Enough for revenge
Author's Notes: This is a sequel to my previous story 'Do you even care'. Stuart is out for revenge on the man who stabbed Vince but will he put his own life in danger? Another thing to note here is that the character of 'O Hagan' is from the episode where Alex and Dane decide to have a threesome. He's that creepy funeral guy. One final note, look out for the little in-joke contained within. I'll give you a clue; it's all in a name!
~~~*~~~
Stuart Alan Jones seethed. There was no other word for it. He was seething mad with rage. After the initial shock of finding Vince in that state and then being at the hospital, all that was left was rage. Stuart balled his hands into fists and clenched them tightly. He was doing everything in his power not to scream out in anger. But to show it now would be inappropriate. Vince was finally getting out of the hospital today and he was coming to live with Stuart until he was back to full health. At first Vince hadn't wanted to, insisting that having him around would interfere with Stuart's many shags. However, Stuart assured him that he'd lay off the shags until he was better. This had been something that shocked himself as much as it had shocked Vince. Stuart was known for not putting his life on hold for anyone, yet here he was doing it for Vince. It almost scared Stuart. He'd never felt this way before, it was disconcerting. The time for dwelling on his own thoughts was over for now as he saw Hazel helping Vince walk towards the jeep. He was still pretty sore and stiff and would need to rest a lot. Something Stuart fully intended to provide for. He leapt out of the jeep and ran over to help Hazel. "Sorry about this guys" Vince said quietly. "I feel like such a twat"
"That's because you are, you don't need to say sorry. It wasn't your fault" Stuart argued as he helped Vince into the passenger seat. Vince offered a weak smile. Stuart pushed aside the driver's seat to allow Hazel into the back. Stuart then climbed back in. "Next stop, my place" He said with a grin.
"Oh I've been dying to hear those words" Vince joked.
~*~
"Jesus Christ, I thought she'd never leave" Stuart commented as Hazel left his flat. Vince, who was seated on Stuart's luxurious sofa, sighed. "You know what Hazel's like" He said as Stuart flopped down beside him. "So, how are you feeling"? Stuart asked.
"As if I haven't heard that question enough today" Vince replied. "Better I suppose, still a bit sore, Hazel told the manager at Harlo's, she said I could take as much time off as I needed since I've never had a sick day before"
"Well you're not leaving here until you're fully better" Stuart said adamantly. "Somehow I don't think you'll have any complaints about that though" He added with a smirk.
"Oh you know me too well" Vince teased. "Don't you need to be getting to work"?
"I told Sandra I wouldn't be coming in for a while; she can sort the important stuff out, besides no-one is more important than you" Vince blushed. "You look cute when you blush" Stuart joked. "Guess what? I have a little surprise for you" Stuart leapt forward and grabbed the TV and video remote control from his modernistic coffee table. He switched on the TV and pressed play on the video. A familiar theme tune exploded into the room. Both Stuart and Vince smiled as the title came up on the screen.
Doctor Who
Genesis of the Daleks
"This is fantastic"! Vince exclaimed, eyes locked on the screen. "I'm so sad"!
"Thought you might like it" Stuart smiled as he watched his friend intently watching the screen.
Stuart managed to excuse himself a short while after. Vince was well into the episode which allowed Stuart to get on with his plan. He was out for revenge on the bastard who had hurt his Vince. Stuart grabbed his mobile phone from the kitchen counter and dashed into his bedroom. He searched through his numbers before finding the one he needed. The phone rang a couple of times before a familiar voice answered. "Hello" It said sternly.
"O Hagan? Stuart Jones here, I need to call in a favour"
"Remind me why I owe you one" O Hagan said gruffly. The man was certainly not a force to be reckoned with by any means. "Because I got you that gun you fucker" Stuart replied angrily. He despised the stupidity of some people. "It's about time you fucking used it" he hissed into the phone.
"How so"? O Hagan asked.
"I need you to teach a guy a lesson" Stuart answered. "Small Italian pub on Canal Street, go in there and find a guy called Rico."
"Need a second name" O Hagan interrupted. "Half the fucking Italians are called 'Rico'" He continued in an exasperated tone.
"I don't have a second name" Stuart replied.
"Then call back when you do" O Hagan ordered and slammed the phone down. Stuart took the mobile from his ear and cursed. He hated taking orders from anyone but in this case, he was willing to make an exception. "That fucker wants a second name, then that's what he'll get" Stuart said aloud.
~*~
Stuart glanced at the clock; it was now eleven pm. Vince had been asleep for the best part of an hour. The poor sod was exhausted. Stuart hated seeing his friend like that, in pain. It made him even more determined to find this Rico guy. Normally, Stuart would've dealt with him himself but he didn't want to have blood on his hands when Vince needed him so. Pausing to check on Vince one last time, Stuart grabbed his jacket and mobile and headed for Canal Street.
~*~
Stuart spotted Frankie right away as soon as he walked through the pub door. The Italian gave him a dirty look to which Stuart simply offered his best I-don't-give-a-shit smile. He was on a mission and didn't want to concern himself with past maybe-shags like Frankie. His eyes scanned the small room, searching for that guy Vince was with last night. Not seeing him anywhere, Stuart headed to the bar. He might as well order a drink while he was waiting for the guy to show up. Ten minutes later and Stuart had finished his gin and tonic. He wiped his lips and once again scanned the room. To his luck, his spotted Rico at the other end of the bar, again, luckily, he was sitting on his own. Stuart plastered on his best predatory smile and leapt into action, stalking up to Rico's end of the bar. He took a seat right next to the Italian. "Hi there" He greeted with that man-eating smile.
"Hello" Rico replied, turning to look at Stuart. Stuart could easily tell that Rico was instantly captivated by him. Years of practice proved this look was easy to spot. He was already well in there. "Nick Hayman" Stuart offered. He didn't want to give away his real name; he didn't want to leave anything traceable.
"Rico Morello"
"Like a cherry" Stuart smirked. A name that was easy to remember. That had been easier than he'd thought. God, this guy was stupid. He was even grinning stupidly. How on earth Vince could've fallen for a twat like this was beyond Stuart. Then again, Vince always did know how to pick them, the twat. "So Nick, are you up for some fun"? Rico asked suggestively.
"Only my own kind" Stuart said quietly.
"Pardon"? Rico frowned.
"I'm meeting my boyfriend. I only came in here for a drink, honestly, you guys have one track minds" Stuart explained with a smirk. He put down his glass, winked at Rico and headed out of the pub.
Mission complete.
~*~
Stuart had been hoping to call O Hagan back as soon as he arrived back at the flat. However, when he entered the flat, he found Vince up and about making a cup of tea. "You shouldn't be up"! Stuart chastened.
"I wondered where you'd got to" Vince replied, continuing to make the tea. "Just had to pop out for some more soda water" Stuart answered, holding up the bottle he'd cleverly bought for cover should it be needed. "Let me do that" He offered taking the cup from his friend.
"I'm not an invalid" Vince protested somewhat weakly.
"My flat, my rules" Stuart replied. Vince simply shrugged and made his way back to the sofa. "Think it'll be a nasty scar"? He suddenly asked. Stuart almost dropped the bottle of milk he was holding. He hadn't given Vince's wound much thought. It pained him to think about it. "I don't know" Stuart said quietly.
"It's just, well, I won't be able to see it" Vince continued, absently picking at one of the fluffy cushions.
"Don't worry about it. You'll still look great"
"I hope so" Stuart smiled and handed the newly made tea to his best friend. He wanted to somehow calm Vince's quibbles about the scarring, but he didn't really know how. "I can have a look if you want" he offered.
"Well, actually" Vince began.
"Hmm"?
"I was hoping that maybe, you could.perhaps take a photo of it, y'know, so I could see it" Vince muttered sheepishly.
"If that's what you want" Stuart replied casually. He didn't want Vince to know how this was getting to him. "Yeah" Vince nodded.
