Dark and Silent

A helping hand

 T*T*T*T*T*N

Marc and Raven had stopped to fill the truck when the lights went out. They were only two miles away when they started walking, but they had to work around all the accidents and fender benders as they made their way down the peninsula to the apartments so it took them longer than they wanted to get home. They saw her at the bottom of the short flight that led to the front doors. She was struggling with a stroller and something she was dragging behind her on two wheels.

She was short. That was the first thing Marc noticed as he and Raven increased their pace to help her. She came up to his shoulder and no taller. A teddy bear was dislodged and fell out of the stroller. She gave an exhausted sigh as they reached her. She bent to hand the bear back to the now fussing toddler. He didn't think anyone in the building had small kids.

"Here let us help," He called out as they approached.

She turned to look at them and Marc nearly stumbled. She was....perfection. Her hair was a very dark brown that bordered on black. It looked soft with a gentle curl to the ends. Her eyes were a clear gray. Every curve of her face was feminine and beautiful. She also looked a lot younger than he initially thought. Too young to have a toddler he'd have thought, but he knew things happened. Maybe she just looked young.

"You alright?"

"Yeah," she sighed and flashed him a brief, tired smile. "I'll make it. I made it from the bridge dragging everything, despite stopping every few feet when she dropped something to pick it back up. The stairs stopped me for a minute though."

"We will carry bag and ...that," Raven waved at the contraption she was pulling. "We'll help you lift up the stairs, feya."

"It's a pack-and-play," the girl grinned at him. "Basically it's a portable crib. Thanks. I'm Nic, by the way."

"I am Raven, malen'kiy piksi," the massive Russian introduced himself as he took the pack-and-play from her hand and motioned for her to take her duffle off her shoulder so Marc could carry it.

"And I'm Marc. Who are you, sweetheart? And who's your friend?" The handsome man squatted down and asked the toddler who was rubbing her face in the soft fur of the bear.

"That's Sofia." Nic smiled and Raven grabbed the front of the stroller as she took the back and Marc grabbed her duffle.

"What apartment are you in?" Marc asked as they maneuvered her and her things through the door and walked towards the stairwell. "Is your husband here to help you?"

"It's just me. And I guess her, now. I'm in...," Nic trailed off trying to remember the apartment number. "702, I think. I haven't been there in a long time."

"No one lives in that apartment," Marc frowned. "I know someone owns it, but he doesn't live there."

"No," Nic said quietly. "No they don't. I own it now. It belonged to my parents."

"I met your dad I think. Former military? Blond?"

"Yeah, he lectured at the college some times."

"Waitaminute. You mean it just the two of you on your own?"

"Yeah," Nic sighed and realized she was being really stupid telling two men she didn't know that she was alone with a baby. But something about them reminded her of Jody, as odd as that sounded even in her head. Particularly when she considered Raven's pierced and tattooed look.

"Where's her dad?" Marc asked, hiding his indignation.

"No idea," Nic shook her head and shrugged. "I found her and her mom a couple miles back. Her mom wasn't breathing and was cold to the touch. I couldn't just leave her there."