What now?

After spending nearly twenty minutes explaining that she had no idea what was going on to the dispatch officer, Charlie was finally told that an ambulance and a couple cruisers were on their way and that she should just stay there.

Hanging up with them, she took a deep breath and speed dialed Rion as she petted the guard dog. Answering on the second ring with her usual cheerfulness, she picked up “What?” Knowing the only way to tell Rion bad news was to bombard her with it as simply as she could, Charlie barely gave her time to breathe before launching into an explanation.

“I'll be over in ten” she said and the line went dead. Cursing in pain when she bumped her calf, she sighed and lolled her head back against the bed. A small whine came from beside her and she looked down to see the dog giving her puppy eyes so it could lay against her good leg. “Go ahead, you deserve a good petting for biting him” she scratched under his muzzle and he laid down, resting his head on her thigh and closing his eyes.

~~

Hardly more than five minutes had passed by the time she heard screeching tires and sirens not far behind. Groaning and running a hand over her face at the impending doom, Charlie felt the dog stiffen at the sound of new guests and patted him on the head. “Brace yourself, shit just got real” the dog tilted its head at her for a moment and then a loud bang from downstairs sounded as the front door was flung open.

“Where is he? I'mma fuckin' kill 'em!” was shouted from below and the confused dog switched between looking at the door and at Charlie's face. Shaking her head, she closed her eyes and yelled “Up 'ere!”

Rushed footsteps came up the stairs and popping up in the door frame holding a Katana from their display case with her platinum blonde hair tangled in a mess from undoubtedly leaving the window down in her car and her eyes wild with anger, was Rion. Holding her hand up and waving lazily, Charlie welcomed her “Howdy”

Immediately set off in a search for the enemy with her sword at the ready, Rion even checked Izzy's bathroom behind the shower curtain until she felt satisfied that he wasn't in hiding somewhere. “Is that blood?” she pointed at the smears around the carpet near Charlie and launched into a frenzied rant about how she'd forgotten to mention she'd been hurt on the phone.

“If I had, you would've imploded from rage” the younger girls explanation fell on deaf ears as Rion was already running to the window and screaming for the police to get their asses up there with the EMT's.

In no time at all the house was filled with detectives gathering evidence and taking the girls' statements while an EMT tended to Charlie's leg. “So you'd called and when she didn't pick up you got worried so you came over to check on her, then you saw that the house was trashed and heard something from upstairs so you chose to go investigate it and there you were attacked by a strange guy and then this dog appeared out of nowhere and helped you. Is that correct?”

Nodding along with everything the detective said, the redhead replied “You forgot to add in that the guy completely disappeared like a fuckin' ninja” Pursing his lips, the detective wrote down a few things in his notepad and asked her to describe the assailant. “Six two, curly brown hair to his chin, hazel eyes, Caucasian, had a tattoo of a cross on his left forearm and he was wearin' a black muscle tee with dark blue jeans and work boots”

Giving her a strange look, the detective was temporarily distracted by an officer coming over and explaining her findings to him. Sitting on the ground next to Charlie with the dog in between them, Rion glared daggers at the people busily working in the town home. Nudging her with her elbow, the younger girl said “Stop scowlin', we'll find her”

Landing her fierce gaze on the redhead, Rion retorted “Not with this shit, we won't. They're toying with us, they think we're just bullshitting them and will more than likely put this case on the back burner because we all have records”

Shrugging, Charlie played with the dogs fur as she mumbled out “Don't mean we can't look on our own” she looked up at the detective with an entirely fake calm exterior when he turned back to them and started speaking. “Alright, it looks like we've done all we can here for the day and we'll take everything back to the lab to get looked at. For now it'd be best if none of you left the city until we get things under wraps”

The blonde scoffed and Charlie had to force herself to reach her hand out and shake the detectives hand rather than punch him in the dick. “Thank you for your cooperation, we'll be in touch” he nodded at Rion who's face was turned away in defiance like a child and walked off. Getting up and holding her hand out for Charlie to take for some help getting up, the elder girl scrunched her face up in annoyance.

Hobbling to her feet with the help, Charlie thanked the EMT as he left and leaned on Rion's shoulder for help walking since the paramedic had numbed it. The dog not needing to be told to follow them and already on their heels. Making it down the stairs with curses muttered that'd made nearly everyone wide eyed, the girls grabbed Charlie's boots from the floor and started for the door when they were stopped by the detective.

“We're going to need to take the dog in as evidence” Finally letting her mask down, Charlie snorted and tossed back “To hell you are” and proceeded to wobble out of the house. Protests were ignored as Rion helped her to her bike and she pulled on her boots. “You sure you wanna ride back?” she asked and Charlie nodded. “I ain't leavin' my baby here for shit, besides. I'm already injured, I don't need you killing me in a car accident” she grinned at her long time friend and received a casually insulting gesture with her middle finger.

