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Realistic or Modern More Than An Assignment

Cian settled back as Alannah got to work. He shifted slightly in his seat from the couch and folded his arms over the white tee he'd chosen to wear for the day. He wasn't sure how Alannah did it but she looked ever the professional even with her limited wardrobe and access to her personal routines. He admired the way she held her head high and looked into the camera with the sort of look that seemed to say 'better luck next time boys.' She was eloquent and to the point, thanking all those who worked to keep her safe and promising her voters she was far from finished. A warmth bloomed at the base of Cian's spine and he felt the gentle rush of pride flow through him as Alannah wrapped up. Stuart praised and Cian brought his hands together for a few gentle claps as Alannah approached him.

Cian didn't miss the look Stuart sent his way from behind Alannah's back and quickly focused his attention to the woman who seemed just out of arms reach. What he would give to be able to wrap her in his arms and press a kiss to her forehead in this moment. Her brown eyes seemed almost cinnamon in the afternoon light as she looked hopefully up at him.
"I think you were perfect Alannah." He told her in a gruff tone. He wasn't given the opportunity to speak further when a knock came at the door. A slight frown touched the ends of his mouth and he gestured that both Alannah and Stuart stay where they were.

Cian approached the door and peered through the peephole to see two men standing there, both with badges raised for him to see. Cian opened the door after a moment and regarded the detectives. The one on the left stepped forward first, he wore an ill fitting suit with a lopsided tie. His blond hair was slightly and damp from an after gym shower.
"McRannall right? I'm Smithe, and this here is my partner Guybrush" Smithe had one of those calming smiles, practiced to help put victims at ease, while Guybrush had the sort of face where one couldn't quite tell if he had smelled something bad or that was just his natural face at rest.
"Hey, come on in. I'm guessing you're here for statements and the like?" Cian stepped back and let the detectives past him.
"Exactly. We had a bit of a break in the case and decided to come a bit earlier to fill you both in." Smithe said as his eyes took in the scene of Alannah's video setup. "Pleasure to meet you Miss. Heshmati. Mr. Briar." Smithe went forward to shake both their hands and then gestured for them all to take a seat around the set aside kitchen table. Cian remained standing, taking up a position behind Alannah. He reached forward for a moment, letting his hand rest on her shoulder to let her know that he was there and she wasn't going through this alone. At least that's what he told himself, he wasn't quite ready to admit that he was nervous to hear about any developments.

Guybrush pulled out a manila folder and opened it, revealing a number of crime scene photos. Cian winced at the photo of the broken door and photos littered all over the ground. The hand he rested on Alannah's shoulder squeezed slightly. Guybrush found the photo of both the hammer and knife the assailant used and slid them towards Alannah.
"CSI was able to pull a few prints off the weapons used at the scene and we found a match." Guybrush's voice was gruff, it held the sort of crackle deep in his throat that was clear he was heavily dependent on cigarettes.
 
A wave of relief washed through Alannah when Cian opened the door, simply because she knew for him to do so, whoever was behind it was safe. This relief however, was short-lived when she realised that the two men who were now stepping into the department were detectives, which meant that once again she would have to recount the night before in as much detail as she was able. Alannah knew that this would be helpful in the long run but right now it had taken her all of her energy to do the speech, and she didn't feel like she had much left. When Smithe told them there had been a break in the case though, that changed everything.

With her stomach dropping to her toes, there was a moment before Alannah was able to take the hands that were offered to her before she rigidly forced herself back into her manners and shook them. Introductions made and the now five of them made their way to the kitchen table, with Guybrush pulling out a manila envelope full of photographs. Hazel eyes gazed down at each one, feeling her chest tighten when she saw her flat in disrepair - small details jumped out at her, the holes in the door, items that she loved broken and scattered across the floor, furniture overturned. It was difficult to swallow, especially when she felt so far away from home. But then in a way, home no longer felt like it existed anymore, not after her space had been violated.

Cian's warm hand on her shoulder was a comfort of course, and she relaxed back into him a little, trying to resist the urge to reach up her own hand to hold his back. God, she wanted that more than anything right now, wanted what they'd had only a few hours before and more. Instead she drew comfort from that source of contact and switched her gaze to the pictures of the weapons. "You... you found a match? As in, you know who did this?"
"Well no, Miss Heshmati," Guybrush intercepted, "We can't be sure, not until we have spoken to all relevant parties first. The suspect has been detained for questioning, I can tell you that much." Alannah's shoulders sagged slightly and it was actually Stuart who spoke up next, his knee bobbing under the table with impatience.
"Don't draw this out for any longer than needs be," he growled. "Just tell us who it is!"

Looking mildly disgruntled, Guybrush pulled out another photograph, this time of a mugshot of a man who both Stuart and Alannah immediately recognised. His hair was dark and wavy, his skin slightly tan and his eyes a rich blue. "That's Benjamin Harris!" Stuart exclaimed, running a hand through his own short, greying hair. "Well I'll be... I never liked the guy but I didn't think for a second he'd be capable of all this. Bloody hell."
"Now Mr..."
"Briar."
"Mr Briar, we can't be sure yet that he is capable. That's what we're here to try and find out." Smithe turned to Alannah then who was sat with her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Miss Heshmati, is this man familiar to you?"
Slowly, she nodded. "Yeah. Yes. He is. He used to work on my campaign."
"Alright. Can you think of any reason, any reason at all why he might want to harm you?" Alannah's mind felt like it was swimming in treacle, her expression lost as she tried to search for something, anything at all she could give them. When she came up with nothing, Smithe spoke once more.

"We did some background research, back at the office before we came. We noticed that there were... rumours, that you and Mr Harris were... intimate?" Alannah blinked. "Could this be the reason...?"
"No!" The politician intercepted quickly. "No, we never were, there were rumours but they weren't true. I swear."
"That's alright Miss Heshmati, it it not for us to judge what you do in your private life." Alannah continued to shake her head, feeling panic rise. "We're just here to establish a motive, that's all."
 
"I don't suppose these rumors' had anything to do Mr. Harris's termination six months ago?" Smithe questioned, leaning back in the seat and peering with serious eyes at Alannah. "Perhaps he tried something and you weren't interesting in reciprocating those feelings?"
"Enough." Cian growled. "Give her a moment to explain and stop inferring evidence." He couldn't help it as he stepped closer to the table. With his height he loomed over the group and both Smithe and Guybrush had to lean their heads back far to make eye contact with him. Smithe held up his hands in mock surrender, a crooked smile flickering over his features.
"Just doing my job man. Take it easy."
"Do it better." Cian snapped.

"Mr. Harris was let go after a number of staff reported him for careless work. He was a stats analyst and frequently got polling and important information wrong. HR did a thorough investigation into his work ethic and it was found lacking. That was the number one cause of his termination." Stuart fiddled with his thumbs and gave Alannah a look. "He was also known to frequently ask out a number of our female staff members..." Stuart shut his mouth after that, clearly knowing the rest was not his story to tell.

"He's not saying much with our current interrogator, but what little we have gotten from him seems to suggest that your office parted ways with him in less than professional ways." Guybrush said, his tone sounding accusatory. "He had a few choice words to say about you especially." Guybrush pointed to Alannah.
"What is this?" Cian interrupted. "She was attacked in her own home, why are you coming in here speaking to her like she's the criminal?"
"We're just trying to put together the pieces. It's called detective work. I'm more than happy to suggest a replacement bodyguard if you can't handle a little discussion between detectives." Smithe said, his voice saccharinely sweet. Cian's mouth shut after that, a vein popping in one of his biceps as he struggled to keep his thoughts to himself. He wasn't willing to do anything to jeopardize his position with Alannah.

"How bout it love? Can you tell us what happened between you two?" Smithe turned his attention back to Alannah and leaned forward, eager to hear the story.
 
