Something Evil's Lurking in the Dark

"Good." Emily smiled, satisfied with his answer. She was certain that she could help the serious detective become more out of his shell. He needed to loosen up his tie a little and relax. She understood how he couldn't, it was part of his job to be on his toes, but she also wanted for him to be able to relax and have fun sometimes. She thought about the past year, how things changed so easily. Yes, a lot could happen in a year. "Hopefully I'll get you to change your mind about birthdays."

--

Brayden managed to fall asleep a little later on, propped up beside Callie's sleeping form. He held her close even still, wanting nothing more than to soothe all her fears. They were strong together and he knew this was just another thing they'd have to get over. His dreams were strange, to say the least. He kept seeing crazy colors and hearing laughter. It was like everything was swirling around him. He even saw a raven, large and black, cawing at him. When he woke up he had a headache, but that was the least of his problems.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

@ Miley Cyrus;

"You can try to, Emily." He grinned over at her, wondering how she would tackle it. It would not be easy breaking the hard exterior that he had built up for a reason. Oliver would make sure that she would not get too close to him, but just close enough to satisfy her interest. "Once you are finished eating, would you care for another dance?" He offered, wanting to see that spark in her beautiful green eyes. It was something he found irreplaceable.

--

The next day quickly came upon the couple as she awoke with Brayden by her side. Callie was well-rested and ready to take on the world. For once, she felt as though she were the normal Callie. "G'morning." She greeted Brayden but paused when she saw the look on his face. He looked pale and troubled were just two characteristics that Callie could decipher. "What's wrong? I'm the one going to the doctor today." She lightly joked while reaching up to cup his face with her hand. Sitting up in the bed slightly, Callie continued to search his eyes for something.

"Oh trust me, I will." She grinned back at him, her plans already set in her mind. She'd try her hardest to chip the iron that he wore. At the very least, she was certain that'd she make a dent in it. At his offer for one last dance, she nodded and smiled, willing to swept around the room with him once more. "I'd love to," she agreed, her green eyes lit as she hopped to her feet. "I wasn't going to eat more anyway." Emily held her hand out to him, wiggling her small fingers.

--

When Brayden saw Callie, he immediately felt guilty. "Oh, nothing, I just didn't get enough sleep," he assured her, making a small attempt at a smile. He hated lying to her but it was in her best interests. He knew she'd freak out if he told her about his dreams. He stood up, grabbing his phone and excusing himself. As he dialed his father's number, he walked to the bathroom, ready to look at his prescription. As his father picked up he got distracted, until he felt something on his foot. He looked down, seeing a spot of blood, then looked into the mirror. His nose was bleeding. He felt like it was an omen.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

@ Miley Cyrus;

Oliver gave a small laugh when Emily held out her hand for him to take. Reaching out, he took her smaller hand into his own and stood up to escort her onto the dance floor. They automatically fell into the same floating sensation that they had before, moving together with ease.

--

Despite his reasoning, she was not convinced that he was telling the truth. Brayden always became vague when there was something to hide, but Callie did not push for the truth. Maybe he was worried about how things would go today and did not want to add onto her stresses. "I'm gonna go make us some breakfast, alright?" She moved outside of the bedroom, calling out to wherever he was. Callie sighed when she did not hear an answer and went into the kitchen. Looking inside of the fridge, she found a carton of eggs that were about to expire along with random items. She decided that she would just make them some omelettes.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

Emily beamed, pleased with his actions as he swept her up onto the dance floor, immediately falling back into step with him. She was overjoyed as they floated along the dance floor together, looking up at him with her wide green eyes, a teasing smile on her face as she asked, "are you sure you don't have a hidden affinity for dance?" Emily laughed as they continued to dance around the floor, keeping a steady grip on him.

--

Brayden took his time cleaning up in the bathroom after he got off the phone with his father. He joined Callie in the kitchen, smiling when he saw her cooking. It was such a normal thing and he craved it; normalcy. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, giving her neck a kiss. "Hey babe, something smells good," he murmured in her ear, nuzzling her sweet skin from behind. "My father got us an appointment already with a good doctor, Dr. Lancer. He sent me the address, so when you're ready we'll go."

