Cabriolet

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LUCY NIELSEN
Making a face, she looked over at him, shaking her head, "You're just jealous." She was terrible. Even a little buzzed, she knew she was terrible, but she wasn't giving him anything that easy, "I don't need to have played before, to be amazing. Natural talent, right here... pure natural talent. And fire... Sizzling fire."

But as he slid up behind her and took hold of her hand, Lucy fell silent. He was surprisingly warm, from having emerged from the pool, and the heat he radiated into her own chill, goosebump-marked skin was enough to send a chill along her spine. It had been a long time since she'd been so close to man in a favorable sense - not that it was intentionally favorable - and the feelings it brought up were... alarming and powerful.

Swallowing, she followed his instructions, but suddenly, darts weren't so entertaining. Her heart still pounding, she threw it and struck fairly close to the center. Looking back at him, over her shoulder, she smiled a little more coyly, "So my future isn't in darts... But I am gonna do something with myself. Something new and exciting." Moving to the bar, she grabbed her own glass, and returning to his side, she looked up at him, meeting his eyes and holding the drink out in salute, "To change..."
 
Killian Hopper
"Something new and exciting, huh?" He leaned back against the bar and propped his weight against his elbows, crossing one leg over the other. "Giving up psychiatry? Or just adding on a hobby?" He was genuinely curious to hear what she planned to do with her proposed change, though he still couldn't decide if she was drunk, serious, or both. "Who knows, maybe you'll prove good at gambling and you'll make your life out of wheeling and dealing cards. It could happen." He shrugged and reached over to pick up his near-empty glass. He'd just chugged down two potent drinks; he knew he needed to slow down quickly or he'd struggle to make the swim back.

"To change, or whatever." He tapped the edge of his glass against her and they rang out with a chime before he brought it to his lips and took the last of the drink down. He contemplated going for another, but ultimately decided against it, and slid the empty glass further down the bar with a sigh. It was getting late and he was getting drunker than he intended, which wasn't that drunk, but he hadn't planned on drinking anything, either. It seemed like as good of a time as any to call it a night, especially since he needed to get rest for another long day of doing nothing. Again, he sighed as his thoughts reminded him of what was yet to come.

Tossing the wet towel over the rack to try, he climbed back into the pool and floated back, readjusting to the water temperature. "We should probably head back. Or, I guess, you can stay if you want, but I'm starting to get pruny." He'd had enough swimming for one night. He needed a shower, and maybe could finally relax enough to read a bit before bed. Furthermore, his choice of sandwich had not been adequate enough to fill him for more than five minutes and, once again, he was starving.

 
LUCY NIELSEN
She wasn't exactly her own biggest fan, but there was one thing she enjoyed, and that was the work she did. Maybe not the way she did it... but she liked helping people. She liked seeing their recovery process, seeing how their lives changed from the things they worked through. Some tweaks wouldn't hurt, of course, but to quit altogether? That wasn't an option she wanted to entertain.

"I'm not sure yet. Maybe a hobby. Maybe darts." Her brow rose, and she smiled faintly, before shaking her head, "Or maybe not darts. But I definitely am not going back to the way things were. I want to meet people. I want to get out. You know what I really wanna do, Killian? I wanna date someone. Like... someone who isn't a psychopath. It's been years, and that's not healthy. If I were in my own office... I'd say that to myself. It's not right, how long it's been."

As he slid back into the water, she dropped down to the side and let her feet sink in first, before she slid all the way down, treading for a moment, to get the hang of her slightly confused arms and legs. She wasn't wasted - it wasn't wake-up-with-a-hangover, vomiting-on-her-shoes drunk... Just a buzz, but it was enough that when it came to certain motor skills, she had to do a little extra work.

"Pruney, hm?" She said with a small smile, "I mean... I guess it's a pretty appropriate look for an old, grumpy man." Flicking a few drops of water at him, she started for the exit again. When she had reached the pool on the other side, she climbed out and grabbed a new towel, pulling it around her shoulders. The idea of squeezing back into her jeans while drenched didn't seem like an intelligent or welcoming idea, so collecting her clothes, she wrapped the towel more tightly around herself and made for the exit.

