Chapter 2

Desmond woke up early in the morning and does his daily routine, cleaned himself, wore black jeans with a white T-shirt and his cloak. Ate breakfast and put on his collar, locked his apartment and continued to walk outside the town. He went to the same food stall and brought chocolate with a soda for Melisa, when he arrived at the orphanage, he could see Melisa playing at the swing by herself. While Melisa was playing the swing, she noticed Desmond walking towards her making her run towards him and tackled him into a hug "You came just like you promised" she said joyful. Desmond smiled and petted her head "As long as your happy, that's all" Melisa notice a bag Desmond was holding "What's in the bag?" he gave her the bag "Well its obviously for you, hope you like chocolate and soda" she quickly took the bag and smiled "I love chocolate! Thanks!" Desmond chuckled "Glad you like it" she quickly ate the chocolate and drank the soda with no signs of slowing down "Wow…you really like it" Desmond said surprised.

When Melisa was already done she looked at Desmond with a smile on her face "What? Got something on My face?" he said as he used his hand to check anything on his face making Melisa giggle "There wasn't anything on your face silly!" she said making Desmond look at her oddly "Then what?" Melisa got up and sat on Desmond's lap making him startled "I'm just happy to see you" she said happily and he relaxed "Well…good to hear" he said as he petted her head gently making her smile even wider.

Unknowingly to them, Prim was watching them not far from them and smiled seeing Melisa getting along with someone "Enjoying someone else's company there Melisa?" she said making them jump a bit "Oh! You startled us…Melisa just seems to like me much, she's a sweet girl here" he said making Melisa blush and tried to cover her face, making Prim and Desmond Chuckle. After a while, Melisa told him that the Vigilante came to orphanage and saved them by a group of armed thugs "So he did huh?" he said making her nod quickly "Yeah! He took them out like it was nothing!" she said a bit excited "Well lucky enough he manage to get there in time before they could hurt anyone" he said calmly.

Melisa looked at him with a familiar look on her face "You know…you look somehow just like him" this made Desmond a bit panic "Oh really? How was he?" he said a bit nervous "Well…yesterday he was wearing a black cloak with black long pants just like you, and also wearing a black bandana" this made him think quickly before she figured it out "Well did you hear his voice by chance?" Melisa thought about it and shook "No…I don't think he said anything after he saved us. Guess he's a different person than you" Desmond felt relief that he wasn't found out right away "Well everybody's different Melisa, nobody is the same" Melisa nodded and went inside the building. Desmond followed her and see where she went, he looked everywhere for her and strangely he can't find her "Strange…how can she-" he was cut off sentence when he felt someone tackled him from behind startling him "Gotcha!" it was Melisa that tried to make him jump "Good god Melisa! Don't do that or I might get a heart attack!" he gently scold her, making her giggle playfully "I thought I could bring you on playing tag together!" Desmond sighed and joined in playing tag with Melisa. Both of them played tag together and enjoyed each other on the friendly game, Prim saw them and smiled "Guess he could be a father material, even Melisa is fond of him constantly visiting her" she said as she kept watching them.

After a while, Melisa got tired and snuggled close to Desmond "Guess someone got tired easily, such a sweet girl" he said gently as she kept snuggled close to him. Prim came towards them "Its time for you to go Desmond, but still you can carry her to her room if you please" he nodded and got up and continued to enter the building. He came inside Melisa's room and gently place her on her bed, but stopped as he heard this "Don't go Daddy…I'm scared" Desmond stopped for moment and tried to comprehend what he just heard "I...I won't leave you, just need to go to work Melisa that's all. I'll see you tomorrow" he kissed her forehead and gently place her in bed, closed the room door and saw Prim on the other side of another room "What?" he said confusingly "I heard what she called you, she waited you all day for you to visit her. She really liked you" Desmond went quiet for a moment "Something wrong?" he sighed "I…can't be her Dad Prim...no matter how much I wanted it" Prim looked at him confused "What do you mean by that?" he walked closer to her "Can you keep a secret Prim? Someone I can trust with?" Prim nodded "I was there when it happen, I killed those thugs and saved you all" Prim's eyes went wide "You mean you're…the Vigilante?" he nodded. She looked at him as if he was lying to her "You're not lying are you? You can't be" Desmond sighed "If I was lying, I wouldn't be telling you this. I saw them breaking in and wanted ransom in exchange for hostages, heard Melisa crying in fear and killed them just to save you, the children and Melisa from harms way" she was extremely surprised in all the details he gave her "So it was you…is that why you can't adopt her?" he nodded slowly "I'm afraid she might get hurt because of me, I don't want that to happen" she sighed deeply and tried comprehend everything she was told.

