Give and take

Mick was very observant, he knew the way Clara behaved seems out of the ordinary, not the fact that she called him Leo alone, but also when she twisted Leo's word and make it seem like, he was jealous about how she praised Tim.

He does not have a family of his own. After Leo's parents death; he devoted all his entire being to the boy.

Leo was a normal kid, despite what happened, he always keep a  smile on his face. Despite what his uncle did; he remain calm and treat people well. Everything changed when he learnt of Sharon betrayal, he became distanced from people and rarely smile, and find it hard to trust.

His parent mode surface when he is extremely  scared for the boy. Even he, did not understand himself. It seems like something has taken over his body, and can only calm down after he slept

He saw Leo smile at Clara and was surprised that the boy smiled genuinely after all this while, but when he witnessed Clara's drama; he sensed that the girl has something against Leo, and his greatest fear is having another Sharon appear in Leo's life. That fear brought out the parent mode in him.

Looking at the Clara sitting in front of him, he was confused, 'isn't she supposed to be a bodyguard? why is she panicking at the sight of me?' Mick asked in his head.

"Miss Welch, I will ask once more, what did you want with my son?" he demanded.

As Clara was thinking of an excuse, Mick spoke again

"Who sent you?"

"What do you mean by that?" Clara looked at him with a shocked expression. "why would someone sent me I... "

"What do you want with him?" Mick asked again.

"I don't want any..."

"Why do you appear in his life? " Mick asked again.

"Appear? how do you mean, I'm his..."

"Who are you exactly?" Mick asked again.

This went on and on, till she felt her heartbeat increasing, and her head seems like it would explode at any moment.

"Can you please just SHUT UP!," she screamed and Mick shut up immediately. 

She quickly breathe a sigh of relief, then she saw Mick leaning closer to her. Her long eyelashes flapped repeatedly, as she watches the man approach her.

Before she could realise what was happening, Mick slap the back of her head, making her widened her eyes in shock.

"You don't talk to an elderly man like that." Mick said and relaxed on his seat.

"I'm sorry." Clara apologised before knowing it, this made her glare at Mick which earns her another hit.

"Now miss Welch, tell me what is it that my son has done to you?" Mick continue from where he stopped. 

Clara who had planned to lie in the first place has later changed her mind and wanted to tell the truth, but Mick is not even giving her the chance to speak anymore, and she even got hit.

"Can you please let me talk, " she quickly said the word fast before Mick could ask another question.

"I'm listening."

"You aren't listening, you are driving me nuts!." 

"Explain yourself miss."

"Thank you." she quickly said and begin. "Your son showed up at my doorstep and was in pain, so I helped him and..."

"Is that what you held against him? "

"No, not that, when he was having a ....."

"Then what? quickly tell me." Mick urged.

"You are not allowing me to talk!"

"How is that so? "

"Can you please just listen and not say anything?" Clara pleaded, looking exhausted.

"You want me to keep mute and... "

"He took advantage of me." Clara cuts in.

When Mick heard this, he finally calms down. 

"What do you mean? my son is not someone 

Who would take advantage of a lady, what happened exactly?"

Seeing such a golden opportunity, Clara quickly narrated everything that transpired between her and Leo to Mick except the fact that she is a guardian with supernatural powers and the related.

When Mick heard her story, he was tongue-tied for a while, but when he finally spoke, Clara nearly puke out blood.

"Let's keep this as our little secret. Thanks for saving my son, but I wouldn't appreciate you going around telling people he took advantage of you. You took advantage of him first, so treat it as a give and take and don't slander my son's name. Since he needed your voice and you have agreed to help, please face what you are here to do and don't cause trouble for him." Mick said as a matter of fact.

'What! give and take? took advantage of him first? why did this man sound like all those rich parents who overlook their child wrong and blame the victim instead.' Clara thought 

"I was only helping him." Clara said, as what she wants the most now is to make Mick leave her alone.

"If that is the case; then miss Welch, thank you very much for helping." Mick said.

"You are welcome." she squeezed out the words. She was glad the man wants to keep it a secret, but she felt bad that she got all the blame instead.

"Good! perform your duty diligently, and don't try anything funny." Mick said and stood up and left.

When Mick left; Clara angrily brought out her phone and dialled Leo's number.

"Where the f*ck are you?" she screamed, only to hear Mick voice from behind her again.

"Miss Welch, who are you talking to?"