Author's note: Hi there! After re-watching Baccano to de-stress from school, I was over come with the urge to write a story involving an OC. I'm not quite sure where this is going yet, so please bear with me here. (^_^;) I just made this M because I'm paranoid, language, and this anime is actually kind of gorey. I plan on sticking to the anime, but I recently found some online translations of the light novels, so there might be some elements of that mixed in too. Thanks for reading! The foot notes will be numbered through out the story using this [#] format.

I own nothing but my OC, and I reserve the right to both accidentally and purposefully distort historical facts. I do not mean to offend anyone, but I'm sorry if you are.

Prologue
One Year ago
The Little Girl From The Big Easy[1]

Click-clack, click-clack.

Heels clicked on pavement as the girl walked the streets of an unfamiliar city.

Anxiously.

Anxiously, they clicked—echoing throughout the night as she hurried to her destination.

Someplace in New York
November, 1929

"W-Wait a minute, Mr. Luck—can't we talk about this?" A skinny, dark-haired young man said nervously.

"That's why I'm here, Mr. Dino. To discuss why you have yet to pay off your debt to us." Luck Gandor said coolly as he narrowed his liquid golden eyes at the slightly older man.

It'd been a while since Luck had personally come to collect on a debt like this, but the man cowering before him, Dino Azzurra, was actually the son of an old friend of their father. So out of respect for their father's old friendship, Keith had asked Luck to pay him a visit and give Dino one last chance to pay up and hear Dino's reason for missing the deadline, but... after seeing this place, Luck couldn't help but feel a little... irritated...

Mr. Dino Azzurra's grand two-story home had been decorated in an Art Nouveau style that might have been considered classy and elegant, if not for how garish the color scheme was and how excessively large all the décor was. For instance, the couch that Mr. Dino Azzurra was currently cowering on was upholstered in an odd orange and maroon harlequin pattern.

If Dino Azzurra could afford to buy such a uselessly large and gaudy house, then there was really no excuse for the man not to be able to pay them back.

"Well, I'll cut to the chase. You need to pay us back." Luck stated flatly.

The cold look in his sharp eyes made it obvious to the nervous Dino that the gangster was all out of sympathy and understanding. Luck was not leaving without the money he owed them, and if there was no money...

Dino shuddered at the thought, realizing he was doomed.

"Ah, well... Err! B-b-but, give me break will ya! You're makin' me so nervous, I can't even think straight!" Dino stuttered nervously. He was so unnerved that his southern accent was starting to show. Fat beads of sweat rolled down his face as he groveled.

Dino had moved to New York as soon as he convinced his father to give him his inheritance early, and had tried to give himself a new image of a slick, city man (or at least what he thought counted as one). He had been living life in the fast lane, just like almost every other American during the 'roaring twenties'—but unlike most Americans, Dino had decided to take a loan from the mafia when he started running low on funds... and then he had lost all of that money gambling himself even deeper into debt.

So, he here was, doing the thing he hated most—groveling—and before a man that wasn't that much older than his bitch of a little sister, but far more dangerous than any of the crooks he'd run into back home.

Dino knew he was shit out of luck now.

Luck paid Dino's subservient smile no mind and continued the conversation, his voice as calm as before.

"It baffles me as to how you can't pay back just two thousand, thirty-five dollars and fifty-five cents. It's been thirty days, four hours, fifteen minutes, and sixteen seconds since you said you would, come to think of it. Assuming, of course, that the clock on your wall is correct." Luck said, fixing Dino with his sharp gaze after glancing briefly at the clock.

Tick-tock.

Dino clenched his fist and gritted his teeth as sweat rolled down his face.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

"W-Well, ya see... b-b-because various th-things happened... I–I swear i-it's not my fault!" Dino cried desperately.

Tick-tock, tick-tock.

"...Judging by your words, it's obvious you don't have the money to pay us back. What are you going to do about this?" Luck asked coldly. He had already heard about what happened with Dino. Luck might understand how he felt, but that didn't mean he pitied him. Dino should have known better than to gamble with borrowed money.

