~*S.R.1*~
"I am terribly sorry, my dear. I am running a little late. My bodyguards will deal with you once I am gone."
A group of men surrounded her, Li turned around, "What you planning on killing me?" looking at the tall men looming near, she heard beeping faintly at first growing louder, she then turned her back to the railing of the yacht, inching closer to the edge and away from Hughes' men.
Hughes chuckled to himself, "Yes, I will be sure to thank you in my acceptance speech… Wait, what is that noise?" turning to the irritatingly offending sound.
A mushroom cloud of flames shot up into the air, Li scrambled to get over the railing, but the explosion sent her flying, flashes of everyone who was dear to her came in a rush to her mind. She blacked out.
Troy ran to the edge of the bridge after the explosion knocked him back against his car. He frantically pulls out his phone. "What the FUCK Julius, I said talk it out, now she's gone…. I'm coming after you."
He gathered himself, spewing curses. He knew he was now a dead man. His hands trembled. The orange glow of the fire was all he could see. Dialing the next number, he looked out to the water, scanning through the burning wreckage.
"Gat… Ky... she's gone."
"This is Jack Armstrong, this just into the newsroom. A deadly explosion has rocked the waterfront. Our Jane Valderamma is already at the scene, Jane."
The camera light pans around and Jane's face comes into light, "Jack, waterfront residents, and the press, who were sitting just feet away were setting up their cameras and microphones to cover the gala fundraiser scheduled for mayoral candidate Hughes' campaign, we're treated to an amazing site a few moments ago, as the yacht registered to the alderman exploded in a shower of brass and mahogany."
The cameraman pans the camera to show the spectators and other news crews all huddled together, on phones and some pointing at the burning wreckage in the waters.
"We were a safe distance away, so no one was injured, as far as we can tell, but we have no word as to who–if anyone–was actually aboard. We don't know how this happened, why this happened, or even who was aboard–if anyone–as no survivors have been located. I was inside the press tent when it happened, but witnesses outside say that the peaceful, serene evening was suddenly punctured by a viscous explosion that not only reduced the alderman's yacht to a pile of floating debris but knocked out windows and swamped smaller boats throughout the arena."
Johnny and Aisha hugging each other tightly as the news broadcast. They got the call a few minutes ago, finding out Li was on that yacht.
Dex had just finished the paperwork in his brand new office, heard the news on the radio, paused and looked out of the windows behind him, closed his eyes in mourning, sighing a heavy sigh, packed up his things for the night heading home.
~*S.R.1*~
Stilwater Penitentiary holds Stilwater criminals, from the common pickpocket to the most dangerous gang members. The guards are sitting around getting paid to watch one of the most notorious members of the gang known as the Third Street Saints, one Kyouki Li.
One young guard coming into the room takes a seat with a soda in his hand, cranking his neck he looks to the monitors watching the points of interest within the facility, "Barney, any idea why the Chief of Police has this woman still on life support?"
"Aye, I just get paid to watch her sleep. That boy Gat, piece of work that one, been monitored too, now that I think about it."
"Yeah, this is easy money. I hear Gat was worse than she was."
Barney nodded his response. A third guard came rushing in from the lower levels of the prison. "You're not going to believe it, she's awake!"
"You're shitting me?" Barney looked questioningly at the other two guards with him.
Joe shook his head, and he went to phone the Chief of Police. "Chief, she's awake." Once he hung up headed out to make ready for the Chief's arrival.
When they reached the door leading the back way to the infirmary, "How long had she been here?"
"Years… I stopped keeping track after a while. Time flies when you're watching someone breathe through a tube. And no, this woman murdered Richard Hughes, Mayor Winslow, Aisha, and Chief Monroe."
"Damn, that was one hell of a time."
"Damn real Fred, all being kept in intensive care on taxpayers' money."
"I'm surprised that Joe got through to the Chief."
"Yeah, they have bombarded him with the press."
"OH, that was today?"
"All day, you should pay more attention."
Kyouki groaned. She felt sore. She heard muffled voices rushing around as she tried to put together the voices and the place she could feel she was laying. Her head hurt. She tried to raise her hand and found it cuffed to a metal rail. She felt a needle go in her arm. Her throat was dry, as she couldn't say anything. Swallowing thickly, she tried to move again. She felt so heavy she gave up and just laid there.
Kyouki opened her hazel eyes and closed them, too heavy to keep open. The room was too bright. Feeling oxygen being pumped into her nostrils was cool in her lungs. She heard a door open from somewhere she was dozing back off.
"How's the patient?" Barney asked when he and Fred came in.
The nurse takes her blood and then injects a serum to wake the young woman on the table slowly. "Considering she's been in a massive explosion, pretty damn good."
"That's great. The Chief is on his way, told us to give him a call the second she was awake."
"Well then, I leave her in your hands. You want to take your time with her. She's really weak right now, and I just gave her something to help wake her up."
"Thanks, Ann." Fred nodded to the middle-aged woman, taking the sample to be sent out.
Ky slept for another hour. Troy nearly stumbled down the stairs getting to her. Bursting through the door, Troy saw her sleeping peacefully. He looked at the two guards and straightened up. "Not a word. I'm just Troy, got it?"
