Disclaimer: If I had owned Glee, its characters or the used songs I wouldn't be still living in the Netherlands and Glee wouldn't have ended.
Thanx for your patience, the follows, Favs and reviews.
Eric1968: Sure she knows how to fire a gun, throw a knife and how to defend herself but I don't know about Rachel being a badass in this since I don't know where this story is gonna take us. She will loosen up though. I do love badass Rachel though.
Guest March 28: Why would I put Noah with his family and Rachel's other friends in WitSec too? They're not in danger. Besides, it doesn't fit in what I do have planned for the story.
Santana Fan: You're making me blush. Thank you.
I know nothing about Jewish traditions or the witness protection program other than what my extensive research has taught me.
English still isn't my native language. For that and to kick my ass every once in a while to get it into gear and update I have jenmer61977 as my amazing beta.
Previously on Into the Fire:
At her mother's nod she disappears to her room upstairs where she restlessly lays on her bed for ten minutes. Knowing she won't fall to sleep anytime soon she puts on some of the clothes Emily got her, opens the safe in her bedside table to get the items stored in there out 'cause she would be in a lot more trouble if she didn't.
Downstairs she peaks her head in the kitchen. "I'm going out for a bit." Without waiting for an answer she's out the door and in her car.
"Rachel," Shelby yells after her but before she can run after Rachel she's stopped by her wife.
"Let her go, Shell. At least she wearing the clothes Em gave her and she took her gun like she was told to. She'll probably end up with Santana or Noah so we know she'll be safe." Sue reasons.
"Hummingbird has left the nest," Emily sends out a text to the surveillance detail standing on a parking lot just off the farmyard.
"Already on her. You were right by the way, we're not the only ones watching the house and now following Hummingbird." She sighs worried at the text she receives back.
"And she has a security detail on her tail," she decides to keep her mouth shut about Rachel also being followed by a yet unknown party to not to worry her childhood best friend.
Rachel isn't stupid or naïve. She saw the two cars pulling out the parking lots of Sam's Club and Applebee's the moment she left the farmyard. While she just knew one car would be the FBI making sure she was alright, the other one she couldn't place. She also knew she's probably going be in a heap load of trouble with her mom for leaving like that at this time of night when she gets home but at the moment she just doesn't care.
Arriving at her destination she can see there's still light in the living room. Not wanting to talk to his mom she forgoes going through the front door. Growing up around boys like Noah and David meant she can climb trees with the best of them so she climbs the tree with easiness. She still doesn't understand why mama D. hasn't taken it down yet. Lucky for her come Summer or Winter he sleeps with the window ajar like it is.
Noah is lying on his bed thinking about everything that has happened that day when he hears the rustle of the leaves on the tree just outside his window. It couldn't be Santana coming for a booty call since she came out as gay to him and Rachel while they were in Texas during the summer. He looks at the window just in time to see Rachel climb through. Although she was wearing something completely different he did have dreams of her doing just that. Not wanting to spook her he keeps his mouth shut and waits. It is Rachel Berry after all, she'll speak eventually. She strips out of her clothes not stopping at her underwear, lays something on his bedside table, 'Is that a… gun? His mom's gonna flip if she sees that' and crawls in bed snuggling into his side whispering "hi."
"Hey yourself. How are you feeling?" he whispers back as she starts to kiss his neck following his pulse point towards his mouth.
"Numb and I was kinda hoping you could help me with that." She answers between kisses and even in the dark he can see her blush. Before he can answer she reaches her current destination running her tongue against his lips trying to lure him into a deeper kiss. He grants her access and their tongues battle for dominance.
He flips them so she beneath him and backs away looking her deep in the eyes. "Are you sure Rae 'cause if you're not it stops right here. Because I love you too much and I've been waiting for this moment for fucking ever and couldn't handle for this to be a night full of regret." He finally admits his feelings for her.
"I need to feel something Noah. So it was either this or put a razor against my skin and if this is as good as you and San always say it is I'd prefer this. So yes Noah, I'm sure. Besides, I've always wanted you to be the one I did this with. Always," And that is all he needs to attack her lips again in a bruising kiss.
"This is gonna hurt for a moment baby," he warns her right as he is about to enter her.
She swallows. "I was counting on that."
"After that I'm gonna make you feel sooo good but you have to keep quiet," he promises. And he does make her feel good until she exhaustedly falls asleep after three rounds.
He's woken up by his mom knocking on his door. "Noah, Shelby called and says that she wants Rachel home after breakfast. I'll be at the temple helping Rabbi Greenberg with the preparations for the funerals." It is quiet for a second. "Oh and Noah please tell me you used protection?" She pleads.
"How did you kn-" Before he can finish that sentence Rachel turns and burrows her head mortified into the pillow, making the bed squeak. "Never mind. Yes ma, we were careful."
"Good, 'cause as much as I love that girl as my own I don't want to become a grandmother just yet. If this is going to be a regular thing I need to buy you a new bed. I'm not eighteen anymore. I need my sleep," she makes a step towards the stairs to leave but comes back one more time. "And Noah, make sure she eats something. Shelby told me she didn't eat anything last night and God knows she needs some fuel after the calories you two burned last night."
