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Mike Carter "We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  The entire time she was standing and being photographed, plucked and combed all Ave could to was wait. Wait until it was all over, and wait until she could go back to the safety of her own home. The whole time she didn’t once look at Mike, scared about what she might see. She didn’t want to see the emotion in his face, and she didn’t want to have to look at him while she looked like this. She was ashamed, and she was humiliated. 

After laying back down and looked over at Mike, she was thankful she had him. That she had someone like him to call her own, and that she had him to take care of her. She looked up at him as he spoke, his face close to hers, and his forehead on hers. “Promise me we’ll go home? We’ll get to go home soon, yeah?” she asked quietly as the swabs were done, her eyes squeezing shut at the discomfort causing her tears to over spill onto her cheeks. 

After quite some time the swabs were done, and Ave was able to relax a little. The nurse then came up and explained about the fingernail bit, something that would be a lot easier for her. She had to pull away from Mike, and she extended her hands to the two women as they scrapped and cut her nails, placing them into little envelopes. After that was done the first woman left the room with all of the evidence collected. Another nurse came in with a pill and a glass of water. 

"This is the ‘morning after pill’ dear, It’s been less than 72 hours so it should prevent any pregnancies from any intercourse within that window" the nurse smiled as she handed it to Ave, who took it with shaky hands. She quickly too the pill, handing the cup of water back to the nurse. "When can I go home?" she asked quietly, looking between the nurse and Mike, "Well we have taken most smears needed to determine if you have contracted anything, nurse Mae" the nurse pointed over to the other nurse who was setting up a needle and blood tubes, "will be drawing blood so we can test for HIV, you’ll have the results back by tomorrow, and we’ll call you.. but you’ll have to come in and have it checked again in three months, six months, and in a year to make sure, that is if you come back negative. You are also going to need various antibiotics that have already been called int for you, you’ll have to pick them up in the morning, they will help protect and prevent, especially until we know what-or if you have contracted anything. I would highly recommend you abstain from any other sexual activity for a while, until we can say for sure you are healthy, or we know and can treat what you might have" she spoke, looking at Mike before returning her eyes to Ave. "You’ll probably also need some x-rays done, to make sure nothing has been broken before you leave."

Ave nodded and looked over at her boyfriend, taking his hand as she had to extend her arm, just as the other nurse was taking her blood. After taking a few test tubes worth she stopped and placed a band aid on her arm. Ave held Mike’s hand as the nurse let the room for a minute before she came back with a wheelchair. She motioned for Ave to get in and she helped her as she took it slow. Once in she looked up at Mike expectantly, wanting him to come, “I’m sorry Miss, but he can’t come for the x-rays” she spoke before looking at Mike, “You’ll have to wait here, we’ll only be a little” she spoke before starting to push Ave out of the room. Avenly looked back at Mike, a panicked and scared look on her face, her heart pounding at the thought of being away from him for even a minute. 

[detective-carter]

He nodded after she had spoken. "I promise you that I'll take you home. I'll take you home as soon as I can, we'll go home as soon as this is all over." He rested his forehead back against hers gently and continued to squeeze her hand reassuringly. He knew he was going to take a couple of weeks off of work, at least, just to make sure she was alright. It wouldn't be a problem, he'd never missed a shift, and had weeks of holidays built up that he'd never yet used. He sat back in his chair a little after she had let go of his hand to let her nails be cut and scraped. Mike paid close attention to the next nurse that came in and started to explain what would happen next, and almost raised his eyebrows when she looked at him after mentioning sexual activity. He couldn't help but get defensive, wondering what the woman was insinuating. But he quickly pushed the thoughts from his mind and focused back on Avenly, knowing that she was the most important thing at that moment, and that he had to be there to comfort her and take care of her, just like he always would be.

Mike covered her hand with both of his own, rubbing his thumbs over the back of her hand as she was getting blood took, trying to reassure that she was okay. He got to his feet after the nurse came in with a wheelchair, and started slowly behind Ave, making sure she was steady on her feet. He frowned when the nurse mentioned that he couldn't go with her and sighed. He had no other option but to stand and watch the panicked look on his girlfriend's face, before he spoke quietly, "It's alright, babe. You'll be fine, okay?" He wanted to run after her, to take her by himself, but he knew he wouldn't be allowed to. He had to stand and watch as she was wheeled away, a small sigh escaping his lips.

He knew he would be able to take her home soon after she had come back from the X-rays, so he decided to go looking for a phone he could use, with the intention of calling Paige. After leaving the hospital room, he walked to the nearest nurses station and politely asked if he could use their phone. The woman quietly explained that it was only for hospital business, and then noticed the police badge that was still hanging around his neck. He hadn't even had time to think about taking it off again, but it seemed as though it would work in his favour for once. She stopped explaining, quickly apologised, and handed him the phone. Mike thanked her before dialling Paige's number and lifting the phone up to his ear, counting the rings and waiting for her to answer.

"Hello?" Mike sighed quietly as her voice echoed through his phone, "Paige? Can I ask you a favour?" He heard Paige pause to tell Johnny that Mike was on the phone, and heard Johnny ask if Avenly was alright. "Yeah, of course." Paige replied, ignoring Johnny's question. "What do you need?" Mike held the phone a little closer to his ear, "You still have my car keys, right? Can you put some clothes in a bag for Ave and bring them over here?" He requested quietly. Paige knew she didn't really have any other choice but to agree, and she wouldn't have said no, anyway. "Yeah, sure." Mike gave her the hospital and the room number, before Paige said she would be there soon, and hung up the phone. After that, he headed back to the hospital room and sat back down in the same chair, waiting for Ave to return.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  As the medic cleaned up her face Ave closed her eyes again, trying to rest a bit. She didn’t really want to go to the hospital, and she really didn’t want to get the care and kit done that she knew was coming. However she knew if she wanted to prosecute the man who did this to her she would have to have it done, and she knew that if she didn’t Mike wouldn’t dare let him walk free, and she knew that he would try and take it into his own hands. 

She buried herself against Mike and closed her eyes as they got out of the ambulance, knowing what was waiting. She was more than relieved when Mike held off the questioning, but her stomach twisted with nerves when he started to take her into the hospital. She knew what was coming as she go into the room an Ave gripped onto Mike more when the lady told him to leave “No! No, he stays I don’t care what it is, he stays. I don’t want anything done unless he is here, if he can’t be in here, I don’t want the kit done” she spoke looking at the lady as Mike set her down. 

Looking at him as he leaned over her she smiled, knowing that Mike would be there for her, and knowing that she would have him to help her. The lady cleared her throat as nurse came in, and they started to explain to her everything that needed and would be done. It made Ave cringe slightly, knowing that she was going to be humiliated like this, but she knew she had to, it was her only option. Ave gave Mike’s hand a light squeeze as one of the women instructed her to stand on a large while piece of paper that was in the middle of the floor. It was hard to stand upright, and she shook a little but managed it. She pulled off her dress as instructed and placed it in a bag. 

Next the first lady explained that they needed to take pictures for the criminal report, and took out a camera before she had Ave stand with her limbs spread out, and she took quick pictures and documented her injuries, which was almost ever inch of her body. Ave didn’t even have to look to know that she was covered in bruises, from her face to her ankle she was black and blue, and even had a few cuts and scrapes scattered on her skin. Her eyes watered a little, feeling completely stripped of any dignity she ever had. 

The two women tried to work quickly to take all the necessary hair samples, brushing through her hair to collect and fibers that was left behind. Next they plucked hair from all over Ave’s body, for comparison. After what seemed like ages Ave was told that she could go back and lay on the bed. She was given a hospital gown that she slipped into and she laid back down like before, and reached out for Mike’s hand as the nurse began explaining why and where they would need to take swabs. 

Ave opened her mouth and allowed the nurse to do a few swabs and smears there, before her legs where propped and they moved down, telling her that they would need to take several swabs down there, for DNA evidence of her attacker, and for several tests she would need to have to make sure she was not infected with anything. The swabs were invasive and uncomfortable, and Ave started to tear up, sniffling a little and turned her head to face Mike as tears started rolling down her cheeks. 

[detective-carter]

Mike pulled the chair out from the side of the hospital bed and sat down, watching Ave carefully to make sure that she was okay.  He could see she was a little shaky on her feet and had almost started to stand up, before the nurse had held her hand up, indicating that he had to sit back down. He understood why, of course. If he got up to help Ave, there was a risk of him contaminating any evidence that they would find. Still, it made him feel a little helpless and he sat back down, going back to studying Avenly. He knew that if he saw any indication that it was getting too much for her, he would ask them to stop for a little while, just to give him the time to make sure she was alright again. 

His eyes run across all of the bruises on her body as the woman started taking photographs, and his anger started to build again. He knew he was going to do every damn thing possible to get the bastard who did this put behind bars, no matter what it took. He wasn't ever going to let anything like this happen to Avenly again. He tried to think of all the things he would have to do before they went home, he was going to have to call Paige and ask her to bring some clothes to the hospital for Ave, as well as having to get Paige to drive them back home, but he didn't suppose that she would mind that much. He looked back up at his girlfriend, standing on the floor while the woman continued to take photographs.

He was left to watch as they combed through her hair, plucked hairs from her body, and as they carried out the rest of the procedures they'd informed them that they had to do. It seemed like forever had passed before she was finally given a hospital gown and told that she could go and lay back down. Mike instantly took her hand and laced his fingers through hers, looking up at the nurse as she started explaining about swabs. Something told him this was going to be the worst part for Ave, and he squeezed her hand gently, trying to be reassuring. 

Mike pulled his chair closer to her as she turned to face him, lifting his free hand to cup her face. He leaned in and rested his forehead against hers gently, before he started to whisper, "Shh, baby. It's all going to be done soon, I promise. I'll take you home as soon as you're finished, okay?" He lifted his head up a little to kiss her forehead, before leaning his forehead back on hers and brushing his thumb across her cheek, his other hand squeezing hers gently.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

 Avenly nodded her head as he spoke, knowing that he was telling the truth. Mike hardly ever lied, and he never broke promises, that was one thing she could count on. “Just don’t let them take me away babe” she spoke quietly as she leaned further into him, closing her eyes a little after she heard the doors of the ambulance shut. Her body was weak, and she was tired, and she just wanted to cuddle up and sleep in his arms. 

