After leaving a second voicemail, Alex sighed when she heard the Captain's door open. "Where is he?" Deakins strolled to her desk, resting his hands on his hips.

"I don't know. I'm sure he's on his way."

Deakins pressed his lips together irritably before motioning for her to join him in his office and he started their daily briefing. Twenty minutes later, Robert exited the elevator, making his way to his desk as he shrugged off his jacket, draping it over his chair. He entered Deakins office with a swift apology as he blamed his lateness on traffic and began to riffle through the case file waiting on the edge of the desk.

Deakins sighed, too eager to get started to press for answers. "Alright, so far there have been two distinct links between the robberies..."

A short while later, you clutched the briefcase as you bit the inside of your cheek, stepping off the elevator. You looked left and right before turning left, hoping it led you to the right unit. A detective approached you when she noticed you appeared uncertain, and a little lost.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for Robert Goren?"

The door of the Captain's office opened and the detective turned, calling out to Goren who was reading a case file as the blonde beside him spoke. You knew from his description that this had to be Alexandra Eames.

Robert lifted his head and his eyes widened briefly when they saw you. Eames looked at her partner's back when he crossed the room in four strides to reach you.

"I got it from here." Robert not so subtly dismissed the detective who returned to her desk while taking a long look over her shoulder.

"You forgot this in the car." You held up the briefcase with a small smile.

"Thank you." He accepted the briefcase and placed a hand on your back, leading you to his desk. He set the briefcase down on the table and placed the file from their new case on top.

Eames didn't know whether to be amused or disturbed by his awkwardness as he placed his hands in his pockets.

"Uh, thanks for bringing it all the way here."

You shook your head, looking up at him with a smile. "It's fine. I made it two blocks before I realised it was there. Thank you for letting me borrow your car."

He waved it off, "It's fine."

Eames returned to her desk and looked between you both for a long minute before Robert snapped out of his thoughts and introduced you both.

You shook her hand with a smile filled with warmth that seemed to come easy to you. "It's great to meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

"Me too!" She glanced at Robert who scratched the nape of his neck, knowing it was a lie. But he was private in nature and she wasn't one to pry.

"Anything embarrassing?"

"No, but now I'm curious."

You stepped back and his hand rose to your back as if by instinct, as you perfectly fit at his side. "I always find myself in humiliating situations. Unfortunately, Robbie always happens to be around."

"She is very clumsy." He added with a soft smile aimed at you, earning a gentle poke in his ribs.

"Well, for every step you take, for everyone who isn't gigantic, it's five."

Alex smirks, "She's right."

Robert sent her a stoic look that softened when you giggled behind your hand. "If I knew how quickly you two would hit it off, I would have strapped my briefcase to my wrist."

You patted his chest with a smirk. "Don't worry, I'm leaving." You turned to Alex, "If you ever need a drink to talk about Robbie, I'm all ears."

"There's lots to say about Robbie."

"Regret building." He said but his lips were twitching upwards, giving his true feelings away and Alex realized then that your relationship had to be relatively new. A month or so at least.

After bidding Alex goodbye, you headed to the elevator and Robert followed, his hand resting on your back.

"Uh, thanks again f-for bringing my briefcase."

You summoned the elevator and turned to him with a smile. "It's fine. I got to see you again. I'm sorry if I intruded. I knew you had important papers in there."

He shook his head, "No, it gave me another reason to see you."

You glanced down with a smile, "Does that mean I might see you tonight? If your partner doesn't need an urgent chat, of course."

"Of course." He chuckled.

The elevator arrived sooner than he'd like and you stepped closer as people walked out and sent him a small smile before heading inside.

Robert placed a hand on the doors to stop them from closing. "Your place?"

You nodded with a smile, "You've got yourself a date, detective." You stepped forward to kiss him goodbye and he sent you one of the biggest smiles Alex had ever seen from him.

"Uh, sorry." He cleared his throat when he noticed the stares he was receiving and stepped back, removing his hands from the doors, but he caught your smile as the doors began to slide closed.

Robert exhaled as the doors shut fully and ran a hand over his stubbly cheek as he turned to return to his desk, choosing to ignore Alex's smirk.

"She's cute." She mused as he sat across from her.

You had only been dating for a few months when Mighty Med was destroyed and you, and many other superheroes were still missing, presumed to be dead. At first Kaz had tried to be optimistic, then it became denial until finally he was forced to accept that you were gone.

Joining forces with the Davenports to find those responsible gave him something to focus on, but there was always a pit in his stomach that left him feeling like he'd swallowed battery acid. Time went by, and there were more superheroes confirmed to be dead and it became more likely that you hadn't survived the destruction of the hospital.

Throughout your relationship, Kaz taught you about normos as you hadn't interacted with them aside from saving them, and it included the holidays. You were intrigued by Christmas and despite it being September, took a photograph with your boyfriend wearing matching sweaters. Kaz found the sweater as itchy as he did ugly, but he was always happy to oblige you and now the photograph was one of the few he kept on his phone. One of the few he would ever have now that you were presumed dead.

When Halloween rolled around Kaz introduced you to pranks and costumes, and you had attended the dance at his school although you never went there like Skylar did, too busy travelling the universe fighting supervillains. But when it came to Kaz, you always carved out time and even when it seemed like you wouldn't make it, after rushing off to save normos from one of your enemies, you practically ran into the decorated gym hall wearing the costume you had spent an afternoon shopping for and surprising your delighted boyfriend.

Oliver could only observe as you danced with his best friend, whispering as you swayed side to side, arms around his neck loosely as you smiled contently.

"I have to admit, I had my doubts when Kaz asked her on a date, but they actually make a really good couple. They seem really happy." Skylar commented.

Oliver knew Kaz would struggle most around Halloween so when he started pulling pranks on the days leading up to the holiday, he had pulled everyone aside and encouraged them to pretend to fall for it. Bree crossed her arms as she asked why and Oliver explained how much it meant to his best friend, who was struggling with the loss of you.

Chase was running tests and jotting down notes on the results from the test tubes when Kaz entered with a table on his shoulders, a bowl glued onto it with a hole for his head, popcorn swishing inside the bowl with each step he took.

"I told you, I'm not pouring butter on you."

"It's not that. I need your help. I'm stuck."

Chase lifted his head, raising an eyebrow, and trying not to smirk too much at the predicament he'd found himself in. He set his pen down before walking over to help him.

"Oh! You're going over the head that actually makes way more sense."

Kaz dusted kernels off his hoodie as Chase set the table down. "Thanks. Man, I can't prank you, I can't prank Bree - I know she's faking her shock. The only one's left are Oliver and Skylar, but they know all my tricks. Halloween is ruined."

Chase knew Oliver was right. Kaz didn't speak of you often, unless someone else brought your name up first, and everyone always hesitated as they didn't want to upset him further. But on a day that you had only celebrated once, pulling pranks with your boyfriend who taught you everything you needed to know about the holiday, and normos like him, Kaz was unable to escape the space at his side where you used to be.

"Well, you can hang down here with me." Chase suggested.

Kaz adjusted his hoodie so that the hood wasn't pulling at his neck. "I'm not that desperate." He jested half-heartedly before looking at the bionic hero. "But thanks. I know I haven't been easy to be around lately." He patted his shoulder as he headed to the door and as Chase turned to watch him leave with his tilted low, he decided that it was time to find some definite answers. Were you alive and in hiding? Or were you one of the many victims caught in the destruction of Mighty Med?

After working secretly for weeks, Chase left the penthouse and followed up any leads he found, but they never led him anywhere. So, when he suspected that your archnemesis was operating in the city, he went to check it out, and when he was discovered, was saved by a cloaked figure. Your archnemesis fled while you helped Chase to his feet, your hood falling in the process.

"Y-You're alive!"

You smiled at the bionic hero who you had been following closely since Kaz, Oliver and Skylar formed a team with the two Davenport siblings. You had successfully watched from the shadows as they grew stronger as a team, but when Chase began snooping around and drew the attention of your archnemesis, you knew you couldn't stay hidden anymore.

"Hello, Chase."

"And you know my name." He tilted his head curiously. "Have you been watching us?" You glanced away briefly, appearing guilty, and he knew he was right. "B-But why didn't you tell Kaz you were alive?"

"There is a small group of us, trying to rebuild without drawing any attention. But when you started looking for me, my archnemesis followed you believing it would lead to me so he could destroy me once and for all."

Chase shifted awkwardly, rubbing the nape of his neck, "Sorry."

You merely smiled. "How is he?"

"Horrible." Chase said, and noted that you were surprised by the revelation. "Well, you are still presumed dead."

You tilted your head, as if confused, but before Chase could read too much into it, you told him to focus on Roman and Riker and took off before he could say anything else.

He was making his way back to the penthouse when Bree called, and told him to meet the team and he knew Roman and Riker had decided to show themselves again. In the midst of the mayhem, there was no time to reveal everything he'd found out, including telling Kaz that you were alive.

He grappled with how to broach the subject, especially since you hadn't wanted to be discovered. However, when the team returned to the penthouse Skylar noticed a figure on the balcony and everyone prepared for another confrontation but his steps slowed when he recognised the cloak.

You floated off the railing and Chase stopped his sister before she could strike. The speedster looked at him in surprise, but she realized why when you lowered the hood. She had only seen brief glimpses at Kaz's phone when he was flicking through photographs, but she recognised you instantly.

"Y/N." Skylar's fighting stance faltered.

"Y-You're alive?" Oliver stuttered.

You looked at the superhero, then at Oliver, before your teary gaze drifted to your boyfriend who had shut down. "Hi."

"But how? We thought you were -" Oliver continued.

"Dead." You nodded at your friend gravelly, glancing at Chase and causing Kaz to look at him before he turned to you. "I heard that."

Kaz stepped forward and you closed your eyes when he brought you into his arms, tightening his hold when you buried your head in his neck like you used to, placing your arms around his back as you returned the embrace.

You pulled back when you remembered you had company and Skylar reached you before Oliver could, hugging you tightly. You rubbed her back before finally hugging Oliver.

"How did you find her? And why didn't you tell me you knew she was alive?" Kaz directed at Chase, his tone heavy with emotion but not accusatory.

"I didn't until a few hours ago." Chase explained. "Before I could say anything, Roman and Riker showed up. I didn't tell you I was looking for her, because I didn't want to get your hopes up just to crush them again."

You turned to your boyfriend, "I can explain everything."

You followed the group to the living room when Bree suggested it was a conversation best not had on the balcony and stood while they filled the sofa. You took a breath, crossing your arms as you braced yourself for all their questions before beginning your story.

Kaz, you noticed, was abnormally silent, and you were worried that he was upset with you for not revealing you were alive sooner. After answering everyone else's questions, he stood up and asked to talk to you alone for a minute.

Skylar stood as you prepared to leave, and gave you one last hug. "I'm glad you made it out."

You smiled softly, nodding at the group before following Kaz up the stairs to his bedroom. You lingered in the doorway hesitantly, biting the inside of your cheek when he still didn't speak.

"I'm sorry I didn't contact you." You pulled away to meet his gaze. "But it was safer if they thought I was gone. If they know, they will hunt us down." You said, referring to the other superheroes who were building their strength whilst searching for more survivors.

He sighed as he took your hand, looking at the way it looked in his, running his thumb along your fingers. "I get it. I don't like it, but I-I understand why it was necessary."

"I wrote you letters." You said softly.

"You did?"

You nodded, sending him a small smile. "I missed you."

Kaz lifted the hand he held to rest it on his chest, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I missed you too."

You closed your eyes when he placed a hand on your cheek, leaning in to kiss you. It was tentative at first, but once he felt the warmth of your touch, he realized he wasn't dreaming this time. You were really here, and he held back the tears causing his eyes to burn.

After you pulled away, he didn't allow for silence to fill the room - as he had spent too long sitting in it, trying to turn his pain into determination. To master his new abilities, and to take down Roman and RIker.

"Halloween sucked without you."

Your smile grew fond as you recalled your last Halloween together. "Really?"

He nodded, "But everything did."

You placed your hands on the nape of his neck and he rested his hands on your waist as you stepped closer, until your chests brushed with each breath. "I'm here now. And I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

You nodded gently. "I promise."

You closed your eyes as he kissed your forehead, letting his lips linger for a few moments before pulling away.

"I'm going to hold you to that."

That night, you had dinner with the team, and Donald who stopped by after learning you were alive, but your meal was abandoned when you were needed elsewhere and Kaz got deja vu as you rushed to the balcony as you explained the situation.

"I can help." Skylar said, both a suggestion and a plea, but you shook your head.

"I'll be fine." You turned to your boyfriend as you shrugged on your cloak and sighed as you stepped forward to hug him tightly, an embrace he returned.

"Be careful." he murmured in your ear. "I just got you back."

"I will. I promise." You placed a hand on his chest as you kissed him goodbye, clutching his shirt for a moment before you stepped back.

You jumped effortlessly onto the railing and looked at the team over your shoulder, sending them a smirk before flying off. Kaz sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets as he watched you disappear from view with a loud boom followed by a strong gust of wind that forced them to take a step back to avoid stumbling.

Oliver moved closer to pat his shoulder and Kaz flashed a brief smile before turning to thank Chase for tracking you down, or trying to and accidentally succeeding.

You returned to the penthouse over an hour later, landing on the balcony and lowering the hood of your cloak as you entered the living room. Kaz was waiting up, beginning to grow restless until you appeared.

"Hi," He sighed in relief at the sight of you removing the heavy cloak. You draped it over the back of the sofa as he approached you. "For a second there, I was beginning to think I'd imagined the whole thing."

You smiled as you wrapped your arms around his neck, planting a long kiss on his lips that had his eyebrows shooting up to his hairline for a moment before he drew you closer.

"Not a dream. Got it."

A giggle left your lips as you placed a peck on his lips and slipped your right hand into his left, picking up your cloak as you followed him to his bedroom while filling him in on the emergency.

After changing into clothes he'd given you to sleep in, you retrieved a bundle of letters from your cloak and set them on his dresser to be read later. For now, you both wearily climbed into bed and he placed his arms around you when you snuggled into him, resting your head on his chest.

And whether it was because you were both so exhausted, or determined not to be parted even in your sleep, you stayed like that all night. Kaz knew you couldn't stay at the penthouse all the time, and it was dangerous for you, his team and the other superheroes in hiding if Roman and Riker saw you and decided to follow you or exploit the biggest weakness you or he had. Each other.

But he knew he wasn't the only one savouring every second as you lingered the next morning before eventually dragging yourself away. And when you kissed his cheek and took off like a bullet from the balcony, flying to a hideout to regroup with Tecton, or Captain Atomic, he took the stack of letters from his pocket and started to read them. You hadn't went into as much detail as you had when you had answered his and his team's questions, but rather it was more private. Your thoughts, how you struggled to keep your distance and how much you missed him.

As time passed, you did sneak away to visit the penthouse, getting to know the Davenports better as you reconnected with your boyfriend and your friends. Sometimes it was too soon, therefore too dangerous, but Kaz found a way to make it work, and left the penthouse to meet you alone.

When Roman and Riker mentioned Mighty Med's destruction, he no longer resembled a kicked puppy and tried his hardest not to smirk at the fact they hadn't sussed you were alive.

And when it was all over, when the shapeshifters and Roddisius were defeated and you finally came out of hiding along with many other superheroes who had been hunted, you were rarely seen away from his side unless you were battling supervillains on another planet not suitable for a normo.

Kaz and Oliver had adapted and learned to control their powers. Since the team had done what it had set out to do, defeat those responsible for destroying Mighty Med and killing many of the superheroes inside, it disbanded, but they were only one call away if the need arose. Oliver followed. Then Skylar. And you found yourself fighting alongside your boyfriend and your friends, saving those in need and rebuilding what was lost in the attack of Mighty Med.

The next day when you turned up on their doorstep with your little cousin on your hip, it hadn't come as a surprise when she answered the door. She was in the middle of greeting you when Adam rushed towards her after fleeing from the lab as if it was on fire, and running all the way from the elevator. You chided your boyfriend when he not so subtly tried to get rid of Tasha who laughed it off, used to his antics by now, and headed upstairs to give you time alone.

"I know we had plans to go out, but we can watch a movie here instead?"

You pinched the three year old's cheek in attempt to use her cuteness against him, and Adam smiled as he closed the door. "Sure."

You placed your little cousin on the sofa, and removed the backpack from your shoulders before turning to greet your boyfriend properly. "Hi," You laced your fingers on the nape of his neck, and his arms instinctively wrapped around your waist, drawing your body closer to his.

"Hi." He lowered his head and kissed you softly. "I've missed you."

Since your aunt arrived in town your attention had been 'hijacked' as Adam put it much to his family's amusement, but they knew that he was used to seeing you everyday, and while you still called him at before going to sleep, your time had been occupied by your visiting relatives.

"I missed you too." You placed a chaste kiss on his lips, pulling back to smile up at him. "You're more handsome than I remember."

Adam turned his head when he heard Bree scoffing, smile dropping when he saw his siblings entering the living room, and you lowered your arms, putting your hands in the back of your jeans as you turned to the three teenagers. "Go away."

"Adam," You chided, giggling softly. "Let me see if I remember correctly…Brenda, Reese and Winston."

Adam snorted. He knew you were just messing with his siblings as you had dated for over a year now and while he was worried about you discovering their bionic abilities, you had taken it in stride and proved all his fears were unfounded. If anything, the revelation had strengthened your relationship, and with graduation only a few months away, Adam knew that while you had already got plans for college, and he didn't, your relationship would survive. If you could survive being held hostage by Krane, you could survive anything. Or at least, that's what you told him and deep down he believed it.

"Okay, Brenda and Reese I get. But Winston?" Leo exclaimed.

You smiled at your little cousin when she giggled at his tone, and joined her on the sofa. "I tried to make you sound like a distinguished gentlemen rather than a squeaky teenager."

Leo pursed his lips, glaring at his siblings when they laughed.

They didn't linger long knowing Adam had been waiting to have you to himself after a three day drought. And he'd threatened to zap them with his heat vision if they tried to crash your impromptu date. You searched the backpack for the picnic you had made for your little cousin, commentating your actions to the three year old who chatted happily in return while Adam went to raid the kitchen for cheese puffs and whatever else he could find.

There wasn't enough space to sit next to you, so he sat on the other side of your cousin who turned to watch his movements as she ate her sandwiches. "Are those any good?"

She nodded her head, offering him one of the triangles from the lunchbox.

"No, that's all yours. But thank you."

You smiled at the interaction as you settled on the sofa, resting an elbow on the back of the sofa, tucking your feet beneath you. Adam stretched his legs out and rested his heels on the coffee table, placing his arm on the back of the sofa, fingers brushing your skin. You spent the next few minutes looking for a movie and decided to watch one that was aimed at your cousin's age group.

You knew Adam was easy-going. It was one of the things you loved about him. When he had joined you in the library while you were studying and you were worried he'd get bored, he said he was just happy to spend time with you. So, when you were asked to babysit on your way out of the door, you weren't worried about his reaction, and from the way the two of them chatted as the movie progressed, they were getting along better than you had expected.

Halfway through the movie, Adam agreed to keep an eye on your little cousin while you went to the bathroom. He noticed her juice was nearly finished and went to the fridge to give her some more, but when he turned around he noticed she wasn't on the sofa. He spilled some orange juice as he rushed over to search for her, lifting cushions and even opening the front door during his search. He heard giggling and climbed over the sofa, heading down the hallway, gasping when he saw the elevator doors closing with the three year old inside.

"No, no, no!" He hit his hand on the doors when they were fully closed and took your cousin to the lab. He pressed the button rapidly, "Come on. Come on!" He sighed when the elevator returned and when the doors opened, he stepped inside, groaning when he saw your cousin wasn't there and hit the button to head to the lab.

Donald was stunned when the three year old wandered into the lab and Chase and Leo exchanged glances behind his back. "What the…Who is -"

"C/N!" Adam ran into the room and your cousin turned to your stressed boyfriend who sighed in relief. He crouched down to check her over before lifting her into his arms as he stood up. She giggled when he whispered for her not to scare him like that again. Adam paused when he saw the stares he was receiving from his family, pointing at them warningly, "This never happened, got it?"

Despite his confusion, Donald nodded and after glaring at his siblings, they quickly agreed not to tell you about the events. As Adam left, he vaguely heard Donald asking who the toddler was, and his siblings filling in the blanks.

When you came downstairs to the living room, Adam was pouring orange juice into your cousin's juice bottle, and the toddler had her arms around his neck, giggling when he moved around the kitchen space, tidying up.

"You know, she will never stop asking for piggyback rides, now?" You smiled at the sight of the tiny toddler being carried by the towering bionic teenager.

"At least I know where she is." He paused, quickly correcting himself, "Not that I lost her! We were here the whole time!"

You raised an eyebrow, but laughed it off as you headed to the kitchen. "My mom called. They're going to be a little longer than expected. Wanna go to the park?"

Your cousin cheered and Adam smiled at her over his shoulder, turning to you. "I think we have an answer."

Adam held your cousin on his back as he ran to the living room to find her shoes. She laughed when he picked her up, turning her upside down briefly as he spun her around, before placing her on the sofa. You observed the two of them with a smile, shaking your head before walking over to help make the living room presentable again. You rested a hand on Adam's shoulder as you walked by carrying items that you intended to return to the backpack and met his gaze briefly, mirroring the smile he sent you.

When you were far enough away, he turned to your cousin who listened intently as he whispered, "The elevator ride stays between us, okay?"

She thought for a moment before nodding with a grin that he returned as he stood up. Her smile grew when he turned and told her to hop on his back for another piggyback ride. Since it was a nice day, you opted to walk to the park and immediately your little cousin wiggled to get down. She noticed an ice cream truck and before you could react, she ran towards it, but after a few steps, seemed to remember something and turned and offered a hand to Adam who took it with a smile.

"Ice cream!" She cheered, pointing at the truck.

You checked your watch, "I don't know. We don't want to spoil dinner."

"Aw, ice cream." Adam pouted.

Your cousin frowned and you looked between the pair with a sigh, lips lifting faintly. "If we have time. But only if we have time."

You shook your head when they cheered and Adam grinned as he headed to the swings. You were quickly forgotten about by the two who ran around excitedly and you had managed to sneakily record a few short videos and snapped several pictures of them as they made their way from the swings to the slide and to the next thing that caught their interest.

After two and a half hours, three year old had fallen asleep shortly after finishing her ice cream, but Adam carried her without complaint despite her snoring softly in his ear. He held your hand as you both headed to your house and you fed him spoonful's of the ice cream you were sharing.

"I've never seen her take to someone so quickly." You mused.

"You may have some competition to be my favorite person."

You gasped, earning a smile from your boyfriend. "Well, she is adorable." You jokingly sighed in resignation. "But you'll always be mine."

Adam leaned down slightly as you leaned up to kiss his jaw.

