You want to know what happens when you decided to play Red Dead Redemption while reading and writing fanfiction of said game? It influences other stories that aren't RDR. Honestly, this chapter was frustrating to write and I'm not pleased with how it came out. :/

I promise Niko and Lily will interact more in the next chapter.

Shadows of the Night

Chapter 4:

Redemption

Song: Redemption Blues ~ Miracle of Sound

Jessie decided she was getting drunk and didn't care that Johnny was coming over. Hell, he'd probably join her as usual. Wasn't that how it always went though? He would come over, they would drink or smoke pot and then they'd head straight for her room. Sometimes they didn't make it that far. She wondered if that would be all their relationship could be.

She sighed. That wasn't what was bothering her tonight, however. No, it was the news her sister had given her. She didn't know how to process that both of her parents were dead or the fact they had been for six months without her knowledge.

Since the night her father slapped her all those years ago, she swore she'd never forgive them. She missed them and wanted them back in her life, but her anger and pride wouldn't let her. Now they were dead and buried.

Well Jessie, you really fucked up this time.

Jessie took another swig then slammed the bottle on the wire spool she used as a coffee table. She grabbed her small radio and turned it to a Foghat song. She lit a joint, took a hit, and fell back on her dingy couch. She released a billow of smoke and watched as it danced above her. Her eyes slid closed as the music and the high carried her away, making her lose all track of time.

The blaring ZZ Top song drowned out the knocking on her door. She was too lost in her thoughts to know someone entered and was standing above her. It was only when the volume was suddenly turned down, did Jessie take notice.

She peeked open an eye to find Johnny standing over her.

"Gettin' an early start? You didn't even wait for me," Johnny said.

"Hey, Johnny, " she replied lazily.

He pulled her to a sitting position. She rubbed her bloodshot eyes and motioned for him to sit next to her.

"You really need to be more careful," Johnny said, sitting beside her. "You left the door unlocked with the music loud. Anyone could've walked in here."

"Who are you, my father?" The moment she said it, she felt a stab in her heart. "Never mind, just forget I said that."

"What's wrong? You seem down," he asked before taking a drink of whiskey.

She wondered if he truly cared about her problems. Probably not.

"Ain't nothin' to worry about, Johnny K. Maybe I'll tell you later, but for now," in one swift move, she moved for him and straddled her legs around his lap. "I want to get an early start on more than just my liquor," she purred.

Tossing her vest aside, she peeled off her white t-shirt and unhooked her bra. She placed his rough hands over small breasts while she unzipped his jacket.

"You really don't waste any time, do you?" he said, moving from her breasts to his belt buckle.

"Life's too short, John-boy."

He grinned and snatched her by her hips. "I agree."

Afterwards, they lied on her sheetless mattress, neither speaking. Jessie was curled up with her back against him, thinking about him, thinking about the girls, thinking about anything that wouldn't remind her of what she left back home.

"I know where you can find some quality bikes," Johnny said in the darkness.

She turned to face him. "Do you always have to talk business after pleasure?"

"Not my fault I just now remembered."

"I'll send my girls after them. Where are they?"

"Northern part of Bohan, near that Burger Shot. Be careful, the Deadbeats won't give 'em up easy."

She ignored his warning and said casually, "I found out my parents died."

"That's heavy." Johnny's way of saying 'I'm sorry for your loss'. He looped an arm around her and pulled her in closer.

"Yeah… I hadn't talked to them in ten years. All because my dad slapped me and my mom did nothing about it. Oh well. Past is in the past and all that."

"Yeah, guess so," he replied.

She didn't know why she had brought it up when all she wanted to do was forget.

Jessie sat up on the mattress and stretched out an arm for a pair of shorts and a t-shirt on the bedroom floor. She always had her clothes separated into three piles: clean, kind of clean, and dirty. She dressed and left Johnny alone in her room.

She took a long look at the apartment she had been living in for the last year. It wasn't different from the shitty house she grew up in. Same pealing wallpaper, same worn out, stained carpet, trash on the floor, busted couch, a tiny TV.

My parents are looking down on me and must be proud because I'm no better than they were…

Maybe she'd pay Lily a visit after Johnny left. She heard what had happened to the poor girl a few nights ago. Those bastards were lucky it was that Serb they went up against and not her and the girls. She would have given them a fate worse than death.