She heard the exchange with the medic with Mike and she clung closer to him, signalling that she didn’t want to be let go, that she didn’t want to lay down on the gurney. She jumped when the ambulance started going the with the sirens and Mike swore, it had startled her a little. Her eyes popped back over and she looking up at the medic who was talking to her quietly. She looked and him and glanced at Mike before she leaned away from Mike a little, still holding onto his shirt, and tipped her head back so the medic could clean her up. 

[detective-carter]

Mike nodded after she had spoken, knowing that he wasn't going to let anyone take her anywhere unless he was with her. He didn't want to let her out of his sight. All he wanted to do was to take her home, get her into bed and hold her until everything was better again. However, at that moment, he knew that he couldn't do that, and that he wouldn't be able to for a while yet. He knew that she needed to go to hospital, that she would have to get checked over, and that she would have to endure a rape kit. A small sigh escaped his lips when she leaned further against him and he looked down to see that she had closed her eyes. He knew that she must have been exhausted, and that some sleep would probably do her a world of good, but she wasn't going to be able to sleep right now. 

He watched quietly as the medic cleaned Ave's face up, wiping away all of the blood from her nose and the rest of her face. He fell into his thoughts for a moment, thinking about the terrible things his girlfriend must have gone through in the previous night. The thought alone made him want to pull her closer and protect her from absolutely everything and everyone around her. He was angry at himself for letting her be put in a situation where she could get badly hurt like this, and he wished he could just go back and fix it all, to have blown off work and went with her and made sure everything was okay.

It was a short while later that the sirens cut out and the ambulance stopped, with the medic standing up to open the doors again. Mike shifted himself up, still holding Ave against his chest. He headed out of the ambulance, mumbling a thanks before he looked up and noticed the cop cars that had already pulled up outside. He knew it would have been a usual procedure, but he wasn't going to allow anyone to question Ave tonight. He knew she was far too tired, and that it would only make things worse for her to go through all of that, all at once. It was Danny who came out of the first car and Mike just shook his head at the older man, "Not tonight." Danny nodded, "She still needs-" Mike lifted a hand to interrupt him, "I know. Is someone already here?" The other cop nodded and gave him a room number. Mike thanked him quietly before he turned towards the hospital building, carrying Ave inside and to the room he'd been indicated.

Just like he'd been told, there was already a woman in there, who had various equipment set out on a table. "Would you step outside for this?" She asked, looking him up and down. Mike shook his head, "Sorry. I'm staying with her." He replied quietly, knowing that he wasn't going to leave her now. He set Ave down gently in the hospital bed, but quickly laced his fingers through hers and leaned close to her, just enough to whisper in her ear, "I'm not going anywhere, baby. I'm staying right here, okay?"

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Ave looked up at him as he spoke, reassuring her that he wasn’t going to let anyone take her from him. “Please don’t leave me Mike, just stay with me and don’t leave please” she begged quietly as they got in the back of the ambulance and she cuddled up on his lap. She smiled a little when he spoke, talking about making sure she would be alright and that he loved her, something she just wanted to hold onto. 

She knew that the medics would want to take a look at her, and she knew as soon as she got to the hospital that she would be whisked off into a room and they would do a full trauma and rape kit. They would strip her down and document every injury and ever bruise, then do an invasive rape kit to collect DNA evidence, and collect and other things they found. Ave would know she would need the morning after pill, something that was now standard in kits. 

She leaned her head against his palm as her mind went over that, knowing that they would try and part them once they got to the hospital, of not before. She looked up at him and started to speak again, a little quieter, “Mike please promise me you’ll stay with me, I don’t care what they have to do at the hospital I want you there please.. Please don’t leave me alone, don’t leave me, I want you there the whole time, please” she mumbled as a few tears went down her cheeks. 

[detective-carter]

Mike was still cupping her face gently as she spoke again, "I won't leave you, Avenly. I promise you that I will be there the entire time, okay? I'm not going anywhere." He brushed his thumbs across her cheeks gently, catching the tears that started to spill over. He knew what was going to happen as soon as they got her to the hospital, someone would try to take her away from him, but no matter what needed to be done, Mike wasn't going to let that happen. He'd spent the whole night without her beside him, and he wasn't going to let her be taken away again.

He tipped his head down to brush a kiss across her forehead, still mumbling that he wasn't going anywhere. It was then that one of the medics came back, stepping up into the back of the ambulance and turning to pull the doors shut. Mike knew what was going to happen next, and he protectively pulled Ave closer against him, his arms tightening around her. The medic stepped closer to them, "I'm going to need you to lay her down to let me have a look at her injuries." Mike shook his head, "You can do that more extensively at the hospital. All you have to do in here is clean up her face and get her to hospital." Mike knew that was ridiculous levels of stubborn, something that was clearly shown in the face of the paramedic who rolled his eyes.

Mike hadn't really realised that the ambulance was in motion until he heard the sirens going off, and suddenly swore out loud. He'd only just remembered that Paige had his car, keys and phone. As the ambulance was moving, the medic stepped closer to Ave and spoke quietly, his voice much softer than when he was speaking with Mike, "Can you tip your head up so that I can clean up this blood?" 

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Ave heard the door open, but even then the man didn’t stop hitting her, he didn’t even slow when Mike yelled, and she had never heard him yell like that before. She had gotten in a fair share of fights with him before but she had never heard him raise his voice like that, ever. She closed her eyes as she felt the last blow before the man was pulled off her, and she didn’t open her eyes again till she heard Mike’s voice.

She opened her eyes to him above her, leaning over and wiping her face. “Mike….. I’m sorry” she mumbled as a few tears slipped down her cheeks. When he pulled her up she grasped onto the front of his shirt, holding on as if her life depended on it. “Oh god Mike I knew you would find me, I’m sorry I ever went out, I’m so sorry.. But I was so scared Mike, I was, I was so scared” she mumbled as he lifted her up and carried her outside. The whole time she clung to him, not saying a word and just sniffling occasionally. 

Ave wasn’t sure if she would be able to talk much, her body finally starting to give out after the abuse it had been under, knowing that know it was okay to be vulnerable. When Paige came over the only thing Ave could do was weakly shake her head to dismiss her apology. She didn’t blame Paige, or Mike, or even Johnny. She felt responsible for this, and she wanted to bear the blame on her own.  

She was a bit overwhelmed when the medics swarmed them, and she buried herself deeper again his chest, not wanted to be away from Mike. “Mike please don’t let them take me” she whimpered against his chest as she felt a few pairs of hands on her, almost wanted to take her out of his arms. She grasped onto him even more, and kept her hold even after the paramedics had backed off. She curled up in his lap after he had gotten in the ambulance. “Mike I’m sorry” she murmured again as she looked up at him, reaching up a little to touch his face, “I love you and I’m sorry for this” she spoke, her voice filled and breaking with emotion as more tears welled up in her eyes. 

[detective-carter]

Mike looked down to see Ave with her eyes closed, and had instantly panicked. They opened straight away after he had spoken, revealing her beautiful blue eyes, and he gave a sigh of relief, before he'd pulled her up into his arms, "No, don't apologise. This isn't your fault, it's going to be okay. Shhh, shh." He tried to soothe her as he picked her up, holding her against his chest as he made his way out of the apartment building and outside.

Paige moved away from them after Mike had spoken, still feeling absolutely terrible. She had never seen anyone in such a mess before, but when she had looked up at Mike, she had never seen anyone look so caring and determined to make everything better. Paige should have known that was how Mike was, he'd helped her out of countless situations before, but she had never seen him with so much care in his expression. She stood and watched as Mike carried Ave towards the ambulance, before she went back to the car and called Johnny to inform him that they had found Avenly, and that she thought the girl would be okay.

Mike looked down as she spoke, "I'm not going to let anyone take you, baby. I've got you, you're safe now." He said quietly, moving past the paramedics and up into the ambulance. He rubbed her back gently as she curled up in his lap, before leaning back to look at her as he felt her fingers on his face. "I love you, too, babe. I'm sorry this happened. But you're going to be alright, darlin'. I'm going to make sure of it, alright? I'll make sure you're okay." He was quiet and reassuring, and lifted his hands to cup her face as more tears started to form in her eyes. "I'm going to take care of you, Ave, I promise you that."

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  "Mike I’m so sorry, I wish I could do more I-I can’t see anything else" she mumbled into the phone just before she heard the man wake up. Ave heard Mike’s threat and wasn’t sure if the man heard it, but it made her feel better regardless. She heard more commotion on his end of the phone as the man started beating down the door. "Mike! He is breaking the door, I can’t—It’s not going to hold" she cried out in the phone as the man broke the door more, managing to get in the door finally. 

Ave was as far back as she could be when he lunged at her, she heard Paige take the phone back but all she did was scream as the man grabbed her, yanking her up and causing her to drop the phone on the floor. She started to fight back, to kick and hit as hard as she could, knowing that Mike was on his way. That was the only thing that gave her strength. He swung her around and her body knocked into various things as she struggled to get free. Somehow she felt her foot connect with the mirror and felt and heard it shatter. 

The man was beyond angry as she shoved her out of the bathroom, he was yelling at her but she didn’t listen to what he was saying, she just fought as hard as she could. He was beating her, hitting her as hard as he could, showing no mercy. She could feel each time his fist connected with her body, and she cried out in pain accordingly. Ave managed to wiggle and kick mostly out of his grip, landing on the floor and grabbing her shoe before rising, avoiding a kick he sent her way. She took that opportunity to lob him in the face as hard as she could with her high heel.

He stumbled back a little and grasped his eye that was now bleeding before running forward and grabbing Ave an slamming her on the floor, straddling her to keep her down before he repeatedly punched her, not letting up for a moment. Ave could feel the blood smeared all over her face, and could feel it pouring from her nose. She tried in vain to block the blows and tried desperately to get away. She started screaming, as loud as she could, louder than she ever had before. She never used to scream when he dad beat her, she knew that no one was coming to save her, and she didn’t see the point. 

Now, though she knew she was going to be saved. Mike, her Mike, was coming, and he was going to save her. That gave her a reason to scream, and that gave her a reason to fight. When the police burst in to the front of the apartment the man heard them but didn’t let up a bit, he carried on, beating Ave a little harder, and her screams got louder, echoing throughout the entire floor. 

