Carissa and Hawks stepped off the dock, both wearing vacation clothes and a beach bag slung over Carissa's shoulder. They along with everyone else looked out at Santorini in awe, taking in the beautiful sight. A breeze blew past them, making Carissa hold the hem of her hat. A large wing wrapped around her, pushing her forward as a hand wrapped around hers.

"Let's check it out." Hawks said, pulling her to start walking with him.

The weather was perfect for walking around in. The town looked like very-well-renovated ruins. Small, but very beautiful. At first it was a little alarming for Carissa when walking on the paths on the edges, and not just with the lack of railing. The angle of the mountains the buildings were made on made her feel like they were on the ship. It felt like just one gust of wind could force them over the edge. But as Hawks made her continue and she got used to it, she became more confident about walking on the trails and stepping down the stairs.

"I've got ya." Hawks would say, holding her hand while taking those stair steps.

The view toward the ocean blended in very well with the city. Hawks laughed when Carissa reached out to touch the sea, mentioning it felt like they could touch it from here. The towns were so cute. Everyone was so nice. This little antique shop was owned by a woman who spoke in detailed background behind anything they showed interest in. Hawks booked a little history tour for them to learn of the town's history. After they took the tour, they stopped for lunch and ate fresh gyros with loukoumades.

When it became the afternoon, the temperature rose to an abnormal degree. It wasn't something Carissa's body was used to. She liked the sudden change at first, but her body soon disagreed as she started to sweat immediately. Thankfully they brought the beach bag and were able to change into swimsuits. They swam at Santorini's black sand beach for a little while, the woman having been surprised to see actual black sand. Carissa surprisingly started a splash fight, resulting in them chasing each other in the ocean. While Carissa couldn't catch Hawks, the winged man was even faster than her without his wings and in water. Beautiful marine life like fish and starfish were fascinating to look at when they fully went under the surface.

The day felt like breeze when they both realized it was the end of the day, the sun setting in the distance. They stopped swimming and watched the beautiful sunset, along with many others. Hawks wrapped an arm around Carissa and had her lean on his side, her head pressing into the crook of his neck. He would ask her if she had fun today, but it was obvious she did.

They returned to the ship once it was dark, and even the view of Santorini at night was breathtaking. The town looked like a glowing treasure. Blue, indigo and bright-gold shined in the darkness, yet melded together with the night sky. Carissa and Hawks watched it as they went up the ramp.

"We'll come back tomorrow. We have one more day here." Hawks assured Carissa.

On their way back to the hotel room, they coincidentally went through the lounge as it was the quickest way back. Hawks caught sight of a familiar figure standing on one of the twirling staircases. The person had been walking, but stopped when they noticed the couple passing by. Hawks frowned when he remembered. It was the man who ran into Carissa a couple days ago. What was his name? Felice?

Felice stared down at the woman he ran into not long back, gripping the railing. She looked okay this time, unlike how she did when he first met her. However, her boyfriend instantly noticed him on the stairs. Even from this distance, it wasn't difficult to tell the winged man was shooting him a glare. As if it were a warning. An unexpected chill ran down Felice's spine while looking into those eyes. He looked away and continued up the stars.

That man's wings looked familiar. His entire demeanor looked familiar, in fact. But that wasn't the concerning part. The woman, Carissa, did not look or sound happy the first time he saw her. Even though they were on a cruise ship. She claimed she was tired, or had a bad day. And the way her boyfriend swooped in and took over the moment seemed rather cocky and…screening, in a certain way.

About a year ago, Felice's sister got out of an abusive relationship. Before that, her usual cheerful character had been going down the drain more and more after she started dating her boyfriend. At first she kept making excuses, saying she was just tired or had a bad day at work. Plus her boyfriend seemed very narcissistic and rude when Felice met him. One day Felice couldn't get in contact with his sister for two weeks because her phone had been turned off. He tried going over to her home, but she wasn't there. Before Felice could call the authorities, his sister suddenly showed up at his home with many bruises and a black eye. She broke down about everything. Turns out her boyfriend was very controlling and abusive, and was slowly confining her under the guise that she knew nothing and he knew everything. When she tried to put her foot down saying she wanted to see her family in-person, he beat her up and took her phone away, locking her in his home for those two weeks. Thankfully she was able to escape and ran straight to her brother's house.