When Tasha came downstairs to make dinner, your little cousin took up most of the space on the sofa, covered with a blanket, fast asleep, while you read a book on the lap of your snoozing boyfriend. She cooed at your cousin quietly as she asked about your day and you smiled at your boyfriend as he slept, running your fingers through his hair.

You finished your tale of the park. "They're exhausted."

Tasha smiled as she went to the kitchen and turned to her husband when he came up from the lab with Leo, Chase and Bree trailing behind him. She urged them to keep quiet and Donald followed her gaze to where your three year old cousin was sleeping, and you were absentmindedly playing with Adam's hair as he slept and you read your book.

Seeing the intimate moment, he said, "Great. Because what we really needed was more kids around the house."

Tasha sent him an amused smile while Bree sat on the floor next to the coffee table to avoid disturbing your sleeping cousin, and Leo soon followed. Chase took out his phone and took several photos of you and Adam to tease his older brother with later before Tasha sent him a glance that had him pocketing it.

"Did they gather all the evidence from the explosion?"

"Yes."

"You're sure?" He pressed.

"Yes. Booth, I was there they were very thorough and I was very annoying."

She straightened in her chair when he tried to disguise a groan with a sigh as he leaned his head back on the bed.

For a moment she could see it. The pain he was going through, but trying to hide.

His head lifted when you almost crashed into the doorway, and Bones swallowed thickly at the worry in your eyes. "Hey," He greeted as you stepped into the room.

"Oh, Seel..." You approached the bed, tentatively reaching a hand out, but opting to rest it on the bed instead of his shoulder.

"Hey, the face isn't that bad, is it?"

You raised an eyebrow at the federal agent who quickly dropped the pretences that he had kept up with everyone else. You finally addressed the brunette in the chair beside his bed, who tried not to look so guilty, but you and Seeley could read her easily.

"How many times have I told you? Run away from fire, explosives, or any kind of sharp pointy thing."

Seeley smiled softly when you set your bag and a bag filled with his clothes and toiletries on the floor. From the size of the bag, he knew in your panic you had overpacked, but he wouldn't mention it. He never did when he got injured on the job. For once, he let someone in and let himself be the person taken care of for a change.

Your hand trembled as you reached out to brush his hair away from his forehead. "How bad is he?"

"Don't -"

Bones interrupted Booth's protests and listed his catalogued injuries from the explosion. "He has burns, lacerations, two broken ribs, and a greenstick fracture of the clavicle -"

"So, I got blown up." He cut off the brunette who knew from the look he sent her that he was more annoyed than he appeared as he turned his head to send you a smile. "I'm fine. I-I don't even know i-if I have to stay here."

"Oh, you're staying. That's not up for debate." You sent your boyfriend a small smile despite the tears in your eyes. Your hand hovered hesitantly next to his cheek as if worried you'd cause further damage, and you leaned down to kiss his head. "You know how to keep gal's heart racing, don't you, Special Agent Booth?" Your voice was quiet as you feared if you spoke louder your voice would wobble and the last thing he needed was to see you crying over his hospital bed. "Do you want some coffee? I saw a machine in the hallway -" You turned to Bones, "Can he have coffee?"

Booth turned to his partner when she began to assure you coffee was fine, sending her a not-so-subtle shake of his head, silently telling her not to bring up his injuries again or the long list of medication that he was not feeling any benefit from yet.

Bones stopped abruptly and realizing her matter of fact presence was not helping right now. "I should go."

"No, stay -" You began.

"No, I have things I have to check on." She was also not subtle as she kept the file she'd taken on Booth's injuries, and his x-ray results.

You smiled faintly as she left and turned to your boyfriend. "What was she hiding?"

"With Bones it could be anything."

You sighed as you moved around to the other side of his bed to sit on the chair. You took in your shirtless boyfriend, from the cuts and bruises, to the burns hidden under the blanket, and the sling on his right arm.

"Hey," His voice broke you out of your thoughts and you released your lower lip from your teeth, blinking away the blurriness caused by your concerned tears. "I'll be fine."

"Aside from the burns, bruises, broken bones -"

"Aside from all that." He interrupted with a small smile. "Really. I've had worse."

You held his gaze for a moment before your lips lifted slightly, deciding that you could continue your crying from the car ride to the hospital later when he wasn't there to see it. You knew he had a high risk job, but you tried not to let the fear of losing him affect your relationship, and although it meant he worked long hours, you always found ways to spend time together. For the past year and a half, you were happier than you had ever been and you wouldn't let your fears scare you into walking away from the greatest man you had ever met.

It had taken a lot to get him to open up, but everyone had a moment when they had to let themselves crumble before they could carry on. When Booth introduced you to Parker, he had decided that he could risk opening up one more time, and told you about his childhood, his military background, working at the FBI and how he came to be working alongside Dr Temperance Brennan. You had listened as he got it all off his chest, and Booth fell in love with you all over again that night.

"So, now you know everything."

"You say that like you expect me to run away screaming." Your lips twitched upwards faintly as you took his hands, leaning closer as you held his gaze that revealed just how uncertain he was. "You're one of a kind, Seeley Booth."

"I don't know about that..."

"I do." You placed a hand on his cheek, and kissed him tenderly, leaning into him as he brought you closer.

He'd been injured on the job before, but never this bad. You would always worry about him, that was the price of loving someone, and you had never loved someone more than you loved him.

"Make me feel useful. Can I get you anything?"

He nodded at the table with a faint smile. "Could you hand me a pudding cup?"

You rose to pick up one of the pudding cups on the table and a spoon. He licked his lips as you took off the lid and you placed it on his lap and handed him the spoon. "Oh, yeah. Look at that."

You shook your head as he began to eat it with enthusiastic hums and brought your chair closer to the bed, taking a seat. "I have never seen someone enjoy hospital pudding like you do."

"Have you tried it? It's incredible. I would share with you, but I'm injured and I don't think I could reach." He grinned as he ate a spoonful and elicited laughter from you from how youthful he looked at that moment. His lips rested in a smile at the sight, and he looked at the bag on the floor you had brought for him. "How much did you pack?"

"I lost count after the third suit. I'm pretty sure there is a shirt from that break we took to the beach, you know, with the little flamingos? It was too ugly so I had to buy it."

Seeley nodded, chuckling as he recalled the shirt. During your first vacation together, you took a wandered from the beach and headed into the villages and came across a market stall that sold the boldest, most colorful shirts that he had ever seen. You hadn't expected him to like it so much and he had worn it to dinner that night. You were laughing and blushing all night as you danced at the bar afterwards. Seeley's wardrobe was limited due to his job, and in his rare downtime he wore dark colors, so the shirt was a novelty gift that he had held onto.

You took the pudding cup when it was empty, setting it on the table next to the spoon, and turned to your boyfriend when he ignored the pain shooting through his arm to catch your hand before you lowered it to your side.

You smiled softly as you moved closer, placing your hands on his jaw and kissing him tenderly. Your right hand slipped to his chest as you pulled away after a few moments, and you felt the drumming of his heart beneath your palm.

"Hey," He murmured, "I'll be fine."

You moved your left hand to the nape of his neck, nodding before resting your forehead against his lightly. "I know. I love you."

"I love you too." He tried to move his arm, sighing in frustration when he couldn't hold you like he wanted.

"For once, Special Agent Booth, you have to keep your hands to yourself." Your smile was teasing as you pulled back and he tilted his head, a smirk forming on his lips.

"This sling won't be there for long."

You giggled as you shook your head at your boyfriend. Even being blown up a few hours prior was not enough to stop him flirting with you.

When he was cleared to go home, he was more at ease in familiar surroundings. You took a few days off work to keep an eye on him as you knew he was itching to solve the case and wouldn't rest properly until he did so.

Booth did allow you to fuss over him at home, but he was still a federal agent, and he wasn't someone who could sit idle while his partner was chasing a murderer. Seeley shared very little about his work, mostly for confidentiality reasons, but he knew it took a toll on him and didn't want to see it happen to you. But this case was personal. He had stayed to keep an eye on Temperance and gotten blown up. So he divulged a little information about the investigation here and there.

When it was all over, and Booth had rescued Bones, you got a call from her to tell you Booth was in the hospital again and you entered to find her at his bedside with a bandage on her head.

Their heads turned immediately at your entrance, and you sighed at the sight of the two of them, now both injured.

"I can't let you two out of my sight, can I?" You reached into your tote bag to reveal takeout food and Bones chuckled when Booth cheered, and you chided him gently. "If I get kicked out for smuggling in food, I'm taking this with me. And you're version of 'I'm fine' is frightening." You dished out the containers and pulled up another chair to sit closer to Booth who wasted no time in digging in.

You took in their injuries as Bones told you about Kenton when you asked what happened, and was oblivious to the looks your boyfriend sent that urged her to be quiet as she ate. You shook your head as you held the cup out and Seeley took a drink.

"You know, you're lucky I love you." You said, raising an eyebrow at the dark haired FBI agent who smiled broadly.

Bones shook her head while you playfully rolled your eyes, and turned your attention to the TV as you continued eating, but Bones noticed Booth still gazed at you for a few moments, unnoticed by you until you turned your head as if sensing his stare, mirroring his smile, sharing some unspoken conversation.

She realized that she wanted what Booth had found with you. She had cancelled her date after he was taken to the hospital again, but she knew what she wanted now, more clearly than before. A love like you and Booth shared.

She often joked when he ran head first into danger that if he got hurt, you were going to be upset with him. And while you chided him now and then, you knew it came with the job and were always more concerned than frustrated as many other wives or girlfriends were of other agents in his line of work. Many couldn't maintain stable relationships due to the gruelling hours, the weight that got heavier with each crime scene, or crumbled underneath their worry and the stress of it had led to them breaking up in an attempt to spare themselves the heartache.

Bones knew you fretted over him. Booth had gotten hurt in the field before and she had asked if he was worried you would leave him like Rebecca, and while she realized she had spoken before she had given consideration to how he felt, he grew tense as he drove, but reminded her that their relationship ended because she didn't want to get married.

"And we're fine. Okay? One hundred percent, totally and absolutely fine." His tone was sharp, somewhat defensive but Bones knew he was just caught off guard by the question and while their partnership had improved over the years, he still kept certain aspects of his life private.

"Okay." Bones replied.

"Good."

"And she worries because she cares. But she knows it's all part of the job and we deal with it."

"We talk. She talks everything through. I never have to figure out what she's thinking." He continued and his tone became softer as the tenseness left his body with a sigh. And she knew why he was quick to defend your relationship, as she had seen glimpses of the fractured agent and you picking up the pieces afterwards before. "That's one of the things I like about her. She communicates."

Bones realized her bluntness had upset him and apologised.

A few moments later, she felt like she could finally breathe now that the tension was lifted. "You have been dating nearly two years now, I would argue that like is an understatement of your feelings."

Booth turned to look at the brunette whose smile was playful.

"You love her."

Booth shook his head when he realized they still had another twenty minutes to go before they arrived back at the lab and sent the brunette an annoyed glance when she continued teasing him. She held her hands up when he released a irritated sigh and stopped.

For a few moments, the car was silent as he drove and he was almost convinced she had dropped the subject when she said, "I'm glad you're happy, Booth."

He shuffled in his seat, clearing his throat. "Thank you."

And when he had turned up at her place to check on her before the explosion, she joked, "Did Y/N kick you out?"

He had laughed sarcastically, explaining that you knew where he was as it was your idea that he check on her. He'd given snippets about the case so far and you knew he was worried about her, as you were, and suggested he stop by. When he got blown up, she felt so guilty, still did, as she knew it was intended for her.

And now here he was, back in hospital again.

The last thing Kaz could have predicted was that the superhero chose, out of the many coffee shops in the city, the one you worked at. He wanted to try as many as possible with the little cash he had and you brought over the three different brews to his table, and he watched out the window at the time that was alien to him.

You glanced over now and then at the tall blond as he tasted the coffees, and grimaced. You turned to the shelf of coffee beans, trying to find one that he'd like. You settled on one that was not too bitter, but packed plenty of punch, and took it over to his table.

"Hi," His head turned and you suddenly questioned your decision to approach the stranger. "I noticed you forcing them down and I thought you might like this one better." You set it on the table in front of him, nodding when he thanked you as you placed the three coffees he didn't like on a tray.

He lifted the mug as you returned behind the counter, and his blue eyes followed your movements before he looked at the coffee. It didn't smell as sweet as the Café Bombón and when he took a sip it wasn't as bitter as the first one he had tried.

He left the table when he was finished, and he brought the mug to the counter and you took it with a smile when he gave his positive verdict.

"Thank you. I'm Mario Steel."

You told him your name as you shook his hand.

It became common for him to come into the coffee shop. He still tried different types of items on the menu, but he always gravitated back to the blend you had chosen for him on his first visit to the coffee shop.

One day, he was later than usual and after the lunchtime rush you believed he wouldn't be showing up, which was odd for the blond who came in almost everyday. You were eating lunch when he arrived and asked to join you and returned with his usual coffee when you said yes. Your lunch break always seemed to be the quickest part of your day, but that day it seemed to end sooner and you sent him a small smile as you returned to work. Before he left a short while later, he asked you out on a date and due to his limited knowledge of this time, of which you were unaware, let you plan where to spend it.

For weeks he managed to keep his superhero life separate, and when you asked about his family, he changed the dates, but kept as close to the truth as he could to avoid raising suspicion. When he asked about your family, and you told him about your siblings, it hadn't taken Mario long to put two and two together.

Of all the people he could have met and fallen for, it was the sister of one of the normo doctors at Mighty Med. He knew things were going to get complicated as there was only one Kaz that he knew of, and you had no clue about Mighty Med or about Mario's secret identity.

He had managed to avoid running into Kaz when he met your parents and a handful of your siblings, as he had chosen a time when he knew the teenager was working. Kaz hadn't questioned why he wanted to know and Mario was gone before he could begin to wonder about his sudden interest in his schedule.

For two months, he had successfully managed to keep the two worlds from colliding and while dating, you had unknowingly helped integrate him into your time when you went on dates to the movies, or went to a museum.

It wasn't that you were totally oblivious to his strange ways, but rather filed him under quirky and fell in love with his eagerness to experience new things. He had grown more sure of himself as time went by and when he tried to tone down the 'cheesiness' as Kaz called it, you asked why he was acting different, and told him you found it endearing.

Falling in love with you was the easiest thing he had ever done. And in a time that sometimes overwhelmed him by how it starkly contrasted his own, you would smile and he'd feel grounded again.

While at Mighty Med, Mario never gave any indication that he knew you, even when he could hear Kaz and Oliver mentioning your name now and then. So it came as a tremendous surprise to the duo when the news broadcasted that his normo girlfriend had been taken by the Black Falcon.

Horace had checked him over after his latest fight and turned up the TV when his name was mentioned. Mario rose from the bed, swallowing the gravel in his throat at the thought of you being used as a pawn in Black Falcon's revenge plan.

"I didn't know you were dating a normo." Horace spoke first.

Mario stepped closer to the TV as more was revealed and the reportor disappeared as scenes from the street outside the coffee shop where you worked, were pictured and people running for their lives.

"Hold on, Kaz, isn't that the place Y/N works?" Oliver asked.

Mario looked at the teenage doctor, realizing it was time to reveal the truth, to both you and your brother.

Mario took out the cell phone he had bought to contact you with, and while he still didn't know the full extent of its capabilities, he knew how to call you, and look at the pictures you had taken.

Kaz froze when he turned the phone around and showed him a photograph you had taken. Mario had given it to you to enter your number into, and you had taken a picture of the two of you that showed on his screen whenever you called.

Oliver glanced at his friend when he didn't speak, staring at your smiling features as you leaned into your boyfriend, completely unaware that he was actually a superhero at the secret hospital that you didn't know he went to when he rushed off to work, because it was meant to stay hidden and posed a risk.

"You're dating my sister?" Kaz finally snapped out of it, and quickly descended into panic. "And she has been taken by the Black Falcon who is trying to draw you out!"

Mario nodded, placing the cell phone in a pocket in his suit. "But don't worry. I know of a few hideouts he could be using to hide her."

The blond stepped aside, prepared to take flight when the duo stopped him and began listing hideouts they'd read about in comic books, and the ones that had been destroyed during the many fights between the Black Falcon and numerous superheroes.

"I'm coming with you."

"Correction: we're coming with you." Oliver said.

Mario shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous."

He took off to rescue you and Kaz grumbled as he left the hospital with Oliver running at his side as they rushed to where they believed you were being held by the Black Falcon.

Captain Atomic flew into a window, breaking the glass, his boots creating a loud thud that echoed through the warehouse. The ground shook slightly and the Black Falcon leaned on his scepter to avoid falling over.

"Ah, Captain Atomic. It's too late. She's already gone."

Captain Atomic had faced the Black Falcon before. Since Kaz and Oliver had returned to the past to retrieve a new battery that saved his life and strengthened his powers, he had faced many villains with various abilities after their first fight, and combined with some training, he had adapted his own abilities a lot since their first encounter.

He was stronger, but he was also concerned about you, and the Black Falcon knew he had an upper hand as he taunted him. Mario was knocked back by a burst of energy from his scepter, and rolled on the floor, wincing as he tried to get up. He glanced up as the Black Falcon approached him with a menacing laugh and caught sight of Kaz and Oliver sneaking into the warehouse.

He knew he couldn't let them be discovered and rolled to where his yo-yo had landed, jumping to his feet and using it to deflect the Black Falcon's attacks.

When you were nowhere to be seen, the two teenagers left to search the rest of the warehouse to find where the Black Falcon had hidden you. Oliver discovered you after a few minutes, staggering when he saw you on the floor, limbs straight and eyes closed.

He called for Kaz as he rushed to your side, relieved when he saw you were breathing, but when he took your pulse it was weak. Kaz ran into the room and the two teenagers tried to wake you up.

The building groaned and they shielded you when the roof shook, some dust falling, and a loud crash from elsewhere rocked the ground. Oliver heard Captain Atomic calling your name, and called him to where the three of you were.

"She's breathing, but she's not moving!" Kaz exclaimed.

Mario knelt beside you, placing a hand on your cheek as his expression clouded. He picked you up and quickly rose to his feet.

"Meet us at Mighty Med." Mario flew off with you in his arms and Kaz and Oliver left the warehouse to head to the hospital.

When Kaz arrived, you were already on a bed and Horace tried to figure out what was wrong with you, but he had limited knowledge of normos and so it was up to Kaz and Oliver to figure it out.

The two ran through everything they knew about the Black Falcon. "Well, there's the obvious, he can fly like a falcon." Kaz began.

"He can channel his energy into his scepter to cause shockwaves." Oliver added.

"He can fire blasts of energy. Right." Kaz perked up. "But he can also use it to knock people out cold."

"So, we need to find a way to wake her up. But she's not a superhero. We don't know how to treat her." Oliver gestured with his hands wildly.

Kaz approached the bed and began rapidly tapping your cheek. "Wakey wakey!" He walked to a trolley and picked up a glass of water, tossing it over your face.

"Really?" Oliver deadpanned.

"I'm panicking!"

The monitors above the bed began to beep and Kaz felt your pulse and Oliver picked up a stethoscope, listening to your heart. "She's getting weaker."

"She's dying." Kaz whispered.

Oliver paused for a moment, "If it was someone else, how would we treat her?"

Kaz listed different ways they've healed superheroes after they've been injured by the Black Falcon and when Oliver believed they had a plan, the two put it into action while Mario stood anxiously nearby.

The blond stepped closer when your head turned, and you blinked, raising a hand to shelter your eyes from the bright lights. Your brow furrowed when you heard the two teenagers calling your name, pausing when you noticed your surroundings.

"- you feel okay?"

You noticed a blonde woman on a bed next you, wearing a black mask over her eyes, and wearing a costume with flames on it, creating fire with her hands.

"Take it easy." Kaz warned when you shifted into a seated position.

"Where am I?" You murmured, looking around the room, squeaking when you saw a lizard man.

"You're in Mighty Med. The villain Black Falcon took you to draw out Captain Atomic. He knocked you out with his powers, but we managed to bring you out of it." Kaz explained, resting a hand on your shoulder.

You drew your wide eyed gaze to your younger brother, eyebrows raising when you saw your boyfriend behind him, wearing a red and blue suit with a large A on his chest.

"I think I'm having side effects from the medication."

"She's freaking out." Oliver stage whispered.

"She's totally fine." Kaz said seconds before you got off the bed and tried to bolt to the nearest exit, but halted when you nearly collided with Gray Granite. "Yeah, she's freaking out."

You turned, looking at Solar Flare who was still showing her powers, before looking at the lizard man, then your boyfriend who caught you when you fainted, lifting you effortlessly and carried you back to the bed.

"You know, it could've been worse. Last time she freaked out, she whacked our sister with a baseball bat." Kaz chuckled.

Mario raised an eyebrow at his words, but didn't look away from you as he removed his gloves and moved your hair away from your face. You blinked slowly, brow furrowing briefly before you met your boyfriend's gaze.

"I had the weirdest dream..." You leaned your cheek against his palm, "There was a lizard man and a chick with fire hands."

"Technically, she manipulates fire and heat from her hands -" Oliver began.

"Not now." Kaz muttered.

You noticed your boyfriend's outfit then. The blue and red suit was hard to miss, as was the large A on his chest. "Mario..." You whispered, meeting his guilt ridden gaze.

"I think it's time I told you the full truth about who I am."

"The bird man said something about Captain Atomic." You placed a hand on his chest, "I'm guessing the A isn't for applesauce."

"I was wondering why I craved applesauce so much." Kaz chuckled, crossing his arms.

"But first, how do you feel?" Oliver asked.

"Aside from the urge to run screaming from the room? Fine."

Kaz decided it was news best delivered with food and you listened as he and Oliver revealed how they had stumbled across Mighty Med and started working there months before. While Mario explained why Black Falcon had taken you in an attempt to draw him out and weaken him, you knew that the rest, how he became a superhero and arrived in your time, would come later when you were alone.

"It was never my intention to put you at risk. I thought I was being careful, yet the Black Falcon discovered what you meant to me." Mario placed a hand on your cheek and you stepped closer to the blond superhero who wrapped his arms around you as you placed your arms around his waist and rested your head on his chest. It felt as if he was shielding you from further harm, and you had always felt safest in his embrace.

He rested his cheek against your hair, closing his eyes briefly and sighed in relief as you were once again safely nestled against his chest and considering the events, taking the heaps of information better than expected.

The superhero news broadcast was constantly playing, and after seeing the way he looked at the screen, you knew he wanted to help. He kissed your cheek before stepping back, taking flight and you looked at your brother with raised eyebrows.

"You should see what he can do with a yo-yo."

Thankfully, Kaz hadn't given you enough time to panic again, as he rambled and dragged you all over the hospital for a tour. He and Oliver introduced you to superheroes and learning their friend Connie was actually Skylar Storm, was the least surprising after everything.

