Chapter 26

Highland Park, Illinois

Thanksgiving 1981

Jackie felt out of place in the bustling kitchen at Brooke's house. Brooke, Amina and Kitty had been up since 6 a.m. cooking an enormous feast for everyone, but Jackie's cooking skills weren't exactly in demand. Carolyn had arrived the previous evening and was keeping WB entertained at the bar in the living room, much to Hyde and Angie's amusement. The distinguished businessman and the bombshell blonde had an easy, comfortable flirtation that transcended the normal rules of behavior. Red was busy teaching Betsy the proper way to load the compound bow he'd bought her as Angie's boyfriend, Anthony, looked on. Anthony played football for the University of Michigan, and was apparently pretty good, because Red had taken an instant liking to him.

Jackie sighed and figured she would take a walk down to the lake for lack of anything better to do. Hyde and Kelso were busy tracking down a high value bail-jumper, figuring that the holiday morning was a chance at catching him off guard. They'd promised on pain of death to be back in time for dinner, and Jackie hoped for Michael's sake he was. Brooke looked ready to murder somebody after she burned her first pie crust.

She pulled on her jacket and hat, and had just pulled the door shut behind her when she heard a car door shut. Looking up she saw Fez exiting his yellow Spitfire and running a hand through his hair. She noticed the careworn expression on his face and decided against announcing his arrival. The man looked like he needed to sleep for a week, not be mobbed by anxious friends.

"Fezzy?" she said softly, walking up to him.

He jumped, seemingly startled by her presence, though she was sure he'd been looking right at her. "Jackie! I've missed you, beautiful one!" he said, a genuine smile breaking out across his face.

She hugged him tightly. "Fez, are you feeling alright?" she asked, "I don't want to sound rude, but you look exhausted!"

His shoulders sagged, and it hit her that even with everything going on in her life, there was someone with equally weighty problems on his mind. "I've just been very busy with so many things," he said.

"Want to walk down to the lake with me?" she offered, "It's going to be quiet down there and I have a blanket and some snacks. Michael and Steven are out looking for a skip and, trust me, you do NOT want to be in the kitchen right now."

He looked relieved at her offer and held out his arm, "Then to the lake we shall go!" They made their way down to the shore and Jackie spread out the blanket. She pulled out the thermos of coffee and banana nut bread she'd pilfered from the kitchen earlier and patted the space next to her.

"Sit, Fezzy. Tell me everything that's going on," Jackie said.

Fez sat down and accepted the mug of coffee and hunk of banana bread. "Well, the salon has been extremely busy," he started, biting into the bread, "It always is during the holidays. Everyone wants the full Fez treatment, but I only have so many hours in the day! So, I've been working almost every day to keep up."

Jackie eyed him shrewdly, "Aaaand?" she asked him leadingly, "Oh, come on Fez! I know you hire extra help around the holidays. Unless the town's population exploded that can't be the only thing."

Fez nodded, contemplating how to keep the conversation smooth without divulging details. "I've been helping a friend, and it's been taking up all my extra time and energy."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she offered, sensing his hesitation on the subject.

Fez shook his head sadly, "No, but thank you for offering Jackie. My friend is very sick, but she is getting better. She just needs a lot of support right now, and I am the only friend she has."

The investigative instinct in Jackie reared up, but she quickly suppressed it. Fez was a dear friend, not a story, he deserved to tell her in his own time. "Then I'm just really glad she has you," she said, patting his knee and smiling sympathetically.

Fez felt his heart lift a little. He'd been carrying the burden of secrecy and support alone for almost six months. Even acknowledging it in vague terms to Jackie seemed to lighten the load. He finished the bread and downed his coffee, "Well, what now my goddess? Should we return to the glorious feast?"

Jackie shook her head, "Nah," she replied glancing at her watch, "That damn turkey won't be ready for hours and I hate feeling useless." She picked sullenly at a loose thread on the hem of her jeans.

Fez squeezed her hand, "Jackie, you know you are not useless. But in the kitchen, you know, maybe you are just a little too…. flammable."

She laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "You should talk! Your kitchen is stocked with nothing but candy and beer! You're like an addict!"

