Title; Hellhound On My Trail.
Chapter; 1/1.
Pairings; BerryFord, (if you're a Cherry head then you'll convince yourself there is some of that)
Characters; Rachel, Matt, Puck, Mike and Santana. OC - Melody.
A/N; I'm going to write a Cherry next, I have to! This is an AU. I own nothing but my OC.
It amazed Matt that the two main males he'd grown up with were still a huge part of his life, twenty five years later. The three were best friends and Matt knew it was much more than that, like he'd give his life in an instant to protect theirs, that's just the way it happened to be.
They'd picked Rachel up at the age of eight; literally, she'd been thrown in a dumpster by Azimio because apparently she didn't want his boy cooties. Puck and Matt had pulled her out, as Mike helped her pull some trash from her hair, after that she was theirs. They did nothing without being in their group of four and they protected Rachel when some lame ass jock decided he'd try chasing her skirt in high school.
On Rachel's fourteenth birthday, Matt plucked up the courage to kiss her, all be it in the closet under her stairs. She'd grinned up at him as he pulled away, lips slightly parted as he tried to catch his breath.
"What took you so long Matty?" Running one of her hands from his shoulder to the nape of his neck, she smiled, "Mike told me nine months ago that you liked me"
"Of course he did" Matt grumbled.
Ten months later, she was pregnant. They hadn't meant for it to happen, they'd only actually done the deed three times, but one of them had been at Puck's fifteenth birthday. Of course, for Puck, parties involved alcohol and the two of them had snuck a bottle of Jack Daniels and headed off up to the spare bedroom, not wanting to bother with all the other jocks. Mike finds them the morning after, shaking his head and slamming the door loud to rouse them from their sleep.
She cries when she tells him, terrified he's going to ditch her and leave her to do everything alone. He gets angry at her for even thinking that and Puck and Mike keep him away from her for a whole forty-eight hours. Once he promises her that he's going to be with her through everything and that the baby is theirs, they're going to be the best parents the worlds ever seen, she tells her Dad's. They get angry at first and Matt actually cowers a little in fear, the hand that isn't clutched in Rachel's is gripping his phone, ready to speed-dial Puck. Two hours later and they begin to calm down a little, still disappointed with the both of them, but really, what's been done is done and they can't exactly change that.
His Mom cries, before she hugs the both of them tightly. "I don't condone teenage pregnancy, but I'm just glad it's Rachel and not one of those harlot cheerleaders. I've always known Rachel was going to be in the rest of my life"
Rachel looks at him over the back of his mothers head and he just shrugs lightly, smiling.
School isn't so bad and once Rachel hit's her third trimester, her Dad's have pulled her out of school to let her home study. It sucks a little when the three of them have to carry on normal school life without Rachel constantly chatting beside them and he doesn't have a hard time admitting he's a little restless because she's not there, because he feels like from here he can't keep her safe.
She goes into labour two weeks early and he gets pulled from his Spanish class, Miss Pillsbury rushing him down the hallway and out of the front entrance to where his Mother's car is waiting, Puck and Mike already belted into the back seat.
She's five centimetres dilated when they get there, screaming murder at the doctors who are trying to talk her out of the epidural. She doesn't really have time to think about it anymore as an hour later, she's pushing their baby daughter into the world.
Matt's Mom smiles softly at him as Rachel screams at him once more, his hand losing blood circulation. "Don't worry sweetie, when she has your beautiful daughter in her arms she'll think you're the most amazing man on the planet"
She's right, because as the baby is handed over to Rachel, Matt leaning over to wrap his arms around Rachel, one hand reaching out to stroke his daughter's cheek, Rachel smiles up at him.
"She's perfect Matt"
"Just like her Mom" Matt grinned, pressing a kiss to Rachel's forehead. He vaguely notices the flash of the camera his Mom is handling before she's rushing from the room to find Rachel's Dad's and Puck and Mike.
