Glee 1. Chapter 1

**DISCLOSURE: I have no affiliation with Ryan Murphy, any of the other writers, or Glee. This story does contain mentions of drugs and stuff so if that offends you… Oh well. ALSO, for those of you who read Pure Imagination Cory, I'm going to start updating it again. As for those of you who don't, you should. (: Kay on to the story.**

**Chapter 1: The Job**

Rachel's thoughts were once again lost, trailing through her hopes for a better life as her eyes gazed upon New York City through the open window. Just then a brisk breeze blew in, shaking her thoughts as it crept along her cheeks and made her shiver. The moon was at its peak; it was about midnight. Her heart was heavy as she realized she had what seemed like the weight of the world on her shoulders: rent to pay, no food in the fridge, and not a soul in the world that gave a damn about her. Everyone had left, or moreover kicked her out of their lives, when she'd become pregnant at the age of 18. After Rachel realized the baby's father didn't give a shit and wasn't planning on sticking around, and that there was no way she could raise the baby alone, it seemed like adoption was her only option. Giving the baby up made her truly alone, so she tended to stay locked up in her damp, rundown apartment all day.

Her naked body was icy to the touch under the thin sheet that lay messily on top of her. The only true sense of warmth on her was the presence of a hand resting just below her waist. The hand of someone she really didn't know. The hand of someone with a wife at home (Rachel could tell by the ring on the hand that warmed her). The hand of someone whose family was probably worried sick about him.

Just as that last thought drifted through her mind, she heard a loud vibration from the table resting on the other side of the bed.

The man next to her sensually slid his hand down the rest of her body before rolling over and answering his vibrating phone.

"Hey honey!" His deep voice crooned.

_Wife._ Rachel thought while sitting up, the sheet pulled over her chest.

"Yes! I'm just leaving the office!" He replied once again, struggling to slip his shoes on with one hand.

_Liar._ One more inappropriate thought. Who was she to judge?

"I'll see you in thirty minutes… I love you too."

Those last four words made Rachel cringe, for that's all they were. Words. Words that had absolutely no meaning whatsoever. She'd heard them muttered through cell phones to women while the man on the phone was feeling her up. There wasn't a man in the world who would ever mean it when he said 'I love you'.

As Rachel stepped out of her daze, a tiny wad of green was being held in her face.

"Thanks for the… services." The stranger muttered before winking, running a hand down the sheet that covered her chest, and walking out, still attempting to finish buttoning up his shirt.

Rachel's fingers wrapped around the cash as she stood up, completely nude, and walked over to a rotted table in the middle of the room. On the table sat a jar wish $500 in it. Slowly, she dropped each bill she's earned tonight, counting it as it fell. $75. Now she had enough to afford another small bag of dope. She'd make the trade off tomorrow.

Another breeze flew in through the window caused the ragged curtains to wave in the air and sending a massive chill down Rachel's spine. Briskly walking to the open window, the young woman forced in shut before reaching onto the hardwood floor beneath her and grabbing a thin, ripped housecoat.

Finally clothed in something, Rachel once again found refuge in her bed. It was nice to not have a stranger's fingers exploring her body and she welcomed the alone time. Usually. However, tonight was different. She was restless. So, Rachel reached into the nightstand drawer and pulled out a very small bag of white powder. There was hardly any left at all so she poured what was left on her propped up knee, hoping it would help clear her mind. Then she snorted it up, her head getting dizzy almost immediately and all of the sadness and worry going away. But there was still something nagging in the back of her head. What was it? Guilt? Why guilt? Because she's had sex and more with a married man? He'd come to her… Because this was the lifestyle she'd been stuck with? Will, whatever the feeling was, she pushed it away and closed her eyes, hoping to find merely a few hours of worriless sleep.

The next morning came quickly with a rude awakening as a loud truck horn blared through the streets just below Rachel's window.

_Time to face yet another day, _she thought groggily, rubbing her eyes before lifting herself out of bed. She walked over to the small three drawer dressed and slid open the middle one, digging through her old clothes for some that weren't completely horrid looking. She settled on some black spandex booty shorts and a turquoise tank that fit perfectly to her skinny body.

Glancing at her money jar that lay on the other side of the room, she remembered that she had planned to purchase another small bag of dope today.

Rachel grabbed her only jacket and slipped it on, feeling the worn out fabric from the inside. As she went to leave, the young woman passed by a small mirror mounted on the wall.

Her reflection wasn't a pretty one, but that didn't really shock her. If it wasn't for the pounds of makeup she caked on before going to a job, she probably wouldn't be a valuable asset. Raising her boney hand to her face, she traced the shadows of her sunken eyes and attempted to detangle her messy hair with her fingers. Her jacket was a wreck, having had it since her baby was born. It was really the only think she had left from that time; everything had been taken from her when she'd entered the system. Rachel shook her head, forcing the despising thoughts she felt towards herself to sink down further in her heart and walked out of the apartment.

As she walked through the lobby, she kept her head down but couldn't help but notice the stares she got. She was unnaturally skinny and probably looked unhealthy to everyone else. And she was. 75% of the money she earned each month went to Brody, her 'pimp' as some may call it, while the other 25% usually went towards her drug addiction. If she remembered, she'd safe a little bit of it to restock the fridge on. If it weren't for her drug problem, she'd probably look a lot better and perhaps would feel a little happier.

Old abandoned buildings began to come into view as she made her was down the street, towards the part of the city no one ever went near. It was the perfect place for a drug pass off… And to keep a hundred kidnapped girls that had been added to Brody's group out of sight.

Once she reached the abandoned warehouse that she and Puck usually met at to do hand offs, Rachel sat down in front of a tree, knowing that he's come around sooner or later. And sure enough, after about 20 minutes out from the warehouse walked a very cautious yet **very** attracting man. He carefully looked around, making sure there were no cops in the area before meeting up with Rachel beneath the tree.

