So apparently, my plan didn't work as well as I wanted it too. I went from feeling kind and understanding to fuming over the things he said to me. It was hard because I knew I just needed to talk, but I was still angry.

I went two days mulling over the situation in my head. I wanted an apology and for us to be close again, but I can't just march into his office and demand a 'sorry.'

It was the end of the day and I handed Mr. Ito time sheet to Gabriella. And went to Hawk's office door. I had done this every day. I wanted to knock, but I always chickened out (pun intended). Although I wasn't in a threatening situation, I had that cold feeling in my stomach like the night he broke into my house.

My hand hovered over the door like it had two days before and I bit my lip. I took a deep breath and knocked quietly. I stood there, waiting for a response, while the majority of my mind was praying that it was too quiet for him to hear, while a larger part if me knew my prayers would go unanswered due to his feathers.

"Come in," a gruff voice grumbled.

I pushed open the door, and Hawks was leaning back in his chair, feet kicked up. He sat upright as I closed the door.

"What is it?" he questioned with expressionless and lidded eyes.

"I wanted to talk to you." I picked at my fingers.

"I could figure that out when you knocked on my door."

His words were sharp and they stung more than expected. In the moment, all that I wanted to say fled my mind. Hours of rehearsing, out the window. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to do.

"Your reasoning- f- uh- for leaving. I call bullshit."

"Oh. Well, if that is all, then please head home. I believe your work day is over."

The familiar burn of annoyance and hurt swirled around in my stomach.

"You said it was because I wasn't interested in you. That it was your image as Hawks. But you've shown yourself here and there and I still like y- hanging out with you."

It was like talking to a wall.

I took a breath and was about to continue, when he spoke, breaking his wall image.

"You don't know anything about me. You don't know my past. You don't know the amount of danger you could get in. And I'm not talkin little street gangs, I'm talking government—"

"Are you afraid of commitment?"

He stopped in his tracks.

"No."

"Then what is it?"

He chuckled darkly and a shiver shook me to my core.

"If you knew the things I've done—If you knew the real person I was, you'd run for the hills. And say we do forget this whole thing, you'll leave. Just like everyone else. You're no different. So I'm just saving us both the effort."

"Hey, you don't know that—"

"Kid, I do. I've got skeletons in my closet that you don't need to be seeing. You're just fangirling and when you get bored of me, you'll just move onto another hero."

"How often are you happy? Living all alone like this? Because based on what you've just said, you don't seem very happy at all. I like to think that we were close before this. Not because you're Hawks, but because you're a good guy—"

"Again, you know nothing about m—"

"Stop pushing me away. I don't know who hurt you, but I'm not them."

He stopped and seemed to think for a moment. There was a deadly silence and even though no one had said it, we both knew only he could talk next.

"Okay, fine. You're not them. But why should I believe you wouldn't do the same?"

"Because you don't know everything about me."

He let out a soft cruel laugh and shook his head and stood up. He walked around and stood in front of me with a dead smile. "I know you used to work nothing but minimum wage jobs to get by. I know you have one, maybe two friends, one if which is a horrible friend. I know that the poster design in your room is in top condition because you idolize me. And based on the picture, you've idolized me for around 4 years. You carry a fire arm but I'm willing to bet that you can't shoot anyone if you needed to," he continued, "I know you get too warm when you sleep so you pretty much only use the sheets. You sleep in my jacket. You drink the average amount but you drink more when something romantically negative happens because you're a hopeless romantic. Is that enough?"

I stood stunned. He picked up on a lot of things that I didn't think he'd even care about remembering. I choked back tears and looked at the ground. Crying right now would be extremely embarrassing. I did the last thing I thought might work.

I reached out and hugged him. He stiffened and I just buried my head into his neck. I was prepared to get pushed off and rejected but that's not what I got at all. He relaxed and hugged me with one hand. We stood for another moment before he put his other arm around me.

"You certainly are a persistent one."

I nodded into his neck and he chuckled. His laugh was no longer full of resentment but now defeat. When I pulled away his eyes were soft but he still had a neutral look on his face. I whipped the tears that were pooling before they dropped and crosses my arms.

"So... What now?"

He sighed, "I'll give you a shot. But for now I need time to think. Take the day off tomorrow, I'll let Mr. Ito know."

I nodded and walked downstairs. I pulled my keys out of my pocket and tried to start my car when it made a weird noise and stopped. I frowned and tried to turned the engine back on.

