calling for Puck.

"Wait!," she shouted. He was about to open his truck door when he stopped. He slowly turned around, crossing his arms and sighing.

"I don't have time to walk down memory lane with you.," he snapped. She stopped in front of him, only inches away. She could smell the cologne on his plaid blue shirt, making her want to pull him closer.

"Puck, I understand-" she started, but he cut her off sharply.

"I don't think you do Quinn.," he shot back, "I don't think you have any idea what its been like." Quinn prepared herself, knowing that he was about to unload on her, hoping she was strong enough to hear the truth.

"Quinn do you have any idea what you did to Rachel or Finn, or me?," he asked growing angry, "How you basically tore all of us apart? You went behind Rachel's back, you basically told Finn he was nothing, and you gave up on me." Quinn shook her head, feeling hot tears well up in her eyes.

"You left me Quinn. You just left! After everything we went through, after everything I tried to do for you, for us, for-" he stopped, his hand motioning towards her stomach, "and you just threw all of it away for J-."

"I didn't do it for him, I did if for-"

"Oh I forgot, you were gonna "drown" if you didn't get out.," he spat angrily.

"Don't you dare mock me!," Quinn said getting angry herself, "You don't know what it was like for me either-"

"How was I supposed to?! You just shut down! You wouldn't let any one in! But then he comes back into town and suddenly everything's ok!" The two stood there, Quinn crying and Puck cursing, neither backing down from the other.

"Four years Quinn, four years. You didn't call or write, hell send a god damn smoke signal or a carrier pigeon, I wouldn't have given a damn!," he shouted, "All I needed was to hear from you, to know that you were ok, to know that you still cared. But obviously you didn't." He turned away and opened his truck door.

"Puck, please.," she cried, placing her hands on his window. She saw him hesitate as he started the truck, as if he wanted to get back out and talk to her. She continued hitting the window, pleading for him to just talk to her, to hear her out. She wanted to tell him she did care, that she had loved him, all the way to California and back, and that it had taken moving away to realize it. She prayed he would listen, tears now streaming down her face, but Puck simply shifted the truck into neutral and backed out of the drive. He left Quinn brokenhearted and left behind, the way she knew he had felt the day she ran away with Jesse St. James