Desmond place his hand on her shoulder "I trust you on this one Prim, please don't tell anyone who I am" he said gently "I won't tell anyone…but can you atleast do one thing" she asked "I will" he replied "Melisa needs a parent, she doesn't trust anyone in this orphanage besides Me and you" Desmond looked at her oddly "You mean she only trusted you and me? I thought she had friends" Prim shook "No, she doesn't have any friends here" she said with a sorrow tone "She's nearly all alone here, she needs you Desmond" he just kept quiet for a moment, sighed deeply "I guess…I'll give it try, for her" she smiled knowing he will do it "Just take your time with her and maybe you might consider adopting her" with that said Desmond left the orphanage.

He walked around the town at night thinking to himself, considering from what he was told Melisa really wanted to be with him. He played, talked, trusted and took care of her like he was her Dad. The longer he thought about the more he wanted it, to be her Dad that is, even he was different species to her doesn't mean he can't be a parent. The town was all peace and quiet, so he decided he went back to his apartment. Got on the bed and slept the night away, knowing he will be visiting the orphanage again.

The next morning came quick and he was already at the orphanage also bringing Melisa's favourite snack, as always she came running towards and hugged him "You came back! You brought me snacks too?!" she said cheerfully as she grab her snack. He was glad she's okay after last night, they spend their time together just like yesterday. The whole day Melisa was clinging to Desmond, she didn't want to let him go making him think it was cute of her doing so. Sooner or later she got tired and snuggled close to him, both of them rested under a tree just outside the orphanage, Prim watched happily to see that there were enjoying each other.

Desmond woke up and see that Melisa was still snuggled close to him, he kissed her forehead and heard her mumbling in her sleep "Five more minutes Dad…" he chuckled "Okay Melisa, five more minutes then" after about five minutes, he carried her inside. When he was done putting her in bed, he saw a note at the entrance "Desmond, I'll be going out for groceries tonight, you will stay at the orphanage for the night because I can't leave them without an adult to watch over. Your friend Prim" he read the note and went to the living room to sleep on the couch, when he was about to sleep, he heard Melisa's room door open. She saw Desmond on the couch and was a bit surprise to see him "I thought you went home" she said quietly "Well, Prim left me a note saying that I have to watch over for the night. I was wandering why you got up" he said and saw her looking away "Well…could I ask you something" he nodded "Could I…sleep with you…just for tonight" she said shyly "Of course, come here" she went to the couch and climb on, and continued to snuggled close to him "Good night" she said drifting to sleep "Good night" he said after kissing her forehead and slept the night with her.

When morning came, both of them are still sleeping peacefully together while being watched by Prim who was now smiling. Slowly Desmond woke up and saw Prim smiling at him "What are you smiling about?" he asked and as she pointed at Melisa who was still snuggled close to him "How long have we slept? And when did you came back?" he asked again while gently picking up Melisa "While you were sleeping, I came back with the groceries and you didn't miss much, I was going to wake the children up but I saw you two sleeping peacefully" he blushed a bit "Well…she wanted to sleep with me because I thought she had a nightmare" he said nervously making Prim giggle "Well, can you atleast help me wake the children up" she said nicely and he nodded in agree to help her.

All the children woke up and went to the bathrooms to get cleaned up, Desmond was at the cafeteria helping with the groceries "Prim, can I ask you something" Prim stopped what she doing and looked at him "What is it?" he looked around for bit making sure no else was around besides the both of them "What happen to her parents? Melisa's parents that is" Prim's face went sad for a moment "They didn't die by an accident, but someone killed them and ate them" this made him a bit regret for asking "You mean…a Floran did it?" Prim nodded "Yeah…the news said it was Floran did it, Melisa was lucky enough to get out alive from her house without being spotted by it" both of them went quiet for moment and Prim spoke up "I remember the look on her face, terrified seeing her parents getting eaten by it right in front of her hiding spot" she looked at him "I want you to take good care of her and make sure she's safe because her parent's killer is still out there looking for her" he nodded "I'll make of it, and I make sure it doesn't get her" Prim smiled a bit "I know you will, now come on let's start cooking for the children" soon they went back to work.

