A/N: I've been watching the original The Untouchables TV series for the past couple of months. I hope the influence has done me some good in the writing department (even though a good majority of Eliot Ness's book and TV adaptation is fictional). Old school Mafia types walk this very bizarre line between being extremely generous folks who look(ed) out for their own, but at the same time they were/are feared and hated as well. I guess it depends on what side of the glass you're on, so to speak. Al Capone, for example gave a lot of people jobs during the Depression Era, where otherwise no one was hiring. So, for the guy making mad stacks of cash just being a waiter or delivery boy, heavy hitters like Capone were almost literally god-like figures that could do no wrong. However, someone who owned a small business that didn't want anything to do with the Mob would have a completely different opinion, as they tended to be strong armed into business deals they wanted no part of. As I understand it though, the Mafia's modern day business dealings are a lot more sinister than they were in the old days, at least here in the US. Anyway, I don't know much more than what I've researched on the internet, and what is fairly common knowledge. I do know that the history of the Italian-American Mafia fascinates me to no end. Which reminds me, if you haven't seen this new show called "The Mob Doctor" I highly recommend it. If I understand correctly, it's based on real life events. And even though the details of Eliot Ness's book and the TV show are suspect, and likely embellished, I do recommend The Untouchables too. It's really no frills, engaging entertainment.

Warnings: Bad language, and intentionally bad grammar. Yay! :D

"All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered, the point is to discover them." - Galileo Galilei

Ordinary World

Chapter 10

Across the otherwise dimly lit room, the television flickered with each changing scene. Scarlet leaned contentedly against Neil who had one arm wrapped securely around her with his free hand resting on the middle of her thigh. She had been uncharacteristically captivated by a marathon of a television show featuring home videos people had taken of pets, livestock or even wild animals doing strange, cute, or just random camera worthy things. Evenings like this were something of a rarity, and caused his thoughts to drift into the existential, musing at how odd it seemed that people could still enjoy the small things that made life worth living. Despite the very real possibility that chaos and violence could all but shatter their lives in a matter of seconds, people all over the world found time to take pictures and videos of their family, friends, and pets among a myriad of other activities. Sometimes he felt guilty for not sharing her sense of delighted whimsy.

Indeed the red-head was happily entertained by the television program, though not in the least bit oblivious to her companion's tendency to daydream, and this was no exception. Under the blanket, she took his hand and squeezed it gently, smiling as he in turn caressed the back of her hand with his fingertips. Just then she looked away and leaned forward as an advertisement had caught her interest. "Will wonders never cease..."

Neil shifted under the blanket and leaned up as well, the commercial having suddenly answered a question that he'd been concerned with for more than a few days. "I bet that's one hell of a security detail."

"I'd imagine so. It's not every day the Smithsonian takes their collection of original Stradivarius violins on a world tour." She settled back into his arms as he leaned back against the sofa once again.

He looked at her with a questioning expression. "Would you like to go?"

Scarlet blinked in momentary surprise before answering in a very definitive tone. "No."

Neil merely shook his head at the answer. "Then I guess you were right."

"About what?" Even now, his habit of saying things that didn't immediately fit the conversation was still something she considered odd.

"I must be psychic, because I knew you'd say that."

Scarlet smiled coyly. "Must I remind you that I was under the influence of more than one form of intoxication that night?"

"That was obvious the second you invited me in."

"I wasn't referencing the alcohol so much as the company."

Neil smiled, still amazed at how a few simple words from her could cause him to blush. "Have I ever told you how good you are at boosting a guy's ego?"

She nodded. "Yes, among other, very similar sentiments." After a brief pause, she sighed, her expression becoming serious and subdued. "I know what you're thinking, and I won't have you spending a small fortune on such a thing."

"So would I be right in assuming you're trying to pretend your birthday isn't comin' up?" He intertwined his fingers with hers. "I've been trying to think of something to get you, but so far nothing's seemed good enough; not right at all."

"My one and only desire is to spend that day, and possibly more importantly, that night..." she kissed him teasingly before continuing, "...with you." Shifting once again, she snuggled up next to him. "I can only imagine how uncomfortable you'd be in a tuxedo anyway. Please promise me you won't give this a second thought."