The path to her room required passing through the kitchen, and as she passed through the threshold, she paused, looking to the fridge with a small frown. She was hungry... Hungry enough that the cold tile against her bare feet could not deter her. Crossing the room, she opened the fridge and peering inside, her eyes shifting around the shelves until they came to eggs, butter and a block of cheddar. Grabbing these, and a bag of mushrooms and container of spinach, she made her way to the island. Tomatoes made it to the mix as well, and with a little fumbling around, she found a pan. With everything collected, and concentrating on not slicing off her fingers, she got to work on the vegetables.
 
Killian Hopper
He crinkled his nose at her as she flicked the water, shaking his head at her with a frown. "Good luck with all that." After all their conversation, he felt like he knew a great deal about of her. She seemed ambitious, but he wondered if she had the gumption to do the follow through. Would anything change when all this would over? He doubted he would change. Perhaps he'd close the casinos and go into a safer business—resorts, for example, but the murders didn't change his outlook on his life.

As she vanished in a towel with a pile of clothes in her arms, Killian took a moment to dry off and pad into his bedroom. He showered, changed into pajamas, and skipping a second meal, he retired for the night. It was surprisingly easy to fall asleep that evening, even without taking something to read.

He'd only stirred all throughout night at the start of morning, as his blinds were let open and the first of the sunrise kissed his bedroom into brilliant shades of blue and turquois. Clouds moved across the sky, moving South towards the city, together, yet independent. Gaps widened and closed, one slides right under another and always changing shapes. As the day heated up, the clouds burned off, leaving nothing but a brilliant blue and the horrible heat left to come of the desert summer. Sliding into a pair of jeans and running a hand through his scraggy hair, he wandered from his bedroom into the kitchen, where Maria was already started for the day.

"Morning," she greeted, flipping an egg in her pan. "Work today?"

"No," he replied, pouring out a cup of coffee and leaning against the counter as he watched her cook. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do today."

"You could finish repairing that car in the garage," she suggested with a shrug herself. "How long ago you buy it? Two years?" She waved her spatula at him with a frown.

"Pff." He rolled his head back. "I can't fix that thing. I've tried and I can't get it to start."

"You can. You chose not to."

"Yea, thanks for the life advice," he finalized, reaching over the breakfast bar to snatch a piece of bacon straight from the pan and grinning as he bit into it as she scoffed at him.

 
LUCY NIELSEN
After her midnight snack, which thankfully cost her no fingers, Lucy made her way upstairs, falling into bed a weary, but changed young woman. There was nothing in particular about the day that had done it... But letting go just a little... Letting her control slip, she saw a world of possibility, and it was fresh and bright and exciting. It was new. And she needed new.

That morning, a little later than her usual wake up, she stirred and after a refreshing shower, she slid into a peach colored sundress and popped on a fresh layer of red lipstick, before making her way downstairs to the kitchen... Refreshed. Renewed.

"Morning Maria, Killian." Bending to scratch King on the back of his head, she smiled, "Your Majesty." Straightening, she clasped her hands behind her back, a brow lifting, as she took a seat at the island counter, "What are you choosing not to fix?"
 
Killian Hopper
"Nothing," Killian replied when Lucy inquired. Maria, however had other plans.

"A car. He bought a car says he fixes it, and never fixes it."

Killian shot her a glance, but just shook his head and sigh. "I bought this sixty-nine Impala car a few years ago, saying I'd fix it. It doesn't run and I've spent a little bit of time with it, but I haven't figured out what's wrong with it. I've been too busy so it sits… in my garage, collecting dust. I've lost interest in the project, really. I was going to sell it a few months ago. Still will, eventually, but it's low on my list of priorities," he admitted. He didn't like sharing information about the Impala, because it felt like a failure. Alas, he just got too busy to be tinkering around with wrenches.

"Maybe when I retire some day, I'll start overhauling cars, but until then…" he trailed off with a shrug, dropping the last of the stolen bacon into his mouth before plopping on to a breakfast bar stool to wait as Maria pulled breakfast off the heat and began to serve up three plates for Killian, Lucy, and herself. When everyone was served, and had everything they needed, Maria joined them.

