As I Was

Two

"Ready?"

Harper was grinning as she leaned against the door frame of Ange's office. For the first time in as long as she could remember she was out of her office and ready to leave at five pm on the dot and it was all down to Riley Watson.

"Wow," Ange replied as she shut down her computer and got to her feet "I knew my boy was pushy but getting Harper Rhodes to leave work on time? I'm actually proud."

"You're hilarious," she replied, rolling her eyes as Ange slipped her jacket on. She had been invited to the Watson household every Friday night since she had started at the museum and it was definitely one of the highlights of her week "I did make it worth his while though," she added with a smirk as she tapped her bag with her right hand. Though she normally ended up arriving late to dinner she always made sure to bring gifts to make up for it and Ange was pretty adamant Harper was Captain America superfan Riley's favourite person.

"You spoil him," Ange tutted as the duo ventured into the hallway and she locked her office door behind them.

Harper shrugged as she smiled shyly and shifted the strap of her bag further onto her shoulder "Wouldn't want to be demoted now would I?" she said in reply, her eyes dropping to the floor for a few seconds. As a girl not entirely used to having family around her she was forever grateful that Ange had let her into her life.

Plus she kind of enjoyed being someone's favourite person.

"Like that would ever happen!" Ange snorted in amusement. Once Harper paid a visit it was difficult to get her son to stop talking about her, he'd repeat stories she told him, hang posters she gifted him and constantly asked how long it was until Friday "Anyone would swear he had a little cru-ush!" she added nudging Harper's arm with her elbow.

"Oh shush you," Harper glared "Riley would kill you if he heard you saying things like that!"

"And Georgie would never stop teasing I know, I know," Ange chuckled as they scanned their passes and walked through to the museum car park "You really don't realise how hot you actually are though y'know Harps!"

She rolled her eyes and ignored the comment as she climbed into the passenger side of Ange's car, only living a block away from the museum she had no use for a car of her own so catching a ride was a bit of a luxury "I suppose if I did exhibits on One Direction or Justin Bieber I'd be right in there with Georgie," she mused letting out her own chuckle, Ange's fourteen year old daughter had reached the age where 'superheroes' had been replaced with boy bands and celebrities so the gifts Harper could bring for Riley were a bit lost on her.

"I wish you would, I could use my own personal spy," Ange smirked as she started the engine. Georgina had definitely entered the more secretive part of her life, hiding up in her room on her computer instead of joining in with the family "I am impressed you remembered those names though! You never stop surprising me Harper Rhodes!"

As the two women laughed, Harper leaning forward to turn on the radio, neither noticed the man watching them from the shadows. The headlights of Ange's car glinting against the cold silver metal on his left.

"Harper!!" Riley exclaimed racing down the stairs and practically leaping into Harper's arms, not taking into consideration that she was midway through taking her coat off.

"Whoaaa little man," she said with a chuckle as she allowed the coat to drop to the floor so she was able to return his welcoming hug "We talked about this," she continued with a fake look of irritation on her face before she pressed a loud smack of a kiss onto his cheek.

"Sorry H," Ange's husband, Jack, said breathlessly as he followed his son's path in a jog, leaning over to drop a quick and welcoming kiss onto her cheekbone "Come over for food and leave with a broken rib," he said as he tickled Riley's side before lifting him up out of Harper's way.