"No no no no no..."

I hit my head on the back of the seat in frustration and sighed.

Well today is just fan-fucking-tastic.

A knock on my window interrupted me from my pouting. I looked over and saw bright green eyes smiling at me. I smiled back and rolled the window down for Mr. Ito.

"Whatcha up to?"

"Oh, you know, my car just shit itself and I don't know what's wrong with it."

"Want me to take a look for you?"

"No thanks Mr. Ito, I'll be alright."

"I think we've known each other long enough for you to call me Jack. At least let me drive you home?"

Jack ended up looking at my car, and he couldn't figure out what was wrong with it either. After he confirmed my car did in fact shit itself, I called a car mechanic that would pick it up at no extra cost and check out my car.

I hopped into Jack's car and sighed.

"A lot going on right now?"

"A lot a lot."

"Well, if you're willing to take a detour, there's this really good cafe near by."

"I don't know, isn't it too late for coffee?"

"Don't even worry about it. In all my time of taking you places to eat, have I ever let you down?"

"No sir," I grinned.

"Oh come on, I'm only 25 and were not at work. Making me feel old," he grumbled as we pulled into the parking lot.

We looked at the menu and both ordered. We sat down in a booth and just talked for a bit. I got to know a lot about him. His sister married a dress maker and now they have their shop around the corner from where we were.

"Is your sister by any chance hispanic?"

"She is, why?"

"Oh my god, I think i've gone to that dress store! They bought a booth at the recent festival, right?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh my gosh, they were so sweet! I love the dress so much, it's really well made!"

Jack chuckled. "I'll be sure to let them know. I'm really glad we work so well together. I was worried you'd be intimidated by me, to be honest."

"Oh? How come?"

"When we first met, you fell on top of me. I was worried it'd be awkward."

Realization hit me as I remembered the horrifically embarrassing incident.

"Oh! That's right! I don't think I ever apologized- I am so sorry about that, let me pay the check."

He flashed a crooked smile. "If you insist."

Jack took me home and we said our goodbyes. I felt happy that I got a nice ending to the day, despite the majority of it being about nervousness and confrontation. I immediately went to sleep in my bed because of how emotionally draining today was.

I woke up to a strange sound to say the least. I opened my eyes to hear sizzling and I smelled eggs. When I crept out of my room, I saw Hawks making an omelette. I stood there dumbfounded to say the least.

"Hey," Hawks uttered. Something was off about him. He seemed to carry a little bit of shame on his shoulders.

I stared at him while he cooked and he slid a plate over to me. I took it, confused as hell.

Hawks cleared his throat a little awkwardly. "Uh- I thought about everything, and I'd appreciate it if you and I could be close again. Oh, and I got you something", he trailed off while pulling a familiar looking case out from behind him.

He pushed it to me and even though his body language was calm cool and collected, his eyes were eager in a scared sort of way.

I looked between him and the case and I slowly undid the clasps. It was strange because sleepy me still hadn't processed what was all happening. I pulled up the lid and inside was a beautiful tea set.

"It's the one from the alley."

And it was. It was the set that Mr. Whats-his-face was selling in display for some crazy amount of cash.

"It's not worth as mush as Mr. Ligma was selling it for, but it still works just fine. I thought you'd like it more because of how we got it."

I walked around the island and hugged him like I had the day before. He froze just like he did then too. But it took less time for him to wrap his arms around me. When we parted he kissed my forehead.

"I'm really sorry, everything just freaked me out is all."

I smiled big to reassure him that everything was okay.

"Help me make tea?"

"Always, kid."

And we got to work. We made tea, finished the omelettes, and sat I comfortable silence. He did end up leaving soon after though- hero stuff.

I sat for the rest of the day thinking about things I need done. I ended up cleaning the house top to bottom, sewing a few shirts that needed it, went online and bought me some more work clothes (I only had, like, three outfits), and by the evening, I was resting on my couch.

My dinner was, however, interrupted by my phone ringing. When I picked it up, I looked at the contact. I sighed and answered.

"Hey Ashlyn."

"Hey whore, I got your money that I owe you. But I say you should let me buy you club tickets and a few shots with it. What do you think?"

I thought back to what Hawks said about her. However, I brushed it off and thought for a moment.

"Um... I don't have a car."

"Damn bitch what happened? Too broke to pay up on your car payments?" She cackled.

I chuckled and went to my room to get dressed.

"Something like that."