Charlie sat up in cold sweat and short breaths. Her muscles were aching, her nose was running, and she felt as if the walls around her were closing in. She felt like absolute shit, and it wasn't because of her drinking from earlier. Charlie struggled to get up, feeling the weight of her head multiple by ten. She glanced at the clock which read 3:08 AM. After their little drinking game last night, and her mild breakdown, both her and Jason decided to get some rest. She half expected him to throw her out of his room, but to her surprise he offered to take the couch. No matter how badly she tried, she couldn't get even a second of sleep. She just laid in bed, thinking about everything that happened during the past few days. But she knew that this wasn't the reason for her insomnia, or her shitty mood. It has been around three days since she met Jason and Dick, and two days since she ran away with them. Two days since she left Felix, and two days since she left her drugs. Charlie groaned once she realized why she was feeling this way. She was going through withdrawal.
Growing up with a drug addicted mother, Charlie never expected that she'll inherit her love for drugs. She always thought that she was better than that, and that she would never spiral like her mother always did. But once her mother died, and she was forced into prostitution, Charlie didn't have control over her life anymore. She was only fourteen when she started sleeping with men twice, even three times, her age. She needed something to help relieve her from everything going on in her life. She needed an escape, even if momentarily. So she turned to drugs, just like her mother did. She developed an addiction to narcotics: opium, codeine, and oxycodone, her prime addiction. She would had expanded her taste to Felix's new drug Scarlet, but Jason and Dick got her out before she had to resort to that. She wasn't exactly proud of her addiction. She was dependent on these drugs to survive, and to make her numb for a while.
And right now she went two days without taking anything. The drinks from earlier only helped so much, but it couldn't meet her desires. She felt her anxiety starting to heighten and knew that she needed to get her hands on something. Anything. Charlie remembered seeing Jason take some painkillers the day before, to help deal with his gunshot wounds. Even if they weren't as strong as oxycodone, and can't provide her with the same relief, it was still better than nothing. She slowly got out of bed and made her way out the bedroom door. She was careful to slowly walk down the stairs, not wanting to wake up Jason from the annoying creaks the stairs made. One step at a time, she tried to keep her weight off her feet. It was easier said than done since her headache made her feel a bit dizzy, and her shortage of breath made it difficult to walk down simple steps. But once she finally made it down, she glanced over at the couch only to see that it was empty. She looked around her surroundings and noted that there was no one in sight. Jason must have decided to take a "walk", which in vigilante terms meant leaping from roof to roof and beating up petty criminals.
A part of her was relieved that he wasn't here, making everything 10 times easier. She didn't have to worry about him waking up to her basically stealing his pills. And she didn't have to explain herself or be judged by him. The other part of her, the part that was her annoying conscience, worried about him. He had barely recovered from three gun shots, even if one just grazed him. In fact, he still had a damn bullet still inside of him. The last thing he needs right now is to be running around in a helmet. Charlie concluded that her new drinking buddy was either reckless, stubborn, stupid, or all three combined.
Nevertheless, she only had one thing on her mind: getting those pills. Without wasting anytime, she quickly scavenged through his drawers and cabinets, searching for a little pill, any pill. Charlie released a heavy sigh once she opened a cabinet that revealed dozens of packets of painkillers. She thanked whatever higher power there is that she was currently residing at the home of a vigilante, someone who needs to stock up on as much painkillers possible. She quickly grabbed two vials of pills and closed the cabinet, before making her way back to the bedroom.
Once she was comfortably back on the bed, she spilled three little tablets onto the palm of her hand. Without any hesitation, she popped them into her mouth and threw her head back to swallow them. Instantly, she felt her anxiety lower a bit. Even if it wouldn't give her the same thrill that she craved for, it was enough to give her a good nights rest. She hid the two vials that she took underneath the pillow and laid her head down, ready for sleep to engulf her.