"Hey there baby cakes, ready for some more of the good stuff?" Puck flirted, glancing her up and down before reaching into his pocket.

"Yeah." Was all Rachel replied, holding out $100 dollars to the dealer.

He paused, "Sugar lips, you know that ain't enough for the Puckerman."

Rachel pushed her matted hair back from her eyes, choking back her agitated tears, "I know, but I have to get the rest to Brody by this afternoon or he'll have me holed up in that barn with all the newbies again."

Puck's expression softened, but only slightly. "Alright, since I love you, I'll hook you up with $100 work, but remember next time you have to pay in full." He reached down, replacing the money in her hand with a tiny manila envelope.

"Thanks." Rachel whispered, smiling a genuine smile as Puck nodded in response and walked away.

Standing, she began to make her way to an abandoned hotel known to Brody and other girls living like her as "The Barn". The Barn was where the girls went after they'd been debriefed and trained for a few weeks by Santana. Once on the Barn you were given a roommate who most likely wouldn't talk to you, and went wherever Brody wanted you to.

Rachel had been in the system for two years and had earned most of Brody's trust. He'd gotten her a place for herself in the city to help service more jobs, and she had been given wandering privileges in which she was allowed to walk around by herself. During the day. At night he came by, went over the next day's routine with her, then locked the door as she left. She was content with how much she'd earned and was dreading going back to the Barn, if even for only a few moments. Yet, here she was.

A several story high hotel that was very obviously abandoned was plotted right in front of her. As she started walking up, Rachel noticed Brody coming towards her and he didn't look happy.

"Listen up." He said, slapping her ass. "Word on the street is there are cops trying to bust us posing as clients. So keep an eye out." His glance shifted from side to side as if he were paranoid someone was watching. "Now where's my money?"

Rachel placed the $400 in his palm and watched his eyes light up as he counted it.

"That's my girl." He said, leaning over and giving her a sloppy kiss right on the mouth. Rachel knew better by now than to cringe. As Jesse pulled back, his nose crinkled up. "Damn girl, how long had it been since you showered?"

Rachel shrugged; trying to act like it was no big deal, "A few days. The water at my place isn't working."

"I'm sorry sugar plum," Brody started, lacing his arm around Rachel's tiny waist and leading her to the front door on the Barn. She could feel her heart pounding and prayed that he couldn't hear it too. "Let daddy get you all cleaned up, then he'll tell you about a big job he has for you tonight."

As they entered the building a wave of memories hit her: Brody coming by every other night and having his way with her, being beaten for saying the wrong thing, and having no one to talk to because everyone's too afraid to open up. They were all memories from her past, but they still haunted her.

"You can use my bathroom then once you're done I'll have one of the girls bring you her makeup and a new outfit." Brody said, pointing Rachel off in the right direction before spinning on his heels and walking off.

Rachel stepped out of the shower, wrapping Brody's bath robe around her body and putting her hair up in a towel. The bathroom was the size of the rooms the other girls had to share with someone else. Avoiding the mirror again, she walked out into the living and admired the penthouse. It took up the entire top floor, and while it wasn't perfect looking due to the fact the hotel was abandoned, it was still amazing compared to what he made everyone else live in. Rachel's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. When she opened it, there was a girl a year or two younger than herself who was still gorgeous, so she obviously hadn't been here for that long. She had a large makeup case in one hand and a duffle bag in the other. Her hands were shaking and she kept her eyes to the ground.

"Come on in. I'm guessing Brody sent you?" Rachel questioned, using a kind voice. She knew exactly what this girl was going through. It was probably her first job since she'd been here.

"Yes." The girl whispered while holding out both hands and offering the items to Rachel, her eyes still on the floor as she stepped through the threshold of the room.

"I'm Rachel. Come on in. Are you on the job tonight too?" Rachel said, starting to walk back towards the bathroom so they could get ready.

The girl followed after Rachel slowly, her flip flops scuffing the hardwood floor. "I'm Marley, and y-yes."

Rachel's heart ached for the girl as she had to force herself to choke out her words in order to fight back the tears she was trying to be strong enough not to show. "I remember my first job. It was scary. I cried too." She offered Marley a sympathetic smile as they entered the bathroom and Rachel set the makeup kit on the counter and the duffle bag on the ground.

After that, Marley's tears flowed freely down her face. "I-I'm going to g-go get dressed in the c-closet. I'll b-be back in a sec-c." She stuttered, reaching into the duffle bag and pulling out what Brody must have told her was her outfit for the evening.

Rachel simply smiled softly and nodded, sitting down in front of the counter and getting out the makeup she needed. First, she rubbed on some liquid foundation that filled in the deep circles beneath her eyes and made her face look a little more full. Then she practically painted on her eyeliner, top and bottom, with a little curve swooping out the side of each eye. The mascara made her previously lifeless eyelashes plump up and look model like, swooping almost all the way up to her perfectly manicured eyebrows. Lastly, she spread some shimmery lip gloss that tied the whole look together. As she was finishing, she yelled over towards the closet, "Marley, are you done yet?"

The door to the closet opened and Rachel turned to look. She looked gorgeous. She was sporting some very short white shorts with a navy blue and white satin striped shirt that hung down to the belt loops on the shorts and some white sandals. Her earrings were large diamond hoops and her hair was in a curled side ponytail.

"You look gorgeous." Rachel said, getting up and walking over to Marley. "Here, sit down and do your makeup while I get changed." She grabbed the duffle bag and walked into the closet, closing the door behind her. In the bag she found some very dark denim shorts and as she slipped them on, she noticed that the front pockets hung out the bottom slightly. For the shirt, there was a bright orange silk tank top that was tight around the waist but loose everywhere else. Rachel also got a pair of hoop earrings and sandals. After she was done, she stuffed her other clothed into the duffle bag and walked back into the bathroom to straighten her hair. Marley was done with her makeup and was sitting on the stool playing with her hair.

