Title: Watching Him 2/?
Author: veiledndarkness
Pairing: Billy/OFC
Rating: R
Summary: She sees everything, she's watching him fall.
Disclaimer: Not mine, no profit made and no harm intended.
AU follows storyline of movie somewhat.
XX
The hours seemed to drag by. Beth cleaned the tables, gathered the bottles and washed the glasses. She emptied the ash trays and carefully cleaned up any drug paraphernalia that had been left behind and straightened the chairs. As she did so, she found her gaze wandering to the clock, timing the men from the moment they left.
"Bethie," Sammy put his washcloth down and shook his head, his black hair falling loose from the ponytail he wore. "Girlie, don't be watchin'. Watched pots don't boil, yeah?"
She sighed and tugged the broom along the side of the wall. She made a neat pile of gathered dirt, sweeping it into the dustpan. "Sammy, did you...did you get any bad feelin's tonight? Like something isn't right?"
He nodded solemnly. "Yeah, Billy, his mind ain't all there t' night," he murmured a prayer in Spanish and touched the gold cross under his shirt, "S' what they do, no use in frettin'."
"No, I know, it's just..." she emptied the dustpan into the garbage bag. "His eyes...They're gonna do something tonight, something bad."
Sammy wiped the beer taps down with another rag, a light disinfectant smell in the air. "Nothin' good comes with the Darley's."
"I suppose not."
"Eight years an' you just realizin' now, Bethie? This ain't no place for innocents. You know, I know, shit girlie, even them cops know, an' they got a hard on for provin' it. Never enough evidence, jus' blood spilt. S' way things go."
Beth tied the garbage shut, frowning. "Does that make us guilty then too?"
"Nah," Sammy touched the cross again. "We work; we do jobs like ev'ryone else. You kill someone? You pump 'im full of drugs or fuck for money?"
She blushed faintly. "Sammy, God, you're crass."
"An' you ain't no innocent, but you ain't a gang banger. Just a cleaner if anyone asks."
"Only a cleaner," she echoed. She sat on the nearest chair and tugged her hair tie loose, the light brown strands spilling over her shoulders. "Joe didn't wanna go tonight. I saw his face. He didn't want this...whatever they're doin'."
"Bethie, he didn't get any choice. Stop askin' questions ya know answers to an' get on home. This ain't a place for you after hours."
She nodded tiredly. She put the broom and dustpan away before gathering the garbage and hauling it outside to the dumpster. Beth lugged it over and tossed the bag in, her arms aching. She stood there a moment, watching the stars overhead. She crossed her arms over her chest, her skin prickling.
In the distance she could hear sirens wailing. Beth closed her eyes. Somewhere, someone had lost their life, she was sure of it.
XX
The next morning came all too soon for her. She squinted at the clock on her bedside table and covered her face with her blankets. "Ungh," she groaned. It was early, so early. As she dragged herself out of bed and into the shower, Beth felt her skin erupt in goose bumps. She shivered and stood under the hot spray, unbearably nervous.
By her second cup of coffee, one that she carried in her thermos to sip on the way to the Four Roses, Beth felt the nervous rush grow stronger. She unlocked the side door and slipped into the building, relocking it behind her. She tugged her apron on and tied her hair back, starting her day again.
She went upstairs and knocked on Billy's door. A grunt greeted her. She crept into the room and winced. Sprawled on the bed with him was the body of a naked girl. She looked away from the pair of them, her stomach churning.
Billy shifted on the bed, peering up at her. He licked his lower lip, his eyes glazed. Beth sighed inwardly and approached him. She knelt down next to the bed, her head lowered.
Billy stared at her and then yawned. "Get rid of her," he demanded, his voice raspy and strained.
"Is this one alive?" she snapped before she could stop herself.
He glared at her, one hand reaching up and snagging her ponytail. He yanked on it, bringing her flush against him. Beth bit her lip, holding back a whimper. Billy lifted his head, their faces mere inches apart. "Ya got a fuckin' problem I oughta know about?" he whispered.
"N-No," Beth recoiled back from the look in his eyes. "Please, I'm sorry; I'll get rid of her. Please..."
"Good," he unwound his hand from her hair, his fingers stroking the soft strands with something akin to affection.
Beth held still, relaxing into the touch. She focused on the sound of her breathing, on the sound of his exhaled breaths, on the surprisingly gentle touch to her scalp. Billy moved his roughened fingers in circles along her head, easing the sore spots. He rubbed his thumb along the nape of her neck, sending a shiver down her back. Beth tilted her head to the side, her eyes closed. It'd been much too long since the last time she'd been touched like that.
