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((Let'snot see if Aka can't turn out a post! WOO WOO!! Beatrix first this time so this post works... READY GO!))

Beatrix made a face at Enzo as he called her a scary woman, and Emily giggled. "No, no, Uncle Enz! You'd be super grouchy if you didn't have the sex with her!" She retorted in a all knowing voice. "Everyone knows that! GOSH! Where have you been?"

Beatrix glanced at Enzo briefly, and then burst out into a loud, full laugh. "I really love this kid!" She announced, trying to catch her breath.

Emily smiled, pleased and not seeming to realize anything she had said might have been considered funny. She might have asked about it, a little scowl starting on her pale features, but when Enzo said she could have her pick from anything from the vending machine while they called Cherokee, she quickly forgot it.

"Let's GO then!" Emily said in her little commanding voice, already out the door. "We gotta call Cheif! Give me a dollar!"

When they finally arrived at a phone, Beatrix glanced over her shoulder to see that Emily was thouroghly engrossed in choosing her treat from the vending machine. She smiled fleetingly and grabbed the phone from the counter, receiver in her ear, and turned her back on the clerk. The man at the desk might have complained had not Beatrix posed herself quite attractively on the counter a few feet away. The clerk instead enjoyed the view briefly and left her to her business.

The young woman nodded her head once at Enzo to beckon him closer as he fingers quickly dialed Cherokee's cell phone and then waited, listening to the dial ring with bated breath.

((NOW TO CHEROKEE!))

Cherokee was sleeping soundly, that sort of sleep where no dreams came but only rest. Normally an early riser, he slept on through as first light came in through the window, and even still he slept as it shone on his face. Being without a good restful night in so long, the man slept deeply and gratefully.

Though, nothing ever lasted long for Cherokee, especially like such ideas as peace. He awoke with the first ring of his cell phone. His eyes snapped open and slowly he sat up.

The phone rang again. He wasn't dreaming it.

Cherokee slowly rubbed his tired face and then ran his hands through his hair. He had no idea where his pants were. Sighing and looking around the room with a fresher expression he wondered where his pants might have gotten off to... that and his boxers. He frowned.

The phone rang a third and fourth time.

Cherokee rose from the bed regretfully and scrounged around in his birthday suit for his phone. When the phone was ringing it's sixth and final time his large hand ran over it on the carpet as well as his pants and boxers. He flipped the phone open and held it to his ear.

"Cherokee!" Beatrix said on the other side, sounding bright but somehow regretful.

Cherokee remained quiet as he stepped into his boxers and slid into his pants. "What do you want?" He grunted at last, settling back onto the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?" He asked instantly. "I don't like the sound of your voice."

Beatrix was quiet, there was a bit of white noise in her silence. "You always were too observant. We have troubles down here... I'm so sorry, Cherokee... we need you to come back."

"Is Emily okay?"

"She's fine. Enzo though... Enzo needs you back."

Cherokee was quiet. "... I can't."

"I'm so sorry, Cherokee." She said again in a low whisper. "But... here, talk to Enzo." There was a silence as the phone was passed on.

Cherokee waited, his mood slowly turning dark.

((hahaha, poor man. At least he got laid, I guess... I GOTTA GO TO WORK NOW! *runs*))

Enzo was just as antsy about the phone call as Bee was. He knew Cherokee wouldn't enjoy being interrupted, but there was only so much that could be done without him; and that mostly involved running.

So, he leaned on the counter next to her, watching her worried face as she dialed Cherokee's number and waited for him to answer. IT seemed forever before the man picked up the phone, and even from where Enzo was standing, he could tell his friend wasn't very happy.

The exchange was short between the two, and all too quickly, the phone was handed over to Enzo, whose foot had started tapping nervously in time with his fingers on the counter. "Hey Cherokee," Enzo said quickly, his mind racing to come up with an understandable explination.

It took him half a moment to come up with it. "Look, I know you just made it there... And from the sound of it, found Amma. I can hear your sulking over the phone, ya know. What you've already got going must have been pretty good, but not enough yet, yeah? She still won't come back with you, will she?" He ran a hand through his hair, knowing that he was probably doing nothing more than making his friend angrier.

"But the thing is, Cherokee, something HAS come back down here from there... At least five somethings. And one of them is probably Marty." He paused to let that sink in. It felt like a long time he'd stopped, but it had hardly been a few seconds - his normal behaviors had started up again, and he was right back to chattering before he could stop himself.