"Don't be too nervous. It'll be fine." Rachel said, picking up the brush and running it through her hair.

"Rachel, I don't think I can do this…" Marley said nervously, staring at the door in front of them.

They had arrived at their destination and were now waiting outside of the door. Brody had let the girls know that they were going to be the entertainment of a small party an important business man was hosting. It should be him and two or three of his friends. It didn't sound like a difficult job at all. Rachel had worked a party of eight before. By herself. If she could do that, she could do anything.

"Marley. Come on. You can do it. Here, take this." Rachel pulled out a capsule of pills and handed one to Marley along with a water bottle she kept in her purse. "It'll calm you down."

Marley popped it, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. "Let's do this."

There were some muffled voices on the other side of the door and then it was opened by a tall, buff man with brown hair that was spiked up a little in the front. "Rachel and Marley?" He asked, a small mischievous smile curling up on his lips as his eyes glanced Rachel up and down.

Rachel sucked in a short breath before smiling in return and leaning up against the door frame, "We sure are. Can we come in?" Her voice was very seductive.

As he stepped out of the way, Rachel looped her arm through Marley's and pulled her into the apartment just to make sure she stayed with her. The whole apartment was a large bachelor pad: a widescreen TV hanging on the wall, pool table, a full kitchen Rachel was guessing was stocked with beer, and a large couch on which two other men were watching the girls. "Nice place." Rachel purred, her eyes finding the door that led to the bedroom and then snapping down to her hand as she felt the man who'd opened the door for them's hand wrap around hers. She glanced up at his face that was only inches away from hers and then felt herself being gently tugged towards the bedroom. She turned her head in Marley's direction and saw that her and the two other men had turned up the tunes. The pill had definitely kicked in.

When her and the host of the night had entered the bedroom, he immediately closed the door and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "There must be something wrong with my eyes; I can't seem to take them off you." The man chuckled slightly, finding his own pick up line hilarious.

Rachel felt herself blushing for the first time in a long time. No one had actually made an attempt to flirt with her in forever. However, she was here for a job and didn't want herself to get too caught up in it, it wouldn't happen again anyways. "You don't have to flirt with me first." She said before allowing her hands to run up his chest and gently pushing him down to where he was sitting on the side of the bed. Then their lips were together. It took all Rachel had in her to not pull away as a feeling she hadn't experienced in a while shot through her like electricity. She tried to pull her attention away from the feeling as his hands wrapped around the back of her thighs and pulled her on top of him so she was sitting on his lap, but it just made the feeling more intense. Rachel ran her tongue along the man's bottom lip before slipping it into his mouth and exploring it. She then made a move she wasn't expecting, she tangled her fingers in his hair. With the business she was in, it was all about the sex, so by this point in the process his shirt would be off and the pants would be next. However with this man, she just wanted to enjoy everything while it lasted… It was a strange want. Rachel slipped her tongue out of his mouth and began to shower his jaw line with kisses before moving down to his neck, sucking at sensitive spots.

"So, what's your full name Rachel?" The man asked, out of breath and whimpering slightly.

Rachel stopped what she was doing and sat up, looking into the man's face, confused. No one had ever wanted to talk to her nor had ever asked anything about her personal life. "Rachel Berry." She answered hesitantly.

The man's hands were still cupping her thighs but he removed one and held it up for her to shake. "Nice to meet you." The corner of his mouth turned up into a half smile that totally melted Rachel's insides.

She took his hand and shook it. After he placed his hand back on her thigh, she sat there for a moment, unsure of what to do next. She couldn't help but glance at his full lips every few seconds. For the first time since she'd started this job, she wanted to go back to what they had been doing. Unfortunately, he'd sort of killed the mood.

Sensing he'd messed something up, he apologized with a chuckle, "I'm sorry. I just like to know the name of the girl I'm making out with."

This was all new to Rachel. All so new. "I never know anyone's name, and I don't really want to. It makes it easier. Kind of like, if I don't know their name, I can pretend I didn't just screw up a marriage or make a dishonest father out of a man." She had no idea where all of this was coming from, she didn't share her personal story with anyone.

The man's expression softened and that gorgeous smile returned, "Well I'm neither married nor am I a father, so you don't have to worry about that with me." He was doing it again. Flirting. She could feel her face getting red and was glad it was dark enough in the room that he wouldn't be able to see.

"Sounds good. So… should we get back to…" Her voice trailed off as her fingers climbed down to the top button of his shirt and unbuttoned it with ease.

The man's breath seemed to escape him again as Rachel ran her finger over the exposed skin of his chest. She'd never had this sort of effect of a man before. Usually they were just vagina hungry. "If you don't mind my asking… Then we can get back to this I promise… How did you get involved in this…?"

Rachel ignored his question, not wanting to share about how she'd practically been disowned by her family and that they were ashamed of her. So, instead she continued to unbutton his shirt and pushed it off of him when she was done. His chest was chiseled nicely and she traced his abs with her fingers as she thought about the butterflies she was getting in her stomach.

"I got pregnant when I was 18 and my parents kicked me out… Brody took me in and I've been here ever since." It was like her voice had spoken against her own will. However, she did glance up at the man's face, waiting for a disapproving look or for him to get up and force her to leave because he didn't want anything to do with someone so tainted. His eyes weren't cold though, they were warm, almost sympathetic. He wasn't getting up and leaving, yet she was still ashamed of who she was and this was the first time she'd ever let it show.

Right as he opened his mouth to reply, Marley's voice screamed "RACHEL!" from the other room, the music abruptly cut off. All of a sudden Rachel was flipped over and now underneath the man on the bed. The man held a finger to his lips telling her to be quiet. There was one more scream before the door to the apartment opened and closed.

"What the hell just happened?" Rachel whispered hysterically.

The man looked towards the window that was beside the bed and walked over there to open it. He looked down and then back at Rachel. "My guess? Cops showed up. If you hurry, you can go out this way and climb down the fire escape ladders. They'll come back in and search the other rooms for more…" His voice faded off, not wanting to say something that would offend her.

