• Street-Wise Hercules •

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

It was one of those days where Loretta needed a break. She had been up half the night with her niece, caring for the poor baby who was beginning her teething and hating every moment of it. The baby was very demanding and took parts of her she didn’t even know existed, testing her patience and composure on more than one occasion. Rebecca may not have been her kid by blood, but with her sister still not all together, she was as close as she could get. She loved the little girl with all her heart but she could be as stubborn as her mother, and Loretta could only take so much when it was three a.m. and she needed to finish a report for work.

Dropping Rebecca off at the sitter’s that morning had felt like a blessing. Loretta happily gave the, thankfully asleep, baby to the woman who watched her, warning her about the trials of the night and receiving a scolding for letting herself get so run down. The kind woman warned that she needed to be at the top of her game as Rebecca started walking, but Loretta was only doing what she thought was right. It was inevitable that she would get overworked; she would give up her life to help her family, and she already was by living with her sister. If it were up to her, she would’ve probably still been in Connecticut, dreaming big dreams while hiding away at the small-town library. She was needed in New York though, and she was trying to make the best of the situation wherever she could.

Still, not every day was full of sunshine and even she needed to escape sometimes. That was how she’d found the diner, one of her favorite little hideaways when the world became too much for her. She could go there, order her favorite meal depending on the hour, and spend time lost in a book. There were no sisters, no babies, and no kids to read to at the library. She loved her job and had so much fun working with the children to help develop their reading skills, but she was too tired for even them today. Loretta walked into the diner and was surprised to find all the tables and booths taken. She usually liked to curl up in a corner by the window and isolate herself with her latest novel, choosing not to interact with anyone else. With her job, she was forced to be overly happy and social for a full eight hours a day. Coming here was supposed to be her escape from that, but, apparently, fate was not on her side at all that day.

Reluctantly, she hopped up on a stool at the counter and slid her bag down by her feet. She was quickly greeted by one of the newer waitresses, who seemed a little more than flustered. A few of the other staff members recognized her and had even stopped by the library once or twice; she was slowly becoming a regular patron of the place. With the new waitress eventually bringing her the correct coffee and confusingly taking her order for food, Loretta pulled her newest book out of her case and finally began to settle in. As her eyes began to move across the page, her head slipped away into another place with the hum of the diner soon becoming a distant, faint background.

She was completely engrossed in the story and hardly noticed the brief wait for her food. Soon enough, the waitress returned and set it down but, before Loretta could even look up, she had disappeared. Upon examining her plate, a frown tugged at her lips as she realized this was nowhere near what she’d ordered. Her nose had her glancing over and, with a sigh of disbelief, she realized the man sitting next to her had ended up with what looked like her breakfast. She didn’t know many other people who got two extra sides of butter for their pancakes and an extra side of the glaze that accompanied the cinnamon rolls. Today was really not going well for her. Clearing her throat quietly and biting her lip, she said, "Excuse me, I think you might have my breakfast.” Gesturing to the plate in front of her, she asked, "Does this look like yours?”

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 732!
OUTFIT: PRETTY LADY!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Granger Dallas Nylander]

There wasn't a lot in Granger's life that he took for granted. With what he'd seen overseas and then what he witnessed on a near day-to-day, it should have been enough to put someone in a psychiatric ward. But Granger took it all in stride and knew without a doubt that he was doing something good for his city when he woke up every morning and clipped his police issued sidearm to his hip. It hadn't actually been what he wanted exactly. He had pictured himself a career military man, especially with his aim but life got in the way of that, as it tended to do and Granger couldn't picture himself spending the rest of his life in a surprisingly cold desert; even if he was serving and protecting. He could do just as well back in his own city, protecting and serving there.

There was definitely more to do on his days off in New York than there ever had been in overseas; not that he actually had days off over there. It was the adjustment period that had gotten to Granger the most. He hadn't been used to being able to sleep in or just grab a cup of coffee at the corner without first checking to see if it was okay for him to leave his post. It was a difficult readjusting to going out whenever he wanted, grabbing food when he felt or having a beer. The only time he'd gotten one of those was on leave and even then he had to pace himself so he wouldn't be ruined the next day. It was a struggle and it was one he no longer had to worry about. Now, he just needed to make sure he showed up to work on time, check in when he was undercover at the designated time and come out of the other side of it all alive. It was thrilling and exhilarating and it was as close to being in the military as Granger was probably ever going to get; aside from his reserve hours.