When they were done cooking, they served it to the children. Both Prim and Desmond were sitting somewhere close to the children where they could keep an eye on them, he spoke up "You know I'm quite surprise you can handle many children in one building while cleaning up the mess later on" she giggled "Well I have my ways, even you can't keep up doing this everyday" he chuckled a bit "Yeah, I can handle a few kids but this many is out of the question" both of them laughed a bit and enjoyed eating their food.

It was learning time where the children rushed into their classroom and started class, he waited outside of the classroom for Melisa to come out. After class, all the children went outside to play while he kept an eye out for Melisa to come out. Again he got surprise by her from behind "Gotcha again!" she said playfully "My god!...stop that will you? You might start giving me a heart attack soon" he gently scold her again. Both of them went outside and played, as there were playing Desmond felt that someone was watching him, he looked around but none seem suspicious to him. Then he looked over the fence of the orphanage and saw someone looking at them, it had a cloak just like him but coloured dark red. He got a glimpse of his skin and it was dark green, it noticed Desmond caught him watching and walked away. He eyed suspiciously at it "Who the hell was that? I think it was a Floran judging by its skin" then he felt someone tugging his pants "Desmond, is everything okay?" said Melisa with a worried look on her face, he shook "Oh just felt like someone was watching but I guess it was nothing, don't worry" he petted her head to reassure her.

As the day was over, all the children went to bed and Desmond was at the living room waiting for Prim to finish tucking all the kids in bed. She was done and came to the living room to meet up with him "All children are in bed, what did you want to ask?" he took a glance at the window and looked back at Prim "I think its here, I just saw someone watching me and Melisa over the fence, even caught a glimpse of its skin and judging by it was a Floran" this made her a bit unease "You sure about that? You can't just judge it by it's skin" he then gave her something "Here take this" she saw it and took it "What is it? Looks like a small communication device" she said while inspecting the device on her hand "It is and can't be tracked by anyone besides me, use this if it does come after her. Putted on your ear and it will turn invisible as you wear it so that no will one noticed" he told her and showed her how it works.

After a while of instructing she figured it out "Are you sure about this?" she said uncertain "If it does come to the orphanage, immediately call me okay?" he said assuring her "Okay but where you going?" she asked "Grabbing my gear just in case" soon he left the orphanage and ran towards to his apartment. When he arrived, he locked his doors and windows just so he might got followed. He lifted his bed and grab the gear he needs also changing his clothes, he heard his Comm and picked it out of his pocket "Desmond, someone is trying to break in!" Prim whispered to the Comm panicking "I'll be there as soon as I can, just try to keep the children hidden, same goes for Melisa" he said as he pick up his gear and unlock his door continued to run back to the orphanage.

When he got there, the door was already open meaning it got in. He went to the back of the orphanage to try and get in without being spotted, as he open the door he pulled out his gun. Slowly walking in making his footsteps less noise, he could hear someone crying in Melisa's room and quickly ran to investigate it. Slowly he open the door and saw Melisa being tied up to a chair, he quickly get to her and tried to set her free "No! This is what he wants!" she cried out to him, he got shot on the back and looked behind him to see a male Floran aiming at him "Guess I should have killed you when I had the chance" the Floran said menacingly and aim his gun at Melisa to shoot her.

When he fired, Desmond stop it by using his hand and got up to tackle him. He tackled him towards the door breaking it down, he picked him up and push him to a wall also attempted to punch him but hit wall instead leaving a hole missing him. The Floran got on combat and tried to kick him but Desmond grab it and jab it making him pull back, he kicked him hard enough that the Floran fall down. He got pulled and struggled to let loose, Desmond dragged him outside the orphanage and threw him to a hoverbike. The Floran tried to get up but got pulled right back up facing him "I'm gonna make sure you won't come back after what you did to her parents" he grab his head and proceeded hitting him at the hoverbike repeatedly. Hit after hit, the Floran's face was bloodier with each hit he got, Desmond stopped and see that the Floran isn't moving and saw that he wasn't breathing anymore. He let go of his head and threw him away from him, he looked behind him and saw Prim with Melisa still crying. As the cops came he left, leaving the dead Floran near the hoverbike.

He was at the orphanage tree watching them, didn't dared to show himself to Melisa after what she saw. He slept by the day on the tree, waiting for the day to end. In his mind were many thoughts he could handle than before, thinking that Melisa have heard what he said to the killer after killing him.