Realistic or Modern More Than An Assignment

[Becboc]

The first slam against the door was only the beginning and was soon followed by another. The second however, was complimented by the splitting sound of wood as a hammer buried itself deep into the material. Alannah had frozen completely by this point. Her phone dropped from her hand and she knew that she should move, should attempt to put some distance between herself and the impending danger but she simply couldn’t. Her breath had caught completely in her throat and her vision was starting to blur and she had never felt so incredibly useless in her life. But none of that changed a thing, or at least not until their appeared to be a collision of bodies on the other side of the door. There was another slam but this time a scuffle followed, as did the clattering of more of her belongings falling to the floor, yet still Alannah didn’t move. Her bedroom had started to be illuminated by the flashing lights of the police cars outside of her building and she wondered if it was them who had reached her apartment, or if it was Cian himself. The latter thought made something uncomfortable twist in her gut the longer that whatever was happening on the other side of the door seemed to continue. At least for now though, the hammering had stopped.

There was noise until there wasn’t anymore, a couple of seconds of silence passing before voices of multiple men seemed to pile into her apartment. She couldn’t quite make out who the voices belonged to or what they were saying, or at least that was until she heard Cian’s voice, closer this time and within reach. Alannah’s chest seemed to constrict at his words before finally she managed to move her trembling body that ached from how rigidly she had been holding herself still. Robotically, she removed the chair and then twisted the knob before the door was pushed open and… It was at that point that Alannah finally came undone.

She wasn’t even aware that she was moving until her small form collided with Cian’s larger one, her hands gripping onto the back of his top as her face buried into his chest. Alannah wasn’t sure she had ever held someone so tightly before as the sobs finally released from her, tears dribbling miserably down her face. She had held it together (almost) through the entire ordeal but now that she had laid eyes upon Cian, he was like her beacon of safety and she knew that finally it was over and she was okay. And so was he.

It wasn’t exactly clear how long they stood there for, with Alannah in her oversized grey hoodie, pyjama shorts and fluffy socks, which she might have usually been mortified at having on show. Not right now though, all that she cared about was being with Cian, breathing in that familiar woodsy scent of pine and letting it soothe her ragged breathing. After a little while, she managed to take a shuddering inhale long enough to allow herself to speak. “I-I’m sorry,” she mumbled into the material of his top. “I didn’t know who else to call.” And then finally she pulled back, teary eyes meeting his but not for long as they flickered uncertainly, eventually spotting the gash that was across his bicep. The sight of it seemed to make Alannah panic all over again as she pulled away properly and took Cian’s arm into her still trembling hands. “Oh Cian,” she said quietly, her voice hoarse. “You’re hurt. Let me… let me take a look, I’ve got some bandages somewhere and I—“

“Miss Heshmati?” An unfamiliar male voice cut through her panic induced babbling then, but Alannah kept a hold of Cian’s arm as she turned to face the stranger in uniform. “We’d like you to come with us please. It’s not safe here for you here at the moment.” The politician’s eyebrows furrowed.
“Not safe?”
“Please, miss. Follow me, right this way.”

 

[BoneBrain]

She was safe. Cian had to keep reminding himself that, even as he held her and she clung to him and sobbed into his sweatshirt. He could feel the back of his shirt pull taught as her fingers twisted into the material while tears dampened the front of his shirt. A hot rush of emotion clogged his throat as his adrenaline slowly filtered out of his veins, Alannah was safe, and he would go on holding her for however long she needed, because truthfully he needed to hold her as well. He needed to feel the heaving of her breaths and the pounding of her heart against his own wildly beating heart.

He wasn't sure how long they stood there clinging to one another, long enough for the police to flip on the lights of the room and bring out the crime scene tape. He could already hear the murmurs of officers on the phone as protocol was followed in the event of a government officials attack. He felt Alannah's hands release from his shirt and regretfully let his embrace loosen. She pulled away and Cian's heart lurched at the sight of her, tears clung to her eyelashes and he wanted to take the time to wipe each and every one of them away. Her words seemed to come out in a breathless rush and he listened. His grip on her loosened a little as she confessed that she didn't know who else to call, as if she hadn't wanted to bother him.
"You did the right thing, Alannah." He told her gently as she caught sight of the wound he had all but forgotten about in the chaos of events. Alannah reached for his arm to assess and she began to babble about caring for his wound.

Alannah was brought out of her focus when an officer grabbed her attention with his words. Cian blinked in confusion as the man gestured that they follow him.
"Don't you want her statement?" He asked, unsure of what was happening.
"Not here. This is the second time in a week Miss. Heshmati has been the target of an attack, the big wigs aren't going to leave her a sitting duck." The officer was about to turn and lead them away when his eyes narrowed at Cian. "You're the bodyguard yeah? You better come too then." Cian nodded, understanding a little more now and he turned to Alannah. Gently he guided her hand down his arm to his hand. Their fingers laced together and he gave her a comforting squeeze.

They followed the officer out of Alannah's apartment, pausing only for Alannah to grab some sneakers and continued on towards the elevator. The ride down was quiet, and Cian found his mind focused solely on where their hands were joined. The lobby of Alannah's apartment held a few concerned onlookers and police officers that barred anyone from entering or leaving. They were led outside where police lights continued to illuminate the city block as well as a black town car that waited nearby. After a moment's thought Cian gave one of the officers his car keys and followed Alannah inside the car.

Once inside a prim looking woman with glasses perched on the edge of her nose greeted them.

 

[Becboc]

Focussing upon her concern for Cian was so much easier than focussing on her concerns for herself. Alannah had every intention of cleaning and dressing his wound there and then had it not been for the officer who interrupted them with his confusing request. She wasn’t sure if it was because of her panic or because he was being purposefully vague but her brain couldn’t wrap itself around what he was asking of her, until Cian stepped in to ask about her statement and finally an explanation was given. She couldn’t stay here because someone had attacked her home. Someone knew where she lived.

Tears bubbled again but were quickly quelled by the feeling of Cian’s warm hand moving down her arm until his larger fingers wrapped around her own colder ones. He gave them a squeeze and she held on tightly in return, a sense of relief passing through her when the officer suggested that Cian came with her too. That saved her a job at least; there was no way in hell she was going anywhere without him.

The slow trudge through her apartment began in the next instance, one in which Alannah’s hazel eyes grew sadder if that were even possible. She felt like she was walking through a wasteland of what was once her home – the hammer in her door, her belongings and furniture strewn about the floor and smashed up against the colourful walls. It was clear that whoever was responsible had intended to send a message, if not do the same to her if they had reached her in time. Alannah felt like she had been violated; a stranger had had their hands upon her belongings, had sifted through everything that she held dear. The thought caused a wave of nausea to hurtle through her stomach and her grip upon Cian’s hand tightened to the point that she refused to let go even as she leaned down to slip on her trainers.

The elevator ride passed in a blurry silence, but the point of connection via their hands gave Alannah the strength that she needed to stop herself from crumbling completely. It was like the support was flowing from Cian’s hand and into her own body - it was a reminder that he was here, he was safe and for now he wasn’t going anywhere. They were in this together, she didn’t need to go through whatever was going to happen in the next twenty fours alone. Alannah knew that there were protocols and policies in place for these kinds of situations but she had never thought for a single second that they would be implemented for her.

As they made their way to the black town car that was waiting for them outside, the flashing of the police lights and the worried looks of onlookers became invisible to the politician as she dipped further and further into her own head, before they were finally inside and hidden behind tinted windows. Her tired gaze eventually looked up at the neat looking woman who had turned to look at her, at the same time as her hand found Cian’s once more. The woman seemed to notice this movement, her gaze looking above her glasses and to their clasped hands before returning to Alannah’s.

“Miss Heshmati, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Irena Cooke from the government security bureau. I’m aware that this must be difficult for you so I am here to make this transition as comfortable as possible and to ensure that you are safe. We’re going to take you to one of our government safe houses, the location of which will be unknown to anybody who does not need to know of it. Once there, you will be provided with a room, clothes and anything else you should need. Do you have any questions at this point?” Alannah’s mind was struggling to keep up but the professional side of her was just about beginning to fight through the fog of emotion.

