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Realistic or Modern More Than An Assignment

The white box on Cian's chair gave him quite the surprise, especially with Alannah's absence. Thea had given him the heads up that Alannah had gone home ahead of him and Cian couldn't help the small bit of disappointment that had moved through him. It wasn't in his contract to drive her home, but he had grown quite fond of the time those moments in his car allowed. The box however drew his lonely thoughts away from the foreground of his mind and he bent to read the note. Alannah's handwriting was simple and neat, and he grinned down at the package and lifted a corner of the box to peek down at the dark grey material. This thumb stroked over the fabric and he was surprised to find it soft and lightweight.

Cian drove home like a mad man, the white box burning a hole in his passenger seat. He rushed up the stairs to his own little apartment and made a beeline for the ensuite bathroom. A floor to ceiling mirror greeted him at the end of the narrow bath, and Cian quickly stripped down to his boxers and opened up the present from Alannah. He was dressed within a matter of minutes and began to twist and turn in front of mirror as he took in the sight of him in a suit. He nodded slowly at his reflection, his lips pursing as he adjusted his cuffs. He was grateful to Alannah for her thoughtfulness of excluding the tails and ties. Because Cian was a bit of a weirdo behind closed doors he narrowed his eyes at his reflection and lifted both of his fists. His feet bounced him up and down like a boxer about to land his first strike.
"You talking to me?" He murmured and threw a few experimental punches in the air. The suit moved effortlessly with him and Cian made a mental note to ask Alannah for the tailors information. His friend could certainly dress him anytime if this was what she brought to the table, he was hard pressed to admit it but perhaps he'd change his position on suits. Not ties though... Those infernal pieces of fabric be damned.

In his excitement Cian was ready far too early, and he spent a good long while pacing back and forth in his apartment as some of Alannah's Bollywood music filtered out of his home speakers. Finally when the clock said twenty minutes till seven, Cian left his apartment with a little skip in his step. Fancy parties and schmoozing were certainly not his thing, but seeing Alannah in action and winning one of her beautiful smiles was.

He found himself outside her apartment twenty minutes later, Cian kept his eyes peeled on the entrance; waiting for the familiar form of Alannah. When she stepped out into the night air his breath seemed to trap itself in his lungs. For a long moment he took in the brightly colourful dress that clung to her. One leg peeked out from the slit of her dress and Cian caught the glow of the street lamp on her calf. Her hair was a loose frame around her face, and he caught the curve of a pink lip as she lifted a hand to greet him. Remembering himself Cian fumbled for the car door, and exited the car to greet her.

"Alannah. Wow... Uh." Cian was at a loss for words, and he did his best to keep his eyes on her face and not the rest of her very appealing features. "You look like one of those super woman spies." Cian winced a little at his strange compliment and lifted an hand to the back of his neck. "Sorry I mean you look beautiful." Alannah's grin made him feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside and he moved to open the passenger door for her. "Thank you for the suit. If I knew suits didn't have to be all warm and scratchy I think I would have made less of a fuss." He winked at her and once she was safely in and her dress was out of the way for the door he pressed the door shut.

The drive to the Gala went easily, they spoke of rematches in Mario Cart and Cian explained the premise of one of his favourite movies. The Gala was to be held at the Kirkbridge museum, and as they approached bright spotlights sent bright beams of light into the evening air. The museum was an older building, with stone columns carved with cherubs and floral ornamentation holding up a deeply sloped roof. Wide stone stairs were covered in red carpet and framed with large bursting floral displays. At the top of the stairs a sculpture of a T-rex skeleton was also lit and ornately decorated with the same florals. Cian exited the car and thanked the valet who took the keys.

"I thought only movie stars went to fancy things like this." Cian half whispered to Alannah as he approached her. Maybe it was the romantic music that filtered through the air, or the smell of lavender the lined the walk way. Perhaps it was just way way she looked, all feminine and powerful, Cian wasn't sure what made him do it. Lifting his arm he offered it to her and as she gripped the crook of his arm his free hand came to rest over her small fingers. "Shall we?" He asked.
 
At about the same time that Cian stepped out of his car did Alannah's brown eyes fall to his suit, her lips naturally pulling into a smile at the sight of him. Her breath left her in a swift exhale and she found her steps slowing naturally so that she could take in the full length sight of him. Wow. Wow.

The grey suit fit snugly enough that it showed off the curve of the muscles of his arms, but it didn't look uncomfortable, not at all. There was a sheen to the material that sat nicely against his darker skin and the white of his shirt was crisp and reflected in dark shining eyes. In short, Cian looked unbelievably handsome, with his boyish smile and shining eyes. Alannah thought he always did of course, but tonight there was something special about the way he was looking at her and if she had held up a mirror to herself she would have seen the same look reflected back to her in her own expression. Something that closely resembled surprise, a realisation and also... something more. Eyes now sparkling upon her approach, her smile turned into more of a grin at Cian's reaction, the blush of her cheeks naturally heightened at the compliment. "Yeah, you think so?" She held out her hands and looked down at herself, as if trying to see what he saw. "I'm glad you think so, because superwoman spy is exactly the look I was going for." The statement came out with a giggle before she bit her lip to soften her expression into sincerity. "Thank you though."

Watching him move around to hold open her door, her smile, and the giddy little skipping of her heart remained firmly in place, even when she stepped towards the car with one hand resting upon the top of the frame. "You're welcome. I'm so glad it fits you. I knew I was taking a risk but I just had a sixth sense about the measurements I gave the tailor. Superwoman spy shit, you see." Alannah tapped her temple but despite her grin, she ensured that she stopped before getting into the car so that her and Cian's eyes met properly. "You look really good, Cian. Truly." Trying to ignore how his little wink ignited something that closely resembled a fire in her stomach, Alannah eventually clambered into her side of the car and soon settled into the easy to and fro that they were accustomed to once they set off. It was only when the shining spotlights of the museum could be seen shooting up into the sky did the small politician fall quiet, mainly to marvel over the beautiful sight in front of them.

Kirkbridge museum was a stunning building, even more so when it had been done up with a red carpet, bouquets of flowers and fancy lights. There was something fairytale like about standing outside of it, with a man who she had become particularly close to over the past few days, and while the two of them were dressed in some of their finest clothing. There was so much anticipation for what the night held for her line of work, but also for something on a more personal level too, a feeling which only seemed to increase when Cian approached Alannah, and held out his arm for her to take. All she could currently think about was how small her hand felt wrapped around the sleeve of his suit jacket, and how warm his fingers felt on top of hers and without even thinking about it, she split them open slightly so his fell between her own, almost as though they were holding hands but not quite. Looking up at him, she held his gaze for a moment. "Mm, politicians get their fair share of fancy too," she smiled, "And thankfully, so do their awesome bodyguards." Then giving his arm a final squeeze, she started to guide them towards the plush red carpet, not as a politician and her bodyguard as she had just said, but as Cian and Alannah, ready to enjoy an evening together.

There were numerous blinding flashes from various cameras as they wandered arm in arm up the steps, Alannah stopping occasionally for photographs but keeping Cian firmly tucked by her side. More than once there were yelled questions of who her plus one was, and she was well aware of how they probably looked but right now she just... didn't care. Cian was her plus one, and her bodyguard and if anybody who wasn't a yelling photographer asked, that's exactly what she would tell them. Neither of them had anything to hide, they had stuck to their professionalism so there was no reason not for them to enjoy each others' company while working together, or at least that's what she tried to convince herself of, anyway. By the time that they had finally made their way into the foyer of the museum, Alannah made a beeline for a waiter who stood with a silver tray of drinks and plucked a champagne flute from the top of it. "Hey, you want one?" She asked Cian, turning to face him before taking a sip. "I feel like I need it after all of that flashing. I'm currently seeing two of you McRannall, and I'm not sure how I feel about that much handsome all up in my vision."
 
Their eyes met as Alannah's fingers opened, his own finding rest in the spaces there. For one breathless moment they did nothing, Cian did his best to memorize the pout of lips, the ethereal glow that seemed to dust over her cheek bones. He wanted to remember the feel of her against his side, the subtle scent of coconut. He was brought of his daze with the squeeze of her hand over his bicep. This compliment and the one that echoed in his mind from the car had Cian feeling brave enough to face the press he knew waited at the top of the stairs.
"Then let's get fancy." He told her as they moved forward, over the plush red carpet and into the eager embrace of camera flashes. Cian followed Alannah's lead, pausing to let her pose for photos. He kept his gaze on the crowd, looking for any threats that might try to take the both of them by surprise. When Alannah didn't entertain any of the presumptuous questions he allowed himself a moment to look down at the proud woman on his arm and smile down at her.

The moment was captured by the press and with one final shout for answers that was denied, Cian and Alannah entered the foyer. The red carpeting gave way to white marble floors and tastefully placed signage that encouraged guests to mingle and bid on the silent auction items placed in the deep water exhibit. The main dining area was set against a back drop of cultural artifacts from all over the world, while dancing took place among ancient dinosaurs. Alannah led him straight towards a waiter holding champagne flutes and Cian felt like he was in a movie. She called him handsome then and he blinked down at her in surprise. Unable to help himself he lifted a hand and placed the back of his hand against her forehead.
"You feeling alright sunshine? Three compliments in the space of an hour." He paused and then let his hand drop as he spoke. "Sure, I can only have one though. Can't let these godlike reflexes dull." He grinned at her and took the glass she offered him, not even realizing he had let his own private nickname for her slip into the real world.