"Oh my god. Did that just happen?" he laughs at her embarrassment.
"Oh yes. Like she said, she loves you as her own. She's been hoping and planning for this to happen since you were born," as he swings his legs over the side of the bed he kisses her gently on the nose. "How about you take a shower while I make you some vegan pancakes?"
"Hmm. Now that we have the house to ourselves, how about one more time 'for the road' and we'll make the pancakes together?" She compromises while she straddles him.
"I like your idea better," he cups her butt in his hands and lifts her up to walk to the bathroom.
When she enters the kitchen at home, her moms are sitting at the table talking with Emily and her grandmother who arrived sometime this morning.
Shelby looks up gliding her eyes up and down her daughter's body. If Deborah hadn't told her what happened at her house that night Shelby would have known now. There was definitely a change, as if her daughter had become a woman overnight. "Were you at least safe?"
"Yes on all counts," Rachel answers with a tiny smirk on her face. Deciding to keep the fact that the condom broke that last time in the shower to herself, at least until it was for sure there would be consequences that needed to be talked about. That would be soon enough to start worrying.
Shelby nods. "From now on there will be an open door policy when Noah comes over, understood?" Rachel nods her head.
"I need a verbal confirmation Rachel." Shelby insists.
"Yes ma'am," Rachel salutes. Knowing that with both her mothers' working late all the time because of the Cheerios and Vocal Adrenaline and Noah's mother working as much as she does at the hospital there would be enough chances to be together like that.
"Good girl," Shelby smiles. "Now I have laid out your clothes on your bed. If you need to shower you have to hurry. We leave in thirty minutes."
Rachel nods. While walking to the stairs she swears she hears someone (Sue) making squeaking noises, embarrassing her all over again.
The funerals go as heartbreaking sad they always go. If it isn't for Noah holding his arm firmly around her waist to hold her up she would have crumbled at her fathers' graves. At the reception after she really want to punch every single one of those hypocrites showing up from outside their community only to gloat at the fact those fagots finally got what they deserved. Especially when Mr. Shue and the rest of the glee club show up acting like they felt sorry they are for her. If Noah wouldn't have been there whispering sweet nothings in her ear, she probably would have.
After the service and reception Rabbi Greenberg comes over to go over Leroy and Hiram's wishes regarding the period of mourning. Since they weren't that strictly religious outside of a few traditions, they don't demand the family to sit Shiva but did request that the family would take the seven days of Shiva for themselves to mourn their loss. Despite there not being a Shiva sit down the Rabbi will come by to light the Shiva candle which will burn for the seven days they would normally have to sit Shiva. It is decided that Rachel and seeing that they are practically family, so will Noah, his little sister Sarah and Santana would all be allowed to stay home from school the rest of the week.
When the Rabbi leaves Emily, who has decided to leave the investigation to her team for the day, asks the three women to finally show her the extensive recording and dance studio they established in one of the barns. Even though Shelby assures her that the barn is completely sound proofed she turns on the scrambler just be sure nobody can listen to what they will be discussing.
"We have cleared the person sending threats to the office. He only did it because Leroy lost his case against some multinational plus he alibied out. He wasn't anywhere near Lima at the time of the fire. That leaves us with the threats to your home."
At that point Sue extracts an envelope out of her pocket and gives it to Emily. "This was in our mailbox this morning."
'Now that the fagots from this town are gone, it's time for the dikes. Prepare yourself to be next!' It reads.
Emily nods. "That's what I was afraid of and why I wanted to talk to you away from possible prying ears. Do you have a storm cellar?" Shelby nods, unable to say anything.
Her best friend sighs. "Good. Is it fire proof?" She asks.
"Yes, it is and I'll do you one better. It is even away from the house." When Emily looks confused Shelby explains. "When we bought the property we spoke to the owners at the time. It had been in their family for years and thereby experienced several storms and the consequences that came with them. There was one specific storm that destroyed the whole house because of a gas leak and the sparks that came free when the electricity lines broke. That's when they rebuild the stables and fire proofed them and had two storm cellars build. There's one right beneath the house for the milder storms, and one for hurricanes. That last one is right beneath where we're standing right now. The two cellars are even connected by a tunnel with a fire door at the beginning."
"How well stocked is the one down here and is it comfortable enough to sleep in?"
"Yes," Sue confirms. "We might have no gas but we do have electricity and running water in the one down here. It is an apartment as big as the barn and has a living room, a kitchen, four bedrooms and two bathrooms. We have it fully stocked with canned food which we replace every six months."
"Good," Emily smiles in relief knowing her niece and best friends will be safe. "I want you to stay in there at night but you still need to enter and exit from the house walking in and out of the front door like always. I don't expect anything to happen during the day so you should be fine until evening. All we need now is an exit strategy. This is what I suggest." She explains the exit plan she has in mind.
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