"Melody Rose Rutherford"
Rachel heads back to school after the long summer, Matt's Mom and Rachel's Dad taking it in turns to baby sit their granddaughter until they finish lessons. The two of them find it hard at first, to be away from her for so long all the time, even Puck and Mike look lost as they walk around the school.
Senior year can't end quickly enough for them and then they're off to New York. Rachel had been unsure at first, doubting her future, it was a kick up the ass from Santana, who they'd all become closer too in junior year to convince her. Their apartment is four bedrooms and has twenty-four hour security downstairs, so they take it.
Puck doesn't start college that year, still unsure on how he wants to lead his life, so he looks after a two year old Melody in between everyone's classes, heading off to his job each evening, singing at a small bar.
Mike and Matt both took up performing arts degrees at NYU, Rachel getting in to Julliard, just like she'd always dreamed.
"I'm becoming a cop" Puck finally decides what he wants to become 18 months after they'd moved out. "I passed the exams and the background checks, just... but anyway, I start training at the academy in two weeks"
"Oh Noah, I'm so proud of you. You'll be a brilliant cop"
So that takes Matt to where he was now, Detective Rutherford in the NYPD. He wasn't sure when he and Mike decided that following Puck into the police academy was a good idea, but everything in their life is pretty much perfect right now, so he has no regrets.
Melody has just begun her sophomore year and much to Matt's delight, showed no signs of being pregnant any time soon. She was one of the best things that had happened to them, but he really didn't want her making him a grandparent at just the age of thirty.
"Hey Rutherford, drinks?" Mike calls across the empty changing room, Puck turning to him to take in his answer too.
"I don't think so, I'm just going to head home" He answered, grabbing the last of his things from his locker, letting it slam close. "I'll see you both tomorrow, just be careful, okay?"
Puck nodded, raising a hand as a goodbye as Matt exited through one of the doors. As Mike sighed, Puck turned to look at him.
"Being a cop sucks ass sometimes" Mike clarified. "I mean, that shit was gruesome today and we still don't have the fucker"
"We'll get him though Chang, we're one of the best police departments in this country and I have some of the best cops too"
"You think Matt will be okay, he seemed a little out of it once we left that place?"
"He'll be fine once he gets home to the both of them and we'll be fine once we've had a few drinks and that we know he's there with them" Puck reasoned, slamming his own locker. "Now c'mon before the bars start closing"
Matt closed his front door behind him as quietly as he could, before dropping his bag next to the sofa. Heading straight across the living room, he pushed his daughter's bedroom door open slowly, head peeking around. He smiled as he caught her curled up under her duvet, snoring lightly.
Stepping in, he made his way over, dropping a kiss to her forehead.
"Dad?" She yawned as her eyes opened slowly to take him in.
"Hey, I'm sorry darling, I didn't mean to wake you, I just wanted to check you were okay" He apologised as she shook her head, sitting up so that he could sit next to her, back against the headboard.
She smiled, hugging him tightly. "Did you have a bad day?"
"Something like that" He answered. "Still not too old for your old man's hugs?"
"You're hardly old, Dad" She snorted. "As long as you never tell any of my friends about these hugs, then we're okay"
He rolled his eyes, laughing before he pressed another kiss to her forehead. "I'll let you head back to sleep, I love you Mel"
"Love you too Dad" She smiled, curling back down into her duvet as he stood up, heading from the room. He walked back across the apartment to his own room, jeans and wife beater being thrown to the floor.
As he climbed into his bed, he sighed a little, wrapping his arms around Rachel, pulling her close gently as his nose nudged some hair from her neck, a light kiss being pressed to the exposed skin.
"Hey love"
"I'm sorry Rach, I didn't mean to wake you" He pressed another kiss to her neck.
"You didn't, I was just dozing, I can't sleep in bed alone, you know that" She smiled, head moving slightly so that she could press the skin of her neck to his lips once more, a light sigh leaving her lips. "Are you okay?"
"I don't know" He answered honestly, breath tickling her skin lightly. She turned her head fully to join them in a kiss. "I just need to hold you right now, I'll be fine then"
She nodded, turning her whole body so that she could wrap her own arms around him, legs intertwining under the duvet. "You want to talk about anything?"
