Authors Notes: This is where it starts to get a little …complicated ;) Might serve you well to read the notesin the linkin my profile (it won't let me put the link in here), especially if you've never seen the episodes Blurred Between The Lines, and Common Language.
Your Love Is King – Chapter 9
The colour drained completely from Charlie's face as she stared at Gina, "My-my baby." She eventually stammered.
"We're looking for her." Gina assured her, "There's officers out everywhere."
"My baby!" Charlie repeated, feeling physically sick. "Where is she! You've lost her!"
"Shhh!" Gina held onto Charlie's arms, almost shaking her. "Rebecca will be fine, we'll find her!"
Charlie scoffed, "There's people out there who've tried to kill us!" Her voice was loaded with emotion and she clutched desperately at Gina. "And they've got my baby girl!"
"She might have just wandered off…"
"Can you hear yourself!" Charlie thundered, "There's perverts out there! There's people who've shot Smithy. SHE'S TWO!" She pulled away from Gina. "She doesn't just wander off! She knows not to go with anyone she doesn't know, god knows we've told her enough."
"Charlie!" Gina held the trembling woman as her knees buckled under her and she fought to keep Charlie upright. "Calm. Down."
"CALM DOWN!" Charlie clutched at the counter beside them. "I need to find my baby!" She pulled back from Gina, stalking towards the front door, ignoring Gina's shouts to go back.
"Dadda…" Rebecca sniffled, pushing away the man who was holding her. "Mummy…"
"Oh for gods sake." Tony scowled. "Shut the brat up!"
"HMPH!"
"She heard that boss…" Peter frowned, picking Rebecca up as she glared at him.
Tony turned his head to look at Peter, glaring hard. "Just do as you're told."
"…Boss." Peter nodded quickly, carrying Rebecca out the room as she tried to wiggle free, crying for her parents.
"Mummy…" Rebecca whimpered. "Want Daddy….mummy….nana!"
"Just get the wheelchair."
"Dale, I don't."
"CHARLIE!"
Charlie shrank back as Smithy raised his voice, backing off slightly.
"Charlie, I'm sorry." Smithy sighed, attempting to pull himself off the bed. "We have to find Becca…"
Charlie nodded, sniffing back the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks as she wheeled the chair nearer the bed.
"I didn't mean to-" Smithy trailed off as Charlie helped him stand, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.
"It's alright…" Charlie guided him from the bed to the wheelchair. "Gotta find Becca."
Smithy turned and sank into the chair, pulling a blanket from the bed, covering his legs with it. "If anyone asks, we're going for fresh air."
Charlie fiddled with the breaks as Smithy placed a hand on her arm. "I need you." He looked up, "You have to stay strong, sweetheart."
Charlie nodded again, swallowing hard. "I know…" She stammered softly. "Just find our baby…" She sniffed, releasing the breaks and wheeling him to the door.
"And you didn't follow her?" Neil frowned.
"With respect, Neil." Gina glared. "What was I supposed to do? Lock her in the house?"
Neil glanced around Gina's living room, sitting back on the settee, his gaze settling on the toys in the corner. "Where would she go?"
"Hospital."
"The hospital haven't seen her."
"She's not under house arrest!" Gina's glare grew in intensity.
"We both know what they'd do." Neil leant in closer. "Do they know something we don't?"
"Funny, I failed my mind reading course at Hendon."
Neil glared at Gina, but knew better than to answer back. "Thank you, Gina."
Gina stood up, jumping as the phone rang, snatching the receiver up. "Hello?" She tensed more as Adam spoke, the last remaining colour draining from her cheeks. "They've what?" She looked at Neil, before sighing. "Right…Have you got the CCTV?" She listened again, "I'll stay here, in case they come here, or anyone rings. Thanks Adam." She hung up, looking at Neil.
"Well?"
"Smithy's left the hospital." Gina frowned. "He and Charlie are looking for Rebecca."
"What are we gonna do with her boss?"
The truth beknown, Tony hadn't thought that far. Rebecca had been prime pickings, alone in the garden. He'd only gone to see who was in the house, realising after seeing Charlie at the hospital that she hadn't been in the house when it had gone up. Rebecca had seen him and had started toddling towards the house to tell Gina, as Tony realised he'd had to do something and had seized his opportunity, taking her from the garden. "Nothing like a finger through the post to make them see sense."
"Boss!" Peter swallowed, attempting to work out where he'd agreed to go along with this. "This isn't like the army." He attempted to reason. "They're coppers, they're gonna work out soon enough that you're out and –"
"SHUT UP!" Tony raised his voice, glaring as Rebecca started shouting for her parents. He stood up and waked over to her. "Do you want to see your daddy, sweetheart?" He asked, his voice dripping with false sweetness.
Rebecca glared at the man from under her eyelashes, nodding.
"Then shut it." He snarled, "Otherwise daddy ain't gonna live to-" He glared as Rebecca started whimpering and crying again. "Get her out of here."
"Boss, I dunno-"
"Get her out!"
Peter picked Rebecca up and carried her towards the door, glancing back as he cuddled her.
Rebecca half heartedly cuddled back, glad of a little bit of comfort at least, after being cold, tired and hungry.
"Shall we get you something to eat?" Peter asked, bouncing her slightly, one sure way to get her quiet if something was in her mouth.
Rebecca whimpered and sniffled, rubbing her eyes with one hand, looking at Peter. "Daddy?" She said pleadingly. "My mummy?"
"I'm sorry sweetheart." Peter sighed, shaking his head. "Not yet…"
Rebecca whimpered again and went limp in Peter's arms, sobbing for all she was worth.
Charlie helped Smithy into her car, laying him across the backseat. "We're gonna have to dump the car…"
"I need some clothes." Smithy frowned, pulling the hospital gown back down over his legs.
Charlie checked Smithy was settled before getting in the drivers side, adjusting the mirror, "I'll get some," She said, starting the car, driving at speed, but carefully so as not to hurt Smithy. She parked outside a small secluded menswear shop, slipping inside, grabbing the first pair of trousers, shirt, jumper and shoes she could see in Smithy's size, drumming her fingers impatiently on the table as she waited for the assistant to finish, biting her bottom lip hard to stop herself from crying as she thought of Rebecca. Once done, she all but ran out the shop, out to the car, helping Smithy dress carefully, easing him out the car to do his shirt up for him and slipped the jumper over his head, helping him push his arms through. "You warm enough?"
Smithy nodded, wincing slightly as he did the trousers up, throwing the gown out of the car. "Fine." He smiled tightly, pressing his lips against Charlie's. "You alright?" he asked, obviously worried she wouldn't be able to handle what was happening.
Charlie nodded quickly, "Let's find Becca." She said, easing Smithy back into the car and lifting his feet to put the shoes on.
Once she had finished, Charlie started the car, speeding off quickly, getting a good 10 minute head start on Gina who was then told about Charlie's card being used at the shop. Gina called out for Tony, informed Adam, and sped over to the shop…
(A/N: Just to clarify - it's not Tony Stamp! Please read the notes in my profile to get the history)