Missing

Disclaimer: I own nothing

A/N:

Chapter 19 (Moment of Doubt)

"I'll take another." Tori pushed the empty whiskey glass forward and looked up to the clock. She'd spent hours driving all over town and stopped at the bar for a couple drinks. It had been a long time since she'd drunk anything, but now she was going to take herself to town. "I'm not an alcoholic, I swear."

"How many have you had?" She looked up but the bartender was at the other end of the bar. To her right was a man leaning with his forearm on the bar. He was wearing a cowboy hat and had a charming smirk on his face. "I'll buy you another."

"Fuck it." The man took her whiskey glass and walked off. She furrowed her brow and put her hand to her forehead, groaning as her head started to pulse. "Can't trust anybody." She was certain she only had one or two drinks, but then it was probable she had more. "It's all starting to make sense. Andre, Robbie-I wonder if Cat's just playing innocent at this point."

The man returned and set the glass down in front of her. "Here you go, ma'am. Courtesy of Ted." He sat beside her, still smirking. "You look upset, what's the matter? A pretty face like you shouldn't be out drinking by yourself."

"I can handle myself just fine, thank you." Tori picked up the glass and brought it to her lips. There was something off about this man, and every fiber of her being would normally ignore the prick. "Let me guess, you're just at the bar waiting to hit on any woman that is sitting by herself and looks like she's got a problem? Is that it?" She spun in her chair, chuckling as the man's eyebrows rose. "Well I don't have any problems, I've got no cares in the world and I've already got a man."

"I see no ring, and if you're at a bar by yourself, I wonder if that man is doing anything right." The man lifted his hand up and Tori eyed it with a warning growl in her throat. "Like I said, a lady like you shouldn't be alone in a bar. If you have to be here when your man's back home, then I feel sorry for you."

"There is no trouble. He is plenty satisfying. Mind you, we are dating exclusively."

"I do hope that man will be smart enough to make a good woman out of you then, Miss." Tori took another sip of her drink and closed her eyes. Her stomach and nostrils burned and the throbbing in her chest grew worse.

"I do hope you realize I'm not going home with you. So I'll give you to the count of ten to hightail it before I get pissed more than I already am."

"Now I'm just tryin' to be friendly."

"You know what?" Tori slammed the drink down on the bar and turned to him. There was now half a glass left, and she was beginning to sway. "I think it's rather pathetic, trying to pick up girls at a bar." She leaned forward, glaring into his eyes. "My sister was taken from the streets nine fucking years ago, you think I'm going to let some guy I hardly know take me? You've got another thing coming, asshole."

Her speech began to slur and she was struggling to stay upright. The man looked to some patrons watching and waved at them, chuckling nervously. The bar door opened, striking the bell at the top, but she barely noticed it.

"It does seem that you're exhausted. At least let me walk you to your car."

She jerked her head back and groaned again. Her body was on fire and the lights of the bar were poisoning her eyes. "Fuck it, I can't even drive right now. That wouldn't be legal. I'm not even an alcoholic, I swear…" She felt a hand on her shoulder and she pulled away. "Get the fuck away from me. You do not want to be touching me because-" She got up from the stool and grabbed her purse. "I'll walk home. Get my car tomorrow."

"Now miss, I insist, it is far too dangerous for a young lady to walk from a bar at such an hour. It's late."

He followed her outside and her heart began to race as she stumbled and grabbed the nearby guardrail for the ramp. A pair of headlights turned into the bar and blinded her.

The man took her arm and tugged it. "Come on, I'll take you to your place if you just point the way."

"I said get the fuck away from me." She started going through her purse, trying to find her gun. She panicked when she couldn't find it, or recognize nearly anything else inside. "Shit."

She looked around her and saw only flashes of light and color. "Shit, shit…" Her hand reached out for anything she could find, but landed on nothing. The man's arm slid around her waist and she screamed out, unable to keep him from moving her. "I said get the fuck off me! I am a police officer, do not fuck with me!"

"Now little lady, I'm just going to take you home, that is all."

"I said no." Her vision started to fade and she fell back, groaning as her consciousness started to go.

She thought she heard her name being called, but she could hardly see anything beyond her fingers in front of her. "Now who are you?" The man inquired.

"La última persona que usted verá jamás si no te alejes de mi mujer." She gasped aloud and turned in the direction of Rick's voice, but the turn was far too much for her and she fell to the ground. "Tori?"

"I think he put something in my drink."

"Oh?" The man with the hat started to chuckle and he put his hands up. Just before she fainted, she heard the sound of knuckles cracking followed by the crash of a fist against bone.