He never went into detail about anything he'd seen during the day, he didn't want to bring either of them into the stuff he'd seen or been a part of, but she always offered and for that he was grateful.
"It was just a day from hell, a serious day from hell" He replied, kissing her once more. "I love you, so much"
"I love you" She answered, smiling up at him lightly, fingers tracing an invisible pattern against his chest.
Matt entered Puck's office the next morning to a mass of pacing muscle, instantly taking a dislike to the look on Puck's face. Closing the door, he watched as Puck's head snapped to him.
"I thought you were Chang" Puck growled. "Have you seen him?"
"He's not here yet, I thought his shift started at 9?"
"It did. I've tried calling, it's just ringing out" Puck answered. Matt frowned because that wasn't like his best friend at all, Mike had pulled sick days before, quite a few, but he always made sure he let someone know where he was, he always made sure Puck and Matt knew where to find him.
"Chief..." Officer White trailed off as he opened the door, noticing Matt sat on one of the chairs, watching Puck pace.
"Yeah, White?"
"There's been a report of a break in..."
Puck cut him off before he could finish. "Send Jones out, he's not on this other case and I don't really have many other officers to spare, you head with him, I'll call you if I need you for anything else on this case today, okay?"
"I understand Chief, but this break in was at Officer Chang's apartment"
"Did Chang report it?" Matt asked before Puck could, standing up suddenly.
"No, a neighbour, there's no sign of Officer Chang at all" White replied.
"Okay, White take Jones with you and get over there straight away, the two of us will follow you when I've sorted some kind of order here okay?"
Officer White nodded, heading back out, door closing behind him with a thud.
"Puck..."
"I know Matt. It's Carlson, it has to be, and he knows we're the three main people working on his case"
"Don't..."
"C'mon"
"What do we have?" Puck asked, trying to keep any emotion from his voice, the last thing his officers needed was him to lose his shit, pushing them into hysteria too.
"Forced entry on the apartment door, there's no signs of anything out of place in the living area and kitchen, but the bedroom shows signs of a struggle and there are traces of blood on the carpet, we've sent them off to the lab, they're going to ring you when they have some kind of result" White replied.
"Chief, it's him right, the bloke from the other case?" Jones whispered, frowning as Puck nodded once.
"I suggest you all watch your backs from now on, I can't afford to lose anymore of you"
The blare of Puck's phone cut through the air, Puck instantly answering it. "Tell me you're ringing me with good news and that my day is just going to go up from here"
"Afraid not chief, it's one hundred percent Officer Chang's blood"
Puck let out a growl, hanging his phone up and throwing it into his pocket. Placing a hand on Matt's shoulder, Puck pulled him out of the apartment. "It was Mike's blood"
"Rach!" Santana's voice went unheard as Rachel ran towards the front desk of the station, fists banging on the desk.
"Why isn't Matt answering his phone?"
Santana finally caught up with her, arms wrapping around her best friend, pulling her arms away from the desk.
"Where the hell is he?"
"Chief!" The officer smiled apologetically at the pair, as Puck came from around the corner, frowning as he caught sight of his two best friends.
"Let them through"
"Where's Matt, why isn't he answering his phone?" Rachel ranted as Puck pulled the two of them close.
"Why are you crying, what's happened?"
"I need Matt" Rachel demanded.
Puck nodded, leading them both through the large office towards Puck's smaller one. "You both need to know something. Mike didn't arrive for work this morning, there was a break in at his apartment and he's missing"
"What?" Rachel stopped in her tracks, causing Santana to slam into the back of her. "He's mi-missing?"
Puck nodded, pulling her forward lightly into the office, closing the door when all three of them were in, causing Matt to look up from behind the laptop he was typing away at.
"Rach..."
"Have you heard from Melody?" She jumped straight in, heading around to sit on his lap as he pushed himself away from the desk.