"Prostitutes?" There was a hint of anger in her voice that she didn't understand.

He glanced away for a moment before looking back at her and nodding, "Please, just go. If they don't find you, neither of us will get in trouble."

Rachel glanced back towards the window and climbed out onto the metal stand. "Wait, what's your name?" She said, looking back at the man who had just saved her from most likely doing time in jail.

The man once again did the half smile before adding, "Finn Hudson."

**I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, leave a review & if you didn't, leave a review and tell me how I can improve it! I'm not sure when exactly it will be updating, but it will get updated. Don't forget to check out Pure Imagination Cory!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you guys for reading the first chapter and I hope you liked it. Sorry I deleted and then reposted it. I sort of did that on an impulse... I don't know. Anyways, please excuse any spelling/grammar errors for I am tired! On with the story (:**

_Shit_. Finn thought, sitting down on the edge of his bed and running his fingers through his hair. Last night's bust was a fail and it was all his fault. He brought his gaze up and looked at the police uniform that was lying neatly over the chair across the room. All he had been ordered to do was to get the girls and take them back to the station. They just wanted to figure out who was in charge of the prostitution ring happening downtown and put an end to it. Why was it so hard for him to do that? He'd taken pity on the girl. Being sympathetic wasn't part of his job description and he'd cracked. Then he'd had to lie to the two men who were a rank lower than he was. His own men. "When she heard the other girl scream, she bolted out the window and down the fire escape. I couldn't get to her quick enough." _What a pathetic lie!_ Finn began to massage his temples. He would have to explain what had gone wrong to the department head and he wouldn't be happy. Finn had been part of the force for eight years; that was why they'd put him in charge of this mission.

The whole point was to bust up the prostitution ring that was happening in Chicago. Apparently a lot of teen girls had been kidnapped and the local police department was positive they were being trafficked. So they'd called in Finn's precinct to take the leader down. However, the girl he'd met last night wasn't like the others. She told him she'd practically chosen this life for herself as a way of making money. That didn't necessarily make it better, but it made it harder for him to take that away from her... If that was the only way she could make her livelihood and she didn't have any contact with her family; plus, the way she'd opened up to him…

"Damn it!" Finn exclaimed, throwing a pillow across the room, knocking his badge off the counter and onto the floor. As the gold item banged the hardwood, Finn knew what he had to do. He knew her name: Rachel Berry. He would grab her and throw her into the interrogation room so they could finally put an end to the person in charge, then he'd help her find some knew lifestyle. Something where she could be whole heartedly happy. That's really all he wanted for her, and he knew he would be expected to go after her anyways.

Finn's phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. Reaching over to his nightstand, he grabbed it and looked at the screen. His heart raced as he noticed it was the department head, Chief Jackson. "Yes, sir?"

The voice on the other line was gruff, "Hudson. Chang and Anderson tell me you let a girl escape last night?"

_Oh goodness._ "Well sir… I wouldn't say I **let** her escape…" Finn's voice trailed off as he attempted to stay calm and collected.

"I would." He replied back abruptly.

There was a long silence before anyone spoke.

Chief Jackson cleared his throat, "They also tell me you got her name?"

This was Finn's chance. "Yes sir. I did, and I'm ready to go track her down and bring her in."

"Hudson. I don't want you to just bring her in. The tactics have changed. I want you to track her down, yes, but then I want you to get close to her, earn her trust, and then just have her lead you right to the core of the operation." The chief replied. An order, not a suggestion.

"W..What?" Finn questioned, a little off guard. He was just expecting to have to track and grab, not be a dick and trick her.

"I didn't stutter, Hudson. Get on it. I expect a progress report by 1700." Then the line went dead.

Finn held the phone to his ear for a moment; still trying to absorb the task he'd just been given. Normally an assignment wouldn't have had any emotional take on him, and it frustrated the hell out of him that he was having such a difficult time convincing himself that this was the right thing to do. She'd told him that her family had completely disowned her when she was just a teenager. A teenager! Who does that? It wasn't fair. They'd taken away her way of life by kicking her out onto the streets and making her fend for herself. Could he really do the same thing to her? Then, there was the odd way he'd felt when they'd touched. He knew he definitely wasn't the first person she'd fooled around with, that was a given, but he'd felt like there was something between them. And, call him crazy, but he thought she'd felt something too.

Shaking his head and finally setting the phone down, Finn pushed the thoughts out of his head. He wasn't going to get further emotionally involved in this case. For that's all it was, a case. He needed to get on tracking her down and finding out where "Brody" (which Finn was guessing was the name of the pimp) was keeping her. For any normal guy, tracking someone down might prove to be a challenge, but for Finn, it wasn't. He had some immediate connections that should be able to give him a general area of where she could be located, as well as a lot of her background up until she entered the sex string.

The man grabbed his phone off the bed and dialed a number before holding it to his ear and waiting for his friend to pick up.

"Finn?" The person on the other line said.

"Hey Ryder. I need you to do me a favor. Are you in your office?" Finn questioned, standing up and walking over to pick up his badge off the floor. He set it back on top of his uniform and waited for Ryder to reply.

"Yeah. What do you need?" There was noises on the other line that sounded like someone getting into a chair and rolling around on hardwood floor.

"I need you to look up a girl named Rachel Berry for me. She'll probably be located downtown, maybe more of West Chicago, but I'm not positive." Finn walked into the bathroom, put his cell on speaker, and set the phone down on the counter before walking into his closet and grabbing a baby blue collared button-up and a pair of khaki shorts.

There was the sound of keys typing coming from the other line, "It's searching." Ryder stated, pausing for a moment. "Hey, I heard you got in trouble with the chief…" His voice trailed off.