"Isn't she the one who you have a cr-" You yelped when Oliver pushed you out of the door and Kaz snickered when he immediately apologised and squeaked as he pleaded for you not to retaliate.

They continued with their tour and when Mario returned you were sitting on a empty bed as Oliver checked that your vitals were still normal.

"Again, we're really sorry about the lying." He smiled nervously after answering all your questions about the hospital and how they'd managed to keep it a secret for so long.

"Technically it was more misleading than lying. We were at work, but not where you thought we were, but you didn't know where we worked, so it - wait I'm confused." Kaz chimed in.

"Doesn't matter. You are so grounded." You drawled, rising from the bed.

"You can't do that! You don't even live with us anymore!" He complained. "Oliver lied too!"

Oliver huffed when Kaz pushed him forward slightly so he was in front of him. "Really?" He threw over his shoulder.

You shook your head at the two and turned to your boyfriend when you spotted him approaching the three of you, wearing normo clothes. And for a moment, to anyone paying attention, the blond's expression revealed his fears about the ordeal with the Black Falcon leading to him losing you, but you smiled at the blue eyed superhero who looked like he remembered how to breathe as he mirrored it.

You were eager to go home and as the four of you left the hospital, Mario got his first glimpse at the teasing nature of your relationship with Kaz, and by extension Oliver who you thought of as a sibling.

"You know, you are really making me regret saving you."

"Kaz, don't say that. She could get taken again at any moment." Oliver fretted.

"I won't." You chirped, smirking at Kaz when he turned to you. "He is not that lucky. Besides, he loves me."

"Urgh, you heard that?" Kaz grumbled. During his and Oliver's race to save your life you remembered hearing voices, and your brother saying that you were his favorite sibling.

"You love me." You continued to tease much to his dismay and Mario chuckled as you left his side briefly to drape your arms around the shoulders of the two teens who had different reactions. Kaz was groaning and wiggled out of your embrace while Oliver was far more receptive.

While the two teens headed to The Domain, Mario took you home and finally told you the truth. How he got his powers, his family and how Kaz released him from the wormhole. You sat with your knees tucked beneath you, elbow resting on the back of the sofa as you listened to his story and realised that while he had changed some details to maintain his secret identity, he had been as honest with you as he could.

You knew that he intended to tell you everything eventually both from observing his minute expressions as he spoke, and he had told you such. And while it raised a lot of questions, like 'would it happen again' or 'did you constantly have a target on your back from supervillains who wanted to catch him off guard in the confrontation due to his love for you', you could answer most of them. Yes, it was worth it just to be with the man you'd fallen in love with, and as you helped him navigate your world, he would help you navigate his.

You could see the vulnerability in his blue eyes as the conversation lulled and placed a hand on his cheek, silencing those worries by pressing your lips on his. He rested a hand on your thigh as he chased your kiss, and you wrapped your arms around his neck, as his hands moved to your waist, drawing your body closer to his.

You pulled back a few moments later, smiling softly as you toyed with the blond strands of hair that tickled the nape of his neck. If Kaz saw you now, he'd probably ask Solar Flare to burn his eyes out of his head after seeing his sister kissing a superhero in her living room, while on his lap.

There was still so much to learn about the secret world of superheroes, and it would take some getting used to, but you had Kaz and Oliver who had spent most of their lives following their adventures and Mario who could explain the rest.

A giggle left your lips, "Now, the phone thing makes sense, grandpa."

He reeled back, offended at the playful jab, and shifted so your back was on the sofa. He nuzzled his head into the crook of your neck, knowing you found it ticklish and it the quickest way to make you laugh. He lifted his head and smiled down at you as he tucked your hair behind your ear, his blue eyes contently adoring you for a moment.

"I can't believe it sometimes. How lucky I am to have met you." He thought aloud.

After meeting Sherry when she had dinner at the condo for the first time, you believed she was someone they weren't used to, as she was different than the people they usually surrounded themselves with, but you could see the positive effect she had on their father.

When their relationship became strained, and Frasier and Niles were too busy celebrating that Sherry might be gone from their lives, you encouraged Frasier to talk to his father. Upon learning that he was pushing her away because she said "I love you" and Martin felt as if he was betraying his wife who had been dead for several years, Frasier intervened and got the two back together.

You watched as Martin hugged Sherry and looped your right arm with Frasier's left, rubbing his arm with your free hand. "I'm proud of you."

"We were so close."

You knew he was referring to being free from Sherry, and patted his arm before going to pour him a drink knowing he needed it. Although he would mourn the lost opportunity, he still reconciled the couple even when it went against his interest because his father's happiness mattered more. It was one of the reasons you fell for him; his ability to bring people together.

A few weeks later, Frasier found Sherry no more likeable than he did before, but it amused him greatly to see that her presence was now being felt by you when she stayed over more often.

You were approaching the table when Sherry commented on your outfit. "Oh, honey, you have nicer shirts than that. Here let met show you."

Frasier smirked behind his coffee cup when you took a breath and smiled so tightly that he was surprised your jaw didn't break.

When you returned, you were in a completely different outfit and Daphne poured you coffee as you finally joined the table and the glance you shared did not go unnoticed by Frasier who had sensed tensions were rising between Daphne and Sherry as well over the course of the last few weeks.

"There! Doesn't she look so much better?"

You sipped your coffee quietly, and looked at your boyfriend when he agreed, subtly kicking his calf beneath the table. He was enjoying your torment far too much lately.

"You know, I've had a marvellous idea. Why don't you two go shopping together?"

Sherry grinned and quickly agreed much to your dismay, but you masked it well, and set a date and time before you left for work.

"I'll drive you." Frasier rose, but you were quick to fetch your coat and head to the door.

"I'll take the bus. I'm feeling social."

By lunchtime you'd cooled down enough to glare at him across the table at Café Nervosa much to the amusement of Niles.

"How long are you going to continue being mute?" Frasier asked, exasperated by your antics. When you arrived at Nervosa, he had already gotten a table and realized quickly that you were talking to everyone except him. But he was sure your glare was softening and he had seen the way your lips twitched now and then before you took a sip of coffee to hide it.

"I'd say a while." Niles replied.

You smiled at him as you picked up your bag, before saying goodbye to the younger Crane brother and leaving while glaring at your boyfriend who pressed his lips together.

By dinnertime, you had fully cooled down, only because glaring was giving you a headache. You were hiding in the bedroom, finally releasing your frustrations with Daphne who shared her own irritation with Sherry who was waving off Martin's physical therapy and giving him all the greasy food he wanted.

Frasier entered the condo to find Martin and Sherry sitting on the sofas watching the television, discussing it. After a quick greeting, he went to the bedroom where he found you sitting with Daphne as you vented to each other.

"Really? This is what you've sunken to? Hiding?" He gasped when he saw Eddie on the bed beside you. "Off! Right now!"

"No, he's comforting me." You scratched Eddie's side and he rested his head on your leg.

"Have you lost your mind?" He exclaimed.

"Yes! Because she is driving me crazy!"

Daphne nodded in agreement. "At this rate, we should get our own apartment."

"No one is going anywhere." Frasier groused. "I'll talk to dad about Sherry. Perhaps he can get her out of the house to give us all a little breathing space."

You and Daphne looked at him expectantly.

"Now?"

"I'll take Eddie off the bed."

"Out of the room." Frasier bargained.

"Deal."

Frasier smiled tightly before leaving the room and you picked up Eddie, kissing his head. As you waited, you exchange theories on how well it was going and considering there was no yelling, you were optimistic.

"He's rather taken to you since you moved in here." Daphne mused.

"He's like my little shadow."

Frasier entered at that moment and grimaced. "No, no attachment. Out, now."

"You spoke to your father?" Daphne asked.

"He agreed to take Sherry out for a little while." Frasier glared at Eddie who was snuggled in your arms.

You carried Eddie out the room and Frasier rolled his eyes when he heard you saying how cuddly he was. Daphne followed when he began to dust the bed for hairs and said she'd change it.

Frasier entered the living room and you hastily shooed Eddie away and patted the seat beside you invitingly. He sighed, choosing not to chase Eddie away and instead walked over to join you. You cuddled into his side and he placed an arm around you.

"Thank you." You kissed his cheek.

"There was a lot to lose. The thought of Eddie in my bed was making me itchy."

You smiled softly, "Was he upset?"

Frasier shook his head, "I didn't tell him why. I told him I wanted a little space for a few hours." He met your gaze, "With you."

Your smile grew and you tilted your head, leaning in when Daphne entered. "What are we watching? I hear there's a rom-com on that's supposed to be very good."

Frasier sighed, and you looked at the Englishwoman with a small smile. "I think we'll enjoy the quiet while it lasts." You nudged Frasier as you left the sofa and he waited a moment, eyebrows furrowed, but when he caught your meaning he quickly followed.

The peaceful lull lasted only until morning and when Sherry commented on your dress, you miraculously remembered you had a meeting at work, turning to Frasier who was sipping his coffee to hide his amusement.

"Drive me?"

Not wanting to stay in Sherry's presence as much as you did, he caught his jacket that Martin was sure was hastily thrown in your escape and left behind you.

"Should we leave Daphne alone?" You whispered as you pressed the button to call for the elevator while he quickly donned his jacket.

"Oh, please, she always leaves us alone with her."

Since you were early for work, you went to Café Nervosa and enjoyed the peace and quiet. "You know, we could stay here."

Frasier raised an eyebrow over the newspaper he'd gotten from a vendor on the street. "Is there whiskey in that coffee?"

"No, but I can dream." You pointed at him sternly, "You can't stop my dreams."

Niles arrived, pausing when he saw you both. "You know, I'm beginning to wonder if coffee makes you grouchy."

You set your cup on the saucer, affronted by the younger Crane who swiftly made his way to place his order. You shook your head when you noticed Frasier's lips twitching, fighting back a smirk.

"Dare I?" Niles asked his brother who folded his newspaper and placed it on the table.

"I don't know. Dare you?" You replied.

"Oh, give it a rest the pair of you." Frasier gestured for Niles to sit down. "She is still a little snarky from this morning."

"Sherry again?"

"No, Daphne. Her voice is like -"

"I wouldn't go there." Frasier advised, swatting Niles who immediately tensed in his chair, ready to defend the Englishwoman.

"But it's so fun!" You whined.

"He's not a toy."

"He can hear you." Niles reminded you both. It was common for him to do so, as you and Frasier had your own conversations that excluded others. He imagined its how others felt when he and Frasier did it themselves with their intellectual quips that no one else would notice, although now and then their father had seen the signs and warned them not to unless they wanted to feel the wrath of his cane.

"Niles, cover your ears." You turned to your boyfriend who tilted his head, lips pressed together to avoid showing his amusement. But Niles could see it, plain as day, and rolled his eyes.

A short while later when you left for work, you were smiling as you bid the two brothers goodbye and Frasier considered fleeing the apartment every morning as it had worked wonders for your mood. You kissed him farewell and raised a hand to ruffle Niles's hair. He covered his head with his hands and you left with a grin. Niles turned to Frasier to voice his frustration with your teasing, and found he was watching you walk away through the window.

Although he could deduce his brother was admiring you and that he had something on his mind. Frasier was beginning to realize why you dreaded spending time in Sherry's presence so much, and it was not for the same reasons as he and Niles did.

"You really care about her, don't you?" 

Frasier broke out of his thoughts, turning to look at him. "Yes, I do." He picked up his coffee cup with a small smile, "She irks you, doesn't she?"

"Most of the time, yes." Niles answered, eliciting a chuckle from his brother. He knew your teasing was good natured, and you never went too far. You were the youngest in your family, so you understood Niles and Frasier's competitive streaks the most and had reconciled the relationship between the two when they went too far. You made Frasier happy, and after everything he deserved it. And for that above all, Niles was grateful.

The last thing you expected after a stressful, but productive day at work, was to hear that Daphne had left. Sherry had given her phone number to someone she thought Daphne needed to date, and the brunette hadn't taken it as positively as she anticipated. 

Which is how Frasier found himself in a stand off in the bedroom. He narrowed his eyes when you held Eddie above the bed, hovering warningly.

"I want her back. Today."

Frasier held his hands out when you lowered Eddie who wriggled in your grasp. "I don't know where she is."

"I want her back. Or I move out. I can't survive on my own with her." You released Eddie onto the floor and Frasier gasped, sighing in relief when he ran out of the room in search of Martin. 

"I'm going for a bath. I want her back by the time it's over."

"That's not enough time. I don't even know where she is."

"Oh, please, she's at Niles's apartment. She texted me when she left." You paused, "Wait, I can move into an apartment with her." You walked to your handbag and wrestled Frasier for the bag on the bed.

"If you move out, you are taking Eddie with you!"

"My apartment doesn't allow pets!"

"You don't have one yet!"

"I'm psychic!"

Frasier grumbled as he ultimately won and rose from the bed. "I've had enough of this." You huffed when he pocketed your cell phone and headed out in search of Daphne. You knew you were being dramatic, but you had been living with him for two years now, and Martin often remarked that his eldest was rubbing off on you.

While he was gone, you put the world outside of the bedroom door out of your mind as you filled the bathtub, lit candles and tried to unwind as you went through your skincare routine. Frasier returned a few hours later and discovered you were hiding in the bathroom while Martin watched TV and Sherry played a card game at the dining table, giving yourself a manicure and sipping wine from a bottle you had taken in a haste while the couple was in the kitchen.

You raised an eyebrow when he appeared with Daphne and Niles and from the younger Crane's expression, he had succeeded partly in getting Daphne to move back in.

"You're back!" 

The brunette had different ideas. "I just came for some stuff."

You held out the wine bottle and Niles took it before Daphne could. "Thank you. It's been an interesting day." He took a long sip from the bottle and your brows raised higher. Your boyfriend sighed at his younger brother's attitude.

"We can go to Paris. We can toss them to the wolves and make our escape." You bargained much to Daphne's amusement.

"Well, thank you very much!" Frasier snarked.

"Quick, Daphne, grab me before she can -" Niles's attempt to move closer to Daphne to whisk her out of the apartment was thwarted by Frasier.

You looked at your boyfriend who shook his head at his brother. "Now, come on. Nothing is going to get solved unless we open the lines of communication." He urged the three of you to follow him into the living room and you leaned on Niles as you walked on your heels as your nails dried.

"You can live with us -" The younger Crane practically pleaded with you.

"Niles!" Frasier hissed, making him look away from his shameless attempt to get you to move out just so he could stay with Daphne. "No one is going anywhere."

You squealed when he picked you up and held your fluffy dressing gown closed as he entered the living room, sitting you on the sofa. He called out to Martin and Sherry in the kitchen and ushered Daphne to sit beside you.

"I want to address the tension that's been building up here for a while now. Ever since Sherry started spending more time here." Frasier began, standing between the two women. "Now, Daphne, I believe that your feeling as if you're losing your place here. Your role has been a caretaker for some years, and now Sherry is here, also believing she knows what's best for dad, and it's only natural that you two would bump heads."

"But she gave my number out to a complete stranger." Daphne reminded him.

"It's unthinkable, come along, Daphne." Niles headed to the door, halted by Frasier scolding him.

"You're just learning how to adapt to the changes and that takes time." Frasier continued.

"I was only trying to help. I know him, he's not a stranger. Did you really think I would do something like that?" Sherry spoke up.

"No, I suppose, not really." Daphne replied. "It just felt like you were getting me out of the way. Like with breakfast, and Mr Crane's therapy. You knew better."

"And -" You hushed Niles before Frasier could and his eyes narrowed before he acted with nonchalance, but you knew from the from the faint smirk on his lips that he fully intended to seek revenge. "You were also upset, weren't you?"

"No, I wasn't." You glared at him, earning a glare in return as you had thwarted his plans to have Daphne under his roof.

"Oh, really, Niles." Frasier sighed, turning to you, "And yes, you were also feeling -"

"Completely fine -"

"As if you also didn't belong." Frasier sent you a raised eyebrow and you knew he wasn't going to drop it.

"I am never confiding in you again." You whispered as you stood up.

"Y/N?" Sherry turned to you.

You sighed when Frasier stopped you from leaving the room, turning you around and keeping his hands on your shoulders as he explained what he had observed. "Y/N's mother was very critical." Frasier began, "So when you talked about her outfits, or her job, she felt as if you didn't approve. And she was afraid that she wouldn't belong here anymore." You could almost hear him thinking 'as if this woman has any say in my love life'.

"I didn't mean it to sound like that. I was just trying to -" 

You could see her remorse as it was written all over her features. "I shouldn't have been so sensitive -"

"Oh!" Sherry's eyes teared up as she looked between you and Daphne. "Come here."

You bristled when Frasier placed a hand on your lower back and pushed you forward. You sighed in resignation as you returned the embrace Sherry had encased you and Daphne in.

"We should have lunch. Just the three of us. We can dish about the three of them." You smirked at her suggestion and turned your head to meet your boyfriend's gaze. He tilted his head, lips pursed knowing you were teasing him, and your smirk grew.

"I'd love that, Sherry." You replied.

She suggested going out for dinner and Martin and Daphne agreed easily. You headed to the bedroom to get dressed while Frasier confronted a sulking Niles.

You were unaware of your boyfriend entering the bedroom as you pinned your hair up to make it look shorter before lowering it again, deciding against a haircut. After meeting your mother, Frasier had seen a different side of you, and you had confided in how she scrutinized everything you did. And you could dodge her phone calls, but you couldn't avoid Sherry when she had practically moved into the apartment with Martin.

You enjoyed good wine and regularly went to the theatre but you didn't share Frasier's other tastes, and for once he hadn't minded, or picked apart the relationship with his overanalysing. You hadn't let the differences between you affect your feelings for him, so he didn't either, and it had been nearly three years of dating and living together. After his divorce he had spiralled, jumping from one relationship to the next before hitting a dry spell. Then he had bumped into you at the theatre while Niles was getting a drink.

When he met your mother, Frasier understood where a lot of your mannerisms came from, and when faced with Sherry it had sent you questioning everything from the length of your hair, to your relationship, as you valued her opinion higher than he believed you should have, but because she was dating Martin, you perceived her opinions to be an extension of his. You were used to avoiding confrontation, pushing along as you had learned to when you were growing up, but Frasier knew how to bridge the gap between people and tonight proved that.

"I could be a red head. Or dark, like jet black."

Frasier shook his head as he entered the bathroom. "I vote for neither. Especially the black."

Your brow furrowed, "Why?"

"You never did meet Lilith, did you?" He mused as he stood behind you in front of the mirror.

You raised an eyebrow, as you hadn't met his ex-wife yet, but you'd heard plenty from his father, Niles and even Daphne to paint a frightening picture.

"You really wouldn't change anything?" You asked, turning to the mirror.

Frasier looked in the mirror for a moment. "I wouldn't change anything. Except..." You turned, tilting your head to look up at him. Without your heels, your head barely reached his shoulder. "This line, right here," He ran his thumb across your knit forehead which relaxed beneath his touch which he followed with a kiss. "Although you do smell like an apothecary. And so does this room, I think it's spreading to the bedroom."

You giggled softly. "I used a lot of everything."

You smiled as you headed to the bedroom to fetch your heels before joining the others out in the living room.

"There you are! What took so long? I'm starving." Martin grumbled.

"You're always starving." Daphne commented.

You picked up your long coat from the hook and shrugged it on as you listened to the group. You picked up your keys from the bowl, and glanced back at the apartment then at your boyfriend as he approached with his own jacket.

"I'm sorry I used animal warfare."

Frasier chuckled. "Cruel but effective."

You laughed as you stepped out, locking the door before stepping into the crowded elevator. You pocketed your keys and looped your left arm with his right, taking his hand with your right hand.

"Anywhere but a buffet." Niles grimaced after hearing Martin and Sherry discuss it, their positive review having the opposite effect.

"I've been there. It's rather lovely." Daphne said.

"Buffet it is!"

Her eyebrows raised when the best friend duo grabbed each others arms blindly, voices far too squeaky to understand what they were saying when they tried to explain.

You smiled at Horace before he walked away and Kaz tried to appear nonchalant as he approached him.

"Hey, Horace, what is Y/N doing here?"

"She was fighting The Annihilator. He tried to take her powers."

"What?" Kaz exclaimed, drawing attention, "Is she okay? What do we do?" Horace glanced at Oliver when Kaz stepped closer and took his clipboard, gripping it tightly. "I'll do anything."

"She's fine. All her powers appear to be working fine." Kaz sighed in relief. "It was the pole sticking out of her shoulder that was causing problems."

"What?"

"What's wrong with him?" Horace turned to Oliver and Skylar when they walked over. "And why is he impersonating Alan? Tell him, one is enough."

Horace walked away after wrestling his clipboard from Kaz who was trying to appear as if he was reading it, but kept stealing glances at you.

"You know, being on the other side of this is making me sad." Oliver mused.

"You've been around superheroes for a while now. Why are you freaking out like this?" Skylar asked.

"Because she isn't like any other superhero. She's more powerful, and prettier, and stronger a-and prettier -"

"And heading this way." She crossed her arms with an amused smirk on her lips.

Kaz exclaimed as he turned and tried to lean casually on one of the nurse stations while Oliver whispered that you were his favorite superhero and she was surprised by this news as Kaz had broadcasted his appreciation for Tecton, leading her to believe he was his favorite, but never mentioned your name before.

You rolled your shoulder, testing if it still hurt, and smiling when you realised that your advanced healing had finally healed it. You spoke to Blue Tornado briefly before noticing Kaz leaning in a way that had to be uncomfortable. You had heard about the two normo doctors Horace hired, but never run into them before in the eight months they'd worked there.

"Hi," you approached the trio and held out your hand.

"Hi, I'm Oliver -" Skylar snickered when Kaz shoved him aside and sent him stumbling across the room. He took your hand and shook it, and from your expression, she knew you were surprised by his excitable handshake.

"I'm Kaz. It's short for Kazimieras. But I go by Kaz because no one can spell Kazimieras. Including me. But I-I know who you are, I mean who doesn't?" He laughed strangely.

"You are a normo, right?" You asked once he finally released your hand and Oliver stood next to Skylar who was enjoying every second of Kaz embarrassing himself in front of you.

"Yep, totally powerless. But I can do a backflip!" His features saddened slightly. "I can't do a backflip."

Deciding to try and salvage the meeting, Oliver stepped closer to stand next to Kaz. "We know all about you. Well, Kaz knows more than I do, he has all your comic books and collectibles -"

Kaz growled under his breath for him to 'stop helping'.

Skylar knew you had limited experience of normos as you spent most of your time on different planets and it was likely the only reason your friendly smile hadn't faltered, thinking it was just the way they all were.

"So," she dragged out as she rested her hands on her hips, "I heard you fought The Annihilator."