If the week together had shown Cian one thing, it was that Alannah personified the bright happy colours she had painted her apartment. They clinked their glasses together and Cian took a sample of the bright bubbly champagne. It exploded over his tongue and he looked down at the flute surprised.
"Today I've also learned that champagne can taste good." He was about to say something more when the two of them were approached by a rather young looking man. The first think Cian noticed about the man was his dull grey blue eyes, it almost felt like there was something lifeless about him. Even when the man flashed one of those smiles with all teeth, his eyes remained the same.
"Miss. Heshmati, such a pleasure to see you. I'm Adam West. May I show you to your seat?" Adam offered his hand to the politician, his gaze only briefly taking in Cian. "I believe we've got you situated near the stage. We've got some really great performances on tonight. Have you ever been here before?"
 
Cian's hand coming to rest gently against her forehead had Alannah's nose wrinkling as she pretended to playfully bat him away. To his question though, her own hand came up to cover a shocked, open mouthed expression. "Oh my god you're right. What is wrong with me? Maybe I really am sick." Her performance was followed by a soft cackle, before they both clinked their glasses and took sips of champagne. Alannah had not failed to notice Cian's nickname for her, although perhaps she didn't realise that it was something he had invented for her specifically. Either way though she liked it and the feeling she had felt when she'd heard him call Thea love for the first time in that soft lilt of his washed over her and settled somewhere in her chest. Hearing Cian talk to her like this felt... comforting, exciting and homely all at once.

She had just been about to smile and comment upon his review of the bubbly when they were interrupted by a familiar face that Alannah could only place from what she had seen of him in the news. This was... Adam West. The name came to her at the same time that he spoke it and for the briefest of moments she felt a cold tingle wash down her spine as she met the icy grey eyes of the taller man who now stood in front of her, holding out his hand. It took her several moments to register that she was looking at a human man and not a shark with those lifeless, predatory eyes that examined her as though she were his next prey and after a few moments she sucked in a breath, realising that she hadn't yet reacted and quickly forcing her best professional smile onto pink lips.

"It's good to meet you too, Mr West. I've heard a lot about you and I have to say that this... this is all very impressive." She took his hand firmly and they shook before releasing once more. "Thank you for inviting me." The man waved his hand as if to say no bother. "That would be great, thank you. I'm really looking forward to watching the show." Adam's follow up question however, was punctuated with a gesture from his arm, as though he expected her to take it in a similar fashion to how she had Cian's just a few moments ago. Alannah looked at her bodyguard briefly before stepping towards Adam and placing her hand in the crease of his inner arm, her body tense as it tried to hold itself away from his side. In the back of her mind, a small alarm sounded, a reminder that this was one of the men who could have been responsible for her almost death but instead of paying mind to it, she tried to focus on his questions, reminding herself that Cian was right here, right behind her.

"I have, a couple of times actually. I used to come a lot as a child. The free admission to the static exhibitions helped out my parents a lot in the school holidays. I've never quite seen the place looking like this though. It's very beautiful." Before Adam had a chance to react however, Alannah spun slightly to find Cian's dark eyes once more, drawing brief comfort from them as they locked onto hers. "Oh my apologies Mr West, where are my manners? Please let me introduce you to my plus one for this evening. This is Cian McRannall." Adam's grey eyes took in the larger man who had stood like a shadow by Alannah's side before holding his hand out once more. "Pleasure," he murmured, before proceeding to whisk the politician away to her seat as promised.

The room that held the stage was just as breath taking as all of the others; a grand chandelier hung in the middle of an ornately designed, painted ceiling and large, Greek like pillars that were clothed in red drapes and flowers stood situated at various points around the room. There was easily over thirty tables with red, velvet chairs pulled up to each one, polished silver adorning the tops of them and floral decorations in vases sat upon each one that filled the room with more lavender. It looked very much like a palace fit for royalty, and if she had not been on the arm of a potential criminal, she might have lost herself in her childhood dream of being a princess.

"Here we are," Adam gestured to the table most central to viewing the stage, Alannah's eyes widened in surprise. She had expected to be stuffed somewhere in the back corner, not front and centre to the whole event. "As our special guest, my father has seen to it that you have the best view for the show, Miss Heshmati," Adam reassured her. "He hopes to make your acquaintance later on in the evening." Alannah, once again glanced at Cian before nodding, that same false smile plastered upon her lips. "I'll look forward to it, Mr West. And please, do thank your father for me if I do not see him before the show starts. These seats really are truly something."
 
As a bodyguard Cian was quite used to seamlessly blending into the background and being ignored. So it came as no surprise to him when the West barely gave him a second glance. Cian had been all too prepared to follow as a shadow and keep an eye on the man that seemed to be sizing up Alannah like she was prey. Alannah however stopped Adam from moving further with a word, her hand gesturing to him as she made introductions. Despite the strange tension that had settled over them, Cian's heart did a little flip in his chest when Alannah called him a plus one. The two men shook hands in greeting and Cian had the insane urge to find the nearest hand sanitizing station after that handshake.

The stage seating came as a surprise to Cian as well as Adam led them down the front row and two the very middle seats that had been marked as taken by a small bundle of lavender and a card that said reserved. Adam made a great show of removing the card and tucking it away before presenting Alannah with the small bundle of flowers.
"They suit your dress." Adam told her and Cian fumed a little because damn, the man was right. There was a ding of the museums intercom clicking to life and a cheery voice asked the guests to take their seats as the show was about to begin. "I'll see you after the show. Perhaps you'll save a dance for me?" Adam said, his eyes looking at Alannah, thought he couldn't seem to meet her eyes for more than a second. Adam stepped away and Cian watched his retreating back for a few moments.

All around them people began to find their seats and Cian and Alannah did the same. Before sitting Cian grabbed the small bundle of flowers that had marked his seat and he slid them into his breast pocket for safe keeping. He was about to make a joke about the situation but the words got caught in his throat as an idea occurred to him.
"This... isn't normal right?" He asked Alannah, leaning in to whisper to her as the noise level of the room rose with the number of guests. "I mean, I don't know much about this job but this feels weird to me." Cian's gaze swept around the room before coming back to rest on Alannah's contemplative face. "If there's anything I could do to make things feel more normal I'll do my best." He promised her. "Heck we could even dance if you wanted..." Cian's face flushed a little, but he was saved from continuing his rambling as the lights went down on the audience and the stage lights went up.

The show was spectacular, bringing in local entertainers ranging from musicians to a group that preformed a traditional dragon dance. Cian and Alannah clapped along with the crowd, whispering to one another which entertainers they had enjoyed the most. Cian of course was all in on the magician who had turned the age old trick on its head and made it look like he had pulled a hat from a rabbit. Cian was reduced to fits of silent laughter at the unique performance.
 
Alannah had no idea what Adam West meant by their 'special guest'. She was sure that this was perhaps something that he said to lots of different people at the event, but she couldn't help but feel there was something about the way he had said it, like he wanted her to pay special attention to the fact. It was no secret that her and the West family had opposing visions of what Kirkbridge should look like. Their family were all business, rumoured alongside other such endeavours, they weren't interested in cutting taxes or public spending on the public. Therefore, it felt odd that they should invite Alannah to an event like this as something other than a simple attendee - to not invite her at all would look petty, but to give her special treatment? That seemed to be going above and beyond and she couldn't quite place why. Something in the back of her mind was trying to force her to think about the rumours, the rumours that they wanted her dead and out of the way but she knew that she couldn't think about that right now, not unless she wanted to launch into full on panic mode. So instead, Alannah accepted the small bundle of flowers that were passed her way and murmured a "Perhaps. Thank you, Mr West," to the man in question before he slinked away.

Now that the intercom had instructed everyone to their seats, Alannah and Cian shuffled into their own as the crowds did, her expression pensive as she tucked the bundle of flowers into her clasp bag, out of sight and out of mind. In fact, she had been deep in thought when Cian spoke up again, and she turned to him with raised eyebrows and a small "Hmm?" before leaning in to catch his whisper. This meant that they actually only a few centimetres from each other and her brown eyes dropped briefly to his mouth as they spoke until she panicked he might notice and looked into his eyes once more. Despite her slight distraction though, he had a point, one that she had been considering herself only moments ago. It made Alannah feel better to know that once again, Cian was on the same page as her.

"It is a little weird," Alannah agreed, but then stopped to listen to her bodyguard try to make light of the strange situation. Her eyes skittered across his features, corners of her lips turning up into an amused smile. She had just been about to poke fun at his offer of a dance (before jumping to accept of course), when the lights went down and the stage suddenly lit up before them and she found herself making a mental note to revisit the suggestion a little later on.

The acts were nothing short of phenomenal, including the old school magician who almost resorted both Cian and Alannah to tears of laughter. She only noticed that her companion was laughing when she caught his shoulders shaking, and she looked at him incredulously at first, before the giggles caught her too. There was just something about seeing Cian creased over, using his thumb to wipe a tear from his eye that felt infectious and by the time that the magician pretended to conjure a dead dove, Alannah was in hysterics too. Every so often she'd pretend to slap Cian's arm and try to whisper at him to stop it through her breathlessness, but even when someone behind them shushed their enjoyment, it only seemed to make it worse. Then came the attempt at hiding the laughter which inevitably, did not work one bit. By the time that the whole thing was over, Alannah's cheeks were aching and she turned to Cian as the lights came back on, still grinning, but now breathing at a regular rate at least.

"Okay, remind me to never sit next to you during one of these things ever again. I legitimately cannot feel my cheeks anymore." Despite her scolding though there was no denying that Alannah was having a brilliant time, even with the weirdness attached to the event. It felt very easy to forget that side of things with Cian by her side, smiling down at her as they both stood from their seats along with the rest of the audience. Looking around them, the politician eventually spotted a bar over behind the seating area. "Shall we head over there next? I'd like another drink before you whisk me onto the dance floor. I'm not sure I'm ready to tackle your moves completely sober, McRannall."
 
