A/N: I'm still so happy that you guys are enjoying the story so much! It's so cool that the ideas in my head are considered entertaining rather than strange. Please keep reading and reviewing. And I still don't own anything!
Chapter Five: Fighter
"Ouch…" Rachel whined while lying on the bed. She was holding her lower stomach, trying to use some psychological trick to convince herself that she wasn't cramping. So far it wasn't working and she and Finn didn't have any pain reliever in the hotel room.
"Does your stomach still hurt, babe?" Finn asked moments later, walking into the room from the bathroom.
"It's not a stomachache. I'm cramping," she complained.
"Oh," Finn said awkwardly. "Are you on your… you know…"
Rachel giggled. "You can say it, Finn. Period. Menstrual cycle. Hell, you can even ask me if I'm on the rag! Just don't be afraid to say it. It's just a word," she said amusedly.
"Right," Finn said slowly. "So are you on your period?"
"No. I'm just one lucky girl who gets PMS for an entire week before my actual period starts," Rachel said. "I get one week of period symptoms and then another week of the actual period."
"Cranky Rachel for two whole weeks. Great," Finn said sarcastically.
Rachel couldn't help but smile. "I've actually heard that I'm more pleasant to be around while on my period, Finn," Rachel said. "But if I get really, really mad, you better watch out."
"I appreciate the warning," Finn said chuckling. Rachel smiled widely. "So do you want to stay here and I can just go to the Laundromat?" he asked.
"If you don't mind," Rachel said. "I'm pretty tired."
"It's no big deal," Finn said. "I've been doing my own laundry for a pretty long time. I think I can handle it."
"That's good to know. I don't plan on being some girl from the 50s doing all of the chores at home and things like that. I'm going to be working, too. Whenever I actually get a job that is," Rachel said, frowning a little.
Finn sat down on the edge of the bed. "You just gotta be a little more patient, babe. When all this shit's over, you'll get to audition again. If they think you're not right for a part, I'm sure someone will write you your own part one day. You're more than awesome enough for that," he said firmly.
"Do you really believe in me that much?" Rachel asked, sitting up.
"More," Finn said with a smirk.
Rachel smiled and leaned forward, pulling Finn in for a kiss.
They separated and Rachel spoke up. "And I personally think that you've already made a difference in the world, but I just know that you'll continue doing that," Rachel said with a smile. "Your mom has a right to gloat about you."
Finn smirked again. "I think she'll love you," he said.
"I hope so!" Rachel said excitedly. "And I just know that my dads would have absolutely adored you. Well, they didn't really like my first boyfriend; he wasn't really a great guy, to be honest, and I think they knew that before I did… But you're so amazing that I know they would have loved you."
"That's good to know," Finn said with a wide smile. "But I definitely would have liked to meet the people that raised you. I have some questions I would have liked to ask."
"You're wondering how I turned out to be so insane, right?" Rachel said with a smile.
"I wouldn't call you insane," Finn said, chuckling.
"What would you call me then?" Rachel asked curiously.
"How about I go to the Laundromat before I get yelled at for saying the wrong thing?" Finn proposed.
"Good answer," Rachel said with a bright smile.
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Rachel couldn't stop smiling after Finn left; he had shouted that he loved her as he went out the door; she yelled it back, meaning every word. She was still in complete and total disbelief that she was able to find Finn under these circumstances. Who would have ever thought that a fender bender would have introduced her to the man she was going to fall in love with?
Granted, the situation also led to them being chased by some mob family member that wanted them dead, but she would suffer through this as long as it meant that she could be with Finn.
Rachel really did feel exhausted. She and Finn were up most of the night, making love. She didn't regret staying up most of the night, but now she was dealing with her PMS symptoms, which included feeling very, very tired. All in all, Rachel needed a nap. Before she could get too comfortable on the bed, she heard someone messing with the door.
Figuring it was Finn, Rachel got up and walked toward the door, wondering what he could have possibly forgotten. When she was five feet away from it, it crashed open. A small scream escaped Rachel's lips as she realized it wasn't Finn.
Two large men were standing at the door with looks of accomplishment and anger on their faces. Rachel immediately started stepping backwards away from them, trying to keep as much space as possible between them.
"Where's the cop?" one of the men asked. Rachel put on her brave face even though she was absolutely terrified.
"He's not here. He left a couple of days ago," she said firmly, still keeping her distance.
"You're lying," he accused.
"No. I'm not. Look around. None of his things are here," Rachel said. She was truly grateful that Finn took all of his things to wash. The speaker snapped his fingers at the other man, who instantly started searching the room.
"You're going to have to come with us," the guy who appeared to be in charge said.