Of course a year ago, Granger hadn't been able to tell which way was up with everything going on and now he was an integral member of a team as close as brothers to him as his army brothers were, as close to him as his real siblings were. It was a shame Granger could quite kick all the habits; like being awake at the ass crack of dawn. He was up and had his workout, another habit, done and out of the way before most people in the city were waking for their days. He also wished he could cook. He couldn't and either found himself back at home with his mom and sister, over at his other sister's place or picking something up from a deli or diner on his way to wherever it was he was going next. He was a cop who didn't look anything like a cop but the people who mattered knew and the people who needed to know. Like the waitress who reminded him of his mama at his favourite diner, as well as the cook. They'd been having a bit of trouble and Granger being the kind of man that he was, couldn't sit around and let it happen. His badge was shown, some words were exchanged and the young punk ran out of the diner without accomplishing his goal. From then he'd been getting his coffees and occasional meals free. It helped that he was in there almost every morning for breakfast and it was so routine at one point the Waitress, Maureen, started to get worried about him!

He took his usual seat, ordered from the new girl and leaned forward onto the counter to wait. He kept up a small conversation with the cook but otherwise kept his head in his phone to deal with his sisters who were constantly messaging him about this, that or the other. Oddly enough, neither of them minded all that much that their brother was a cop, they were more concerned about him missing the family meals or forgetting that the anniversary of their father's death was coming up and they needed to visit the cemetery. He wasn't paying that much attention to the waitress setting his plate down, he would get to it when he sorted out if dinner was at home this week or at Ryleigh's. With a shake of his head, he set his phone down, picked up his fork and looked at the actual plate set in front of him. His meal of hashbrown, veggie mix with chopped up bacon topped with two eggs and cheese came served in a deep dish bowl. He looked over at the woman who was talking to him and then down at her plate. "I wish I could say it does but sadly, it doesn't. Looks good though." He said with a sigh before signaling the waitress over himself.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || Loretta Brennan Leigh
Words || 832
Clothes || Coming soon!
Music || If the Boot Fits --Granger Smith
Notes || <3

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

Loretta had known since she was young that she wanted to be a librarian. She loved books; loved the intoxicating scent, the history behind their origins, and the way they could transport someone to an entirely different world. Learning had always been her indulgence, her form of relaxing often taking the shape of a thick biography on some historical event or other. It was her favorite thing to do, and getting to transform that into of a career was something she thanked her lucky stars for every time she slid her I.D. tags on for work. The Manhattan Public Library was by no means her dream job, and she certainly hadn’t envisioned herself as a Children’s Librarian, but she was doing something she loved and getting to spread the joy of knowledge to the next generation of readers.
The young librarian was working in the city solely because of her sister and niece. She had spent her college time, both undergrad and graduate years, in New York but had never had the intention of staying beyond that. Carolyn moved back because of love, yet Loretta hadn’t had a reason to really stay. She liked her small-town and the peacefulness it offered. She’d visit New York, of course, as the city provided some excellent opportunities for fun that Connecticut just couldn’t offer, but she had never considered the place her home until recently when she’d agreed to moving back full-time.
Living in New York now was nothing like what it had been during college. Those had been fun years, full of friends and parties and late-night food runs. She had been far more carefree back then, before everything had happened and she’d seen her life turned upside down by a bad fire and a newborn. Now, she had the guest room at her sister’s house, a space that had once been intended as a study for her brother-in-law. It had been eerie, after he’d gone, seeing his dress shirts in half the closet or his video games stacked on the desk, but she had tried to get by it as quickly as she could. She didn’t have much of an option; someone had to hold it together as her sister sure wasn’t going to. Loretta was the one cooking meals, making sure her niece was on a strict schedule, and seeing that the house was cleaned regularly. She was trying her best, at any rate, to make a home when she’d previously had no interest in becoming the doting mommy. Her cooking skills weren’t the best, as her mother had taught Carolyn most of what she knew, but she could bake decently and she could read a recipe. The real problem was finding enough hours in the day to complete everything she needed to.
She was usually up early to throw together some kind of breakfast for herself and Carolyn, setting up a plate of food for her sister’s lunch, as well. Carolyn worked part-time from home nowadays, but she still wasn’t eating properly or managing to take care of herself well enough for Loretta’s liking, so the younger sister ensured everything was set up perfectly so no meals, or pills, were missed. Somewhere, she found a few minutes to pack her bag for work and make herself look presentable, a routine that was typically interrupted by Rebecca waking up for the day. The baby needed food, clean clothes, and her own bag packed for the sitter’s. It was all timed down-to-the-minute, a product of Loretta working tirelessly to keep everyone on schedule.
That was why she escaped to the diner more and more frequently. Caring for Rebecca, watching her sister, managing to perform adequately at her job; it was getting to become too much and she needed a break. She’d begun to find herself becoming a regular of the diner without even realizing it. She liked not having to cook for herself and, if anything, the food there was much better than anything she could have concocted herself. It was a well-deserved treat; well, it was when the usual waitresses were there, at any rate.
Loretta merely wanted her breakfast, that was all; she loved the cinnamon rolls and they were a clear indicator that it was already a hard day for her. She was surely going to stop somewhere and get a drink later, at this rate. As she began speaking to the stranger next to her, she instinctively closed her book and blinked at him with her bright eyes. He was good-looking, she would admit that, but before she could study him further, he was already waving down the waitress to get their food sorted out. She sipped at her coffee quickly as the girl came back over looking even more bewildered than before. Loretta set her mug down on the counter, gesturing to the plates and saying as politely as she could, "I’m sorry but these aren’t ours. I got pancakes with a cinnamon roll and Mr. --” she paused, glancing at the man beside her, "I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 849!
OUTFIT: PRETTY LADY!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Granger Dallas Nylander]