"I'd arrange for us to vacation on the Moon if it'd make you happy, but since you asked, okay, I promise."

Scarlet sighed contentedly and closed her eyes. "I have no use for jewelry, tickets to the symphony, or even a vacation on the Moon. As if such a thing were possible." She lifted her head, a curious realization crossing her features. "Sometimes I can't help but wonder if in a former life you were a character in one of those silly romance novels."

Neil shifted positions and fixed her with a very disarming, and playful grin. "You mean like the one under your pillow?"

Her voice became soft with a measured amount of seductiveness. "Some people would consider that an invasion of privacy." She kissed him again, this time with much more intent, slipping a hand under his shirt and teasing his skin with neatly manicured fingernails.

He shivered, and after a moment broke the kiss; pushing her hair aside, he nuzzled her neck after helping her out of her sweater and tank top. "I make it my business to know these things." With gentle force he persuaded her to lie down, straddling her hips just so.

Reaching up, she tangled her slender fingers through his hair, arching her back just slightly allowing him to access the clasp on her bra, whimpering softly as he teased her pale skin with feathery kisses. She exhaled, whispering airily. "Neil..."

No sooner had he taken off his shirt and tossed it on the floor, a muted ringing threatened to put an abrupt end to their foreplay. Inwardly he sighed, objecting fiercely to the troublesome interruption. "Let it ring."

Reluctantly and with an air of apology, Scarlet turned her attention in the direction of the ringing, pulling away just enough to look at the caller ID. "I really should answer it." She reached over and took the device from it's place on the coffee table and pressed the 'answer' key while making sure the video feed was turned off. "What is it, Candice? You know you're only supposed to call me in an emergency." She listened to her co-worker talk while placing her hand over the speaker. Neil was determined to continue teasing her, phone call or not. Turning slightly, she gave him a non committal glare, whispering as softly as possible. "Stop it."

"Why? She already has an unhealthy interest in our relationship, so why not indulge her a little? This way, everybody wins."

She flattened her palm against his chest and pressed lightly. "Why must you be petulant?"

Distressed by the interruption, he sat up and sighed heavily, watching her as she finished the brief conversation and put her sweater and tank top back on. Once she ended the call, he asked the obvious question, the tone in his voice conveying more irritation than intended. "So what does she want this time?"

"She's been in an accident and needs someone to take her home."

Neil sighed, silently scolding himself for exhibiting such annoyance with the younger girl. "Is she okay?"

Scarlet nodded and began looking for her keys. "Just a bit shaken."

He put his shirt on and stood from his place on the sofa. "I'll come with you."

She closed the distance between them and took his hand. "That's not necessary. I'm confident you can find something to entertain yourself until I return."

"I could, but it wouldn't nearly as much fun without you." He kissed her again before continuing. "Since I don't seem to have a choice, this would be a great time for a distraction."

Nick Giovanni had always dreamed of becoming a heavy hitter in the Italian-American Mafia. Determined to prove himself, the ambitious twenty year old was constantly trying to find a way to get himself noticed, and it wasn't long before he seemed to have found the perfect opportunity, taking it upon himself to become familiar with the people surrounding this fortuitous information. For weeks he investigated them, eventually becoming satisfied that he had gathered the necessary facts to devise a simple plan that would surely win the attention of Valentino Rossi.

And so there he was, one of two parties that had been involved in what could have been a serious car accident, exchanging insurance information with a young brunette. After a few moments, the girl returned to her car and made a call. While she talked, Nick stood leaning against his own vehicle, hoping to wrap up his own conversation before the police arrived. "Hey Sonny, it's me. I'm about to make that acquisition you and the Boss have been working on, but I need to know somethin' first."

Sonny Di Angelo, also known as "Marshmallow Man" because of his apparent addiction to the sugary confection, listened to the voice on the other end of the line, his brow knitting together as he tried to figure out exactly who he was talking to. "Who the fuck is this?"

