A/N: I don't own Glee or The Unit.
I just want to say thanks to those who have reviewed. I really appreciate it. I wanted to respond personally but something is hinky with my e-mail and review thingy. The response to the story is awesome. Got a lot of hits. I hope you guys like this chapter. Please Review and let me know what you guys think. Also I'm gonna break down the main characters so no one gets confused.
Rachel Berry- call sign Starlight, also referred to as Star or Berry
Charles Grey- call sign Betty Blue, also referred to as Carlito, Blue, or Mr. White, Black or Grey
Jonas Blane- call sign Snake Doctor, also referred to as Top, Mr. White or Black
Hector Williams- call sign Hammerhead, also referred to as Mr. White, Black, Blue or Green
Mack Gerhardt- call sign Dirt Diver, also referred to as Mr. White, Black, Blue or Green
Bob Brown- call sign Cool Breeze, also referred to as Mr. White, Black, Blue or Green
Chapter 2
"No…no…no I totally remember her having an Adam's apple Blue and her hands were the size of baseball gloves." Rachel giggles loudly at the horror struck look on Grey's face. The team were recounting some of their funnier moments from previous missions to past the time. This round of humorous stories was aimed at making fun of Betty Blue.
"What the fuck…I had to take one for the team. She had the intel we needed and Elena was a wonderful woman by the way." Grey was smirking but on the inside he cringed at the memory of the Amazonian red head from Dublin that he had to put the moves on just to get the info on a local drug smuggler that the unit needed to take out. He didn't sleep with her but there are some things that not even copious amounts of alcohol could erase from his mind.
"Alright that's enough picking on Carlito." Mack pats Grey on the back and chuckles softy as the rest of the team starts discussing this year's plans for the day of the dead celebration. Rachel since joining the unit three and half years ago had taken to planning the yearly gathering honoring the fallen Unit members and their widows with the crazy Berry zeal she was known for.
This year Rachel was going all out with a Monte Carlo Casino night theme. "I don't know Star…men like us don't like being in a monkey suit longer than necessary." Mack glares at the tiny diva when she flashes him the patented Berry stare that meant there was no way he was getting out of wearing a tux for the night.
"That's the point. We hardly ever get to be a little glamorous. Nine times out of ten we are in some dingy, dirty and overly hot country that no one's ever heard of. I think I deserve a night to get all dressed up and pretty." Rachel grins widely as she fondly remembers junior prom with Mercedes and Sam.
"You mean the widows deserve it." Charlie calls Rachel out on her slightly selfish behavior. He can't help the smirk on his face as Rachel's cheeks tinge a soft pink. He couldn't help but think she was beautiful when she blushed.
"Oh…right. Of course they do." Rachel tries to be pissed at Charlie but can't when he looks at her like that. It was the dimples that did her in every time and his chocolate eyes flecked with gold dancing with mischief made her stomach flip deliciously. They continue to bicker like an old married couple through the rest of the trip to Lima.
Bob and Hector share a knowing look as they watch the two brunettes flirt and banter with each other. It was blaringly obvious to anyone who saw the two operators interact with each other that they were in love. Even Colonel Ryan could tell that ladies man Grey was head over heels in love with the diminutive beauty and that Rachel was equally enamored with the short charmer.
Yup anyone could tell except Rachel and Charlie. Oh Rachel knew she was way in over her head in love with Charles Grey and had been since she was seventeen. She was just very good at being in denial when it came to her feelings for him. Charlie on the other hand was still confused over his feelings for Rachel. He was a ladies man and a Unit man for life. Wife and kids in his line of work was just not an option for him. He saw how hard things were for the women left behind and how a soldier could be distracted by thoughts of home. A distracted soldier was a dead soldier.
He was fine being a bachelor for life and loved being Uncle Charlie to Alpha team's kids. Then five foot Berry burst into his life with her over the top personality and dazzling cinnamon eyes and he was fucked. She was eleven years his junior and quite simply the most impossible person he has ever met. Rachel is stubborn, abrasive, slightly selfish and high maintenance.
