Read Me!
A.N. I really didn't intend to update so soon but I got excited. So here you go.
A.N.2. Remember... have faith.
A.N.3 Also thank you to all who read. And to all who commented.
ALSO! I suck for not doing this earlier: Thank you so much to my Beta whysoseriouzz . You rock my dear!
Monday January 17, 2011
4:00 P.M.
The girls were huddled in the bathroom when the paramedics arrived. They had tried exiting the bathroom but the thought of leaving Rachel alone on the floor was unbearable. The two EMTs bustled in and started asking questions.
"What happened?"
No one answered him.
"Girls!" The blond EMT's voice was loud and impatient.
"She was tied up. We… we found her in the stall." Surprisingly it was Tina who managed to speak.
The brunette EMT had strapped a mask to Rachel's nose and mouth and had his head bent to her chest. He started talking to her in gentle voice.
"Come on honey. Let's wake up."
The EMT who had spoken to the group reached out a hand, "Jake…" His voice was sad. "She's cold."
The young man whose hand was still working the breathing mask stopped. He hung his head and nodded.
"The first D.O.A. is always hard Jake." Jake's partner said as he stood. He pressed a button on the radio on his shoulder, "This is emergency response team zero-three."
His radio crackled to life, "Go ahead zero-three."
He sighed, "We have a D.O.A. here at McKinley High School. Young girl, probably about sixteen…"
"Seventeen." Mercedes looked surprised to hear her own voice.
The EMT nodded at the glee kids and continued, "Seventeen. She looks like she was tied up. We're here in the girls' restroom in the east wing near the auditorium."
His radio crackled and popped again, "Ok zero-three, we're sending a couple of units out to you. Follow homicide procedure."
"Roger." The EMT dropped his hand and turned to the girls. He stepped forward, "Ok you six will have to stay put until the police arrive so that they can ask some questions, alright?"
Santana spoke for the group, "Yeah…"
Jake came forward, "Was she you're your friend?"
"Rachel is nice." Brittney quietly replied.
"Was…" A voice corrected.
The group turned to stare at Quinn and the former Cheerio bristled, "What?"
The older EMT straightened, "Jake, go speak to the principal, the school needs to be cleared out."
Santana snorted, "Coach Sylvester won't like that."
Mercedes snapped back, "Screw her." The Diva wrapped her arms around herself, "Rachel is… gone and you're worried about what Ms. Sylvester will do if practice is canceled?"
The Latina's eyes narrowed, "No! I just…"
A small voice interrupted, "San?" Santana and the rest of the group turned to look at Brittany.
"Yeah Britt?" Santana's voice had grown kind and soft.
"I think I am going to cry now." The tall blonde's eyes watered almost as soon as the words were out of her mouth and a moment later Santana's arms wrapped around her friend.
The older EMT ordered, "Go Jake." Jake hurried out of the room and the remaining EMT turned his attention back to the kids, "My name is Frank, why don't you kids tell me a little bit about Rachel while we wait for the police ok?"
"She was our Glee Captain…" Tina started.
Frank nodded, "You are all in Glee?"
Mercedes replied, "Yeah, Rachel is our… was our star."
"She could sing huh?" Frank turned to look at the little Diva's body, which was still curled on the floor.
Brittany responded in a firm voice, "Better than anyone in the whole world."
"Do you know..." Kurt started.
Frank tilted his head, "Know what son?"
"When did… when did she die?" Kurt's voice was choked and higher than usual.
Frank shook his head, "No way to know that until the M.E. gets here."
Kurt's shoulders slumped.
Overhead the loudspeaker crackled, "Would all McKinley students still remaining on campus please exit the building in an orderly fashion." Principal Figgins' voice sounded strained from what they could tell.
Silence enveloped the group as the minutes ticked by. Finally the door swung open and a balding man lumbered in followed by two men in police uniforms.
"Heya Frank!" The balding man's voice boomed in the silent restroom causing most of the kids to wince.
"Detective Hillburn." Frank's voice was not jovial in the slightest.
The detective made his way in and the smile was wiped of his face the moment he took in Rachel's tiny body.
The big man growled, "Son of a bitch…"
Frank looked surprised, "Detective?"
Hillburn drew out a handkerchief, "Her daddy is on the force." His eyes widened as he turned to the two uniforms, "Go out there and make sure Phil doesn't come in here and see his baby girl like this."
The two uniformed men turned sharply and exited the room.
