a'n well i'm taking my first final tomorrow and this is the result of my study breaks. any songs you think would fit this story or would like to see in it, drop me a line. also I need a vote. I know (mostly) what I'm doing with all of the Glee kids, except Finn, I have two options, make him Pucks friend on the force who is helping with this case but not as much as Puck or as a member of the theater company cast. so please give me your opinion.

Chapter 4

The next morning Rachel knocked on Noah's door at seven am. Noah only reported to work before ten when he had a major homicide or a good lead, anything else could wait until after ten. More than once he made a suspect wait more than an hour and a half because there was no chance in hell he was getting up early so some idiot could try to sell him their latest sob story of how they couldn't help but stab, shoot, strangle or whatever foul thing humans figured out to do to each other, that made the poor sucker on the morgue slab deserve what happened. Hell sometimes Puck even thought they did deserve it. That wasn't his choice to make however. He just did his job and did it well. He had been a bit of a bully in high school, typical bully, pissed at the world with a chip on his shoulder. College with glee club before that straightened him out. Becoming a cop was the best thing he'd ever done. Every cop had a story. Some just darker than others.

But back to the insane pounding that woke him up. He stumbled down his hall and to his door. He muttered something about not buying anything hoping that would deter any early morning callers. The knocking only became more persistent. He wrenched open the door to find his new partner standing in the hall looking more perky and put together than anyone had a right to for a Saturday morning. He stared at her bleary eyed, she was dressed in a pair of skinny jeans, cute ballet flats and her hair draped over her shoulder in a braid falling on a blouse that made him think of the school girl porno he had in his old apartment. Note to self he thought go find that DVD. Looking at his partner all he could think of was what the hell have I gotten into.

"What the hell Berry? It's seven am." He drawled out, sleep coated heavy in his words.

"I can read a clock Puckerman. We have to decide what the hell we're going to sing Monday and how we're going to solve this case quickly and painlessly." Berry snapped back pushing her way past him into the apartment. She walked straight to the living room, crinkling her nose in disgust at the old pizza box, empty six pack case, files and notes that littered the coffee table and floor. Casting the mess one final glance of disgust she turned back to Puck completely ignoring the fact he was clad only in boxers.

"What are your ideas?" She demanded.

"My ideas for what?" He asked still not completely following the conversation, even if it was mostly one sided.

"The duet we have to sing. We need a song that will showcase our abilities without sending any subtle, un-wanted messages. Not to mention, again, solving this case. Are the cast members involved? The director? Who's the third party in this?" Rachel replied. He could hear the annoyance she was trying to keep out of her voice. Puck merely blinked at her a few times.

"Look, Berry, it's seven. In the morning," he repeated to make sure she understood him, "Do we have to do this now?"

Rachel just looked at him. The only words he could think of to describe her face was that it was the same face his mother used to give him that said 'duh you dumb ass, I know you're at least a bit smarter than this.' He didn't like this look on his mother any more than he liked it on his partner.

"Ugh," he sighed, "let me at least put some God damn pants on."

Rachel nodded at him before picking an old paper plate off the couch gingerly with two fingers. She flicked it into the mess on the floor and carefully sat down.

Saturday morning Rachel woke up at her usual time of six am and went for a forty five minute run. She managed to get showered and dressed in fifteen minutes and by seven she was knocking on her partner's door. She clutched a list of songs and music ideas in her hand. There was no chance in her mind of the two of them getting on any stage without being properly prepared.

She knocked on his door softly at first not wanting to seem rude. When she didn't receive an answer in a timely manner she knocked a tad bit more loudly. Still receiving no answer she disregarded the forms of what society would consider polite engagement and pounded on the door with as much force as she could manage. She pounded for so long she started to wonder if she'd have to break the door down to see if he was alright. She paused for a moment and heard slight the bumping and banging of someone stumbling down a narrow hallway. She stopped her knocking and pressed her ear to the door staining to hear something.

"Not buying anything. Sleeping. Go away." A muttered voice came from the other side.

Rachel sighed from her position at the door. She raised her fist and knocked harder yet. The door was wretched open and a very naked male chest was thrust at her eye level. She glanced down to see an equally naked pair of legs. A pair of boxers is all that covered his intimate parts. She blushed slightly before rearranging her face to a natural expression. This is your new partner she reminded herself.

"What the hell Berry? It's seven am." A bleary tired Noah Puckerman said to her. He gave her what she considered to be his partnered what the hell look.

"I can read a clock. We have to decide what the hell we're going to sing on Monday and how we're going to solve this case quickly and painlessly." She told him, waiting for an answer. When none came quick enough for her liking she stalked into his apartment. She looked distastefully at the mess that screamed 'I'm a bachelor and I live by myself and don't give a damn'.

Turning away from the disgusting pigsty she asked, "What are your ideas?"

Her partner looked dumbly at her, still trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes. Rachel barely contained an eye roll, she had no patience. She ran solo most of the time because she hated having someone lagging behind her. She only partnered on interdepartmental cases or on cases where it was impossible to avoid. All of those she solved them quickly and efficiently interacting with her assigned partner on a strictly business level. It was better that way. She worked better alone, having a partner was just another thing on her long, long list of why she wanted this case done.

"My ideas for what?" said partners voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"The duet we have to sing. We need a song that will showcase our abilities without sending any subtle, un-wanted messages. Not to mention, again, solving this case. Are the cast members involved? The director? Who's the third party in this?" she managed to contain most of the annoyance from her voice but some still slipped through. The chief said this guy was good at his job but aside from the singing she had yet to see any stellar performances.

"Berry, its seven in the morning? Do we have to do this now?" He repeated the time, not increasing her confidence of their- to be short lived- partnership. Not bothering to answer she just glared at him. Her glare had gotten her many things over the years both on and off the force. To her it said 'do I look like I'm joking now just do things my way and life will go much easier.' Noah met her look for look for a moment before turning away.

"Let me put some God damn pants on." He growled before turning toward his bedroom. Rachel sat down gently on the couch after moving the more obvious hygiene dangers.

Three hours later and one beer for Noah they had managed to find a song that both deemed acceptable. They were now re hashing details they had hashed separately.

"It can't be the director, he's been followed. He doesn't have the connections." Noah stated looking at the files.

"He might be completely clueless in helping the ring but still helping. He does a lot of charity events. All New York's rich and dirty like to rub elbows at those. The company is extremely reputable." Rachel countered.

"What about the actors?" Noah mentioned pulling up a new stack to files.

"I think we can eliminate some of them, the main dancer doesn't seem bright enough to be too deeply involved. Maybe another unknowing player. What about her?" Rachel asked as she pointed to a picture in one of the files.

"I've already flagged her." Noah replied.

"What I want to know," Rachel said, "is how the hell their exchanging the drugs, girls and whatever the hell else they're using to turn a buck. We know the theater is involved some how but no idea how."

"Well all players are heavily connected. All of the bodies connected to this are profession hits. And professional, professional at that, no signature. All killed in the same way. A quick knife across the throat. Whatever was the reason they were killed they're not using the bodies to send any messages." Noah said, frustration turning his voice hard.

Rachel finally left the apartment at three in the afternoon without being any closer to any answers that she had been before. Sitting in her own pristine apartment she began to look for a song she could sing for the first rehearsal. She denied the slight thrill she got with every ounce of her body.