Jack came in to the hospital a week later. To Aqua's chagrin, he seemed to make sure that he was early to his appointment to get the stitches out. He was curious over every aspect of her life. That much was clear by the multitude of questions and compliments he was showering her with, trying to butter her up and get her to spill something personal. She was not about to openly share anything with him because he was a criminal but it wasn't like she could call the police either. She had no proof. She also didn't know if the officer was already in the pocket of the Guardians. The safest thing she could do was to trust only those she knew were worthy of it. Ven and Elsa had proven time and time again that they were more than worth it.

Most of his appointment was spent dodging his questions, ignoring some completely outright. How else could she keep her personal life personal? She was his caregiver. She had other patients that needed her. Now those patients, she didn't mind talking to. If anything they were a nice distraction from Jack, but even then she couldn't put off thinking about her situation thanks to him and Manny. Just one last checkup. Then he would be out of her life. She wouldn't have to feel conflicted around him.

"I feel like you don't like me," Jack said.

"Whatever gave you that idea?"

She winced after she said it. Jack brought out the worst in her. She truly loathed how angry he made her. But she was also concerned. Did it make her a bad person to let him get under her skin like that? What did it say about her as a person? She decided to say nothing and continue her work. Finally the last stitch was removed and she straightened, beginning to clean up her workstation so she could move on to the next patient. Someone who wasn't a dangerous mobster parading around like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"Listen, I know you have protection fees due soon."

Aqua bristled. 'Protection' fees were required by every gang in the city. Unless you were in 'No man's land' but those were the slummiest slums of the city and that was saying something since Aqua, Ven and Elsa lived in such a poor neighborhood for being the Upper East Side. Close enough so that they fell into Guardian territory. It had formerly been Nightmare territory, but the Guardians recently ousted Pitch from power there. Aqua had lost two neighbors to Pitch Black all because they couldn't pay the fees and 'accidents' had happened. She swallowed thickly. Jack had the power to make her life miserable or arrange for one of those 'accidents' to happen to her.

"I want to propose a deal."

Her eyes narrowed but she didn't turn to face him. She continued to clean up her station. This was not going where she expected it to. She expected his wrath for her cool and distant treatment. To fall upon her knees and beg for mercy, for him not to increase her fees or to give her more time to come up with whatever new fee he wanted to give her. Because those fees weren't just hers. They were Ven's and Elsa's too. The three of them pooled their money together and paid as a whole.

"I will completely waive the protection fees for your apartment and its occupants," Jack said. "If you go on a date with me once a week."

Aqua sucked in a sharp breath. This certainly hadn't gone the way she had expected. Her expression must have shown it because Jack took both of her hands in his, rooting her in place. Alarm bells went off in her head. She knew she should try to pull away. Get away from Jack and this whole ridiculous proposal of his. The offer was completely ridiculous. He had to have hit his head on the way in if he thought that she would entertain the notion for even a moment. Only… the offer was actually worth considering. If she didn't have to pay fees that money could be saved so she and the others could escape the rat's nest that was the city.

"You've got moxie for a dame," Jack said as a means of explanation. "I respect that."

"A-And if I say no?" she croaked.

Jack let go of her hands. She could feel her heart racing in her chest. The chill of fear creeping through her insides at the mere suggestion of what he could do if she did deny him. Suddenly, she was aware of just who it was she was speaking to. Guys like Jack only wanted one thing. When they got it, they had no use for the likes of Aqua. He would either kill her or toss her aside like an old newspaper. Jack could have her killed for denying her. The phrase, damned if you do, damned if you don't came to mind.

"Then I won't do anything."

How could she believe that? He was one of the mobsters who terrorized the city. And if she entertained his suggestion and people found out… They would label her as a floozy. A loose woman with loose morals to allow someone like Jack to talk her into dates for being released from protection fees. They would try to take advantage of her because of her 'willingness' to give herself up to a thug like him.

But the offer was something even she would find hard to say no to. To live without the fear of being killed just because she couldn't pay the fees. So that she and Elsa wouldn't have to figure out how to make ends meet if Ven fell sick again. Or the long nights where they hadn't had enough to eat because all their money went to paying some gangster a meager amount of money that was pocket change in the sense of what he brought in during business. She was frightened by how much the proposal was appealing. Like he knew it would be something that would jab at her mind like a thorn in her side.