Nick was taken aback at the dismissal. "What do ya mean 'who the fuck is this'? It's me, Nicky! We met at Mario's Pizza last month, remember?"

"You got a last name mister sociable?"

"Giovanni, Nick Giovanni."

"Giovanni... Giovanni... You're that small time hood that thinks he's got enough balls to play with the big boys, right?"

"Yeah! Yeah that's right!" Nick frowned as soon as soon as he realized the sarcasm in Sonny's voice. "Hey..."

"Shouldn't you be knockin' off convenience stores back in Jersey?"

"A little bird told me about your boy Marconi turninn' snitch, and that same little bird told me that Rossi has a plan to make sure he doesn't squeal, so I thought I'd help out. I just need to know what to do with this little brunette before the cops get here. I wanna be able to grab the red-headed dame as soon as she gets here."

Sonny's eyes widened upon hearing this. "Jesus fucking Christ! You're gonna ruin everything!" He took a deep breath before asking where the younger, less experienced man was. "I'm comin' to pick you up. In the meantime, make sure you keep your goddamn mouth shut, capisce?"

"Y-yeah, I got it." He was scarcely able to utter the short four words before the line went dead.

Sonny retrieved a handful of miniature, pastel colored marshmallows from a bag, popped them into his mouth and headed for his car where he took out his phone and pressed a number on speed dial. "We got a problem."

A short time later Scarlet and Neil arrived at the scene of the accident. The streets were slick, and it was easy to see where Candice's car had skidded off the side of the road. Before either exited the car, it was apparent the teen was arguing with the other victim as her voice was higher in pitch than normal. Scarlet sighed and shook her head. "Stubborn child."

Neil stepped out of the passenger side of the car followed almost immediately by his companion. "Is she always such a brat?"

"Only when she doesn't get what she wants." As she and Neil walked the short distance the conversation became clear.

The young girl's demeanor was quickly becoming that of a small child that had been denied her favorite toy. "What?! What do you mean this is my fault?! You're the one that ran the light!"

The casually dressed young man with short blonde hair and cobalt blue eyes countered in a very calm and accusing manner. "I didn't run the light. You'd know that if you didn't have a cell phone glued to your head." He paused, and lit up a cigarette. "Damn women drivers. Doesn't matter how young or old you're all a danger to society."

Candice's eyes narrowed. "You know, you're a real hottie. Too bad you're also an ass-"

"Candice!" Scarlet grabbed her co-worker by the wrist and dragged her a short distance away. "Have you given your statement to the officer?"

The younger girl rolled her eyes and huffed in a very melodramatic fashion. "Yes."

"Then go get in the car."

The brunette complied, but not before having the last word on the matter. "He started it."

Scarlet watched Candice briefly before returning to where the other men stood. "I'm terribly sorry for her behavior. I hope she didn't cause too much trouble."

Nick took a drag from his cigarette and glanced quickly between the petite woman and her taller companion. "You two related to her?"

Scarlet shook her head. "No, she and I work together. I suspect she only called me in hopes of avoiding a confrontation with her mother, temporary though it may be."

The blonde shrugged. "Then forget about it. No big deal."

Scarlet smiled, nodded politely and then looked to her lover. "Shall we go?"

Neil said nothing, instead letting the red-head lead. He turned slightly and watched as the blonde got into a car with darkly tinted windows. 'Something's not right here.' Taking one last look at the scene, he dismissed the suspicion and walked back to Scarlet's car. 'Probably just my imagination.'

Meanwhile, the same car that had picked Nick up from the accident scene pulled into a parking space just in front of a large warehouse located on the outskirts of the city. Sonny turned off the engine, pulled a small pistol from the inside of his jacket and pointed it at his blonde haired, blue eyed passenger. "Get out."

Inside, Valentino Rossi sat at a small table, the area surrounding it illuminated by a single light bulb. He had been passing the time by looking over the earnings from a few of his many semi-legal business ventures. As the large, heavy doors began to open, he filed the small stack of papers into a leather briefcase, and regarded the two men in a stern, almost menacing fashion. "About time you got here." Focusing his attention on Nick, Valentino stood and motioned to the extra chair opposite his own. "Please, have a seat."