She was also passionate about everything and anyone she cared for. Under all her crazy she could be the kindest and most loyal friend. She made him laugh and he could talk to her about anything. More and more he found himself wondering what it would be like to settle down and maybe have a few kids. When Grey thought about his future it always seemed that Rachel was a part of it. In fact when he had been close to death the one thing he wanted most was to hear Rachel's voice and see her cinnamon eyes one last time.
Before long the plane was beginning it's decent into the Dayton, OH airport and Rachel's stomach was in knots. Coming home was never an easy thing. It was home but then again it wasn't. She felt like a stranger in a familiar place. She had grown up in Lima, went to school there and even fell in love there. But now home was not the beautiful two story colonial her fathers had raised her in. No, home was the three bedroom townhouse near base she shared with Hector and Charlie.
"Betty Blue and Starlight will take a rental car and drive to Lima from here. The rest of us will get a hotel here and work on doing some surveillance of the surrounding areas. Kayla will contact the happy couple tomorrow morning with the day's color and code word." Jonas hands out assignments easily and hopes that this mission ends with his team intact and the innocent civilians alive.
Once the plane lands the team goes their separate ways and assumes the covers that they have been given. "Hold up Star…it's time for me to make an honest woman out of you." Charlie pulls a small yellow envelope from his pocket and pulls out three rings. A simple band of white gold for him and a very nice two carat princess cut solitaire and matching wedding band for Rachel.
A strange thrill passes through Rachel as Charlie slides the sparkling diamond on her slender finger. She couldn't suppress the goofy grin from spreading on her face. "Diamonds really are a girl's best friend even if they are Unit issued." Rachel sighs softly and looks at her hand and then to Charlie. His expression was unreadable. Something had flashed in his eyes and she couldn't quite place it.
On the drive to Lima Rachel spoke with her fathers. They were surprised and thankful for the Alaskan cruise vacation. Both her fathers had vacation time saved up and were eager to have a second honeymoon. They had briefly separated a year ago and were now trying to rediscover that spark they had for each other. This vacation would be a perfect way for them to spend some much needed down time together. Rachel chatted a while longer with them until it was time for them to board their plan.
A weight had lifted from her shoulders once she knew that they were finally flying out of Ohio. She would be able to focus completely on the mission now and not have to worry about dealing with her parents meddling. The drive to Lima went by quicker than Rachel had wanted. She wasn't entirely ready to be thrust back into her former life.
Before long they were pulling into the all too familiar drive way of her childhood home. The place still looked the same. It was the typical suburban dream home complete with green shutters and flower boxes. Rachel and Charlie get out of their rental car and grab their go bags from the back seat. Rachel quickly finds the spare key under the welcome mat and lets herself in with Charlie following her close behind.
The house is exactly as Rachel remembers it with dark glossy hardwood floors and crisp crème colored décor. The floor plan was open giving the home a nice airy feeling. "Whoa Rach…this place is beautiful." Charlie takes a look around and is impressed with the large modern kitchen with its stainless steel appliances. "Now this is a kitchen. I could really cook in a kitchen like this." Rachel smiles at Grey's expression of a kid in a candy store. Charlie is an amazing cook but the small kitchen in their townhouse was not adequate enough for his talent.
"C'mon Carlito, I'll show you to the guest room." Rachel grabs Charlie's hand and has to practically drag him out of the kitchen. The feel of his smooth caramel skin under her fingertips has her mind wondering what it would feel like to have the rest of his skin pressed close against her own. Rachel tries hard not to blush at her thoughts.
"So you don't want to share a room with me, wifey…That hurts babe." Charlie flashes one of his trademark smirks complete with dimples at Rachel and she nearly melts. Now Charlie wasn't what most would call classically handsome. He was short, just several inches taller than Rachel but was more rugged and masculine than most of the males Rachel had dated. His constant five o'clock shadow, unruly black curls and smoldering chocolate eyes added to his appeal. He was also too damn charming for his own good and his smirk was damn sexy. It was a smirk that could make even the most prudish woman strip off her clothes and beg for the sex to be dirty and he knew it.
