Rogue's Big Entrance by Brian Tyler

Innuendo of Character by Brian Tyler

Prelude by Henry Jackman & Alex Belcher

Shadows by Really Slow Motion

1980

Montana, U.S.

Rosie Vrataski woke up with the strange feeling that today was the day. Today, she was going to have her baby. There was a hint of sunlight, but she knew the day was calling for rain and possibly a storm. She was mentally going over her to-do list when her husband, Lance Vrataski, stirred next to her. She turned her head to watch him fully wake up, something that was her favorite thing to do.

"Hi," she said to him once his eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," Lance murmured, moving in and kissing her softly. Rosie smiled against his lips when he paused, and she couldn't help but think about the day she'd met him.

"Sleep well?" she asked him. He kissed her lightly again, resting a hand on her very pregnant belly.

"I always sleep well when you're next to me," he replied.

"So what will you do if I'm not here?" she asked, her voice teasing. She rested her head on its left side as he looked at her with his head resting on the right. Her eyes were twinkling.

"I'll never be able to sleep again," he advised. She gave a chuckle, and he smiled. She closed her eyes as he kissed her again before getting up. She stretched and watched him get dressed. Sometimes, she felt bad knowing what she knew and he had no idea. Sometimes, she wondered when her good fortune was going to come to an end, when her past was finally going to catch up with her.

"Need a boost?" Lance asked, coming over to offer her a hand. She accepted, and he pulled her to her feet.

"Thank you."

"You want something to eat?" he asked, heading out the doorway into the hall.

"Dry toast is good."

"I can do that."

Rosie smiled as he patted the doorframe and disappeared. She got dressed and brushed her hair, looking at herself in the mirror. She wondered if Lance felt bad for keeping his identity a secret from her the way she felt bad for keeping hers from him. She kept having thoughts like these a lot lately. She didn't know why. She paused when her baby kicked, and she put her hand on her belly.

Well, she did know why. She was feeling bad for her daughter being kept in the dark about her parents.

Rosie went to the kitchen and sat at the table. Lance had her toast ready moments later, and then he was sitting down with his coffee and cereal. She gazed at his coffee longingly. She had missed it a lot during her pregnancy. Decaf just didn't do her justice.

"I might have to work late tonight," Lance said after a bit, looking at her over the paper in his hand.

"Okay."

He went back to his paper, sipping his coffee. Rosie looked outside at the clouds gathering. It would appear that storm they were calling for was rolling in sooner than later. They finished breakfast, and Lance got ready to leave for work. She smiled as he cornered her against the cupboard and held her face in his hands, looking at her for a moment before kissing her. She knew without a doubt that he adored her, just like she adored him.

"I love you," he said, touching her cheek lightly with his fingers after.

"I love you too," she replied, smiling wider. "So does Rita Rose." She patted her bump fondly, and he smiled with a chuckle. He pressed his forehead against hers for a moment before stepping back and picking up his lunch box. "Have a good day."

"You as well," he replied.

She smiled at him one last time before he was gone. Then she cleaned up the kitchen and went to see her beloved animals. As she walked to the barn, she felt grateful to Lance for letting her indulge in her furry and feathery friends. They made her happy. Her whole life made her happy.

And having a baby was going to make it even better.

...

Lance waved at Carol, who was on the phone and wearing an exasperated expression on her face. It appeared his sister-in-law had had enough of the person on the other end of the call.

"Why don't you bring it in," she was saying, "and one of our mechanics will take a look at it? No. No, I don't need to hear the noise again..." She was cut off by the person on the other end imitating vehicular breakdown noises over the phone. Lance bit down his laugh as he walked past her. She gave him a quick wave in return.

"Yes, it does sound rather high pitched and, erm, clunky, was it?" she was saying as Lance headed for his work station. "Clicky. My apologies. Well, we can fit you in for one p.m. today..."

Lance tuned everyone and everything else out as he started to work. He loved this life. It was simple. He never thought he'd appreciate simple so much, but he did. He felt a bit anxious about becoming a father, but he knew he wasn't in it alone. He had Rosie, and she'd done all her reading and research and had made sure he'd heard all about it. He tried to remember it all, but it was hard.

"God," Carol said, coming to hand him his paperwork for his jobs that day. "I don't think I can do this forever."

"No?" he asked playfully.