Stuart disappeared into his bedroom and emerged a few minutes later carrying a Polaroid camera. Something he'd owned for ages but hardly ever used. There was still a film in it though. Stuart helped Vince stand up and carefully removed his friend's black Doctor Who t-shirt. Stuart smiled as he remembered buying that shirt for Vince. It hadn't even been a special occasion; He'd just wanted to treat his friend. "I'll have to remove the dressing" Stuart said as the white gauze was revealed. "Alright" Vince said quietly. Stuart set about removing the gauze wordlessly until the wound beneath was revealed. Stuart prayed that Vince didn't hear the sharp intake of breath he'd slipped out when he caught sight of what lay underneath the gauze. Although the stitches had been removed, the scar itself was still slightly inflamed in an angry red that was a horrible contrast to Vince's pale skin. Stuart felt tears in the corner of his eyes as he stared at the marred skin. He trembled as he raised the camera and took a snapshot. The camera spat out the picture and even though it made no difference, Stuart shook it. "Are you sure you want to see this"? he asked.
"That bad huh"? Vince replied.
"No" Stuart said unconvincingly. He sighed and handed the now developed picture to his friend. He could barely watch Vince's expression change from shock to sadness. "It's awful" Vince whispered.
"No, no, it's not" Stuart replied.
"Oh my God it is" Vince said sadly. He let the picture drop to floor and sat back down on the sofa. He lasted precisely five seconds before his sobs overtook his body and his shoulders began to shake. Stuart reached out and touched his friend's shoulder. Vince instinctively leaned into the touch and Stuart took his friend into his arms.
Stuart needed revenge, and he needed it now.
~*~
A couple of days later, Stuart had managed to organise a small party in his flat. It was in Vince's honour in an effort to make him feel better. His friend's back was getting gradually better and he was becoming more mobile. The usual crowd was there, Hazel, Bernie, Alexander, Dane, Lisa, Romey, Nathan, Donna and even Janice. Vince seemed to be having a good enough time. There was some classic disco music, food and plenty of drink. Stuart had even managed to convince a couple of Vince's Harlo's co-workers to come along. Stuart had an ulterior motive for throwing the party. It meant that everyone would be so wrapped up in having a good time; they would not notice him phoning O Hagan again. Also, if the police got involved, the party would be Stuart's alibi. He waited until a few more people had arrived and the flat was fuller before slipping away to bedroom the make the call. Checking that no-one had followed him, Stuart grabbed his mobile phone out of his pocket and dialled.
~*~
"I'm just off to the toilet" Nathan Maloney informed the rather merry Dazz. Dazz simply grinned and kissed Nathan's forehead. As soon as Nathan had turned away, he wiped the kiss away. Dazz was a twat. Nathan passed Stuart's bedroom on his way to the bathroom and stopped when he heard an angry sounding Stuart shout. "Tonight you twat, it has to be tonight I have the perfect fucking alibi" Nathan knew that he should just ignore what he'd heard, but his curiosity got the better of him. He stood outside the slightly ajar door and listened. "That fucker cut into my best friend, he deserves some shit. I don't care what you do; just teach him a fucking lesson. Rico Morello, yes as in the cherry, what the fuck does that matter"? Nathan frowned. He recognised the name Rico as the guy that had hurt Vince. He continued to listen. "Five hundred quid? Fuck off! I'll give you four hundred, yes, of course I want to job doing, fine, fine, five hundred it is. You can't put a price on revenge now can you? Thanks mate, we're officially even" Nathan gasped as all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. It was obvious Stuart was paying someone to hurt Rico, maybe even kill him. Nathan reeled in shock, this sort of thing only happened in the movies, not in every day life. He didn't even know that Stuart had such contacts. Nathan suddenly jumped back as the bedroom door opened all the way and Stuart stepped out, looking decidedly pleased with him-self. "What are you hanging around for"? He asked Nathan suspiciously.
"Just um, going to the toilet" Nathan muttered, eyes wide with fear.
"Off you go then" Stuart ordered, pocketing his mobile phone. As Nathan dashed off to the toilet, he considered telling Vince about the phone call he'd just heard. He was sure that Vince wouldn't want Stuart to do this. After all, Vince was the sensible one of the duo. No way would he allow this to happen if he knew. Although Nathan was mad at the guy who had stabbed Vince, he didn't think that killing him was the right way of going about things. Nathan locked himself in the toilet, sat down on the edge of the bath and started to do some serious thinking.
~*~
"Thanks for this Stuart" Vince said happily as he kissed his best friend's cheek. "This is just what I needed"
"No problem" Stuart replied, wrapping his arm around Vince's waist. "I'm just glad you've got that smile back"
"We've got mental friends"! Vince exclaimed as he surveyed the sight that met his eyes. Most of the party-goers had gone home now. Only the immediate group remained. Alexander was sleeping soundly on Stuart's loveseat but even funnier; he was sleeping in Dane's arms. Those two would get a shock when they awoke. Donna had fallen asleep in the armchair and Hazel had conked out on the sofa. Bernie was sat at the table, finishing off the last of the whiskey, whereas Nathan was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Nathan"? Vince asked with a frown. "Did he leave with Dazz"?
"Last I saw, he was headed to the toilet" Stuart replied, fixing himself another gin and tonic. "I'll go and see if he's alright" Vince said, his voice laced with concern for the boy. Stuart simply nodded a reply.
When Vince reached the bathroom, he knocked on the door gingerly. At first he received no reply, so he tried again. After several more progressively louder knocks, Nathan replied. "What"? He asked irritated.
"It's Vince, I just wanted to see if you were ok" Vince replied. There was a silence, followed by the sound of a lock sliding open. Nathan opened the door and Vince could easily see that the boy looked agitated. "What's wrong"? He asked.
"Vince, there's something I have to." Before Nathan got the rest of his words out, the pair was interrupted by Stuart. "There you are"! He exclaimed.
"Yeah" Nathan muttered.
"Vince, why don't you go have a sit down? You've been on your feet all night. It won't do much good for your back. I'll look after Nathan" Stuart urged.
"Alright" Vince agreed. He wandered off back in the direction of the living room. Nathan glanced at Stuart nervously. Stuart pushed Nathan into the bathroom and followed him in before locking the door behind the both of them. Nathan shook with fear. "I'm not stupid kid" Stuart spat. "I know what you were about to do"
"Vince needs to know"! Nathan said nervously.
"Like fuck he does. You and me both know that if he found out he'd put a stop to it" Stuart replied, glaring at Nathan darkly.
"Exactly"
"So what Nathan, you want that fucker to get away with what he did to Vince"? Stuart challenged.
"Of course not, but there's other ways of getting revenge" Nathan argued. "Ok smart-ass, let's hear them" Stuart said in a bored voice, his arms folded across his chest defiantly.
"The police" Nathan muttered.
"Oh the police? That's nice. You want to try that do you? Well I'll tell you something for nothing kid. The police, they don't give a shit about us. They think that we're just getting what we deserve for the life we live. They wouldn't do jack shit Nathan but if you want to go to the fucking pigs by all means do but it'll be a waste of your time and Vince's" Stuart stared at Nathan who just remained silent. Stuart unlocked the bathroom door and opened it. He leant in close to Nathan and whispered harshly, "now fuck off kid and don't you dare say a word to Vince"
Nathan didn't need telling twice. He nodded quickly and exited the bathroom. Stuart leant against the bathroom wall. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
~*~
O Hagan stalked around outside the pub. He was trying his best not to look too suspicious. He dug his hand into his trench-coat pocket. The weathered skin of his hand closed around a small gun. On the outside, O Hagan looked every bit the cold blooded assassin. However, on the inside, his stomach knotted with fear. He wasn't even sure he could go through with this. He knew that this time Stuart Jones had gone way too far.
~*~
"Alright Frankie"! Rico greeted as Frankie entered the pub. Rico noticed that his brother looked jumpy and worried. Frankie rushed over to Rico's table and sat down quickly. His hands trembled and his eyebrows were knitted together in fear. "What the hell is wrong"? Rico asked. "O Hagan's outside" Frankie stuttered.
"So what"? Rico replied as he downed another scotch.