"You're incorrigible Charlie." Rachel smiles widely and sways her hips just a little more as she sashays her way upstairs to the guest room. Charlie groans at the sight or her jean clad rear swaying hypnotically in front of him. This was going to be a long mission. Most missions he was busy defusing bombs or gathering intel or being a bodyguard but this time he was playing Rachel's loving hubby and he was certain he'd have a hard time keeping his hands to himself.
Once they were both settled in their separate rooms the two decide to freshen up and go out to grab a bite to eat. After her shower Rachel threw on her favorite pair of dark skinny jeans, a black off the shoulder belted tunic and a pair of black flats. She pulled her mahogany curls into a low side pony and swiped on her favorite nude lip gloss. She finished her look with a little mascara to make her eyes pop. Rachel didn't know why she was trying so hard but a part of her wanted to look good for Charlie.
She found Grey waiting for her in the living room. He looked good in his navy button up with the sleeves pushed up to his elbows and a pair of dark boot cut jeans. Charlie's well-worn black leather coat made him look even more tempting than before. "Looking good Berry." Grey loved the way her eyes lit up whenever she received a compliment. It was as if she didn't quite believe that she was as beautiful as others thought she was.
They were seated quickly at Breadsticks, the local Italian restaurant and Charlie was a little skeptical about the place. Of course Rachel had to have the last word and spoke at length about the fabulousness of the local favorite. Grey let the tinybeauty have her say and just enjoyed the downtime they were having because tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Rachel and Charlie finished their in Charlie's opinion mediocre meal with a far better desert than he anticipated. The three layer chocolate cake had Rachel's eye rolling into the back of her head. With each bite the petite brunette moaned in delight causing Grey to squirm in his seat. The diva really didn't have an idea just how sexy she truly was.
Just as they were done with dinner and about to leave Rachel bumps into none other than the glee club's resident bitch Santana Lopez. The fiery Latina's brown eyes widen in surprise as she takes in a grown up version of 'man hands'. "Holy shit…Rachel Berry where the fuck have you been?" Rachel just smiles and is at a complete loss for words. Her mind is drawing a blank as the stunning former cheerleader eyes her intently.
"Pardon my wife. She's a little jet lag from our flight. I'm Sergeant First Class Charles Black, Rachel's husband." Charlie holds out his hand and grins charmingly at Santana. Now this sexy siren was definitely the type of woman that usually caught Charlie's attention but recently he only had eyes for his partner in crime Rachel. The former cheerio shakes his hand firmly and watches as Rachel blushes slightly.
"A fucking army wife Berry, I was sure you were in New York annoying the hell out of people on Broadway." Santana quips easily and Grey bites his tongue as Rachel regains her ability to speak.
"Well I met Charlie when he was on leave in New York and he just swept me off my feet. It was love at first sight…wasn't it sweetie." Rachel coos lovingly and wraps her tiny arms around Charlie's waist. She was grasping at straws and hoped that Charlie would take her lead. They hadn't even had time to come up with a back story for their cover and Rachel was hoping to convince Santana that her and Grey were happily married.
"Of course it was doll face. You know I just took one look at her on stage belting out 'tonight' from west side story and I knew she was the one for me. Asked her to marry me a week later and been together ever since." Grey beams like a proud husband and Santana seems impressed. Rachel's heart races at Charlie's statement. He knew her so well and knew that West Side Story was by far her favorite musical.
"Well damn girl…that's awesome. So I take it you're here for the wedding. It's the only reason I'm back too. Who can say no to Mr. Shue? " Santana then rambles on about her life since high school. Dave Karofsky and she started their own private security company aptly named 'Bully Whips' in Cincinnati that provided bouncers and bodyguards for night clubs and local government officials. They're both out and proud now and she still keeps in contact with most of the glee clubbers.
They chat for a few minutes more about Rachel's surprise domestic bliss and agree to have a drink at the bridal shower in a few days. By the time Rachel makes it back to her parents' home she is exhausted. She bids Charlie a good night and climbs into her old bed and is out by the time her head hits the pillow. Most nights she's able to sleep but there are times when nightmares cause her to jump up from her bed in a cold sweat.
Each mission was different, some were easy and some just leave her hanging on by a thread. The first time she had to take a life left Rachel in tears for three days and she swore there was something fundamentally wrong with her and that the unit was better off without her. After her pity party Jonas had taken her aside and told her that if she hadn't cried then that would have been something to worry about.