The others nodded. Troy shooed them out of the room. As he went over to the bed, sat on the edge. He watched her for a moment as he brushed a few stray strands of hair out of her eyes. "Ky, Ky Baby…. Can you hear me? It's me Troy."
Kyouki heard her name being called and the voice of the man calling say, Troy, she smiled, trying to test her voice, "H-e.. y…. Tro.-y." She heard and felt the heavy metal cuffs clink on the metal railings. Then felt herself being pulled up and a warm body pressed to her. Slowly she tried to lift her arms to hug Troy, "Troy… wha… hap-?"
Laying her back down, pulled the covers up over her, tucking her arms under the warm blankets. "Ah, nothing you need to worry about, but I will tell you, you are in prison for your safety. I have to jet right now, but I have some people coming in for you." Cupping her face, his brown eyes met her hazel gaze and sighed, giving her a loving kiss, "I have missed you. I'll have some people come get you in a few."
Troy pulled a cigarette from behind his ear once he hit the door leading out, "Not one word of who I am, or you'll set her off." The guards nodded their affirmation.
Ky smiled tiredly to herself. She remembered Troy was supposed to meet with her, and then everything went dark. She kept reliving moments in her life when she was running with the Saints. "In prison, for my safety?"
With her hands free, she went to rub her face. She could barely feel her arms. Her neck was sore when she swallowed and she felt stiff. She tried to turn over, weak, she couldn't move. She just laid on her back and sighed. A few moments later, a gurney rolled in and a few guards were screaming for the nurse.
From her spot in her bed, she dozed off, awakened to a loud clamor, and opened her eyes to see the nurse talking to the guards near her bed.
"What happened here?"
"Kid got shanked in the caf."
"Damn, poor kid, just put him here. I'll send up the report."
Addressing the young man, she went to get some bandages and supplies to clean his wound. Once she was finished with the examination and binding up his wound, the nurse went to write and send off her report. Ky's eyes were slowly adjusting to the light as she watched as the nurse walked back out.
Kyouki closed her eyes again, as it was relatively quiet. The sound of the metal rings scraping across the metal bar of the curtain being pulled open caused her to turn her head slowly on the intruding noise. Seeing a young boy old enough to be her younger brother lying next to her looking at her with the most awe inspired expression, she raised her eyebrows in question.
"You're Li."
Ky made a noise that acknowledged him.
"I got shanked to come meet you. I want to help you when you get out."
Ky turned her head back to him. "Nam..?"
"Oh, Carlos, I'm Carlos Mendoza. I heard you were in here. You knew my brother, you been in a coma for five years!"
'What?' Kyouki frowned and turned slowly to look back at him. "Fi-v… Yea-?" She swallowed again. Ky heard wrong. She was just out the other night. Then on the radio that was softly playing in the background, called for the anniversary of Mayor Hughes' yacht incident. A flood of thoughts rushed. Before she could pinpoint a single thought, guards rushed in and wheeled her out.
"Carlos Mendoza, look me up when you get out!" The young man laid back down and held his side. He was going to run with the Saints, just like his big brother.
Kyouki was wheeled out on the stretcher, then two women came to help her dress. In a sweatsuit, lifted and placed in a wheelchair. Rolled out into the night air, the smell of saltwater filled her nostrils.
They wheeled her to a boat that would carry her to the mainland. Still weak, she sat looking at the approaching land that was the City skyline. It looked different.
Testing her arms, she took a sturdy grip on the handles of her wheelchair and tried to stand. "Ms. Li, please don't try to stand. You've just woken up." One woman said to her as she continued to stand on her own two feet.
Wobbly legs like a newborn foal, she sat, huffed, and reached for the railing, taking an uneasy step she willed her other leg to move, she tripped, feeling hands grab her to help her up she tried to snatch away, grunting she gave in, but the women helped her to stand, Ky nodded to them both.
By the time they reached the mainland, Kyouki was a touch steadier. Taking her time with the help of her new companions, they escorted her into a car and whisked her away further in the city.
It was a good half hour as they drove through the city. The bright lights faded behind them as the car turned, pulling up to a nice large brick face house in the quiet suburbs. "Ms. Li?" the driver helped her to get out of the car.
Kyouki was unsure if she could support herself. She did not know where she was. There were no keys for her to even open up the front door. Lights pulled up next to them in the wide driveway. "I got her. You go on ahead." Troy announced once he stepped from the car.
He helped her from the car, watching as she took gentle steps, with his hands gripped firmly on her wrists. Holding her by her waist before he scooped her up in his arms. She was so much lighter than he remembered. Troy walked up the driveway, up the stone walkway, crossed the threshold, shutting the door behind them before he locked it. Carried her up to the second floor to the main bedroom. "Baby girl, you don't know how happy I am to see you."
Troy nudged the lights and placed her on the bed, taking her shoes off tucking her in. "I have to get you to the doctor soon, maybe tomorrow, and we have to get you set up with physical therapy." Troy laid next to her and stroked her cheek. Li raised her hand to his and kissed the inside of his palm. Troy leaned close, kissing her, "I will make sure you are safe from now on. I am sorry." He whispered against her lips. Troy felt tears in his eyes. She was awake.