"So what? Rico, dammit, O Hagan's a well known assassin" Frankie whispered, his eyes widening with fear. "And it's also well known that he's friends with Stuart Jones, you know, that guy who tried to pass off as Nick something to you yesterday"
"Stuart, yes, I remember him, not bad looking really"
"Yeah and he's best friends with Vince Tyler" Frankie explained. Rico stared at his brother. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place. Rico took a sharp intake of breath. "Oh shit"
"Oh shit's right"! Frankie said, his voice raising an octave. Rico smacked him harshly across the face. "Would you calm down"! He demanded angrily. "There's nothing to worry about now I know what our friend Stuart Jones has planned. In fact, I think we'll be able to beat him at his own game" Rico beckoned for his brother to come closer. Frankie obeyed and a small smile crept onto his lips as the plan was explained.
~*~
O Hagan stared through the window of the small pub. He saw his target talking with another man. O Hagan was starting to lose his bottle. What if the two men were onto him? This wouldn't do at all. O Hagan glanced around him, just in case Stuart had come to make sure he did the job. Finding no trace of his Irish friend, O Hagan took one last look at the pub, before ambling off into the crowd.
~*~
The next night turned out to be Vince's first night back on Canal Street since before the attack. The whole of the usual group had come along to show their support. Even with his friends and family around him, Vince still felt uneasy being back on the street. He stayed close to Stuart's side and his eyes constantly darted around, this time, checking for any possible thugs rather than a nice arse. Even in all his nerves, Vince noticed that there was something wrong with Stuart. His best friend was acting different somehow, like he was pissed off with something. Whenever his mobile rang, Stuart would wrench it open and answer with amazing speed. Vince found this all very strange and decided that later on he would question Stuart about it. Another person who was out of character was Nathan. The lad seemed very quiet and moody and had a constant frown on his face. Rather than strutting with his usual confident swagger, Nathan hung at the back of the group silently walking beside Donna. "What's up with your face"? She finally asked, having had enough of Nathan's sullen expression. "Nothing" Nathan muttered, he glanced at Stuart then looked away.
"You've been looking at him weird all night" Donna continued, nodding her head in Stuart's direction. "It's nothing alright? Nothing"! Nathan shouted. He pushed through the others until he was walking side by side with Stuart and Vince. "Can I have a word"? He whispered harshly in Stuart's ears.
"I have two for you kid, fuck and off" Stuart replied in a cool tone.
"This is serious you know" Nathan whispered back.
"Really? Fuck me, I never realised" Stuart muttered sarcastically, aware of the fact that Vince was giving him strange looks. "Just fuck off Nathan, I know what you're talking about and I told you all I had to say on the matter the other day" Nathan glared at Stuart before turning on his heel and dashing into the nearest bar, a clueless Donna followed him. "What was that all about"? Vince asked, frowning.
"Kid's still obsessed with me, I'm sick of it" Stuart replied quickly, too quickly. "You didn't have to be like that with him" Vince replied.
"Look Vince" Stuart started in a harsh tone. After seeing the look on Vince's face, his voice returned to normal. "It's your night tonight, we're out to have fun and I just didn't want him spoiling it because he's got some schoolboy crush" Vince was about to reply before Stuart's ring tone cut through their conversation. Once again, Stuart answered the phone with unbelievable speed. "It's about time you fucking called"! He nearly yelled into the handset. He stopped under a streetlight and motioned for the others to continue without him. Vince hung about until Hazel managed to pry him away. "Why the fuck has it taken you this long to get in touch, I wanted to know as soon as the job was done you twat" Stuart shouted into the phone. "Because I didn't do it" O Hagan admitted, sounding somewhat sheepish. "Why the fuck not"?
"I was pretty sure they were on to me" O Hagan answered.
"Who"? Stuart asked, getting more and more irritated.
"Rico and his mate"
"Pretty sure? Pretty sure? You should've only backed out if you were damn sure. I wasn't paying you good money to be pretty sure. You know what? I don't give a fuck if they were onto you. It's obvious that when you want a job done right you have to do it yourself. Now you can just fuck off O Hagan" Stuart said angrily. He hung up not wanting to hear any of O Hagan's pathetic excuses or protests. The time had come to take matters into his own hands.
~*~
"Why won't you tell me what's up"? Donna asked, watching Nathan swig back another pint. She fiddled with the beer mat nervously. She hated not knowing. "You really want to know"? Nathan asked with a dark look on his face that told her she wouldn't like what she would hear. "Of course" Donna answered with more conviction than she felt. As Nathan's best friend she felt it her duty to know when something was troubling him. No matter what the trouble was. "It's about Stuart" Nathan started staring at her directly in the eye. "Stuart again" Donna replied sounding resigned. She'd hoped that this whole Stuart business was well over. "Fuck off it's not like that" Nathan said angrily. "It's serious"!
"You think everything's serious" Donna answered looking amused. Sometimes Nathan Maloney could be such a drama queen. "This actually is. You remember the guy who stabbed Vince"?
"Yeah" Donna's expression suddenly became serious at the mention of Vince's attack. "Well I heard Stuart talking on the phone at the party and he's hired someone" Nathan whispered.
"Hired someone"? Donna blinked, looking clueless.
"To kill the guy" Nathan whispered back, his face suddenly showing his fear. "I wanted to tell Vince because I know he'd put a stop to it. Stuart's really angry, he's crazy. He warned me not to tell Vince but I think I have to Donna" "Christ Nathan your life really is like a novel"! Donna exclaimed.
"I have to do something, but I told Stuart I wouldn't tell Vince" Nathan said desperately. "Then don't tell Vince" Donna replied simply.
"What"? Nathan asked incredulously.
"Tell Hazel" Donna added with a smirk. "Then she'll tell Vince. You only promised not to tell Vince now didn't you"?
"Donna I love you"! Nathan exclaimed, kissing his best friend on the cheek. "The guy he hired was supposed to have done it last night but by the way Stuart's been acting today something tells me that plan failed. We need to tell Hazel as soon as possible"
"They were heading to Via Fossa weren't they"? Donna replied.
"Yeah which is where we're about to go" Nathan said, standing up and grabbing his jacket. Donna could do nothing but follow.
~*~
"Don't worry love, he'll be here soon" Hazel said comfortingly. The group had left Stuart twenty minutes ago and Vince was getting worried. With everything that had happened to him it gave him more case to worry for his friend. He keep glancing at the entrance of Via Fossa, praying that Stuart would be the next person to talk through the doorway. "Yeah" Vince muttered distractedly.
"You're not having fun are you son"? Hazel asked. He patted her son's hand causing him to look at her. His face was filled with worry. "I'm just worried for Stuart" Vince admitted.
"Don't worry love. He's tough enough to look after himself. He'll be here soon" Hazel repeated. Vince merely nodded and sipped his drink. Hazel sighed, worried for her son who seemed to have changed in personality slightly after the attack. "Ooh Vince love! Stop moping around. You're dancing with me you are"! Alexander said as he bounced over to Vince and Hazel's table. Despite Vince's protests, Alexander hauled him up from his seat and over to the dance-floor where an uplifting disco tune was currently playing. Hazel smiled at Alexander, pleased that he was creating a distraction for her son. Hazel was about to get up and dance herself before a hand on her shoulder made her jump. It was Nathan. "Nathan, don't do that to me"!
"Sorry Hazel, but I need to talk to you, it's really important" Nathan replied. Hazel stared at the boy looking for any signs of joking. But he seemed genuine. "Let's go somewhere quieter" Hazel said. She stood up and indicated to Vince that she was just going to pop outside for a minute. Vince nodded back. He seemed to be having a good enough time with Alexander on the dance- floor, both of the two men dancing like twats. Hazel led Nathan and Donna, who had been following him, out of the bar. They found a quiet enough alley- way near by and Hazel stood, arms folded, waiting for Nathan to begin. "Well? Out with it lad you're cutting into my drinking and dancing time here" She said.
"It's about Stuart" Nathan started. Hazel rolled her eyes.
"And Vince" Donna added. Hazel stood more upright at that, listening intently. "Stuart found out the guy who hurt Vince. And at the party I heard Stuart talking to this other guy, asking him to get revenge for him" Nathan explained.
"Stuart's hired an assassin"! Donna continued excitedly.
"You kids better not be joking" Hazel warned.
"No we're not, I swear. It was supposed to happen last night but I don't think it did" Nathan answered.
"That would explain why Stuart's been acting so weird recently" Hazel thought aloud. "Stuart made me promise not to tell Vince, but that didn't include you"
"Of course Kid, you did the right thing" Hazel replied.
