Disclaimer: All characters associated with the Dresden Files series belong to Jim Butcher. No copyright infringement is intended at any time.

Foul Play

This short story takes place after Cold Days. Harry assists Murphy with an investigation outside of Chicago. He has the chance to use the time away to make her change her mind about their relationship. Or, he could make things worse. Hell's bells, life for Harry is never easy.

Part 1

"With great power comes great responsibility."

"Seriously? You're quoting Spider-Man to me?" Molly Carpenter asked before handing me a cold Coke. I thanked her and dropped down onto the comfy couch. She took the chair across from me, settled back, and twisted the cap off her water bottle.

It had been only a few months since Molly had unwillingly been appointed as Lady Winter. While on Demonreach, I'd received word from Toot-Toot that Molly had recently been spotted back at her apartment in Chicago. This was the first time I'd been able to sit down with her and see how she was doing. Being one of Mab's newest recruits myself, I could understand what she must be going through. I had even arrived with a great motivational speech prepared.

"Huh. You've heard that one already?"

"I was your apprentice for how many years?"

Not long enough, I thought regretfully. I had taken her on when she was a rebellious teenager. Now she was a young lady with the weight of Winter on her shoulders because of me.

"We make our own choices, you know." Being empathic, Molly had easily picked up on my emotions.

"You didn't choose this," I growled.

"I made the choice by using magic years ago, Harry."

I thought of that for a moment. "Always in motion is the future."

Molly rolled her eyes. "Yes, Master Yoda. And it can't be predicted. Not by us anyway," she muttered.

I wasn't buying it. There wasn't one person I knew whose life had been made easier by knowing me. I was definitely a shit-magnet and it got thrown on whomever was around me.

"Anywho, it isn't that bad." Molly shrugged a slender shoulder. "I mean, yeah, it's scary. But it isn't like I'm totally ignorant of Winter badies." That was true. Before she had become my apprentice, she had been held prisoner in the Winter realm. "And I like Sarissa. We've actually become friends."

"Wait. You and the new Lady Summer are buddies?"

She shot me a withering glance. "We were both thrown in this together. Sure she's more familiar with the Fae since she is one, but technically we're both newborns. She might know all there is about the Winter Court but not the Summer."

Mab had wanted her daughter, Sarissa, to take her twin sister's job as Lady Winter. Maeve, being the disgruntled, stubborn bitch she was, thought it would be hilarious to turn her twin sister into the Lady Summer instead by killing the former Lady Summer, Lily. Of course Mab had a backup plan just like she always does as I have been learning. So when Karrin Murphy shot and killed Maeve who had been threatening to kill me, the Lady Winter mantle was transferred to Molly who just so happened to have been conveniently training with my godmother, Leanansidhe, during my absence. Confusing, I know. But thus are the ways of the Fae. It's where the term Drama Queen originated from.

"Well, I'm so pleased to hear you are getting along well with others." Sarcastic much I am.

Molly sighed. "I'm not getting along well with everyone. There are those who would have preferred things to have gone as planned. But I'll be okay. I hear the Winter Knight is a little on the wacky side and that he can be a real bastard sometimes."

"Yeah, you'll probably need to steer clear of him." Him meaning me.

Molly said it as a joke but she didn't know just how close to the truth her words were. Since taking on the Winter Knight mantle, I'd had moments where I wasn't myself and that scared the living shit out of me. That's what worried me about Molly. If she started acting like Maeve…well, I guess I would have to worry about that when or if that egg hatched. She already had enough on her plate, I didn't want to worry her about the possibility of losing her essence.

"By the way, you should know that I had a talk with Mom and Dad."

"Hell's bells." I ran my hand through my too long hair. "And?"

Molly thought for a moment. And then she thought some more. Beads of sweat broke out on my forehead before she spoke.

"They aren't happy. But Dad's not pointing any fingers."

"And your Mom?"

More silence.

Charity Carpenter had never been a fan of Harry Dresden. In fact, she was anti-Dresden. However, she had called a truce after I'd saved her daughter from the White Counsel. Oh, and she was also currently the caretaker of my only daughter.

"Mom is against anyone or thing that threatens or has the potential to threaten her family." I was totally understanding of that, but it didn't bode well for me.

"Meaning your mother's blaming me and I'm back in the doghouse."

"Not you, per se." Molly's uncomfortable body language told me all I needed to know.