“How long will I need to stay there for?”
“I’m afraid I can’t answer that yet, Miss Heshmati. You will not be permitted to return to your apartment until the threat level has been reduced.” But it was her home, she wanted to yell back. Why should she be driven out of her home by a criminal? More pressing in the back of her mind however, was the next question that eventually worked its way onto her lips, one that she didn’t stop to think about as being selfish, or needy. Right now, he was the only thing she felt like she needed.

“Can Cian stay with me?”

 

[BoneBrain]

Irena spoke in no nonsense terms and Cian took in the new developments with a nod of approval. It was the same set of actions he would have taken as well. Alannah's grip on his hand tightened almost as if she were afraid he would disappear at any moment. His thumb moved over the smoothness of her hand trying to soothe as the car began to drive away. The windows were so dark it was almost impossible to see the city outside, only small pin pricks of light from the above street lamps filtering their way through the heavy tint.

Alannah asked her questions and Irene calmly gave her the answers. At her question of his presence his heart warmed.
"He is your appointed bodyguard so yes, his contract will be updated for this new level of security." Irene peered at Cian, there was something knowing in her eyes and Cian did his best to school his features into something professional.
"I have a contact that I would like to bring in as extra support. His name is Theo Bowen, he's a tech and security guy for Booker and Sons." Cian asked, his mind flipping to Theo and wondering if his friend had already come up with new information since his request earlier that night.
"I'll put forward your request and do the appropriate screening, though as it stands I see no problem with that request." Irene made a little note on a tablet that had been resting on the seat next to her. "I'll need both your sizes for the clothes that will be dropped off later tonight." both Cian and Alannah rattled off their sizes and the car with filled with tapping and the sound of a message being sent. "You're to stay in the home until we've given you the all clear, as it stands the attacker is still on the run. We've contacted your office and the arrangements for you to work from the safe house are being made. At this point all public appearances have been postponed until new security measures can be put into action."

Cian wanted to tell Irene to give Alannah a moment, to let her decide what was right for her but the weight of the evenings events was starting to catch up with him. It seemed like so long ago that they had stood in the car park and he'd almost kissed her. God had it really only been a few hours previous? They were saved from an overload of information when the car came to a halt. Irene held out a hand asking silently for Alannah and Cian to wait. When they were given the all clear the two of them stepped out of the car and into yet another parking garage. A chain link fence slid into place near the entrance, while dim lighting showed the way to a rusty looking elevator.

Irene passed over two key cards and a set of keys. "These are your access cards, you're in apartment 420 on the 40th floor." Cian gave a tired snort but quickly schooled his features at Irene's disapproving look. "Clothes and food will be dropped off in the next hour. I suggest you both get some good rest." Irene walked with them to the elevator and they rode once again in silence as the safe house drew nearer and nearer.

 

[Becboc]

Cian's thumb smoothing over the top of her hand was exactly what Alannah needed and her heart relaxed just a little when Irena confirmed that her bodyguard would be staying with her. Not that she saw it like that of course; Alannah wasn't sure how she saw it right now after what had almost happened between them in the car park before all of this had happened but she knew that her wanting him with her was about so much more than his or her job role.

When Cian and Irena began speak about bringing someone else in, Alannah took this as her cue to alleviate some of her responsibility for the situation and she sat back against her seat as the city she loved passed by just outside of her car window. The street lights sparkled with a little less of their usual magic now that she was looking out of tinted glass and she couldn't help but feel that this was relevant somehow, as though the city itself was reacting. Something so big had just exploded in her world, how could people possibly be carrying on as normal? Alannah supposed that was a little bit of her shock settling in and that the feeling wouldn't last, even if right now her head thrummed with it as she found herself distantly muttering something about her clothes size and Irena mentioning something about work and... her attacker. Her attacker was still on the run. That bit she heard loud and clear.

It didn't take too much longer for the car to pull up into another underground parking garage, one that they had driven through a neighbourhood that Alannah didn't recognise to get to, which she guessed was kind of the point. She and Cian waited when instructed before finally they were allowed to step out into the cool night air once more so that they could make their way to the elevator. The lights inside were harsh and illuminated the purple shadows under Alannah's eyes and the tear streaks that stained her tanned skin. She looked like a shell of her former self and felt like one as the key cards were handed over. 420 on the 40th floor. High up enough so that it would take some getting to. Alannah understand why that was necessary now, but she couldn't help but shiver at the thought, tucking her hands further into the sleeves of her hoodie. Everything about this was designed to protect her but it was also like having a constant reminder that she needed to be protected. There was no escaping her reality, one that she felt getting closer and closer as Irena finally bid her farewell by telling them that someone would be in touch with them soon.

The elevator ride was just as silent as the last had been and Alannah trailed after Cian when they eventually stepped out into an unknown hallway. When they finally reached their door, the keycard opened them up into a simple looking apartment that was nicely furnished, comfortable and lacking in any kind of personality. But then what had she been expecting from a safe house, really? Alannah stood just in front of the door once it had been shut and locked up behind her, hazel eyes scanning miserably around what would be her new surroundings for the forseeable future before eventually falling to Cian as she rubbed at her red nose with her sleeve.

"Well these weren't exactly the circumstances I imagined us getting our first apartment under," she attempted to joke, her voice cracking on the final word and her teeth moving to chew on her bottom lip to stop it from wobbling. It was also at this point that she suddenly seemed to remember Cian's arm, as though this was now her survival mode for arming herself against further panic. "Shit, we never did get you patched up back there, did we?" She sniffed, and then glanced around them to the open plan kitchen just to the right of where they were stood. "Um, surely there must be some kind of first aid kit... around here somewhere?" Then with that, the small brunette wandered over to the cupboards and started to frantically open doors in search of anything that looked remotely like bandages, murmuring a, "Let's see," as her vision become increasing blurry with each cupboard explored.

 

[BoneBrain]

They were alone at last, Cian latched the door and made sure it was locked before stepping further into the simple apartment. He took in the open floor plan and the three doors to the right of them that presumably held two bedrooms and single bathroom. Alannah's perusal finished before him, and when he finally met her eyes he could see the impending crash well on its way. He could feel it coming on for himself as well, as the panic and terror filtered away leaving a hollow feeling in his chest.

"We aren't really the traditional sort, are we?" Cian said in response to her attempted joke. Alannah's gaze flicked to the blood stained tear in his t-shirt and he winced a little as the memory of the pain lanced through him. Alannah seemed close to tears and he warred with himself on what to do. At first the task seemed to give her something to focus on but when her movements grew more erratic as the first aid kit remained unfound he stepped forward, his hand closing over hers as she pulled at a cupboard handle.

"Alannah." Her back was to his chest as he gently pulled her hand away from the handle. She was shaking, as she twisted her head to meet his gaze. The hold she had on his heart threatened to claw its way out of his chest in that moment. What he would give to take away all the pain and terror she had been through. "Here." His hand slid into hers once more, his fingers finding the familiar comfort there. He led her away from the kitchen, and pulled open the doors, locating the bathroom. A peek under the sink had him finding the medicine cabinet. His head felt a little woozy as he bent to retrieve it and set it on the counter. Maybe the cut was a little worse than he thought? Cian's vision went a little blurry and he had to force himself to sit on the closed toilet.

His hand still held tight to Alannah, and he found that once again he was unable to let her go. For a brief moment he hesitated, wondering if his desires were about to make a mess of things again, but he couldn't seem to convince himself to stop. With a gentle tug he pulled Alannah into his lap, his arm wrapping around her waist and holding tight to her. From this position she could see his wound and reach the first aid kit on the counter. His head dipped, coming to rest on her shoulder and his eyes closed.
"Sorry." He mumbled, not really feeling sorry at all with her like this. "I can't seem to let you go right now." His wounded arm came to rest on her thigh and he held her tight to him. "We're safe now." He said as much to himself as her.

 

[Becboc]

It was the way that Cian's voice wrapped around her name that made her stop, his hand once again closing over her own. Alannah blinked as she felt his larger form behind her, gently pulling her away from the cupboard which happened at about the same time that she came to realise she was still trembling. Teary hazel eyes once again met dark brown, as if searching for some kind of reassurance that she was eventually given by their linked fingers as Cian guided her away from the kitchen and towards the bathroom. This was good, this gave her something to focus on, something that would take her mind off shattering into pieces.