"They were at Bee and my house, Cherokee. It was good we'd been gone, or I probably wouldn't be capable of speaking to you now. We both know I can't... I can't HANDLE this alone, Cherokee. And Bee... She's a strong woman, so strong... But there's only so much even she and I can do. You and I both know you're needed here... We both know what Marty's like, and I really REALLY think it's him. Who else would take over?"

Enzo sighed loudly into the phone, running a hand through his hair. He looked like he was panicking - but really, he was working... Trying to find those right words to bring Cherokee back, "You said you'd drag her down here if you had to... And I think this calls for it, yeah? They know I'm here, and probably expect you here to. You know how heartless Marty is, don't think for a second he wouldn't go after-" He didn't need to say Emily's name. He KNEW Cherokee wouldn't even for a moment put the little girl in harm's way. And again, both of them knew that Enzo wasn't capable of the protection Cherokee could provide for her.

"Just... Just do what you need to over there, yeah? And make it back when you can."

((Hahaha funny. I thought this post was gonna be short. MAN is Enzo a talker *laughs*))

(Lalala just got back from playing three hours of DDR and going swimming and burning my eyes out with chlorine! YEAH! Hahaha fun stuff...))

Amma sighed heavily when Cherokee put his arm around her and she instinctively drew closer, like a child. She had never wanted to do that before, never welcomed a touch that was as though keeping her safe. She was always the one that was independent, doing what SHE wanted and what SHE had to do. When Cheroke spoke she glared at the ground and knew it was coming.

The anger in her swallowed up and she felt her jaw tighten and she immideatly drew a deep breath of smoke to try to calm herself. He was only here for a god damned NIGHT only a NIGHT! Her eyes darkened immensly as he stood up and she almost fell over onto Bobby who was planted on the other side. She breathed out deeply, smoke licking her nostrils and corners of her tightened lips. When he closed the phone shut her eyes snapped up to him and she stood up.

"No." She hissed to him as he starred out the window. "NO!" Her voice rumbled defiantly but when he took her in a kiss she clenched her eyes shut trying to keep from collapsing and doing his every whim. When he withdrew she stumbled back and glared at him, eyes angry and body tight, fingers quivering.

"No." She whispered, eyes lowering as she took a step away from him. The sensation of her hope being drained dry made her hands shake even more. She had to do so much here first before she could even think about leaving. "No. NO!" Her voice raised a notch and she tightened up even more. Her face twisting into anger and pain. "Not now! You can't just leave now! It's the first time I've felt HAPPY! If you leave now I'll be lost again! I won't be able to keep up with myself anymore! I've hung on for so long, hung on to the hopes that somehow I'd get away from this HELL! And the first real hope is when you've come! And if you leave it'll be gone! I dunno you'll be back! How can I know that?! I told you guys it would be like this, they'd find you, but you didn't. ********. listen." She slammed her fist into the door and then kicked at it before opening it, slamming it shut so hard that it seemed to shake the foundation of the house.

She then walked into the kitchen, pulled on some jeans, grabbed her gun and her jacket and started towards the door. Trying to hold back irrational tears, her hand gripped the gun harshly, shaking in fear. She was going to leave for good if she had any say in it. She couldn't stand herself anymore. "I'm so damned weak...how did I get so damned weak?"

((Ugh I so kept editing that and instead left it to that small post...cause I didn't want to do...too much...or something...))

((Hahaha, OKAY NOW I CAN POST! Are you excited? I know I AM. Absolutely!!!))

Cherokee made a half hearted reach for Amma as she stumbled away, but his hand retreated to his side and he regarded her with a expression that was not sure which emotion it should grasp. It looked hurt then anguished, angry and then cold. His expression finally settled on an angry expression a sharp and raw harshness that suited a man of his build and of his occupation. Though, within his eyes, those eyes that could hide nothing, he looked wounded. The sort of deep hurt that once too deep a man would never truly be rid of, a hollow within the chest that'd rattle when his tone became bitter.

When she slammed her way out the door, Cherokee let it slam once before he himself tore out of it after her.