Not even the disappointed glares from those around them could have dulled the laughter coursing through him. Cian and Alannah leaned desperately into one another, their bodies shaking with forced silent laughter as the magician wrapped up his show and the lights on the audience lifted indicating the gala was to move to its next phase.
"I did not expect that to get me as much as it did." Cian's eyes were watery with unshed tears and he lifted his sleeve to dab at the corners of his eye. "That dove..." Cian broke off as another fit overtook him and Alannah swatted at his chest while smiling apologetically at those who mingled around them. When she suggested the bar Cian nodded and he let himself be led off by the politician.

The two of them slid into the plush red seats that lined the bar and Cian found his feet tapping against the metal bar of the stool in anticipation. Alannah's cute quip about his dance moves had perhaps hit a little close to home. He gave her a good natured smile after the bartender held up a finger saying he would be with them in a moment and Cian leaned forward towards Alannah. Wanting to share his insecurities he reached out and gripped the seat of her stool to drag her and her chair a little closer to him.
"I have a secret." He told her, his smile still at ease. Her dark eyes regarded him with a curious glint and Cian squared his shoulders. He was about to reveal all when the bartender cleared his throat and caught their attention, making Cian's head whip to regard the kindly looking gentleman. "Oh hey, might we have two champagnes please?" The man nodded and as he was preparing the two flutes of champagne Cian dug out a few bills in exchange.

When their drinks were in front of them and the bartender had moved on Cian let his gaze return to Alannah. His eyes traced the line of her collarbone that the dress revealed and for a long moment he completely forgot what he had wanted to tell her. Blinking away from the pretty distraction Cian forced his attention back to Alannah's face. She gave him an expectant look and gestured with the hand that held her champagne that he get to the secret.
"The last time I danced was at a wedding three years ago... I had to take those ballroom classes with all the groomsmen. I think I made the instructor cry by the end of it." Cian winced a little. "So I may need you to lead, for the safety of yourself and everyone around us."

While Cian revealed his lack of rhythmic mastery, Sal West regarded the couple from the outside smoking area. Large windows gave glimpses to the finery inside, the reflection of the burning embers from his cigar burning like a target over the couple. His son Adam fidgeted behind him, his visage blurred by the steady train of smoke exiting his fathers mouth.
"Get her taken care of boy."
 
The dove and the hat and rabbit trick would undoubtedly go down as a highlight of their entire evening, as would watching Cian's eyes crinkle at the corners for Alannah, his huge form shuddering with waves of laughter. She hadn't seen him like that yet, and honestly? She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed that hard at anything - it took a special someone to help Alannah forget all of her inhibitions and just live in the moment. Her mind was always darting about all over the place, usually to the future because that's what her career trained her to do. But with Cian around things felt different, like she was more... grounded somehow. It was difficult to explain, but she knew that when he was there she just felt good.

When they eventually reached the bar, Alannah settled on her plush stool, wobbling slightly when Cian pulled her seat towards him but damn, if she didn't think that was insanely hot. They were a lot closer now and with the slight buzz of the champagne in her mind from earlier, she didn't hesitate in learning in to listen to his secret, eyes sparkling with curiosity, so much so that she nearly told the barman to hold for a second so Cian could spill it. Eyes slightly narrowed in suspicion, she wouldn't put it past him to have timed this perfectly as some kind of ploy to build tension, but she thanked him regardless when he paid for her drink, immediately taking a sip. The pause that followed told her that her bodyguard absolutely was building up the moment (or so she thought), which in turn led to the gesture of her hand and then when he finally came out with it, Alannah gave her own pause until she burst out laughing. "Oh wow, I was not expecting you to say that," she giggled, taking another sip of her drink. "Is this a bad time to tell you that I actually have two left feet too?" It was true, for all of Alannah's talents, dancing was absolutely not one of them, but what she lacked for in coordination she surely made up for in confidence.

"It's fine," she waved her hand glass again nonchalantly. "I think so long as we pretend to know what we're doing, not much can go wrong, right?" Another sip. "But for insurance purposes, maybe just... avoid windmilling your arms too hard, 'kay?" Her champagne flute now empty, once Cian had finished his own, the politician plucked it from his fingers, put her own down and then took his hand into hers. It happened like second nature, but as she started to lead her bodyguard over to the dance floor, Alannah became acutely aware her smaller fingers were now entwined with his larger ones. Their hands weren't simply clasped but locked into each others and they stayed there, just because it felt nice. When the carpeted floor finally changed to smoother wood, where there were a few other couples swaying gently to a live piano, Alannah turned to face Cian properly. She smiled a little as she stepped towards him, head tilted back a little so that they could see one another better. One of her hands came up slowly to rest on one of his shoulders, and then the other followed suit to the opposite one, which meant they had to push stand much closer together than they ever had before.

"I think your hands are supposed to go on my hips now," Alannah smiled, this time a little more shyly, before biting her lip to hold back another shy laugh. It felt silly being as close as they were now but also warm and nice and... exciting. After a few moments of them getting comfortable, she started to sway Cian from side to side, taking slow steps with her feet so that he could follow her. "See, this isn't so bad now, is it?" She spoke quietly, gently, her eyes trained on his. There was something particularly romantic about dancing under the lights of a huge chandelier, dressed as they were and in that moment Alannah quickly realised that there was nobody else she would rather be here with, while of course remaining completely oblivious to the looming figure who now stood on the edge of the dance floor, scanning the crowd for his target.
 
Alannah's confession brought Cian such a sense of solidarity, despite the earlier muscle pain from the nights entertainment Cian's bright beam of a smile was so earnestly genuine. He sipped from his own flute as Alannah waved off his insecurities and promised to fake it till they made it with him. He nodded sagely at her advise not to windmill his arms.
"I think that may be a good call." He agreed. Cian rushed to finish his drink as Alannah seemed to have that glint in her eyes that told him she was ready for action. It felt so good to be included in Alannah's plans. He felt like the trusted partner and there was something incredibly rewarding about having that trust from Alannah. When he had finished his own drink Alannah immediately plucked it out of his hands and set it down on the bar.

She was a woman on a mission and Cian felt a rush of giddy excitement as her hand linked with his. He was more than happy to curl his fingers up and revel in the feeling of her skin against his. He let himself be in the moment, to give her gentle hand a squeeze as they drew near the dance floor. Her heels clicked against the soft wood and he did his best to keep the admiration of her features above the waistline but damn those heels and that dress did great things and he was helpless. Soft music from the piano encouraged a gentle dance which Cian was grateful for. Alannah took charge and he watched her through hooded eyes as she drew closer to him, her hands lifting up to rest against his shoulders.

"Ah yeah, right." Cian shook himself mentally out of his daze at her kind directing words and moved to follow her direction. His hands came to rest on her hips, he told himself not to grip or pull, but how could he not? The gentle dip of her hip seemed to fit his hands perfectly and pure instinct had him tugging her a little closer as they began to sway gently to the music. Alannah's gaze was intense on his as they began to circle the dance floor.

"You've got a talent Alannah." Cian murmured to her. He was solely focused on her. There was something deep within him that wanted long hours with this woman, where they spoke about everything and nothing, where they could be free with their touches and comfortable in honesty. Maybe it was selfish of him, but here with her in his arms he wanted her all to himself. "This past week I've seen you at home in crazy offices and shady arcade pubs; and now here." Her perfume was intoxicating, and he bent his head a little closer to capture more of it. "Teach me your ways wise one." He chuckled a little, and feeling a little brave he lifted a hand from her hip to grip her hand. "Wanna spin?" He asked with mirth alive and well in his eyes.

He was about to lift her arm in the spin when a tap landed on his shoulder making him stop abruptly. Alannah crashed into his chest from the abrupt stop and he gripped her tight to him to steady the both of them. A low laugh had their attention turning to Adam.

"May I cut in?" He asked, looked at Alannah with meaning. Cian had the insane urge to growl at the man, but he tucked away his more primal urges with a clearing of his throat. After giving the man a once over he looked to Alannah for her choice.
 
Cian's large hands placed in the curves of her hips did funny things to Alannah's insides. Naturally, she moved into him when she was tugged closer so that the fronts of their bodies brushed against each other with every gentle sideways step. Now that they were in this position, she found herself transfixed on the way that he was holding her, at how their heights were different but perfectly balanced, at how she could smell waves of pine rolling from him every time that they moved. Every sense seemed to be encompassed by the bodyguard who was now holding her close to him, and if it hadn't have been for the movement of the other couples she could see out of the corner of her eye, Alannah could have easily convinced herself that they were the only two in the entire room, that the music was playing just for them and that this was like a tiny glimpse into a future that she wanted.

These thoughts swirled around her mind but her eyes remained steadily upon his, lips turned slightly upwards at the corners when he began to speak. "Oh yeah?" She asked in response to his compliment, her nose wrinkling a little when he told her to teach him her ways. "Mm, I think you're forgetting Cian, that you came to all of those places with me. Perhaps you don't need teaching as much as you think. I'll take the nickname, though." This time it was her turn to chuckle, eyes shining at the suggestion of a spin. Instinctively, her hand gripped onto his once more and she had just been about to comment on how brave he was getting when she suddenly slammed full pelt into his chest, his hand coming up to hold her back to steady her, her hands lifting to hold onto the front of his jacket. Alannah had been all but ready to giggle at their incoordination when she realised why Cian had stopped in the first place.

Adam's offer was quickly put on the table and Alannah felt her heart sink, her stomach flipping over now for entirely different reasons to why it had been only moments ago. Her grip upon Cian's jacket tightened a little as she looked between the two men, before reluctantly stepping back from her bodyguard, her eyes finding his and the slight hostility that lingered within them. Alannah no more wanted to dance with Adam West than she wanted to run around the dance floor naked and she certainly didn't want to stop dancing with Cian, but duty was calling and she knew that despite what she wanted she didn't have much choice, just like she didn't have much choice in what she said to Cian to make sure he knew that she'd be okay. Instead, the look in her eye remained quietly reassuring as she gave a small nod in Adam's direction. "You may," she replied, lifting a hand so that he could take her own into his. Gracefully, Adam took her fingers and had no hesitation in bringing her into his chest, his arm wrapping around around her waist, his other hand still holding hers. Alannah took a breath because now that she had danced with Cian, she could tell how wrong this felt in comparison. "I'll come find you soon, 'kay?" She told him, before finally turning back to her new partner.