Granger hadn't always wanted to protect the world, save people and make a difference in the lives of those he touched. Like any little boy he'd wanted to be a fireman and an astronaut, he'd wanted to be a doctor and an airplane pilot. Wanting to serve his country came much later, when the realities of protecting people became more apparent and harder to separate. There were so many options he could have chosen from. And then becoming a sniper hadn't been what he'd thought he would do either but it turned out he was a damn good shot, better than his instructor though the man admitted that very reluctantly. He hadn't wanted to and everyone knew it. But Granger had been the only one to surpass the teacher, the others in the sniper programme had, to Granger, done what they needed to do to become a sniper and nothing more than that. The born and bred New Yorker wasn't afraid of stepping on toes to prove he was the best and worthy of the attention.

His only wish was that he'd been able to go back when everything in his life went to hell in a handbasket. He had liked being over there, serving and protecting. And though he was doing it now on a smaller scale, it wasn't the same. He couldn't use his sniper skills in the city nearly as much as he would have liked. There were times of course, when his unit was in need and he was the only one who could do it but those times were few and far between. It made him think more and more about taking the tests for SWAT. They weren't called in nearly as often as people thought they were and Granger didn't want to be sitting around in the gym working out or at a desk filling out useless paperwork. He'd wanted action. And still did. But he also didn't want his skills to get dull. Still, it was nice to be back in New York where he'd grown up.

He had missed his family more than he'd been willing to admit and his leave had never been long enough when he could get it before he was back on a plane, heading back into some of the scariest territory he'd ever laid eyes on. And the food was a hundred times better in New York; as was the company. Granger chuckled softly. "Granger. And you are?" He asked in return. In this diner, he was safe to be himself. He didn't need to provide a fake name or make up some wild, or bland background story for himself because it was his in his safe zone. He made damn sure of that fact.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || Loretta Brennan Leigh
Words || 458
Clothes || Coming soon!
Music || If the Boot Fits --Granger Smith
Notes || I'm sorry -___- He was being difficult <3

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

Loretta had always wished she’d been more adventurous. She spent a fair amount of her childhood hiding in corners of the small-town library or studying away to stay at the top of her class, but she’d never been one to take a risk. That had always been her sister, off doing daring things while she remained at home with another new book. New York was the biggest leap she’d ever taken and it’d brought her plenty of wild memories, but she still wished she’d been braver with her life. One could only absorb so many stories through the pages of a story rather than living them.
She was trying, slowly, to branch out more now that she had chosen to stay in New York full-time. Loretta honestly had no idea how long she’d be there; she wouldn’t risk Rebecca being harmed but she knew Carolyn would die before leave the city her almost-husband had lost his life for, so she was stuck at a stand-still. It was a miracle she’d found a job so quickly to help support herself, paying off her student loans with the spare change she had and putting food on the table with the rest.
She really just wanted her cinnamon roll and, at this rate, an Irish coffee to accompany it. Loretta hid her stress and exhaustion the best she could most days, but her family had been taking a toll on her for a very long time. She had made her share of friends in the city, sure, but she had always preferred her alone time and the diner offered her the perfect escape for this. It was a safe place for her, somewhere she could lose herself in a book and not worry about being too oblivious to the outside world.
Her escape to the diner was more necessary than usual and, while she didn’t usually prefer to sit at the counter, it was already seeming a little better than she’d anticipated. Without any more question, the waitress whisked away both their plates once more and Loretta wrapped her fingers warmly around her coffee mug as she smiled at the man beside her. Suddenly, her missing cinnamon roll was drifting to the back of her mind. "Loretta,” she smiled up at him, sipping at her coffee again. It was the only thing that kept her awake most days, and, even if she was talking to a handsome stranger, she needed her caffeine fix. "A pleasure to meet you, Granger, even under such starving circumstances,” she joked softly, a twinkle in her eye as her smile lit with humor. "Do you come around here often?”

