A/N: MORE REVIEWS. MORE! They'll help me bring out the chapters faster...; ) I hope this one shows that I care about ALL the characters backgrounds and lives and not just Jack or Jess.

Sofi had taken it upon herself to do Jess' hair and make up since neither had anything to do. While Jess didn't mind make up here and there she really didn't enjoy the idea of wearing so much that it felt like a second layer of skin. She was also stressed about her job she'd been given leave from work but she still had no idea where to go from there, say she solved whatever was going on behind her family's death. What then? Just head back to working in a hipster bar as another nameless waitress?

She excused herself to go wash some of the make up off and when she returned Jack and Bobby were back home. Sofi was jabbing at Bobby dangerously with hair straighteners and Jack was as usual watching and trying not to fall apart with laughter.

"Living la vida loco! You're breaking my corazon here! Seriously Sofi, move all your stupid crap back upstairs" sneered Bobby

Sofi flipped him off and continued to wave the straighteners in his face "You disrespect me one more time Bobby..., why you always acting like you the big dog in here? Everyone knows you're the littlest dog in the house" she spat back and pushed her index and her thumb together

He raised his eyebrows and threw various make up pieces in her direction "You want to see for yourself loco? Well didn't you just ask..."

"Woah! Easy people. Come on" interjected Jess, Bobby kissed his teeth mockingly at Sofi then headed into the kitchen.

Sofi screeched and raved in Spanish then thundered up to her room, where Angel who was sleeping off a headache, was about to get an earful.

"Those two ever shut up?" she asked turning to Jack who was still shaking with laughter. Unable to respond through his laughing, he shook his head in response and helped her pick up some of Sofi's make up.

"I can't believe that Angel finally got serious about la vida loca...I mean Sofi. I remember when I used to come around here, Sofi was just...one of many other girls" she said thoughtfully

Jack shrugged "I guess he found 'the one', I still don't see why loca had to be it. Her voice makes me want to cut someone"

Jess grinned "That bad?"

He shook his head, a boyish grin filling his features "Nah, not really. She lives up to the loca name but...she's cool" he gave up on searching for the tiny pieces of make up and went to the CD player. He put on one of the Dead Kennedy very few more mellow CDs and crashed onto the sofa.

"How can you listen to that crap?" protested Jess, she put some of the make up she was holding on a coffee table and turned off the CD, ignoring Jack's protests she moved down to the record player and put on the famous Nina Simone cover ; 'I put a spell on you'.

"I know this one...originally by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. The Godfather of shock rock" he said lazily and rummaged in his leather jacket's soft folds for his cigarette pack. He looked suddenly very serious. He knew he had to tell her sometime soon about what he'd uncovered but he had no idea what to say. The music filled the room, gentle, yet very much a presence.

"Shock...rock?" she asked, he realised that in the time he'd spent thinking she'd gathered a couple of Corona's from the kitchen. She tossed one to him and he caught it, then further sprawled out on the couch, his long limbs draped all over the place.

"Its like...performance art...and music thats made to shock. Simple as that, think Marylin Manson" he explained as he started smoking a cigarette. He held it up silently and she walked over, took a drag from it then wandered over to the record player.

He watched her sway to the music, the bottle in her hand every so often rising to meet her full lips, the fluid smooth way she did everything. As if every action was part of some sensuous dance routine. Her dark hair shimmered on her tan shoulders, he looked away and tried to think of other things. One of which was how he was going to bring up what he'd found out.

It turned out he didn't have that much time to think it over.

"Jack?" he looked up and she was staring at him "What did you and Bobby find out today?"

He sat up, swinging his legs from the edge of the couch to face her, with the bottle in his hand he scratched his head then put it down on the floor.

"So...we found Janos Vak and...he told us...he said your old man called him and hired the arsonist"

She dropped the bottle and then snapped out of her state. "Shit" she said and crouched down to pick up the bottle. When she stood up again, her eyes were shining.

"Hey, I'm sorry" he said awkwardly, this wasn't the sort of thing he could cure by offering her a drink or a smoke. He stood up and tucked his hands into his pockets. If there was one thing every Mercer brother hated, it was to see a woman cry. It made them feel defensive, uncomfortable and helpless.

"Do you want me to get Bobby?"

"Thanks Jack...but its okay. I'm going upstairs...just need to get my head straight" she said, she was still refusing to cry but was finding that decision very difficult at that moment.

"You know what? I knew it. I fucking knew it" she grumbled out loud and then slunk out of the room and upstairs. Bobby appeared from the kitchen with a plate piled high with food. He looked at Jack's bewildered expression.

"Did you tell her?"

Jack nodded grimly as his phone rang. He had a good idea it was his band calling about his whereabouts.

"How'd she take it?"

The taller man shrugged "She's...tough. She's handling it...but I don't think she could deal with anymore"

Bobby nodded in agreement, and put his plate down to answer the door. As he'd expected it was Jerry, with yet another casserole from Camille.

"Hey ya'll" he said pleasantly

Bobby greedily grabbed the casserole then remembered Jess "She knows" he said pointedly

Jerry sighed and took off his scarf and coat.

