The silence was the worst part. The only sound that he could hear was the thudding of his boots against the ground. He looked down at the scattered, forgotten papers on the ground. It was sad to look at the ruins of the once clean, safe school that was now reduced to the papers that the students didn't care enough to save. He sped up, glancing over his shoulder. There were two of them...somewhere and if he wasn't careful they would find him.
"Are you okay, dude? Do you need to slow down?" Puck whispered slowly, glancing over his shoulder a second time like he feared that one of the shooters would turn the corner at any moment, which they technically could.
Finn's breaths were labored and Puck could see the sweat glistening on his face, but he shook his head. Typical Finn. "I'm good, let's keep going." They were a couple of turns away from the closest exits. It would have been a short walk on a normal day, but on that day...it felt like hours.
Puck could tell that Finn was in a lot of pain, the shot wound on his left leg was bleeding severely and dripping down onto the floor. Puck prayed that the shooters wouldn't see the trail and follow. Listening to his friend's wheezing, Puck decided to try and get his mind off of it. "So how are you and Rachel doing, dude?"
Finn's expression changed with that question, from one of determination to one of worry. "Oh god...Rachel." He shook his head, "Where is she? She's still in here somewhere. I have to go and find her...the shooter...he's going after people from Glee Club. He's going to go to the room she's in...he's going to kill her Puck." He tried to switch directions, but Puck wouldn't let him.
"What do you mean he's going after Glee Club?"
Finn met Puck's eyes, realizing that he hadn't told his friend the story of how he was shot yet. He launched into it quickly.
Finn was sitting in the back of the room...Spanish. Probably the most boring class that Finn had to sit through in the day. Not only was it boring, but it was in a whole different language...the entire class so there was really no chance of him being able to understand what was going on.
This day in particular had been quiet. He sat down in the front where his seat was...that was where the teacher had moved him because of the grades he was getting on the tests. She thought that moving him closer would help. It didn't. He watched as people rushed in just as the bell was ringing, he gave them smiles because he was the closest to the door and the first thing they saw when they walked in.
The teacher began almost instantaneously, going directly into the Spanish language without even saying anything in English to start off. Finn couldn't help wishing that he had taken French instead. He gazed out the windows that lead to the hall and watched as people rushed through the hall, entering their classes late. He noticed Quinn walk by in her dress and enter the Geometry room.
He turned back to the front of the room where the teacher was still babbling on in Spanish. He tried to pay attention, he really did, but the only word that he understood was repiten, which meant repeat. If he heard that, he would immediately listen to the next thing and do his best to repeat it just like she had said. It was the perfect method to fake-pay attention.
As his eyes started closing and he was just about to fall asleep, just like every other day, he heard the door next to him start to open. His eyes flickered open just as a boy he recognized to be in his grade entered the room. He had both his hands in the pockets of his hood and didn't have a book bag, which Finn thought was peculiar considering at they were at school.
The boy walked straight up to Finn, ignoring the teacher who asked if he had a tardy slip. The whole class saw his expression and hushed, he had a crazy look in his eye. He looked down at Finn and asked, "What is my name?"
Finn looked up at him and met his eyes. He recognized the boy's face, but his name...Finn didn't know it and he wasn't sure what would happen if he said that he didn't know. He could see something crazy and threatening in his eyes. He decided to try and avoid it. "I recognize you from my Art class, you did that project on the color wheel and I though that it was awesome. And when you brought in queso for this class, also really cool dude."
"My name."
Even the teacher didn't stop him, she got up from her desk and stood idly by, not sure whether to intervene or not.
Finn searched his mind, hoping desperately that he would be able to come up with his name, but he couldn't. "I'm sorry." He told the boy, hoping that would be enough.
It wasn't.
The boy pulled a gun out of his pocket and the whole class gasped, including the teacher and Finn. "Sorry doesn't fix things now. It's because of you, Finn Hudson, that I've felt like this every damn day of my life: I've felt lonely. I didn't come to school for two weeks and guess what? When I came back, no one noticed! Not one person asked me where I had been. Do you know what it's like to think that if you died no one would even notice? And you don't even know my name! We've had 7 classes together in the past two years and Finn, I was never in your art class. Never. You don't even know who I am, but I guarantee that after today, you will. All the people like you- Quinn Fabray, Noah Puckerman, Santana Lopez. You'll all remember me. I want to make you suffer and feel the loneliness that I always feel so I'm going after your precious club. Everyone in it. And when I'm done maybe you'll feel like I did. I want you to suffer!" The boy yelled, his hand shaking. "And I will." He stepped closer.
Finn shook his head, "You don't want to do this. You haven't hurt anyone yet, if you back out now...you'll get off. You're still good, don't ruin your good reputation by one stupid mistake." He said.
"Don't talk to me like you know me!" He yelled, "You don't know me!"
Finn looked up at him, "Please."
The shooter had been holding the gun at Finn's head, but he lowered it and Finn thought that he had rethought it, but instead he pulled the trigger, pointing the gun down at Finn's leg. He heard the shot before he even felt it, but when he did...the pain was unbearable. And then the shooter ran out of the room, stuffing the gun in his pocket and joining the group of running students in the hall.
"Wait! Someone stop him!" The teacher ran out of the room, along with hal of the students. Most of the others huddled in the corner until one guy that he knew from the football team ran over and put pressure on Finn's room.
"Hold on, buddy. You're okay." He said comfortingly.
"And that's when you found me." Finn finished, "So Rachel is in danger."
"And you think that you can help her? You'll only put yourself in danger. Let's get you out and then I'll go back in and find her, okay? I promise I will and you know that I never go back on my promises." Puck held out his hand and Finn shook it.
