Title: Blood Oath

Rating: PG-13 (some mild violence, a couple f-bombs)

Characters: Charlie Crews, Dani Reese, Karen Davis, a few OCs

Pairing: Pre-Crews/Reese

Summary: Crews and Reese pick up a case that's personal for Dani and allows Charlie to learn a little about his partner's childhood.

Spoilers/Time Period: Set some time in Season One after A Civil War but before Dig A Hole.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters (sans the Ayers) aren't mine, but the situation is.

Author's Note: This is meant to fit into established canon as much as possible, though you may feel you need to fudge a little. However, everything we saw onscreen has happened or will happen in this universe. This is the first book of a trilogy; the second and third will take place post-series. This story mostly sets those two up.

Chapter One: A Kidnapping

"Looks like they ran him off the road, pulled him out, then shot him," Dani Reese summarizes as she leans her head into the wide-open taxi door. Behind her, the cabby's body, already examined, is being loaded into a body bag. Her gloved hand picks through the normal trash of a cab, receipts and a couple fast food napkins, in search of the driver's cash bag.

"Talk about road rage," her partner speaks up as he looks through the backseat.

"Lots of money still here. I don't think robbery was a motive."

"Reese," Crews calls for her, motioning to a dark stain on the rear passenger's side seat. "Blood. If they pulled him out and shot him, how did blood get back here?"

"A passenger. Question is, was the fare a perp or another victim?"

Reese comes around to the other rear door and leans in to examine the blood.

"Got a purse," Crews announces, pulling out the bag and rifling for ID.

"Maybe the shooter was in the back seat, forced the driver to drive into the guardrail, then shot him. But he didn't take the money…"

"She," Crews corrects. "Our passenger was a woman. Kathryn Ayers. Kathryn Conroy Ayers."

Reese looks up abruptly, eyes widening with what Charlie's come to recognize as fear. "Give me that."

He studies her as she grabs and looks at the ID, concerned by the worry in her face.

"Oh, God."

It is the most emotional outburst he's ever witnessed from her on the job.

"Reese, what's wrong?"

"I know her. Katie. We grew up together. Three doors down. We were inseparable."

His mind unconsciously brings up the image of a tiny little Dani running wild with a little version of the woman in the photo. Maybe tea parties were involved. No. Probably cops and robbers.

"Crews," Reese's shaky voice breaks through and he centers himself back in the moment, knowing with a gnawing sense in his stomach what comes next. "This is a kidnapping."

Charlie nods grimly and turns to alert the uniforms to the change in the case.

"Crews," she calls for him again. He gives her his undivided attention, wondering if a comforting hand would cross the line she's drawn between them. "I just saw her for lunch a month ago." Her eyes dart down to the license in her hand, and then back up to Charlie. "She was almost eight months pregnant."

"That means…"

"She probably still is."

"But not for long."

Dani shuffles her feet anxiously as she waits for Katie to get permission to come outside and play. Normally she'd have her bike, shiny and new from her tenth birthday some months back, thrown onto the front lawn, but her usual mode of transportation has been taken away after a recent argument with her father. Her long, unruly hair is tied back in a braid, but it weighs heavily and warmly on her back. She fidgets again. Every moment spent waiting is another moment in which her father might get home. If she's disappeared into the maze of backyards and cul-de-sacs when he comes, he'll let her be, but if he drives by as she stands on the Conroys' doorstep, he'll send her home for sure.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon."

"Hey," Katie finally says, hurrying out the door, grabbing for her hand. "Let's go. We've got 'til dark. Hurry, before she makes us take J along."

They head into the backyard, through the Mulligans' abutting lawn and onto the street behind, all still within a good yelling distance, but away from the watchful eyes of their mothers. There's a tree, in a little stand of woods on common neighborhood land. Dani's up their special tree with a running start, turning to help Katie struggle onto the perfectly shaped branches. Once settled in, they run through the list of usual topics: school and classmates and oppressive teachers, Dani's fights with her father, Katie's complaints of big sisterhood. There's giggling whenever the topic of boys is broached, but god forbid they ever try to talk to one.

As the sun begins to droop, Dani unconsciously runs her thumb against the scar on her pinky, one Katie has the twin to, and listens carefully for her mother's call or her father's shout.

"Think we'll still be in the same class in middle school?" Katie asks, idly tracing patterns into the branch with a stick.

Middle school is still most of a school year away, but it's all the fifth graders can talk about.

Dani, who's been shredding leaves and letting the little pieces sprinkle onto the ground below, bites her lip thoughtfully.

"I dunno. Hope so."

"Me too."

"Winthrop Sánchez," Detective Crews explains, identifying their cabby victim. "Took the wrong fare, at the wrong time."

"Probably didn't see much threat from a pregnant woman," Lt. Davis nods, arms crossed over her chest. "What kind of sick freak…" She trails off, looking at Dani. Her jaw and eyes are set firmly, which Davis knows is just a sign of how much inner turmoil she must be in. "You gonna be okay on this one, Detective?"

Reese nods mutely, then murmurs: "Gotta be."

"Alright, the uniforms are canvassing their asses off and the alerts hit the radio and TV stations. Call all the hospitals, put them all on alert for any newborns, but also ask about recent kidnapping attempts in the nurseries. This could be about the baby. What about the family? She marry into money? Could that be a motive? Have they gotten any ransom calls?"

Reese shakes her head. "No, no. Her husband's a Marine, still in Iraq. Got a call in to his base, they're doing what they can to notify him. Parents are dead. I'm still trying to track down Jake."