"No, I thought she was meeting San to head shopping"
"She was supposed to be" Santana replied. "I waited an hour, I've tried calling her but her phones off, and none of her friends have seen her since she left"
"Whoever has Mike, have her too, don't they?" Rachel asked quietly, body hiccupping as she tried to keep her sobs back.
"We have every single cop in this place out there looking for them Rach, they'll find them, I promise" Puck replied, Matt burying his face into Rachel's shoulders as his own tears began to leak.
Mike groaned as he began to wake up, hand reaching for his head to clutch it. Opening his eyes, he blinked once, adjusting to the light.
"Uncle Mike?"
No. No. No. NO.
"Mel?" Sitting up, he managed to catch her just as she threw herself into his arms, sobbing. "Are you hurt sweetie?"
She shook her head. "Where are we, what do they want with us?"
"It's me they want, not you" He promised. "They've brought you into it to get your Dad and Puck here; I won't let them hurt you, okay?"
She nodded, wrapping her arms around him tightly, before pulling back as he winced. "I'm sorry"
"It's fine, I'm just a little sore, don't worry" He answered, pulling her back and wrapping her in his arms, pulling her as close as possible.
"I'm such a terrible host" A voice chuckled causing Melody to jump, Mike's arms gripping her tighter. "Would you like some water?" He chucked it in, one bouncing off Mike's leg causing him to wince. "They're sealed; you're no use to me drugged"
"You're a dead man walking Carlson" Mike spat.
"Oh, I know that" He smirked. "That makes two of us" The hatch slammed closed, leaving the two of them alone again.
"Thirsty, Mel?"
"What if he did do something to them?" She asked eyes wide.
"They're sealed sweetie" He answered, proving the fact to her.
"You can do what you want to me, but you leave her alone" Mike warned voice dangerously low.
"I mean no harm to her" Carlson replied. "She's only here as bait" He turned to Melody who had curled herself up in the corner, Mike now pressed against the wall, hand around his neck holding him in place. "Close your eyes"
She shook her head. "Don't hurt him" She begged.
"Mel, close your eyes" Mike replied. "Please. Think of your Mom and her beautiful smile, think about how she used to sing to you when you were younger, just please, don't open your eyes"
Her eyes snapped shut, hands over her ears; the first blow to Mike's stomach knocked the air out of him. The back of the gun hit him around the face next, blood trickling down his cheek.
"I could strangle you to death right now" To prove his point, Carlson pushed harder against Mike's throat. "It's just no fun; you don't react like the others. I have much better plans for you"
Letting go, he smirked as Mike fell to the floor, glaring up at him.
You guys are smart, I'll give you that. Even on the brink of death your man gives me no satisfaction, it just isn't fun. Here's what's going to go down, you'll trace this call and you'll come find me, I'll be waiting. I'll hand myself over, but not before one more person falls. You'll like this little show.
"Uncle Mike" Melody's whisper was urgent as she tried to stay as still as she could, eyes on the device attached to her legs. "Uncle Mike!"
"Mel?" He asked, coughing slightly. "Are you okay?"
"No" She sobbed, causing his eyes to open straight away, turning to her. She nodded towards her legs, before he looked towards his chest, the weight suddenly pushing into him.
Well shit.
"Sweetie, listen to me, yours is fake"
"How do you know?" She let out a small cry of fear.
"I've worked in the NYPD for the past ten years, I know a fake bomb when I see one" He replied. "You need to trust me"
"Yours is fake too?"
"No, mine is one hundred percent real" He gulped, jumping slightly as the doors at the far end of the warehouse slammed open, Matt and Puck storming in, guns raised. Rachel and Santana were not long behind, stopping with a cry as Carlson turned to them.
"One more step and they'll both go" He warned. "I asked you to watch, not play hero"
"Fuck up Carlson and drop the device" Puck growled.
Carlson began to laugh. "Yeah... no" He turned slightly to look at Mike and Melody. "Now, Officer Chang, you have a decision to make..."
"No!" Santana shouted.
"Audience, I must ask for silence" He smirked. "You or the girl?"
