"Allison, you open this door now, you hear me?" Aileen O'Brien rapped anxiously on her daughter's bedroom door, glancing frantically at Danny behind her. "I'm sorry, Danny, it seems she's out again. The door's jammed from the inside." Whether she meant asleep or on the street, Danny couldn't tell. Allie's hazel eyes stared out from Aileen's anxious face and Danny could see that they were clouded with worry. "I don't dare break in there. Ever since Michael…" she trailed off, biting her lip to hold back tears. She was the only person in the world who called Mikey O'Brien by his full name. Danny gently placed a hand on the arm of the woman he considered to be his surrogate mother. "S'okay, Aileen. Maybe she's at my place and we missed each other. You know my ma," he said jokingly, attempting to get a smile out of Aileen, "She could talk the ear offa anybody."

He succeeded. Aileen grinned briefly and the action lit up her whole face. "Ah, you're probably right, boyo. If you do see her, could you have her home by midnight? Lieutenant Flack tells me there's some trouble going on down by the docks, and I don't want her there." Her persistent eyes wouldn't leave Danny's face until he nodded, albeit weakly. She cleared her throat and pushed him towards the stairs. He managed to keep his cool all the way down the flight to the first floor, into the foyer and out into the night. He even managed a reassuring smile for Aileen as he shut the door.

The minute the door clicked behind him, however, Danny felt like he was going to be sick. Forgetting his car, he leaped off the front stoop and began running for Pelham Bay.

Poor Aileen, believing her daughter had been safe with his ma, out of the way of trouble. Danny knew how little hope Mrs. O'Brien had when it came to Allie. The girl was so like her brother, hot-headed and stubborn, that it was impossible for her to stay out of trouble. Mikey had joined the Tanglewood Boys because he was a fighter until the bitter end. The same trait in Allie could very well get her killed. Danny knew Louie: his brother's message was too blunt to mean anything else. It was a race, Danny thought, him against that son of a bitch called time. Danny prayed to whoever listening that he wasn't the loser.

---

Allie hid behind the stack of crates, watching as Sonny and the rest of his gang arrived on the docks of Pelham. There was Sal Zabo, a wolf in sheep's clothing, coward that he was, and Tony and Vinnie, skulking along. Her heart raced as she caught sight of Louie's dark head. Though her head was pounding and her legs were nearly numb, Allie waited. She couldn't afford to make a mistake now. More footsteps rang out in the night and she ducked lower, hoping not to be caught.

"What's this all about, Sassone?" A foreign voice rang out, challenging.

"You killed one of ours," Sonny's voice said. "Like our grandfathers before us, it's a matter of blood payment."

"Ah, shut yer trap, you Mafia wannabe. There ain't no need for a fight. I heard the O'Brien boy's death was an accident."

"There are no accidents. One of your boys killed him, and we want him outta the picture. For the family, of course."

"What family? His mother and sister? What do they care? I heard the girl's gettin' on fine with Messer's brother."

"Not for long, she won't." Louie's voice rang out, gravelly from so much cigarette smoke, and Allie tightened her fists. Just a few more seconds, and the bastard who killed her brother was gonna pay.

A harsh laugh cut through the air. "You don't like the kid? Aw, what'd she ever do to you, Messer?"

There was a moment of silence and Allie was tempted to look up, to see what caused the pause, when a sheer amount of brute force swept her off her feet and off the ground. She struggled mightily, but to no avail, and she soon found herself at the expensively clad feet of Sonny Sassone.

"What the hell is this?" The Pelham kid's voice was amused and Allie jumped to her feet, ready to take on any who dared touch her. But no threat came, and she felt the heat rise to her face.

She raised her eyes to Sonny's and felt ice sweep through her veins. His eyes were dark and emotionless, just as they always were, with just a hint of malicious humor. He thought it was funny that she was here. Allie felt the cold barrel of her brother's gun press against her spine and immediately knew that she wasn't prepared to use it. She had come here for nothing and it would kill her if she wasn't careful.

A movement to Sonny's right made her jump, but it was only Louie. His blue eyes, darker than Danny's but bearing the same contradicting hard warmth begged her to stay silent, to not move more than necessary.

"I said, what the hell?" The stranger was getting impatient and Allie didn't dare turn around. To do so would be suicide.

Sonny shrugged, his eyes still locked on Allie's face. "I didn't know she was here. Messer?" Louie stepped forward hesitantly, within arm's distance of Allie. She tensed, knowing he could save her if he wanted to.

"I dunno, Sonny. It seems like she just got lost and ended up here," Louie said quietly and he reached for Allie's arm. "You want me to take her home?" He pulled her to his side, almost behind him. "What the hell are you doin' here?" he muttered out of the side of his mouth.