"No! If one more bloody person imitates a car sound today, I just might scream," Carol insisted. He took the papers from her and laughed.

"At least you can't see them gesturing with their hands," he noted.

"No, but I imagine they're doing it anyway."

"You're probably right."

"How's Rosie? Has the baby come yet?"

"Not yet. You know you'd be the first to hear if it happened."

"I better be," Carol warned with a smile. "You nervous?"

"Scared shitless," he confessed. She laughed out loud.

"Well, join the club," she said, reaching to pat his back lightly. "It only gets scarier the older they get."

"Thanks for the tip."

"You're welcome," she said brightly, going back to her desk where the phone was already ringing again. He did an imitation of a car spluttering and backfiring, and she held up her middle finger to him over her shoulder as she walked. Lance shook his head, laughed, and smiled, heading to start the day.

...

Rosie gripped the wheel tightly as she slowly went down the driveway, minding the bumps. She could feel another contraction coming, and she hissed and grunted through it. She'd be at the hospital soon enough. She could make it. She'd called Lance after putting it off long enough, and he was going to meet her there. She was doing her best not to regret letting him come pick her up.

"Okay, baby," she said out loud, "almost show time. Just don't start until we get to the hospital, okay?" She patted her belly, turning her head to check and make sure she remembered the car seat before looking back in front of her.

Then she slammed the brakes.

Heart pounding and breath shaking, she stared at the man standing in the middle of her driveway. She didn't have to see him fully to know who he was. She closed her eyes briefly, trying to breathe. She blinked rapidly, trying to understand how he'd found her.

But really, she knew she'd been lucky to make it this long.

A tapping at her window made her jerk from being startled. She turned to see the butt end of a pistol against the glass, and she put the car in park and shut the engine off. She opened the door slowly and got out.

"Well," he said, taking her all in. "You look ready to explode."

"What do you want, Johnny?" she asked.

"Bossman is a little bit pissed at you," Johnny answered, chewing his gum thoughtfully.

"You don't say," Rosie commented sarcastically. She didn't have time for this. "If you're gonna kill me, then just kill me."

"I can't kill the best," Johnny scoffed. "My orders were to give you an ultimatum."

"Oh yea? What's that?"

"Fake your death and leave your husband and child behind forever, or you and your baby die right here right now and your husband when he gets home," Johnny answered. He spread out his hands, his gun dangling from his fingers in his right hand. "Your call, Amelia."

The name felt so foreign; she hadn't been called it for a long time. It didn't feel like her anymore. That person was long in the past. She gave Johnny Wright an even stare. He was always such a smartass and mean when he wanted to be. He fit into this job better than anyone, but looking at him now, she could tell he'd changed since the last time she'd seen him. Something had happened to him.

"Why can't he just leave me alone?"

"Because almost eight years ago you were supposed to do a job, and you f***ed it up. What did you think was gonna happen? Change your hair all you want, but we know it's still you."

"So, what? I fake my death and go back to work? Is that it? All is forgiven?"

"He says the pain of losing your family will be punishment enough for you," Johnny answered. "And he's your father. Hell if I know what his logic is. I just do what I'm told." Rosie felt the stab inside. He wasn't wrong that losing her family was severe punishment, worse than a beating. She rubbed her belly slowly. There really wasn't any other way out of this. Her father was a relentless man; she grew up watching that. It was terrifying to admit, but she knew her father had no issues with killing an innocent child, hence why Lance had done what he did before going on the run and why she'd taken the opportunity to flee when she was sent after him. She kept looking at Johnny. Could she get out of this? If she had a gun...

"You'd shoot me and then what?" Johnny asked, reading her mind. "He'd send someone next time who won't have any deals for you. You'd be shot dead on sight. Your kid and your man too. Hell, maybe even your sister and her family. You're lucky he's even leaving her alone as it is. He was royally pissed in the beginning that you took her with you, by the way."

"Alright," Rosie said impatiently. "I get it." It didn't surprise her that her father didn't want Carol but was angry about it. He'd deemed her a "suck," weak, and a lost cause years ago, but he'd liked having her close by all the same. It hadn't taken much to convince Carol to come with her after lying and saying their father had died of a heart attack. She'd never questioned it. She never knew that Rosie was supposed to kill Lance because Rosie hadn't told her, and she'd convinced Carol not to tell Lance who she really was. Carol hadn't needed prompting. She had wanted the past behind her as well.

