A Bigger Fire 🔥

Chap 11 "Zara's Career"

Nick's POV
"She'll continue," I nodded.
"Yes, Hailee," Lisa nodded. "Your daughter is going to be on the show."
"Thank you," Hailee smiled. She walked over to me with Zara and handed the mic to the stage manager. "Let's get you home." We went home and Hailee went to change Zara into her pajamas. The front doorbell rang. "Can you get that, Nick?"
"Yeah," I nodded as her and Zara came down the stairs. I opened the door. "Tucker, what brings you here?"
"Amaro, your under arrest," Detective Tucker sighed.
They handcuffed me. "You're going to do this to me in front of my daughter?" I asked. Hailee made sure Zara was out of view to see what was going on. "You don' need to tell me my rights I know them.
"I'll call your lawyer," Hailee replied.
We left. The next day was a hearing. Hailee wasn't there but Oliver was. The bail was set at five hundred thousand. Oliver stood up after the judge banged his gravel. "I don't have that kind of money," I looked at my lawyer. "They want me in jail."
"You own your home, right?" Felina asked.
"Both my wife and I but we have a daughter," I replied.
"She'll have to sign off on it," Felina sighed.
"No, she doesn't," Oliver nodded. "I'll bail him out."
I was bailed out and I went home. "Hailee," I sighed.
"Nick," Hailee hugged me. "Sorry I wasn't able to go to your hearing. IAB told me to stay away from your hearing." I looked at her. "But I had Oliver there to tell me what was going on."
"I'm home now," I nodded as I sat down. The doorbell rang. "Come on."
Hailee opened the door and Liv walked in. "Daddy, I want to play," Zara looked at Nick.
"Uno momento, bebe, I need to talk to Oliver about work," I looked at Zara.
"Zara, go up to your room and practice the song," Hailee nodded. "Mommy will be up there in a second."
"Okay," Zara sighed as she went upstairs.
"I would offer you a drink but they might say you're impaired," I looked at Liv.
"How you doing?" Liv asked.
"Great," I sighed. "I mean, there's wanted posters up for me as a kid killer. I had to depend on my wife's side of the family to help me out." I looked at Hailee. "I will pay Oliver back."
"It was my money that bailed you out," Hailee nodded. "You don't need to pay me back. We're a family. We can save it back up." I sighed. "At least we didn't have to put up our house as collateral."
"You have Zara to take care of," Liv sighed.
"I want my family here," I sighed. "Oliver is going to take her to Metropolis with him once the trial starts. Hailee's going to be off filming her movie."
"No, I gave up the role," Hailee nodded. 
"What?" I asked.
"I'm going to be here by your side," Hailee looked at me. "You're more important to me than some role in a movie."
"Nick, we're gonna figure this out," Liv sighed.
"We shouldn't have to," I sighed. Zara walked down the stairs. "Zara."
"I thought I told you to stay upstairs," Hailee replied. "It's alright. She can stay down here."
"Mommy, I need help," Zara handed me the paper. "I don't get this song."
"Nick, we all have your back," Liv replied.
We heard gunshots. Zara screamed as Hailee got them behind the couch. "Zara?" Liv asked. "You okay?"
"Zara, you alright?" I asked as I went behind the couch. Liv left through the front door. "Thank God." I hugged Zara. I heard the end of the guys conversation with Liv. "They're lying. Stop lying."
"Maybe someone saw you with a gun," one of the guys replied.
"You shoot up my house with my daughter inside!" I exclaimed.
"Nick," Hailee ran out to me and got in front of me. "Stop it. Liv's got this." More patrol cars pulled up. We walked inside. "Liv's going to have SVU cover this case."
"In the meantime, Zara is going with Oliver," Hailee sighed.
"You go too," I nodded. "I don't need you to get hurt and Zara needs one of us here to take care of her." Hailee looked at me. "I'll be fine. Go." Oliver left with Zara and Hailee. "Dammit."
Liv walked in. "Are you good?" Liv asked.
"No," I nodded. "Oliver just to Hailee and Zara with him to Metropolis, Kansas. He said they might stay in Smallville with one of his friends that he knows can make sure they're safe." I looked at Liv. "Liv, this past case is tearing my family apart. What if Hailee decides to divorce me? What if she takes sole custody of Zara? Liv, I care about my family but she's on her way to Kansas and I'm stuck here until this trial is over."
"Nick, she loves you," Liv looked at me. "She wanted to stay here but you told her to go and look after Zara."
"I just want my family right here," I sighed. After a week, the trial was over and I was free to go. Ten voted yes and eight voted no. I decided to not call Hailee just yet. I went back to work and Liv handed me my shield back. "I feels weird to be back."
"But you're on desk duty," Liv sighed. She looked at me. "Why won't you call Hailee? Get them back up here."
"Not right now," I replied. "I have to take some time to calm down and get everything situated before I get them back here." I looked at Liv. "Like I said, give me the time to calm down and make sure everything is fine. I want to make sure everything's safe before I bring Zara down here too." I went back home. Like no shooting ever happened. "My family will be back together soon enough."