"I came to do what I had to. For Mikey." Allie winced as his grip tightened around her wrist.

Sonny turned and looked at Louie for the first time and Allie felt absolute terror. Sonny's face was twisted into a cruel look of curiosity and hate. "No, let her stay. She wanted to see the kid who killed her brother shot. Well, that's what she's gonna get."

Try as she might, Allie couldn't twist out of Louie's grip. She had to run. Louie's eyes darted between Sonny and Allie. He had told Danny to keep her away, to keep Allie safe. Why couldn't the whelp listen to him for just two seconds? Still pissed about the other night, no doubt. Louie sighed inaudibly. Someday, Danny would learn that everything Louie did, it was for the good of the family. Well, most of everything.

The Pelham boy spoke up again. "We don't know who killed Mikey. It was unfortunate. All I know is, you were in our territory the night he died, and that's all we have to do with the matter."

"Liars." Sonny's accusation made everyone freeze. "You killed Mikey and you know it. His blood is on your hands. Your territory, your rules, your kill. Simple as that." In the blink of an eye, Sonny moved and the gun he kept hidden in the waist of his jeans came out to meet the crowd. Allie bit back a scream, but that didn't stop Louie from stepping in front of her, shielding her with his body.

The Pelham boy was just as fast. Soon, there were several gun muzzles, all pointing in different directions. Allie eyeballed every single one of them. Louie hadn't pulled his weapon in the effort of keeping Allie guarded, but she could easily slip him her gun if possible. She just had to get him to let go of her wrist...

Footsteps echoed on the wooden dock and Allie turned her head to see Danny racing towards the group. She felt Louie's grip slacken, so she did the only thing natural: she broke free and ran.

Several things happened at once:

The Pelham kid, thinking that Danny was back-up, let off a shot.

Sonny, who had turned to see who the new addition was, let off a slug in surprise at the first shot, without remembering to turn around.

Allie pitched forward, a sharp, fiery pain spinning into her back and throughout her entire body.

Danny and Louie let out similar sounds of distress as they saw Allie fall forward, her hands pointlessly going out to break her fall.

Complete silence, broken only by the Messer brother's running feet, took over the docks. The Pelham Bay crew stood still, watching the scene before them until their leader motioned for them to leave. No one would ever know whether it was Sonny or his bullet that had struck the girl.

Sonny weighed his options and opted for a quick retreat. He jerked his head and he and the rest of the Tanglewood Boys disappeared into the shadows. One O'Brien less in this world wouldn't matter much. That's just the way the world went.

Danny reached Allie first, turning her over and placing her head in his lap. He felt something wet on his face and knew he was crying before the first heart-wrenching sob broke from his lips. "Allie… Allie, no…"

Louie knelt cautiously next to her body, unsure of how to handle the situation. It was Mikey all over again, only this time it didn't affect him nearly as hard as it did Danny. His dark blue eyes studied his kid brother's face, taking in the grief and the tears. They moved to Allie's shivering body, knowing the signs. She didn't have long at all. "Allie?" Louie tentatively placed his hand on her shoulder, feeling her start to go cold. "Allie, I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about Mikey. None of this ever should have happened."

Whether she heard him or not, Louie couldn't tell. All he knew was that he had said what he needed to say. He raised his head and caught Danny's pained glare straight in the face. "She's not gonna make it, Danny."

"Like hell she won't," the younger brother spat, his eyes burning anger into Louie's face. Louie sighed. There was nothing more he could do for the couple, except leave them alone. She would be gone in a few minutes anyway. "I'm going home. Try not to be out too late." With that, he stood and walked into the shadows. It was harsh, what Danny had to go through, but he had to learn that losing loved ones was a part of life. Louie's bluntness was only to make Danny stronger: if his own brother couldn't see that, it was his own fault.

Danny watched his brother go through blurry eyes. He felt Allie stir in his arms and he looked down to see her staring up at him. She attempted a smile, but even that normally cheery action was dimmed by the freezing chill sweeping over her bones. "I l-love y-you," he choked out, suddenly aware of the police sirens in the distance. "S-so much."

She licked her lips futilely, closing her eyes as the pain began to fade. "I love you too, Danny." Her eyes opened once more, but it looked as though the act caused her a lot of effort. "Take care of my ma, please?"

He nodded, unable to say any more. Softly, he pushed her hair back from her eyes, leaning to kiss eyelids that covered those beautiful hazel irises that had he had been so willing to give so much to. As she went limp in his arms, Danny felt as though the world had died too, and he wept.

For the first time in his life, Danny Messer felt completely alone.

---

A/N: One more, folks, and then it's on to bigger, but never better, things!