"Jake?" Crews questions.

"Her cokehead brother," Reese says. "Small time dealer. Narc's on the look out for him."

"Think this could be drug-related?"

"It's possible. Only by association with Jacob."

"Also, little blond, blue-eyed babies sell pretty well. Work both angles," Davis commands. "Baby stealer and drug trouble. Any prints from the cab?"

"Still waiting for the results," Crews answers.

"Good. This is our top priority now. Pregnant kidnapping victim, so time is of the essence. And," Davis's eyes lock with Dani's, "We treat it like she's one of our own. Pull out all the stops."

Reese nods curtly, then practically sprints to her desk to get started on those calls.

"Crews," Davis calls the lanky redhead back. "Keep an eye on her. If you think she can't handle it…"

"They're close?"

"As kids especially. As far as I know, the only childhood friend who stuck it out."

Crews nods and then hurries to join his partner.

Dani watches as Katie shakes her head in yet another polite refusal of an offered joint or drink, seeing the frustration mounting in the surrounding guys.

"Aw, c'mon, Conroy. It's one little drink. No one's gonna run and tell Daddy. You won't even feel anything."

Sidling up alongside her friend, Dani intervenes, "Leave her alone. She said she doesn't want any. Her choice." She scoops the cup out of Kurt Mulligan's hand and takes a sip of the beer. "Besides, she's my DD, and I'd like to get home alive."

Kurt looks skeptical. "We live ten blocks from here."

"Lot can happen in ten blocks," Dani shrugs. "I'm not looking to get picked up by a squad car for swaying a little too much as I walk home. I bet if you all ask really nice, she'll even drop you off, too. Right, Kate?"

Katie grins warmly at the obviously tipsy Dani leaning on her shoulder.

"As long as we save room for Doofus over there." She gestures with her chin to her little brother Jacob, fourteen, who is trying to prove his worthiness by pretending to expertly smoke a joint. Everyone knows he's only here because wherever Dani Reese goes, Kathryn Conroy goes, and Jake is never far behind. Jake is as susceptible to peer pressure as Katie is resistant. They are PKs, preacher's kids, and have come out on opposite sides of the spectrum.

Kurt shrugs and moves off.

Dani smiles. "So, how about a soda for the DD?"

"Last of the hospitals," Reese blows out a hard breath, slamming the phone down.

"Birthing centers, too. No leads?"

Reese shakes her head.

"Any word on the brother?"

Reese shakes her head. "If it was that stupid tweaker that got her into this, I'm gonna…"

There's a commotion at the entrance, then a uniform calling for Detective Reese.

"Says he knows you, Detective. He's got something important on the…"

"Dani!" the young man in Bobby's custody calls out. He's a couple years younger than Charlie's young partner, too skinny and filthy, dark circles and sunken cheeks. He's twitchy, obviously crashing down from a high. "Dani, help, please."

"Yeah, that's who we need. We'll take him from here, Officer Stark."

Bobby nods and shoves the kid into Charlie, who grabs the bone thin arm and leads Jake Conroy into interview one. All the way, Jake sobs, "I fucked up, Dani. I fucked up so bad…"

His words seem to be confirming their fears that the brother's drug problems spilled over into the sister's life, but instead of relieved at the prospect of some progress, Reese just looks even more pissed. She grabs him from Charlie's grip once they're in the room, throwing him into the chair.

"How'd you fuck up this time, Jake, huh? You get Katie involved in your shit? She's gonna be a mom."

"I know, I know," Jake continues to sob, hauling out his cell phone and slamming it open on the table.

Charlie's blood runs cold as the picture message is revealed: a battered, pregnant Katie Ayers tied to a chair. Then, a text. "The stash, the cash, or your sister 12 hours to decide. Will txt more then." Before Dani can leap across the table, Crews intervenes.

"Alright, Jake," he says as gently as possible. "You're gonna need to start giving Detective Reese a great reason not to kill you, and you're gonna have to start right now. What stash, what cash, and who took your sister?"

Jake takes several calming breaths, wiping madly at his face. "I got in over my head with the Kings. Couldn't afford the habit anymore." His eyes snap up to Dani with a mournful gaze. "Never was a saint like Kate. Couldn't be strong like you. No matter how much she pushed, never could get clean." He lets his head fall again. "Started slinging to work off my debt, but the temptation got too great."

"You skim off the top or put the product up your nose instead of the customer's?" Dani asks, her voice deadly cold.

"Both."

"Oh, you idiot… You useless piece of…"

Dani Reese is usually pretty damned intimidating in an interview, but even Charlie's scared of the rage boiling underneath Dani's skin. He wants to help her kill this weak kid, slowly, for what he's putting her through, but one of them needs to remain calm, and he's the only one that can afford to.

"Dani, I'm sorry. Please, just get her back. I'd die if anything happened to her or my nephew."

Charlie looks back up to Dani's face. Her eyes seem to echo the sentiment.

"Twelve hours," Crews notes.

"She doesn't have twelve hours. That kinda stress, she could be in labor already."

"A woman in labor added onto a couple of probably high drug dealers turned kidnappers?" Crews says. "Not gonna go over well."

"We need to get her out, now," Dani says, steely.

Charlie turns to wide-eyed Jake. He slides a pad at him roughly. "Start writing, Jake. Names, addresses, phone numbers. Anything you know about anyone related to the Kings. Got it? The more detailed the better."

TBC