"I'm guilty by association."

Molly was quick to jump to the defense. "I told Mom this wasn't your fault. It just happened."

"Nothing just happens, Molly. There is always a cause and effect."

There was a knock at the door then my brother, Thomas Raith, stuck his lovely head in.

"If this is a bad time, I can come back later," he said looking at Molly then at me.

Molly sighed heavily and waved him in.

"Do I still address you as Molly, or should I now call you Lady Winter?" Thomas smiled warmly. He remained standing a few feet from where we were sitting.

"Molly, please. I get enough of the Lady Winter comments at court."

"Ah, the tough life of being royalty," he replied in a serious tone but his grey eyes twinkled with humor.

"You should know all about that being raised in a noble family of the White Court," I said.

Thomas chuckled, unconsciously (or maybe not) sending out sensual energy into the air. "Touché." He glanced down at his watch. "We're having a get together tonight. You going?" he asked Molly.

She stood and stretched. "Can't. I've got to get back to Arctis Tor. More training with Lea. Maybe another time. If I'm allowed, that is." Her tone seemed just a tad bitter.

Thomas nodded understandingly.

"Who is 'we're' ?" I asked. I didn't like being left in the dark. Being out of the loop takes my paranoia to a whole new level of crazy.

"Justice League Chicago. They're having a meeting tonight at Murphy's house." I put on my sad puppy-dog face. Thomas stared at me for a moment. He then addressed me as one would address a small child. "Would you like to go with me or should I return you back to your island of solitude?"

I put on my uncaring face and shrugged. "I don't have anything else better to do at this moment."

Thomas and Molly shared an amusing look.

"We've got time to spare," Thomas said as we pulled away from the security gate of Molly's apartment complex. "You know, in case you wanted to stop by some place else."

I played dumb, which wasn't hard. "Where else do you think I want to go?"

He wasn't fooled. "Okay, maybe not some place you want to go but need to go."

"Neither of us would be welcomed there right now." I kept my face turned to the passenger window, away from his observant eyes. "Molly told her parents what happened."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Huh."

"Yeah."

"So why wouldn't we be welcomed?"

"Hell's bells, Thomas! Their daughter, who was under my protection, is now the Lady Winter. Why else do you think we wouldn't be welcomed?"

He shook his head. "You are such a verbal flagellator."

"It's called being a realist. It is what it is."

"What it is is bullshit. You have never forced any of us to follow you on any of your asinine missions. We do so because we know it's the right thing to do. Well, in my case it's more because you're family. In as much, you put yourself in harms way a hell of a lot more than any of the rest of us."

"Her parents were counting on me to keep her safe. Michael is one of my best friends and one of the best people this shitty world has to offer, and I just got his daughter snow deep in the Winter court. It's like the equivalent of Obi-Wan handing over Princess Leia to Emperor Palpatine."

"I don't think Vader would have had a problem with it. He did try to recruit his son after all."

"You know what I mean," I growled.

"Look, you had no control over what happened." His voice was firm but soft.

I shook my head. "If it wasn't for me, she would have never been introduced to Leanansidhe or to Mab."

"If it wasn't for you, she would have died when the Scarecrow took her captive. You had absolutely nothing to do with that. That blame lies with Molly. You put your ass on the line for her."

Thomas was right from a certain point of view. And I would have agreed with him had Mab not shown me another side. According to her I had known what Molly was capable of before Molly had known. I waited until the very last minute to throw her a life-line, then made everyone think I was doing something noble by taking her on as my apprentice to keep the White Counsel at bay. From Mab's POV I was no better than my own demented mentor, Justin DuMorne. Was she right? I had no idea. Not anymore.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter right now. I'm not going to go rub their nose in it. They deserve better than that."

"What does Maggie deserve?"

Maggie, my daughter, deserved a chance at a life. A life without a father who was the Winter Knight, who attracted all the uglies of the universe and then some. She could get a simpler, safer life with the Carpenters. No matter what Charity might think of me, she would love Maggie as her own. A child couldn't help who their parents were. And Michael would be a much better dad than I ever could. I was giving her the family she deserved. That was the best I could offer.

"Drop it, Thomas. I'm not going over there right now."

He dropped it.

"So, this JLC, what's that about?"

Thomas snorted graciously. (Yes, it can be done.)

"You can thank Will for the name."

