Late update; sorry. I hope you are enjoying Chaos & Bloodshed as much as I enjoy writing it and including twists and turns that cause chaos and bloodshed with our fellow characters.

Enjoy Reading! ;)

Chapter Fourteen: Handle With Care

It has been two and a half hours since she's sat next to her deceased best friend, wiping her smeared makeup off her cheeks with a thumb and chewing minty gum that was occasionally in the Latina's jacket pocket. She didn't really care about what happens now: it was like an extreme game of hide-and-seek. Getting out her latest Shepherd, she ran a finger along the engraving on the metal as it glinted in the moonlight, what Sharron did for her. "I'm gonna kill Damian for doing this to you..." She muttered to the corpse. "You never deserved this, I did."

"Amber..." She looked up, taking the geek's hand and hugging him softly, fresh tears pouring down her face. "You've been gone for hours. You wouldn't pick up your calls or answer your texts. Even Nathan was worried about you."

"I don't blame any of you," she sniffed, pulling away from him and wiping her tears again. "I needed a breather, to clear my head a bit."

"What happened?" He asked, gazing at the dead body and Amber shrugged.

"I found her like that. Dwayne said how she knew today was her day but I really couldn't care less about his life right now."

"No... You need to come back to the HQ." He sighed, dropping his hands. "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? I would've been there for you."

"Well, as you can see Jerry, I'm doing better than I thought. I need to know where Damian is. And Bradley."

"Please Amber, you need to calm down."

"I'm calm."

"You sat next to your dead best friend for hours! That's not calm, that's abnormal. You didn't even think about calling us... I would've prepared a proper burial for her."

"There's no time."

"There's always time."

"You wanna know why I'm doing this? Why I've gone like this? I just wanted to see Nathan happy. Happy at the fact that his wife-to-be is having to go through so much trouble to put a smile on his face. A smile... Is that too much to ask?"

"Nathan's not just smiling," he informed her. "He's actually very proud he's got someone like you. Someone that can fight her own battles and stand up for herself."

"Well, that's a plus... Fine," she sighed. "I'll go back to the HQ and break the news to everyone. We'll bury her tomorrow and I promise not to shoot anybody. Tomorrow's Sharron's day. Let's make it blood-free."

"Not a problem, Amber. Take my car; the keys are still in the ignition." She nodded before walking off and slid into his Wraith, the robotic sounds springing to life as she turned the keys. Putting on her seatbelt and firmly gripping onto the steering wheel with both hands, she let out a breath and took control of the car as it made a u-turn and headed for Loren Square.

OoOoO

Parking in front of the Saints HQ, she stepped out and sighed as she pushed open the glass doors, realising she missed the classical music that came from the lobby. When she called the elevator, her phone buzzed in her pocket and she casually took it out to read the screen. Diving into the wonders of her phone, she smiled warmly at the text that read:

I miss you. You sure you're alright? Nate xx

She replied, digits hitting the screen with quick accuracy that, already, she finished a sentence in seconds flat. Hearing that familiar chime, she walked inside without removing her eyes from her portable and pressed the top button. Satisfied, she read over her text again before sending it:

I miss you too. Of course I'm fine, don't worry about me. Call me in five, there's stuff I need to tell you. Tay xx

The ride came to a swift stop and chimed just as the doors open, the penthouse still looking as fresh as before. She reached the stairs and as she climbed down, was greeted with old faces. The male in the white tux noticed her first, the woman in black also but the other man with them was too distracted by his long-term crush. "Hey, Boss," Pierce said cheerfully.

"Hey..."

"What's up?" Shaundi walked up to her, holding her right shoulder. The caramel-skinned girl looked at her close friend in the eye, feeling the rise of tension when everyone on the grey sofa waited for her to speak.

"Sharron's... In a better place now."

"Who did it?"

"Damian Wright, leader of the Elite Bandits."

"Oh, that fucking bastard," Viola commented, clenching her fists in rage.

"How was the city sweep?"

"Successful," Kinzie spoke up this time. "We were able to wipe out most of them via gang operations, buying their properties and stores. It was easy but being chased while doing all of that was harder than I thought."

"Kinzie, you went outside? I mean, you left your "inner sanctum" just to help us?"

"I thought 'why not?'. It did feel weird, I must admit."

She chuckled and scratched her scalp for a brief moment, "I'm not surprised."

"So, what do you want us to do?"

"Call Jeremy, he'll have stuff for you to do."

"What about you?" Josh questioned, just as Amber's phone started ringing and her brow jumped, shaking her portable in her hand.

"I have a call to answer." Spinning on her heels and heading for the stairs again, the strong scent of flowers got her attention and she followed it into her bedroom. Answering her phone, she peered at the sofa and found an large bouquet of roses stuffed in a vase with a note beside it.

"You like the roses I got ya?" He said, humming sweetly in her ear while she rolled her eyes and sat down on the sofa.