Algonquin

It was late in the evening when Niko could finally leave the hospital. After four days of sleeping in an uncomfortable bed, eating bland food, and being pumped full of morphine, he was ready to go home. But where was home? He had four apartments and none of them were exactly a place he would consider his home. Not even the Old Country.

He entered the apartment that Roman that purchased a year earlier and made his way to the kitchen. Reaching into his coat pocket, he grabbed the painkillers that were prescribed to him and tossed them on the counter. They bounced and rolled to the corner where they would most likely stay until they'd expire. He wouldn't need them or at least that's what he told himself.

He eased himself on to the couch, fighting through the pain as he did. Reaching into his pocket, he grabbed his phone and tossed it onto the coffee table.

He turned on the TV and flipped through the channels before coming across an old Western flick. He remembered the film well because his aunt took him and Roman to see it when they were children. They loved it so much that they begged to go back and see it again. Red Dead was the name of the film if memory served him correctly. Watching it again, he realized he didn't like it as much as he remembered. Everything looked cheesy and over the top, the main character treated his love interest like shit, the Native Americans were clearly white people playing red face. He wondered if they were even accurately portrayed.

When a young Native woman came on screen, Niko's thoughts drifted to Lily. He wondered if she was doing okay after what had happened to her. He hadn't seen her since that night but heard about her getting him to the hospital, paying a portion of his bill. The latter made him feel guilty. He had the money to pay for his own expenses. A twenty-something working as a cab driver needed to save every penny she could get. He would have to pay her back once it didn't hurt to move.

As far as he knew, two of the attackers were dead but wasn't sure about the other one. The police had briefly questioned him about the incident, but they didn't seem to truly care. He heard from Roman the police questioned the girl as well but they were not exactly sympathetic towards her.

His phone lit up with Roman's name on the screen and vibrated across the table. Niko reached for it and answered.

"Hey, cousin, how are you feeling?" Roman asked.

Niko felt a sharp pain shoot through his side. "I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine."

"I have been shot in my side. How do you expect me to sound?"

"Sorry I asked."

Niko sighed. "Have you seen the girl?"

"I gave her the rest of the week off. She'll start back tomorrow."

"Good," he replied. He was feeling tired and talking only made it hurt more. "Listen, I'll call you later."

"Oh, okay then, I'll see you soon, cousin."

"Yeah, see you."

He ended the call and placed his phone back on the table. As he stared at the ceiling, his mind wandered again as weariness took over his body. His eyes slid closed and the TV's volume grew distant. He dreamed he was sitting on a park bench next to Kate.

Broker

Five days after the attack, Lily sat at home alone, reading her favorite book Red Dead when someone knocked on the door. Sighing, she set the book aside and made her way to the door. She didn't need to look through the peek hole to know it was Jessie Mason on the other side. She opened it and the biker woman stood before her with a grin on her face a bottle of whiskey in her tattooed hand.

"Thought I'd check in on you. Heard what happened." Her smile was quickly replaced with a scowl. "I can send my girls after them if you want."

Although Lily was glad to see Jessie, she didn't have the energy to emote. "They're dead."

"Oh… then I guess the trash took itself out."

"I guess so."

Jessie stepped inside, not caring if Lily wanted her to or not. The biker flopped down on the couch and opened the bottle. Lily took a seat beside her, but she wasn't up for entertaining guests, even though this particular guest could do that herself.

"I know you want to be alone, Lily, but at a time like this, I don't think you should."

Lily hugged her knees. "I just can't believe it happened and the police… they didn't make me feel any better. Everyone makes me feel like it's my fault and maybe it is… I don't know."

Before she could move, Jessie gathered her into a hug. "It's not your fault, Lily."

"I had a weapon! I should've used my knife, but I didn't. My mind completely blanked on me when I was pinned down." She took a breath to fight back a sob. "I feel like a fool."

"You're not," Jessie said firmly. "What happened wasn't your fault."

"I know."

"No, hear me out. You keep blaming yourself because we live in a victim-blaming society." Jessie scowled and clenched her fist. "I was in the same position as you once. Someone tried forcing themselves on me and when I told the people I was closest to, they turned their backs on me and did mental gymnastics to make it out to be my fault. From that day on, I made a promise that no one would hurt me again and I wouldn't allow other victims to suffer in silence."

Sympathy washed over Lily. She took Jessie's hand, feeling a knot in her throat. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea."

Jessie shrugged. "Eh, it was a long time ago. The man who did it, well, he's long dead too. He was a real sicko, anyway."