Charlie gave out a frustrated sigh as she tried to turn on the stove. It was early in the morning, and she had a massive hangover. Her initial plan was to cook something like eggs to satisfy her grumbling stomach. Unfortunately, she came to the conclusion that Jason had never cooked a meal in his life, since the only stove in his apartment doesn't function. She resorted to aiding her hangover by drinking water and eating the bread she managed to find in the cabinet. The only thing she missed about Felix's mansion was the elegant kitchen stocked with as much food and snacks that pleasured her. Now, all she had was beer, bread, a few fruits, instant noodles, more beer, and more bread. She looked over her shoulder to see her bread loving host snoring away on the couch, who must had returned home when she fell fast asleep. Just like when he got shot, his face is calm and peaceful. She felt her lips curl into a smile, remembering their conversation the previous night. It was the first time that she let her guard down, allowed her walls to break, and showed someone just how vulnerable she is. It was also the first time she saw a different side of him. He wasn't just the man in the red hood, who only wanted to take out Felix. He wasn't the same man with the furrowed eyebrows, and the grim frown. He was different. She couldn't exactly describe it, but she didn't sense the usual "I must complete my mission" atmosphere. Instead, she felt safe and protected.
She decided at that moment to do something nice for him and rummaged through his fridge, bringing out a stick of butter. She found a knife and a toaster, and proceeded to spread some butter onto a piece of toast. A part of her died a little from the fact that she was actually making him breakfast, even if it was as simple as toast and butter. First it'll start off with butter, then before she knows it, she's making him a sandwich and bringing him a bottle of beer in a flowery apron, with a 50's hairdo. She spread the butter a bit harder than necessary, just picturing herself being ridiculed into that position. She was Charlotte Sage. If she was serving any man food like a stereotypical housewife, then there better be poison involved. She took a quick glance at the snoring man on the couch. He was the only exception, and this was the only time. But so God help her, if she ever hears him mumble "get back to the kitchen", she would not hesitate one bit to head to the kitchen and grab a knife to detach his precious pride of masculinity.
She placed the two pieces of toast on a plate, next to a glass of orange juice. Beside it was a little note that she scribbled down for when he woke up. Charlie then carefully walked up the steps, and headed straight to his bathroom. Right now, she needed a long bath to wash off the stench of alcohol.
"So pumpkin, what hurts more? A.." Jason felt excruciating pain soar through his spine as the metal crowbar pounded against him. ".. or B?"
The young Robin's pride restrained him from screaming out in agony, and instead clenched his teeth together. He raised his head up with the little strength he had and looked straight into the eyes of his torturer. Pale skin painted white. Hair dyed green. Lips colored red that were curled into a sickening grin. Laughs that echoed throughout the warehouse. Joker.
"Where is the big o' bats? Is he coming to save his precious little birdy?" Joker got down on his knee by the beaten Robin and leaned in closer, so that his red lips were right by his ears. In a low voice he snickered, "Don't worry, boy. I'm going to pluck all of your pretty little feathers off.. one.. by.. one.." Joker threw his head back and filled the warehouse with his sound of his laugh. Jason wanted nothing more than to slam the crowbar right through his throat, but couldn't move his hands. They were tied behind his back and he was laying in a puddle of his own blood. With his hands tied up, Jason could only think of one way to give Joker a big "fuck you". He pulled his head back a bit and spat blood right on his face. Joker grunted and wiped away the blood before slamming the bloodied Robin's face right on the floor, causing more blood to be spilled.
"The first Robin had more class, kid." Joker sneered.
Jason just picked up his head and grinned, with his bloody mouth and cracked teeth. If this is the end for him, then he might as well end it as Jason Todd, and not just as a Robin replacement.
"But you know what, kid? I like you. You got spunk, you got that special spark. You can take on a good ol' beating like a man. She, on the other hand.." Joker pointed the bloodied crowbar at the woman on the other side. Her cheeks were stained with tears, and her eyes were screaming with frightened thoughts. Her mouth was taped over, and her hands were tied. Jason looked at her, with his own eyes screaming. They were screaming betrayal, regret, pain, and worry. Jason looked straight into the eyes of the woman who led him to where he is right now. The blonde woman who tricked him and handed him over to the Joker. The woman who he thought he could trust and love, but only ended up hurting him. Jason looked straight into the eyes of his mother..