"No." His voice rumbled without raising his voice. "You listen." Cherokee grabbed Amma by her arm, holding her away from the door. "It's your turn to listen to me." He breathed beside her ear and turned her around to face him, his expression still harsh with a rare storm of anger. "I've given you everything I could... even things I shouldn't have. All I ask is the same in return." His grip on her arm tightned. "You might have things to do, but you forget... so do I. There was someone before you, you know. It was never just you, it is now, I swear to you, but I made mistakes by bringing Emily into the wrong life... and I have debts to be paid and unlike you, I'l bare them. As long as I know those who are cloest to me are safe, my life will always be worth it, no matter how much of goddamned hell it might feel like." He paused. "It will always be a miracle to me that in my screwed up life I still managed to find a family... I owe Enzo for that more than he could know. He gave me a friend in a world I didn't think knew the word anymore."

His eyes searched her face coldly. "I have people to take care of. I wish more than anything to do the same for you, but is it me that's really runing away? Or is it just you." Cherokee frowned down at her. "Go if you want. I give up looking for something that doesn't want to be found." He released her. "I give up." He stepped back, running his hands through his hair in an aggravated motion, but his wounded eyes found her again. His eyebrows furrowed and he looked away.

"You're my last." He said quietly. "I won't go through this anymore. I don't want anyone else." He smiled bitterly. "I always wanted things I couldn't have... like forgetting this s**t for good, but I'll keep fighting it if that's what it takes." He righted. "Go." He said. "I'm just sorry you never mean what you say. All words, no action." He said coldly. "I wonder if you even meant that you loved me."

Cherokee then turned and gathering his things headed for the next bus out.

((hahaha, Amma really pushed him. *laughs* She might have broken the poor fellow. GOO BEE GOOOOO!!!!))

When Enzo finally got off the phone she looked to him anxiously, but had no time to ask him what he said as she was quickly assaulted with kisses that often missed her lips. Beatrix gripped him firmly and held him steady, running her hands through his hair and over his shoulders comfortingly. Emily, normally not appreciative of these actions instead chewed on her lips, candy bar unforgotten and melting slowly in her warm hands.

When Enzo had finished Beatrix smiled only slightly, a brief tilting in the corner of her mouth. Emily clung to the woman's hand, eyes large and not understanding quite what was going on but she picked up on the dark waves that both adults gave off.

Both girls nodded their heads as Enzo bid them to follow and they seemed to stick especially close. Emily would occasionly cling to Enzo's pant leg, looking to him in a way that suggested she thought he might vanish if she didn't look at him enough.

Once back in the room Emily managed to get herself preoccupied enough to get into the cartoons that Enzo switched on, but not enough to laugh. Beatrix eyed Enzo on the bed for a moment before sinking down next to him and pulling him into her lap. One arm she layed across his sunken chest while the other she clung loosely to his neck. She rested her cheek atop his head.

"No worries, sunshine." She said quietly. "I'll be right here with you." She smiled. "We'll be alright, yeah?" She laughed then. "And no one will take you away without my say so. I'll be pretty pissed otherwise." Though, she didn't even sound convincing to herself. She held him tighter and fell silent as she watched Emily silently stare at the television.

She prayed Cherokee would get there soon.

((hahaha, oh my. how depressing.... ANYWAYYYY THERE YOOOU AAAREEEE!!!))

((Real quick... Haha oh man *is so like, ticked at Amma* XD; ))

Enzo took a deep breath and nodded, putting his hand over the one she'd placed on his chest. "Yeah, yeah, we'll be alright." He wrapped his fingers around hers, laughing somewhere deep inside that he was the one in need of comfort, and not the other way around. "You're so strong, ya know that, Bee?" He squeezed her hand and trained his worried gaze onto the television, where Spongebob was yet again, ripping his pants.

Time, as elusive as it was, passed in a sluggish rush of simple waiting. As each show ended, Enzo ticked off another half hour, waiting and wondering when CHerokee would show up. Or, if someone far less desirable came first. His hand, finally forced out of his mouth, kept wanting to trail to his gun, and every time it was stopped with a calm, though stern grip on his hand. Bee held him tight, and he held her in turn.

He tried to distract himself by laughing a little too loudly at the cartoons, talking too fast, and trying to keep his hands from shaking. He'd all but pinned himself to the bed to keep from pacing, and often times he'd go quite still and look from Emily to Beatrix, his mind playing out just what might have to be done should Cherokee not be the one to get to them first. He didn't want to lose them... Bee, Emily, or Cherokee. He refused to let that thought pass his mind. Whatever the scenerio, he always worked it out (realistically or not) that they'd all make it.

