Disclaimer: I don't own Phillip Jackson, Sequential Art, Collected Curios, Kat, Art, Pip, or Hilary.

This is, chronologically speaking, the fourth part of my Sequential Art series, you really should read the others first.

A/N: I'm actually very happy with the way this turned out, so I hope you enjoy it too.

Blackmail

I sighed deeply as soon as the words left her mouth. Of course we weren't done with her, that would have been far too easy. She was smiling evilly at me now, and whatever she had planned, I knew it wasn't going to be good.

"Well well well, hello Art." she sneered at me, and I had to resist the urge to hurt my new employer. She spoke as she looked through the designs I had drawn.

"So tell me Art, are you still hanging around that trash, Kat?"

I noticed my teeth grinding unhealthily, and forced myself to relax. She was just another bitchy customer, I could deal with her. And her company paid well, so no matter what she said, I would refrain from hitting her.

... unless she continued badmouthing Kat. Then I might have to get a bit violent. I tried to put on my most polite and cordial smile before replying,

"I prefer to keep my personal life separate from my business life."

She nodded knowingly, infuriatingly, "So that's a yes. Redo all of them."

She handed me the entire stack of papers. She had been through less than half, and she was telling me to redo them all. I grit my teeth, 'Relax, relax' and I again forced a smile, retreating as quickly as my dignity allowed. Kat was not going to like this one bit.

"You WHAT?!"

I couldn't believe this! When he had said that he had encountered one of my friends from high school, I had been originally excited, but then I had noticed how darkly he had said it, and the anger in his eyes. Upon further pressing, he had explained that Hilary, the bitch that had made it her goal to make my life miserable, now dictated his success at work simply because she worked for Ann Winters! Furious was a serious understatement. It was bad enough that I had to deal with her at the reunion, but now she was invading my best friend's work! That was absolutely unacceptable, and I made sure he knew it was.

I was pacing now, and I was half-aware of Art as he gently pulled me down onto the couch next to him, saying something about wearing a hole in the floor. I struggled to calm myself, to think rationally about this,

"So what are you going to do now?"

He shrugged, "The only thing I can do. I'll put up with her until the job's done, then be finished with her. Hopefully for good, this time."

I sighed, knowing there wasn't much else to be done, but hating it nonetheless. "Alright, but if she gives you problems, and I mean any problems at all, I'll be glad to kick her ass for you."

He smiled at me, and I felt the unusual thrill that accompanied each smile.

"I know you would, and I appreciate it, really, but she pays well."

"Well, if you're sure."

He nodded, and that was that. The rest of the night was normal, just like it always had been. But, it couldn't last. Over the next few days, Art consistently arrived home tired and miserable, a side effect of dealing with Hilary. And eventually, it reached the point where neither him nor I could take it anymore.

"Art, we need to do something about this. About her."

I knew she was right, but there was nothing we could do, and I was exhausted and didn't want to talk to anyone, much less her, for fear of saying something I would later regret. So I tried to deflect it,

"I know."

She shook her head, "No, Art, I mean we really need to do something about this. This isn't working."

I could feel my already short temper slipping away, "I know."

"Art, she's running you into the ground. You look like shit."

That was the final straw. I snapped at her, "Oh thanks! This is all your fault anyways you know. You don't have to insult me for putting up with yourproblem all day long!"

Kat frowned dangerously at me and I could see her eyes narrowing as she prepared her retort, but I didn't care, I just wanted to get some sleep. Before things could get out of hand, however, Pip of all people came to the rescue.

"Yo, can you guys keep it down? I'm kind of busy up here."

I didn't want to know what his idea of busy was, but luckily I didn't have to find out.

"If you had to deal with Hilary Locke all day, you'd be pissy too." Kat tossed at him as he turned to head back upstairs. At this, however, he stopped, and as he turned around I could see his forehead wrinkle in confusion.

"Wait, what did you say her name was?"

Kat's frown changed to a more thoughtful one, "Hilary Locke, why?"
Pip considered this for a few moments, then headed upstairs, telling us not to kill each other while he was gone. We simply sat in silence for a few minutes, half-fuming, half-glaring, until eventually I sighed,

"Hey Kat?"

