A/N reminder: I do not own the works of Shakespeare, Baz Luhrmann or any of the writers Baz Luhrmann used for the movie. Any changes that I've made to the dialogue has been made to go along with the story I'm trying to make.

Meanwhile on the busy beach of Verona, Mercutio stood impatiently with his hands on his hips. He had watched his friend Benvolio try to call from the phone again, with no answer. He had better things to be doing, instead of going on a man hunt for Romeo, he was his friend but he was starting to become very impatient with him when he could be doing more important things. Important things, like spending time with his Lucero and the more he thought about it the more it made him mad.

"Where the devil should this Romeo be," he asked Benvolio, when he hung up thr phone. "Came he not home to-night"?

He started to walk off, trying to calm his nerves with Benvoilo on his heels.

"Not to his father's; I spoke with his man," Benvolio said. Mercutio shook his head, this all had to be for one reason.

"Why that pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline," Mercutio turned and pointed to Benvolio in aggravation. He couldn't even understand why Romeo was putting up with all of this, from one girl! "Torments him so, that he will sure run mad".

"Tybalt, the kinsman of old Capulet, hath sent a letter to his father's house," Benvoilo said, making Mercutio stop and turn in interest. Now here was something more interesting than hearing Romeo moan and groan about Rosaline and made a smile appear on his face.

"A challenge, on my life"!

"Romeo will answer it"?

"Any man that can write may answer a letter".

Hell, Mercutio would do it himself! He had a few "words" he wanted to exchange with Tybalt anyway. He knew, or more of heard, of the feelings Tybalt held for his Lucero and now that they were courting, with the blessings of both their parents he wanted to make sure that Tybalt completely understood that he held no chance. Alright, it may also be a great opportunity to rub it in the Prince of Cat's face. It was no secret that Tybalt and Mercutio did not like each other, mostly because Mercutio was an ally to the Montague's and Mercutio couldn't care less if Tybalt would feel hurt by him having Lucero. But the possessive side of Mercutio wanted to make it clear to Tybalt and the whole world, that Lucero was his and only his.

"Nay, he will answer the letter's master, how he dares, being dared," Benvolio said.

Mercutio rolled his eyes and wagged both his hands in the air.

"But alas poor Romeo," Mercutio said and did a quick spin and aimed a high kick at Benvolio's chest, that Benvolio blocked. "He is already dead !" Mercutio threw another playful punch that Benvolio blocked. "Stabbed with a white wench's black eye". Mercutio grabs Benvolio's wrist and plants a hard side of his hand against the side of Benvolio's neck and makes them walk in a circle. "Shot through the ear with a love-song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy's butt-shaft" Mercutio releases Benvolio and gives him a kick behind his knees. "And is he a man to encounter Tybalt"?

"Why dost thou doubt my cousin so and what is Tybalt" Benvolio asked. Mercutio rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.

"Tybalt is a deulist, Romeo is too struck down by a love that does not love him," he said and smiled. "If I was our dear friend I would find a love that gave me strength and was strength herself, like my lady love".

Benvolio almost choked on nothing and then laughed.

"You a lady love"-

"She could inspire armies, nations to fight for her hand," Mercutio said, purposely ignoring Benvolio's confused expression. "Just her smile could lift the spirits of the of broken soldiers, raise men to their feet and have them fight until the very end"!

"Who-"

"Just to be in her presence is enough to bring a king to his own knees and bless upon her his entire kingdom"!

"Hold my good friend, who dost thou speak of," Benvolio asked. "Is this one of thou many dreams….or is she someone of a true form"?

Mercutio gave a playful grin to his friend. He was in no way embarrassed of revealing who Lucero was to him, but the confused look on his face was so priceless and he couldn't help but keep it to himself for a while longer and could just imagine the expression on his friends faces, when they saw who his lover is. That would have to come another time though, something had caught Benvolio's attention and made him smile.

"Here comes Romeo," he said "Romeo"!

They turn and run to Romeo's parked chariot and Benvolio slapped palms as he got out.

"Ho Ho, Capital Punks," Romeo greeted. Mercutio rolled his eyes and started to walk away.

"Signior Romeo, bon jour! there's a French salutation to your French slop," Mercutio said. "You gave us the counterfeit fairly last night".

"Good morrow to you both," Romeo said, trying to put a hand on Mercutio's shoulder, but it was shrugged off by an annoyed Mercutio. "What counterfeit did I give you"?

Was this boy dumb, Mercutio thought.

"The slip, son, the slip; can you not conceive"?

