Year with a killer

by dark images

been sitting in my files for a while, hope someone enjoys

I thought I could hold it together till I got home, at least till I got to the parking lot but I made the mistake of thinking that coffee would help. Parking my car outside my favorite coffee shop that's open 24 hours I stepped up to the door only to see the barista that knows me by name, Kirstin is hers. Such a pretty name for a pretty girl but that pretty face made me realize…I couldn't hold it together.

I bolted into the nearest alley and leaned against the wall soon collapsing I just sat there crying, crying my god damned eyes out. I must've been there for hours as the sun was close to setting and it wasn't pouring rain when I got here in fact the sun was shining when I arrived. I soon heard a voice come around the corner cursing, probably about the rain. When I heard him stop in front of me I paused looking up to see…oh god…standing in front of me was Jeff the Killer. I gasped and tried to scoot away but I was stuck between him, a wall and a dumpster on either side of me. "Why are you crying?"

"W-why do you care?"

"Curiosity, I could just kill you." I gave a scoff smirking. "Wouldn't matter anyway." He sat down leaning against the wall across from me putting only about a foot between us. "Why not?"

"Why…do…you…care?"

"Maybe I don't like to see pretty girls cry." I scoffed again. "Jeff the Killer just used a shitty pick up line on me."

"Sorry, force of habit, I was a bit of a player in high school."

"Of course, you were…you really wanna know?"

"Yeah duh." Sighing I pulled my knees in close. "I've got a year to live give or take a few months."

"Why?"

"Cancer…its everywhere, one little sharp pain in the wrong place and I find out what started as breast cancer became…everything cancer." He sat back seeming almost saddened by my story. "Come on." He pulled me to my feet and I mindlessly followed him till I found myself still soaked on a roof top as the rain froze me to the bone. "What are we doing here?"

"This building is the same building my brother lives in…of course we don't talk much but look around you." I did seeing almost nothing except a ratty backpack and equally if not more ratty sleeping bag and I told him so. "Exactly, the only way to get to the roof is via fire escape and no one uses that, most of them don't even realize this is up here."

"So, what?"

"You know the glass museum? The dome?"

"The glass dome yeah." He pointed into the distance and you could just see the top of the dome. "Ok and?"

"Just wait." After a while the sun set behind the dome and it began to shine vibrant blues and purples. The rays lit the area around us somehow despite the distance. "Wow…it's beautiful." After a few moments, I glanced at him to find he was staring at me, not only that but he was smiling making the scars on his cheeks crinkle. I quickly looked away acting like I hadn't noticed. "We should probably go before the owner of the sleeping bag and pack comes back."

"Oh, that's my stuff."

"You live here?"

"I told you no one comes up here, couldn't waist the opportunity to spy on my brother."

"You spy on your brother?"

"Very little, I spend most of my time stealing wallets and food."

"Seriously?"

"Hey, being an on the run criminal isn't all murder and high life."

"You've dropped to petty criminal I see." he shrugged and I shook my head before sighing loudly. "I can't believe I'm about to do this."

"what?"

"…come on I'll give you a place to stay tonight."

"Seriously? I'm not gonna turn that shit down."

"Yes, just get me down from here."

For some insane reason, I walk Jeff to my car while he wore a thick scarf over the lower half of his face and dark sunglasses to cover his eyes with his hood up he carried his backpack and sleeping bag not wanting them to be stolen. I let him shove them in the trunk of my car before letting him GET INTO my car but…he made me laugh and we got to know each other quite well. "How'd you afford a car like this?" I chuckled. "Defense attorney."

"Let me guess, not fighting for the little guys?"

"No, and this is not the first time I've been in a car with a murderer, just they're usually paying me."

"Heh, yeah, I think I have 3 bucks on me? In change, of course."

"Of course, don't people find you uber suspicious when you come in dressed like that?"

"Yeah that's why you shop at convenience stores and 24-hour grocers and only at night. The workers who work night shift at places like that? Don't give a fuck because they do not get paid enough to die for the job."

"True, I'll have to keep that in mind as advice for my clients." I paused. "Well…I guess if I see another client…" I gripped the steering wheel tightly and he rubbed my arm. "What I wouldn't give to be in your position…"

"Rich dying lawyer?" I ask slightly annoyed. "Dying, slowly and painfully, how I imagine I'll die."

"If you wanna die so badly then why not turn yourself in."