Kurt asked, "Rachel's dad is a cop?"
Hillburn replied, "Man used to be my partner." The big man took the radio for his belt and barked into it, "Someone get that damned M.E. in here on the double. This is being treated as a murder."
The big man made his way into the stall and crouched down, his eyes narrowed, "She was duct taped?"
"Yes sir." Quinn answered him.
His hands curled into fists as he stared at Rachel. He stood, "Why don't we get you kids out of here." He motioned towards the door.
No one budged.
Hillburn's face started to harden, "This isn't some after school special, and I won't have a bunch of rubber-neckers making that little girl a spectacle."
Santana took a step forward, prepared to get into the detective's face, "We aren't making her a spectacle. Rachel was our team mate."
Quietly, Tina spoke "She-she shouldn't b-be alone."
Hillburn's scowl melted, "I…"
Frank spoke up, "I'll stay with her ok kids?"
The group eyed him as Brittany spoke, "Ok but, just be nice ok?"
Frank's eyes were sincere, "I'll take care of your captain."
Hillburn sighed and led the kids out of the restroom. He led them from the school and out into the parking lot.
He shouted, "Wiggs!" A uniformed police officer jogged up. "Take these kids' statements."
"Hillburn?" Wiggs asked as the big man turned to go back into the school.
"Yeah?" He paused.
"Is… is it really little Berry?" The young officer's face was filled with dread.
Hillburn nodded, "Yeah Wiggs, it's little Berry." He resumed his path into the school, falling into step with a man that had Lima County M.E. stitched into his coat. One younger woman followed the two men.
Mercedes asked the officer, "Can we talk to our friends so that they know what is going on?"
Wiggs shook his head, "Statements first. Gotta do this by the book."
The kids nodded and waited their turn. Wiggs started with Mercedes.
5:05 P.M.
It took nearly forty-five minutes to get their statements down and after they had been given the group was still being held. The girls and Kurt could see their team as well as the Cheerios lined up, waiting to find out what was going on. The six students were still near the door when Hillburn finally emerged. He made a beeline for Wiggs.
He snapped, "Is Phil here?"
Wiggs shook his head, "No sir, two of the boys radioed the chief and he talked to Phil, told him to pick up Eli before coming out."
Hillburn winced, "Eli'll be hysterical."
Wiggs asked, "Detective?"
The man tilted his head, "What?
"Was it murder?" Wiggs looked expectant.
Hillburn growled, "Someone or someone's tied her up with duct tape and left her on the floor next to a god damn toilet for hours! She had an asthma attack and died. I sure as hell know what I intend to treat it as."
Wiggs' mouth tightened as he nodded curtly.
"Make sure all the boys know." Hillburn's voice was dangerous and ruthless.
"Yes sir." Wiggs flipped the notebook in his hand closed and offered it to the detective, "I got their statements sir."
The detective took the notes and flipped the book back open. He took out a pencil and asked, "Do you all mind if I ask you a few questions?"
The group shook their heads.
"Do any of you have any idea who might be capable of doing this to Rachel? Tying her up and leaving her in the restrooms I mean?" The detective was staring at them hard.
Quinn answered, "There are some of the Cheerios that are more than capable." Her face was hard and unforgiving as she listed names and then continued, "The hockey team is always messing with Rachel, Karofsky and Azimo in particular."
Brittany added, "Jacob Ben Israel. He's a creep."
Santana scowled, "The little bastard blackmailed Rachel for her underwear."
Hillburn nodded, "Anyone else?"
Mercedes hesitated, "Rachel wasn't… popular. But I don't think anyone else would be willing to tie her up."
There was a slight commotion as the double doors to the school opened and the M.E. came out with a stretcher. Frank was walking next to the stretcher, doing his level best to guard the identity of the girl laid out on it.
Hillburn snorted humorlessly at the surprised looks the teens gave him, "We don't have body bags in Lima…"
Frank's efforts were in vain, "RACHEL?"
The girls and Kurt winced; it would be Puck who recognized the little Diva.
The Jewish boy ducked under the police partition and tried to muscle his way to Rachel's side.
The girls and Kurt heard the M.E. order, "Get a sheet on her! Now!" Frank scrambled to obey. He drew an extra sheet from his ambulance even as Puck struggled against the two cops holding him back.
"What are you doing! Don't…" He surged forward as the sheet was stretched over Rachel, "Don't do that! Rachel doesn't like the dark!"