Romeo tried to reach for Mercutio again, but Mercutio was too annoyed for playful games at the moment and pushed him away as the walked over to Sampson (A/N: pink haired Montague, if you don't know).

"Pardon, good Mercutio, my business was great," Romeo tried to explain. "And in such a case as mine a man may strain courtesy.''

They gathered together and listened to Romeo's explanation, but Mercutio couldn't really care for it.

"That's as much as to say, such a case as yours constrains a man to bow in the hams," Mercutio said, getting a laugh out of everyone.

"Canst thou speak, when thou has had "business" of your own," Benvolio said, smirking. Everyone's laughter died down and their attention turned to look at a slightly embarrassed Mercutio. He tried to laugh it off and was glad his dark skin hid the blush that would surely be turning him a great color of red right now.

"Silly Benvolio my business was not of the same matter," he tried to explain, now that all the attention was on him.

"What business does he speak of," Romeo asked. Mercutio went to answer, but Benvolio was suddenly very talkative.

"A lady love that he speaks of," he explained. All the Montague's 'ooohed' and nudge Mercutio. "She is quite formidable, from what our dear friend says".

"Formidable indeed if she has caught Mercutio's attention," Gregory said. "Who is this fair maid"?

"I must know what enchantment she has placed on you," Romeo said and poked Mercutio in the shoulder. "What happened to all jokes of love and anything of the sort"?

"Well my love loves me," Mercutio said smugly and poked Romeo back. "Love is no heavy burden for me, as it is for thee. You should take notes from me if thou truly wishes to know the ways of love".

Romeo threw up his hands and rolled his eyes.

"He opposes its force one second and then, speaks of giving lessons the next. How much courage this girl has to want to deal with you and your constant joking".

"Afraid of losing a game of wits," Mercutio asked stepping towards Romeo, with a smile still on his face. Romeo's smile grows and he takes a step toward Mercutio as well.

"Keep going, keep going, or I'll declare myself the winner".

Mercutio laughed and started pushing Romeo, to the point that the Montague started to run and Mercutio ran after him and tackled him in to the ground. They wrestled around in the sand, kicking it up in every direction and getting it all over them.

"Sure Witt! Now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo, now art thou what thou art, by art as well as by nature," Mercutio yelled out, laughing.

But suddenly, Romeo's attention was caught by bright red heels and white heels, with some plump tan legs connected to them. He stopped rolling around with Mercutio and they both looked up to see two older woman, the one on the left in an all red dress suit and the one on the right in an black and white pinstripe skirt suit. Both had shades over their eyes and a tall man dressed professionally was holding an umbrella over their heads.

"Here's goodly gear," Romeo said, Getting up and trying to dust himself off.

"We desire some confidence with you," the woman in the red said, pointing to Romeo. He quickly nodded and ran over to them, following where they lead. Mercutio made his way off the ground and yelled out

"A bawd, a bawd, a bawd" He joined their friends and they all started to yell out "SO HO, SO HO, SO HO"!

"ROMEO, ROMEO, ROMEO"! Mercutio took out his sword, ready to thrash it in the air, when suddenly a crown of thick curls surrounding a round face of glowing brown skin made him falter. It was Lucero, the woman he had been bragging about without giving her true identity away, walking in the direction of the two older women and Romeo. He almost dropped his sword and swallowed his tongue, spinning to silent his rowdy friends. "Hush you fools before my death is brought down upon me"!

"What dost thou-"

"Hush….hello my lady," he said waving the hand that still held his sword nervously. He was a little afraid that he had just dug his own grave. He thought the woman in the pinstripe suit was familiar, but he had seen her in her work clothes the last time they met. Lucero smirked in his direction, cocking a brow at the weapon in his hand but keeping the smile on her face. "Have you sought me out, I thought we were dining tonight".

"That was the plan but if I had known you were to be here as well I would've made my journey quicker," she said and raised a hand. "A moment my lord, to handle some matters and I will make my way to thee".

"Of course my lady, I set no time for thee," he said, smiling as she bowed her head and started taking her sword out of its sheath as she made her way to the Romeo and the two women. Mercutio was too busy waving and smiling to notice all his friends hand gathered behind him with jaws hung low, as they watched what had just happened in front of them.

"Bring men to their knees, now I can see why," Benvolio said, breaking the silence.

Over with Romeo, the two nurses and Lucero, Romeo was being pushed into a wall with a sword pointing to the middle of his chest and its owner Lucero smiling at him.