Finn grabbed the bottom of his white T-shirt and pulled it over his head in one swift motion, exposing his muscular chest and a nicely chiseled six pack. Reaching over to grab his button up, he rolled his eyes, "Ryder. Don't."

"Okay, okay, sorry bro. I also heard you let some skanky ho take your clothes off before jumping out a window." Ryder chuckled, unknowingly annoying the hell out of Finn.

Finn slipped his arms in the sleeves and began buttoning up the shirt, clamping his mouth shut and trying to ignore the teasing. "Ryder, ju-"

"I got your girl!" Ryder exclaimed, interrupting Finn. "She lives in an apartment not far from where we did that drug bust a couple of weeks ago. I'll text you the address."

After finishing the buttons on his shirt, leaving the top two or three undone, Finn slipped on the khakis and picked up the phone. "Thanks dude, I owe you one."

Ryder laughed. "Yeah you do. Hey, what do you want with this girl anyways?"

Finn opened his mouth to answer but stopped, still not completely comfortable with fooling this girl just so the chief could get to the pimp who was in charge of making her life a real life porno. Clearing his throat, he answered, "Just something for the chief."

"Yeah, alright. Well, have fun. Let me know if you score another whore, I want in this time." Ryder said, still teasing Finn.

"Bye, Ryder." Finn said, hitting end call and slipping on some shoes. Walking back into the bedroom, his eyes made their way to where his uniform was neatly laid over a chair. Then he glanced over to where his badge was. Should he take it with him? Deciding it could be too risky he left it where it was. _Ding Ding._ Finn's phone went off as he received the text from Ryder, inside was the address where he was to find Rachel.

Pacing back and forth outside of the apartment, Finn attempted to decide what his next move was. Usually when he needed to talk to someone he busted down their door and shouted, "THIS IS THE CHICAGO POLICE." However, seeing as being in the force was the problem here, he would have to resort to more normal strategies. What was he going to say to her though? _Hey, I looked up your address so I could ask you on a date. Oh by the way, I'm okay with the fact that you're a hooker, and hey, sorry about throwing you down the fire escape last night._ Yeah. That wasn't going to cut it. Biting his bottom lip, Finn hit the call button up to the apartment number Ryder had said was hers, then he held his breath.

"Hello?" Said a feminine voice.

"Um…" A pause.

"What do you want?" She was annoyed.

Realizing he was still holding his breath, he let it out by almost yelling "Rachel?"

"Yeah? Who are you?"

Finn was confused by her behavior. She'd been so nice the previous night. Then again, she'd been paid to be nice… _Focus Finn, Focus._ "This is Finn Hudson… Uh… We met last night?"

This time, it was her turn to be speechless. There was a short yet awkward moment of silence, then it seemed as if her entire persona changed from annoyed to nervous. "Oh.. Hey, Finn. Um.. Did you want something?"

"Yeah." He replied quickly, then realizing how that must have sounded given her line of work, changed his answer. "Well, yes, but not in that way. I.. uh.. Can I come up?"

Another moment of silence.

"Now's really not the best time…" Rachel replied slowly.

Finn felt a tiny pang of something in his chest. Jealousy? It couldn't be. "Oh.. Are you… with someone?" He sucked in a sharp breath and bit his lip, unsure of if that counted as rude and intrusive.

A small chuckle came from her end. "No. I just…" She sighed. "Yeah, come on up."

_Buzz_.

The door was unlocked and he swung it open then proceeded to climb the stairs until he reached Apartment 3B. It only took one knock and about five seconds for Finn to see why she had objected to him coming up. She lived in a dump and saying that wasn't an understatement. She had a small table in the middle of the room that was almost rotted to the point of not being able to stand up any longer and her bed was covered with a thin sheet that was frayed in spots. Even though he was shocked by the living conditions she had, he made sure it didn't show on his face. She looked embarrassed enough and mortifying her was not on his to-do list.

Rachel kept her eyes to the ground as he scanned her one roomed apartment, "You can come in if you want…" Then she side stepped slightly, giving him just enough room to walk through the threshold.

"You've got… some place here." He said, taking one last glance at the room before his eyes landed on her, and small and partially forced half smile forming on his lips.

She tried her best to suppress a laugh, knowing a pity compliment when she got one. "Right," she mumbled. "So, why are you here?"

"Oh, right." _Oh, right. I haven't figured that part out yet myself._ "I just wanted to know if… your friend was alright. Was it the cops?"_Chicken. Why didn't he just ask her to get food?_

Rachel walked over to the bed and sat down, brought her knees up to her chest, then wrapped her arms around them. "Yeah, I'm guessing it was. I haven't seen or heard from her since last night. She was new to the whole…system. I just feel bad because I know she has to be scared. Wherever she is." Her eyes darted away from Finn's.

He wanted to say, _Don't worry, she's in a safe house now and has been reconnected with her family. She's better off with us, _but he couldn't. So, all he muttered was, "I'm sorry."

Trying to wipe away a stray tear without him noticing, she brought her hand to her face as if to brush away a piece of hair.

Struggling with what to do next, Finn took a seat next to her and began to place his hand on her knee when there was a sudden knock at the door. Rachel glanced at Finn, confused, before getting up and walking a few steps forward.

She turned back to him and said in a low voice, "I'm not expecting anyone…" As she reached for the doorknob, the door was pushed open and a young man charge in.

Finn immediately stood up from the bed, his hand reaching for his gun… which was at home with the rest of his uniform.

"So what happened last night? Huh?" The man demanded, his fists clenched and his body no more than 2 inches from Rachel's.

She didn't flinch a muscle though; almost as if she were used to the verbal abuse. "I don't know." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"WHAT?" The man's voice got louder and his face became bright red with anger.

This time she cringed backwards yet managed to muster up the courage to raise her voice. "I don't know."

"I send you out with a newbie to a _very _important party and when I get up this morning, not only am I missing ALL of the money from the gig, I find out I'm also now missing one of my girls, and ALL YOU CAN SAY IS YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?!" All of a sudden Rachel's head was thrown to the left by the back of the man's hand. Finn heard Rachel whimper softly as she brought her hands up to her face and cupped her eye.