Without hesitation, Maria and Killian both tucked into their meals, talking randomly as they did. Eventually, Killian glanced over to Lucy, nodding his head at her. "You have any plans for today?" he asked. "Or are you just going to hang around the house?" He was genuinely curious, wondering about what she'd get up to the day. "Have you had a tour of the house yet, even? You probably don't even know what there is to do yet."

 
LUCY NIELSEN
"Wait, wait, wait...You have a 69' Chevy in your garage. Just sitting there, in it's glorious splendor... and you're giving up on it? Are you sure you're even human? I know we joked about the alien thing, but I'm a little less on the fence, now." Shaking her head, she too the plate from Maria and smiled, "Thanks. Looks great."

As she tucked in, savoring the perfectly cooked eggs and crisp of the bacon, she glanced over to Killian, a brow lifting before the corner of her lip followed suit, "Maria drew me something of a map, yesterday, after lunch, but I've never been great at directions. A tour would probably be helpful. At some point, I'll need to take a cab into the city... back to my apartment." The smile faded, as she glanced back down at her plate.

She hadn't wanted to return there... not ever, really. But there was something important towards recovery, in visiting those places that were the greatest hindrance to it. It was why she always brought her patients to a casino or a bar. Breaking the stigma of the place was important, to healing, "I only packed for two days, and I'm sort of a stickler for wearing the same outfit twice in a week. Probably should grab a swimsuit, too." Looking at him again, she smirked, shrugged, "But otherwise, no plans."
 
Killian Hopper
"I just don't have time for it," he replied with a lame shrug. "There is a huge market for the car, something about it being the car type used in some popular TV show, or something." He bought it on, per usual, a whim because he could repair it, but ran out of time and energy to bother rather quickly. So, it sat. And sat, and sat. He supposed he had the time now that he wasn't working, but he hoped that the 'no work' policy wouldn't last longer more than a couple of days. He couldn't just throw himself into useless hobbies he was hoping he wouldn't have time to complete.

Picking at his breakfast, Killian ate slowly and without much interest, but finished his plate, all the same. "Mm, alright," he agreed, listening to her thoughts on the day. "We can get you a towncar instead of a cab. It'll be easier and the driver can help you carry luggage down." For a moment, he considered joining her for a while to go into town and see if he could find entertainment in the city, but ultimately decided against it. He wasn't much of a gambler, and that was the highlight of Las Vegas life. After dark, the dank clubs and bars opened, but those didn't interest him, either.

In truth, he was already bored with the day and it was only a little past eight thirty in the morning. He had a long stretch of endless hours ahead of him to try and find something to occupy himself with, and nothing he thought of felt all that interesting. Movie? Meh. Swimming? Meh. Downtown? Meh. All he really wanted to do was go back into the office, and he kept thinking of ways he could make it happen. Each time, he discouraged himself from it, though. Liliana was right, no matter how much he didn't want her to be.

"Hm, well," he muttered, pushing his plate away and flopping back against the chair, his head lolling back and his gaze steady on the ceiling. "I have no idea what I'm going to do."

"Fix the car," Maria replied between bites of bacon. "Or give Ms Nielsen a tour."
 
LUCY NIELSEN
"At least let me look at it, before you sell it. I know you 'no touching' car policy, but you cannot let a beauty like that go to waste without someone seeing it. Appreciating it." Killian was a stubborn man, and she was a little surprised, frankly, to hear that he was so quick to give up on something. She had seen the way he lit up when he drove the other day, the way he seemed to transform behind the wheel. Strange then, that he would quit on the Impala.

"You're welcome to go with me, if you want..." She said, when he mentioned not knowing what to do. It wasn't exactly her idea of a good time, traipsing through the apartment she almost died in. The idea of going on her own made her anxious in a way she was a little embarrassed to admit. Asking for help wasn't her strong suit, but she had learned a few days ago that sometimes, it was just better to say what needed to be said, "I'd appreciate the moral support. Shouldn't be too long..." She had no intention of being there any longer than absolutely necessary.

Of course, whether Killian wanted to go or not would dictate if he did. She'd learned by now there was no pushing Killian to do anything he didn't actually want to do. Whether it was playing darts, or fixing a car... or staying home from work, because half the world thought he had hired a hitman to murder people from his past.
 