Jason suddenly woke up, with sweat dripping down his forehead and his hands clutched by his sides. He sat up and put his head in his hands, breathing heavily. It had been the same dream he had ever since he came back to Gotham, and yet each one was more terrifying than the previous. On days where he managed to get any rest at all, they were disrupted by his mind replaying the same scenes over and over again. He couldn't remember the last time he had an actual good nights rest.
Suddenly, the smell of toast invaded his nostrils. He picked his head up and spotted a plate of toast next to a glass of orange juice. Curious, he made his way over to the kitchen counter and noticed a piece of paper next to the breakfast.
Jaybird, don't say I never did anything for you.
P.S. What is with you and bread? Seriously, go grocery shopping. Oh, and buy a new stove
Jason rolled his eyes and took a bite from the toast. Leave it up to her to ruin a generous gesture by complaining about something, or being her usual sassy self. Still, he had to admit that this wasn't the worst thing to wake up to. Especially to wake up from a nightmare to. It wasn't anything comparable to Alfred's cooking, but it was still better than nothing. Usually he would had just skipped out on breakfast, being too lazy to make anything. He felt a slight piercing pain shoot through his head, and remembered how much he drank the previous night. He also remembered his conversation with a certain girl.
It wasn't exactly like him to be the one comforting someone. He wasn't sensitive, or soft. If he wanted to comfort someone, he would had brought them out drinking or to beat the shit out of a few people, or maybe even tell them to grow the fuck up. He got the drinking part done with Charlie, but how did he end up doing the last part? The part where he gently placed his hands on her face, and looked at her straight in the eyes with such sincerity. The part where he consoled her, and reassured her that they were going to get Felix. Together. How did Jason end up being Dick?
Why did he actually feel sympathy for her? He wasn't a robot, and he didn't lack emotions, but he sure as hell don't comprehend them. He said it himself that he doesn't deal well with emotional moments. They make him feel awkward, and out of place. So why did he stay with her? Why did he hang on to every single word that she said? Why did he actually want to find the words that was going to comfort her, and make her believe that everything was going to be okay? What was this girl doing to him?
All of these questions made Jason's headache explode even more. Maybe it was because he could relate to her so much. She grew up without knowing her father's name, and with a drug addicted mother who tried, but failed, to love her. He grew up wishing that he never knew his father, and had his own drug addicted mother. Step-mother, that is. He later found his biological mother who didn't even try to love him. She had to do what she had to in order to survive, while he had to fight to survive. She was clearly just as emotionally unstable as he was. So maybe that's why he felt different around her. It is because they are so alike, that he felt comfortable enough to comfort her. It wasn't like he was talking to a damaged prostitute crying her eyes out. It was more like he was talking to himself, someone who is struggling and fighting.
"The boy sure does love his bread."
Jason turned around to face the very same girl that was intruding his thoughts. She was still wearing his shirt, and her hair was damp, most likely from making herself comfortable in his shower. She made her way over to the counter where he was standing, and took a seat across from him on a stool. She fidgeted a bit, trying to make herself comfortable, and reached over to snatch the second piece of toast on Jason's plate. Jason replied with annoyance in his eyes, as he took a sip from the glass of orange juice. He proceeded to finish his piece of toast, as he listened to her rambling her mouth.
"You should appreciate this, Jaybird. I don't usually cook for anyone, so consider yourself my only exception."
"You didn't cook anything," Jason snorted. "You placed two slices of bread into my toaster, and splat a little too much butter onto them. Congratulations, you're a chef."
Charlie playfully stuck her tongue out, as she swallowed the last bite of toast. "Well maybe if you invested some of the money you use to buy your little toys into actually having a functional stove, then maybe I could had cooked a real meal."
"Yeah, cause I'm sure that you're a natural in the kitchen." He brought the plate and empty glass to the sink and washed them. His apartment might be old and run down, but it wasn't messy. He didn't care much for decorations, or any of that home decor stuff, but he did prefer not to live in a dumpster. He had his occasional mess here and there, like a few empty bottles laying around, or clothes crumbled on the floor. But his time in Wayne Manor, and influences from Alfred, made him accustomed to living as neat as possible.