"I can't," she whispered.

"Can't or won't?" Jack inquired.

"If people thought that-"

"They won't find out anything you don't want them to know," Jack assured her.

Aqua felt her lips purse into a thin line. This was a horrendously tempting offer. The money from their combined protection fees could be put to better use. Like saving up to get out of the city. Go somewhere the gangs couldn't reach. Somewhere far from the city. That tiny ray of hope was enough to make her want to leap for joy and be sick all at the same time. She would be selling her morality for money. She couldn't actually be considering this, could she? But if they got enough money to leave the city, then she could cut ties, right? Then she realized a gangster like him would never ever let go of what was 'his'... But if Ven and Elsa could get out?

"Tell you what, think about it," Jack said. "I'll stop by the little cafe at the corner of the street on Friday. If you decide to join me, we can go from there. If not, I won't bother you again."

Jack got up from the table and started to slip on his button up shirt, doing each button up slowly, not taking his eyes off her as he did it. She could feel her face burning and the heat crept up the back of her neck. Hastily she looked away, much to his amusement. If she said yes, she would be a moll - a gangster's girl. That could come with its own risks and challenges. She was so confused that her chest ached. She looked up only when Jack was fully clothed once more. He grinned at her - all mischief and promises of trouble.

"You know, if you keep blushing like that, I might just get stuck on you," he teased.

When he said things like that, it certainly didn't help. She was only 'pretty' to people (particularly patients) when they wanted something. She was only worth attention if they could benefit from it. Jack was probably like that too. Once he had a date or two with her, he would lose interest, right? Because it wasn't like a date would make her fall head over heels for him. He would be sorely disappointed if he thought she was that sort of a woman.

She could hear his laughing even as he left her there in the hospital room, clutching the little tray with all of her tools on it with trembling fingers. She should have told them that she would never help them save his life. Not if he was going to make himself a permanent fixture in her life. She unfortunately had to admit to herself that she couldn't do that. She took her work seriously. If someone needed her help, she gave it. Regardless of whether or not they were annoying her to pieces.

Aqua came home late that night. Ven was already in bed. Elsa was probably at one of the speakeasies singing again. The late nights hurt the poor woman and she barely got to see them anymore. Not only that but the places she went to in order to perform weren't the safest of places. But they all had to work somehow. Aqua at the hospital, Elsa at the clubs and Ven took on jobs as his health allowed. Ven's health being what it was, he couldn't take jobs very often. He was scrawny and frail. If they had better living conditions, things might be different.

Instead, their apartment always smelled of damp. Their neighbors were loud. The three of them shared a single room to save costs. Not only that, food was hard to come by when they were living paycheck to paycheck. She opened the fridge to find the shelves mostly bare. A half a loaf of bread and a slice of cheese and one lone tomato. Closing the door, she decided she would go without. Ven and Elsa needed to eat more.

She took a deep breath and sat at the kitchen table. She moved to light a candle, but was quick to realize they were out of matches. Their only candle was nearly a stub in itself. They should save it for a real emergency. Just looking around the room - spartan and bare as it was - made her heart clench. They didn't have much, only each other. But if something happened to one of them… the other two would struggle. She dreaded to think of what would happen if something affected two of them or all three.

All she knew was that this couldn't continue. They were going to run into some form of trouble down the line, whether they went looking for it or it went looking for them. But how was she supposed to explain to the others that she was offered this deal by a dangerous man? It would be putting herself in danger just to be in his presence. The wrong person would think that there was more to the relationship and try to use her as leverage against Jack. And in typical fashion, Jack would abandon her when she outlived her use. She would be left at the mercy of his enemies or of the opinions of her neighbors or of a thousand other things. Someone might try to kill her in the process of trying to kill him. They already tried once.

She knotted her hands in her hair, leaning her elbows on the table top. As her fingers worked against her scalp, trying to alleviate the pressure of an impending headache, Aqua circled herself silly in an argument of the pros and cons of Jack's little 'deal'. She thought herself heartsick and barely slept a wink, even when Elsa came in in the wee hours of the morning. The blonde had been confused but Aqua assured her she was off to bed shortly after. Too tired to argue, Elsa went to their room and slept.