It was late that cold winter night, and it snow stormed. You called him. He picked up after a few rings, answering with his casual, "Hey, sis." You break down, sobbing into your phone, telling him everything that had gone wrong. After a long time listening, he suggested you come over. You agree, hanging up and striding out of your apartment after redoing your makeup, wrapping your long, pink scarf around your neck, and hailing a cab at the corner of 17th and Maple. You give the driver the directions. He was a short man, who looked rather excitable and upbeat. His name was Clubs Deuce, and you knew him as a member of the Midnight Crew, a gang which you and your family belonged to. He drops you off at Dave's, tipping his hat to you. Your ride had been on the house, seeing as you were a fellow member.
You hurried up the stairs, flinging yourself into your brother's waiting arms. He rubbed your head, telling you that everything would be alright, and that Porrim Maryam's death would not be in vain, that Vantas would pay, and saying that he would always be there besides you, comforting you, so long as you needed it. You sob continually into his shoulder, the grief of the loss of your fiancée bearing down upon you like a ton of bricks. He brings you inside, beginning to make you a cup of hot, steaming peppermint tea. He said he'd contact Slick so soon as you left, wanting to put a hit out on that damned Felt gang member immediately. Karkat Vantas would stand no chance against the Midnight Crew's impeccable sniper, Eridan Ampora. Eridan had killed Trace a number of years ago, after Trace had attempted to kill Diamonds Droog. Your brother sat next to you, and you rested your head on his shoulder, feeling his short, blonde hair tickle your cheek. He said to you, "Rose, I think I need to come clean with you about something." You look up at him curiously, wondering what this was about. He held you away from him now, and you feel slightly startled. You say his name, raising an eyebrow. He tells you, "Rose, I think I feel a little stronger about you than my sister." You stutter at this, asking what he means by this. He blushes slightly, telling you he would like to be engaged to you, and that he had been very jealous of Porrim the past few years. You tell him this is quite a sudden statement, and that you feel that things are moving quite quickly. He tells you that he did not mean to force this on you, and to consider it. You got up, telling him you had to get going, that you had coffee on at home, and hurried out of his home. He looked downtrodden, looking at the ceiling wistfully, wondering what thoughts were blazing through your mind.
The next morning, you made for work, as a detective secretly working for the gang you were hired to help tear down. It was quite the win-win situation, seeing as you were paid both by Slick, and by the state. You grin, your spirits being lifted as you make for work, stopping by Linda's desk and nicking a doughnut. You head in, setting your things down, thinking to yourself. Captor stuck his head in to your room, asking if you were free that morning. You told him yes, and he said there had been an armed robbery down at 17th street's convenience store. You get up, loading your revolver and tucking it into your belt. You get into the passenger seat of your police car about ten minutes later, nodding at Captor, who started the engine and headed down to 17th and Maple's curb, where a few squad cars had already been parked. You get out, feeling the crisp sting of the New York air on your face, and you wrap your scarf around your neck a bit tighter. You ask the Sergeant there about the situation, and he tells you it had been a simple armed robbery, with no shootings. You head inside, inspecting the area. Over the next hour-and-a-half, you question the store's owner, who knows you well, seeing as you yourself come here on occasion to buy liquors and makeup. He lets you know it was a tall, sallow-looking fellow with a red hat. He had worn a green jacket. You know at once it is one of two people he is speaking of. It is either Fin or Crowbar, from The Felt. You grin, thanking him, telling Captor to start writing a report on the way back to the station, and check in to your office. Your brother is in the back of your mind, so you take lunch to his house and eat with him, talking over the subject of the robbery. He tells you that one of the Midnight Crew's whores had been shot at the previous night, and that he was starting to worry about intrusions into their territory more and more. You told him that it was unlikely for them to intrude upon your territory with Eridan on the watch on the rooftops. He tells you it is unlikely for Eridan to be watching all day and night. You tell him touché. After your hour of a lunch break is over, you kiss him on the cheek, and return to the station.