Her head zoned out once more once they reached the bathroom, thoughts flickering back to her apartment while Cian bent down to look in the cupboard underneath the sink. When he straightened again however, his slight sway to the side and eventual collapse onto the closed toilet snapped Alannah back into herself with startling focus. Cian was hurt, really hurt and she needed to help him. Her own impending breakdown could wait, anything could wait if it meant her making sure that he was okay. And so, without letting go of his hand, she allowed him to tug her down onto his lap. The gesture startled her perhaps just a little, a ghost of a warning flickering through her mind. Right now however, that small reaction felt like nothing more than muscle memory, like something she felt she should think rather than truly feeling it. Alannah wanted this - she wanted to be close to him, to lose herself in this kind of tender comfort as his head dipped onto her shoulder, his arm tight around her waist so that her back was flush against that sturdy chest. Slowly, Alannah let herself melt into him, her temple coming to rest against the side of his head so that they could just breathe together, so that they could regain the threads of themselves that they would eventually start tying back together.

After a few deep inhale and exhales, Alannah felt her panic subsiding, her vision returning to some semblance of normal. This was was working she realised, until Cian apologised which caused her to lift her head once more so she could peer at him over her shoulder. "I'm not," she told him quietly, this time letting her forehead dip against him so that their faces felt impossibly close. "I don't want you to let me go." The admission was whispered softly in a moment that felt more intimate than anything she had experienced with her bodyguard before. It was a mystery how she didn't press her lips to his cheek and let them trail down, down towards his jaw, back towards his chin until she found his lips meshed against hers. Her yearning in that moment seemed to have increased tenfold and it was being led by a sense of recklessness that came with what could have been a near death experience. However, it was also this realisation that stopped Alannah in the end, that reminded her that now was not a good time for rash behaviour. Did she want this to be the first time that something happened between them? When they were both in pieces and Cian was sort of bleeding out...?

Such a thought along with his wounded arm coming to rest upon her thigh pulled her back into some semblance of sensibility as she let the gruffness of his voice and the meaning behind his words settle the last of her undoing. "We're safe now," she agreed in return, repeating the statement as if to convince them both that it was really true. "We're safe. Nobody knows where we are. It's just you and me. Against the world." The last words were uttered with a hint of a smile as the politician finally reached for the first aid kid on the counter, opening it up to pull out some anti-septic wipes and a bandage roll. "And I'll have you back to fighting fit in no time, alright McRannall? I promise."

Taking the first wipe out of the packet, with gentle fingers that looked a little more stable now that she had something to focus on, Alannah pried the material of Cian's ripped t-shirt apart so she could start wiping up the dried blood around the gash on his arm. "Is that okay?" She whispered, trying to be as tender as she possibly could be. "If it hurts too much, tell me and I'll stop."

 

[BoneBrain]

For the briefest moment Cian felt a trickle of fear move through him as Alannah remained rigid in his arms. She had allowed him to pull her into his lap but perhaps now that she was there she was beginning to have second thoughts. He'd been about to release her when he felt her melt against him, her breaths coming out more and more evenly now as they found comfort in their embrace. She twisted and he lifted his head to look at her through bleary eyes just at her admission. That slow and easy smile of his flashed as she leaned her head in and he let his head fall back down once more.

"Well that's good. You're stuck here." As if to prove his point he squeezed her with his good arm once. Alannah repeated his words back at him and he couldn't help the chuckle that rumbled through his chest. "A politician, librarian and now crisis worker. You've got super powers Heshmati." Alannah began her ministrations and he closed his eyes once more, letting her scent distract him from the slight sting of the disinfectant wipe she used over his arm. "I'm alright." He told her gruffly. "Keep going." He felt the gentle touch of her fingers over him as she continued to clean the wound. When she deemed it clean enough she examined it a moment before selecting gauze and medical tape. Thankfully the wound didn't seem to need stiches despite everything and she did excellent work securing the gauze tightly to his arm.

By the time she finished he was feeling much, much better, his only other battle wounds would likely show up a bruises from being knocked into the wall. There was a part of him that wanted to bring up the attack, to apologize for not getting to her sooner but remembered the day they had first met. Alannah had seemed to benefit from distractions to process, and he wondered if it would be the same even now.
"Thank you." He told her as Alannah began to close up the kit and toss away the garbage. He was still unwilling to let go of her in this moment, but truthfully the toilet seat was becoming a bit uncomfortable. It took him half a second to decide he had enough strength left to scoop up Alannah and carry her out to the barebones living room. His arm scooped under her knees and he held tight to her back as he stood. His vision went a little blurry for a moment but he refused to set down the woman who had infiltrated every sense of his being. "Just getting us to a more comfortable place." He told her, as he ducked through the doorframe and towards the loveseat that sat facing the TV. He took the final few steps and sank gratefully onto the couch that was actually more comfortable than it looked and let his grip on Alannah loosen so she could find a comfortable position.

"Can I do anything for you Alannah? I can throw on a cup of tea." Cian suggested, his limbs felt heavy but damnit if Alannah wanted tea he would bloody well get up and make it for her. "Or we can toss on a movie."

 

[Becboc]

A small hum of amusement erupted from Alannah's chest at hearing Cian's chuckle, alongside his claim that she had superpowers. "On the contrary, I think you're the only superhero around here today." She didn't bother to explain any further, not feeling like she needed to. It was very obvious what Cian had done for her and although she wanted to ask more about what had happened before she had opened her bedroom door, she didn't currently feel like she was able to, just like she didn't think it was probably what Cian wanted to relive right now either. So in a more comfortable silence now that she had calmed down somewhat, she continued to clean his wound and once it was looking a little fresher she moved on to bandaging it up. Alannah was by no means a first aider but she did what she could and fastened the material with tape before moving on to cleaning up the now empty packets. "There you are. Good as new."

She had just been about to let Cian have his lap back (even though it was the last thing she wanted) before he scooped her up, one arm supporting her legs, the other wrapped around her back. Instinctively, Alannah draped an arm around his neck as she gave him a questioning look, but nodded in quiet acceptance when he explained what he was doing. The slight glaze over of his eyes was she didn't miss however, but for now she didn't try to stop him as he carried her to the small sofa that sat in front of a television in the living area that was attached to the kitchen. Within moments he set her down and sunk into the cushions beside her, but she could tell that he wasn't quite himself as she shuffled so she could cup his cheek with her hand. "Hey, no, you've done enough for me today," she told him softly, her thumb grazing over his cheek as she tilted her head to examine him from her place beside him. "Are you sure you're okay, Cian? You don't look too good. How about... How about I make us some sugary tea and then we can settle down with a movie? Really take our mind off things. I'll even let you pick which one." The suggestion was made with a gentle smile before the brunette hesitated slightly; she had wanted to lean forwards to press a kiss to his forehead but she didn't trust herself not to miss and accidentally land on his mouth. So in the end, she moved her hand and pressed the back of it to his cheek and murmured a hushed, "I'll be right back," before traipsing into the kitchen.

They were only apart for a couple of minutes while the kettle boiled but all the while Alannah found herself missing Cian's warmth. Her mind started to wander again while she watched the steam spout from the kettle and in an attempt to not become overwhelmed once more she set about rummaging in the cupboards for provisions. Thankfully, some smart cookie had left what they needed for cups of tea and she'd soon thrown two mugs together and was carrying them back over to the couch. Cian was completely correct - Alannah needed distractions in situations such as this. He knew what she needed even before she did, which spoke volumes.

"Here," she set the two cups down on the coffee table between the television and the couch before resuming her original position which was slightly apart from Cian's side until she realised as much and shuffled closer. Without hesitation, Alannah lifted her still socked feet onto the couch underneath her before nestling into the side of the man who sat next to her, her cheek dipping to rest upon his shoulder, arm draped across his torso. "Is this okay?" She murmured quietly. "You're just... so warm. Like a hot water bottle." Her lips quirked into the briefest of smirks before fading into something softer once more. "It feels nice." Then, letting out a gentle exhale, she lifted her chin so that she could look at her friend, allowing it to come to rest upon his shoulder. "How are you feeling? Did you decide what you'd like to watch?"

 

[BoneBrain]

Had this been any other day Cian's brain would have short circuited under Alannah's gentle touch, she nestled into him, a concerned hand resting on his face as she peered down at him. The sensation of her her thumb moving over his skin had his eyes closing once more. It was so strange to feel as drained as he was, Cian trained long and hard to keep up both his stamina and his cool in dangerous situations. He was unwilling to delve too deep into questioning why, as his thoughts might lead him down a path that was beyond what he and Alannah were allowed.