Killian Hopper
"I never said I didn't appreciate it," he argued, rolling his head to the side along the back of the chair so he could look at her in his usual, deadpan way. "But fine. You can see it. I may even let you sit in it, if I'm feeling really nice today. We'll see. I haven't decided how kind I'm going to be yet." He spoke like he could decide his emotions for a day and, sometimes, it certainly seemed that way. He went from hot to cold faster than turning a dial on a faucet, and he seemed in perfect control of his reactions at any given time, no matter how stressful the situation. It was as if all of his emotions were on a Rolodex and he could spin through them at his will.

Pushing off the chair, he went to gather their plates and dishes to drop into the dishwasher while Maria worried about scrubbing out the pots and pans. "Yea, alright," he agreed. "I can go with you. I can drive, too." Might as well, he figured. It wasn't like there was a whole lot left for him to do around the house, aside from things he didn't want to do, like dealing with the Impala. "We can catch some lunch while we're down there, too."

"Thank goodness," Maria muttered under her breath. "I can have the peace of my afternoons back for a day." She looked up at Killian from the corner of her eye and smiled so sweetly than even Killian couldn't resist allowing a smile to grow across his lips in response.

"Right, then it's decided. When do you want to go? I need to figure out what car we're going to take." Most of his vehicles were not designed for picking up luggage and, thus, had limited or non-existent boots and back seats. The Audi had a back seat, he remembered. That would do; he couldn't imagine Lucy would be packing up some huge set of luggage like Liliana might have.

"What's that new restaurant that just opened up downtown? That Michelin Star chef one? Red, or something?"

Maria gave him a look and a shrug. "I will call and get you a reservation."

"That'd be awesome, thanks," he said, drying his hands off on a dishrag. "I haven't been there yet and it sounds interesting."

It didn't matter if the restaurant was booked up for the next year. They'd find a table for Killian Hopper at the drop of a hat because that was just the kind of man he was. He never struggled to get into places and when he wanted to dine at the new Michelin star restaurant, he would.
 
LUCY NIELSEN
She was surprised, frankly, when he agreed so quickly to go with her. Surprised, pleasantly, and it showed in the smile that rolled across her features as she nodded. She wouldn't have pushed him, if he had declined, but it would have made the trip significantly more difficult. It frustrated her, of course, to feel like she couldn't handle these things on her own, but she hadn't made such a big deal the night before about change, for no reason.

She wasn't familiar with many restaurants around the city, and couldn't care less which had Michelin Stars or which didn't. Lunch would be nice, even if being out in public might've been a bit more than she was fully ready for. She had to get used to it, though. The idea of getting past her fear... getting beyond it. Rob couldn't be everywhere, and she needed to remind herself of that, as often as she needed to, to live life the way she wanted to.

"I'm ready, whenever you are." She said with a nod. There was a chuckle as he worked silently through which car to take. For someone who didn't even have their license, it was ultimately and amusing dilemma for someone to have. Still, she couldn't complain. Whatever car they took, she couldn't imagine it would disappoint.
 
Killian Hopper
"Yea, I can be ready. Give me just a few minutes to change." Still in his slacks, he disappeared out of the kitchen and sauntered to the bedroom. A few minutes gave him a change of clothes into a light sweater and some nice black slacks. He brushed his teeth and refreshed himself with a quick splash of cold water to the face before returning to the kitchen. He patted himself for his wallet and mobile, going to his cabinet of keys to shift through the sets all hanging from hooks. Finding the pair he was looking for, he slipped them into his pocket and glanced back for Lucy.

"Now I'm ready," he said. "Thanks Maria, have a nice day. See you tonight."

The housekeeper gave a smile and waved them off. "Yes, see you tonight," she answered. "And don't forget, I will not be in tomorrow."

"I haven't," he promised over his shoulder, trotting down the stairs that led them to the basement. The entire basement of the house was a storage unit for a line of cars parked a few inches apart. At the far end was a garage door at the top of a small incline, leading to the outside drive. Walking towards the cherry red Audi, one of the few cars with a backseat and boot.

