Fight Club:

Five years later...

Marla looked down at the ATM to check her bank account. It was almost empty. Damn, she thought and hit the wall with her hand in frustration. Looks Like I'll have to use Martha to get her some milk again, she thought.

Thanks a lot, Jack, she inwardly scolded her fiancé, Jack who was in prison now. He was serving a life sentence for mass destruction of empty office credit card company buildings in town. They had watched the buildings crumble down together, before Jack was arrested and charged. The only reason Jack wasn't given the death penalty was that he had confessed early and told the police everything. Now, he was locked up, and would be able to have a parole hearing in a few years time. During the first few years that Jack was jailed, Marla had gone and visited him, staying loyal to him and kept him up to date with her news.

A couple of years ago, Marla had given birth to her and Jack's first child - a little girl named Martha. Marla didn't mean to, but she sometimes took advantage of Martha when she was out shopping. While everyone was fussing over her baby, Marla had sneaked a couple of bottles of baby food in the back of her pocket. She didn't do it all the time, she reasoned with herself. She only did it when she needed essentials such as food and diapers for Marla. Marla couldn't afford much as Jack was in prison, so she had to compromise.

Marla walked away from the ATM, pushing little Martha in her pram. Marla hated living this way. But she would wait for Jack, because she loved him. They weren't married, but they were close.

Marla whistled to herself as she took Martha to see her daddy in jail. Martha was a beautiful baby, thought Marla. She had dark her hair like her, but eyes dark brown like her dad's. Marla smiled at the baby as Martha made gurgling sounds. When Marla neared the prison, she showed the guards her standing order pass and they let her and Martha in. She didn't like Martha being in a place like a prison, but she had no choice. It was just her and Martha together as they waited for Jack to be freed.

Marla sat down at a table that the guard had given to her. She waited for a few minutes while pushing the pram back and forth, to soothe Martha. Then, she felt someone's eyes on her, and she looked ahead of her. There, standing a few yards ahead of her and wearing a yellow sash, was Jack.

He smiled tiredly as he saw her, and she smiled back at him. He looked more tired than usual, she thought, as she watched him walk towards her. She wondered if he had been in a fight again. They hugged as they said their hellos, before sitting down again. "You look great, Marla," Jack said in greeting.

Marla smiled. "You don't look too bad yourself," she replied. "But you look more tired than usual, Jack. You haven't been in a fight again have you?" she asked him worriedly. Jack shook his head. "No, I haven't. Not since the last one. Scout's honor," he said with a small salute and smile. Marla nodded. "Good," she said. "You're all we have now, I can't have Martha growing up all alone with just me," she told him.

"Don't worry," Jack said soothingly. "I'll always be around for our little one. How is she?" he asked. Marla smiled and gently picked up their baby out of the pram. She was still sleeping as Marla handed her to Jack, who smiled lovingly at his little girl. "She's so beautiful," he said softly. Marla waited for a few moments as Jack stroked Martha's hair. "So, you said you needed to talk to me over the phone?" Marla asked. Jack had asked her to visit him, that he had news from a friend. Someone he knew that was on the outside and could help them.

Jack looked at her seriously and eagerly for a moment, before handing the baby back over to her. "Yes. We have news and help coming our way," he told her, leaning forward in his chair confidentially. "What kind of help?" Marla asked. "I hope it's got nothing to do with drugs," she said, keeping her voice low so the guards couldn't hear what they were talking about.

Jack shook his head. "No, it's okay, it's got nothing to do with that," he said with a wink. "Well, what then?" Marla asked impatiently. Jack looked to his left and to his right, making sure no one was listening in on them. They weren't, so he slipped a card over the table to Marla's hand. Marla picked up the card. She was about to read it when Jack placed a hand over hers, covering the note on the card. "Don't read it yet," he told her. "Read it when you're out of here, okay?" he asked. Marla looked unsure. "It'll be okay, Marla. Trust me. Just do what it says on the card as soon as you leave here and everything will be fine. All right?" he asked her, and held her hand over the table.

"OK," Marla said with a sigh as she pocketed the note. "Don't let anyone see you," Jack added. "What's with all this mystery and cloak and daggers charade?" Marla asked impatiently. "You'll see. Bring Martha with you, and you'll both be fine," he said. Marla nodded and leaned over the table to kiss him. "OK," she relented. "I trust you," she added. Jack beamed happily at her. "That's my girl," he said. "OK, Martha," he cooed to the sleeping baby. "You be good for mommy now, little one, all right? Daddy loves you both very much," he said. Then the bell rang, and visiting time was over.

Marla and Jack kissed again, before Jack stood up to leave. "Visit me after you go to that address, okay?" Jack asked. Marla nodded. "OK," she said. "I love you," Jack told her. "Love you too," Marla said as Jack was lead away by the guards. She then followed the rest of the visitors out of the room. When she was alone in the street with Martha, she looked around to make sure no one was watching and took out the card from her pocket and read it. Marla's mouth hung open as she realized what the card was about. Jack's mother had died.