I don't own the Cape.

I'll Never Leave You

It has been a long day for Vince Faraday. His mentor Max Malini, leader of the Carnival of Crime has just saved him from Scales and Pokerface from killing him with Hydrochloric Acid. Vince was relieved he's finally getting a break. But before that he has to hand in the evidence that may be able to incriminate Scales, Pokerface and maybe even Peter Flemming. He made a call to his mysterious but beautiful partner, Orwell.

"Hello," Orwell's voice was heard from the other end of the phone.

"Orwell?"

"Hi Vince."

"I got it, the smokin' gun, Orwell is watching is about to get the exclusive of the decade." Vince said happily.

There was no reply from the other end.

"Are you there?" He got slightly worried, God knows how dangerous her job is. She was nearly killed by the Lich just a week ago.

Still no answer, but he heard her breath against the phone.

"You okay?"

"Yes Vince, everything's wonderful." Came Orwell's voice from the other end.

Vince has heard Orwell's voice many times, it was always determined and slightly mysterious. But this time he could hear pure fear and confusion in her voice. Before he could make sure she was okay, she hung up. Now he got even worried. Ever since she escaped the Lich, she hasn't been herself. The last time he saw her she looked like hell, the bags under her eyes already confirmed she hadn't slept for days. When he tried to help, she told him to back off and threatened to leave.

"Everything is definitely not wonderful," he thought. With that he picked up his hoodie and a jacket and headed to Orwell's house.

At Orwell's front door...

Knock, Knock..

"Orwell? You there? Come on, open up!" Vince yelled through the door.

There was no answer, not even a sound indicating she was getting the door.

"I'm not leaving until you let me in!"

Knock, Knock.. He knocked slightly louder. "Orwell!"

Not a second later the door swung open. The computer genius was standing at the doorway with a blank look. But he was no fool, the cop in him has already realized she did not open the door fully. And judging by the way she's standing and holding the door, she obviously doesn't want him to enter.

"She's hiding something," he thought.

"What is it Vince?" She said while staring blankly at him.

"What's wrong with you this past few days?" He asked a little too loudly.

"I don't understand," the blogger said, her face still not betraying any emotions.

"Don't give me that crap! Something's up with you, you look like you haven't slept in days, you haven't posted anything in your site for a week, and instead of helping me with that gang war you were what, playing Solitaire on my computer!"

"It's late you should head back and get some rest."

He tried to get a peek what's inside the house but she kept blocking his view.

"What are you hiding in there?" he asked suspiciously.

Suddenly she had an angry look on her face but he could tell her by the way her eyes look she was scared.

"Look, like I said before, if you don't like the way I work maybe you should find a new partner!"

With that Orwell tried to slam the door at his face. But his quick reflexes manage to stop her from doing so. He was tired of her secretive ways, this time it was his turn to get mad. He pushed open the door open and stepped inside. The only thing he saw inside was white, everything was recently painted white accept for the floor under the bed in the centre of room.

"What the hell?" He asked no one in particular. Then it hit him, she has all the symptoms; avoiding her job, bags under her eyes indicating severe lack of sleep, she was also irritated all the time, getting angry at him about little things. He was no stranger to the effects of Post-traumatic stress disorder. Heck, when he was in the special forces he knew a fair share of people who had PTSD after escaping torture.

"Get out!" she started hitting him trying to force him out.

Despite the momentary surprise at the state of her place of residence as well as the following attack, he was still mad at her. His hands shot up and restrained the blogger's arms, trying to stop her erratic behaviour less she hurt him or even herself.

She tried to fight at first, but no matter how hard she struggled, Orwell couldn't break free of his hold so she gave up and tried to glared at him. But Vince could tell the anger didn't reached her eyes, all he could see was fear and desperation masked in anger. He looked directly at those brown orbs and started yelling.

"You're the one who suggested this in the first place! Whatever this is, I can tell you this, it's not a partnership!"

He could see tears well up in her brown eyes, as they prepare for their inevitable sorrowful fall. Almost unable to bear the sight of the of the beautiful hacker's pain and despair, he took a deep breath to prepare himself as he delivered to her the harsh truth.

"Partners are suppose to trust each other. I trust you with my life, the Carnival trusts you. You know everything there is to know about us but we know squat about you," he continued.

She tried to keep herself calm and composed, but her self-control was failing. Vince, with a single, near one-sided conversation, has manage to tear down all her emotional barriers, allowing not just the pain of the recent trauma but her backed-up emotions to pour out like a bursting dam. Tears started to escape her eyes and roll down her cheeks. This was the first time anyone, let alone Vince, has seen her so vulnerable.

Vince never realised how much he had come to care for his partner. They had formed a connection unlike any other over the past months, as he looked at her vulnerable state, he couldn't help but empathise with her, his heart breaking as he continued.

"At first I thought nothing of it. I thought you'll warm up to me eventually and tell me about yourself. I'm not expecting to know everything about you, but you won't even tell me the reason your doing this. But right now I can tell your having some sort of Post-traumatic stress disorder probably from getting kidnapped by the Lich, and you won't even let me try to help. If you really believe this to be a partnership, you can consider it over. I'll get Ruvi to stop by tomorrow to help with your PTSD then I'm out of your life forever."

If she didn't feel the same connection that he did, there was no point to even try. With that, he let go of her and started to head for the door.

Orwell couldn't contain herself any longer and broke down. Vince was one of the only friends she has and she even begun developing feelings for him after working together these few months. But what could she do, Vince was a married man. He has a wife and a son whom he loved to go back to once Chess is behind bars and all the chaos is over. She didn't want to be selfish and steal him away from his family, so she just maintained a professional relationship with him which will still allow her to be close to him. She knew the day would come when Vince would ask her to tell him more about herself, but she didn't know that the vigilante would walk away because of her secretive ways. Fear, doubt and desperation threatened to overwhelm her, she had no choice but to try and reach out to the nearest person to anchor herself.

As Vince swung open the door to exit, Orwell managed to call out his name in between sobs. He obviously heard her because he stopped in his tracks. She quickly ran towards him and hugged him from behind, her hands grasping the hoodie he wore unwilling to let go, afraid that she would drown in her nightmare of haunted memories if she did.

"I'm sorry... please... don't leave!" She said in between sobs while crying against his back.

Hearing her voice asking him not to leave just increased the pain in his heart ten fold. Why was he feeling this way he thought, is he falling for her?

"No, that's impossible. I love Dana." he thought.

"Vince... please... I'm sorry!" She yelled again.

He couldn't take the heartache any longer, he spun around and took her into his arms. His mind started forming reasons and excuses as to why he did what he did; he was just comforting a friend in need, there was nothing else behind his action, but his heart told him otherwise.

Orwell didn't stop crying or apologising in Vince's arms. He never saw her like this and thought he never will, but it is happening, and he couldn't take the sight of her like this. He started whispering words of comfort to her while stroking the back of her head.

"Shhhh... it's okay, I'm here. I won't leave you."

Vince led her to the bed in the middle of the room and sat down with her. The blogger still didn't stop crying. He lied down with her in his arms while stroking her hair. He didn't know how long he's been there, but he didn't wanna leave. Orwell had already fallen asleep and he didn't wanna leave her like this especially when she's in trouble now. He looked at her and couldn't help but noticed she was really beautiful. He kissed her temple and said "I'll never leave you," before closing his eyes.