Disclaimer: I do not own Death Sentence.

AN: Yeah another update! I hope you enjoy this! Shaylee's past kinda kicked it up a few chapters, but that's ok I hope. Enjoy!!!

Billy was getting a bit frustrated. He had been picking his nephew up at school for almost a month now, and still his contacts couldn't get information on the teacher. He was becoming a man obsessed. With each encounter, the girl intrigued him more and more. Maybe it was the fact that she wouldn't for his tricks, or the fact she wasn't scared of him. He had found himself on the other side of her scoldings, which she wasn't scared to dish out to him. Claiming he wouldn't take out the only teacher in the neighborhood that gave a damn. But deep down he felt like there was more. Almost as if she felt protected from him. What ever it was, it was driving him crazy. So when he walked in to Bones's shop to get a ear full about the girl, he was completely caught off guard.

"Word around the street is you have an eye for Juniper's preschool teacher." Bones growled at him. "The girl is off limits. Don't push it unless ya want an early grave boy. I can't protect ya if things go south with that one."

"What is she? Some kind of cops relation?" Billy asked and Bones glared up at him.

"Try Mofia ties, fuck head." Bones growled as he threw an empty back pack at his son. "Got a call from the big man in Kansas City. Said you needed to back off her. Stop asking around about things you don't need to know about. I don't need to tell ya twice do I?"

Billy shook his head, but he could feel his anger bubbling up inside of him. How could the girl be involved in the mofia of all things. He took the back pack and headed out the door before Bones got on him for any other reason. He went to his car and drove away. He needed to talk to his brother and hopefully he could get a hold of the little red head he was so fond of.

"She's got Kansas City ties." Billy growled when he walked in the door. Not caring that he and Joe weren't alone. Juniper jumped at his uncles out burst and quickly hid behind his mother. Billy sighed heavily and ran a hand down his face in an attempt to calm down. He hated having his nephew scared of him. Knowing he and Joe where the only stable ones in his life at the moment. The kid didn't need to be raised like he and Joe where. That was until he saw the shape of Tommy. "What the fuck! Is she high again? where the fuck is Heco?"

"He left for a few to pick up Juniper." Joe said with a heavy sigh. Billy silently cursed himself. In his business filled day, he had completely forgotten to pick the kid up. Since Heco had had a kid in her class the year before, he was the only number she had to contact to come get the kid.

"Fuck!" Billy growled out again. "Pack her shit. The bitch is going to fucking rehab. I don't give a damn if I have to pay for it out of my own damn money. I wont have her around the kid like this any more. He doesn't need to see this shit."

Joe quickly nodded and headed back to the bedroom that Tommy had been using.

"Juni, Why don't you go help your dad." Billy growled. He didn't mean to sound so demanding. But any more, he didn't know how else to sound. The little boy gave no protest as he quickly rushed off to find his father. Billy got to his feet and took out the gun he had stashed behind his back. He put it to Tommy's temple and leaned down so his face was only inches from hers.

"That fucking kid needs his mother." Billy said as he gave her his best this isn't the time to fuck with me look. "If you don't get your fucking shit together, the next time I wont stop. I'll pull this fucking trigger. I'm sure there are a thousand other girls out there that would love to play mommy to a Darley child. Ones far better off than a druggy. This is my final warning."

Billy quickly put the gun away and took a seat on the couch as his brother and nephew came out of the bedroom. He threw his keys at his brother and nodded towards the door. "You take her. I'll watch the kid."

Juniper squeaked and quickly ducked behind his father at Billy's suggestion. Joe chuckled and shook his head. "Don't worry Juni, his bark is worse than his bite when it comes to family. He'll treat ya good."

Juniper held onto his father's red leather jacket and hid his face in it. To frightened to look up at his uncle. When he started to realize that his father was still going to leave him there, he grabbed his back pack and hurried back to his mother's bed room. He heard the familiar sound of the mustang and picked up his mother's cell phone from the night stand. He was lucky she had never gotten a smart phone or he wouldn't have known how to call out. With in the second ring the person he called answered.

"You alright Juni?" The sweet voice answered on the other line.

"Daddy just took mommy to rehab. And I'm scared." Juniper said into the phone.

"Where are you?" She said with a bit of panic.

"Uncle Billy's." Juniper replied quietly. He could hear his uncle's heavy boots heading down the hall. And he wasn't sure how his uncle would react to him calling out for help while in his care.

"I'm on my way." Shaylee said as she hung up the phone. She groaned inwardly and turned to the person sitting in her passenger seat of her blue mini cooper. "Any chance you know where Billy Darley lives?"

Elvin turned on her cousin so fast, she thought her head was going to spin off. "Why the hell do you wanna know that? Finally give in to his devilish good looks?"

"Juniper just called me." Shaylee said with a heavy sigh. "I'm not sure if he's home alone or just scared shitless of Billy, but he's scared. Told him if he ever needed me to call. So here I am. Asking my pain in the ass Bitch to give me directions to the big bad Gang Lords house."