"We're going to take this one today," he said, motioning towards it. He supposed he could have selected one of the trucks, or SUVs, but those were just a pain to drive through town, and he preferred a car to anything else. Getting in, he turned the ignition. The lights across the dashboard illuminated with laugh as the engine purred to life. "Been a while since I've driven you," he muttered to the car, brushing dust of the dashboard.
 
LUCY NIELSEN
As Killian left to get ready, Lucy made her way upstairs briefly, to find a scarf to wrap around her neck. The bruises had softened over night, yellowing around the edges, but they were still too apparent to walk around without covering it. The last thing she needed, when there was an investigation into his personal activity, was to show up anywhere with Killian, looking the way she did.

When she'd covered up,s he made it back to the kitchen, and a minute or two later, Killian returned. She followed him to the garage, and watched as he peered through the multitude of cars, half in awe at the shear number of them. He selected the Audi and gestured to it, but Lucy took her time looking around, before she continued to the car he'd chosen, "How do you even keep track of them all? It's like a sales lot in here."

Chuckling, she slipped in, and glanced over to him as he spoke to the car, her lip twitching up in an amused smile. She wouldn't tease him, though she wanted to. She understood men and their cars... understood that it was normal for them to add sentience where there was none. And somehow, with Killian, it was more adorable than it really should have been - a side of him she had never really anticipated seeing. A side she wasn't even sure he knew he had.

"I'm on Wyandotte... The adobe style apartments. You know the way?"
 
Killian Hopper
"I don't, really," he admitted when she inquired after his collection. "I buy and sell cars pretty frequently, I guess. I get bored of them after a while and I only have so much storage space." While he could have afforded to rent another storage unit somewhere, or build an expansion on to the house garage, he just couldn't justify it. He was only one person and could only drive one car at a time, he didn't need more space than he already possessed. "Usually, I just grab a set of keys from my box and see what it unlocks."

There were a few cars he kept for sentimental purposes, but most stock turned over once or twice a year. Killian rarely drove something for long. "I know the general area." He pulled out of the garage and pulled onto the turnpike, letting the engine pick up a bit of speed on the quiet highways. "You'll have to direct me once we get closer, but I know the way, more or less." He didn't know what 'adobe style' meant, but he decided it was unimportant enough that he didn't bother asking. He knew where the Wyandotte apartments were clustered and once they got close, he figured Lucy would take over as navigator.

Per usual, the drive was a good half an hour before the first twinkling lights of the strip came into view. Traffic grew heavier and desert transitioned into manicured grass and gaudy buildings. They passed by drive-thru restaurants put up next to drive-thru wedding chapels, all tucked in between towering, glamorous hotels that pierced the blue desert sky. Going through the strip, Killian pulled the car on to Wyandotte.

"Alrigth, where am I going?" he asked, reducing his speed so she could navigate, and he could listen to the directions a bit easier. It was still a few hours off from lunch, so he wasn't in any particular rush to find the apartment with any speed. "It's been a long time since I've been on this side of town," he mentioned off-handedly, glancing up at the buildings all around them.

"Before Liliana, I used to date a girl who lived over this way."
 
LUCY NIELSEN
"You're gonna take a left up ahead..." Gesturing, Lucy sat up a little straighter, as a cloud of nervous energy roiled within her. She loved her apartment. Always had. It was one of the only selling points to having a place in the city... The style of them, the old fashioned sleekness. She'd likely have to move now. Especially if there was nothing to be done about Rob. Maybe he would leave her be... maybe he'd recognize his behavior was out of line and steer clear. but with no way of knowing, she'd spend every moment looking over her shoulder... watching. Waiting.

She was glad Killian had decided to join her, because she was fairly certain she would never have made it inside, otherwise. With a few more directions, the Adobe-styled apartment complex came into view, the tan stucco standing out against a world of glass and steel. She pointed him to the parking lot and when they came to a stop, nervous folded her hands together, her eyes shifting through the cars surrounding them, searching for anything familiar.

It occurred to her, however, she wasn't even sure what car Rob drove. She didn't know much about the man at all, least of all his limits... How low he would stoop... how far he would go. Maybe she hadn't created him, but Killian hadn't been wrong when he'd called the man a monster.