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 456!
OUTFIT: PRETTY LADY!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Granger Dallas Nylander]

Signing up for the Rangers wasn't something Granger had done on a whim, even if it had looked like that to the people around him. He'd already been in the military for some time and it was the next logical step for him. It had given him more options to further his military career. But it also meant more deployments and less time back home with his family. He had thought long and hard about it and spoke to his parents before signing up for that next step. He'd always been an adventurous boy growing up and then he became a boy who stood up for others when they couldn't protect themselves. He'd always been the kind of person who did that. So it seemed so obvious to Granger that he needed to continue on protecting those who were too scared to protect themselves. He would still be over there now if his father hadn't gotten sick and he'd known he needed to be closer to home when the time came. Even knowing it was coming hadn't prepared Granger for when it actually did. He'd been broken up over it, knowing he would no longer be able to go to his father for advice only a father could give, he wouldn't be able to take his father down to the range when he was home on leave and fire off a few rounds, show his dad how good he'd gotten. The fireman hadn't liked guns and would never have carried one himself but he definitely appreciated those who did.

And he had been damn proud of his son, even in his dying days, knowing his boy was one of the good ones, cleaning up the city streets. It was quickly coming up on a year now and Granger could feel himself wanting to fall back down that rabbit hole he'd escaped to when it had first happened. His rabbit hole might have been Fired Away, the shooting range there in the city, and he could claim to needing to put in the practice so his skills didn't go rusty but it was all bullshit. Hitting the firing range kept his mind blank because he was only thinking about hitting the target. He was a sharp shooter, a sniper and those skills never really left, even after you've been discharged. Hell, in Granger's case, they didn't even get rusty; he was that good.

Instead of doing that though, he woke up every morning, felt that heaviness on his chest and then went through his morning routine, his work out, his shower and then went straight to the diner. Or if he had spent the night at his mother's, down to the kitchen. It was usually the diner, though he didn't usually have this much trouble with his order. He let it slide of course, the girl was young, new and obviously nervous and Granger was in no hurry to get anywhere. It was his day off and aside from the few errands he needed to run, the only thing he really needed to do was be at Radio City for Veronica, though she had not told him what time he needed to make his appearance. He only hoped she wasn't trying to set him up again. That worked out so well the last time. Granger smiled and shook his head softly at the line. "A time or two. How about you? Frequent flyer or first timer?" He asked, curious. He hadn't seen her in there before but that really didn't mean much when Granger showed up at all hours of the night and day.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || Loretta Brennan Leigh
Words || 603
Clothes || Charming Copper
Music || If the Boot Fits --Granger Smith
Notes || I'm sorry -___- He was being difficult <3

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

She had found herself falling into a dry routine as she’d settled down in the city. It had been just over a year since she’d committed to living there again and Loretta had now fully established herself as a member of the bustling streets. It was long weeks with very early mornings and late hours for the overtime pay she desperately needed. It didn’t leave room for much excitement other than the rare girl’s night out with old college friends or occasional drinks with coworkers when the library closed early on Fridays; that was the extent of her “fun” most weeks. She spent her limited amount of free time playing with her niece or working on reports and research for work, always pushing one step further and giving more each day until she found herself running so dry she needed a cool drink of water to keep going once again.
That escape usually came in the form of books. Since she was little, Loretta had loved to read more than anything else. It had only been encouraged by her father, whose personal library rivaled that of his daughter’s nowadays, and it had always been a passion they shared. She was a bit of a daddy’s girl throughout her childhood, bonding with her father through their love of everything related to literature. It had been him who’d introduced her to history books and the great classics of the 19th century; it had been him who’d made her realize there was a whole different world out there besides the reality they were forced to reside in.
During college, once she’d finally decided what she wanted to do with her life after school, he had been ecstatic to hear she intended on becoming a librarian like him. Loretta couldn’t see herself doing anything other than working with books; she had always been adored by her father’s coworkers, so she’d seen first-hand what the job entailed and it easily became the only career she wanted. When she had briefly moved home after college, he had helped her get a job at the small-town library she’d grown up in, trying to push her towards following in his footsteps even more.
He was infinitely proud of her, more than ever now that she’d started her job at the Manhattan Library. Loretta constantly sent him updates on what she was working on or what fascinating author had come to visit that week, and they always spent Sunday nights talking on the phone to catch up for the week. If she hadn’t had him to help keep her sane the last year and continue pushing her when she wanted to fall apart, she knew she wouldn’t have made it.
Loretta had told her father more than once about “her” little diner. She’d never shared the place with her sister or even brought her friends there, but her father knew all about it and had promised to visit the next time he took the train over to the city. She didn’t draw much attention in the place, preferring to tuck herself away in a corner and silently fall into the pages of her latest book rather than interacting with the various customers who flowed in and out of the doors. Really, she just knew the regular staff and only because she was forced to interact if she wanted food.
She kept a sweet smile on her lips as she looked up at the guy next to her. She couldn’t remember seeing him before, but, then again, she could barely remember to grab her phone on the way out the door most mornings. "I fell in love with the coffee and have been back way too much. The place has become my guilty pleasure,” she laughed, fingers wrapped tight around her mug. "I usually hide in the back corner with a book though,” she added, her eyes glancing longingly at the booth currently occupied by an older couple enjoying their breakfast together.