[detective-carter]

Mike could hear her screaming as he got closer to the apartment door, the noise actually tearing at his heart. He needed to be in there and he needed to be with her, he needed to bundle her up into his arms and tell her she was okay. After the cops had burst into the room, Mike could see exactly what was going on. The man had Ave pinned to the floor and was punching her repeatedly, her screams filling the whole room. "Get your fucking hands off of her!" He yelled, his voice louder than it had ever had been. The shout alone actually hurt his throat and he started into the room before he was pulled back, knowing he couldn't do any damage without putting himself at risk of getting arrested.

The cops ran forward and pulled the man away from Avenly, leaving her laying on the floor. Mike was next, sprinting into the room and dropping to his knees beside her. "I'm here, baby. I've got you, I'm here." Without even thinking about it, he had lifted his arm and pulled the sleeve of his shirt down a little to wipe blood away from her face. After that, he pulled her up into his arms, "Shh, baby, I've got you. You're going to be alright, you're safe now." He murmured, holding her close. He didn't want to hear her screaming any more, he just wanted to make everything better again, to make everything alright. He scooped her up into his arms, taking her out of the apartment and heading back downstairs.

After he walked out of the apartment, Paige came sprinting out of the car towards him. She stopped, and Mike paused, with Paige leaning over Ave slightly, "Avenly! Oh god, I'm so sorry!" She said quietly, before Mike looked up at her, "Paige, I need to get her to an ambulance, I need to get her help." He said quietly, and Paige stepped out of the way, turning to go back to the car. Mike carried Ave towards one of the ambulances, still murmuring that she was alright, that he had her and that she was safe. 

As soon as he was within the sight of the ambulances, the paramedics came swarming around him, but Mike knew he wasn't going to let Avenly go. "I've got her, don't take her away from me again!" He said, his voice breaking and shaking, "Please, just let me carry her, let me hold her." They stepped away enough to give him space and he carried her the rest of the way to the ambulance and into the back of it, sitting down on the gurney in the back and holding her up on his lap, pulling her as close to his chest as he could.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  "Oh god Mike" she whispered into the phone as he spoke, and she nodded even when he told her to keep talking, despite him not being able to see her. She looked around when he asked her where she was "I-I’m in the bathroom, and he is in the bed still sleeping I think, he passed out after.. after he—" her voice broke as she was over come with emotions again, her mind flashing through what she had just endured. "I woke up and I got out of the bed and I was going to try and leave but I didn’t know where I was and I can barely walk Mike, I knew I wouldn’t even make it out of the building probably if I tried to run so I got his phone and locked myself in the bathroom and called you"

She looked around the bathroom as she heard the phone being handed off and she heard Paige come one next. “Paige It’s not your fault I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.. Where’s Johnny? I heard him come in the bathroom but the man was holding me and I couldn’t make a sound and I couldn’t do anything I’m sorry I wanted to but I couldn’t” she blubbered into the phone quietly until it was handed back to Mike. 

"Please come get me Mike, please, I wanna go home" she practically begged into the phone. She heard him almost shout at other people and she could hear things going on, it took her a minute to realize they were probably trying to trace the call.. "Mike.. there is a window, maybe I can see something?" she spoke after she could tell she was put on speaker. She walked over to the window and looked out, and started naming things she saw "Mike I don’t think I’ve been to this part of the city, it looks rough.. Uhm I think I’m in a building, like and apartment building maybe? It’s the tallest building around I think.. the floor I am on is taller than most of the other buildings around.. So maybe I’m at the top? I can’t really see anything else Mike.. I’m sorry.. wait! I think I see a street name, but I can’t read it.. it’s so far down.. Uh…" she struggled for a moment trying to read, "It starts with a K, K-e-a? Uhm shit Keaton? Keayton? Kealon? Mike I’m sorry I can’t see much better…" she mumbled into the phone. 

A noise from the bedroom made her heart stop, it sounded like the man was waking up. “Mike…. I think he is awake.. oh god.. Mike…” she talked even lower into the phone, starting to panic. She heard the man up now, and he was shouting. A loud bang on the door spooked her and she yelped a little. He was screaming at her to open the door, and that he was going to kill her. “Mike! Please Mike help, he is trying to get in, oh god please help me, Mike!” she cried as she sunk to the floor, scooting back as far as she could from the door. 

[detective-carter]

He listened carefully as she started to state things that she could see around her, signalling to one of the cops to start writing them down. "It's okay, babe, you're doing so well, you've given us a lot. We're getting there, we'll find you, I promise." He suddenly started to hear banging and threats being made, and it made his blood boil. "You fucking touch her again and I swear I'll kill you!" He almost shouted, hoping her phone would be loud enough for the man behind the door to hear him. He wasn't sure if it would be, and knew fine and well that he shouldn't be making threats, but if he was honest, he didn't give a damn. That was his Avenly, his world, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let anything else happen to her.

"Baby, it's alright, we're trying. We'll be there soon, I promise. I'll get you out of there, I swear. I'll get you out." Mike promised, leaning closer to his phone, as though that would somehow allow her to hear him better. He wished he was there, that he could bundle her up in his arms and protect her from the world, just like he was supposed to. "I'll be there to get you soon, I promise you. I'm going to be there to help you, babe, I'm coming soon." 

"We've got a location! She's not so far away," One of the other cops barked out an address and Mike grabbed his phone from the table, throwing it back up to his ear and running out, "Baby, I'm coming to get you! I'll be there soon, I promise! I'm coming, I swear." He got back in the car, tossing his phone to Paige and starting the car off. He could hear the squad cars behind him, all flashing lights and sirens. Paige held the phone to her ear, "Ave? We're coming, we'll be there as soon as we can, we're coming to get you, okay?" She looked over at Mike, who nodded. Paige let out a huge sigh of relief, knowing that they were going to get her best friend home, and that everything was, somehow, going to be alright.

Mike had pulled up in front of the apartment building and practically burst out of the car, leaving Paige inside and talking to Ave on the phone. He had to pause to let a few cops in before him, starting behind them and almost sprinting up the stairs towards the apartment that they knew she was in. "NYPD!" Was the single yell, before the door was forced down, and the cops burst into the apartment, Mike following close behind them.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Avenly sat int he bathroom holding the phone to her hear, listening to the ringing. She was worried that Mike not pick up. She knew he rarely ever answered to numbers that he didn’t know, something Ave teased him about a few times. She just hoped that he would answer this time, that maybe he would think that might might try and call, and she hoped that he knew she didn’t have her phone. 

When she heard the breath and the voice on the other end her heart squeezed with emotion, and a few tears fell from her eyes and sniffled a little. She had been so afraid she would never hear his voice again. “Mike? Babe?” she spoke quietly on the phone, trying to be as quiet as possible, “Oh Mike I’m so sorry I shouldn’t have gone out, I dunno what happened and I don’t know where I am Mike, I don’t know who has me and I don’t know where I am” she continued talking in her hushed tone, but her voice cracked with emotion, “Mike please come get me, I want to go home, I’m scared Mike please” she cried into the phone quietly. 

[detective-carter]

As soon as Mike heard that quiet voice echo threw his phone, he jumped to his feet, "Avenly? Oh, god, baby." He could hear the emotion cracking in her voice, could hear how completely terrified she was. He knew there was only one thing that he had to do, he had to keep her on the phone until he could get back to the precinct and get someone to track his phone. He could hear her crying, and it was absolutely breaking his heart, "Babe, I need you to stay on the phone, okay? I need you to keep talking to me for as long as possible." He started walking, out of his room and into the living room, "Paige? Get your jacket, you have to come with me." He tipped the phone away from his ear to watch as Paige got to her feet, before tipping it back and speaking again as he was on his way out. "It's going to be alright, baby. We just have to find out where you are and I swear I'm going to come and get you, okay? Where are you right now? And where is the bastard who has you?"

He was at the bottom of the stairs in no time, with Paige close behind him. He got into the car and started the engine, "I'm gonna give the phone to Paige, alright, sweetheart? Just so I can drive, I'm still here, I swear. Just stay on the phone for as long as you can, babe." He passed his phone over to Paige, who was already almost in tears. She lifted the phone to her ear, "Ave? Oh my fucking god, I am so sorry." She whispered, trying to hold back her own tears, "I should have asked you and Johnny to stay home, we should have just had a night in. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." She continued to mumble quietly through the phone, trying to keep a hold on her emotions as Mike drove, again too quickly, through the streets.

He had reached the precinct in record time, and took his phone back from Paige, hoping to god Ave was still there. "Baby, I promise you we'll find you soon, okay? I promise you." He practically ran to Danny's desk, "I need you to track my phone!" Within minutes, the phone had been set on speaker so that Mike could still talk to her, and it had been connected to a computer, which was already trying to narrow down her location. "Baby, I'm still here. Are you okay?"

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Avenly slowly woke up, her body screaming at her in pain before she had even opened her eyes. She looked around and recognized the room she was in. She was still trapped in the room she had been for hours. She didn’t know how long she was out for but she saw light starting to stream in through the window, letting her know it was morning at least, probably quite early. She glanced over at the man who had held her here and hurt her, and he was still completely asleep. 

She realized she was able to move more, that she had control of her body again. She knew it was her chance, she could go, and she could get away. The mans arm was still loosely around her and she tried to move slowly and carefully from under it. She made one movement too quick and he stirred in his sleep, causing Ave to freeze. His arm tightened slightly around her before it loosened soon after, signaling he was back into a deep sleep. 

Ave finally managed to slip out of bed, and she grabbed her black dress that he had pulled off her and quickly slipped it back on, starting to head towards the door. She froze, realizing she had no clue where she was, and had no idea who or what else might be in wherever she was. She backed away from the door, frozen in fear and confusion at what to do. She knew even if she made a run for it, she wouldn’t be able to make it far, her body was far to weak for it. 

