Chapter 9: Connection

"That's when we went on our first date. We went to the theater to see Shall We Dance, and jeez I really couldn't keep my eyes off of her, the look of her pure enjoyment just made me want to smile. Afterwards, I walked her home and said goodnight with a hug, and that was it."

Roy paused to recollect some of his most fondest memories.

"It wasn't until our fifth date when we finally kissed..."

"That doesn't sound like you at all, huh Mr. Gentleman?" Stefan joked.

"Well I was different back then Bekowsky, I'm a whole new man now, so I suggest you quiet down." Roy said in a serious tone.

"Sorry...sorry."

"In fact if I think really about it, I can remember that moment..."

Denise and Roy had gone out dancing that night, she looked absolutely ravishing, and he complimented that by wearing a $215 tailored suit. The music was classy, the drinks were on point, and the lights were romantically dimmed. It was as if the club had been set up for just the two of them. They'd spent about two hours on that dance floor, swaying, holding each close, and foreheads touching. During Nat King Cole's A Blossom Fell, they slowed danced one more time:

"You know... I've never done this for any girl." Roy whispered in Denise's ear.

"Well what's so special about me huh?" She whispered back.

"I...love you..." Roy said in a low, sincere, tone.

She took her head off his shoulder, and looked into those beautiful blue eyes, and smiled. He smirked, and that was the sole signal. He slowly closed his eyes, as did she, then they leaned in for their first kiss. The contact between those lips tingled at first, then became firm, it seemed like things were finally concrete and complete for Roy. After the song had ended, he drove her home, his one arm around her the whole time. They soon arrived at her house, but for a bit they just looked up at the stars discussing many random topics, then another hour had gone by. They both knew it was late, so he walked her to the front door and kissed him goodnight.

"Thank you for the wonderful time, Roy."

"For you, I'd do this everyday. Goodnight."

He started to walk back to the car, when suddenly:

"Wait!" Denise said with her voice raised, not too loudly though, her neighbors were sleeping. She ran into his arms and kissed him just a little longer this time.

"I love you too. You're the best thing since...well...Gatsby."

They both laughed, and she went back into the house to watch him take off, her heart still fluttering.

"That was the first time I felt really happy in a long time, but it has no significance now. Long story short, after we'd dated for about 8 months we moved into an apartment together, still close to college of course. One night, we were walking back home, and some idiot tried to rob us. I beat his ass to a bloody pulp, I can't tell you what I did to him exactly , I may have just blacked out. From that night I decided to get into the force... all for her, so that no one else could fear to walk the streets of L.A. at night anymore, to clean the city of Angels and live up to the name. Makes me chuckle a little, I was like Phelps when I young huh? Hah. Well anyways, when I was in the academy, she used to call me right around break time and would always bring me my lunch in front of all the guys. Man they'd get jealous. It was that same routine of: getting up, getting ready, eating breakfast, kissing her bye, training, break, lunch, training, going home, making love, and finally sleep. Man I'll tell ya, the first time we... you know, it was so passionate; like something out of a god damn movie."

"A movie? Really?" Stefan asked, sarcastically.

"Yes, really Bekowsky. As I was saying, I started to make more money as I progressed doing low-level police worked and with that money, I bought a nicer upscale apartment for us. Along with it came more shit for her: jewelry, dresses, coats, shoes, accessories, furniture, and whatever else she felt she wanted. Like a fool, I did it for her, because I didn't want to lose the best thing that happened to me. Or at least that was what I thought. I noticed that she was out a lot more, she brought me lunch less often, and that she slept more than usual. It's like I was slowly losing a connection with her."

Chapter 10: The Battle of Barbiturates

February 4, 1938. 10:50 pm. Roy had just started to unwind, and all he wanted was his now fiance', to comfort him.

"Sweetie, are you...feeling well?" Roy asked.

"Hmph? Oh...I'm fine." She mumbled.

"You've been sleeping, a great deal lately, and what exactly are these?" He showed her a metal pill tin with small, ivory colored pills.

"I've been suffering from insomnia honey, it's prescribed by my doctor. I'm fine sweetheart, really."