The more that the detectives seemed to probe, the more that Alannah felt like a rabbit trapped in headlights. Her brain just seemed to… freeze. She was usually so good under pressure, so good at thinking quickly but this was so far out of her remit, she didn’t even know where to start. At the time of Benjamin’s firing, things had been messy; it certainly hadn’t been a highlight in her career. But alongside reliving all of that, there was a small niggle of worry in the back of her mind at what Cian might think of all of this and worst of all, that maybe he’d think those things about something that wasn’t true. Had he gone through all of this to protect her from some romantic drama gone wrong? Did she make a habit of getting involved with co-workers?

Despite her worries though he came in fighting for her, just like always and not for the first time this morning she was glad that Cian, and Stuart too were here. Their answers bought her some time, gave her mind some space to think. Could Benjamin really be behind this? Would he really go to such lengths, like getting a gun and putting himself at risk, just because she’d turned him down once and he was crap at his job? The thought made her feel sick, but not as sick as Smithe’s next threat to find her a new bodyguard. Feeling her eyes widen, instinctively, Alannah’s hand shot up to Cian’s that was still on her shoulder and she gave his fingers a small squeeze, a sought of ‘it’s alright, I’m okay’ message, while ignoring the way the detectives glanced at the action, as did Stuart. She didn’t care about that right now, she cared about Cian and ensuring that he was by her side. Always.

Taking an inhale, Alannah looked at Smithe and finally let go of Cian and settled her hands onto the table in front of her. “Look, everything that Stuart has said is true. Benjamin’s contract was terminated with us because he was bad at his job. But as well as that… He had a habit of making people feel uncomfortable. Of being too… pushy, and I happened to be on the receiving end of that at one our Christmas parties. Benjamin was drunk, he tried it on, and I refused. End of story. There were rumours that surfaced after that event, but it was nothing more than office gossip. Nothing, I repeat, nothing romantic happened between us, despite what you may have read or heard otherwise.”

Smithe leaned back then, almost as though he was somewhat disappointed with this response. “Alright, Miss Heshmati. It seems a little odd that Mr Harris would go to such lengths because you rebuffed him, but we can work with the information you have given us. The evidence against him is particularly incriminating, but I’m not sure if we have enough of a motive to charge him. Either way, we’ll keep you updated. For now, we could do with taking statements from yourself and your bodyguard before we leave. I’ll need to speak to each of you privately. Mr… McRannall, was it? I’ll start with you. Is there somewhere private we can go?”
 
Alannah's hand shot to his and Cian looked down at the tan line of her fingers as she gave his tense hand a squeeze. Immediately his grip relaxed and Cian lifted his head just in time to see the curious gazes of the three men that sat at the table. A rock settled in his stomach and with one last hesitation his hand lifted from her shoulder and dropped to rest uselessly at his side. Alannah was explaining the reason for Benjamins termination and Cian found himself hanging onto every word. He couldn't explain the small sliver of glee that burst into flame over his heart when she denied the supposed rumors.

The detectives seemed to take the information in stride, despite it clearly not being the words they wanted to hear. It seemed these two men wanted the easiest explanation and to be done with the whole investigation. Smithe suggested he take Cian's statement and Cian nodded in agreement.
"There is the bedroom, or we could always speak in the hall." Cian suggested, his arms coming to fold over his chest as he waited for direction.
"The hall it is." Smithe's nose wrinkled at the thought of being alone in a bedroom with Cian and truthfully Cian felt the same, the detective and his manners made Cian want to punch something. He'd never felt this way about police work when it came to his clients. He almost felt like a dragon guarding its treasure when it came to Alannah, and these policemen were certainly overstepping into his threshold. Cian gave Alannah one last look over his shoulder before they stepped outside. In mere seconds his gaze quietly promised to be right back, before he turned and stepped into the hall. Cian closed the door behind him and Smithe fiddled with a small pad and pen for a moment before jumping into his questions.

Cian recounted the nights events as best as he could, Smithe for once didn't step in with his own assumptions and just wrote jot notes as Cian spoke. Finally when Cian was finished Smithe bit into the tip of his pen and considered the evidence presented.
"Lucky you were able to get to her in time it seems." The detective mused. "Is there anything else from the night that stands out to you?" He asked. Cian considered for a moment, he thought about omitting the earlier evenings events but he knew it would have been wrong to do so.
"At the gala, Alannah had an encounter with both Adam and Sal West. It may be nothing but both men seemed to want something from her. It felt like they were sizing her up almost." Cian said as he leaned against the bare walls of the hallway. "It felt strange." Smithe obligingly wrote down the extra bit of information but shook his head while doing it.
"The West's want for nothing man, I doubt Miss. Heshmati is worth the West's time." Smithe was still peering down at his notes and missed the death glare Cian sent his way. It took all of his self control to not slam the detective against the wall and demand an apology on Alannah's behalf. "I think we're done here, if you don't mind waiting out here; I'll grab Miss. Heshmati's statement now. Much obliged McRannall." Smithe flipped his pad closed and re-entered the apartment without giving Cian a chance to agree. The giant bodyguard had been reaching for the door handle but he thought better of it.

With a frustrated sigh Cian turned so his back rested against the wall and slid down, finding rest on the colourful carpet. He'd been sitting there contemplating for some time when a wolf whistle had his head snapping up. From the place where the elevators let out Cian spotted a familiar form laden with a number of full duffle bags. Getting to his feet Cian grinned at Theo Bowen. Theo was a good head shorter than Cian but where he lacked Cian's height he made up for with pure charm. Theo had the sort of jawline any number of people in the beauty industry would make ritualistic sacrifices over, along with a brilliant smile that had charmed the pants off men and women alike. Theo's bachelor days were well behind him however when he'd fallen for a pretty little school teacher who lived next door.
"They put you in the dog house Cian?" Theo asked as he approached and dropped his bags to the ground. Both men reached for the other and gave each other those back smacking hugs that were reserved for rugby games won and Christmas time.
"Good to see you buddy." Cian pulled away and pointed with his thumb towards the door. "She's just giving her statement to the police."
"No worries then, we can get started out here. I've got a couple camera's we can place around." Theo bent to unzip a back and pulled out a number of small square boxes. "Let's get you some extra eyes." Theo said amiably as he put a few of the cameras into Cian's waiting palm.
 
Given his reaction only a few moments ago, Cian disappearing into the hallway caused a small ball of panic to sit in Alannah's chest. She trusted him implicitly of course, but it was clear that Smithe had a good inkling for how to push his buttons and she hoped that he could keep his cool, for his own sake more than anybody else's. Her gaze followed them and she caught the way that he looked back over his shoulder, giving him the subtlest of nods in return. He would be back. She knew he would be.

Meanwhile, while Smithe questioned Cian, Stuart, Alannah and Guybrush were left to make awkward smalltalk, which Alannah herself avoided participating in, in favour of getting lost in her own thoughts. She picked up some of Stuart's questions once their conversation about the weather died down; what would happen to Benjamin now? How long could they hold him for without charging him? Would this likely go to court? All very relevant questions but ones that Alannah struggled to get her head around. She hadn't given a seconds thought to Benjamin Harris since he'd left, and the idea that he could be behind a knife attack and a shooting. Well, it seemed absurd, to be quite honest. Something about it just wasn't sitting right with her, and alongside everything that had happened with Sal and Adam West the day before... Had they really been completely wrong about them all this time?

Some near fifteen minutes later, Smithe returned, notebook in hand. "Alright Miss Heshmati. You're up. Shall we?" Alannah looked at Stuart first who gave her a nod of encouragement and she took in a breath, looking towards the door for Cian. He hadn't followed the detective back inside and she wondered if he was simply taking a moment, and tried to put her worry to bed as she stood and followed Smithe into one of the bedrooms, where they both proceeded to sit down on the edge of one of the beds. He asked similar questions to what he had asked of Cian and Alannah tried to recount what she could remember as best she could, despite her memories still being quite hazy. She told him that she knew she called Cian and that she remembered putting a chair against the door but other than that... nothing. She was pretty sure what she was saying was unhelpful, especially given the way that Smithe frowned, lips downturned when she couldn't give him anymore. "Is there anything else you want us to know about, Miss Heshmati? Anything else you can think of outside of this incident that might be relevant?" Alannah's thoughts flashed to the Wests and she swallowed and then shook her head, regretting the decision almost instantly. But then, if Benjamin's prints were on the weapons... Wasn't that more than enough to clear Sal and Adam's names?