Over the next few days the thought of what your brother had told you keeps coming back to your mind. You make your way to his home for the first time in about a week. He greets you happily, telling you that the Midnight Crew had grabbed a nice block of territory from The Felt. Over a cup of coffee, he also informs you that Karkat Vantas had been spotted in the city, and you grin mischievously. You finger the revolver in your jacket pocket, even though it is not loaded, revenge on your mind. He was getting was what coming to him, you thought. You wouldn't just kill him. You would destroy him, bit by bit. You stand, looking down at Dave. You put a hand on his shoulder and a slight blush creeps into his visage. He says your name. You tell him that you have been thinking about what he said, and that it was not odd at all, that brothers and sisters could feel this way about each other, even if it was taboo. You kiss his forehead, and he wraps his arms around your middle suddenly. You tell him you need to go, and he nods into your stomach, smirking slightly in happiness. You make for the door, loading your revolver as you go.
You arrive on 21st and Main within six minutes, driving strategically. You spot him on the side of the road. Vantas. You roll down your window and shout his name, firing blindly out of the window at him, hoping to hit him. Your first three shots miss, giving him time to fire back, missing you but hitting the side of your car. You stop, getting out, holding your weapon with both hands and squeezing off two shots. The first hits him in the chest, the second, his forearm. You run over to him, dragging him into an alleyway, kicking him in the jaw with your high heeled shoe. Teeth and blood fly from his mouth and your bear down on him, kicking and stamping and punching. You pull back, and he grins crookedly and madly up at your, panting, saying that although you may kill him, Porrim will never return. You realize this, and stop, lowering your weapon. You kick him in between the legs, beginning to sob, retreating to your car and driving off; stopping by Dave's to talk. He comforts you as per the usual, telling you that Vantas was right, and that two deaths make nothing better. You agree, telling him you are thankful you had the strength to spare Vantas. Dave's phone rings, and he answers, holding the receiver. He raises an eyebrow, asking if his conversation partner was serious. After waiting, he shook his head, setting down the receiver. "Damn. It looks like Slick is getting soft from my point of view. Vantas came to ask if he could join us." You shake your head, laughing, saying that he must have been intimidated into it. He grins and wraps an arm around your waist, and you look up at him, slightly startled. He asks if you would like to change into something more comfortable than your business suit. You agree, beginning to unzip your suit coat.
Later, you leave, a blush tinting your cheeks, and he holds his shades in his left hand, smiling a content smile after you. You hurry down the stairs and begin to walk home in the darkness, wrapping your scarf around your neck tightly. Once you arrive, collapsing on your bed, sighing contently. My god, you think, that was strange and amazing at the same time, felt so wrong and so right. You get up, making yourself a steaming cup of coffee, sitting down and drinking it as the sun rises. It was now the weekend and you were glad you hadn't been called down to the station yet. Though you wouldn't be surprised if you were called down sometime today, as you were always needed, especially on weekends, when stores were easily robbed. You got up, deciding to give John a call. John had been your close friend for several years now. The phone rang, and his wife of six months, Jade, answered the phone. "Egbert residence, who are you looking for?" Rose smiled. Jade had been her best friend since childhood. "I'd like to speak with John, if I could." You could almost hear Jade smile. "Oh, hi Rose! I'll put him on right away. Silence for a few seconds, then John's voice sounded over the phone. "Hey, Rose. How's it going?" You smile, glad to hear your friends' voices. "It's alright. I wanted to talk to you about Dave." John frowned. "Dave? What about him?" "I…We feel strongly about each other. Stronger than siblings." John was quiet for quite a time. "You guys going to marry or something?" You smirk. Please, John was so ridiculous at times. "Of course not, it's illegal. Though I will admit that I have considered it." John laughed heartily. "Since when have you worried about legal issues?" You smile. "That is true…" Your phone gives off a small beep, and the hold light flashes. "John, I got to go, the boss is calling, okay? I'll talk to you later. Bye." You hang up the phone, and pick it up again. Captor's voice sounds in the receiver. "Hey, Lalonde. We need you down here, got a murder in the alley in between East and 3rd. "Roger that, I hear you, Captor. I'll be down in a couple of minutes." You hang up, grabbing your revolver and running out to your car, your long skirt fluttering around your ankles. You drive down to 3rd, parking on the side of the road, and running into the alley. The corpse of a Felt member, Crowbar, by the look of him, lies in a growing pool of blood. "Fresh meat, huh?" You comment to Captor, who had already been on the scene. The murder was recent. "It's one of those Felt cronies, look at his suit." Captor nods, saying,"It was a blunt weapon that killed him, maybe made of wood, by the look of it." You grin. "Probably one of the Midnight Crew's ambassadors, Diamonds Droog, by the look of the strike marks. He uses a pool cue, for whatever reason, the sick fuck." You mentally thank Droog, who had gotten Crowbar back for the robbery. "Well, shit. We're already looking for all four of them, so we might as well wrap up this here and send our friend here down to Santiago at the coroner's." Captor said. You nod, breathing a mental sigh of relief.