Gods, he was screwed up, wasn't he?

It just made him laugh.

((Haha there?))

((Hahaha, awwwws. Yeah yeah Amma is that type of b***h who you can't help but love and hate at the same time, ya know? XD I get pissed at her sometimes too...but she makes things interesting to say the least.

And who says we can't have a happy ending? : hahaha. ))

When Amma had gotten to the hospital she sat still in her car, her eyes lifeless and she looked for the first time in a long while, dead as dead could be. She didn't bother putting on makeup that morning, brushing her hair, or even showering. She looked beaten up and tired, and more importantly on the verge of drifting away into the after-life.

Why did everything have to be so ******** hard? She loved him...she still loved him. How could she ever quit loving him? But how would it ever work out? She couldn't quit being herself. As she rubbed her arm again she felt her heart skip a couple beats, as though on the verge of giving up. She had no hope left, she had no meaning left, all that was left was Justin and Darius. She had to keep living to see Justin and she had to keep visiting to keep Darius alive.

When she finally forced herself back out of the car and into the hospital she closed the door to Darius's room and sat down at the chair she always had for her. She starred at his sleeping face once more, the face that never showed any change over the year but tranquility. She had the feeling that she would accept death for herself now. Death no longer scared her as much as it had before her heart was broken. The feeling of fear that each minute you stepped outside you'd be shot was gone.

Her phone rang and she quickly opened it up to hear her man's voice again.

"Hey Boss. They found those two dogs that ran from the pack."

Amma knew what he meant and she furrowed her brows. Reality hit her like a rock and she regretted everything...yet didn't at the same time. She did it for him, if he never came back it was better for him.

"Yeah?"

"Do we kill them, and the guys that are out for them? They got a lady and a kid."

"Yeah..."

"Kill them?"

"Wait, okay?"

"Alright..."

Amma took the phone from her ear and whispered to Darius, "What should I do? Kill them...so they no longer have to experience the hell this world is...or let them live and suffer?"

He said nothing.

"Kill them...right?"

He said nothing.

She heard yelling on the other end of the line and she shoved the phone to her ear again.

"Boss! Boss! They just told me Joker...he...he...he was with the kid...and..."

Amma's phone dropped before he finished, she knew. Her heart completely ripped at that moment she clutched her chest, gasping for air. The whole world around her spun as the voice continue panicking. She heard the words shot, dogs, dead, mutts, and cuss words. Her whole face twisted, her lips stretched and open in a startled sob as she screamed so loud she thought she heard glass shatter and the air rip and sufficate her. The whole world blacked out.

---

She woke up on the couch of her house with Adam's grim face watching over her. His cold eyes were red and wet and he seemed suddenly older than he really was. "Amma...you up?"

"Adam...I just had this really crazy dream. I dreamed that he came back...and we had sex...and I slapped him, and then I went to the hospital..." She smiled sleepily and sat up, her head spun and she fell back down, regaining her stability. "And...Justin and Joker...died..." She whispered and grinned at him crazily. "More like a nightmare huh? Not that my life is already a nightmare. I was so happy before I smacked him..."

Adam glowered and took a shaky breath. Amma's own face darkened and she sat up again, this time with ease. "It WAS a dream wasn't it? It's still my birthday and you brought Justin down to see me." She paused, darted up and ran down the hall giggling. "JUSTIN! I'm gonna find you! Where's daddy?"

She ran back to slam into Adam's chest. He caught her. "Amma...it...they...right now they say it's the members of the pack. They aren't sure which ones yet. There were two guys, a big guy and a shorter one...but it was too dark to see last night."

"Last night? I was with Cherokee last night...I was...happy..." Guilt overwhelmed her and she slipped deeper in Adam's hold, eyes narrowing with emptiness. "It couldn't happen last night. I was happy last night..."

"It did...Joker died on the spot...that's what the doctors said...Justin he...pulled on a little longer...but...he was gone before they got him to the hospital."

"STOP!" She yelped and shoved her hands over her now cold ears and ripped out of his arms, shaking her head. "IT WAS A DAMN DREAM!"

"Amma."