"I'm alright." Cian did his best to open his eyes and appear bright eyed and bushy tailed but his own crash of adrenaline was reaching its peak and his body was tired. They don't prepare you for this when when you have more than friendly feelings to your client, his brain whispered. Alannah saw right through him however and promised him the tea he had offered to make for her. "That's not how this works." He grumbled. "I'm supposed to take care of you." He gripped weakly at her hand as she pulled away from him and padded over to the kitchen. While she was gone Cian forced his eyes open and spotted the remote on the coffee table. He groaned as he leaned forward and grabbed the small black box. In an afterthought he dragged the coffee table closer and staked his feet on top of it. The screen flashed a bright white for a moment and then offered a number of apps to choose from.

He had just decided on the movie when he heard the tell tale scream of the kettle. The sounds of Alannah's preparation had Cian imagining a different night where he might hear those noises. Nights where they would convene after long days of work and find solace in one another's company. Nights where they didn't need an attack before hand to snuggle and watch a movie. She returned a few moments latter with two steaming cups and he thanked her, grateful for all she had done for him. There was a moments hesitation before Alannah shifted closer to him, draping her arm over his chest and resting her head against his shoulder. She tilted her head up and it took everything in him not to lean and press a small kiss to the tip of her nose. Instead he shifted, moving his arm so that it wrapped around her and she snuggled in deeper.

"I think I'm crashing a little." He said truthfully. "Thankfully no shakes just yet but don't be alarmed if it happens for you or me. It's common after stressful situations." He snorted a little at his own choice of words but decided not to delve further into that series of events. It was important that the two of them talk and process, but at this moment in time he just wanted to be with her and move forward. "I did pick a movie." Cian pressed play on the remote and the light blue text that announced they were watching the Princess Bride flashed on the screen.

They were silent a long while as a grandfather read to his sick grandson. They curled around one another as Wesley said I love you with every "As you wish." They were just nearing the point where the Dread Pirate Roberts was on his way to save Buttercup for the Sicilian man when a knock came at the door and a gruff voice announced the arrival of food and clothes. Cian forced himself to his feet and peered through the small eye hole in the door. Once he was certain the government agent had left he opened the door and pulled in a large duffle bag and grocery bags with the help of Alannah. They'd also been left a fast food bag filled with a number of burgers and two large heaping's of fries.

At first the thought of food made his stomach turn, but it also came with the realization that he was truly hungry. Cian filled two plates with their meals as Alannah put away the last of the groceries. They returned once again to the movie and Cian devoured two burgers and his share of the fries. He was just settling back into the couch as the shakes finally hit him. His teeth began to chatter against themselves and he gave Alannah an apologetic look.
"Ah, sorry. Guess it's hitting me." His hand shook as he set the plate down on the coffee table.

 

[Becboc]

Cian lifted his arm and the movement allowed Alannah to get even closer, which she was more thankful for than she cared to verbalise. It was completely understandable that he was crashing, she had experienced that similar rush of adrenaline and then the follow release only moments later. Cian however, had seemingly kept everything together for her sake and now that they were safe, properly safe, he was finally allowing himself that same release that his body must have been delaying until it was comfortable to do so. The events of the night had left them both feeling incredibly raw and vulnerable, and now all that was left to do was be there for each other, no matter what the aftermath of their experience might bring.

As The Princess Bride flickered onto the screen, Alannah hummed gently against Cian's shirt because he had inadvertently chosen one of her favourite films and quite honestly she couldn't think of a better option to get lost in for the next hour and a half or so. There were moments, such as the As you wish I love yous where their grips upon each other became tighter until Alannah felt her eyes growing heavy. She was absolutely exhausted, but every time that sleep got nearer the memories behind her eyelids of her trashed apartment and the hammer slamming into her door jolted her back into full consciousness once more. In fact, she had the same kind of reaction when the knock on the door sounded through the apartment, her whole body tensing as she lifted from Cian and watched him with a held breath until she was sure that it wasn't someone coming after them again.

The government official brought the food and clothes as promised and once the door was shut and secured behind Cian, Alannah lifted to her feet and set about helping to unpack the groceries into the cupboards. They worked in a companionable silence until they were ready to settle back onto the couch, but this time with plates piled high with takeaway food. As Cian had previously seen, Alannah was no stranger to devouring a burger and fries but right now it was about all she could manage to finish off half of her burger and a handful of fries, nothing close to her usual appetite. Her stomach was still churning and with each mouthful she was seized by a wave of nausea until she pushed the plate away in defeat and collapsed back into the cushions. She had just been about to take their plates away when she noticed that Cian seemed to be fidgeting before he cast an apologetic look her way.

"Hey, you don't need to apologise to me. Come here." Holding her arms out, the politician guided him towards her and wrapped her arms around him so that her chin came to rest on the top of his head. Whatever barrier had been between them preventing physical touch had now been completely broken, for which she would be eternally grateful. She could feel his shaking against her body and her hold upon him tightened as her chest seized up with worry. She had to remind herself that this was normal, Cian had said so himself but that didn't eradicate the fact that she hated seeing him like this and would willingly do anything she could to help. "Is there anything I can do?" She murmured, now that the film was coming to its end. "I could run you a warm bath, help relax your muscles a little? Or we could head to bed and try to get some proper rest? I'm here for whatever you need."

 

[BoneBrain]

Those strong comforting arms wrapped around him and Cian leaned into Alannah's embrace. She was warm as she enveloped him, and his eyes closed gratefully as she eased the tension from his weary body. His own arms circled around her and they laid there on the couch for a long moment. When Alannah offered to draw him a bath Cian shook his head, his nose and cheek nestling into the crook of her neck. He could feel the tired flowing through his bones and worried he might fall asleep in the tub.

"Lets head to bed. I think we both could use a good sleep." He chuckled, finally pulling himself out of her arms, his shaking visibly much less now. He helped Alannah with the dishes and garbage, the two of them working quickly to set the apartment back to rights. Cian brought the two duffle bags of clothes into the living room and opened one. He snorted at the very basic choices and pulled out some plaid sleep pants and a white tee for himself. He found toothpaste and a toothbrush as well and headed into the bathroom first to quickly change and take care of his personal needs.

When Alannah took the bathroom next Cian pulled out a phone charger and peered down at his phone checking to see if there were any updates. He spotted a text message from Theo.

Theo 1:24 AM
Just got a call, looks like I'm cleared to help you out with a spot of trouble. I'll get some things together and should get an escort to the safehouse tomorrow evening. As for the other request, I've got a couple things for the two of you to look at.

Cian quickly typed out a thanks in response, his heart doing a strange little flip in his chest. The closer they were to solving who was trying to hurt Alannah meant that she was closer to no longer needed a bodyguard. It was a strange feeling, naturally we wanted Alannah to be safe, but he wasn't ready to be sent off to another job. Cian tossed the phone on the table and peered through his duffle bag one last time, and found nothing else of note. Alannah stepped out of the bathroom then and Cian gave her a warm smile. He wasted no time in going to her and reaching out to curl his hand into hers. Was it stupid to admit that he had missed touching her for those brief moments they had been apart. It felt almost as if he was catching up on all the touches he had wanted to give her through their time together.

"Looks like my buddy has been given the green light to help us out. He should be here tomorrow evening. He's great with security and the like. He'll get us set up with a few cameras so we don't have to feel as blind." He gave her hand a comforting squeeze before they made their way towards the two remaining doors in the apartment that held the bedrooms. "You can pick which ever one you want." He told her. Every fiber of his being wanted to follow after her into whatever room she picked and spend the night curled up with her right next to him.

 

[Becboc]

Feeling Cian's breath and his nose against her neck caused a tingle to start up Alannah's spine as she held him close, letting one of her hands smooth over his hair. She had never wanted to take someone's suffering away so badly as she did right now and she felt a surge of relief when he finally pulled away from her because she immediately noticed that he was shaking far less. "Roger that," Alannah smiled softly at the suggestion of bed and happily busied herself with helping Cian with clearing up.

A rustle through the basic clothes that had been given to them later and Alannah herself was dressed in a new t-shirt and pyjama shorts, feeling like the ones she had been wearing previously were tainted somehow. She too checked her phone while Cian was in the bathroom, glad to see that there was nothing of note that came through yet. She supposed she should make the most of the silence while it lasted because tomorrow would most likely be a totally different story if the press managed to get a hold of what had happened to her this evening.

