Duskwood & Moonvale one-shots

You're mine (MC x Phil x Jake x FBI)

Jake left a message that Hannah's fate was now completely in the hands of the Annie - this was the trigger for her. To sit still when everyone else is in danger every day, to not have a real opportunity to help in case of something, is simply unbearable. And since Jake had now left the search for his sister to her... So Annie made one of the most reckless decisions of her life: to go to Duskwood. In the same sleepy town where the girl first disappeared, then a body was found, and ten years ago there were events, the bloody trail of which stretches to our days. Isn't this a beautiful place?

It took almost a week to solve all the work problems, so she arrived at Duskwood just as she had promised Phil. He was the only person she'd ever told about her trip. At least, that's what Annie thought.

Phil, whom Annie observed in the correspondence, and Phil, with whom she managed to talk herself, are like two different people. And if the first seemed like an unpleasant guy, the second charmed in one moment. His voice, demeanor, thoughts, emoticons... She liked everything. Maybe not in the way she'd liked Jake for a long time, but she definitely liked Phil. That, she decided, was why she needed to talk to him in person - about the investigation and more. Therefore, she came to the Aurora as soon as she had cleaned herself up after a long journey.

The bar opened at ten. It was five minutes to ten when Annie pulled open the heavy door and entered.

The bar was quiet, and Phil, the only person in the room, was standing with his back to her, leveling a dartboard.

"We're still closed," he said without turning around.

"That's why I came," Annie smiled. "Hey, Phil. Do we have time?"

"Ah, Anna. Hello. I always have time for you."

Phil walked slowly over to her, took her hand, and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. Annie shuddered. She wasn't used to this kind of behavior. Phil was a strange man. And attractive. She was ashamed of it, but since she'd been at the Aurora, the investigation had been the last thing on her mind. Confused, lost in her own thoughts, she murmured:

"And you're not what I imagined."

A hoarse chuckle escaped his lips.

"You already said that."

"You're even more "different" in reality," Annie shook her head, trying to shake off the obsession, the mental numbness. "So why did you say "next time"?"

"So you don't remember being here last time? Interesting. In any case, welcome to Aurora, Anna."

The hand of the clock showed exactly ten. Phil turned on some soft music.

"Thank you. I've been wanting to come here for a long time. How's it going?"

"As good as things can get with what's going on in Duskwood. Talk to you later?"

A group of people entered the room, and Annie understand Phil hasn't time to her right now. But she didn't want to just sit there all day, and wandering around an unfamiliar city with a criminal walking around is not the safest idea. Annie is not as brave as the guys in the group, who are ready to go alone into the forest even after all the warnings.

"Can I help you? I have a little experience."

Phil looked at her. Annie is small and fast. He nodded:

"Try it. I might not even regret it."

***

By nightfall, people preferred to disperse, so before closing, MC and Phil were left alone in the Aurora again. Annie stretched out her legs.

"Tired?"

"A little, yes. I'll probably crawl barefoot to the motel."

"I'll walk you out. Sit down until closing time."

"Worry?" Annie giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Of course. You're the biggest celebrity in Duskwood right now,"  Phil chuckled, "but that popularity isn't going to protect you."

Annie laughed. For some reason, being around Phil made her feel easy. Much easier than she'd ever imagined.

"Well, I don't mind. Especially if you tell me about Hannah. You seem to know more about her than anyone else."

"At least you didn't ask about it in front of clients."

But they didn't get to talk about Hannah - Phil deftly sidestepped the subject, making Annie laugh until she cried, forgetting about the man without face, the investigation, and the trouble that was actually already circling over their heads and waiting for the right moment.

They stopped a short distance from the motel. Annie tugged lightly on Phil's sleeve.

"To be honest," after a brief nod, Annie looked around. "All day long, I feel like someone is watching me."

"That's right, you've been watched all day by visitors to the Aurora."

"And one the charming owner of the bar. But I mean something else."

"Then it's great that I'm here with you."

"You make it sound like you're the shadow master of the town and I'm safe around you."

"Maybe," Phil chuckled.

"Thank you, then."

Annie rose on tiptoe and gave him an impulsive hug. Not missing an opportunity, he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. Annie froze warily, looking into the dark eyes. Phil moved a little closer, and she felt her legs tremble.

"I'm not su-"

She could already feel his breath on skin when the bell rang, breaking the silence of the night street and the tension of the moment.

Phil looked at the screen on his cell phone and grinned.

"Some kind of joke," he answered the unspoken question and turned the phone around - the screen froze with the words 'Don't you dare touch her!' and looked around again.

"You know... I'd rather go on by myself."

"Scared of the joker?"

"No, we just went too far..."

"Don't be so reckless, Anna. Walking alone when you're being followed..."

"Stupid decision, right? I understand. It just seemed to me now that this watcher wasn't going to hurt me."

"I took it upon myself to see you off, didn't I?" and Phil put his arm carelessly around her shoulders.

And they pretended that nothing had happened, discussed the working day, until they came to the door of the room.

"Thank you for seeing me off. Be careful."

After saying goodbye to Phil, Annie pretended to open the door. After waiting a couple of minutes, she pressed her forehead against the door.

"Did you have to do that?" she asked, sure that the "mysterious" watcher could hear her, that the answer would come on her cell phone, because that was the only way Jake had ever spoken to her before. But the voice - for the first time not mechanical - sounded right behind her.

"Yes, i have," the pause indicated that the speaker was a little embarrassed. "Because... Because you're mine..."

And although the embarrassed mumbling of phrases that were supposed to sound confident and glib made Annie smile, she couldn't help but clarify:

"Your who? You rejected my feelings, didn't you?"

"No, Annie, you don't understand. I just couldn't... oh..."

A soft rustle made the curious Anna turn around and startle. Someone - in the dim light, all she could see was a cap with the word "FBI" on it - had one arm around his waist, the other, which held a gun, around his neck. Jake grimaced, trying to loosen his grip.

"He couldn't tell you anything because he knew it was only a matter of time. Because you, little Jake, are mine."