Chapter 36:

A/N: Thanks to Chyrstis and HunnybadgerV for looking over the work. You should check out their badass bosses if you haven't already.

Someone had fucked up bad. Someone had fucked up so bad that a dozen Saints were arrested including him and the goddamn chief of police was glaring at him as a file was tossed on the table in front of him.

"One of your crew is a fucking fan of Seven." The chief snarled. Troy felt sick to his stomach at the photo of the head in the box.

"Jesus, is that his-"

"His severed dick in his mouth. We went through four techs before we found someone who could process it."

"Fuck's sake." Troy flipped the photo over feeling slightly nauseous.

"It wasn't postmortem either. So who was it? Gat?"

"Not his style." Shit, it wasn't anyone's style as far as he knew, but the next photo proved him wrong. It was of a note that had been taped to the lid of the box.

Never should have touched Lin. XOXO

XXX

Something was wrong. Or was it? I wasn't sure. I felt so numb, so dead inside as I watched the water swirl down the drain. Bloody water kinda like the water I used to have every month, but the only blood that would grace my shower from now on wouldn't be mine. I never realized that blood was hard to get out of your hair; three times I had washed it and still I kept finding more. It didn't help that I could barely feel my fingers for some reason. My whole body felt like it was so far away. I wish my place had had a tub, I could go for a nice soak.

"Hey, come on the water's freezing." When had the water gotten cold? I looked up, confused at the voice, even more confused to find Troy standing there. He cut the water off and wrapped one of my fluffy towels around me. I wasn't aware of how I moved to the bed, but next thing I knew I was covered up in the bed with Troy holding me. He smoothed my hair away from my face, his words garbled as I drifted off to sleep.

It took me a few moments to remember who was in my bed. My head felt fuzzy like I had been binge drinking or something. I hadn't called him after I slaughtered baldy, had I? No, I had put the box on Sharp's step and headed home, leaving the blood-soaked car that cost more than most people's homes a block away from home. I didn't remember the walk here, everything after the drive was kinda a blur.

He was sound asleep, making that little snoring noise he did every time he slept on his left side. I was surprised he was dressed, he liked sleeping naked next to me but here he was fully dressed, even had his sneakers still on. His dirty ass sneakers on my just cleaned comforter. He kept dirtying my life up. I would have never joined the Saints if it wasn't for him. Never would have worked so hard to impress him just so he'd look at me with what I had mistook for love. I was so stupid, like my mother, searching for affection in people that never felt the same. And just like her, my taste in men would probably get me killed.

"Hey, how you feeling?" He asked as his eyes opened and focused on me. He gave me a smile that made me warm, his hand coming up to brush some of my hair out of my face.

"What the hell are you doing in my bed?" I snapped slapping his hand away from my face.

"Nice to see you Troy, I missed you, how about I explain why I was a bloody mess and stuff?" He mocked my voice and accent. I glared at him before pushing him off the bed.

"Fuck!" He pushed up from the floor, and gave me a wounded look. "I see how it is, I risk life and limb to see if you're okay and you just kick me to the curb."

"The fuck are you doing here?" I grabbed at the blankets upon realizing I was naked under the sheets.

"Was worried about you." He shrugged and got up. I watched him move around my kitchen, my somehow clean kitchen. I frowned, I didn't clean it, not that I could recall. He came back with a mug, and handed it to me.

"What the hell is going on?" I asked feeling confused as hell. He didn't answer, urging me to drink my own coffee with a gesture. "I kicked you out." I took a sip surprised to find it was made the way I liked it.

"Danish?" He held out a plate of them avoiding the question and tempting me with sugary goodness. He even had gotten one with cherries and cheese. He knew my weakness to them. I couldn't help it as I grabbed one, oh it was even warm. Dirty bastard. "I got some people to clean your place while you were out yesterday. Want to tell me why you were covered with blood?" He said it so neutrally it took a moment to for it to register and another for me to swallow down my food.

"Why were you watching me?" I avoided his question.

"Been worried about you." He shrugged as he ate a blueberry danish.

"We broke up." I reminded him.

"And then you gave me head. Back home that's like a makeup really." He waggled his eyebrows at me. I couldn't help but laugh at him.

"You're an idiot." He put down his stuff and crawled over to me, kissing me gently.

"Yeah, but I'm your idiot remember?" He took my stuff before I spilled it and went back to kissing me, his hands pulling me gently against him. I knew I shouldn't let him kiss me, or hold me like this, but I was so worn and right now he felt so good.

XXX

He knew she was in shock. He also knew that it would probably take her a bit before she really came back to herself fully. He also knew he was a fucking scumbag for doing it, for weaseling his way back in but he had to. He had to keep her safe. Her prints had been all over that box; prints the police would never connect since he had swapped out her prints on file for someone else'. The idea of her being locked away in a tiny cell for the rest of her life was one that sent chills down his spine. And with Prices' money he would insure she would be locked away in solitary until she went insane.

"I should really kick you out again." She muttered, her cold hands creeping under his shirt seeking warmth. "But you feel really good right now."

"You always feel good." She gave him one of her happy, shy smiles that he adored.

"You know, don't you?" She bit her lip. He couldn't help kissing her again, sucking gently on her lip.

"Sorry can't help myself, every time you do that." He gave her a sheepish look as he drew back, his hand soothing her hair off her cheek. It was long enough now he could wrap it around his fist. "But yeah, I know." He finally said. "Police pulled a whole bunch of us in because of Sharp."

"Fuck." She sighed and pulled away from him and started to climb over him to get up.

"Hey, where you going?" He caught hold of her, pulling her back down next to him.

"I have to get it together, who knows how long I have until the berries connect the dots. I should have worn gloves." She muttered the last.

"Yes you should have, but they aren't going to find you. I covered your tracks." He knew he shouldn't tell her, but he was worried she would hightail it out of the city. He couldn't let her go.

"How?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Switched out your prints with someone else's." He shrugged. "I have contacts in the police which is why I'm usually the one that's called instead of Johnny."

"So do you know where Sharp is?"

XXX