neon noon .,

[charlotte krause]

- - The moment the line went silent Charlotte tossed the phone on the empty seat next to her. She had to mentally prepare herself for the fact that the person collared would likely be bruised, bleeding, and potentially unconscious. No matter what she saw on the job, the visual of anyone - even a criminal - being so roughed up always tended to make her more than a little nauseous. Not that she would admit it to a single soul. The fact that the person that had done the damage was someone she was friends with simply made the shock that much worse. He was sure he would have blood on his hands that wasn't his, and the thought nearly made her shudder. She'd never attempt to find something wrong with Ethan's tactics, but there definitely had to be something illegal with the way he handled these men. He was the only bounty hunter she dealt with on a regular basis, so it wasn't as if she knew the inside secrets and loop holes of their career choice. Maybe they had some sort of immunity. Shaking herself of the mental image - making the whole situation blown up more than it should have been in the first place - she turned the key in the ignition to start up the car and concentrated on the act of pulling out of the spot against the curb. Her brows creased, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip, she was the picture of an abundance of focus. Parallel parking and pulling out of tight spots was not exactly something she was talented at. In fact, it stressed her out to a point where she had to count each movement until she was pulling into the steady flow of traffic. The other drivers of New York typically made the drive unpleasant, but when you were driving a black and white, they tended to at least pretend they were following the law.

- - Arriving in the urgent care parking lot, she noticed the familiar vehicle sitting not far off. Instead of pulling in behind him, Charlotte parked in an empty spot not far off - allowing her a slight privacy (unless he noticed she'd pulled in) to check herself in the mirror. Doing the typical girl sprucing for a meeting with her ex-boyfriends brother while they met up at a hospital seemed to be trivial, but she couldn't help doing it. Unbuttoning the top button of her standard issue uniform, adjusting her cleavage, tucking a couple stray strands of hair behind her ear, straightening her ponytail, checking her make-up - generally being a girl getting ready to go on a date... that really isn't a date. Snatching the matching black hat from the dashboard and the heavy coat from the seat beside her, she pulled it on the second she got out of the car into the chilly autumn air. Marching up to the parked car, she tapped on the drivers window, attempting to place a firm expression on her face. "excuse me, sir, you're parked in an ambulance lane. i'm going to have to give a ticket." She smirked, knowing nothing would actually come of her threat. Didn't that make her a bad cop, though? Crossing her arms over her chest, she tugged the coat tighter about her frame to keep the cold out.

notes - - this is mad sucky. <3

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[ethan rafferty]

-----ETHAN was in a truly good mood. with a road blissfully free of traffic, weather gloomy and oppressive, and a truly pleasurable arrest, he felt spoiled. to top it all off he was having lunch with the blonde bombshell he'd been nursing a crush on for years, a crush that had something of a tendency to bubble up and caramelize into lust-- perhaps to his detriment. he'd been hitting on the girl since she'd started seeing tommy all those years ago, and maybe, just maybe, the onslaught of sexual propositions was the reason she didn't take him seriously. ah well, too late now. half-turning in his seat, he called back to his passenger, "nice day, isn't it?" there was no reply from the man slumped in the seat. it struck him that speeding probably wasn't a good idea, given his previous convictions... bump. and that. he'd hit what could only be a minor snag in the otherwise smooth surface of the tarmac, but at his speed it felt like a fully blown pothole, the jolt sending his ward flying across the seats, slumped half on the floor. ethan sighed heavily. "be a pal and avoid bleeding on the upholstery, would ya?" rolling his eyes as though these things just happened to him, he revved the engine whilst also leaning across to flick the radio on.

-----WITHIN a couple seconds of tuning - he always liked scanning through stations, hated the idea that you assign them to numbers and just push 'em - and the mellow sound of the doors was filtering through the speakers, providing the perfect soundtrack to the afternoon. everything seemed to be coming together! he was unaccustomed to this much positivity, but it didn't unnerve him. after all, he was enjoying relatively small things. pulling into the hospital urgent care unit, he stopped abruptly wherever he felt like it, too absorbed in singing along with jim morrison to care about something as trivial as a proper parking space. within minutes there was a tap at the window. steadily a smirk spread across his face as he lowered it, the slow reveal of charlotte enough to make anyone's day. "sorry 'bout that, officer, but it was an emergency. see i got my buddy back here," he glances back at the body spread across his back seat and swears. "i told that fucker not to bleed on... well nevermind. thing is, i'm eager to drop this gent here off and get goin' on a date with a pretty lady. you can understand that, right?" getting out of the car, he pulled his arms around her in a tight hug. he'd taken the courtesy of stopping off en route to wash his hands, but now the juxtaposition of his clean skin against bloody t-shirt seemed almost comical. "let's get this bastard seen to," he said, opening the back door and heaving the guy over his shoulder with a grunt.

ooc, this is way suckier but il them so who carezzz.