@ Miley Cyrus;

"I can assure you that I have no secret affinity other than the fact that I have had a lot of experience." He explained to her with a smile, twirling her once more. Keeping the steady pace, the song quickly came to an end. "Unfortunately, we should return back to the precinct." Oliver proposed while leading her off of the dance floor to pay the bill. Sitting down, the waitress approached them, and he requested to have the check brought to them. He brought out his wallet to produce a credit card, placing it on the table for the waitress to automatically take. Within a few minutes, she returned, and Oliver paid for her dinner.

--

Callie hummed while she moved about the kitchen, cracking the eggs into a bowl to scramble. It was a nice to just have something normal in her life after the previous days. After heating the pan, Callie poured the scrambled eggs into the frying pan. She was just about to flip the omelettes in the pan when she felt a pair of arms circle around her waist. "I figured that I should use these eggs before they expire." She laughed, feeling a tingling sensation when he nuzzled her neck. "Okay, let's eat first and then we can go." Callie compromised while placing the freshly cooked omelettes onto the plates for both of them.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

"Mhm, I'm onto you," Emily teased him before she laughed. He was the perfect dance partner; he led her around the dance floor easily without stepping on her feet. But of course, all good things must come to an end. She allowed him to lead her back to their table, waiting patiently for him to pay the bill before she stood up, knowing that he was right. After the bill was paid, she allowed him to lead her back outside to his car, the cool air refreshing after a night of dancing. "This was fun, I had a nice time," she mused as they were on their way back to the precinct.

--

Brayden felt more comfortable holding onto her than he did anywhere else. He wasn't always good with his words so he didn't know how to explain it to her in a way that she'd understand, but he was afraid of what might happen to them. Things were just starting to feel normal and he didn't want to ruin it. When she turned around to give him his plate, he greeted her with a kiss. He kissed her so deeply he felt her breath catch. Then he took his plate with him to the table, whistling to himself. He couldn't explain it, but he wouldn't tell her goodbye.

@ Miley Cyrus;

He chuckled in response to her light teasing since she definitely was onto him. Emily knew more about him than any other human being during this lifetime, and he commended her efforts to get closer to him. Exiting the restaurant, the light breeze of the night brushed against his cheeks. "I am glad to hear that. That was my goal when I brought you here. Unlike like me, I knew that you needed a break from my office." Oliver lightly joked, opening the car door for her. From there, he drove back to the precinct in the best mood.

--

Turning to give him his plate, she met his lips and practically dropped it from her hands. Callie had not expected a kiss like that, especially one of that caliber. It took her breath away, making her take a moment to catch it. She raised an eyebrow and wondered what that had been about. Taking her plate, she sat down across from him and began to eat. "You've been acting strange all morning. Not that I don't appreciate the kiss, but.. I'm going to ask you again, what's wrong?" She attempted to question him again, reaching over to take his hand. That question had been bothering her all morning. She wondered if he was nervous about her going to the doctor today.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

Oliver made her giggle, although he was right. She did get a bit restless being stuck in the office, time passing by without her. She hoped Oliver caught the killer soon, because although she enjoyed every second of their time together, she was worried that he might strike again. She put it out of her mind when they got to the precinct, walking in together and looking around. Nothing had changed; officers bustled around, some did paperwork, and others answered the constantly ringing phones. She could see how he could get caught up here. Back in his office, Emily took a seat at the couch, her green eyes vibrant even in the darkness.

--

Brayden again felt guilty when they sat at the table and Callie questioned him. He came close to telling her the real truth behind his anxiety before deciding instead to tell her what initally concerned him. At least then he wasn't technically lying. "I am worried about you," he admitted, taking her hand and squeezing it. "I just want everything to turn out okay, is all. Don't worry babe, I'm fine." He smiled at her before digging into his omelet. He hoped his optimism wouldn't be in vain.

@ Miley Cyrus;

Arriving back into the office, Oliver was relieved to see that everyone was working accordingly. The department was running smoothly in his absence, putting him at ease. Entering inside of his office, he flicked on the lights and shut the door behind Emily. "I wish I could allow you to return to your house, but we need to catch this man first. With the leads that I have, we should have him in the next few days." He explained while taking a seat at his desk. To stay inside of this place any longer would be prison to any person. "For now, you are welcome to take a shower or sleep. I am not quite sure what else you could do in here though."