"I'm also a natural in the bedroom," Charlie mused. "Back in Felix's I tended to spend most of my time around the kitchen with the cooks. It was either take on a hobby with them, or die from boredom in that shithole. I would spend hours in the kitchen, learning as much recipes as I can out of pure boredom."
"So you're a skilled fighter, can handle a gun with good aim, able to nurse gunshot wounds, and now you cook too? Why don't you run for Miss Gotham or something."
"Ha ha ha," Charlie said sarcastically. "And become one of those Barbies? I think I'll pass."
"You're right, you can't be a pageant girl. Because that'll mean that you will actually have to be classy."
"Hey!" Charlie smirked with amusement. "I can totally be classy. Fuck you."
Jason wiped down the plate and couldn't help but fill the room with his laugh. "I think you just ruined any chance of being classy by saying 'fuck you'." Charlie just grinned at his response. She would never admit it out loud and give him the satisfaction to his ego, but she did enjoy the sound of his laughter. It was different from his usual chuckles, or sarcastic laughs. It was genuine and actually sounded happy. She also felt proud that she was the one that made him laugh. She watched as Jason slightly winced from the pain of putting the plate back into the cabinet above him. She suddenly remembered his absence earlier and had to admit that she was curious to know where he disappeared to. "So, where did you run off to after our little cliched moment last night?"
"Cliched?" Jason scoffed. "Are you upset that I didn't stick around to cuddle or something?"
"Ew, gross. I am not a cuddler, Jaybird." She scrunched her face is slight disgust. She wasn't afraid of sexual intimacy, but physical intimacy like cuddling? Out of the question. "I came downstairs around 3 AM for.." She hesitated a bit, but quickly recovered. "..some water. And I saw that the place was cold and empty, much like your soul." The last part wasn't necessary, but she felt like as if the day wouldn't be complete if she didn't tease him at least a couple of times.
"Cold and empty, huh?" Jason leaned against the sink with his arms crossed. He couldn't help the look of amusement that took over his face. Since when did her sass go from annoying him to amusing him? "Well this cold and empty soul here was out looking for Dick. You know, trying to find out where we are with this whole Felix thing, and to see how much longer I have to babysit you, Freckles."
"Freckles?" Her face was a mixture of confusion, and disgust. Freckles was not on her list of things she enjoyed being called.
"Keep calling me Jaybird, and I'll keep calling you Freckles." Jason gave her a smug grin. If she thought that she had the upper hand here, then she was wrong.
Charlie let out a disgruntled sigh. She wasn't too fond of the nickname Freckles, but she didn't want to let him win. "Well, Jaybird. What did Dick say?"
Jason shifted his body, straightening his posture. "Why don't you ask him yourself?" He nodded his head towards his brother who had just entered through his doorway. Charlie whipped her head around and immediately broke out into a smile. With Dick here, it means that there is definitely some progress in the situation with Felix.
"Well, well, look who it is. And here I thought that you forgot about little o' me," Charlie teased as she swung her body around on the stool to face him. "Any updates?"
Dick gave her a sweet smile, before noticing her current attire. "How about some updates on you two? I'm guessing that you two had some fun yesterday," he teased.
Charlie automatically looked down and remembered that she was still wearing Jason's shirt, and her hair was still damp from her shower. Both her and Jason's faces flushed with embarrassment as they tried to defend themselves.
"Fuck! It's not what you think!" she exclaimed.
"Shut the fuck up." Jason cursed at the same time.
Dick couldn't help but laugh at the sight of their ridiculous faces. He walked over to the kitchen counter and laid out some files.
"What are these?" Charlie asked confused, with her face still slightly red.
"When I hacked Crow's laptop, I also managed to save everything from the hard-drive onto a little flash drive that I took. While you two were playing house, I went through most of the contents that looked relevant on the hard-drive and printed them out. This," he handed over a slim folder to Jason to look through, "is all of the records Crow has on the shipments her receives. It states all of the time, places, and days of when and where he receives the shipments of Scarlet. Now that would had been useful if-"
"If there was a set time, place, and day." Jason finished, closing the file that he skimmed through.