Fez tried to keep laughing, but his heart was hurting badly. He couldn't hide the hurt the words had unintentionally inflicted. Jackie saw the pain flair across her ex-lover's face. Whatever might be said about her, Jackie had never been nor would ever be a stupid woman. Her hand shot across to grip Fez's. "Oh, Fezzy… I'm sorry. I didn't mean… "

Fez shook his head to relieve her guilt. "It's okay, Jackie," he said sadly, "I know you didn't mean anything by it."

"Fez," she said, squeezing his hand, "Tell me. I swear I'll keep anything you tell me completely secret."

Fez sighed, the weight of his responsibility pressing on him like an anvil. "I care about her so very much," he said, "She's about to finish her treatment for a serious drug problem. She has worked so hard, but I am worried because she doesn't have anything to return to once she is done."

Jackie listened and thought carefully. "I guess that whatever she did before might have led her into this trouble?"

Fez nodded. "It certainly didn't help. She had so many people around her to drag her down. I just want her to have something to hold onto. Something…"

"Something to stay sober for?" Jackie ventured.

"Yes," he said, nodding vigorously, "exactly. I remember the feeling I had when I expanded the beauty shop. It was the first time I felt like I had achieved something great all on my own. My citizenship I owed to Laurie, my journey to this country was a sacrifice my parents had made. But that, that expansion, that was all my doing. I want her to have the same feeling."

Jackie took a deep breath, "Then I think you have to be willing to see her very differently than you did before. I've noticed that about Steven. I would never have imagined him doing something that didn't involve music, but letting him own this new life he's started has given him a lot of confidence I think. If you want some unsolicited advice, let her try to do something she never thought she could do. Even if it doesn't end up being the thing that sticks, just showing her that the whole world is open to her now will give her a lot of hope."

Fez reached over and put his arm around Jackie's shoulder, pulling her into him, "Thank you, my goddess," he said, kissing the top of her head, "You always know just what to say."

She squeezed him back and then glanced at her watch. "Well, we still have awhile before the turkey is done, but Michael and Steven should be back soon. Want to head back?"

Fez nodded and they gathered up their picnic and walked back to the house. Jackie was happy she'd been able to help her sweet friend with his dilemma, but she could feel her curiosity nagging at her. "Fez, can I ask you something? You can feel free to just tell me it's none of my business."

Fez sighed and looked down as they walked, "I know what you want to ask, Jackie. But I can't tell you who my friend is, not even a little hint. It took me so long to get her to this point, and I promised I wouldn't betray her trust."

Jackie nodded and replied, "Of course, I understand. I think I know better than anyone how loyal and trustworthy you are, Fez. I promise, no more questions from me."

They rounded the corner and saw the black Camino parked in front of the house. Depositing their coats and bag in the entryway, Jackie heard Kitty's voice drift towards her, "Steven, stop squirming! You're dripping blood everywhere!"

Jackie darted into the kitchen and saw Kitty leaning over Steven, a mass of blood stained napkins littering the floor around her. "Steven?! What happened?" she cried.

Kelso turned toward her and said, "He'll be okay, Jackie. We found the skip at his mom's house, just like Hyde thought. So, we split up and I went to the front door to see if he'd come quietly, and Hyde went around back in case he tried to run."

Fez smirked and said, "I'm guessing by your lack of injury that he opted to run?"

Kelso laughed and said, "You'd think so, wouldn't you? But no, he saw me and decided to come quiet. So, I radioed Hyde on the walkie-talkie that I had him, and when Hyde was coming around the corner, the guy's mom comes out and starts throwing beer bottles at him! She ran out of those pretty quick and just when Hyde made a break for the car, she comes back out and wings a wine bottle at him!"

Hyde groaned as Kitty cleaned out the cut above his eyebrow. "Damn thing caught me full in the face. I didn't think old ladies could throw that hard!"

"That wasn't even the best part!" Kelso continued, "One of the neighbors called the cops and when they showed up, Hyde was trying to dodge a toaster, a phone, basically anything she could grab and throw at him! One of the cops tried to calm her down and she threw a hairdryer at him, so he pulled out his taser and zapped her. It was so cool!"

Brooke rolled her eyes a little at her husband's enthusiasm for chaos. Jackie waited for Kitty to finish tending to Steven before walking over and sitting next to him. She folded her hand into his as he lifted his head up and planted a kiss on her forehead. Tracing his jawline with her other hand she smiled and said, "Pretty badass, babe."

