Watch Me

Nick pulled his Toyota Land Cruiser up to his house/paint factory/fome. He was tired from another long day at work, but not tired enough to ignore the small, sleek, black car sitting in front of his garage.

He didn't recognize it.

Nick parked his car quickly and jumped out, drawing his gun. He worried that Black Claw had found him, but he worried more that Black Claw might have found Adalind and his son. Nick had already racked the slide of his Glock, so he was ready to send a bullet through the intruder of his home.

He had to hurry. He had to be quiet. He had to help Adalind and his son.

It was dark outside. The only light came from intermittently placed street lights and the moon. Nick silently jogged up to the foreign car and crouched along its side until he reached the driver's side door. He pulled it open and found that the car was completely empty - of everything. There were no wrappers, phones, wallets, files. Nick leaned over the seat and opened the center console and the glove box. They were empty, too. Nick searched around in the dark car for a button that would open the trunk until he realized that the lack of people in the car meant that those people were in his house.

Screw the trunk. He would check it out later if he could... If something didn't happen to him after he went inside.

Nick jogged along the side of the building until he reached the small set of stairs (they must have once been a fire escape) that led to a door on the second story. Still looking over his shoulders, Nick climbed the staircase quietly and listened for sounds that could give him clues as to what was happening.

He realized he could hear Kelly crying.

Nick held his gun in one hand while he used the other to unlock the door at the top of the stairs with one of the keys on his keyring. It was hard to be quiet, so he was trying to be quick. He heard the lock click and threw the door open. It cracked against the wall with a bang. Nick threw himself through the doorway with his gun drawn.

He glanced around the room, his eyes searching for any kind of threat.

He saw a figure sitting at the counter. They turned around.

"Hi, Nick." Trubel said casually as she turned to look at Nick. She had an amused smirk on her face. Nick realized that the sleek, unfamiliar car must have been hers. He also realized that she had been watching him panic and carefully make his way to the house on the small TV that displayed footage from the security cameras.

"Trubel?" Nick asked, lowering his gun. He felt a little embarrassed and the look on Trubel's face wasn't helping. "What are you doing here? You didn't tell me you were coming," he said, changing the subject. He holstered his gun.

"She didn't tell me, either," Adalind said, holding a crying Kelly. "Welcome home," she told Nick.

Nick walked over to her, watching his sobbing son with concern. "What's wrong with him?"

Adalind smiled tiredly. "He's been a little cranky today." Adalind's expression became excited; she had an idea. "I think he needs some Daddy time."

Nick took Kelly into his arms and smiled like seeing his son was the best part of his day. "Hey, Big Guy," he said gently, bouncing Kelly slightly. "What's wrong?"

Kelly was still crying, but the volume and force had died down until it was just a small whimper. "Did you need some Daddy time?" Nick asked.

Trubel laughed in the corner. Nick wasn't the kind of guy who just walked around saying mushy stuff like, "Daddy time."

Nick's eyes narrowed at her, but he kept smiling. "What do you think, Kelly?" he asked, looking back down at his son. Kelly stopped crying completely and even started to smile.