"Because that's what a coward would do, I'd be locked in a mental hospital or at the very least solitary confinement so the other inmates wouldn't hurt me, the guards might but not many would risk reprimand for one little revenge beating when they're going to watch me die though painlessly. I'll go down fighting before they prick me with their damn needle." I snorted. "You are…such a guy!"

"What do you mean?"

"Talking tough acting like you're not scared of dying."

"I didn't say that, but it's gotta be better than to looks of fear and living on the streets, even eternal damnation would be better than this."

"Do you believe in that kind of stuff?" I asked pulling into my parking garage. He reached into his shirt pulling out a small cross on a chain. "Yup, it's all I've got left, my hope is he comes to meet me in hell."

"God?" Jeff snorted. "Why the hell would he want anything to do with me? No, I'm talking about my brother, he'll die someday, hopefully for his sake someday very far from now but I hope that when he does, on his way to heaven he'll stop by, just to say 'hi ya cunt' that's all I ask for."

"You are so well spoken ya know that?" I finally pulled into my parking space and we climbed out of the car and he followed me into my building looking around as we walked. "Nice digs."

"I only bought it for the commute. My firm is about 20 minutes away."

"Nice." I froze seeing my nosey neighbor walking in and she spotted me smiling at me like she wanted to know who my friend is. She doesn't need to talk to him. "Shit…"

"What?"

"Come with me." I grabbed his hand running into the stair well going up two floors before stepping on the third floor and grabbing an elevator. "Why?" Jeff asked still catching his breath in the elevator. "Nosey…neighbor…would've…asked questions…about you…to you." He nodded understanding. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it, I did it for both of us."

"Fair enough." The elevator stopped on my floor and I walked down the hall. "Man, that would have awkward if she caught us."

"I think it would've been more than awkward."

"Well yeah but…kinda hilarious, because like what's she gonna do?"

"Scream."

"Eh, true." We stopped in front of my door and I pulled him inside before saying fuck it to rational. I slammed the door shut slamming Jeff against it pulling his scarf down and kissing him it didn't take him long to pull me away but he was giving me a surprised smile. "Wait are you sure about this? You know who I am, what I've done."

"Yeah, but got a year to live, what are they gonna do? Kill me?" He chuckled. "Your funeral."

I laid in bed curled around Jeff as he lightly dragged his fingers through my hair. "Wanna make a suicide pact?" He chuckled. "I told you, I wanna be killed."

"Yeah, I'll kill you then myself, you die, I go down a hero." He nodded impressed. "Or we could kill each other and then you would REALLY look like a hero. Defense attorney kills Jeff the Killer in what looks like a violent battle to the death, tragically dies in the process." I laughed. "Yeah? Sounds like a good story, maybe it'll make front page."

"Who reads tangible newspapers anymore?"

"Tangible huh? Jeff the Killer is literate."

"Yeah I was on my last year of high school ok?" I laughed but Jeff got real quiet. "Hey…can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"I know you probably won't believe me but…I didn't kill all those people they say I did. I'll admit I've killed a lot but I can still count on my fingers how many I've killed. It's just not hard to mimic my MO."

"Yeah even I know what and how, but I believe you…why would I not?"

"Because I have no reason not to lie to you." I sat up smirking and raising a brow. "And what would be the reason for lying to me." He thought for a moment. "I don't know…"

"Plus, why lie about killing less people, if you had said you killed no one I would be calling your shit but killing less? I'll believe it." He leaned up kissing me and I soon climbed into his lap.

The next morning, I found him holding open my eye lids. "What are you doing?"

"Have you ever considered burning these off?"

"My…eyelids?"

"Yeah."

"No, I can for certain say that is something I have not considered that, that what you did?"

"Yeah worst decision I ever made, I like the look but not being able to blink? Jesus it's the worst."

"Yeah how do you keep your eyes from drying out?"

"I've always had over active tear ducts."

"Lucky you, what about everything else? What's the story?"

"Well the scars are because I look best when I'm smiling so I didn't want to stop smiling."

"And the skin?"

"Well fun fact I used to have brown hair but I got burnt alive with alcohol and bleach turned my skin white and my hair black."

"O…k." My stomach soon growled and I groaned back cuddling with Jeff. "Shut up."

"Aww does someone not want to get up to eat?"

"No, it's warm here."

"But I'm hungry too." I huffed rolling over to grab my phone and ordering pizza. "There happy?"

"Of course, pizza always makes me happy."