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[charlotte krause]

- - Winter was one of Charlotte's least favorite times of the year, which was really a pity considering Christmas was one of her favorite holidays. She loved playing in the snow for a day or two simply out of excitement that it was finally snowing and it was coming to be 'that' time of the year again, but the second her nose started running and her fingers were seemingly perpetually numb, it lost it's appeal. At least they didn't get snow storms as bad as some other places - the mere idea made her shiver and send goose bumps crawling all over her body. The fact that Raff was sitting not far off in his car was one of the only things that encouraged her to actually get out of the car and not dwell on how cold it was going to be. It was hard to get distracted by silly things such as the weather around him, but it was even harder to keep herself from smiling when he was around. Which was a peculiar concept in itself since he wasn't exactly the type of boy that most people would connect to such actions. Though it seemed like a more recent action, it caused her to seriously wonder why she hadn't realized how much she truly enjoyed his company until the last couple years. When she watched him look over his shoulder at the body in the backseat of his car, she followed suit. The sight was enough to make her cringe - though that wasn't saying much - but she recovered after a moment of telling herself this man deserved it. "i'll help you clean it later, if you want."

[/i] Just another means to enjoy his company. It wasn't as if she had a surplus of friends to begin with and since her split with Tom, she really wasn't sure where she stood with their family. It seemed Ethan was one of the few friends she had. Which was a sad fact in itself. Feeling herself turning read - the chill to the air clearly not preventing the warmth from creeping up - she looked away. "i guess i can let you off with a warning this one time since you're meeting someone."[/i]

- - Backing up to allow him room to navigate out of the car, she smiled against his chest when he hugged her. Slipping her hands under his coat to enjoy the warmth he offered for the couple of seconds that they were connected. Watching him pick the guy up momentarily urged her to offer assistance but she paused. This was one of those things that guys weren't fond of having girls help them with. Maybe he wouldn't have taken offense, but maybe he would, and she had learned enough about him to know that it was better to simply keep her mouth shut and let him work. "so tell me about this date of yours. is she just the most gorgeous girl you've ever seen?"[/i] It was shameless, but she was in a perky mood and couldn't help herself. As the walked towards the automatic sliding doors of the hospital, she made herself sure to stay out of his way. "so, this guy asked me to dinner the other day."[/i] there was no real point to telling him this bit of information but the words were out of her mouth before she could think twice. It wasn't as if she really wanted to make him jealous - or maybe she did - but she wanted to hear his two cents on the matter. "he's... he's a nice guy, i think."[/i] She took to watching her feet moved, huddled into her coat as far as she could be.

notes-- so i think of ethan and i think of this. thats going to be his ringtone. c; judge meee.

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[ethan rafferty]

-----HIS eyes didn't leave charlotte's when they met her's, her baby blues lingering on the bloody scene in the back of his car for a heartbeat too long. it wasn't the first time he'd noticed her discomfort in such a situation, though it was an almost imperceptible change in her expression. he had a habit of watching her with an intensity that afforded him that sort of observation, perhaps at a cost. eyes locked on hers for seconds longer than necessary, his robust silence was broken by a grin. "i couldn't ask a delicate flower like yourself to handle that. besides, i got the leather for a reason." he let the revelation hang between them. the day he bought the car he'd asked about the difficulty of maintaining the leather upholstery, and the smiley saleswoman had gushed on about it being super easy, just a wipe away from mint condition at all times, suitable for all sorts of accidents and did he have children? the question had made him smirk. it wasn't hard to see how buying a hefty car with plenty of trunk space, easy to clean surfaces and a secure locking system might have suggested that he was buying it with children in mind, but those qualities happened to have alternative benefits. funny how like child rearing bringing in criminals tended to be.