"Well, if that's everything. We'll be getting out of your hair." Smithe rose then, followed by Alannah who tailed him the whole way out of the room, looking considerably paler and more exhausted than she had before the conversation. Guybrush gathered his things back into the envelope and stood up too, much to Stuart's relief. "We'll be in touch with you when there are any developments, but for now, stay here and stay safe. Thank you for your time today." Alannah nodded and saw them to the door, which once they walked through she followed after, only to find Cian talking to a man she didn't recognise in the hallway. Her brows furrowed slightly as Smithe grunted a fair well to the bodyguard too, finally leaving them all alone once more. Well, sort of. Hazel eyes took in the stranger who was unloading small boxes and then her gaze flicked to Cian in question. "Hey," she smiled a little. "Everything good out here?"
 
With a little help from some extra strength double sided tape Cian was situating a camera on the top of the doorframe so it pointed towards the elevators as the door opened once again. He stepped away from the door to allow Smithe and Guybrush out. The men grunted their farewells, clearly over the idea of any more small talk to be had between them. Theo flashed his award winning smile and kept it up even as the detectives glared and walked past him.

"What a beautiful ray of sunshine you are." Theo chuckled as he bent to retrieve a small laptop from one of the bags. Cian was about to make sure the camera he had placed was alright when Alannah stepped out into the hall. She was looking considerably paler after her conversation with the detective and the tendons in his neck popped as he tensed in anger.
"Hey." His eyes scanned her from top to bottom, as if he couldn't resist checking to make sure that she was ok. Her attention snagged on Theo and Cian remembered his manners and gestured to his old friend and co-worker. "Alannah this is Theo Bowen. Theo this is Alannah Heshmati." Theo gracefully offered his hand to the politician and grinned at her as they shook hands in greeting.
"An absolute pleasure to meet you, Miss. Heshmati. I'll be helping Cian with adding a bit of extra security for you two." Theo winked and then returned to the laptop he had been focusing on and brought up a screen. After a few quick taps into the keyboard camera feeds from the three set up cameras in the hall showed up. Cian turned to one of the cameras and waved. "Perfect." Theo clicked his tongue and peered towards the door. "Let's see what we can get set up for you in there."

Cian and Alannah helped Theo carry in a few of his bags and Theo was introduced to Stuart. While Theo unpacked, Stuart put away the camera and gave Alannah one more hug before sharing that he needed to get back to the office and get their video out before the end of the day. Cian walked Stuart to the door and the two men shook hands in farewell. Theo spent a long while adding an extra mechanism to the door that hindered anyone trying to physically break the door as well as one extra camera pointed towards the front door. He was just wrapping up when he asked Alannah and Theo to both hand over their phones so he could install an app that would help him keep tabs on their locations. Theo was a quick and competent worker and he enjoyed some good natured small talk with Alannah while he completed his task on her phone.

"There you are love. All done. Cute phone wall paper by the way." Theo handed back her phone and got to work on adding the app to Cian's. "Are you gonna be at the game tomorrow Cian?"

"I don't think so. What with everything that's been going on, it might be better to lay low. I'll find a sub once you head out." Cian sighed and leaned back in his seat before deciding it after the past 24 hours they'd had it was high time for a beer. He got up from his place in the living room and found a 12 pack of some local red lager and pulled three of the brown bottles out for everyone. He popped the caps off and returned to the group and handed out the cool bottles.

"Much obliged Cian." Theo said, a bit of a southern accent coming through.
 
Theo offered his hand to her and Alannah took it, returning his grin with a smile that was considerably more lacklustre than his own. Despite her lack of energy though, there was something about Cian’s friend that she immediately liked; he gave off a warm feeling and one that she felt at ease in. “It’s great to meet you too. Cian never told me his colleagues were so handsome. I’m starting to wonder if I drew the short-straw with my bodyguard.” It was an attempt by Alannah to lift her own mood and the cheeky grin she slipped Cian’s way was evidence enough that was she was joking, of course she was. If anything she had lucked out having him by her side through all of this.

Theo barked out a laugh. “Nah, you got the best one there, Miss Heshmati. Believe me, Cian’s a gem.”
Alannah nodded and her smile softened. “He is, for sure.”

As the two men checked that the cameras they had set up were working, Alannah started back inside the apartment flanked by the two of them where she proceeded to introduce Stuart and then say goodbye to him with a tight hug moments later, promising that she would call him tomorrow. Once he had left, she slumped onto the sofa, letting Theo work and chat around her while she tried to recoup some of her energy that had been lost from the events of the morning. It didn’t surprise her that Cian’s colleague seemed to slot into their little makeshift world and his knowledge when it came to technology was up there with the best she’d heard, so much so that she trusted him completely to create a safer space, even though he was pretty much a stranger to her. By the time he was finished however, it almost felt like they’d known each other for a lot longer than a couple of hours.

“Thank you Theo,” she reached out to take her phone back, snorting softly at his compliment of her phone background. “It was taken at my sister’s wedding. She had one of those photo booths with silly hats and things in. Would highly recommend.” Tapping on her phone to examine the app that Theo had installed, her ears perked up when he went on to ask Cian about his game tomorrow and then his response of declination. She felt her brows furrow in thought as he passed her a beer, holding the cold brown bottle between her fingers.

“You shouldn’t miss your game,” Alannah said quietly, thinking through a plan in her own mind. “I mean I wouldn’t want you to, because of all this.” Then she paused for a moment before making her suggestion. “Maybe I could… come with you? That way, you don’t have to worry about me, or find a sub. Maybe I’ll even cheer you on from the side lines.” She gave a little shrug then as she took a sip of her drink. “Nobody should know where we are to follow us and it’d be nice to get out of here for a little while.” Plus, seeing you hot and sweaty in a rugby kit wouldn’t go a miss either. The thought flitted and Alannah had to bite back a smirk around another sip. “I’ve never been to a rugby game before.”

Theo looked between them both then over his beer bottle. “How about it, Cian? She makes good points. The boys will be much happier to see you there than a sub, any day of the week. We can’t lose without you, it won’t be the same.”
 
With Theo's company it was easy to slip into a more comfortable atmosphere. There was something about his friend that encouraged others to joke and laugh, Cian found himself ever appreciative of the talent now as Alannah slipped a few light jokes and smiles in his direction. Cian returned each of her smiles with one of his own, and even now as she smiled at him over the lip of the beer bottle he had to chuckle. When Theo commented on Alannah's background he immediately leaned forward to take a peek of the cute little photo booth photo, Alannah took the phone before he was finished looking and his keen eyes tracked as she looked over the changes Theo had made. When the conversation turned to rugby Cian decided he would get a better look later.

"Well, I don't see a problem with it." Cian agreed when Alannah suggested that she would come along. Secretly he was thrilled that the idea of her eyes on him as she cheered him on. "I did invite you to it before... It might be a good change of pace." Cian scratched a little at his neck as he considered. "I'll phone Irena after this and check. It should be alright."
"Wonderful!" Theo lifted his head from his task to smile at the two haggard looking adults across from him. "You both could use a bit of sun and a pint or two." He said honestly. Cian snorted in agreement and took a healthy sip of the beer in his hand. Theo gave Cian's phone one final tap before starting to hand the phone over, Cian reached for it but at the last moment Theo pulled it away as he reconsidered.

"Hang on, I just realized your phone wallpaper is boring. I need to fix that." Theo chuckled as Cian's eyes narrowed. Cian's gaze turned to Alannah with the sort of resigned indifference that showed he was quite used to Theo and his antics by now. "You need something cute, something..." Theo's words drew off as something caught his attention on Cian's phone, the friendly man's eyes lifted to Cian's and for a brief moment something flickered over his face before his head dropped and he continued his task. "Something cute for sure." He amended. Had Cian bothered to get up and check what had captured Theo's interest he would have seen that the man had pulled up the photo Cian had snapped of Alannah as she slept at her desk. With a few clicks Theo set the photo of Alannah as Cian's wallpaper. With a purely innocent expression he turned off the screen and handed Cian back the phone. Cian didn't bother to check anything, and instead gave him a gruff thank you before setting it down on the coffee table.

