The Seventh Avenger: Playing With Fire

Chapter 9: A Sudden Change of Plans

          Lydia is exhausted.

         By the time that Pepper had finished explaining the reason behind her sudden late call, the sun was up, and Lydia had wasted no time in hurrying to prepare for a sudden change of plans. She needed to find a temporary cat sitter for Zeus, as her neighbour couldn't have him until another two days. She needed to clean her apartment and pack a bag before the car Pepper had organised to come and take her to the airport arrived. Then there was the flurry of phone calls. A quick one to Clint to explain what was going on. Another to Steve asking to pick her up from the D.C airport in the next few hours, promising to tell him everything once she saw him, and a quick message to Ava to let her know that she would no longer be staying in her house for the next few weeks.

           Then there was the phone call to a certain private investigator.

           As expected, Jessica Jones didn't pick up the phone the first time that Lydia tried to call her. Or the second. And the third. But Lydia, being as stubborn as she is, refuses to give up. Again and again, she dials the number while pacing along the length of her couch, knowing full well that the act would infuriate the person on the other end of the line. All she has to do is keep dialling until it became all too much for the PI, who would eventually crack and pick up the phone.

            Sure enough, after the seventh missed call, Jessica's grumpy tone flows from the small device pressed against Lydia's ears. "The hell do you want, Hathaway?"

          "Merry Christmas to you too, Jones. Sorry to bother you, but I need a favour-"

          "Not a chance. You've already cashed in all your favours, remember? I don't owe you a thing."

           Lydia purses her lips. She doesn't know what has happened, but something has changed within Jessica recently. On the rare occasion that Lydia does cross her path, she has been far more snarky, cold and rude than she has been in the past. Lydia suspects that something dark and sinister had taken place and that it has something to do with the month where Jessica had flown completely off the radar; not even Trish had known where she had disappeared to.

          Despite her curiosity and concern, Lydia knows better than to ask. Not only would Jessica bite her head off for doing so, but she wouldn't share anything with the blonde heroine no matter how hard she pried. So instead, she lets out a small sigh. "If you help me, I'll buy you two bottles of whatever type of expensive whiskey that you like best."

          There's a beat of silence. Then; "What do you need?"

            Lydia lightly snorts. That hadn't taken that much convincing.

          "Well, I actually need two favours. The first is that you watch out for my cat-"

          "I hate cats."

           "Of course you do. I don't need you to do anything except drop by my apartment twice a day to feed him and check up on him for the next two days. My neighbour should be able to take him off your hands after that."

          Jessica scoffs. "I really don't like cats."

          "Oh, for goodness sake! You just need to feed him and make sure he has enough water! It's not like I'm asking you to take Zeus home with you, or shower him with the affection we both know you're incapable of making." She stops in her tracks, giving the statement a second thought. "Although, a pat here and there wouldn't hurt-"

          Jessica curses under her breath. If Lydia was in a better mood, then she would have smiled at this. "Jesus, what else do you want?"