Title: All My Crimes Laid Bare
Author: AliasGrace07
Summary: AU Noah Puckerman has always struggled through life while Finn Hudson seems to have been handed everything, yet they end up best friends on the wrong side of the law. There is one thing that can save them, unfortunately one girl can't be split two ways.
Genre: Suspense/Romance
Rated: T-M
Pairing: Puck/Rachel/Finn
Disclaimer: My bank account says No, I don't own Glee. Boo
AN: So this is a sprawling epic tale of love, crime, hate, passion, war, money, etc. It's Alternate Universe and there may be some OOC-ness but I'm trying real hard to keep it at a minimum (example: Finn – he's not as dopey). Based on a fantastic story called "Dangerous Games" by the Black Rose, from the GW fandom. I read it probably 8 years ago, loved it and thought it would transfer well to Glee with some kinks. So all credit to the Black Rose. Read on my gentle readers.
Prologue
Lima, Ohio
Noah "Puck" Puckerman and Finn Hudson were best friends from the first day they met when they were 5 years old.
Finn was building a snow fort in the playground when some older kids started pelting him with snowballs. Puck had suddenly appeared snowballs in hand and starting chucking them back. It was an epic snowball fight and the two boys came out victorious.
They laughed and looked at each other, cheeks pink from the cold.
"I'm Finn."
"I'm Puck."
They high fived and that was that.
They were in the same Kindergarten class when school began again in January and were menaces. Ms. Holliday repeated the phrases, "Stop giving Jacob a wedgie," and "Put the hamster down," so much they were practically the class mantras.
When June came around and the boys had completed Kindergarten, Ms. Holiday was transferring, and the hamster was never found.
July 1991
Finn was sitting on top of the jungle gym when Puck rode up on the new bike his dad just bought him for his birthday. It had been a real surprise, Puck never got new things and his mom had yelled for a long time at his dad so he had taken the bike and rode (he had learned how to ride using Finn's bike) to Finn's house where he was told by someone he had never seen before that Finn was at the playground. Puck had looked past the stranger into the Hudson's kitchen and saw Finn's mom sitting at the table and crying.
Puck threw the bike down and began climbing to the top of the jungle gym.
"Is your mom sick?"
"No, she's sad."
"Why," Puck asked, balancing on the top bar, next to Finn.
"She can't find my dad. He had to go explore somewhere far away and he hasn't come back yet." Finn looked confused. His dad would usually leave every other weekend, he said he was 'exploring' the way Puck and Finn explored the backyard, except he did it somewhere much bigger so it took him longer. But he always came back. Why hasn't he come back yet?
"He probably got lost, like we did when we were exploring the store with the big red dots everywhere. He'll come back or we could go find him."
"Yeah," Finn looked like he felt a little better.
"Wanna see my new bike?" Puck asked excited.
"Yeah!"
The two boys climbed down fast and proceeded to take turns on Puck's new racing bike.
The next week, Puck rode over to Finn's after his mom and dad started to yell at each other again.
He noticed a huge truck in the driveway and two big guys were heaving Finn's couch into it. He threw the bike down in the front yard and ran through the front door straight up the stairs to Finn's room.
"Why are they taking your couch?"
Finn was sitting on his bed, the Spiderman bed sheets and pillows all gone and there were big brown boxes everywhere.
"My mom says we're moving away."
"What?"
"I think we're going to look for my dad, we can't find him here so we're gonna go look for him. But that's good because I miss him." Finn looked really sad and picked at a scab on his knee.
"I'll come with you then. I'll help look too," Puck said easily.
Finn brightened up, "Yeah! Together, we would definitely find him, let's go tell my mom!"
They pounded down the stairs and ran to the kitchen where Finn's mom was telling the big men where to move more of the brown boxes.
"Mom, mom, mommy," Finn interrupted. "Puck said he's gonna come with us to look for dad, ok?"
Finn's mom looked down at the two boys and her chin trembled, she looked like what Ms. Holliday looked like after they had glued Jacob's hands to his butt.
She squatted down in front of them.
"I'm sorry sweetie, but Puck can't come with us. He has to stay here with his family," she said softly.
"But he's my best friend!" Finn protested
"That's ok, I like your family more, I'll just tell my mom and dad," Puck said, "I can help find Finn's dad, I'm really good at finding things."
