The man in question looked like he wanted to snap back at her, but instead he inhaled and focused for a moment, looking for the aura of the signa. “Yeah, it’s gone. I have no idea where it went.”

“I guess that’s why it’s so hard to catch.” Jack pursed his lips and brought his hand to his chin in thought. “Who knows how many times a team has beaten it down in a fight just for it to disappear and recover.”

“There’s no way that thing just disappears for good- it’s going to come back.” Maria stated with a sigh, her hands on her hips. 

“I’ll assign some teams to rotate over the next few weeks to keep an eye out for it.” Leo said, then watched as the blade in Nick’s hand finally disappeared…and then the guilt returned. If he had been quicker, if he had just remembered to look at his phone, maybe Nick wouldn’t have been so beat up, wouldn’t have been forced to use the abilities he was supposed to be hiding just to protect himself…And now the cat was out of the bag, and he could see the exhaustion on Nick’s face as the reality of the situation settled in, his eyes looking to Leo for something- anything- words of comfort, affirmations, anything-

“Let’s get you back to my place.” Leo turned to Nick again as he slung his bow over his shoulder. He didn’t know what else to do at this moment- the others would have their questions, but right now they all seemed more concerned with the signa’s location and Nick’s wellbeing, thank Daianha. “We’ll get you patched up.” He winced as Nick only nodded, his eyes narrowing- “Are you okay?”

“Headache.” Nick responded quietly- he was sure it was the good knock he’d taken not long before they’d shown up. Leo only nodded and instructed him to sit on the curb- he’d be back in a moment- he just had to speak to Meg and Teno to make sure they were all right and let them know where Nick would be going. Nick practically fell onto the curb with a sigh of relief, his aching body relishing in the moment of relaxation, Jack and Maria checking him over as he recovered. 

Lior watched from a safe distance and crossed his arms, pursing his lips as he studied Nick from afar. He was certainly still sensing the signa energy on him, but he had displayed use of the same powers Lior himself possessed. No wonder Leo was so busy with research, looking for answers to the equation in front of them. Lior took some mental notes- about the powers, the aura- all now confirmed, he had quite a bit to share with Nero.

Leo finished up his conversation with Meg and turned back to Nick, counting two of his subordinates- but Lior was now gone and he sighed, knowing just where the man had slinked off to. For just a moment, Leo wished he could beg for Lior’s silence, his cooperation just once.

It wasn’t likely to happen any time soon. Leo knelt down next to Nick, who was now practically doubled over, his jaw locked and eyes squeezed shut. Leo looked at Jack with a worried expression and his friend shook his head in response. “He’s fine- but he took a nasty hit to the back of his head, I’m trying to convince him to go to the hospital-”

“No-” Leo and Nick both spoke in unison, and the shorter of the two sighed, dropping his head once more to let Leo take over. “That’s not an option- when I said we had some things to work through, I kinda meant..y’know, all that. We can’t take him anywhere that Nightingale would have access to him.”

Jack inhaled and held it for a moment, thinking, then sighed with a shake of his head. “I told you not to get into trouble.”

“We’re not in trouble- I think.” Leo paused, then shrugged. “Look, just keep an eye for him a moment- there’s no way I can get him all the way back to my place without my car-”

“My place.”

Nick’s voice was so quiet Leo wasn’t quite sure he had heard him, so he got closer, brushing the hair from his partner’s face. His eyes were tired, but he made the effort to give Leo eye contact. “It’s not far. My parents are gone- they won’t be there to get in the way or chase you off.”

“Are you alright with your siblings seeing you like this?” Leo asked. Nick shrugged.

“If the injuries don’t heal fast enough, I’ll need someone around, right?”

“Or someone to wake you up every few hours.” Jack chimed in with a smile. “You might be concussed. His home it is- you carry him, I’ll handle your things and get the report going at the office.” Leo opened his mouth to speak but Jack was quick to interrupt him. “About the signa only- nothing else. I’m worried about you- the both of you- but not enough to put you in any more danger than you’re already in. Go, I’ll take care of it.”

Leo couldn’t help but give his friend a lopsided smile, then thanked him. When he tried to pick Nick up the redhead shook his head, making an effort to stand up on his own. His resolve didn’t last long and he was promptly scooped up, Leo holding him close as he carried on towards the Morello home.

To say his siblings were distraught would be something of an understatement- Ashley the worst of the two. Kato was quick to give Leo space to navigate the home, but Ashley’s relentless questioning and following was starting to aggravate even Leo- but he simply sighed, knowing his frustration was with no one but himself. He instead directed her to grab a towel to lay on the bed to avoid staining the sheets too much- something for her to do, to feel like she could help. 

Leo laid Nick on his bed, moving the red waves to check his temperature, then moved to look over his side. It was obvious the gash was attempting to heal, but the wound was too much for his body to handle in his exhausted state. Leo pursed his lips in thought. He’d sutured wounds before- he’d grown used to doing it on his own as he would avoid going to the infirmary or hospital as often as possible. Nick at this point was out cold; there wasn’t an opportunity to ask for his trust.

“Kato-” Leo looked back towards the door where Kato was stationed, watching intently, “would you happen to have a first aid kit that contains a suture?”

“A suture?!” Ashley was trying desperately to push herself past her brother into the bedroom, but his frame was perfectly placed to keep her in the hallway. “How bad is it?!”

“Ash, go grab the first aid kit.” Kato instructed, his voice eerily calm- Leo could only guess it was his best attempt to hold himself together, mostly for Ashley’s sake. “The faster the better.”

Ashley couldn’t help the huff that escaped her, but she disappeared regardless and returned with the first-aid kit, wiggling her way past Kato to hand it to Leo herself. Leo beckoned the two over and they quickly obliged, watching him thread the needle and prep the alcohol. 