You nodded, "He tried to take my powers, and before I could bring him in, he escaped." You touched your shoulder, "He used his telekinesis to bury me in scrap metal and a pole went straight through my shoulder. By the time I tore out the pole, and got to my feet, he was gone and it took the rest of my energy to make it here."

You sent them a nod and a smile before walking away to talk to Owl Girl and Solar Flare when they greeted you. Kaz turned with a dreamy sigh, crossing his arms as he observed for a moment.

"Isn't she great? The Annihilator has stolen the powers of many superheroes, but he knows when he's outmatched. She is so awesome."

"She got injured." Skylar pointed out, not liking that he had inadvertently called her and many others weak. "Next time she might not be so lucky."

Kaz waved a hand, "Trust me, she will be the one to defeat him. She's way more powerful than you ever were."

Oliver knew Kaz often spoke without thinking and he never set out to hurt anyone. But Skylar didn't and the brunette walked away, looking more downcast than he had ever seen her look before. He snapped at Kaz, who realized how she had interpreted his words and knowing how competitive Skylar was, how she'd struggled with the loss of her powers, decided to find a way to make it up to her.

Unbeknownst to Oliver, Skylar decided to prove herself and befriended you knowing that the Annihilator would strike again. Kaz stumbled across her plan when he tried to apologise and followed the powerless superhero when she trailed after you.

It had taken a few days, but like she predicted, The Annihilator struck a second time and you were too busy yelling at the two of them to get out of harms way as you held up a bridge with your powers.

Kaz noticed your grimace as you turned to push yourself into the air, flying onto the road to help save the normos trapped on the temporarily stabilized bridge.

"What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" He countered, gesturing wildly, cutting off the superhero before she could speak. "We need to do something. Her shoulder still hurts. She's still injured. She can't face The Annihilator."

They made their way onto the bridge and helped usher fleeing civilians off the bridge before running off to find you.

You were fighting The Annihilator, using your powers to move a car to shield you from his weapon. You held your shoulder as you ducked for cover.

"Oh, no! We're too late!" Skylar turned to find Kaz was already running towards you and headed towards The Annihilator to distract him.

"Kaz!" Your eyes widened when you saw the normo, expecting him to have listened to your warning to get out of harms way, but you were relieved to see him as you struggled to get to your feet. "Something's wrong with me."

He thought for a moment, trying to recall everything he knew about you to figure out why you weren't fully healed yet.

"Where did you fight The Annihilator?"

"Why -"

"Just trust me, its important."

"I-It was a metal plant. They melt different metals to create everything from aerospace equipment to road signs."

"I think there's still some metal inside you after your fight with The Annihilator. Your biggest weakness is Tungsten. It must've been in the plant."

Your brow furrowed as you pondered it, but you were finding it harder to breathe and Kaz moved away briefly to check on Skylar who was fighting The Annihilator.

"Uh-oh," he turned his head, eyes widening when he saw you had left his side and were now lifting your hand while cradling your shoulder, using your powers to blast the supervillain away from Skylar who was on the ground. "Oh, no."

You waved your hand, knocking the weapon out of The Annihilator's hand as he got to his feet and Kaz rushed to help Skylar stand up.

You clenched your fists at your sides, summoning your powers before throwing blasts of energy at the supervillain who stumbled back from each strike. You held your hands at your sides as you floated into the air, eyes changing color as your hair blew back and Kaz knew you weren't strong enough for what you were planning and schemed with Skylar who eagerly nodded, wanting to help save your powers from The Annihilator who had stolen the powers of numerous superheroes, including her. 

The Annihilator turned to Kaz who did everything he could to gain his attention and Skylar played along, and when you blasted The Annihilator, Kaz and Skylar put their plan into action.

"Open a portal!" Kaz bellowed as you struggled to keep your power on the supervillain, your feet getting closer to the ground. He knew you intended to destroy The Annihilator, but you weren't at full strength and if you were being poisoned with Tungsten in your bloodstream, if he didn't get you back to Mighty Med, you would die.

You did as commanded, but the portal was closing fast as you fell to your knees, coughing. Skylar fought The Annihilator and Kaz stole his weapon, and the two bickered as she urged him to hurry, but he didn't know how to fire it.

Realising that you weren't strong enough to destroy the supervillain, you decided to follow Kaz's plan and trap The Annihilator on another planet. Your eyes glowed as you tossed Skylar backward and raised a hand, using your powers to send the supervillain through the portal before closing it. You knew he would return, he always did, but for now that was all you could do.

Kaz dropped the weapon and rushed to your aid, Skylar right behind him. Kaz knew time was running out and the two took you back to Mighty Med where he hoped they could find a way to save you.

The sight of them with a unconscious decorated superhero was enough to snap Horace into action and Oliver jogged over to the bed as you were laid on it. Between the two of them, Kaz and Skylar managed to fill in the details about what happened and his theory on what was weakening you. Skylar stepped back as Horace took over and put a hand on Kaz's shoulder when you where wheeled away to be treated.

"She'll be okay."

Only once it became clear that your vitals were improving did Kaz finally feel as if he could breathe again. You were checked over by Horace when you gained consciousness and were cleared to leave the hospital the next day.

"So," Kaz approached you as you hopped off the bed, flanked by Skylar and Oliver. "I guess this means you'll be leaving."

You nodded with a smile, "Yes, but after seeing your planet, I have to admit I find it interesting. Skylar mentioned something called...pizza?" You looked at the trio as you tilted your head, and they nodded to confirm you said it right. "I have no idea what it is, but I want to try it."

Eager to make a new girl friend, for genuine reasons this time, Skylar's expression lit up. "I can show you around!"

"I know this great restaurant that makes the best pizza in the city. Seriously, its on their sign under their name." Kaz quickly chimed in.

Your smile grew, "Great! Let's go!"

Oliver spoke up before you could be whisked away by Kaz and Skylar. "Hold on, we can't let her leave looking like that."

"Why? What's wrong with my suit?" You gasped, "Is it my hair?"

"Your hair is really sof-" Kaz was thankful when Skylar sneakily gave him a nudge before he could embarrass himself. "Oliver's right. You need to blend in with the other normos."

Skylar suggested wearing some of her clothes and you left with her briefly to change your outfit and Oliver took the time to tease Kaz on how the tables had turned. Usually, it was him making a fool of himself in front of Skylar, and it was a pleasant change to watch him barely being able to string sentences together.

That afternoon, the trio gave you a glimpse into normos after you tried pizza for the first time. However, your visit was cut short when you learned that your archnemesis was attacking another planet and thanked the group before ducking away to hide from normos and flew off to fight him. The only sign you were gone was the shaking of the ground and a sudden wind strong enough to send a few people stumbling and looking around in confusion.

Skylar shook her head when Kaz sighed dreamily and Oliver patted his shoulder as they continued walking.

For a few days, Kaz was bummed that you were gone, but when you showed up at Mighty Med after capturing your archnemesis, you revealed that you intended to visit Earth more often and despite Skylar's excited squeals as she rambled about all the places she still had to show you, Kaz was more thrilled than she was, though he managed to hide it.

Your visits became a regular occurrence, and while Kaz was able to hold a conversation without falling into a daydream, he still slipped up now and then. The words 'pretty' and 'beautiful' randomly popped up in his sentences and you learned that those were compliments on his planet. Kaz often tried to impress you, and it ended up backfiring most of the time. You learned a lot about normo dating from Skylar's magazines and eventually caught onto why Kaz acted the way he did, after believing it was just the way all normo teenagers behaved.

When he hurt himself from such an attempt, you rushed to help him to his feet and dusted off his flannel shirt. "You don't have to impress me. I've seen you helping people, and you've proven your bravery numerous times. I'd prefer it if you didn't hurt yourself." You kissed his cheek, which muddled with his brain and he stammered a sentence that consisted entirely of gibberish.

It took several weeks, but Kaz mustered the courage to ask you out on a date. However, after Skylar pointed out how different you were by listing Kaz's worst qualities, Oliver saw his friend's expression crumble and restored his confidence. When you entered Mighty Med, Kaz gulped down his insecurities and held out his arm to lead you away for your date.

"What are you doing?" You asked, tilting your head curiously, glancing at his arm before meeting his gaze.

"It's a normo thing. Never mind."

"Ooh," You stepped closer and looped your arm with his, sending him a smile that eased the tension in his shoulders slightly. 

There were times he still wondered how, after years of being turned down by every girl he knew, famously Stephanie who did so cruelly, you became his girlfriend, but instead of getting lost inside his head, Kaz decided to enjoy every second - even if it would end in tears for him.

It became common for his friend to complain that, given you were the Skylar to his Oliver, it was unfair you were dating and had done so happily for a while. But knowing how much Kaz admired you, Oliver was truly happy for his best friend, even if it meant playing third wheel now and then.

Much like Skylar, you believed you could do anything, even if it was impossible and you did have some weaknesses, and Kaz kept you from putting yourself in danger and grounded you. He had never loved anyone more than he loved you, but that didn't mean that in the midst of his crush turning into love, that he was entirely oblivious to your faults and while you were the kindest, friendliest person that he knew - your ego was one of them. There were times when you were so self-assured even when you were outmatched and even argued with him when he proved he knew you more than you knew yourself.

When you realised you had lost the argument, you would huff, crossing your arms, "You know, it was cute at first, but now its getting really annoying."

There had been nights Kaz had dreamed of you in his bedroom, but the reality was very different. You flirted with the posters of you on the walls and played with an action figure.

The full scale of your ego was revealed when he took you to The Domain. Kaz jokingly called it 'Y/N land' when you discovered you had an entire section that even Tecton didn't have.

He was browsing for the latest issues with Oliver and heard your excited gasps and squeals when you found more of your merchandise. Most girls liked the mall, so they could shop for clothes, but you were more content to relive your battles in your comic books and he and Oliver held onto every word as you went into further detail and Skylar would roll her eyes as the two doctors gushed afterwards.

The two teens spent most of their downtime at The Domain which meant you did too. Although Kaz always scheduled a couple of hours to show you something new to build your knowledge of Earth.

Kaz glanced away from the TV and the game he and Oliver were playing when he noticed you were oddly silent. It had cost them the game, but mid complaint Oliver turned to see what he was looking at and knew it was much worse.

"Oh, no! She found the cardboard cut-out's." Oliver groaned.

Kaz chuckled as you scrutinized it, setting the controller down as you rushed to showcase the cardboard cut-out of you. You had adopted your own dress sense and had a bundle of normo outfits you'd gotten while shopping with Skylar. It had been a long afternoon as he and Oliver carried everything, chasing you and Skylar as you entered every store.

She had pulled him aside and warned him not to screw up the relationship. Not because she liked you as a couple, which she did, but so it didn't affect your friendship. He joked that she kept 'kidnapping my girlfriend' whenever you took off on your own as the two of you had become close friends since you started to visit Earth more regularly.

You didn't wear a mask while fighting supervillains so to disguise your identity on your first outing to The Domain where there were pictures of you everywhere, Kaz gave you a ballcap from his closet and you continued to wear it frequently whenever you were amongst normos.

In your haste to showcase the cut-out, you nearly knocked the ballcap off your head and Kaz shook his head at your excitement. You stood the cut-out up, tilting the ballcap away from your eyes with a large grin.

"This would be great for your room. I've always felt like it was missing something."

"Yeah, a life sized cut-out to go with all the posters, comic books, t-shirts, action figures -" Oliver replied sarcastically, squeaking when you glared at him, eyes glowing warningly.

Kaz couldn't help but admire you with a smile as he often did, as you looked at him, eyes back to your natural color and smiling brightly while you pleaded your case on why he should buy it.

You had adjusted remarkably well to Earth, and while there were times your super strength caused you to accidentally break a cup as you lifted it or even tear off the door to Skylar's locker at school, it had been one blissful dream that he never wanted to wake up from. Because even his wildest dreams couldn't beat the reality of meeting you, and becoming your boyfriend (something he liked to proclaim loudly whenever he could).

You didn't have normo currency, so Kaz took out his wallet with a light-hearted sigh as he stood up. You bounced with excitement as he headed to pay for the life sized cardboard cut-out of you.

"I love you! I love you! I love you!"

Your jumping caused a tremor that made the building shake and the ground tremble due to your powers and you abruptly stopped, eyes wide as people murmured about the odd occurrence.

"I love you." You whispered as you glided to be at his side.

Oliver shook his head with an amused smile on his lips as Kaz paid Clyde for the cardboard cut-out and you kissed his cheek. They didn't earn much from working at Mighty Med, but Kaz managed to keep some aside for dates and impulsive purchases such as this, while also keeping enough to buy games or comic books he wanted.

"You know, this means we're sneaking snacks into the movies, right?"

"Can I come with us?" You looked at your cut-out before sending your amused boyfriend a pout. "She gets scared when she's alone."

Kaz chuckled as he returned to his chair and you joined the best friend duo and Oliver glanced warily between you and the cardboard cut-out of you as you propped it against the arm of the sofa.

"Okay, that is freaky."

Kaz shook his head when you whispered to the cardboard cut-out of yourself, comforting her. You glared at Oliver though it held no malice as you rose from your seat next to him, taking your cut-out with you as you sat on your boyfriend's lap - an action that had rendered him speechless at first, but he knew people on your planet were free with affection. You did so frequently, claiming it was where you were most comfortable and there was very little Kaz could deny you.

You draped an arm around his shoulders and he placed a hand on your legs and another on your hip to prevent you falling off his lap. Petulantly, you stuck your tongue out at Oliver before looking at your boyfriend who was too busy admiring you to be bashful. He'd gotten used to it, and secretly adored the way you loved him and were unashamed to show it.

"He needs a girlfriend." You stage whispered.

"Hey! I can hear you."

Kaz chuckled, resting his hand on your leg as his left hand moved to your back. "I know." He stage whispered back.

When Seeley came home, he always knew where to find you. In the kitchen prepping for dinner or in the living room asleep on the sofa when he worked late. But tonight, you were nowhere to be seen when he entered the house, calling out to you as he turned and locked the door. He set his keys on the sideboard and walked to the living room to find it was empty, turning his head to look into the kitchen to find you weren't there either. He climbed the staircase, calling your name when you replied that you were in the bedroom.

He began to turn the doorknob when you put weight on the door, preventing him from entering. "Don't come in!"

His eyebrows furrowed as he stepped back, "Why?"

"My lover is climbing out the window."

Given how shy you were, and the fact the bedroom was on the second floor, Booth never doubted it was a lie. A bad one at that.

A smile formed on his lips, "What are you doing in there?"

You sighed, "Remember my friend who's getting married?"

"Yeah."

"Well, we went shopping for bridesmaid dresses and she was taking a while to figure out which one she wanted. She called me this morning to arrange a time to try it on with the full hair and makeup." You explained. "And it's horrible. However bad you're picturing it right now, it's so much worse."

Booth had yet to see anything you didn't make look amazing. You could wear a dress made entirely of ruffles and still look incredible. Or maybe he was just biased because he knew what was under it.

"It can't be that bad." He tried the door again and sighed when he found it locked. "Honey, come on. I'll see it at the wedding."

"We're not going." You replied from where you stood in front of the mirror with a deep frown on your lips, turning from side to side to critique the dress.

Booth shook his head, chuckling as he stepped away from the door. "Alright, alright." He relented. "Can you at least get changed so I can greet my wife?"

You went silent for a few moments, but he heard your heels on the floor approaching the door. "You have to promise not to laugh."

"Scout's honor." He walked to the living room and as he took a seat on the sofa, crossing his legs, he heard the door open and the sound of your heels grew closer until you poked your head around the corner.

"There. Now you've seen me." You were about to walk away when he called out to you and sighed as you turned around, stepping out from your hiding place into the lighted living room. The first thing he noticed was the pearls in your hair, wrapped like a wreath around the tight bun. Then as his eyes travelled down he noticed the dress and immediately understood your reaction. The green dress had a sweetheart neckline and was tight around your waist, stopping just above your knees. The heels matched your pearls and were a lot taller than you usually wore on date nights.

Booth kept his smile small to avoid laughing, raising his eyebrows as he took in the outfit that your best friend wanted you to wear to her wedding. "It's nice."

"I look like Tinkerbell!" You gestured with your hands and from the force, almost tripped on your heels. "I can't wear this to a wedding!"

Booth's lips twitched and you pointed at the federal agent sternly. "You promised not to laugh." But a smile was forming on your lips, growing until you were both laughing. You leaned on the sofa, taking off your heels and moving to sit next to him.

"It's not that bad. It's different. And she has been known for being somewhat unique in her choices." He said.

You playfully pushed his arm and he lifted it, placing it around your shoulders to bring you closer. You removed the pearl wreath around your hair and rested your head on his chest, tilting your head to meet his gaze. "Hi," You smiled as you placed a hand on his cheek.

"Hi," He mirrored your smile and lifted a hand to your neck, his thumb tilting your chin up as he leaned down to kiss you. "That's better."

You giggled, humming in agreement. "I should buy you a green suit and you can wear a hat with a red feather on it. So we'll be matching."

Booth chuckled, "I love you, but we agreed that the only time we wore matching costumes was Halloween."

You laughed against his chest and lifted your head to meet his gaze a few moments later. "How was your day?"

"It's starting to get better."

You raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at your lips and he bowed his head, reigniting your kiss. "I love you." You whispered against his lips.

"I love you too, Tinkerbell."

You pulled away, picking up a square pillow to hit him with it, smiling as he laughed. 

Ever since that night, it became common for Booth to call you Tinkerbell. Your best friend did change her mind about the bridesmaid dresses, switching to a ball gown with sleeves that fell off the shoulders, opting for a darker shade of green. When you glanced at the guests as the newly married couple was leaving the church, you found your husband watching you with a smirk and playfully glared at him, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

A few days after Booth told her the story, you met the two for lunch and while Booth was in the line getting coffee, Bones greeted you with a smile.

"Hi, Tinkerbell."

"Hello, Doctor Br-" You began as you sat down. "Wait, what?"

Her smile gave it away and you glared at the FBI agent when he approached the table. One look between you both and he knew that Bones was incapable of keeping a secret. 

"Aw, hell." He rested his hands on his hips, "You told her, didn't you?"

"Sorry," From the smile on her lips, Booth knew the forensic anthropologist and novelist was not. "It's a cute story!"

You shook your head and looked at Seeley as he took a seat beside you. "You are so sleeping in the living room."

He knew that it was an empty threat and since you couldn't sleep without him, you knew it was never going to be enforced. Even during your worst arguments you always resolved it before bed and always slept in his arms afterward. He kissed your cheek and you suppressed a smile as you took his hand beneath the table.

"How is your day so far?"

The last time Reese had moved out, he had racked up debt on credit cards and she had been ensuring that he did not repeat that mistake. So, at the end of the month when bills were due she decided to drive to the apartment and find out for herself if Reese was managing his finances better.

When she arrived, Reese was watching TV and his eyebrows raised when she immediately walked over and turned it off. "Enough of that. It's the end of the month. And that means bills are due. So let's make sure everything is paid."

She walked to the dining table and began unpacking her handbag, and talking so fast that Reese barely had time to grasp half of it. "Y/N deals with that."

"You can't rely on your girlfriend to pay your bills, Reese. It's your apartment. You have to figure it out yourself."

There were many things Lois had expected to happen when she left to help Reese with his finances, but learning that you were now living together, after dating for less than a year, was not on the list. She had predicted lots of frustrated yelling, but not to investigate and find clothes and personal touches that Reese would never have thought of. In hindsight, she should've known sooner, but Malcolm had recently left for Harvard and she was adjusting to having a quieter house without the two older boys wrecking havoc.

You returned home from work to find Lois yelling at Reese in the kitchen, and paused at the scene before closing the door. "What's going on?"

"You two are not living together!"

"We already are. And we're pretty good at it." Reese shrugged, unfazed by her wild gesturing which still made you freeze, hoping to disappear into the background.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah," Reese gestured to the tidy apartment that was a clear enough sign that he wasn't alone as he couldn't figure out the dials on the washing machine your parents had given him as a moving out gift. "She loves to clean, and she can't cook. I hate cleaning, and I love to cook."

"How are you paying for bills?"

"We both work, and Y/N organised all the bills in a binder." Reese replied.

"You liked the muffins I made you." You finally spoke up.

"I'll eat anything." He shrugged. "Sorry."

You placed your bag on the counter and went to put away your jacket in the closet, leaving the two to resume their argument while you slipped your boots off and changed into slippers. You returned with a folder and took out your budget book, cheque book, and letters for all the bills you had paid, and a list you had made to tick off every month.

Reese smirked as his mother sat at the table to rifle through it, and you nudged him in fear she'd catch it and the yelling would resume. You smiled when he brought you against his chest and kissed you as he always did when you returned home. It was a habit he had started whenever you were apart and after a long day, you were relaxing on the sofa when you revealed that you hoped he kept doing it, and he did.

"What's this?" Lois plucked a receipt from the pile, "Tickets to the movies."

You nodded, reluctantly pulling away from Reese's embrace to join her at the table. "Date night."

Reese watched as you went through all the bills, and expenses and when his mother wanted to check the calculations, you hadn't batted an eye. He turned to begin cooking dinner, mainly to hide the return of his smirk that grew each time Lois went silent. Your father hadn't liked the idea of you moving in with Reese, and it had taken sitting with him for hours as he taught you everything you needed to know about managing your money as he had as little faith in Reese as Lois had, perhaps less.

"Taxes?"

You opened the folder, flicking the letter T, and Lois couldn't supress her sigh when she realized that you really did have everything in order.

When she finally admitted defeat, Lois left and you dropped your head onto the table with a groan when the door closed.

Reese patted your shoulders, "You're getting better. Less stuttering than last time."

"She scares me."

"Eh, she's old. Soon she won't remember where we live."

You shook your head as he returned to the stove to check the meat he was frying, and you put away all the paperwork before joining him in the kitchen, washing dishes as he cooked, catching up on each others day.

"I've seen how she treats Piama. It's not always going to be like that, is it?"

Reese paused cutting vegetables, turning his head to find you were looking at the dirty spoon as if it had run over your dog. "Think of it this way, it's kind of a compliment. She knows you are way too good for me."

Your frown deepened when he resumed preparing dinner. You were used to people questioning your relationship with Reese. You were a year younger than him, but when he had to redo what should have been his last year of high school, you shared classes and saw a different side to the second eldest Wilkerson boy. He was known for his destructive behaviour, but when he returned to repeat his senior year, you had noticed that he was more subdued. Everyone always wondered how Malcolm got into the Krelboyne class, but his antics were what many came to expect from the wild brood of Wilkersons.

When the class was allowed to choose partners for their presentations, you had chosen Reese and while he had done it last year, his confidence slipped the second you were alone and he revealed he had no idea what to do. So you took over your table at home and when you hit a roadblock, Reese proved that while his methods were definitely out of the box thinking, your presentation was successful.