"Oh sweetheart," Finn's mom hugged Puck tightly. "I'm so sorry, but Finn and I have to go alone," she reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks, "Is your mom or dad home?"
Puck nodded but still didn't understand. She could say no all she wanted but Finn was his best friend; he was going with them no matter what.
"Why don't you two go play in the backyard, I have to make a quick phone call."
The boys shrugged then ran out back, still believing everything was going to be fine.
An hour later, Puck's dad pulled up in his blue truck and tossed Puck's bike in the back.
"Come on buddy, time to go," he said when the two boys had run out front to meet him.
"Finn's moving his stuff to go look for his dad and I'm gonna go with him, ok dad?"
Puck's dad flinched and said, "Well Puckarone, how about we let them look for a while and then if they don't find him, we'll join them and look too, how does that sound?"
Puck looked over at Finn. His mom had come outside and she was holding Finn around the shoulders, she looked like she was going to cry again.
"But-"
"Those are the rules of the game, Puck," his father added.
Puck scrunched up his nose; he never did like to follow the rules.
"We gotta go kiddo, you'll see Finn real soon, I promise. Thanks Carole."
"I don't wanna," Puck could be real stubborn when he wanted to be.
His dad ran a hand through his long dirty hair, clearly losing patience.
"Say goodbye to Finn, now."
Puck knew that tone and if he didn't do as he was told, his dad's belt was gonna come off. He begrudgingly trudged up to Finn and they did their customary high five and his mom sniffled and ruffled his hair.
He waved from the window of the truck, worry-free, believing he'd see Finn in a few days to help him look for his dad.
August 1991
Puck was sitting at his dad's feet watching him play the guitar. It was one of those hot, lazy days and Puck usually rode down to the community pool but his mom had taken his bike back to the store because they needed money for food.
This summer stunk, Finn was gone, his bike was gone, and his mom and dad were yelling more and more. The only fun he had was watching his dad play. That's all his dad did when he wasn't sleeping. Sometimes his dad would even let him play; his big hand putting Puck's little fingers in the right spots and then strumming away.
His mom had been gone for several hours and it was pitch black when Puck began to drift off to sleep.
Suddenly, the front door to the apartment slammed open and his mom came stumbling in.
His dad put the guitar down next to him on the ratty couch.
"You get any?" He asked her.
"Yeah, baby, I got some, I got somethin' even better too, from a guy up in Detroit…"
Puck yawned and stretched, bumping the coffee table and knocking over a few bottles.
The two adults jumped, as if they had forgotten he was there. His mom looked annoyed but his dad turned to him.
"Hey, Puckasaurus, why don't you head to bed, ok?"
Puck looked at his mom and thought about reminding them he hadn't eaten dinner but he decided he didn't want them to start yelling again, plus he had a stash of pop tarts in his room.
Nodding, Puck shuffled down the hall and turned at the noise of his mom digging through the silverware drawer and saw his dad taking his belt off as he sat back down on the couch.
Puck was sitting on the floor, strumming his dad's guitar and watching cartoons when there was a loud banging at the front door.
It was the third time in a week this had happened and Puck knew the drill.
"They aren't here," he said to the short bald man wearing jeans and a white zip up jacket with red stripes down the sides of the arms.
"Well when they gon' be here?" He asked gruffly.
"I dunno, later, they're at work."
The bald man gave a snort of a laugh, "Workin' huh? Load o' shit. You tell those two junkies if I have to come back here again there will be consequences." He lifted the front of his jacket to show the handgun tucked in the waistband of his pants.
"You know what that is kid?"
Puck didn't know what junkies or consequences meant but he did know what a gun was (had seen enough TV and had played enough video games over at Finn's to know exactly what a gun was and what it did), what's strange is he didn't feel scared, more annoyed than anything. So he nodded at the man as he closed the door and went back to watching cartoons. His dad hadn't been home in a week and his mom had told him what to say if someone came to the apartment looking for them. He sat on the floor and brought the guitar into his lap. It was all right if he played with it, as long as he was careful.
The next night Puck was shaken awake by his Nana Condie. She put his Star Wars backpack in his hands.
"Throw some clothes in there Noah, quickly, we have to go."
"Where we goin?"