On his home turf Nick was as tough as nails, but the current situation was causing him to feel very uneasy, if not fearful. Still, he steadied his nerves as best he could. "If it's all the same to you I think I'll-" Before Nick could finish, Sonny promptly forced the younger man into the chair.

Valentino rounded the corner of the table and stood over the blonde. "Do you have any idea how inconvenient this is for me?" His voice was low and steady, his expression fixed and austere. He turned away from the youngster and spoke briefly to Sonny. "It seems cold in here. Does it feel cold to you?"

Sonny reached into his pocket and retrieved his bag of marshmallows. "I don't mean no disrespect Boss, but this ain't exactly the Ritz you know. I don't think any of the things in those boxes really cares about the temperature. Besides, it won't be long before we're back in the warm sun of the Tuscan countryside."

"Not soon enough if you ask me. If I have to spend much more time in this rain trap I'm gonna start growin' gills" Valentino glanced at the plastic bag in Sonny's hand and snatched it away. "What are you, the Easter Bunny?" Rossi sighed, shook his head, and then regarded his associate. "Of all the ways to make money in this business – gun running, narcotics, prostitution – you go into the candy racket."

Sonny shrugged. "Can I help it if I have a sweet tooth? Figured I might as well make the most out of it."

Turning his attention back to the matter at hand, Valentino fixed Nick with a scrutinizing stare. "You know what your problem is, kid? You got no patience. No one ever got anywhere in our line of work by sticking their neck out the way you have." He pushed his hands into his pockets and leaned casually against the table. "As a matter of fact, you're lucky I'm such a nice guy. I don't believe in unnecessary violence like a lot of the others. You done something like this on anyone else's watch, they wouldn't think twice about cutting said neck-" he made a slicing motion, "clean off." Valentino paused, and then continued. "Unfortunately, I cannot allow such insubordination to go overlooked. If you really want to make a name for yourself, the business model of a piss-ant loan shark ain't gonna cut it." He turned and leaned close to the younger man. "Like I said, you gotta learn some patience, some finesse – how to be seen without getting noticed by the wrong people." Val took in a breath. "Like the fucking Feds!"

Nick's eyes went wide. This wasn't going at all as he'd planned. "B-but she's not...I mean...I just thought..."

Valentino raised his index finger. "And therein lies the problem, you thought. You thought without my permission."

Nick shook his head nervously. "It won't happen again, I swear..."

Valentino bowed his head for an instant and flattened his palms against the tabletop. After a moment, he straightened and glanced at Sonny, who walked over and picked up a hammer that lay on the floor nearby, handing it to the man he called 'Boss.' "And I believe you, but I'm afraid I need some insurance just to be sure."

"P-please...I didn't mean to-!" Nick's closed his eyes tightly as Valentino grabbed his dominant hand and brought the hammer down with unapologetic force while Sonny put a cloth over his mouth to suppress the scream that followed.

Valentino stepped away, satisfied with his effort to discipline the young blonde. He watched for a moment as Nick's breathing became labored and sweat began running down his forehead. "From now on, you don't so much as take a leak without my approval, got it?"

Nick took in a weak, ragged breath and looked up. "Yeah, yeah I got it."

Valentino nodded. "Good." He glanced to Sonny, and then to the exit. "Take him to the doc – tell him to give the little scamp a dose of those nano-thing-a-majigs so it don't take forever for that hand to heal."

Sonny nodded a response, and motioned for the youngster to stand. "You're all heart, Boss."

Valentino raised an eyebrow in satisfaction, gathering his briefcase before following the other two out. "I do what I can."

It had only been open for a few hours and already there had been a steady influx of customers into the little restaurant, so many in fact that some were asked to wait outside, while others were turned away completely. As she took orders and relayed them to the kitchen, Scarlet wondered what had caused so many to gravitate to this one spot in such unwavering masses. For a brief moment, she leaned against the nearest wall and sighed. 'Today of all days.' Her momentary rest was interrupted by the sound of a man's obviously agitated voice coming from the dining room, followed by the voice of her oddly composed co-worker, Candice.

