Summary: You're at work, trying to look after your daughter, but someone always seems to be faster.
a/n: I was at work today and, after having an insanely stressful time planning operations for ten hours, I ended up writing a one-shot rather than resting after getting home
"What are you going to do when someone opens the door?"
"Hide!"
"That's my smart girl!" You crouched down to give your daughter a kiss on the head, and she let out a giggle.
Your daughter was definitely the only good thing to come out of Co-Op City, and she was the only thing that kept you going. Otherwise, you would probably have put a bullet through your head by now.
You gave your three-year-old daughter a tight hug and motioned towards the toys you had laid out on the ground. "Have fun, my duckling," you said.
"I will!" She said enthusiastically, letting herself fall dramatically onto her bottom to play with the new toys you had bought her.
That was your cue to leave. You closed the door behind you and made your way through the halls towards the cameras.
After working your way up in FreeVee, you were thrilled to finally have a small office to yourself. All the hours of work you put in really paid off.
Although FreeVee enabled you to afford a fairly good life, it was still hell on earth.
Ever since FreeVee's programmes started to become more popular, the city became more dangerous. You could never trust anyone - not even your own family members - which is why you took your daughter to work.
In your office, nobody could just peek in. It was your space, and you got to decide who was allowed in.
While the crew were walking around, making sound checks and testing the cameras, you were about to talk to one of the cameramen when a hand on your shoulder stopped you.
"Long time no see, sweetheart," boomed an all-too-familiar voice behind you as you turned around.
It was Bobby T., looking as put-together as ever with a big smile on his face, exuding nothing but charisma. He was everybody's favourite host of the most messed up shows Killian could ever think of.
You liked Bobby T., though you definitely wouldn't call him a friend. In your opinion, he'd be the first to betray you: all innocent in front of you but the first to talk shit behind your back for a price.
"Yeah," you sighed, not really in the mood to talk to him after seeing how he'd talked about Ben Richards.
You didn't know Ben personally, but you knew that Bobby T. and Killian were trying to wind him up until he gave in and became another one of their puppets.
That's what they do, and they're damn good at it.
"Usually, everyone is excited to see me," said the show host, looking down at you with a small smirk.
"Well, I'm not everyone," you exclaimed, continuing on your way as Bobby T. let up.
Hours passed and you were starting to become restless. You hadn't expected to spend so long arguing with the cameramen about the angles at which they should shoot the scenes.
You knew what the crowd wanted to see. It was either McCone or the runners in a state of panic.
After some more arguing, they finally relented and agreed to your suggestions which made you practically sprint towards your office.
When you opened the door, what you saw made you let out a small yelp before you could calm down.
You weren't expecting to see the tall man sitting on the ground with a duck toy in his hand while your daughter squealed and giggled with delight.
He turned around and his blue-grey eyes, which sometimes appeared green, looked at you. You always found his eyes hypnotic.
You were never able to fully look away.
"Didn't expect to see you here, Evan," you said, walking towards the pair, who were still sitting down.
Your daughter wasn't moving an inch away from him. 'Traitor,' you thought to yourself.
"I told you I'd check in on her," he said softly. People who only knew him as a hunter would be surprised, if not shocked. But you were used to it.
Your eyes softened slightly, your pupils dilating, though you quickly looked away towards your daughter and booped her nose.
"What did I tell you to do when someone enters?"
"Hide..." she said shyly, leaning against McCone's arm, which made him ruffle her hair softly.
"Listen to your mother," he said in a fake strict voice, holding up his index finger towards her, which made her giggle immediately.
"Okay," she managed, still giggling, as McCone gave her the duck toy.
He got up and stood in front of you. "It fits quite well," he said, motioning towards the toy. You smiled in reply.
You knew about her obsession with ducks, which was also why you called her Duckling. That toy hadn't left her side ever since you got it for her.
"No mask this time?" you asked. He usually wore that awful mask from The Running Man, which you hated.
It always reminded you of how he'd kill everyone on the show. You felt that he didn't enjoy it either, judging by the look in his eyes and his stance.
Seeing him next to Killian seemed odd enough, as it was obvious that McCone didn't like him.
And for some reason, he wasn't wearing the mask.
"You told me that you didn't like it," he said in a monotone voice, not letting any other emotion slip through it.
"And my opinion matters?"
"More than anyone else's," he said, as if it were a fact, which made you blush a little. That was his sign to get closer.
Leaning down, he brought his lips very close to your ear and whispered, "You surely already knew that, darling," before giving you a chaste kiss that made you want to melt. However, you two abruptly pulled back when an "Ew" was heard.
McCone chuckled, knowing that the little girl loved teasing them. "Next time, look away," he said, crouching down to tickle her belly and make her erupt in laughter. You could only smile.
Although it was difficult managing your life as a mother after your ex-husband left you for someone else, you couldn't have been happier with Evan. He wasn't just McCone, as everyone knew him; he was your Evan.