"We're going for a little ride, ok? Won't that be fun? I need you to be fast as lightening ok, honey?"
Puck loved when he saw Nana Condie, she always had cookies for him when she visited and she would comb his hair into a mohwak. He began stuffing the bag full of his clothes; it didn't take him very long and he was pulling on his sneakers when she came back, grabbed his hand and gently pulled him out of the room.
The apartment was a lot messier than it normally was. All the kitchen cabinets were open and his mom was dragging a large suitcase out the front door as he and Nana followed behind her.
"Where's daddy?"
"Your dad had to go away for a little while," Nana Condie said as she buckled him in the back seat of her car.
Puck noticed his dad's guitar was lying next to him on the seat
"Why?" Puck asked.
"He was very sick and had to go to a special place to get medicine."
"I want dad!" Puck cried.
Nana Condie shushed him and ran a soothing hand through his hair. "He wanted you to take care of his guitar, wants you to promise you'll look after it. Can you promise that sweetie?"
Puck sniffled and looked at the guitar case. He nodded and mumbled, "I promise."
"He loves you very much, Noah." She kissed his forehead and shut the back passenger door. His mom was in the passenger seat and she looked like she was shaking. Nana Condie drove away from the apartment, the open door swinging in the slight summer night breeze.
In the car Puck drifted in and out of sleep.
He heard snippets of harsh whispers between his Nana and his mom. Things like, "I am giving you one chance, Sarah," "I swear I'm done," "Think about Noah," "When did you find him?" "I'll change, I promise." "Drug house on Franklin," "Find Carole's number," "Skin was blue."
He dreamt of his dad, with blue skin playing the guitar and then the man in the white jacket with the red stripes came up behind him, pointed the gun and pulled the trigger.
He jerked awake to the sound of his mom throwing up. The car was pulled over and she was leaning out the open passenger door. Nana Condie turned in her seat and ran her hand over Puck's head.
"Go back to sleep, Noah, your mommy's not feeling well, but everything is going to be ok."
Detroit, Michigan
September 1991
Puck and Finn playfully shoved at each other as they walked up the steps to school. It was the beginning of first grade and the boys were very excited. Imagine their delight when they were ushered into the classroom and saw who their teacher was.
"Ms. Holliday!" The boys shouted.
Her mouth dropped open and her skin got real white.
"What are you two doing here?" She choked out.
"I moved here cause our old house made my mom sad cause she couldn't find my dad," said Finn.
"My dad needed medicine cause he was sick but he didn't get better and he's dead now," Puck said. At seven years old he understood that he wasn't going to see his dad again and he did cry when his Nana explained it to him but right now he was too excited about school to be sad.
"So I moved here with my mom to my Nana's house and now I get to be best friends with Finn again!"
The boys high-fived and Ms. Holliday dropped her head in her hand. Of all the schools in all the cities she chose the one that housed the two biggest troublemakers she had ever dealt with.
"Just go find a seat, boys," she sighed.
They laughed and ran towards one of the four tables in the classroom. Each table had four chairs, two on each side, the table they chose only had one seat occupied by a tiny girl with long brown hair. She was wearing a red sweater with a horse on it and sat quietly with a notebook out in front of her.
"You two will not be sitting next to one another," Ms. Holiday called out. "I'll let you sit at the same table, it's a new year and maybe you two will behave yourselves, otherwise I'll put you two as far away from each other as possible, understood?"
The boys ignored her and Puck shoved Finn, who stumbled and quickly plopped down into the seat diagonally from the girl. There was no way he was gonna sit next to her.
"I don't wanna sit next to her," Finn whined. Puck snickered.
"Sit down, Finn, or you can have the single seat I've placed in the back corner."
Finn lumbered over to the seat next to the girl and slumped down into it, crossing his arms and refusing to look at the girl.
As Ms. Holliday began her welcoming talk to the new class, the little girl turned and gave Finn a bright smile.
"Hi, I'm Rachel," she chirped. "We should be friends."
Finn's face turned red and he didn't respond. Puck laughed.
"We're not friends with girls, they like stupid stuff," Puck said.
Rachel glared at Puck. "We do not!"
"Do too."
"Do not."
"Rachel, when I am talking, you should be silent and listening, understood?" Ms. Holliday reprimanded.
