Even though yesterday was crazy, I think I'm much better this morning.

Of course I was shocked, I had every right to be. But now I feel better. I have a clear head.

Clear head and a phone full of unread messages and missed calls.

Julie is going to kill me because I didn't write her back.

Eddie is going to kill me because I didn't let him know I wasn't coming to work.

And Mason is going to kill me because I left him alone with the crowds.

I probably shouldn't joke about death. It's not appropriate.

"Morning Sleeping Beauty." I found Acker in the kitchen with a bowl of milk and cereal.

"Still here huh?" I went to the fridge and took out the milk. I took the bowl and sat down at the table.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked if he was really interested.

"Maybe when you leave." I smiled.

"Oh yes, you're definitely back." He laughed. "You probably don't care, but Theo arrived safely in New York."

"What a disappointment." I reached for the cereal box and poured it into the milk.

"I'm sorry, but did you put your cereal in cold milk just now or am I high?" He frowned at my bowl.

"Oh God." I rolled my eyes at his comment.

"Monster." He said quietly.

"Jackass." I snorted and started eating.

"So where are we headed today?" He asked after a moment.

"I'm off to work and you can be glad I'm letting you sleep here. So why don't we just avoid each other? It'll be good for both of us."

"Funny, Mimi." He smiled. "But I won't let you out of my sight."

"Oh how nice, you could just say you like me, Acker." I winked at him. "Even though it's obvious."

"I'll make your life hell." He said with a huge smile.

"Just be careful it's not the other way around."

*****

He meant it. That asshole actually meant it.

He followed me to work like a lost puppy. He sat down at the bar and ordered a glass of water. Water!

I can't believe I'm going to have to deal with this for days. I'm waiting for him to just stand up and leave me the fuck alone but it doesn't look like thats the case.

Before I started work, I went to see Eddie and explained to him what happened yesterday.

Well I didn't tell him what happened exactly.

I can't just mention to him that I found a gun and found out that my brother is a murderer. It wouldn't be good for business.

Thank God Eddie has his heart in the right place and didn't fire me. He said he understood, but next time to at least call him and inform him I'm okay.

Julie stopped by my place in the evening and Acker told her I wasn't feeling well, so she wasn't mad at me that much. I didn't even know she stopped by, I was really out of it yesterday.

Only Mason remains.

After I changed, I went back to the bar where Mason was already working, on the other side where Acker was sitting.

I tried to ignore him.

"Before you say anything, I'm sorry for leaving you alone." I stopped by him. "I can take a shift for you on the weekend." I tried to suggest something to him to reconcile.

"Don't worry about it." He laughed. "But why weren't you here? Are you okay?"

"I ran into some...minor problems." I shrugged my shoulders.

"Does it have anything to do with him?" He nodded his head somewhere behind me and I knew immediately that he meant Acker.

"It's complicated." I breathed out hard. "But that doesn't excuse me leaving you alone. I'm really sorry." I looked at him guiltily. I feel really bad.

"It's okay Maya." He grabbed my shoulder. "As long as you don't leave me alone during a football game, we're fine."

"Thank you, Mason." I don't know why, but I hugged him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt him stiffen. But he quickly recovered and his hands went to my back. He pulled me closer and only then did I realize that this was probably the first time I hugged him. Mason is a good hugger, I won't lie.

We pulled away from each other, and when I noticed his eyes, there was something in them. Something I couldn't put my finger on.

"Maya." A voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I turned to Acker, who merely held up an empty glass.

"Sorry." I laughed nervously at Mason and walked over to Acker.

"I didn't know colleagues were so close."

Oh God. "Do you really have to be here? Why don't you go bother someone else? Find some company and go fuck in the alley, just give me a break." I put the glass in front of him and walked over to a woman who was waiting for someone to take her order.

I felt Acker's gaze on me almost the entire evening. It wasn't a good feeling. I don't like being watched. What am I saying? I like being watched. I don't like being watched by Acker. That sounds better.

When things calmed down a bit, I disappeared from the bar through the back entrance for a cigarette.

I could finally breathe.

"Are you trying to run away from me? Because if you are, you're not very good at it." I flinched when I heard Acker only a few meters away. How the hell did he know where I was?

"Did you put a chip on me or something?" I checked my body just to be sure. There's no way he'd put anything on me, I'd see it. That is, if he didn't shove it up my... I would definitely know about that.

"Or maybe I know you well." He walked up to me and I moved my cigarette. Not again buddy. "That wasn't nice." He looked hurt and clutched his chest over his heart.

"You know nothing about me, Acker. Why don't we leave it like that huh?"

"If you think that when you're mean to me I'm going to walk away and leave you alone, you're wrong." He leaned against the building across from me and took a pack of cigarettes with a lighter out of his pocket.

And he wanted to steal mine. Fucking asshole.

"You know," he lit up the cigarette, "you'd be doing us both a favor if you stopped resisting this. I'm not leaving."

"Why?" I frowned, really impressed. "Why do you care what happens to me?"

"Because Theo would kill me if anything happened to you."