"Why you got such a soft spot for that brat any way?" Elvin asked as she pointed out the next turn the girl needed to make. "Fuck good thing we got two pizzas this time. Least it wont go to waist in our fridge."

Shaylee giggled as she made the turn and Elvin pointed at an apartment complex up the road. "You have got to be fucking kidding me! When the hell where you going to tell me that he lives in the apartments behind ours!"

Elvin shrugged and smirked. "Got the apartment right across from your room too. He just doesn't use it much."

"Uh, just grab the damn pizza." Shaylee said as she parked the car and started to make her way to the apartment complex. She let Elvin lead the way up to the apartment, but Elvin stepped back to allow Shaylee do the knocking. She didn't know why, but Billy gave the girl a pass when it came to him. She got away with more things than his family or close friends would. She guessed it was because he wanted her in his bed. Elvin would have given in the moment he batted his blue eyes her way. Hell she had a couple times to get the fix she needed. But usually he had passed her on to Joe, saying red heads where more of a turn off than on.

Shaylee knocked on the door, only to be answered with Billy growling on the other side. "If you don't have a key, then you got the wrong apartment."

"Open the door Billy, I have pizza, hot wings, and a scared child to attend too." Shaylee said with a cocky smile. She knew he would open the door at the sound of her voice. And sure enough with in seconds, the door flew open. His eyes glared daggers down at the teacher in his doorway.

"How the fuck did you know where I live?" Billy growled. Shaylee nodded over to her cousin. Billy rolled his eyes and allowed both girls to enter. The moment the door was shut, Juniper came running out of his room and raced into Shaylee's arms. She petted his hair and hushed him, as the small boy cried into her thin navy blue shirt. Billy hadn't even realized that it was practically see through till he saw his nephews arms wrap around his teacher.

"Hey, Juni. It's ok buddy." Shaylee cooed at the small child. "I know, he scares me too."

Juniper let out a small laugh as he rubbed his snotty nose all over the front of her shirt. "He does."

Shaylee looked over her shoulder at Billy and sent him a playful wink. "Oh yeah. The big bad man just gets me shaking at times."

Shaylee playfully shook her body and got the boy to do the same. "Now, are you hungry? Cause I have these two pizza's just begging to be eaten."

Juniper nodded enthusiastically and quickly rushed over to where Elvin was making herself at home on the couch. Billy ran his hand down his face as he tried his hardest to keep his temper in tact. He watched as Elvin opened the pizza boxes and playfully fought the boy over the slice he had been going for.

"Can we talk" Shaylee asked as she bumped her elbow into his. She nodded over to the fire escape. "That window work?"

Billy nodded then followed Shaylee out onto the escape. He watched the girl lean over the railing and let the breeze wash over her. She then turned to Billy. She had a look on her face that he had never seen on her before. it was almost a content smile, like the breeze had brought back some beloved memory. But the moment she caught sight of him once more, the look quickly faded.

"Look, I'm sorry to barge in on you. and I don't want Juniper to be in trouble for calling me." Shaylee said as she bit her lip and looked away from him. "I promised I'd be there if he needed me. All he said to me was that Joe was taking Tommy to rehab and he was scared."

"Should have don't it months ago." Billy growled. But Shaylee put her hand up to stop him.

"This isn't about them, or you." Shaylee said with a heavy sigh. "I don't know what all that kid has seen or heard. But he knows more about life than most kids his age. He inherited a lot of your looks by the way. He can bring silence to the rest of my class with just one damn look. What I'm saying is… I'm worried about him. Not that its any of my business. The kid scares me at times."

"I didn't think you scared easily." Billy teased, but stopped when he saw the look in her eyes. She didn't scare easily, he knew that. And she knew he knew that. "What are you saying? Kid's going to end up being some kind of psycho killer?"

"We all have that potential." Shaylee said with a smirk. "It's in our nature to protect what's ours. Animal instinct never goes away. No matter how evolved we have become. Its just a matter of giving in to them."

"Where the hell did you come up with that bullshit?" Billy asked as he took out a cigarette and lit it.

Shaylee shrugged as a sad look crossed over her eyes. "Some idiot willing to believe it."

She took the cigarette out of his mouth and took a drag. She then turned back and once again leaned over the railing and let the breeze take over her senses. The wind always reminded her of Kansas City, and the apartment she had shared with her ex boyfriend. They had spent many nights sitting on the balcony, watching the stars and talking about a future that would never happen. Billy lit another cigarette and leaned against the railing as well.

"What are you thinking about?" Billy asked quietly. "When you lean over like that?"

"Don't worry, I'm not suicidal." Shaylee replied with out opening her eyes. a slight smile crossed her lips and Billy shook his head.

"That, right there. What makes you get that look?" Billy asked. Shaylee sighed and finally opened her eyes. obviously irritated that he had ruined her memories.

"Nothing. Just a past dream I used to have." Shaylee replied. Billy nodded as he took a drag of his cigarette.