"I don't think so," Rachel said with venom in her voice. She stopped when the back of her legs hit the bedside table. One of her hands immediately started feeling around on the table for something she could use as a weapon. That's when she remembered that Finn took the gun with him.
She'd have to improvise.
"She's right, Pat. None of his stuff's here," the second man said. Rachel looked over to him and saw that the closet was open and so were the dresser drawers. They were all empty.
"See? I told you. I haven't seen him in a couple of days," Rachel said smugly.
"Well, I know you're lying about that. The both of you were spotted together last night," Pat said, stepping closer to Rachel. Rachel's hand came into contact with something that was in the shape of a pen. She saw a movie once where a guy used a pen as a weapon, so she could, too.
"Fine," Rachel sighed dramatically yet believably. "We fought last night and he left me. Are you happy?" she almost yelled. She let a few tears form, knowing that she had to sell this. They couldn't know that Finn was close to here. He was safe for now. She was the only one in imminent danger.
The second man walked around the side of the bed and stood next to Pat. "I believe you," Pat said. "Looks like we're gonna have to bring him to us."
"Good luck finding him!" Rachel said quickly. "He's not from here and he's probably heading home right now."
"I have my orders," Pat said. Rachel gripped the pen in her hand tightly as he stepped closer and closer.
As soon as he was in arm's reach, Rachel picked up the pen and drilled it into his arm.
"Son of a bitch!" the man yelled, stepping away from Rachel. She had to look away in disgust; the pen was sticking out of his arm. Seeing that the door was still wide open, Rachel jumped onto the bed and tried to make a run for it. Before she could step into the hallway, she felt two arms wrap around her waist and pull her to the ground.
"Get off me!" Rachel shouted. She tried to wiggle out of the second man's grip. He placed one knee on her midsection, pinning her to the ground. One of his hands was holding her left and his right was frantically trying to grab her other hand.
But Rachel was too quick for him.
She pulled back her fist and launched it at his face, hitting him square in the nose like she had done to Finn the other night. The man let go of Rachel's left hand and brought both of his hands to his nose, screaming in pain. Rachel then used both of her hands and shoved him away from her. He fell over, still holding his nose. He was right in the way of the door, so Rachel backed up a little, needing to find another weapon to get away.
She spotted the ugly ceramic lamp on Finn's side of the bed and picked it up. She jerked the plug out of the socket and stepped toward the second man. She was a second away from throwing the lamp at the man's face before she felt something hit the side of her head.
The lamp fell to the ground just as Rachel did, shattering into a hundred pieces.
-glee-glee-glee-
Finn didn't have any extremely important matters on his mind as he made his way back to the motel an hour after he had left. The clothes were all clean and he hadn't accidentally bleached anything, so he knew Rachel would be proud. The only thing he was really thinking about was spending more quality time with Rachel. Basically, he was hoping that her cramps would let up so that they could spend some more time together, preferably naked…
What? He was a guy with a healthy sex drive and a hot girlfriend. Nothing wrong with that.
While his girlfriend was on his mind, he also kept a lookout for anything suspicious. This was a point in time that Finn wasn't too happy that he was freakishly tall; he could be spotted easily by people he would rather not be spotted by. That thought made him walk to the hotel rather quickly.
Finn was walking down the hallway toward his and Rachel's room when he got hit with the gut feeling that something wasn't right. With the duffel bag in one hand, Finn reached for his gun with the other. He stopped right next to the door and tried to listen for any noises that were out of the ordinary. When he heard silence, he became frightened and immediately prayed that Rachel was sleeping.
Finn quietly set the duffel bag down next to the door and checked to make sure this gun was ready to be fired. Walking in the room with his gun drawn might freak Rachel out if he was just overreacting, but Finn couldn't deny what his gut was telling him.
He reached down and was about to see if the door was locked when he realized that it wasn't even closed all the way.
"Shit," Finn said under his breath. He closed his eyes, trying to stop himself from thinking the worst. He then placed his hand on the door and pushed it open the rest of the way, raising his gun immediately.
The room was empty. And completely destroyed.
"Rachel?" Finn called out, praying for an answer. His heart sank when he didn't hear her incredible voice calling back.
Finn first noticed that the bed was messed up; when he had left, Rachel was lying on top of the covers, but the bed was made. Now, the comforter was partially on the floor and the pillows and sheet were strewn about. Stepping farther into the room, Finn heard a crunching noise from under his feet. He looked down and saw the lamp broken in tiny pieces.
The closet door was wide open and the drawers to the dresser were all open; the bottom drawer was even lying on the floor. Finn walked to the other side of the bed toward the bathroom. The bathroom door was wide open and Rachel was nowhere to be found.