A lot happened during that week. You heard countless of jabs about his intellect from your friends, and restored confidence in Reese who had returned the favour when you hit a roadblock. The class was given free reign over their presentations, as it was graded on public speaking, and how much planning went into the projects. After learning of Reese's culinary skills, he created a menu, and you drafted a business plan.

You learned that despite his file being the largest in the schools history, he turned out to be one of the few that could stop you spiralling in your pursuit of perfection.

"Something is missing."

Reese looked at the scattered papers on his parents dining table, "A file cabinet?"

You sent him an unamused glance before trying to tidying the papers into a pile, knocking soda everywhere in the process.

Reese watched you descend into a frenzy unlike anything he'd ever seen before. Your attempts to dry the paper with your sweater led to many lines of streaky ink and when his suggestion of drying the papers with a hairdryer only made the results dry quicker and revealed the damage was much worse than you thought.

You had went above and beyond the guidelines the teacher had given. From the other classes he shared with you, he learned that was just something you did.

When you left his house, he was pretty sure there were tears in your eyes and he knew that he had to pull of a miracle before tomorrow morning.

There weren't many things Reese was good at. Cooking was something he excelled at and after spending hours going over your writing to recreate the damaged papers, he cooked something off the menu that he hoped would make up for the numerous grammar errors.

You were bracing for the lowest grade you'd ever received as you had nothing to hand in. You were stunned when Reese took out his duplication of your business plan and unveiled the dish he'd cooked, divided and packed in two containers for people to taste.

You could only watch as he salvaged the presentation while your jaw grew closer to the floor. It was a satisfying moment when the teacher appeared far more impressed by your ideas than the others. You knew your friends regretted their phone case idea from their expressions.

"You rewrote the business plan?"

"From what I could make out from the smudges, yes." He whispered back.

"This is amazing." She praised the food.

You knew many were expecting some side effects from the wary glances exchanged. Your project was scored highly which surprised you both, but from his exhale it was a large relief for Reese who had saved your project after your clumsiness.

"Reese..." You whispered to the older teen from where you both stood at the front of the classroom as the teacher gave her glowing review, "You're awesome."

He was caught of guard, but grinned nonetheless, offering his hand for a high five. You returned to your seats and you could hear Malcolm complaining that Reese's food was bribery.

You looked at the business plan Reese had handed in as the next team was called to present their projects. Later, when you were packing up and leaving the classroom, Reese caught up to you and asked you on a date. You had heard so much about the delinquent that everything you'd learned about him over the past week was a pleasant surprise. You smiled as you said yes and it grew as his features lit up, as if surprised but also thrilled.

You learned that while many regarded you as the 'thinker' in your relationship, Reese was the one who followed through. His brothers had told horror stories of the many times it had not ended well, but when it came to you, his actions were sweeter which had led to teasing from his brothers who were used to his sadistic side.

The first time Reese saw your bedroom, he had looked around and found you had kept the business plan he'd rewritten after you destroyed the originals. Your blush deepened when he turned with a grin, your relief that he had moved on from the stuffed animal you still kept from when you were younger was short lived.

"You're not a hoarder, are you?"

"No." You took the papers when he handled them without the delicacy you did. "I was going to frame it."

Reese raised an eyebrow, but chose not to comment, moving on to the next thing that caught his eye. But when the papers went missing, you were tearing up your bedroom to look for them, and for the days leading up to your one month anniversary, losing your mind.

While watching a movie at his house, Reese coaxed the reason for your distress out of you, and he headed to his bedroom, retrieving your gift from below his bed.

"I was saving this for Friday." He said, handing you the box he had intended to keep hidden until your anniversary.

Your eyes widened at the large box, removing the lid. You were stunned when you realized he had taken the papers and bought frames. Reese glanced at the four large frames that had the project papers he'd salvaged from your originals, then at you when you held one of the frames to your chest.

"Are you crying?"

You shook your head, but wiped a tear that fell with your sleeve. Reese sighed as he shook his head, sitting next to you on the sofa, placing an arm around you with a smile on his lips.

The frames now hung around the apartment you shared and Reese had heard you greeting them when you returned home once or twice and teased you for it.

You had lost friends who didn't approve of your boyfriend and felt lighter for it. You never let anyone drag Reese down because you knew that while he never let it show, it still cut him deep sometimes. When you had overheard Malcolm commenting on your unlikely pairing, your family was having a barbeque to get to know your boyfriend's family and you had pushed the genius into the pool.

Reese raised an eyebrow when you held up the pitcher of lemonade with a bright smile, appearing unfazed by the water splashing everywhere and Malcolm yelling.

"More lemonade?"

He had seen people who joked about his intelligence, or cast doubts on your relationship, dealt with similarly, and his brothers learned quickly not to do so in your presence.

You looked at your boyfriend as he added the vegetables to the frying pan and wondered how much he thought like they did as his tone made it sound as if he was stating that lobsters have blue blood. As if it was simply a fact.

You decided then that people just needed to see the side of him that you had fallen in love with. A few days later, the opportunity unknowingly presented itself, when Hal needed a babysitter after he and Lois realized it had been a long time since they had time on their own, and you volunteered.

Dewey enjoyed having full control of the TV for once and after learning you had bought groceries to make cookies, Reese offered his help to ensure they were edible. You smiled as Jamie pressed on the cookie cutter and added it to the tray while Reese observed with a smile.

You attempted to do the same, but the cutter was not cooperating and Reese chuckled when you glared at the tool.

"What is it with you and cooking?"

You looked at your boyfriend as he pushed off the counter where he had been contently observing the way you bonded with Jamie who ate up your attention.

Jamie giggled as Reese took over and whispered something you didn't hear. You looked at your boyfriend questioningly, but he merely smiled and re-rolled the cookie mixture, cutting shapes while you stood next to Jamie, clapping and cheering when he cut his own cookies.

As time ticked by, the kitchen was clean again and the cookies were baked. The four of you ate some of them as you watched a kids program for Jamie after wrestling the remote from Reese and Dewey who wanted to watch a horror movie. When you noticed the time and mentioned that his parents were later than planned, Dewey had whispered to Reese that he'd called and asked to spend the night, and Lois had agreed. Reese grimaced as he had a feeling why she had done so, despite her claims he was irresponsible.

"I should call and make sure everything is okay."

Dewey sent his older brother a pleading look and Reese knew he didn't want you to find out he had schemed to stay overnight without your knowledge.

"They can stay here. We'll leave a voicemail." He said.

"Yeah! We can sleep on the sofa. It's dark. No one should be driving when it's so dark." Dewey added.

You glanced between the two brothers, knowing them long enough to know when something was amiss. "Okay." You started dialling the number when Reese took the phone.

"I'll do it."

He knew you were growing more suspicious but you took Jamie to your bedroom to find a shirt of his that he could sleep in. When Dewey suggested a bath, you knew he was trying to distract you so he didn't have to watch the kids movie you had put on for Jamie, and while you agreed after seeing he had mixed cookie batter in his hair, Reese had sent his younger brother a look that warned him to stop scheming.

Dewey rarely got full control of the TV and when he had called Lois on her date, he did so with the belief that he would be sleeping in the living room and therefore could stay up all night.

"There's not enough room for two of you." Dewey argued.

"We'll manage." You replied while you and Reese arranged the sofa to sleep on. "You and Jamie are taking the bed."

"You heard her." Reese chimed in.

You smiled when your eyes met and he could hear the steam coming out of Dewey's ears knowing his plans had been foiled.

"She's changed you."

"Shut up and go to sleep before I make you."

You playfully smacked his arm and he squeezed your waist, eliciting giggles. His gaze followed you as you walked to where Jamie was standing, dwarfed by his shirt, and he held his arms out instantly to be lifted. The toddler had you wrapped around his finger.

You went to your bedroom to tuck him in, faintly hearing Reese and Dewey arguing before they entered, the blond huffing as he climbed into bed.

"Nighty night."

You blew kissed to Jamie who giggled and returned the gesture. Reese smiled, placing a hand on your back as he switched off the light.

"Nighty night, Dewey."

"I hate you."

Reese snorted as he closed the door, leaving it ajar, and followed you to the living room.

"Did Lois really agree to have them stay here?"

"Dewey called them at dinner. It was all his idea. The reason why she says yes, is never to be discussed."

He laid on the sofa and you smiled as you lay on top of him, covering you both with the array of blankets you had brought from the bedroom closet. His arms wrapped around you as he kissed your head.

"You know, we could get rid of the bed and get a basketball hoop instead. We sleep like this anyway."

Since he got the apartment, he had been hinting at a basketball hoop for a while and you doubted your neighbours downstairs would appreciate the noise of indoor basketball.

"Goodnight, Reese."

The next morning, you were woken at five am by Jamie and Reese stirred when you left his embrace, brow furrowing before he remembered why he was on the couch. He looked around as he sat up while you left the room briefly to check on Dewey and when you returned, released a groan when you told him the time.

The youngest Wilkerson was wide awake and you sat on the sofa with the toddler next to you, covering you both with a blanket before gesturing for your boyfriend to lie down with his head on your lap. Reese needed no encouragement as he laid back down and you rested your hand on his shoulder, subconsciously rubbing up and down as you kept an arm around Jamie, searching for a kids channel with your free hand.

When it was nearing seven o'clock, Reese stirred again and you smiled at his messy hair as he sat up. You went to make some coffee and a short while later Dewey wandered in.

"What's for breakfast?"

You searched the cupboards for food, finding you had no cereal and were glad Lois wasn't there to see it. Reese joined you when he saw your shoulders droop slightly.

"I can make pancakes." He suggested.

"We should have cereal. It's like a rule or something." You blew out a breath as you closed the cupboards. "Good thing it's a training exercise."

Reese placed his hand on your back, smiling as he kissed your temple. You left him to cook breakfast and got dressed for the day. You unlocked the door in anticipation of Lois and Hal's arrival before heading to the table, lifting Jamie into a chair, as Reese plated up pancakes.

You were adding another pancake onto Jamie's plate when Lois entered and Hal followed, muttering that she can't just walk inside without knocking.

Whatever Lois expected was not what she saw, if her expression was anything to go by. The apartment was tidy, calm oozed out of the walls, as Reese and Dewey greeted them.

"Morning!" You smiled brightly, "We're just finishing breakfast. Can I get you anything?"

"Coffee." Hal slowed as he took in the contents on the table. There was diced fruit in a bowl and his kids had devoured most of it. He tried to think if he had ever seen Reese even look at an apple. "Is that pancakes?"

"Yeah, Reese made them." You rose from your chair to pour him some coffee as they took off their jackets and joined the table. You smiled at Jamie when he picked up his cup, "More juice?"

"Please."

You took the cup as you set Hal's coffee on the table, before heading to the fridge to retrieve the carton, topping up his cup. You noticed Dewey's glass was nearly empty as you set Jamie's cup on the table and the toddler thanked you. You asked the blond if he wanted more and he said yes. You rested a hand on Reese's shoulder as you topped up Dewey's glass as Hal talked about their evening before Lois fired question after question about your night and your boyfriend replied unfazed by the grilling as he ate his breakfast.

"We had fun, didn't we?" Reese directed at Jamie. You smiled at the toddler when he nodded at his older brother. "How are the pancakes?" Jamie chewed and chewed and you knew he'd put too much in his mouth, but he gave a thumbs up that warmed your heart.

"He never eats blueberries." Lois noted.

"He wanted them as soon as Y/N put some on her plate." Reese replied.

Lois took in the scene as you returned the carton to the fridge and Reese turned his head when he felt your hand leave his shoulder. He was smiling and it wasn't because he'd burned off someone's eyebrows. He was settled, content in a way she had never seen before. You slid into your chair beside Reese and Jamie who mirrored the smile you sent him.

"More syrup, Dewey?" You asked.

"Yes, please." He held his plate up and you drizzle more syrup over his pancakes.

Noticing the way his father's gaze followed them, Reese said, "There's more if you're hungry."

Hal immediately agreed and when you rose to fetch another plate, Reese was already on his feet, placing a hand on your shoulder as he quietly told you to eat your breakfast.

You smiled softly as you did so, and asked about the restaurant she and Hal had enjoyed much more when they realized they didn't have to rush home. They had a fantastic romantic dinner, and the night hadn't ended there.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but it wasn't this. Well, maybe she expected to get a call from the emergency room, but it appeared her fears were unfounded as you and Reese had it all under control.

"I will have that coffee now. Thanks."

Reese nodded as he placed a plate in front of his father with a stack of freshly made pancakes, pouring a cup from the batch you had brewed and handed it to her before cooking more pancakes when she decided she wanted some too.

Reese rested his hands on the back of your chair once everyone was settled, and you were unaware of his expression as he looked down at you for a moment as Jamie raised his cup towards his father, but Lois saw it all.

"Cheers."

Hal's eyebrows rose, while Dewey explained he wanted him to clink his cup against his, and when he did so, the toddler drank his juice. Hal smiled at Jamie who was still swimming in one of Reese's shirts.

You giggled as you wiped Jamie's chin when he dribbled a little and Reese touched your shoulders briefly as he sat next to you.

And Lois realized she had no reason to be worried about Reese. After so long of worrying about him, it felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. He had graduated with Malcolm, he was holding down a job and now he was building a life with you. And he had grown so much since he'd known you.

Despite all his antics, Reese was more sensitive than he let on, and she'd seen what happened when someone managed to chink his armour and it had sent her to a dark place, so when she met you for the first time, meeting your family, and learning more about you, she was worried it would end in heartbreak for her son. But as she observed the two of you now, she realized she didn't have to worry anymore.

When Jamie finished his breakfast, Reese picked him up and left briefly with the toddler to the bathroom to clean off all the syrup and change him into his outfit from the day before. When he returned, everyone was finished their pancakes and while Dewey went to get dressed, you began to wash the dishes.

Reese wrapped the remaining cookies in tinfoil and Lois knew she had to hide them or Jamie would eat them all when she noticed the toddler licking his lips, despite his large breakfast.

"Come to car?" Jamie asked, looking up at you when he realized everyone was heading to the door and saying goodbyes.

You smiled softly when Reese whispered in your ear that he was stalling and agreed to walk down to their car. Reese sighed when you picked up his little brother and followed Dewey out of the door before closing it.

"She's changed you." The blond said, this time more light heartedly than the last.

"You leave your brother alone. We could all learn to embrace change a little more." Lois spoke as she followed you and Hal to the car.

Reese's brow furrowed for a moment before he realized that she was defending him.

You chatted to Jamie who happily basked in your attention, unaware that for the first time, his mother appeared to be defending your relationship rather than critiquing it.

As he predicted, once you reached the car, Jamie asked, "Come with us?"

"I have to buy groceries. Maybe next time Reese will bake cupcakes with us?" You suggested.

Jamie looked at Reese who gravitated to your side. "Can we?"

"Sure." He smiled softly. "Anytime you want."

Jamie reached for his brother and you smiled as Reese took him from you briefly to hug him as he wanted. You bid goodbye to Dewey and stepped back as Reese buckled Jamie into his car seat and Hal and Lois got into the car.

"Can you watch them next week?" Hal asked after Lois lowered her window, leaning forward slightly.

"Hal." Lois chided gently, sending her husband an amused glance before turning to you, "Thank you. Both of you."

"Anytime." You smiled, sensing that you had finally made a breakthrough with the matriarch.

You waved as they drove off and looked at your boyfriend when he placed his arm around you as you both headed inside your apartment building.

"I think that went well."

Reese snorted, "You signed us up for babysitting duty. We'll be the first stop. Malcolm is at Harvard and Francis is still Francis."

You laughed lightly as you entered your apartment, closing the door behind you.

You tried calling your boyfriend but he didn't answer. After waiting for over an hour, you left the restaurant and headed home, sneaking inside to avoid questions from your parents about your date.

Henry was on his way back from a mission, crammed into a helicopter with Ray, Charlotte and Schwoz as they returned to the Man Cave. He sighed when he reached your voicemail that was changed.

"Sorry, I can't answer your call. I'm doing literally anything else, Henry Hart." Your voice cut off after the beep and Henry sighed, knowing your snarky tone was aimed at him.

Charlotte's eyebrows rose at your tone, and sent the blond a concerned glance when his features scrunched and he rubbed his forehead.

"She sounds mad."

"Thank you, Schwoz." Henry replied sassily, and he sent you a string of messages, apologising and promising to make it up to you while trying not to think of how often he had done so lately.

An hour later, the messages went unanswered and the blond searched for small stones to throw at your window. You ignored it and he decided to call you repeatedly until you answered.

You blocked his calls, sending them to voicemail and after the fifth time, his phone pinged with a new text message. "Go away." He sighed as he looked at the window. "Not until you talk to me!"

The window opened and you rested your elbows on the ledge. "Go away. There I talked."

"If you won't come down, then I'll just have to climb up."

Your eyebrows rose when he used the wooden lattice panel of the side of the house that your mother used to hold up her roses to climb up. "What are you doing? Get down!"

"Not until you talk to me." He grunted as he climbed higher, shaking his hand when a thorn pricked his skin.

"You'll hurt yourself, you idiot!"

You surged forward to grasp his hand and held the blond as he climbed through the window, sending you both tumbling to the floor. Henry grinned as he sat with his back against the wall.

"See? Easy."

You shook your head, "What do you want, Henry?" You sighed as you stood up, putting distance between you as you crossed your arms. "First, you don't turn up and now you climb through my window."

"I'm sorry I didn't make it." He rose to his feet, "I really wanted to be there."

"You've been absent a lot lately. It's depressingly predictable." You sighed, preparing for the predictable answer, "Where were you?"

"Something came up at work."

You raised an eyebrow, "It's a junk store."

"It's surprisingly time consuming."

You frowned as you lowered your arms, "Clearly."

Henry stepped forward and placed his hands on your arms, thumbs brushing back and forth. "I really am sorry. The last thing I want to do is hurt you." You tilted your chin up to meet his gaze. "And I hate that I have."

You placed a hand on his chest, "Next time, let the junk gather dust?"

Henry knew he couldn't promise not to break another date, but he could try harder and he believed there had to be a way that he and Ray could fight crime quicker so that he didn't have to leave you stranded again.

"Deal." He smiled as you wrapped your arms around his waist and he pressed his lips to your forehead as he wrapped his arms around you. "I really am sorry."

"I know." You murmured against his shirt.

It started small. A new stereo. Then it was clothes. Until finally his purchases got more lavish, a television that dwarfed his apartment and a sofa that took up most of the floor space. When your brother announced he was moving apartments, you decided enough was enough.

You hadn't intended to be gone long. Charlotte knew you had plans with Ray later and like he always did, he noticed you were missing immediately.

"Where's Mrs Manchester?"

"She's out." Jasper replied.

"You know, we know, you're married. You don't have to keep calling her Mrs Manchester." Henry said.

Ray ignored him, "Mrs Manchester is out where?"

Henry shook his head. "Tell him where Mrs Manchester is."

"She said she'd be back by now." Jasper checked his watch before looking at Charlotte. "Right?"

"Yeah." She agreed, turning in her chair and approaching the duo.

"Not hearing a where." Ray turned to Henry when he took out his cell phone. "What are you doing?"

"Calling Mrs Manchester." Henry held the phone to his ear, "Only she combats your crazy."

Ray held up his index finger, mouth parting to argue before nodding in agreement. Henry lowered his phone with a frown.

"What?"

"It went to voicemail."

"It never goes to voicemail." Jasper whispered dramatically.

"It never goes to voicemail?" Charlotte looked at the two teenagers who suddenly turned pale. "She needs a break from you people."

"Try it again." Ray told Henry before turning to Charlotte, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Okay, think. Did she say where?"

"No, she said she'd be back before you would so it didn't matter."

All heads turned as the door leading to the living quarters and various storage rooms opened, and Schwoz paused on the stairs when he noticed their staring.

"What?"

"Voicemail again." Henry glanced at Ray who released Charlotte, turning to Schwoz.

"Do you still have the tracker in Y/N's wedding ring?"

"Yes, of course." Schwoz said, "Why?"

Charlotte gestured with her hands as she explained, "Henry called and it went to voicemail and they seem to think -"

"Why didn't you start with that?" Schwoz rushed to the controls on the wall and began pushing buttons in a sequence Charlotte was unfamiliar with. A keyboard unfolded from the wall and a screen appeared with a radar scanning.

Charlotte turned when Ray flew by her to the control desk she used to speak to him and Henry in the field. "What is going on?"

"Schwoz?" Ray called.

"Locating now." The inventor replied.

Henry approached Ray curiously, "What do those numbers represent?"

"Vital signs." Ray replied. "I had it put in the locket when she insisted on keeping it."

The numbers suddenly went blank and Charlotte stepped closer, her frown deepening when Ray began muttering about a camera. "You put a camera in her locket?"

"Not exactly." He began hitting switches and controls and the monitors flickered before changing to blurry video footage.

"You realize you are overprotective, right?" Charlotte said.

Ray held a hand up when he cranked the dial and the muffled voices got louder.

"Schwoz!" Ray yelled, losing patience and the sight of the rattled hero was enough to send everyone into alert mode.

"Why is it so blurry?" Jasper asked.

"Triangulating." Schwoz said. "It's moving fast. Like it's glitching."

"Not what I want to hear right now." Ray growled.

The video slowly began to improve and Ray squinted as it slowed until the picture was clearer. "It's swaying. Someone has the necklace."

"Where is that?" Henry asked.

"I have no idea." Ray's eyes flickered wildly across the screens, trying to find a piece of the video that could give him a location.

"What are they saying?" Jasper frowned.

"Captain Man." Henry exhaled, his body tensing. "They know she's married to you."

"Schwoz!" Charlotte turned to yell at the smaller man sharply.

"It's struggling to find a signal. I may be able to -" He crossed the room and ushered Ray and Henry away from the control desk. "If I - I can - maybe..."

Everyone gathered behind Schwoz as he worked and the beeping from the tracker increased, and the camera footage expanded enough that they could see the full span of the room.

"Is that -" Jasper began.

"B/N." Ray squinted as he ignored the curious glances of the three teenagers at his lack of surprise in his involvement. "There. Zoom in."

"Zooming in."

"What is that? A bird?" Henry asked.

"A flamingo." Charlotte said.

The locket swayed and Schwoz used the lower monitors for screenshots as the video blurred, allowing them to notice more frame by frame.

"Do you recognise anyone?" Henry asked.

"No. But I have an idea where they might be." Ray stayed rooted in place. "Schwoz?"

He scrolled through the frames and the video suddenly ended, but voices could be heard. "What happened?"

"They put it in a bag." Ray guessed.

"Outside of Swellview." Schwoz spoke up. "The Flamingo is..." He tapped on the keyboard swiftly, "A sign across from a bowling alley. Charlotte send the coordinates."

Ray hopped off the platform and headed to the tubes with Henry on his heels. "Schwoz!"

Charlotte took Schwoz's seat when he raced after them to the helicopter. Jasper stepped closer to Charlotte as the trio left.

"Do you think she's okay?"