Rachel gasped and looked like she was going to cry. She didn't say anything else to the two boys as Ms. Holliday started up again.
Throughout the week the boys teased each other, spit balled each other (a few flicked over at Rachel that may have been on purpose) but were generally well behaved and did not speak to Rachel. She was so annoying. Always raising her hand, volunteering for everything, bouncing around the classroom helping all the other students; she was a goody two shoes who always followed the rules.
Friday, at recess they all ran out to the city playground. Finn and Puck were playing cops and robbers on the jungle gym when they heard a bunch of yelling over by the slide. Some big kid named Dave was making all the kids stand in a line and only letting certain people go and then making another kid hold the line so he could go down it as much and whenever he wanted. Finn ran after a kickball that rolled past so Puck turned his full attention to the slide. Out of nowhere, he saw Rachel stomp up to Dave, in her little red sweater and red headband. She looked even tinier compared to the larger boy. She pointed her finger at him and stomped her feet. Puck couldn't hear what she was saying but as she moved past him and began to climb the ladder, Dave shoved her and she fell onto the hard pavement.
Before Puck knew what he was doing he had jumped off the jungle gym, ran over and started pummeling Dave. The bully may have been bigger, but the anger Puck felt at him for shoving Rachel gave him the advantage.
Kids were chanting, "Fight!" "Fight!" "Fight!"
Out of the corner of his eye, Puck saw Finn run over to Rachel and help her up. Her knees were bleeding and that made Puck even angrier but before he could get another hit in he was tugged violently away from Dave.
The school gym teacher, Mr. Tanaka hauled each boy up by the necks of their shirts and began walking towards the school.
"Principal's office, NOW," Mr Tanaka roared out. "You, Hudson, take her to the nurse's office."
Finn nodded and walked by Puck, giving him a high five on the way.
Later that day Puck was writing out the numbers up to 100 when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Rachel standing there, two neon pink band-aids on her knees.
"This means we're friends now," she said.
"No it doesn't."
"Yes, it does."
"No."
"Yes."
Puck was getting frustrated. He was not friends with girls. Period.
"No, it doesn't, go away."
Rachel just smiled, leaned over, kissed his cheek, and then went back to her seat to do her numbers. Puck immediately wiped at his cheek in disgust. He felt like his face was on fire and he looked around quickly to see if anyone else saw that. Finn was over at Ms. Holliday's desk getting help, thank God.
Gritting his teeth he went back to his numbers, refusing to look up at Rachel, refusing to acknowledge the fact that his cheek was still burning from where she had kissed it. He was probably gonna get sick from her now.
October 1991
The boys were playing in an abandoned parking lot near where Finn lived. He used to live in one of the biggest houses Puck had ever seen but since his dad left he now lives in an apartment like the one Puck lives in with his mom and Nana Condie. Finn's mom works mostly at night and sleeps all day, just like his mom; although, his mom is sleeping a lot more these days and spends a lot of time in the bathroom. Nana Condie told him he's going to be a big brother and he doesn't know what to feel about it.
They were surrounded by an empty parking garage, and several shut-down factory buildings with broken windows and plywood covered in graffiti boarding the entrances. The parking lot had a metal fence that was barely standing, the barbed wire along the top sagging down and even stripped off in some areas. The boys had slipped in through a hole where the metal grating was detached from the thick metal support in the ground. This was their new secret spot they went to whenever the park got taped off.
Puck was carrying a long wooden stick while Finn kicked a pepsi can in front of him, periodically picking it up and pitching it for Puck to swing at. They were walking towards the broke down Volkswagen that had no tires or windows. They liked to think of it as their 'fort.'
"A big brother, huh?"
"Yeah."
Puck squatted down to pick at the weeds that had grown between the cracked pavement and the metal frame where a tire should be.
"That's cool isn't it?"
"I don't wanna share all my stuff with it, especially if it's a girl."
Finn jumped up on the hood of the car. "Why not, you share with Rachel."
"No I don't!"
"Yeah, you do, I saw you give her a pencil."
"Ms. Holiday made me!" Puck was getting real frustrated with Finn.
"Did not."
"Did too," Puck picked up the pepsi can and chucked it at Finn. It bounced off his arm and landed on the roof of the car rocking on the edge.