Dino, transfixed by the other man's cold gaze, began to tremble.
He attempted a weak smile, still sweating profusely.

"Ha... Haha... Well—" Dino said nervously, trying to find a way out of trouble.

Luck was just about to cut him off so he wouldn't have to listen to anymore pathetic excuses, when something unexpected happened.

"Dinoooo!" A girl's voice called out a little obnoxiously. It was a pretty voice that rang clear like a crystal bell, but the nagging tone to it was kind of annoying, like a mother who was about to scold a naughty child. "Even if you don't answer the door, I can still tell you're here if you leave the lights on, you know!"

The door of the living room swung open, revealing the voice's owner.

It was a petite young lady who looked only a few years younger than Luck despite her short height of about five feet. She was a pretty little thing, like a fair-skinned porcelain doll. Her hair was a pale mousy brown that was neither blond nor brunette, but the silky locks almost looked like spun silver where the light of the moon, that was streaming in through the window, hit it. Her blue eyes were a clear and striking sky-blue.

Luck watched as those clear blue eyes started to become clouded with confusion as she took in the scene before her. Anyone with half a brain should be able to tell that something very serious had been interrupted by the way Dino was cowering on the sofa with Luck looming over him ominously.

The girl sighed, looking slightly chagrined, as she shook her head in disbelief.

"Haah... It looks like I just got involved in something I'd rather not... Oh well, it can't be helped I guess, since Mrs. Aggie asked me to bring you back to see her..." The girl said thoughtfully, frowning slightly at Dino, before turning to face Luck. "Hello, sir. I'm Dino's sister, Charlene Azzurra. But you can just call me Charlie if you'd like. May I ask who you are and what business you have with my brother?" She said politely as she held her hand out to the gangster.

Charlie didn't know what was going on, but she could tell that it must be serious if her proud and stubborn brother was sweatin' like a pig on his way to the slaughter house just from being in this man's presence. She might as well play nice until she found out more about the situation...

'Well, at least someone in this family has manners.' Luck thought, smiling that slight smile of his as he shook her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Charlie. I'm Luck Gandor, but I'm afraid I'm here to discuss some rather serious business with your brother... although, I must admit, I'm a little surprised. I wasn't aware that Mr. Dino had a sister." Luck said respectfully.

"That's because I don't." Dino said spitefully through gritted teeth as he glared at his younger sister. "And how did you even get in here––Wasn't my door locked!?" He demanded incredulously.

It was bad enough that he was in hot water with the Gandors, but now she was here.

Luck frowned slightly at that. What a thing to say, especially when his sister had stayed for him instead of running while she had the chance.

"You really should buy better locks, Dino. They're way too easy to pick. Alas, I see I'm still just as hated as always, huh?" Charlie said, smiling a wryly. "Even if we're not related by blood, Father said that I became an Azzurra on the day he adopted me. Well, nevermind. Even if you hate me, I know you still love your mother, Mrs. Aggie. I wouldn't have even come if she hadn't asked me to, you know." She said, shrugging, obviously used to such treatment from Dino.

'So, she's adopted... like Claire.' Luck thought.

He and his brothers had always considered Claire their fourth brother, despite not being related by blood, so it made him curious as to why Dino seemed to have such an intense hatred for his adopted sister.

"Ha! I cut all ties with those old fools already, remember? I'm not going back unless it's to dance on that old bastard's grave!" Dino laughed bitterly. "I don't even know why mother tolerates your existence—the daughter of the whore that tried to steal her husband from he—"

SLAP!

Luck's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Not only because of what he had just heard, but because Charlie had just slapped Dino's face so hard, that the sound seemed to echo throughout the room.

Dino just stared at her, stunned. No matter how much he had bullied her in the past, she had never once raised a hand to him before.