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 664!
OUTFIT: PRETTY LADY!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Granger Dallas Nylander]

Granger loved his city, loved his country and wanted to do everything that was in his power to help protect it. He'd gone the big and mighty route, signing up to serve and protect, learning the ins and outs of a sniper rifle among other weapons. He'd become an expert through his first tour. It wasn't something he was overly proud of, in fact, he wished no doubt like so many others, that these wars didn't exists, that crime didn't exist but it did and they needed people like him to police it. Granger was willing to do just that and had decided when his father had fallen ill, that he would take that fight home. He couldn't leave his sisters and his mother alone in New York worrying about him overseas when he could be there. He'd done more than his requirements and was told once his contract was up, he was free to go. Honourable discharge with more medals than he thought he deserved and a quick rise through the ranks before going home to take care of his family.

Most people as Granger knew well, didn't quite make it out of the desert as whole as they'd gone in. Some were riddled with holes that shouldn't have been there, some just saw way too much and their minds couldn't process it all. Granger had seen a lot and he had done so much more but he'd had a support system back home that he never let him get too far into his own head. They refused to let him go down any rabbit holes he might not have been able to claw his way out of and they were the reason Granger wasn't as fucked up as some of the guy's he'd fought beside. He had nightmares every once in a while but after everything he'd seen, that was to be expected but he didn't really have to deal with anything else which was a blessing. He didn't think he'd be able to live with weekly visits to a therapist!

"A guilty pleasure and a safe place. We're quite the pair of choices." He said with a chuckle and a shake of his head. The diner had become more than a place he frequented, it had become another home in a way. He always felt comfortable there and the employees were a good bunch of people to talk to and joke around with. Granger hated it when he had to do undercover work for extended periods of time because it meant that he couldn't go to the diner. They knew him too well there and though he knew at least a couple of the wait staff would get it and act like they didn't know him, there were a few that weren't quite so on the ball and would out him in an instant. It wouldn't be their fault of course and he knew that, it was simple to fall into habits and bringing someone their usual order or doctoring their cup of coffee before they've asked for it was a simple thing that so many people didn't think about. But Granger did have to think about it. So he chose not to go to a place he wanted to keep to himself; unless he was with another cop or someone from his real life. "And I'm always up here at the counter." Because he was almost always alone when he walked through that door.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || Loretta Brennan Leigh
Words || 578
Clothes || Charming Copper
Music || If the Boot Fits --Granger Smith
Notes || I'm sorry -___- He was being difficult <3

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

One of Loretta’s favorite parts of her job was getting to watch the reaction on children’s faces as they experienced books for the first time. It was a kind of magic that was so brief and fleeting it would be lost in the blink of an eye, but it was her favorite moment to see no matter how many times she had the honor of being present for it. They suddenly realized they could have the whole world in the palm of their hands, and it was a feeling of freedom even kids needed most days. It was the kind of feeling that warmed Loretta’s heart, even when days got boring or when she wished she could be in a tropical land instead of the dusty aisles of the Manhattan library.
As a child, Loretta had filled her head with as many fairy tales as she could possibly cram inside. She loved to pretend she was a princess or wizard or an adventurer in a mystical forest; she fell into stories as easily as Alice went down the rabbit hole, and it had turned her into a dreamer of the best possible kind. She liked to study people and find the good in them, no matter how buried it seemed to be, and she loved to find the stories of lives that were complicated and profound in ways she’d never heard before. Stretching her mind was her favorite pastime, whether it was with history books or fantasy, though she was surprised there was any room left in her head with how many books she’d read. Stories had created Loretta’s life since her childhood, and they continued to define her in her adulthood as she picked up more novels and tried to find any spare moment to read them.
Loretta smiled as she sat in the diner, her attention fully absorbed by the handsome stranger beside her. It took a lot to interrupt her when she had her nose in a good book, but the lack of food had driven her to distraction and she now happily fluttered her eyelashes as she spoke. "Seems like we’re both looking for an escape,” she answered quietly after he spoke. Loretta carefully sipped at her coffee again, keeping her eyes off him and focused on the burning liquid as it slid down her throat. "But you can people watch from the booth windows,” she said, her eyes back on him as a smirk played on her lips. "That’s much more fun than sitting up here alone.”

