"You pouting, Dipshit?" Jack looked up from her boots to see Scott strolling towards her along the gravel path.

"Why'd you give me the day off?" She squinted against the sun as she leaned back on the stone bench. He settled down next to her to gaze across the vast lawn before answering.

"Cause you need it. You ain't worth jack," He chuckled at the pun, "If your brain is broken. You're still new and need to build up tolerance for this job." Her hands lifted to rub at her face.

"How do you deal with it?" Jack mumbled past her fingers and Scott turned his head to look at her.

"You've got to look at it like it is. They tried to kill you and you defended yourself and since you didn't die, you defended the family's honor. You proved we're bad ass." When she didn't smile, he kicked her boot, making her jump, "Stop overthinking it, Dipshit. You shot a man yesterday. You took his life. You did your job." Pain crashed down on her features but Scott grabbed her by the shirt and hauled her close, "No. You do not think about him being anything but a gun. To you, he has no family, no friends, no kids. He was a weapon that you disabled because you're a weapon too. A better one. Start forgetting that and I'll be dropping flowers on your coffin. What are you?" He shook her and Jack's hands came up to grasp at his wrists.

"No I-" Scott shook her harder.

"What are you!?" He snarled in her face. Jack glared back at him.

"A weapon." She spat and he pushed her away then got to his feet to shove his finger in her face. She slipped backwards into the short bushes behind the bench and he bent down.

"Don't you ever fucking forget it!" Scott yelled while she cringed among the leaves and flowers, "I will not bury your worthless ass if you do." Jack watched him storm off, his shoulders ridged as stone. Anger burned like bile in her throat as she fought her way out of the crushed greenery and ran after him, her boots sending up sprays of pebbles in her wake. Scott stopped to face her, his body tensed for an attack.

"I'm not just a weapon." Jack said as she stopped in front of him, her eyes snapping with green fire.

"To a mafia boss, that's all you are. You're expendable, easily replaced. You'll learn that if you live long enough. This one is just a little kinder than others but he's still a boss." She stepped closer to him when his dark eyes held nothing but a deep sadness, his aftershave faint in her nose.

"Why did you join the Mafia if that's how it is?" Jack asked as her eyes held his and he was the one to look away.

"Meet me in the gym tomorrow. It's time you learn something else." Scott walked away and this time she didn't follow after.

Swiping her card, Jack pushed the door open then stepped into the large room covered in wall to wall matting. A frown drew her brows down when she recognized Monty standing next to Scott and another man who Jack assumed was Monty's mentor, Serio.

"Hurry up, Dipshit." Scott yelled while she slipped off her shoes then jogged over to the men. Monty grinned when she stopped in front of him.

"Looks like we're training together today. I'll go easy on you." He winked and Jack's eyes widened.

"Actually, Cupcake, she's fighting me. You're here to make her look like an idiot." Scott's evil smile made Jack want to groan. This had to be revenge for her getting lippy with him yesterday and it was obvious that all three of them easily outweighed and outclassed her in a fight.

"But I'm an assassin. Why do I have to learn how to beat people up?" She winced when she heard the whine in her own voice and Scott somehow managed to widen that evil grin.

"A gun isn't the only weapon you'll be trained to use and at some point, you'll fail to kill your target. You need to know how to subdue them so you can finish the job," His eyes flashed at her, "That and I enjoy throwing you around." Jack scowled at him.

"You're a sick bastard." That made him laugh.

"Whatever." Scott rubbed his hands together, "Alright, Dipshit watch Cupcake there and pay attention. You might learn something." Monty gave her a thumbs up before squaring off with his mentor. Scott moved to stand next to her, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I've never seen you in anything but a suit before." She said as she raised a brow at his shorts and tank top.

"Stop checking me out, kid, I'm too old for you." Scott said, his tone light. Jack made a funny noise as she turned the color of a tomato.

"I wasn't...You're a..." She sputtered then glared at him, "You're too much of an ass to be attractive." She huffed.

"Dipshit, you better watch that mouth." He warned, "Or I'll-" A sharp whistle cut him off and they looked at the other two.

"Anytime you two would like to stop arguing like an old married couple and give the cue, it'd be appreciated." Serio snapped and Scott rolled his eyes.

"Go!" He barked and Monty, who hadn't taken his eyes from his instructor, leapt forward. His fist snapped out towards Serio's face and when it was blocked, he gracefully swung his body into a kick. Jack's mouth dropped open while she watched the fast exchange of blows with awe. Monty was amazing, his speed and focus incredible as he built attacks off each other and the blocks thrown in his way.

"Holy shit." She breathed. Scott nodded in appreciation.

"Kid has some skills."

"Do I have to be that good?" Jack gulped.

"No. You need to be fast and accurate. His job is to put people on the ground. Yours is to put them in it. You don't want to give them a chance to fight back. Not it's your turn." Fear flashed across her face when he called a halt to the others then smirked at her, "Let's see what ya got."

"But I don't-"

"Shut up and try and hit me," He snapped, "I'm not gonna punch you." Jack backed up several steps when he raised his fists, her hands up to ward him off.

"N-n-no." Her terror was obvious as her eyes darted around for an exit.

"Grab her." Scott started moving towards her and Jack shrieked before she turned to run into Serio's hard chest, his thick arms banding around her. She went from screaming to shrieking, her body thrashing in his grip.

"What the hell?" He demanded in surprise as his arms started tightening to keep her still.

"Don't!" Monty jumped forward when she started to sound like a wounded animal caught in a trap but Scott grabbed his arm, his mouth a thin line.

"Leave her. She'll calm down." Almost to prove him wrong, Jack started to sag, her screeches petering off before she went limp in Serio's arms, her lashes fluttering and her chest barely moving.

"Fuck." Scott muttered as he hurried forward and took her in his arms then slowly sank to his knees.

"I told you." Monty growled down at him, Scott's eyes flicking up then back to Jack when he settled her against his chest, her hear lolling on his shoulder, "She's terrified of strange men. Don't you fucking know that?"

"I do," Scott glared at him, "But I wasn't aware of the extent. Now I know." He patted her cheek, "Come on, Jack." She came around slowly, her eyes glazed when they finally opened to stare at Scott.

"Welcome back, Jack." He smiled gently as her throat worked for a moment.

"Asshole." She whispered. Scott sighed.

"Yeah...sorry about that."