"Right. All of those places are completely different from the other. They're at random, with no sure pattern," Dick added. "We can't conclude where the next shipment is going to be. We only know that it's going to happen within the next two weeks."
Charlie reached over and grabbed another file, this one bigger than the one in Jason's hand. "What's this?"
Dick glanced over at the file that she was holding, and smiled, knowing that this one was specifically for her. "That would be all of the information there is to know about Crow's illegal sex trafficking. There's more than enough information there to convict him for life. All we have to do is slip it to Commissioner Gordon, and the police will have no choice but to take him in."
Charlie gasped a bit and brought the file up to her eyes, marveling it with thirsty eyes. All they had to do is make one little trip to the station, and she can finally breathe again. She can finally let go of the breath she's been holding in for five years. "This.. is enough to put Felix away?" She spoke slowly, as if she was trying to comprehend what was escaping form her lips. "Forever?"
Dick reached out a hand and placed it on her shoulder reassuringly "Forever, Charlie."
Charlie looked up at him and broke out in an ecstatic smile. Forever. She felt a huge weight being lifted off her shoulders. All of the trauma she had to go through for the past five years.. They can all be put to rest because of this file in her hands. Charlie couldn't contain her happiness any longer. She felt relieved, happy, and free. She jumped from her seat on the stool and gave Dick a big hug, something that caused Jason to unconsciously shift his body.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Dick chuckled and gently rubbed his hand on Charlie's back. "Don't thank me just yet, kid. We can't give the file in just yet."
Charlie's smile suddenly disappeared and she pulled away from Dick. Her eyes were fogged with confusion and anger. "Just yet? Wha- what do you mean? What are you waiting for? A fucking parade?" She was confused and disappointed. It was like someone dangled this ticket of freedom right in front of her, and just as she was about to grab it, they yanked it away. They had everything they needed right here, right now.
"We can't exactly let Crow go right now-"
"Because right now there are kids dying out there," Jason interrupted. His voice was harsh and rough. He didn't want to burst her bubble, the bubble that made her believe that everything was okay, because it wasn't. If anything, it was even more complicated than before. "There are innocent kids who are dying because of the drugs that Crow is selling, drugs that I thought he was producing too. But as it turns out, your pops is just another puppet, working for someone else. And until we find out just who that someone is, we can't let Crow go. He's our only lead."
Charlie took a few steps back, not wanting to understand. Maybe she was being selfish for wanting Felix gone right this second, but wasn't she also being selfless? "Let's not forget that Felix is also the one responsible for hundreds of girls involved in sex trafficking, and tons of girls forced into prostitution! He tore innocent girls away from their homes and shipped them to some international country. An international country, Jaybird. There's a fucking ocean between them and their families. So okay, maybe you guys are only targeting him because of his involvement with Scarlet, but don't you dare forget that his endless list of fucked up shit only ends there!"
"Charlie.." Dick tried to reason. "We know that you want Crow gone but-"
"Yes! I do want Felix gone! But not only for me, okay? I want him gone for all of the girls that have to suffer because of him! They have to live and suffer because they fear him! I want him gone for the girls who can't fight back because they're afraid that if they do, then they won't live to see another daylight! I want him gone for them!" Charlie refused to reason with anyone at this point. Her palms were getting sweaty, and her anxiety was amplifying again along with her temper. She started to feel her head pounding, her heart pounding at an accelerated rate, and her body drawing weak. Fuck, she thought. Not again. Looks like Jaybird's painkillers weren't satisfying enough. She felt herself going through another withdrawal, except this time it was worse, because she was right in front of Dick, and Jason.