It could be just Felice's paranoia, but could the same thing be happening with this couple?

Hawks and Carissa got back to the hotel and cleaned up. They decided to make their dinner this time and Hawks played a movie for them. Carissa was still uncomfortable about sleeping in the same bed as Hawks, but did not resist this time. She admittedly had a good day and didn't want to ruin it for the guy who provided that.

Hawks was delighted when Carissa didn't try to fight or keep her distance in bed, allowing him to hold her in his arms. She rested her hands on his chest, her cheek pressed into his shirt. He smiled bigger than usual, this buzz in his chest radiating as he grazed his thumb against Carissa's arm. Pressing his own cheek against her head, Hawks closed his eyes and hummed.

"Good night, lovebird."

"Good night, Hawks."

The small space was quiet. The detective maintained composure, giving the larger man before him some time to think. He had his hand resting on the surface of a folder on the table. Endeavor did not speak at the moment. His fingers were intertwined together in front of his mouth, his thumbs fiddling a bit in thought. He rested his elbows on the table surface while staring down, thinking deeply. They were in an interrogation room, but that was only so they could have a private chat. Not that this couldn't turn into an interrogation, anyway.

Morgan knew he was stepping into very dangerous territory for even voicing his suspicions. Not to mention to the number one hero of Japan. He's putting his own career at risk. But with no leads and no suspects, there really wasn't any other route to take unless he wanted the case to go cold.

"…You think Hawks…might have something to do with this woman's disappearance." Endeavor broke the silence, not providing eye contact.

"I do not have a clear motive yet." Detective Waterson pointed out, trying to keep his cool. "But, yes."

The detective knew little about Endeavor, but was aware he had a fiery temper. Especially towards those he had no patience for, like villains or unruly civilians. He indeed put himself in a very unstable position.

"…What is your relationship with Hawks?"

Endeavor suddenly looked annoyed, flashing his bright turquoise eyes at the other man before glancing away. "We're colleagues."

"I'm assuming this would not be normal behavior from him?"

"Tsk." Endeavor scoffed. "Hawks's behavior is never normal."

"Have you been in contact with him recently?" The detective asked.

"We were until about a month and a half ago. He came to Seattle to investigate a break-in involving the League of Villains. Then he said he was staying to make sure they were no longer in the area." Endeavor said. "But he never came back to Japan. We spoke a few more times over the phone. I kept asking when he was returning to the country, but he kept making excuses."

"Excuses?"

"He kept saying he was still looking for them, found a lead, was helping catch other villains in the local area. Our last phone call, I told him he had to come back. That his assistance was needed back in Japan. Out of the blue, his attitude shifted and he got defensive. He said he couldn't return. We argued back and forth and I repeatedly asked why, and…" Endeavor's voice drifted off. "…He said he had to…'protect' someone."

"Protect someone?"

"I asked who he was talking about and he wouldn't give me a direct answer. I threatened to report him to the commission in our country and he hung up. That was the last I've had heard from him."

"Did you report him?"

"I came here to talk with Hawks face-to-face before I would do so. Now I see he's not in the hotel anymore."

"Did Hawks mention anything about this person he had to protect?" The detective asked.

"No." Endeavor said. His eyes finally shifted to Waterson. "This woman you speak of-is she a villain?"

The detective shook his head. "There're no records of even a speeding ticket."

Endeavor furrowed his eyebrows more than they already were. "How many times have she and Hawks communicated with each other?"

