In A Heartbeat (M.M)

Prologue

Word count: 3.8k

warnings for this chapter: brief mentions of trauma and mental illness, usage of pills, and panic attacks.

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The winter air howled through the frigid streets of Hell's Kitchen and danced around the warmth of brick buildings; little snow droplets were swinging through the chilling wild winds. Though the scene might sound crowded, it was filled with utter silence, even the stray dogs were taking shelter from the stinging cold. That wasn't long until something broke the silence of the storm.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A heartbeat has caught the blind vigilante's attention. Such a young pump in this cold weather, what could force it to be out at this time of the night?

That's when a sweet fragrance hit his nostrils, put him on alert. It was a scent of a woman, so floral and sugary, but definitely captivating.

A laughter tore its way out of the snowy storm, it made his heart flutter out of his chest, he thought it had skipped a beat, and a little wave of blood rushed to redden his partially hidden cheeks.

His hearing was soon met by the soft crunches of her winter boots on the thin layer of white snow, the lub-dubs against her ribcage grew louder and her breath was warming the space in front of her a little each time she expired.

"It was a hard case to be honest with you, but it actually made me realize that I can go back to where I've always belonged to," her voice went smoothly through his ears like a satin ribbon, "mom, I guess I'm ready to call myself detective Mayfield again," she swung the plastic grocery bag softly.

"Oh, sweetie, you finally said it! You won't believe how long I waited for this moment..." her mother said on the other side of the call, a soft sob left her mouth.

"Aw, mom, please don't get me started with crying now, you won't be able to shut me off," she chuckled as a stray tear went down her blushed cheeks, she rubbed her cold nose. "But don't get too excited about it yet, I'm still hunting some offices down to hire me," she made it to her building, walking up the stairs to her apartment floor.

"Offices? I thought you'd be back to the department..." her mother commented.

"I don't think I'm ready for that action, I just made it out alive," she sighed, bolstered the phone between her shoulder and ear to get the key inside the hole.

"Come on, sweetie, you can do it, I know my baby..." her mother begged.

"Mom. I know what I'm capable of doing now--" she interrupts, "--and being back to the NYPD team is just... Out of my league," she sighs, putting the keys down on the dresser and taking her purse off her shoulder, she steps out of her boots and takes her jacket off, dusting the ice off the thick fabric before hanging it on the hat stand.

"Alright, baby... But at least tell me it's on your mind?" she sighed at her mother's quest; a tired smile grew on her face.

"Alright, mom... It'll be on my mind, but not for now," she promised, with a little regretful frown, "sorry but I gotta go now, mom, I'm a little tired of today's celebration at the paper," she rubbed the front of her brows.

"Alright, sweetie, don't forget to have a decent dinner, you deserve it, baby... Goodnight, my dear,"

Her face stretches widely as she smiles, "goodnight, mom, I love you," she hangs up. Her sock-covered feet make friction against the wooden floor as she lazily drags them, she takes the wool scarf rounding her neck off, throwing it to the hanger, hoping that it would land perfectly, but it doesn't, so she turns back and hangs it manually. A loud purr followed by a trail of meows is making its way to her down the living room, "aww, look who's excited for mommy being home?" she carries her cat the moment she steps in front of her, "you're hungry, baby? I brought us drumsticks for dinner! You're getting a treat for mommy's celebration!" her cat meowed louder, getting feral for the chicken smell intoxicating her nostrils.