I'm so sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! I didn't get back until late last night, and then I worked all day today! I got this much done and decided to post it so you guys wouldn't hate me! ^^'

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Chapter 14

Captured

Darkness surrounded her, leaving her feeling completely and utterly helpless. She hadn't felt this badly since she left Lima, Ohio the first time when she had to fend for herself without Finn. Rachel groaned, the pain in her head hitting her all at once. She realized the only reason it was dark was because her eyes were closed. She tried to open them, but she couldn't. She hurt too much.

Listening, she could hear voices faintly, as though they were in the next room. She tried to move her arms and realized that she was tied to something. Her head rolled to the side as she finally got her eyes to do what she wanted them to do. The room was dimly lit with a lone light bulb that flickered on the ceiling. It was a bare room except for herself and a bare counter along the wall near the door, which was closed.

Struggling against the rope that bound her, Rachel tried to see if there was any room for her to wriggle her way free, but the knot was tight and there was no room to free herself. Sighing in defeat, she hung her head. She felt drained of all her energy. The thugs must have drugged her before knocking her out.

Gosh she had been so stupid. Why hadn't she listened to Finn and left with Jesse. But, she just had to be stubborn and think that she was safe. She would never be safe from these people. They had finally caught her, and she was never going to see Ryder or Finn again. The thought brought tears to her eyes. Oh Ryder. He was going to be raised without a mother. Just like she was.

Granted, she had turned out alright, but that was only because she had never known her mother. She hadn't had her mother ripped out from under her like Ryder would. And, Finn. She had just gotten back with him. Everything was just starting to work out with him. They were getting so much closer and were finally connecting. She had never gotten the chance to telling him what she had been meaning to tell him for a few days now.

The door opened suddenly, and a man dressed in all black walked into the room. Rachel eyed him, sweat building on her forehead. After he was in the room, two other men walked in, and Rachel recognized them right away as the burley men from New York, the ones she had watched murder that poor man. She tired not to let her expression give herself away, as she didn't want to give them a reason to kill her.

"What made you think you could get away from us?" the man that came in first asked. He was taller and thinner than the other two men. He had salt and pepper hair and dark, menacing eyes, which were narrowed and glowering at her.

Rachel shrunk back, "I won't tell anyone what I saw!" she promised him, shaking her head as the tears spilled forth. She was so scared. The most scared she had ever been in her life, and this was including the time she had felt so scared giving birth to Ryder alone without anyone there with her.

"Of course you won't be telling anyone," Mr. Salt and Pepper hair told her with a sly smile on his face as he came closer to her. His hand was in his pocket and he pulled out a knife. He brought it within inches of her cheek. Rachel's eyes widened as he leaned down to her, whispering in ear. "Not after we're done here."

~.~

If anyone had told Puck six years ago that he would be in the same room as Finn and Jesse St. James working to save Rachel's life from men she had encountered in New York, he would have told them to screw off. He might even have slushied them in the face and laughed before walking away. He may have stuffed their head in the toilet for being so dumb. Puck could not have fathomed that him and Finn would ever get along with Jesse. He had been a royal prick to Rachel in high school. It was a little weird to think that Rachel herself was the one that had brought the three of them together.

Finn was beginning to panic. Sitting at home, Puck had come back and explained everything that he knew. A short while later, Jesse had arrived as well. Finn had just gotten off the phone with the police, but they couldn't do anything until Rachel was missing for twenty four hours since they had no proof that she had been taken. She might have gone for a long walk and just wasn't back yet, the officer had told him.

Ryder came walking into the room. Finn had told him to go to his room and stay in there for awhile. Finn hadn't wanted him to hear that his mom was missing; no sense in worrying him more so than needed. "Where's Mom?" Ryder asked with a yawn. He was getting tired, but he couldn't sleep until his mom tucked him in for the night.

Finn turned around, looking defeated. "Your Mom is…." Finn couldn't think of what to tell him. The truth seemed a little too harsh for a six year old to handle, and Finn was too panicked to really think of a good lie to tell him.

"Your mom is staying over at a friend's house tonight. She wanted to give you and Finn some bonding time," Jesse covered for everyone. Jesse knew how hard it would be for Ryder to hear that his mom was kidnapped, and a panicky kid was not what anyone needed right now. It was best to keep him happy and content. Keeping him in his room would be ideal, but Jesse felt like that would be asking for too much.

"Can I call her?" Ryder asked politely. "She always calls me before I go to bed and tells me good night." He looked up at the three men innocently.

Jesse forced a smile that was crossed with a grimace. "She'll call later tonight. You haven't even eaten supper or taken your bath yet. When it gets closer to bedtime, we'll try to call her. Now, why don't you get to work on that bath?" Jesse suggested, pushing him gently into the bathroom. "Make sure you get squeaky clean, okay?"

"Okay!" Ryder cried out as he shut the door and began running water.

Jesse sighed as he went back into the living room with Puck and Finn. Puck was giving him an odd look. "What?" Jesse asked. "Did you want him out here when we were talking about a kidnapped Rachel?"

Puck shook his head. "No, but I'm surprised you're so good with kids. You were always a little self-absorbed that I didn't think you'd ever get over yourself long enough to care about anyone else." Blunt as always.

Jesse nodded his head slowly, "Well, I did some growing up, and I spend a lot of time with Ryder after school, so I know how to handle him. It's not too hard. I would have let Finn handle it, but he's too freaked out about Rachel being gone to really concentrate, and I didn't want him to accidentally let it slip." Jesse shrugged as he sat down on the couch.

Puck shook his head as if to say whatever before sitting on the recliner. Finn wanted to mentally kick himself. Ryder was his kid. He was the adult. He was supposed to be the one there to support and take care of Ryder. Not Jesse. But, Finn couldn't stay angry at Jesse since it was Finn's own fault that Jesse even had to step in in the first place. Sighing, he began pacing, trying to think of what to do next.

"Jesse, do you have that number that you assumed was Finn's?" Puck asked him suddenly. When Jesse nodded, he continued, "I mean, maybe we can call it back and see if anyone answers. Then, we'll have some place to start." Puck was the little deviant, so it was no wonder that he came up with the best plan of actions. If only Finn could get his head to think correctly, he could be doing the same.

"Good idea," Finn nodded.

Jesse grabbed his phone out of his pocket and began dialing the number back, hoping that they'd get some clue out of this, something that would help them find Rachel. She had to be okay. She just had to be.

What's going to happen to Rachel? Will someone answer the phone?

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