There was a brief silence as they fell into a rhythm, one which Alannah was keep to break first so that they could get whatever this was, over with. "So, Mr West. I haven't had the chance to meet your father yet. Will he be joining us at all this evening?" Adam's lips curled into a small smile, his grey eyes scouring the room.
"Perhaps later, Miss Heshmati. My father is a very busy man, although he has told me that he wishes to meet you and when my father makes a wish, it is often granted." He looked down at her then, finding a warmth looking back at him that he wasn't accustomed to. "Should I be offended? Is one West man not enough for you?" It took Alannah everything that she had not to shudder away the comment, but despite her internal feelings her expression remained steady, as did the steps they were taking around the floor.
"On the contrary, one West man is plenty enough for me." Adam made a small humming sound as he considered her answer, a wry smirk pulling at his lips. "Oh I don't doubt it. I can see that you are able to handle yourself well, for a politician."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Just that... you've been through a lot, Miss Heshmati. That awful business with the gunshot at your last event... Something like that would have put most people off getting back up into the ring again." Alannah swallowed, smacking her lips against the sudden dryness of her mouth. For some reason this conversation felt like dangerous territory, as though Adam wanted a certain answer from her but she wasn't aware of what that was.

"Well, I guess I'm not like most people," she replied, her voice a little thinner than she would have liked.
"Hm, I guess not." Another beat of silence as he seemed to consider something before diving in once more. "So I don't suppose that you are... thinking of giving up your fight, anytime soon then? If a gunshot can't put you off then I'm not sure what else would."
"I'm not planning on it, no. People are relying on me, Mr West. The people of Kirkbridge are relying on me. I'm not about to throw all of that away for one maniac with a gun. Like I said, it'll take more than one gunshot to ruin what I'm trying to do for this city. For my home."
"Noted, Miss Heshmati. Noted." Alannah blinked. Had he really just...? But Alannah couldn't finish that thought, for fear of where it might take her. Instead, she took a breath and tried to stop the trembling of her hands. "So, you and your family take an interest in the city's politics then, Mr West?"
"It mustn't come as a surprise to you that my family have been watching the recent endeavours of our government rather closely, including the progression of your campaign. There are certain policies you have suggested that are slightly... at odds, with our own philosophies, as I am sure you are aware. Certain policies affect our businesses so it seems within reason for us to vote against those policies, wouldn't you say so? In fact, I do believe that it would be good for us to... talk some more about this sometime soon, if you are interested? Perhaps somewhere more private?" The brunette's eyebrows furrowed a little. She knew what 'talk' in these peoples' language meant, and she was not about to be bribed into their desired outcome. Unlike the people around her, Alannah could not be bought.

"I'm not," she answered after less than a minute. "And if you don't mind, Mr West, I think I would like to end our dance there. I have other people I must speak with this evening." Alannah didn't miss the shadow that crossed Adam's face when he realised he wasn't getting anywhere with her, a more forced smile pulling at his tight features this time as he released her waist when she took a step back. "Of course, Miss Heshmati. It has been a pleasure. I'm sure my father and I will be seeing much more of you as your campaign continues." He lifted her hand then and brushed his lips to her knuckles before departing, leaving a very shaken looking Alannah standing alone and rigid in the middle of the dance floor.
 
The sidelines were certainly a much different and lonely place without Alannah. Cian's hand shifted to his slacks pockets as he leaned against one of the ornate pillars that held up the high ceilings of the museum. He kept his eyes peeled on Alannah, he told himself that it was because it was his job to keep her safe, but in all honestly he just wanted to keep tabs on that Adam character. Cian was only slightly familiar with the reach and power of the West family in Kirkbridge, but it had become all too common to see the family name plastered on buildings and as donors for events. He thought back to their meeting with Preston earlier in the week, he recalled how Alannah had grown quiet at the mention of the name.

"Quite the party, hey?" A voice low and gravelly cut Cian out of his thoughts, and he straightened from the pillar and peered around it to see matching blue eyes to Adams. Sal West gestured with a large jeweled hand towards the party. Three rings glinted alongside scarred knuckles as the man made a wide sweeping motion around the ballroom. Sal extended the hand to Cian then and Cian took it. "Sal West, and you are." It wasn't a question, it was a demand.
"McRannall sir." Cian told him. "Thanks for having me." Sal made an expression that Cian had trouble reading. Sal's lips pursed and he fiddled with a gold chain that hung from his breast pocket.
"You're here with that Heshmati woman?" Sal gestured to the dance floor and Cian's gaze took in the stiff posture of his plus one as she frowned at her dancing partner. "She's made quiet the splash in government here. So many... new policies."
"Yes." Cian said, pride filtering through his tone. "It's clear to me that Alannah's focus is the community of Kirkbridge. Her work on the new library was amazing. I believe it was across from one of your towers." Sal's throat cleared and Cian looked back towards the man as he lifted his hand to scratch at his greying hair.
"Ah that library... yes. I had bid on that land you know. Would have made a great parking garage." Sal told him and Cian found himself unsure of what to say.
"Well... Sorry that didn't work out." Sal reached out and clasped his shoulder, the rings he wore dug into Cian's suit jacket.
"You win some and you lose some. Have a great time at the party kid." Sal squeezed hard and then let go abruptly. The older man made a clicking noise with his tongue before disappearing into the crowd leaving Cian in a haze of cigar smell and confusion. What the heck had that been all about?

His gaze returned to the dance floor, just as Alannah stepped away from Adam. The relaxed posture she normally held around him was a thing of the past as her back and shoulders held her rigid. Cian pressed away from the pillar then, and made a beeline right for her. Immediately the world felt right again as he took his place next to her. He was quiet as he took in her expression. With a gentle smile he offered her his arm once again and the two made their way off the dance floor and down one of the museum halls. Things got quieter as the drew away from the party, only the soft music from the live piano filtered through the museum speakers. The entered a darkened wing, lit up blue from numerous large fish tanks that lined its walls.

In the center of the wing a large circular floor to ceiling tank was filled with schools of fish that swam around the live coral that lined the bottom of the tank. Cian and Alannah found a quiet little bench and sat down.
"You don't have to say anything if you don't want. I can tell that conversation wasn't your favorite. I'm here to listen if you want to talk at all." Cian told her, he thought of wrapping an arm around her, but without the guise of the dance floor his bravery fell short. Instead he bumped a shoulder into hers as they watched the fish swim around. "I loved this room as a kid. I tried to convince one of the staff here to let me swim in this tank. It didn't work out so well."
 
Having been too engrossed in her own odd and somewhat uncomfortable encounter, Alannah had missed that Cian had been otherwise engaged on the sidelines of the dance floor. So, when he appeared beside her, her brown eyes looked up at him as if seeing him for the first time but almost immediately she felt the tension that she had been holding in her shoulders after dancing with Adam West dissipate. That familiar warm and fuzzy feeling returned to her chest upon being met with the gentle smile that she increasingly hoped was for her and her alone, and with no hesitation she placed her hand into the crook of his arm once more, seeking Cian's touch the more than he offered it to her. Over the short time that they had spent together, he had already become her biggest comfort. Just knowing that he was there made her feel safe and like everything in the world made sense again, which she guessed was part of having a bodyguard. Although Alannah also knew that how she was growing to feel around Cian was so much more than that, even if she hadn't admitted it to herself yet.

Allowing herself to be led from the dance floor and given that she trusted Cian implicitly, Alannah didn't question where he was taking her. Instead, her mind remained fairly occupied upon her and Adam's conversation or at least that was until she noticed the light growing darker as they entered a room that was semi lit by multiple colourful fish tanks. The aquarium had been one of her favourites places to come as a child too and she recognised it immediately, already feeling her remaining worries ease a little, as they were soothed by watching schools of fish glide by the glass and bubbles float to the tops of the tanks. The bench was perfectly situated and neither of them felt the need to speak immediately as they sat and watched the calmness of their surroundings, letting the feeling filter through until Cian's reassurance stamped it fully into Alannah's consciousness.

The nudge to her shoulder made her smile and she rocked slightly to the side and then back to her original position, but this time she let her shoulder remain against Cian's, enjoying the warmth of his suit against her bare skin. For now, she didn't acknowledge his offer of talking while she attempted to gather her thoughts together, instead opting for chuckling softly at the thought of a child version of Cian attempting to break into the fish tank to swim. "It didn't?" She asked softly. "I can't imagine why." Her amused smile eventually faded into something more wistful as her eyes followed a little clownfish diving into the coral. "I loved it in here as a kid too. When I was really young, my dad lost me during a trip to the museum, call it a side effect of trying to juggle three daughters. When he found me, apparently I was just stood with my nose and hands pressed against the glass of this tank trying to talk to the fish." Alannah gave a gentle snort then, before looking down at her hands which were now rested in her lap. She so desperately wanted to shuffle her head onto Cian's shoulder in search of the comfort she knew only he could really provide, but she was also worried she might be crossing a line, one that she wouldn't be able to step back over once she was passed it. However, as they continued to watch the fish around them and sat in the type of silence that was only comfortable with someone you were close to, for once she felt unbound by duty, or what she should do. Instead, and for once, she acted simply for herself, shifting slightly closer into Cian's side and then after a moment or so letting her head dip down onto his shoulder. Her cheek pressed into his blazer and for a small while she didn't say anything, didn't acknowledge their newfound closeness in favour of just being in the moment, right here amongst the fish with a man she could truly see herself with if they hadn't met through work.