Scarlet watched as brunette smiled politely, and apologized, even going so far as to say his coffee would be on the house if he could just wait a few more short minutes. Unfortunately, the nearly irate man was not satisfied with this. Eventually the young waitress's patience with the man's rambling tirade began to wear thin. Her eyes narrowed as she cut him off. "You want coffee that badly huh? Then here's a tip: go home and make it your own damn self!" Candice left the now speechless man and headed back toward the kitchen, stopping upon seeing her red-headed co-worker. "Man, what a jerk!"

Scarlet looked apologetic. "I was working so many tables while the coffee was brewing I must have forgotten about him entirely."

Candice shook her head. "Don't sweat it. Every restaurant in town shudders when that guy walks in the door. It was just a matter of time before he decided to show up here."

"I don't think I understand. Is he a critic of some kind?"

The brunette blew a few bangs out of her eyes. "Worse. He's one of those that goes into a place, orders something, and then complains about finding some kind of weird object in his food or drink. The last place he did this at, he said there was a rat's tail in his soup. He even produced produced the thing and demanded he get free food or he'd take the owner to court."

"That seems like more trouble than it's worth."

"Well, the owners of these other places figure it's easier to just give him a free meal than get dragged into some expensive legal battle The rat's tail was real, by the way. Given his reputation, I'd say he probably planted it himself." The younger girl paused, taking note of her friend's seemingly troubled expression. "Why don't you go home. I'll cover your shift, okay?"

Scarlet closed her eyes and rubbed her aching temples. "I couldn't possibly do that to you Candice. Not until things quiet down a bit."

Candice shrugged. "Seriously, I don't know why you agreed to come in if you're not feeling well. Go home, put on something comfortable; maybe call that gorgeous man of yours. I'm sure he can find a way to help you de-stress. Besides, the big man has Kate on call for just such an occasion."

"Thank you, but you must promise to call me if either one of you becomes overwhelmed."

"I'm not promising anything." The younger girl pushed Scarlet gently. "Now go. Your feet must be killing you by now."

[xy]

It was still early in the day as Scarlet entered her apartment, closing and locking the door behind her. She took off her coat, and turned to survey the gray emptiness before her. Sighing heavily it was finally safe to let the carefully constructed facade of of strength and confidence fall away. On this day there was no silver lining, no bright side, no rainbow despite the storm. Every year she wondered how she managed to endure the long hours that grew increasingly darker as the day wore on. She blinked away a stray tear as her thoughts drifted to the man who had so selflessly provided her with unwavering comfort, understanding, and unconditional love. Their circumstances were different, but the pain was nearly identical.

Scarlet's thoughts were broken with the chirping of her phone. She took it from her purse and tapped the screen accessing the recently received multimedia message. It was a picture of a beach at sunset, the caption reading very simply 'I love you.' A weary smile crossed her lips as she sent a reply of equal sentiment, never once mentioning she had returned home early.

[xy]

An immediate sense of disquiet nearly consumed Neil as he entered the little apartment; the solemn silence falling around him like a fine mist. Rarely had he come home to find the lights still off, the television dark, and the kitchen in the same state as the preceding morning. He quickly hung up his jacket, and headed straight for the bedroom where he found the petite woman he affectionately refereed to as Rose asleep, and holding the pink and purple stuffed dinosaur she had brought back from their first weekend away. He sat down on the edge of the bed, gently brushing her hair back from her face.

She stirred, looked up, her voice just above a whisper when she spoke. "Welcome home."

Neil sighed and kissed her softy on her forehead, silently confirming that something was very wrong. "I'm going to go change." The fact she had taken time to search through her closet for the little stuffed animal was of great significance, causing him to wonder what had triggered such an uncharacteristically random event. A few short moments later he returned to the room to find Scarlet sitting up, preoccupied with examining the plush toy as if this was the first time she had seen it. Once again he returned to his previous perch beside her, concern evident in his voice. "What's going on with you today?"

Her eyes did not stray from the toy when she answered. "Busy day." She set the toy aside and rose to her feet. "I should start dinner."