"How d'you know roses are my favourite type of flowers?" She brushed a rose with her thumb and picked up the card with her tip of her index and middle finger, looking inside.

"Your personality gave it away. You're romantic yet ruthless. You love your guns..."

"And I love my roses. Thank you so much, Nathan. You've just made me so much happier."

"So, what was it you wanted to tell me about?" Seriousness kicked in as her hand lost its grip to the flower, her hand coming up to comb her hair.

"Sharron... Sharron's been killed by Damian from the Elite Bandits."

"Motherfucking son of a bitch! How could he do that?!"

"I don't know... I don't know."

"What you've done about it?"

"Nothing... Yet. I promised not to shoot anybody tomorrow, we're burying her tomorrow. But after that, every single New Era asshole will be the least of your troubles."

"I can't believe this."

"Believe what?"

"My fiancée has managed to keep 3rd Street Saints standing strong while going after every single person who's made my life a living hell for three months. You don't know how much I love you for this."

"Well, call me an extreme multi-tasker. I only did this because I knew the crash left you broken and scarred and letting them go would've been idiotic. I wanted my revenge and I got it."

"Most of it," he added and she giggled, slipping her trainers off. "How's your stomach?"

"Getting aches every once in a while but I'm managing."

"I wish I can say the same thing-"

"Mr. Collins, am I right?" Blood rushed from Amber's face, that subtle voice detectable from anywhere but what was he doing near her husband?

"Oh shit..."

"What do you want?" Nathan spoke harshly to the man with him.

"Just you. And only you." There was a struggle, something tipping over and uncomfortable silence.

"Baby?" Amber called out quietly, covering her mouth with a hand.

"Hey, sexy!"

"Bradley, don't you care touch my husband!"

"Or what? You gonna kill me?"

"What have you done to him?!"

"Knocked him out."

"I suggest you start hiding, Brad. When I find you, I will kill you. And it won't be a quick one, either. You deserve to die slowly."

"Sounds like a threat to me."

"No, it's a promise." She hung up the phone and placed it beside her, absolute anger and sadness washing over her. Nathan was due to leave the hospital soon with a smile on his face and now he's been taken by Amber's enemy. She let out a shaky breath, trying her best to hold back her tears of rage and someone entered the room. "What you do want?"

"I just came to check up on you, Collins. What's wrong?"

She stood up and walked towards him, his golden eyes shining in sympathy and calmness. "I can't do this, Xavier. First, Sharron dies and now Nathan's been taken by your brother... I can't, I can't handle this anymore."

"Then go after him."

"Huh, I wish I could. Jeremy told me to stay in the HQ. Uh, I feel like I'm under house arrest."

"Then you'll just have to wait."

"And do what?"

"I don't know. What do you do in your free time?"

"Kill people?"

"Not like that."

"Well, that's what I do now. I'm starting to feel lovesick, like what I'm doing isn't good enough because of Nathan."

"It's good enough for me. I mean, look at you, you're not afraid to show your scars because it shows you're a fighter. You fight because people have hurt you in the past." He glared out the window, grinning briefly when his arms were occupied with Amber's cuddly frame and her head nestled perfectly under his chin. He almost laughed, "Why you so short, girl?"

"Shut up. I was just about to say thanks for the sweet compliment."

"My pleasure... You can let go now."

"Nope."

"Amber-Leigh..."

"Never!"

"Time for Plan B."

"Wha?" She was too late to realise his action when her eyes shot open with true happiness and her body flinching, trying so hard to pull his tickle fingers away. She opened her mouth and squealed with excitement, Xavier too busy having fun manipulating her as she dropped on the floor and held up her hand in defence. "No... No, stop... I can't breathe!"

"I told you to let go and you didn't listen." She gasped and giggled, rubbing her waist while she pouted her bottom lip. "Well, I gotta go. I'm needed."

"Wh—Aren't you gonna help me up?" He gave her his hand and she took it, pulling herself off the floor and dusting her clothes off while watching him leave the bedroom. "Xavier," she called out and he gradually stopped in his tracks. "I forgot to say thanks… For all of this. I mean, if all of this didn't happen, God knows what I would've done."

"You don't need to thank me. I'm just here to do my job…" He opened the door but froze when a hand stroked his arm and he turned his head, gazing into bright, metallic eyes.

"I think you need a promotion."

"What? You gonna striptease for me now?"

"No… As the Leader of the Saints, I'm honoured to give you the role of… Well, becoming a true Saint."

"No way!"

"Yeah… You deserve it, Xavier. You're a 3rd Street Saint now." She slid off one of the silver rings on her digits and placed it in his palm, watching him glare at it in silent joy and sighed.

"Thanks, Boss."

"Anytime." She hooked her thumbs into the back pockets of her jean shorts and stayed in her place until he left the room, before smiling to herself and shaking her head. "Damn, I'm good at this job."

Wow, my only chapter that doesn't involve Amber killing anybody, which surprises me more than it does you. And I accidentally on purpose added in a reference. Can you find it?