"You'll love the game Alannah." Theo said choosing to quickly change the conversation away from phones. "We may ask you to help us out on a few calls, the boys never seem to agree with the ref." Theo leaned back to sip on his beer and the three of them chatted for a long while. Theo did a little more work around the house, installing better locks on the bedroom and bathroom doors before announcing he missed his beautiful wife and daughters and would be heading out. He gave Cian a friendly slap on the back and leaned forward to press a noisy kiss to Alannah's cheek. "See you tomorrow!" His grin was pure mischief as he disappeared.

Cian stepped to the kitchen with the empty bottles. "You want another!?" He called to Alannah as his head was in the fridge. He pulled out bottles and saw a collection of cheese and meats that would make an excellent snack and brought those out as well. He was in the process of setting up a plate for the both of them when he remembered to phone Irena. "Hey Alannah, do you mind grabbing my phone from the living room?"
 
Alannah could only imagine the kind of thing that Theo was setting as Cian’s wallpaper and she didn’t think any more of it once the phone was set back down on the table. Instead, her thoughts were now solely focussed upon the idea of attending their rugby match tomorrow, which as Cian reminded her, he had actually invited her to before. The thought of getting some fresh air was a nice one but at the same time, she was excited to meet more of her bodyguard’s friends and see this other part of his life. She was also just really pleased that he didn’t need to miss something that he loved because of her, but she also knew that phoning Irena to check was probably a sensible thing to do as well.

“I can try,” she quipped in response to Theo’s suggestion that she could lend a hand with some of the game decisions. “I’m not promising no red cards though. For me, that is. I’ll fight for my boys ‘til the end.” Flashing him a wink then, the three quickly fell into further conversation as Theo pottered around, Alannah feeling increasingly relaxed by the alcohol in her system as well as the company. She wasn’t a lightweight by any means, but she was tired and the beer was helping to ease that by settling a calming buzz as a base layer to her thoughts.

When Theo eventually announced that he was leaving, she pretended to wrinkle her nose and wipe at his cheek where he’d kissed it, before blowing him one through the door in return. Then with a happy hum, she settled back onto the couch, or at least that was until Cian offered her another beer and asked for his phone. “Yeah, go on then,” she called in response, swivelling her feet around to the floor and grabbing it from the coffee table. In fact, she had just been about to carry it over to him when the device recognised that someone was looking at it, and a picture of her very much asleep at her desk flashed up onto the screen.

For a moment, Alannah felt her heart stop. It took her a few seconds to register what she was looking at, and when it went dark again she tilted it so it flashed at her once more. No, she wasn’t seeing things. Cian really did have a picture of her sleeping saved on his phone. The realisation was one that made her cheeks grow warm and her chest feel a little fuzzy, heart thudding slightly as she forced herself to move towards him. Eventually she stopped just in front of him, a smile threatening her mouth, hazel eyes now more alive than they had been in days. She took in Cian’s form as he handed her another beer, thanking him quietly and holding out his phone in return. As their fingers touched, she steadily met his gaze.

“Something cute, huh?”
 
Cian's brow lifted at Alannah's words, he wasn't quite sure what she meant as he did his best to ignore the tingle a simple graze of skin to skin caused. He took the phone out of her hand and wondered for a moment why it looked like she was barely containing a smile when his screen turned on and it felt like the floor fell from under him.

"Oh god." His head snapped up from the image that he had snapped of her, Alannah's smile was full force now, the lights in her brown eyes dancing from mirth. He decided in one fell sweep that he would own it. "Well... he wasn't wrong." His slow and easy smile was back and better than ever as he unlocked the phone and pulled up the photo of her. "I mean look at you." He let her take the phone once again and used his now free hand to sweep a dark finger down from the top of her nose to the tip. "Very cute." He added before taking a proud sip of beer. When he took the phone back he considered the photo for a moment and decided it would stay as his wallpaper.

"Here, don't eat it all." Cian handed her the plate of cheese and meats before flipping over to his contacts and finding Irena's number. "I'll be along in just a second." The call with Irena was short and sweet; she gave them both the OK to go off to the game and pub tomorrow. It seemed like after the nights events things were finally starting to turn around. Pocketing his phone he wandered to the living room and found Alannah curled up on the couch her laptop open and resting on the coffee table. He spotted the plate of goodies next to it and made a beeline for some of the salami.

"Looks like we've got the all clear to go." He grinned as he plopped down on the sofa next to her, making the couch jump and shift with his sudden weight. "Don't tell me you're about to do more work this Saturday." He said gesturing to the laptop.
 
The panic that was reflected in Cian's expression when he realised what he was looking at caused a proper grin to spread across Alannah's face, a soft giggle escaping her. She felt like an excited child who had just come across actual physical evidence that the boy she had a crush on had a crush on her too. What she perhaps hadn't been expecting though was for Cian to decide to own it rather than giving into his slight embarrassment, and her eyebrows raised when he turned his phone back around to show her the photograph properly. Her cheeks warmed as her eyes looked over the way that her head was down, Cian's hoodie tucked around her shoulders. It was quite a cute picture she realised, top teeth catching her bottom lip when her eyes looked up again to be met with Cian's finger trailing down her nose. She wrinkled it a little in response, the look in her eye a little more flirtatious now than it perhaps had been before as her heart skipped at the contact. "Alright charmer," Alannah accused, lifting her chin slightly. "I guess I'll let you off this time, then."

Still laughing softly to herself once the cheese and meats were passed her way, she gave a small salute to his order and wandered with the plate over to the sofa. Knowing that Cian thought she was cute, and that he hadn't changed his wallpaper had settled a feeling of giddy excitement within her chest as she stole a sliver of cheese and then settled onto the couch with her laptop rested on her legs. Work was the last thing that she wanted to do right now, but Stuart's visit had made her increasingly aware of the fact that being here and dealing with the fallout of everything was seeing her fall increasingly behind. She also expected Cian's conversation with Irena to last longer than it did, so when he came back and plopped down beside her, she gave him a smile in return, shifting so that her back was leant up against his side, laptop now on her outstretched legs that didn't quite reach the other end of the couch. Their physical contact had felt less natural throughout the day but now that they were alone again and after the wallpaper incident, the barriers felt like they'd dropped again.

"That's great news. Rugby here I come. Did Irena have anything else to say?" Tapping away at a suggested agenda for their next team meeting, Alannah only stopped when Cian questioned what she was doing and gestured towards her laptop. With a wry smile, she leaned her head back slightly so she could see him better from an upside down perspective. "I don't have much to do I promise. I just... feel a little antsy, about a few things. I maybe need an hour, tops." Hazel eyes slid back to her screen but as it turned out, the hour was never meant to be. Even after twenty minutes Alannah found her eyes to already be drooping and after thirty she was flat out, head leant back against Cian's arm. It had started with a 'I'll just close my eyes for a few seconds' and inevitably ended up with her in the throes of sleep, and inadvertently recreating a moment that they had shared once before, one in which Cian thought that she had looked cute. Cute enough to save a picture of and keep it as his wallpaper.
 
"Nothing else, she seemed a bit tired. Hopefully Irena can get some shut eye soon. It's never easy being a handler." Cian winched at the thought of his month on probation and found himself grateful despite everything. After everything, perhaps he still was semi decent at his job. Alannah promised him it would be no more than an hour and with her sitting against him like she was he found himself ready to encourage her to work as long as she needed. He shifted so his shoulder was a bit more comfortable against his back and found the remote next to him. As Alannah typed away he found the sports channel and settled in to watch a bit of golf.

I didn't take long for the typing and clicking from Alannah's end to gently ease and then cease completely. For a moment he wondered if she was reading something when he felt the weight of her head leaning back against him. It didn't take him long to realize that once again his politician had fallen asleep. It took a bit of stealth and doing but soon Cian had Alannah's laptop safely on the table. He wished a blanket was nearby so he could tuck her in like he had the last time, but after a quick glace around the room he came up short. Alannah shifted against him and he took the opportunity to wrap a steadying arm around her. Her head rested in the crook of his arm and he twisted a bit to give her a bit more surface area to lean against.