"How do you move on from something like that?"

"With me, I put it out of my head. It worked but probably won't with you. If you need to talk, I'm always here for you."

"Thank you, Jess. You know, I always liked you more than Amber," Lily confessed.

Jessie chortled. "Yeah? Well, that's not surprising. She was always a stick in the mud. What happened to her?"

"She met a guy…"

The biker shook her head. "Of fucking course, it was a man. I'm so thankful Johnny doesn't drive me insane." She perked up and grinned. "Hey, I have an idea, let's go to a bar!"

Lily shook her head. "Oh no, I do not want to be around bikers… uh, no offense."

"None taken, but trust me, these guys are gentle as lambs."

Thinking back to the day she went looking for Jessie, those bikers were far from lambs.

"Still, the last thing I want is to be around a bunch of men."

Jessie sighed. "Okay, kid, you win, but we gotta get out. How about we go for a drive or get a bite to eat?"

This woman would not let up. Still, it sounded nice to go for a quiet drive. "Sure. Where do you want to go?"

"It's not about the destination but the journey."

She slipped on her coat and followed Jessie outside. Seeing a black battered pickup was a surprise. It explained why she didn't hear a motorcycle, though.

"Where's your bike?" Lily asked.

"At the shop. I know it looks weird, but we ain't bikers twenty-four seven. We have lives outside the club. Work, school, family."

Lily nodded. It was hard to imagine rough and rowdy bikers leaving that at the door and being kind and gentle around their children. She watched a few episodes of that biker show that aired on WX and it looked far-fetched seeing criminals have ordinary lives.

"What's it like?" Lily asked. "Being in that life I mean."

Jessie laughed. "Kid, it's not easy. Why you wanna join?"

"What? Oh no, no. I'm just curious.?" Aren't you, like, scared though? Like, if you make someone mad and they come after you?"

"Naw, I ain't scared. When you've lived the way I have and seen what I seen, nothing scares you. Sometimes, I welcome the idea of death."

Jessie backed out of the driveway and drove for Hove Beach. Despite living a block away, Lily rarely visited the area. Everyone warned her she'd get mugged. It was enough to keep her away and after what happened recently; she didn't plan on going far from her house, anyway.

They passed bright signs with words she assumed were in Russian. She watched two drunk men come stumbling out of a bar and fall over their car.

"So, what made you move out here to the city. Thought you were a country girl?" Jessie asked.

Lily picked at the fuzz on her jacket and looked out the window. Should she confess what happened between her and Blackie? Knowing Jessie she'd probably hunt down her step-brother and kill him. However, she wanted to tell someone. To get it off her chest.

"Well… you remember Blackie, right?"

Jessie grinned. "Oh, believe me, it's hard to forget a man like that. So what about him?"

"You remember when he went into the army?"

"Of course, I gave him a-goin' away present," she said with a wink.

Lily crinkled her nose. Gross. "Anyways, he and I got into a fight a few years ago. It was pretty bad. He wasn't the same after Afghanistan. He drank a lot and I think he was on drugs, too. Well, I got sick of his outburst and moved away. My family begged me to stay and Blackie cried saying he'd go if it came down to it, but I made up my mind. I told them I'd come home when Blackie got help. I was gone a few days later."

"Oh, shit. Wow, so when you goin' back?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know. They said Blackie is getting better, but I'm not ready."

A sudden longing to ride through grassy fields tugged at her. She missed her horse, missed her family, and missed the wide-open space. This city life was choking the life out of her, but she shouldn't face her family yet.

They passed the docks and Brucie's Garage, a place she heard was the pits. They came to a diner on the corner and went inside.

"This is my favorite place to eat!" Jessie declared.

The inside was brightly lit and decorated with a 1950s theme. They took a seat at the counter and a woman in a soft pink waitress dress came out with her pen and pad. Her name tag read Jamie.

"Hey, Jess," the woman said in a rough voice. "The usual?"

"Yep."

She looked at Lily. "And what about you, baby?"

Lily glanced over the menu, unsure of what to order. "I guess, I'll have what she's having?"

The waitress nodded. "Gotcha." Without taking the orders, she vanished into the back and yelled at the cook with a voice that cracked. "Two mushroom swisses with extra fries and thick chocolate shakes!"

"Hey, wait, I don't eat beef!" Lily said.

The waitress poked her head back around. "You don't eat beef? Hey, Mac, make one of those specials with a fried chicken patty!"