-----THOUGH ethan was by no means a hugger by nature, something about charlotte inspired him to wrap his arms around her and squeeze every single time they met. it was a gesture that either bemused or shocked any acquaintances who happened to witness it; bemusement from his family, shock from his coworkers. he didn't mix with many others and he didn't care to. before he had a chance to really lose himself and do something truly outrageous, like hold her hand, he busiest himself with the task of collecting his baggage. once he was safely lodged on a shoulder, ethan nodded towards the doors, motioning for her to lead the way. this wasn't an unusual setting for them to find themselves in. feeling the warmth seep into his chilled skin as he walked inside, he shrugged as best as he could given the circumstances. "she's hot alright, but she knows it. bit of a turn off, if i'm being honest with ya-- and i always am." he stepped back as charlotte spoke to the nurse behind the counter, the mousy girl telling them to take a seat. he dropped the man down like he was nothing more than a sack of potatoes, pleased when this invoked a groan. "he lives!" it was a joke, but secretly there was an element of relief to his jest. he couldn't afford a dead body on his hands, not today, not in these circumstances. but suddenly a murderous desire rose up within him, sparked by her words. not even pretending to be pleased for her, he sat down irritably, the smile leaving his face as quickly as it had earlier appeared. "i'm sure he's not a nice guy, but hey, be a stupid bitch if it makes you feel better." ...well that had been unnecessarily harsh. uncharacteristic guilt immediately swelling up, he softened, pulling her into a one armed hug. "sorry lottie, bad day," he could lie to spare her feelings, "what's he like?"

ooc, i think i don't need to tell you that this is her's. c;

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[charlotte krause]

- - Charlotte was naturally an enthusiastic girl, despite her upbringing. Maybe it was her home life and all the experiences she had to overcome that had caused her to be so perky, looking at the brighter side of the moon. There was always the chance that had she been born into the perfect home, she'd have turned out like one of those bratty teenagers that happened to be littering the dramas she was so addicted to. Feeling the tingling at the back of her neck when she realized she was being watched. Brushing a few loose pieces of hair behind her ear, she couldn't help feeling uncomfortable. "i am not that delicate, i could beat you up in a heart beat." Punching him in the side playfully to "show her strength," though even if she had tried to hurt him, there was no doubt that he could have restrained her in a heartbeat. As he talked about the leather, she nodded approval at his ability to think ahead. She'd never have thought to get leather because she might have someone bleeding in her car. But that was Ethan and she knew he wasn't one to not think about such things, so there wasn't even a reason to be surprised. It was so incredibly satisfying knowing that she was able to bring out another side to him. Attributing it to the fact that she practically shoved herself down his throat for the first few years of their friendship, Charlotte had never really thought of her desperate desire to win him over as anything close to a chore. She was happy to do it, happy to tuck a cheesy, pep-filled note in his pocket when she was kissing him goodnight and happy to bring him lunch when she wasn't working. Typically it would've seemed silly, but when it came to him, she knew he appreciated it and she thrived off it.

- - Really analyzing her actions, she was embarrassed to admit that it felt oddly as if they were newly weds without the formal connect. In fact, there didn't seem to be anything formal about them, which made their friendship incredibly easy. "so i guess you're just going to kiss her hand and be a perfect gentleman since, you know, she's such a turn-off?" Remembering the circumstances they were having this conversation, she added a quick smile to mask her momentary offense. Stupid girl, getting offended by something so silly. After asking the nurse at the reception desk to make sure they hurry, she followed him to the waiting area. Cocking an eyebrow at his jest, she looked at him severely, "did you have any doubt?" Visibly flinching as he dropped into a seat, clearly unhappy with her remark, she was feeling guilty for mentioning it - if not ever so slightly pleased. Ignoring the fact that he had begun speaking again, she only returned the hug half-heartedly before dropping to one knee in front of him. A pout playing at her lips - a smile barely restraining itself from emerging - and attempting to make her eyes look as pleading as possible. Snatching up his hands in hers, she held them as if she was about to propose. Acknowledging his question with a shrug and a roll of her eyes, she plowed on with her initial plot - to embarrass him in a room full of sick people. "ethan rafferty, please, please forgive me for being such a stupid bitch. if you don't, i just..." she looked down, pretending to be greatly upset by his previous outburst. "you know, i might have to sing to you right here. i'm thinking backstreet boys, yeah?" Fully aware people were looking, she couldn't help smile at how stupid she was acting. "i'll nevaaa break your heart, i'll nevaaaa make you cryy," she sang the lyrics in practically a whisper, tempting him to let her carry on and start singing any louder. It would embarrass the hell out of her, but she was alright with it to put him in a better mood since he'd said he had a bad day.

notes-- ahahah, at least she's not practically raping him. c; also, sorry it's so long winded!