Later, after you had dropped off what was left of Crowbar, the two of you headed down to the café for a strong cup of coffee. You groaned, sipping gently from the steaming cup. "God, its ridiculous how much crime there is in this city alone. And we're left to mop up after all the scumbags who clog up the gutters with blood." Captor complained. "Hey, at least we get paid for it, Captor. You can't complain about the money." He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you're right there. Can't go wrong when you've got an infinite supply of joe and doughnuts, along with a nice amount of money each month." You stand, thinking of Dave. "Look Captor, I don't have a lot of time. I've got family issues to deal with." You smirk mentally. Family issues, indeed. You head out after thanking Captor for the coffee, taking it with you, and driving down to Dave's place. Once you arrive, you fling yourself onto him and he grins into your neck, bringing you inside, kissing your neck, holding you tightly. "My god, Dave, I found Crowbar." Dave raised an eyebrow, sitting on his couch with you. "Dead?" "Yeah." Dave chuckled. "I heard about Diamonds planning to go after him." You nod. "They know it was him, but it's not as if they could find him, even if they want to." Dave grinned. "It's like us trying to catch Scratch or English." You nod, muttering, "Elusive bastards." Dave nods. "Deuce is still on the job looking for those two, but I think they know we're searching." Dave was skeptical of the solidity of the plan, but he had been jaded recently, likely because of the weather. Dave, from Texas, hated the weather in New York more than he hated Itchy of the Felt. Laughing, you kiss him briefly, and tell him to calm his nerves, that it was Dirk and Deuce whose job it was, not his to worry about. He looks nervous but manages a smile, returning the kiss. "Don't call me sis anymore, alright, Mister Cool Guy?" You say, smirking. "What shall I call you then?" He asks. A legitimate question. "Rose. Just Rose." "Well then, Rose. I want you to come here." He kisses you, sliding a hand up your shirt, seizing your breast in his hand, as he pushes you to the couch, laying you prone.
Later, you left his home, feeling content, a salty taste still inside your mouth. You stop by John's for a quick cup of coffee, to stave off the cold weather, leaving the couple with their son, Jake, giving them their privacy. You think of having children with Dave, and a blush appears on your cheeks. Being pregnant with my brother's child? I'm not so sure…You rub your stomach, imagining it swollen with your brother's seed, you imagine the pain of birth, though, then, the thought of having a child with your love brings you great joy as well, and, you would get maternity leave from both the Crew and the DA. You arrive home and take a long, hot shower. Forty minutes later you sat down in front of the television, sipping a gin and tonic to ease your thoughts. By now, twilight had been passing over New York, and a knock on your door startled you. You looked out, and saw a package on your doorstep. You took it in, slitting the tape with your nail, and opening the box. It was from Dave, seeing the address. You wonder how long ago he sent it. It must have been from just after you left his house, seeing as the time you stopped off at John and Jade's was for only about an hour. You see a cab pulling away from your house, and grin. Deuce had apparently delivered it for him. There is a letter inside, written in Dave's signature red ink, and also another box, this one filled with coffee, and at the bottom…Oh, god damn it, Dave. You blush, looking at the contents, hiding the box under the bed and reading the letter.
Rose, I know this is kind of early after you left my house, and besides, you're my sister, but I've got a pretty important letter that I'm writing here. Since we've been…
Conceiving, lately, I wanted to ask you an important question as I stated before. Meet me sometime tomorrow, at Pier 72, you know, where Mom and Dad used to take us out on the boat.
Till later,
Dave Strider
You wonder what on earth this means. It couldn't be… no. There is no way that he could mean…THAT… by 'an important question'. You shove the letter under the bed with the box, shaking your head. You were always awful at drawing, but he had to send you –that—drawing, of all things. You glance at it. A rather childish drawing of you and your brother standing outside of a house, titled, 'Best brother ever, love Rosy'.