We spent days like that weeks in fact I only left once to get groceries so I could stop ordering pizza all the time but that's not the real reason I went.

"Jeff!" Jeff quickly appeared in the bathroom doorway a worried look on his face. "What's wrong." I stumbled into his chest my hand covering my mouth as I just stood there only saying: "counter." He looked at the bathroom counter and mumbled in fear. "Are those…?"

"Yup."

"Out of 5…positive?"

"5 out of 5."

"Shit…I am…so, so, sorry." I leaned away nodding. "W-what… do you want to do?" He looked at me surprised. "What?"

"You're not dying."

"I don't have a place to live! Once you're…gone, I won't be able to support a baby! Let alone a new born one!"

"I'll take every dime out of my account! And I have family if you don't want it, give it to them!"

"Clare can your body even support a full pregnancy!?"

"I don't know but can't I try!?"

"I-!" He sighed resting his forehead on mine. "I can't tell you not to…I just…I can't but…you know my position."

"Will you stay if I try?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

We spent almost every day from then on talking about names, hopes for genders wondering what the hair and eye color would be. With my hair black and his being the same it would make sense but his hair was originally brown so that's also a possibility but with my belly growing bigger and bigger we cared less and less. As long as he or she was healthy.

Jeff danced next to me singing along with Ke$ha's Die Young. Ironic and probably inappropriate to most people but I love the song and seeing Jeff 6-foot-tall broad as hell ass dancing to Ke$ha. "You know what my brother does now?" he asked as the song came to an end. "Stalking him again?"

"Of course." I laughed. "No what does your brother do now?"

"Burlesque club, FM."

"Really?" I said impressed. "Is he a bar tender or something?"

"I'm guessing so." I looked at him in shock. "Didn't you say he's like super shy?"

"yeah but the people buying drinks will be too distracted with the babes on stage."

"But he's not at drinking age."

"He's not drinking." I nodded but turning hearing a knock at the door. "Hide." I said playfully shoving him out of sight of the door way before walking over and answering it. Being the naturally friendly person that I am I just opened the door finding my younger brother Damien on the other side.

He quickly went to pull me into a hug. "where have you been! We've been worried sick! Mom and dad ha-." He pulled away from me looking at my belly. "Are you…?"

"Y-yes but right now you need to leave."

"Leave!? You won't answer my calls, my texts nothing!? I haven't seen you in months! I haven't even spoken to you for what has it been 5? 6? Months!? And when I do finally see you again you're so pregnant you're about to fucking burst! And you expect me to leave!?"

"Yes, I do! Because this doesn't concern you!"

"Clare! You're dying! You have to deal with everything before you…"

"Before I die?" I said ripping Damien into the apartment and slamming the door. "I realize that! When I die this kid will being going to one their uncles and all of my money will be going to them every last god damned dime! The apartment will be put on the market right away and any money gained from it will also go to the kid which they won't be able to access till they're 18 and their caretaker will get a tiny portion of it once a month enough for a small apartment rent and that's it and that's only if they need it! Got it!?"

"What about the father!? He's not going to care for his one child!?"

"He can't and for good reason!"

"Oh really!? What the fuck reason is that!?"

"All I'm allowed to tell you is his work is dangerous!"

"And he's not willing to quit for his child!?"

"That's the fucking thing, he did quit before I even got pregnant. That's how fucking dangerous it is!"

"That's bullshit! He's a fucking liar!" I slapped him across the face glaring with a force I never knew I had. "Don't you dare talk about him like that." He glared back. "Is he here?"

"Excuse me?"

"He's fucking here isn't he! Too much of a fucking coward to explain himself!" Damien began to search the apartment but Jeff stepped into view hood up so Damien wouldn't be able to see his face. "Oh, I'll defend myself if you want, but I bet you I can win, you don't want that kid in my care." Despite Jeff having a good 4 inches in every direction on Damien, my idiot brother still tried to pick a fight like a chihuahua trying to fight a pit bull. "Who gave you the right to get my sister pregnant and leave her and the child alone."

"Ummm…your sister?" Jeff responded sarcastically. "I mean she it's not like I'd raped her and it's not like I forced her to keep the baby so yeah your sister gave me the right." I glared at Jeff. "What? You did! I mean you did bring me home and well-."

"Stop there." I caught a slight grin from Jeff as he leaned on the wall next to the front door. "Look you're Clare's little brother I would not want to hurt you but if you're gonna keep talking to the woman I love like that I'm gonna have to plant your ass through the floor."