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[ethan rafferty]

-----NOW that he was out of the car, ethan realized with a sharp intake of breath just how cold it was. leather might have been his signature look, but it was creeping into those months where leather wouldn't cut it and he'd have to switch to a heavy wool overcoat, a rare thing, given that it was a sartorial choice he'd inherited from rex. he liked it though, liked its weight and its surprising ability to soak up blood. "sure you could, killer," he said patronizingly, his smirk spreading as he playfully punched her back on the arm. charlotte was by no means an opponent to be laughed at - though they'd only roughhoused a little, he could tell that she'd be capable of putting up more of a fight than half the guys he pulled in daily. but she had the benefit of being a girl, and whilst ethan was relatively free of foibles, not hitting a pretty girl was definitely one of them. the emphasis was on the pretty part though, rather than the girl part, which went some way to undermining his moral code. it didn't even occur to him that he'd been smiling since she'd shown up, by now so used to the transformative effect she had on his mood that he almost took it for granted. almost. charlotte did a hell of a lot for him, ranging from tiny tokens of generosity to some pretty full blown shows of kindness, and she'd never have let him get away with not being appreciative. but then he always was. lottie stuck by him in the worst of moods, and he knew that, should he ever call on her, she'd be there in a heartbeat. she'd prioritize him at the drop of a hat. what he didn't know, or perhaps wouldn't admit to himself, was that the same was completely true in reverse, too.

-----HE mulled over her question more than was necessary, given that it was clearly a joke. but he'd never tried being gentlemanly towards her. when he tried to think of romantic gestures he had made towards her in the past, all he could think of was the time be offered to take her to a mcdonalds drive thru when he ate her portion of dinner at rex's, or the time he spent a whole afternoon singing her the bloodhound gang's 'ballad of chasey lain' with her name in place of chasey's. tom hadn't liked that much, and nor had rex, come to think of it. in fact, only dorian had seemed amused, and even then that was more likely at tom's exasperation than ethan's witty serenade. why could he only think of anecdotes from years ago? "i was actually thinking of propositioning her to see if getting her clothes off would make her more interesting. what d'you reckon charlie, think she'd go for it? what would you do if you were my date?" he decided he wouldn't answer her question about whether or not he'd had any doubt. before he could register what was going on she was down on one knee, and ethan made a big pretense of embarrassment, groaning loudly and pulling his hand free to massage his temples. but really this was so charlotte, and so endearing for it, that he couldn't even pretend to be ashamed for long, cracking up. "shut up you, you're giving the force a bad name," he grinned, pulling her back to the seat beside him by her upper arm, ""not to mention slaughtering my street cred."

ooc, i love that total juxtaposition! poor, innocent timmy. sorry this failed so much!

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[charlotte krause]

- - If it wasn't for the mere fact that they had goals set to this trip out and they were in a hospital, she typically would have taken the return of the playful punch as an opening for a bit of wrestling. Anytime she was willing to prove herself as more than just a ditzy female, she took the opportunity. There were just too many people that looked at her personality and never comprehended the fact that she wasn't completely dependant on others as well. When it came to Ethan, she sometimes wondered if she should pull back from everything she did, worried that she was smothering him or acting overly motherly - which was a weird concept in itself. Yet the moment she saw the opportunity to help him out, she was ready in arms to do so. There had only been a couple of times where she had broken down and called Ethan in hopes of him returning the generosity. One of those times had been when her relationship with Tom had officially come to a close and he happened to have been one of the first people that came to mind. She needed someone that wouldn't let her sit in despair over the fact, and that was exactly what he'd done.

- - Blushing ever so slightly at his words, she had to look away from him this time as her flesh had begun to warm when they entered the hospital. It was annoying that such things managed to embarrass her when she was normally the one so forward. She made a mental note to apologize to Tom for all the times she'd said much worse and made him uncomfortable. "if i were your date i would slap you and make you take me somewhere nice before getting naked, but you'd probably enjoy being slapped around so maybe that's not the best route."

[/i] Watching his reaction carefully, she was still on a bit of a high at getting such a negative response at the idea of going to dinner with someone else. "i think they would forgive me if they how talented you were.[/i] She laughed, practically giggled, at his reaction. His laugh was so heart-warming she couldn't stop smiling. The second he pulled her into the seat, she dusted off her pants, for a hospital it was oddly dirty and she had to scrunch her nose at the fact. "you think your bro's would be embarrassed if they knew just how precious you are when they're away? i should hide camera's in your apartment so they can see how you really act!" The nurse came out to help them get the guy into a wheel chair and ask a couple questions that Charlotte either answered vaguely or turned to Ethan to answer in her place. Another couple of minutes and they were signing paperwork to have him taken care of. "we can go soon. what do you want to do have this?" She grabbed his hand and squeezed it in her own for a moment, then released it, realizing how awkward the action was.

notes-- love them, hate this!

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