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 425!
OUTFIT: PRETTY LADY!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Granger Dallas Nylander]

Granger loved his hometown even if for a while he had genuinely thought about returning stateside and going somewhere far, far away from there. Well, after everything with his father anyway. New York held all the good memories he had of his father and to have all that ruined by his death didn't seem like a good reason to stick around. But those memories hadn't gotten tarnished, they'd shone through the dark nights when the thoughts of his father not making through that night were all anyone could think about. It was a harsh reality, losing a parent. Granger didn't have kids but when his father died, it didn't feel like he'd lost the man that raised him. He did but it felt more like he'd lost his best friend. Granger and his father had always been close. He'd been the one Granger had gone to when he'd first considered joining the army. He had wanted his approval, he'd wanted to know it was as good an idea as Granger thought it was. And moreover, Granger wanted his father to be proud of him for taking care of those who couldn't do it themselves. Of course, Granger also knew he could have taken on a cushy office gig and his father would have been proud of him but Granger wouldn't have been proud of himself.

He had been meant to protect and serve. Everyone knew it, they all saw it so enlisting was really the only path he had ahead of him. And if he could have willingly left his mother and sister's again, he would have re-enlisted after the funeral and gone right back to the fatigues and title he'd carried with his name. Except, he hadn't been able to do that to his family. He was the man of the house now, so to speak and he couldn't just put that uniform back on and pretend like he didn't have a family back home. He did and he couldn't give them up again. He'd been gone too long without many return trips home between so it was time he sat back, didn’t do quite as much and still bring home a pretty decent paycheck.

Granger nodded his head, not agreeing but not disagreeing either. He wasn't looking for an escape or anything like that. He was looking for solace in a menacing world. The diner with it's kind of outdated style and squeaky stools was like an island in the middle of a storm. He worked his ass off doing some of the most dangerous work in the city and he needed something that wasn't his house or one that belonged to a family member. "That might be true, but I like the company better up here than sitting in a both with only the glass window as my only companion." He told her honestly. He could and did regularly lie for his job. He didn't like doing it while he was off-duty. Granger was more a truth seeker and lived by the motto that you couldn't look for the truth if you were spitting out lies. The wait staff at the diner kept him entertained while he was there. And he'd never been overly fond of people watching unless he was being paid to do it. Stakeouts for him were a total nightmare so he thanks his captain every damn day he wasn't assigned to car.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || Loretta Brennan Leigh
Words || 569
Clothes || Charming Copper
Music || If the Boot Fits --Granger Smith
Notes || He's a cranky bitch >.< <3

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

Loretta had spent most of her life in New York since her high school graduation. Apart from her brief time back in her hometown after she’d completed her degree, she had been fully and completely a city girl for a few years. She’d lived in a few places across the Big Apple before settling in the suburbs with her sister once her niece was born, but she had never pictured herself staying forever. Her family was her entire life so she knew she wouldn’t go too far, yet a part of her craved the freedom she had never known. There had always been someone with her; her father in the library when she was growing up or her sister in New York during her college years. She had never gotten the chance to be alone, to test herself and discover who she was outside of her family’s comforting arms.

She did not think of New York as a permanent residence for herself; she probably never would. Her love for the city ran deep and there was no denying that New York was doing wonders for her professional career at the moment, but Loretta wanted a home where she could be herself. She wanted familiar faces and small-town traditions; she wanted an identity and a place where neighbors smiled at each other on the street. That was her idea of a final destination; after she’d helped raise her niece and after she’d gotten her sister to a stable mentality and after she was done being lost in the big city crowds that felt so cold and unfeeling. It all was a long way off for the day-dreaming librarian, but it was something that helped push her through the drudgery of everyday life.

Loretta looked over to Granger, her head tilting a bit as she considered his words. She had always loved people watching; it was entertaining to see the different interactions and goings-on of varying lives. It made sipping coffee alone in a diner seem a little less lonely. "I guess I like getting caught up in the stories that the windows can tell,” she said, her bright eyes gazing longingly at her favorite booth which was still occupied by other customers. It presented such a wonderful view of the street to create a personal show for whoever was lucky enough to be seated there. Pulling herself back, Loretta smiled with a light laugh, "My librarian is showing. I’m far too fond of fairy tales for my own good, even if I do work with them for a living.”