"You know my answer" Mike replied. "Let her go, now"
"I believe that's your cue, Mom, quick, collect your daughter"
Matt began to hold Rachel back as she took shaky steps, Puck grabbing his arm and shaking his head.
"Let her do it"
Rachel finally reached the two, kneeling down in front of them, tears leaving tracks down her cheeks.
"Rach, the bombs fake, just pull it off her and get her to Matt" Mike whispered, shaking his head as she opened her mouth. "Mine's real, just please, get her out of here"
With trembling hands, Rachel managed to pull the device from Melody's legs, throwing it across the room. "Mel, baby, go to Dad"
"Come with me" She sobbed.
"I will, one minute, just go now" Rachel replied helping her daughter up, hands tied together, before she ran towards Matt, Santana instantly helping her untie the rope.
"Rach..."
"You have a minute!" Carlson shouted in warning. "59"
"Rach, go"
"58"
Rachel gripped each side of Mike's face in her hand.
"57"
Leaning forward she pressed a kiss to his lips.
"56"
"Wait, stay like this"
"55"
"Matt can kill me later for this"
"54"
Rachel let out a small, quiet laugh.
"53"
"Without moving your head, look down"
"52"
Rachel's eyes cast downwards, lips still pressed against Mike's.
"51"
Matt would be killing someone later.
"50"
A friendly, innocent kiss and Mike thinks he can get his frisk on.
"49"
Just like old times.
"48"
"Are you looking?"
"47"
"Yeah"
"46"
"The black wire at the top..."
"45"
"...do you see it?"
"44"
"Yup"
"43"
"Pull it"
"42"
"What?"
"41"
"No"
"40"
"Trust me"
"39"
"I've seen these bombs so much"
"38"
"The black wire"
"37"
"I can't"
"36"
"Yes you can"
"35"
"Your arms already in the right position"
"34"
"He won't see?"
"33"
"No"
"32"
Rachel kept her eyes on the wire, trying to steady her hand.
"31"
"Breathe"
"30"
"Do it"
"29"
"Please"
"28"
"I'll buy you all the cookie dough you can eat"
"27"
"And I'll take you to see Wicked"
"26"
"God knows Matt has suffered enough"
"25"
Rachel smiled at that.
"24"
"I'm going to"
"23"
"Okay"
"22"
"Now?"
"21"
"Now"
"20"
A shaky hand moved slightly, gripping the black wire.
"19"
"One little pull"
"18"
Pulling, she closed her eyes tightly.
"17"
"You did it sweetie"
"16"
"Now head back to Matt and Puck"
"15"
"Just in case"
"14"
"Just go"
"Oh fuck this, should have moved bitch" Carlson snarled, lifting the remote up, finger moving to push the button.
"RACHEL!"
"MIKE!"
"NOAH!"
"PULL THE TRIGGER!"
Puck aimed his gun quickly, pulling the trigger, knocking Carlson dead in one foul swoop, before his legs were running towards Rachel and Mike.
"Told you, you'd done it" Mike grinned as Rachel wrapped her arms around him tightly, kissing his forehead. "Puck, get me out of this"
Puck complied, un-strapping the device, freeing Mike's hands at the same time, the hands instantly coming up to wrap around Rachel.
"What the hell were you playing at?" Puck chided Rachel and then Mike.
"Dude, she saved my fucking life, she's the hero here" Mike grinned, only moving one arm from Rachel so that Santana could fall to the other side of him, hugging him tightly.
Melody fell down onto her Mom's laps, snuggling under her arm so that she could hug both her and Mike.
"Next time you're about to die, do not use it as an excuse to get off with my wife" Matt tried to look serious, but he couldn't fight the smile that was breaking through. "You're an ass; I thought the both of you were gone then!"
"Like I'd put Rachel's life in danger if I wasn't sure on something" Mike answered, as Puck and Matt joined in on the hugs. "Can you take me to a hospital now, I feel like I've been run over with a truck"
I had the intention to kill Mike at the end and I started writing it, but then I got upset so I changed it. Please review and let me know what you think, good or bad. :)