She sighed, her heart beating faster. Billy stilled his hand at the low sigh. She glanced back at him, catching the look, the hint of something other than cruelty in his eyes for a fraction of a second. He blinked and the moment was gone. Beth swallowed and moved to the side, his hand falling away from her. She stood up and crossed the room to the window. She lifted it up, letting fresh air in.
The girl on the bed whined and sat up, glaring at Beth. "Get out!" she covered her breasts with one arm, scowling at her.
Billy sat back, smirking. "Ah, shut up," he pushed at the girl. "Get ya scrawny ass up an' out a' ready."
She huffed and moved off the bed, stomping over to the pile of clothes on the floor. "You're nothin' special either," she spat at him, "Gimme my money."
Billy leaned over the edge of the bed, dragging his jeans up off the floor. He peeled a twenty off the wad of cash and tossed it near her. "That's ten more than ya deserve. Get the fuck out."
Beth hid a smile and busied herself with gathering the dirty clothes. She waited until the door banged shut before looking at Billy. "Lousy lay?" she guessed, her lips curving into a slight smile.
"Lousy ain't even close," he rolled his eyes and curled back up on the bed, "Won't be usin' her again. Toss me the pack an' get goin'."
She passed him the package of cigarettes from the table and the lighter. Something had changed in those few seconds when he'd touched her so gently and it frightened her. Beth left the room, her throat working quickly.
XX
Beth made herself scarce for the rest of the morning. She scrubbed the bathroom down, her fingers red and raw by the time she finished. She came out of the bathroom, narrowly missing Billy as he strode past her. Beth hung back in the doorway, watching him go. He slid a pair of sunglasses on, a lit cigarette in one hand, a worn backpack slung over his shoulder. He looked angry.
Billy's boots clomped heavily on the old wooden stairs, the cigarette smoke trailing above his head. Beth looked to the other room, Joe's room whenever he stayed there. The door was still closed. Goosebumps rose again on Beth's arms. She crossed the hallway, the boards squeaking now and again.
After a moment's pause, she pushed the door open. The room was empty, the blankets still neatly done up from the day before when she'd made the bed. Beth shivered hard, her skin crawling. It was so cold in the room. She closed the door, her hands shaking.
"Bethie?" Eddie hollered up the stairs. "C'mon girlie, I ain't got all day!"
"Yeah...Yeah, I'm comin', hold your horses," she hurried down the stairs, stopping short when she saw Bodie and Jamie in the doorway, grim frowns on their faces. "What...what happened?"
They ignored her, looking right at Eddie. "They got 'im," Bodie said, his dark eyes gleaming in the light. "Cops snagged him. Hit by a fuckin' car so they stuck him in the hospital."
Beth sank down to the steps, sitting on one. Her stomach knotted up hard. Billy stood off to the side, a muscle in his cheek jumping. "What?" he yanked his sunglasses off. "The fuck did you jus' say?"
"The kid...his dad got 'im. The car hit Joe an' the cops took him," Jamie stared at the ground as though the faded wood was suddenly fascinating. "Sorry man..."
"Sorry...You're sorry?!" Billy's voice was soft, quiet and lethal. "You're sorry? You were s'posed to be his motherfuckin' backup! Where the fuck was your ass, huh?"
Jamie flinched and licked his lips. "The guy grabbed him 'fore I could. We was all runnin' so fast."
Billy crossed the room to him in three steps. He fisted his big hands in Jamie's coat, yanking him clear off the floor. "You'd best hope he don't die in that goddamned hospital," he hissed.
Jamie nodded rapidly, sweat running down his face. Billy shoved him back down with a disgusted sigh. "Useless fucker, get the fuck outta here."
Jamie scrambled to his feet and slinked away. Billy slammed his fist down on the nearest table. "Damn it! Goddamn it!"
Beth covered her mouth with one hand, her chest hitching. "Joe..." she whispered.
Eddie glanced at her, shaking his head. Billy yanked his backpack on his shoulder again and stormed out of the bar, the door slamming hard behind him.
XX
Late that night, Beth found herself scrubbing up a dried patch of whiskey on the floor. She sat back with a sigh and dropped the washcloth into the bucket. She looked up at the clock with a small groan. It was well past nine. Billy had been gone since that morning and a heavy silence had hung over the bar for most of the evening.
