Having left Angel and Charlotte to themselves to decide how they were going to work out their relationship, Cassie went down to her shop with a singular reason. Opening the door from the hallway, she entered and saw all the lights were on and Davis was counting the till. Was it that late, already?
"Oh, shit. I'm sorry I'm late. I was distracted."
Davis chuckled, "It's all good, I got in early so I could restock the books we took out yesterday."
Cassie shook her head, "What would I ever do without you?"
"Well, you got two more years of school to figure that out." Davis winked with a laugh, "New Orleans is lovely, but I'm dead set on California."
"Noted and bummed." Cassie winked as she stepped around the glass counter and pulled the crystal and amulet tray out for a second time, "I shall try not to rely on you too much. But for today, can you mind the store? I have a few more important personal items to take care of."
"Rely away, Cassie, but yes, I got it covered." Davis gave a playful bow and went off to restock. Cassie took a moment to look at his retreating form, and honestly hoped he'd find a good woman, or man.. whatever he wanted. Kid had a bright future. Looking over the collection she'd pulled out, her eyes narrowed on a particularly rare amulet she'd been lucky to procure just a few months earlier, one with a special history and now she was thankful it had not sold. She lifted off the display and placed it around her neck, clasping it together and she immediately felt power. Yes, this was no ordinary trinket. She replaced the display and locked the case and went into the storage room to collect the items she'd need. If her idea had merit, maybe she could give Charlotte an edge.
Angel looked at the caller ID and took a long breath. Charlotte tilted her head, "Who is it?"
Holding his hand up to ask for quiet, he pushed the answer button, "Hey, Amanda. What's up?"
Amanda Sims, Angel's ex-gf. Charlotte had the very briefest itch of jealousy but it passed quickly as she could hear Amanda's voice and it was all business, "Angel, I'm glad you didn't let this go to voice mail. I need your help."
Angel picked up on the tone as well and didn't mince words, "Details."
"I'm in New Orleans on assignment with the local office. We're tracking separate incoming 'shipments' of girls that the Crime-lord Bible is gathering to ship off over seas. I'm going against direct orders contacting you but I'm feeling really uneasy with the reports we've gotten and I could really use your help. Off the record and undercover, this time though, similar to your days in the field because if you get caught, it could be both of our asses. But there's a report of twelve girls in total and I'm not risking it for a pissing contest with the director, here. If you're willing to help me out, how fast can you get here?"
"I'm here, already."
"Really?" Amanda's surprised voice turns into a soft chuckle, "You're visiting your sister, aren't you? I forgot she ran a shop here."
"Exactly, and yes, I'm in. What can you tell me?"
"Nothing right now, I have to meet with others to set up our canvasing grid this afternoon. It ends at five, so I can meet you at six. But Angel, if you go out today, try to stay incognito, if the Director sees you, he's going to know I called you."
"Understood, and Amanda?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for trusting me with this. I promise not to be seen unless it risks the safety of the girls."
"I wouldn't ask you to do otherwise. I'll see you at six."
The phone went silent and Angel pocketed it and looked at Charlotte, "I know you're up to doing this, but I still gotta ask." He let the last word trail off and Charlotte nodded.
"Fuck, yes we're doing this. Twelve girls? Who is this… Bible?" The last word came out like a curse.
"An enigma, really. No one has any photo or video evidence of him. He mostly operates outside of the US, and up until now, I thought he dealt exclusively in drugs, weapons, contraband and other non trafficking shit. It's why I've never crossed paths with him. It also means that I have a lot of research to do before meeting with Amanda tonight."
"I heard what she said. They're searching grid patterns today, to see if they can find where the girls are being held, right?"
"Yes." Angel heard the tone in Charlotte's voice and answered her before she could ask, "And yes, you can go scout, fully invisible, of course. But I need you to promise me something, and it's not an easy promise to make."
"You don't want me taking action if I find the girls. I already know you, well, My knight, and just as you promised Amanda.. as long as the girls are not in immediate danger, I will return here, to you, first."
Angel nodded, impressed and Charlotte continued, "Something is different with me, now, Angel. My head feels so much clearer. I may not remember my past, but I feel like I've found myself, my.. soul? Thanks to Cassie calling me by name. I know this is how I'd be even with my memories. I don't feel lost, anymore… even if my beginning is six months ago and not thousands of years ago."
