A/N- Thanks again everyone for reading and reviewing glad you are enjoying the story. This chapter seems a bit scattered mainly because i had to involve so much dialogue, sorry about that. I also looked to "Goodfellas" for restaurant names, so i didn't come up with the marvelous name. anyone, thanks again, enjoy.
Quinn walks into her father's study, over to where he is sitting and stands dutifully beside him. It's clear he hasn't informed PJ about whatever is going on. Instead they have took this time to simply chat idly. Maybe her dad thought she wanted to explain to him, after all he was her friend.
"So Quinnie do you want to fill young Noah in on what's happening?"
"Yeah, Quinnie fill me in." He knows he's pushing his luck, but he has eight years worth of torturing and annoying to catch up on. No better place to start than the present.
"Not particularly," she protests, "You should tell him Dad, I mean I would probably spill the whole story and put him in danger."
Puck's eye widen in alarm. "Danger? I didn't sign up for this shit." He fidgets uncomfortably in his seat, all the while staring at Russell. Who after Quinn's statement went into a deep concentration, taking in what his daughter just said. She was correct; he needed to be careful exactly what he divulged to the boy.
"Why don't you get me a beer Quinn, I'll speak to Noah."
Quinn exhales a sigh of relief as she makes her way out of the room. She didn't want to explain to Puck why exactly they where in hiding. To tell the truth she wasn't really sure she had all the details to begin with. All she knew was that her father had to be protected, and in turn they needed to be protected as well. Something about being a key witness to a murder? She's not entirely sure she wanted to know more than that, and she hopes she would never have to find out who exactly lost their life.
"Grab me a beer too Q," Puck chances his arm; he needs something to calm his nerves. A cold refreshing beer would do just the trick, and it would occupy his otherwise trembling hands. Everything was beginning to seem so surreal. Danger. Guns. Secret identities. A beer would be perfect.
"Nice try kiddo, Just the one beer."
She takes her time retrieving the beer. Too quickly and she would walk in on the conversation. Too long and she would seem like she was purposefully avoiding the conversation. Picking the beer out of the fridge she pops the cap, taking a quick swig. Maybe her dad wouldn't notice if half the bottle was drank before it got to him? "Best not to chance it." She wipes off her mouth and heads back towards the study. Placing her ear against the door she listens, she can't hear much, just semblances of words. Witness protection...new names...keep it secret...we would all be in danger. That's her queue to enter, slowly she emerges through the door making Puck jump slightly.
The look on this face says it all. He now knows the reality of the situation. He has the lives of the Fabray family in his hands, one slip up. One mention of Quinn or F.a.b.r.a.y (he's afraid to speak the name now for fear of someone hearing) and their whole lives could cease to exist, they could cease to exist.
"I swear i won't say to anyone, not even my parents." He looks to Quinn, "Now i get why you dragged me out of there, Belle." It's a small gesture, but it's a welcomed one. She can relax knowing they are safe for now. Continuing into the room she hugs Puck, beer still in hand, that is swiftly taken by her father. He nods and makes his way out of the room.
Russell sits in front of the television, sipping on his beer. When they moved here, when they where first put into witness protection he simply told the family that he had snitched and they need protecting. Witness to a murder was the official reason given by their handler Frank. He failed to tell his family that the murder he had witnessed was his brothers, Quinn's uncle.
"What are you doing here?" Russell walks across the threshold of the Bamboo lounge. It's after hours, eerily quiet as ten men sit cutting up cocaine.
"What the fuck Jimmy, i told you to stay away from this shit!"
"Alright Russ, let's take this upstairs. You're making a scene"
"Making a scene, making a fucking scene. I'll make a scene." Pushing past his brother he reaches the first table and places both hands on the corners, flipping it right over. Cocaine flies across the room, remnants of it falling out before it hits the back wall.
"That's a scene."
Silence. No one knows how to react. They all knew who Russell Fabray was, and they all knew he was very against drugs. Even so, it was the head boss' son, Mickey's drugs. They had to follow, they had no choice. To not follow meant consequences, bad stuff happened to anyone that went against Mickey's orders. He was a hot head. In power purely because of his father. He never made it to the top with work and sweat like Russell, he by passed everyone in the chain and was placed at the top.
If Mickey wanted to cut coke, they'd cut coke, no questions asked.
"Russ get up the stairs." Both men march their way up the steps, both angry, and for different reasons.
"You know whose coke that was? You just fucked me Russell."
"Yeah Mickey, they're both upstairs...you'll be here in two?...Okay...Boss said pick up the gear and clear the place."
They did as they were told. Good little sheep following orders, not wanting to experience the wolf's bite.
"You gotta get outta here Russ!"
"You're coming with me." He grabs his younger brother by the shoulders pushing him towards the stairs, in hope of forcing him out the exit and into his car. That never happened. As soon as they reached the top of the stairs guns were fired.
Three men. Two guns. Twenty shots. Bullets ricochet throughout the narrow staircase. Five embedding themselves in Jimmy's torso.
The three men flee the scene, sirens can already be heard. Tears fall as Russell clings to his brother's shirt, pleading him to hang on.