Spotting the man’s pants laying across a chair she went over and went through the pockets, finding his cellphone. She grabbed it and looked at him, making sure he was still asleep before she crept to the other door connected to the room, the bathroom. She got in and quietly closed the door behind her, locking it and putting the trashcan, hamper, and a magazine rack in front of the door, weakly barricading herself in. She went and sat on the toilet, opening the phone and without even thinking dialed Mike’s number. She held the phone to her ear and didn’t make a sound as it rang, not wanting to wake the man, she even tried to keep her breathing quiet, knowing she would have to whisper when or if Mike picked up. She was praying that he would, to any and every god she could think of, that Mike would answer his phone. 

[detective-carter]

After watching those videos and getting the man's license plate number, Mike knew he wouldn't be of any more use to his colleagues. He wasn't allowed to work on the case, and he knew that he couldn't stand on the sidelines and watch, it just wasn't for him. He couldn't stand around and watch other people trying to find his girlfriend, without him being allowed to participate. He didn't particularly want to go home either, he didn't want to be away from the precinct in case he missed out on something important. Danny, and a multitude of other cops told him to go home, to calm down a little, and promised they'd call him if anything else came up, or if they managed to find the guys car, to ID him, or to find Avenly.

Reluctantly, Mike finally agreed. He almost felt like he was giving up, but he knew that wasn't the case, and he hoped that when he finally got her home, that Ave wouldn't think so either. For the first time that night, he stuck within the speed limits and drove home slowly, being completely reluctant to get out of the car. He sat in his car for a while, thinking about everything that he and Ave had already been through, and whether or not it would ever stop. He knew they had a lot of good memories together, and he wouldn't change any of that for the world, but they had their fair share of bad experiences too, and this just seemed to add on to them.

He knew he had to go back inside when it started to get cold in the car, so he got out and headed into the building, walking up the stairs slowly towards his apartment. Even though Johnny and Paige were home, it didn't feel right. It was too empty, too cold. He needed Ave to be there. He needed to get her home, to make sure she was safe, and to never let her get hurt again. Once he got into the apartment, he walked right through the living room, completely ignoring Paige and Johnny, before walking into his and Ave's bedroom. Her makeup still lay across the table in front of the mirror, from when she'd gotten ready earlier. The closet still lay open, some outfits she'd decided against being haphazardly thrown back in, a few pairs of shoes laying on the floor. Mike dropped down to sit on the foot of his bed, dropping his head into his hands.

He couldn't even bring himself to go and pick them up and put them away, he couldn't bring himself to do much. He'd lain back across his bed, covering his face with his hands again and sighing loudly. There was a knock at his door and Johnny's voice echoed through, "Mikey? You okay?" Mike quickly told him to go away, his voice cracking slightly. He heard Johnny sigh and walk away, just as his phone begun to ring. He pulled it out of his pocket, seeing that it was a number he didn't recognise. It was something that he usually wouldn't answer, but something told him that he had to, that this might be something important. He swiped his finger across the screen and lifted the phone to his ear, taking a shaky breath before speaking, "Hello?"

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  She thought of Mike again, something that broke her heart and gave her strength at the same time. She wished she had stayed home with Paige, that way she could have been lying in bed with him now, instead of being forced into bed with another man. She closed her eyes and whimpered, trying to imagine Mike coming and saving her, imagining him bursting through the door and throwing the man off her. She pictured him wrapping her up in a blanket and carrying her out, to the car and then driving them home. There he would carry her up to there apartment and take care of her, help her take a bath and soother her. Then he would take her to their room and they would lay there, together, and she would be safe again, and she would be with the one she loved. 

Harsh reality ruined her little daydream when the am cursed in her hear as he finished for the last time. His heavy body collapse on top of her before he rolled over a little, grabbing her and pulling her close to him as he fell asleep. Ave wanted to get up and run, but she couldn’t. Her the muscle relaxers were still going strong and the effect hadn’t faded at all. Her body was weak and aching, and she started to feel fatigued, her mind slipping out of unconsciousness slowly. She willed herself to stay awake but she couldn’t, and soon she too was asleep.  

[detective-carter]

The drive to the precinct seemed like the quickest one Mike had had all night. He walked through the precinct quietly, into one of the back rooms, with Danny following close behind him. He was expecting the videos to be bad, but he knew it wasn't going to make his anger levels any worse than they already were. All he wanted was for Ave to come home, to be able to wrap her up in his arms and tell her she was safe, that she was okay, and that he would never let anyone hurt her again.

She was absolutely everything to him, he couldn't stress just how important that fact was. She was his entire world, he couldn't lose her. He wasn't supposed to let anything happen to her, he was supposed to keep her safe, and right now, he couldn't even do that well. He should never have let Johnny take her out, he should have known something bad would happen to her. He should have stayed at home, he should have made Ave and John stay home, and everything would be okay.

He closed the door of the room behind him quietly and looked down at the screen, frozen on a shot of a man pulling Avenly out of the bathroom door. "Mike, you don't have to watch these." Danny said quietly. Mike shook his head, "Yes, I do. I have to know what's happened to her. Just play the damn tape, Danny!"

The videos were awful, but he hadn't really expected anything else. Grainy black and white, but it allowed him to see everything he needed to. He could see Ave being dragged out of the bathroom, and pushed back against the wall. His anger built as the man smacked her head into the wall, and he watched her body go limp as she was knocked out. His hands clenched into fists as the man threw Avenly up over his shoulder and carried her out the back door. The camera switched, showing the next part of the video. Ave being tossed into the drunk of a Mercedes, the drunk being closed, and then the car speeding away.

He was angry, and he felt sick. "Rewind that video." He said quickly, looking down at the screen. Danny rewound the video until Mike told him to stop. "Frame by frame it." He continued, and Danny complied. "Alright, pause it. Pull that up, make it bigger." The other cop turned to look at him and frowned, "What are you doing?" Mike picked up the small notepad and pen at the side of the table and started scribbling. "That's his license plate. Run it. Find out who that bastard is." He handed Danny the sheet of paper before he pulled his phone out of his back pocket, almost tempted to call Ave's number again, before he realised her phone was at home and that it would be no use.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  A couple hours after Ave had come to she was still laying on the bed, expect now she was sore and bruised. Her wrists ached from being tied up for so long and they were rubbed raw from where she had pulled on the so much. The past few hours had been hell, her body hurt with ever breath she took, having been beaten at ever opportunity. It started out that if she did something he didn’t want her to, she got hit, then it was added that id she didn’t do want he wanted when he wanted it, she got hit again. Eventually it got to the point where he was hitting her almost constantly, without rhyme or reason, and she was sure he got pleasure out of it. 

Looking around the now empty room Ave tried to relax, and tried to come up with a plan. Then man who had taken her had left the room for a bit, leaving her still tied up to the bed, with nothing but mere scraps of her underwear still clinging to her body. Her mind traveled to Mike, Johnny, and to Paige. Ave was still kicking herself for not trying to shout when Johnny came in the bathroom, she knew that the man would have hurt her, but she knew that she would have at least had more of a chance of surviving and getting out alive than she did now. 

However her mind drifted back to Mike. Mike, her everything, her forever and always, her protector and lover. She knew that he would know something was wrong, she had been gone for hours and hours, he had to be looking for her. She knew he would be, and she knew that he wouldn’t give up, and he would go to the end of the earth and back to try and find her, she was sure of it. She loved him, and he loved her. She had a small shred of hope knowing that Mike was probably out there at that very moment, doing everything he could to find her and bring her home.

She was pulled out of her thoughts and comfort when he door opened again, and the man strolled through, holding a glass of wine. “I’m sorry I had to go eat a little, I brought you back something to drink though, don’t want you getting dehydrated, now do we?” Ave wanted to talk back, to yell and scream and then beg for her release, but she knew if she made a sound back to him that wasn’t something he wanted to hear she would be beaten. “Here, open up” he demanded when he was closer, and when Ave was too slow he grabbed her jaw roughly with his other hand and forced her mouth open, pouring the wine down her throat.

He smiled as she was forced into drinking it all, a couple of tears falling again. He set the glass down and returned to the chair and watched her, a sick smile on his face. She began to feel funny, like her tension was melting away, and she was feeling weak. The man noticed the changed and smiled more, apparently expecting it. It took Ave a minute to realize what was in the wine, a high strength muscle relaxer, something she had only taken one other time when she had hurt her back at the gym with Mike. The doctor had prescribed it to her and bed rest till her back healed up. It had made her muscles like noodles, and she couldn’t hardly lift her arm on her own. Mike had to take a little time off work to take care of her.

This was much worse though, and it was a much higher dose than she had before. The man got up and went over to the bed, and started undoing the cuffs on her. This would have made Ave happy ten minutes earlier, knowing that she would have been able to get up and run, but now it scared her, knowing she wouldn’t be able to fight back at all, she was completely limp, and completely helpless. The man had free reign over her now, and there was nothing she could do about it, except cry. 

[detective-carter]

Hours had passed with no sign of Avenly. Mike had gone to the club, walked through it multiple times, walked around the back to have a look. He'd spotted the tire marks on the road, but without the security tapes they were no use in their own. After looking around and having absolutely no sight of Ave, or anything helpful, he'd gone back to his car, starting to feel a little bit helpless, and something he didn't want to feel - hopeless.

He leaned his elbows up on the steering wheel and leaned his head in his hands. Avenly was missing. It hit hard, he'd lost any last remaining piece of hope that she could still be in that club, that she would be looking for a way to get home, but he knew it wasn't the case now. He should have known that from the moment Johnny called him to say he couldn't find her, but he really couldn't have let himself believe it then. Avenly, his Avenly. The one girl who he'd ever really loved, the one person he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. She was absolutely everything to him, and now she wasn't there. It was starting to feel like his entire world was falling down around him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He took a shaky breath, digging his teeth into his bottom lip to try and calm down a little. 

His phone rung again then and he sat back up, leaning back in the seat and letting it ring a few times before he answered it. "Mike, there are cops at the door. They're looking for you, they said they have the tapes from the club." Paige informed him, her voice shaking a little. "Paige, are you okay?" He asked quietly. "No. I need to know that Ave is okay. We have to get her home, Mike." Mike sighed quietly, "I know we do. I'm coming home just now, tell the cops to wait." Paige agreed and mumbled a small goodbye, before hanging up the phone.