He grinned down at her and squeezed her hand. "Thanks, doll. Sorry about the blood, I know you hate it when I bleed."

"It's okay, baby," she said, "I hate to admit it, but you look sexy when you're all roughed up." She laid her head on his shoulder and Fez watched as Hyde closed his eyes and smiled. He envied them right now, in the calm eye of their stormy romance. He wanted so badly for his lady to know that kind of peace and contentment. His brain wound back to what seemed like an age ago, when the bloody rags and bruises would've elicited supersonic shrieks and shin-kicks from Jackie. It shocked him a little to realize it was less than two years between those drastically different reactions. Jackie had been right- it wasn't just Hyde who'd had to change. She'd had to be willing to see him as a new person, without the burden of his past. Fez resolved that when he got home, he'd do the same for his princesa.

Carolyn had quietly come up behind them and swept up all the first-aid detritus and began setting the table. Brooke came struggling out of the kitchen and laid the giant roasting pan down. The turkey looked mouth-wateringly delicious. As she stretched her back, a dozen voices chorused, "Sit down! We'll get the rest!". Brooke grabbed the chair next to the end and eased herself into it. It was barely 5:00 and she was completely wiped out. She doubted she'd have the energy to make it through dessert, at any rate.

Dish after dish came marching out of the kitchen and was placed on the table with tender care. Everyone sat down and bowed their heads while Betsy tried to say grace.

"Dear God, thank you for the food… and my arrows. Thank you for Grandpa Red and Kiki. I want a pony for Christmas… Amen."

Everyone looked up from the invocation and looked at each other. Jackie felt her left arm shake as Fez tried to contain his laughter. Tears leaked down his cheeks with the suppressed mirth. Then, as one, the entire table erupted into laughter. Even Red.

Jackie wrapped her arms around her sides as her recently healed ribs ached with the exertion. Finally, as all the laughter subsided, Red leaned over and kissed Betsy on the top of her curly head. "That was quite a prayer, Punchkin. Now, can you please pass the rolls?"

Eric looked around the table at all his family and friends. A sweet happiness permeated the room, but there was a feeling as though it was just slightly less than it could be. There was just something missing, but he couldn't put his finger on it…

Thanksgiving 1981

Seattle

Ava woke up on Thanksgiving with a spectacular hangover. It took her a few minutes to remember the course of events that had led to the pounding headache and nauseated stomach. She put one hand over her eyes and the other over her stomach and threaded back through the blurred images in her mind.

"Ben!"

Ben smiled down at her and then kissed her deeply. She responded in kind, breathing in his scent and reveling in the strength from his arms around her. Finally, leaning back from him, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Ava, I'm…" he trailed off, looking down at his shoes.

"You're what?" Ava demanded, the anger from his previous rejection roaring back, "You're here to get laid for a few days and then traipse back to Minneapolis? You're here to drop off some 'things' and oh, while you're here, how about we have sex?" Her tirade stopped abruptly as Ben pushed her up against her door.

He put his hands on either side of her face, "NO!" he growled, his face inches from hers, "I'm here because I'm in love with you and ever since you called you're all I've thought about. I'm here because I needed to make sure you were still safe with my own eyes, because hearing it from anyone else wasn't good enough. I'm here because I just…"

And then there had been a LOT of non-verbal communication between them, interspersed with a good bit of wine. When the wine ran out, they'd moved to shots, and after that… she didn't remember anything else.

Ava groaned and rolled over on her side. She was debating the merits of a Bloody Mary versus a Mimosa as a hair-of-the-dog treatment, when she heard knocking on the front door. Slipping out of bed, she grabbed her bathrobe and peered out the peephole to see who was at the door.

"Tara!" she cried, swinging the door open and pulling her friend into a hug.

"Uh, good to see you too, Ava," Tara said, her arms pinned to her side, "You do remember we saw each other yesterday, right?!"

Ava rolled her eyes, but released her friend all the same. "Duh, I remember," she said, "But, holy hell, I have SO much to tell you!"

Tara stepped into the kitchen and started brewing a huge pot of coffee. She didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings, but the smell of alcohol emanating from her was enough to give her a contact buzz. "So," she said, "what gives? Why are you still in bed at noon?"

"Ben came by," Ava said simply.

"Ben?!" Tara chirped, "THE Ben? The guy from Minnesota you were pining over?"