"Fake your death then?" Johnny asked, tilting his head at her.

"If that's my only other option."

"Yep."

"How are we doing it?"

"Well, you're gonna have a little accident," Johnny said, smiling widely now. Rosie felt slightly scared, but she had no choice. She had to protect her baby.

"What about Harry?" Rosie asked, using Lance's former name.

"Bossman doesn't care. For now, anyway. He also thinks losing you will be a sufficient consequence for what he did."

What he did. All Harry/Lance had done was spare a child's life. She never understood why that was worth killing him over or why her father had chosen her to do it.

"So he could change his mind and come back here?"

"I can't predict the future, darlin'," Johnny drawled. Rosie had a slight idea as to what her father was up to. He was hoping Lance would train her daughter to be a killer so he could come later and collect. Well, she knew Lance wouldn't do that. To her, he was Lance now, not Harry. He had left that life behind, just like she thought she had. She wasn't going to stand for it, if that was her father's plan. She'd do everything she could to prevent it.

"If I do this," Rosie said, standing toe to toe with him, her jaw set. "He goes untouched. My daughter too. For good."

"I'll pass along the message."

"I mean it, Johnny," Rosie warned.

"Uh huh," Johnny said, amused.

"They go untouched," Rosie said again. Johnny rolled his eyes and pulled out a cigarette. He stuck it in his mouth without lighting it.

"Fine," he said. "But don't be pissed when my word is overruled. I don't make the final calls, and you know it. Now, get moving."

...

Lance was speeding. He had to get to the hospital. He had to be there before Rosie got there. He had to make sure she didn't have the baby without him. He'd done a lot things in his life he wasn't proud of, but he was determined to continue making up for them. He did not miss his old life at all. He liked this new life, the one where he had a wife and a new baby. He'd never envisioned this for himself when he got into the game years ago, but he could see it clearly now.

And he wanted it. Badly.

"Come on, come on," he muttered, pressing his palm against the horn as traffic slowed in front of him. "Move, move!"

The rain was coming down a bit harder now. He hoped Rosie was driving carefully. If anything happened to her, he didn't think he could ever survive. Rosie had saved him, so to speak. The day he met her was the day he realized he could be a normal person. He could never repay her for that.

"Finally," he said impatiently as traffic dispersed. He sped forward again. Then, his truck hydroplaned, and as he spun, his thoughts raced through the key moments of his life followed by the fear of leaving Rosie behind. He opened his mouth and released a solid, long yell as he spun until he stopped. Breathing hard and his hands gripping the wheel so tight he could barely feel them, he stared straight ahead. He'd stopped spinning and landed on someone's driveway. He was lucky, extremely lucky.

Hands shaking and his breath erratic, he got back on the road and drove a bit slower. He had to get there in one piece. He had to.

...

Rosie watched them bang up her car a little as she lay on her hospital stretcher. Johnny and his partner, Bob, were laughing as they left it and came to load her into their borrowed ambulance. Bob was driving while Johnny sat in the back. Two more of their partners were dressed in police uniforms, ready to deliver the news to Lance about the "accident." She knew what waited for her at the hospital. Another team was waiting to usher her in and effectively fake her death. She hoped the real doctor would deliver her baby, though.

"Almost there," Johnny promised as Bob started to drive, sirens blaring. Rosie felt the blood on her face from her "accident." She tried not to worry that they'd renege on their deal, that this was going to be all for nought and her daughter and Lance were going to get hurt anyway. They got to the hospital, and Johnny and Bob wheeled her in and explained what had happened to her, passing her off to a male nurse who gave a slight nod of his head to Johnny, indicating he was part of this extraction team and good to go. Nurses were shouting for a doctor, and she kept her eyes closed. She hoped Lance wasn't there yet. Johnny and Bob were trying to move out to avoid being seen.

"Emergency C section," someone was saying above her head as they rolled her down the hall.

"Possible head trauma." At least they bought her injuries and were going to do the C section. She wondered just how many other team members were a part of this right now.

"ROSIE!"

She flinched at his voice, hearing his running steps coming towards them. He said something else, then:

"THAT'S MY WIFE!"

She hurt inside so bad at the sound of his voice. The anguish. The fear. She wished she could tell him it was all gonna be all right, but she honestly didn't know if it would be. So many things were out of her hands.

