Chapter 4
Nothing But…
A/N: So I can get faves and follows and no reviews? Really? You guys can't do any better than that?
"I feel like you have a hidden motive behind this diner Barnaby."
The blonde tossed her his winning smile as he sat across from her, "What reason would I have to trick you?"
Illiana frowned a little, "I wish you would tell me…"
"I do in fact have some things to ask you. Personal things to quiet my own curiosity."
"Then why not just ask?"
The two young adults stared at each other for a moment as a waitress approached, blushing at the sight of the hero and timidly asking for their orders.
When the girl scurried away Illiana sat back in her seat and Barnaby lent forward. "I feel like I know who you are."
"You should." She snapped defensively, "Everyone does, it's just not a huge deal."
"Tiger told me your father was the Police Commissioner." He said. His calm voice was a contrast to her clipped one.
She nodded, "He was. Not like it mattered much, Mr. Legend was the police. My dad didn't do much but shuffle papers."
"Hm." Barnaby still felt as though something was off. That's not where he had heard her name before though. He had definitely heard it before, from his parents. "My parents used to talk about a little girl. Did you know my parents?"
"What if I did?"
Barnaby's glare was cold enough to freeze over the glass of water in front of her. But she kept her expression blank and clenched her fists under the table.
"This isn't a game."
"No, this is dinner. Not a discussion of people's past."
"It's my past!" the hero whispered harshly.
"It's mine too. And if I choose to keep it tucked away that's my business."
Some of the other diners around them regarded them like a bickering couple. Illiana pushed back her chair and stood in one fluid motion, "This was a bad idea."
Barnaby shot up after her and grabbed her arm, "Ana, please, just answer the question."
"I can't answer that question. Why do you want to know so much about me?"
Barnaby sighed and walked her outside the restaurant, away from the other patrons who were now talking about them across their tables. Out on the street, cars whipped past and honked loudly at each other. The atmosphere was so…full.
"I'm confused. I've heard your name before, but not because of your father. I feel like I might have heard it from my parents."
Illiana scanned the street for a cab. Tossing up her hand to stop one, "I really have to go."
His grip tightened on her arm, "Please. I've ended all this revenge business but there's still more I don't know."
Barnaby's pained expression made her heart ache. She had wanted to meet him and tell him too. But she wouldn't and couldn't go against Yuri's wishes. "I'm sorry Barnaby."
She turned to get in the car and Barnaby grabbed her shoulder gently, "That white bear in your office. Who gave that to you?"
Illiana sighed heavily, she could at least give him that much, "You did."
"Interview, interview, photo shoot, interview, interview, anime special…" Illiana tried not to let Tiger and Barnaby's schedule stress her out too much. She had been told that Sky High's schedule was almost identical when he was on top.
She frowned at the ratings she had posted on her desk. So far Barnaby was still number one, followed by Sky High, and Blue Rose. She imagined that Sky High wasn't handling the drop well… but she wasn't there to baby the heroes.
Her brown eyes flashed to the clock on the wall and she turned on the television. The duo's only broadcasted interview for the day had been on for almost a half hour now; she figured she could at least catch the last few questions.
It was cute, an interview show for kids, "We have another question for you two. Who is the person you admire most?"
Tiger broke out into a grin, "I'd have to say Mr. Legend! Because he's so cool!"
The children frowned and groaned a bit and Ana rolled her eyes. Tiger seemed like the Legend following type. The woman had her own personal reasons for growing to hate the iconic hero.
The children looked to Barnaby, "And you, Mr. Barnaby?"
"I suppose it would be my parents." The children smiled, "My parents were doing research on robots. Their dream was to create a robot that could save people and change the world… They were great partners at work and at home. I looked up to them and still do."
The children became excited and started to chat amongst themselves. Illiana turned off the television and rubbed her eyes. After rubbing until she saw stars she opened the drawer to her left on her desk.
The four smiling faces in the picture were enough to bring her to tears. The Brooks and her father were all crowding around her hospital bed with huge smiles, and she was smiling bigger than them all, hugging her white bear close.
Illiana wiped the tears from her face and stood quickly, snatching up her coat and shoving the picture in her pocket. She reached out a hand for the door before her computer started to beep loudly.
"Incoming call from the Sternbuild Police Department." Her computer's polite female voice spoke clearly.
She sighed; telling Barnaby the truth would have to wait.
"What was that!"
Keith gave Illiana a look of absolute pain and she sighed and turned off the television, frozen on the scene of his head in a wall.
"Sky High, I know that the sudden drop in rank is a little much for you. But you can't let it wreck your game."
The Blonde blushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Actually, I'm having some personal problems. I-it won't happen again."
Illiana studied his flushed face and how he avoided her chocolate gaze and smiled, "Alright. Just, figure it out okay? I don't want to watch you fall apart."
"Of course."
He was turning to leave when she called out his title softly and her smile frowned a bit, "I see you beating yourself up. It's not healthy."
"I know."
Her smile returned, "Then figure this out. You're so much greater than all this moping."
The pink rushed back to Keith's cheeks. He smiled back at her and nodded, "Yes ma'am."
Illiana fell heavily into her chair when he left, "I really have to get them out of that ma'am thing."
"Yuri please, I'm getting in the cab now. I just had to finish some reports."
Yuri's voice was soft even over the phone but Illiana could still hear his worry. She gave him credit though; he would have called her long before now five years ago.
"If you have to you can sit by the front door and wait for me."
A grin grew on her face at the silence from the man. She could imagine the blank face he donned whenever she decided to be a smartass, which wasn't often so the expression was a treat.
She whispered the address to the cab driver as Yuri went on about her staying late; he suggested she bring her reports home among other things like visiting his office during the day.
"Yuri I'm not a little girl. I can stay late in the fortress that is the Justice Bureau and be just fine."
"The cab drivers in this city are dangerous as well…" was his response to that.
"Yuri…then next time send the car."
Illiana didn't hear his response because the cab driver had slammed on the breaks. Directly above the almost empty main road, a huge explosion erupted, shaking the car. The driver rolled down his window and lent half his body out to see the sky, "Well then! Looks like some heroes have done it again!"
The woman glared at the clearing fire, "If they had I would know."