"Are you going to tell Vince"? Donna asked, wide-eyed.
"I'd prefer not to, he's only just getting over what happened. The thing is, I think I'm going to have to. Stuart would never listen to me. When he's like this the only person he'll listen to is Vince" Hazel said with a sigh. "I better go right ahead, something like this can't wait" She added before turning back in the direction of Via Fossa. She walked a few steps before turning back to Nathan and Donna. She offered them a sympathetic smile. "You did the right thing"
~*~
Stuart stalked towards the pub, his anger rising more and more. O Hagan had failed miserably but Stuart wasn't going to make such a mistake. He was going to do this and he was going to do it properly. He couldn't get justice for Vince but he sure as hell could get revenge. He thought the plan over and over in his head. Rico had already shown interest in him the night he'd got his name out of the Italian. All Stuart would have to do is lure Rico back to his own place and then he could execute the rest of his plan. Stuart reached the bar and swaggered through the doors confidently. His trademark predatory grin was once again on his face and his eyes glimmered with what can only be described as true focus. He had a job to do and nothing would stop him doing it. He saw Rico sat at the end of the bar again. Stuart smirked to himself and made his way over.
~*~
"He can't be! They're just having a laugh with you mum"! Vince said harshly as Hazel was explaining what she'd just been told to him. The pair stood in the same alleyway. Hazel had sent Nathan and Donna inside, explaining their jobs had been done. "I wish they were love, but I know when Nathan's being serious" Hazel said gently. "Oh my god.oh my god" Vince stuttered. "I have to find him"
"Do you want the rest of us to come with you"? Hazel offered.
"No, he'll only listen to me" Vince replied. "Oh fucking hell"
"Just, look after yourself love, I can't be doing with another one of those scares"
"Don't worry mum, I'll be fine. It's Stuart I'm worried about" Vince answered. He kissed Hazel on the cheek and left the alleyway for the direction of the Italian pub. Hazel ran after him for a moment and put her hand on his shoulder. Vince turned around. "Love you" Hazel said quietly, a solemn look on her face.
"Love you too mum"
~*~
Vince burst through the doors of the Italian pub. He accumulated stares from all around the room as he did so. Vince ignored the stares and scanned the room quickly for any sign of Stuart or Rico. Finding neither of the men, Vince assumed the worst. Knowing that Stuart would use his sexual magnetism to attract in this case what would be his prey, Vince could only assume that Stuart had managed to entice Rico back to his place. Vince cursed, he'd seen Stuart do that a million times before. The only thing that was working with Vince at the moment was the fact that Stuart's flat was very close to Canal Street so it could be reached easily and quickly on foot. Ignoring the growing ache in his back, Vince whipped around, ran out of the doors and down the street.
~*~
"Nice place, very nice place" Rico commented as he and Stuart entered Stuart's flat. "Must've cost a small fortune"
"Yep" Stuart replied. All he needed to do know was keep Rico occupied with something while he went to fetch his gun from the bedroom. The rest would be easy and soon Stuart would have the revenge he craved. He grinned at Rico and took the Italian in his arms. He ground his hips against the other man and began to kiss him hungrily. Rico kissed back with equal passion. Unbeknownst to Stuart while the two were kissing, Rico was reaching into his own back pocket to pull out a gun. Stuart continued the kisses wanting to make Rico relax. He suddenly stopped when he felt something dig into his neck. It felt hard and cold. "Gotcha" Rico whispered dangerously. Stuart realised what the implement was, a gun.
~*~
Vince cursed as he waited for the lift. The lift in Stuart's building had always been temperamental. As Vince waited, he prayed that it wasn't too late. That Stuart hadn't done anything or gotten hurt himself. Just as the lift finally arrived, Vince heard a gun shot ring out.
~*~
"Someone should've gone with him"! Nathan shouted as Hazel filled him in. "What? A kid like you"? Hazel snorted.
"I don't know, maybe, what about Alexander"? Nathan suggested angrily. Hazel simply raised her eyebrow. Nathan understood. "He'll be alright won't he"? "Of course he will kid" Hazel replied, although she wasn't that sure herself. "Maybe we should call the police" Nathan muttered. He tapped his fingers nervously on the table in front of him. He glanced around the bar, everyone was having a great time, oblivious to the fact that a major drama was in the process of unfolding. "The police won't do anything" Hazel said sadly.
"And Stuart will get into trouble" Donna added.
"Let's just hope Vince is enough then" Nathan replied.
~*~
"Shit! shit! shit"! Vince cursed as he willed the lift to move faster. He should've taken the damn stairs. He stamped his foot distractedly as the life continued its seemingly slow ascent. Finally, after what seemed like an age, the lift came to a stop on Stuart's floor. Vince pried the doors open and dashed out into the hallway. He fumbled about quickly in his jeans. He knew he had Stuart's keys somewhere. He always had them, since he was the one who often had to let Stuart in his own flat. Vince located the keys in his back pocket and quickly unlocked Stuart's door. He dashed into the flat and sighed in relief as he saw Stuart stood in the middle of the room. He was breathing deeply, like he'd just been running and he held a gun in his hands. Vince walked closer to his friend and found the body of Rico on the floor next to him. "Oh my god" Vince whispered. "Is he dead"?
"No" Stuart replied. He sounded almost disappointed. "Could finish the job though" He said looking at the gun. "Don't you fucking dare you twat" Vince warned. "You could've been killed. What the hell happened"? Stuart kicked the unconscious Rico before wandering calmly to the kitchen area to get him-self a drink. He poured a stiff brandy and downed it before answering. "I wanted revenge Vince. I wanted him to suffer for what he's done to you. I called O Hagan, you know, that weird undertaker guy only he wasn't up to the job. So I decided to take matters into my own hands" Stuart paused to stare at Vince who stood motionless. "I went back to that pub, chatted the fucker up and brought him back here. I was all prepared to blow his fucking head off. I wanted him relaxed so I was kissing him. Next thing I know, I've got the barrel of a gun wedged in my neck. So I kicked him, where it hurts. Don't normally like to do something as female as that but it was an emergency. So he screams in pain, fires the gun, misses me by a fucking mile. I wrestle him to floor, we're on the floor fighting like fucking thugs and I managed to get the gun off him and knock him out with it"
"Oh my god" Vince gasped.
"I was about to finish the job when you walked in" Stuart explained. "How the hell did you know anyway"?
"Hazel told me" Vince answered not taking his eyes off Rico.
"How the fuck did she know"? Stuart asked. He stared at Vince before it hit him, a dark look crossed his features. "Nathan fucking Maloney" Stuart spat.
"It's a good thing he did tell mum. If he hadn't you'd be a murderer right now" Vince replied.
"So? The fucker had it coming after what he did to you" Stuart said adamantly. "No he didn't Stuart. No-one deserves to die even if they have hurt me. I appreciate that you care enough to do something like this but really, there's no need. I'm alright now" Vince answered.
"Maybe you're alright with what he did, doesn't mean I am" Stuart argued. "Stuart listen to me, half of what happened that night was my own stupidity. We've got to stop doing what we do, picking up anyone and everyone. When you live like that there's always a chance of shit like this happening. It's not safe anymore Stuart. But please, don't do anything like this ever again. You scared the shit out of me" Vince pleaded, his eyes locking with Stuart's. Stuart looked at Vince and sighed deeply. "What the fuck are we going to do with him"? He asked, indicating Rico. "I know a bit of first aid from Harlo's. I'll make sure he's ok then we'll take him back near the street and dump him in some alleyway somewhere. If anyone asks he's had too much to drink" Vince replied.
"Well he'll have one hell of a headache that's for sure" Stuart joked. Vince offered a weak smile as he knelt down by Rico. "My back doesn't half hurt"
"You can rest it later" Stuart stated. Vince nodded and set about checking Rico over. Stuart watched his friend intently wondering how Vince could be so helpful to someone who had hurt him so badly. Then again, that was Vince all over. Stuart's lips raised into a smile, sometimes Vince could be too nice for his own good, but that was all part of why Stuart loved him. Vince looked up and caught Stuart's eye. He offered a proper smile. "Stuart Alan Jones you are such a twat"
THE END
Author's Notes: This is a sequel to my previous story 'Do you even care'. Stuart is out for revenge on the man who stabbed Vince but will he put his own life in danger? Another thing to note here is that the character of 'O Hagan' is from the episode where Alex and Dane decide to have a threesome. He's that creepy funeral guy. One final note, look out for the little in-joke contained within. I'll give you a clue; it's all in a name!
