Saving Jenny

This is the closest Category I could get to post The Darkness FanFic...
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, the storyline etc. Only what happens in the actual story is an innovation of mine.

Biography

"I'm not going where the angels go."

Jackie Estacado is a mafia hitman who on his 21st birthday was blessed and cursed with the nearly limitless elemental power of The Darkness, which allows the wielder access to an otherworldly dimension and the creatures who dwell there. Jackie will only live as long as he does not sire an heir. Jackie can only use his powers in darkness but The Darkness lets Jackie do anything – as long as the price is paid.

Name: Jackie Estacado

Appearance: tall, over six feet with black hair and green eyes.

Age: Twenty-One

Upbringing: An orphan who was enrolled at Saint Gerald's Orphanage in the bowery district of new York, until he was six years old. His uncle, don Frankie Franchetti came to take him away and Jackie became his uncle's number one hitman. He is known as a 'Gun toting little playboy in white.'

Relatives: Danny Estacado, Jackie's father, who was the previous wielder of The Darkness and who died immediately when Jackie was created.
Don Franchetti is Jackie's uncle Frankie, who took him from the orphanage when he was six. Jackie was turned into a hitman, and became Don Franchetti's number one hitter.
Miss Sarah is the wife of Jimmy Estacado, founder of the Franchetti crime family. She lives in an apartment high up with her birds.
New Don Paulie Franchetti is Jackie's cousin, who came into town when Frankie Franchetti was murdered, to lead the mob. He bombed the orphanage where Jackie grew up, which eventually caused Jackie to kill him.

The New York Mafia: Thomas Marchianni is the rival of Frankie Franchetti.
Joey Finnegan is the spy sent by Don Franchetti to work with Thomas Marchianni. Joy was murdered when Thomas found out who he was.
Mo was murdered when he was believed to have betrayed Joey, when in reality it was someone sent by Marchianni who worked alongside Jackie and Frankie Franchetti all along.
The Eastwood Brothers Kevin and Trevor slaughtered some of Franchetti's men and nearly took out Franchetti himself with a bullet in the chest but he survived and was murdered later by The Darkness.
Vinnie was the traitor working for Marchianni, and when Jackie found out Vinnie was murdered.
Butcher Joyce is the man everyone calls in when they have to dispose of the bodies, and is said to be "the nicest guy you'll ever meet."
Nino Pirelli betrayed Jackie to his Paulie Franchetti, the new Don, but was later hunted down and killed. He has a sister working at Toni's.
Joey Luchesi works for Franchetti.
Nicky Barrucci works for Franchetti and has done many things for him.
Marla is Paulie's wife.
Pappa Rossi and his wife own a bakery, and have helped Jackie out many times.
Hitman David (Davey) Lizewski AKA Stevie Walsh was the assassin sent by Paulie to kill Jenny's surviving sister, Megan, if Jackie didn't agree to Paulie's demands.

Jackie's colleagues: Captain Wilkes is the captain of the police force.
Jenny Romano is Jackie's best friend who grew up with him in the orphanage; Jackie is protective of her, and when his uncle Don Franchetti came to take him away, he promised her he'll always come back for her, and Jackie kept his promise, coming back to check up on her regularly, making sure she was fine and getting her a job. Frankie Franchetti murdered Jenny after Jackie told the feds about his uncle ands his work. Jenny has a sister called Megan who has a husband (Johnny) and a baby whom she is very protective of.

Enemies: The Angelus and her warriors can use their powers anytime especially in daylight which fuels them. They are now dead as Jackie murdered The Angelus, but the power of The Angelus lives on.
Sonatine and the brotherhood of darkness was formed 5 centuries ago when Miguel Estacado sailed to America from the old world. The tried to blackmail Jackie into helping them; he eventually tracked them down and killed them.
The Triplets. The big one is known as the tank. Mindy is described as a black widow spider with pneumatic boobs and a heart of poison. She can look good and bad at the same time. Apparently, A few years ago, she used to have a thing for Jackie. O'Malley is the brains of the three, known as 'the guy you look out for who's skull looks like a flathead screwdriver'; it doesn't happen to be a pretty sight.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I hadn't thought I would live to see my 22nd birthday.