For long moment's he was still as he hoped that Alannah remained asleep and resting against him. She smelled a bit different now, and he realized that her usual scent of coconut had been replaced by whatever generic soap that had been supplied to them. His hand rested against the small of her waist and he told himself firmly to keep it still, though he couldn't seem to help tugging her more firmly against him. The golf played on quietly but he was lost in peering down at the woman who had occupied so much of his heart. A lock of her hair was resting over her brow and he took a moment to tuck it behind her ear, reveling the smoothness of her skin. Alannah made a small noise and Cian found himself grinning down at her like a fool.

"I've got you sunshine." He whispered. "And you've got me, it seems." His head tilted and he brought his cheek to rest on the top of her head like they had done at the aquarium the night previous.
 
Perhaps hearing that Irena had nothing else to say eased Alannah into the comforts of sleep, or perhaps it was Cian's warm form resting against her back but either way, her ability to nod off like she just had, showed how comfortable she was with him around. She didn't make a habit of falling asleep in random places but when Cian was with her she felt so at home that something seemed to switch inside of her to default relaxed mode. Even the soft buzz and flickering of the television didn't disturb her nap.

Somewhere in her distance consciousness however, Alannah did feel when Cian shifted slightly, his warm hand coming to rest on the small of her waist through her shirt. Without really thinking about it, she cuddled in closer to him, gripping onto his forearm as he seemed to tug her into him. It was like close was never quite close enough, even with the gentle sweep of his fingers tucking her hair behind her ear. Alannah sighed heavily in contentment and they remained snuggled into each other, with Cian's head rested upon hers for a good twenty minutes longer until Alannah finally drifted back into consciousness, maybe something on the television alerting her to what had happened.

Squinting hazel eyes at the screen and then lifting her head slightly to see Cian behind her, she smiled slightly around a yawn as she realised what had happened. "Mmf, sorry," she mumbled, even though she wasn't really sorry at all. "Hope you didn't snap a photo this time." The sleepy quip was complimented by another exhaled smile, which was then quickly replaced by a frown as her thoughts trudged through the treacle of sleep. Alannah knew that she needed to go to bed, but she didn't want to move and in the end she only seemed to get closer as she shifted onto her side and wrapped her arm around Cian's torso, gripping onto his shirt with her fingers.

"Cian?" She practically whispered after a few more moments, eyes still closed. "Will... you take me to bed?"
 
Alannah seemed to rouse during a more enthusiastic commercial about monster trucks and Cian lifted his head to check on her. She peered up at him all rumpled and bleary eyed and he was helpless against the sight. Fuck she was perfect. His hand raised to brush against the gentle sweep of her jawline as she snuggled closer to him. He encouraged the motion, his arm flexing as she held her tight to him. God what he would give to spend every night like this with her.

"Oh shit you're right." Cian said in response to her question about the photo. "Hang on." He dug out his phone and switch on the camera. He framed them there, Cian looking up into the camera a big goofy grin on his face as Alannah snuggled in closer to him. The camera shutter clicked and he was quick to return his full attention back on her as her hand found his shirt. He wondered if she could hear the rapid pounding of his heart as her head rested against him. He could see her slowly loosing the fight against sleep. At her mumbled request for him to take her to bed he could have sworn all the blood left his head. It was barely perceptible as Cian's hand flexed against her side, his eyes wide and peering down at her slumbering form.

"S-Sure." Cian shut off the TV and gently gathered Alannah in his arms. He tucked her head against his shoulder and carried her bridal style to the room they had both slept in the night before. He was hesitant to let go of her as they approached the bed, but he forced himself to pull the sheets back and place her there on the soft mattress. He brushed her hair back from her face once more and pulled the sheets up to her chin. "Sweet dreams love." He'd been about to retreat out of the room but he found his feet wouldn't co-operate. He stared down at her for long moments, his heart begging him to join her.

As gently as he could, Cian walked to the other side of the bed and slid himself under the sheets. It was sweet torture to gather her up close, to pull her back flush to his chest and burrow his face near the junction of her neck and shoulder. He breathed in deeply, loving how perfectly she seemed to fit against him. It would be a long while before he fell asleep, but when he did finally slip into slumber he dreamt of her.
 
When Cian pulled out his phone for a picture, Alannah made a point of hiding her sleepy face and groaning slightly into the material of his shirt, pretending to hide from him. In reality though, she couldn't wait to see the picture the next day and despite her current state she was subconsciously aware that this was their first photograph together, which in her mind meant something. Wasn't this the kind of thing that couples did? Perhaps if they hadn't previously shared a bed and almost kissed once she might have viewed Cian's teasing as mostly friendship, but things between them now felt... different. Much more progressed than anything platonic.

It was partly for this reason why she asked the next question that she did and even though Alannah wasn't fully aware of how her request sounded, perhaps unintentionally it had slipped out as words with such meaning remained largely unspoken. Nevertheless, it was a relief when he turned off the television and scooped her up, Alannah's arms draping around his neck and her head falling against his shoulder. It allowed her to breathe in that familiar woodsy scent that seemed to be paired with Cian's natural state and immediately comfort and warmth flooded through her, that was soon complimented by being placed onto a soft mattress and having a sheet pulled up to her chin. She let out an incoherent mumble when Cian wished her a good night and she had just been about to ask him to stay when it seemed that he had the same idea. The bed slumped under his weight, and Alannah let out an exhale of contentment as she felt his nose and mouth in the crook of her neck and shoulder. Instinctively, she snuggled further back into him, their legs tucked up with each other and her fingers linking with his against her torso. Like Cian, when Alannah fell asleep, her dreams were solely of him.

--

The next morning it was Alannah who awoke first, gently turning over so that she came face to face with her still sleeping bodyguard. As she properly came to in the dim light of their bedroom, hazel eyes scanned over his profile, the way dark lashes fanned the top of his cheeks, the way that he looked almost boyish in sleep. For a moment she just watched him quietly, a small, gentle smile plucking at the corners of her mouth. Cian's breathing was heavy and when he let out a particularly prominent exhale, she had to bite her lip to stop from grinning, eventually hesitating slightly before reaching over to press a gentle kiss to his cheek. Then, reluctantly, the politician carefully gathered herself from the bed, wrapped the same dressing gown around herself as Cian had yesterday and padded into the kitchen to make toast and coffee.

When she was finished, she carried the tray of goodies back into the bedroom and gently placed it onto the end of the bed. "Rise and shine sleepy head," she beamed, opening the curtains bit by bit so as not to shock him too much with the brightness of the morning sun. "I brought you some breakfast. Figured you'll need to keep your energy up for the game today."

Alannah came to a stop then and manoeuvred herself onto the edge of the bed too, taking a coffee cup into her hands with an expression that closely resembled that of an excited child on Christmas morning. "I can't wait to see you in a pair of tight rugby shorts."
 
The faint hue of the morning was a soft orange glow in his eyelids, Cian felt the weight of Alannah's body rejoin him on the bed and he made a move to grab her but a stretch took over his body and he was forced to groan loudly as his feet and arms tensed and gently relaxed. After a few blinks to clear away the sleep from his eyes Cian finally took in the sight of Alannah cosy in the oversized house coat and clutching the steaming cup of coffee. His nose enjoyed that morning scent, even more so when Alannah passed him his own mug.

"Bless you." Cian said fondly as he sat up and leaned back against the head board. "Tight shorts huh? Are you saying I should just walk around in the uniform even when its not game day?" He chuckled, though a bit of heat flushed his cheeks at the idea of Alannah appreciating what she saw. Alannah handed him a plate of toast and Cian eagerly accepted. After thanking her Cian dug in heartily, finishing off both pieces of toast and some fruit he settled down with his coffee. It was so easy to be with her like this, they slipped from one conversation to the next, discussing rugby and finally what should all be included in their secret handshake. Cian found himself wondering if all mornings would be like this with her.