"Yep," Ava said, "He just showed up here and, well…" she paused, trying to remember that she had to make sure anything she said didn't contradict her background story. "He said he loved me, that he missed me, and," she looked up at her dumbstruck friend, "then we had sex. A lot."

Tara grinned. Her friend had been so lonely here that she was happy that some even a little light was shining down on her. "I'm really happy for you!" she said, "But, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, you said before that he was married to his job and he made all kinds of excuses not to be with you on the holidays…"

Ava nodded and her eyes shifted to the ground, "Yeah," she said quietly, "I know. But, none of that seemed to matter when I saw him. I just… I think I love him, too."

Tara poured two cups of coffee and pushed one to her friend, "Okay, then there's only one thing to do."

"What's that?"

"Make sure he knows it," Tara said, smiling warmly at her hungover friend. "So where is Mr. Magnificent?"

"Actually, I don't know," Ava replied, looking around, "I woke up just before you got here and he was already gone."

Tara raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? Ava, this guy sounds like a…" she was cut off by the sound of a series of hard knocks at the door.

Ava held up a finger and went to the door again. Opening it, she let a very tall, very handsome, older man into the apartment.

"Tara, this is Ben," she said, introducing the two, "Ben, this is my best friend, Tara."

Ben extended a hand to Tara, "Very nice to meet you, Tara."

"Likewise, Ben."

Ava sensed a tension in the air that she didn't like. "Ben, I invited Tara over yesterday so I wouldn't be alone for Thanksgiving. We both have the week off from school, so we were planning on spending the holiday together."

Ben nodded and smiled at both of them, "Of course, I understand. Tara, I'm sorry I intruded on your plans with Ava. I hope maybe you won't mind if I hang around for a bit? My plane doesn't leave until tomorrow."

Tara smiled graciously and studied Ben for a moment. There was an alarm bell going off in the back of her brain. She knew Ben was older, she knew he had an important job in Minnesota that Ava said was basically his life, but there was still just something about him that was giving her pause. She filed it away in the back of her mind and simply nodded at the living room. "Well, if you guys want we can watch the parade while I toss one of these pizzas in the oven."

Ava motioned towards her bedroom, "Well, I'm just going to get some actual clothes on and take a quick shower. I'll try to be quick."

Tara and Ben watched her go and then turned toward each other. The awkward silence was palpable.

"So…. Ben. Where'd ya go?" she asked.

"Oh," he replied, "I just went down to the corner store to grab a paper and call my office. Didn't want to put long distance charges on Ava's phone."

"I thought nearly everywhere would be closed today," she said, "Or is your office one of those open-every-day-of-the-year places?"

Ben looked at her intently. He wasn't sure if she was probing him or just naïve as most young 20-somethings were. "I work in relocation and people move all year round, so there really aren't any holidays for us. I assume you've been happy to have a break from school, though?" He wanted to head off any more probative questions.

"Well, I have today off from work, but I'll be back at it tomorrow. Boss doesn't like having to miss out on a day's receipts just for a holiday. He tried to stay open last year, but Seattle City Council wasn't having it. Told him he'd get fined pretty big if he tried it again. So I'll take my small victories where I can get them," she finished, reaching for the coffee pot again.

"Where do you work that the boss would have business on a holiday like this?" Ben asked, almost humorously.

"I'm a cocktail waitress and delivery girl at Toots N' Tails," Tara said, not batting an eyelash. People Ben's age were normally pretty judgmental about her line of work. Tara had stopped caring about their opinions as soon as she got her first night's tips.

"You seem awfully young to be working at a place like that," Ben replied. As a Marshal he didn't have any particular experience with the hustle that went on in strip clubs, but he'd seen plenty of the girls who worked there end up as collateral damage to the boss' side activities or patron's amorous fantasies.

"Well, the foster system only gives you $150 when you turn 18," Tara said, shrugging her shoulders, "I'm not coordinated enough to dance and make that kind of money, but I can sling drinks and run packages just fine. It's enough to pay for my rent, food, and my classes at UW. It's not a career, but I can live with it for now."

Ben tried to keep himself from jumping the shark. He needed to get just the right information out of Tara without spooking her. If she was a delivery girl there was a chance she knew the details of what she was delivering, and that mattered heavily to him as far as Ava's safety was concerned.

"You gotta run deliveries all over Seattle?" he asked, "That's gotta run your gas bill pretty high."