"She'll be fine." Her voice was far too high, but Jasper pretended not to notice.

When Henry burst into the back room, you would've sighed in relief if you weren't tied up with duct tape over your mouth and your brother was okay.

Henry was knocked down and you struggled against the tape around your wrists as the blond grappled with the three men. He managed to use his laser to knock out two of them before it was kicked out of his hand and he had to improvise. Ray crashed through the wall and Henry used some of the broken pieces to hit the last attacker unconscious. Ray took out the two men he was fighting and you watched as he turned to your brother who was tied up.

He slapped his cheeks to rouse him and immediately he began to panic. You flinched when the leader of the gang your brother had gotten caught up with turned off the footage.

"Captain Man is still alive." You groaned when he grabbed your hair and made you look up at him. "But he won't be for long."

Charlotte wasn't surprised when the trio returned to the Man Cave. She had seen Ray's temper before, but nothing compared to the way he looked now. Like a caged animal ready to pounce the second the gate was opened.

"Anything?" Henry asked.

"This appeared a few minutes ago." Charlotte explained, pointing to the monitor. "It's a time stamp written on a piece of paper."

"That's seventeen minutes from now." Henry observed, checking his watch.

"Can't we get a location?" Ray paused when he heard voices on the video. "Schwoz!" He clicked his fingers and Charlotte immediately stepped aside to let Schwoz try and make the voice sound less muffled.

Time ticked away and Schwoz multitasked between trying to track your wedding ring and clearing the voices to try and find a match in the database. Ray focused his attention on your brother who was still unconscious despite his attempts to rouse him after he fainted when he realized Ray had found him.

"I have a partial match." Schwoz said some time later. "But only a partial."

Ray crossed the room, "I'll take anything you can find. Who is it?"

Schwoz pulled up the four partial matches from one of the voices on the video sent from your locket.

"The third one. Let me hear that again." Ray crossed his arms, brow furrowing deeply as he listened again. He turned when your brother groaned.

"Ray -" Henry began when he saw the way his boss's eyes narrowed.

Ray was swift as he grabbed your brother from the floor and held him against the wall. "Who?"

"Ray, maybe you should -"

"Not now, Henry." Ray glared at your brother who stammered, eyes wide as his feet dangled in the air. "Who took her? And where?"

"I don't know! She wasn't even supposed to be there!"

"Who?" Ray barked.

Your brother crumbled at the fury in your husband's eyes. He told them everything, all the names and hangouts he'd been to.

"Ray!" Schwoz called.

Ray turned when there was a whistle. "Yoo-hoo! Captain Man!"

Your brother barely managed to stand before Ray dropped him and returned to the monitor. You were dragged into frame on a chair, tied with your hands behind your back and duct tape over your mouth. Ray ground his jaw as he stepped closer, wishing he could jump through the screen.

He wiggled your cell phone and Ray took his phone from his pocket when it rang.

Ray called the gang leader by name.

"B/N?" He sighed. "He was never very smart. But he did prove useful." He stood behind you and placed his hands on your shoulders. "I have your pretty wife." He touched your hair and you pulled away from his reach.

"You don't want to hurt her." Ray said.

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Two reasons. One, she is tiny, and it wouldn't be very difficult. Ruins the fun for guys like you."

Henry swallowed thickly at the calm Ray exerted, but his left hand was tight in a fist, out of view of the camera. And from the way Schwoz kept glancing back and forth he knew this was new territory they were in - unsettling everyone involved.

"And two?"

"I will break every bone in your body. I won't be Captain Man anymore." Ray replied.

"I want the money I am owed. I want it by five o'clock. Call me when you have it." He ended the call and picked up a hammer before destroying the camera within the locket.

Ray dropped his cell phone on the desk before turning to your brother.

"Ray -" He was cut off by Ray grabbing his shirt and dragging him to the elevator.

"Take me to the money."

When five o'clock rolled around, the gang leader used your cell phone to call Ray who was thankfully saved under Captain Muscles. In another situation it might've been embarrassing, but it was now keeping his identity secret.

You tried to listen to him talk through the door, but groaned in frustration when you were unable to. You tensed when he returned to the truck, calling for the two henchmen up front to drive to the Swellview sign. He flashed a grin that sent chills down your spine.

"Don't look so down. Soon I'll have my money."

He closed the shutter and locked it before calling for the driver to drive off. When you decided to follow your brother to confront him about his stealing after hearing Ray and Henry talking about a string of burglaries across Swellview, you hadn't expected to walk in on a trade off and suspecting he'd ratted out on the gang, they'd tied both of you up. Your brother thought mentioning you were married to Captain Man would prevent anything happening to you, which was quickly proven to be false - it had guaranteed it.

Now, you had no idea if he was even alive.

After a long drive, the truck finally stopped and you leaned against the side to avoid sliding to the floor. The gang leader climbed out to go meet Ray for the missing money and you were dragged away from the truck by the two henchmen.

"Hey!" You were jostled as the two turned to face the owner of the voice and your brow knit when you saw 'Kid Danger'. But you would notice Jasper's hair anywhere.

"Ooh, pretty clouds." Schwoz spoke moments before the two henchmen were zapped and fell to the ground unconscious. You grunted when you hit the ground and Schwoz apologized as he and Jasper rushed to help you. "Careful..." He ripped the duct tape off your mouth and you took a deep breath.

"Ray?" You leaned on Jasper as you got to your feet once you were cut free.

"With Henry." Jasper replied. "I was a decoy." You smiled softly when he added, "I wanted to help."

"My brother?" You asked Schwoz.

"Safer from the gang leader than with Ray."

You sighed in relief that he was still alive, if only temporarily until Ray returned. You helped trap the two henchmen in the truck and headed higher up the mountain to find Ray and Henry. You found the blond first as he fought on top of the first E in the Swellview sign. You gasped when he was knocked down, grabbing onto the edge to avoid falling from the great height, and you urged Schwoz to drive closer.

"Kid!" You leaned out of the window once Schwoz was in place. "Drop!"

Henry looked down and grinned before letting go, landing on the roof of the truck. You got out of the truck as he climbed down. "Are you okay?" You smiled when he spoke at the same time as you, nodding in response. "I'm fine. Where's is he?"

As if hearing, Ray appeared, dragging the leader of the gang by his ankle and you sighed in relief at the sight of your husband.

"He didn't like it when I gave him money from Monopoly." Ray dropped his ankle and caught you with a grin as you launched yourself into his arms. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." You pulled back as your feet touched the ground again, "My brother?"

"Charlotte is watching him." Ray's expression soured immediately. "She's keeping him alive for now."

You knew he was only partially joking, and while the two of them had never gotten along, this would do irreversible damage to their already strained relationship.

Ray and Henry rounded up the rest of the group and dropped them off at the station for processing, along with any evidence they had. Schwoz and Jasper took you back to the Man Cave where a very relieved Charlotte and a guilty brother awaited you.

You returned the tight embrace from the teenager and pulled back a few moments later with a sigh as you turned to your brother who shuffled uncertainly.

"Do you have any idea -"

"I'm sorry. It was easy money."

You shook your head, "Y-You idiot!"

"Wow, that's mild compared to Ray." He cleared his throat when you glared through teary eyes. "But I deserve it. I know."

You stepped forward to hug him tightly, resting your chin on his shoulder as you held back tears and he returned the embrace.

"Are we okay?"

"I don't know." You whispered.

You headed through the cavern of hallways to the living space you had called home for a while now. You closed the door to the bedroom and approached the dresser, opening the jewellery box that had depleted over a period of weeks, spurring your suspicions.

You could forgive the locket as you had found it in Junk N Stuff one day and Ray had no idea where it had come from, so it had no sentimentality attached to it. But your wedding ring was different. Your engagement ring that had been crafted specifically for your wedding ring, so they joined together, was different. Ray had it made just for you and now they were gone.

When Ray and Henry returned to the Man Cave, you hadn't blinked when Ray ordered all items from your brother's apartment to be returned, and that he was staying under his roof where he could keep an eye on him until he decided what to do with him. He would use your brother to take down the entire gang and despite their fractured relationship he wasn't looking forward to the day he, eventually, took him to prison with the others. He was still your younger brother and he knew that it was going to be difficult for you afterwards even after everything that had happened.

You had gathered from the groups hushed recollections of Ray's fury that had rattled the team in your absence that they were best kept apart. Your brother had steered clear from Ray since he returned and you understood why when Jasper revealed how angry your husband had been.

You took a shower before joining the group for dinner despite Ray's complaints that they had families and "don't they wonder where you are?".

"No, actually." Jasper said.

"That doesn't surprise me."

You instinctively smacked Ray's arm that was around your shoulders, shaking your head. "They think it."

"I doubt it." Ray muttered against your ear and you nudged him with your elbow.

"Be nice."

"I'm always nice to you."

"That's not enough good karma." You smiled softly when he shrugged, unbothered.

It didn't escape your notice that the three teenagers appeared to be lingering, as did Schwoz, and Ray grew too tired to throw snarky comments although he hadn't truly tried that hard as he knew that he hadn't been the only one worried about you. So, you found yourself bundled up in a blanket, head resting on Ray's chest as you watched a movie that had been forgotten by everyone else.

You reached out to shake your husband, pausing when you saw your empty ring finger. You had never had someone who cared so deeply and would do anything for you like Ray would. And the rings that fit together like pieces of a puzzle was a symbol of that. Now they were gone.

You gently shook your husband awake and motioned for him to follow you silently. You left the dozing group and headed to your bedroom, pulling the half-asleep hero behind you.

The next day, you decided that the best way forward was to focus on Junk N Stuff. It also gave you a reason to keep some well needed distance between Ray and your brother who you dragged upstairs to help reorganize the store. But even he knew it was all a distraction, and a failing one as you kept touching your finger to twist your rings as you frequently did that it had become subconscious. But now, you kept realizing that they were gone, taken by the gang leader as collateral for the money he believed he was owed after you stumbled onto their operation and as a result, Captain Man.

You sighed when your brother put a lava lamp next to a tiki mask. "That doesn't go together."

"It's junk. Literally. Everything in here is junk. How can it not fit together? It's lava and a tiki mask."

"Just go downstairs." You ushered him away. "And try not to look, speak, or breathe in Ray's direction."

He held his hands up but walked away and you put the lava lamp next to a lamp that doubled as a coffee table with bold paint splotches on it. You set the tiki mask aside to be placed with the other masks later.

Your brother glanced back and shook his head as he left the store, realizing that, although you were trying, things had changed.

"Why aren't you in the store?" Henry asked when he stepped out of the elevator.

"I don't take orders from you, kid." He replied.

"No, but you do from y/n and Ray. And I'm Ray's sidekick. Ergo, you do answer my questions." Henry squinted, and inwardly Charlotte rolled her eyes, as he hadn't made much sense.

"Tell Ray. Whatever." Your brother walked up the stairs, heading to the bedroom he'd been assigned.

Ray came upstairs to the store a few hours later and dragged your brother with him. "Why was he left unsupervised in the Man Cave?" He looked at Charlotte and Henry, raising an eyebrow. "Why aren't you two downstairs?"

"Y/N needed help here." Charlotte excused.

"And I sent him away because he put a lava lamp next to a tiki mask." You added, sorting through a box of old records without glancing up.

Henry and Charlotte followed when Ray dragged your brother to the side out of hearing distance. You continued, unaware of your husband crossing his arms and narrowing his eyes at your younger brother.

"What did you do?"

"Look, she's never going to forgive me for losing her wedding ring. So why don't you do what you want to do, and throw me in jail, okay?"

Ray raised an eyebrow, "Her wedding ring?"

"She keeps doing that thing she does," Your brother mimicked the way you toyed with your ring, "And, I don't know, her face changes."

Ray knew what he meant. You had been noticeably downcast since you returned home, but he assumed it had to do with your kidnapping.

He lowered his arms as he grinned, approaching where you organized the records by color rather than artist. "I hear that you're upset about your wedding ring..."

Henry and Charlotte shared a glance at the smirk forming on Ray's lips.

"Yeah. One of them took both my engagement ring and my wedding ring after they found me looking around."

"So...you miss it? Them? The rings?"

"What are you -" Henry spoke but Ray waved his hand behind his back to signal for him to be quiet.

"Yeah," You sighed, standing up and setting the box aside, losing interest and picking up a motorcycle helmet, to find a place for it. Ray observed as you randomly set it down.

"That's why you've been so quiet? Because of the rings?"

"They're not just rings, Ray. You had them made for me specifically. They're special. Plus, you did put the wedding band on after we said our vows. I think that's special enough." You sighed, moving a plant from the floor to a sideboard although it was clearly too tall.

It only made his smirk grow more, to Henry and Charlotte's confusion.

"But they're gone now. The leader of that gang took them."

"Did he?" He paused his pacing, turning on his heels.

Your brow furrowed and Ray knew you were beginning to catch on. "Yes. I told you they're gone."

"Are they?"

"Yes! When I was held hostage."

Ray approached you, and uncurled his fingers, revealing two rings on his palm. Your eyes widened, covering your mouth when you immediately recognised the rings. "I wouldn't place a bet on that."

"You found them!" You gasped, picking up the engagement ring, sliding it on your finger, followed by the wedding ring that fit into it. You stammered and Ray nodded along, knowing you long enough to have an idea of what you were trying to convey. Disbelief. And gratitude.

You wrapped your arms around his neck, and he chuckled as he placed his hands on your back. "How did you find them?"

Ray's smile slipped slightly as you pulled back. "Funny story about that..."

"He has a tracker inside your wedding ring." Charlotte answered.

"Charlotte!" Ray barked at the teenager who merely rolled her eyes.

"You put trackers in my ring?"

"No. Schwoz did."

You frowned, "Why didn't you give me it before?"

"I wanted to check the tracker was working. The signal was glitching before." Ray explained. "But yay! Rings!"

You placed a hand on his cheek, shaking your head with a small smile. "You're lucky I love you."

"Yes, yes, I am." He agreed.

You took his hand and headed towards the elevator. Ray turned to the three, "Go away."

"Where?" Charlotte asked, brow furrowing.

Ray's head appeared around the corner, "Anywhere. I don't care." Ray lowered his voice to a hiss, startling the three, before disappearing around the corner. You tugged him into the elevator, mirroring his smile as you wrapped your arms around his neck, kissing him tenderly and he hit the button to send the elevator downstairs.

"I'm out." Your brother led the way out of Junk N Stuff and Henry shook his head as he dragged Charlotte out as well, knowing Schwoz would soon be following once you two returned to the Man Cave.

"Come on, we can go to my house."

The inventor was abruptly pushed into the elevator by Ray and threw his hands in the air when he caught Ray removing his shirt as the doors closed, realizing why you both were literally shoving him out. "Really?!"

You knew that while Lucien often vexed your husband with his antics, running off instinct and often interfering with a police investigation, Matthew held a begrudging admiration for the doctor who had ruffled more than a few feathers since his return to Ballarat.

Jean was attending a funeral when the casket was dropped and revealed someone had stashed a second body inside and Lucien later ruled the death was suspicious. You liked to believed you knew your husband well after being married for decades, raising children and supporting him as he raised in the ranks in the police force. Therefore, the phone call a few days into the investigation, came as very little surprise. He kept odd hours, catching up on paperwork, but you knew he had something more interesting planned.

You parked alongside Lucien's car with a smile. They were becoming incredibly predictable. You were concerned, however, with the recent murmurs that Lucien's antics were affecting Matthew's job at the station - headquarters weren't as lenient with the rogue police surgeon as he was.

You aimed the flashlight at the ground as you trudged through the graveyard, trying not to flinch from birds scattering overhead or screeching.

When you came across the two men, shovelling dirt from a grave, a smirk formed on your lips at the sight of them working away with only a lantern as their source of light.

"You know," You began, startling the duo, "when I became the wife of Chief Superintendent, I thought my nights of grave robbing were over."

"What are you doing here?" Matthew asked.

"What are you doing here? It's nearly one in the morning." You squinted at your husband who still wore his shirt and tie, sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"How did you know where we were?" Lucien asked.

"It's strange, but it's actually quiet at this time of night." You replied sassily, looking around warily, "How do you know this is the one?"

"I looked at the last service from the same funeral director that buried -"

"Shut up." Matthew rested his shovel against the side of the hole they had dug so far, climbing out. "You, go home, now."

"But I've brought tea." You held up the flask, shaking it and heard the liquid swishing inside.

"Tea?" Matthew huffed in disbelief.

"You know, I actually wouldn't mind a quick drink, I'm rather parched." Lucien said.

You handed the flashlight to your bewildered husband, and poured a cup of tea for the police surgeon then a second cup for your husband who accepted it with a sigh, and handed you the flashlight to hold.

"So how is the paperwork coming along?" You walked towards the hole but Matthew hooked an arm around your waist and moved you away.

"Careful. The last thing we need is you falling in."

"Alright. But I can stay?"

He opened his mouth to argue that you couldn't, that they shouldn't even be doing this as it broke numerous laws and police procedures, but Lucien spoke first.

"We could use someone to hold the light."

"I think I can manage that." You smiled when your husband sighed, "No peeking, I promise."

He shook his head, draining his cup of tea before handing you the empty cup and you followed his movements as he walked to a headstone and retrieved his jacket from where it was draped, and placed it around your shoulders. You smiled softly, knowing you had been caught red handed.

"Whoops. Forgetful."

He knew the reason you were really here, worried about him, the repercussions the grave digging could have on his job, and in your haste to find him you'd left without a jacket.

He merely hummed before returning to the hole and you held the flashlight as he picked up his shovel to carry on digging with Lucien who abandoned his cup on the grass.

If turning up to the cemetery in the middle of the night hadn't given you away, you knew your humour had as it was strongest when you were worried and at that moment there was a lot to fret about. His job, the storm that was Lucien Blake, and what they would find.

You glanced around the cemetery, shivering slightly, and set the flask on the ground to hold the jacket from your husband's uniform closed. The sounds of them digging only added to the goosebumps on your skin and made the cemetery much more haunting.

"So...want to tell me why we're doing this?"

"We have evidence of a second victim." Lucien began, "It's reasonable to assume the body came through the same funeral home as the last one."

"Maybe it didn't." You said, earning an amused chuckle from the two men as they paused their digging to catch their breath, leaning on their shovels. "What?"

"That's what I said." Matthew replied.

You smiled softly. "And the grave?"

"We checked a coffin earlier today and there was only one body and that was the one scheduled to be buried in it." Matthew explained.

"The body had to be disposed before Sid's was found. This was the only other non-Catholic funeral in the past two weeks." Lucien added.

"So we dig and hope it's the right one." Matthew turned and resumed digging.

"And if there's only one body?" You didn't want to ask the question hanging over your heads, but it had to be asked. Everything they'd worked for was on the line and it would affect the entire investigation whether a body was found or not.

"We cover it up." Lucien said, pausing briefly to look at Matthew who nodded in agreement.

You nodded slowly, "Well, I suppose the girls from the book club don't need to know this particular adventure."

The two continued digging and the dirt around the hole gathered taller, forcing you to step closer and eventually sit on the edge as the two took breaks here and there for sips of tea.

The flashlight suddenly went out and you gasped, flicking the switch on and off before smacking it against your hand.

"Great. That's all we need."

"There's another in my car." Matthew nodded in the direction of the path leading to the entrance where the three of you had parked your cars.

"Take the lantern." Lucien said.

"I'll be fine." You rose to your feet, grimacing when you stepped in dirt and felt it slide into your heel.

You headed towards the path and left briefly to the pale blue police car which was parked between Lucien's car and yours. You tried to open the trunk, but it was locked. You opened the front passenger side door and found the keys on the dashboard, huffing when they clattered to the floor as you attempted to pick them up. When you bent down to lift them from the floor, you felt a sudden chill and turned around with a gasp.

"It's just the wind." You muttered but your steps were hurried as you closed the door and headed to the trunk. You put the key in the lock and unlocked the trunk and retrieved the flashlight from the kit inside.

You turned it on and off, checking it was working before closing the trunk and returning the keys to the dashboard. You paused when you saw the cap on the seat and picked it up with a smirk, situating it on your head before heading back to the grave where the two had stopped for tea.

"Halt in the name of the law."

Lucien smiled against his cup as Matthew shook his head.

"I swear, it's like I'm surrounded by children."

You found a space on the grass that wasn't covered with piles of dirt and sat on your knees, holding the flashlight on the grave.

You knew your chatting was probably not helping, but the silence was more unbearable and you hated that it revealed how unsettled you really were. The whole situation had you rattled in a way you had never been before, because you knew that, whether a body was found or not, Matthew would receive some repercussion from the headquarters in Melbourne. He had worked hard to get to where he was in the police force, sacrificing time with family to solve cases, and although your children were out of the house, he still worked away to make a decent life for you both. And now it was all at risk.

"You know, this is just like old times."

"Dig many graves when you were young, did you?" Matthew quipped.

Lucien shook his head at the pair of you as he took over digging while Matthew took a break. You poured tea for him as he joined you up on the grass.

"Not then, no, but recently, well..."

Lucien looked over his shoulder at your teasing and chuckled when he noticed Matthew hesitating taking a sip of tea. "You're awful."

"I know." You turned to look at your husband as he slowly sipped his tea. You probably looked ridiculous in his jacket as it swallowed your frame, and the sleeves covered your hands. His hat dipped low over your brow and he reached out to fix it. "Alright?"

"We're nearly there."

You knew that was the best answer you'd get from him while Lucien was present, and nodded softly to acknowledge it. Lucien's antics had gotten him in hot water for a few weeks now and after tonight, you knew he'd have some response from his bosses in Melbourne. You knew Lucien was likely unaware that his actions stretched so far, as Matthew reminded him to reign himself back, but you'd seen the turns of his head now and then and knew he was starting to realize how it affected his friend's role in the police force and now he could see it was affecting you. Although you tried not to be so obvious, you knew you had failed.

You wanted to tell Matthew to walk away, to let Lucien face the consequences without him shielding him, but you knew your husband would never do so. The law had some constraints attached and when there was the smallest injustice he wanted to solve it even if it meant bending the rules a little, because Lucien may have wild ideas, but he was rarely wrong.

You smiled softly when he placed a hand on your back, rubbing circles in an attempt to warm you up. "Now this is familiar. Minus the grave."

He smiled for the first time that night and you leaned into his chest as he brought you closer.

"Did you hear that?" Lucien tapped the shovel and you heard it make contact with wood.

You took the cup of tea from Matthew and the two cleared the last layer of dirt from the casket with their shovels. You released a shaky exhale, clutching the flashlight tighter as Matthew tried to pry it open with his shovel.

"Hang on." Lucien climbed out of the hole and you rose to your feet, following him with the flashlight, moving it as he directed until he found the crowbar he'd brought with him.

He picked it up and gestured for Matthew to climb out. You gasped when he nearly tripped and reached out to grab his arm for support as he got onto the grass.