William Borden was a good friend and a werewolf. He was the leader of the Alphas, a group of werewolves who helped keep the mean streets of Chicago safe from evil supernaturals. He was also a bit of a nerd.

"It's a group of us misfits who are keeping an eye on the human world and protecting it from other's like ourselves."

"A band of misfits like in Rudolph?"

"It's me, Karrin, Butters, Will, Molly and Daniel Carpenter."

"Sounds…interesting." I remembered being at one of their meetings when I was in my ghostly form.

"They felt they needed to do something since you weren't here to lead the charge."

Guilt. One thing about it, it doesn't have a problem facing you and stabbing you right in your beating heart.

"So what's on the agenda for tonight?"

"Just a routine meeting."

"Do these secret, routine meetings usually have food?" It had been a while since I'd last ate and my stomach was reminding me it was still there and empty.

"Usually."

We parked by the curve in front of Murphy's well-lit home. It was a cute Colonial that had been left to her when her grandmother passed away. She hadn't got rid of anything including the lacey doilies that adorned the arms of the couch and chairs. Karrin Murphy was as tough as they come but also had a sentimentality about her that she rarely let anyone see. I knew better than to mention the cuteness of anything cute while around her.

I followed behind Thomas, not sure of what kind of welcoming I would receive. A few of our friends had seen me since coming back from the dead and a few hadn't. Since I wasn't an official member no one knew I was coming.

All conversation ceased when I walked through the door. Normally, I would be smug about it and contribute the silence to my badassedness. However, since I was amongst those whom I considered mostly friends, it made me nervous.

"I brought a guest," Thomas said breaking the unbearable silence.

Murphy smiled from her seat on the couch. She was barefoot wearing a Cubs t-shirt and black yoga pants. She seemed very relaxed at home.

"Well I'll be damned. If it isn't my long, lost friend." Will walked over and gave me a crushing hug and several big whacks on the back. "Good to see you breathing again."

"Good to be breathing again," I replied.

"Andi said you were back. You should come over and see Georgia and the baby when you get time."

"Don't feel slighted," Thomas said. "There are a lot of people he hasn't got around to visiting yet." We exchanged stink eyes.

"Welcome to Justice League Chicago," Will said with a wide smile. "Did Thomas explain our meetings?"

"Uh, yeah." I glanced over at Murphy who was still relaxed on the couch. "You don't mind me sitting in, do you?"

"I trust you."

"I don't," said a voice from the archway that lead to the kitchen.

I turned to find a red faced young replica of Michael Carpenter. Daniel Carpenter stood with fist balled up at his side and in a stance ready to fight.

"Majority rules so you lose," Will said.

Daniel looked over at Murphy. "You're not going to say anything? He's the enemy now. He's not who he used to be. You know that."

Thomas opened his mouth but Murphy beat him to the reply.

"He is who he's always been, Daniel. He just happens to have a new job. Considering how his wizard for hire business was failing, can't blame the man for wanting to eat." She threw a small grin my direction.

"If it makes you feel any better," I said, "everything I see and hear here tonight will not leave this room."

Daniel scowled. "It doesn't."

"Tough titty said the kitty, but the milk's still good." Will gave me another hard slap on the back. I was beginning to wonder if he was hell bent on me staying just so he could beat me to death with kindness. His whacks were going to leave bruises. "Welcome to JLC, Harry."

"Is Butters coming?" Thomas asked.

"Yeah. He got held up at the office. Said he had some important information and not to start without him." Murphy looked at me. "There is pizza in the kitchen if you're hungry. Help yourself." She knew me too well.

I scooted pass Daniel who was still having a silent hissy fit, and followed my nose to the boxes of pizza on the counter. I glanced around looking for paper plates. Not seeing any I hurried over to the cabinets and started searching.

"Plates are in the third cabinet to your right," Daniel said. True enough, there were plates, saucers, and bowls. "There is soda in the fridge. If you prefer to have it in a glass, glasses are located in the cabinet next to the fridge."

I paused in placing a slice of greasy, meat-loaded pizza on my plate and looked over at Daniel. He seemed very sure of himself as to the layout of where everything was kept in Murphy's kitchen. "Thanks," I said.

"Not a problem."

He turned and went back into the living room. I followed with my plate full of pizza and planted myself in the Queen Anne wing chair making sure not to knock off the little lacey doilies hanging on the arms. I settled back, happy and content with my plate full of food and waited for Butters along with everyone else.

