Part 7

"Yeah..yeah I'd appreciate that thanks..No..I'll wait a bit longer then I'll call them..Thanks." Roy hung up the phone. It was the third time in the last two hours he had called the clinic were Rachael worked as a nurse...hoping she had gone back there for some reason. She had been called in early that morning for a short shift to replace another nurse who had gone home sick, Rachael worked part time three days a week at the clinic, but if needed they would call her in at other times. It was now nearly 9pm, and Roy had discovered Rachael had left the clinic at two in the afternoon, she normally came straight home, but even so he hadn't really started to worry until dinner time.

He walked to the bedroom door and looked in on the two children sleeping peacefully. There was no way Rachael would miss out on the chance to spend time with the kids before bed. He felt sick and his face flushed warm with worry, something wasn't right, he could feel it and years of vigilante work as Arsenal had taught him his gut instinct should be listened to.

He walked into the living room and began to pace back and forth. He didn't know what else he could do, he'd rung the Police but even before he'd dialed their number he knew they wouldn't help, Rachael hadn't been missing long enough for them to be concerned yet. He'd tried to call a sitter so he could go looking, but no one was available on such short notice, and even if he had found one, looking for one woman in this city would be an impossible task.

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After a sleepless night in which Roy had repeatedly called every hospital and clinic he could find listed. He was able to talk Suzie into canceling her plans and coming over to watch the children. As soon as they were settled watching a video he left.

His first stop was the clinic and he spoke to as many of Rachael's co workers as he could, none of them had seen her and no one had noticed her behaving differently in any way. Roy began to ask around at nearby stores and office buildings, showing a photo that he had of Rachael. No matter where he went the answer was always the same, and as the morning turned into afternoon the knot in his stomach began to tighten.

Eventually, as darkness set in, he had to give up and return home. Grateful that Suzie had given the children their dinner bathed them and tucked them into bed by the time he got home.

After he had paid her, Suzie left and Roy was left alone to battle his emotions and fears as they increased with every passing minute. He searched through memories of conversations he had shared with Rachael..He knew she had said she had no family, her father had died four years earlier and her mother when she was five...There was no where she would have gone, the only friends that Roy knew she had were her colleagues at work and he had already spoken to them.

He ran his fingers through his hair, noting vaguely that he was trembling...The fact that he hadn't eaten in twenty four hours catching up with him, his stomach was too knotted to accept food, so he opened the fridge and pulled out a can of Zesti, hoping the sugar in the drink would help in some way.

He glanced at the phone..He had promised Rachael he would call Dick last night, but he hadn't done it, not when Rachael hadn't come home, he'd had other things on his mind. Coming to a sudden decision he reached out and picked the phone up.

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Dick was talking to Bruce when his phone rang..They had been almost ready to suit up and leave for their 'night jobs' and although Bruce usually worked in Gotham, he had been consulting Dick on a case that had spilled over from Gotham into Bludhaven and the two of them had organized to meet and wrap the case up together that night.

Bruce sat down to wait as Dick answered the phone.

"Grayson spea..."

"Dick"

"Roy?" Dick asked instantly alerted to a problem by the tone of the archer's voice.

"Look I know your busy man...but I really need some help here..my detective skills are up to shit."

"Help?..On a case?"

"Well kinda man...It's Rach..she's gone."

"Rach..this is the Rachael we were talking about the other day?"

"Yeah, she's gone man and I can't find her..I've looked every where and she's just vanished."

Dick sighed, he could hear from Roy's tone that his friend was clearly distressed...Breakups were rarely amiable, and Roy obviously had fallen deeply for this woman. "I'm really sorry Roy...I don't know what to say..Did the two of you get into an argument or something?..Did she say why she left?"

There was silence for a moment as Roy processed Dicks words. "No, no man..You got it all wrong, she didn't walk out on me...She...She just never came home from work yesterday."

Dick walked over and sat in the armchair opposite Bruce, this could be a long conversation and as much as he wanted to be there for Roy, this was a really bad time. "Roy... maybe I can come over tomorrow and we can throw back a few beers and talk about it..These things have a way of looking brighter once you give it time..Anyway she might come back, you guy's obviously had a good thing going..." Dick stopped as Roy cut in angrily.

"Your not freakin listening to me man...She didn't leave me, she wouldn't have..Somethings happened to her I know it."

Dick sighed again, this wasn't going to be easy to handle without Roy getting really pissed with him. "How long have you known this woman Roy?"

"Five months...Whats that got to do with anything?"

"Well five months isn't a long time to really get to know someone, that's all."

The low growl that came from the other end of the line caught Dick off guard. "I want you to fuckin listen to me...She did not walk out on me, something bad has gone down here and I'm asking for your help...I know she wouldn't leave me, I know her better than you think...We made a commitment to be there for one another..That's not a commitment she would break."

"Roy I...What sort of a commitment?"

There was silence at the other end for a moment.."She wouldn't have walked out on me man...she wouldn't have left Sam behind."

"She left her kid there?" Dick paused, then realizing Roy had avoided his previous question he asked it again. "Roy what sort of commitment are you talking about...because man if it's just that she's moved in with you...well not everyone takes that as seriously as you or I would."

"We've been married for over a month."

"Mar...You've gotta be kidding me..No way."

Bruce looked quizzically at Dick, the conversation seemed to be taking on an interesting twist.

"I'm not joking...Look Dick..I'm begging ya man will ya help me or not?"

"Ok, ok...Look we've really got to talk...I have some things to finish up here and I'll head over your way in a couple of hours." Dick hung up, then sighed, how many times was his archer friend going to keep impulsively leaping headlong into life changing decisions...This one was the worst since...Well it was the biggest in a long time put it that way.

end 7