"There are seven interactions on record. But there might've been more." The detective said, considering what Ms. Lockhart's neighbor told him. He also heard from witnesses that Hawks approached Carissa one day while she was walking by the marina, coincidentally close to his hotel. Waterson grabbed the folder and opened it before turning it around to show Endeavor the evidence he filed. What he recovered from witnesses with photos of solid proof, dates and more. The larger man grabbed the corner of the folder, studying the paperwork.

"I don't want to jump to conclusions." Detective Waterson reluctantly started. "But after reviewing the nature of these interactions, it sounds like Hawks was…"

Hawks's eyes fluttered open, his slightly opened jaw closing. Recognizing the warmth he held in his arms, the man automatically smiled while dipping his head to view the woman. Carissa was still asleep, a few strands covering her face. A red feather flew over Hawks's shoulder and tucked the strands behind Carissa's ear. The woman gave a little hum, her face crinkling a little. She fidgeted, moving in his arms as if she were squirming. Hawks watched her, feeling her heartbeat slightly quicken.

"Daddy…" Carissa almost whispered under her breath.

Hawks mildly frowned in annoyance at the sudden mention of her dad in her sleep. A strange bubbling flowed through his veins. This was the first time he heard her mention her dad in her sleep, but Hawks wished Carissa would say his name instead. Come to think of it, Hawks never told Carissa his real name. His birth name. He had to abandon that when he was recruited by the safety commission at age six, but never forgot it anyhow.

Did Carissa really miss her dad?

Hawks had followed Carissa around a lot more than what Carissa was led to believe. During that time, he witnessed her and her father interacting with each other a few times. The pro hero admitted to himself he would not hesitate to murder the man if he made one wrong move toward his songbird. But he never had to use a single feather toward Wade Lockhart, not even when he and his girlfriend stayed at Carissa's home that night. The two's relationship seemed quite normal, loving even. Hawks never had a good relationship with his own dad, and it wasn't much different with his mom. But that didn't mean all people's relationships with their parents were bad.

"Hm~."

Hawks's face softened at the little hum Carissa made. He smiled again and leaned in, giving his girlfriend a chaste kiss on the lips to wake her up. Carissa stirred, humming again as she brought her hand to her eye, rubbing it. Her other one opened, seeing a blurry vision of Hawks's face.

"Good morning, honey bird."

"Mmm…good morning." Carissa said sincerely.

All of the bubbling in Hawks went away at the beautiful chime in Carissa's voice, having heard her genuineness. She was starting to open up to him, he could feel it. Unable to contain himself, the birdman leaned back in and pressed his lips deep into Carissa's. He felt a sudden rush down south, shocking him for a moment before ignoring it.

"Mmph." Carissa hummed in surprise, blushing at the sudden impact on her mouth. Her eyes slowly shut as she allowed him to kiss her. After a moment of silence, Hawks pulled away. There was a longing in his beautiful eyes. It made Carissa blush more, her face filling with embarrassment before nuzzling her face into the pillow. As if she were a small, shy child. Hawks's chuckle only made her more bashful.

"How about we start the day, huh?"

Just like yesterday, the weather in the morning was perfect. Surprisingly not as many people from the cruise came. A small fraction of the group was missing, but Santorini still held its kind people and welcomed the cruisers. Hawks and Carissa went deeper into the town this time, looking for new things to look at. They found jewelry and souvenir shops, having gone in those a little before checking out a boutique.

Hawks seemed a bit more clingy to Carissa, who took notice since this morning. He's refused to let go of her hand and every now and then has been rubbing his head against hers whenever they stopped to look at something. Once in a while even giving little pecks to her temple. It made Carissa's heart fuzzy.

Reaching a smaller section of the town, the two of them reached an area where no one was around. A small flight of stairs lead down to a small opening with a few shops that did not appear to be open. However, coming down the stairs, they turned sharply to the left to view the first shop. Carissa recognized the Greek wording glowing in the window, saying 'Open' in bold letters. Between the wall and shop was this tiny hallway leading to an old, unmarked wooden door. Inside they could see paintings and framed photos. It was an art studio.

