Chapter 9: Arguments or "Be Careful."

Disclaimer: I own only what Rowling doesn't. :P
Songs:
Stand by Rascal Flatts
Better Than Drugs by Skillet-Ian about Phoenix

5:30 AM, Sunday, October 23, 2011, 2940 38th St. Apartment 202, NYC, NY, America

"It's here!"
Phoenix jumped on Ian, who grunted and tried to rolled over and go back to sleep. Phoenix poked him some more before climbing under the covers and running her hands over his chest, kissing him and licking his neck. She smirked when he opened one eye and glared at her.
"Do you have any idea what time it is, witch?" he grumbled, catching her wandering hands and kissing her palms. "What is so important that you have to wake me up so early?"
"The information came," she informed him, licking his fingers and sucking on one. He nodded and slipped his free hand to the waistband of her boxers. "If you get up now, I might decide to reward you later," she whispered, moving closer to nibble his ear. Ian yawned and sat up, pulling her with him.
"Okay, what do you want to show me?" he asked, shaking his head to wake himself up. She smirked and pulled him into the living room, where a barn owl waited patiently for them to remove his parcel. Phoenix did so and gave him a owl treat. She slit the envelope's top and turned it over, dumping out the contents onto the coffee table. Ian took one glance at them and wondered how Phoenix could bear to look at them.
Potter was barely recognizable, his face was beaten up and and the scar on his forehead had been cut off, blood covered his face from the wound, the white of his skull showing through the red. His body was broken and battered, someone had plunged a knife into his flesh far more than was needed to kill him. Ian slid the photo aside and looked at the ruined face of Blanche Potter. Her hair had been hacked off, blood matted parts where the scalp had been cut. Bruises, probably inflicted postmortum, peppered her face and body. Like Potter, she had been stabbed, hacked to pieces.
He knew what was coming next, yet he didn't want to look. But Phoenix turned the picture over.
He had known Lily Potter was a baby when she died, but she looked so young, lying broken and bloody by her crib. And James...the poor little boy hadn't stood a chance. None of them had. Carefully, Ian took the pictures from Phoenix and put them back in the envelope. Tears glittered on her cheeks, tears of pain and grief for Potter and his family. He wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry into his shoulder as she mourned anew her murdered family.

***

Monday, October 24, 2011, NYPD Homicide HQ

"I don't know exactly who did it, Lieutenant, but I have an idea. These murders were all done by the same person, as I have been saying. And I have reason to believe that the person who has been killing people in our city killed another family in London on November 5, 2007."
Lieutenant Secora stroked his chin, before looking up from examining and comparing the crime scene photos. "Does the British department have any suspects?"
"No, sir." Phoenix's face fell, but she took a deep breathe and pressed on, pressing two fingers to her temple. Merlin, Circe and Morgana, she had a mother-fucker of a headache and she desperately wanted a cigarette. How long had it been since she had thrown that pack away? 9 days, 17 hours, 23 minutes and 45...46...47 seconds, she thought, silently groaning. Damn Ian!
"Gallagher?" the lieutenant's voice startled her out of her mental rant.
"Sorry sir, rough night."
"I see. Well, I'll look over your files, see if I can find anything that rings true with what you said. Dismissed. And Gallagher," Phoenix turned from the door to look at her lieutenant, "get some sleep."
"Yes sir." Phoenix shot him a wary grin and closed his office door behind her.
Ian waited until they were in their office to voice his opinion.
"Phoenix, I'm saying this as you partner, not as your lover or even a friend, okay?" He waited until she nodded and continued. "You look like hell, Gallagher. I don't know what's up, if you're upset because of the case or what, but you need to get more sleep, like the lieutenant said. Now, I don't care how you do it, if you have to take pills or," he lowered his voice, "brew a potion, but please do."
"I'm fine, Malfoy," she snapped, turning her back to him and turning on her computer. "Leave me alone, I don't need you looking over my shoulder. Ian lifted his hands in surrender, smiling worriedly as he went to his desk.

***

Tuesday, October 25, NYPD Homicide HQ, NYC, NY, America

"I'm going back to the scene of the first murder, Ian, see if I can find anything."
"Okay, just a minute, I'll be ready to go."
"Ian, I'm going alone. The techs are rigging me with this new bug, they can hear me, I can hear them, but it's undetectable. Don't worry, I'll be fine."
"Uh huh. You know serials often return to the scene. Be careful."
Phoenix smirked and blew him a kiss. "Always."

*******

Phoenix knew something was wrong as she slit the seal on the door to the first family's house. As she stepped into the door, she pulled out her wand, ready to cast a stunning spell.
She knew something was out there, but she couldn't figure out what. She turned to reached up to activate the bug when a door slammed behind her.
"Stupify!"
Phoenix didn't have time to dodge the spell; it hit her before she could open her mouth to scream.