Her stomach grumbled softly in anticipation as she finally saw the waitress carrying over two plates, one that very much looked like hers. Loretta hadn’t realized how hungry she was; when was the last time she’d actually eaten? Something more than a granola bar in the car? She shook the thoughts off, thanking the waitress as the plate was finally set in front of her. Glancing over at Granger and the new plate he had received, she asked, "How’s yours looking? More correct than last time?”

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 517!
OUTFIT: PRETTY LADY!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Granger Dallas Nylander]

Granger had a strange childhood full of interesting characters thanks to his mother's career. She was still one of the greatest designers in the world; and not just according to her children, who believe she is the best ever. He'd been the only one of the children not to go into the family business but he'd never felt he belonged there. He could be creative when he wanted to be, could draw more than a stick figure but he'd always been a protector and he would always be one. There really had never been any other option for the only Nylander son. He knew his entire family had spent all the time he'd been overseas scared they'd be getting a phone call or a knock on the door, telling them they had lost their baby boy. He was the middle child but he knew it wouldn't have stopped them from saying he was their baby.

Thankfully, he'd returned to New York virtually unscathed, though the nightmares had haunted him for months after his return. He hadn't been against talking about it but what he'd seen had been classified so he could never tell the whole story and that meant that help wasn't much help at all. Granger had managed to make it work though and through sheer force of will and determination, he came out the other side with fewer nightmares than when he'd landed. These days he had different nightmares to contend with and they were all too real. He didn't like making his problems everyone else's as well. He kept most of what he did for work away from his family because he knew how bad they'd been when he'd been overseas, fighting a war. He knew they would scare themselves silly if they knew he was still fighting a war; just one in their own backyard and not a world away.

Granger scrubbed his hand over his face and let out a long sigh. "Sorry. I'm not usually such a giant asshole. You've caught me at a bit of a bad time. Let's start over." He shook himself out. "Hello, I'm Granger. It's nice to meet you…" He said, trailing off so she could reintroduce herself. He was usually a good guy who played an asshole for work. Unfortunately, lack of sleep or various other outside sources had a habit of making him take his work home with him. His mother would have his head if he didn't correct the mistake he'd made by being a complete asshole to this woman. Strangers received respect until it was proven they didn't deserve it and women got your respect to their faces no matter how rude they were; it was his mother's rules and her rules were law. Out of their sight it was expected to comment on how rude they were and create wild stories about why they were so mean. It was a terrible game but it had helped Granger immensely in his work. "This is definitely mine." He said after thanking the waitress.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || Loretta Brennan Leigh
Words || 507
Clothes || Charming Copper
Music || If the Boot Fits --Granger Smith
Notes || He's a cranky bitch >.< <3

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

Loretta was the kind of person who could spend hours at a museum, staring at a single painting or historic exhibit and getting lost in every aspect of it. She had a deep appreciation for the little details in life, the things that got lost or overlooked in the crazy speed of New York but ones that she cherished. Maybe it was because she’d spent so much of her life analyzing books and picking them apart for literature classes, but she took joy in solving puzzles and re-working the pieces until they fit back together. She liked piecing together stories from history and figuring out how they resulted in the outcome, or why historical figures made decisions that impacted the course of the world. It was fascinating to her, no matter how much her sister teased her about being a nerd; Loretta would always love expanding her mind.

She was not adventurous by many people’s standards. She had friends in New York and she wasn’t scared of trying new things, she just never pushed herself too far outside of her comfort zone on her own. Loretta liked to be curled up with a book an a cup of tea, wearing old college t-shirts and getting lost in a world more fantastic than reality; that was adventure for her. Her passport may not have been full of foreign stamps, but it bore ones from Narnia, Neverland, and every place in-between, and she wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Loretta kept her eyes on her coffee mug as Granger sighed, her mind quickly wondering if she’d said something wrong. She was truly too caught up in daydreaming sometimes; the downfall of any bookworm, honestly. At his words, she couldn’t hide a laugh as she shook her head and turned a pretty smile back up to him. "Loretta,” she said, playing along with him. "What can I do to make your day better?” It was a question she was only too used to asking by now; it rolled off her tongue as naturally as a ‘hello.’

She cut into her cinnamon roll quietly, dipping the piece into the extra glaze before popping it into her mouth. For just a second, her eyes closed as the flavors melted onto her tongue. "The taste of these is the only thing that gets me through the week sometimes,” she sighed happily, slicing off another piece quickly. This diner really was her escape from the world.