~~~*~~~
Stuart Alan Jones seethed. There was no other word for it. He was seething mad with rage. After the initial shock of finding Vince in that state and then being at the hospital, all that was left was rage. Stuart balled his hands into fists and clenched them tightly. He was doing everything in his power not to scream out in anger. But to show it now would be inappropriate. Vince was finally getting out of the hospital today and he was coming to live with Stuart until he was back to full health. At first Vince hadn't wanted to, insisting that having him around would interfere with Stuart's many shags. However, Stuart assured him that he'd lay off the shags until he was better. This had been something that shocked himself as much as it had shocked Vince. Stuart was known for not putting his life on hold for anyone, yet here he was doing it for Vince. It almost scared Stuart. He'd never felt this way before, it was disconcerting. The time for dwelling on his own thoughts was over for now as he saw Hazel helping Vince walk towards the jeep. He was still pretty sore and stiff and would need to rest a lot. Something Stuart fully intended to provide for. He leapt out of the jeep and ran over to help Hazel. "Sorry about this guys" Vince said quietly. "I feel like such a twat"
"That's because you are, you don't need to say sorry. It wasn't your fault" Stuart argued as he helped Vince into the passenger seat. Vince offered a weak smile. Stuart pushed aside the driver's seat to allow Hazel into the back. Stuart then climbed back in. "Next stop, my place" He said with a grin.
"Oh I've been dying to hear those words" Vince joked.
~*~
"Jesus Christ, I thought she'd never leave" Stuart commented as Hazel left his flat. Vince, who was seated on Stuart's luxurious sofa, sighed. "You know what Hazel's like" He said as Stuart flopped down beside him. "So, how are you feeling"? Stuart asked.
"As if I haven't heard that question enough today" Vince replied. "Better I suppose, still a bit sore, Hazel told the manager at Harlo's, she said I could take as much time off as I needed since I've never had a sick day before"
"Well you're not leaving here until you're fully better" Stuart said adamantly. "Somehow I don't think you'll have any complaints about that though" He added with a smirk.
"Oh you know me too well" Vince teased. "Don't you need to be getting to work"?
"I told Sandra I wouldn't be coming in for a while; she can sort the important stuff out, besides no-one is more important than you" Vince blushed. "You look cute when you blush" Stuart joked. "Guess what? I have a little surprise for you" Stuart leapt forward and grabbed the TV and video remote control from his modernistic coffee table. He switched on the TV and pressed play on the video. A familiar theme tune exploded into the room. Both Stuart and Vince smiled as the title came up on the screen.
Doctor Who
Genesis of the Daleks
"This is fantastic"! Vince exclaimed, eyes locked on the screen. "I'm so sad"!
"Thought you might like it" Stuart smiled as he watched his friend intently watching the screen.
Stuart managed to excuse himself a short while after. Vince was well into the episode which allowed Stuart to get on with his plan. He was out for revenge on the bastard who had hurt his Vince. Stuart grabbed his mobile phone from the kitchen counter and dashed into his bedroom. He searched through his numbers before finding the one he needed. The phone rang a couple of times before a familiar voice answered. "Hello" It said sternly.
"O Hagan? Stuart Jones here, I need to call in a favour"
"Remind me why I owe you one" O Hagan said gruffly. The man was certainly not a force to be reckoned with by any means. "Because I got you that gun you fucker" Stuart replied angrily. He despised the stupidity of some people. "It's about time you fucking used it" he hissed into the phone.
"How so"? O Hagan asked.
"I need you to teach a guy a lesson" Stuart answered. "Small Italian pub on Canal Street, go in there and find a guy called Rico."
"Need a second name" O Hagan interrupted. "Half the fucking Italians are called 'Rico'" He continued in an exasperated tone.
"I don't have a second name" Stuart replied.
"Then call back when you do" O Hagan ordered and slammed the phone down. Stuart took the mobile from his ear and cursed. He hated taking orders from anyone but in this case, he was willing to make an exception. "That fucker wants a second name, then that's what he'll get" Stuart said aloud.
~*~
Stuart glanced at the clock; it was now eleven pm. Vince had been asleep for the best part of an hour. The poor sod was exhausted. Stuart hated seeing his friend like that, in pain. It made him even more determined to find this Rico guy. Normally, Stuart would've dealt with him himself but he didn't want to have blood on his hands when Vince needed him so. Pausing to check on Vince one last time, Stuart grabbed his jacket and mobile and headed for Canal Street.
~*~
Stuart spotted Frankie right away as soon as he walked through the pub door. The Italian gave him a dirty look to which Stuart simply offered his best I-don't-give-a-shit smile. He was on a mission and didn't want to concern himself with past maybe-shags like Frankie. His eyes scanned the small room, searching for that guy Vince was with last night. Not seeing him anywhere, Stuart headed to the bar. He might as well order a drink while he was waiting for the guy to show up. Ten minutes later and Stuart had finished his gin and tonic. He wiped his lips and once again scanned the room. To his luck, his spotted Rico at the other end of the bar, again, luckily, he was sitting on his own. Stuart plastered on his best predatory smile and leapt into action, stalking up to Rico's end of the bar. He took a seat right next to the Italian. "Hi there" He greeted with that man-eating smile.
"Hello" Rico replied, turning to look at Stuart. Stuart could easily tell that Rico was instantly captivated by him. Years of practice proved this look was easy to spot. He was already well in there. "Nick Hayman" Stuart offered. He didn't want to give away his real name; he didn't want to leave anything traceable.
"Rico Morello"
"Like a cherry" Stuart smirked. A name that was easy to remember. That had been easier than he'd thought. God, this guy was stupid. He was even grinning stupidly. How on earth Vince could've fallen for a twat like this was beyond Stuart. Then again, Vince always did know how to pick them, the twat. "So Nick, are you up for some fun"? Rico asked suggestively.
"Only my own kind" Stuart said quietly.
"Pardon"? Rico frowned.
"I'm meeting my boyfriend. I only came in here for a drink, honestly, you guys have one track minds" Stuart explained with a smirk. He put down his glass, winked at Rico and headed out of the pub.
Mission complete.
~*~
Stuart had been hoping to call O Hagan back as soon as he arrived back at the flat. However, when he entered the flat, he found Vince up and about making a cup of tea. "You shouldn't be up"! Stuart chastened.
"I wondered where you'd got to" Vince replied, continuing to make the tea. "Just had to pop out for some more soda water" Stuart answered, holding up the bottle he'd cleverly bought for cover should it be needed. "Let me do that" He offered taking the cup from his friend.
"I'm not an invalid" Vince protested somewhat weakly.
"My flat, my rules" Stuart replied. Vince simply shrugged and made his way back to the sofa. "Think it'll be a nasty scar"? He suddenly asked. Stuart almost dropped the bottle of milk he was holding. He hadn't given Vince's wound much thought. It pained him to think about it. "I don't know" Stuart said quietly.
"It's just, well, I won't be able to see it" Vince continued, absently picking at one of the fluffy cushions.
"Don't worry about it. You'll still look great"
"I hope so" Stuart smiled and handed the newly made tea to his best friend. He wanted to somehow calm Vince's quibbles about the scarring, but he didn't really know how. "I can have a look if you want" he offered.
"Well, actually" Vince began.
"Hmm"?
"I was hoping that maybe, you could.perhaps take a photo of it, y'know, so I could see it" Vince muttered sheepishly.
"If that's what you want" Stuart replied casually. He didn't want Vince to know how this was getting to him. "Yeah" Vince nodded.