Finn was about to launch himself at Puck when two black cars pulled into the parking lot. The boys dove behind the car and peeked through the glass-less windows, Puck through the back passenger and Finn through the driver side.
Two men got out of one car while three men got out of the other. All were in black suits apart from one person who was wearing jeans and a grey hoodie. He also had a bag over his head. He was being held between two of the men in suits.
Puck and Finn glanced at each other wide eyed. One of the men, the bald one with sunglasses on, began to speak.
"Where's my money Goolsby?"
The bag was lifted from Goolsby's head by the man on his right.
"I-I I got the money. I-I swear. Just give me one more day. Please, Hummel. One day's all I need. I c-can get it." Goolsby was sweating profusely.
The man named Hummel plucked the toothpick from his mouth and walked up close to Goolsby. He leaned in and whispered something Puck couldn't hear. Goolsby's knees gave out and Hummel flicked the toothpick into his face and turned back towards one of the slick black cars, nodding to the man that got out of the car with him when they arrived.
That man pulled a gun from within his suit jacket and without hesitation shot Goolsby three times in the chest.
Puck and Finn jumped in alarm, Finn's leg coming in contact with the car and Puck watched in horror as the pepsi can that had been leaning on the edge of the roof wobbled then fell off, rattling on the pavement.
He whipped his head towards the three men in suits (Hummel had gotten back into his car) and they were all staring over at him. Both groups reacted at the same time.
"Run!" Puck shouted as the three men ran towards them.
Puck took off with Finn next to him. All they had to do is reach the fence, there's no way the men could fit through the hole.
Puck thought they were gonna make it until he heard a startled cry. He turned and saw Finn stumble over the stick they had been hitting the pepsi can with. He hit the pavement hard and Puck ran up to help him. The three men in suits closed in and grabbed their arms roughly. Puck tried to jerk his arm free but the man only gripped him harder.
"Keep still boy," he said, giving Puck a harsh shake.
They took the boys back to the two black cars and Puck saw the now dead Goolsby up close. Wide eyes stared up at nothing, a pool of blood spread slowly on the pavement.
Finn's arm was bleeding badly; he was pale and breathing hard, looking very close to tears. The man dragging him along was gripping his injured arm roughly. Finn tried to pull away but the man gave him a hard smack upside the head. That really pissed Puck off. Nobody hit his best friend.
He tore free of the man holding him and jumped on the other man's back, punching, kicking, biting.
"Get da little shit off me!"
Finn started kicking at the man's legs. The other two men chuckled and watched their partner get beat up by two seven year olds for a few seconds.
One of the men finally acquiesced and took Puck by the neck, bringing him back to the ground and holding his arms to his sides.
The other went up to the car to knock at the passenger side window.
The man named Hummel emerged and took in the scene before him behind dark sunglasses, a new toothpick in his mouth.
"What's this?"
"Dese kids saw. Dey was over by that broke-down car," the man holding Finn said.
Hummel considered the two boys then looked to the man whose hair was ruffled and had several scratches on his face.
"What happened to you Brooks? Can't handle a five-year-old kid?"
"I'm seven!" Puck shouted.
Hummel grinned and walked over to Puck, squatting down in front of him.
"Is that so."
"Yeah, and I'm not afraid you," Puck bared his teeth.
"What about you boy, you afraid o' me?" Hummel said, looking over at Finn.
Finn's eyes were wide and he glanced at Puck, then shook his head.
Hummel stood back up then pushed his coat back revealing a holstered gun.
"What's your names? And don't lie to me. If you lie to me, I'll know, understood?"
Puck looked over at Finn, who looked defeated.
"Finn Hudson," he said quietly.
"You Carole Hudson's boy?"
Finn looked startled and nodded.
Hummel grunted, a smirk forming on his lips.
"And you tough guy?"
Puck pushed out his chest and clenched his jaw.
"Answer him boy," the man holding his arms gave him a shake.
Puck still refused to speak. Hummel reached out and gripped Puck's face in one large hand, pulling his gun out with the other. Puck started breathing really fast, his small frame trembled.
"He's Puck! His name is Puck!" Finn shouted.
Hummel released Puck, stood and re-holstered his gun.