And I could tell she was still angry because all I got in response was a clipped "What?"

"Look, ummm, I'm sorry. It's just, that bitch owns my job until she gets what she wants from the company, and it pisses me off to be so helpless about it. Every day I come home exhausted and I just... Whatever, I'm sorry. That's no excuse to yell at you, I know you were just trying to help."

She softened at this and looked straight at me. She smiled at me, then shook her head and came over to me, enveloping me in a warm hug. Getting a hug from her isn't a particularly rare thing, but it's nice all the same. Pretty soon though, she pulled away and pushed me over, making room for her on the seat of the armchair.

"Apology accepted. And I know how you feel. I only had to put up with her for a few hours a day."

We were still sitting there when Pip came back in the room, looking... triumphant.

"Check it out! One Hilary Locke."

I guess our confusion must have shown, because Pip passed us a plain folder stuffed with files. I took it and began to ask what this was when my eyes widened in shook, surprise, and more than a little amusement at the contents.

"Oh my god, is that Hilary? Is that... is that a cucumber?!"

Pip grinned evilly, "Yep. Hilary Locke, also known as Gabrielle Goodtime."

I looked over and saw Kat bouncing in sheer malicious delight as she saw her nemesis brought low, so to speak. I grinned at her and asked playfully,

"So Kat..." her head whipped around and our eyes met, smiling as much as our mouths, "... what should we do with these?"

Her grin grew even wider, a feat which I considered impossible, and shrugged in mock confusion.

"I don't know, Art. You tell me."

I laughed at the mischief in her eyes,

"These little beauties should keep Hilary off my back."

Kat laughed too, slightly less than I "Blackmail! I like it!"

But it wasn't long before I began to notice something. As I flipped through them, Kat voiced my sentiments, almost verbatim.

"Wow! She really has had every curve snapped! And what curves! If I didn't already know she was a conniving, vindictive little slut, I'd say she looked..."

She trailed off as she noticed me admiring Hilary's admittedly impressive form. I didn't even hear her finish her thought.

"... hot."

It wasn't long before we had flipped through the portfolio and selected the best photos for tomorrow. I had noticed Kat's much more subdued manner, but I couldn't fathom what the problem was. We were about to take the fight to the bitch that had been her enemy since high school and kick her right in her luscious, round a- Ohhhh, so that's what it was. It clicked for me, right as she sidled up to me nervously.

"So. Uh..." I couldn't help but notice how small she looked, how insecure her voice told me she was. I had to think of something fast, because I refused to screw something this important up.

"D'you think Hilary looks... good? As...as a pin-up, I mean."

I shrugged non-commitedly, suppressing my grin as I came up with an inspired and ingenious idea.

"Yeah, I suppose. She's got the curves, the saucy smile, the seductive eyes. She's perfect, if you're into that kind of thing."

I saw her dejected look, then watched her hope and curiosity grow as she registered what I had said. I didn't have to wait long before she asked what I knew was bugging her. She gathered her courage with a quick breath and asked, "So... What is... uh, your... well, thing?"

I frowned, pretending to think,

"Well, I suppose I prefer a more petite build. Less obviously attractive. Those people try way too hard. I never overlook natural beauty."

I kept up the pretense of mulling it over a bit while I gathered my own courage and forged ahead before my logical mind could talk my emotional mind out of my next idiotic action.

"I suppose if I had to be more specific, I'd have to talk about how I love brunettes. I just love brown hair, I guess."

I said, all the while absentmindedly rubbing her arm. The look on her face was priceless and her blush made her look far more than adorable, even in my peripheral vision. I turned towards her and looked directly into her eyes, causing her blush to deepen and a slight one to form on my cheeks as well.

"... and of course, she'd have to have the most beautiful emerald eyes..."

And before my courage deserted me entirely, I leaned in and planted a quick kiss, not on her cheek, but on her lips. She just sat in stunned silence, and I sat back and continued as though nothing had happened.