The anxiety within her increased and her breathing picked up speed, chest tightening, as she turned her gaze to the building, staring blankly at the warm honey facade, the white-washed window frames and wrought iron railings, as colors blended into each other, foggy beige.
 
Killian Hopper
Following her directions, Killian pulled into the multi-story parking ramp and found a spot, pulling in and killing the engine. Once the air condition turned off, the car began to heat up quickly, even under the shade of the level above. He cracked open his door, but didn't move to get out as quickly. Hot, sticky air blew in, causing a sheen of sweat to gloss over his forehead. "It's hot today," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to Lucy. Huffing, he swiped the moisture away on the sleeve of his shirt. He loved the dry heat of the desert, but sometimes, it just became too much.

What he wouldn't given for a good, hard summer rain, like the ones he remembered from back home. It rarely rained in Vegas. He supposed that was half the appeal of it to tourists—their vacations and holidays weren't likely to get ruined by adverse weather, so they could gamble and drink and stumble down the strip without fear of getting soaked. Glancing back to Lucy as he ambled from the car, his eyebrows raised. The strained look of pain on her face was evident from her wringing hands, the pallor of her face, and the slightly widened eyes.

"Come on," he announced. "We'll go in, pack some stuff, and get out. Simple as that." He slammed the car door shut behind him. Up until he saw her expression, he hadn't expected to go in to her apartment with her. He had planned to stay in the car and wait, but looking at her then, it was clear she needed a little motivation to get out of the car and get moving.

Walking around the side of the car, Killian rasped a knuckle against the passenger's side window, giving her a small wave of encouragement. The sooner they could get through it, the better. There was a nice drink and lunch waiting for him at Red. Maybe he should have been more cautious about the possibility of running into Rob, but he figured the risk was low. The chance that Rob would come back for round two—in broad daylight—seemed unlikely. He was still an officer, he still had to work.
 
LUCY NIELSEN
Simple as that.

But it wasn't simple. Killian didn't understand... not really. How much his encouragement meant. She had been on her own or so long, and for the first time in her life, she didn't need to face something alone. His voice had snapped her from the fog, and as he came around the other side of the Audi and knocked against the window, she looked up at him, eyes damp, nodding. Her hands unclamped and reaching for the handle, she pushed the door open, sliding out.

"Thanks..." She murmured, because whatever he said about hating verbal gratitude, there was no way she would have gotten out of the car without him, and she needed him to know her appreciation. Digging into her purse, she pulled out her keys, and with a deep breath, she started for the steps, heading to the second landing. The nerves did not abate, as much as she hoped they would, but the panic had dulled and by the time she reached her apartment, she had gotten a hold of herself enough to get the key in the door, the door opened.

Inside, everything was as she'd left it, and her heart gave another throb at the sight of her desk, where she had been working, the glass of wine still sitting beside the keyboard. Stepping past the threshold, she sucked in another sharp breath, and shutting her eyes for a moment, focused on controlling the emotional overflow. For a second time, the panic passed, and opening her eyes again, she gestured to the room straight ahead, "Just through here."

In her bedroom, she opened the closet and dug out another duffel bag, and as she opened her drawers, collecting what she needed, she glanced back at Killian, "Shouldn't take more than a minute." She was quick, figuring out the drawers first, then a few items from the closet, before she finally made her way to the bathroom to collect a small bag of toiletries. Adding the small bag to the duffel and zipping everything up, she stepped back, nodding, "...That ought to do it."
 
Killian Hopper
"Yea, sure, no thanks," Killian echoed, trailing behind her and locking the car as they made their way up to the second story of the ramp and zipping over into the apartment complex. He remained silent, his eyes constantly wandering around the halls and passages of the building. He'd grown up in apartment, and he never liked them. He could remember smelling the cigarette smoke of their neighbor, or the passionate love making of the flat above them. They only had a two bedroom growing up, so his parents stayed in one, and he and all his other siblings in another. It hadn't been a bad gig. The tropical weather meant they could go out and play, so they only really were ever in the apartment on rainy days, and to sleep.

