The tattoos that Issy gets are on the Pinterest board for this fic if anyone wonders what they look like.

Issy swallowed, she didn't know what to say so instead she pulled his arms further around her body until they were flushed against each other and Issy laced her fingers into his hair. They carried on dancing into the night with Issy in his arms, where Issy felt the safest.

Issy wakes up in her bed with absolutely no idea how she got there. The last thing she remembers is sitting back down at the table after dancing with her girls. Slowly, she cracks one eyelid open. The light hits her and she groans quietly as her head begins to hurt. Umm, yay, hangover… Issy thinks to herself, scrunching her nose up at the lingering taste of alcohol in her mouth. Gradually, Issy manages to stand, gripping her bedside table as her vision darkens and she begins to sway.

Baby steps, then.

The time it takes Issy to get into the kitchen and make a cup of coffee is painful. The time is takes for Issy to feel remotely human and sociable is several more cups of coffee and hours of Issy nearly crying to herself over the fact that she's tripped over nothing more times than she can count.

Later in the day, Issy will realise how dramatic she's being but for now she'll clutch another cup of coffee and revaluate her life choices…

xXx

She felt more like herself by lunch time and Issy was thankful of it too as there was some kind of alarm that was slowly getting louder and louder.

Her patrol alarm.

Issy swore darkly.

Within minutes Issy was on her feet and pulling on her patrol uniform. She didn't want to do this shit. Last time the alarm went off, they were being sent to Amity and look how well that turned out? Her boots were on, her keys were clipped the loop of her jeans and she wasn't ready at all. As a precaution, Issy took a mouthful of whiskey before she left, her eyes blinking with tears as she swallowed.

Soon enough she was out the door and running towards the garage. The alarm said common room and Issy wondered if they had new orders. Issy runs through the garage, throwing apologies over her shoulder when she nearly runs people over.

"Is there an attack?" Issy's eyes find Clark sitting at the table calmly. Then she looks around the room. "Where's everyone else?"

"No one else is coming." He motions to the chair in front of him. "Sit down Issy." Issy narrowed her eyes at Clark but pulled out a chair and sat down. There was a moment of silence before Clark started grinning. "I've asked you here to offer you the position of Squadron Captain."

Wait –

"What?" Issy half yells, her eyes wide in shock.

"I said I'm offering you –"

"No!" Issy holds up her hands to stop him. "I got that bit. But – Why me? I've only been in a squad for just under a year. I –" She shook her head in disbelief.

Clark stared at her for a moment. "Let me tell you something Issy. When my captain, when Harrison was being promoted into Leadership, I found myself in the similar situation you're in now. My fellow squad mates didn't want to take the job as captain and most of them recommended me instead. Back then I didn't want." Issy stared at him in shock. Clark loved his job and it was clear to anybody watching him. Clark shrugged. "I didn't, and now it's one of the best jobs I've done but I don't see myself as a captain of a squad forever. In your case Issy, I know you feel like you don't have enough experience but need I remind you how you got your nickname?" Issy smiles a little, uncertainty still in her eyes. "I've already asked the others; they said no straight away and then they asked if I had asked you."

Hec's smirking face appears and she suddenly understands. "But what if I fuck up? Or, or don't know what to do?"

"And that's why we have other members on a squad Issy. Ask them. I find a squad only becomes stronger if they know their captain trusts them enough to ask them of their opinion."

They're silent for a moment until Issy turns on him. "That's why you wanted me to scout out a new member wasn't it?" She realises. "And why you and Harrison have been watching me?"

Clark sighs, rubbing at his forehead. "Harrison didn't think you'd be up for it after you accident. It's one of the reasons you were off for so long too. Max put his foot down and put you back in, after all, we wouldn't know if you couldn't handle it if you didn't get back out there. I believed in you. Max agrees with me that you're a born leader and the right choice for this position."

Issy leaned back into her chair, still reeling with the information. Could she be able to constantly take charge? "Can I think about it?" Issy asks quietly.

Clark nods his head. "We'd like an answer soon Issy. So by the end of the day?"

"Thank you."

xXx

Issy doesn't even register were her feet lead her until she pushes a door open and she's greeted with quiet music playing and the buzzing sounds of a tattoo gun. Issy glances up to see Josh making his way over and she smiles a little.

"Wondered when you'd be back for a tattoo." Josh grinned and slung an arm across her shoulders and began to lead her to his station. "Wanna draw it out or have you got a copy with you?"

"Can I have some paper please?"

Josh nodded and got some paper and a pencil for Issy before collecting his tools and got them ready as she drew. To anyone else, it would just be a bunch of lines in a fancy pattern but to Issy they are symbols with meaning. Honour, Warrior, Spirit, Protect, Tribe, Perception, Home and Journey.

"They have meaning, don't they?"

"All my tattoos have meaning."

"Placement?"

"Metacarpal bones of my fingers. One on each."

"Okie dokie."

Issy spans her hands out on his worktop as he starts outlining the symbols first. Her thoughts go back to the promotion and Issy frowns.

"Hey Josh?" He glances up at her before he begins tattooing. "If you were given the choice to take a promotion one year after you started working, would you take it?"

His face brightens. "Have you been given the promotion to captain already?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

Josh looks mildly offended but smiles. "I, like many others, see a Leader in you Golden Eyes. If it was me, I'd take it."

"Huh." He wasn't exactly wrong. There were many times that Max wanted her for Leadership. Her friends and family trusted her mind and followed her orders, albeit in CTF and nothing serious… Her squad mates had followed her orders without question on the ambush when she got her nickname.

Josh concentrates on the tattoos before he speaks again. "Why'd you come here anyway?"

"Tattooing helps me think."

"Yeah," Josh snorts. "It also helps you sleep."

Issy huffs out a laugh. "That too." She watches Josh ink her designs into her skin. "Can you keep this news between just us? I wanna tell the group all together."

Josh sharply looks up then. "You gonna take it." Issy smiles and nods. "Sure thing Captain Beta!"

Issy snorted and would have pushed Josh away if he hadn't been holding a tattoo gun to her skin. Though Issy would be lying to herself if she said she didn't like the way it sounded. Captain Beta.

xXx

The skin on her fingers were still burning when Issy walked into the Pit, her head high and determination in her eyes. She stopped at the border of one of the more family friendly bars and searched the crowd.

Clark lifted a hand up as he spotted her, a question clear in his eyes.

Issy nods her head once with a smirk and her eyes bleed gold.

Clark grins back and raised his thumbs in her direction.

Her smirk widens and as she leaves, she pulls her phone out of her pocket. Within a few taps, Issy has sent a message to the Family Goals chat.

Family intervention. Be in the transfers training room in half an hour. No excuses. I have news.