A/N: I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter posted, but sometimes life just intrudes on all my fun. Thank you so much for all the reviews for the previous chapter. It makes my heart glow to know that so many of you are enjoying this story. So please feel free to leave a review, or two.
Chapter 7: The Hudson Group
"Come hell or high water, I will find out who did this to you; and not even the grace of God will be able to save him from my wrath."
Finn gazed steadily into Rachel's warm, chocolate colored eyes, and he felt an impotent rage at the pain he could see in their depths. She was so pale, her skin a chalky white, and it hit home that she had almost died, that he almost lost her forever. He would find the bastard that had dared to hurt her, and no matter what the cost, he would see to it that the man paid dearly for the pain he had caused her.
He watched as her eyes fluttered closed, the pain medication taking her into a deep slumber, allowing her body the time it need to heal. He ran a gentle finger down her satiny cheek, and then tucked a errant lock of sable colored hair behind her ear. He leaned closer, lightly brushed her lips with his, and then turned to face his best friend.
"I'm glad you came," Puck said to him. "I was not looking forward to serving a life sentence for your murder. Wasn't looking forward to it all, but it wouldn't have stopped me from beating you to death."
"Glad I could accommodate you," Finn replied, with a little laugh. "I happen to have a few plans that would not go well if I was dead."
"I hate to interrupt the two of you," Blaine said as he closed the distance between them, and then roughly pulled Finn into a hug. "But its so good to see you Finn, and damn you look good. The last fifteen years look mighty fine on you."
The two of them laughed as they pulled apart, the camaraderie easily flowing between them; as if they had seen each other just last week. They hadn't had an easy start to their friendship, not with Finn feeling threatened by Blaine's presence, but once they had worked through it, they had become very close. Finn regarded Blaine much as he did Kurt; they were friends, brothers, they were family, and he had been away from his family for far too long.
"So what happened?" Puck asked. "When we left, you were pretty adamant about staying in Paris, about staying away from Rachel."
"Jack happened," Finn answered, and the two men shared a knowing look.
"If I had known his methods would have been this effective, I would have sicked him on you years ago," Puck said.
"Who is Jack?" Blaine asked, looking between the two men. "I'd like to shake his hand, and grant him three wishes for getting Finn's sorry ass here."
"Blaine, I need your calming...Oh my God," Quinn came to an abrupt stop, her eyes landing on Finn as she walked into Rachel's room. Her eyes went wide with shock, and her mouth hung open as she took in the sight of him.
"Seems like this will be everyone's reaction to seeing you again" Puck said glancing at Finn, and giving him a little smirk. "Although, Santana might beat the shit out of you first, and then succumb to speechlessness."
"Shut up Noah," Finn said to him, as he strode over to where Quinn was standing, doing the best imitation of a fish out of water he had ever seen. Before she could close her mouth, he pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly to his chest, and letting the last fifteen years fall away.
"I missed you," she said on a choked sob. "We all missed you."
"I know," he said roughly. "God, I know, and I'm sorry, so sorry. I thought my not being here would be the best thing for everybody."
"Then we are going to have to limit how much thinking you can do in any given day," she quipped
"Quinn, what did you need me for?" Blaine asked.
"Oh," she replied, reluctantly pulling herself out Finn's embrace. "The detectives are in the waiting room, as are Rachel's parents, and yours as well," she said looking at Finn.
"Rachel's dad, Hiram is quite upset," she explained. "I was hoping you could intervene; help calm the situation down a little with your magical, mediation skills."
"I don't know about magical," Blaine replied, a hint of teasing in his voice. "But, I'm more than willing to try."
"Be modest if you want," Quinn said. "But you have a very calming influence, and calm is something very are in desperate need of right now."
"I'm coming with you," Finn said, as the pair started to move to the door. His gaze met Puck's, and a silent conversation flowed between them. After a few moments passed, Puck inclined his head, moved a chair closer to Rachel's bed, and sat down facing the door. Satisfied, Finn followed the others up the hall.
"What was that about?" Quinn asked when he had caught up with them.
"Safety precautions," Finn replied simply, as Quinn subjected him to a thorough once over.
"I guess safety precautions will be necessary," Quinn said slowly. She didn't like the idea that Rachel needed protecting, but Quinn knew it was too much to hope that this had been a random attack. Rachel had been targeted, and that very well meant that this person would try to harm her again.
As they got closer to the waiting room, they could hear loud, angry voices. Finn took in a deep breath, searching for that inner calm he used whenever he was about to enter in a sticky situation. He was unsure of the reception he was about to receive, nervous that the people he loved would reject him, and his help. He knew he would piss off a few of them, but he he would have to be OK with that; this was about Rachel, and he was through playing games where she was concerned.
"What the hell do you mean, you can't offer my daughter protection?" Hiram Berry shouted at the two men Finn assumed where the detectives Quinn had told them about.
"Mr. Berry," the younger of the two said, his voice low, soothing. "We don't have the manpower to protect your daughter on a twenty-four hour basis..."
"And we wouldn't want you to anyway," Finn said as he stepped fully into the room. About a dozen people turned, their attention firmly fixed on him; just as he had intended.
"We don't?" Hiram asked, his expression puzzled, then shocked as he turned to find the source of the interruption.
"Oh my God!" His mother exclaimed, when her brain confirmed what her eyes were telling her. But before she could close the distance between, a petite ball of energy launched itself into his arms.
"Finn!" The dark haired girl greeted in an excited rush. "I knew you would come; I TOLD them wild horses wouldn't keep you away.