Most of her nightmares centered on the incident or her fist kill shot but tonight's dream had her reliving the day she realized just how much Charlie meant to her. Eight months ago they were on a retrieval mission in Beirut, Lebanon when the extraction of the captive journalist went to shit. Rachel had been shot in right her bicep and Charlie had taken two bullets to the chest and the journalist had been brainwashed by his kidnappers into thinking that they were the enemy.
Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. They were holed up in a tiny apartment with a frightened family watching in horror as Hector worked diligently to keep Betty Blue alive and there were a few moments when things didn't look so good for him. Mack had haphazardly wrapped her arm tightly to slow the bleeding but all she cared about was Charlie.
They didn't have much time and the extraction point was several clicks away. The tension was mounting and Charlie had even told his team to leave him behind and save themselves from the incoming insurgents that were hunting Alpha team down. Rachel stubbornly refused to leave his side not wanting her friend to die alone in that godforsaken place. It was then that she realized that she couldn't picture her life without him in it.
Rachel stumbles out of her bed with her heart racing and her breathing shallow. The image of Charlie going down after getting shot and the blood oozing from his wounds has Rachel's head spinning. In her dreams Grey doesn't make it and neither does Hector who was shot in the shoulder by a sniper as they were loading themselves into the Marine's Humvee that had surprisingly came to their rescue thanks to Mack's distress call. If the bullet had been just a few inches over Hector would have been killed instantly.
She shakily makes her way down the hall to the guest room and quietly let's herself into the dark guest room. Charlie wakes at the sound of the door shutting and sleepily watches Rachel walk over to the bed. He pulls down the covers and not having to say a word; Rachel climbs in next to him. This isn't the first time Rachel couldn't sleep and needed a friend to comfort her. Charlie pulls her closer and Rachel calms her racing heart.
The tiny brunette lays her head on his chest and lets her small fingertips graze the two scars left on his chest by the bullets. They were not his only scars but they were the ones that could have taken him away. This was part of Unit life. The danger and uncertainty of whether or not they would be coming home came with the scars. Rachel had a few of her own, the bullet she had taken in Beirut and a stab wound to her torso she suffered in the jungles of Peru last year.
Charlie grabs her hand and places it on his heart. She can feel the steady beat under her palm and she relaxes just a little. "I'm still here and so is Hector Rach. You can't get rid of us that easily." Charlie places a soft kiss to the top or her head and holds her until she falls asleep. It's moments like these that have him wanting more than just a friendship with Rachel.
The next morning Rachel stumbles down the stairs to the kitchen and incoherently mumbles good morning to Charlie as she sleepily reaches for a cup of coffee from the counter. She hops up on the counter and swings her fluffy pink slipper clad feet back and forth as she sips her black coffee. She sighs happily as the caffeine wakes her up.
Rachel watches Charlie finish cooking some bacon and eggs and enjoys the rare quite moment in her hectic life. All that was missing was Hector sitting at the kitchen table doing a crossword puzzle and it almost felt like home. Her Unit issued phone beeps and Rachel quickly answers the call. "Go for Berry."
Charlie watches Rachel chat with Kayla back at TOC while dishing out the food he made. He could really get use to a kitchen like this. He could also get use to Rachel living with him without Hector. Just the two of them in a nice house on base, maybe on the same street as Jonas and Bob and maybe even a have couple of kids. The only problem with that scenario was one of them would have to leave the unit and neither of them seemed ready to do that just yet.
"Roger that Kayla. Starlight out." Rachel ends her call and hops down off the counter. She takes a seat at the island across from Charlie and digs in immediately into her breakfast. Rachel had long ago given up her vegan diet. Let's just say arguing with the Drill Sargent during boot camp about her special diet had earned her more push-ups than she had ever done in her lifetime.
"Today's color is yellow, the animal of the day is the mustang and our code word is snowflake." Charlie nods his head at Rachel and both continue to eat their breakfast. Once the food is eaten and the dishes are done the two operators get ready for their day. Both are dressed casually like any young couple.