"It's usually just one or two a day, either before or after my shift, and it's always going to the same place, so no big deal. Honestly, I was stoked when the opportunity came up. The boss used to just have his son do it, but now that Sammy is busy learning the more important stuff he asked me if I wanted to do it. I get paid extra, and there's always a nice tip from the guy I deliver to."

"That sounds like a pretty sweet gig," Ben said, "Nice that you can swing both and school, too."

"Yeah, I've had to miss a day or two, but Ava's been great about lending me her notes when I need them."

"She's a great girl," Ben said, "Has she had a chance to get out and see Seattle at all?"

Tara smiled coyly, "I've sent her to a few places… but I think she'd rather see the sights of Minnesota, to be honest."

Ben blushed, mentally kicking himself for getting drawn into this line of conversation. "Well, I'm just glad she's adjusting here. I know the move was hard on her."

Tara nodded, "She's going to go down to Legal Aid next week to get some volunteer time in. I hope it gives her an incentive to stay. I'd miss her like hell if she left."

Ben grinned, "I know the feeling, Tara. I know the feeling."

Ava popped out of the bedroom just then, "Sorry that took so long, guys!" She looked over at Tara and asked, "So, what should we do about dinner?"

Tara waved off her friend and said, "I know I said I was coming over, but I think you should take advantage of this… rare opportunity."

Ava smiled and started to protest, but Tara stopped her again, "Nope! No arguments! I can catch up on the Bio homework from last week and you," she paused, fishing in her back pocket for something, "can take Mr. Marvelous to the Golden Dragon for dim sum." She handed over a take out menu to a Chinese restaurant featuring an ornate gold dragon on the front. "Before you ask- yes, they're open every day of the year except Chinese New Year and for the Dragon Boat Festival." Ava gaped at her. Tara sighed and said, "Don't worry, they're already past for this year! But for future reference, they happen in January and June. You guys go and have a good time. And for god's sake, don't skip the pork buns or the shumai!" Grabbing a thermos from Ava's cupboard she emptied the coffee pot into it and dumped a load of cream and sugar in. Then, leaning in for a hug, she whispered, "Let yourself be happy, Ava, whatever that is for you."

Ava squeezed Tara hard and said, "I'll come by tomorrow and get my Thermos, okay? I'll take you out for dinner." Tara nodded and closed the front door behind her.

Ben looked over at Ava, "Ava, I need to talk to you about Tara."

Ava rolled her eyes at the tone in Ben's voice, "You know, for all you talk about my intelligence you sure treat me like an idiot a lot. I haven't slipped up or told her anything about you specifically that would give anything away."

Ben cut her off, "Ava, it's not like that. Tara works at Toots N' Tails. Did you know that?"

Ava shrugged, "No, but why should I care how she pays the bills? Her parents didn't leave her a load of money when they died like mine did."

Ben could sense he was thin ice, "I'm not suggesting she's a bad person because she has to work for a living, but Toots N' Tails is owned by the Seattle mob family- the Colaruccio's. Ava, you have got to cut ties with her."

Ava folded her arms and straightened to her fullest height, "No." She said it plainly and without hesitation.

Ben blinked, "This isn't negotiable Ava. If the Colaruccio's find out you're here in Seattle they can get that information to the New York bosses in a heartbeat. You'd be the last loose end to tie up! You have to-"

"I don't HAVE to do a god damned thing," she said, her eyes blazing, "I have literally JUST started over here and have a good friend and a plan set out to try and regain some semblance of a normal life and not you, the DOJ, the mob, or anyone else is going to take ONE MORE DAMN THING away from me. If that means I have to be extra careful, fine. I don't go to strip clubs anyway! I'll make sure Tara and I stay away from that part of town, but I'm not giving up the few threads of sanity I have to make your life easier."

"EASIER?!" Ben thundered, his fury and indignation matching Ava's, "My life has become nothing but complicated since you walked into it this summer! I am trying to keep you safe and alive, and all you've done at this point is try and make it harder for me to do so!"