"No, no, no, no, no, no," Finn continued chanting to himself over and over again. He walked back out of the bathroom and stepped on something else. He moved his foot and saw a pen lying on the ground. The end of it was covered in blood and there were spots of blood on the floor.
Finn felt a wave of anger wash through him thinking that it could be Rachel's blood. If it was, he was going to torture the people responsible until they were dead. He didn't care if it was against the law or not.
He had to remind himself that Rachel might still be alive. If they were going to kill her, they would have done it here and just left her. They obviously took her. But why? Nick wanted them dead, so why not just kill her?
Then it hit him.
They were going to use her to get to him. At least she's alive, Finn thought in relief. But he swore to himself that he would get her back. And if they hurt her at all, they would have hell to pay.
Finn sat on the edge of the bed, trying to think of what to do next. One thing was certain – he couldn't do this alone. But if he went to the precinct, they would make Finn still stay under protective custody while they tried to find Rachel. So he couldn't go to them.
But he could go to his best friend. Finn got up quickly and went back into the hallway, grabbing the duffel bag. He then went around the room and grabbed the rest of his and Rachel's things; she would need them when he found her. Which I will, Finn thought to himself.
He left the room the way it was, not caring about how messy it looked. His and Rachel's things were all in the duffel bag, which Finn slung over his shoulder. He put his gun back in the waistband of his shorts before walking out of the hotel room for the last time.
He checked them out earlier than expected and told the manager of the hotel to just keep the left over money (he didn't mention the blood stains or the broken lamp).
Then Finn caught a cab and made his way to his best friend's place.
-glee-glee-glee-
Rachel's head was pounding when she woke up. It took her a second to remember why, though. When she did, her eyes shot open and she started panicking.
She was in the middle of a huge, dirty room. It smelled really bad and Rachel was convinced that she was breathing in mold of some sort. She tried moving, but her arms and legs were bound to a chair. There was also a rag tied around her face, with some of it in her mouth, preventing her from speaking.
How the hell am I going to get out of here? Rachel asked herself.
Before she could look around for weapons and form a plan, a door behind her opened. She tried to turn and see who was coming from her, but being tied to the chair made it difficult.
She heard footsteps approaching and grew more and more nervous. They stopped right behind her and she felt someone loosening the cloth around her mouth. It fell into her lap.
"Who are you?" Rachel asked in a clear voice.
She heard a laugh and then the person walked around the chair to stand in front of her.
It was Nick.
"What the hell do you want with me?" Rachel asked in an angry tone.
"I think you know what I want," Nick said with a smirk.
"You want me dead. So why am I still alive?" Rachel asked bluntly.
"You are quite beautiful, but there's someone I want to see more than you," Nick said.
"If you're talking about Finn, this little plan of yours isn't going to work," Rachel said firmly. "He doesn't care about me anymore. He told me so himself. Do you really think that he's going to try and come rescue me?" She was pretty impressed with her acting skills; she almost believed the lies herself.
"That's exactly what I think," Nick said smugly.
"Well, you're an idiot then," Rachel said with a sarcastic giggle. Nick's playful demeanor turned into one of annoyance as he slapped Rachel across the face. The force of the slap brought tears to her eyes.
"I don't appreciate name calling," Nick said. Rachel looked up at him with pure hate. "Now, you're going to tell me where I can find that boyfriend of yours. We've already been to his place but he wasn't there. We left a… message saying where he could find you, but he might not go there. So, tell me where he is so we can get him to come to us."
"I don't know where he is," Rachel spat. Nick raised his hand again, but this time he punched Rachel in the jaw. She cried out in pain.
"You're lying!" Nick accused angrily.
"No I'm not!" Rachel shouted. Tears were falling down her face. She might have been a tough New Yorker who didn't take crap from anyone, but she wasn't used to full grown men punching her. "I don't know where the hell he is and I don't care!"
Nick punched her again; this time, Rachel could feel her lip being split open. "You might have fooled the others with your acting, Miss Berry, but you're not fooling me! Tell me where he is!"
"Hit me all you want! I don't know where the fuck he is!" she shouted. He hit her again. Rachel could taste the blood in her mouth. She then started realizing that this "tough girl" act wasn't getting her anywhere. She had to come up with a new plan.
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The cab pulled up to Noah Puckerman's apartment building and Finn jumped out after tossing some cash to the cab driver. Finn ran inside the building, not caring about the people that were staring at him. He was too impatient to wait for the elevator, so Finn took the stairs to the fourth floor.
