My Darling Sweetheart
Warning: Nothing, it's a very safe chapter guys.
A/N: Hey! Looks like I didn't end up posting another chapter on Monday anyways because I completely died. Oh well, we can't all be correct. Sorry if this chapter seems lackluster, my gas got cut off the day after I got home and since it's winter going to spring here in Japan, you guys can see why it's not a good combination. Thankfully, I got an electric kettle so there's still some hot water, although not an abundance of it. Oh well, stuff happens I suppose. Anyways, I don't have much of an update on my life so let's get onto the story. Have a nice day!
It might've been months since he faced off against Baker, but that didn't mean that the man was completely gone from his life. As much as Don tried to forget, he still saw Baker. The man kept haunting him everywhere. Sometimes he saw him in his memories, in his dreams, and sometimes in the corner of empty darkened areas if his mind wandered far enough. Annoyingly enough, it seems like his family had all noticed the changes whenever this happened and have gotten to making him talk whenever Baker's ghost decided to taunt him. Ian and Coop especially always knew when the memories started bothering him and would do everything in their power to help him.
As annoyed as he was about all of this, he couldn't help but also feel touched. During his entire ordeal, his own insecurities had popped out, screaming at him and causing him to start doubting. But to see everyone react this way, it was heartwarming. Although, after Coop had literally carried him out of the war room after a particularly nasty confrontation that Don had with another agent that triggered his memories, he was starting to get a little sick of it.
Thankfully though, it seems like he was still able to keep some of his emotions under wraps.
Don didn't want to say this, mostly because he thought he was hallucinating and also because he didn't want to send everyone into a frenzy. But he had a feeling that someone was watching him. He didn't want to say definitively that it was Baker, but his gut told him that the man was the most likely option. Unless of course, he was unlucky enough to attract another criminal which hopefully wasn't the case. Don wasn't sure if he could deal with another criminal out for revenge or something so soon after the previous events.
Oddly enough, that feeling didn't come in the first few months. In fact, those first months were pretty smooth sailing. But then, after the fifth month, he started having this odd feeling, like something was prickling underneath his skin. An itch that he couldn't reach, warning him of some unseen danger. He constantly looked around when none of his team were looking, just in case he could catch the person in the act but he never could. There was always just nothing but empty air.
He tried to tell himself that he was paranoid, but something told him that he wasn't.
Case in point, his walk to get coffee today. While he would usually make a batch out of the office breakroom, he sometimes liked to switch it up a bit. That and he was honestly too tired to try and spin gold out of filth from the so-called 'coffee machine' like he usually did. This is why he was always infinitely grateful at the fact that there was a coffee shop not far from the office that he could stop by before he needed to chug it all down. But lately, his uneasy feeling always intensified whenever he walked to this area.
As soon as he walked out of his car, he felt a prickle on the back of his neck, a warning sign that told him that someone was watching him. But when he looked around, he saw no one. Everyone else was minding their business or looking elsewhere. Granted, the area was a good area if someone wanted to spy on him. It was crowded, had plenty of outdoor restaurants and cafes to sit down and Don knew for a fact that the upper floors of the coffee shop were being rented out for housing. Any one of these places could be used to spy on him and considering how persistent Baker was? Don wouldn't put it past him to pull something like that.
There's no use getting paranoid, he thought to himself, if it really is him, wait for him to make his first move. He couldn't help feeling like his life was one whole game of chess with Baker, the pieces being the lives of innocent people that he's trying hard to protect. He hated this, this uncertainty. As much as he wants to break down every door in search of the bastard, he knew it would be a useless endeavor. He had other people to think about, crime scenes to investigate. Until Baker makes his move, Don will have to act like nothing happened.
Not like that was difficult to do to begin with. He had always been good at avoiding his problems since day one.
After getting his coffee, he drove back to the office, his mind somewhat occupied with the possibilities. Unfortunately, Baker was extremely unpredictable. His mood swings, his change in tone, his obsession, his intelligence, it was all dangerous. Although, Don couldn't help but latch on to the one possible advantage that he had.