The distant sound of police siren's reached Puck's ears, Hummel took a deep breath then jerked his head at the other men who released the boys and walked towards the cars.
Hummel spit out his tooth pick.
"You want anything to happen to your mom?" He asked Finn, who shook his head rapidly.
"You want anything to happen to his mom?" He asked Puck.
Puck glared at the man and shook his head no.
"Don't speak a word then." Hummel smirked, looked between the two boys for a second then climbed back into the car which took off immediately, leaving them alone with the dead Goolsby.
Finn turned and threw up. Puck glanced at the body once before taking Finn by the arm and walking towards the hole in the fence.
Neither boy said a word.
November 1991
"I though your last name was Foster," Puck said, looking over at Rachel's worksheet and seeing Rachel Corcoran listed at the top.
"No, I told you already, my last name is Corcoran but I live with a foster family," Rachel said annoyed.
"Why don't you live with your mom and dad?" Finn asked from across their work table.
"I dunno, I don't know who they are."
"You don't know who your mom and dad is?" Puck laughed.
"It's not funny!" Rachel snapped.
"Maybe they didn't like you. You are annoying."
Rachel's eyes filled with tears. "Yes they did!"
"I told you if you cried I wouldn't be your friend anymore," Puck said, crossing his arms.
She gathered her notebook and ran up to Ms. Holliday's desk. Puck watched her gesture to he and Finn and knew they were about to spend some time in the corners of the classroom again.
January 1992
Rachel was weirdly quiet sitting at their table. Puck plopped down in the seat across from her; Finn took the seat next to her.
"What's wrong?" Finn asked.
"Remember when Ms. Holiday talked about adoption to the class?"
"Yeah."
"Well someone wants to adopt me."
"Isn't that good?" Puck asked.
"What if he doesn't like me and sends me back?" Rachel stared at him with wide brown eyes.
"He'll like you, I promise," Finn said.
"How do you know?" Rachel's eyes began to fill with tears.
"Because you share your cookies," he said.
Rachel gave a watery smile and leaned over to hug Finn who awkwardly patted her back. Puck looked down at his worksheet. Girls were stupid.
A week later Puck sat at their work table scrubbing a blue crayon fast and hard over the picture he was coloring. Rachel leaned over his shoulder, her long hair tickling his ear, and drew a yellow star. He glared at her but she only smiled brightly.
"Don't."
"Why don't you smile more?" She asked.
"I'm busy, and you're messing up my picture. There's not supposed to be a star there."
"Why not?" She drew another star.
He moved the page away from her and frowned. She just smiled more brightly. She was so annoying.
The door to their classroom opened and a student came in and handed Ms. Holliday a note.
"Rachel, sweetie, you need to go to the front office, Finn, why don't you take her there, please."
Finn got up from the table and he and Rachel made their way out of the classroom. Puck immediately jumped up, saying he had to go to the bathroom, ignoring Ms. Holliday's protest as he ran out the door.
He caught up with Finn and Rachel who were walking in silence. Puck could tell Rachel was scared, so he sighed and grabbed her hand.
When they reached the front office, Puck saw a man in a business suit waiting and clutched her hand tighter. He looked over at Finn who had stopped walking and looked ready to be sick.
Rachel gasped, "That's my new dad."
The man turned and Puck began to breathe again. It wasn't him, the parking lot, the gun, the body.
"Rachel, dear, are you ready to go?"
"Where are we going?" She asked nervously, still holding Puck's hand.
"We're going on a little adventure, ok?"
Rachel looked excited.
"Can Noah and Finn come too?"
Puck let go of her hand. She wasn't supposed to call him Noah. Only his Nana called him that. No one else was allowed to but she kept on doing it.
"I'm sorry, Rachel, not this time," he said as he held out his hand.
Rachel pouted but obediently reached out and took his hand.
Puck was getting a weird feeling in his stomach. This whole thing reminded him of when Finn left. He felt like he was being tricked again.
Rachel and her new dad began to make their way towards the exit, Puck was about to speak up when Rachel abruptly turned and ran towards them. She hugged Finn and then Puck.
"You're my best friends," she whispered and moved quickly back to her 'dad.'
She turned and waved at the door.
And then she was gone.
AN: Longest prologue ever. I know. Haha. The chapters won't be nearly as long as the prologue.