AN: Okay, please don't hate me. I know it's been ages since I posted anything for this story but recently I rediscovered this story after a long time of not writing. I'm not sure how much time I'll have to update it regularly but I'm going to try and give it a go again. Thank you to all my readers who have continued to stick by me. Without further ado, enjoy!

Rachel

Noah Puckerman is just about the last person I expect to see on this van. My whole body shivers when our eyes meet. I try to keep my face as expressionless as possible but inside I just want to scream. Where has he been the past eight months? Why didn't he bother to call and say that he was okay?

His hazel eyes are still as beautiful and mysterious as ever. Part of me wants to throw myself into his arms and cry but I can't do that, not now. Not after everything.

"Rachel," he breathes. "Well, this is kind of awkward."

"Yeah," I try to say more but words escape me at the moment.

"How are you?" He asks me. He sounds different then I remember. I can't really figure out why though.

I don't answer his question though, "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I was asking myself the same question this morning." He sounds like he's trying to make a joke, but his expression tells me a different story.

"You two," A rough sounding woman shout at Noah and me. "Can I have a word?"

I follow her a few feet away from the van and she eyes her clipboard suspiciously. She introduces herself as Shannon Beiste. "Obviously there's been a mistake. I had no idea my assistant had added you to this group. I'm sorry for the mix up, Rachel. We'll make arrangements to return you to your home."

"I'm not leaving." I tell her forcefully. The old Rachel Berry would have taken the first opportunity to head home, but not now. I'm better than that.

Shannon gives me a hard look, "This won't work with both of you, I'm sorry but-"

"I said I'm not dropping out."

"I can't say I approve of this." She says seriously.

"Can I speak to Noah, alone please Ms. Beiste." I give her my most convincing look. After all I'm a trained actress.

"5 minutes. That's it."

Once she's gone, I turn to Noah with my eyes blazing. "It's been eight months, Noah. Where have you been?" He ignores me so I say something else. "You missed graduation."

He eyes snap to me. "I missed a lot of things, Berry."

I wince as he uses my old nickname. The name he use before everything, before us. "Why are you here, on this trip I mean…?"

"I got into some trouble," He says, "It's either this trip or jail."

I fold my arms across my chest. Of course I don't want him to go back to jail but I also don't want to drop out. It's important to me. "Well four weeks isn't that long, right?"

He looks at me with confusion, surprised by my answer I suppose. "And then you'll never have to see me again."

I close my eyes tightly and turn my head. I don't want him to see me cry. It would kill me. "You should come back to Lima, your family needs you." I need you. I think to myself but I won't say it out loud.

He scoffs, "Sorry, Berry. Not going to happen."

"Weren't you the one who told me that leaving Lima would be a copout," I spit at him.

He looks at me scathingly but doesn't reply. "Four weeks. You're sure you're cool with that?"

"I am if you are."

"Well alright then." He heads back over to the van and hops it.

I limp behind him more slowly. Shannon gives me a look. "You work everything out?" She asks me.

"It's only four weeks. We'll be fine." I say with as much conviction as I can muster. Maybe I'm trying to convince myself more than anyone else.

When I hop back into the van, there are three girls sitting up front who I met this morning. Tina has long dark hair with lots of heavy black makeup. Mercedes is listening to her iPod and softly humming to the beat. The last girl, Marley I think he name is, is staring out the window. She's tall and thin with long brown hair. She could easily pass for a cheerio at McKinley High.

The other two guys on the trip are sitting on either side of me. Blaine is quiet but polite and, Artie, well I know Artie from glee club. He was in a car accident when he was eight years old and has been confined to a wheelchair ever since. He smiles at me. "I didn't know you were coming on this trip," He says.

"It was a last minute thing." I say.

Noah sits behind us and I can't help but be hyperaware of his presence. I start panicking with the thought that I won't be able to make it through the four weeks like this. He abandoned me. I used to stay up for hours on end, hoping that he'd change his mind and come back to me. He would realize what a terrible mistake he had made by leaving Lima and all would be right with the world.

But I was wrong.

"Alright everyone," Shannon turns around and addresses the group. "My name is Shannon Beiste, and I'm going to be your chaperone for the next four weeks. How about we go around and introduce ourselves?" He nods to Tina.

"I'm Tina." She says and automatically turns back to her book.

"Mercedes Jones," the next girl says, her voice booming.

"I'm Rachel." I say with as much enthusiasm as possible.

"Puck." Noah says gruffly.

"I'm Artie."

"And I'm Blaine."

"Alright," Shannon says, "Now that we're all acquainted, let's try and make this a worthwhile experience for all of us."

Caleb looks incredibly agitated by just about everything and everyone. Even when Blaine accidentally bumps him he roughly shoves him to the side. "Get the fuck off of me."

My eyes widen in surprise. "It was an accident I say." I'm shocked at his behavior. I don't understand why he would be so quick to lash out. I shake my head.

"What?" He asks me.

"Nothing," I respond. "It's nothing." I slump back into my seat hoping that I might be able to sleep for most of the drive. I'm almost asleep, when something snaps me back into reality.

"Yo, Blaine" Noah says. "Switch seats with me." My mouth drops open in shock.

This is going to be a long four weeks.