"Thousands?" Angel's expression was of surprise.
"Another thing I can't explain, like my magic, but I'm much older than you, this I know, now. I.. I hope you're attracted to older women?"
"I'm attracted to you, Charlotte. Period."
Warmth flushed Charlotte's cheeks, but she had to say what she felt, "I'm attracted to you, too, Angel, but we need to put that away. I'm the partner you accepted six months ago, and the children are my focus. Are you okay with this?"
She added the last part with a hopeful gentleness, to ensure Angel she wasn't shutting down, only dedicating herself to what was needed, now, and he nodded and took her hand and gave it a chaste kiss, "Yes, your highness."
"I didn't realize how accurate that was, until now." Charlotte whimsied with a lopsided grin. Angel chuckled as the meaning occurred to him, too, and turned as Cassie came back into the apartment. She looked at both of them with a curious look.
"Something's happened?"
"Yes, Amanda called. We have a mission right here in New Orleans, and it's more serious than the past."
"Fill me in after I do this." Cassie said and the two watched as she took the amulet off and stepped up to Charlotte, "This is my final gift to you, Charlotte Morningstar, and I want you to wear it at all times, under your clothing. Will you do this for me?"
Charlotte looked at the amulet as Cassie placed it in her palm. A semi-transparent crystal about the size of a 50mm marble but egg shaped, embraced by four pewter snapdragon flower vines wrapping from the top down four equal distances around the orb and tangling at the bottom with a small vial that had a fresh snapdragon flower encased in it. Charlotte looked up at Cassie with sparkling red eyes, her yellow orbs glowing, "It's beautiful. What is it for?"
"Protection," Cassie half answered, "It should help on the off chance that anyone comes a-calling to try to bind you. The crystal can absorb your energy, hold some of it and return it to you if you feel your control slipping. The snapdragons offer the protection from magics. Like the crystals, it's not a perfect solution and there are some magics out there that are stronger, but this should help."
Clipping the clasp behind her neck and slipping the amulet inside her black cotton T-shirt, Charlotte pulled Cassie into an embrace that startled Cassie at first, but she wrapped her arms around Charlotte, "Thank you so much, Cassie! I can't believe how lucky I am to have you as my dear friend."
"And I trust you. I've trusted you from the first moment I met you, even if it took some time for my conscious self to realize it and I am honored to be blessed with your friendship, Charlie."
Pulling her head back, Charlotte let her red eyes glow in frustrated annoyance, "Why do you insist on calling me Charlie?"
Angel spoke up to answer, having watched the embrace with a warm feeling he needed after all that that happened, "It's the same reason she gets to call me Kevin when all others address me as Angel. Except you, you've always been welcome to call me Kevin, I just never corrected you, letting you choose when."
Cassie nodded, and stepped back to offer Charlotte a small bow, "My name is Cassandra Elizabeth Collins. It's the name those I work with on the Frequencies know me as. It's how I conduct business with those I've yet to know. It's my wall, something that as I grew up and developing my powers I realized I needed. But my friends? The ones I care for? Love?"
With that word, she brushed a stray hair out of Charlotte's face, "They get to see my soul, the real me, the exposed me. When I first met you, I felt the real you, and I knew you were special, and Charlie just slipped out. I'm sorry for offending you, but I admit I had a little fun with your reaction. Please forgive me?"
"It's just that, "Charlotte sighed, "It was the first thing I remembered when Angel found me, and it was the only thing I had to hold onto and I couldn't lose it."
"Then, from this moment on, I will address you as Charlotte." Cassie bowed her head again.
"I don't like the bows, Cassie, I don't care if I am the Princess of Hell. My friends will never bow to me. So, please do me two favors, both of you?"
Angel and Cassie came to stand together and in unison, "Anything."
"One, never bow to me again, please. We're a team, okay?"
"Deal" Both said, and Angel asked, "And the other, Charlotte?"
Charlotte turned away for a moment, her cheeks blushing hot, then looked over her shoulder at the siblings, with a cute smile meant equally for both of them "From now on, call me Charlie?"