At the same time, her thoughts were still whirring from her dance with Adam, but she wasn't sure if she felt brave enough to verbalise them just yet. She was getting closer though, she just needed a little more time. "So what did you get up to while I had the pleasure of Mr West's company? I hope you didn't upgrade your dance partner while I wasn't looking."
 
He could picture it clearly as Alannah spoke about her childhood, her gentle hands pressed to the clear glass as she intently focused on a particular fish that she was determined to communicate with. The idea made Cian chuckle and he found himself picturing convincing the staff member that he could swim in the tank, and instead of a fish Alannah had chosen to try and communicate with him from the other side of the glass. All around them fish lazily swam around in the darkened hallway, with the soft music still filtering through the speakers a gentle calm settled in the air around the two of them. Alannah shifted and Cian turned his gaze down to her, something flickering behind those dark eyes of his as she settled her head against his shoulder.

The slight pressure of her head had him feeling like a trusted protector. A knight dedicated to his queen. Their attention was caught as a small eel decided to make its way from a small hidden alcove, its body twisting as it surveyed it's surroundings. Cian felt his head tip and soon the side of his cheek rested on the top of her head.

"No way." He chuckled, his large frame vibrating with the notion that he could possibly upgrade. "I think you're the only one brave enough to even attempt dancing with my giant feet." For a brief moment he thought of telling her that nothing had happened, but it didn't feel right to hide it from her. There was a part of him that wanted to tuck her away and hide Alannah from those who chose to play the politics game with greed and harsher tactics. He wanted to be the one that brought her happy news, and it felt like the appearance of Sal West was not something that would make her smile. His inner feminist thankfully had the strongest voice over all thoughts and he accepted Alannah deserved the full truth.

"Well love, I had a unique chat with the other older West." Cian remained where he was, his head resting against Alannah's as he did his best to recount everything that had been said to him. "Sal wanted to know if I was there with you. He seemed... well if I'm totally honest I'm not sure what he was like. He did mention he had wanted to turn the new library into a parking garage instead." Cian's nose wrinkled a little at the idea of the lovely building being replaced by grey concrete and manned by a single garage attendant who looked like he had just endured the zombie apocalypse. "It wasn't as nice as dancing with you."

A voice crackled over the intercom inviting guests to the dance floor as the piano was now to be accompanied by a local singer and cello player. The song began and Cian's body shifted as the song started off as a cover to a song he knew.
"Speaking of dancing with you." Cian rose to his feet and peered down at Alannah. His wolfish grin was back in place as he once again let the music guide his heart. "Want to try that spin again?" He offered her his hand, ready to dance with her among the fish and coral.
 
So engrossed were they in watching the small eel dart from a hidden alcove, that Alannah hadn't thought about Cian reacting to her head on his shoulder until the side of his cheek pressed into her hair. The warmth made her chest skip and she had to physically hold herself in place to stop from snuggling further into his side. If she could just shuffle a little closer, her nose would be centimetres away from the crook of his neck; she could already smell the soft scent of pine drifting from him, a scent that had quickly become something familiar, a comfort in amongst all of the uncertainty. And then if her nose was against his neck she could tilt her chin slightly so that her lips would follow... and it was here that Alannah had to stop the thought before it wound up somewhere completely inappropriate. Instead, she let herself just be in the moment, enjoying the fish and their childhood memories with her head on Cian's shoulder. She couldn't help but wonder if they had met as children whether they would have got on like they did now. She had a feeling that they would have.

A smile and a happy hum pulled from her when he assured her that he hadn't upgraded, but the feeling of contentment quickly dissipated at the mention of the older West. Sal West. Cian had spoken to Sal West while she had been dancing with his son and he wanted to know if... Cian was with her? Hearing this caused a new, unfamiliar feeling to flip inside of her stomach, something that closely resembled fear. Not for herself though, the fear was this time for Cian himself. Why did Sal want to know if he was with her? What didn't surprise her though was hearing that Sal had wanted to turn the library into a parking garage - Alannah remembered seeing the family's bid for the building alongside her own. The Wests were notorious for eating up whatever land they could in Kirkbridge to further extend their power over the city and their fortune that kept that power in place.

"That doesn't surprise me," Alannah murmured, letting out a long exhale. "The library is a sore point for them." Then she paused briefly before finally giving in to speaking her mind a little about her earlier communication with Adam. "I'm glad to hear that my dancing is at least a touch nicer than speaking with Sal West," she joked softly. "If it's any consolation though, my conversation with Adam wasn't much better. I'm pretty sure he attempted to bribe me out of some of my policies." The admission was spoken with a gentle snort as if that could distract from how serious what she had just said actually was. "They must be really desperate to get rid of me if they're bringing out the big guns though. As far as I'm aware, Sal West only makes rare public appearances these days." There was definitely an undertone of concern to what Alannah was saying; the Wests was a name that had been thrown around multiple times as people speculated about who was responsible for taking out the hit on her. But then innocent until proven guilty, she supposed.

In any case, it was somewhat of a relief when the song changed and Cian took the opportunity to stand, holding his hand out to Alannah with that familiar wolfish smile. Although she missed the warmth of his shoulder, she was more than happy for it to be replaced by another dance and with a smile, she gladly obliged by placing her hand back into his. "Do you even need to ask?" Within moments they had resumed their original position from earlier, but this time they were cast in a soft blue hue from the light of the tanks as fish danced their own rhythms around them.

"I have to say," she began quietly after a little while, looking up into those dark brown eyes she had grown to enjoy. "In all the times that I've been in this room, I never thought I'd get to dance in amongst the tanks with a bodyguard, of all people. Or with... a friend. I think I'd prefer to think of you as a friend, McRannall. If that's alright with you?"
 
Alannah's admission had Cian's hair standing on end. For some inexplicable reason instinct had him firmly believing that the two of them had been sized up in a way. A rock settled in his stomach and he made a mental note to contact a few of his buddies in the game and see if they could dig up any evidence that the West's had anything do with the question of Alannah's safety. He considered for a moment of telling her his plans but with the soft lighting and peaceful music he couldn't bear to bring more weight down on Alannah's shoulders. Besides, it was a hunch and he didn't want to make Alannah suffer more worry this eve.

He was grateful for the reprieve from his thoughts when Alannah once more stepped into his arms and promptly turned his brains into mush again. Her smile was warm as she fit against him, feeling especially brave, Cian took the lead during their swaying and with only a few occasional looks at his feet he felt as if he had gotten a good rhythm going. He spun her once, twice and with relative success he brought back into his arms.

He had been about to joke with her about how that once dance instructor should see him now, but she beat him to the punch. Her gaze focused on him and he felt like he might melt like an ice cream cone in the sun. A friend? Shit, she was looking at him with such an earnest expression it took every fiber of his control to not lean down and capture those sweet lips against his own. He wanted to brush his thumb along that strong jawline and hold her close to him.
"A friend." Cian's voice came out a little strained. "I think I'd like that very much, Ms. Heshmati." He confessed. "There's something about you Alannah, you make it easy to be my weird self. Hey speaking of being weird I think we should have a secret handshake. All the best duos do. Maybe add a hip bump or something like that." Cian had to pause for a moment, his hands coming to rest on Alannah's shoulders as he peered down between them. "Jeez you're tiny sunshine, I'm gonna have to crouch for that hip bump." His grin was brilliant against the low lighting of the wing, his mouth opened once more to add to his growing list of ideas for a secret handshake but he was interrupted by a rather exasperated Stuart, who shouted for their attention from the entrance to the wing.

"What the fuck do you two think you're doing?!" He called to them waving his hand in a dramatic motion, telling them to get a move on. "The mayor and Sal West are about to make the final speech, we have to be there. Let's GO!" Stuart waved wildly for them once more and when Alannah and Cian approached Stuart gave Cian a death glare that would have had him on the ground and twitching if Stuart had possessed in modicum of supernatural power. "You look gorgeous Alannah, did I tell you that?" Stuart wrapped a protective arm around Alannah's shoulders and shot Cian another look over her shoulder.

"I'll uh catch up with you guys in a second, I just have to make a quick call." Cian lifted a hand waving the both of them off and once they stepped away he quickly whipped out his phone and found the contact in his phone. The phone rang twice before a familiar voice sounded over the line.
"Cian, what's up?" A deep voice sounded from over the line.
"Theo, hey. I was wondering if you could do me a little favour. I'm looking for some connections between the West family and Alannah Heshmati." Cian spoke quietly into the phone, his eyes scanning around for any potential eavesdroppers. "It's kinda urgent." Theo gave a out a long groan and Cian heard the tell tales signs of stretching and his friend getting up from bed.
"I just put the kids to bed dude, I just loaded my save on my game." Theo whined. "You owe me big time."
"Thanks Theo. Kiss the wife for me."
"Yeah yeah..." Theo hung up without another word of farewell and Cian slipped his phone back into his pocket and went to catch up with Stuart and Alannah.
 
Their dance felt different this time, more confident. Alannah could feel it in the way that Cian held her, in the way that he took the lead and she relished each spin, giggling a little like a teenager might at their prom. It's kind of how she felt if she was honest - giddy, excited and weightless, despite everything that had surpassed before the two of them had wound up between the fish tanks. When she came back in against his chest, Alannah's expression remained earnest while she awaited for Cian's answer to her question, her lips tugging into a brighter smile when he agreed and then more of a grin at his suggestion of a handshake, as well as the fact that they were a duo at all. "Alright hot shot, you come up with the handshake and I'll come up with our team name, how about that?" However, when his hands came to rest on her shoulders, her mouth fell open in mock outrage. "Hey now, I might be tiny but I give a mean hip bump. Look, I'll show you." And with that, Alannah set about positioning them side by side in an attempt to do just that, the two of them falling about with laughter until they were once again interrupted by a flustered looking Stuart.