He started his car up and drove home, driving far too quickly again. When he got back to his apartment block, the elevator was broken, as usual. He took the stairs almost three at a time, until he'd reached his floor and gotten to his door, walking into the living room to see Paige in tears, Johnny sitting with his arms around her, and two cops on the other couch. Danny was one of them, another was a cop he didn't really recognise. "What's going on?" He asked, as a way of announcing his arrival in the room. Danny turned to look at him, "Well, we've got those tapes. We have a guy dragging her out of the bathroom, knocking her out and putting her in the trunk of a car outside. We're working on an ID, Mike, but you know that could take hours." Mike shook his head, "I want to see these tapes." Danny sighed, "You're gonna have to come to the precinct again, then." Mike nodded, turning on his heel and walking out of the door, expecting the other cops to follow.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Avenly was out cold in the back of the Benz, her mind completely submerged in a never ending black nothingness. The man had pulled out of the parking garage and sped to the corner, his breaks screeching just a bit, he took a turn and drove past the club, going a little faster than the limit. He glanced over at the front front of the building in time to see the Johnny, Mike and Paige out front, and Paige getting between the two. The man started to feel a little nervous. He didn’t know who Mike and Paige were, but he knew that Johnny was the guy that was thing the woman he had knocked out in the back of his car. 

Hitting the gas more he sped away, leaving the club behind, and quickly driving through the city under the night sky, hoping to make it home soon. After about forty-five minutes of hellish traffic later, he had made it to his destination, a building of studio apartments, most of which he owned already. There were a few on the lower levels that were occupied by drug dealers and one larger one that was occupied by a pimp. The man owned the whole building, and only rented out to those who he knew would never go to the cops for what he did, knowing that he had more of them than they did on him. It was a arrangement with the tenants, he allowed them to do as they pleased as long as they didn’t bring cops around, and paid their rent on time. 

Pulling into the parking area he stopped and got out of the car, adjusting his shirt a little. He locked the drivers door before rolling his sleeves as he made his way to the trunk, prepared in case Ave had woken up on the drive here. He opened the trunk and to his surprised and delight she was still out. He almost worried for a moment that he had hit her too hard against the wall, she was smaller than most girls he got, and he knew he probably didn’t have to use as much force, but he didn’t care really. He scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder again as he locked the trunk and made his was to the building, taking the service elevator up to the top floor, just in case. 

Stepping out he went to the largest apartment in the building, his personal. It covered almost the entire first floor. He opened the door and shut it, locking it behind him. He went through the expansive place and made it to the bedroom that he reserved for occasions like this. He pulled back the covers of the bed with one hand, and laid Ave down. He quickly pulled her dress off while she was still out, and adjusted the pillows, taking his time to tie and cuff her to the bed posts. He then busied himself with betting everything out that he would want, lining up his favorite instruments and toys, decided not to cover her mouth now, knowing that she seemed like she would be a good screamer, something that he didn’t have to worry about in his own home. 

Slowly and painfully Ave came too, her head pounding and spinning, she felt a soft bed beneath her and for a moment she thought she was back home in her and Mike’s bed, that it had all be a dream. When she tried to move, however, she realized she was restrained. Her eyes adjusting to the lighting in the room and she spotted the man who had taken her out of the club sitting in a chair in the corner, watching her with a smile. He got up and grabbed a knife of a little table, walking over to her slowly. Ave’s heart started pounding hard than her head was and she frantically tried to pull her hands and ankles out of the restraints, starting to whimper in fear. “Now, now, Don’t struggle. That will only make it worse… Are you ready to be good and play now?” The man asked her as he lightly traced the dull end of the blade across her exposed skin, before he brought it up to her face and used it to brush a lock of hair off her forehead. 

[detective-carter]

After getting back home, Mike had paced up and down the living room, trying to figure out something else to do. He checked Ave's phone, but found only the miscalls from him, his texts, Paige's voicemails and her texts. He was worried sick, his mind filled with the worst scenarios, the worst things that could have happened to his girlfriend. He wished that he'd blown off work and gone out with them instead, then he wouldn't be in this situation. He wouldn't be standing in the living room, staring out of the window and trying to figure out where Avenly could be. Johnny and Paige were talking quietly on the couch, trying to figure out what had happened and how John hadn't noticed anything. 

Mike didn't want to listen to their conversation, he didn't want to hear any potential scenarios. His head was already filled with the worst situations, all of the terrible things that may have happened to her. He'd stopped pacing and gone out to stand on the balcony, taking a deep breath and leaning on the railing to look at the city below. He didn't want to believe that she could be in trouble, that she could be hurt. But if she wasn't, she would be home by now, and she would be dressed in her onesie that Mike complained about so much, and they would either be laying on the couch or bed watching a movie. They would be together, and she would be safe, and that would be all that mattered. But this? This couldn't be any further from that.

He was shivering with cold by the time he went back inside, "Mike? Are you okay?" Paige asked quietly, getting up and walking towards him. Mike shook his head. "N-no." He mumbled, trying to heat himself back up a little. "I'm not. And I'm not going to be until she gets home again, so please spare me the trouble of having to answer that question every five minutes, okay?" Paige looked a little offended, but she understood that Mike was worried. Johnny, however, took the defensive route. "Mike, don't be a dick." Mike threw him a glare, "Excuse me? If you had kept your fucking eyes on her, we wouldn't be in this situation right now!" Johnny got to his feet, "She went to the fucking bathroom! What did you want me to do, go in and hold her fucking hand?!" Mike sighed angrily, "No, but couldn't you have looked before to see she was okay? Or whoever this fucking guy was? Didn't you see him?" He was firing questions at the older man, and Johnny was yelling back at him. "The two of you, shut the fuck up! This is not the time for your testosterone filled bullshit, alright?! Avenly is missing. We are not going to stand here and argue over who is to blame! We are going to do something fucking productive and find my best friend!" Mike and Johnny both fell silent and turned to look at Paige, who looked like she was almost in tears. "If you aren't going to do something about it, give me my fucking car keys and I'll go by myself."

It was then that Mike's phone rung, and he immediately pulled it out of his pocket. "Mike?" Danny's voice echoed through his phone, "The report is done and the warrant has come through. Technically we can't do anything until the morning, but I can get someone to go and pick up those tapes tonight." Mike nodded, knowing full well the other man couldn't see him. "Yeah.. Alright, thanks. I'm coming in tomorrow, I want to see these tapes and I don't give a shit if I'm not supposed to work it." The phone clicked off a few minutes later and he shook his head. "I'm not waiting til tomorrow morning, no way in fucking hell am I waiting until then." He said quietly, before grabbing his car keys and heading back out of the house, knowing he was going to go and drive back around the club to see if there was any sight of Ave, who had taken her, or where they had went.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  "John I’ll my right back, I’m going to hit the ladies room okay?" Ave leaned in to speak to Johnny over the loud music before she got up off her stool at the bar and made her way across the club, slipping past drunk and drunker bodies as she went. She wasn’t completely drunk yet, she had tried and kept the drinking to a minimum, knowing it didn’t take much to get her tipsy. It didn’t help that there had been a man there who kept buying and sending her drinks from down the bar, something she couldn’t help. It was the same man who kept hitting on her, and had kept trying to get a little something from her that Ave was not handing out. She had kept brushing him off, and attempted to send back the drinks, but he was relentless. Finally it had gotten a little much when he had gotten on her on the dance floor and she pushed him back, snapping at him about keeping his hands to himself and she had gone off to be with Johnny, hoping he would leave her alone if she was closer to him, and also knowing Johnny would put him in his place if he kept trying things. 

Avenly figured that she shouldn’t feel safe in a club with just Johnny, especially after what happened at his birthday. However John had taken care of her, and kept her from ending up leaving with some other guy, who had been quite intent on taking her. She considered Johnny an older brother now, one of the annoying ones that you want to slap most of the time, but you know that they would stand up for you and protect you if needed them. She had been a little nervous about coming out clubbing with him again, but she wanted to have a little fun, and she trusted Johnny to not let her do anything stupid again. 

After making her way to the bathroom she went to the mirror and had her purse on the counter, taking out some of her makeup out of it and fixing her face up. She smiled as she put her products away in her favorite little handbag, remembering the day she had gone out shopping with Paige and got it. Paige had gotten a similar one, and it was Ave’s favorite. That was the first day her and Paige really did anything together as good friends, and now she considered the other girl her best friend, something that still surprised her a little. Her mind went back to Paige and she sent the girl a quick little text, jokingly asking how to get a guy to stop buying you drinks, smiling and thinking about how she would tell her when she got home about her creep and they would laugh and make jokes about him. After fixing herself a little Ave grabbed her purse and headed into a random stall, seeing as they were all open. She placed her bag on the back of the toilet as she heard the bathroom door swing open again, she didn’t think anything of it until she heard a rough knock on her stall. “Uhh this one is occupied sorry” she called back, a little irked that they wouldn’t go in any of the other clearly open ones. 

Ave was slipping her phone in her purse and was getting ready to do her business when the stall door burst open with force, breaking the lock she as fastened. She looked back quickly “What the hell! I was in here first what is your problem?!” she shouted at the intruder before she recognized who it was. It was the same man who had been bothering her all night. She froze in fear as her heart started racing. “My problem is snobby girls like you knot appreciating what a man does for her” he barked at her as he rushed in the stall grabbing her and kicking the door shut behind them. “Get off me!” she screamed back, trying to be as loud as she could, even though she knew she wouldn’t be heard over the music. That didn’t stop her from trying though, “Help! Someone help!” she screamed again, kicking and clawing the best she could at her attacker. He raised one hand and smacked her across the face, her ears ringing after from the force of the hit. “You better fucking shut your mouth if you know what’s good for you whore” her growled at her as she turned her around and pushed her up against one of the walls, pressing his body against her from behind. “Please don’t, please stop, just let me go” she whimpered as she felt his hands starting to roam her body, knowing she was powerless in the situation. “What did I say about talking bitch?” he snapped at her as one of his hands grabbed her hair, yanking her hair back so that he was able to say that lowly in her ear, “You make another sound and I will kill you right here” he threatened as his other hand found the hem of her dress, yanking it up as she heard the bathroom door open again.