She was glad they quickly changed it, although; she wasn't sure she could eat it all, despite feeling starved. She also realized the waitress hadn't asked if she wanted chicken or not. It was a good thing she liked poultry meat.

Glancing over at Jessie, Lily thought back to that night again. The night Jessie ran away from home. She remembered the tension the next morning. She and Amber awoke to find Jessie gone, but Lily already knew. That morning she pretended to be just as shocked as the others. Their mother, Tabby, sat on the couch sobbing as she spoke with police. Their father paced the kitchen like an animal. Because of the chaos, Lily was sent home early.

She wanted to know what happened after Jessie ran away but was afraid to ask in case it upset her. Lily looked away at the sound of a clink. In front of her was a chocolate shake. She took a sip, its sweetness brought her a sliver of joy she hadn't felt in almost a week.

"It's good, huh? I thought you could use one of these."

"Thank you, Jess."

Jessie smiled. She could see that the older woman truly cared for her. If more bikers were like Jessie, then maybe they weren't so bad after all.

"Jessie, can I ask you something?"

Jessie nodded.

"What happened after you left home? What motivated you to become a biker?"

Jessie was quiet for a moment as she thought back to ten years earlier. Lily worried she'd caused Jessie to become upset.

"I didn't have anyone else to turn to," Jessie began. "The Deadbeats were there for me than my parents ever were. They taught me the true meaning of family and loyalty."

"The Deadbeats?"

"Angels of Death. It's what Johnny calls them. Name is pretty fitting but it wasn't like that back then. Back then with Michael as president, things were different. He wanted peace more than war, he held charity events because he truly cared not because he wanted the Angels to look good in the public eye. He saw potential in me. Then… he died mysteriously and Lester Arnold took over. Nothing was the same after that so I left. Now I'm president of my own club. My girls will never be reduced to old lady status again. I want my girls empowered."

"Wow, I had no idea." "

"Yeah, life can be crazy like that. One moment you're a rebellious kid and the next you're an adult on your own and the love of your life wasn't who you thought they were."

"Johnny?"

Jessie's eyes had a sadness to them. "No," she whispered. "Someone else. Someone from a long time ago."

Lily sipped on her shake and looked away from Jessie. She felt sorry for her, only because her friend never had a real chance in life. She spent most of her existence fighting for survival and validation.

"It sucked but what's done is done."

"But it doesn't make things easier."

"No, it doesn't but I've moved on and that's the best I can do."

After they finished their meals, they walked back to Jessie's truck. Bitter wind swept through, chilling them both to the core. Lily never liked the winter and couldn't wait for summer to arrive.

"Have you ever thought about going back to Madison?" Lily asked as she buckled herself in.

"Not in a million years. It smells like cow shit and meth out there. I am never going back.

Besides, I don't have a reason too anymore now that my folks are gone."

"I heard about that… I'm really sorry to hear."

Jessie shrugged. "It is what it is."

Lily wondered if Jessie was grieving properly, but then again, was there any true way to grieve? She felt that her friend should show some form of emotion. The Mason were not perfect parents and could be abusive, but they were still Jessie's family. She had to care somewhat.

She decided not to say anything at the moment as to not anger Jessie. Too much time had passed since they saw each other and it was clear Jessie had changed a lot. Studying her, Lily could see that her friend looked older than thirty thanks to the stressful life she lived.

Jessie's phone rang as they came closer to Hove Beach.

"What?" she asked sharply to someone on the other end. "He canceled? What the fuck, we had a deal!... Well tell him I said to get his sorry ass to Little Italy or the Roses are coming down on his little project… Good!... Yeah, I'm on my way. I'll deal with this fuckwit myself." She hung up and threw her phone on the dashboard. "I hate to do this, Lily, but I gotta cut this short."

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah… everything's cool. Just some idiot who backed out on a deal."

She was about to ask what kind of deal, but then she suddenly realized she didn't want to know. Whoever this person was, she didn't want to be them at that moment.

They pulled into the driveway ten minutes later. Janie's sickly green car was parked in front. Her shift at the cafe ended sooner than usual. Lily wasn't ready to deal with Janie's questions but knew she had to face the music sometime.

"Good luck with your… deal," Lily said sliding out of the truck.

"Thanks. You wanna hang out tomorrow?"

She shook her head. "I'm going back to work tomorrow."