Will and Thomas were pleasantly discussing a television show about a bunch of people attempting to control the world by claiming a throne. Undoubtedly the ass that sits on the throne is the ass that rules the world. I bit into my pizza and glanced over at Karrin and Daniel. I was keenly aware of how close they were sitting to one another on the couch. Daniel was doing all the talking, whispering fervently probably about me. Then my eyes caught something I was not expecting. His big, boney fingered hand was laying on top of Murphy's that was resting on her knee. He was practically at second base with her. I inhaled, shocked, and started choking on a hunk of meat.

I guess since I was coughing and obviously able to suck down a little air around the food lodged in my throat, no one thought it important to call 911 for help or do the Heimlich maneuver. Everyone just watched, waiting to see if I would send the trapped object flying to the other side of the room, or pass out from lack of air. Lucky for me, Butters arrived.

"Good God, Dresden, are you choking?" He slapped me a couple of times on the back helping to dislodge the food.

"I was, but I'm okay now," I said in a raspy voice. I placed the plate of uneaten pizza on the coffee table in front of me, my appetite suddenly gone. "Thanks, Butters."

"Don't mention it. I'm happy to see you here. We could use your expertise." Butters sat down on the couch next to Daniel.

"We've been doing just fine without him," Daniel cut in.

"We've been getting by." Will crossed his arms and leaned against the fireplace. "What us and the others have been barely able to contain, Harry there has been doing by himself for years."

"Well, I haven't really been doing it alone." I was anything but arrogant.

"Please. All we've ever done has been to watch your back. You're the one with all the know how."

"Speak for yourself," Thomas said. He had sprawled out taking the loveseat for himself. "I've had to point him in the right direction hundreds of times."

"And let's not forget having to keep him focused," Murphy chimed in.

"And bring him back from the brink of death," said Butters solemnly.

Will nodded his head. "Yeah. Come to think of it, we've had to be his muscle on more than one occasion."

"And his chauffer."

"More than once pull some strings to get him out of jail."

"A jail I was usually put in by you," I reminded Murphy. "Stars and Stones. You have all made the point that I was trying to humbly make in the beginning but without using examples to belittle someone. I would not be where I am today without friends like you."

"You mean a slave to the Winter court?" Daniel asked.

I forced a smile. "I was referring to being alive. And I'm not a slave." Alright, Michael's eldest son was really starting to piss me off. I just might have to teach him some manners before the end of the night. I was certain Michael wouldn't object.

"Okay, enough banter. Let's get down to business." Murphy officially called the meeting to order. "What have you got for us, Butters?"

Butters face turned serious. All joking was put aside, lost for the time being. His mouth twisted as if he was trying to find the right words to say what needed to be said. To say something that no one in the room would like. He was trying to soften a heavy blow.

"I found out today that Chicago PD has decided to terminate the Special Investigations Unit."

All eyes shifted to Murphy. Yep, this was a massive blow. Not just because she was, at one time, lieutenant of that division, but also because it had been her father who had been one of the founders. It was a division that wasn't recognized or talked about because…well, no one really was supposed to know about the things that go bump in the night and sometimes during the day. The Special Investigations Unit had been created to do just what their name said: Investigate special cases that could not be explained rationally otherwise.

When Karrin's father died, there were years that SI was thought of as a joke. That was until Karrin got promoted and placed in the SI unit. When she became lieutenant, she started calling me for advice on cases she had a certain feel about. She always caught heat about it from those who didn't believe beyond what their human eyes could see (which was most of them on her team) but she was stubborn and stuck to her guns. She cared more about solving a case the right way than just sweeping what couldn't be explained under the rug and saving her reputation. Karrin Murphy was one tough cookie — excuse me, woman.

"Stallings said that the cases coming in have been on the decline since you left." Butters continued addressing Murphy. "CPD is no longer willing to throw money into a division whose cases can be solved by other divisions within the department. He said they are dispersing the team. He's being moved to homicide."

"That just means we need to pay more attention on what's going on out there," Murphy said. I was positive that no one in the room noticed the tenseness in her shoulders or the very small quiver in her normally steady voice. But I noticed. SI meant a lot to her. It was her way of keeping her father close. A way of keeping his spirit alive. Now it was no more. What would she tell her mom? Her brothers? I didn't have to have telepathy to know she was feeling like she'd let everyone down. It was a feeling I dealt with on a daily basis.