The man paused for a moment and gripped her hair tighter to remind her of his threat. Ave held her tongue the best she could, but didn’t want to as soon as she heard the voice echo through the bathroom, it was Johnny. Ave tried to move a little, to make any sort of sound she could but she was unable to, and tears started to pour down her cheeks as she heard the door swing shut as Johnny left, knowing that may have been her only chance, and she had lost it. “Looks like you do know how to mind, Ave is it? Pretty name for a pretty girl, I’m sure you’re boyfriend is a lucky guy, but too bad for him, you’re mine now” he spoke before leaning off her and grabbing her, starting to pull her out of the stall. Ave tried her best to scramble away, and she reached out to grab her purse just as he yanked her out, only her fingers just barely touching the strap of the bag, yanking it off the back of the toilet with her, spilling the contents all over the floor, including her phone. 

"Come on, play nice now and you won’t be hurt, as much" He spoke low again into her ear as he pulled her out of the bathroom, his arms around her tightly and holding her to his side, practically dragging her around. Ave tried again to kick and get away, as he starting going the opposite way down the hall where the restrooms were, leading away from the heart of the club. The man had tired of her fighting and turned before slamming her against the wall, looking back to make sure no one was coming first. "Listen here bitch, if you don’t come with me now, I will make you wish you had never even come in here, with that teasing dress of yours, just asking to be touch like this" he smirked before holding her against the wall with one hand and snaking his other up the bottom of her skirt again. "Stop!" Ave yelled out with out thinking, taking her hand and yanking his from underneath her dress. The man’s face twisted in anger as he held her harder. Ave’s heart dropped as she realized what she had done, she had spoken, and more than that, she had almost screamed again. He pulled her forward before slamming her head back against the hard wall, knocking her unconscious. 

He lifted her now limp body over his shoulder and quickly walked out the back door of the club, heading to the parking garage. He made it there quickly, making sure to not run into people as he carried Avenly’s seemingly lifeless body to his black Mercedes Benz, popping the trunk and throwing her in it, before closing it and hopping in the front seat. Pulling out and peeling off, leaving rubber tire marks on the pavement. 

[detective-carter]

"When did you last see her?" Mike asked, looking directly at his cousin. "Before she went to the bathroom." Johnny replied, sighing slightly. "She was dancing and then she came back over and said she was going to the bathroom, so I was sitting at the bar waiting for her, but she never came back." Johnny looked distraught, he was so angry at himself for letting something happen to her, especially after promising Mike that he wouldn't. "Did you move anywhere? Did you leave, or do anything else?" Johnny shook his head, "I didn't go anywhere, Mike! You don't have to fuckin' interrogate me, I'm not lying to you!" Paige stepped in between the two men, turning to face Johnny, "Babe, don't yell. He's worried sick, don't make it any worse. It's not your fault." Johnny would have gladly disagreed with her, would have gladly put the blame all on himself. He didn't even know what had happened, what if Ave still was in the bathroom? Maybe she hadn't heard him when he'd come in? "John, please," Mike's voice interrupted his thoughts, "Did she say anything to you? Did she say she was leaving, did she say anything about.. well, anything?"

"There was a guy annoying her.." Paige piped up, "She texted me about it earlier, someone kept buying her drinks." Mike looked over at her, "Did she say anything else about him?" She shook her head, "No, she was joking about it." Paige pulled her phone out of her pocket and unlocked it, opening up the text to show the messages to Mike. "See? She was fine." Mike paused. What if she wasn't fine now? If she wasn't in that bathroom, and some guy had been annoying her? "We have to go and look inside." He said simply, turning and walking into the club. He pushed his way through groups of people, something that gained him many insults and looks, but he didn't care in the least. He stopped, looked up and down the bar, and then headed towards the toilets, trying to look around the club from every angle to try and spot Avenly.

"I'll check the bathroom." Paige stated, pushing the door open and walking inside. "Ave? I know Johnny's a bit of an annoyance at the best of times, but if you're hiding from him I think he might cry." She said lightly, trying to laugh. She walked through the bathroom quickly, before spotting Ave's purse on the floor, the contents spilled across the tiles. "Oh, shit." She walked into the empty stall and picked up her best friend's things from the floor and put them back in the bag, before walking out of the bathroom and holding it out to Mike. "No wonder she hasn't been answering anything. Her bag was in there, her phone and everything is still inside." Mike took the bag and sighed, before instinct kicked in and he handed it back to Paige, spinning on his heel and turning to walk towards the bar. Paige and Johnny exchanged looks before following after him. Mike stopped a bartender, and had flashed his badge without any hesitation. "NYPD. Is there anywhere I can have a look at your security tapes?" The bartender looked over at him, "Got a warrant?" Mike shook his head, feeling his anger levels rise slightly. "Then you got no business with my security tapes." An exasperated sigh passed across Mike's lips and he leaned further across the bar, "Listen to me, I'm trying to find a girl who's potentially been abducted. If we find her, and something worse has happened to her because you're stopping us from looking at your security tapes, I promise that whoever has taken her will not be the only person in trouble." The bartender looked back at him, "That's not my problem. You've got no business making threats, my friend. Be careful." Mike shook his head and turned away from the bar, finding Johnny and Paige looking at him with puzzled expressions on their faces. "I have to go back to work, I'll file a report and get this kick started." Paige nodded, "Do you want us to come with you? I don't want to go home, Mike. I want to help." Mike shook his head slightly, "I'll come back and get you two when something's sorted, but I'll take you home just now." Paige frowned, not looking particularly pleased, but she figured she couldn't argue with him. Johnny stood quietly, feeling completely terrible and trying to to think of the things that could have happened to Avenly. 

A half hour later, Mike had taken Johnny and Paige home and headed back to the precinct, rushing in and finding his desk. His partner, and the cop who had once been his mentor, Danny, came up behind him. "Didn't you go home already? You look like a man with a plan, what's happened?" Mike rubbed his hand over his face, "My girlfriend's went missing. I'm putting a report in, the asshole bartender wouldn't let me see the security tapes, so I'm filing for a warrant, too." Danny frowned, "Mike, you know you technically can't work this? It's personal involvement, you've got to be on the sidelines." He could see in the younger cop's face that he knew something serious had happened, and that it didn't matter whether or not he was allowed to be involved, that he would find a way. "Alright, I'll tell you what. I'll file the report and the warrant, you go home and I'll call you when it's done." Mike sighed, but he knew he couldn't argue, and now wasn't any time to put his job on the line. He agreed quietly, before getting back up and lifting his car keys, walking outside, getting into the car and heading home again.

[detective-carter]

Stolen Love || Mike & Avenly

"Mike, I can't find Ave." Johnny's voice echoed through Mike's phone, and he frowned, pushing his seat back and getting to his feet, "What the fuck d'you mean, 'I can't find Ave?' She's five foot three if she's lucky, she's blonde, and you know what she's wearing!" He could feel a slight anger building in the pit of his stomach, but it was more worry than anything else. He bundled up the rest of his paperwork and started out of the precinct, the phone still pressed to his ear. "I dunno, man. She went to the bathroom about twenty minutes ago and now I can't find her." Johnny replied, starting to sound like he was panicking. "Alright, I'll be there in a half hour. Keep fuckin' looking for her, John!" After getting to his car, Mike stopped and thought over the night before he'd left for work, trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

"You comin', P?" Johnny asked, leaning over the back of the couch. Paige shook her head, "Nope. I am going to stay here in my onesie with Junior and Max, and we are going to eat popcorn and watch Breaking Bad." Everyone in the house knew the real reason Paige wasn't going out; the drink and drugs would be far too much of a temptation, and it was something she hadn't given into for almost a year and a half. She had no intention to break that streak now, not when she was doing so well. Mike was rushing around at the last minute, changing out of his sweats and t shirt into something a little more appropriate for work. He headed back into his room, where Ave was still getting ready to go out. Without realising they were lying in the middle of the floor, Mike had tripped and fallen over her shoes, "Shit!" A round of laughter echoed from the living room into theirs and he rolled his eyes, pushing himself back to his feet and turning to push the door closed. Ave was still giggling quietly and he smiled slightly, walking up behind her and putting his arms around her waist, "Something funny?" He teased quietly, resting his chin on her shoulder, "Just you," She replied, smiling. "But Mike, can you really not come tonight?" She asked, turning to face him. "I wanted to, but they need me in. I'm behind on paperwork." He shook his head a little, resting his hands on her waist. Ave pouted at him and then smirked, "Fine. I'll just go get drunk with Johnny." Mike laughed quietly, "I think that's the general idea." A small smile passed across her face and she stepped out of his grasp, walking across the room to get her shoes. After putting them on she stood up straight and fixed her hair, before turning to look at him. "Well? How do I look?" Mike smiled, "You look amazing. Now I really wish I was coming." Avenly smirked and walked closer towards him, putting her hand on his chest and leaning up closer to his ear, "With any luck later, you will be." She said, her voice lower than usual. Mike smirked back, "Mm, I guess I'll see you when you get home." He leaned back a little and turned, moving closer to her to press his lips to hers. After a long moment, he pulled away and smiled slightly, "I'm gonna go talk to Johnny, I guess you guys are almost ready to go?" Ave nodded, "I just have to get my jacket." He smiled again softly and turned to walk back out of the room, grabbing Johnny by the collar of his shirt and pulling him out to the hallway. "Alright, listen to me." He started quietly, his voice almost warning. "Whoa, Mikey, breathe. What was that for?" Mike shook his head, "Johnny, please. Look after her, okay? You know what happened on your birthday, just don't take your eyes off of her. Make sure she's alright and don't let anyone near enough to hurt her." Johnny could see that Mike was completely serious, and that he was worried. "Mike, it's alright. I'll look after her, I swear. She'll be fine, she's tough, remember? Don't worry about it, we're just going to go out, have a couple drinks, and come home. We won't even be out that late, I'll have her back safe and sound, I promise."

That had been earlier, just before Ave and Johnny had left to go out, and Mike had left for work.. He realised he'd been standing at the side of his car for far too long, and that he needed to do something. Surely Ave couldn't have gone far? She'd gone to the bathroom, Johnny couldn't have lost her in a fucking club bathroom. Shaking his head slightly, he got into the car and starting it up, deciding that checking home would probably be the best place to go first. It didn't take him long to get back to their small, fifth floor apartment and he pushed the door open, calling out, "Hey, Paige? Did Ave get home yet?" He didn't bother taking his jacket off as he walked through the hall and into the living room, finding Paige still curled up on the couch with the dogs, a bowl of popcorn in front of her and Breaking Bad on the TV. 