"Of course, that said, I think she's a troll, with looks but neither the personality nor charm needed to back 'em up."

The shock appeared to be wearing off now, and she only stared at me in confusion and something I hoped was very close to love. I finished, my plan coming to fruition, even with that risky bit of impromptu romanticism in the middle,

"... probably why she hates you so much. Terrible thing; envy."

And I beat a hasty retreat before she could realize what precisely happened. That was the last I saw of her before leaving for work in the morning, a hand hovering uncertainly over her lips.

I arrived to work the next morning, no different outwardly. Of course, on the inside, I was cackling maliciously and was wishing I could find some way of capturing the expression I knew would be on her face when she realized that you don't mess with Kathleen Vance.

In fact, I was so focused on the thought that I nearly bumped into her as I stepped into my artist's den.

"So, Art" she smirked at me, arrogance seemed to be her only character trait, "do you have any more designs for me?"

I matched her sneer with my own, preparing myself to prevent from laughing at such a serious time.

"Oh yeah Hilary, these would really get the public's attention. I have no doubt that this would be the most interesting and talked-about thing our company released. Of course, the impact it would have on the author's career would be astronomical, to say the least."

That smug superiority on her face returned in greater force when I finished. I had no doubt she thought she would be rejecting some of my best work. That look quickly turned to surprise, then suspicion, and finally the long-awaited and much anticipated horror. I savored the moment as long as possible, silently promising to describe every last detail to Kat as soon as I got home. Then it was over as she grabbed me and dragged my unsuspecting self into my mini-studio.

"Where did you get these?!"she hissed at me, the sound music to my ears, full of anger as well as sheer terror.

I shrugged nonchalantly as she flipped through the rest of them, her horror and embarrassment growing with each raunchy shot. The blush on her face that had been so endearing on Kat simply made me realize how cruel this was, and I thrived in the knowledge. She hissed in frustration, then seemed to deflate in front if me, making her seem like a large angry balloon.

"What do you want? Money?" She smiled sickeningly, "...or, perhaps something else?"

I felt the urge to vomit as she waltzed up to me and began running her finger up and down my arm sensually. Had I not known who she was, or what she had done to Kat, I might have felt incredibly aroused, or at the very least intrigued. But as it was, I simply slapped her hand away from me, laughed, and told her to "get your filthy hands off of me, slut."

I think she nearly exploded with rage right then and there. It was a few moments before she spoke again,

"So tell me, Art" she was grinding her teeth in between each phrase, and I was loving it, reveling in it, even. "...what is it that youwant?"

I shook my head, "Nothing. I just want you to let me do my job and stop bothering me."

She stopped, confusion briefly surpassing her anger.

"That's it? All this for that? Alright, done."

I shook my head in mock-pity, "That's all Iwant. Kat, on the other hand, is a bit more demanding."

I saw the dread in her eyes at the mention of her victim's name, and I saw her eyes flash to the folder in her hand, desperation clear in them.

"Do you really think I'd bring the only copy with me? Besides," I grinned evilly, "I can always find more."

She sighed miserably, finally acknowledging her defeat. "What are your... her demands?"

My grin manifested itself yet again, and I rubbed my hands together eagerly. I couldn't wait to get home to Kat.

One Week Later

"So, did you see the news?"

Kat looked at me in confusion, "No, why, what happened?"

I shrugged, not betraying any of my true feelings,

"Apparently, somebunny got arrested for public indecency. Witnesses claim that she was standing in top of a church singing 'I'm a Little Teapot', badly, I might add, at the top of her lungs."

I watched as comprehension dawned on her face, then she smiled coyly,

"Oh really? That's interesting."

I nodded solemnly and pointed with my chin to the T.V.

"Yeah, I TiVo'd it if you want to watch it."

This time, she couldn't contain her exuberance, and she jumped up, hugging me fiercely, "Thank you! Art, you're the best!"

I chuckled, "I know. Come on, I'll come watch it with you."

And as we watched and laughed at our victory, my hand found hers, and not once did she pull away. A victory in and of itself.