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 412!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Granger Dallas Nylander]

Work was a constant in Granger's life. He was either in trouble with it or ahead of it. He rarely had a day off where he wasn't getting a phone call to come in or have to run out to see a CI. He might have a day where he could breathe a little easier but that day probably won't ever be in New York. He'd eventually make a lot of enemies if he had to drop all covers he'd make in his career to put the criminals behind bars. Perhaps one day he'd move away from Vice and find himself in a position that wasn't so dangerous; maybe. Then again, the danger seemed to follow him, no matter what he decided to do so it would probably just be part and parcel for whatever came next. At least with Vice, he wasn't always undercover and he could sit in the van with the cameras and bad coffee.

He'd done the military thing. He'd served his country well, more than once in fact. If it hadn't been for his father getting sick, he'd probably still be there but it was a choice he'd had to make and Granger would have done it all over again if he had to. The women in his life were all he had left and he couldn't go back overseas, into a war zone and let them continue to watch the news day in and day out, hoping and praying they hear nothing from where he's stationed. Not that they were actually allowed to know anything about his time in the military. He'd been a sniper, a damn good one and his family thought he was just another soldier with dog tags. They assumed he'd had to kill people but they didn't know his real number was nowhere near single digits like they assumed, or at the very least hoped.

Granger smiled, pleased he hadn't scared off the woman sitting next to him. He wasn't usually such a jackass but it had a lot on his mind and occasionally, though it was rare, he let it simmer and get to him off shift. "Sadly nothing. It's one of those things I need to just work its course, but thank you for asking." Unfortunately, that was the truth. He needed to just let his mind work through the problems it had stockpiled. Usually, he managed to do that working out but breakfast had been on his mind first so he'd gone out to eat before hitting the gym. It would happen and he would put in a little more work than normal to make up for the meal he was about to devour. Granger glanced over as he chewed on the bite he'd taken to see what Loretta was talking about. "You know, I haven't had one of those in..." He paused to think about it seriously. "I don't even know how long." He finally admitted with a chuckle, starting to feel like his brain was finally shaking off the gloomy fog.

♦ ♦ ♦

Tag || Loretta Brennan Leigh
Words || 506
Clothes || Charming Copper
Music || If the Boot Fits --Granger Smith
Notes || He's less cranky today! <3

[Loretta Brennan Leigh]

Loretta was from a small quiet town; a sleepy place that didn’t see much excitement unless you went outside the city limits. She had never had a lot of experience with a vast variety of people until she’d moved to New York for college, when her world had expanded beyond even any of the books she could’ve spent years reading. She was exposed to all kinds of characters then, from the yappy Starbucks barista that worked at her favorite shop on the way to class, to the strange, eccentric people that appeared as if by magic in Central Park. She found a colorful array of strangers in her everyday life and thoroughly enjoyed making up stories for them in her head, imagining the larger than life adventures they were on their way to complete.

She had never had a lot of interaction with guys until she’d come to New York. In college, she’d had the normal fling or two, but she’d never gone too far outside of her shell to be with someone steadily. The only time she’d seen relationships like that up close was when she witnessed her parents’ occasional display of affection or her almost brother-in-law’s love for her sister. Zach was really the only guy she’d seen fall in love with someone, from start to finish, though he never really got his happily ever after.

Loretta tried to push that from her mind as much as she could. She couldn’t spare the thoughts; she had much larger things to worry about than her sister’s dead fiancée. Still, it was hard to wonder where she would’ve been had he not lost his life. She probably would’ve been home, back in her sleepy town enjoying a new book, rather than playing doting mommy and auntie to a little girl who had no idea how cruel a fate the world had already dealt her.

Her fingers tightened ever so slightly on her coffee mug as she shoved the feelings down into the corner of her mind reserved for such darkness. It was a corner she didn’t venture to often and one that she was most certainly not going to share with the stranger sitting next to her. However, Loretta’s eyes lit up as he studied her cinnamon roll. He may not have shared whatever was bothering him, but she could distract him with sweets easily enough, of that she was sure. With a bright smile, she set her coffee down and inched a bit closer to him, sliding her plate towards his. "Everyone deserves something sweet this early in the morning,” she said, offering the gooey treat to him, "And besides, I hardly ever finish one of these on my own.” Her hazel eyes sparkled, the smile warm on her lips as she looked up at him.

• • •

TAG: Granger Dallas Nylander
WORDS: 469!
OUTFIT: PRETTY LADY!
LOCATION: The Diner, New York
LYRICS: Holding Out for a Hero by Bonnie Tyler
NOTES: <3 <3 <3