Jessie gave a nod and backed out of the driveway. She floored it, her tires screeching and leaving marks as she peeled away. The smell of burned rubber assaulted Lily's nose. Still, she gave a smirk, amused by Jessie even if her behaviour was reckless.

Stepping inside, the familiar scent of warm vanilla sugar hit her. In the kitchen she heard the clatter of pots and pans and made her way towards the direction of the noise. She found Janie at the stove taking out a box of mac n' cheese.

"Is that all you're going to make?" Lily asked.

"It's all I'm willing to cook. Who was that you were with?"

And it begins. "Jessie Mason. She's an old friend from Madison."

"She looked grungy."

"She's a biker."

Janie shook her head in disapproval. "Jesus, Lily, you're gonna get yourself killed."

"Jessie isn't bad."

"She's a criminal, that makes her bad."

Lily turned away, knowing where the conversation was heading. She retreated to her bedroom and locked the door behind her. Flopping down on the bed, she rolled to her side and curled up.

She was tired and slightly miffed with Janie. Still, that happy, giddy feeling she had from spending time with an old friend lingered. It helped take away some of the self loathing she'd felt. Enough that she was ready to go back to work. She wanted to get back out there and see Niko again.

She hoped he was okay. She tried visiting him in the hospital but because she wasn't family, she couldn't see him. That was okay. She'd see him at work. Thinking back to the day they were alone in the office, she felt this odd… pull to him that she hadn't felt for any stranger in years. There was something about him that made her feel comfortable and safe. She felt a warmth in her chest that gave her butterflies in her stomach. There was also an ache between her legs as she thought about.

Slipping her hand into her jeans, she took care of it the only way she knew how.

South Bohan

"All right, gimme all the cash outta your wallet!" A mugger, dressed in black with a ball cap demanded as he held up a young couple.

The boyfriend pushed his girlfriend behind him to protect her as the mugger waved a 9mm in their faces. "Come on, man, do you have to do this?"

"Shut the fuck up and hand it over."

The boyfriend reluctantly handed over his wallet as the girlfriend did the same with her purse. The mugger grinned as he snatched their valuables from the boyfriend's hand. The young man looked over the mugger's shoulder and spotted a figure stepping out from the shadows. He took a step back and grabbed his girlfriend's arm, tugging her to follow him as the figure grew closer.

The mugger was too busy looking through the wallet and purse to realize that the figure was swiftly approaching him. He looked up at the young couple and slowly backed away with his gun still drawn on them. When he believed he was at a safe distance, he spun around only to run into the figure. Before he could react, he was disarmed and his head slammed into the side of a brick wall. The mugger slid down the wall, groaning as stars flew across his vision.

Someone hauled him to his feet and brought to eye level with his assaulter.

"Return their belongings," the figure demanded in an accented voice.

"Screw you, buddy!" The mugger shot back.

The figure slammed the mugger into the wall again and rammed a combat pistol into his chest. "I will not ask again, return their belongings!"

This time the mugger complied as the barrel pressed hard into his back. He slowly walked back to the couple who had watched the scene unfold before them. He held up the purse and wallet for them and they didn't hesitate to take them back. The couple spun on their heels and ran the opposite direction as the figure dragged the mugger behind the alley.

Niko flung the mugger into the garbage cans. The mugger, afraid of anymore blows Niko planned to deliver, held up an arm for protection.

"Come on, man, I didn't mean nothin' by it! We all gotta make a livin' somehow." The intimidating voice the mugger used earlier was now gone and in its place was a shaky and frightened one. Niko shined a small flashlight into their face revealing a scrawny punk kid with shaggy brown hair. The boy couldn't have been no older than seventeen or eighteen.

"How old are you?" Niko asked.

The boy glared, refusing to answer.

"I will not hurt you unless you give me a reason."

"Seventeen," the boy answered. "I'm seventeen and this was my first mugging."

Niko helped the kid to his feet. "And it will be your last."

"I need the money."

"So get a job."

The kid rolled his eyes. "Yeah right, like any job around here willing to hire a kid pays a decent wage."

"You're seventeen, you don't need to worry about money."

"You do when your dad is dying from fucking cancer!"

Niko felt a small stab of pity for the boy. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Yeah, well… sorrys won't save my dad." The kid said sounding defeated.

"What about your mother?"

"Why the fuck do you care?"

Niko shrugged and turned to leave. "Fine, forget I asked."

As he walked away, he heard the boy quietly say, "She left when I was little."

