Hold me closer

Being the hero

Quinn's head was pounding with the music. They had been at the club for two hours, and she was growing impatient. Nia seemed to be getting progressivly more drunk, and so did the people around her. Quinn couldn't help but worry about her in her vurnorable state, especially with everything that was going on right then. Sure, her dad wasn't mainstream to your average working person, but to people in business he was well known. And he was especially well known to rich and powerful people.

With the amout of money Mr Nazari and his family owned, they could never go out of business. If you looked to the criminal records around him, there seemed to be nobody he couldn't buy. And with a name that big, everyone associated with it was likely in danger at all times. Quinn's train of thought was interrupted by Gao, speaking over the radio. "Do we have a profile on that guy she's getting all close and comfy with?" Quinn watched Nia as she danced dangerously close to a man her age, moving her hips along with the music.

"Reagan, you got the tools to check that out?" She was tensing up, readying herself to act fast in case she needed to. "I'm on it." Quinn watched the guy's hands on Nia's hips, moving slowly up and down, teasing her. Something about him felt completely off, but she couldn't narrow it down.

She read the guy's lips as he asked Nia if she wanted to go somewhere private. Nia made a gesture with her head towards the bathrooms and the guy just grinned. And that was the moment where Quinn realised what a mistake she had made. When the guy turned around, something in his pocket was glistening in the lights. He had a gun.

"Cole, get in there now!" Reagan had also seen the gun, but if Quinn assumed right, he was stood on the balcony. She started moving through the crowd towards Nia, being pushed back and forth by dancing people. She did her very best to not be noticed by the guy, a hostage situation was the last thing she needed. Nia was moving further out of Quinn's sight, but she wouldn't let her go. She finally caught up to them on the outskirts of the crowded dance floor.

Adrennaline was pumping through her body and her heart was beating fast as she saw the guy reaching for his gun. Quinn wasn't afraid of dangerous situations, but she didn't enjoy the rush either. Not any more. She reached her hand out and grabbed the guy's shoulder. As soon as he turned around, face to face with Quinn, she threw him a hard punch in the face with her other hand. He fell to the floor and people all around them turned their heads. Nia let out a gasp and took a step back when she understood what had just happened, and then turned to Quinn, angry.

"What the fuck! You can't ju..." She stopped when Quinn turned him around on the floor and his gun could be seen clearly. Not many seconds later, Gao and Reagan were there to pick him up off the floor. Quinn looked at Nia who stood there with big eyes, fixed on the spot at the floor where the gun had been. Quinn put a hand on her arm, holding her steady as she felt her knees weaken. "Look at me. Look at me!" Nia finally turned her head to face Quinn. "You're going to be fine. Okay? I'm going to get you out of here. Stay behind me. Got it?"

Her heart was still pumping fast, fully aware that enemies could still turn up at any corner. Nia nodded slowly and Quinn started walking, dragging her along by her arm. Safe House was a rather big club, but Quinn knew her way around it perfectly. As per standard protocol the car was to meet them outside the staff exit, so that's where they headed. She shoved the guard at the door out of her way and was hit by the cold evening air as they stepped outside.

Quinn instantly looked around for the car, which was parked on the other side of the street behind a big tree. She walked quickly with Nia in toll, gun drawn and at the ready. Quinn heard footsteps behind her and turned around to see a man following them with his hand on a gun. She aimed for his right arm and took the shot, which made him fall on his knees and drop his weapon. Quinn hurried to get Nia into the car, sat next to her in the back seat and let a single word through her grinned teeth. "Drive."

Five minutes later

When Quinn considered them officially out of harm's way, she finally stopped yelling at the driver for parking so far away. She turned to Nia, only to see her shaking body and the tears in her eyes. Quinn had no idea until then that Nia hadn't been in a situation like that before. Quinn took both of her hands in her own, hugged them and tried to reassure her. "You're safe. You're going to be okay. You're safe now."

Quinn was filled with shock as she noticed how strongly her urge to protect Nia affected her. The need to be the hero was always there for her, but with this girl... It was like a drug. Like an unstoppable force that set her heart on fire. Because that's what it felt like when her heart was beating out of her chest like never before. Nia burst out crying and Quinn took her into her strong arms. She held her close and still for a long time until her sobbing and shaking stopped.

Quinn pushed a strand of Nia's hair out of her face and looked into her shiny, deep brown eyes. She wanted to be there for her forever, if only to make sure no one could ever hurt her again. "You're safe with me." As soon as the words left Quinn's lips, her mind was back in 2014. She had to use every muscle in her face to keep the tears away. That's our words. Quinn pulled away from Nia, gently but hastily. She spoke to herself in her head to try to spare herself the pain. No going back to 2014. No going back to her.