a/n: I'm in a writing slump. So I have no idea what this is, but the second part will be posted in a few days. Crossover with Flashpoint.

The first time Constable Noah Puckerman meets Rachel Berry, he tries his best not to hate her. It takes some effort because its hard to ignore the fact that she's replacing a fallen friend, and he gives her props because Berry seems to pick up on it.

Sarge introduces her without much fanfare and Puck's pretty skeptical how she's going to do anything with the team because fact? Rachel's extremely tiny.

Being part of the Strategic Response Unit is no joke. It's hard work, extreme hours and makes it pretty much impossible to achieve that work-life balance government ads always seem to spout off about. The upside is he's working with the best, and these five men (four now that Lou's been blown up by a bomb, something which eats away at all of them) have become family to him. Aside from his mother, sister and the random women he brings home for the night, Puck doesn't have much else.

'Thank you,' Rachel tells them nervously, her long brown braid swinging down her back. Spike lets out this petulant huff and Sarge sends him a look because yeah, Lou was his best friend, and Puck doubts their resident bomb and tech expert is ready for Rachel to forget that.

'Dude,' Puck mumbles to him when he sees the shutters come down over Rachel's eyes. Spike looks like he's about to put his foot in his mouth when Winnie tells them to suit up. Wordy says something to Rachel that makes her mouth quirk up slightly and Puck absently notes that there are dimples in her cheeks.

Ed tells Puck to ride bitch with the new girl, putting her as far away from Spike as possible. Puck takes his time looking at her once they get in the truck, the neatness of her hair and the fact that he can't see a damn wrinkle on her uniform at all.

'So SRU huh?'

'Yes,' Rachel answers cautiously, keeping Ed's truck in view.

'No offence but you're practically a midget. How the hell did you even get this job?'

Rachel sends him a frosty glare. 'The same way you did. Simply because I'm a woman doesn't give you the right to presume I'm incompetent.'

'Oh believe me, I've noticed you're a woman,' Puck tells her with a little leer, smirking when Rachel's cheeks flush with indignation. What? Put a hot woman in front of him and he acknowledges the fact that he wants to fuck her.

'You're a pig. I'd appreciate it if you resist patronizing me so I can do my job,' Rachel bites out as she exits the truck. Sarge eyeballs him when he sees the pointed way Rachel checks over her MP5A3 and Puck flashes him an innocent look.

'This place is a nightmare,' Sam Braddock says and Ed doesn't answer, looking at Union Station and its towering columns of marble.

'Spike you got eyes in?' Ed asks.

'Alright team looks like our subject has a woman at gunpoint. Unis managed to clear the space around him before he fired off a few shots-'

'We know what kind of gun?' Wordy questions. Sarge shakes his head.

'All we got was that its small. Maybe a revolver.'

'Got video guys!' Spike calls out and they crowd around the laptop. Their subject is right smack in the middle of the Great Hall, a blonde woman crying as people peer fearfully from their seats.

'Active shooter? I say we go in hard,' Puck suggests, eyes glued to the fear plastered over the woman's face.

'Settle down Puckerman,' Sarge chuckles.

'Subject's name is Brian Henderson,' Spike announces. 'Managed to run his face through MTO. Well looks like Mr Henderson doesn't like women very much. Says here he got charged for domestic violence two years ago after his wife had enough. Now ex-wife Angela Martin.'

'God I hate assholes like this,' Puck mutters to himself, fingers tightening over his gun when he remembers his father. Rachel flicks her eyes over him.

'Good job Spike. Get me his number. Wordy, I want you to head over and get info from Angela. Feed me on the fly.'

'Got it Boss.'

Sarge manages to get Brian on the phone and the bastard wants to see his wife, wants to talk things out with her.

'Yeah. Fat chance buddy,' Sam says.

'Okay Puck and Sam see if you can find us another way in. Spike you come with me and we'll cover Boss. Rachel you take Sierra,' Ed takes off his sunglasses.

Shit. She's a sniper?

Puck watches Rachel hoist the sniper rifle over her shoulder with ease, conferring with Ed for a second before she disappears into the Station. Sam covers his com before speaking.

'You think she'll be able to take the shot Boss?'

Sarge and Puck don't answer Sam's question, instead spreading out the blueprints the security manager handed off to Sarge so they could find Plan B.

Brian doesn't listen to Sarge. The man is insane and frankly, Puck has no problem putting a bullet in the guy's head if it means he won't get to harm another woman again. But Greg Parker is the boss and he likes to negotiate. He's seen Sarge get under the skin of people standing on the edge of a roof, a father waiting to blow his brains out, a fire captain determined to burn to death with the man who killed his friend. But Brian doesn't seem to get the picture. The guy escalates, firing off another shot into the air and Sarge looks desperate.

