Chapter 7

Just a Little

A/N: Not as long as the last one.. meh.

"A paid vacation?"

Illiana smiled at Lloyds' shock at Kotetsu's request. She put a hand on the hero's shoulder, "It's been cleared by me. Besides, if he ignores another call I might have to kill him."

Barnaby snickered from the couch as Kotetsu turned bright red. "I just want to visit my home town. You know, let my girl see her old man before she forgets what I look like."

The blonde in the room flipped open a magazine and smiled, "I can handle things by myself for a while."

"If you say so, Barnaby." Lloyds replied with a huge smile on his face and tucked away the datebook he had been furiously flipping through.

Barnaby continued to smile that extremely fake smile, "Go and spend time with your daughter. She is one of my precious fans after all."

Illiana sighed and headed for the door, "I have other things to do on the other side of the building."

Lloyds sealed the deal with Kotetsu while Barnaby set down his magazine and followed the woman out. Barnaby caught the tail end of her hair going around a corner and realized she was running. He tapped into his power to catch her.

Illiana gasped as Barnaby appeared before her, making her halt to a stop in her high shoes, "I am going to ask you nicely to get out of my way."

"I want to talk to you."

"Haven't I told you enough?"

The blonde removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. The pained expression he gave her made her clench her fist. She had seen that expression before.

"You are hereby found guilty of the murder of Commissioner Commons and have been sentenced to life imprisonment." The judge's voice was clear and finite but Illiana was still tense in her seat. She was sure this thin criminal was not the man she saw yelling with her father that night.

The courtroom was shaken as the doors burst open and a blonde teenager, the same age as herself, ran in and started to scream at the criminal. "Ouroboros! What is Ouroboros! Why did they kill my parents! Tell me!"

"I apologize for snooping. I was looking because I didn't think you would show up that night."

Illiana released a breath she didn't know she was holding and lent against the wall. After a quiet moment she chuckled a bit, "You were going to sit in your apartment and look over old clippings and stories while eating diner alone?"

Barnaby nodded and she smiled, "Ridiculous."

"So what do you want to hear?"

Barnaby set down his glass of water and crossed his left ankle over his right knee, "To be honest…nothing."

Illiana sat up in her seat, "Really? You said you wanted to talk to me."

The blonde sighed, "I like your company."

Illiana smiled and relaxed back into her seat. She opened her mouth a few times but nothing came out. Barnaby noted the blush across her slightly tanned cheeks.

"I'm trying to make myself comfortable with you. You're the closest thing to closure I can get in this situation…" he finally said.

The statement made her frown, "Jake is dead. There is no more situation."

"I don't know about that. I still feel… something."

She frowned, "Like it's not over. Like someone is watching your every move?"

"Yeah."

"What a familiar feeling."

Barnaby watched her wipe the water collecting on the outside of her glass with her fingertips for a moment before uncrossing his legs and scooting his chair closer to the table, "What is Judge Petrov to you?"

Illiana could feel the blush spreading across her cheeks again and bit her lip, "My family." She finally answered, "He's all I have left."

"But you follow his every order… why?"

"Why not?" there was still confusion on Barnaby's face so she explained, "His dad was an acquaintance of my dad's. When his father died I was very little and all I saw was this older kid, void of any emotion, yet still so full of…something." She sighed, "When my dad died years later, I was angry. Yuri helped me dissolve that. He protected me."

The hero nodded, "He is so much to you. What are you to him?"

"I'm his humanity."

They sat in silence for a while longer before Illiana looked at her watch, "I should be going."

Barnaby stood and followed her out of his kitchen. He opened the front door for her and jumped slightly when she turned to him. The hero put his arm on the doorframe, his muscles tensing and pulling under his black shirt and something resting in his green eyes.

Illiana eyed him, "What kind of closure do you want out of me exactly?"

The blonde studied her quickly, his revenge trip was always the first thing on his mind but now, without it, he was noticing things and people. He was noticing that this woman was actually very attractive. He smiled, "I don't know."

She smirked, "A part of me wants to kiss you just because of who you are and how you look." She successfully made him blush, "But what I know about you is just enough to make me hold back."

Barnaby watched her walked down the hall and enter the elevator before retreating to the confines of his empty apartment, "Same here."

"Miss Blackwell."

Illiana stopped walking and turned to the suited man with a polite smile, "Mr. Maverick, can I help you with something?"

He smiled back, just as polite, "I was just wondering what you were doing. You are technically my employee."

"Of course sir, I was just taking some files to Judge Petrov. Some cases he must review for the last few arrests the heroes made."

"Well I'm sure he can wait for something like that. I would like to talk to you in my office."

The woman glanced both ways, the hallway was empty, not a savior in sight. She nodded, "Of course."

He followed close behind her and shut the door all the way. Illiana stood awkwardly in between the small couch and the coffee table in the room. The folder in her hand crinkled a bit as she clenched it. "Relax. Have a seat. I just want to know how you like it here so far."

She sat, "Oh. It's nice to see the heroes operate. Not a lot of people get to see them outside of saving the day."

Maverick nodded, seemingly pleased by her answer. He put his elbows on his desk, "I've noticed how you deal with them."

"Oh?"

"There is nothing wrong. You lead them well and have managed to even raise ratings by a noticeable value." he adjusted his glasses, "But, you need not give too much attention to them individually."

Illiana crossed her legs, "I understand, but they are all different. Treating them as a group just wont work."

"True, but some things do not need your… expertise. I was told you co-signed Wild Tigers request for time off."

"Of course I did." she tried to keep her voice even, "I'm in charge of the heroes. The request would have been run by me anyway."

An almost dangerous glint flashed across his glasses and he leaned back in his chair, "And Barnaby. I don't know what it is I'm seeing with you two, but he doesn't need any extra help."

The tone in his voice snatched the sound right from her. She nodded and managed a quiet, "Of course sir."

"Good, you can go now. I'm sure Judge Petrov is expecting you."

Illiana left the office and immediately moved down the hall to her destination. She didn't know what that was or why it happened. But she liked her growing comfort with Barnaby. If Maverick had a secret, she would figure it out.