Troy had changed little. He put on a bit of weight. Ky could see he had been working out too and Troy's haircut was short. Unlike the mess he had years ago. Ky sighed when she looked at him. She almost did not want to drift off to sleep. She had no energy. As she laid there saw and traced the worry lines on his forehead.
Ky put her fingertips to his lips, silencing him. With a weary shake of her head, she turned on her side and closed her eyes. Troy got up and removed his clothes, sliding into bed next to her, spooning her close, listening to her soft snore. 'I need to let her know.' Troy kissed the crook of her neck before he dozed off himself.
It had been half a year since she woke up. She was seeing her doctors and getting stronger every day. She was at one such appointment when it would mark her time to see the doctors less.
"Alright miss lady, we'll see you in a few days." Her personal trainer said as they wrapped up for the day. The woman was a saint, working with her for the past six months.
"Thanks. See you later." Ky left the building, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. She was somewhat back to normal, in a lot better shape, and she felt good, she had to change her diet, as the first thing she ate when she was cleared for solids, she promptly puked all over the car Troy just had detailed.
Ky started working. That took heavy convincing to Troy that she needed to do other things than sit in the house all day, going only to the doctors and therapy appointments. As he wasn't home to keep her company.
"Baby, can't you just get a cat or dog or something to keep you occupied? You know, people do know what you look like." Troy had his points, but Li was needing to get back to life.
"Hun, I would if I had been still 'living' for the past five years, listen I won't strip. I have a few scars from that explosion that I think would be… hmm maybe. I mean, it's good money." She thought about it but took off running into the kitchen after Troy threw a pillow at her.
She arrived at Technically Legal for her shift, "Hey Kia." A few of the strippers called when she walked in, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. Have had to go under a nom de plume, to work, yet still having to get a fake ID. She just didn't like being cooped up.
Kyouki waved. "Hey Ladies." Placing her backpack under the bar.
Ky promised she wouldn't be a stripper and kept her word. She got to bartend and mix drinks, and that was what she enjoyed. Putting her earbuds in, securing an apron around her waist, she began wiping down the bar and making it ready for the evening. It was a Friday and sure to be a very busy night.
Going to the stockroom, she began lifting heavy boxes. Her earbud slipped out as she placed the box on the counter and heard the news: Johnny Gat's Trial.
'He is convicted of 387 counts of murder.'
Kyouki looked up at the screen in thought, "Shit, easily 220. Half of them I was there for." She chuckled, listening to the newswoman on the screen. Ky kept busy until one of the regular customers walked up. He already had too much to drink. She could smell him.
"Kia, turn this shit off."
"Not likely. I'm watching it." Putting glasses away as she watched the tv, the man gave a gruff snort going back to his drink.
Some other customer walked up. "Bitch, you were told to turn it off."
Ky stopped stocking and turned to the man in question. "Excuse me?" She scowled, looking at him.
"Fuck you deaf?" The drunk slurred out.
Li gave a small smile. One bouncer on duty was already standing. Coming towards the loud patron walked up as Li snatched the beer bottle from the offensive customer, bounced it off the bar, catching the neck of it, and cracked it across his jaw, shattering the bottle. "Manners asswipe."
The bouncer smirked as he picked up the passed out customer. Ky wiped down the bar once more, muttering curses about having to clean up what she just cleaned, still listening to the news as she was cleaning up. As the news still played, a highlight caught the woman's ear.
'We'll be allowed back in the Courtroom in a few moments to see if Johnathan Gat will go home a happy man or a dead one. Back to you Jack. '
Li's eyes went wide, looking up at the television screen. "No. Shit." Snatching her apron off, she apologized to her boss as she bolted out of the door. Once in her car, it was all business. The smell of rubber filled the spot she was as she floored it to the courthouse.
Swerving in and out of traffic she was pushing her car faster than it could go, reaching over Li grabbed her wallet from the glove compartment, skidding to a stop once at the courthouse she had to find a way through a sea of reporters outside excusing herself, bumped into a few officers who stood keeping the crowd at bay.
"Excuse me, sorry." as she made her way past.
News crews were even flooding the inside. That slowed her down some more. Troy was coming up and saw his girlfriend weaving through the crowd, breaking off and into the building.
'No, Ky, No... SHIT!'' He internally. screamed. She ducked through an open side window. There was no way she could push through that crowd. It was way too many people.
She looked for another way up, ducking and rolling out of sight. Quick thinking she saw a food tray near her, grabbed the tray, and took the straight path to the elevators.
Kyouki made a roundabout to make her way up the stairs. Finally, she could breathe, but that was all but a few minutes until a few of the guards halted her again on the floor that Gat's trial was. "Not now damnit." She grunted, "Hey guys. I'm just delivering this to the second floor. That cool?"
"Sorry Ma'am, no." A guard said. Just after hearing the chatter on his walkie-talkie.
Li whined a bit. "Please, I'm just doing my job, same as you."
