I managed to work through the first box of files over the course of the rest of the week. A daunting task, reading through statistics on babies, children, and then adults who were either dead or missing. I finally found a rhyme and reason to the sorting when I opened the second box. These files appeared to be confirmed successful cases, with the current locations for the subjects unknown. Jotting down names, last locations known, and the more worrisome powers that they had so that I could find out what the agency wanted our office to do with the information, thinking we'd be tasked with at least attempting to locate them. I had to wonder though, how the fuck did Vought manage to lose people they gave powers to?

I had to assume the boxes were sorted by dead, living and lost, and maybe living and located since the regular sorting systems weren't being used. I grunted at the knock that came on my door frame while I was again on the floor surrounded by boxes.

"That doesn't seem comfortable," MM offered, looking down at me as I set aside the file I'd been taking notes from.

I smiled up at him, thankful for a fucking reprieve. "It's more comfortable than that desk chair. Ergonomic my ass." I stood up and took a seat in one of the chairs usually reserved for visitors. MM sat next to me. "What's going on?" I learned very early in my career to NEVER ask what I could do for a visitor to my office. Offering that opening, I'd be inundated with a thousand requests and my head would start spinning.

"I have a few family things coming up," I nodded, knowing about his wife and daughter. "Billy hasn't mentioned anything on the table, but I wanted to make sure that my absence wasn't going to cause problems."

Smiling at him I shook my head. "No problems, MM, at least none that I'm aware of. Take care of yourself and your family." He looked like he was chewing on something, trying to decide whether or not to bring whatever it was up. "Is there more?"

"You two-" he stopped, took a breath and then tried again. "You and Butcher don't seem to be having the same friction as you did in the beginning."

Ah, he was thinking that I may have or WE may have crossed a line? "I think we've just grown to understand the best way to communicate with one another." I worried that my smile was slipping. "Billy isn't as-" I contemplated what Billy wasn't any longer. "I think he's come to terms with the fact that you're all stuck with me, and that I'm NOT the enemy."

MM nodded, his eyes shrewd. "And the fact that you look like," he motioned toward me with his head. "Doesn't hurt." I rolled my eyes. "He mentioned the red toenails." I snorted, and his eyes went to my feet and I wanted to scream about weird foot fascinations. "I'll have to tell him you changed to blue." He smiled at me when our eyes met and I shook my head. "I should let you get back to-" his eyes landed on the boxes. "He said they're Vought files for supes that didn't survive, or that weren't kept track of."

"There might be files in boxes I haven't gotten to of the ones whose current whereabouts are known, but it's slow going." I sighed, and MM rose to his feet.

"Guess we'll have work to do soon enough then," he left after telling me goodbye and thanking me for understanding his need for time off. And I went back to my nest in the middle of the boxes and got back to work.

Billy was waiting outside my office door when I arrived the next morning and I had to hold in a long suffering sigh. I hadn't even gotten started and I feared my day was heading low very fast. Grunting a 'morning' to him, I used my fob to open the door and let him follow me inside.

"Don't look like a morning person, Ronnie," he offered, looking far more comfortable in the chair he took in front of my desk than I felt in mine. I was waiting to see if he was planning on propping his booted feet on the surface, but he didn't. "I'll wait while you get comfy."

I rolled my eyes and tilted my head. "I'm comfy enough already, Mr. Butcher." His smirk grew into a full blown grin. "What is it you need?"

Pulling out a legal pad and grabbing a pen, I looked up to see him shaking his head. "Nothing." Raising my eyebrow, I stared at him. "MM told me he was taking some family time, and I thought I'd check in and make sure we didn't have something coming on."

Tossing my pen down, I leaned back and cursed internally at the fucking chair that I'd been given. Seriously, the floor was a thousand times better. I stood up, giving up on the fucking chair and moved around the desk to sit in the one next to Billy. He was still grinning and I had to fight my urge to find the stapler again.

"You guys are in a holding pattern, for now," I hadn't had anything cross my desk to give them, so for the present everyone was just working on prep for when the first assignment hit. "The equipment you requested was approved. It'll be delivered in the next couple of days." No one up the chain of command had blinked at the requests.

"What about those?" He nodded to the boxes and I sighed. "We're all literate as far as I know." I laughed at his assurance and offer to help.

"I have no doubt that you can read," I considered what he was saying, really considered it. "It couldn't hurt, since I'm only one box down and I still have eleven to go."

"Let's get started then," he stood up and lost the duster. "Coming?" I was still seated and blinking up at him. Now?

We worked until lunch, after I'd handed him a notepad and pen, tossed off my shoes and got into the middle of the boxes. Scribbling down the notes, and explaining to Billy what I thought would be most pertinent, he offered his own ideas of what they might need to stay safe while tracking the lost. We worked quietly after he'd moved a few boxes and sat nearby, effectively widening my nest.

"Hungry?" I asked, feeling the grumble start in my own stomach. I finished the note I was making and looked up to see his eyes on the toes he could see peeking out from my crossed legs.

"He told me they were blue now," his eyes met mine and I rolled my eyes. "I could eat." My mind and body flashed to Billy Butcher eating something far more pleasurable than whatever I planned on ordering for lunch and I had to punch the thought down. Shit.

"What are you hungry for?" Fuck, did that sound like I was flirting? Please, God, don't let him think that I was flirting.

His smirk returned, coupled with that fucking mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Oh, I could eat anything right now." And as if I had any doubts as to what he was thinking, his eyes roamed down my body. Fuck fuck fuck.

"Burgers it is." I stood up, and fought the full length tingle I felt run down my body at the thought of Billy fucking Butcher laying me down on my desk and eating me for lunch. Picking up the phone, I asked Anthony for a few menus so Billy and I could order food.