don't get me wrong () prodigal son SLOW UPDATES

Three

Chapter Three:

It didn't take much for Theodora to know what her friend knew, or the reason why he had excused himself from the room and rushed out.

"Did you figure?" Theodora looked at Gil, motioning to the victim still sprawled across the floor. "Is that why you found him?"

"You know?"

She nodded, "Yes. Much more than I should."

She walked to the elevator and clicked the button, watching the red numbers flicker all the way down before making their way back up. With a ding the doors opened and she stepped in, turning to face the open entrance into the apartment. She waved politely as the doors closed, and she clicked the ground floor button a number of times before the elevator started moving.

By the time she made it outside the building, being shoved around by Police Officers, Theodora couldn't spot Malcolm within the crowds.

"Dammit." She mumbled looking around, knowing she had to find him. "Where did you go. Where did..."

Theodora turned right, running past people and into the nearest alleyway. He wouldn't want to be on the ground level, no, it would be to easy to track him down. Malcolm probably got off on a random level and went up the stairs looking for roof access. She found a rusty metal fire escape that led up the building, stopping high up above them at the roof line. She huffed, never being a fan of heights as she began her race up the steps.

By the time she reached the rooftop, Theodora was out of breath and quickly remembered how out of shape she was. Flipping her legs over the edge she landed on the rooftop's surface. Malcolm was leaning against the railing on the other side of the building, staring out at the dark city beyond.

"I've seen that before." He said, without acknowledging her. "Killer's a copy cat."

Theodora sighed, "The Surgeon. I know."

"Why of all people?"

"I think that's why he brought you in." She found a spot next to him, "To make sure."

A snort, "What a way to welcome me back into the field."

She nudged his arm, "It's not like you were gone for a long time. What was it? Less than a day?"

Silence.

He shifted on his feet, watching her as she looked at the ground below. At the police who continued to shoo away nosy pedestrians.

"When's the last time you spoke to him?" Theodora asked quietly, "Your father."

He spat out a laugh, "A long time. Hell, it's been 10 years."

"You're not going back, right?"

"No. I can't. I can't go back to him."

She sighed, meeting his gaze. "If it wasn't for the whole serial killer part of him, he seemed like a nice guy."

"I forgot you met him." Malcolm snickered, "I saw him two times after that. Which was a mistake, looking back on it."

Theodora didn't want to mention the resemblance she saw, that him and his father shared the same eyes and expressions. That sometimes the way he spoke he sounded just like the man he despised. But her opinion didn't matter, she had only met the man a handful of times. Nothing she thought could mean anything. No. Nothing at all.

"You really haven't seen him in 10 years?"

Malcolm stared at her, "Are you saying I should?"

"No." Theodora shook her head, "I know he's done terrible things. And I'm not excusing them but at least he's around. That sounds terrible. He deserves to pay for what he's done—"

"You never told me what happened to your father."

"Or my mother."

"Or your mother." He nodded, "Will I ever get to know?"

Theodora pursed her lips, "There's nothing to really know. They're both dead. That's it."

He stepped closer to her, saying nothing as he linked an arm through hers. "You don't have to tell me. I'm just curious."

She nodded slowly, leaning against him. She never talked about her own past, now realizing why Malcolm never did of his. Expect his was in the spotlight, his was known by the world and the world would always shy away from him because of it. Nobody new about her past expect her, and not talking about it would have her parents memory die with her. Unknown. Gone.

"I'm so into this unsolved stuff because of my dad. He was an investigator, died on an assignment." She began, a comforting hand wrapping around hers. "I was eighteen, a day after I graduated. Two years before I met you, actually. Anyway, yeah, it was a trap and the place blew up with him inside."

"You're a very detailed speaker."

"Shut up." Theodora clicked her tongue, "I'm trying to talk about stuff I haven't in— forever, really."

"What of your mother?"

"Don't know." She shrugged, "Went missing when I was little."

Malcolm's brows furrowed, "Missing doesn't mean dead, Theo."

"You worked for the F.B.I. Don't lie to me." She glanced at him, "It's been to long. If she was alive I'm sure she would've been found her by now."

"When did she go missing?"

Theodora sighed, looking everywhere but him. He was trying to pick apart the information she was giving him, as if it was a case that needed to be worked. Yet she continued.

"It was a few weeks maybe, before The Surgeon was arrested. She said she was going out of town for a work thing, said she loved me and kissed my dad on the cheek and she was off." Theodora bit the inside of her cheek, feeling her eyes burn. "She was last seen at some cafe downtown, walked into the bathroom and that's where that ended. I'm sure she's dead. I've accepted it."

"You've accepted it?"

She looked at him, "What else was I supposed to do?"

Malcolm sighed, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry."

There was a swift silence, followed by Theodora breaking out into a string of laughter. Malcolm jumped back, watching her with an odd expression.

"You're sorry?" She questioned, wiping her eyes. "Your dad is a serial killer! If anything, I'm sorry, Mal. Oh my god—"

He stared at her, wide eyed until he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. Which was odd, because Malcolm wasn't much of a touchy-feely type of guy.

"Hey, hey—" he said quietly, "It's ok."

"I'm fine." Her voice was muffled against his coat, but she clung on tighter, for once not pushing everything out of her mind. "I'm good."

"Our lives suck, don't they."

She chuckled, sighing with agreement. "Yeah. Yeah, they do."