--

Nodding her head, Callie could understand that he was nervous about going to the doctor's today. She was clearly a bundle of nerves herself, but Callie did not want that to become a crutch. "The doctor is supposed to help me. Hopefully, he can. If that makes you feel any better." She offered, giving his hand a squeeze before returning it back to her side. Starting to eat her omelette, Callie swallowed while glancing over at Brayden from across the table. "You can talk to me about anything. I know I'm really opinionated and have a big mouth, but just tell me to shut my mouth and listen, okay?"

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

"I know. It's okay, Oliver, really. I feel much safer being here than if you released me, anyway. Maybe I'll take up organizing files or something." Emily gave a small shrug before she grabbed her pajamas, taking them with her as she left to the showers. She was alone there so she took her time, humming to herself as she washed her hair and body thoroughly. When she came back, she found him right where she'd left him, as if he hadn't moved. Which, he probably hadn't. She took her normal place on the couch, continuing to towel dry her hair while she watched him work at his desk. She had to admit, if nothing else, he was efficient.

--

"I know. He's a good doctor, I made sure of it. I told my father he had to find the best doctor in town for you, love," he teased her, although every word he spoke was true. He had indeed made sure this was a very qualified doctor, and not some certified quack. He smiled as she spoke, giving her hand a squeeze. "I know. I will. But there's nothing else on my mind, really. I'm just a bit worried about what he might say." Brayden paused for a moment before he turned to her fully, both of his hands covering her one. "I love you, Callie."

@ Miley Cyrus;

"That would be extremely helpful, actually. There are many files that have not been archived yet." He perked up at the idea, wanting to rid of the mess off of his desk. After she left, Oliver returned back to work and continued to work throughout the remained of her absence. Tonight, he would have to take a shower as well. He had a spare pair of clothes at the office just for situations like this one. He glanced up when she came back, greeting her with a mere smile. "If you do not mind, I will go take a shower. I think it will give me some time to clear my head." He stood up to move over towards the cabinet where he picked up the spare towel and clothes.

--

She could hear the tone of his voice practically screaming that it was obvious that she would be receiving the best treatment. "Yeah, yeah. I would not expect anything less from you." She smiled over at him, knowing that he truly meant it. All that she wanted was for these premonitions to disappear or at least to find a way to control them. "I'm worried about what he'll say, too, babe." Callie admitted with a small sigh, especially since doctors made her nervous. "And I love you, Brayden." She brought his hands to her lips, brushing a kiss against his hand.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

"Oh no, by all means, go for it." Emily waved her hand dismissively, smiling small when she watched him leave. She moved to his desk, as promised, arranging the files around her in alphabetical order until she was surrounded by several different piles. Emily was bent over the many files, fixing them into new arrangements when he came back, her corner of the floor covered in neatly arranged stacks.

--

"Good, you know me so well," he lightly teased her, smiling as she did herself. He might not have a handle on what exactly was going on here, but he could at least control some things, like how comfortable Callie was and how they went about solving this, so he did just that. He looked at her lovingly for a moment, savoring this peaceful moment between the two of them before they had to go.

@ Miley Cyrus;

By the time he returned from his shower, he found Emily nestled into a corner of the room with piles of stacked folders. "I see that you work efficiently." Oliver noted while drying off his wet hair, watching her make steady progress. The mess on his desk had already dissipated to the neat little piles on the ground. "I really do appreciate you doing this for me. I am sure the are cases in there from 2010." He sighed while making his way over to the chair. Sometimes his organization skills were completely lacking.

--

Callie reminisced in the moment, keeping her eyes locked with Brayden's. She was truly grateful to have someone like him in her life. There were not many people who could figure out ways to break through her stubbornness, but he had a secret method. "C'mon, let's finish up and get to the doctor. Then, if everything goes well, maybe we can celebrate." She flashed a devilish then went to finish the rest of her food. Standing up from her seat, she moved over towards the sink to clean her plate and the plans.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

Emily smiled when she looked up, spying him standing in the doorway, before looking back down at the many files before her, green eyes darting back and forth. She laughed as he spoke, looking up at him and smiling, shaking her head. "This is why housewives became a thing and househusbands didn't. You men are hopeless when it comes to organizing." She laughed as she stood up, opening up the file cabinet, bending over and putting in the files she'd already done carefully.

--

When Brayden looked into Callie's eyes, he saw nothing but the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Callie was a lot of things, definitely stubborn and hard headed, but she also had a good heart and that was what won him over in the end. He watched her get up and clean, wondering if their days would ever be this simple again. He followed her out, grabbing his keys from the keyring and jingled them at her. "Let's go meet the doctor."