He still never liked them though. They felt cramped and confined, even moreso when she brought them to her door. The inside was… quaint, as a real estate agent might have put it. It smelled clean, and was warm and welcoming, but he hated the size. In it, he felt confined and for that reason, his own house was built with such high ceilings and open floor plan. He liked space. Still, it was charming in its own way. Clean, but not sterile. Decorated, but not overwhelming. He followed her when she waved him on.

Waiting in the threshold of her bedroom, Killian leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms as she packed. His eyes continued to wander, detailing every picture and painting she hung up—wondering why she chose those particular ones over others. He'd probably never get his answer, but it gave him something to occupy his thoughts while he waited.

She brushed by him in a hurried whirlwind and he pushed off to follow her. "Got everything?" he asked, though she already previously confirmed she had. "Lucky Dora the Explorer underwear? Perfect. Come on…" Killian was quick to the door, though paused once more. "You sure there isn't anything else? Speaking now or forever hold your peace."
 
LUCY NIELSEN
A brow lifted, before a smile twitched up at the corner of her lips and she shook her head, "Damn. I knew I forgot something... Oh well." Looking over her shoulder, she called back into her room, "Keep the apartment safe, Dora..." And moving with the bag towards the front door, she chuckled. It wasn't forever, though. As nice as it was to think she could just escape her life... put it on hold indefinitely, she knew she'd be back. She knew she'd have to come back. Even if she didn't have rent to pay, and belongings to care for, she had to move forward... to live her life. She wouldn't be able to heal if she spent the rest of her life hiding out in Killian's mansion.

"I'm good..." She said finally, with a nod. Slipping out of the door, she waited until Killian followed, the locked it behind her, sliding the key back into her purse. That was it... It was done, and all the worry and panic had been for nothing. No Rob. No indications he'd even come back. She had worried, because that was what her mind told her was the appropriate reaction, but was it? What was she so afraid of? What could Rob do to her? As long as she wasn't alone? Nothing.

When they returned to the car and she deposited the suitcase into the back, she turned around again to look at her apartment building. She would come back... Sooner, probably, rather than later. Because while she was learning not to be so controlling of her own life, she also wasn't going to let a man like Rob control it, either.

Turning to Killian, she nodded, smiled faintly and slid into the passenger seat, buckling up.
 
Killian Hopper
"Alright, come on." Killian was a bit eager to get out of the apartment building. He didn't like it and he felt more relaxed when they were in the open air of the parking ramp, even considering the swelteringly hot weather. It wasn't even noon and the sun already baked everything in its sight. It was a malevolent, single, white-hot eye and its endless blue sky, without so much as a speck of cloud, its comrade. Sweat trickled between his shoulder blades even during the short jaunt to the car.

Arriving, he turned the ignition. The air condition kicked on, blasting them will still moderately cool air, which proved to be more than enough to drag a relieved sigh from between his lips. "Alright, lunch then?" It was still a little early at only a quarter past ten, but he figured they could have a drink at the bar before going to their table. Or, he could have a drink and she could sip a kiddy cocktail. She'd mentioned one she didn't really drink and from what little he saw of her, that seemed to be true, with her seltzer waters at the bar.

Red was not far, neither was downtown, but it was packed, which made the trip a bit cumbersome.

The sleek building located centrally downtown was a new construction, with glossy black, one-way windows and a bright red door. An overhang out front welcomed guests to pull around for the valet service, as there was no self-parking available at the restaurant. Killian pulled up and slid out, leaving the keys in the ignition as the young valet boy hopped in to drive it away.

"Nice place," Killian mentioned, looking up to the broad front doors, lined with two beautiful vases filled with dried, bleached branches. "Come on, let's grab a drink first and we can eat in a bit?" He still wasn't particularly hungry for lunch, but a refreshing drink on a cool day sounded nice.

Stepping inside, the place was awash with high end furniture and thin waitresses with seductive smiles. The young woman with a slicked back blonde ponytail at the front desk purred under her breath when the pair entered. "Mr Hopper," she greeted, eyes turning to Lucy, "are you ready for your table?" She didn't need to ask who he was.

He only shook his head. "I think we'll go to the bar for a bit first?" His statement coming out more as a question as he glanced to Lucy for confirmation.
 
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