Even now, I still expect to be killed by an enemy more powerful than me; either way, The Darkness would bring me back from the dead as it had done two times before.

I sigh and roll out of bed, smashing my hand on the alarm clock to shut it, and dress quickly, slipping my AK 47 into my coat. Since cousin Paulie died, I lead the Franchetti business in New York and today I had to get in some drug shipments and take out more of Marchianni's boys who were killing mine. The Darkness would take care of that, and soon.

As I walk to the door, I look around the room, my eyes pausing on a videotape on top of the TV with "To my Dearest Nephew" written on bold. My gut tightens, and it seems like a hand is squeezing my heart. I clench my fists and stride across the room, grabbing the tape and shoving it in the cabinet where it can't be seen, then sink onto the black couch. I remember what was on the tape; uncle Frankie, then known as Don Franchetti, had wanted to send me a little message about what would happen if I crossed him, which I had when I ratted him to the feds.

Jenny had been tied up, a gag over her mouth and tears trailing down her cheeks while uncle Frankie had lectured me about what I had done.

You took from me, boy. When blood does that to blood, someone always pays. So now I take from you.

An eye for an eye.

He'd rambled on in that spit-polished way of his, and then he put the gun in her ear and blew her brains all over the wall.

And as I lay on the floor for days after watching the tape, all I could think was, "I never told her I loved her." Because I had been too scared.

Frankie Franchetti had paid for what he did; he'd paid. The building he'd blown up in had been floating on tons of gasoline. I had thought the flames would make The Darkness go away, but there were cavities that it could hide in, and then when it was over it had begun to rebuild my body, and that's how I came back to life the first time.

I walk over to the curtains and open them, the sunlight streaming in. But there were still shadows in the corners, and I heard The Darkness:

"More powers Jackie more powers."

"You can save the girl Jackie."

"Let us out Jackie we'll show you Jackie."

"Save the girl Jackie."

No. It was a lie. Jenny was dead – not even The Darkness could bring her back.

"Let us show you Jackie."

"You won't regret this Jackie."

"DARK TIME Jackie."

And I set The Darkness free.

Black. I awoke from the blackness and looked around. It was light, the sun streaming in through the curtains, and I could hear The Darkness chuckling menacingly. I look at my alarm clock, staring at the date.

Sunday the 10th.

The day after I had ratted uncle Frankie to the feds, a day before uncle Frankie killed Jenny, two days before he sent me the tape of him killing Jenny. I had exactly twenty-four hours to save her.

Without wasting any time I am out the door and at Keyser's where Jenny had gone to work again, and see her at the bar handing glasses to two men.

"Jackie, why're you here early in the morning? Don't you have a blonde bimbo to meet?" She teases me. I am struck by how beautiful she looks; like a perfect porcelain angel. Her sister, Megan, and the baby also have dark hair and blue/green eyes like an angel's. She is smiling, her mouth curved up at the corners.

"Jenny, I need to talk to you."

Jenny sees my urgent expression and looks at me worriedly, glancing around to see no one is within hearing distance but still lowering her voice. "You okay, Jackie? It's not something to do with your uncle or The Darkness, is it?"

"My uncle."

Jenny nods, glancing at her watch. "Okay. I'm at break at twelve, so could you wait half an hour?"

"Fine." I stay here and make sure none of uncle Frankie's goons come to kidnap her, which is likely to happen. I wait, glancing around to see who looks suspicious and keeping my eye on the door, and when Jenny's shift is over she takes off her jacket, slinging it over her arm, and leads me to the back storage area.

"So what is it, Jackie?" She asks.

I lay my hand over hers. Jenny looks down at our hands, surprised. "I know you won't believe this Jenny, but I needed to see you. The Darkness showed me some new powers on my 22nd birthday, and one of them was going back in time and changing things. When I ratted uncle Frankie to the feds, he got out and kidnapped you, killing you. I couldn't – couldn't let it happen so I had to save you."

Jenny stays quiet for a while, looking down at the table. She finally looks back up at me, her face tense. "I believe you, Jackie – I know you would never lie to me. But what could you do? You can't change what's already happened. And…why're you doing this, Jackie?"