After breakfast the two of them got ready for the day. Cian switched on some music from his phone while he washed and Alannah dried the dishes. He was doing a little butt wiggle during the last of the plates and bumped into Alannah hip. When the kitchen was clean, he grooved his way on over the bedroom, getting dressed in his uniform behind the closed door while Alannah used the bathroom. The day previous, Staurt had also brought over the keys to Cian's car which was now parked in the parking garage. He was grateful that he'd stored an extra uniform in the trunk and made use of it now.

Since the team was only just a beer league he wore generic shorts, that gripped tight to his thighs. The team had gone in last year for matching shirts and he proudly wore the deep purple athletic shirt that bore the team name 'Thistles.' Already the team chat was blowing up his phone as they argued over whose turn it was to smuggle beers onto the field. Cian read through the messages smiling at the easy way his teammates insulted one another. He was excited for Alannah to be a part of the day, there was a part of him that loved the idea of seeing the boys faces as they realized she was there with him. Not that they were actually together of course, Cian reminded himself firmly, but that didn't mean he couldn't dream. When Alannah was ready they packed a small bag of snacks and water bottles and made their way out of the apartment.

The drive to the field was a short one, their location was close to the heart of downtown, the open green field was surrounded by tall sky scrapers and artful architecture. They found parking and Cian carried his sports bag, making sure he walked on the side of Alannah that placed her furthest away from traffic. Two of Cian's teammates were already there and had scouted out a bench that had the most shade. On the grassy ground a large cooler filled to the brim with beers lay open.
"Cian!" One of the teammates caught sight of them and lifted his hand in greeting. "Happy to hear you could make it."
"Hardip, Miguel great to see you guys. This is Alannah, she'll be cheering us on today." Cian gestured proudly to his friend, a bright beam of a smile lighting up his face.
"Nice to meet you Alannah." Hardip smiled warmly, stepping forward to shake her hand. He wore a deep purple turban to match his shirt. Miguel was next to shake her hand, his green curious eyes framed by thick dark glasses.
"Been a while since we had a WAG at one of these." Miguel said plainly.
 
“Um, yes. Yes, that is exactly what I’m saying.” Alannah matched Cian’s chuckle with a grin of her own and their uplifted mood seemed to follow them around the apartment as they got ready for the rest of the day. After everything that had happened, the prospect of going out together and to one of Cian’s rugby games no less, had provided the distraction that Alannah needed. It was so easy to pretend that they were a couple, that dancing around the kitchen together to music while they washed the dishes was the norm, as was seeing Cian move in and out of the bathroom with a toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. Although how their current situation had come about wasn’t something Alannah would wish upon her worst enemy, she had to admit that she was glad of the chance it had granted them to be together like this. To grow unashamedly closer, to build upon the connection that had struck them from the very first day that they’d been introduced to each other.

Although there wasn’t much choice in terms of what clothes she could wear, Alannah shoved on a pair of jeans and trainers, a knitted jumper and a huge puffed coat that drowned her but would keep her warm pitch side, at least. When she finally left her room to be met with Cian in his kit, she let out a wolf whistle as she admired the purple and green, as well as the way his shorts clung to his thighs. She also had to remind herself not to continuously stare as they made their way out to his car and then finally towards the rugby field.

Being outside again didn’t feel as strange as Alannah thought that it might. The sun was shining on a fairly crisp morning and everything looked… normal. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting, but given that her life had been thrown into chaos, she had expected everything else to look similar but instead everything had continued to turn and exist just like it always did, and that helped to ease her slight anxiety of feeling like she had a target on her back.

They reached the field in hardly no time at all and after a short walk, they were immediately greeted by two of Cian’s teammates, who Alannah took the hands of to shake. “It’s really nice to meet you both,” she beamed, and let out a burst of laughter at Miguel’s comment. “I never imagined myself as a WAG, but I’ll take it. Victoria Beckham eat your heart out.” Her giggle was complimented by rumbled chuckles, and Hadip turned to Cian. “Ignoring the fact that we’re talking about the wrong sport here, if she’s Victoria I guess that makes you David, huh? Let’s hope you’re as good out there today as he is.” More laughter followed and Alannah fell into easy step beside Cian, bumping his arm and flashing him a smile as they started walking again. She liked that they were here together and that everybody knew it and as they entered the small rugby club, she immersed herself in the friendly banter as Cian introduced her to more teammates before they all made their way out onto the pitch.

Alannah had never been to a rugby game before and it showed. Her cheers weren’t particularly well-placed but well-intentioned at least, and her constant referral to Cian as David had the rest of the team falling about, with their opponents looking on in outright confusion. She even managed to boo the ref when he made what was actually a correct call, and even he looked amused by it. All in all, Alannah was being a nuisance but a funny one, so she kind of got away with it.
 
The turf was soon matted with broken grass patches as the players struggled to advance the ball. Cian's team put up quiet the fight despite their current ranking as last in the league, all the while they were rewarded by Alannah's cheering and enthusiastic watching. Upon one occasion Cian had caught the ball and Alannah had let out such a mighty roar of approval he'd taken his eyes off the game to grin at her. They locked eyes and the moment only lasted a few moments before a hard mass of the opposite teams players tackled into him sending him hard into the field.

During their five minute halftime the men gathered around Alannah and the bench, clinking their cans of beers together in celebration of their latest score. Hardip nudged Cian's mud stained arm and leaned closer to speak to him privately.
"I don't suppose you know if she has any sisters?" His teammate's meaning became clear with the waggle of his brows and Cian rolled his eyes.
"No way." He muttered, giving Hardip a little shove. Alannah was charming the pants off the rest of his team and Cian had to admit he hoped this would not be the last time Alannah attended one of his games. Theo had his arm slung over her shoulders, his head thrown back in laughter at something she had said.
"No way, she doesn't have any sisters or no way I'm not telling you that." Hardip pressed, and Cian was saved from having to answer as the refs whistle blew and they were set to start up the second half of their game.

They lost in spectacular fashion, as was to be expected. Theo had fumbled the ball, sending it to the ground much to the delight of the opposite team. Quickly the ball was snatched up and sent in the opposite direction the Thistles wanted it to go, and with twenty seconds left on the clock their opponents added another seven points to their twenty point lead. They had played a great game despite the scoring, and everyone on the field shook hands after the fact. Once done Cian approached Alannah a satisfied smile plastered to his features.

"Well, what did you think of your first game?" He asked as he lifted the hem of his tee to wipe at his brow, revealing his stomach. Cian didn't go to the gym enough to maintain any sort of ab definition but it was clear he was strong where it counted. His shirt dropped, hiding the clean shaven skin once again. "I can't believe you almost got into it with the ref over that fumble." Cian chuckled as he finished the last of his beer.

"We'll meet you all at the Fiddle?" The teammate who had asked the question had not been introduced to Alannah quite yet, as he he'd had a late arrival and spent most of the halftime stuck on the phone a few yards away.

"Sounds good." Cian agreed, he couldn't help himself as he reached for Alannah's hand, her fingers instinctively intertwining. "See you there Rod." Cian was looking down at Alannah, a warm smile on his features and missed the knowing looks his teammates shared. Rod on the other hand seemed to sweat more at the sight, lifting the towel to his neck and face as he quickly turned away.
"Come on then love birds. I'm hitching a ride with you." Theo threw his arms around the both of them, jarring their hands apart and he snuck his way between them. Theo had to laugh at look Cian shot him.
 
Alannah was having a brilliant time. Not at one point during the game did her thoughts flicker to the last few days, the dangers that they still faced, how things were going to move forward. Yelling encouragement at the top of her voice was exactly the distraction that she needed, and seeing Cian running around in his mud covered uniform, sweaty and pink cheeked from the exertion just about made her day. She felt an overwhelming swell of pride in her chest seeing him like this, mixing with people who clearly thought the world of him and throwing himself into a hobby that he obviously really enjoyed. It was like seeing another side of him, one that she wanted to grab a hold of and never let go.