When Cian was finished they switched and eventually once she was feeling fresher, Alannah stepped back out of the bathroom to be greeted by that warm smile she would want to see anywhere. Their hands came together and she gave his fingers an affectionate squeeze as she came to a stop just in front of him. Now that they had bridged the gap of their professional distance, she was scared that the opportunity might close up again if she didn't normalise their physical touch while it was happening. Things felt different late at night somehow, as though the darkness made what would be inappropriate in the daytime more acceptable. What if, when they woke up in the morning things felt awkward, or a space worked its way between them again? Tonight had demonstrated well enough that nobody knew what was around the corner and it was important to make the most of every moment that they could. Specifically, Alannah wanted to make the most of every moment with Cian that she could, especially with the looming possibility that one day their working connection would come to an end.

Her eyes found his as he began to explain that his friend had been authorised to help them out, and she managed to nod as he led her to the two remaining doors that they hadn't yet entered through. "That's good," Alannah responded softly. "After tonight I think we're going to need all the help we can get." Then with a sad smile she added, "It'll be nice to meet one of your friends too, even under these circumstances." She returned the small squeeze of her hand before they were finally faced with splitting apart from each other for the evening. Warily, Alannah looked between the two doors, her heart suddenly thudding a little louder in her ears. "Okay," she almost whispered. "I'll take this one." Then, she shifted towards the door closest to her slightly, with each step that she took the voice in her heart growing louder until--

"Cian?" Their hands had naturally fallen apart when she had started to move, and Alannah suddenly found herself feeling a little lost without the contact. "You can say if you don't think that this would be appropriate but would you maybe want to... stay with me tonight?" Her question was earnest, and vulnerable, as was her expression. "I just... I really don't want to be alone and being with you makes me feel better."

 

[BoneBrain]

He could all but cut through the tension that had settled itself in Alannah's shoulders with a knife. Her hazel eyes seemed alight with the embers of anxiety and Cian was certain he would see the same look reflected back at him if he looked in a mirror. Her quiet plea in the late hours of the night had his heart squeezing.
"Oh love..." His voice was a quiet whisper. It was an interesting sensation to be torn so beautifully in half, never in a million year would he have thought the two of them would find themselves in such a situation. He wanted Alannah, wanted to comfort her and see her resting peacefully next to him. He also wanted desperately to feel the warmth of her next to him, to run his hands over her lithe form - to learn her. He realized after a moments beat too long that he'd been staring at her with this raw desperate hunger and schooled his features. For Alannah he would do this, he cleared his throat. "Of course. It... would make me feel better too." He confessed, his eyes dipping to look at the fuzzy socks on her feet.

Alannah opened the door to her chosen bedroom and the two of them made short work of pulling down the top cover of the bed and situating the pillows in a way they liked. Alannah moved onto the bed and Cian took in the image of her legs sliding under the covers and swallowed thickly. He could do this. Cian pulled the covers over himself once they were both laying and reached over to the bedside table lamp, the last of the light in the quiet evening, and switched it off. With a click of the switch the room was bathed in darkness and silence save for the sound of their breathing. Cian adjusted the pillow under his head once last time before flipping to his side and facing Alannah in the darkness. He could just barely make out the shape of her laying there. He reached out tentatively, his hand finding her arm and squeezing gently.

"Now's probably a good time to tell you that I sleep talk right?" He said lightly. "I've been told I recited the entirety of the V for Vendetta monologue once." He joked. "Nah I wish, I can never seem to get the tone right. I do however lightly snore." His hand remanded over her arm, her skin warm against his own and he rubbed his palm lightly there. His hand moved up despite his common sense screaming at him to stop. He found the dip of her neck, and the strong line of her jaw. In the dark he traced them, feeling the slight jump of her pulse as he did so. "I hope you have sweet dreams sunshine." He whispered, his hand coming to rest once more on her arm. Cian forced his eyes shut then, and told himself to drift off. Easier said than done of course.

 

[Becboc]

Cian's quiet whisper nearly caused Alannah to crumble once more. It was like a soft reassurance that it was okay, that it was okay for her to feel like she was coming apart after what had just happened to her. She had never been very good at letting herself be vulnerable, that kind of came with the territory of her job and it spoke volumes that she was letting him see her like this, rather than just trying to cover up her feelings and get on with things. That was the usual Alannah way but not necessarily the healthiest one, although with Cian around, thankfully things were happening differently.

The longer the silence passed between them though, Alannah started to think that maybe she truly had crossed a line, and just as she had been about to tell him not to worry about it he agreed, causing her heart to do tiny flip flops at the realisation of what this meant. She and Cian in the same bed together, potentially nestled into their own little space under the duvet, potentially so close to be touching each other, to feel each others' warmth in the intimacy of a bedroom... She had known this when she'd asked, of course she had, but Cian's acceptance seemed to bring those thoughts to the forefront of her mind to the point that she found herself trying to squash them again as she picked a room and guided them into it. He was doing this to comfort her, to make sure she felt okay, nothing more, nothing less... right?

Once the bed was set up how they liked it, Alannah slipped under the duvet and onto her own side so that she was facing Cian with her head on the pillow, even in the darkness. They laid a respectable distance apart, with with his warm hand finding her arm in the shadows and though she couldn't see him properly now he'd switched off the light, she could imagine the soft look on his face as he stared right back at her. Alannah couldn't recount how many times she'd thought about this moment, thought about how going to bed together might look, how waking up the morning after might look... It hadn't crossed her mind that it might happen like this and not with them in a tangle with each other, but she had to admit that right now she wouldn't change this moment, not for anything. This was exactly what she needed, to be close to him, to let him see her at her most vulnerable, to let him in.

"Well if you'd told me that before we got here, I might have thought twice," she whispered back, her smile evident even in the darkness. "Snoring I can handle. But I won't believe you if you tell me in the morning that I snore too." A soft exhale of humour left her lips before Cian's hand started to move, her smile eventually fading. She didn't say anything as he found her shoulder, then her neck, and then her jaw, his fingers warm and soft against her skin. Alannah's breath hitched just a little as she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes and giving herself over to the sensation. She didn't want him to stop and when his hand moved back to her arm she went completely against her better judgement and shifted closer, so much closer. Her head came to bury against Cian's chest, just below his chin and she practically curled into him, inhaling his scent to stop herself from lifting just a little further upwards until her lips found his. That moment she would save for her dreams instead.

"You too McRannall," she whispered in response. "Sleep tight."

 

[BoneBrain]

It was the knowledge that that they were both safe that allowed Cian's muscles to relax into the soft mattress. Alannah burrowed into him and he wasted no time in enveloping her in his arms. Her head rested on his good bicep and curled up around her to hold her safely to him. Their warm breaths mingled and Cian felt his mind slowly accept the sleep his body so desperately craved. They slept a long while the sun rising well over their heads before either of them stirred from their well deserved slumber. Cian was the first to wake, his eyes remaining closed as he took in the sensation of Alannah laying against him.

One of her arms was slung over his side and he could feel the gentle press of her nose near his collar bone. For a long while he laid as still as he could, memorizing the soft rhythm of her breathing and the weight of her arm over him. He loved how perfectly at home she seemed in his arms and wanted to pull her closer, he'd been about to do so when he realized that motion might wake Alannah and alert her to the bits of him that were wide awake in the late morning. Cian's brow furrowed as he did his best to remain in the moment while thinking of less than pleasant things to get himself back to rights. It was a loosing effort with the heady weight of Alannah along his form. Accepting defeat, Cian did his best to untangle himself from Alannah's grip. She made a few grumbles in her sleep and seemed to hold tighter to him.

He did his best to pull away on last time but the gentle pressure of her hand gripping his shirt had him admitting defeat once more. His chest rumbled with mirth, unable to help himself he leaned his head down and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. His hand smoothing her shirt where it lay along her back.

"Good morning Alannah." Cian whispered as Alannah began to rouse from her sleep. His dark heavy lidded eyes took in the rumpled sleepy state of her. "I can make us some coffee if you let me go." He chuckled. That little reprieve would give him the opportunity to calm down before returned to her, but as it stood the ball was entirely in Alannah's court.