“He’s probably going to wake up.” Leo started, letting the needle tip rest in the alcohol as he tried his best to clean the wound. “I might need your help if he does.” The two stared curiously at Leo as the motions of the rag on Nick’s side caused him to stir, his eyes fluttering open- mismatched irises stared at the ceiling for a moment before looking to the others, his brow furrowing. 

“I’m home?”

“Sure are.” Leo replied, then sighed, grabbing a nearby t-shirt and rolling it up- he held it out to Nick. “Bite this please.” The redhead hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth, taking the shirt with a curious gaze. To anyone else in this moment, Leo may seem a bit cold, or at the least, flippant- his calm demeanor felt uncanny, but it was for no one else but himself. He’d stitched himself before without anesthetic- he felt awful knowing he would have to put Nick through the same. 

“Your wound isn’t healing fast enough to keep up.” Leo explained. He grabbed the suture and Nick’s eyes widened, realizing what was to come. “Obviously I’m not an anesthesiologist, so..this is going to hurt. I’m sorry.” Leo moved to start, but the flinch Nick had given him caused him to pause. “Hold him, please.”

It took a moment for the siblings to realize just who he was requesting this from, then Kato moved quickly but gently to grab his older brother’s bicep and wrist, Ashley moving to the other side to hold onto the other. Leo couldn’t help but avoid looking at Nick’s face- he’d already caught a single glance of the terrified expression and sought to erase it from his mind as he administered the first pierce-

And Nick whined- that wasn’t so bad, right?

But as he continued, the whines turned to grunts, into yelps- then into crying, albeit anyone could tell Nick was doing his best to stifle such a noise. Leo cautioned a glance to see the other’s eyes closed tightly, brows knitted together, sharp canines bearing as his jaw clenched around the fabric. 

“I’m sorry. I know- I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

The rest of it felt quick as Leo’s mind shut itself off and focused on the movements of the suture, over and over until he was tying the end and checking over his work. 

Another pass of the alcohol and Nick wiggled at the touch, hissing behind the t-shirt. Wound cleaned, gauze applied and the siblings released him, Kato removing the make-shift gag from his mouth. Nick stretched his jaw immediately, rubbing it with his left hand, his right instinctively going to investigate the dressings on his side. His eyes were burdened with tears that streamed down his face and he sniffled, attempting to collect himself in front of the others.

“Don’t touch.” Leo instructed and the other was quick to obey, removing his hand from the gauze. “Your body should be able to handle the rest from here. Get some sleep- we’ll wake you up in a bit to make sure you aren’t concussed.”

Nick didn’t respond as his body relaxed and his eyes closed, a sigh leaving him. Leo gathered the supplies into his hands and the three left him alone, Ashley giving him a single glance before closing the door. She quickly spun to face Leo, who was handing the first-aid kit off to Kato. 

“Why is he not in a hospital?! He was bleeding all over the place!” Ashley was trying to keep her voice low, but her frustrations made it difficult. “How did this even happen? What do you mean his body can handle it? I know he’s tough and all, but even his fights with grandpa can leave him laid up for days!”

“Ash, maybe later.” Kato put a hand on her shoulder, gaining her attention. “Just let him rest-”

“Do you know something I don’t?” Ashley’s brows furrowed- she was hurt. Kato’s silence earned a scoff and she turned away, sulking towards her room. “‘Course you do- you always do.”

When she was out of ear shot, confirmed by the slam of her bedroom door that rocked the others, Leo chanced a look at Kato, who returned the glance with his brows turned up. “She doesn’t know?” Leo was well aware of Kato’s knowledge on the subject- Nick had confirmed such, but their sister?

“She doesn’t.” Kato replied, taking the first-aid kit to the bathroom to return it. “She has a habit of letting her mouth say more than it should- teenager things I guess. Nick hasn’t been confident in telling her yet.”

Leo only nodded, then Kato sighed, turning towards the taller. “Should I take care of Nick, or do you plan to hang around? Either is fine with me.”

“I’ll stay.” Leo replied. Truthfully, he would feel a heavy guilt if he left now, his mind still plagued with the “what if’s”- if he hadn’t missed those phone calls.

Kato nodded. “...What did happen, anyway? I can only assume another attack.”

“Yeah.” And Leo left it at that, turning back towards Nick’s room and letting himself in quietly. As he shut the door he leaned against it for a moment, eyes closed as he felt the cold wooden surface against his forehead and his breath bouncing off of it. He then slinked over to the desk, sitting as quietly as possible in hopes that the creaks wouldn’t awaken his friend. 

When he'd finally let his eyes focus, Leo looked over to Nick, watching his chest rise and fall, so calmly and rhythmically- and he thought about the week's events.

God, it’s only been a week. He knew he didn’t really have to worry for Nick- obviously he could handle most things himself, but it was obvious to Leo now that he was not only a target to Nightingale, but to signa as well, drawing them in like a magnet. As much as Leo would love to keep an eye out for him 24/7, he also wanted to at least make it look like he was taking Nero’s advice to back off. There was no way in hell Nero would be able to split them apart…but if he became a danger to Nick…. well, that’d be a bridge to cross when they get there.

His phone vibrated in his pocket and Leo pursed his lips, digging it out. From Idris- one of the nurses he’d left with his sister in Hachturn. As he read the text he cursed, leaning to the side to place his forehead in his hand as he read on. He was needed at home…. away from Nick. There was no way out of going back to Hachturn- his sister came first, but it wasn’t going to stop his mind from conjuring up visions of every possible scenario in his absence. 

It really was just one thing after another, he supposed.