The adrenaline and slight panic allowed him to move faster than he ever had up the stairs. When he reached Puck's door, he pounded on it, not giving a shit about manners.
"Hold on!" he heard someone shout sleepily from behind the door. Finn stopped beating the crap out of the door and waited for Puck to answer.
"Hudson? What the hell are you doing here?" Puck asked once the door was open. "Aren't you supposed to be in protective custody?"
Finn shoved past him and went into the apartment. "Sure, come on in," Puck said sarcastically. He observed Finn and realized that he looked a little antsy and partially scared shitless. "Dude, what the fuck's going on?"
Finn tried to speak, but he was having trouble finding the words. "It's Rachel…" he said.
"That hot chick you've been banging?" Puck said with a smirk. "Did you guys fight or something? Your dumb ass didn't get her pregnant, did you? Last night when you called everything sounded fine."
"First of all, you aren't supposed to mention to anyone that I've been keeping in contact with you," Finn said firmly. "If the Florimonte family found out, they'd use you to get to me and Rach."
"Dude, I'm not an idiot," Puck said, rolling his eyes. "But what the hell's going on?" He watched Finn, who was pacing back and forth.
Finn stopped suddenly and turned to face Puck. "Rachel's gone," he said after a long moment. "They took her."
"How the fuck did that happen?" Puck asked, full of concern.
"I left to go the damn Laundromat. She was cramping, so I told her to just stay there and I took the damn gun with me! I'm such a damn idiot!" Finn practically yelled.
"You're not an idiot," Puck said quickly. "But what happened after that?"
Finn took a deep breath. "I came back and the door was open a little. I went in and the room was fucking trashed, dude. The bed was all screwed up and the lamp was smashed on the floor. All the drawers and everything were open like they were gone through. And I found some blood on the floor and shit…" Finn knew that if Rachel were here, she would probably yell at him for cussing so much.
"Damn," Puck said. He ran a hand through his short hair. He was pretty pissed when he had to cut off his Mohawk for the job. Stupid workplace policies… "Did you call the precinct?"
"What? And have them stick me in some other shitty ass motel room while they waste time instead of actually trying to find Rachel?" Finn asked incredulously.
"You're right," Puck agreed. "Detective Kelley's probably the shittiest detective I've ever seen."
"Exactly," Finn said quickly. "That's why I gotta find her on my own."
"What do you need me to do?" Puck asked; Finn looked at him in confusion. "I'm not just gonna sit on my ass while you take down the Florimonte family on your own. Plus, I'm off for a couple days."
"How'd you get off?" Finn asked. "Rookies don't get vacation time."
"I told 'em my aunt died," Puck said, shrugging.
"You told me your mom's an only child," Finn said, sounding confused.
"Well, they don't know that, do they?" Puck replied. "So… what do we do now?"
"I have no fucking clue," Finn said in a huff.
"We'll just think through this…" Puck said slowly. They both sat there, absorbed in their thoughts. New York was a pretty big place with tons of places to hide, so where the hell could they be hiding Rachel?
"You told me last week that they went to her place. They shot up her landlord, right?" Puck asked.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Well maybe they went to your place, too, looking for info about you or something," Puck explained.
"But how could going where they might have been a week ago help us now?" Finn asked.
"I'm not exactly sure, dude. But it's a start, right?" Puck asked. Finn thought for a moment. He couldn't think of where else to look for Rachel.
"You're right…" Finn agreed after a few moments.
"Let me get some shoes on and we'll go," Puck said, walking toward his bedroom.
"Thanks, man," Finn said sincerely.
"Don't mention it," Puck said nonchalantly as he was walking away. "There's nothing on TV anyway."
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Rachel's face was throbbing. She lost count of how many times Nick had hit her, trying to get answers. She was starting to feel drowsy, making her wonder if the repeated blows to the head had caused a concussion or something. It was a struggle for her to remember the symptoms of a concussion. It was almost as hard for her to stay focused on what her captor was saying.
"Let's try this again," Nick said in a huff. "Tell me where we can find the cop or I swear I'll beat your face in."
You already have, Rachel said weakly to herself. She waited too long to answer and Nick raised his fist again. She couldn't take another hit; she knew that much.
"Stop!" she yelled as loudly as she could. "I'll tell you where he might be!"
She opened her swollen eyes as far as they would go; Nick had that creepy smile on his face again that made her skin crawl.
"Talk," he commanded. Rachel took a deep breath before speaking.
"He might be staying with his best friend…"
TBC
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A/N: And there you have it! Is Rachel going to put Finn and Puck in danger by talking? Will they find her before things get worse? Read on to find out! And thanks so much for reading and reviewing thus far. You guys and gals really are incredible :)