"The baby. She was having a baby...she was in labor..." his voice went on. It was all she could do to not open her eyes and tell him she loved him one last time, that she was doing this for him...for their child. If she did, she knew it would all come out, and they'd all get killed. She had to stay strong. She thought instead of the goodbye they'd had that morning. It warmed her heart and made it ache at the same time.

"They're going to perform the delivery now," the nurse replied. "Sit tight. We'll come get you when it's over."

Rosie kept breathing evenly as they took her in for the C section. They kept her awake after deeming her stable (although Rosie figured they didn't want to put her under if there was a risk of a brain injury from her fake accident, but she wasn't a doctor), numbing the rest of her, which she was appreciative of. She didn't want to be put under, anyway, and risk the team taking her away before she could say goodbye to her little girl. When it was over, she asked for a moment alone with her baby. A woman she recognized, who was dressed as a nurse, stayed. The others had left her already.

"Give me a moment," Rosie said, and the woman rolled her eyes and went to stand guard outside the door. Rosie looked down at her little girl, and she felt tears roll down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, touching her baby's nose and cheeks softly with her fingertip. "I'm not gonna be there to help you live life, but I'm gonna be watching, okay? I promise. Your dad...he's a good man, and he's worth it. He is worth it to me. I got almost eight wonderful years, and I knew it wouldn't last forever even though I'd really hoped it would. I wouldn't trade it for anything, I swear. I love you so much, Rita Rose. I hope you don't hate me for leaving. I'm doing it to keep you safe, to keep you both safe. Promise you'll look out for each other, eh? Daddy's gonna need you too." It hurt so much. She felt like she couldn't breathe. She started to think of how she could escape, but with that many agents here, it would be hard pressed, especially since she'd just had a baby and her father was hellbent on getting her back. And where would she go? It had taken them almost eight years to find her, but they had. Did she really want to live a life on the run? Was that the best for Rita? If she was able to keep an eye on her daughter from afar, then she could prevent anything major happening or else she'd die trying. She knew Lance would keep her safe too.

"I'm really gonna miss you," she added, trying to keep from crying. She did not want to give her father the satisfaction of causing her pain, but it was hard.

"Time's up," the woman said from the door. Rosie sniffed hard and pressed her lips against Rita's forehead, holding them there for a moment. Her baby.

God, it hurt so, so much to leave her.

"Okay," she said, and the woman took Rita from her and settled her back into the bassinet on wheels. Then the other male assassin/nurse returned with a needle in his hand.

"Jess, right?" Rosie asked, looking at the woman still.

"You'll only feel a pinch," the man said almost sarcastically. Jess ignored Rosie altogether.

"You were Harry's friend."

"Please stop talking to me."

"Jess," Rosie said urgently. "Promise me Harry and Rita live." The man paused with the needle in the air, giving Jess an annoyed look, which indicated he wanted Jess to answer the bloody request so he could get on with it.

"That's up to you," Jess said after a moment. "They're your leverage for the rest of your life. If you screw up, they die. So, if I were you, I'd bring 110% to every job you do from now on."

Rosie had nothing to say to that. She knew Jess was right.

"What did you see in him anyway?" Jess asked. "Why didn't you kill him?"

"You wouldn't understand." But Rosie saw something in Jess's eyes that indicated she just might understand.

"Well, I hope he was worth it."

"He was."

The man put the needle in her then, and Rosie felt herself blacking out. She knew they'd declare her dead and come up with some sort of story for Lance.

She just hoped, should he ever find out, that he would forgive her.

...

Lance was in shock. He barely heard them tell him what happened, and all he could think about was that he'd almost died too. What would have happened to their baby if he had? The thought caused him anguish inside. He figured Carol would have taken her, but he didn't like her home situation. He didn't trust her husband, Greg.

"You can go see her," someone said to him, referring to Rosie.

"Okay," he agreed. He had to see her one last time. He had to say goodbye.

His legs barely held him as he went.

...

Carol couldn't stop crying. Her sister was dead. Dead. She clutched tissues in her hand and tried to get a hold of herself. She hated attention being on her, and everyone was staring at her. Granted, she was in a hospital, so anything could have happened. Most seemed to realize that and looked away before too long.