"Thought of everything, didn't you?"

"Well, you aren't twenty anymore."

"Thanks very much." He sassed.

"You're welcome, dear." You turned to the police surgeon, aiming the flashlight, shivering when you saw the plaque on top of the casket.

Lucien pried open the casket with a lot of effort and you gasped when you saw the two bodies inside. And elderly woman and a young man who had blood over his forehead.

"Oh!" Lucien exclaimed, covering his mouth with his arm from the smell.

You turned away, unable to bear looking anymore, and Matthew took the flashlight, placing his arm around you to keep your head on his chest to shield you from it.

The blond turned and looked at the Chief Superintendent when he sighed.

"What now?" You murmured.

"Now, I perform an autopsy." Lucien answered.

You grimaced, stepping away. "Oh, you aren't going to lift him, are you?"

"We'll have to." Matthew replied.

You shook your head, "I-I- There's a blanket in the back of the car."

Your husband nodded, "I'll get it." He put a hand on your arm to move you further away. "Just stay back and take a few deep breaths."

You weren't going to falsely claim you were fine, and watched him hand Lucien the flashlight before heading to where your car was parked. You took a deep breath, pulling the coat tighter around you.

"Was he murdered?" You spoke up.

"From what I can tell...yes, yes, he was."

A sigh left your lips, "Well, at least it wasn't for nothing."

When Matthew returned, he and Lucien lifted out the murder victim using the blanket and closed the casket before Matthew began to fill the hole with dirt while Lucien used the flashlight to look at the victim.

You made the mistake of glancing over and grimaced at the sight of dried blood on his head. "Are you going with him?" It was a question you already knew the answer to, but it provided a distraction and you needed one desperately.

"Yes." He leaned on the shovel and turned to you. "I don't want you driving. I'll drop you off home first and get someone to drop your car off later."

You nodded, "Okay."

"Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine. I could use some tea. You two drank it all."

The cemetery was lit up with flashing lights soon after and the body was taken away with Lucien following behind in his car. Matthew drove you home in the police car and walked you inside the house. You squinted when he flicked on the lights, paving the way to the living room as you followed behind. You could see him better then, hair falling over his forehead and his rumpled shirt and trousers that had dirt on them. He was exhausted, but he wouldn't stop until he got some answers.

You set the flask on the sideboard and shrugged off his jacket. "You'll be wanting this back, Chief Superintendent."

You held it open as he turned and slid it on his shoulders as he put it on with a weary sigh. "Thanks."

"It's a shame really." You mused as he turned and you fixed the lapels as you often did every morning. "It would have their chins wagging at the book club."

He chuckled softly, "True. But I thought the whole point of this club of yours was to get away from the husbands."

"For some, yes. Me? I like the wine." You placed your arms around his waist and pressed a kiss to his chest. "I'm fortunate that I like my husband."

"So, I don't need to worry I'll walk into the garden and fall into a grave?"

You blamed how exhausted you both were for how much you laughed at that. "No, I intend to keep you around for as long as I can, Matthew." You lifted your head to meet his gaze and smiled when he kissed you tenderly for a moment.

He'd been fanning fires on Lucien's behalf for so long that his bosses were putting more pressure on him and after digging up a grave, his career would be at risk and it would affect your future if they decided to charge the duo who'd never mention your involvement. But one thing he could always rely on, when everything else seemed uncertain or pulling him in different directions, was you. You were a rock in many ways since you met. It was an accidental meeting, he was weeks away from starting at the police academy and while you went to school together, you had never spoken, and so much of your relationship began through letters back and forth between him visiting whenever he could.

The day you got married, he'd sworn to love and protect you. To make you happy. And now he wasn't sure he could keep the last part because he'd put his career on the line for Lucien Blake. But you knew and supported him as you always did, when he decided to give Lucien a little slack because he got results that put murderers behind bars.

It was nearly three in the morning, he was running out of fumes now that the adrenaline had worn off from digging up the body, and yet he would still keep going until he got to the truth.

You stood in the doorway as he left, waving goodbye as he drove off and when the car disappeared down the road, you closed the door and headed down the hallway. You paused in front of the mirror, smiling faintly as you caught sight of the hat on your head. You took off the black cap with the badge on the front, humming gently.

While you had communicated through letters, you had supported him throughout his training. And as he rose through the ranks while balancing family life, you had continued to support him and his work. And if it all fell apart, then you'd be there through all of that too.

You took a bath to wash the night away and finally headed to bed and fell asleep around four in the morning. When your husband finally returned home it was nearly approaching midday and you stirred when you heard a car door close and voices outside.

You groggily made your way to the top of the landing, and Matthew entered the house. "Leave them by the door, I'll clean them later." You said as you headed downstairs. "You are staying, aren't you?"

He nodded, "For an hour or so."

"I'm sure Davis can keep things running for at least four." You helped him take off his jacket and, from his sluggish movements, knew that coffee was no longer working and that's why he had came home.

It wasn't the first time you had picked up the pieces after a long day, but it was the first time witnessing some of it. It was easy to talk about cases most of the time. They were stories almost, but being there as they dug up the hidden murder victim, you had seen what he saw frequently. And despite your exhaustion, sleep hadn't come easily.

After a quick shower, a drained, bone-tired, Matthew collapsed on the bed and you put his clothes in the hamper to be washed later and fixed the duvet so he was tucked in.

"Did you find out who he was?" You asked as you joined him.

"Andrew Morgan. Twenty eight."

He shifted onto his back with a groan, and you knew he had to be sore from working long hours, then digging all night, and working some more.

"I thought he looked young."

He nodded, opening his eyes briefly as he murmured for you to come closer and you smiled as he stretched his arm across your pillows, and shifted closer against his side.

He slept longer than intended but you hadn't disturbed him knowing he needed the rest and it provided a break from the job that would demand his attention as soon as he was out of the door, so you kept him longer than you should've, but he needed it so you didn't care. You knew he was too well rested to mind either and by the time he stirred, you had cooked breakfast for what should have been dinner and kept it warm in the oven, and his uniform was clean and ready for him to wear. His shoes were clean and polished by the door where he'd left them. It was as if the grave digging hadn't happened, but it still remained in both your minds.

You smiled as he entered the kitchen wearing his uniform, with the exception of his jacket and shoes.

"I said two hours."

"I said four."

"Well, it was nearly ten." He looked around, "I can't find my shoes."

"There by the door. I got all the dirt off them. I don't think they were meant for digging up bodies in the middle of the night." You ushered him into a dining chair at the table and he relented with a sigh.

"You know, Davis was sent here to keep an eye on things?"

You did know. He'd mentioned it one morning when you noticed he had been looking troubled for a day or two but until then he had refused to share and you knew he would eventually. He always did.

"And what will he see?" You set the plate on the table and poured some coffee into a mug, setting it down. "If you hadn't then there'd be no body. Although..." You went to collect cutlery from the drawer, and he raised an eyebrow when you turned, knife and fork raised slightly. "We do have a hiding place. It should be easier to dig the second time."

"Yes, that'll fix everything. Dispose of a competent Sergeant. I'd sooner bury Blake."

You held out the cutlery with a smile, "Admit it, he's grown on you."

"He's ruining everything."

Your brows furrowed, "Davis? Why what did he do?"

"No. Lucien. At least Davis sticks to his job."

You joined him at the table with a cup of coffee of your own, "Was he murdered? Erm, Andrew Morgan?"

He nodded. "It looks like he was bound at some point. And shot execution style."

You frowned, "So what are you going to do? About Lucien?"

"Well," He sighed, "walking around with alcohol on his breath doesn't help, but digging up a grave is going to raise a lot of questions. Davis will inform Melbourne, if he hasn't already."

"But even he must see that Lucien..."

"Means well?" He supplied and you nodded. "There are still procedures to go through. Family contacted for authorisation. Proof. He went there and didn't know if he'd find anything. And I knew about it. I helped him. They'll question my judgement."

"I could buy a crystal ball and say I have psychic visions?"

"Somehow I don't think that will help."

You lifted your gaze from your coffee and mirrored the small smile he sent you.

"It'll be fine." He reached out to hold your hand. "Right now I'm more concerned about solving this case. We've got two bodies and no suspects."

While he never went into too much detail about cases, Matthew still kept you updated as they progressed. If someone was brought in, if they were let go or charged. If they'd found something new.

So when Lucien turned up at the funeral home, asking questions while he and Charlie were there investigating on their own, you heard about it over dinner the next day. And he revealed that Charlie had confessed to being sent to Ballarat because headquarters in Melbourne were concerned Lucien was a liability and that he had confirmed as much. And that Lucien had shot their prime suspect after thwarting his next murder.

"And what did you tell him?"

"That it's a case of managing Blake. Like I do everyone else. Including him."

You nodded softly. You knew it was only a matter of time before Lucien's antics led to Matthew facing his bosses in Melbourne, and after shooting their suspect, you predicted things were going to get much worse for your husband who continued to assure you that everything would work out. But you weren't sure it would be in his favour.

Either way, you would be there to pick up the pieces or celebrate, whichever way it ended.

"Well, if you do get fired, that means we will have more time together. And I quite like that idea."

You kissed his cheek before leaving the table to fill the sink with warm water. He joined you as you washed the dishes and he stood next to you as he dried them.

"There are upsides to everything."

With no family in the city, it was almost like home away from home due to the warmth of the owner, and the place. Now it was marred by the blood on the glass, trickling down the sidewalk to the road.

The bag was forgotten on the ground where you'd dropped it in shock, the night seeming colder from the moment your eyes met the callous stare of the shooter. He paid you no mind, covering his face with his hat and walking to an awaiting car.

You grew aware of someone screaming, realizing after a few moments, it was your own. What followed later became a blur as hands brought you inside and red and blue lights filled the street.

" - next, miss?"

You lifted your gaze from your hands where you had picked off the manicure you'd gotten during lunchtime the day before.

You hadn't expected to find Mike approaching, and the sight of your boyfriend was enough to make your voice wobble. "I, erm,"

The tears you held back overflowed down your cheeks, observing as Lennie spoke to his partner who grew aggravated, until finally he halted in his steps, nodding in agreement to what the older detective said.

"Do you think you could identify him?"

"I'll take it from here." Lennie told the officer, and you wiped your cheek. "What happened?"

"I-I was getting some dinner. Mike was working, and I didn't feel like cooking and I -" You sucked in a breath when you realised you were rambling. "I had just left the restaurant when he -" Lennie placed a hand on your shoulder when you pressed your fingers to your trembling lips and you took a deep breath to ground yourself.

"I'm going to need your jacket."

You looked at the trench coat, seeing splatters of blood on the sleeve and shoulder. You hurriedly ripped it off and the older detective gave it to another officer who placed it in an evidence bag.

Knowing there was no use stressing you further, Lennie waved Mike over and the tall detective approached you swiftly.

You crumbled the moment his arms were around you, shielding you from the mayhem around you. You clenched your eyes shut, pressing your head into his chest as his lips grazed your ear, hushing you gently.

You faintly registered the duo talking before Mike led you to his car.

You turned your head as you walked, scanning the street. The owner of the restaurant was giving her statement and the body was being zipped in a body bag.

Mike blocked your view and opened the door. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"My statement -"

"Can wait for now. Come on."

You nodded slowly, getting inside the car. Seeing you were still a little out of it, Mike leaned in to buckle your seatbelt before closing the door.

He walked around the hood of the car, calling out to Lennie who waved and nodded, before getting behind the wheel and starting the car.

"He looked right at me."

Mike turned his head at the mumbled revelation, clenching his jaw as he looked ahead, driving off.

Once you were at your apartment, you headed to the bathroom and removed your clothes. You pretended not to notice Mike checking them for blood, as you went to the bedroom, pulling on a sweatshirt of his that he kept at your place. He joined you in the bedroom with a freshly brewed cup of coffee and you cradled it in both hands as you sat on the foot of the bed.

Mike closed the curtains and turned on the lamp before sitting next to you. And you started to give your statement from the beginning.

Mike placed a hand on your back when your fingers trembled around the mug, and you swallowed the lump in your throat.

"His eyes were hazel brown. He looked at me for a second and that's all I noticed before he used his hat, a red ball cap, to cover his face."

Mike jotted it down in his notebook.

"I'm sorry, I should've seen m-more -"

"You've given us a starting point. We'll gather other witness statements and match it up."

You nodded slowly. "It happened so fast -"

He took the half drained cup of coffee and wrapped his arm around you. He wasn't supposed to be working tonight, but a last minute change had made it so. If he hadn't been working, you would've been at his apartment as planned days prior, safely out of the way from the crime.

As the case progressed, dreams waking you up late at night led to you recalling more about the shooter. The big break in the case turned out to be his ball cap which had a delivery logo on it. Following the lead had led to a burglary at a delivery depot. The case simmered for a day then another body turned up and the two detectives revealed their findings over dinner.

You set the cutlery down on the table, "He's dead?"

"Whoever hired him must've gotten nervous." Lennie said.

"So what happens now?" You asked, picking up your glass of wine, taking a sip.

"We're still looking for the one who hired him. There's a long list of gangs in the area. But something will turn up." Mike replied. "No one will hold their hands up to killing a thief. Especially when it was drugs that was taken."

"Van Buren is holding off the Narcotics squad. They want to take it off our hands." Lennie added.

"It's homicide, and last time I checked that was our department." Mike said.

You knew he was more determined than usual due to how personal the case was for him because of you witnessing the first murder, but you could tell from Lennie's tone that Van Buren couldn't hold off Narcotics for long and they weren't short of murders.

"All that blood for some drugs." You murmured softly.

The two detectives exchanged glances as you took another sip of your wine. Lennie had asked Mike how you were coping after witnessing the murder, and while you were finding it easier to sleep most nights, it had irrevocably impacted your life. Mike knew that it would take more than a few weeks, and even a trial of everyone involved, for you to feel somewhat normal again. You were the lead witness and he knew that when McCoy finally got a trial date, those sleepless nights would return again as you would be called to give your account of the first murder.

You blinked, turning your head to look at Mike when he placed a hand on your back, sending him a small smile. He'd been your rock during this, the two detectives had, and as odd as it seemed, hearing about the investigation made it easier - knowing they were getting closer. The shooter was dead, but those who hired him were still being hunted by the two detectives and you knew they would find them.

You were stunned and more than a little confused but agreed. Despite their best attempts, you were aware of Jasper and Henry spying on you both, but followed Charlotte's advice and ignored it. Eventually, you were introduced and you were welcomed warmly into their group. Much to Charlotte's chagrin, they started invading what she called 'quality girl time', but she was relieved by how easily you fitted in with her best friends.

As you got older, began to attend high school, and later became a sophomores, you felt a shift in your friendship with Henry. You didn't know when it started, or when you saw him as more than a friend, but he tapped your shoulder one day and made a joke about a diagram on the board and you had turned to meet his gaze, and felt it for the first time.

Maybe it was his new hairstyle, or maybe it was how tall he had gotten over the summer, but you had experienced the feeling before and knew you had a crush on Henry Hart.

His eyebrows raised when you turned around swiftly and ducked your head to focus on your paper. He brushed it off, but for the rest of the day it lingered at the back of his mind.

For the remainder of the week, you began to pull away from the trio who were hurt and confused. Jasper had approached your locker to ask for a pencil and you knew he was lying but gave him one anyway.

"So, are we still on for tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" You echoed, putting a textbook in your bag.

"Yeah, the movie...at Henry's."

You lifted your head as you closed the locker. "Oh, I can't make it. Sorry. I gotta go."

Henry and Charlotte walked down the hallway from where they had been hiding and Jasper shook his head, a frown on his lips.

"What? Why?" Charlotte exclaimed.

"She didn't say."

As they headed home, the trio started to guess why you were being distant, and agreed it had began on a Wednesday before lunch. When you continued the pattern the following week, Charlotte overheard that you had joined several clubs and Henry raised an eyebrow as she listed them.

"The Oboe? What's an Oboe?"

"It's a musical instrument." Charlotte supplied with a sigh.

When they didn't call or talk to you in the hallways at school, you believed you were in the clear. You still saw the trio from time to time and in classrooms, your eyes drifted to Henry who was more pensive than usual, inwardly berating your inability to not stare at the blond. You believed distance was the cure for your feelings, as you didn't want to ruin your friendships, but your remedy was failing drastically as you missed them and your crush didn't go away.

You were studying in your bedroom when Charlotte entered. You flinched when she burst in the door and put her hands on her hips. "Okay, what is going on with you?"

"N-Nothing." You stammered.

"Oh, really? So you haven't been acting weird lately?" She crossed her arms. "Strange? Distant?"

"I've been busy." You attempted to brush off, but Charlotte narrowed her eyes as she sat on the edge of your bed.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me."

You stared at her for a moment before sighing. "I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"I just can't. It's a secret. And it needs to stay that way."

Charlotte's eyebrows rose to her hairline as she processed your words. Instinctively, the first possibility of the secret you were intending to hide was that you had learned of Henry's real job. But unlike Henry, she wasn't going to assume you knew and tell you, as he had done with Jasper, and appeared nonchalant and defeated as she stood up with a shrug.

"Alright, fine. But I'm staying over for a while. You left me with those two for two weeks!"

Despite your worries that she would figure out that you had a crush on Henry, you smiled softly and nodded. She pointed to the textbook and began to discuss the homework you had been assigned a few days ago, and you quickly picked up where you left off.

You were finishing the last question when you noticed her walking around, inspecting your bedroom and bit the inside of your cheek when she approached the bed where your journal was tucked beneath your pillow.

"What is an Oboe?" She asked, kneeling down to pull the case out from beneath your bed.

You laughed lightly as you explained and quickly scribbled the final part of your answer before closing the book and approaching where she stood beside the open case that was on the bed. You played a few notes and she smiled as she listened, looking at the sheet music.

"Why the Oboe?"

"I like how it sounds. Plus it was that or the triangle."

She left a few hours later to head home for dinner and as you said goodbye on the porch, you decided that hiding from Henry wasn't working, as you missed your friends.

The next day, you took a deep breath as you knocked on Henry's front door, holding a bag of snacks and sodas. You knew his parents kept their kitchen stocked, but you never turned up empty handed and after fretting over your appearance, your anxiety turned to the snacks, and instead of choosing, you settled on everything.

Jasper opened the door and you smiled at the curly haired teen when he cheered your name. "She's here!"

You entered the house and closed the door, lifting your gaze from the carpet to find Henry and Charlotte looking at you from the sofa.

"Hey, you're just in time." She said.

"I thought you were playing the Oboe." Jasper said as he walked over to join them.

"I'm all Oboe'd out." You inwardly rolled your eyes at your awkwardness, holding up the bag, "I brought snacks!"

You settled on sitting on the floor to avoid sitting next at the end next to Henry and tucked your hair behind your ears as you dished out the snacks and sodas.

You leaned your back against the sofa as you took a handful of popcorn and turned when Henry spoke for the first time. "Here," He placed a pillow behind your back and you met his gaze for a split second (something you were very proud of) and managed to thank him without dissolving into a stuttering mess.

Henry leaned back and shared a look with Charlotte who noticed you were avoiding his gaze. Henry frowned as he took a sip of his soda, wondering what he had done to warranted your aloof behaviour.

You moved to the sofa eventually, but sat between Charlotte and Jasper after nudging the curly haired teen to move over to make room. Henry's frown deepened and Charlotte inwardly sighed, knowing they really had to have a conversation.

"Henry, can I see you in the kitchen for a minute?"

You kept your gaze on the television as you shared your candy with Jasper who grimaced from how sour it was, and were unaware of Henry pouting as he looked at you both while Charlotte rolled her eyes and dragged him away.

"No. Still no." He groaned as he reached for his soda, gulping it down.

"You see it, right? Tell me, you see it." Henry whispered.

"I saw! I saw!" Charlotte sighed. "I think I know what's going on. But I'm not certain."

Henry's brow furrowed when she took his arm and nodded at his watch. "You don't think -" He gasped, looking at the watch he used to communicate with Ray.

"I think she knows you're Kid Danger."

Henry ran his hands through his hair. "What?" His voice raised, drawing your and Jasper's attention. "What a great movie this is!" He laughed forcefully, grunting when Charlotte hit his stomach.

You glanced between the two but shrugged it off and looked at the television. Jasper went to the kitchen under the pretence of getting soda and you kept your gaze on the movie, seeing them gesture out of the corner of your eye.

After filling Jasper in on their suspicion that you had discovered Henry's secret identity Kid Danger, Henry quickly covered his mouth before he could shout and draw attention from you, but you were determined not to look at them.

"Feeling lonely over here, guys." You spoke up.

"Coming!" Charlotte called back.

"What do we do?" Jasper whispered.

You turned your head, raising an eyebrow at the sight of the trio huddled together. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." Henry put on a bright smile and headed to the fridge, reaching inside blindly and picking up an item at random. Your brow furrowed when he set the halved watermelon on the counter.

"You're eating watermelon?"

"Yes!" He replied way too enthusiastically. "I love watermelon."

Your gaze flickered over his features and Henry turned around quickly, effectively breaking your gaze. You were thankful, but confused by their behaviour. Deciding to shrug it off, you focused on the movie as they joined you on the sofa.

Henry ate the watermelon with a spoon and you ignored his enthusiastic sounds as he ate, trying to prove he really did love it. You were bracing for the jump scare as Jasper counted down, and Charlotte told him to be quiet, when the spoon slid and a piece of watermelon landed on your lap. You squealed, knocking it away as Henry apologised.

You couldn't help but laugh and the blond relaxed slightly. You bumped shoulders with him and a smile formed on his lips at the familiar gesture.

"Sorry. Here," He held out the spoon with a chunky piece of carved watermelon, "it really is good watermelon."

Your cheeks warmed as you ate it as he held the spoon. "That is good."

"Right? Plus it's like super colorful."

Jasper coughed into his soda when Charlotte nudged him and told him not to stare. He was the least discreet out of the trio and he was cracking under pressure.

"I have to know!" You heard him whisper.

"Have to know what?" You asked.

You glanced around as their gazes shifted between each other as it often did when they were guilty. "What?"

Henry sighed and decided it was time to confront the subject head on. If his secret identity was the reason you kept your distance, he wanted to find out so things could go back to how they were before.

"Charlotte told me you didn't tell her your secret." Henry began. "And I think I know what it is."

Your eyes widened, "Really?" You whispered, horrified.

Henry nodded, "You know, I'm Kid Danger, don't you?"

You paused for a moment, feeling like your brain was like a website buffering. You had a lot of questions, but felt agreeing was a way to find out the truth and hide your real secret.

"Yeah, I've known for a little while."

Henry exhaled, setting the watermelon on the coffee table. "Why didn't you say anything?"

You fiddled with your bracelet as you scrambled to think of a response. "I thought you'd tell me when you were ready."

A smile slowly began to form on his lips, "I would. I really would."