Stuart disappeared into his bedroom and emerged a few minutes later carrying a Polaroid camera. Something he'd owned for ages but hardly ever used. There was still a film in it though. Stuart helped Vince stand up and carefully removed his friend's black Doctor Who t-shirt. Stuart smiled as he remembered buying that shirt for Vince. It hadn't even been a special occasion; He'd just wanted to treat his friend. "I'll have to remove the dressing" Stuart said as the white gauze was revealed. "Alright" Vince said quietly. Stuart set about removing the gauze wordlessly until the wound beneath was revealed. Stuart prayed that Vince didn't hear the sharp intake of breath he'd slipped out when he caught sight of what lay underneath the gauze. Although the stitches had been removed, the scar itself was still slightly inflamed in an angry red that was a horrible contrast to Vince's pale skin. Stuart felt tears in the corner of his eyes as he stared at the marred skin. He trembled as he raised the camera and took a snapshot. The camera spat out the picture and even though it made no difference, Stuart shook it. "Are you sure you want to see this"? he asked.
"That bad huh"? Vince replied.
"No" Stuart said unconvincingly. He sighed and handed the now developed picture to his friend. He could barely watch Vince's expression change from shock to sadness. "It's awful" Vince whispered.
"No, no, it's not" Stuart replied.
"Oh my God it is" Vince said sadly. He let the picture drop to floor and sat back down on the sofa. He lasted precisely five seconds before his sobs overtook his body and his shoulders began to shake. Stuart reached out and touched his friend's shoulder. Vince instinctively leaned into the touch and Stuart took his friend into his arms.
Stuart needed revenge, and he needed it now.
~*~
A couple of days later, Stuart had managed to organise a small party in his flat. It was in Vince's honour in an effort to make him feel better. His friend's back was getting gradually better and he was becoming more mobile. The usual crowd was there, Hazel, Bernie, Alexander, Dane, Lisa, Romey, Nathan, Donna and even Janice. Vince seemed to be having a good enough time. There was some classic disco music, food and plenty of drink. Stuart had even managed to convince a couple of Vince's Harlo's co-workers to come along. Stuart had an ulterior motive for throwing the party. It meant that everyone would be so wrapped up in having a good time; they would not notice him phoning O Hagan again. Also, if the police got involved, the party would be Stuart's alibi. He waited until a few more people had arrived and the flat was fuller before slipping away to bedroom the make the call. Checking that no-one had followed him, Stuart grabbed his mobile phone out of his pocket and dialled.
~*~
"I'm just off to the toilet" Nathan Maloney informed the rather merry Dazz. Dazz simply grinned and kissed Nathan's forehead. As soon as Nathan had turned away, he wiped the kiss away. Dazz was a twat. Nathan passed Stuart's bedroom on his way to the bathroom and stopped when he heard an angry sounding Stuart shout. "Tonight you twat, it has to be tonight I have the perfect fucking alibi" Nathan knew that he should just ignore what he'd heard, but his curiosity got the better of him. He stood outside the slightly ajar door and listened. "That fucker cut into my best friend, he deserves some shit. I don't care what you do; just teach him a fucking lesson. Rico Morello, yes as in the cherry, what the fuck does that matter"? Nathan frowned. He recognised the name Rico as the guy that had hurt Vince. He continued to listen. "Five hundred quid? Fuck off! I'll give you four hundred, yes, of course I want to job doing, fine, fine, five hundred it is. You can't put a price on revenge now can you? Thanks mate, we're officially even" Nathan gasped as all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. It was obvious Stuart was paying someone to hurt Rico, maybe even kill him. Nathan reeled in shock, this sort of thing only happened in the movies, not in every day life. He didn't even know that Stuart had such contacts. Nathan suddenly jumped back as the bedroom door opened all the way and Stuart stepped out, looking decidedly pleased with him-self. "What are you hanging around for"? He asked Nathan suspiciously.
"Just um, going to the toilet" Nathan muttered, eyes wide with fear.
"Off you go then" Stuart ordered, pocketing his mobile phone. As Nathan dashed off to the toilet, he considered telling Vince about the phone call he'd just heard. He was sure that Vince wouldn't want Stuart to do this. After all, Vince was the sensible one of the duo. No way would he allow this to happen if he knew. Although Nathan was mad at the guy who had stabbed Vince, he didn't think that killing him was the right way of going about things. Nathan locked himself in the toilet, sat down on the edge of the bath and started to do some serious thinking.
~*~
"Thanks for this Stuart" Vince said happily as he kissed his best friend's cheek. "This is just what I needed"
"No problem" Stuart replied, wrapping his arm around Vince's waist. "I'm just glad you've got that smile back"
"We've got mental friends"! Vince exclaimed as he surveyed the sight that met his eyes. Most of the party-goers had gone home now. Only the immediate group remained. Alexander was sleeping soundly on Stuart's loveseat but even funnier; he was sleeping in Dane's arms. Those two would get a shock when they awoke. Donna had fallen asleep in the armchair and Hazel had conked out on the sofa. Bernie was sat at the table, finishing off the last of the whiskey, whereas Nathan was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Nathan"? Vince asked with a frown. "Did he leave with Dazz"?
"Last I saw, he was headed to the toilet" Stuart replied, fixing himself another gin and tonic. "I'll go and see if he's alright" Vince said, his voice laced with concern for the boy. Stuart simply nodded a reply.
When Vince reached the bathroom, he knocked on the door gingerly. At first he received no reply, so he tried again. After several more progressively louder knocks, Nathan replied. "What"? He asked irritated.
"It's Vince, I just wanted to see if you were ok" Vince replied. There was a silence, followed by the sound of a lock sliding open. Nathan opened the door and Vince could easily see that the boy looked agitated. "What's wrong"? He asked.
"Vince, there's something I have to." Before Nathan got the rest of his words out, the pair was interrupted by Stuart. "There you are"! He exclaimed.
"Yeah" Nathan muttered.
"Vince, why don't you go have a sit down? You've been on your feet all night. It won't do much good for your back. I'll look after Nathan" Stuart urged.
"Alright" Vince agreed. He wandered off back in the direction of the living room. Nathan glanced at Stuart nervously. Stuart pushed Nathan into the bathroom and followed him in before locking the door behind the both of them. Nathan shook with fear. "I'm not stupid kid" Stuart spat. "I know what you were about to do"
"Vince needs to know"! Nathan said nervously.
"Like fuck he does. You and me both know that if he found out he'd put a stop to it" Stuart replied, glaring at Nathan darkly.
"Exactly"
"So what Nathan, you want that fucker to get away with what he did to Vince"? Stuart challenged.
"Of course not, but there's other ways of getting revenge" Nathan argued. "Ok smart-ass, let's hear them" Stuart said in a bored voice, his arms folded across his chest defiantly.
"The police" Nathan muttered.
"Oh the police? That's nice. You want to try that do you? Well I'll tell you something for nothing kid. The police, they don't give a shit about us. They think that we're just getting what we deserve for the life we live. They wouldn't do jack shit Nathan but if you want to go to the fucking pigs by all means do but it'll be a waste of your time and Vince's" Stuart stared at Nathan who just remained silent. Stuart unlocked the bathroom door and opened it. He leant in close to Nathan and whispered harshly, "now fuck off kid and don't you dare say a word to Vince"
Nathan didn't need telling twice. He nodded quickly and exited the bathroom. Stuart leant against the bathroom wall. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
~*~
O Hagan stalked around outside the pub. He was trying his best not to look too suspicious. He dug his hand into his trench-coat pocket. The weathered skin of his hand closed around a small gun. On the outside, O Hagan looked every bit the cold blooded assassin. However, on the inside, his stomach knotted with fear. He wasn't even sure he could go through with this. He knew that this time Stuart Jones had gone way too far.
~*~
"Alright Frankie"! Rico greeted as Frankie entered the pub. Rico noticed that his brother looked jumpy and worried. Frankie rushed over to Rico's table and sat down quickly. His hands trembled and his eyebrows were knitted together in fear. "What the hell is wrong"? Rico asked. "O Hagan's outside" Frankie stuttered.
"So what"? Rico replied as he downed another scotch.