"How many times do I have to tell you this before you understand, Dino Azzurra?" Charlie asked calmly as she stared coldly at the shocked man. "My mother might've worked in a sporting house in Storyville, but she wasn't a whore [2]. She just sang and cleaned—that's it. While it's true that she was in love with your father, she never had any intention of breaking up your family. She and I probably would've stayed at Anderson's until they shut the whole district down in 1917 if she hadn't died from tuberculosis. Your father took me in out of pity when he found out that I had become an orphan. I was only five when it happened, so if not for your parents, I don't know what would've become of me. I never knew my real father, so as far as I'm concerned, Mr. Azzurra is the only one I've ever had, and your mother is a kind woman who treated me well despite knowing about the affair with my mother— So you'd better not let me hear you talk bad about them either!"

Charlie looked close to tears now, but she clenched her fists, determined not to cry, not yet. Not while she still had things she needed to do. Charlie took a deep, calming breath before continuing.

"The reason I came here is because your mother's sick, and she wants to see you." Charlie said calmly.

"...That's it...?" Dino asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "Oh, please! When isn't that woman sick? She's always been bed ridden from time to time because of her asthma. Why should I waste money on a ticket to New Orleans when I can't even pay back the debt I owe to the mafia!?" He demanded incredulously.

"...You borrowed money from the mafia?" Charlie asked him, looking slightly stunned. "Are you an idiot? What were you thinking!?" She demanded incredulously. She glanced at Luck, as though something had suddenly occurred to her. "Come to think of it, Mr. Gandor... you aren't related to the Gandor Family, are you? I think I remember Mr. Jelly warning me about a group with a name like that before..." Charlie said cautiously.

"I'm afraid that is correct, Miss Charlie. You see, your brother owes us a little over two thousand dollars, and he has yet to pay us back." Luck explained calmly, slightly amused at how quickly this girl could change emotions.

He also had to wonder who this 'Mr. Jelly' was... What kind of name was that? A pseudonym?

"Pay them back now, dammit!" Charlie scolded Dino. "Mr. Jelly told me he heard about these guys from a man who just barely managed to survive an encounter with them––Mr. Jelly doesn't kid around about these things, you know!"

"And just how am I supposed to do that, huh!? I already told you I don't have any money!" Dino snapped angrily at her.

"This is your house, isn't it? You own all of this crap, don't you!? Just sell it all until you get enough money!" She yelled back.

"What are ya crazy!? Where the heck am I supposed to live if I do that!?" Dino demanded incredulously. "I'll be homeless!"

"At least you'll be alive! I came to bring you back to New Orleans, so you might as well just live with us again, until you can afford to move out." Charlie said reasonably.

"Then just lend me the money! I heard the old man croaked through the grapevine, so you can probably get money from Mother for me, right?" Dino said callously.

An odd expression flickered briefly across Charlie's face for a moment, but neither of the two men could place what it might meant.

"Look, Dino... this is your fault, so I think you should deal with it yourself, or else you'll never learn your lesson." Charlie said, furrowing her brow slightly. "Father and I have been bailing your ass out of trouble ever since we were kids, but I can't keep saving you forever. It's time to grow a pair and take responsibility for your own actions." She said bluntly.

"Hmph. You're just as crude as ever, aren't you. It's easy for you to say all of this when you're still living in my parent's home with Mother and have a guaranteed roof over your head and food to eat––but I'll have nothing if I sell my house!" Dino seethed at her, clenching his fists.

"Personally, I think you should take Miss Charlie's advice and cut your loses while you still have a chance of walking away from all of this." Luck calmly interjected. "I'm honestly curious. Do you seriously believe excuses like that will work on people like us, especially after borrowing our money? We, who you ordinary citizens call mafia? Do you expect us to feel pity for the debtors we force out onto the streets?"

Luck, the Gandor Family's youngest executive officer, loomed over Dino Azzurra, the incredulity he felt clear in his eyes.

No youthful enthusiasm was present in his gaze. Only bone-chillingly cold ruthlessness.

Although Charlie's rough language wasn't very ladylike, she was at least using her head. Luck found that of the two 'siblings,' he definitely preferred the younger sister since she at least understood the situation and was giving him and his brothers the proper fear and respect for people of their reputation.