"What the fuck do you mean by that!?"

"The part where I said mind your manners or the 'your ass through the floor' part?" Damien ground his teeth and didn't answer. "Well I'll explain both, I don't like your tone with Clare I mean by not believing her on things she knows as fact you basically calling her a liar. And yes, I could take a mouse like you in a fight it's been a while and if you don't mind I'd like to keep it that way." Damien growled grabbing Jeff's collar. "Damien don't!" I scolded but it was too late, he'd seen Jeff's face. "O-oh my god…"

"She told you not to." Jeff turned to me grabbing Damien's hand. "He obviously wants me to leave and if I have to just…find Liu, at FM around 9?" Jeff then ripped Damien's hand from his shirt swept Damien's feet out from under him and slammed him to the ground. "Stay." Damien coughed trying to put air back in lungs. "Why Clare, why him?"

"Shush kid." Jeff said picking Damien up and covering his mouth. "So! I think we should visit Liu but this one either has to come with and keep his mouth shut or I have to tie him up and gag him so he'll stay quiet, It's up to you." I looked at Damien and grabbed his hands as he struggled in Jeff's grip. "Please Dame, if you turn him in I'll be convicted for harboring a fugitive and someone like him I'd be spending the rest of my natural life in prison." Damien glared but stopped struggling and Jeff relaxed letting Damien shove Jeff off. "Fine, if it makes you happy…I'll keep my mouth shut but only cause I don't want to leave him alone with you." I smiled hugging him. "Thank you." Jeff then seemed to disappear and reappear with his scarf and sunglasses. "Let's go!" Jeff said holding up my jacket and helping me put it on. "Who's driving?" I smirked at Damien. "Dame never learned how to drive."

"Shut up I can't afford a car there's no point in driving if I can't afford a car."

"Well I guess there is now, I can't get behind the wheel with this belly nor do I know how to get where ever we're going." I said handing Jeff the key's. "You've gotta be kidding me."

Damien grumbled the whole way especially when he was forced to sit in the front next to Jeff who played Red Hot Chili Peppers the whole way singing along till we pulled up to a building with blacked out windows. "FREAKS MONSTERS" written in neon lights above the door. "Why are we at a strip club?" Damien asked looking at Jeff judgingly. "Oh, calm down, I'm here to see my brother."

"Why?"

"just get of the damn car." Jeff said getting out to help me out. Damien walked up to the door and went to go in but the bouncers stopped him. "ID?" Damien huffed going for his wallet and Jeff laughed. "He's with me Thomas." The tall bearded man looked at us and nodded. "Welcome back Jeff. It's been a while."

"Yeah, my brother still work here?" the guard smiled. "Yeah, he's going on break soon just watch the show and he'll get off after I'll have Ben get you in touch with him after."

"Thanks man." Jeff said pulling off his sunglasses and scarf as we walked in. "What the hell was that!? You just get to walk in him knowing full well who you are!?"

"Yeah, this place is for killers, veterans are allowed in too but it's really hard to get a membership as a vet. You just have to know what it's like to take a life and like it or at least ok with not blabbing when others do." We grabbed a seat and almost immediately the music for the floor show started playing. "Oh, hey I love this song."

"What is it?"

"Light em' up by Fall Out Boy boi!" I looked around noticing how packed the Club was most people had masks on others some crazy outfit on that most would stare at. Then I noticed the posters around the room and not all the center pieces were women actually most of them were of one male in particular and the only label was H.L. I leaned over to a man next to us in a tan hoodless jacket and white mask with exaggerated black facial features and tapped him on the shoulder. "Um sorry but what does 'H.L.' stand for?" the man looked at the poster. "Oh, Homicidal Liu."

"Liu? Like…?"

"I think his real name is Liu Woods, by the way may I ask when you're due?"

"Uh next month." I whipped around to Jeff, but it was too late what was obviously Liu singing started. "B-B-B-Be careful making wishes in the dark, dark. Can't be sure when they've hit their mark" Liu was in center stage next to one of 7 poles along with 3 women on either side of him on their own poles. It was too dark to see his face but it was so obviously him in heels. The part that worried me is that part of the stage comes out in a long cat walk towards the masked man's table if Liu were to walk to the end I don't know that I can keep Jeff from tackling him off stage.