Paige sat up and turned to look at him, shaking her head. "John called like an hour ago to say they were coming home soon, but they aren't back yet." Mike frowned, more worry building in his stomach. "He just called me. He said he can't find Ave." Paige got to her feet, looking concerned, "What? Give me five minutes to get dressed, I'm coming with you." Mike shook his head, "You don't have to do that." Paige gave him a look that clearly said it didn't matter, and that she was coming anyway. Over the time they'd all been living together, Paige had managed to sort her differences with Avenly, and now liked to think of the girl as being a very close friend. And right now, she knew that she needed her to help. She disappeared into her room, coming back out a few minutes later dressed in sweats and a hoodie. "Alright, can we go?" Mike nodded, turning back towards the door and heading out, Paige following close behind him.  He had texted Ave around four or five times on the way downstairs to the car, with no response. He was starting to worry more, starting to panic. Mike tried to calm himself down a little as he got back into the car, and Paige was leaving voicemails on Ave's phone, desperately trying to get a hold of her. Mike had never really broken any speed limits in his life, but he did then.

Back in the club, Johnny was at a loss for what to do. He'd looked everywhere, asked every bartender, as well as absolutely anyone he'd spoken to that night. He couldn't find Ave, and he knew that if he didn't, Mike was going to kill him. Mike had warned him to look after her, everyone knew what had happened the last time Johnny had taken her out, and that night hadn't exactly ended up well. After looking around the club a few more times, he headed towards the women's bathroom, pushing the door open and looking inside, "Ave? Are you still in here? 'Cause if you are, your boyfriend is gonna kill me for wasting his time.." He tried to keep his tone light, but there was no answer and he was suddenly completely lost. Where else could she have gone? He turned, letting the door close behind him as he walked back to the main door of the club, standing outside just as Mike's car pulled up. Mike rushed towards him, "Where is she?!" Johnny shook his head, "I don't know, Mike! I've looked everywhere, I'm sorry!"

[detective-carter]

Different Directions || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Avenly wanted nothing more than to go with Mike, she wanted to go to the ticket desk right then and see if she could still manage to get a seat on the flight with him. After being with Mike for so long, and spending the entire summer with him, it seemed so wrong to leave, it seemed so unnatural. She didn’t want to go and it felt so wrong to even think of leaving him, of not being with him for a long time. It wasn’t the way things were supposed to be. It was supposed to be Mike and Avenly, together forever. Not Mike and Avenly, apart for almost a year. It wasn’t how it was suppose to be. It wasn’t how they were supposed to end up. 

After talking about dropping out of school it seemed like one of the best options to her. “Mike really I don’t have to go back, I could just go with you.. I could go with online courses if I really wanted to finish, but I don’t care about it okay? I  just care about being with you and I will drop to do that.. I really don’t think it would matter that much Mike.. I could.. I will do it if you want me to, just say the word and I’ll go.. Whatever you want I’ll do” she finished almost hoping that he would tell her to come with him, that she could just come and live with him in New York. 

Living in New York was not something that she ever wanted. Ave hated large cities and NY was the biggest of the big. Cities gave her anxiety and she felt extremely unsafe when she was on the streets. However she knew that ultimately it didn’t matter with her. She would live in the heart of New York City for the rest of her life if it meant she could be with Mike. Being with him was the most important thing to her, and right now having that taken away from her hurt like nothing she had ever experienced before. 

"I’ll come every weekend okay? And every holiday break I promise I’ll come as much as I can" she mumbled quickly knowing that she really would. She knew she wasn’t going to do too well without Mike. In the back on her mind she knew that her bad habits would increase, and she would end up shutting herself down again to cope. However with the promise of seeing Mike every weekend made it at least seem mildly possible to do, but she still was going to miss him terribly. 

She frowned when he spoke, hearing him talk about how she above everything to him made her feel better about the long distance thing, but she had to get her point across too. “No Michael listen to me, I am not more important than your training and your job. Mike you have to focus on that okay? I can’t be calling you all the time even if It would help me, it wouldn’t help you and that’s what’s important okay? this is going to be so fucking hard without you I know, but you have to do what you have to do. You can’t have the clingy girlfriend like 700 and something miles away calling you all the time… I can’t do that to you” she finished knowing that she would have to fair on her own, and that she was going to have to learn how to pick herself back together again, that she wasn’t going to have anyone else there to help clean her up when she messed up anymore. 

When he tilted her face up she listened to him intently, the tears still sliding down her face. Her hand had reached up to hold onto his wrist and hands lightly, her thumbs rubbing the back of his hands. “Promise me you’ll call every day?” she mumbled trying to keep her emotions in check. Her eyes scanned over his face for a minute watching his response and taking in his appearance again. She stared at his blue eyes that she had loved waking up to every morning, then her eyes trailed down to his lips, the lips that she would miss the feeling of on hers. Looking back up at to his eyes she murmured one simple request “Kiss me”

[detective-carter]

This was wrong. Everything about it was wrong, it was unfair, it shouldn't have been happening. They shouldn't have to separate like this. They shouldn't have had to separate at all. Mike was so angry at the situation, he couldn't even explain it. Part of him had tried to argue that it might just be a good experience, learning to stand on his own two feet again, without having to rely on Ave to brighten everything up or just to help in all of the little ways that she did. But it had quickly been shot down, how could anything be good when she wasn't by his side? He needed her, they needed each other - probably a lot more than what was healthy, but he knew they needed each other nonetheless.

He listened quietly as she started to talk about dropping out of school and began to feel conflicted. She was leaving it to him, he knew she was serious about doing whatever he asked. He wanted to drop everything, to drag her to the ticket desk and get her a seat on his plane, to get her to come along with him, and then everything would be perfect. But he knew he couldn't do that, he knew that was unfair for her, and god only knew how her Grandfather would react if she dropped out of school to run away to New York with her boyfriend. "Baby, you've got to finish school, alright? I want to ask you to come with me, so badly, but I can't. I can't take that away from you, you can't do that just for me." He quickly realised how bad what he was saying sounded and paused, frowning as he tried to think of a better way to put it, "No, it wasn't supposed to come out like that. I just - I want you to come to New York with me, but - oh, fuck, I don't know anymore. I can't think of reasons why you shouldn't, I don't know. I'm sorry." He mumbled, a little bit of fear slipping through his voice. He knew why he was afraid, afraid of being on his own. It hadn't been something he'd had to experience for months, and now he didn't know how to handle it. He mumbled another, slightly emotional sounding apology before he looked down and sighed sadly.

"Every weekend, and every holiday." Mike agreed, nodding. He still couldn't explain how much he was going to miss her, it was already starting to feel like they were apart, and they hadn't even left the airport yet. It was bringing up a dull ache in his chest, something he'd never felt before, something he couldn't figure out. It was like being alone, like he was already missing her. Which he knew, to some extent, he was. He didn't want to have to leave now, he didn't want to turn and walk away from her, he didn't want to get on that plane - and he especially didn't want to do any of it on his own. 

He shook his head when she spoke, "It's not my focus. You are. Sure, I know I'm gonna have to do my training, and pay attention, and I can do it. But you come first. You call me whenever you need to, I am always going to be there, okay?" There was a promise in his words and he looked down at her and he nodded, needing her to know that although he'd be further away, he still wanted to help, he still wanted her to let him in. Seven hundred and eleven miles. It was so far, so far from her, from the one person that he actually loved and wanted to be with. He didn't want it to be this way, it wasn't fair, it wasn't right. It was going to be so hard to get used to it, although he didn't want to. He kept reminding himself that he wasn't just building something for himself out in New York, that it was for her, too, and that she'd be there at the end of the year with him, and everything would be the way it was supposed to be, that everything would be right and good again.

Mike brushed his thumb over her cheek again, catching a few tears and wiping them away. He could feel her hands holding his wrists, her thumbs moving across the backs of his hands. "I promise you that I'll call you every day." He replied, nodding. He knew that was a definite promise - he didn't really make promises that weren't. He knew he would never make her a promise that he couldn't keep, it didn't seem fair on her at all if he even thought about breaking promises. He watched her for a minute, a small smile settling on his face before she spoke and he leaned down, his hands still cupping her face gently, and pressed his lips against hers in a long, slow kiss that he really didn't want to part from. Eventually he had to pull away from her, and a soft sigh escaped his lips. He leaned down and pressed another kiss to her lips, and another, and another. He eventually pulled away fully and took his hands away from her face, letting them fall to rest on either side of her waist. "I love you, Avenly Jones. I love you so much, you know that?" He didn't wait for an answer before he'd leaned down and kissed her again, using his hold on her waist to pull her just that little bit closer to him.

[detective-carter]

Different Directions || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Ave was desperately trying to figure out a way to fix it, to try and not have to leave. Maybe if she got sick, or faked sick, she would be able to stay, or Mike wouldn’t have to take her with him. It was a childish way to think but she was desperate. Maybe if she fainted, if she pretended to pass out it would delay it long enough for them to miss their flights, and they could be together longer. It was selfish of her she knew, Mike had things he needed to do in New York. He had his training and job, and an apartment to finish furnishing.

Even though she wanted to throw a fit, and she wanted to beg and pout and plead a way out of it she knew it wasn’t fair. Ultimately she knew that she needed to suck it up, and she needed to pull herself together and just deal with it. That was something she used to be good at. Ave used to be great at just pushing it all aside and gritting her teeth and just taking it how it was given to her, but since she had Mike it was different. Mike was always there to help her, and it was scary to think that she would have to go back to doing it just all by herself. 

Leaning into his chest she cried a bit more, just try to let it all out. It had been so hard for her to keep it together that morning, and now it was all coming out, her brave face she had put on earlier was crumbling. When he leaned back and wiped her tears she looked up at him as he spoke. When he was talking she just frowned, her bottom lip poking out a bit in a pout as more tears slid down her face. Everything he was telling her didn’t make much of a difference to her, it didn’t help the hurt she felt in her chest. Ave buried her face back against his chest when he pulled her close again. She relaxed in the tighter hug, it almost felt like Mike was squeezing hard enough to keep her together, to keep her from crumbling on the spot. 