The Gandor Family.

They were a small organization that controlled an equally small portion of Manhattan Island's turf. Though their territory and numbers were laughable, in other aspects the Family more than lived up to the title of mafia, to the extent that even other organizations in the area acknowledged them.

Luck's gaze carried no hesitation, for he had already waded through countless scenes of bedlam and come out tougher for it. If Dino Azzurra dared to say anything that made light of the Family, Luck was more than prepared to make him pay dearly for it.

Charlie could see that Luck meant serious business, and couldn't help but feel a little intimidated despite their closeness in age. Luck Gandor was clearly not a man you wanted to mess with, and she had no intention of insulting or angering him by trying. However, she had promised Mrs. Aggie that she would bring Dino back to see her, and the doctor had admitted that he didn't think poor Mrs. Aggie would be able to recover.

She couldn't waste time here. She had to get Dino back to New Orleans, for Mrs. Aggie's sake!

"It might take some time to sell the house, and though it pains me to say this... that is something Mrs. Aggie just doesn't have." Charlie said solemnly. "I understand that you're not running a charity here, but could you at least let Dino see her before you settle your business with him? The doctor doesn't expect her to live for much longer, and told me I should consider whatever she asked of me to be her final request."

"...What?" Dino asked, stunned. "You mean to tell me that not only my father, but also my mother is going to be dead soon?"

Dino could not believe his good luck.

If his mother died too, then he'd inherit more money, and wouldn't have to sell his home!

"Yes. That's why I came to get you myself after you didn't reply to my letter." Charlie said seriously. "Mr. Gandor, I know I'm asking a lot, but please let them meet one last time. I'm prepared to stay here in New York as Dino's collateral while he's away and trying to find a buyer for this house."

Luck stared at the girl before him. At first, Luck wanted to question whether she really knew what she was saying or not, but then he noticed that although her eyes were burning bright with determination, she was trembling slightly as she stood before him. Her knuckles were white from how tightly she was clenching her fists out of anxiety.

Charlie Azzurra knew exactly how dangerous her proposal was, but she knew that she had to do it anyway. After everything Mrs. Aggie had done for her, this was the least she could do. Even if Dino was an obnoxious moron, he was still Mrs. Aggie's precious son.

"...Very well." Luck said finally, after what had felt like hours but was in reality, no more than a single minute. "Mr. Dino Azzurra, you have five days to visit your sick mother and pay us back. If you miss the deadline this time, well... let's just say that you'll no longer need to worry about a having place to live. Miss Charlie, since I cannot completely trust your brother to keep his word, I must insist that in the event we are unable to find him after his period of grace is over, then his debt will be transferred to you, and you will have to settle Dino's debt in his place."

Luck normally wouldn't have agreed to something like this, but there was something about this girl that intrigued him... despite her tomboy attitude there was something ethereally lovely about her.

Why was she willing to go so far for someone who hated her? He and his brothers had known Mr. Azzurra had Dino as a son, but they hadn't been aware of the existence of his adopted daughter. What kind of life had this girl been living up until now?

Charlie nodded solemnly.

"I understand, Mr. Gandor. Thank you for your consideration." She said calmly.

Charlie was glad that she had at least managed to sound much calmer than she felt, knowing that she had just agreed to put herself in serious danger for Dino's sake. She hoped he would keep that in mind, but she wasn't going to count her chickens before they hatched.

footnotes:

[1] 'The Big Easy' is an affectionate nickname for the city of New Orleans because of how laid back the city was compared to New York, 'The Big Apple.'

[2] In the 1920's and 30's brothels were referred to as 'sporting houses' in some areas. Storyville is the nickname for a district in New Orleans where prostitution was legal. (They thought designating a 'naughty area' would keep more of the 'non-naughty' areas nicer, like splitting a restaurant into 'smoking' and 'non-smoking' sections to insure that at least some of the air would be clean.)