I stare straight sat her, meeting her eyes. To tell her the truth. "Because I love you."

Jenny stares at me, her eyes wide. "You really love me?"

"From the first moment I saw you. I couldn't tell you, because a guy like me aint supposed to have any weaknesses."

Jenny wraps her hands around mine, a smile breaking out on her face, her eyes glittering. "I'm so happy. I never – I never thought you felt the same way about me that I felt about you." She sniffs, wiping her eyes, and I hold her hand, feeling pleased about telling her. Jenny looks back up at me, worried. "But how will you be able to save me?"

"I'm taking you to Moscow." I tell her.

Jenny stares at me. "Moscow?"

I nod. Jenny doesn't say anything at first. "But why Moscow?"

"Because uncle Frankie won't think you'll be there. My pilot will take you in my private jet, and some contacts of mine will make sure nothing happens to you."

Jenny frowns. "You're not coming?"

I shake my head. "Don't worry, you'll be safe. Only two days; I've booked you in a hotel room with security guards outside your door."

Jenny looks worried. "You will be okay, won't you?"

I nod, a hard look on my face. "Uncle Frankie won't be."

"When do I go?" Jenny asks.

"Now."

Jenny bites her lip nervously. "Okay. And Jackie, please be here when I get back."

I stand up and hug her. I can tell Jenny is surprised as I havn't hugged her in years, but then she hugs me back. I stroke her hair, and then I pull back, disappearing out the door to finalise Jenny's arrangements.

When Jenny is in Moscow, she rings me, and I pick up the phone, smiling, glad to hear the sound of her voice.

"Jenny. Did you get there fine?"

"Yes." There is silence on the other end. "And you didn't tell me it would be WITCHBLADE who would be protecting me."

"She's powerful, Jenny. She can protect you against anyone and everyone, even mechs. She's a contact of mine."

Jenny sighs. "Sara's really nice. I just wish you told me."

"But you wouldn't have agreed."

Jenny laughs. "You know me so well. What are you going to do now?"

"Right now I'm going to take care of some business which I should have done years ago." I tell her.

"Good luck."

"Thanks, but I won't need it. Bye, Jenny." I hang up, and then I go to see Don Franchetti.

Uncle Frankie is talking to Nicky Barrucci when I get there, spying on him from outside the window as I listen to his conversation. He isn't happy; a furious expression is on his face.

"Whaddya mean, the girl's gone?! Listen you scumbag, there aint no such thing as givin' up, and right now, I want ya ta go find that girl and if ya don't…!"

"Okay, boss." Nicky goes away and I enter the office silently, my darklings around me.

"Uncle Frankie. Can't find Jenny?"

Uncle Frankie looks at me, his eyes showing white. "What the – how in hell did ya get here?"

"I know you want to kill Jenny, uncle Frankie." I move into the office, keeping to the dark corners. "But you'll find she's gone."

Nicky comes running back into the office, his face pale. "Boss, everyone's dead! It's a slaughterhouse, there's blood all over the place and -" Nicky bends over, heaving.

I smile cruelly and look at the Don. "Guess you can't call in security then, can you?"

"What've you done?" Uncle Frankie snarls.

"Just taken out your men." I tell him.

"Bastar -" uncle Frankie starts to say, but then the lights go off. Screams vibrate in the dark, and when the lights finally come back on the walls are painted red, and uncle Frankie Franchetti is hanging on the ceiling as a skeleton, a rope wrapped around his neck. The same way cousin Paulie was murdered by The Darkness.

I go outside the office, ignoring the lifeless and bloody body of Nicky Barrucci slumped against the wall, and call Jenny to tell her the news, then throw gasoline in all the rooms and set the building alight from outside like I had blown them up them last time, covering all the evidence that The Darkness was ever there.

It seems a fitting tribute.

Everyone who had ever hurt Jenny would pay; next on my list was Sonatine. The bastard still hadn't been found.

Well, he better keep running, because The Darkness is looking for him.

And what The Darkness wants, The Darkness gets.

Aint that right, Jackie boy?