"Are you sure? Because I only want to make sure that you don-" She turned his face towards hers, and they looked into each others eyes. His still shined like always, hers looked more dull. Her body was awake, but Denise had been gone.

"You...have nothing to worry about." She pulled him in for a kiss, and he moved atop her.

"You know I love you...right?"

"Of course." They made love, but it wasn't the same as all of those times before, the passion had escaped them.

Alas, Roy knew not what to do, he could only hope that tomorrow would be a better day.

The next morning Roy did his routine all by himself, but he remembered to kiss Denise on her precious forehead just before he went to work, all of it to keep her safe. Soon, hours passed at work, then it was break time. He wanted to buy himself lunch, but had forgotten his wallet at home, he would have called Denise but he didn't want to disturb her slumber. He then walked to a nearby trolley, and dozed off the whole way home.

Roy arrived home, and he saw a pretty expensive 1937 Buick 8 parked next to the apartment building.

It must be just a coincidence, maybe a guest of someone. It's of no concern. He took the elevator to their floor, and casually walked to their apartment. Maybe Denise is awake, I'd like to see her before I head back.

Roy then unlocked the door carefully, being sure not to disturb anyone-but wait- he hears a...squeaking sound? He carefully makes light footsteps, trailing to the bedroom where the squeaking gets increasingly louder with each quiet, light footstep. Then the squeaking, turns into...grunts?

Moaning?

Both?

He hurried at the thought of his fiance' being in some kind of trouble, and swung open the door, to find that...he'd

lost her.

"What in the HELL IS GOING ON?!" Roy yelled in anger.

"The f**k is this?" The strange dapper man asked.

"Your WORST nightmare!" Roy rushed in and pulled him off of her, only to give him a hard right hook to the face. The strange man tried to scurry away, but Roy was enraged and relentless. Spit, teeth, blood, and spit decorated the marble flooring.

"Ahhh! Son of a-" The man didn't have time to speak in a complete sentence, as Roy kept on punching him and smashing his head against the floor.

"Roy please! Stop! Damn you Roy stop!" Denise cried and pleaded, she tried to force Roy off by choking him with a belt. He dropped the mans head and turned to her, whatever innocence he had left, melted away at an instant.

"You would try and KILL ME, for this bastard!" Roy's eyes became glassy.

"I-I needed the money-" She stuttered.

"So you could do what? Get high and screw these ugly mug pieces of shit? HUH DID YOU?!" He roared.

"Dammit Roy! I feel trapped, I'm not supposed to be your mothe-" That was the first time he'd ever hit a woman.

"F**K YOU! I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING! AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME? YOU TOLD ME YOU LOVED ME! DOESN'T THAT MEAN ANYTHING?"

"I NEVER LOVED YOU! WHO'D HONESTLY BE IN LOVE WITH A SAP LIKE YOU!" Roy grabbed her wrist, and ripped off her engagement ring.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Roy demanded.

"NOT WITHOUT MY-" He put his hand around her delicate throat.

"Get out while I'm still decent, and take that grease ball with you! I NEVER want to see your sorry ass again, you junkie. If you don't leave, I'll kill you right here." He let go of her and she gasped the single breath of life, after the fear of God was put into her.

"M-marco, c'mon. Let's go..." Denise helped him up and the both scurried to the door, the stream of tears couldn't be controlled, her fate had been sealed.

"When she left, I found an envelope of cash and a stash of barbiturates. I never saw her again until today, and from that day on, all broads to me are just some place to stick your prick into if you ever get an urge. That's all." Roy had looked away from Stefan to wipe a single tear that had not yet fallen down his cheek.

"I'm...so sorry Roy." Stefan said sincerely.

"It isn't your fault, I was the stupid one."

"But-"

"Look I'm done talking about this, we still have to go the shipping company."

"...Ok."

This whole thing is just so...tragic. I feel so bad, but I can't tell him that because he'll only poke fun at me. The one thing I caught though, was that he was willing to be with her in death than to have her be alive and with someone else. Maybe there's more, but I guess I'll never find out. I don't want to pry anything more than what's already broken.

They sat in silence, the rest of the ride.