They started walking towards the door again. Ten minutes later, they finally reached it together. Outside, it was crazy. There were police cars lined, surrounding the school and parents standing beyond them, waiting for their children. Puck helped Finn to the closest police car and then bolted back towards the building before any of the officers could stop him. As he walked through the door, he pulled out his phone and checked his messages just in case. He was surprised to find that he had Finn's phone in his pocket too, he must have picked it up when they left. He checked it first and saw a text from Rachel. It was asking if he was okay, so he replied to calm her down and hopefully give her peace.
Im fine
Minutes later he got a reply.
I love you
And he texted the same thing back. He knew which room Rachel was in and that was where he would be heading next, but first, he checked his own phone.
From Quinn: Where are you?
From Kurt: Puckerman, where are you? If you're safe, let me know.
From Rachel: Where are you?
From Mercedes: Can't reach Sam, tell me if he's okay.
From Sam: This is Sam. Quinn's hurt. We need help. Find Puck.
From Sam: We're in the gym. She needs you.
His eyes widened in surprise. He took off running down the hall towards the gym. He didn't care if the shooter heard him, he had to get to Quinn. If she was hurt that was his top priority, Rachel would have to wait. And she had texted him so she was alright for now. He pushed the doors open and then started walking through the large gym, slowly. He looked around for anyone, but the only thing he saw was blood. It was splattered on the floor by the bleachers and he gulped, following the trail of drops. It stopped right in front of a large steel door that lead into a small equipment room or something. He jiggled the handle, trying to get it open, but it was locked. He knocked lightly so the shooter would here wherever he was. "It's Puck." he whispered, but he was sure that they didn't hear through the steel door.
He heard movement on the other side so he tried knocking again, but it didn't open. He knew that someone was in there, if it was Quinn and them or not, he wasn't sure. As he was mulling over that, the door swung open in front of him and without even seeing who it was, Puck was tackled to the ground.
The wind was knocked out of him, but when he looked up to see who it was, he was relieved to see that it was Sam.
"Puck." Sam let out his own sigh of relief. "You're here..." He shook his head, "It's bad dude. Come on." He got up quickly and held out a hand to Puck, helping him up off the ground.
Puck, still panting from losing his breath, entered into the room. The first person he saw was Santana, she was sitting on the ground next to a large cardboard box, her once tight ponytail frayed in all directions.
As he ventured further, just beyond Santana, Quinn came into his view. It was worse than he thought. Her stomach was bleeding, creating a pool of blood underneath her, and her face was ghostly pale. She looked just about ready to lose conciousness, but he wouldn't let that happen. He heard her mumbling as he stood there.
"Puck..." She whispered, her voice weak.
He was on the ground next to her in seconds, "Yea, yea, it's me. It's Puck. I'm right here, baby." He took her hand and leaned close to her. He gave her a small, half-hearted smile.
"You...came..." She breathed.
"Of course I did." Puck answered as Sam shut and locked the steel door. "What made you think that I wouldn't?"
Quinn close her eyes for a moment and swallowed hard, "That girl...from...our...Geometry class. You...you and her?"
Puck shook his head, "She's my cousin." He squeezed her hand.
Quinn opened her eyes again and looked into Puck's. "Do you love me?" Tears filled her large, hazel eyes.
Puck leaned in close to her, making it so that their faces were inches apart. "I do. I love you, Quinn Fabray, more than you could even imagine." He paused, "You know what I think everyday when you walk through the door? I think that you are the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen. No matter how many girls I've been with you'll always be the only girl that I really care about."
Quinn smiled and closed her eyes, "I love you too..." It was barely audible, but Puck was close enough to hear it.
"Quinn, stay awake, okay? You can't close your eyes. Please stay awake." Puck begged, watching as her eyes flickered open again.
"Talk to me.." She whispered.
Puck searched his mind when she said that for anything that would make her want to stay awake, "I think about our future too. Do you know what I think? I think we'll have a house, just outside the city. It will be suburban enough to raise a family, but close enough to a city to be urban. I think we'll have two more kids, a boy and a girl. I'll be in charge of the boy and you'll be in charge of the girl. They'll rule the school, just like their parents. And then...when we get old...we'll buy a beach house in California...or Florida or whatever and we'll spend our time arguing about reality TV shows and trying to figure out technology. And when you go grey, I won't make fun of you, but only as long as you don't make fun of me when I lose my mohawk."
Quinn laughed lightly at that.
"And no matter how many times I mess up and get fired and forget to do the laundry or the dishes or make the bed, just know that I'll always be there for you and whenever you need me I'll be there to save you. Always. I'm sorry...for everything Quinn. I know that I'm not exactly an ideal boyfriend or husband or whatever, but I love you and that should be enough." Puck saw her eyes start to close again. "Please don't leave me now. I can't live without you."
"You were always good. You're better than you think you are. No matter what people say, Puck, no matter what you think about yourself, you're good. You have a good heart. And even if...this is the end...just know that I believe in you. And I always will, okay?" Her eyes opened for a couple of seconds.
"It's not the end." Puck leaned in close, keeping his eyes locked with hers. He squeezed her hand lightly, "Quinn Fabray. You mean everything to me, everything. I can't live without you...and I don't want to. So...when we get out of here, will you marry me?" He whispered.
Quinn stared into his eyes, "Yes." She whispered and then her eyes drooped shut.
And Puck noticed her breathing start to come in gasps. "No! NO!"
"Shh!" Santana pleaded.
"Quinn! NO! COME BACK! You can't die! You can't leave me! I love you, I love you! Please, please." Puck pleaded, kissing her lightly. He felt her lips move under his, but he knew that she was fading fast. If he didn't do something now, she would die.
And he had just promised that he would save her whenever she needed it.
This was one of those times.