In a silent agreement, they entered the studio and the woman inside greeted them. She told them to let her know if they had any questions before continuing to her work. Hawks and Carissa stared at some artwork, admiring the beautiful handmade designs within each piece. Carissa recognized the black sand beach they swam at yesterday in one canvas. It showed a sunset with a beautiful array of blending orange, yellow, blue and purple skies with the circled sun and dotted stars.

A rumbling in Carissa's lower stomach made her palm her front. She lightly groaned, hunching over a little at the pain within her.

"What's wrong?" Hawks asked.

"I need to use the restroom." Carissa said before turning to the woman. "Excuse me, is there a restroom?"

The woman glanced at the two. "Yes. Outside around the right corner." She said.

She was referring to the unmarked wooden door.

"Okay, thank you." Carissa said. She tried to leave, but remembered Hawks was holding her hand. When he wouldn't release, Carissa turned to him. There was skepticism masked behind his half-closed eyes, staring at her. The rumbling continued, making Carissa groan again. "I'll be back."

Hawks stared for another moment before slowly releasing her hand. "You come right back." He muttered.

Carissa nodded, feeling her hand become cold as blood rushed back into it. She calmly walked to the front door and went through it. Finding the door, she went inside. She wouldn't try to run. He would catch her-she knew it. While confessing she was now having a good time, Carissa understood this was still a bad situation. She was a kidnapped victim and Hawks was her captor. She did not come with him on this cruise willingly. But a part of her believed that if she just did as she was told and did not try to fight him, everything would be fine. Hawks might come around and let her see her father if she behaved.

Carissa finished using the restroom, feeling a lot better as she washed her hands. Stepping out of the bathroom, she noticed the sunlight toward the end of the hallway was blocked. Blinking, Carissa looked up and saw a silhouette standing there. At first she thought it was another person who needed to use the utilities, so she walked along the side.

"Miss?"

Carissa recognized the voice and stared at the person's face. As she got closer, the person's face became clearer. It was that guy she bumped into the other day on the ship.

"Do you remember me?" The man asked.

Felice Marino. Carissa thought as it clicked in her brain. "Yes. Can I help you?" She didn't want something to happen, so she forced herself to keep a stable impression.

"…I was planing to ask you the same thing, actually." Felice replied.

"Hmm?" Carissa hummed, feigning confusion as she tilted her head to the side. She didn't want to lie to this man but had no choice.

"Are you okay?" Felice asked. "I couldn't help but notice you seemed tense the first time I met you."

"I'm fine. I was just tired, but I'm better now. Thank you for your concern." Carissa said, a little too quickly and chirpy.

Felice's eyebrows crinkled a little, staring at her. "No offense, but you don't seem like you're alright."

Carissa decided it was time to go and tried to maneuver around the man. "I'm fine, really. I have to go. My…boyfriend's waiting for me."

"Miss." Felice said, taking a step to the side, blocking her path. "Your boyfriend. Are you okay with him?"

"What?"

"I mean, do you feel safe with him?"

Carissa blinked. This was out of the blue. Did this guy know?

The door to the art studio suddenly opened swiftly. Two hard steps later, Hawks's silhouette appeared behind Felice. "What's going on?" Hawks asked firmly.

Carissa's breathing hitched. "N-Nothing. We were just saying hello." She replied, trying to downsize the situation.

Hawks stepped into the hallway and passed Felice, his face showing that he was not happy despite the calm expression plastered in his features. "Well, you said your hello. Time to go." He said, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the hallway.

"Hey, wait a minute." Felice protested rather calmly behind them. "I wasn't finished talking, buddy."

"Welp, she's finished." Hawks spoke for Carissa, looking behind flashing the man a stern glare before wrapping an arm around Carissa's back. "C'mon, sweet bird."

Carissa went with him, not trying to break free. Neither she nor Mr. Marino would be able to win this if it were to become a brawl. For both their safety, the woman did as she was told and went with Hawks to the next location.