Jess looked up at Jerry as he opened to door to Evelyn room. He gazed around wistfully. "Damn. I haven't been here in a while" he touched the faded floral wall paper and thought of the mother who'd been taken far sooner than he'd liked.

He looked at Jess, her blue eyes were fixed resolutely on the cloudless late afternoon sky. He sat down on the bed next to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

"You want to talk?"

She shook her head, no.

"Do you want me to just sit here with you?"

She nodded, yes. He kicked off his shoes out of respect for Eveyln's 'no shoes in bed' rule and let Jess' head fall on his shoulder.

By the time the sky had grown dark, Jess had fallen into sleep. Bobby passed by the room as Jerry gently eased her under the covers.

"Aw, you make the sweetest nanny. Now you just need a pretty little apron" he teased, keeping his voice to a whisper

Jerry cursed him out and then silently exited the room. He noted Bobby's unusually dark bedclothes, he of course knew straightaway that his cocky brother was up to something "You're going out? Now?"

"Townsend has got some explaining to do. Might as well 'pop in'" he answered in a tone that defied anyone to challenge his plans

Jerry shrugged, a quick glance at his watch and he consented "'Might as well' come along"

Bobby smiled, pleased; "Jack and Angel are already in the car"

Sofi rapped on Eveyln's bedroom door carrying a basket of laundry, when she got no response she knocked again and then pushed the door open with her hip. Jess was still in bed although wide awake.

"Aw, honey." she said fondly then sighed; "Wake up! Ai! Its nearly midday! And the sun is out...its still cold but...you take what you can get" she smiled at an inner thought that Jess couldn't see.

Jess realised that she was right as the woman pulled the curtains open to unveil a bright burst of sunlight. "Snow might melt" she said dreamily and Jess wondered why she was acting so...unlike herself. Not usually loud and full of attitude she seemed elated and in a dreamlike state.

Jess let Sofi ramble around the room making the bed and collecting various bits of laundry as she changed from the outfit she'd slept in into ared teeoff shoulder teeshirtand dark denim jeans. When she was done she found Sofi sat staring outside, a glazed expression on her face.

"You feeling all right Sofi?" asked Jess as she tied her hair into a ponytail

Sofi turned around, a gold necklace glittered at her throat "Okay, Jessica, this is just us girls okay? But I got some news...I can't keep it to myself anymore"

Jess wasn't surprised. Sofi loved to talk.

"Yeah,'course"

Sofi twirled a lock of hair around a red painted fingernail then sighed "Okay. Okay..." she let out a quick breath "I'm...pregnant"

Jess gasped and immediately went to hug the other woman. "Oh, wow! That's amazing. Does Angel know?"

Sofi shook her head dismissively "Nah, I don't want to tell him just yet...he's got all this business with your family..." she trailed off, smiling

Jess felt guilty "I'm sorry. I'm taking up all his time"

"Honey! Don't feel bad, I understand...I'm just happy I'm having his baby. He loves you, he wants to take care of you, you're like...his baby sister. Its fine" she said earnestly

They hugged tightly again and then Sofi, giggling left the room to have a shower. Jess watched her go and thought that perhaps Sofi deserved a lot more credit than she was given.

Downstairs the Mercer brothers were all gathered in the dining room deep in discussion. Jess arrived just in time to hear the tail end of a conversation.

"...none of this makes a fuck load of sense" grumbled Bobby from his position on the couch. Angel was crouched by the record player and scanning through records. Jack was by the window, smoking and Jerry sat on an armchair nodding at what Bobby had said.

"This shit just got a whole lot more complicated" sighed Angel

"What did?" asked Jess startling them all, she noted with some amusement that the worried looks they'd exchanged were just like that time when she'd found out they'd put the 'feelers' out on her prom date and finding him unsatisfactory had told him where to go and now had to explain to her why she didn't have a prom date.

"Come sit with me a sec," said Bobby

Jess did so, wondering why no one was saying anything. "Whats going on guys?" she asked the room in general

Bobby sighed and reached for a beer he'd forgotten on the floor "We went to talk to your old man...at his penthouse. He wasn't there...now its in the papers saying he's missing"

Jess sank into the chair and felt her throat go dry, she looked at Bobby "And?"

Angel spoke up "If he's gone...then, whoever...is doing this is coming after you next". She shuddered and curled up on the chair, her eyes were fixed on something they couldn't reach.

"Don't worry though. We'll be here for you. No ones going to get you while we're around" stated Bobby and he rubbed her back. Jess shrugged him off "I don't need to be petted and...hugged...Bobby, I need to do something. Tell me what I can do"

He didn't have and answer, he cleared his throat gruffly "All right. This mood is too heavy. We need a game of hockey"

Jack was first to protest "Fuck, Bobby, I still have the damn bruises from the last game"

Angel smiled faintly "Yeah and you know how Jess gets with a hockey stick, why you think we call her Crazy Jess?"

Jerry stood up, unusually excited about the game "You know what, I could do with this. Take you boys back to school"

Bobby rose from the couch too and glanced down at Jess "What'cha say girly, you and me? Take on those two and the fairy?"

She smiled softly and when she stood up, the group cheered and stampeded out of the house making threats about what would happen when they got on the ice at each other. Jess joined in, thinking that there was nothing like a good hockey game to get you back on your feet again.