On an impulse Finn stepped forward, his hand reaching for the badge that was… also at home. At his movement, however, the man spun around on his heels and faced Finn. "You have something to say to me, Frankenstein? Why are you here anyways? You didn't set up an appointment."

Finn's eyes glanced from the man, to Rachel, who was watching the showdown with one hand cupping her injured eye, back to him, and then landed one Rachel, lingering there. "I.." He wanted to say how he had been there the night before and that it had been his deputies that had nabbed the other girl and how he was one of them and was only going to wind up betraying her too, just like everyone else in her life, but that in the end they would get the son of a bitch who had just hit her. But he couldn't.

"You what?" The man took a couple steps towards Finn before raising a hand and waving two more guys into the room. "Are you going to talk to me? Or am I going to have to have my friends here teach you how to answer me when I ask you a question?"

As Finn opened his mouth to speak, Rachel cut him off, trying her best to hide the sniffles that threatened to give her away. "He just dropped by to give me a pack of cigarettes. I was out and I didn't know when you'd be back by. I know that you don't like me to wander around the city alone." Her voice had evened out and now she was almost purring at him, reeling him in, as she walked closer and closer to him until she was practically up against him. "Do you, Brody?" She batted her lashes.

Another pang hit Finn as he watched her act to him, Brody, the man who had just hit her, the same way she had treated Finn just the previous night. Brody glanced over Rachel's shoulder at Finn, looking for verification. He nodded hesitantly.

"Alright, sweetheart, let that shiner you got there be a reminder that if something like this _ever_ happens while you're on a job again, well let's just say, your eye won't be the worst of your problems." Then he cupped his hand behind the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss.

Finn tried to avoid looking at the way Brody shoved his tongue into her mouth, but it was kind of distracting. His eyes darted around the room and he took a mental note of the horrible conditions she was living in: a frayed sheet, ratty nightgown, rotted table, broken mirror, limited kitchen appliances. Maybe the chief would take that as a status update. When he was done, he glanced back over at the two, and noticed things had become a little more intense, as in clothes were coming off, and even Brody's henchmen had turned their backs. While he had planned to stay until after the three left so he could check on Rachel and make sure nothing else happened, it didn't seem like he was going to get that chance so he walked over to the kitchen area (which was no more than one of the four corners of the room), grabbed a napkin and pulled the pen he had hooked onto his shirt, and wrote down his number. If she got in touch with him, great. If she didn't, maybe the chief would go after another girl. Once he was done, he simply walked out, not taking another glance back, knowing that the vision of her having sex with someone would be different than just assuming she was doing it would be too much for him to handle.

"Brody." Finn's face scrunched up as he said the name. It was almost as if it left a bad after taste in his mouth.

_Ring Ring_.

Finn jammed his hand in his pocket and pulled out his phone. Uh oh. It was the chief. He lifted the phone to his ear.

"Alright Hudson. Status update. Do we have the girl?"

**Leave a review please! Tell me what you thought! Is there anything you'd like to see happen?**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry it's been awhile guys. Just with all of the stuff that's been going on lately.. Well, you know. Also, I'd like to point out that the drugs in this fic were going to be used before Cory's death so I hope that doesn't bother anyone too much. Okay well here's your new chapter. Please let me know what you think by leaving a review.**

Rachel was sitting on the side of the bed in the dark, mortified. What had she just let happen? Getting up slowly, she walked, or really stumbled, over to her cracked mirror. The moonlight made her figure visible as she examined the eye that Brody had abused. It wasn't as swollen as it had been a few moments after he had first hit her, but it still caused her sight to be blurry. The black and purple colors that tie-dyed her face were depressing factors seeing as Brody wouldn't be able to use her for any business until it was light enough that she could cover it up with make-up. That was why he attempted to keep his temper under control as much as possible; nobody liked damaged goods. You couldn't sell something that was already broken. Used was okay. People go to Goodwill to buy used items, but they'll put whatever it is back if it's stained. That's what she was. Stained. She wasn't just stained from this, though. As she stared into the mirror letting that thought sink in, she finally allowed herself to feel all of the hate she felt towards herself that had been pushed away for the past several years. It all came flooding back at once. _Whore. Slut. Ugly. Worthless. Waste of space. Unloved. Unwanted. Used. Fake. __**Stained.**_ The sobs began rippling through her chest as her hands slowly moved up towards her head, shaking. Her fingers tangled themselves in her hair as the tears streamed down her face, her stomach heaving. She sank to the ground, closing her eyes as the disgusting details of the day's events rushed back.

"_You what?" Brody questioned Finn, moving closer and raising a fist before waving in his two goons that always followed him around, doing whatever dirty work he needed done._

_Rachel's jaw dropped slightly, horrified at what was about to go down between the two guys. Her eyes landed on Finn, the guy who had been with her the night before when Marley had been taken, and who had let her get away. Also, the guy who came by to check and make sure she was okay… Backtracking. That's at least why he said he'd come to find her. But… how did he do that, anyways? Find her? Shaking her head, she pushed that though from her mind and just focusing on the fact that he was there and was about to get whooped by Brody and his goons. Making a rash decision, she decided to intervene._

_Swallowing her sobs, Rachel took a step towards Brody, "He just dropped by to give me a pack of cigarettes. I was out and I didn't know when you'd be back by. I know that you don't like me to wander around the city alone." After being in the system for as long as she had, her acting skills were almost to a tee. She could probably have been on Broadway. Continuing to step towards him, her voice dropped until it was as if she was purring at him, "Do you?" By this time, Rachel had placed a hand on his chest while the other was resting in her back pocket, her teeth barely gripping the side of her bottom lip as she gazed up at him._