As the smaller man bustled over to them, he eyed Alannah suspiciously, with her pink cheeks and bright eyes, and the way that she didn't look bothered at all by what he was telling her. She didn't look like the Alannah Heshmati he was used to and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Either way though he had to get her to the speech, which was why he was so inclined to wrap his arm protectively around her bare shoulders. Because of that and the fact he had seen the way Cian was looking at her and he wasn't sure he liked that either. "You didn't, but thank you Stuart. You don't look too bad yourself. I think your tie might be a little tight though, you're looking rather hot. Would you like me to loosen it for you...?" And with that the small politician was whisked away, turning to flash an impish grin over her shoulder at Cian when he told them to go ahead.

While she and Stuart walked, the older man took the opportunity to question what he had just seen, to which Alannah explained that she had just been taking a breather, that was all, before they finally reached the stage once more and a round of applause saved her from having to talk about it any further. With the lights now dimmed, the mayor and Sal West took to the stage, Alannah's hazel eyes falling to the older man who she was seeing in person for the first time. He looked very much like he should be the head of the West family, with his expensive looking suit and gold jewellery. He wore a demure smile upon his aged features but beneath the expression there was something off about him, Alannah thought - he had the same dead eye look as his son did, like a shark scanning the waters in search of his next prey. After a few moments they settled upon Alannah for what felt like an age, and she only managed to exhale when he finally looked away once more.

The speech was over in a matter of minutes - the mayor spoke about how the Wests had been working to improve Kirkbridge and Sal thanked the mayor for his ongoing support. It was a union that spelled trouble for both Alannah and her campaign and Stuart seemed to recognise as such because once the speech was over and the lights went back up, he led her by the arm over to the bar for more champagne. "I thought the mayor was supposed to remain impartial to these kinds of things," he mumbled before taking a large mouthful from his glass that he looked like he needed, as well as loosening his tie as Alannah had previously suggested. "But instead he seems to be sitting quite comfortably in Sal Wests's breast pocket."

"Miss Heshmati?" The gravelly voice cut through the two who stood at the bar before Alannah had a chance to answer, and she and Stuart turned to be met with the smaller form of Sal West himself, both hands clasped behind his back. Stuart stared dumbfounded for a moment before his face turned beetroot, while Alannah felt her heart leap into her mouth. After a quick, subtle scan of the crowd in search of Cian that came back negative, she took a breath and plastered her best professional smile onto her features. "That's me."
"Sal West." He held out his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Alannah took his hand in return and shook it carefully.
"You too, Mr West."
"I trust you are enjoying your evening?"
"Very much so, thank you. This event really had been... something else."
 
Walking down the empty halls of the museum had felt like an adventure with Alannah, now on his own Cian was man enough to admit the shadows from various exhibits was a little spooky. His gait was quick, especially as he passed a skeleton of a velociraptor ready to pounce. When he did reach the crowds he let his steps change to a more easy going pace. The crowd amassed around the stage and it was next to impossible to pick out Alannah from the crowd that listened with rapt attention to the mayor and Sal West. The speech was short and to the point and once both of the powerful men had said their thank you's the crowd began to disperse as some went for some final drinks and others headed towards the exit.

Cian kept his eyes peeled on the crowd, raising to his tip-toes a few times as he eagerly sought out his newest friend. It took a few minutes but he finally spotted Alannah's pretty dress and Stuart's from at the bar. He made a move towards them but came up short as Sal West approached. From his vantage point, the tall man hid Alannah from his view. Cian's gait sped up and he arrived just as Alannah finished speaking on the quality of her evening. He wondered for a brief moment what she had meant before plastering a smile to his face.

"Mr. West." He said tilting his head slightly in greeting.
"McRannall." Sal's ice blue eyes flicked to him and Cian felt as if bugs were crawling all over him as the man's eyes flicked to his feet and then up to his head again, before returning to Alannah. "Miss. Heshmati, I trust this event has brought you a sense of peace. Truly Kirkbridge is in good hands." Sal looked over Alannah's shoulder and seemed to see someone his knew. He smiled, all teeth. "Ah, a friend of yours I think?" Alannah, Stuart and Cian and peered behind them and noticed the Mayor, Adam West and finally Preston standing in a close semi circle together. The mayor once again tipped his invisible hat towards Alannah and winked before turning back to his conversation and gesturing wildly with a snifter of brandy.

"They are my friends as well Miss. Heshmati." Sal patted his pocket's like a satisfied business man might and gave the small woman before him one last lingering look. "I best be off, thank you once again for your most illuminating presence." Sal's smile could have withered flowers with the poison it was laced with. Instinctively Cian's hand found Alannah's shoulder, though he wasn't sure if it was to steady himself or comfort her. Perhaps a bit of both.

"What do you say we call it an evening Alannah?" Cian asked as Stuart began to drink heavily from his champagne, his tie now completely loose around his neck.
"Not a bad call." Stuart grumbled around his glass. "This is gonna be quite the meeting on Monday. We need to get ahead of whatever that is." Stuart said his gave jumping to the group of old white men that acted like they had the city in their pocket. "I'm gonna go and drink myself stupid and think about an action plan." Stuart sighed heavily as his glass emptied. Cian's mouth thinned as he thought of the weekend, it would be strange not to see Alannah for those two days. He'd come to go so used to her, the thought of her absence seemed so wrong.
 
There was a comfort in speaking to Sal West in a public place, but a larger comfort drawn from Cian's presence when he joined the small group of people. Internally Alannah's shoulders slumped with relief, or at least they did momentarily until Sal began to speak once more, in doing so pointing out the huddle of three she recognised behind them. The men appeared to be deep in conversation until the mayor greeted Alannah from across the way and once more the head of the West family took this as an opportunity to remind Alannah that he had the same connections that she did, if not better. Or at least, that's how the politician took the sickly smile that he offered her and she wondered how much of a threat he truly saw her as, given the the lengths he seemed to have gone to tonight to remind her of her place. Alannah supposed she could take this one of two ways; the Wests clearly thought she was capable of going up against them but what this meant for her campaign, or her safety, she wasn't sure. Stuart however, seemed set on making the decision for her once Sal had left them alone again and she found that she was grateful for the warmth of Cian's hand on her shoulder, his bare skin against hers momentarily standing the hairs on the back of her next to attention.

Stuart's newfound disgruntlement would have usually amused Alannah but it was all she could do to agree with him on this occasion, especially given that everything he was saying was correct. "Don't work too hard, alright?" She said to him eventually, lifting a hand to touch Stuart's arm. "We'll figure something out next week. Get some rest before then." To this the older man nodded and after a moment he pulled her into an unexpected hug but one that she appreciated nonetheless. "The same goes for you. I'll see you on Monday?" Alannah nodded and managed a smile before Stuart turned to Cian next and slapped him on the back. "You make sure she gets home safe now, you hear me?" And then he turned back to the bar, which Alannah took as her cue to nudge her head in the direction of the exit so that she and Cian could finally make their escape.

They walked to his car mostly in a tired silence, the chill of the evening air whipping around the politician's bare shoulders. The sky above them was clear and showered with a carpet of stars and had she not been so keen to get into somewhere warmer, Alannah may have suggested she and Cian take a walk before heading home. Amongst her thoughts of the evening, she was also very aware of the impending weekend and how that meant two days away from the man she had grown used to seeing at her side. Two days suddenly felt like a very long time when you had grown accustomed to seeing someone every day and she found herself trying to look for ways to stall the inevitable, but at the same time battling with the fact that she was pretty sure she was being stupid. It was only a weekend and even if she didn't realise it yet, Alannah would actually end up seeing Cian much sooner than she anticipated.

Once the car was unlocked, she pulled the door open and sat in the passenger seat, eventually letting her head fall back against the chair for a moment. "Well, that was quite a night, huh," she said softly after a few moments. She was of course mainly referring to their experiences of the Wests but perhaps also her time spent with Cian too, even if it wasn't said explicitly. "The Wests, you in that suit, your dancing... I don't know where to begin." A soft smile touched her lips then as she looked over at her bodyguard in the shadows of the night, gaze studying him for perhaps a beat too long before she looked away again. "At least we have the weekend to recover though." This was spoken even more quietly, almost as though she didn't want to speak the words in case it made Saturday come even sooner. "Do you have any plans to help you switch off from guarding politicians from a whole host of crazy?"
 
Their exit out into the cool night air had Cian thinking the goosebumps on his arms were due to the chill. Alannah seemed lost in her own thoughts, her gaze focused straight ahead as they made their way down the lit stairs and off the red carpet. He couldn't quite get a read on the emotion behind those thoughtful eyes and by the time he made it to the car he was kicking himself for not thinking to give her his coat jacket. Alannah slipped into her passenger seat and Cian shrugged off the jacket telling himself it was better late than never.

The car door shut beside him as he tucked himself into the car, the sounds of the city and the party muffled in the quiet of his hatchback. He'd been about to pass her the jacket when her head fell back on the seat and she looked at him with those eyes and fuck, that smile too... His own mouth acted on instinct, mirroring the tired grin she wore.
"You forgot our plans to make a secret handshake and team name. Also your dress too. That was a very important event." He reminded her, finally passing over the jacket and helping her to settle it over her torso. He flipped on the car and switched on the heat as soon as she was tucked under his large jacket. He liked doing that for her, he thought back to her overtime in the office and how cute she'd looked draped under his hoodie.

"I've got a rugby game on Sunday. Other than that no real plans." He put the car in reverse and backed them out of their spot, his arm coming around to lean against her headrest as he peered out the rear window. When they began driving forwards he peered out of the corner of his eye at her. "I'm sure you have a busy weekend, though you'd be welcome to come and cheer me on." His fingers drummed on the steering wheel as they made their way down the main road and back to Alannah's apartment. For half a second he wondered if he had crossed a line, but his silly little heart wanted nothing more than to shorten their time apart by any means necessary.

