GINGERSNAPS

90. Never Know

Song: Dark Red by Steve Lacy

*** Also, it may help to go back and read chapter 33.

Please let me know what you think of this. I'm not sure if this is the route I want to go in. Maybe this can be a BETA chapter and if it sucks, I'll delete it and we can act like it didn't happen.

thanks, author

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Charlie pulled out another photo from the trunk. He looked at the trio who smiled wide with their arms wrapped around one another. Fred and Olivia looked to be mid-laugh. George however, he was staring at Olivia, with a soft grin and a spark in his eyes.

Charlie tilted his head looking at it again, and the moving picture. George sighed and smiled at Olivia as she tilted her head back laughing.

Charlie rarely got gut feelings, but when he did, he was never wrong. So when his stomach dropped, he knew it wasn't good.

Everyone started leaving the room and talking or going outside. He began pulling out more and more photos of the best friends. He flipped through album after album.

Olivia went to help clean up with his mum. The teenagers went outside for a game of quidditch. The others went to watch. Charlie sat alone in the living room surrounded by the photos.

When he found the last album that he looked at, he sat there dazed. Chest rising and falling. His stomach flipped again, and again. His mouth was dry, his tongue tasted bitter. Fear. He felt fear.

•••••

Olivia was wiping down wet dishes in the kitchen when Charlie came, kissed her on the temple and said he was heading out for an errand for work. He would see her later at the Flat. He was gone before she could ask anything.

But when she went home, Charlie wasn't there.

•••••

"It's been 3 days! I haven't heard a word from him." Olivia said sitting stretched out on the couch at the Den, with Reid.

"And he didn't say where he was going?" He asked, he had a leg crossed over a knee, sipping on a glass of lemonade.

"No, he didn't tell anyone. At least no one has said anything to me." she answered rubbing her hands over her freckled face.

Reid rubbed his chin, "I don't know Red, have the twins got an idea where he'd go?"

"No," she said defeated.

"I'm sure he's safe, you'd know if he wasn't." He said patting her shin next to him.

"I just can't help but wonder if I-"

"Don't finish that sentence, you know this is not your fault. He's probably just stressed out and needed some time. Be patient, he'll come back." Reid reassured her.

She yawned pulling the blanket up around her neck.

"It's late, just stay here tonight. Remus should be home soon, he'd like to see you anyway." Reid said but Olivia was already half way to being asleep. She mumbled an agreement and nodded her head, closing her eyes.

Reid tucked the blanket in around her feet, and picked up the book off the coffee table, and began to read while he listened to the soft snoozes of the ginger.