"SHUT UP! YOU'RE LYING! THIS IS JUST SOME SICK JOKE ON MY BIRTHDAY!"

Adam grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. "Amma stop it...I'm serious. They were out to get flowers for you, since Joker thought you were still at the hospital watching Darius...that's why you weren't at the bar...and they found them. They thought you were the reason that this guy named Enzo left...why their gang was falling apart...and since Joker was second hand they shot him because he wouldn't tell them where you were."

"Please...it's a joke..."

"Amma...I'm so sorry...I know how much you loved the little guy...I loved him like my son too...and Joker...he was like my brother..."

"It's a joke."

"I'm sorry..."

"I was happy."

"Amma."

"I was happy while they were dieing."

Adam pulled her into a large hug and rubbed her back in a soothing motion while she shook and trembled, heaving sobs muffled against his shirt and tears dampening it.

"You had nothing to do with this...shhhh...I know you think it's your fault, but you had nothing to do with it..." He led her gently over to her couch and sat her down.

After 10 minutes of calming her down he got up and went to cook her some food and coffee while she snatched her phone from the table and dialed.

"Wait to kill them..." She whispered, voice hollow and lifeless. "Just kill them all, but leave the two strays to me..." She slid the phone shut and starred at a dirty spot on the wall for nearly 20 minutes. Before standing up and grabbing her keys. Over the phone he had told her where they were found.

"Amma, where are you going?" Adam called out, holding a cup of coffee, which she took and opened the door.

"I'll be back in a few days...just leaving to find myself..." She muttered, half the truth, half a lie. "Stay here and take care of Bobby, alright?"

"Be careful...don't do anything stupid okay? I've lost two people, I don't want to lose you too."

"Alright...thanks for everything." She gave him a big hug and kiss before stumbling outside and back into her car. Her whole body was on it's last molecules of energy, just trying to survive.

((Haha sorry I did all that in one post...but it had to be done! Hahaha now we got some juicy action...oh yeah baby.))

((WHEEEE! I post agaaaaain.... lalala *wiggles her bum*))

Cherokee hadn't even flinched when Enzo had jerked the gun up aimed at his face. Beatrix stifled a gasp, but the colour ran back into her face as Enzo dropped it back onto the bed. She looked relieved as she took Enzo's place on the bed beside Emily, watching Cherokee from beneath her lowered eyelashes.

Cherokee watched as Enzo as he all but stumbled over to him. He remained stoic.

"I could probably use a hit too." He replied. It was half joking. He didn't seem to hear his question or if he had, didn't show he had. His face did not change, nor did his eyes, they were fixed on Enzo's tired face.

"Good to be back." He replied instead. He didn't even try to sound like he meant it. "Not your fault." He added. "About the bus. I always hated goddamn buses. I never get a window seat or I get stuck to the really fat guy."

He finally looked away. He had asked the question again. Cherokee's face flickered darkly, like a storm cloud passing over a passive moon.

"I made a mistake. That's all. It was just a mistake."

Beatrix raised her face, her eyes sad.

"In time it'll pass." Cherokee added roughly, catching her sympathetic expression and hating it; hating himself. "It was like... sleeping with a girl to test the waters and finding out the sex is bad, so you leave while she's still sleeping. Only it was just as bad for her so she slaps you before you leave."

His face reflected just how much saying that hurt him for an instant and in his eyes he was wounded again, freshly struck.

"Only it was more complicated." Cherokee shook his head, not raising his head. "Too complicated." He looked for a chair, finding a couch, he sat. "******** her." He whispered. "Just ******** her."

Beatrix made to stand.

"Don't." He said in a broken voice. Beatrix reluctantly sat back down."I'm not doing this anymore. I'm pretty screwed up... too screwed up. I don't want to DO this anymore." He cradled his head in his hands and rocked himself once. "I'd rather be alone. I'm just sorry... I'm just sorry, Enzo. I'm really goddamned sorry." He looked to his friend. "I should have listened to you first."

Cherokee then fell silent, his face back into his hands. "Forget her." He whispered. "Just forget her."


((hahahaah, he's SO hurt. omg. I. FEEL. SO. BAD. And omg I actually used that word without censoring it... AH WELL! THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO PUT IT! And... and... ah well, Ala probably thinks it's silly I'm trying to justify a cuss word XDDD; ))