"I could come with you though, I mean there are ways" Ave was grasping at straws again, trying to figure out a way "I don’t have to go back to graduate… I could take online classes in New York… I could just not graduate either, I don’t really care if I do or don’t" she mumbled knowing it was true. It didn’t matter to Ave if she finished school really, she knew that what she was interested in didn’t require a lot of schooling, and even if she never finished school and never got a job she would be just fine living off the money she got from her inheritance and the estate. 

"Six weeks is too long Mike, I’ll come on the weekends too.. I’ll come every weekend if you want, it wouldn’t be that hard for me to. I could do it, I will do it" she mumbled assuring herself as well as trying to assure him. "I can’t do it though!" she protested, almost wanted to slap him so he would see it. "Mike I can’t, you know I can’t.. I can’t do any of it without you, I don’t want to do it without you." she sniffled again "And don’t say that Mike it’s not true. I can’t call you all the time, it wouldn’t be right of me too. You’ll be training and working and busy building your life, building your future. I can’t just interrupt that" she finished letting out a bit of a sigh. 

[detective-carter]

Mike lifted his hand to wipe tears away from her cheek again, the fact that she was crying was making this whole thing so much harder for him. He had no idea how he was going to get on a plane and leave her here alone, no idea how either of them were going to manage without the other for the next six weeks, let alone the whole year. He was about to speak when she did, and he tipped his head to the side, listening to every word she said.

He'd considered suggesting those things to her before, that she could take online courses, or even transfer schools to somewhere in New York, somewhere they could still be together, but he knew it wouldn't be fair on her. He couldn't tell her that she had to go back, because she didn't have to if she didn't want to, but he didn't want her to drop out just to be with him. He felt that finishing school was just a little more important, but he knew she would disagree with him if he said anything. He frowned briefly before offering a small, sad smile and looking down, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

He knew six weeks was a long time, and found himself a little relieved when she insisted it was too long. In all honesty, he'd known that, and he wasn't sure what he was trying to reassure both of them of anymore, or if he was trying to reassure himself or her. The only thing he could think of was that she could come to New York with him right now, and then fly out to go back when school started. "Maybe you could-" He cut himself off from the suggestion though, and shook his head a little. He knew that would only make it more difficult for when they had to separate again, knowing that if they lived together on their own for even a few weeks it would make it so much more difficult for them to split up again.

"Babe, if you wanna come on the weekends too, that would be great. The more I get to see you, the better." He nodded a little and looked down towards her as she started to speak again, and her words worried him. He knew it was going to be hard for her, probably harder than it would be for him, and he didn't know what to do to make it seem like it was going to be okay. He didn't think there was anything that he could say to try and make this better, nothing could change any of it now. He sighed sadly and pulled her back into his arms tightly, before shaking his head, "You can call me whenever. I've promised you that from the beginning, it's no different now. I don't care if it's four thirty in the morning or whatever, if you need me, you call me, for anything." He frowned just a little and looked down at her, knowing what he was about to say was incredibly cliche, but he knew that it was true, "You are my life, babe. You're absolutely everything to me, nothing else is ever going to be as important. You're never going to be an interruption, alright? Never. I'm doing this for both of us, at the end of the year we're gonna have an apartment, and I'm gonna have a job, and then you're gonna come out and join me, and everything will just be the way it's supposed to." He couldn't stop his voice from cracking a little at the end, he couldn't possibly start to explain how much he didn't want to do this, he didn't want to go. 

He took a deep, almost shaky breath before he looked back down towards her. He lifted his hands to cup her face gently and tilted her head up to look at him, "We can do this, baby. We can do it, and we will. You'll be out to visit sooner than you think, and I know it's nowhere near the same, but I swear I'll call you every day. It'll be alright, eventually, it has to be." He was more trying to reassure himself now. He didn't really have any doubts about their relationship surviving, he knew he loved her far too much to ever let her go, long distance or not. He knew he would do absolutely everything that he could to make this next year easier for her, and easier for himself, but right now, he wasn't even sure where to start with that.

[detective-carter]

Different Directions || Mike & Avenly

[avenly-carter-blog]

  Ave didn’t want to leave the beach house, she just wanted to stay there forever. She never wanted to part from the warm atmosphere she felt there. It wasn’t even all about Mike. She loved his family, and she loved spending time with them. She would miss the sauce nights, and the times when they would watch a movie together in the living room and Ave would be cuddled up on part of the couch with Mike. She would miss the way they would all laugh when Johnny would get up to get more food and BD would take his spot next to them. She would miss the laughter echoing in the kitchen after Johnny would do or say something, and how in that moment everything would feel perfect, like she had a little family, a family that was perfect to her.

Of course Ave would always miss Mike, and she would miss him the most. She would miss the way he would mumble and complain a bit about her cold fingers and toes, until she pouted enough and he would cuddle her closer to warm them up. She would miss the time when they would just sit in the bathroom while the other one bathed, and talk which would eventually lead to the other one joining in. She would miss watching movies with him all cuddled up under blankets, and ignoring the movie, turning more to talk or to occupy themselves in other ways. That was something else she would miss, the feeling of his body close to hers. She had no idea how hard it would be to sleep without him, and she really didn’t want to try and imagine it.

Of course she knew that there would be ways of them being able to talk, she knew that time wise she would only be an hour behind him, so they would be able to call and text frequently. She also knew that they would skype a lot, but somehow that wasn’t the same. She wouldn’t be able to hug him, and she wouldn’t be able to bury her face in his chest and inhale his scent over skype. She wouldn’t be able to crawl into his lap and into his arms when she felt sad and lonely, and ask him to sing to her as he held her close and rubbed her back to soothe her. None of that was possible with skype, and it hurt to know that.

Ave also knew that she would be flying out to see him a lot, that she would take every opportunity she could to come and see him. However that still didn’t satisfy her. She wanted to have Mike all the time, and now she couldn’t. Ave wanted to pout, she wanted to cry and whine and beg her way out of going back, or even beg Mike out of going. She knew she couldn’t do it though, that she couldn’t have him not go to NY. He had his whole life ahead of him and waiting for him there, and Ave wouldn’t be part of it. That scared her and all she wanted was to be there with him, but she knew that wasn’t possible either.

Looking back up at Mike she watched his reaction to her words. When he spoke she frowned and she dropped her suitcase when he set his down. Leaning into his chest she relaxed against him, feeling completely safe in his arms. That was a feeling she would miss a lot, the feeling of being alright when ever she was with him. Finally she let it go a little, she let the tears she had been holding back for so long come forward and spill over onto her cheeks before they hit Mike’s chest. She sniffed a few times before she managed to speak again “I don’t want to go Mike, I can’t go.. How can I go back without you? I’m just going to miss you so fucking much” she mumbled against him, not sure how to explain how she was feeling any further.

[detective-carter]

He couldn't even begin to fathom how strange this next year was going to feel, when she wasn't there. He was going to be stuck in New York, in some tiny little apartment, on his own. On his own. He hadn't been on his own since Ave had come into his life, she'd always been there if he needed her, and vice versa. It was going to be so strange to fall asleep alone, to not have her draped over his chest the way she usually was. He couldn't even imagine what he was going to miss the most, whether it was going to be sleeping together, or the way they would end up taking baths together, or even just how they could never pay attention to a whole movie, getting distracted to have a conversation or to get up to something else that would divert their attention.

Of course, he knew he wasn't just going to miss Ave. He'd been away from his family before, so it didn't play as big of a factor, but that was still going to be tough in it's own. Over the summer, he'd gotten too used to being back at home, to Johnny's stupidity, and to the whole atmosphere created by him being back there. It felt like they were all supposed to be there, and he knew that Ave had slotted right into the family like she was meant to have a place there, like there had always been something missing, and she was exactly it. He knew that everyone completely loved her, but he couldn't help his thoughts from drifting back to his girlfriend and how hard it was going to be to be away from her, regardless of his family.

Mike held her tightly, digging his teeth into his bottom lip. It was absolutely breaking his heart to have to leave her, when she so obviously didn't want him to leave. He didn't want to do this on his own, and he could tell that she didn't either. This was going to be so hard for both of them. He knew they could call and text and skype as often as they wanted to, but that was never going to be the same, and it was never going to be enough. He knew, somehow, that they would make the long distance work. They had to. Mike had promised her forever, sworn that he would never get bored of her, or leave her, he loved her too much to even consider doing any of those things. But somehow, he felt like he was hurting her now, that this was unnecessary, that he could change it. And yet, he understood perfectly well that he couldn't. It was going to be hard, but he knew it had to work this way, and that at the end of the year they would be back together, and they would be okay. At least, he was hoping for that.

It seemed like forever had passed before he'd finally given a shaky breath and leaned back from her a little, reaching up to wipe some tears from her cheek. "I'm going to miss you too, babe. More than anything. But we're gonna be alright, okay? I promise you that. I know it seems like it's gonna be the longest time in the world, and it's gonna be hard, I know that, but we just have to make it through the year." He paused, knowing that reassuring her of all that probably wasn't going to help in the least, it wasn't what he would have wanted to hear if he was her, so he stopped talking and pulled her back into his chest, wrapping his arms around her so tightly that his hands had almost reached back to his own sides.

"I don't wanna leave you. Fuck. I just wish you could come with me, I wish we didn't have to do this." His voice had started to shake again and he sighed quietly, tipping his chin down to kiss the top of her head. "It's six weeks, six weeks til you can fly out. And you will fly out, babe, you'd better!" There was a lighter, almost teasing tone in his voice, trying to brighten up the atmosphere a little bit. "The first bits gonna be the hardest, isn't it?" He looked down briefly, "Six weeks, baby. We can do that, right? We can make it six weeks?" He didn't wait for an answer before he'd nodded, answering his own question, and taking a slightly different approach to it. "I know you can do this, Ave. I know I can't be with you all the time, but please, just remember that you can call me whenever you need to, I'm still here, okay? I might be in New York, and I might be working, but you're still the most important thing to me, and I need to know that you're alright. So just, please, try your hardest for me, okay? I know how strong you are, I know that you can do this."