 

[Becboc]

Sleep came surprisingly quickly. Given everything that they had gone through, Alannah was absolutely exhausted but she had a habit of turning things over in her mind to the point that sometimes sleep evaded her, and right now she had a lot to think about. This simply wasn't the case however, and she was pretty sure that the warm frame of the bodyguard wrapped around her had a lot to do with that. For most of the night, she hardly moved, if not only to snuggle a little closer into him, or grip onto his shirt in her sleep as if she was scared he might float away if she let go. In the end, it easily turned into one of the best nights sleep she had ever had, which was why when Cian came to and attempted to pull himself away, Alannah held onto him, conscious thought just beginning around the edges of her mind. Her brow furrowed slightly as she clung onto the last remnants of sleep, grumbling when the warmth underneath her tried to move again. She felt a soft pressure on the top of her head and instinctively wrapped a leg over Cian's without thinking too much about how this may hinder his effort to put himself to rights this early in the morning.

"Mmf, don't want to," she mumbled, pulling her cheek further onto his chest. "You're like... a big warm teddy bear." These things were much easier to say when you were still in the throws of unconsciousness, but the rumbling of Cian's chest vibrating against her skin gently pulled her further away from it until one eye squinted open. "Did you say coffee?" She asked then, lifting a hand to wipe at her eyes and then using that same hand to stifle a yawn. Finally, two hazel eyes opened fully and Alannah blinked in the sunlight that was pouring into the room around the edges of the curtains, her expression changing slowly when she came to realise exactly her current situation. Lifting her head slightly, she peered up at Cian to meet his dark eyes shining down at her, "Oh," her mouth forming into the 'o' shape as she used her spare hand to push herself up, albeit still reluctantly from the form that had previously been underneath her, expression turning slightly sheepish.

"Sorry, good morning," she breathed, rolling onto her back and attempting not to look any further at how Cian looked in the morning because if she did she was pretty sure she wouldn't be responsible for her next actions. "What time is it?" She then asked in an attempt to distract herself, before reaching over to her bedside table to retrieve her phone, propping pillows behind her head so she could sit up a little. "We really needed that sleep, huh?" Squinting when her phone screen lit up, Alannah was absolutely appalled to see that there were forty five different notifications on there that she'd missed completely. Twenty from Stuart, twenty five from home. "Shit," she breathed, top teeth catching her bottom lip and chewing out her anxiety. "I guess the story hit the news."

Using her thumbs at record speed, she tapped out a quick message to her dad to let him know she was safe and that she would ring him later, and then she glanced over at Cian once more, now fully immersing herself back into work mode without even fully realising it. "Hey, did any of the people yesterday mention anything about getting a work laptop to us? I could really do with checking my emails... I guess I could do it on my phone?" Come to think of it, Alannah's memory of yesterday was pretty hazy at best and she wondered if that was in part, her brain's way of trying to protect her from it, or if she had simply been vacant throughout.

 

[BoneBrain]

So was so damn endearing in the morning as she struggled to hold onto the last bits of sleep that kept her relaxed. His dark eyes took in her slow rousing as she lifted up from him, her mouth formed in an O of surprise. Clearly she'd not been prepared for how close they had actually come in the night and her expression sobered him right up. Cian cleared his throat a little unsure of himself, wincing inwardly at his kiss to the top of her head. Shit he probably shouldn't have done that. Alannah retreated to her phone and Cian's quick glance at the screen had his brows raising.
"I'll get right on that coffee." He told her as he slipped from the bed, he was just slipping on a soft grey housecoat that hung on the closet door or the bedroom when Alannah questioned him about a potential work laptop. "I think that lady did mention something about getting you set up to work remote. I'll check in with them." Cian said, as he cinched the tie tight. He left Alannah to deal with her work and family and tugged his own phone out and brought the screen to life. There were a few messages from Booker with his updated contract and one from Irena who ask him to call her. Cian pulled up her number and hit dial as he began to root through the cupboards for the coffee and some mugs.

"McRannall, good morning." Irena's cool voice filtered through the line and Cian grunted in response.
"Morning."
"I'm sure you heard from Mr. Bowen that he's been given clearance, I've also got one of Miss. Heshmati's co-workers that keeps ringing, a Stuart something. He's demanded clearance to see the both of you." There was a humorous lilt in Irena's voice as she spoke about Stuart. "He'll be bringing by Miss. Heshmati's work laptop and a few other items of importance. Please let me know if he abuses his clearance and we'll escort him out." Cian let out a huff of laughter.
"I don't think your top security would be able to drag him away." He said jokingly as he flipped the switch on the coffee machine and heard the tell tale signs of the blessed coffee being made.
"Noted." Irena said over the phone. "Is everything alright otherwise?"
"Seems to be." Cian said after a moment. "Some shock, but nothing a good nights rest can't take care of."
"Good. Just a heads up as well, Mr. Bowen will be accompanied by a detective that's been assigned to the case. I believe they will be seeking out statements and sharing the progress so far."
"Perfect. Thanks Irena." Cian finished up the call by the time the coffee was finished and quickly poured them both a cup, he took extra care to make it the way Alannah liked. He carried two the two mugs in each hand, the steam gently billowing from the top as he re-entered the bedroom.

"For you." Cian set the mug down on Alannah's bedside table and took a seat on the edge of the bed. His big frame making the mattress dip as he settled. "Irene says Stuart's been quite persistent... He'll be along later today to drop off your work things. Also a detective will be taking our statements later today. Should be fun." He said dryly.

 

[Becboc]

The kiss that Cian had dipped onto the crown of her head had not gone unnoticed by Alannah, despite her seeming keenness to reconnect with the outside world. On the inside, she actually wanted the opposite, to stay here with Cian wrapped up in their little bubble, in his warmth, to see where else sleeping in the same bed could lead to. She knew however, that no matter how much she wanted that, it simply couldn’t happen and though their time together last night had felt natural and so, so right, waking up in the cold light of day had propped the barrier back up between them. Or rather Alannah had done, she knew that as her eyes, still slightly bleary from sleep tracked his form as he left the room to make coffee. She also realised that perhaps she was giving very mixed signals right now, but then she also supposed that was potentially symptomatic of how her head just felt so damn messy right now. In reality, she shouldn’t really be giving him any signals at all but truly, she couldn’t help it. She just liked Cian. Really, really liked him.

Letting out a soft sigh, Alannah sent a message to Stuart next who replied about two whole seconds later to let her know that he would be over as soon as he could, which she did not doubt before the scanning of her phone moved to the news bulletins, where she saw her smiling face plastered over several websites. Kirkbridge’s upcoming politician targeted in own home. Is this the end for Alannah Heshmati? Alannah Heshmati, her life, work and enemies. Christ, she wasn’t dead, though you wouldn’t have thought it. The more cynical side of her mind figured that this publicity might at least garner some attention for her campaign but then at the same time, Alannah knew that the people reading these things most likely wouldn’t jump to looking at her policies straight after. The whole thing was a mess really, but despite how terrified she had been last night and despite the fact that she was still no wiser as to who wanted to harm her, there was a tiny voice within her screaming at her not to give up. She had worked so hard for this position, made so many sacrifices and the people of Kirkbridge needed her, and her team and everything that came with that. This wasn’t just about her, not really.

Thankfully, Cian was soon re-entering the room to distract her from these thoughts and she chucked her phone onto the bed and ran her hands over her face before she realised that he was wearing a house coat and that he looked good in it. Her lips twitched just a little as she reached out for the steaming cup from where it was placed down on the table next to her. “Mm, thank you. I could get used to this you know.” Being handed fresh coffee in bed by you the morning after. Alannah caught herself though before she said anymore, blowing gently just above the rim of the cup before taking a sip and then letting her head roll back against the headboard. At the mention of Stuart she let out a soft snort. “I had twenty missed calls from him this morning. That’s only five less than my dad.” Then, she nodded, when Cian answered about her laptop, her stomach twisting uncomfortably at the thought of having to recount last night to a stranger in probably a couple of hour’s time. “Yeah…” She murmured, eyes becoming slightly vacant. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be. I don’t really… I mean it’s all such a blur. I keep trying to think about what I saw, what I noticed but every time I do it’s like my head just… stops working.” A small frown adorned her features before she looked up at Cian once more. “Did…” She began, treading carefully. “Did something happen? When you arrived at my apartment last night?”