_She felt Brody move his gaze from her to Finn, who was standing behind her. Rachel closed her eyes, praying that Finn wouldn't try and change the story, that he would agree so they could both avoid further injuries. He apparently had given some sort of confirmation because she was sucked back into a conversation with Brody, although the only thing she heard was "…your eye won't be the worst of your problems." Then her face was brought to his and their lips were forced together. She looped her fingers in his belt loops, simply leaving them there, not wanting to do anything more with him, even though it was obvious he had other thoughts in mind._

_Opening her eyes while Brody's lips were on her neck, she saw Finn turn and walk into the kitchen for a moment before turning around and walking back, not even giving her a second glance. Rachel squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to push the embarrassment and sense of stupidity she felt right then. Taking her urgency as an invitation, Brody moved his lips back to hers and moved his hands up to her - _

"NO!" Rachel yelled, slamming both of her fists against the ground. The tears had stopped, but her cheeks once again burned with the memory of the embarrassment felt earlier. She attempted to find something else, anything else to focus on. All of a sudden there was a sharp throb in her injured eye. _Ice_, she thought, _I need ice._

Walking into the kitchen, Rachel opened up the freezer, sighing at the fact she didn't have an automatic ice maker but grateful that she'd thought to fill up her ice trays before her water stopped working. She emptied a couple of cubes into a washcloth and held it up to her eye before turning to go lay in bed. On her way out, she noticed a piece of paper on the other side of the sink she was sure hadn't been there before. The young woman picked up the note with her free hand and held it up until the moonlight lit the words enough that she could read them.

_Rachel,_

_In case you're ever in need of a friend._

_364-555-9283_

_Finn_

Rachel lay the note back down on the counter, an immovable smile settled on her face as she made her way over to the bed. Laying down, she turned to where she could see the city. As she watched the cars moving down in the streets, her mind wandered to Finn. He had been so kind to her and she had no idea why. Then she thought about his smile… How only one corner of his mouth had curve upwards when he'd raised his hand for her to shake after asking her name while they were making out. How his lips had felt on hers, so soft yet seemingly made to mesh with hers. How it had felt to tangle his hair in her fingers, such an intimate move. With those visions dancing around in her head, she closed her eyes, safe from the replaying images of Brody earlier in the day, and allowed her tired body to find sleep.

Rachel groaned as the horn of some impatient drive blared through her window and into her ears, causing her to wake up and face the world. Her eyes fluttered opened and were greeted by the sight of her ceiling. Laying there for a few more minutes, her thoughts returned to the previous day's activities and she squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head violently, attempting to force the images from her mind. It happened and now it was over with. There had been plenty of times when close to the same situation had happened before, but this time, she'd never felt so dirty about it. Perhaps it was because Finn was there… Finn! Immediately she sat up, and slowly let her gaze reach the counter, where his note still lay. A small smile formed on her lips, even though her brain was sighing heavily, happy that part wasn't a dream.

Standing up, Rachel walked over to the counter and simply let her fingers trace the outline of the note, battling with herself on what she should do. While her heart was urging her to call, something was holding her back. Something was telling her it wasn't a very good idea to get involved with this man. Then again, look at Brody. She'd gotten involved with him.

_I obviously don't have very good judgment when it comes to people,_ she thought to herself, rolling her eyes.

Taking in a deep breath Rachel grabbed the note and shoved it into her pocket, deciding to take a chance on him. On Finn. She liked the way her body felt when she thought his name. It was like a million shivers crawling down her spine all at once, as her heart began to race; a good feeling.

Rachel turned and walked over to her small dresser and opened up the top drawer. Stripping herself of the shirt she had on in one swift motion, she looked at the three shirts left. She'd need to tell Brody she needed some every day clothes. Her heart sunk a little as she realized what she'd most likely have to do in order to get what she desired. Blinking the thoughts away, Rachel decided on the blue tank top that fit nicely to her ultra thin body. When she grabbed the shirt, she jumped as a small bag full of white powder fell on to the floor. It was the stash she'd bought from Puck. After Finn had helped her escape that night, she must have hid the bag under the shirt and just forgotten about it.

Taking a long look at the bag, Rachel poured a little out on top of the dresser and snorted it up, hoping this would help her have the courage to go through with the phone call and possible rendezvous with Finn. She slipped on the shirt and began walking towards the door, her mind already getting a little hazy. The door opened with ease so Brody must have forgotten to lock it on his way out last night, or had one of his goons unlock it while she was still asleep.

"Hi, Mrs. Pillsbury!" Rachel exclaimed; the fact that she was stoned wasn't hidden very well, waving a little too wildly for her neighbor's taste and earning her a very strange glance as the woman gave a small wave and went back inside of her apartment after retrieving her mail.

She skipped down the stairs and out the door, onto the streets of Chicago.

"Hudson," The Chief said, banging his hand down on the desk in front of him, "I'm not going to ask you again. What did you find out about the girl?"

"Chief, I told you, nothing happened. I found out where she lives and I went to see her. She wasn't there." Finn attempted to control his breathing and keep from fidgeting because he knew he was lying to the one man that could completely ruin this girl's life. Rachel's life. Keeping his gaze latched onto the chief's, he boldly allowed another statement to exit his mouth, "You can believe me or not, but that's what happened."

A few silent seconds passed as the chief stared Finn down, contemplating whether to believe him or not. His fingers made small drumming noises as he beat them one by one on the desk that he was hovering over. Finally, his eyes left Finn's and landed on Ryder, who had been asked to sit in on the confrontation. "You two are like brothers, right? Did he tell you what happened?" That was just like the chief, never trusting, always needing a second witness. In some cases it would be beneficial; in this case it was just flat out annoying.

Ryder opened his mouth to say that Finn had only called asking for information about an address when Finn spoke up, "He actually went with me." Finn kept his eyes on Ryder, hoping he would get the memo to just go along with it.

Glancing several times back and forth between Finn and the chief, Ryder said, "Yeah, I was."