Niko stopped and turned to face him again. "What's your name, kid?"

"Eric. What's yours?"

"It's Niko," he replied. He opened his wallet and gave Eric a hundred-dollar bill. "Take this and go home."

Eric eyed the money that laid in his open palm suspiciously. He looked to Niko for reassurance it was okay.

"Go on, kid and don't let me see you around here again. I won't be so nice the next time around."

Eric nodded. "Thanks, Niko. I guess you're not so bad." With that, the boy turned and walked away.

Niko watched him go, hoping he had done the right thing. Who knows, the boy could have been lying to him, but he saw the desperation in his eyes. He knew that look well.

The land of opportunity has failed its youth.

Once the kid was out of sight, he leaned against the building as the pain in his side returned. He lifted his jacket and shirt to check for blood or a loose stitch. Nothing was out of place. He lowered his shirt and continued walking the streets.

He had made it to the northern part of Bohan with the small Burger Shot in his sights when he spotted a gang of leather-clad women slowly making their way to a cluster of bikes parked on the side of the fast-food building. Once the women were close, they quickly hopped on the bikes and began to hot-wire them. Niko stopped and hid around the corner as he watched them closely. They were brave, he'd give them that much.

The bikes roared to life and the owners of the bikes came running out of the Burger Shot yelling at the women as they rode away. The dark-haired woman ahead of the others turned back to ride passed the men and called out, "Fuck you, you A.O.D. motherfuckers!" She raised her middle finger and let out a cackle, speeding away.

Niko realized the owners were probably the Angels of Death and the women were the Steel Roses, an all-female biker gang that showed up. He heard they rarely caused much trouble, and that they had made an alliance with the Lost MC or what was left of them.

"Shoot those bitches!" One of the Angels yelled.

The rest of the Angels pulled out their guns and opened fire. It was in that moment three Lost MC members flew past Niko on their choppers and returned the fire on the Angels. He recognized one of them as Johnny, the biker he once worked with a year ago.

"Hey assholes, haven't you ever heard don't hit a lady?" Johnny said.

He watched as some of the Angels got on what little bikes were left behind and rode after the girls. The rest continued their firefight with the Lost.

It wasn't long before he lost interest in the scene that was playing out before him. He turned and walked away from the commotion, back to the shitty apartment he once used as a hideout.

East Hook

"So, cousin, how's the vigilante business going?" Roman asked a few days later.

Niko was standing by the vending machine in the office. He was about to open a Sprunk can when Roman mention his late-night activities. He didn't answer his cousin right away and sipped on his drink.

"It wasn't hard, you know," Roman began when he didn't reply. "The vigilante the news reports about gave some obvious clues it was you."

"You caught me," Niko replied in a deadpan tone.

"Why do it?"

Niko sighed. "I don't know."

The office phone went off at that moment. Roman picked it up and laid it back down on the receiver. It was a bad habit of his whenever he was having a conversation with Niko.

"I know you still feel guilty about what happened at the wedding, but you can't let that control your life."

It was the same old topic that both were tired of talking about. Roman had to get through to his cousin somehow and Niko knew no matter how many times it was brought up, Roman would just be wasting his breath. Neither of them wanted to tell the other that they needed to get over it.

"It was my fault, Roman. No matter what you say, I'll always blame myself." The agitation within him was rising.

The phone went off again and this time Roman answered it, knowing his conversation was going nowhere as usual.

"Bellic Enterprises…. Lily?…. How did that happen?… All right…. Listen, don't worry about it, I'll send Niko, he can take care of it."

Niko looked up, giving his cousin a questioning look as Roman hung up. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Lily says the cab smoked before it blew rusty water all over the windshield. Could you go look? She's broke down near Perestroika."

Niko gave a nod. "Yeah, I got it."

Half an hour after she called Roman, Niko arrived in that red and white Sabre that she liked. She shut her book and set it aside as he approached the car. She stepped out while buttoning her coat and limped his way. She was nervous seeing Niko again after the attack. She had paid a portion of his doctor bill. Not much, but enough to show that she was grateful for what he had done for her.

"We have to stop meeting like this," she said.

He stopped and gave her a puzzled look. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, it seems every time we come across each other, I'm in some trouble." When he said nothing to that she added, "Thank you for saving me."

He shrugged. "Don't mention it. I was only doing what anyone else would have done."

"That's bullshit. I mean I raised so much hell that people took notice and still turned a blind eye. You were the only one who came to my aid."