~~

Arriving back at the shop with a massive headache and her leg feeling like it was on fire, Charlie parked her bike and hadn't even fully gotten off before she was assaulted by a blonde midget running at her. “Momma! Are you hurt?” her little boy Nico asked as he clung to her hand. Bending down and kissing the top of his head, she reassured him that it was just a scratch and he practically demanded to help her inside.

Charging inside and dragging his limping mother behind him, Nico went straight for the couch in the lobby and ordered her to sit. “Your father's been rubbin' off on you too much” she joked. “You only say that because he act's just like you” Fenris said as he walked out from the hall with Paige and Anna right behind him.

Flapping her hand in dismissal, she grabbed Nico and pulled him on her lap so she could hug him. The bell above the door rang and in came Rion and the dog as obedient as ever following closely behind. “Now that everyone's here, explain” Paige demanded before the blonde had even sat down.

Rion divulged the information on what happened and Charlie filled in the blanks, getting everyone caught up on the whole situation in no time. “Shit, what the hell happened to Izz?” Shaking her head, Charlie said “I dunno, but there were clear signs of a struggle and I know Izzy wouldn't go without a fight”

“I hope she's okay” Anna mused, her eyes glazed over as she thought about what could've happened to her dear friend. Slinging an arm over her shoulder and hugging her, Paige tried to encourage her with positive thoughts while Fen, Rion and Charlie discussed what would be done with the police.

“I don't think they'll help worth a shit, all they see is a rap sheet and it's all fucked from there” Rion exclaimed, her tone bitter and a scowl on her face. Shaking his head, Fen said “I hate to say it, but she's right. If we're gonna find Izzy we're gonna to have to do it ourselves” Sighing, Charlie hid her face behind Nico and muttered an agreement.

With Anna no longer looking like she was gonna curl into a ball and weep, Paige turned back to the conversation at hand. “What now?” After a quick kiss to Nico's cheek, Rion stood up and stretched her arms out. “Now, I'mma smoke and get somethin' to eat” Glancing at the clock and realizing a lot more time had passed than she'd thought, Charlie added “Since it's eight, I'mma feed the little monster and get him to bed”

Without being asked, Fen picked Nico up and offered the redhead his other hand in case she wanted help up. Taking it with a grateful smile, Charlie waddled towards the back where the stairs were to their apartment above the shop.

“Wait, guys” Paige stopped them and everyone turned to see her pointing at the dog. “What do we do with him?” Looking at each other for a split second before they both shrugged, Rion tossed over her shoulder “I'm goin' to the bar, catch ya later” and strolled out of the shop with her jacket in one hand and a pack of cigarette's in the other.

“Nico, didn't you say you wanted a dog? We're gonna keep 'em, so you can name 'em whatever you like” Excitement brightening his face, Nico asked his father to let him down and ran to the dog, intending to pet him and instead got licked in the face. Giggling, he scratched his side and looked up to his dad for approval. “If your mom said it was fine, I don't care”

Bouncing with glee, Nico started asking the dog if it liked this name or that until finally he chose one he thought fitting. “Clark!” snickering at the odd name, his parents ushered him and Clark upstairs so they could eat. “We're gonna go with Ri, Anna needs a pick-me-up” Paige announced and they said their goodbyes.

“Well, I guess now's a stupid time to ask if you're stayin' over” Charlie joked and Fen let out a chuckle while he helped her climb the stairs. “Even if you said no I'd still stay, I don't like not knowing if you're alright” she gave him a reassuring look and they finally made it up the stairs.

Knowing she'd refuse any attempt to help her change out of her ruined leather pants, Fen took Nico into the kitchen of the apartment the four women shared above the shop and set about making dinner while Charlie hobbled to her bedroom and sat on the edge of her king sized bed.

Bending over to slip off her boots for the final time that day, she took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. The events of the day overloading her head with mixed emotions; She couldn't stop worrying over Izzy or imagining what the guy in her house could've done to her before she'd gotten there.

Closing her eyes and rubbing her temples, she tried to think of a rational explanation for all of this and an idea clicked in her mind. Izzy had been in a relationship with quite a few bad guys – Well, they all had. But that was besides the point – but one guy in particular came to Charlies attention.

Before Izzy had cleaned herself up and started working at the Saloon, she'd been with a guy that treated her like shit and fueled her addictions. She'd talked about him a few times with the girls, mostly just here and there, but each time she spoke of him she'd practically shut down all her emotions and go pale.

Perhaps he could've decided he couldn't live without her and took her by force? She let her mind wander to all the possibilities, driving herself mad with each crazy idea. Scratching her earlobe like she did when she was irritated, she tossed all her thoughts aside and focused on one thing – Finding out where Izzy was and if she was okay.