The officer reached for his gun, seeing the server advancing. Once the click of the holster was unfastened, Li tossed the tray in his direction as she darted at him, tackling him to the ground, grabbing his gun that dropped as she rolled over the top of him, shooting him in the leg. Her knee landing purposefully on the side of his neck, blindly shot him in the leg. Keeping her eye on the second guard as he took aim at her. The second he move, she shot him in the leg as well.
Ky wanted this to run smoothly. She had not planned on drawing blood. "Sorry, sorry, my friend needs me. You know how it goes." Apologizing taking the second man's gun.
They forced her to injure several more officers in her path on the way up. Hurrying up through the labyrinth of floors, having to double back a few times by ducking and taking the fire and emergency exits. Kyouki was out of breath. She had not had a chase in so long and as exhilarating as it was; she was not ready for something so active. Pushing off the wall, she opened the door to the floor that she started a few minutes before, where the trial is held. Li saw the double doors shut up tight as two more guards barred her path, getting the call to not fire at the woman.
"Really? Do you not have any other place to be? Can you move?" She waved her gun, shooing them out of the way, when they didn't move, drawing their guns. "No huh, ugh, you are making this hard… on yourselves." Li shot them each in the leg, collecting their guns, tucking them into the waist of her pants. When she came through the courtroom kicking the heavy wooden door on the security guard that stood behind it to rescue one, Johnny Gat.
She gingerly walked in, aiming the gun at the second guard in front of the bench. That drew his gun when he was startled, along with all in the courtroom, right between his eyes.
Her eyes locked with Johnny's and she smiled brightly, "Hey Oshiri." She sang out. Turning her head to face the guard with a wink to the man "Drop it.", he dropped it, doing as told, set it off, making everyone duck in the courtroom, save for the man she was coming to rescue.
He raised an eyebrow, shaking his head. Johnny couldn't help the smile that was splayed on his face instantly. His heartbeat fast. She was here, then caught himself, "Fuck took you so long?" tucking his head to force the scowl they knew him for, as she tossed him the keys to un-cuff himself.
"Oh, sumimasen. Glad to see you too… Wait, you knew I was coming… whatever, lucky you, I just so happen to be at work to see I need to come to save your ass, Princess." She tossed him a gun. "Oh, hey Lee!" Kyouki said, leaning over the table. Then they made their way the back way with no more interruption through the emergency doors of the Courthouse.
"Anybody hit and need a lawyer?" Legal Lee poked his head from over the table after the two made their escape.
Ducking out of the exit, she took on the way up. Gat was right behind her. Gat saw Troy and a few of his boys standing at the end of the hall. Exchanging a look, Gat smirked, going through the door behind Ky.
"Princess?" Gat chuckled. "Ish would kill me if I got the chair." He said once outside in the bright spring morning, making a B-Line to Forgive and Forget.
Kyouki paused for a second after they pulled out of the drive through. "You and Ish are still together. She can do so much better." Gat being the way he is with her, around her, his constant inappropriate comments and endless flirting, Aisha would have put him out long ago. It was a wonder how she and Gat were friends. "But my question, what the hell happened to you to go on a spree? 300 people that is excessive. What the hell happen?" Surprised at hearing his murder spree, cause that was a definite spree.
Johnny barked out a laugh, yeah it was hardly a spree. There was no fun in what he did. It was more for answers. And the right answers he didn't get he killed anyone in his path. There was no one trying to stop him. "Newsflash Sleeping Beauty, It's had its ups and downs, Julius went missing, King wrote a Biography, Dex is… Nah I don't even want to talk about him and Troy…." Johnny finished.
Ky smiled, "Yeah, he kept me in the loop sort of. Troy hadn't told me anything really about now, but kept asking me about what happened that night. Either way, I see him later when I get home." Ky did a little dance in her seat at the stoplight. "Troy is working at the gym at the rec center. He's not scrawny now. He came to get me when I woke up, got me up walking and talking again, been together since."
Johnny's eyes narrowed, and he coughed, "He did? He is the Chief of Police." That did it for him. He came so close to killing him then. But now, knowing he was still under Li, he was fine with it. Until he realized they were living together. That Gat was not allowing.
Kyouki snapped her head in his direction. "Troy, is what now? No… Not my Troy? The man who is working at the Center?" Johnny pulled the wheel to the right lane after she deviated into oncoming traffic. Kyouki looked back when Johnny grabbed for the wheel. Taking a few deep breaths at the stoplight. "Yo, you are just saying that. You had always been hard on him. He helped me get out of prison… Come on, Troy could never be a cop."
"Fuck woman! Yeah, he was working undercover the whole time." He looked at Kyouki, who stared out of the windshield, refusing to look at her best friend. He could see her mind working overtime.
Her mind was trying to piece it together. Ky shook her head. "I don't believe you. I'll prove it." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out her cell. "Hey Bab-"
"Baby girl, busy right now. I'll call you back." Troy hung up.
Kyouki side-eyed Gat, pursing her lips together. "We'll just go see him." She floored it to the Marshall Winslow Recreation Center. He said he was working there from the time the Saints fell apart. Screeching to a stop, she nearly fell out of the car, having to stop and put it in park.