He shudders, fighting back tears; the memory still lives fresh in his mind. Telling the family whose murder he had witnessed would have only done more damage, they didn't need to know. They left everyone behind, they'd never know. He figured he alone would carry this burden.
Laughter fills the air as Quinn and Puck make themselves known.
"I'm going to drive this one home," she observes sadness in her father as he looks at her, "you okay dad?"
"Fine, fine. Long day. Go drive him home, catch up. See you kids later."
He's glad that Quinn can drive normally; her driving skills earlier weren't something to be admired. She drives the speed limit, there's no impending danger she can just take her time. Take her time and catch up with PJ.
"So PJ, how's life been treating you?"
"I said no one calls me PJ."
"I heard, care to explain?"
So he did. He spoke of how rough he had it when he first moved to Lima. He was smaller than the other boys, they preyed on that. He could take them in a fair fight regardless of his size, Quinn made sure he could take a dig. They never did fight fair though; they would jump him and hold him down. Taking turns to kick him in the stomach.
It got so bad by the time he was thirteen that he ended up in the hospital with three broken ribs, a broken nose and fractured tibia. He couldn't take it anymore, he wouldn't. Over the summer of his fourteenth birthday he stayed in Florida with his grandparents. Simon Puckerman was a boxer in his youth, he had heard of the trouble his grandson was having and offered to train him before he started back to school. When he returned, he was more agile and in better shape. He kept up the training, took on his famous bad boy persona and even took to having his hair in a Mohawk. The last change he made was to his name; too often he had been called BJ. Kids where cruel, but not really that original at McKinley. So he changed it to Puck, it seemed more bad ass to his fourteen year old. The name stuck. He became more popular once he joined the football team. Then girls started to notice him, he started to notice them.
Puck told Quinn how the Glee club started last year, and that with much persistence from Rachel he joined. It was the best decision he had ever made. He felt at home there. He had real friends, not just people who feared him or wanted to be with him.
Quinn listens intently taking in every detail of Puck's story. She gripped the steering wheel in anger when he explained he was hospitalised. She smiled when he began to fit in and the beatings stopped. And she envied him when he spoke of Rachel.
"That's great Puck, I'm glad your life has come together."
"I'm sorry yours didn't."
Quinn shares a look with the estranged boy, the boy she once spent every day of summer with, and smiles. Smiles because she's ecstatic to have him back in her life, Puck returns the look also grateful to have Quinn back.
"So those kids in Glee, give me the run down."
Quinn has done all the catching up she can handle, too many memories she wasn't there to share, it saddens her. She wants to know about the now, the memories she can share. Ones they can make together. And if she was being truthful to herself, part of her motive to hear about the kids from glee was a lame attempt to learn more of Rachel.
"Well there's Finn, he's the really tall guy. We're best bros," He receives a faked frown from Quinn due to his response, "don't worry," he reaches into his wallet retrieving the small photo Quinn gave to him years earlier, "even after all these years, you are still number one." She internally celebrates as he continues. "Mike Chang and Tina Chang are dating, no relation. I checked," She sniggers at his admittance. "Artie, he's the guy in the wheelchair. Mercedes, we dated for like a second. Kurt, he's gay and I never understand what he is wearing. Sam, that's the guy with the Bieber looking cut."
He pauses for a second, looking at Quinn, almost as if to make sure he hadn't lost her,
"Then there's Santana, we also hooked up a few times"
"I remember her, snarky bitch if you ask me."
"You always did have a good read on people. Well yes she's a bitch, but loyal to a fault, especially when it comes to Brittany,"
She interjects again, "Is that the blonde girl I saw her walk in with?"
"Yeah. They are sort of a couple, they like to think it's a secret, but they aren't really subtle about it. I hooked up with her too, both of them together sometimes," he oozes smugness as he continues,
"And you've already met Rachel, my Jew princess, tapped that too."
Quinn slams on the breaks and reaches across into the passenger's side hitting Puck on his left arm, causing it to go limp.
"Ouch, Fuck Q, you haven't lost your touch. I was kidding, well half kidding," she reaches across again to deliver another blow to his arm, "Wait! Please stop we only kissed. I swear!"
She reigns herself in, letting her anger dissipate. Quinn growls and steps on the accelerator, guess she would be speeding again today.
They arrive at Puck's home, they haven't spoken since she left a bruise on his arm fifteen minutes ago.
"I'm sorry Q, I guessed you liked her. I had to mess with you a little."
"You don't know what you're talking about, PJ!"
"My arm says differently," he points to his newly formed bruise.
"Get out!"
"Awh, Q come on. I was only messing. Look i want to have a party in your honour tomorrow night. You can meet all the glee kids, get to know them...Rachel will be there," he says matter of factly.
She sighs for what feels like that tenth time that day, letting her head fall forward onto the steering wheel.
"Fine."
"Yes! Give me your phone i'll put my number into it, give me a text later and i'll give you all the details," he leaves the car and walks towards his house. Before Quinn has a chance to drive off, Puck is running back to the car and leaning through her open window. His arm wrapped around her neck, pulling her into an awkward hug,
"It's good to see you Q."
He releases his hold and moves again towards his house. Quinn starts the engine and drives off. Joy radiating throughout her entire being, because of old friends, the thought of new ones, but mainly because she gets to spend all day with Rachel tomorrow.