At half-time, she didn’t get a chance to speak to him given how quickly she was swarmed by other members of the team. Theo sorted her out with a can of beer, and asked whether she’d seen the banshee that seemed to be stalking the edge of the pitch, to which she replied by shoving him in the side, a reaction that went down swimmingly with the other guys who were milling around. “Have you seen the good fullback anywhere? I thought he was supposed to be on the pitch but I haven’t seen him…” It was this that Theo was throwing his head back at, and continued to chuckle about when both teams were encouraged back onto the field.

The second half passed by in a similar manner, sadly with the Thistles losing dreadfully, but that, Alannah realised seemed to be all part of the fun. Her voice was practically hoarse by the time that Cian came over to her and without even thinking about it, she launched herself at him, legs dangling as her arms wrapped around his neck so that she could squeeze him. “It was amazing,” she breathed by his ear. “You’re amazing. You did so good!” With all of the enthusiasm of an excited child, she eventually let him go again and took a step back, only for him to lift his shirt to wipe at his face. Needless to say, Alannah did catch the small glimpse of his smooth torso, and yes her thoughts did momentarily drop into the gutter, so much so that she was caught off guard and stumbled a little when he joked with her about the ref. “Y-Yeah. Right.” Get it together, Alannah. “Maybe I should be ref at your next game. I think I could do the role justice.”

Amongst her gentle blushing and beaming up at him, Alannah completely missed the teammate who was stuck to his phone reporting on her every move, especially when Cian linked his larger fingers with her own. It felt so natural for them to be stood together like they were, amongst his friends, and she gave his hand a little squeeze as she smiled and nudged a little further into his side. Or at least that was until Theo separated them once more. His use of the word lovebirds simply caused her to role her eyes at him, but she didn’t rebuff it, just like she hadn’t rebuffed being called a WAG either. Though she and Cian couldn’t officially be together, it felt nice that people thought they were regardless.

The journey to The Fiddle was a quick one, and spent mostly with friendly banter and chatter between the three in Cian’s car. Theo was good at not bringing up the case and instead opted for telling Alannah all about his wife and kids, who she could see without him explicitly saying it, that he adored. By the time that they arrived and had parked up, Theo was already leaping out to find the others who looked to have arrived at the same time, leaving Alannah and Cian alone once more.

“Hey, before we go inside,” she caught him by the arm to stop him from leaving, her hand remaining there even when he stopped moving. “I just wanted to say thank you, for letting me come along today. It’s been nice… to do this with you. Outside of work. And before you ask, it was worth it to see you in those tiny shorts.” Alannah giggled. “I called it. They look good on you.”
 
He could still feel the gentle pressure of her arms around him as they drove off and away to the pub. Her body had pressed to his and he'd been entirely too shocked to do anything more than settle his hands over the small of her waist. His brain had shorted out and for a moment he wished he could relive the moment again. She'd have jumped into his arms and he would have held her there tight to him, had it gone his way he would have kissed her right there. The sort of kiss that would have ignited him, one with teeth and tongue... one that was all Alannah. Cian let out a silent breath as they pulled into the parking lot of the pub, he was eternally thankful for Theo who had been more than happy to fill the silence with stories of his home life.

Theo was up and out the car door as soon as he shifted into park, calling to the both of them that he was going to find the others and a table. Cian made the move to follow them but Alannah caught his arm. The gravel crunched under his shoe as he turned to look at her. Something flickered over his face as he thought once more of the dream kiss. Alannah's giggle as she commented on his shorts had a smile lifting the corners of his mouth.
"That's it, I'm never wearing anything else." He lifted a hand and ruffled her hair gently. "Thanks for cheering us on so much, it meant the world Sunshine." His hand dropped and the look in his dark eyes was nothing but warmth. "You're welcome anytime." He'd been about to say something else but the red door of the Fiddle opened and the familiar features of his father peeked out at them.
"There you are lad. I was wondering where - oh! Miss. Alannah, a pleasure to see you again." Donovan McRannall mirrored Cian's slow and easy smile and clapped his son on the shoulder before offering his hand to Alannah to shake. "The boy's have saved the centre table for the team." Donovan leaned heavily on his cane before turning and leading the two of them. The Finest Fiddle was your typical Irish pub, with tables and chairs littered closely to one another. Rich wood tones covered the bar top and walls with tiffany lighting hanging dimly over tables. Soft music poured out of an ancient jukebox set on a small stage in the corner.

Donovan grabbed a single menu from the servers station and walked next to Alannah. The gentle man seemed so proud of his establishment as he pulled out one of the two chairs in the middle of the table that had been suspiciously left open. Donovan, like the gentleman he was pushed in the chair as Alannah sat and set the menu in front of her with great flourish.

"Ye've had my pudding already, so try something new why don't you?" Donovan winked and gestured to a young woman standing behind the bar. The woman got the silent message and began to pour two beers from the tap automatically. Cian sat next to her and gave the rest of his team at the table a narrowed look, but no one saw him since all eyes were on Alannah.

"So how did you meet this great lug anyways?" Miguel asked gesturing with his beer towards Cian. The server set down two dark beers in front of Alannah and Cian before returning to her post. Cian grabbed the hearty stout and took two giant gulps.
 
The way that Cian was looking at her was something that Alannah wished she could capture. Nobody had ever looked at her like that before, like they truly saw her for who she was. Not just a politician or a face of a campaign, but the woman who loved fiercely and always wanted the best for other people. His hand in her hair felt nice and she returned his smile as a moment lingered between them. She noticed how he seemed to be on the verge of saying something more and her own eyes willed his words into being, but they were never to be as Cian's father appeared around the red door of the pub. Alannah immediately grasped his hand and gave his fingers a squeeze, her face brightening again at the sight of the older version of the man who was now greeting his Dad too, whatever he had been about to say lost for the time being.

"Just Alannah, please. It's nice to see you again too, Mr McRannall." Hellos out of the way and the pair didn't hesitate in following him into the pub, to be greeted by a traditional interior with a warm crackling fireplace, and a soft orange glow illuminating the wooden panels that lined the room. There was a low hum of chatter that filled the room and candles placed at each table, with odd raucous shouts coming from the centre where the rest of Cian's rugby team had situated themselves with pints in front of most of them and cokes for some of the others. Alannah immediately felt comfortable in amongst the surroundings and happily made her way to the two spare seats in the centre of the table, shrugging off her big coat and hanging it on the back of her chair as she settled in. There was a menu placed in front of her with a flourish and she hummed as her finger traced down the options that she knew she'd have a hard time picking from. "I still dream about that pudding," she mused, to which Donovan laughed before gesturing over the barmaid. "If I may," he continued, "I'd actually recommend the beef stew and dumplings. It's my wife's secret recipe. Ya won't get stew like it anywhere else." Then, he tapped his nose which pretty much had Alannah sold as she closed up the menu and offered it around to anyone else who wanted to look. "You had me at stew and dumplings," she beamed and thanked the server as she placed down two pints in front of she and Cian, while Donovan started his way around the rest of the table.

She had just taken a sip of the malty liquid and licked the froth from her top lip when Miguel asked his question, to which Alannah looked at Cian and then around the group who were now mostly looking her way expectantly. "We work together," she answered honestly after a small pause. "Cian is actually... my bodyguard. I'm sure you've all seen what's been going down in the news lately. Cian was... brought in to keep an eye on me. Not that I was happy about it at first, mind. What was it I called you within like... a second of meeting you? A pumped up... meathead bodyguard, was it?" She looked at Cian with twinkling eyes while the group erupted into laughter. "Nice," Miguel responded, "Got our boy down to a T if you ask me." To this, Alannah chuckled as she shook her head around another sip of her drink.
"I don't say this very often, so I'd advise you, McRannall to make the most of this, but... I was actually totally wrong. About the pumped up bit." More laughter ensued, and after it had quietened, she took her opportunity to throw the question back. "So how about all of you? How do you all know this great lug?"

So engrossed were most of the table that they didn't quite spot when Rod once again excused himself to the small hallway where the bathrooms were, his phone pulled out of his pocket once more as he called someone who for now remained unknown. "Yeah, it's me." He spoke in hushed tones. "We're at The Fiddle pub. There'll be leaving from here if you want to send someone to track them. I think--"
"Woah, lad! Watch yourself there!" Donovan exclaimed as he practically walked into the bigger guy. "An old boy like me can't rely on his eyes to catch someone lurking around in the shadows like ya are. If you're looking for the men's room, it's the second on the left."
 