"My songs know what you did in the dark…" and with the next line the lights flashed on to see Liu scars and all. "SO LIGHT 'EM UP, UP, UP! LIGHT 'EM UP, UP, UP! LIGHT 'EM UP, UP, UP! I'M ON FIRE!" I grabbed Jeff's hand before he could stand and just shook my head. "What the actually fuck that's-." I shoved my hand over his mouth. "Your bother is probably only doing it to earn money so just cover your eyes if you don't want to see." Jeff did just that slouching in his chair with his hood up and his hand over his eyes.

Liu wasn't just doing it for the money he was loving the attention. Song after song Liu sang and dance in various scandalous outfits as he finished with Somebody Told Me and during a slow section he crawled off the end of the cat walk onto the masked man's table and kissed the man's mask before gracefully slipping back onto stage to finish the song.

Well I will not be hearing the end of this for the next month.

I pulled on my clothes planning to mingle with the club guests when my boss and best friend Ben came in. "Hey, you got some visitors." Ben gave a sinister grin which usually meant I had a client. "Ben, I told you not to schedule clients for right after shows I don't have the energy for that."

"Oh, not that kind but you do have to talk to them because I think you'll be very interested in what they have to say." I huffed. "Fine send em' in." I tidied a bit and poured each two glasses of scotch and slipped into black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and a black vest with a trilby then leaned against the bar holding the glasses on in each hand just in time for the door to open. In stepped a younger man probably a bit older than me, a very pregnant woman and just behind her…my brother we made eye contact and my body instantly relaxed and I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh…it's you." I said pouring one of the glasses I was holding into the other and drinking it all with on gulp. "I see you've graduated from stalking and you've actually decided to introduce me to the mother of your child." He went to scold me and I just huffed cutting him off as I turned back to the bar heading behind it. "And judging by the look on your face you haven't been stalking me well enough to know that I am a stripper a very popular one at that and I'm guessing you don't know what else I do." As I talked I mixed cranberry and grapefruit juice with peach nectar and poured it over ice adding a tiny paper umbrella and a straw and walked over to Clare handing her the drink. "Sex on the beach?"

"Hey!" Jeff scolded. "Oh, get your mind out of the gutter, it's a drink." I smiled at Clare. "Non-alcoholic of course." I said offering her a chair. She sat before taking a sip. "Wow! That's really good!"

"Why thank ya! My secret is just a little bit of natural sweetener." I turned to the younger man. "And you are?" He looked at me surprised I actually acknowledged his existence. "Uhh…"

"That's my little brother Damien."

"Damien?" I asked stepping closer. "Nice, what it'll be for you Damien?" I walked behind the bar and looked at him expectantly. "Uh, I'm only 20."

"And I'm a 19-year-old stripper, age doesn't matter…as long as it's consensual." Jeff scoffed at me. "Was that a pedophilia joke!?"

"The term 'joke' implies that I'm not serious." I finished mixing one bloody Mary and walked over to Damien handing it to him. "Loosen up a bit will ya I'm not gonna hurt ya…unless you want me to that is." I said with a wink. "Fucking Christ Liu!" Jeff yelled in disgust. "Oh my god you have no idea that shit I do for a living, do you?"

"Not really no!"

"You're a terrible stalker, I have people whom I pay to stalk for me and they can get more in a single google search than you can in the past 4 years I mean seriously I saw you two together once and I sent my best man on it and in 3 days I already knew everything I need to know about her." Clare stiffened. "Don't worry sweetie, I only know things that people could find out in a conversation with you." I walked around the bar and sat on my black leather couch that I'm constantly having to wash holding a mojito. I crossed my legs trying to make Jeff as uncomfortable as possible while also subtly flirting with Damien.

My watch beeped and I cursed. "My break is over I'm supposed to go down stairs and mingle, then why don't the four of us go get something to eat?" I ran down stairs Jeff on my tail. "Shouldn't you be helping your girlfriend down the stairs?"

"She hates getting help especially from me." I shrugged and walked over to Masky who was standing at the bar and I hopped up on the bar stool. "I owe you, that info you gave me on that woman was spot on."

"She was in the crowd tonight."

"Yeah I know she's in my dressing room with my brother and her brother."

"Oh god Jeff is here?" I turned and nodded to Jeff who was leaned against the bar sipping a water. "Gross."

"Yeah I know…wanna piss him off?" I could almost see Masky smirk under his mask and I lifted his mask just enough for our lips to touch and I promptly made out with him. Masky as far as I can tell takes no real interest in me but we are close friends and I pay him good money to stalk people for me so him making out with me is less than trivial.