Gradually, each man left, off on various reasons. Beth stood up and emptied the pail into the sink. She rinsed it out and put everything away, finally ready to start closing up. She untied the apron around her waist and hung it up. As she unpinned her hair from the ponytail, a loud crash echoed from outside the building.
She froze, her eyes widening. Beth touched one hand to the underside of the bar, feeling for the gun that Sammy kept there. Footsteps stomped into the bar and the door swung open. Beth sucked in a breath, ducking back into the shadows.
"Get the fuck offa me!" Billy slurred. "G' on, fuck off!" He shoved at the person hovering behind him.
Bodie sighed and backed away from him. "You gone, man, go sleep it off."
Billy flipped him off and staggered over to the stairs. "Don't need nobody," he mumbled, nearly falling over.
"You're bleedin', Billy. For god's sake, man," Bodie muttered.
Beth stepped out of the shadows, a determined frown on her face. "I'll get him upstairs," she said.
"What?" Bodie stared at her. "Uh..."
"Beth," she reminded him. "It's ok, honest. I'll get him upstairs."
"Ya sure?" he eyed her, one eyebrow raised at the idea.
"Mhm, go on, I need to lock up." She crossed the room to Billy, who was swaying drunkenly on the stairs, a trickle of blood running down his neck.
Bodie shrugged and left, the door closing with a dull thud. Beth locked it and walked over to Billy's side. She rested her hand on his arm tentatively. Billy shrugged her off, stumbling forward again.
"Leave me the fuck alone!" he shouted, tripping up the next step.
"You stubborn jackass," Beth scolded him. It was hard to fear him when he could barely make it up the stairs. "You were drinkin' and got fightin' huh? Yeah that sure helps Joe right now."
Billy sniffed and held onto the railing. "Shaddup," he swayed up the stairs with her.
Beth gradually got him into the bathroom. "Sit," she said, nodding to the bathtub ledge.
"M' fine," he closed his eyes, yawning. "Jus' bumped m' head a lil', m' ok."
Beth bit her lip. He was slurring worse. "Uh huh, here, hold still," she touched his shoulder, tugging at his heavy leather coat. With his help, she stripped the jacket off. Gently, she peeled the neck of his shirt down, tsking at the sight of the bruising and cuts.
"Y' know, rough sex can be dangerous," she checked his head over, noting the thin cut above his ear.
"What?" he blinked at her, his eyes heavily rimmed with red. "You makin' fun o' me?"
"Never," Beth washed her hands and took a few things down from the cabinet. "Those cuts need cleaning." she grabbed the bottle, bandages and cream.
Billy edged back from her. "No! M' fine, don't...I don't need nothin'."
She stared at him for a moment and then smiled a little. "Aww, c'mon you big baby, you're scared of rubbin' alcohol, are you?"
He glared at her, huffing in annoyance. "I ain't scared o' nothin'!"
"Yeah, so that's why you're wincing an' trying to escape me right now?" she wet a hand towel and wiped it over the side of his head.
Billy hissed, jerking back from her. "Oh, calm down, for the love of Pete," she murmured, wiping the blood away from the cut.
Beth cleaned the various cuts, rinsing the cloth a few times. She spread the cream over the cuts and pressed a Band-Aid over the larger wounds. Billy held completely still, his body stiff and uneasy. She hummed under her breath, slipping the neck of his shirt back in place.
"You live too damn rough, you know that?" Beth moved her hand to the back of his neck, tracing the outline of the tattoo that crept along his skin. She rubbed her fingers along the intricate twirls of black ink, rubbing the tensed muscles.
Billy made a choked sound in his throat. "D-Don't..."
"Don't what?" she kneaded the muscles, working her fingers along his neck. "Does it hurt?"
"Nah..." he trembled under the gentle touch, his hands shaking. "Stop...Stop, Beth."
"Why?" she pressed down harder. She'd never seen him so unguarded, so completely open. "You're so damn tense. Relax, ok?"
Billy made to move away from her, his breaths coming in fast gasps. "No...No, don't!"
Beth let go as he moved off the tub ledge. "No, no, don't ya dare fuck with me!" Billy raged, his chest hitching faster. "Don't..."
She moved to the sink and began putting the items away to hide her shaking hands. "I'm sorry. I only wanted to help."
"Don't...I don't need, I don't want," he stuttered, his face flushing a dark red. "Get out! Get the fuck out, ya fuckin' bitch!"
Beth blinked, her eyes prickling. Hot tears gathered under her eyelids. She nodded and fled the room, confused and frustrated.
XX