Finn took in a deep breath, his eyes closing as he wrapped the dark haired girl in his arms. He had basically grown up an only child, not gaining a sibling until his mother had remarried when he was seventeen. It had taken a while, but after a few years he, and Kurt accepted each other as brothers. It had come as a shock to all of them, when his mother realized she was pregnant, and on her fortieth birthday, gave birth to a baby girl, who captured all their hearts, and had them all wrapped around her little finger.
"I missed you to Peanut," he replied, lifting her off the floor, and twirling her around in a dizzying circle. He felt his mother hug them both tightly, and wasn't surprised a few moments later, when his stepfather, and Kurt joined the hug fest.
"I've missed all of you," he said pulling away a little so that he could see their faces.
"Finn," Hiram said, moving a step closer to him.
"Mr. Berry," he said, his voice respectful, as he shook first Hiram's hand, and then Rachel's other father, LeRoy.
"Finn, are you questioning Rachel's need for protection?" Hiram asked him, his tone wary, and just a bit belligerent. "Some one obviously means her harm; and I want my daughter safe, and to me that means the highest level of protection available."
"I agree," Finn replied, his focus completely upon Rachel's father. "Unfortunately the NYPD isn't capable of offering her that level of protection."
"Sir," the younger detective interrupted, his voice, and body language hostile. "Are you saying we, the NYPD, is unable to do its job?"
"I have no idea of the NYPD's overall capabilities in solving, or preventing crimes," Finn answered, his tone steady, smooth. "But I wouldn't want it, or any police force for that matter, to protect the life of some I care about. There are more than ten million residents of your fair city, and technically all of them are your clients; it would be nearly impossible for you, or your fellow officers to devote all of your attention on just one individual."
"We will use every resource available to us to try and catch the individual responsible for this crime," the detective said.
"Great," Finn said in return. "You guys are more than welcome to use those resources to try, and apprehend this person. Meanwhile, my team, and I, will handle Miss. Berry's personal protection, so that she'll be alive to testify in court."
"And exactly who are you, and this team you are speaking of?" Asked the older detective, a man Finn guessed was less than a year away from retirement.
"That's actually not your concern," Finn replied. "But in all fairness, and cooperation, my team is The Hudson Group, and I am Finn Hudson."
He saw the spark of recognition in the older man's eyes. Although his team rarely worked within the United States, many of his former clients were US citizens, wealthy, powerful US citizens. Those clients had been bound to talk, to tell others of their experiences, and about the group of individuals that had come to their aid. It meant in the long run, that his team had garnered a certain notoriety, and a reputation that usually spoke for them.
"And before you ask, yes we are licensed to carry concealed, and unconcealed weapons in all fifty states, except Illinois, and several international countries," Finn said to the detectives. "I'm not here to do your job. I'm here to protect Miss Berry's life, and well being. Unfortunately, that means you'll have to deal directly with me about anything concerning Miss Berry."
"We are going to need to talk to her," the younger detective said. "Her doctors say she has regained consciousness."
"She has," Finn confirmed. "But you will have to wait to speak to her."
"Denying us access to Miss Berry could be considered obstructing an ongoing investigation," the older detective said, stepping closer to Finn, trying to put him on the defensive. Finn smiled a little to himself, the detective didn't know that men with much more power than a homicide detective had tried to bribe, buy, or bully him; all to no avail.
"Detective?" Finn asked, looking for the man to supply his name.
"Detective Garner, William Garner," he answered a little reluctantly. "And my partner is Detective Michael Grace."
"Detective, under normal circumstances, I take my job very seriously," Finn stated, noting that his men had begun to take positions in varying parts of the waiting room, and hallway. "My clients expect for me, and my team to perform at peak efficiency, that's what they pay me for. These are not normal circumstances for me. Rachel Berry, is a very dear, personal friend, one that I have known for many years. I will stop at nothing to ensure her safety, even if that means were are on opposing sides."
Finn stopped speaking when a firm hand landed on his shoulder. He didn't need to look back to see who it was, he knew it was Sam, and he took a few moments to decipher the message Sam's fingers were taping onto his shoulder.
This room is bugged, and maybe under video surveillance.
He tensed his shoulders a little in acknowledgment of Sam's message, his gaze never wavering, never leaving Detective Garner's face. He hadn't decided if he was going to share information with the detectives, a least not yet. It would seem that there was more going on here, at least more than an obsessed fan. He wouldn't rule out that this could be the work of a fan, it very well could be, but if so, then it was one who was more organized, and less fanatical.
"Detectives, you will be able to speak to Miss Berry, but not here, and not right now," Finn informed them. "This hospital is unsecured, any one could come and go anywhere they wished unchallenged. Its also been widely reported that this is where Miss Berry is being treated, and media personnel, as well as fans have gathered out front, creating more of a security nightmare."
"Once her doctors say she is stable enough to be moved, we will move her to a more secure, undisclosed location. At that time, if she is up to it, her lawyer, Quinn Fabray will contact you to arrange a time for you to speak with her."
Finn could see that the detectives were not pleased, but he didn't give a rat's ass to their feelings. When it came to Rachel, he didn't care who the hell he pissed off, they'd either get over it, or they wouldn't, neither mattered much to him.
"Gentleman, if there are no more questions," Finn said.
"I have a question," said a voice from the doorway. "Why did it take her being brutally attacked, and almost dying for you to bring your sorry ass home?"
It never failed; that voice always made him see red, made his grasp on control tenuous at best, and made him want to beat the crap out of its owner. He turned slowly, futilely hoping he was wrong, but knew that had been wishful thinking on his part, especially when he saw Jessie St James standing in the doorway.
