[DEREK] heels over head.

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

Harmony had a wonderful day watching the coroner's little girl. She'd proven to be everything she'd thought she was and so much more. It was adorable how smart she was. "Come, little kleinkind. Time to be back to your father." She said slowly. She wasn't as good with English as one would expect, being born and raised here. But her parents had made it a point to raise her as German as possible. She took the little girl's hand, leading her to the door. "Oi!" She jumped, started at the very large male standing there. She didn't see the shorter of the two, and wondered for a moment where he was. "Er.. Guten tag. I've.. come to bring the little one back." She explained, watching Bandit run towards him. "Where may he be? Or I could wait here.."

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek had been looking through papers when he heard talking down the hall. He had assumed it was Bandit being brought back and opened the door, lips parting at the surprised yelp from the young German woman. He smiled when Bandit ran towards hik, his canine-like teeth flashing, and crouched to scoop her up in one swoop, kissing the top of her head. She was probably the only kid he was used to dealing with.
Eyes flicked back to the woman and he shrugged. "He's off looking at a patient.." He murmured softly. "You can wait here if you would like." He hooked a chair with his foot and pulled it out, holding Bandit on one hip so he could jot something on the papers and stick them back into the file.

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

Harmony watched him with the little girl, a bit surprised he even paid her any attention. She'd never seen many men give children a second thought. They mostly ignore them and go about their business. "Danke." She smiled, taking the seat slowly. She crossed her legs, looking around the morgue. She couldn't imagine a reason anyone would want to work with dead bodies. Or crazy people. But mostly dead bodies. "Ah.. Your work is odd, yes?" She asked, handing Bandit her teddy bear. She smiled as the little girl hugged it, laying her red head down on the male's shoulder.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek chuckled, hauling himself onto the slab and holding Bandit lightly in his lap. "You could say that, yeah," He murmured, scratching at his jaw before Bouncing Bandit on his knee. He wasn't quite sure what to say or do, had never been a people person. Especially towards women after being thrown away so many times. He looked down at the floor thoughtfully, then offered the woman an impish, helpless smirk.

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

Harmony wasn't used to someone with such little to say. Even Bandit had more to say than he did. But then again, she was going on two and had something to say or something to ask constantly. Harmony didn't know what to say to him, really. He didn't seem too awful happy to have someone in his company. And she didn't just want to leave the girl. She'd seen how skeptical Deacon was with her. "Were you also a patient here? I- your teeth are a bit-.." The word 'inhuman' wouldn't come to mind, so she just trailed off, hoping he knew what she was talking about.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek raised his head slowly to look at her when she spoke, her words catching his attention. "Uh, yes.." He murmured. "They offered me a place to stay and start work, even without an education..no strings attached they said. Except one. These.. And the torture that came with them." He nodded slowly. "I provedmy worth I guess.. If Deacon hadn't agreed to train me, it's still be where I was before."

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

Harmony smiled, listening to his story. "That's awfully nice. You're certainly a lucky one, working with someone who seems quite nice." Her smile brightened when she heard Bandit giggle, bouncing her bear on Derek's other knee. "You're nice to her. Do you have children also?" She asked, getting up to grab the teddy bear Bandit had dropped.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek actually smiled crookedly. It was a hard thing to get out of him. He shook his head slowly. "Nah, just her. Huh Bandit?" He wrinkled his nose gently. "I..was never a people person. And being alone most my life, I never really got a family together I guess.." It was hard after you had hardened yourself to so many other people. It had been a long time since he had cared for anybody except Deacon, Bandit and Jordan.

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

Harmony chuckled when Bandit replied to him with a 'yep!' She seemed just as fond of him as he was of her. She liked thinking he at least wanted a family. "You'll be sure to have one. You're still young." She offered with a smile. She couldn't have her own family, so she liked to watch other's. She'd babysit for anyone who asked, or anyone who might just need a bit of piece to themselves. "And it seems children do like you. She certainly adores you, I can see." She smiled, standing up as Deacon walked in. "It was very nice speaking to you."

[derek chandler ralston]

"You're sweet.." Derek murmured softly, impish."I think they might, minus the teeth." And how awkward he usually was around children. But no need to mention that now. Green eyes flicked up at the opening of the door, and he ran a hand through his hair, setting Bandit on her feet on the ground so she could go to her dad. He smiled right back at the young woman, unable to help it. Other human interaction was rare. "You too.." He murmured, hesitating before looking at Deacon helplessly. He wasn't good at this, but it was clear he was asking for help innot letting this chance to get to know her slip through his fingers.

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

Deacon looked from Harmony to Derek, then put Bandit into Derek's arms. "How about you two go get Bandit her milkshake? I'm elbow deep in paper work." He offered, pulling his wallet from his pocket. His notebook and a few pens fell out with it, and he kicked them under the desk. He handed Derek his card with his credits on it, then bent down to pick up the stuff he'd dropped. Harmony looked over at Derek, smiling when Bandit clapped her hands in cheer about the treat. "What exactly's a milkshake?" She asked slowly, holding her arms out for the little girl.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek smiled the faintest bit, clearly grateful. He took Bandit and held her close before taking the card with a murmured thanks/ As the redhead reached for the young woman, he gave her out, holding the door opening for the two. Thankfully Bandit was going or Derek might not have known what to do with himself. "Excited?" He prodded, smiling at her. Then the question. "It's hard to explain. You'll see."

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

Bandit exclaimed 'yeah!' at his question, dangling her teddy bear above the ground. "Okay." Harmony said, walking slowly. She let Bandit down when the girl started to wiggle, watching her bounce ahead of them with her bear. "She's quite adorable. I adore her hair." She said, bending down to pick up the bow Bandit had thrown out of her hair.

[derek chandler ralston]

Derek was stressing himself out, worrying about making a fool of himself. He wasn't used to people at all.
"Yeah, she is." He smiled at them crookedly, teeth glimmering without much notice by he himself. "It's cute. Can you imagine Deacon with red hair?" He chuckled softly at the thought, pausing to open the door, stepping aside and holding it for the young German woman.

[harmony ava abendroth-cross]

The man was attractive, Harmony would give him that. But something about the teeth and how sharp they were made him far more attractive than he'd been with his mouth closed. She smiled, shaking her head. "Ah. Nein. I couldn't." She gave him a quiet thanks, following Bandit into the door. She took the little girl's hand so she wouldn't get too far away, looking back at Derek again. "There's only the special ones who are blessed with such lovely hair. She will be quite the woman as she grows, I think."