"A Kansas City dream perhaps." Billy questioned. He didn't look at her, but he could see her head snap up at him from the corner of his eye. He had nailed it. There was something or some one back in Kansas City that had been able to put that smile on her face.

"How did you know about Kansas City? Did Elvin tell you?" Shaylee asked nervously.

"My old man actually."

"Fuck, how did Bones know about it?" Shaylee asked with an irritated growl.

Billy chuckled and turned to face her. "I forget your from here some times. Most people seem to forget that Bones is my dad."

"Its cause he's an ugly fuck and your not." Shaylee said with a smirk. "But for real, how did he know?"

"Got a phone call." Billy replied and Shaylee tensed. "A warning for me to back off you."

"Go figure." Shaylee growled.

"So tell me. What does the big guns have to do with you?' Billy asked as he reached up and moved a piece of loose hair away from her face. Shaylee backed away from his touch and looked out into the surprisingly quiet street.

"I seem to attract a certain type." Shaylee said with a heavy sigh. Billy thought she was going to stop there, but she turned to him with sad gray eyes. He could tell she was fighting back tears and he quickly tensed. He wasn't good with emotional girls, and the fact that Shaylee of all people was about to break down made him uneasy.

"I met him my freshman year of college." Shaylee started then looked away and back out at the street. "Long story short. I was his distraction. His father wasn't happy about it, but also wasn't happy with me just packing my shit and leaving. I knew to much. I cant be killed, or my ex will leave. So I'm protected instead. Just didn't think the bastard would track me back here."

"He was almost killed." Billy said knowing the answer already. No one was considered a distraction unless death almost got involved. Bones had warned him about the very thing many times growing up. Blaming that on his crappy parenting skills.

Shaylee nodded in response. "I was there. Its where I got the scar. The ass hole thought it would be funny to try and give up. I got marked the distraction even though I saved his sorry ass that night."

"Is he why your not scared of me?" Billy asked as he threw his forgotten and burned out cigarette over the railing. He took a chance to glance down at her again and found that she was smiling.

"No. I'm not scared of you, because I remember you before all this." Shaylee replied as she glanced up at him and met his eyes. Those blue eyes that drew her in every time she saw him. "I grew up here, remember. Even went to school with you, before you dropped out to help Bones out more."

Billy gave the girl an odd look. He tried to roll back any kind of memory that would have her in it. But his mind was coming up blank.

"Don't worry if you cant remember me. We had a surprisingly big class back then. Nothing like what it is today."

"We where in the same grade? Fuck I thought you where closer to Joe's age." Billy said a bit shocked. the girl did age very nicely. He would never have guessed her to be in her late twenties.

"Thanks for that back ass handed complement." Shaylee teased. "But I'll take it. I know you don't give them out very often."

Shaylee tossed her cigarette over the railing as well then nodded back towards the apartment. "We'd better get back in there before my cousin starts getting the wrong idea."

"Let her." Billy said as he lightly grabbed her arm to stop her from going back inside. Shaylee shook her head and took her hand out of his grasp.

"Don't go falling for me Darley." Shaylee almost threatened. "It could wind up getting you killed. And what would the world do with out those gorgeous blue eyes of yours?"

OOOOOO

"What the fuck do you mean she went to that fucking punks apartment?" Geno growled into the phone as his Boston informant called to tattle on his former girlfriend. "I don't give a rats ass! You go fucking get her if you have too! Who the fuck does she think she's messing with!"

Geno Moreli hung up the phone and threw it across the room. His future wife to be, jumped and quickly ducked her head. She was a gorgeous woman, he had to give her that. But the girl was like a scared stray. Jumping at every movement he made. And she was no Shaylee. He couldn't be himself around this one. Always having to keep up the act, knowing she would go rat to her uncle in New York.

"Maybe that's a good thing baby." The woman cooed with her thick Brooklyn accent. The sound of her voice had the same affect on him as nails on a chalk board. He cringed and turned on her. He knew it wasn't her fault. He had been promised to this girl way before Shaylee had even come into the picture. And with the girl out of the picture, the New York royalty could finally get her hands on him.

"I ain't going to let her get killed in some stupid fucking drive by like those lazy gang bangers do. She's better than that." Geno growled. He threw his suitcase up on the bed and started to pack his things.

"You are really going to hunt her down?" The girl almost shrieked in frustration. Geno rolled his eyes knowing what was coming. No woman could rant better than an Italian woman. And he knew he was going to hear about it for years to come. If he lived that long after her uncle found out about his plans.

"I'm going to set that punk straight. Remind him that she's Kansas City property." Geno growled. The woman put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head at him.

"That bitch ain't no bodies property. She lost that privilege the moment she walked out on you." She said looking deep into his eyes. She lightly kissed his lips and smiled. "Come to bed Geno. I'll take care of you baby."

Geno punched the wall next to him then turned back to his soon to be wife. He pulled her into a deep kiss, knowing she had been right. Shaylee didn't belong to him any more. But there was one thing that his future bride had forgotten. Shaylee was the one his heart belonged to, and he was going to be damned if she left him to go back to her child hood gang banger crush.