"If ye should lead her into a fool's paradise, as they say,it were a very gross kind of behavior, as they say," Juliet's nurse was the first to say.

"For the lady is young," Lucero's nurse said with worry edged in her voice. Lucero jumped in, pressing her sword deeper into Romeo's chest but watched as he kept as strong face on, not faltering once.

"Therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly it were an ill thing, and very weak dealing," she said in a low tone.

Romeo looked each woman in the eye, before leaning forward and making sure to keep eye contact with all of them as he said.

"Bid her to come to confession this afternoon and there she shall at Father Laurence' cell Be shrived and married,".

All the women look at each other, before looking back at Romeo and smiling at the sincerity they see in his eyes. He seemed very sincere and true to his word. Lucero nodded and sheath her sword, she was impressed that she saw no hint of fear in his eyes and felt that her friend and sister was in good hands. He smiled and bowed his head to all of them and made his was to his chariot. Lucero peeked over at Mercutio and all his friends, standing there confused and intrigued by what they didn't know was going on and looked back at her nurse.

"Good nurse, if it is alright with thee I would like to part here," she said. "Travel with thy sister nurse to deliver the news, for I believe Mercutio will cause a stir and wonder why I have left him".

The nurses look over at Mercutio, who almost jumped at all their stares. Though Juliet's nurse did not seem so keen on the idea, they both nodded.

"I have great confidence that he will keep thee safe and will inform thy parents, once we deliver this message to Juliet. There is no need to draw more attention then we may have already drawn," Lucero's nurse said and kissed Lucero's cheek, before turning and yelling out to Mercutio "If it is no extra effort to you young sir I shall leave the young lady in thy, until she is ready to return".

Mercutio ran over and took Lucero by her hand.

"I shall guard her, as if she were my own heart," he said and dragged her off in the direction of his still shocked friends. Lucero giggled and looked back and waved at the two nurse, before they started to make their way back. When Mercutio stopped in front of his friends there wasn't quite one word he could use to express the looks on their faces. Confusion, relief, fear and even anger. "Lads, this is the-"

"The whore who dared raised arms and stand against us," Gregory growled, advancing on Lucero. The word made Lucero visibly flinch, why were men so keen on calling her out her name today? Mercutio made his way to stand in front of Lucero in a protective stance, but Lucero gently pushed him aside and kept eye contact with the bald Montague. Mercutio was shocked to see the dark expression on her face as she looked at Gregory.

"There would've been no reason to raise arms if thou and thy kinsmen did not insult those for no reason," she said, nodding her head towards Sampson, who tried to look away. "And I wouldst think twice before calling me the woman who created your blade a whore".

"Thy wicked tongue makes me forget you are a woman, keep speaking and I will gladly cut you down with this sword," Gregory said, getting more in Lucero's face. Mercutio could feel himself start to fume and stepped forward, surprising his friends by taking out his sword. Gregory was a friend but his thick friend was about to head taken off his shoulders and thrown on his master's doorstep, if he kept addressing Lucero the way he was. But Lucero as no pushover and laid her hand on Mercutio's to stop him from raising his sword. Benvolio was trying to calm down Gregory and laid a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Gregory, that is a lady"!

"If thou thinks you can do it I'd love to see you try," she said, taking her swords sheath off her shoulder and throwing it in the sand. She took a hair tie from her wrist and tied up her hair in a ponytail. "Runneth up bitch, I need no weapon to defeat thee! Thou doth not want these blazing hands"!

Gregory and Benvolio leered back in fear, Mercutio laughed and picked up Lucero's sword from the sand, as she kicked off her platform sandals. He was a bit worried at first, about her fiery mood, but he liked it.

"What kind of woman is this," Gregory asked out loud. Lucero cracked her neck from side to side and raised her arms in a fighting stance. She had taken on cousins bigger and stronger than him, as long as he fought with honor and even if he didn't she could easily take him.

"I am thy death in a dress, you wanted to cut me down but let us see how you do with thy bare hands," she said. "Come forward and fight"!

"Let us calm our nerves here," Benvolio said getting in between his kin and I. I shook my head and cracked my knuckles.

"I have gathered enough insult Benvolio, step aside," she said.

"And the blame is on Gregory, insulting the woman I'm courting and the heir to the Di Corrado house," Mercutio added. This made Gregory and Sampson almost fall over themselves.

"T-the heir to the Di Corrado house," Gregory yelled out.

"Courting? You, her," Sampson asked stupidly. Benvolio had already put two and two together but it seemed his cousins were not as bright.