~~

Near Alannah's apartment building a black sedan waited lying in wait for her return. The figure behind the wheel watched the street and on coming traffic with keen eyes seeking out its prey. A buzzing sounded from the center console, the phone was quickly answered with a soft grunt.

"The plan is moving forward, no loose ends." Another grunt of affirmation and a moment after the phone was hung up the soft yellow lights of the sedan reflected off some nearby street signage. The rumble of the engine and its master eager for its next hunt.
 
Alannah's smile only grew when Cian added onto her list of events before passing over his jacket so she could cover up her shoulders and warm up a little. "Thank you." The jacket swamped her small form but she liked that, as well as the lingering warmth she could feel on the material from Cian's body heat. It also smelled like him too and she snuggled down into it, feeling completely enveloped in the man who now sat beside her. If she closed her eyes for long enough, Alannah could imagine that this might feel similar to waking up beside him, warm under the bedsheets and wrapped up in his woodsy scents from the night before. It was certainly an image she could have let herself get lost in but thankfully before she did or said something they might both regret, Cian was answering her earlier question, which took her a moment to remember what she'd asked him in the first place.

Rugby. Cian played rugby. Cian was playing rugby this Sunday and he was offering for her to watch him. The politician blinked as a sense of anticipation settled in her heart, a smile threatening the corners of her mouth. Suddenly the weekend felt much less daunting with the option of watching Cian getting sweaty running around a field now held out in front of her. All she had to do was agree and her mouth went dry at the thought, at about the same time that a little voice in the back of her mind warned her that this was perhaps crossing a professional boundary that once she had stepped over she wouldn't be able to get back to. The larger voice however, and the one that was connected to perhaps her heart more than her mind reminded her that she didn't want to go back, not really. She and Cian were friends now and couldn't a friend go to support another friend at his rugby match on a Sunday? That was fine, wasn't it?

"My weekend is actually relatively free," Alannah answered eventually, quietly, her eyes remaining on the road ahead. "Except for Sunday, now, apparently. I have plans to watch a friend's rugby team lose another match." The tease was followed by a soft chuckle because Alannah hadn't forgotten Cian telling her that his team weren't particularly well-versed in winning. Either way though, she was just happy to have been invited along. "Text me the time and place later? I'll be there."

The rest of the journey passed much quicker than Alannah had hoped it would and when the Cian finally pulled the car into her underground carpark she found herself reluctant to get out of the car and even more reluctant to remove his jacket from her shoulders. But she did so in the end because she knew that she had to, holding the jacket back out to him as they moved around the front of the car and remaining completely oblivious as to what was lying in wait for the rest of her evening. "So I guess this is goodbye until Sunday then," she said, her head tilted slightly to the side as hazel eyes met dark brown. "It's going to feel weird tomorrow, not having a Cian shaped shadow behind me." Again, this was spoken with a hint of amusement before her expression sobered a little in the pause that followed. She so desperately wanted to invite Cian inside but given she was quite a few glasses of champagne down she wasn't sure that was the best idea.

"Enjoy your day off tomorrow," she continued softly, taking a small step towards him. "And thank you for tonight. I have to admit, you make a pretty good plus one, McRannall." Another pause, almost as though she was waiting for something. "See you Sunday?"
 
Cian's heart did a funny little jump when Alannah agreed to come and see his team play. He had to laugh at her memory of his confession that The Thistles were in fact the worst in the league.
"Maybe you'll be our lucky charm." He told her softly as they passed under streetlights. It felt like the two of them were at this important moment, every word and touch shared between them building to something big. Even now as they stood apart from one another in her dimly lit parking garage. His jacket hung limply in his fingers and Cian did his best to commit the moment to memory as she stood, head slightly tilted looking up at him.

"Sunday it is." Cian agreed, his eyes jumping to her sleek heels as she stepped towards him, even with the addition of the heels she barely came up to his shoulders. She thanked him for the evening and Cian had to physically remind himself to breathe as something in her seemed almost hopeful or... expectant. Her face moved closer and Cian realized that he had taken a step towards her as well. His hands ached to lift and hold her, to tug her closer still. "Thank you Alannah, for the suit, for being a great dancing partner..." He trailed off, his mind coming up blank as his baser instincts threatened to take over. The air seemed to spark with electricity around them and Cian was helpless. He moved slowly, giving Alannah every opportunity to step away and stop this, one word from her and he would retreat.

His thumb found the sweet line of her jaw and traced it, his fingers curling around the back of her head as he tilted her head back. God she would be soft like this everywhere, he knew that without a doubt. The coconut scent perfume she wore had become intoxicating, and he wanted another hit. Their eyes remained locked, heat burning behind their pupils as Cian slowly began to lower his head.

BANG

The noise of a car backfiring had the two of them jumping apart seconds before touchdown. Reality and sense came crashing down on him then and Cian looked to the floor ashamed. He'd let his emotions get the better of them and just like his last job he'd been far too attached and potentially put his charge in harms way.
"We better get you to your apartment." He told them both, doing his best to remember that this was a job, and the only way he could protect her properly was if he stood at a distance from her. He walked with Alannah to the elevator and waited for the silver doors to slide open. His stupid mouth opened once more, unable to stop himself. "Will you text me when you get into your apartment? Just so I can be sure you're safe." He added quickly as an explanation. He wished her goodnight with a sad smile and stood watching as the ticking numbers of the elevator took Alannah away from him.

Cian returned to his car, his hand burning from where he had held Alannah. He'd tucked himself in his car, unaware of the danger that lie in wait for Alannah in the floors above. His car started and he drove aimlessly home, his speakers silent and his mind full of the memory of her. Intrusive thoughts threatened to break free and whisper dark secrets in his ear.

You'll mess this up just like last time. It'll be worse because your hearts involved this time.

He pushed the dark thoughts of his own inadequacies aside, and tried to calm and still his mind. It was fruitless of course, without the negative self talk Alannah once again took center stage in his brain. Even as he walked into his own apartment and headed for the shower, she was with him. When he pulled off the perfect suit she had given him he carefully tucked it away on a hanger to take to the dry cleaners. The warm water did nothing to flood his thoughts and Cian leaned his forehead against the cool glass wall and shut his eyes, finally giving into the temptation.

As Cian exploded from his own desires and pent up frustrations the figure emerged from the sedan. A dark hood covered any recognizable features, while gloves protected them from leaving any fingerprints. Carefully slinking through the underground car park, the figure found one of the stairwell entrances and with a swipe of a stolen key card the door opened. Camera's seemed to be on the fritz for the building and so even the guard at the desk missed the hunter stealing away into one of the elevator lobbies.

Once again the keycard was used to gain access to Alannah's floor and the figure rode up silently, its gaze focused and alert. The happy ding of the elevator alerted to Alannah's impending misfortune and the hunter stepped out. His shoes were silent against the geometric carpeting, and he passed by numerous doors where lights shone under the crack. Gold signage indicated Alannah's door and the figure bent and began to silently pick the lock.
 
There was a shift in the air as Cian took his own step towards her and predictably, Alannah stayed exactly where she was. It was a physical indicator that she wanted whatever this was between them, her breath catching slightly in her throat as their eyes remained locked upon each other. So much seemed to be passing between them in the long moments that followed, as though they were communicating without saying anything at all. Alannah felt her chest skip when his thumb lifted and stroked along her jawline and the drumming in her ears seemed to get louder as his fingers curled round the back of her neck so he could tilt her back. Her breaths quickened with the anticipation as they drew ever closer, her own hands moving to grip onto Cian's shirt. He felt strong and warm and she wanted, no needed more of him, as was shown by the way that she lifted towards him at the same time as her gaze dropped to his lips and--

BANG

The backfiring of the car was like a bucket of cold water being tipped over them both, their jump apart happening instinctively and all too quickly. This time her heart dropped as she watched the moment slipping away from them both, colour flooding into her cheeks at the return of her doubts and the internal chastising of herself for letting things go this far. Whatever had been about to happen shouldn't have, and they both knew it. It was unprofessional, it was dangerous, it was wrong. But then why had it felt so right?

Eyebrows furrowing slightly in confusion towards her own feelings, it was all Alannah could do to nod when Cian suggested that they get her inside before turning with him to walk to the elevator. Neither of them spoke and she found herself avoiding his gaze completely until the doors finally opened to allow her to step inside and eventually turn once more to face her bodyguard as he asked her to text him. Despite how she felt like she was tingling all over from the lingering sense of his touch, the politician managed a small, sad smile in return before telling him that she would and wishing him good night. When the doors closed, her brown eyes immediately flicked to the floor ticker above her, watching as the numbers drew her further and further away from what she now understood could have been their first kiss.

It wasn't really a surprise that Alannah remained oblivious to the impending danger as she made her way steadily to her apartment, letting herself inside and swiftly kicking off her shoes by the door. Both her head and her heart were completely filled with Cian McRannall and there was simply no space left for anything else. Not when she finally pulled out of her dress, not when she stepped into the shower, not when she clambered into bed with her laptop and Netflix ready and waiting for whatever cheesy romance she was about to bury her head in, in an attempt to find someone else who understood what she was currently going through. Her whole body still felt like it was pulsing with something close to forbidden desire and now that there was not outlet for it, Alannah didn't quite know what to do with herself other than eat chocolate and try and bury her head in the sand. She didn't know what any of this meant, or what would happen next or what she could do about it. She just knew that she wanted Cian, so badly. But she could never have him.

