Kings of the Moonlight

Explosions in Pompeii

You left my soul bleeding in the dark.

-

The parking lot of the city precinct is a populous affair when Derek pulls the car in.

Despite nearing nine o'clock at night, small groups of police officers mill around the side of the building on their cigarette breaks laughing, keeping a careful eye on their colleagues bringing in arrests. It's a stark contrast from the tense silence in the car, both father and son sit in near identical poses watching the tableau from their seats with dreamlike detachment.

Derek presses the unlock button, and he's preparing to get out when he sees his sister sitting a few feet away from him. Oblivious to the activity bubbling around her is Laura, perched on the curb in front of the precinct with her arms wrapped around her legs, head cushioned on her knees and her court shoes, blazer and cellphone sitting neatly beside her.

Her head snaps up as if she can feel his presence; she stands up slowly, watching him carefully before she walks purposely towards the car, long hair swaying behind her with every bare-footed step on the asphalt. Derek watches her approach from the car without so much as blinking as the adrenaline crash begins to take hold. She opens the car door, green eyes watching him intently for a few moments, then she leans in and unbuckles his seat belt before proceeding to pull him out of the car.

Laura envelops him in a warm hug, kissing his temple and curling her arms around him as she holds her shaking brother.

When she lets him go, a long moment later, she squeezes his upper arms affectionately and attempts a smile to convey a sense of comfort. She lets him go and heads straight to the passenger side. She pulls it open with a soft click, hesitating as she catches sight of the knife that Kate had thrown, still firmly embedded near the back wheel of the car.

Laura's keen eyes scour Isaac's face and catalogue the bruising, she spares a worried look in Derek's direction before unbuckling Isaac with the same care and efficiency that she'd used on Derek an instant before.

"How's my favourite nephew?" Derek hears her ask as she curls Isaac to her chest for an embrace.

"I'm your only nephew, Aunt Laura." Isaac mumbles impishly, and the corners of Laura's mouth tug upwards, glad that Isaac is at least okay enough to participate in their usual routine.

"You're still my favourite," she confides, hastily closing the door and gently bumping the tip of her finger against Isaac's nose. She walks with Derek towards her abandoned belongings, peppering careful kisses on Isaac's forehead.

"Have you been waiting here all this time?" Derek asks her after a moment, his voice thick with disuse. "The ground is wet," he says. "You'll have ruined your suit."

Laura scoffs.

Laura scoffs, "I was worried, Derek, not struck stupid." She rolls her eyes before pointing out the open newspaper she was sitting on.

Bending to scoop her belongings and binning the newspaper in the trashcan as they walk, he asks her, "How long have you been waiting? I kind of-. Well I-, I lost track of time."

"I don't know, a little while, I guess? I came straight here. You had me really concerned, Derek," Laura looks at Isaac, resting his head in the crook of her neck, trembling slightly and completely swimming in Derek's coat. "And I was right to be, too. Are you okay?"

Derek, weighed down by fatigue and the memories of the whole ordeal, glances at his son as they walk into the bright, stark light of the building, sighing deeply, "I will be."

-

The investigation room is impersonal and metallic and the sterile monochromatic décor puts a chill in Derek.