You couldn't help but mirror his smile, sensing a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "So, wait." You looked at Charlotte then narrowed your eyes at Jasper, "You both knew?"

Jasper held his hands up as he backed away from the sofa, "I was sworn to secrecy!"

You rolled your eyes at his dramatics that were warranted when you thought of your younger years when you would chase him until he told you everything you wanted to know. When you got older, Jasper realized you had mellowed a little, but now he had to deal with Henry's younger sister, Piper.

"Won't you get in trouble from Captain Man?" You asked, turning to Henry.

He shrugged, "Ray's used to it at this point."

"Ray? Your boss at Junk N Stuff is Captain Man?" You raised a disbelieving eyebrow, having met Ray on a few occasions when you stopped by to see Henry.

"I'm about to blow your mind." Henry stood up with a grin and Charlotte groaned when he raced upstairs, and you followed her and Jasper to Henry's bedroom.

You had seen it a hundred times, but since you realized the depth of your feelings for him, being there made you feel like your face was on fire.

Henry retrieved his gumballs and put his hands on your shoulders, guiding you to the bed to sit while Charlotte closed the door. You raised an eyebrow as Jasper crossed his arms with a grin and Charlotte sighed at the blond's suspense.

"Ready?"

"Ten minutes ago, yes." Charlotte replied.

Henry tipped a gumball into his palm and held it between his thumb and index finger and you laughed softly when Jasper gestured to it like a magicians assistant before a trick was performed.

Henry chewed and you watched as he blew a bubble, that eventually popped. Your eyes widened when you saw his clothes change before your eyes, his mask over his eyes, and hair swept upwards.

You felt your jaw drop and covered your mouth with your hand. Henry and Jasper high fived at your stunned expression. "B-But - the bubble -"

"Mind blown!" Jasper yelled.

You rolled your eyes, shaking your head. "You really are Kid Danger."

Henry ran a gloved hand over his hair with a grin that made your heart stutter. "Cool, right? There's so much we have to show you. So much I've wanted to tell you for a long time. No more secrets."

You smiled faintly, "No more secrets." You lied.

The movie downstairs was forgotten as Henry began to explain how he became Kid Danger, and Charlotte revealed how she figured out he was Kid Danger, and then Jasper told his tale. You were stunned as they talked about Ray and Schwoz and the Man Cave, and when Jasper and Henry excitedly made plans to take you there, you found your voice again.

"Uh, actually, I could use a night to take it all in. I think if I saw it right now, I'd faint." You smiled softly before meeting Henry's gaze. "You're okay though, right?"

He stepped forward and joined you on the bed, nodding. "It's dangerous. But I'm fine. Ray and I have each others backs."

You nodded, hand twitching on your lap before you placed it on his shoulder. "Good."

Henry took your hand in his gloved one and you attempted to swallow the giddy feeling rising in your chest. "You have no idea how big a relief this is. It means things can go back to normal. No more distance between us...because I hate that."

You held his gaze through the mask and his smile grew. "Me too."

The trio took you to the Man Cave the next day, too eager to show you around and reveal all the gadgets. You flinched when Jasper fired a laser from a remote before Schwoz took it away.

"You understand what this means?" Ray, who had been quiet ever since he found you in the Man Cave that afternoon, finally spoke. "You can't tell anyone about this. No parents. No friends. Not even your hamster."

"Ray -" Henry huffed.

"I wouldn't put Henry in danger." Your tone held absolute conviction and Ray held your gaze before nodding in acceptance.

"Alright."

You inwardly sighed in relief when he walked away and turned to Henry when he touched your arm gently. "Come on." He led you to the Auto Snacker. "Hungry?"

You smiled at the excited twinkle in his eyes and knew he wanted to show something new. "Starving."

"Burger and fries." Henry put a hand on the machine and the door lowered to reveal a plate with a burger and fries on it.

"No way!"

Henry grinned as he picked up the plate and presented it to you with a small bow. "For the lady." You accepted the plate and he shook his head. "I should've known you'd like this the most."

"Rude, dude." You headed to the curved booth to sit down and the blond followed.

"I wasn't -" He sighed when you flashed a smile over your shoulder. "I forgot how mean you are."

After sharing the plate with the trio, the tour continued until an alarm blared throughout the Man Cave.

"What is that?" You asked with a frown.

"An emergency." Henry raced through the hallway and you quickly followed, Jasper and Charlotte on your heels.

Ray was sitting at the console, and Henry joined his side as he played the call. Your frowned deepened and a pit formed in your stomach, realizing that it really wasn't a dream. You friend, your crush, was Kid Danger and he was preparing to fight crime.

You rubbed your arms as Ray and Henry donned their suits and Charlotte took over the console.

"We'll take the helicopter." Ray told Henry as they headed to the two tubes.

"Henry!" You called out, surprising even yourself. Henry met your gaze and you sent a small smile, "Be careful."

He nodded, tapping his belt, and the tubes lowered. "Up the tube!"

You frowned as you turned to Charlotte when they were gone and approached the console where she sat, tapping buttons that you couldn't remember their purpose. "You can talk to them from here?"

She explained the lines of communication and revealed the trackers in their suits and you sighed heavily. "This is crazy." You whispered.

Charlotte looked at you with a concerned frown. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." You forced a smile on your lips. You cleared your throat and observed as she spoke to Ray and Henry as they pursued the criminal.

You felt like you had been waiting for hours until the duo returned after dropping the captured villain in prison. You finally felt able to breathe again when they came down the tubes. Then you noticed Henry's hair was a little messier and coupled with his outfit, it was not helping you get over your feelings.

"Good work, Kid."

They filled you in on their mission over food made in the Auto Snacker, gathering in the curved booth. The two heroes had removed their suits and donned their civilian clothes and as you looked at Henry as he added to Ray's tale, you wondered how you had missed it before.

You were in love with Henry Hart. But you realized there was so much you never knew about him.

That evening, you left Junk N Stuff and headed home. Jasper's house came first, then Charlotte's until you were left with Henry who insisted on walking you home.

"You've been quiet since we left the cave. Are you okay?"

"It's a lot to take in." You said with a small smile. "It took me years to figure it out." You were already exhausted pretending that you had known his secret, but it was better than him finding out the truth. "But I can handle it."

Henry smiled softly, "It takes a while to get used to. I still can't believe it sometimes." His smile slipped, brow furrowing as he swallowed thickly, piecing together his next sentence. "I'm sorry for not telling you. Ray was clear about not telling anyone. Charlotte found out because she's, well, Charlotte. And Jasper found out by accident."

"Because you blabbed." You teased gently, smiling when he chuckled.

"True. I wanted to tell you. I thought it was safer for you not to know. But you figured it out on your own."

Your fought to keep the smile on your lips as you lied, "I did."

For a few moments, you walked in silence until he broke it. "So...we're okay? I've missed having you around."

You nodded, sending a warm smile, "Yeah, we're okay. We'll always be okay." And you knew you meant it. Your feelings for Henry had gotten in the way of your friendship, but you wouldn't let it happen again. You didn't know how you fit into his life, his job as Kid Danger, but you would support him no matter what.

Henry slowly grinned as you turned to walk onto your porch. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

You rested a hand on the door handle, nodding, "Tomorrow. Night."

You headed inside and Henry exhaled the tension from his shoulders, relieved that your friendship was repaired. Charlotte had been more vocal about the effect of your absence as you were her best friend, unknowingly replacing him and Jasper from the day you let her join you in middle school. But if the past two days had taught him anything it was that he felt as if he was missing a limb due to your absence and the burden from his shoulders, the weight of keeping his secret identity secret, was finally lifted after several years.

What amazed you the most as you reflected on the weekend and documented it in your journal, keeping out certain interesting parts, was how normal life was afterwards. Henry was still Henry. You no longer sat on the opposite side of the room and he had started to sit beside you in classrooms, whispering and making you smile in amusement much to the teacher's dismay.

"Don't make me separate you two!"

Henry gasped, and you put your hands together, pleading for mercy, eliciting laughter from the rest of the class. You quickly ducked your heads when the teacher glared at you and focused on your work.

The second Ray needed him, there was a shift in his demeanour. A seriousness you had never seen before. It was both unsettling, but awe inspiring as Henry Hart became Kid Danger.

Your crush never went away, if anything it evolved into a love deeper than you know how to deal with. You could survive in a room with the blond without blushing, but you showed it in small ways as you helped him keep up his grades and support him from the Man Cave. Your love was quiet, but it didn't dwindle in any way. However, you were rarely alone as you were glued to Charlotte's side to avoid such an instance.

While you spent time at the Man Cave, you weren't invading as Ray claimed Jasper did. You had your own job elsewhere, but when they had a mission, you tried to be there as often as you could to hear Henry's voice as he communicated with Charlotte at the Man Cave or be there to make sure he made it back safely.

When she asked you to meet at the Man Cave, you arrived early and glanced around the empty room, calling out as you set your bag on the curved booth. You shrugged it off as you took out your phone and sent Charlotte a message, only to find you had no signal.

"That's strange." You mused.

"What is?"

You gasped, hand on your chest as you turned to find Henry walking onto the platform as the round door closed behind him. You shook your head when he smirked and held up your phone as he approached you.

"I don't have any signal."

Henry took your phone and almost instantly the lights flickered. "It's the storm. It's interfering with Schwoz's equipment."

You sighed, taking your phone back, "So, it's useless then." You placed it in your bag.

"What are you doing here anyway?" He asked.

"Charlotte asked me to meet her here. She wouldn't say why."

Henry nodded, "Yeah, she told me that too. Something to do with Ray."

You raised a curious brow but shrugged it off. "Is the snack machine working at least?" You walked over to the wall, reaching a hand out when it zapped you. "Ow!"

"Are you okay?" Henry was by your side in three strides and his gloved hands inspected your hand for injuries.

"I'm fine." You freed your hand from his, clearing your throat, "Do you just walk around in that all the time?"

Henry grinned, stepping back, "Why not? I look good." He said, drawing out the 'oo' as he often did.

You tried to think of something to tease him, but you couldn't deny it. He always looked good. Infuriatingly so.

The lights flickered and you gasped when they went out, a loud humming noise filling the room. "This is so not good." You mused shakily.

You reached a hand out, trying to find Henry. "Henry?" You frowned when your outstretched arms touched thin air. You gasped when you heard something clatter to the floor. "Henry?"

"I'm here. Hang on, I'm trying to find my phone. I dropped it."

You moved your arms around to try and find the curved booth, and bumped into the wall with a groan.

"Where are you?" He asked, rising from the floor.

"I don't know." Henry chuckled. "This is not funny, Henry."

"Sorry, sorry. Just keep talking, and I'll follow your voice."

"I regret coming here. Bad things happen in caves. There's bats, and bugs, and -" You shrieked when a hand touched your back and Henry held his hands up.

"It's me!" He exclaimed, sighing when he remembered you couldn't see him.

You reached a hand out and patted what you touched, realizing it was his chest. His gloved hand took yours and you were thankful for the darkness as your cheeks warmed. You were alone, in a dark room, with Henry. A giggle threatened to escape your lips at the situation you had found yourself in.

You shifted your feet and clutched his vest when you felt something hit your feet. "What is that? What is it?"

Henry put his hands on your back and moved his hands to your shoulders, sending goosebumps along your skin. "Don't move." He crouched down and you felt his hands slid down your waist to your legs, making you feel faint. You flinched when he said, "Ah-ha!"

He stood up and tore his glove off with his teeth, using his thumb to use his phone as a torch. You grimaced when the lights suddenly came on and quickly realised you were standing chest to chest with Henry.

"You're great in emergencies, aren't you?"

Henry pursed his lips when you quickly put distance between you both and while you went to your bag to check your phone, he tried the equipment and found it appeared to be back to normal.

"Still no signal. I'll try the elevator." You walked to the elevator and pressed the button but nothing happened. "Great." You exhaled sharply as you approached the tubes and tried to summon one, but nothing happened.

"Sometimes if you say 'oogabooka' it works." Henry jested as he put his glove back on.

"You're hilarious." You replied flatly, sighing as you retreated to the curved booth and took a seat. You looked at the blond when he chuckled, "Why are you laughing?"

"You freaked out." He pointed at you with a smile as he approached the booth. "You can watch horror movies for a month without blinking but a little darkness and you freak out. Like a lot. Bats? Really?"

"Hey, it's known to happen."

"It's not a cave on a mountain, I think we're good." Henry smiled softly as he sat across from you and you fiddled with your phone to avoid his gaze. "Look, I'm sorry for teasing you. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm fine. Just wondering how long we'll be trapped down here."

"Could be worse."

You lifted your head, sending him an incredulous glance, "How?"

"We could be stuck with Ray."

You pouted, nodding in agreement. You glanced at him when you realized he was observing you closely. "What?"

"Nothing." His brow furrowed in thought, "I was just thinking..."

"That's dangerous."

Henry chuckled, "Rude, dude."

You smiled when he quoted you, resting your crossed arms on the table before realizing it drew you closer to him. "Go on."

"When you figured out I was Kid Danger..."

You bit the inside of his cheek, already dreading his question.

"Why did you avoid me?" He ran his gloved thumb along his bottom lip, "I mean, you avoided everyone eventually, but it felt like...I don't know...like you couldn't look at me."

"Where's this coming from?" You attempted to deflect.

Henry shrugged, "I guess...we're alone, and I feel like you're still avoiding me. I thought we were okay."

You sighed softly. "We are."

"But something's different." He pressed.

You opened your mouth to lie, and brush off his observations, but the words wouldn't come out. Not when he stared at you with his hurt apparent. You hadn't meant to hurt him, but despite your attempts, you couldn't return to normal. Not when your feelings were so strong and didn't seem to be going anywhere.

"If I did something - or said anything that -"

You sighed, resting your elbows on the table and burying your head in your hands. "I'm sorry." You murmured moments later. You dropped your hands, crossing your arms, "I didn't want to - make you feel like -" You huffed, "It's not you."

Henry tilted his head. "Then what is it?"

You looked at the blond, unable not to smile at the sight of him. His mask only enhanced his eyes. "It's nothing." You waved a hand dismissively and left the booth to approach the console, hitting random buttons in the hope that something would happened.

"Hold on," He climbed over the booth to reach your side. "so it's nothing I did or said?"

"Nope."

"So why can't you tell me?"

"Because we don't have to tell each other everything." You replied.

"We agreed no more secrets."

"I'm allowed some privacy."

Henry sighed, pulling you away from the console. "I'm trying to understand what's going on. There's something between us, a wall or something, and I-I want to fix it."

You shook your head, "We're fine."

"No, we're not." He argued, growing frustrated. "Just tell me."

"I can't." You ground out, clenching your jaw. "Things would be different."

"They're already different!"

"A different different."

Henry threw his hands in the air, "That doesn't even make any sense! Just tell me, and we can move on from it like we always do."

"We can't!" You matched his volume and his eyes widened when your gaze met his, revealing your tears. "I can't! Okay? I tried. I'm trying."

Henry frowned when you walked away, sighing when you bit the inside of your cheek and ruffled your hair like you always did when you were anxious.

You turned to the blond with a sharp inhale. "I didn't know you were Kid Danger. I lied."

His jaw grew slack as you revealed you went along with it that night to avoid telling them the real reason you pulled away from the group.

You exhaled shakily as you wiped a tear away and turned away when he approached you warily. Torn between comforting you and wanting to give you the space you wanted.

"I'm sorry for lying, but I just - I couldn't tell you."

"Tell me what?"

You looked at your shoes and felt his hands on your arms as he stood in front of you. "It'll change everything."

"I don't care. You know, I hate it when you cry. It makes me want to cry and like there's someone reaching into my chest."

You shook your head, and Henry was almost ready to drop it when your teary gaze met his concerned stare. "I'm in love with you. I've been in love with you for a while."

Henry felt his chest tighten before he remembered to breathe as he released your arms as his hands went limp at his sides.

"It was embarrassing. I couldn't stop blushing, and smiling and y-you had no idea. And I didn't want to tell you because I was scared of losing you. Our friendship means a lot to me. And it seemed easier just to put as much space between us as I could, but it didn't make a difference. And when you told me you were Kid Danger I was so worried about you, but I went along with it because I wanted to be there for you." You exhaled shakily, swallowing the lump in your throat as you looked at your shoes. "So now you know the truth. And we can -"

You paused when his gloved hands rose to your cheeks, inhaling sharply before his lips met yours. You closed your eyes briefly as he tentatively lowered a hand to your waist. You put your hands on his chest and pushed gently, rolling your lips as you shook your head.

You heard the sound of the tube and stepped away as Ray appeared.

"You two okay?" He asked. "The storm caused a short in the circuit. Schwoz managed to get the tubes and the elevator working."

You kept your head down as you walked briskly to your bag and turned to the elevator as Schwoz exited with Charlotte.

"Are you okay?" She asked.

"Fine." You whispered, stepping inside and hastily pressing the button.

Henry stepped forward, "Wait -" He sighed when the doors closed and shook his head.

"What happened?" Schwoz asked.

"Nothing. I-I gotta go."

He took the tube upstairs and removed his suit before leaving Junk N Stuff to find you. By the time Henry caught up, you were walking down the street and he jogged to catch up with you as you crossed the road.

"Hey! Wait!"

You turned to the blond, "It's fine. We can forget about it."

"I don't want to forget about it." He declared as you turned to walk away. You paused, turning to meet his gaze as he approached you. "I don't want to forget about it."

"Henry -"

"I like you. When you cut us off, it hurt a lot. And when I told you I was, you know, I thought everything would be fine." He took a deep breath, "What I'm trying to say is...I've thought about it before. It wasn't until you were out of reach, that I realized just how much I need you in my life."

"I'll be there for you -"

"As a friend." He nodded, "Well, I can't accept that. Look, I'm not just saying this because I'm scared that you're going to go away again. I'm not."

"And if we ruin our friendship?"

"We couldn't."

"If we did..."

"Then let's ruin it." He breathed with a small smile. "Because it has to be better than spending the rest of our lives wondering 'what if'."

You shook your head and his shoulders slouched in defeat until you placed a hand on the nape of his neck and kissed him tentatively, growing more certain when his lips moulded against yours as he drew you closer. You smiled when his nose brushed yours, and his hand rose to your cheek. You pulled back to catch your breath and he rested his forehead against yours.

The next thing he knew someone appeared behind him, tasered his neck, and held it there until he fell to his knees. The woman jumped up to help the man zip tie his wrists, and placed a black cotton bag over his head before tossing him in the back of their car.

They abandoned him a short while later, leaving him after hitting him over the head with a gun. Mac utilized an exposed pipe to cut the zip tie and ripped off the fabric bag. He looked around as he got to his feet and found his gun a few feet away, returning it to the holster. He found a telephone and called the Crime Lab.

After giving his team their orders, he went to his office, tugging at his collar with a sigh as he sat at his desk. He picked up the telephone to talk to you.

You greeted him warmly, but you could sense he hadn't called just because he missed your voice. You were stunned when he recalled his encounter and his suspicions that it was linked to the team's latest case.

A little over an hour later, you appeared at the Crime Lab with a box from his favorite diner and headed to his office. You placed the box down on his desk, biting the inside of your cheek as you looked around, searching for your boyfriend.

Mac stepped out of the elevator with Jo a few minutes later.

"What is she doing here?"

Sensing how worried you were as you paced his office, Jo stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"You called and told her you were kidnapped and dumped." She replied. "Can I give you some advice?"

Mac nodded.

"While you're on the job, she is powerless. So when you get home, let her take care of you. Let her fuss. Words only do so much to reassure her that you're okay. She needs to see it with her own eyes to believe it."

Mac looked at you as you turned, standing straighter when you saw him. Jo crossed her arms as he walked into his office and smiled softly when you immediately approached him.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

You lifted your arms, carefully hugging him. Mac wrapped his arms around you, rubbing your back as you relaxed in his embrace, clutching the back of his jacket.

Jo observed with a smile before walking away to her office.

You pulled back after a few moments, resting a hand on his cheek. "How is your head? Look at your neck!"

"Hey," He took your hand when he saw the tears forming in your eyes, "I'm fine."

You blinked away your tears. "What happened?"

"It was an ambush. They tailed my car, then pre-arranged for the woman to run in front of my car to make me stop. They waited until I was isolated before making their move." He put his hands on your arms, rubbing gently, sending you a small smile as he held your gaze. "But I feel fine. Really."

You nodded slowly, "Okay. But the second you don't, I want you to promise me you'll take it easy."

"Deal."

You smiled, "I brought you something." You stepped away to pick up the box, and Mac chuckled when he saw the logo. "I know better than to convince you to take the day off, especially when it became personal so...voila."

"Thank you." He accepted the box with a smile, placing a hand on your waist and pulling you closer as he placed a chaste kiss on your lips.

A short while later, you said your goodbyes and left the lab to return to work. Later that night, Mac arrived at your apartment, and when he called out to you, you walked out of the bedroom and greeted him with a smile.

"I would ask how your day was, but I already know."

"It's getting better." He replied with a chuckle. When he started taking off his jacket, you stepped forward to help, and remembering what Jo said, Mac let you. He was used to taking care of others, that being taken care of was foreign to him. But for tonight, he would follow Jo's advice and let you do so.

"I made Italian." You hanged up his coat by the hook near the door. "Too much probably, so I hope your hungry."

"Starving."

You smiled, wrapping your arms around his neck and his hands instinctively rose to your waist. "Good." You kissed tenderly for several moments before pulling away with matching smiles. "Hi."

Mac chuckled, "Hi. Now that's what I call a greeting."

You giggled, leaning in to reignite the kiss. "Mm. I should check on dinner. Wine?"

You headed to the kitchen, gesturing for him to make himself comfortable on the sofa, but Mac tailed behind you, leaning on the doorframe. You fought with the wine bottle and when he stepped forward, you reluctantly handed over the bottle. When he removed the cork with ease, he held the bottle out of reach and poured two glasses.

You shook your head as you checked on dinner before ushering him back to the sofa. You set the table, and turned when he loosened his tie. Mac inwardly chuckled when you immediately approached to loosen the top three buttons of his shirt and took his tie to hang it beside his jacket.

You noticed the taser marks on his neck and hid your concerned frown as you returned to the kitchen to plate dinner. Mac joined you at the table and you smiled when he complimented how great it looked and smelled.

You exchanged insights into your day, and after dinner, you were both ready to put the day behind you and headed to bed. You brushed your thumb over the taser marks on his neck with a teary frown.

Sensing where your thoughts were headed, Mac took your hand and kissed your knuckles. He would track down those sons of bitches for what they did, but also because of the fear and sadness they inflicted upon you.

"What do you say we skip our morning jog, and go out for breakfast?"

You smiled softly, tilting your head up to meet his gaze. "I'd love too."

Mac bowed his head, kissing you gently, and you leaned into his chest when he deepened the kiss. He rested your hand on his chest, and you felt the beat of his heart through his white shirt.