Niko shifted from one foot to the other and rubbed the back of his neck. She could tell that praises probably made him uncomfortable. "Yes, well, you're welcome. How's your leg?"

"It's better. I still limp a little, but it's only a sprain. How's your gunshot wound?"

"It's better I guess. Come on, let's look at the cab."

He opened the hood and was met with a cloud of steam. He waved it away and found the problem immediately. The thermostat was stuck shut, making the car overheat, and it blew the radiator hose. It was simple to get the thermostat unstuck, but he didn't have the tools with him to fix it. He slammed the hood and called for a tow to take the car back to the depot.

Lily stood off to the side with her hands in her pockets while he was on the phone. As she watched him, her thoughts went back to that day they locked eyes. She saw something in them that she hadn't seen in another person since she was nineteen. But there was something else in his eyes too. Sometimes he would get a far-off look as if he saw something no one else could see. It was the same look her step-brother, Blackie had when he came home. She remembered Roman once mentioning a war to Niko, but she never looked into which war he was in.

"Didn't you see the emergency light come on?" Niko asked.

She looked at him unsure what he was talking about. "What light?"

"A little light comes on telling you the car is overheating."

"Nothing like that ever came on."

"Great, that means my cousin never does regular maintenance on his cars. Come on, I'll take you back to the office."

She grabbed her purse and a book from the cab and followed him to the Sabre. After a few minutes of silence has passed, he spoke up again.

"How have things been since that night?"

She looked down at the book in her lap and said. "It's getting better. I tried to file a police report, but the cops they sent to speak with me harassed me and said it was my fault. They said I knew better than to be out at night and tried to say I was asking for it."

"Useless pigs," he muttered.

"I've never felt so ashamed."

They came to a stoplight where he said, "Lily, you have done nothing wrong. There is no reason to feel ashamed."

She looked his way and gave a smile. "Thank you. So far you're the only person who hasn't given me hell about that night. I'm sorry they shot you."

"It wouldn't be the first time."

The light turned green, and they continued on to their destination. She wanted to ask about the first time he was shot, but it felt wrong to bring up his war history. Blackie would always become anxious when someone asked him about his tour overseas. She knew it would be the same for Niko.

They made it to the garage fifteen minutes later. Niko explained what had happened and then lectured Roman about keeping proper maintenance on the cabs. It would fall on deaf ears; he didn't know why he bothered. Lily's shift what almost over which meant it was pointless to get another cab. Roman gave her the rest of the day off. The sun was setting so Niko offered to walk her to her car. After what happened a week ago she wasn't taking any risk and accepted. They reached the parking lot when he noticed the title of the book she was reading. Red Dead by Ja. Marston.

"So, is the movie as good as the book?" He asked.

"The movie is absolute garbage! It's nothing like the book which is beautifully written by the way. The movie is a stereotypical shoot-'em-up western that doesn't age well at all. The book is much better and is about a man, Jacob Marshal, who used to be an outlaw and then he walks away from it all when the woman he loves begs him to lay down the gun." He noticed the light in her eyes when she said it. "He does, but his past comes back to haunt him and it threatens his family. Then he goes on a quest for redemption."

"I don't believe in redemption," he said, quietly.

They stopped at her car and she turned to face him. "Why?"

"Because… because I just don't."

"Everyone deserves a second chance."

He shook his head. "Not everyone, trust me on that."

She gave him a curious look. "You're talking about yourself, aren't you?"

"Maybe,"

She flashed him a smile and said, "You can't be all that bad if you risked your life for someone you barely knew. For what it's worth, I think you're a good person."

It was something he had heard before, but hearing her say it gave him that feeling again and he didn't know what to do with it. He wanted to tell her she didn't know what she was talking about, that if she knew half the things he did in this country alone, she would run for the hills. This girl was too young and naïve to understand how the world worked, but maybe that was why he was drawn to her. Seeing the way she looked as the evening sun was setting behind her, her feathery black hair pulled back, and her feather earrings gently blowing in the wind made the feeling stronger.

This isn't right, he thought. I just lost Kate. How can I begin to have these feelings again?

He told her goodbye and turned away. She called out a thank you and he raised a hand without turning to look at her. As he walked back to the office, he questioned why he had an infatuation with that girl.

Get her out of your head, Bellic. Don't forget the last time you allowed someone to get close.

The voice in his head was right, and he hated that.