Ava took a deep breath and prepared to shout back, when she felt a tug somewhere near her heart. Let yourself be happy, whatever that is for you. She opened her eyes and walked toward Ben. Drawing him close, she kissed him deeply. "I really am sorry for making your life complicated. I'm trying my best to find my footing in this new life. I'm trying, really hard, to be the kind of person my parents thought I could be. I need you to understand that I care about you, I miss you, and… I love you. I also need you to understand that I am just now finding out who I really am, and what I want to do with my life. I'm not in a place where I can just move to a new city and pick up right where I left off. Tara is important to me. I'll make sure I'm careful, but I need to know that you trust me enough not to treat me like a piece of china."

Ben held her tightly and, not for the first time in his life, lied his ass off, "Of course, Ava. I understand. If Tara is important to you, she's important to me. I'll back off. Just promise me you'll be extra careful." His mind was already laying out a few different options, but he knew they'd have to wait until his next trip out to Seattle. Until then, he'd have to roll the dice that she'd stay safe.

Ava smiled and pulled back from him, reaching for her keys. "Let's head to that Chinese food place. I worked up quite the appetite this morning."

Ben followed behind her, silently hoping that he could use his vacation days without anyone at the office getting wise to him.

Friday

November 27, 1981

Ben woke up before Ava and finished packing his small travel bag. After a hurried shower and a cup of coffee he kissed Ava goodbye, promising to return as soon as he was able. He grabbed the keys to his rental car and the slip of paper he'd copied Tara's address on from Ava's address book. He had a plan to make sure Ava stayed safe, and it started with Tara.

Pulling in to the apartment complex in the Victory Heights neighborhood of I-5, Ben cut the engine quickly and checked his mirrors. The mob family in Seattle had spent thousands in bribes to local police to keep their operations safe. Ben wasn't going to take chances being outed by a nosey cop. He climbed the stairs to the second floor and knocked on the door.

Tara looked through the peephole and saw Ben standing outside. Ewww, I knew this guy was giving me a creepy vibe. I swear to God, if he's here to hit on me I'm gonna mace the shit out of him…

She opened the door and stood in the doorway, her arms folded in front of her. "Ben," she said, "This is an unexpected visit."

Ben gestured to the interior of the apartment and said, "May I come in? I need to talk with you."

Tara held her ground. "Nope," she said, unapologetically, "My apartment is my sanctuary. No guys allowed inside."

Ben smirked, "That must be quite a change for you." Before he realized it, Tara had taken one quick step forward and delivered a lightning fast punch straight to his nose. His eyes instantly filled with tears, and he instinctively pinched off his nose to stop the blood dripping from it. Tara moved back to close the door on him, but Ben shoved his foot in it. Standing up straight, he pushed Tara back into her apartment and shut the door behind him. She moved to pick up her phone, but he pulled the cord out of the wall. Tara backed away, genuinely frightened. This sort of thing had happened in one of her foster homes. She swore it was the last time anyone would ever lay a hand on her without her permission.

"Back the fuck off!" she screamed, "HELP! HELP!" She turned to run toward her bathroom, but Ben grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth.

"Calm down," he said, trying not to let too much blood drip into his mouth, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just need you to listen to me. Can you do that? Nod if you understand."

Tara nodded, and Ben let her go. He walked over to her small kitchen and grabbed a dish towel from the sink. Wiping the blood from his face, he turned to face Tara. "Listen, I'm going to level with you. I don't want you around Ava. She's got a special set of circumstances that make people like your boss and your customers persona non grata in my opinion."

Tara shrugged, "Like I give a shit what you think," she said, "Ava can make her own decisions. Just because you're old enough to be her dad doesn't mean you get to act like one."

Ben's eyes narrowed, "Cheap shot, Tara. I only let people take one of those at me."

Tara crossed her arms in front of her, "Truth hurts, doesn't it?" she retorted, "Get to the point already, I want you out of my apartment."

Ben moved the towel away from his nose, "Alright," he said, leveling his gaze at her. He noted that the girl couldn't weigh more than 115 pounds. She's just a kid… C'mon Ben, you can't force a kid to… No. She's an adult. She knows who her boss is. It's time for her to make an adult decision. This is for Ava. To keep her safe…. "Listen Tara, I know who your boss is."

Tara shrugged, "So?"

Ben glared at her, "That's all you got? So? Your boss is Sammy Colaruccio, Tara! He is THE mafia in Seattle. There isn't any other in this city! He's been paying off the cops for decades. Guys like him present a unique problem for me, and by extension, Ava."