Fittingly, her rewatch of Pride of Prejudice had just been about to reach its penultimate moments when she became aware of a sound within her otherwise dark and quiet apartment that caused her to pause the film, just as Mr Darcy had appeared from the mist. There was a particular floorboard in front of her front door that always creaked when someone entered her living room, and that's exactly what she had just heard. Even the stealthiest of villains would never have been able to predict it and although it drove Alannah crazy and she kept putting off getting it fixed, right now she felt slightly thankful for it. Unless of course she was just being paranoid, which it was very easy to convince herself of the longer she sat in the painful silence. In fact, she had just been about to settle back down when she heard a crash come from behind her bedroom door, which immediately had her jolting out of bed. Instinct told her to go and check it out, but her mind managed to catch up with itself before she could - whoever was in her apartment could be dangerous? Would they attack if she revealed herself? Of one thing Alannah was certain though and that was that she was no longer safe in her own home.

With her heart now pounding, Alannah tiptoed to her bedside table and picked up her phone with trembling fingers. She had slammed it face down earlier after trying and failing to come up with a text to send Cian after their encounter. I'm in now. Thanks again for tonight, it was fun x I'm safe. Thanks for tonight. See you Sunday? I made it. See you Sunday, McRannall x Every option had felt impossibly awkward and so in the end she had decided upon none until her mind had rested a little, but as things stood now urgency pressed her into action and there was only one person who Alannah could think to ring as she brought up Cian's number and tapped it with her thumb. At the same time, she tiptoed across her bedroom and eventually came to stand with her back against the wall next to her bedroom door, just in case anyone tried to come in.

The first time the phone rang out and Alannah felt a wave of panic constrict her throat as a second crash sounded from the other room. Again, she tapped Cian's number and prayed as hard as she could that he would pick up. When he did, she almost cried with happiness until she remembered that she wasn't out of the woods yet.

"C-Cian? I think there's someone in my apartment." Her voice was hardly above a whisper. "I-I'm in my bedroom with the door shut but I can hear them and I... I don't know what to do."
 
The sports channel flickered light into Cian's apartment as he lay sprawled on his couch gazing forlornly at the phone in his hand. A beer was growing warm on the end table beside him as he once again pulled up the text chain between himself and Alannah. She had not messaged him with her safe arrival and he warred with his heart on what course of action to take. She probably was setting a boundary with him and needed space, it was only fair after the shit he'd pulled. The smallest bit of anxiety surfaced and he wondered if she was indeed safe in her apartment. Cian stood, phone still in hand and paced in front of the TV as he struggled with what to do. His bare feet padded along the hardwood floors and he lifted his head for a moment and caught sight of his wild expression in the entryway mirror. Cian wore a black tee with dark grey sweats, and the look in his eye made him feel like he was looking at someone entirely different.

He'd been about to throw in the towel and try to get to sleep when the phone rang in his hand. Alannah's name appeared on the caller ID and Cian could have sworn his internal organs twisted horribly. Was she calling to fire him? Did she want him to come back? After only a moments hesitation he answered.
"Hey." Cian went still as Alannah's voice barely registered over the line, her whispered terror filling his blood with ice. The feeling seemed to jumpstart his training and his brain; Cian whipped around looking for his shoes. "Is there any place you can hide without making a noise?" He asked as he shoved his feet into his sneakers and raced out the door, barely remembering to close it on his way out. "Stay where you are sunshine. I'm going to put you on hold for one second to call the police and then I'll be back on the line." His voice was calm, even if white hot fear coursed through him. His breathing was ragged as he huffed his way down the stairs two at a time. His fingers quickly placed Alannah on hold and he had the police on the line and barking directions to get to her as he ran towards his car. He hung up on the woman over the line telling him not to do anything rash and reconnected to Alannah.

"They are on their way and so am I. I'll be there in ten. Stay with me love." Cian switched the phone to speaker and tossed it on the dash before turning on his car and speeding out his spot. He ignored the red light on the street and after a quick scan of the nearly empty road he put his foot to the floor and sped off. "Do you have a lock on the door? Or a chair you can put under the handle?" Cian's heart raced as he did his best to keep his voice steady, he didn't want to give her any more reason to be scared. The city flew by as he raced towards her building, praying he could get to her in time.
 
She had never been this scared in her life. This wasn’t the first time that Alannah had looked danger in the face, but the gunshot had been different, it had been instant and then it was over, quick as a flash before she even really had time to react. Plus, it had happened at a very public event, there were security all over her within seconds. Right now, the responsibility for her safety relied solely upon her and Alannah found the weight of it almost suffocating. Her chest was tight and she was having a difficult time hearing Cian over the pounding of blood in her ears, so much so that she had to remind herself to breathe, inhale, then exhale over and over again. Cian’s voice was like a beacon of light and hope amongst the darkness of her room and she tried to cling onto it like a lifeline.

Reopening her eyes from how they had been squeezed shut against her panic, Alannah quickly scanned her bedroom. “I-I could hide behind the curtain?” It was the only place she could think of – her wardrobe was freestanding, her bed had heavy storage boxes full of clothes underneath. A part of her scrambled brain wished she’d thought ahead and planned a safe space into her bedroom design but then who thought ahead to situations like this?

Another bump came from behind the door and Alannah whimpered involuntarily, snapping a hand up to her mouth to muffle the sound. “Okay,” she whispered in response to Cian’s reassurance, resorting to counting the seconds that he was gone that quickly started to feel like years. It was the only way she could stop the panic from gripping her and taking over completely. Was this just a random break in? Was it connected to the shooting? The thought made her knees want to buckle and she pressed a hand flat against the wall to steady herself, letting out an exhale once Cian reconnected with her. “Okay,” she repeated, as though it was all she could manage before she took another glance around her room.

“There’s a chair,” she whispered, before adding, “I can move it.” It was almost like a direct translation of you can do this before Alannah took in a gulp of air and tiptoed quietly to the chair that was tucked under her dressing table. With her phone still in her hand she lifted it without a sound and hauled it over to the door, sitting it firmly under the door handle and then taking a step back. “Okay. Okay, I’ve done it.” There was a small sense of relief that came with this although it was short-lived when another crash came from the other side of the door, followed by a successive slam against it. The noise made Alannah gasp and she instinctively took a step back.

“Cian,” she whispered, her breaths becoming more ragged. “Please… please hurry.”
 
Cian broke more laws than he could keep track of as he hurtled down the road. Alannah's terrified voice giving him the wings he needed to get to her. He spotted her building looming up ahead and twisted the wheel, throwing the car into a sharp skid just as a loud bang filled the phone speakers and Alannah pleaded with him to hurry.
"Almost there." Cian could see the reflection of police lights bouncing off the neighboring buildings as he forced his car to a stop in the loading zone of Alannah's building. He was out of his car in a matter of seconds rushing for the nearest entrance. A sleepy looking doorman seemed to rouse of his stupor as Cian came barreling into the lobby. He knew from memory that Alannah's apartment was only a few floors up. "Where's the stairwell?" Cian half shouted. Cian quickly put the phone to his ear as the man pointed with a confused hand towards a side door. "I'm almost there, Alannah find a weapon if you can and keep away from the door."

He sprinted as far as his legs would take him, pushing past the ache in his legs after the third flight of stairs. He rounded the bend after a few more flights and saw Alannah's floor number. He slammed his entire body weight into it, pushing it open with a crash. Signage indicated Alannah's apartment number was to the left and he made a mad dash, spotting her open door just a few meters away. The street below them was lit up with police lights and filled with sirens as officers made their way into the building and up.

Cian rounded the doorframe and caught a figure in Alannah's apartment just as the attacker raised what appeared to be a hammer and brought it down on Alannah's door, sending the weapon deep into the door and making a hole. As the attacker raised his weapon once again Cian tackled the figure, sending him smashing into the door once more. Cian made a grab for the hammer but the assailant proved a bit too quick for him, sending the weapon back claw end into the door once more. There was a scuffle as Cian was shoved away from the man and did his best to regain his footing. In the darkened apartment he couldn't see anything but the dark outline as the attacker also rose to his feet.

There was a moment where the two of them seemed to size one another up before they simultaneously rushed towards one another. Cian caught the flash of silver from a knife just in time and twisted, sending his shoulder into the attacker, ignoring the bite of pain that lanced over his bicep. The weapon clattered to the ground and Cian felt hands gripping his back, pushing him even more forward into the bright wall. Picture frames clattered to the floor all around him, and Cian twisted, prepared for another attack, but when he turned he caught the briefest glimpse of the figure turning and running down the hall.

Pushing off the wall he ran for the doorframe just as police officers entered, guns drawn. Cian's hands lifted in the air and he was quickly pat down as other officers rushed towards the figure who had ducked into a stairwell and was out of sight. An officer continued to hold him at gunpoint while Cian's wallet was retrieved as well as his identification for Booker and Sons.
"Should've let the police do their jobs." One officer with a burly mustache muttered at him as he shoved back Cian's wallet and identification.
"You would've been too late." Cian snarled back. "I did what I had to do."
"Let him go." Another officer said, giving the stash a pat on the shoulder.
"I know you guys have to clear the scene, but can I get my client out of her room and make sure she's ok?" Cian asked, his hands lowering as the gun was holstered. At the kinder officers assent Cian turned to the bedroom where the hammer remain still imbedded in the door.

Careful not to touch anything or move any evidence, Cian navigated his was around Alannah's trashed apartment. Drawers hung open in her kitchen, while boxes filled with trinkets lay on the ground their contents spilling out. Was the attacker looking for something? Once he reached Alannah's bedroom door he called out to her.
"Alannah, love. It's over. Can you let me in?" His voice was calm again and when he heard the slide of the door and twist of the knob he pushed his way into the room. Cian's wild eyes took in Alannah, her fear still evident over her features. He stopped thinking then, his body acting on its own as he moved forward and gathered Alannah in his arms, engulfing her in the biggest bear hug. "I've got you."
 
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