Broken Warrior

Hopes and Dreams

Eliza

I had watched the conversation between Carbry and Eirene from my desk, though they were speaking an old dialect that my basic knowledge of the language did not prepare me for. A lack of understanding most of what they were saying caused me to turn to mundane administration while my eyes flickered to the screen every so often. I was still working when Carbry finished and walked past my desk with an expression that brooked no conversation.

I paused to watch him walk into his office, then walk out shortly afterwards, carrying a still sleeping Meriwa in his arms. When he was gone, presumably back to his apartment to process whatever had happened, Tim similarly rotated the team out and sent some of the others home to rest and decompress from a long several days.

"You should go home too, Eliza." Tim sounded exhausted, he looked exhausted, standing in front of me, his hair messy from his hand being run through it.

"I will, I'm just finishing up a few things." I offered him a smile, before nodding toward the elevator. "You heading home?"

"I sent Sam a text to meet me here. I want to be on hand if anything happens, so I'm staying in one of the spare apartments." He rubbed the back of his neck, frowning and glancing around.

"Ryker and Daryl are likewise in one of the apartments. Ryke seems to be doing better." I offered, giving him a knowing look. "If anything changes while I'm here, I'll call you first thing."

I lied.

I was only going to call him if it was something that he needed to worry about. And judging by the fact that Eirene still hadn't stirred from where she lay on the floor, I didn't think anything would happen. The blood hadn't been touched, no one needed to go in or out of that room until she did finish the bottles.

Tim watched me for a moment, giving me his best 'boss' glare. "An hour, Liza. You need a break."

"Of course, Tim." I was already turning back to work, knowing, even as he turned to walk to the elevator, that I was going to be much longer than that. He would growl at me if he came back before I was gone, but Tim's growls were worse than his bite and I was suddenly inspired to work on a new idea.

I took the concept of a safe haven that Knight Corp had invested in and expanded it beyond a place for families and people to go to be protected after suffering. I wanted us to provide for kids or lost souls to heal while protected, and I changed it.

A centre to rehabilitate the people who wanted to change. I did not know much about it, but humans had been running healing lodges, rehabilitation of child soldiers, peace centres and spin dry centres for decades. With all the fighting against the Hunters and even what we supernaturals did to one another, there had to be an alternative to a jail cell for those who wished to join our philosophy but were too damaged to do so. I don't know if I thought I could save Eirene with such a concept, I don't know if I wanted to.

I was so lost in my research and how we could translate it into our own philosophy, that I didn't notice Daryl until he walked up to my desk and put a coffee cup down on it.

"Ryker went out for a patrol of the city. I couldn't sleep." He offered when I looked up to him. "What are you working on?"

I shifted back in my chair, stretching and picking up the coffee cup, taking a sip and smiling. Like Ryker, Daryl had a good memory for the small details, like what kind of latte I liked. "You know that project you worked on when you first came on board here?"

Daryl inclined his head, taking a drink of his own coffee as he leaned a hip against the desk. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, obviously Ryker's, as Daryl usually only wore wranglers and a button-down shirt with boots. "Yeah. It just got up and running a couple days ago."

"Do you think you could do it... but... for people... like us...?" I flicked my eyes toward the screen, where Eirene still lay motionless.

His eyes followed mine and when I turned to look at him, I saw a brief glimpse into the depth of the man that most of us rarely saw. It was so easy to assume that Daryl was a simple, easy going but not very complicated kind of guy. He hid most of his mind and thoughts behind a charming smile and an affable personality, keeping people at a distance from whatever depths he had.

"Yes. I can't do up a full concept but give me a couple hours with what you have, and I can add some rough info into it." He offered me a careful smile, before nodding toward the elevator with a pointed look.

"I've got most of what I can do for now done. It's mainly research but have a look at it." I quickly sent the files to his email, and when he pulled out his phone and gave it a quizzical look, I laughed and walked him through how to open them on his phone and one of the computers.

"Well if you've done everything. How about I work on this for a couple hours, and you go get some rest?" There was that charming smile of his, as he slid his phone into his back pocket. "I'll see what I can come up with for you."

"Vampires don't sleep, Daryl." I laughed though, standing and moving to kiss his cheek."But some time to turn off my brain would be nice. Don't tell Tim how late I was here, ok?"

I glanced at the windows, which were tinted and shaded, making it hard to guess what time it was. Day, Night. We had been running on such a weird schedule for so long I no longer knew. I had no idea when Tim had left and had stopped watching the clock long before that. I did not need sleep but a few hours to loosen the focus of my mind would be nice.

"My lips are sealed, Darling." Daryl winked and inclined his head and I know that if he had his hat on still, he would have tipped it to me.

I paused, my eyes falling onto the screen once more, frowning. I had resisted really contemplating what my feelings were. But seeing Eirene still laying there, looking so broken, made my heart hurt and made me half tempted to go speak with her.

Steeling myself against that though, I shook my head and finally turned away from my desk, grinning to Daryl and walking toward the elevator. "Thanks Daryl!"

The man's gaze was gentle but knowing as he watched me, his typical half-grin replaced by a slight pout, though I struggled to guess what he could be thinking about all this.

I told myself I would only take a couple hours.

I intended to be back working before Carbry returned and have most of the annoying details cleared from our inboxes before they could weigh down on his mind. I also found myself hoping that Daryl would have something that I could include with what I was going to pitch to Car. For some reason, the hope of that idea and what it could mean buoyed my bruised soul.