Slamming his hands on the desk again, the chief exclaimed, "Well why didn't you speak up before, boy?! We've wasted valuable time! Now get out of my office and back onto the streets. This case needs to be taken care of!" Then he sat down in his chair and pulled a file out of his desk drawer, spilling the contents inside of it onto the desk and looking through them. He didn't even waste another glance up as Ryder and Finn exited into the hallway.

"Dude, what the hell was that?!" Ryder demanded in a hushed voice as he struggled to keep up with Finn's pace.

Not fazed by his best friend's harsh tone, Finn continued walking unwilling to stop for a moment and explain. He just needed to get out of there and away from any chance of the chief hearing what had actually gone down. If he found out, Finn knew it would all be over with. He just needed some time.

"Finn!" Ryder whispered louder, running some to catch up. "Finn, stop." He grabbed Finn's arm, twisted the door knob of a storage room they were passing, and pulled both Finn and himself into the room, closing the door behind them.

"What the hell!" Finn yelled, moving towards the door and getting even angrier when Ryder moved into his path. "Ryder, I need to get out of here. I'll explain everything once we're outside."

Crossing his arms over his chest, Ryder shook his head and planted his feet. "No, you're going to explain everything right now. You just made me lie to the chief! If he ever finds out, we'll both be suspended if not fired! Are you _trying_ to get me kicked off the force?!" His hands were flying everywhere as he made gestures and angrily pointed a finger in Finn's face.

"No! I just.. I just need some time." Running a hand through his hair, Finn turned around and began to pace the room. "She… She was there yesterday." He paused, and glanced over his shoulder at Ryder who was waiting for a better explanation. "She's in some deep shit. I just want a chance to make sure that when all of this goes down, she's going to be okay. That work is her life, and I know that doesn't sound like much, and it definitely doesn't sound like anything good, but it is. This… This Brody guy has this hold over her. And the violence…" Finn's voice trailed off as he remembered what it'd been like to watch Brody hit Rachel. "Well it's bad." That was where he stopped. There was no need to even bring up the unexplainable feelings he had.

Ryder watched Finn as he continued to pace the floor, probably a million other things racing through his mind that he just didn't want to say out loud. Sighing, he said, "Okay."

"Okay?" Finn turned his head to look at Ryder, his eyebrows furrowed.

Nodding, Ryder replied, "Okay. I'll help; whatever you need. This girl is obviously important to you." Finn's breath caught. "You want to help her to a better life. I get it. You see so many cases like hers; you just want to be able to help at least the ones you can. That's important to you."

Letting out the breath he'd been holding, Finn let one corner of his mouth tilt upwards into a smile, "Thanks buddy, it means a lot." He walked towards the door and Ryder moved out of the way. Placing his hand on the knob, he turned his head, "You know… There is actually something you can do for me."

"That's impossible!" Finn yelled, throwing notebook across the room, causing a lamp to fall off of a table and onto the floor, shattering. "Oh… my bad."

Ryder waved a hand, dismissing it, and then proceeded to massage his temples. "I'm sorry man, the address is the only thing that comes up with I search 'Rachel Berry'. We know that's right because you went there and watched her exchange spit with the guy that beats her up, but there's nothing more than that.

After they'd reached Ryder's house, Finn had told him how the previous day had actually gone, still leaving out his mixed emotions of course. He didn't say much, simply nodded and asked a question every now and then. Once he said the Brody sounded like an asshole, to which Finn agreed.

"She has to have some sort of history though." Finn said, walking over to Ryder and plopping down in the empty chair.

Ryder banged his fingers along the keyboard, waited for a moment, and shook his head again, "I've tried and searched everything I can possibly think of. If this 'Rachel Berry' girl had any sort of past I would have found it." Considering how good Ryder was with computers, Finn knew that was true.

It just didn't make any sense though. She'd let him know about some of her past: the baby, her parents, etc… None of that was enough to do an extensive search. A lot of teens got pregnant at 18. Finn's heart sank.

"Is there anything else you can tell me?" Ryder questioned.

Pulling Finn out of his moment, he frowned, "Nothing that would help."

"Well I'm sorry man, but there's not much else I can do for you then… Maybe she'll call you and you can figure something out. You did say you left her your number." Ryder shrugged, getting up out of the chair and walking into the kitchen. "You want something?"

"Water's fine." Finn called back, taking out his phone and spinning it around in his fingers. Part of him wanted desperately for her to call, but then there was the other half of him. The half that was horrifyingly confused by what he was feeling. The half that knew if he got involved, it might bring up things from his past that he didn't want brought back up. The half that was afraid of what it would do it him, but most importantly of what it would do to her.

Then it rang.

Unknown number.

"Hello?" Finn said after hitting answer.

"Hello? Finn? This is Rachel."

His heart dropped and then sprang up, leaping about in his chest. "Hi."

"Hey!" She sounded more…. Happy than usual.

"Uh.. What's up?" _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid._

"Nothing! You said to call if I was ever in need of a friend so… here I am!" Her voice was much too peppy. Something was off. Then again, he'd only met the girl twice. How was he to know what was normal for her?

"Oh, yeah okay um…" He looked up as Ryder reentered the room, pointing to his phone. Ryder mouthed, _Is it her?_, as he handed Finn his water. Finn nodded, taking the bottle, before returning to the call. "How about we meet at Le Bar Chicago? I know it's down near your place." _And far enough away from here I won't have to worry about running into anyone._ He kind of felt bad for thinking that but…

"Okay! I'll meet you there in an hour?"

"Sounds good."

"Bye Finn!" Her small voice rang in his ears as she ended the call, the dial tone now playing.

Hanging up, Finn took a big swig of the water then stood up.

"Where are you going?" Ryder asked.

"I've got a date with Rachel." Finn replied, placing his phone back in his pocket and walking out the door.

**Don't forget to leave a review telling me what you think!**


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Glee, Drama, Romance