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

Chapter Ten:

Theodora sat on her couch, curled up with a blanket and a bowl of ice cream. The TV blared in the background, some crime show playing reruns.

She had been at home for days, not leaving. It was strange, not seeing Malcolm for more than a day. Usually they were always together, but she couldn't look at him after that night at Carter Berkhead's apartment. Of how broken he looked, how ready to die he was.

He had called almost every hour, but she ignored all of them.

Theodora finished the rest of her ice cream, just as a knock sounded at her door. She huffed, ignoring it, not wanting to get up.

"Theo!"

She turned and watched the door, "Malcolm?"

"I know you're in there! Let me in."

She slowly got up, making her way to the kitchen where she placed the bowl in the sink.

"Theo, come on!"

He knocked again, and she walked up and swung open the door. He looked down at her, brows suddenly furrowed. "Are you wearing makeup?"

Her hand went to close the door but he slipped in, "Never mind— there's a case we need to work on."

"What if I don't want to."

"I know you miss it."

"Miss what?"

He huffed, "Investigating."

Theodora pursed her lips, "Is that all you came here for? To get me to come on a case with you?"

He frowned, sighing. "No."

She nodded, running a hand through her hair. She had curled it, mostly out of boredom. Which lead to dressing up, in jeans and a black shirt tucked in. And makeup. Which she never wore, as Theodora always forgot to take it off.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, "Your neck looks better. No bandage?"

"I took it off. It was irritating."

"Oh."

Theodora huffed, glaring at him. She wanted to yell at him, ask him again why he was so ready to die but instead she pursed her lips and nodded.

"Fine." She said, rushing to her bedroom. She grabbed a denim jacket from off her bed and shrugged it on. When she walked back out, she motioned to the door. "Let's go."

Instead of stopping at the elevator, she continued straight and shoved open the door to the stairway. Running down them, she was out the door and waiting patiently on the sidewalk for a few minutes before Malcolm found himself standing next to her.

"So, what's the case."

He waved down a taxi and they both got in, he gave the driver the address and they were off. "Don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Gil called, told me where I needed to be and I went right to your place." He looked at her, "I figured you'd want to come."

"I'm still mad at you."

"When are you not?"

Theodora crossed her arms, staring out the window. Mind wandering to what she thought this new case was going to be about. Obviously someone had to have died, for bringing Malcolm onto it. He was never involved until there was a death, which she found odd.

Was it revenge? Boredom? Was it out of a sickness or were they insane?

It wasn't hard to pick out the crime scene, not when an apartment building was in the middle of being locked down. Police crowded the building, covering it with yellow crime tape.