I slipped his usual fee into the front of his pants before hopping off the bar stool and found Clare and Damien waiting next to Jeff by the door. "Boyfriend?" Jeff asked accusingly. "Nope I asked him to spy on you a month ago, he just came to pick up his payment." I said heading out of the building smiling at Thomas. "Can you have someone bring my car around?" He nodded mumbling into the walkie on his shoulder. "So, what was his payment a make out session?" I scoffed. "I WISH he worked for that cheap, nah just before I left I shoved 3 grand down his pants." My Mustang pulled up and little Cory stepped out tossing me the keys holding out his hand. I smirked at him shaking my head and he glared at me before smiling and dipping me into a kiss as I shoved a 20 in his pocket. I then held the passenger door open for Clare. "Do you do that to everyone you pay?" She asked with a giggle. "Just the ones who want it and Cory my valet is a slut." I climbed in the driver's seat and looked at Jeff and Damien. "What? You want me to hold the door open for you two? Get in losers, we're going shopping!" Clare snorted as the boys climbed into the back. "Clare my dear can you reach into the glove compartment and grab the lightest color foundation some pale lip stick, and the liquid latex." I said pulling onto the freeway, hitting the auto-pilot and pulling the toilet paper from my arm rest compartment. "You're gonna drive and put make up on?"

"Oh my god stop judging my life choices Jeffery! It's a self-driving car calm the hell down." I took the makeup applying it to my face doing my best to hide my scars. I'm not ashamed of them as they are not in any way my fault, but they do tend to attract attention. Once I was done I handed everything to Jeff. "Your turn freak." Jeff just stared at the bag of makeup. "I don't know how to use any of that." I groaned leaning my chair all the way back and flipping over before sliding up and sitting in his lap. "Wow haven't had your sit in my lap since we were kids."

"Don't get used to it." I said reaching back and roughly braiding his hair. "Ow, ow, ow."

"Shut up ya big baby." Once we finally arrived at the restaurant the car parked itself and I finished up his makeup and we headed inside the steak house. "Hello Mr. Woods, usual table?"

"Yes ma'am." I looked back at Jeff and narrowed my eyes he still stuck out like a sore thumb. "Just give me one second." I walked over to Jeff. "take your jacket off." Clare snorted. "There's nothing on under it." I huffed at him. "I don't have any clothes that would fit you, you little shit." I groaned but nodded to the waitress by the name of veronica.

As we walked I a girl we were approaching spotted me and her uncovered eye widened and she started to bounce in her seat smacking her friends. "you guys can go sit I got something to deal with." I knelt next to the girl smiling. "I see you saw through my disguise." She smiled bouncing more now. "What's your name sweetie?"

"Natalie…" she squeaked out I grabbed her hand kissing the back of it. "your real name?" she blushed deep leaning towards me and whispered. "Clockwork." I raised a brow. "Wait a second! You're that singer! Oh my god I've been wanting to meet your for so long! I just never knew how to get in contact with you! I am a huge fan." Her blush just kept getting darker. "Oh my god stop lying!"

"No, I'm serious! Your cover of MI MI MI! I loved it! I've been wanting to do that song!" I glanced to the side to see Jeff at my usual table glaring at me while Clare smiled enjoying how annoyed Jeff was getting over all this. "Look I have a family dinner to attend but…" I wrote down my number on a napkin passing it to her. "Here's my cell text me tonight and maybe if you like we can set up a date to meet up and maybe do a collaboration piece or something." She nodded taking the napkin and when she looked up planted a kiss on her cheek before walking away plopping down at my table. "Slut." I scoffed. "Correction! I am I whore. Just because I don't make everybody pay for it doesn't make me any less of a whore." The table gave me a shocked look. "What? That's not even the most scandalous job I have." Jeff cleared his throat leaning forward. "Please…elaborate." I sighed. "OK from most to least scandalous? Dominatrix, whore, stripper, singer." Jeff leaned back pinching the bridge of his nose. "I leave you alone for 4 years-."

"5 years." I corrected causing him to sigh even heavier. "5 years and this is what you do with the time?"

"Gotta make money and I didn't want to go back to school which I can do since you know I haven't committed any crimes."

"What about prostitution?"