"On another note," Butters said shifting gears, "ParaNet has sent information about a few reports north of the boarder of people who are claiming that aliens have snatched their friends and family."

"Aliens? Like little green men?" Will asked.

"Actually, most aliens look just like us." Everyone stared at Butters. "Oh, come on. Don't tell me you people don't believe in extra terrestrial life? So vampires, werewolves, wizards, angels, faeries, all these entities can exist, but no one believes that there can actually be an ET out there, roaming the earth —"

"Eating all the Reese Pieces and still trying to phone home." Thomas finished with a smile.

"You'd think with all this technology someone would've picked the little guy up by now," I replied.

"Unless he's surrounded by wizards, which would make all technology useless."

"Point."

"Can any of you explain Area 51?" Butters eyes challenged us. For some unknown reason, everyone looked to me for an answer.

"I'm not saying there couldn't be aliens. I've never heard a good enough explanation for Area 51."

"What about all those Elvis stories?"

I wisely ignored my brother's question. "My only question is this." I paused a moment for suspense buildup. "Where are all the others?"

Thomas rolled his eyes, Will nodded thoughtfully, Butters eyes rounded to the size of a UFO, and Daniel continued to glare at me. Some people just had no sense of imagination.

"Apparently in Canada." Ah, Murphy was always the quick witted one. She excused herself from the debate to answer the phone.

"You think it might be the Fomor?" Daniel asked with all seriousness.

Butters shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't rule them out. But to jump and point fingers at them would be assuming."

"And no one wants to be an ass." I shot a look at Daniel. "Well, almost no one."

"Did it say in the reports what the witnesses saw?" Will asked before Daniel made an ass out of himself again.

"Um, no."

"So why automatically say it was aliens?"

Butters shrugged his shoulders in response.

Murphy walked back in the room with a grimace on her face.

"What's happened?" Will was automatically on alert.

Murphy shook her head and took her seat back on the couch next to a very concerned looking Daniel.

"It's personal business. Mom has volunteered my services to some friends of the family down in Ullin. Since I'm not working and have nothing else better to do with an abundance of free time, she didn't see any harm in it." Karrin's voice was hard with irritation. The Murphys were a clan of people who helped without being asked and never turned away anyone in need of help. Although Karrin had differences with some of those in her family, she would never turn her back on any of them even if the rest of the world was falling apart. I could relate.

"Anything we can be of help with?" Daniel reached over to take her hand but she declined his gesture with a quick shake of her head and a small smile.

"There is a kid who's dating my second cousin whose father has gone missing and they think foul play might be involved. Mom told Uncle Frank that I could help in locating this kid's father." A shadow of annoyance crossed her face. "I told Mom that I no longer had the special privileges that I used to, but she is convinced that I can help."

"Two heads are always better than one. I can go with you," Daniel offered eagerly.

My thoughts filtered back to the day when it used to be me and Murphy who would sit around discussing a case, trying to find all the loop holes and analyzing every possible scenario. It was as if Daniel was my replacement. How dare he push me aside as if I were garbage. I was the wizard here. I was the freaking Winter Knight…

Hell's bells, I was mad. Sure, I wasn't excited about being replaced by a kid, but the anger I was feeling was unjustified. My feelings were hurt. My ego was bruised that I could be disposed of so easily. But there was no reason for anger. The anger was from Winter. It was the monster trying to push through. I gritted my teeth, pushed it back down, and counted to twenty. I didn't think anyone noticed my silent struggle. At least, I hoped they didn't. How embarrassing.

"You have school." Will chided.

"And I may be gone for a few days."

"Besides, if it is help she needs, she should take someone with experience. Someone who will know what to look for. Someone who could maybe do a locate spell." Thomas looked over at me.

"You don't have any business pending, do you?" Karrin asked.

"Yeah, like people to turn into ice sculptures?" Daniel pouted like I'd just peed in his Cheerios. I guess in a way I had. I smiled like the cat that caught a big fat rat with a bowl of warm milk on the side.

"I'll check my planner, but I'm pretty sure ice sculpting isn't until next week."

Karrin said she would pick me up from the Water Beatle early in the morning. Thus adjourned the meeting of JLC. The rest of the evening was friendly talk about who should be the next Batman, what was our favorite alien movie, and of course the ageless question of how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop. Ah, it was nice to be amongst friends again.