"Take that off of her!" Finn had used the distraction Puck had created to fly past Puck and the policemen holding him. The tall boy was nearly by her side before Frank caught him around the middle and tried to drag him away.
"Son…" Frank tried to speak as Finn struggled.
"Get off me! Rachel?" Finn was significantly larger than Frank and the smaller man was having a difficult time restraining the hysterical boy.
Mr. Schue ducked under and came up to Frank's side.
He spoke firmly, "Finn! Calm down. I need you and Puck to stop fighting these men. They're doing their jobs."
The quarterback stopped struggling, "Make them take that sheet off Mr. Schue."
Mr. Schue spoke gently, "Let me find out what is going on. Go back behind the tape with Puck." Finn was silent and unmoving for a moment before he nodded and turned to Puck. Puck himself looked mutinous but followed his best friend.
Mr. Schuster waited until the boys were back with the rest of the glee club behind the police barricade before his calm and gentle façade vanished and he demanded, "What is going on! What's happened to Rachel?"
Kurt spoke up, "Let us tell him? Please? We're like a family."
Hillburn nodded and led the kids over to Mr. Schue.
Mr. Schue turned to them, "Guys what is going on?"
The girls and Kurt exchanged looks but none could form the words that needed to be said.
"Guys?" Mr. Schue's voice had grown quiet, "Is… is Rachel ok?"
Kurt took a deep breath and replied, "No Mr. Schue. Rachel's…" He choked on the word.
Mercedes grabbed his hand and finished his statement, "Dead. Rachel is dead." Her eyes widened as the words left her mouth. The moment they passed her lips completely she clasped a hand over her mouth and let out a strangled sob.
Mr. Schue's knees seemed to buckle. Frank caught him around the waist and supported the man.
Tears spilled unchecked from his eyes as he fought to keep from sobbing in front of his students. After a minute he pulled away from Frank's grip and straightened.
"I need to tell the team." He looked at Hillburn whose eyes seemed watery. The detective nodded and Mr. Schue waved the rest of the team in.
The boys made their way over and settled in. Kurt moved immediately into Sam's arms. His boyfriend looked at him, surprised and concerned, Kurt wasn't one for public displays of affection.
Mr. Schue started, "Guys…" He paused and closed his eyes.
Finn spoke, "Mr. Schue?"
Mr. Schue seemed to be gathering his strength as a car door slammed and two men exited an unmarked police car.
The small be speckled man was loud, "What is going on Philip! Why are we at Rachel's school?"
The tall black man snapped, "I don't know Eli. The chief just said to pick you up."
Hillburn broke away from the Glee club and made his way to his former partner's side. His voice was quiet but everyone one present could tell the moment he had broken the news. Philip's face was blank even as Eli's voice rose.
"No! Not my baby!" He lunged around Hillburn and then stopped. "Where is she?"
Hillburn turned and gently pointed out the stretcher where Rachel lay. Eli hurried forward and seemed to take issue with the sheet just as Puck and Finn had.
He yanked it away. They had straightened Rachel out. The little songbird was still.
"Rachel?" Eli's hands shook as he moved to touch his daughter. His hand finally rested on her cheek as Quinn's had. His shoulders shook as he let out a scream and buried his head in her stomach. Rachel's other dad seemed to snap out of his shock. He made his way behind his husband and placed his hands on the smaller man's shoulders.
Kurt tore his eyes away from the two broken men and felt his heart break a little more at the looks on the boys' faces. Matt had a strangle hold on Mike's arm and the Mike himself was staring at the sight of Rachel's fathers in horror. Sam's arms tightened around Kurt as the taller boy buried his head in Kurt's neck. Yesterday Kurt would have said that Sam's only flaw was his inexplicable friendship with Rachel. Puck… Puck was still. His fists were clenched and his jaw was locked. Brittany and Santana moved to either side and pressed against him. The mohawked boy wrapped an arm around each of them even as his eye twitched. Finn was sobbing. Quinn awkwardly tried to hold the boy as he cried. The former Cheerio captain was finally crying herself as she stroked Finn's hair as best she could.
Even in his grief Kurt heard Hillburn ask the M.E. "Do we have a time of death?"
The M.E. replied, "Between 9 and 10 A.M. this morning."
And then everything was black.
A.N.4: SO... yeah. Anywho. Read and Review. Thank you. Next chapter as soon as soon as I can.