Hello Mz. Hyde (Andy Hurley)

Chapter 2- The Reckless and The Brave

Andy's POV

*BEEP BEEP BEEP* My alarm went off at its usual time; 7:00 AM, I immediately slammed the snooze and went back to sleep. Five minutes later, I heard footsteps come in my room with my other alarm that I can't avoid.

"Daddy! Wake up Daddy!" Clara jumped up and down on my bed.

"Nooooooo" I grumbled, hiding my smile and covering my head with a pillow. "Five more minutes."

"No Daddy. Wake up sleepyhead!" She giggled. The bouncing stopped and I felt a small hand grab mine and tug on my pillow. I playfully pulled back, but eventually "gave up" and let her tug the pillow away.

I propped myself up in bed and found a little ball of energy with reddish brown curls and wide blue green eyes staring up at me, holding my pillow with one arm and holding her teddy bear in the other. I climbed out of bed and scooped her up in my arms.

"Good morning Clara-Bear." I grinned at her, messing with her hair.

"Good morning Daddy." She clung to my t-shirt like a koala as we made it down the stairs, still holding onto her teddy.

"So what do you want for breakfast kiddo?" I asked as she climbed off me.

"Cheerios!" She exclaimed. I pulled down the box of Cheerios and poured two bowls, one for each of us. Mine had soy milk in it, while Clara's just had regular milk. Clara climbed into a chair at the kitchen table and put her teddybear in the chair next to her.

After breakfast, I showered, and got ready for work while she sat in my bed and watched Sailor Moon, she really liked that show. I grabbed a blue button down shirt and a pair of black slacks and threw them on. I grabbed my badge from my nightstand and my gun and holster from a locked drawer in my closet. I clipped them both to my belt then turned my attention to the little one in my bed.

Once I finally got her dressed in her favorite sweater with red hearts all over it and a pair of jeans, I had to go. The doorbell rang and I ran downstairs to answer it.

"Jack, good to see you." I welcomed the lanky, skunk-haired teenager.

"Morning Mr. Hurley." He nodded, peeling off his outer layer of coats. Jack Barakat was Clara's babysitter whenever I had to go into the station. He was homeschooled, which was a huge help during weekdays.

"Jacky!!!" Clara exclaimed, running down the stairs and latching onto him.

"Hey Squirt!" He picked her up and spun her around before putting her back down.

"Thanks for keeping an eye on her for me." I thanked Jack, grabbing my coat and a pair of gloves. "There's some leftovers in the fridge for lunch later. Just heat it up in the oven and you're good to go. If you're hungry later,there are snacks in the pantry. You have my cell number and all the emergency contacts are all on the fridge just in case." I went through my mental checklist for him. "I'll be home around 5."

"Got it Mr. Hurley." Jack nodded.

I knelt down to Clara and kissed her forehead. "Be good for Jacky sweetheart."

She nodded, making her little curls bounce with each nod. "I will Daddy." She gave me a knuckle pound like we always did when I left for work. I gave Jack one last wave goodbye and headed out into the cold.

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"Hurleyyyyyyyy." My partner, Matt, groaned, flicking paper clips at me.

"What?" I looked up from my computer.

"I'm booooorrrreeeeedddddd." He whined. "Are you sure there isn't a case we can take?" He leaned over to my desk.

I quickly leafed through the files on my desk, nothing. "Nope, not a single one." I slumped back in my chair in complete boredom.

Matt pulled out his gun and put it on his desk, spinning it on its side out of complete boredom.

"Dude, put that away!" I exclaimed. "Remember what happened last time?" I asked in a parental tone.

Matt turned bright red and groaned in frustration. "That was an accident and you know it."

I laughed. "You shot at the ceiling three times in a row. How was that an accident?"

He rolled his eyes and went back to whatever was on his computer. Soon after, my phone went off in my pocket. I immediately thought it was Jack, so I answered without even checking the caller ID. Big mistake.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Hurley!" Pete's caffeine fueled voice filled my ears.

I sighed. "Hey Pete. What's up?" Matt's ears pricked up.

"Quick question, do you have any plans for Valentines Day?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Nothing, really. Why?"

"I've got a friend who was willing to let me set her up on a date and I was thinking you should go out with her." He explained.

My stomach dropped. "Uh, are you sure that's a really good idea?"

Pete laughed. "Becca's a smart girl. She wouldn't let me do something like this unless she 100% trusted me. So, what do you say?"

I shrugged again. "I dunno."

Pete sighed in frustration. "Andy, it's been, what, two years?"

"Two and a half." I corrected him. "Joanna and I have been divorced for two and a half years. I haven't talked to or seen her since I got full custody of Clara."

I could tell Pete was rolling his eyes. "Either way, it's been long enough. Come on, Becca's totally your type. She loves rock music, she plays guitar, does crossfit, and she'd totally be into you!" He sounded really sure about her. "Just one date, please? I swear if it falls through I'll never bug you about it again." Pete bargained. "Clara can even come over and play with Bronx while you're gone! I'll pay for a sitter."

I sighed in frustration, knowing I wasn't going to win this one. "Fine, one date." I huffed.

Pete cheered from the other end of the line. "Yes! You're not gonna regret this Hurley!" He cheered before hanging up. I shoved my phone back into my pocket and went back to my work.

"What was that about?" Matt asked, turning back from his computer with curiousity in his eyes.

"I just got a date for Valentine's Day." I explained to him. His eyes widened in surprise and words failed to come out of his mouth.

I thought about Pete's offer for the rest of the day. Maybe this year, Valentines Day won't be such a fool's holiday.