Chapter 3

on the front lines

niko stepped into the brown dust cloud, as he walked through it he could hear faint screams and booming sounds, he was not sure what it was but as he walked it began to grow louder, niko could hear what sounded like men shouting to one another and bombs going off, he heard gun shots and explosions "oh no" niko said, just then the cloud cleared and niko found himself in the middle of a dirt road "GET DOWN!" a soldier yelled running into niko and pulling into a ditch just as a grenade exploded where niko stood. Niko looked up at the man who just saved his life "darko" niko said quietly with great hatred in his voice, the traitor just looked down at niko and smiled a toothy grin, which made niko want to punch the rotting teeth right out of his skull, niko tried to raise a fist, but couldnt strike a blow something was restraining him no matter how bad he wanted too he couldnt punch the serbian standing above him "what would you do without me?" darko said to niko, reaching out a hand to help him up, without saying a word niko reluctantly took the gesture and raised himself to his feet.

(real world roman and mallories apartment)

Roman awoke to a splitting headache "ohhhh" he said as he raised himself from his couch and looked around the apartment to make sure it was his. He noticed his wife sitting in the couch across from him she was reading a book. The t.v was on aswell playing a commercial for burger-shot with the volume turned down low as mallorie liked quiet background noise as she read. "its about time you woke up, roman" his wife said to him in her typical broker-latina accent looking up from her book, "mallorie what happened?" her hungover husband asked, "well you didnt come home until 3:00 am" she continued, "I thought jerkovs closed at 2:00" "ya well... I dont remember much but, after jerkovs we kinda went back to packies house...and florian or uh as he likes to be called "Bernie" tried to... well...hump brucie, and brucie really didnt do anything he just kinda sat there and accepted it" roman continued, "and then packie came up and puched bernie in the face and much to everyones surprise, get this!"
Roman said becoming more amused with the events of the night before, "bernie kicked packies ass!" "Really, Roman?" mallorie asked becoming somewhat interested in his night herself, "yes no lie! Florian stood up and decked packie in the face then packie swung at him and you wouldn't believe it! Florian dodged the punch twisted packie's arm behind him, tripped him, then kicked his face to the ground! Packie was out so long we almost called an ambulance! Roman concluded in an excited tone. Mallorie tried to fight back a smile she was giggling in her throat slightly she stood up and started to walk to the kitchen to hide her amusment, but Roman stood and stopped her pulling her close "how are my favorite girls anyway?" roman said in a smooth voice putting one hand on his wifes lower abdomen and their foreheads resting on each-others. By this time there was no doubt Mallorie was pregnant 6 months of pregnancy was nothing you could hide either way, as their soon to be daughter was conceived a month before they were married, Mallorie leaned in and kissed her husband for a few seconds then rested her head against his once more, "that still doesn't mean last night never happened" she said calmly with a hint of sternness in her voice, "I know Roman said smiling at his wife before pulling her close for another kiss, "Ill go put some clean clothes on" he said softly slowly letting go of his wife, "oh and roman" his wife said to him as he began to walk to the bathroom, roman stopped and turned his head to his wife awaiting a reply, "brush your teeth your mouth tastes like vodka and cheap beer!" she said to him which made Roman smirk in amusement, "and a shower would be nice too! She called to him as he headed towards the bathroom.

(limbo)

it had taken all of niko's strength but he eventually gave up trying to beat the living hell out of darko. Niko had noticed that his clothes had changed, before, he had been wearing a black jacket with a yellow shirt, jeans, and a pair of black and white tennis shoes, but now he was wearing a green camouflage uniform with lower calf-high black boots, and a light brown beret, the badge on the side of his shoulder indicated that he was a corporal. He quickly dodged incoming fire and found himself near a clear puddle he looked at himself he was shocked at what he saw, he was at least 10 years younger (which would put him at 20 years old) his face was much smoother with few scars and somewhat less facial hair. "Admiring yourself again niko?" Darko asked in a playful voice, come on this is a war baby!" Darko said to niko and was given no respond in return niko just jogged past him, Darko wondered what was troubling him as he watched niko jog over to cover and pull out a small black book from his pocket. "shit shit shit!" niko said as he flipped through the pages of a small journal he had in his pocket he read the date of the last entree, June 31, 1998 "oh no" niko said woefully "that makes today july 1st" niko said panicking slightly, as july 1st 1998 was the day Darko would betray them.

(real world Mallorie and Romans apartment)(again)

Roman sat on his bed in his and mallorie's east middle park apartment the same one he had bought for niko, but was offered back to by his cousin when he learned that Mallorie was pregant besides niko stayed at his penthouse in north holland more often anyway so it wasn't a loss for niko when he gave the apartment back to roman figuring he and his new wife would need a better home than the one-room apartment with a pull-out couch in bohan. Roman (who had cleaned himself thankfully) was staring down at a picture frame in his hands it was a picture from his wedding right before kate was killed it showed all roman and niko's friends at the wedding standing outside, niko had an arm around kate and was actually smiling, Roman cherished this picture out of all photos he owned because it was probably the only time Roman had seen his cousin happy for as long as he could remember, Roman had great sadness in his eyes as he focused on niko's smiling face, "oh cousin" he said quietly to himself, "please pull through ,please! you have to be alright cousin, please niko! Your my only cousin and...i love you cousin! I love you more as a brother let alone a cousin please be alright!" Roman said talking to the picture in his hands, his voice had risen to a quite audible tone which had drawn the attention of his wife who was now watching him from the edge of the bedroom, he noticed her and quickly went from woeful to a more embarrassed expression, blushing slightly as she walked to the bed and sat down next to him, "Its ok, roman" she comforted him, hes family and I love him too" she said putting and arm around Roman, "Just not as much as I love you" she said pulling him closer and engaging him in a deep kiss, "your so kind to me" he said, cuddling her in his arms, "im sorry for last night im sorry for anything iv done I don't deserve you" he said soflty to his wife, "Dont say that, Roman, iv never met a man as kind and gentle as you, besides last night was a thing of the past and im sorry for making you sleep on the couch" mallorie continued, "I love you, Roman Bellic" she concluded burying the side of her face into Roman's chest, as Roman held her warmly.

BBBRING BBBRING the moment was interrupted by the telephone going off, "Ill get it" roman said, answering the phone "hello?" he said into the receiver, "yes hello mr. bellic" a voice answered back, "this is doctor Hopkins from holland hospital medical center, I have some...news regarding your cousin..."