"So what? Rico, dammit, O Hagan's a well known assassin" Frankie whispered, his eyes widening with fear. "And it's also well known that he's friends with Stuart Jones, you know, that guy who tried to pass off as Nick something to you yesterday"
"Stuart, yes, I remember him, not bad looking really"
"Yeah and he's best friends with Vince Tyler" Frankie explained. Rico stared at his brother. The pieces of the puzzle were finally falling into place. Rico took a sharp intake of breath. "Oh shit"
"Oh shit's right"! Frankie said, his voice raising an octave. Rico smacked him harshly across the face. "Would you calm down"! He demanded angrily. "There's nothing to worry about now I know what our friend Stuart Jones has planned. In fact, I think we'll be able to beat him at his own game" Rico beckoned for his brother to come closer. Frankie obeyed and a small smile crept onto his lips as the plan was explained.
~*~
O Hagan stared through the window of the small pub. He saw his target talking with another man. O Hagan was starting to lose his bottle. What if the two men were onto him? This wouldn't do at all. O Hagan glanced around him, just in case Stuart had come to make sure he did the job. Finding no trace of his Irish friend, O Hagan took one last look at the pub, before ambling off into the crowd.
~*~
The next night turned out to be Vince's first night back on Canal Street since before the attack. The whole of the usual group had come along to show their support. Even with his friends and family around him, Vince still felt uneasy being back on the street. He stayed close to Stuart's side and his eyes constantly darted around, this time, checking for any possible thugs rather than a nice arse. Even in all his nerves, Vince noticed that there was something wrong with Stuart. His best friend was acting different somehow, like he was pissed off with something. Whenever his mobile rang, Stuart would wrench it open and answer with amazing speed. Vince found this all very strange and decided that later on he would question Stuart about it. Another person who was out of character was Nathan. The lad seemed very quiet and moody and had a constant frown on his face. Rather than strutting with his usual confident swagger, Nathan hung at the back of the group silently walking beside Donna. "What's up with your face"? She finally asked, having had enough of Nathan's sullen expression. "Nothing" Nathan muttered, he glanced at Stuart then looked away.
"You've been looking at him weird all night" Donna continued, nodding her head in Stuart's direction. "It's nothing alright? Nothing"! Nathan shouted. He pushed through the others until he was walking side by side with Stuart and Vince. "Can I have a word"? He whispered harshly in Stuart's ears.
"I have two for you kid, fuck and off" Stuart replied in a cool tone.
"This is serious you know" Nathan whispered back.
"Really? Fuck me, I never realised" Stuart muttered sarcastically, aware of the fact that Vince was giving him strange looks. "Just fuck off Nathan, I know what you're talking about and I told you all I had to say on the matter the other day" Nathan glared at Stuart before turning on his heel and dashing into the nearest bar, a clueless Donna followed him. "What was that all about"? Vince asked, frowning.
"Kid's still obsessed with me, I'm sick of it" Stuart replied quickly, too quickly. "You didn't have to be like that with him" Vince replied.
"Look Vince" Stuart started in a harsh tone. After seeing the look on Vince's face, his voice returned to normal. "It's your night tonight, we're out to have fun and I just didn't want him spoiling it because he's got some schoolboy crush" Vince was about to reply before Stuart's ring tone cut through their conversation. Once again, Stuart answered the phone with unbelievable speed. "It's about time you fucking called"! He nearly yelled into the handset. He stopped under a streetlight and motioned for the others to continue without him. Vince hung about until Hazel managed to pry him away. "Why the fuck has it taken you this long to get in touch, I wanted to know as soon as the job was done you twat" Stuart shouted into the phone. "Because I didn't do it" O Hagan admitted, sounding somewhat sheepish. "Why the fuck not"?
"I was pretty sure they were on to me" O Hagan answered.
"Who"? Stuart asked, getting more and more irritated.
"Rico and his mate"
"Pretty sure? Pretty sure? You should've only backed out if you were damn sure. I wasn't paying you good money to be pretty sure. You know what? I don't give a fuck if they were onto you. It's obvious that when you want a job done right you have to do it yourself. Now you can just fuck off O Hagan" Stuart said angrily. He hung up not wanting to hear any of O Hagan's pathetic excuses or protests. The time had come to take matters into his own hands.
~*~
"Why won't you tell me what's up"? Donna asked, watching Nathan swig back another pint. She fiddled with the beer mat nervously. She hated not knowing. "You really want to know"? Nathan asked with a dark look on his face that told her she wouldn't like what she would hear. "Of course" Donna answered with more conviction than she felt. As Nathan's best friend she felt it her duty to know when something was troubling him. No matter what the trouble was. "It's about Stuart" Nathan started staring at her directly in the eye. "Stuart again" Donna replied sounding resigned. She'd hoped that this whole Stuart business was well over. "Fuck off it's not like that" Nathan said angrily. "It's serious"!
"You think everything's serious" Donna answered looking amused. Sometimes Nathan Maloney could be such a drama queen. "This actually is. You remember the guy who stabbed Vince"?
"Yeah" Donna's expression suddenly became serious at the mention of Vince's attack. "Well I heard Stuart talking on the phone at the party and he's hired someone" Nathan whispered.
"Hired someone"? Donna blinked, looking clueless.
"To kill the guy" Nathan whispered back, his face suddenly showing his fear. "I wanted to tell Vince because I know he'd put a stop to it. Stuart's really angry, he's crazy. He warned me not to tell Vince but I think I have to Donna" "Christ Nathan your life really is like a novel"! Donna exclaimed.
"I have to do something, but I told Stuart I wouldn't tell Vince" Nathan said desperately. "Then don't tell Vince" Donna replied simply.
"What"? Nathan asked incredulously.
"Tell Hazel" Donna added with a smirk. "Then she'll tell Vince. You only promised not to tell Vince now didn't you"?
"Donna I love you"! Nathan exclaimed, kissing his best friend on the cheek. "The guy he hired was supposed to have done it last night but by the way Stuart's been acting today something tells me that plan failed. We need to tell Hazel as soon as possible"
"They were heading to Via Fossa weren't they"? Donna replied.
"Yeah which is where we're about to go" Nathan said, standing up and grabbing his jacket. Donna could do nothing but follow.
~*~
"Don't worry love, he'll be here soon" Hazel said comfortingly. The group had left Stuart twenty minutes ago and Vince was getting worried. With everything that had happened to him it gave him more case to worry for his friend. He keep glancing at the entrance of Via Fossa, praying that Stuart would be the next person to talk through the doorway. "Yeah" Vince muttered distractedly.
"You're not having fun are you son"? Hazel asked. He patted her son's hand causing him to look at her. His face was filled with worry. "I'm just worried for Stuart" Vince admitted.
"Don't worry love. He's tough enough to look after himself. He'll be here soon" Hazel repeated. Vince merely nodded and sipped his drink. Hazel sighed, worried for her son who seemed to have changed in personality slightly after the attack. "Ooh Vince love! Stop moping around. You're dancing with me you are"! Alexander said as he bounced over to Vince and Hazel's table. Despite Vince's protests, Alexander hauled him up from his seat and over to the dance-floor where an uplifting disco tune was currently playing. Hazel smiled at Alexander, pleased that he was creating a distraction for her son. Hazel was about to get up and dance herself before a hand on her shoulder made her jump. It was Nathan. "Nathan, don't do that to me"!
"Sorry Hazel, but I need to talk to you, it's really important" Nathan replied. Hazel stared at the boy looking for any signs of joking. But he seemed genuine. "Let's go somewhere quieter" Hazel said. She stood up and indicated to Vince that she was just going to pop outside for a minute. Vince nodded back. He seemed to be having a good enough time with Alexander on the dance- floor, both of the two men dancing like twats. Hazel led Nathan and Donna, who had been following him, out of the bar. They found a quiet enough alley- way near by and Hazel stood, arms folded, waiting for Nathan to begin. "Well? Out with it lad you're cutting into my drinking and dancing time here" She said.
"It's about Stuart" Nathan started. Hazel rolled her eyes.
"And Vince" Donna added. Hazel stood more upright at that, listening intently. "Stuart found out the guy who hurt Vince. And at the party I heard Stuart talking to this other guy, asking him to get revenge for him" Nathan explained.
"Stuart's hired an assassin"! Donna continued excitedly.
"You kids better not be joking" Hazel warned.
"No we're not, I swear. It was supposed to happen last night but I don't think it did" Nathan answered.
"That would explain why Stuart's been acting so weird recently" Hazel thought aloud. "Stuart made me promise not to tell Vince, but that didn't include you"
"Of course Kid, you did the right thing" Hazel replied.