Tori awoke to find herself on a brown couch and fully clothed. She moved her hand to her forehead and groaned loudly. When her eyes adjusted, she looked around and breathed in familiar smells. It was Rick's living room, she knew it well.

"W-What happened?" She looked towards the kitchen and saw Rick walking with coffee and soup on a tray. He smiled at her and set the tray on the coffee table in front of her. "Rick? I…" She was ashamed of herself, she let herself get vulnerable enough to nearly be taken by some prowler. "Oh god. That man, I should have been more careful."

"It's not your fault." She sat upright and tucked her hair over her ear as he lifted the coffee mug up to her lips. "Drink, mi amor. Fresh coffee."

"Thank you." Her shoulders fell and she took the drink with her hands and sniffed first to delight in the warm caramel. "What all happened? How did you find me, Rick?"

"Everyone was looking for you. I was driving around and saw your car in front of the bar. I drove in and you were staring right at me." She put her hand to her forehead and winced as the memory of the headlights burned in her brain.

"Oh that was you? I barely remember anything. That man…in the cowboy hat. I think-"

"Ted Brighton. He's wanted for a chain of sexual assault." She lowered the mug and moved her hand up over her mouth. "We took the glass, there were traces of Rohyphenol. That man preys on vulnerable women that are by themselves at places like bars, nightclubs and so on."

"Roofies. Oh god." Her body trembled and she took a large gulp of the coffee. "I can't-I can't believe I let myself-"

"Again, it's not your fault, and I got there in time. You're fine, nothing happened." She turned her lips up and nodded slowly. Rick sat on the couch and she leaned into him, setting her head on his shoulder. "I got a call from Jade, she told me what happened. A breakthrough in your sister's case, it sounds like."

"Breakthrough? Sure. My mother and two of my best friends kidnapped my sister."

"Is this why you were out drinking? You never drink. I'm concerned."

"Yes. I guess I was just stressed out." She felt a shiver run down her spine and slowly looked up. "If you hadn't shown up when you did-"

"You could have fought him off, you're strong. He would not have gotten far." He put his arm protectively around her shoulders and kissed her right temple. "Still I'm glad that I could be there. I could never let anything happen to you."

"He won't hurt anyone else?"

"Of course not, he's in police custody. You could look at it this way, you solved a case without even trying." Her heart leapt up and she quickly kissed his jaw. "Now, about this other case. You're still a homicide detective and you're working a kidnapping. Yes it looks like your mother and two of your best friends have done something incorrigible, but right now all they need to be to you is potential suspects."

"Right. You're right, it's just…difficult. I mean Andre? Andre was my best friend, he was the first of that group! The only reason I'm friends with Jade and Beck is because he was friends with Beck."

"Do you presume Beck and Jade do not feel the same level of betrayal or that they do not have questions too?"

"No…" She hadn't truly thought of that, but all she'd really done was feel sorry for herself. "It's just that it's difficult for me. I grew up trusting them, all of them. I let some of their offenses slide when maybe I shouldn't have-"

"You couldn't have known what would happen in the future. Besides, couldn't they be controlled? Is that not the theory? That Holly could manipulate and control?" She lifted her head and remembered something that Cat said over the phone call, then pounded a fist into the palm of her hand.

"Megan Shapiro and her niece were murdered because they thought Robbie wanted to save my niece. Maybe they are being forced, but…but I don't know, I need proof."

"Think like an investigator and solve your sister's kidnapping before it becomes a homicide." Her lips pursed and she looked into his eyes. "Instead of drowning yourself in alcohol because of your mother or two of your best friends, find the truth. Find them. Solve the case and rescue your sister. Alcohol does not become you, you're better than this. You don't need to depend on alcohol. I love you because you are strong, so be strong!"

"I will be strong." She could do this, she could rescue her sister. Whatever Andre was up to, or even Holly, she didn't care. "I'm a police officer-no, I'm a homicide detective. This isn't an impossible case, just a personal one. I can set aside the personal stuff to the best that I can."

"Don't lie to yourself, though. It is understandable that you would be affected, you just need to try your best to get past it. Don't doubt yourself." Rick took her hand and kissed it, causing her to swoon. "You are smart, you are beautiful, and you can do this."

She leaned forward to kiss him on the lips. He smiled back at her and let out a sigh as she leaned back. "Thank you, Rick. Thank you for being someone I can trust in this world…" She took a deep breath and set her head down to his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too, and you can always trust me. I will always be here for you, mi amor."

Just got to keep on moving forward