Carol had no idea what Lance was gonna do. How was he going to raise a baby by himself? She realized she was going to have to help him, no matter what Greg said. Family helped family, and that's what she'd do.

For her sister.

...

Rosie gasped awake as the adrenaline coursed through her body. Johnny was grinning at her when she could finally focus on the room.

"Welcome back, doll," he said.

"Harry?" she asked, her voice sluggish sounding. "Rita?" Had they lied and killed them anyway? She felt panicked.

"They're peachy. Come on, let's go."

Rosie felt herself being put into a chair and wheeled out.

"What...did you...say to...him?" she asked.

"I didn't tell him."

"You know...what I...mean."

"Right. Well, you had a heart attack after the delivery and croaked," Johnny answered. They got her up into the back of the SUV easily enough. The extraction team's doctor was attending to her since she just had a C section. Rosie noticed they were leaving a funeral home.

"My body..." she tried.

"You're sent off to be turned into ashes," Johnny said, understanding what she was trying to say. No one would miss her, just Lance and her baby and Carol. Rosie just nodded and closed her eyes, leaning her head against the head rest. Eventually, they were on a private plane heading back for England, and she sat with tears on her cheeks the whole way. Rosie was leaving everything behind her that she loved. She was going back home.

For now.

London, U.K.

Jess was chewing on a hangnail as Johnny cleaned his rifle at the shop back in England. She was thinking about Rosie and Harry. It seemed unfair that a love story had to be cut short because the assassin failed to kill her target and had to face the consequences. Then again, contrary to what Rosie thought, she knew a rather similar version of that story herself.

"She was the secret weapon," Johnny said without looking at her. "Harry didn't know who she was. Bossman was saving her for tough missions and sent her to get him. He just didn't realize she'd look into his blue eyes and get suckered and take off."

"Well, Bossman got her back," Jess said, looping her thumbs into her pant pockets. She was thinking about her son, Luke. She didn't like being away from him for so long.

"Go home," Johnny ordered. "I know you're whimpering inside about that damn kid."

"I'm not."

"He better be one hell of an assassin one day, Jess," Johnny warned. "Don't make Bossman regret letting you keep him around."

"He won't."

He gave her a sharp look, and she turned to leave. She could feel their relationship slipping further and further into violent territory. She still didn't know how it had changed. She'd had a crush on Johnny for a while when they were younger, taking a detour to be with Brendan until that was shut down. Then she married Johnny and did love him to some degree, but never as much as she loved Brendan. She wondered if Johnny knew that, if that was why he showed hatred towards her at times.

She got home and relieved the babysitter, picking Luke up in her arms. Her three-year-old son was so happy to see her.

"I love you so much," Jess whispered, clutching him close. Seeing Rosie/Amelia leave her baby behind had been so hard. Jess couldn't even imagine. She'd wanted to be a bit kinder to Amelia, but she knew she had to be tough. Showing kindness was a weakness in this job. Moving forward, Amelia would be known in Jess's mind as childless and single. It was just easier that way. It would help alleviate some of the feelings of guilt. Sort of.

Later, Johnny came home. She saw he'd been drinking, and the fight started easily enough. He thought she'd looked at Bob in too much of a flirty way, so now she was a whore. She denied it. He yelled and smacked her, telling her to shut up. She never fought back because there was no point. She watched her son crawl and hide and felt sad that he had to see this. When Johnny was done and left, Luke came crawling over to her. Although she hurt from the assault, she kept a brave face on for him.

"Good boy, Luke," she whispered.

"Mum?"

He sounded so afraid. It hurt her to hear that in his voice. One day, he'd be strong and wouldn't let this kind of thing bother him anymore. One day.

"I'll be alright. Go play in your room."

"But..."

"Go."

Thankfully, he didn't argue. He went to his room, and Jess waited a moment before sitting up. She groaned from the pain and felt dizzy, but she got up and cleaned herself off. She poured a glass of whiskey and sat on the couch drinking it.

She couldn't understand what had happened to Johnny. He'd changed from who he used to be, and she was trying to pinpoint exactly when that happened. She couldn't, though, and she knew it was crazy to stay with someone so emotionally unstable and volatile, but who else did she have? Who else would understand her and what she did for a living? How could she even deserve to have someone better?

She'd conceded to the fact that she was stuck, but she knew it wouldn't last forever.

Nothing ever did.