"Mercutio, are all thy friends as dimwitted as they are," Lucero asked, not taking her eyes off Sampson and not moving from her fighting stance. Mercutio sighed and rubbed his temple with his sword.

"I am starting to wonder the same thing," he said. "What did you think she meant when she said she made your sword".

"That her father was a blacksmith"! Lucero rolled her eyes.

"Please, Gregory apologize to Lady Di Corrado you have insulted her more than once now and have insulted our friend," Benvolio stepped in. Gregory pointed an accusing finger at Lucero.

"But she is an ally to the Capulet's"!

"As I've said before, the quarrel is between our masters and Lady Lucero has helped me keep the peace between our houses many times. Do you forget the same punishments that fall upon them, fall on our heads as well"?

"And she is a great friend to my cousin the Prince, I would hate for word to get back to him that the Montague's are now attacking women on the streets and I would hate to bloody my hands today," Mercutio said, with no hint of humor in his voice. The look in his eyes made everyone a bit nervous, Mercutio was no coward and most of all he was very passionate about what he cared about. He could also be a formidable fighter and none of them wanted to be on the end of his sword.

Gregory quickly put distance between himself and Lucero, raising his hands in surrender.

"I was possibly too hasty to think of the error of my actions," he said. "Please forgive my rash actions and perhaps we could start anew".

Lucero looked the bald man up and down and looked back at Mercutio behind her. He shrugged his shoulders, showing the choice was hers and he supported whichever she made. He had yet to sheath his weapon and was ready to defend her honor at all cost, even against his friends. She turned to Montague's, noting the weary expressions on their faces and stood up straight.

"I need no apology from thee, but will forgive for sake that you are a friend to Mercutio," she said and watched them release a breath of relief. Mercutio came to her side, picked up her sandals and handed her her holster. He took her hand in his and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"Now that such annoying business is over, how about a drink for the lady," he said. He didn't even give Lucero a chance to answer and started dragging her feet in the sand. He ran behind a food cart and wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him.

"Mercu-"

He silenced her with a kiss, feeling all the built up tension leave her body as she welcomed the kiss and pressed back with just as much passion. His lips parted from hers and looked down at her with a look of concern.

"Something is wrong," he stated. Lucero tried not to look away, to show he wasn't right, that nothing was wrong.

"What do you mean, nothing is wrong," she said, trying to even convince herself. She wasn't sure if she'd ever be ready to share what happened at the house of Capulet, with Tybalt today. The last thing she wanted was for Mercutio to throw his life away, fighting with Tybalt. Mercutio did not seem convinced though.

"I can tell by thy expression, something is wrong," he said. He lowered his face and nudged his nose against hers, breathing her all in and pecking kisses against her cheeks. "Did it have to do with the business with Romeo"?

"No...that is a matter I will explain to thee another time, I am just tired," she said laying her cheek against his.

"Did something happen at the house of Capulet," he suddenly asked. Lucero swallowed a sudden lump in her throat and tried to conceal how frantic she became, from that question. She tried smiling again and looked away as his eyes as they peered into hers.

"Why dost thou ask me such a thing," she asked softly. Mercutio scoffed and raised a hand to grab her chin and turned her to look straight into his eyes.

"I could feel you trembling as soon as I mentioned the place, has it something to do with Tybalt"?

"No! I am just fatigued from the events of the day".

"Then let me escort thee home".

Lucero took her hands out from under Mercutio's arms and wrapped them around his own. It was probably a silly thought, but she didn't feel that there wasn't anywhere safer in the world, than by Mercutio's side. True her house was a fortress for the most part and only someone extremely stupid would try and harm anyone inside, it didn't feel like the safest place right now. Tybalt could come in at anytime and the only way to avoid that would to explain what happened to her parents….yes it was just better to stay here.

"I'd rather be with thee and stay by thy side, my parents would understand," she said, giving him a soft smile.

Mercutio wanted to push the matter more, even though he could see and feel that something was wrong with the woman he loved. As soon as Tybalt's name he could feel Lucero flinch under his grip but she was so amendment that nothing was wrong and he did not want to distress her even more. Did he hurt her, was it one of the other Capulet's? No, he would keep her by his side for the rest of the day and investigate further, when she wasn't around and safe. For now, she would be safe at his side, he raised her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers and leaned down to give her a peck on the lips.

"I couldn't ask for anything I would enjoy more," he said. He put his arm around her shoulders and brought her in close and started walking them towards where they could get some food.