@ Miley Cyrus;

"I do believe that, that is very true. Us, men, do not have the patience to organize and end up cramming everything into one place like my desk." He agreed, turning to see her placing the files into the cabinet. Standing up, he moved over towards her to help out. "These are heavy, Emily. I don't want you to hurt yourself." He warned while taking the remaining files and placing them into the cabinet. "I brought you here to be safe, so I would not want you to hurt yourself by accident."

--

Drying off her hands with the wash cloth, Callie threw it off to the side before grabbing her coat off of the rack where she had left it. She pulled it on with haste, hoping that the office would not be packed. That was one of the worst things about doctor's offices. They were always busy, and the waiting time was endless. Callie moved in front of Brayden to exit the house first and moved down the steps towards his car. "Yeah, let's see what he has to say." She agreed, waiting for him to unlock the car door.

Emily smiled when he came over to help her put the files carefully in the cabinet where they belonged. "Thank you," she said, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. At least she had one stack done, although there were many more where that came from. "I can be pretty clumsy," she admitted, handing him the stack of papers in her hands. She'd fallen over nothing before and tripped on air. Sometimes she had no balance.

--

Brayden's nerves grew as he opened the car door for her, waiting to get around to his side, starting the car and backing up out and onto the road. He snuck glances at her face, wanting to be everything she needed him to be. The car ride was silent, the air thick with tension, until he parked in the parking lot. Turning to her seriously, he said, "no matter what happens, this doesn't change us. I love you, Callie."

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

@ Miley Cyrus;

Continuing on with their assembly line, he took the stack of files from Emily to place them inside of the cabinet. "I believe that I should be thanking you for helping me out instead of vice versa." He pointed out the irony with a smile. "That's unfortunate. You do have the grace of a ballet dancer though. That I have clearly seen instead of the clumsy side." He attempted to make her feel better, even though it was a true statement.

--

Buckling up into the seat, her face set into a monotone look while she thought about what might happen. The worst the doctor could do was deem her untreatable. The tension in the air was clearly preventing them from saying any words to each other until they pulled into the parking lot of the office. Looking over at Brayden, she could clearly tell that they were both just as worried for her sake. "You always know what to say to make me feel better." She responded back, hoping that nothing major would happen in there. "Love you, too." Leaning over the console, Callie was sure to give him one last kiss before exiting the car to face the doctor's diagnosis.

@ XxLithiumWingsxX

Emily smiled, retreating back to her corner, organizing more files. "I suppose sometimes my feet forget and act crazy. Although I'm glad you've only seen their gracefulness." And she meant it. She hated being clumsy and her grace as a dancer usually helped her out. She did a pirouette when she stood up, just for fun, laughing as she handed him her stack.

--

Brayden walked inside the doctor's office with Callie, walking up to the secretary and asking about their appointment. When she gives them the okay to simply go into the office, he leads Callie in by the hand, spying a balding man at the desk with large, black framed glasses. He looked just like a shrink. "Hello, Dr. Lancer? It's me, Brayden, Steve's son. This is my girlfriend, Callie. My father booked us an appointment earlier?"

@ Miley Cyrus;

Once they finished with that set, Oliver returned back to his seat while she went to organize the next bunch. "I suppose this will sound corny, which was not my purpose, but hopefully I will be there to catch you if you fall." He was a little embarrassed that he had actually said that, but he truly did mean it. As long as she was under his care, Oliver would prevent any harm from reaching her. Even if it was from herself.

--

Walking inside of the room, she sat down on the large, cushioned seat. Callie could smell the old books that lined the shelves accompanied by some hand sanitizer. Glancing over at Brayden unsure of this decision, she reminded herself that he was supposed to help. She turned her attention over to the doctor, feeling like a mentally unstable patient already. "Ah, yes, you are Mr. Collins' son. Give my best regards to him." Dr. Lancer greeted while placing down the file that the secretary had started on Callie. "Callie, you are here, because you have been experiencing delusions?" The doctor questioned her properly, placing his neatly folded hands onto the desk. She paused for a moment, wondering if they could even be considered delusions. "They're not exactly delusions, doctor." Callie was not exactly sure how to describe them without sounding completely insane, glancing over at Brayden for help.