Tara held her ground. She felt like one reason she'd survived this long was because she didn't yield ground to men just because they felt like she should. "And how is any of this my problem? I don't bring my work home with me, and I sure as hell don't invite Ava to the club. Two separate worlds."

"Except it won't be for long, Tara," Ben said, "You know that. You have to have been around long enough to see that, eventually, private lives stop being private."

Tara didn't reply. She was still waiting to hear why Ben had come over.

"Look," Ben sighed, "I had this conversation with Ava already. She reacted pretty much the same way. So I have two choices- force Ava's hand and move her again, or-"

"Or force mine," Tara finished for him. She sighed, willing the anger and frustration to remain at bay long enough to hear Ben's plan. Either way she was going to lose out on something. At the very least she should be able to pick which loss she had to endure.

Ben nodded, the earlier guilt pressing heavier on his mind. "You have inside information on your boss, even if you don't realize it. I can put you in touch with federal investigators who've been working on prosecuting the Colaruccio family. In exchange for your cooperation, you'll be given a whole new life. Some seed money to start over with, a new identity, a new town. It's not a bad offer, Tara."

Tara brought her bright blue eyes up to meet Ben's and he instantly felt discomfited. "You really think you're going to sell me the 'sunshine and rainbows' of Witness Protection?" She shook her head, "I grew up in a system that treated a small child like a piece of trash without a container. I only survived this long because I DON'T trust anyone. But I think you know that, Ben. I think you know you can force me into this, just like I know you don't really have two choices. You've never had anything you want as much as Ava. If you force her to move, she'll hate you forever. There's no way my life, my happiness, my safety means anything close to that to you. Which means you'll do whatever you have to to make sure I take this 'deal' you're offering."

Ben had no response off hand. He knew Tara had him dead to rights. "So does that mean you're taking me up on my offer?"

Tara shrugged, "I need some time to think it over."

Ben nodded, "I'll be back at Christmas. I'll need your answer by then. With or without you, Tara, I'm going to make sure the Colaruccios aren't around to harm Ava. Just remember, she's what this boils down to."

Tara nodded, "I get that, Ben. Now get out of my apartment. I want to enjoy it while I still can."

She led him out and locked the door behind him. Sliding down the wall, she gave herself over to half an hour's worth of sobbing before she picked herself up off the floor. She walked through her small place, looking at its spare, well-cared for furnishings. Tara had never had much in this life, but she'd taken care of what she did have. I guess I should do the same for Ava. Promising herself that she'd undertake some serious consideration later, she pulled her backpack towards her. Right now, she just wanted to lose herself in her schoolwork. She pulled on her Walkman headphones and punched the play button for the cassette. The slow thrum of classical strings began to play, and before long, Tara was lost in a world of cells and microbes.

Outside, Ben got into his car and double checked his mirrors. Nobody seemed to be watching so he started the engine and began driving to SeaTac airport. His mind was racing through the steps needed to set Tara up as a witness… and as a patsy. Either way, she can decide which role she wants to play. The growing knot in his stomach wasn't eased by thoughts of keeping Ava safe and happy in her new home. He pushed the guilt aside. You can't make everyone happy all the time. She'll get to make her choice. And with that, he focused on his mental to-do list.

Sammy Jr. watched through narrowed eyes as the tall guy exited Tara's apartment. He hadn't been in there long. Not long enough to do the things Sammy Jr wanted to do, anyway. Still, he'd been plenty clear to all the guys at his dad's clubs- Tara was his. He hadn't made his move yet. Tara was different from most of the other girls he'd been introduced to. She was smart, and she wasn't impressed by tough-guy bravado. He'd watched some junkie try and steal her purse one night after closing. She laid the guy out with a quick punch and kept walking. When some asshat from the club gave the guy and extra kick and then went running after her looking for "gratitude", she'd given him the same.

Just gotta find out who the guy is, that's all. Maybe he's just a relative or something. Even if he's interested in her, maybe she ain't interested in him.

Sammy Jr. wasn't known for patience, but he'd been waiting awhile for his chance with Tara. If he had to do a little digging to remove some competition, he was willing to put in the work. He got back in his car and wrote down the license plate for the car on the side of a newspaper. He'd have one of their payroll cops run the number tomorrow, then maybe pay the guy a visit. With that, he gunned the engine. Shipments were getting ready for delivery and he didn't want to be late for receipt. His old man would kill him if they lost another.