"Literally." I whispered and took a drag from my cigarette.

"You know he loves you, right?"

"Don't." I shook my head. "Don't defend him. He left because that's what he does."

"I'm not trying to defend him." He folded his hands in a defensive gesture. "But he had to leave, plus you kind of threw him out."

"I had a good fucking reason." I frowned.

"Whatever you say." He shrugged. "Now why don't you tell me more about that guy."

"Mason?" That was the first name that came to mind.

"I meant the stalker."

"Oh. Well...nothing new. You don't have to worry. Maybe he got over it and you can go back where you came from." I smiled.

"Funny." He laughed and pointed his cigarette at me. "You know what I don't understand, why no police?"

"Because that's a waste of time." I told half the truth.

"Really?" He narrowed his eyes and tried to read me. He doesn't believe me.

"Really." Come on, Maya. You are a good actress. You can do this.

"Hm." He blew out a puff of smoke.

"When you're done, you can go straight back to the apartment. I'll come back myself." I threw away the smoked cigarette and went to the door.

"Do you really think it's going to be that easy?"

"You can't blame a girl for trying." I shrugged and opened the metal door. "And by the way," I paused before closing the door behind me, "I don't think Theo would like you staring at my tits. But feel free to keep lying to yourself that you're doing it for him." I winked at him and slammed the door.



I didn't think it through.

I volunteered to take care of Maya. How dumb can I be?

She said her shift was ending in five minutes and that we're leaving. That was an hour ago. She is sitting at a table with Julie and another woman talking, surely about something serious like global warming.

It's getting on my nerves.

I don't think I've ever been on pins and needles like I'm starting to be now.

I pulled my attention away from Maya when my phone vibrated in my pocket. Theo.

I immediately picked up. "Tell me some good news, please."

"I tried to locate the cell phone he was texting her from, but nothing. It was a burner. I've been sitting here for hours on this. Tell me Maya is okay." He spoke from the other side.

"You'd think she'd be a bit shaken up after your conversation yesterday, but she seems pretty cool." I shrugged. "Although, she's pretty pissed off at you."

"That was expected." He exhaled heavily.

"And how is everything going over there with you?"

"Don't even ask. It's complete chaos here. You should be glad you stayed in Seattle." But why don't I feel that way?

"Oh yes, I'm excited." I said, tired of life.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough. For watching over her. I know you don't have to, but I wouldn't trust her with anyone else." Except Killian, Kai and Finn then no one, I agree. "I'm sure it's not easy with her, but I need you to be around until I find whoever's after her. I have to make sure it's not someone who's after me."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." I ran my hand over my chin. "I'll keep an eye on her. You just make sure everything there is all right. Tell Killian I said hello."

"Sure thing." He laughed. "I'll call you when I find something."

"I hope so." I said, but Theo had hung up already.

I looked at the empty glass in front of me and exhaled. Okay, that's enough for today.

I got up and walked over to the table where Maya was sitting. All three of them looked at me as I stopped next to Maya who had her back to me. "You said five minutes."

"And yet you waited." She smiled from ear to ear and set her hand out with her palm facing up.

What's going on?

"You couldn't wait a little longer." Julie sighed and began to take out money from her wallet.

Another woman who was there with them did the same and they both placed the money in Maya's palm.

"Excuse me, did I miss something?" I frowned, confused.

"Oh don't worry about it, you're excused." She stood up and patted my chest. "I'm ready to go home." She smiled. "Thanks ladies." She winked at them and picked up her leather jacket from her chair before walking away from the table.

I looked at Julie, hoping her expression would give me some answer to what had just happened, but it was useless.

I shook my head. Women.

I caught up with Maya walking down the sidewalk and slowed down when I was next to her.

"So you really meant it when you said you wouldn't let me out of your sight."

"I promised your brother." I shrugged.

"And what's in it for you?" I felt her gaze on me, but I just looked ahead.

Huh. Funny thing because I don't get anything out of it. But I can't tell her that. God knows what she would think then. "That's private." I simply said.

"Oh, so you know what privacy is. That's news to me." She scoffed. "Where was the privacy when you were going through my messages? It was obviously taking a break."

"You should be glad I know it." I looked at her.

"Why?" She frowned. "It's not your problem." She kept walking until I stopped. "What are you doing?" She also stopped when she noticed me.

"Why don't you let anyone help?" I asked, honestly interested why.

I know that some people don't ask for help because they think that there is no one to help them. But why does Maya think that?

"Help?" She snorted. "Where was the help when I really needed it?" She shook her head and for the first time I saw genuine emotion in her eyes. Pain.

The pain I saw in Killian's eyes when he lost Lyssa. Something you can't just shake off.

"It doesn't matter." She closed her eyes and exhaled. When she looked at me again, it was gone and a mask appeared on her face. Blocking every genuine emotion. A mask I didn't realize she was wearing until now. It was there the whole time and I didn't notice. "I just want to go home and sleep. If you want to watch me 24/7, go ahead. But that doesn't mean we have to talk. She moved from her spot while I stood there.

I couldn't erase her face from my memory.

What am I missing here?