Grey in a pair of jeans and black t-shirt and Rachel in a simple plum wrap dress and black ballet flats. Both are packing which has become second nature to them. Grey's 9 is concealed on his back under his shirt and a .22 strapped to his ankle. Rachel's 9 is strapped to her thigh which Grey finds extremely sexy and the lose fabric of her dress keeps it hidden from view.
The two Unit members head over to the wedding venue and pose as a couple who interested in having their ceremony there. They need to scope out the place and think like the bad guy would. They have to figure out how an attack could take place there and what needs to be done to prevent it. Rachel is anxious about the next few days. Running into Santana had stirred up feelings she hadn't felt in a long time. She just needed to remind herself that she wasn't the same girl she had been. She had found in the unit the friends, family and acceptance she always craved.
They wait in the lobby for the bridal consultant and both take note of how many exits, windows and ceiling vents they can see. Rachel makes a mental note to have Kayla e-mail her copies of the building's blueprints. Rachel's thoughts are interrupted by the clearing of someone's throat.
"Oh my god, Rachel Berry." The voice is familiar and Rachel is shocked to hear the amount of warmth and friendliness that is being directed towards her. The blonde standing in front of her usually held nothing but contempt for Rachel. Granted Rachel did do everything she could to steal away her boyfriend.
"Quinn…it's good to see you." Rachel calls on all of her acting ability to muster up a genuine smile for the former ice queen of William McKinley High. Quinn smiles and lets her green eyes wonder over to the latino man standing next to Rachel. The cool blonde notices the wedding bands on each of their hands and her eyebrows quirk up in surprise.
"It's good to see you too Rachel. I take it congratulations are in order." Quinn gestures to the gleaming rock on Rachel's left hand and the tiny diva smiles widely.
"Oh thanks. Umm…Quinn this is Charlie my husband." Rachel makes the introductions and Charlie is his usual charming self. Rachel explains that they are here for Mr. Shue's wedding and had wanted to check out the venue to see if it was right for their upcoming vow renewal. Quinn bought the cover story and explained that she was the head bridal consultant.
Rachel takes the lead and asks tons of questions about the venue and what it has to offer as Charlie slowly disappears out of the lobby and makes himself acquainted with the rest of the building. They are both wearing ear pieces so Rachel is able to hear Charlie inform her of every door, window and any other places a person could think to use to get in and sabotage the wedding.
Rachel is struggling talking to Quinn but hides it behind a mask of indifference. She's trying to get into the character of Mrs. Black but being thrust back to her hometown and into her old life has the diva barely able to hold on to her sanity. She wasn't ready to see all of the familiar faces from her past especially not Quinn Fabray.
Charlie manages to amble his way back to the lobby as Rachel's conversation begins to wind down. He notices just how different Rachel seems around the statuesque blonde. The brunette beauty is anxious and seems insecure from the way she is fidgeting with her dress. Rachel had always felt that she didn't quiet measure up to the former head cheerio. She sighs in relief as she spots Charlie across the room. He always manages to calm her down.
"I'd be more than happy to give you a tour tomorrow…I'm just swamped with last minute details for Mr. Shue's wedding that I have to take care of today but I'm free tomorrow afternoon." Quinn flashes her sweet smile and before Rachel can give her an answer the two ladies are interrupted by a male's voice calling Quinn's name in a loving manner.
Rachel feels like the wind has been knocked out of her. She should have known he would always choose Quinn over her. After the incident he never quite looked at Rachel the same way. He had always wanted to be the knight in shining armor and he soon realized that Rachel was no longer the damsel in distress that he had wanted her to be. In all honesty he was actually kind of afraid of her after witnessing her ass kicking abilities first hand.
"Finn look who's here…its Rachel and she's brought her husband with her." Quinn says in the most saccharine girly voice that made Charlie want to gag from its mushiness. Rachel tires her hardest to avoid her once love's eyes but the pull to look his way was always a difficult one to ignore. Rachel's cinnamon eyes lock with Finn Hudson's puppy dog brown eyes and she immediately feels….
A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger but I couldn't resist. Plus this chapter seemed to be never ending. Next up Rachel's reaction to Finn and some insight into Rachel and Charlie's history. PLEASE REVIEW.