 

[BoneBrain]

Alannah shifted back and settled against the headboard, her short hair falling like a curtain down the sides of her face, the sweet curve of her neck was exposed as she leaned her head back on the headboard and peered up at the ceiling. He could see the furrow of her brows as she struggled to make sense of the events from the previous night. He knew it was a terrible time to wonder what that little pulse point near her jaw would taste like as her mind once again came up dark. Cian scratched at his dark curling beard and forced his thoughts back to the topic at hand. Her head lifted and he stopped mid itch as she asked what he remembered.
"I'll be honest Alannah, I don't want to scare you with the details, but I can tell you what I remember if that's what you truly want." As her assent Cian's hand dropped to his lap and he regarded the cup of coffee he'd settled there. "I got to your apartment and there was this guy... or woman, honestly they were really well concealed. Black everything, even a mask and gloves. They were shorter than me, I remember that much, strong too. They had a hammer and from what I could tell they'd done a pretty good number on your door after only a few hits." Cian lifted his gaze back to Alannah, he wanted to confirm that it wasn't too much to share this with her. He knew she had a right to know what had happened on the other end of the door, but it broke his heart to tell her.

Her legs were lifted in front of her as she leaned back against the headboard, her eyes were alert and focused entirely on him as he recounted. Cian followed his heart and reached out with a large hand to stroke gently along the smooth skin of her shin, his hand finally coming to rest at the top of her knee. He gave it a light squeeze before continuing on. "They had a knife too, and when I got the hammer out of the way they decided to try and use that." He pointed to her bandage work on his arm, we struggled for only a minute or two before the cops arrived. I think he heard them coming and made a break for it. As of right now, that's all I know." He had this overwhelming urge to gather her into his arms and make all the promises he shouldn't make; that he would protect her no matter what, that he would see her through this because he cared so deeply for her and her dreams. Instead he forced his hand off her knee and lifted a corner of his mouth to flash her a crooked sad smile. "Everyone is working hard to figure out who did this. I'm sure we'll be out of her and back to rights in no time." Cian stood then and gestured with his coffee. "If you're alright with it I'm gonna take a quick shower before we get all of our guests today." He winked but his heart wasn't in it.

After gathering some new clothes Cian wandered into the bathroom and shut the door. He took a bit longer than normal with his usual routine, as he let the warm spray soothe away the memories of one of the scariest nights of his life. He'd been so grateful for their closeness as they coped, but it felt like such an out of reach possibility this morning. He was out of the shower and dressed a while later and he began to busy himself with breakfast as Alannah took her turn in the bathroom. He'd always enjoyed working in the kitchen with his father and so he quickly pulled out the ingredients for pancakes and was mixing the batter when an eager knock sounded at the door. Cian quickly wiped his hands on a nearby dish towel before walking to the door and peering out the peephole. He chuckled at the sight of Stuart hopping from foot to foot, as he impatiently waited for the door to open. Cian tool his sweet time with the locks, enjoying Stuart's curse as three separate locking mechanisms had to be disengaged.

"Stuart, good to see you." Cian said as he pulled the door open and stepped aside to welcome him in. "Alannah's just getting ready, but you're welcome to keep me company in the kitchen. I've got pancakes on the go." Stuart gave Cian a suspicious glare before relenting and following Cian into the open plan kitchen. Alannah's boss took a seat at one of the bar stools that lined the kitchen counter and settled a massive bag there. "You want any pancakes?" Cian asked returning to mixing.
"Sure. Thanks Cian." Came Stuart's soft reply. It surprised Cian and he lifted his head a moment to look with brows raised at the man who seemed all to happy to growl at him. "Thank you..." Stuart's eyes dropped as he spoke his quiet thanks. "For helping Alannah through this... She's important to m- to the city." Stuart lifted an outstretched hand and Cian took it. The two men shared a firm two pump handshake before dropping their hands and looking anywhere but at each other.

 

[Becboc]

There was a fear that came with remembering the truth of what had happened, but the fear of not knowing perhaps outweighed it. Cian himself seemed scared, scared of his own memories and scared of telling her about them and for that reason Alannah knew it must be bad. Of course, she knew that anyway but seeing her bodyguard look so uncertain seemed to hammer it home even more. Despite her complicated feelings on the matter though, she nodded her head slowly to show him that she wanted him to answer the question, attempting to settle the pang of anxiety that hit her chest as she listened. With each recollection, a flash of an image seemed replace the words - the hammering on her door, the muffled sounds of two men scuffling, her terror at not knowing whether Cian was okay or not. In fact, her thoughts had just started to spiral when she felt a warmth on her shin, lifting brown eyes to meet his and drawing comfort from the way he squeezed her knee, from the way he looked at her. There was reassurance in those deep brown eyes and she felt herself wishing to melt into him like she had last night but not being able to bring herself to now that they were back in the cold light of day.

When his recount came to an end, Alannah let out a breath she hadn't know she had been holding and took a long sip of her coffee, just about managing her own smile in return that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Yeah, hopefully," she responded, watching when Cian eventually got to his feet. Before he left however, she found herself saying his name, just as he reached the door. "Cian? I'm sorry, that you had to go through that and I just wanted to say... thank you. For everything." Another gentle expression was eased his way, his wink causing the corners of her mouth to twitch just a little before Alannah was left alone once more to her own thoughts. Even with hearing Cian's version, her mind seemed to want to still fully block out her own and the terror that had seen her frozen to the spot, watching someone hack away at her door with a hammer. She truly had no idea why this was happening to her, who could want to harm her this much and the fact that they were still out there made her feel sick. As much as she wanted to leave this place and get back to some kind of normality, she also wanted to stay locked up, safe and warm and away from the dangers that were now posed by the unknown of the world outside.

When it was eventually her turn to take the bathroom, Alannah was keen to take her time in the shower as if she was trying to let the hot water wash away every bad feeling that she ever had. By the time that she was out and dressed in a black shirt dress that she had plucked from the bag of clothes, hair wet and wavy, she could hear Stuart's voice coming from the kitchen. She wondered absently how long it had taken once his clearance came through for him to get here, and with a subtle hint of a smirk she padded bare foot from the bedroom, phone still clutched in one hand. Both men looked up at her and Stuart was the first to jump into action, moving around the kitchen counter and scooping Alannah up into a hug. Her own hands held him back, enjoying the familiarity of something normal. "Oh thank God," Stuart breathed before pulling back and clearing his throat awkwardly as though the hug never happened. "Do you know how long it took them to give me clearance to get here? Way longer than it damn well should have done, that's how long. I brought you some work stuff." The man wandered over to the bag he had brought then with Alannah in tow, who gave a quick, knowing smile in Cian's direction. "Your laptop, some policy edits..." The pile began to grow on the small coffee table as Alannah knelt in front of it and began to sift through the different items. "Thanks for bringing this stuff, Stuart. It'll be good to get my mind into something other than last night while I'm here."

It wasn't long before Cian had finished off the pancakes and all three of them moved to sitting at the kitchen table, although not before Alannah had quipped that she didn't realise that her bodyguard was a pancake master chef. "Is this your speciality?" She asked as she shovelled a forkful into her mouth. "Because they are insane. You're gonna have to make these for me again sometime."
"Betcha glad we hired him now, huh Alannah?" To this the politician rolled her eyes slightly but the humour was also punctuated with sincerity as what left her mouth next sat between the three for a beat longer than it might usually have done.
"Too right I am. I don't know where I'd be without him."

 

[BoneBrain]

Their reunion had Cian looking away as Stuart gathered Alannah in his arms. It was clear the man cared deeply for her and he wanted the best for Alannah. The aroma of pancakes filled the small apartment as the two of them drew apart and spoke. Cian was putting the finishing touches on the large plate of pancakes as Alannah sorted through her work things. She seemed grateful once again for the distraction of work to ease away their tough conversation from earlier. She flashed him her secret smile and Cian knew those smiles of hers were his favourite. He gave her one in return and busied himself with getting plates and toppings to the table.

They gathered a few moments later at the table and settled down around the table. Cian piled a number of pancakes on his plate and watched Alannah take her first few bites while a bundle of nerves did summersaults in his stomach. Alannah's joy in his cooking had a flare a pride burst through him and Cian ducked his head to hide the flush of pleasure he got as the two of them praised both his cooking and his work effort.
"It's no big deal." He did his best to shrug it off and forced himself to take a big bite of the pancakes. "My dad taught me. He's a great cook." He explained after swallowing thickly. Shit why was he getting emotional? He was a bodyguard for heavens sake. "I can make them for you any time." He promised the both of them. Stuart's brows raised and he cleared his throat thankfully ending Cian's squirming as they ventured onto a new topic.