As she turned to walk away, Neil followed and quickly caught her by the wrist. "That can wait. Tell me what's wrong." He had learned early on that enabling these obvious changes in her mood only served to make things worse in the long run.

Defiant, Scarlet stood in place. "I just told you, I'm fine. Now please, let go."

Neil's grasp held firm though not so tight as to be restraining. "You normally shrug off busy days like water off a duck's back, so I'll ask you again, what's changed between this morning and right now?"

Quickly frustrated with the well intentioned interrogation, Scarlet wrenched her hand away, and turned sharply to meet his gaze. "I have no intention of explaining myself any further. If you can't take me at my word, then so be it."

Briefly, he watched her leave the room and then turned his attention to the pink and purple dinosaur. "If you could talk, what would you say...?" It was no secret she missed her mother, and hated her grandparents. In his mind, two people that would so callously pawn off their only granddaughter on a complete stranger, were beyond redemption, and in some ways no better than whoever trained and sent the young boy that murdered his family. After a few short moments of contemplation, the reason for Scarlet's behavior made itself clear. He offered a sad smile to the soft, inanimate object. "Thanks." One question answered, Neil made his way down the short hallway and stopped at the entrance to the kitchen. "Why don't you just go visit her?"

The inquiry caused Scarlet to drop a still clean cutting board. She knelt to pick it up, not once averting her attention from it. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You know better than to play this game with me, Scarlet. Swallow your pride and go visit your mother's grave. No one ever said you have to give your grandparents the time of day while you're there."

Scarlet turned away from the task at hand, her expression resembling that of a stone statue. "You think I'm afraid of them."

"I can't see any other reason-"

Scarlet looked away once more, the stone facade softening as quickly as it had been constructed. "Consider yourself fortunate, Neil."

Neil leaned against the nearby wall, his brow furrowing at the still cryptic riddle. "I don't see what any of this has to do with me."

"You have a tangible location to which you can honor your family with flowers, letters, or even gifts for Amy's birthday." Scarlet paused in momentary reflection, dismayed that her efforts to nullify the subject were less than satisfactory. "The first time I asked to visit Mother, I was told a vagrant had been hired to dispose of her body. For the longest time I didn't believe a word of it, so I spent weeks searching the estate for some sign of her. Somehow I was convinced that no one, not even my grandparents could be so heartless." She reached up and wiped away a stray tear. "Having scoured every inch of the grounds, I came to realize I must have been told the truth."

He closed the distance between them and pulled her close. Her entire body was stiff and it was painfully obvious how hard she was fighting to retain her composure. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"What good would it do?" Scarlet's voice heightened in pitch just slightly, her breathing becoming ragged and uneven. "I couldn't... Your burdens are heavy enough without adding mine to them."

Silence fell over the two as Neil let Scarlet nearly collapse in his arms, waiting to speak once again until her quiet sobs began to subside. "It wasn't long ago that I believed we would have met regardless of all this. I have to wonder though if we would have been the same people without having these experiences." He pulled away from her and smiling at the irony of it all. "You know, I never imagined I'd end up with a girl like you."

"Like me?"

Neil nodded. "Normal, classy, and too considerate for your own good." Just then, he blinked remembering the errand he had run earlier in the day. "Which reminds me. I have something for you." Crossing the short distance to the coat closet, he retrieved an envelope from his jacket pocket.

Curious, Scarlet padded to his side. "What have you done this time?" Tentatively, she took the envelope when he offered it to her, opened it, and took out two pieces of paper. "These are..." Again, tears fell from her emerald green eyes. "Y-you promised you wouldn't..."

They were happy tears, and Neil was glad to see them. "You keep this up and there'll be nothin' left but a pillar of salt." He pulled her close and kissed her gently. "Some promises are meant to be broken you know."

"You really are impossible, Neil Dylandy."

"Happy birthday, Rose."

Just a quick note: When Nick says this: "B-but she's not...I mean...I just thought..." he's referring to something specific. I wanted to point that out because I realize it may be a little confusing at this point. Fear not, gentle readers. There really is a method to my madness.

Stay tuned! :D