From the top of his centre city penthouse Sal West felt like the king of the world. His perfectly polished shoes touched the glass of his floor to ceiling windows as he looked down on his empire. Soft classical music filtered out of home speakers while three women in scantily clad dresses passed around a tray of brightly coloured pills and powders. Their laughter was subdued as the mighty man answered his phone for what felt like the millionth time that night. None of the women had the nerve to tell him to return to the fun, knowing all to well that his generosity was so easily and quickly taken away. Cigar smoke puffed from his mouth as he answered the phone with an impatient growl.

"You think what? Don't waste my time Rod." There was a pause and West could hear the jovial tone of someone else over the line. Rod gave an apologetic answer and after another moment returned to speaking.
"I... I think there's more to this than a strictly professional relationship. There's something strange going on between the two of them." Rod trailed off unable to find the correct words to describe what exactly he was seeing. Sal swore, pulling the phone from his face and ending the call. There was fire in his eyes and the quiet laughter from the women abruptly stopped. A vicious smile curled over his lips as he turned to the women. His eyes never left them, as he put the phone to his ear once more and barked orders over the line. The women curled around one another protectively as they prepared for their king and his monstrous appetite.

~

Cian grinned at the good natured ribbing from Alannah and his friends, leaning back in his chair and draping an arm over the back of Alannah's chair as she explained the nature of how they had come to be. His gaze dropped to the drink in his hand and he watched the soft foam of the stout bubble as he wondered what it would have been like under different circumstances. It was rewarding to see how seamlessly Alannah seemed to fit in, she had all the guys rapt attention and he found himself wishing that he could have introduced her as something more. When she landed another blow against his ego his reached with the hand that had been draped over her chair and gave her hair a light tug.

"Hey now." He muttered, though his eyes betrayed him and his mirth. "I'm very strong."

"Not strong enough to carry this team. Like me!" Theo said raising his glass in a toast to himself.

"I saw that fumble earlier." Hardip mentioned and he quickly avoided Theo's attempt to smack him. "As for your question Alannah, most of us work for the same company but we've got a few non bodyguard folks here too. Booker wanted more team building between all of us." Hardip told her. As he was speaking Donovan returned with the help of two servers, their arms laden with dishes.

"Got you usual here boys." Donovan said, as he approached Alannah, the limp in his gait making him take his time as he brought her the stew. He set down the plate in front of Alannah and winked. "Enjoy, love." The rest of the guys sat back as plates of wings were set in front of them. Cian's mouth watered at his double order of extra spicy wings and a side of maple bourbon dip.

"Thanks dad!"
"Thanks Mr. M!" The guys called as the servers retreated. Donovan gave the table one last approving look before giving Cian's shoulder a squeeze and stepping away to let the team eat in peace. The Thistle's ate heartily, talking about work and when most of the men had their third beers on the the table their tongues loosened to far more interesting conversation. Theo took the charge, presenting his new social game idea to the group.

"I'm just saying, 'never have I ever calls' out people specifically, I feel like you'd get more of a positive reaction if the game was 'I have and I'd do it again.' For example: I have spent over three hundred on road trip snacks and would absolutely do it again."
"Are you serious?" Miguel's eyes widened. "What sort of snacks are you buying?"
"The good kind." Theo rolled his eyes like that explained everything. "Alannah, what have you done and would do again?" Theo's eyes flashed with mischief as the attention once again settled on the pretty politician.
 
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Returning to the busy table was easy, as Rod slipped into his seat as though he'd never been away from it. His dark eyes found Cian and Alannah centre stage, looking for further evidence that his theory was correct so that he could feel back to Sal and earn that damn payment he believed himself to already be owed.

It seemed strange that Booker and Sons seemed to want more bonding between the group, Alannah considered as Hardip answered her question, when they all seemed to fit so well together already. Every team member had their own role within the group and they bounced off one another seamlessly, which is what allowed Alannah to fit in so well too. She couldn't help but wonder if they had been like this before the rugby team began and if they hadn't then perhaps she should consider something like this to bring her own office closer together. Ever the workaholic.

When the steaming bowl of stew was placed in front of her, Alannah flashed Donovan a grateful smile and didn't hesitate in diving right in, savouring each mouthful and chatting and laughing around her food and pint as the rest of the group did. By the time that she was finished, her cheeks were a subtle shade of pink through warmth and contentment and she was nestled back comfortably in her chair, pint glass cradled to her chest as she listened to Theo's theory and consequent admission. One that she absolutely respected.

Next, it was her turn and she sat up a little straighter in her seat, humming her consideration slightly. "I ate a whole birthday cake once so that my sister would do my chores for a week." She said it with such deadpan that it took a minute for the group to realise she was being serious, and a minute more for them all to fall about with the unexpectedness of it. "You, what?" Theo chortled. "A whole birthday cake for a few chores?"
"Yeah," Alannah shrugged. "I grew up in a strict religious household, that was as exciting as it got."
"Were you not like... really sick, afterwards?" Miguel pressed.
"Oh absolutely and the sugar rush was intense, believe me. But I'd do it again." More laughter followed. "I just really hate doing the washing up! Don't judge me!"

Miguel held up his hands in mock surrender, and Alannah giggled around another sip of her drink before pushing her chair back. As she did so, she gave Cian's arm a squeeze. "Bathroom break, I'll be back in a second," she murmured and then wandered off as Hardip took his turn, Alannah hoping that she'd be back in time to catch Cian's.
 
If there was one thing Theo loved in the world it was love. Too few of his co-workers and friends didn't find the time for such frivolity in their line of work and he thought it was a damn shame. Coming home to his wife and daughters every night was the highlight of each and every day. His thoughtful eyes scanned the table and he pictured the happily ever after's for all of his friends. Miguel would have a man who loved binging those 80's action movies with him every night, while Hardip would suit a women who loved cooking and eating as much as he did. Rod was the lost cause of the group, the man needed to get his sweating and general shifty eye'dness in order. With a good natured sigh, Theo's eyes settled on his newest hope for love.

Cian's full attention was focused on Alannah, and he laughed as she confessed about how sick the cake had made her. Theo's meddlesome heart warmed at the sight and when Alannah stood he took notice of Alannah's gentle squeeze on her protectors arm. Hardip offered to go next, and Theo took his chance to steal Alannah's vacated chair.

"When I moved back home from college my parents went on a vacation for a week leaving me home alone. I didn't really have any friends in the area and no job so it was pretty boring. So I spotted one of my moms books; you know one of those romances with the oil painting covers. I drank two bottles of wine and read that thing in a day. I would absolutely do that again." Hardip confessed much to the delight of his teammates who went in with questions.

"You know..." Theo spoke softly so Cian could only hear. "Even if you haven't done it yet, I bet you'd want to kiss her again." Theo kept Cian in the corner of his eye, doing his best to gauge his friends reaction without giving away too much of his own. The sharp intake of breath from his left had Theo's mouth quirking up slightly.

"I'll be right back." Cian muttered, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. Theo watched his friends retreating back, already planning multiple double dates in his head.

He had no idea what he was going to do. All Cian knew is that even that short time apart from Alannah was not at all what his heart wanted. He navigated the narrow halls that lead to the bathroom and was grateful when no one else seemed to be in line. This was probably stupid and creepy, anxiety warred with his desires and he stood fidgeting while he waited for Alannah to emerge from the women's washroom. He heard the tell tale sounds of a flush and then the sink, finally after long moment's Alannah emerged from the single bathroom, the door closing behind her with a click.

Cian wasn't sure how it happened, but the instant he saw her he moved forward, his hand lifting to rest on the closed door next to her head. He bent down, their breaths mingling as their faces drew closer.
"I think I may be going slightly crazy." He confessed, his forehead gently touching hers, his eyes closing as he tried to figure out where on earth he was taking this. "It's a good crazy though... The kind of crazy they write love songs about. I just need to know if you feel it too Alannah?"
 
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