Her heart was racing. Troy would never hang up on her like that. She refused to believe Johnny that Troy was a cop, and she needed to see for herself that it wasn't true.
Entering the building, several eyes looked in her direction before going back to their business. A young woman sitting at the desk was idly talking to someone when Kyouki walked in. Johnny came up behind her shortly after.
"Excuse me, does Troy work here?"
The young redhead looked over at Ky. "Troy?" She looked questioningly at the woman on the other side of the desk.
Kyouki nodded. "Yeah Bradshaw, Troy Bradshaw. He works here, yes?"
"No, sorry, no one here by that name." The woman shook her head apologetically. Even after checking the computer system to see if there may have been someone recently she did not know of.
Ky was sure this was a mistake, and this person was not familiar with him. She already pressing the call once again. Troy's phone rang once more.
"Baby girl, I said I was busy..."
"I'm at the Rec Center. Where are you? I need to see you now." Silence on the other end. "Troy?" Her voice filled with worry. Her heart was thrumming hard in her chest.
"Yeah, I stepped out. I'm not on site. Out with a client."
Kyouki was puffing, and she shook. Johnny went to take the phone from her but she moved so quickly she made him jump, "I'll come to see you, just for a minute, please… where are you?" It was getting hard to think straight. If she could only lay eyes on him in his workout gear. Just to prove Johnny wrong. Troy was not a cop.
"Baby, I am with a client. You know I can't talk when I'm working…"
That was just the fraction of the sentence that she heard. She was calming down. Cause she knew that when he was working, it would be hard for him to even take her calls. Some days were busier than others. Then Johnny grabbed her wrist, took the phone from her, and listened for a second.
"I'll call you back when I'm on break. Okay, baby?"
Johnny could hear the sirens in the background. "Troy, I know, and now she knows."
"Shit." Troy stopped. He could hear and feel shit coming down around him. He knew that seeing Johnny, seeing Kyouki coming to the courthouse, knew this was coming. "Wait, Johnny, wait!"
Johnny ended the call, grabbed Li by the wrist, pulling her from the reception desk back outside, putting her in the passenger's seat. She was beyond herself, shaking, crying silent tears, visibly shattered. Her face was hot, she was mad, and hurt. She heard Johnny tell Troy that she now knows. Li was getting a headache; she needed to hear it from him still. He came to the prison to get her out, had her in his home, helped her get better. He couldn't be this 'Chief of Police' He was a Saint…. Wasn't he?
As they drove to Aisha's he noticed after he mentioned Troy being a cop, her attitude changed, sullen, she was withdrawing, sinking in her seat. A thoughtful but sad look then took hold of her honey hazel eyes.
Johnny had noted, as well as minor physical changes. Her features were sharper, no longer the poke-able cheeked little girl who first joined. Her hair was longer, still wearing it up in a braided bun. Ky had a mixed with utter confusion as they drove through Downtown.
Pulling up in the driveway. Johnny turned the engine off. Kyouki knitted her arched eyebrows with a sad smile as she looked over at the man sitting next to her. "I need to talk to him." Ky was chewing on her lower lip, biting it to keep her anger in check.
Gat sighed. He knew what she was thinking. It was just like when they were younger. "Kyo… come on." He snatched the keys out of the ignition and got out.
Ky opened her door, went to get out of the car, but just sat in the passenger seat with one leg out, slumping as if she had given up. She closed her eyes, leaning back on the headrest. With a heavy sigh, she rubbed her face in her hands before getting out of the car.
Johnny leaned on the car door. "Baby girl, come on." Taking her by the hand, she begrudgingly followed.
Letting her in first, he headed to the kitchen, calling over his shoulder, "Want anything to drink?" Johnny offered.
"No." Ky pouted, still trying to process what happened twenty minutes ago.
Johnny grabbed a juice for her and a beer for himself. "Right."
The sound of movement came from the second floor. "Johnny, who do you have in here?" Came a familiar voice from up the stairs.
Gat snorted. "Why don't you come down and find out?" he said as he tossed the bottle to his friend.
Kyouki then turn around, resting her head on the back of the couch waited as she was watching as the woman come down who continued to complain about Johnny's rude behavior. "Why couldn't you just tell me who…"
"Cause it's just me."
"Oh my God!" Aisha's eyes settled on the woman smiling at her, Aisha stopped mid-step, covering her mouth with her hands, held the railing ran the rest of the way to give the woman a tight hug over the back of the couch. Tears streamed from her eyes. "Li-Li, Baby Girl we thought you were dead." She sniffed. "I can't believe it. Look at you. Something is different about you." She said as she pulled away, to come around to embrace her tightly.
"I grew up? Coma does that to a person, from what I hear." Kyouki started with a grin. "It's been too long. I missed you, girl!" They chatted for a few minutes, Johnny sitting watching them catch up as if practically the past six years didn't happen.
Ky sighed happily, "Ish… I may need to crash here for a few, until I find a place, is ok?"
Johnny took a long drink, his eyes resting on Ky again. She was here. Breathing, walking, and laughing, that smile of hers. If he was a praying man, he would thank whatever power that was. She was alive. He doesn't cause he knew. Johnny turned his head, Gat couldn't get over the fact that she was living with Troy and she never knew.