"You see, I'm well aware of the fact that you can take me out if given the chance."
That line rang out in his mind constantly. At the time, he was only thinking about that line in a psychoanalyzing way. The fact that Baker was willing to admit his faults, making him dangerous because he knew the limits of his abilities and wouldn't rise to Don's taunts. He even thought that it was a lie considering how the man kept managing to get him. But now, looking back, Don realized that Baker was telling the truth. So far, Baker had always snuck up on him with a weapon, never giving him the chance to attack. And the times that they did manage to fight, Don was always the one to come on top up until Baker pulled a weapon on him. Maybe I can use that to my advantage? It could work, luring Baker out to a secluded area with no place to hide so that they would be on even ground. Wait until Baker ran out of bullets. Baker would be careful with his bullet count though. Don would have to get some really close calls in order to coax Baker into firing. Maybe…he should actually get shot to lower the man's guard down. After what happened last time, Don figured that he could probably take a bullet or two before it would be a real problem.
I should probably treat it as a handicap to level the playing field.
He could feel Ian and Coop mentally giving him a smack on the head collectively if they heard his thoughts. Admittedly, it wasn't his greatest plan but it was a plan and for his situation it's about as good as it's going to get.
He walked into the office, his eyes zooming onto his team sitting around their desks, probably waiting for him to bring them a case. He didn't have one at the moment, but he did have coffee, that should give them something at least. "Waiting for me?" He called out as he placed the coffee orders on his desk, handing it to them one by one. He's made everyone's coffee and done coffee rounds so many times he's remembered everyone's preference.
"Maybe" Megan replied, grinning. "Do you have a case to come with the coffee?"
Don shook his head, sitting down. "Not yet."
"It has been a pretty slow week so far" David mused as he typed in his report.
"Careful…you might jinx it," Colby teased, smiling.
"Yeah…it has been, hasn't it?" Don replied to David, slightly distracted. The uncomfortable churning in his stomach had decided to rise up once more, a foreboding feeling overcoming his senses. His instincts were blaring warning sirens at him, like calm before the storm type of warning. "Savour it while you can."
"Don…are you okay?" Megan asked, looking at him worriedly. The unspoken topic floating clearly in the air. Are you still worried about him?
"I'm fine," he replied, smiling gently at her, "just feeling a bit off."
"You're lucky that Billy and Ian aren't around to hear you say that" Colby snickered a bit, remembering the chaos that came with those two after the whole ordeal. After everything, they decided to stay with Don for three more months before Don threatened to castrate them both in their sleep via plastic spoon if they didn't go back to the fugitive hunting scene. Don loved them both with all of his heart, but he was also an independent man with limits and boy, did those two like to push them. "Or else they would be dragging you out, kicking and screaming."
Don scoffed at that. "Thank god for small miracles. If I had to endure being carried out of the building one more time, I might just actually lose it" Don said, shaking his head fondly.
"I have to say Don, you do make for an adorable b-"
"Continue that sentence Reeves and I'm putting you on traffic duty for the rest of your career" he threatened, although he knew that his smile gave everything away. Megan just let out a snort, her expression telling him that she wasn't convinced. Don was about to shoot back when he felt his phone vibrate. Picking it up, he saw that it was details for a new case. "Heads up, looks like the boss sent a new one our way."
"Where to?" David asked, putting his gear on.
"I'll text you guys the address" Don replied as they all walked out the office doors. As soon as he got out of the building however, the sense of foreboding came back along with the distinct feeling that someone was watching him.
Don was always the one to trust his gut, letting instincts help him with the cases. His strong intuition had always proved to be invaluable for most of these cases. He's learnt to listen to it, work with it, trust it. But, throughout his entire career, Don's instincts have never given him this strong of a warning before. Something is going to go wrong, he could feel it in his bones.
He just hoped it wasn't who he thinks it is.
A/N: Donnie, Donnie, Donnie...you should know better than to hope for something that isn't going to come true :). And yes, it's only chapter 2 and Don already has a horrible self-sacrificing plan in mind that he can use against Baker. I'd ask what's wrong with him but I already know what's wrong.