Sam and him are positioned two columns behind, but Puck knows the minute they step out from their cover it's going to be too exposed. Brian might see them and shoot the hostage. Brian might see them and start shooting anyone. Wordy's got the ex-wife in the truck and Puck agrees when the older man tells Sarge firmly Angela is going nowhere near Brian. Wordy must be thinking of his own wife when he refuses to cave in to Greg's orders to bring Angela in, take some of the pressure off. Puck knows Wordy's gonna get his ass chewed out at the debriefing but for now he's totally ready to back him up.

It's never okay to hit a woman.

'Scorpio,' Greg's whisper is broken but barely a second later and Brian falls back, his brains exploding out the back of his head. The hostage has blood and grey matter and skin all over her face and arm when Puck and Sam reach her. The blonde woman – someone who'd probably just been minding her own business – is hysterical. Puck tries to calm her down the best he can as he leads her towards the paramedics. Sarge is standing a few feet away from Brian Henderson's body.

'You did what you could Greg. The man wasn't going to listen to reason,' he hears Ed tell Sarge but Puck knows this failure (because that's the kind of heaviness Parker deals with) is already being tallied by Greg.

He spots Rachel handing her weapons over to SIU, methodically and calmly. The Remmy 700 is the last thing Puck sees before Rachel is hustled into a waiting squad car.

By the time they've left the scene and returned to the Barn, Rachel's cleared just like Sam and Eddie said she would be. Textbook was the word they used, though Puck knows there's nothing textbook about taking another person's life. Winnie tells Sarge Rachel's in her locker room, and Puck sees the rest of the guys look at Rachel's door as they make their way into their own locker room.

'She's good,' Sarge comments, unbuttoning his shirt.

'Real nice,' Wordy adds. Puck stares at Lou's locker, feels his eyes burn a little.

'She isn't Lou.'

'No one's ever gonna be Lou buddy,' Ed tells Spike sympathetically, shares a look with Greg.

'Rachel isn't here to replace Lou. She's here because she wants to be. I think we should at least give her the benefit of the doubt,' Sarge suggests diplomatically.

'I remember what it was like to be the new guy,' Sam's voice is muffled as he pulls on a shirt. Puck rolls his eyes at the memory.

'Yeah I recall almost poppin' a cap in your ass when you wanted to show me a picture of your pet rifle.'

'That pet rifle saved American lives in Afghanistan jackass,' Sam retorts, shoving Puck's arm.

'Good thing the chief rolled up otherwise you would have been cuffed or dead,' Puck answers semi-seriously.

'Alright kids let's head down to the Goose for a drink. Puckerman grab Berry and we'll meet you there.'

'What?'

'I don't mind waitin',' Sam replies to Ed.

Puck scowls at Sam, wondering what he's up to. Doesn't he already have a girlfriend?

'Yeah I'll wait for her. See you there,' Puck grabs the plaid button down to avoid Sam's eyes.

He exits the locker room a few minutes later to see Rachel in a black tank top and skinny dark jeans placing a giant star next to her name. Winnie must have really liked the fact there was another woman around because she'd had a plaque done up with Rachel's name.

'What're doin'?'

Rachel doesn't seem surprised he's there, instead focusing on smoothing out the edges.

'I always sign my name with a star.'

'Huh. So…like I was told to make sure you come have a drink with us.'

Rachel turns to regard him thoughtfully.

'Are you going to ask if I'm okay?'

Puck tips up an eyebrow.

'Are you actually gonna answer honestly if I do?'

'Fair enough,' Rachel answers evenly. 'Lead the way then.'

They walk in thick, uncomfortable silence and Puck scratches the back of his head, holds the door open for Rachel when they walk out the building. Rachel seems surprised that he's so chivalrous and Puck frowns at that.

'Hey look. I didn't mean to be an ass earlier. It's just…'

'You've lost a friend, a teammate. I know what that's like.'

Puck wants to know more but decides he hasn't earned the right to just yet.

'And I've got nothin' against women serving with me. Hell my mother would totally give Sarge a run for his money running a tac unit.'

Rachel lets out a small laugh, Puck smiling when he sees those dimples appear again. The street lamps glow yellow and make Rachel's hair look like spun silk. His fingers are itching to touch it to see if it feels the way it looks.

They get to the bar and attract quite a few stares. Puck narrows his gaze when he sees this dude a few tables down ogle Rachel's ass. He steps so that he's got her back covered, places a hand on sliver of skin between her shirt and jeans to lead her towards Team One's favourite table.

And was it just him, or did Rachel totally shiver at his touch?

He likes that Rachel sits in the empty seat next to Spike, who doesn't seem to know what to do now that he's literally face-to-face with her.

'You want a beer?'

'Oh yes please,' she reaches for her purse but Ed waves her off.

'We're buying Rookie,' their Team Leader says. 'Next round's on you though.'

This time Puck gets to hear her laugh for real and he doesn't hate it. He comes back with two cold bottles, sees Spike talking to Rachel without the tension he'd had previously, and thinks having Rachel on Team One is going to be a good idea.