"Are you going to tell Vince"? Donna asked, wide-eyed.
"I'd prefer not to, he's only just getting over what happened. The thing is, I think I'm going to have to. Stuart would never listen to me. When he's like this the only person he'll listen to is Vince" Hazel said with a sigh. "I better go right ahead, something like this can't wait" She added before turning back in the direction of Via Fossa. She walked a few steps before turning back to Nathan and Donna. She offered them a sympathetic smile. "You did the right thing"
~*~
Stuart stalked towards the pub, his anger rising more and more. O Hagan had failed miserably but Stuart wasn't going to make such a mistake. He was going to do this and he was going to do it properly. He couldn't get justice for Vince but he sure as hell could get revenge. He thought the plan over and over in his head. Rico had already shown interest in him the night he'd got his name out of the Italian. All Stuart would have to do is lure Rico back to his own place and then he could execute the rest of his plan. Stuart reached the bar and swaggered through the doors confidently. His trademark predatory grin was once again on his face and his eyes glimmered with what can only be described as true focus. He had a job to do and nothing would stop him doing it. He saw Rico sat at the end of the bar again. Stuart smirked to himself and made his way over.
~*~
"He can't be! They're just having a laugh with you mum"! Vince said harshly as Hazel was explaining what she'd just been told to him. The pair stood in the same alleyway. Hazel had sent Nathan and Donna inside, explaining their jobs had been done. "I wish they were love, but I know when Nathan's being serious" Hazel said gently. "Oh my god.oh my god" Vince stuttered. "I have to find him"
"Do you want the rest of us to come with you"? Hazel offered.
"No, he'll only listen to me" Vince replied. "Oh fucking hell"
"Just, look after yourself love, I can't be doing with another one of those scares"
"Don't worry mum, I'll be fine. It's Stuart I'm worried about" Vince answered. He kissed Hazel on the cheek and left the alleyway for the direction of the Italian pub. Hazel ran after him for a moment and put her hand on his shoulder. Vince turned around. "Love you" Hazel said quietly, a solemn look on her face.
"Love you too mum"
~*~
Vince burst through the doors of the Italian pub. He accumulated stares from all around the room as he did so. Vince ignored the stares and scanned the room quickly for any sign of Stuart or Rico. Finding neither of the men, Vince assumed the worst. Knowing that Stuart would use his sexual magnetism to attract in this case what would be his prey, Vince could only assume that Stuart had managed to entice Rico back to his place. Vince cursed, he'd seen Stuart do that a million times before. The only thing that was working with Vince at the moment was the fact that Stuart's flat was very close to Canal Street so it could be reached easily and quickly on foot. Ignoring the growing ache in his back, Vince whipped around, ran out of the doors and down the street.
~*~
"Nice place, very nice place" Rico commented as he and Stuart entered Stuart's flat. "Must've cost a small fortune"
"Yep" Stuart replied. All he needed to do know was keep Rico occupied with something while he went to fetch his gun from the bedroom. The rest would be easy and soon Stuart would have the revenge he craved. He grinned at Rico and took the Italian in his arms. He ground his hips against the other man and began to kiss him hungrily. Rico kissed back with equal passion. Unbeknownst to Stuart while the two were kissing, Rico was reaching into his own back pocket to pull out a gun. Stuart continued the kisses wanting to make Rico relax. He suddenly stopped when he felt something dig into his neck. It felt hard and cold. "Gotcha" Rico whispered dangerously. Stuart realised what the implement was, a gun.
~*~
Vince cursed as he waited for the lift. The lift in Stuart's building had always been temperamental. As Vince waited, he prayed that it wasn't too late. That Stuart hadn't done anything or gotten hurt himself. Just as the lift finally arrived, Vince heard a gun shot ring out.
~*~
"Someone should've gone with him"! Nathan shouted as Hazel filled him in. "What? A kid like you"? Hazel snorted.
"I don't know, maybe, what about Alexander"? Nathan suggested angrily. Hazel simply raised her eyebrow. Nathan understood. "He'll be alright won't he"? "Of course he will kid" Hazel replied, although she wasn't that sure herself. "Maybe we should call the police" Nathan muttered. He tapped his fingers nervously on the table in front of him. He glanced around the bar, everyone was having a great time, oblivious to the fact that a major drama was in the process of unfolding. "The police won't do anything" Hazel said sadly.
"And Stuart will get into trouble" Donna added.
"Let's just hope Vince is enough then" Nathan replied.
~*~
"Shit! shit! shit"! Vince cursed as he willed the lift to move faster. He should've taken the damn stairs. He stamped his foot distractedly as the life continued its seemingly slow ascent. Finally, after what seemed like an age, the lift came to a stop on Stuart's floor. Vince pried the doors open and dashed out into the hallway. He fumbled about quickly in his jeans. He knew he had Stuart's keys somewhere. He always had them, since he was the one who often had to let Stuart in his own flat. Vince located the keys in his back pocket and quickly unlocked Stuart's door. He dashed into the flat and sighed in relief as he saw Stuart stood in the middle of the room. He was breathing deeply, like he'd just been running and he held a gun in his hands. Vince walked closer to his friend and found the body of Rico on the floor next to him. "Oh my god" Vince whispered. "Is he dead"?
"No" Stuart replied. He sounded almost disappointed. "Could finish the job though" He said looking at the gun. "Don't you fucking dare you twat" Vince warned. "You could've been killed. What the hell happened"? Stuart kicked the unconscious Rico before wandering calmly to the kitchen area to get him-self a drink. He poured a stiff brandy and downed it before answering. "I wanted revenge Vince. I wanted him to suffer for what he's done to you. I called O Hagan, you know, that weird undertaker guy only he wasn't up to the job. So I decided to take matters into my own hands" Stuart paused to stare at Vince who stood motionless. "I went back to that pub, chatted the fucker up and brought him back here. I was all prepared to blow his fucking head off. I wanted him relaxed so I was kissing him. Next thing I know, I've got the barrel of a gun wedged in my neck. So I kicked him, where it hurts. Don't normally like to do something as female as that but it was an emergency. So he screams in pain, fires the gun, misses me by a fucking mile. I wrestle him to floor, we're on the floor fighting like fucking thugs and I managed to get the gun off him and knock him out with it"
"Oh my god" Vince gasped.
"I was about to finish the job when you walked in" Stuart explained. "How the hell did you know anyway"?
"Hazel told me" Vince answered not taking his eyes off Rico.
"How the fuck did she know"? Stuart asked. He stared at Vince before it hit him, a dark look crossed his features. "Nathan fucking Maloney" Stuart spat.
"It's a good thing he did tell mum. If he hadn't you'd be a murderer right now" Vince replied.
"So? The fucker had it coming after what he did to you" Stuart said adamantly. "No he didn't Stuart. No-one deserves to die even if they have hurt me. I appreciate that you care enough to do something like this but really, there's no need. I'm alright now" Vince answered.
"Maybe you're alright with what he did, doesn't mean I am" Stuart argued. "Stuart listen to me, half of what happened that night was my own stupidity. We've got to stop doing what we do, picking up anyone and everyone. When you live like that there's always a chance of shit like this happening. It's not safe anymore Stuart. But please, don't do anything like this ever again. You scared the shit out of me" Vince pleaded, his eyes locking with Stuart's. Stuart looked at Vince and sighed deeply. "What the fuck are we going to do with him"? He asked, indicating Rico. "I know a bit of first aid from Harlo's. I'll make sure he's ok then we'll take him back near the street and dump him in some alleyway somewhere. If anyone asks he's had too much to drink" Vince replied.
"Well he'll have one hell of a headache that's for sure" Stuart joked. Vince offered a weak smile as he knelt down by Rico. "My back doesn't half hurt"
"You can rest it later" Stuart stated. Vince nodded and set about checking Rico over. Stuart watched his friend intently wondering how Vince could be so helpful to someone who had hurt him so badly. Then again, that was Vince all over. Stuart's lips raised into a smile, sometimes Vince could be too nice for his own good, but that was all part of why Stuart loved him. Vince looked up and caught Stuart's eye. He offered a proper smile. "Stuart Alan Jones you are such a twat"
THE END