"Not a crime if you do it through the right channels which I do. The most illegal thing I do is drink which you are allowed to do in the privacy of your own home. I'm more legal than you could ever hope to be." Clare snorted. "You know I like her, you best not piss her off or that kid is mine." Clare and Jeff gave each other a sad look while Damien picked up his glass sipping it trying to disappear into the couch. "Oh god…what happened?" Clare sighed. "Well about 9 months ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer I was given a year to live."

"That same night Clare found me and for some insane reason brought me home and well…"

"And since he can't raise it because he doesn't have a penny to his name you want to give it to me?" They nodded, and I then turned to Damien. "And you're not a part of this because?"

"I assume I was considered but I'm a waiter at a shitty restaurant and live in a basement apartment with one room." I nodded. "I see… so I am probably the best option. I suppose my yacht fund could be converted into a collage fund if so swayed, but I'd rather just have Jeff move in with me." Jeff looked at me in surprise. "What you think just cause, I've been a dick to you all night I'm gonna leave my only brother and his soon to be newborn kid out in the cold. I'm not heartless, plus I run clients out of my apartment, so you'll be living above me, but I will pay for the space, which yes I can afford."

"O…k."

"For all I care I can have you two moved in by next week. As long as you keep your mouth shut about my life choices especially since they're paying for your place to live."

From then on dinner went fine and surprisingly within the next few days I get a panicked called from Jeff.

"Clare in labor! What fuck do!?"

"Calm down to start jeez." I grabbed the duffle bag and headed down stairs driving over to Clare's apartment. Once in the luxury apartment I got to work. "Should I call an ambulance!?"

"No, I got this Clare just relax I've delivered 5 babies on of them in a G-string on the club floor so believe me I got this. Jeff take her pants off and get a blanket and tarp from my duffle. Then once her pants are off slide the tarp under her butt and put the blanket over her then sit down and make sure she breathes." I went over to the sink washing my hands and arms. "Grab the gloves from my duffle and pass them to me." He tossed me the box and I pulled on the latex gloves walking over to her and putting on a medical mask. "There! Now where we at." I lifted the blanket and saw part of a head sticking out. "Holy shit slow down woman!"

"I've been in labor longer than you think Jeff didn't know what to do and refused to call you." I glared at Jeff kneeling on the couch. "Ok, ok…push!" it seemed like hours before the little shit came out, but she looked just like her mom. "It's a girl!" I could see Clare fading and let Jeff be wrapped in the joy of being a father as I climbed onto Clare making sure not to put pressure on her. "Stay awake Clare." She nodded giving a drunk smile. "Come on, Jeff and your daughter need you."

"I left all my money to you, take good care of them ok?"

"N-no!" Jeff ran over crashing to his knees but keeping a firm hold on his daughter. "C-Clare no! Please!" she smiled at Jeff placing a hand on his cheek. "You knew this was coming…why didn't you prepare?"

"You can't…you just can't prepare for something like this." She laughed shaking her head. "Damn it call 911. She's crashing!" Jeff grabbed the phone and dialed passing the phone to me I placed it between my shoulder and ear soon hearing a friendly woman's voice. "911 what your emergency?"

"Stage 4 cancer patient just had a baby I need an ambulance here now! The baby is fine but the mother is crashing I'm doing compressions, but I don't know how much good that's gonna do."

"Ok what's the address?"

"Uh…shit…I have no clue just locate my phone."

"Sir that may take a while can you think of anything that might give us and idea of where you are?"

"I don't know! Just do it!"

"Sir I-." Jeff ripped the phone from my hand and spoke in a deep dark tone. "This is Jeff the Killer, I have three hostages one just so happens to be a brand-new baby girl and if you don't get here soon people will start dying. Can you track the damn call now?"

Less than five minutes later the door crashed in and Jeff shoved the baby in my arms before ripping me up placing his knife against my throat. "Help her now! Now!" The paramedics ran in and did what they could before wheeling Clare away. "She's gone Jeff. Now let me and the baby go ok?" I said faking fear. "C-Clare wanted to name her Korbyn, spelled k-o-r-b-y-n."

"Ok, well at least let Korbyn go and we can work this out ok?" Jeff ignored me. "You can get me but only after my daughter and my brother have left the building, not the room! The building! Deal?" Damn it Jeff! The leading officer nodded, and Jeff let me go and once I was out of the building I heard gunfire from above me along with glass shattering soon followed by a blood curdling thud full of crunches and cracks.

With that…my niece was an orphan…