Troy has a blood debt that needs to be paid, but with her alive, killing him will have to wait until he gets his hands on him.
"Of course. You never need to ask. Where have you been?"
Johnny interrupted her question before Ky could process what Aisha asked. "Yeah, we got planning to do, and first is getting a base of operations."
Aisha turned from Kyouki, still holding her hand tight, after giving her the ok to camp with them. "And where were you planning on doing that?"
Gat looked around the house.
Aisha's eyes narrowed. "Oh, no." Aisha got up.
"But it's spacious. Temporary, for like a year." Gat urged.
"No."
Kyouki grinned slightly. "Why? What are we planning?" Looking between her best friends.
"I said NO!" Aisha headed up to the second floor to get things for the spare bedroom.
Gat looked over at Ky, who still wore a smile. 'Good, Ish diverted her mind from that muthafuka.', "Don't worry, I think I know a place we can go tomorrow morning. Old mission place, Cool?"
"Whatever G." Ky shrugged her response as she sat back down. Feeling a pinch in her back, she sat up straight.
Looking at her thoroughly, he noticed exactly what she was wearing. He let out a soft whistle. Fitted black jeans looked like if they were any tighter, they could have painted them on. Every curve was on display. She was thick, and a tucked white tee-shirt that clung to her chest emphasized her figure.
Gat watched her from behind his shade shielded eyes. Her chest rose and fell when she breathed, pulling the fabric even tighter. She was pulling the guns she collected from her waist and placing them on the coffee table in front of her. Pulling her phone from her hip pocket, she closed her eyes as she looked over messages. Then was texting away.
"You have a job, legally?" Gat took a sip of his beer.
Li nodded her agreement, "Yes Sir, can you not stare at me? I'm not a ghost." She turned her head to him, very grateful for the distraction of seeing Aisha again. "Thank you."
She would have to go home soon to get some of her things. She just didn't want to see Troy. He was sending messages like crazy. Her phone chimed again. But like ripping off duct tape, she knew the faster, the quicker the pain was over.
Gat reared back a bit. "How the fuck did you manage that?"
Ky having a job legally was far-fetched. Not like it couldn't happen. Would anyone have actually hired her?
"Simple, I go by Kia now it's… nothing." She bit her lip, closing her eyes. Her phone was going off every three seconds. Ky sighed, looking over the layout of the house. It has changed since the last time she stepped foot in here. She sighed once more, "Gat, I - I need to go. You know what? Tell Ish I think it'll be better to just crash at a hotel. I don't want to be in the way." She rubbed her face out of frustration, running her fingers through her hair, scratching her scalp. Stuffing her phone in her back pocket. Pulling her hair out of its ponytail. He watched as she unbraided her locks that fell past her waist.
Gat cocked his head to the side. He raised the bottle to his lips a fraction of a second slower than Aisha. "Why?" Coming from the landing. Aisha was heading down. "You're leaving already, you just got here, and you won't be in the way. Please stay." Aisha looked worried.
Ky combed her fingers through her hair, gathered it all back up, trying to give her hands something to do. Ky shook her head, twisting her hair back into a bun. "I couldn't impose."
Aisha, who had an arm full of quilts backing into the guest room, "It's not imposing, you are staying. I have your favorite quilt." She lured the young woman in.
With a nod she agreed, "I'll harass you lovely people for a while just til I find a new place, ok?"
Aisha nodded. "Take all the time you need. See you when you get back." Taking the quilt into the guest room, giving it a once over for Kyouki.
Ky waved bye to Gat, closing the front door behind her. Aisha sighed. "Johnny, I can't believe it. Li is back. She looks amazing! Why would she ask to stay, then say she'll just stay at a hotel?"
Taking another swig from his warming bottle, "I told her about Troy." He looked to Aisha and raised an eyebrow, thinking maybe he needs to learn to keep his mouth shut.
Aisha was shocked, whipping to look at Gat. He was serious. He had always been on Troy. Gat just did not like the man, and it was worse that Ky and Troy were a thing. Aisha didn't think Kyouki didn't know Troy was a cop. Though in hindsight no one knew he was until the crackdown happen. As it stood when they were younger, Troy and Li were an item, but she assumed Ky should have known by now that she was awake. "Johnny, why didn't Li-Li know?"
He had an answer, 'Troy lied.' he didn't want to share, when he found out she was laying in the same penitentiary as him, early last year, the rumors surfaced she was alive, but no one saw her, it was whispered even amongst the Saints that were locked up.
When the Mendoza boy came back from the infirmary, he confirmed she was there and was awake, but was wheeled out shortly after he saw and spoke with her.
With Johnny knowing Troy and Ky used to date, he knew that the New Chief of Police would do anything and everything in his power to keep her alive, this time. "Nah, I thought she needed to know." He shrugged as if it was common knowledge. He didn't want to reveal anymore about his anger about the cop who posed as a 3rd St. Saint.
Aisha nodded in agreement, sitting on the couch Kyouki occupied, smiling that Kyouki was still with them. "Can I ask you something?" A curious thought crossed her mind that needed to be voiced.