"Enough." Jason's voice echoed through the small apartment. He didn't know what was her problem. Here she goes again, getting all defensive and anxious. Little did he know that all of this was driven from her withdrawal. Of course he experienced watching his step-mother go through the early stages of withdrawal, during those times when she swore off drugs. But just like how he grew up in an addicted household and swore to never involve drugs in his life, he assumed that she did the same. So he never thought of making the connections of her outbursts and anxiety to a withdrawal. He didn't want to make those connections. A part of him did consider it for a moment when they first met. But after getting to know her a little better, he wanted to convince himself that this girl was strong enough not to fall and spiral. He wanted to believe that just from dealing with her mother was enough for her to live a life with a conscious mindset. But unknown to him, he believed wrong. "We want Crow to disappear too, believe me. We know that he isn't only wanted because of his involvement with Scarlet. It's just that right now, we have to play our cards safe. Kill two birds with one stone, a stone named Felix Crow. If we can just get a little bit more information on who the fuck the Shop is, then we can take down the Scarlet manufacturing and Crow's sex trafficking. So until we can do that, bear with us. I promised you that we will take down Crow, and we will. Okay? We will." Jason's voice slowly dissolved into a gentler tone.
Charlie felt her head getting heavy, and started to get light headed. This was not the time or the place to be going through this. She needed to get her hands on something stronger, something that will satisfy her needs. She needed oxycodone. She turned around so that her back was towards them, not wanting them to see that she was feeling like complete shit. Fidgeting with the hems of Jason's shirt, she knew that there was only one place to get it- Felix's place. She needed to go back and grab her stash, but at the same time, she needed Felix gone. So there was only one clear decision to be made. After all, just like Jason said, they needed to "kill two birds with one stone". She needed to go back to the house so she wouldn't die from withdrawal, and she also needed to quicken the pace with Felix's incarceration.
"Let me go back," she offered, shocking both brothers. "Let me go back to Felix. I.. I can say that I escaped from you two or some shit. I'll make up some lie so that he won't get suspicious. Then I can snoop around the house, you know? Like being a double agent or something. I can try to find out where the next shipment is going to be, and when it's going to take place."
Dick and Jason looked at each other with concerned expressions. She was capable of fighting, they knew that. But being undercover? Was she ready for that?
"Absolutely not," Jason snarled. "You can fight girl, I'll give you that, but do you know what it means to go undercover? It means that from the moment you step back into that house, you are on your own! It's going to be hard, and it's going to be dangerous. Dick won't be there to save your ass, I won't be there to save your ass. No one is going to rescue you, because no one CAN rescue you!"
Charlie clenched her fists, partly because of Jason's aggravating words, and partly because she felt like she was going to faint. She turned back around to face them, and made sure to hide any signs of weakness in her eyes. "Well, you know what? Dick is not my knight in shining armor. YOU are not my knight in shining armor. I do not need to be rescued, because I know exactly what I am getting myself into! It's going to be dangerous? You don't say, Sherlock?! Maybe something will happen, or maybe it won't. But the only clear thing right now is that you two need to keep tabs on Felix, and I am the closest connection to him you are going to get!"
"Are you fucking kid-" Jason was nearly shouting before he got interrupted.
"Okay," Dick asserted calmly.
Jason and Charlie both turned their attention onto Dick. They both forgot that he was in the same room, even though he was literally directly between their little quarrel. Charlie's face relaxed with satisfaction that at least one of them knew that she can do this. Jason's face, on the other hand, just scrunched up with more annoyance and frustration.
"What?! Dick, you can't be serious! She can't handle this!"
"Jason," Dick said calmly, facing his brother. "She's right. We have no idea how to get to the Shop, and she's our only connection to Crow. Right now, Crow thinks that she's kidnapped. She can return home and say that she escaped from us, and he won't get suspicious. We'll give her a communicator so that way we can help if anything goes south. She's not a prisoner in Crow's house, she can come and go as freely as she wants. If she hears anything that might be a clue about the location of the shipment, or an idea of who the Shop is, then we can always meet up here, or at the club. It's risky, but it's not a bad idea."
Jason gave Dick a hard look and grunted before turning his back on the two of them. He placed his hands on the sink and lowered his head in frustration. He was clearly outnumbered, and Dick did have a good point. She wasn't in total danger, and it was their only choice. "Fine," he reluctantly agreed.
Charlie let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding, and immediately felt a sense of relief. She could go home to Felix and try to find out more about this Shop. She could go home to her stash.
"So.. where do we begin?"