"I've had to cancel most of your outings planned for this week Alannah. There is a big talk this week on our safe drugs sites policy. It's in a government building and I think I've gotten the OK to get you there. Seems like we've got more pushback than anticipated so it's vital you're there to charm the pants off them all." Stuart turned on his phone and pulled up the calendar app, his eyes scanning through anything else that might be important. "Can you handle that Cian?"
"Sure, I can always ask for a little back up if needed, but since it's so enclosed I don't see a major issue." Cian said as he finished off his plate and leaned back in the chair.
"You'll also need to make a statement Alannah. I've brought a camera with me and we can record it to send out to the press. I've got the makings of a script here, but I figured I'd let you look over it and make changes." Stuart leaned forward and held out two fingers. "There are two rules. One: No pointing fingers at anyone, even if you have your suspicions." Stuart mumbled something under his breath and Cian barely caught the word West and Mayor. "Two: You need to look you just came back from a vacation. Fresh face, unbothered bad bitch."
"That's Alannah all the time." Cian pointed out and Stuart waved a hand at him.
"Shush, you know what I mean Alannah."

 

[Becboc]

Alannah wanted Cian to make pancakes for her anytime she wanted. If there was one good thing to come out of this whole mess then it was him, and being thrown together in this way that meant they didn’t have to leave each other at the end of the day. Their time was pressured but there was nobody else that Alannah would rather have been thrown into this with, nobody else that made her feel quite as safe. It was for this reason that she was finally able to eat a proper meal, having left most of her burger the night before, the churning of her stomach eased enough to allow food to settle. It was also the reason for why she felt comfortable enough to put her mind back into work. That along with it also being a welcome distraction, of course.

Sitting back in her seat once her plate was clear, Alannah nodded along with Stuart’s instructions, trying not to let the small pang of fear in her chest overwhelm her at the thought of being thrust into a large crowd of people. “What kind of pushback?”
Stuart waved a hand. “Oh, you know. The usual. It’s too expensive. The money would be better spent elsewhere. It’s encouraging the wrong type of people into that area of town.” Alannah rolled her eyes.
“Of course. The usual right wing BS.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing you can’t counter though.” Stuart was right – it was this kind of thing specifically that really got Alannah’s back up, the kind of ridiculous excuses that were simply a disguise for looking down on people not as wealthy. This was the kind of thing that she went in batting against, that riled her up enough to get her to push back on with force and it showed in the way her brow creased slightly, her lips downturned in irritation as she listened to Stuart okaying the plan with Cian.

“Mm,” Alannah mused. “What else?”
The suggestion of making a statement surprised Alannah a little, but she had to say that she was very on board with the idea, even if the last thing she felt like doing right now was making herself up to appear at least a little human. She didn’t miss Stuart’s mumble though as he gave her instruction, but for now she chose to ignore it in favour of taking the positive from his description of how he expected her to be, and Cian’s affirmation that fresh faced, unbothered bad bitch was pretty much her permanent state. “I’ll take that,” she grinned at them both, before standing to start gathering their now empty plates. “But if we’re going all in on this I need at least a half hour to make the fresh faced part a reality, because these dark circles aren’t going to convince anyone.” To this, Stuart simply rolled his eyes and followed her, retrieving the plates before she even reached the sink. “In that case then, get your ass into the bathroom. Your speech is in the bag I brought.”

Giving Stuart’s arm a grateful squeeze, Alannah padded over to it and retrieved the piece of paper before heading into the bedroom, then the bathroom as instructed. She had limited supplies with which to make herself look slightly more human but she tried her best, scraping her hair neatly back into a ponytail, pinching her cheeks to bring a little colour to them and picking a white shirt from the bag of clothes that had been handed to them this morning. While Alannah was gone, Stuart took this opportunity to glance over at Cian again while he washed the plates. “I’ve been meaning to ask you,” he began, “You got any leads on who might be responsible for all of this? I know Alannah doesn’t like to accuse without all of the information but… my money’s on The Wests. All of that stuff at the gala was shady, far shadier than it needed to be in my opinion.”

 

[BoneBrain]

The exchange between the two co-workers had Cian grinning, it was so apparent that the two worked well together. They had a natural flow that came from years of experience and knowing one another's strengths. Stuart was clearly the puppet master behind the scenes, pulling the strings and giving Alannah the head start she needed to lead her campaign to success. Alannah stood and Cian watched as she gave Stuart's arm one last squeeze before disappearing with her script and a determined look on her face. Stuart kindly began to wash the dishes and Cian put away the toppings into the fridge. As he was closing the fridge door Stuart posed his question. With a heavy sigh Cian propped his hip against the kitchen counter and considered.

"I actually asked my friend Theo to find any connections between Alannah and the West's. Last night was just a little too weird to not try and look into it." Cian grabbed a dish towel as Stuart finished cleaning the first plate and he started to dry. "Theo should be here later today, he's gonna give us a little more security and he did seem to hint at a connection or two when we spoke last." Cian put away the plate in the cupboard and Stuart hummed in understanding.
"Things were going so well for Alannah, we had the right momentum and it seemed like everything just suddenly came crashing down on them at once. It feels targeted." Stuart added as he finished up with the last of the dishes and drained the sink.
"Agreed." Cian said as he folded his drying towel over the oven handle. "Someone's not happy with the changes being made. We need to look into who stands to lose the most in this."
"I can't believe the mayor recently... I voted for that fucker too. Ever since Sal opened that country club golf course near the national park he's been slipping." Stuart went to his bag then and pulled out a tripod and the video camera.

Cian and Stuart busied themselves with setting up a small area in the living room. Cian shifted the kitchen table and the two men lifted a recliner so it was flush against the wall near a rather happy looking painting of a beach scene. Stuart set up the camera and focused in on the recliner while Cian sat in the chair to ensure he had the proper focus. After Stuart gave Cian a thumbs up the two waited patiently for Alannah to return to them.

 

[Becboc]

Unaware of the conversation that had transpired while she had been out of the room, Alannah made her return fresh faced and ready to go, reappearing once more with her edited speech in hand, that she proceeded to wave at the two men. "All ready," she confirmed, eyes flickering first to the recliner set up near the beach scene and the camera with approval sparkling in their depths. "Want me to cast an eye before we get started?" Stuart asked, to which Alannah shook her head as she took a seat.
"No, I'm good I think, thanks. Let's just get this over with, shall we? There's only so long this pink in my cheeks is going to last for."

In comparison to her usual speeches, this one was much shorter but still as jovial and energetic as Alannah tried to make all of her appearances. She plastered a false smile on her face and sat up a little straighter, looking right into the camera as she addressed the public, telling them about how she was safe, how the authorities were working hard to figure out who was responsible and how she would be retiring from most public events for a small while, for her own safety and the safety of others. She also made sure to thank everyone who was working on the case, her team and her party for being so patient, and that she held high hopes that in the long run this would help to make Kirkbridge a safer place. By the time she was finished, even she believed what she had said and as Stuart clicked off the video recorder, he let out a low whistle. "Jesus, even I have a tear in my eye after that," he stated, pretending to wipe at his eye. To this, Alannah grinned and launched a cushion in his direction.
"Shut up, no you don't."
"Watch the camera!"

While Stuart proceeded to fiddle around with the tech, Alannah took that as her cue to stand and find Cian's gaze, approaching him carefully but ensuring that she stood with a little distance between them, one that she so desperately wanted to close. "What did you think?" She asked, head tilted to the side just slightly. It was one thing to get Stuart's okay, but Cian's mattered too. "Was it alright? Not too martyr-y?" Alannah wrinkled her nose slightly, as if that was even a word. "Speak now or forever hold your peace, McRannall." It was clear she was trying to make light of the situation, rather than dwell upon why she was having to make such a speech in the first place but unfortunately, the next reminder was just around the corner as another knock came from the front door, unbeknownst to them all right now, two detectives stood behind it.

Instinctively, all three bodies looked towards the sound, but it was Alannah's that had now properly frozen in place, that last lingering fear once again making an appearance.