Gat got up from his seat. "Yeah, babe." Taking a swig from his beer as he went to grab another cold one.
"When are you going to tell her how you feel about her?"
Johnny choked on his beer. Gasping for air, he gave a long look at the woman who had been his link to the outside world for the past three years while he was locked up. "Ish, I don't have a thing for her."
"You took a bullet for her." Pointing at his knee.
Gat walked in the kitchen, calling over his shoulder. "I would have done that for you, too."
Aisha raised her eyebrow. He was full of shit and she knew it. Aisha doubted if any of them would forget about that horrible night. "You cried when we thought she died. I have never seen you cry." Ish called in quick response.
Johnny popped the cap off the fresh bottle, took another swig when he came in taking a seat once more. Maybe he had a thing for Li, but he has Aisha. He would not entertain that thought. It took him literally years to hash out his feelings and just as long to pack that part of him away.
Aisha walked to him and sat on his lap. "It was that one birthday party when we sang for you, you were in awe when she walked up the aisle. I was too. I almost thought she wouldn't make it, but she apologized." Aisha played with his hair. "I think that last song was for Troy to hear, but I saw the look on your face when you listened to those lyrics. It meant something to you."
~*S.R.1*~
Early fall of 96'
Her time when she was working at On Track got her noticed, and thought she could work at Glitz when she took on the Vice Kings and Los Carnales. Because of Johnny, she got to meet her idol, Aisha. She proposed they do songs together, and they had.
Aisha was on the small stage singing when the music cued. It was mellow. Johnny couldn't help grinning as he was being congratulated.
The apex of the song swelled when it died down. From the entrance of the club, phone in one hand, mic in the other, Kyouki sang from the door to the stage. She walked past Johnny. He saw the name on her phone and the speaker was on.
He frowned; Troy had stood her up. Again, he switched to grinning harder as he received pats on his back. She turned her back, no one saw but Aisha, she put a hand on her shoulder as Ky sang with emotion, so much so with the height of the song Aisha couldn't keep up with her, she sang to from the heart, to be heard, her voice carried outside, Troy came through the door finally, the look of apologies in his eyes as he hung up the phone lowering it from his ear.
Ky's eyes settled on Troy, then to Johnny, smiling a false smile on her lips that definitely didn't reach her eyes. She realized she had out sang his famous girlfriend when her eyes went wide. Li bowed her apologies.
~*S.R.1*~
Gat slipped his hand around her waist and rubbed her side, letting out a heavy sigh. Ky had been fighting with Troy the day before, him standing her up on a date or something. Kyouki wasn't inside at the venue and was busy looking out for Troy; she had been waiting for him. He saw her when she was on the phone with Troy hurrying him to get to the club. Why he remembered that detail had him squeeze Aisha tighter.
Humming softly, she had another thought. "Oh, and don't think I didn't notice when she put together that forties themed birthday for you too." Aisha laughed. "Of all the songs she picked. That song she had everyone singing after that, you remember?"
Johnny laughed. Remembering the two of the parties, Kyouki put together distinctly. "Yeah, she's something, but you babe got up there and had a blast with her, too. You did your thing, and besides, I got you. I always will." He ran his fingers along her neck, tickling her, kissing the crook of her neck. Showing he wanted her lips pulled her close for a kiss.
Ky always wore headphones when she went out on missions for Julius, humming songs occasionally slip by, singing out loud. He heard her not thinking much of it. It wasn't until the first party he was stunned by her voice. It was the second party he reevaluated her utter existence in his life.
He also will always remember that birthday party.
~*S.R.1*~
The crew had convinced her to come to the party, and she only agreed to do so if she got to plan it. Li had this crazy idea of being 'true gangsters' if only for a night. She told everyone her idea, to keep it quiet and to just get Gat there dressed up.
It took them months of rehearsal to get Aisha to tone down the hip hop look they knew her for; Kyouki saw a dress that would look wonderful on her.
Ky smirked. "That lounge singer, she only went by Songbird?"
When Aisha nodded, of course, she heard of Songbird. All of Stilwater had rumors and hearsay about the singer who disappeared a few years ago. Ky nodded as she smiled knowingly. Aisha started wondering if Ky was modeling after the mysterious lounge singer. Ky sang a short song stunning Aisha to silence. "Baby Girl, that was you!?" mouth agape. Aisha couldn't believe it. Aisha met 'her' idol.
"It helps pay the bills." Kyouki laughed. "Between us ok?" Aisha agreed.
Kyouki had been in the crew for a few years already. Johnny Gat's 19th Birthday, the theme 1940s, as most didn't know the tomboy that Julius and Troy brought in, or as Johnny calls her, a stray cat, she was so green Johnny had picked on her relentlessly. He thought Julius was out of his mind for allowing some kid in, but when he saw her fight, his mind changed. Johnny had saved her from being shot countless times, and when she let out a scream that cracked his glasses, then came calling her Pidgeon.
When everyone found out Aisha was planning on being there for a few songs again, everyone clamored to be there. What they didn't expect was the new rising star of the Saints to sing again.
Glitz was the venue for the night.
Everyone dressed up hyped up by it. The energy was positive Kyouki spent the day preening, now was sitting saving her voice, getting her hair and makeup done, Ky looked like she stepped out of the 40s, when Aisha saw her, auburn hair fell in romantic glossy waves over her shoulder and trailing down her back, the dress fit her well, so it looked like she was poured in it.
The black pencil dress with a train to the floor shoulder and sleeveless halter styled. Golden buttons trailed up her taught tight cinched stomach, her Saints purple, a dark deep purple, long gloves, smoky eye stressed her alluring honey hazel eyes, and nude gloss on her full, pouty lips completed her look.
"Baby girl, lookit you, can you breathe?" Aisha cooed. She was in a beautiful white that trained to the floor, fitted, backless, reminiscent of a dress Hazel Scott once wore. Kyouki wanted to match, but that dress caught the young woman's eye that suited Aisha better.
With a scrunch of her nose, she posed. "Yes, the corsets are habit forming, Aisha. You look amazing too. Think your boyfriend will notice?"
Aisha laughed. "He won't notice. I did my set. You're up next. Get it, girl."
"Am I allowed to play the part?" Ky turned her head, and the silhouette she cast made Aisha's mouth fall open.
Shaking off her shock, she grinned harder. "Just tonight. I think he likes you more than me."
Ky covered her mouth. She needed to be serious. "Stop, you know I am digging Troy." She was, she had no interest in her girl's man.
"Break a leg, Baby Girl." Aisha gave her a wink and went to take her place amongst the audience next to Gat.
Ky nodded, a deep breath as she did a few years ago when she did this as her hobby. The Songbird sauntered off to the stage, the music cued, as the curtain remained down. She could hear the Saints chattering away, a fight possibly going on and then the whistles started as they were getting restless.
The announcer came over the mike, "Introducing Stilwater's own Lil Darling, Songbird."
She started as the curtain rose and the room fell dead silent. She breathed life into the mic, "You had plenty money 1922… You let other women make a fool of you… why don't you do right… like some other men do.."
Her presence instantly aroused the room, everyone in the room felt it. Her voice was like silken honey to the ear. Troy sat next to Dex, who sat in between Troy and Johnny. The trio sat gawping. There was no hiding the surprise she gave them. Aisha settled next to Gat, looking every inch the Gun Moll.
All eyes followed her around the stage. She wore a small hidden mic as she worked the stage and the short walk that was set up.
"Why don't you do right…." She flirted with all she made eye contact with, coming down into the audience.
First stopping at Troy, she pinched his cheek, running a finger along his jaw, lifting his chin. Then to Dex. Sliding her hands across his shoulders with a pout, she removed his hat, shoving it gently in his face.
"Get out of here, get me some money too…" She pushed one guy back into his seat as he placed his hand over his heart when she came near.
Kyouki gently ran a finger over Aisha's shoulder, leaning in her ear. "Now if you'd prepared 20 years ago… You wouldn't be wandering around from door to door…" tracing a gloved finger along the woman's neck, lightly flicking her long earring as she sauntered to come before her target.
When she reached Johnny, she slid onto his lap and stroked his jaw, when she stood, pulling him by his tie, her lips achingly close, her breath fanning his face, filling his nostrils with the smell of peaches and lilacs, she even smelled purple.
Flicked her eyes to meet his, holding his gaze, "Why don't you do right…. Like some other men… Do." She released his tie, and he slowly sank back into his seat.
Gat held his breath and didn't realize he was holding. "Whoa.'" He felt something sharp pierce in his chest.
Kyouki slowly made her way back to the stage, still holding the note. The room went wild. She smirked. "Happy Birthday, G." she crooned as the next song played. Aisha closed his mouth for him and winked at the young woman on the stage.
She looked at Troy, who looked gut-punched. "Never know how much I love you, never know how much I care." She had everyone swooning.
Gat couldn't take his eyes off of her now, running by his side he never gave her much of a thought, he heard about her wanting to be like Aisha, and her working at On Track was true, he recalled he and some of the crew went out for drinks; the men leaving the club they passed, making lude comments about the hot waitress who waited on them. Another night they infiltrated Glitz, another group of men sang her praises, the announcement that the 'Songbird' just left the stage. He just missed her.
But she was here for him, singing to him on his birthday. Kyouki was Songbird. The stray cat that was brought into the Saints was the most breathtaking creature he had ever seen.
Now in dress, she was gorgeous, out of dress she was cute, definitely cute without a doubt, but she always keeps her hair pulled up in a ponytail, braids, or bun. From that day on, it burned The Songbird into his subconscious.
~*S.R.1*~
Ky drove to the house she and Troy shared. She went over how she was going to handle the conversation with him. She went through the house like a demon. Ky tore open drawers, cabinets, and closets. She went through each room. The last room she checked, she felt in her gut. She should have looked in first.
She opened all the dresser drawers, shuffling things around. She found a gun in his drawer. Going to the closet flung open the doors and took out his clothes and hers. She grabbed the suitcase, shoving her things in.
Heading to the bathroom she grabs some of her toiletries, still going over this conversation, "Ok, He will say, Ky baby, listen I was with Mrs. Gladden, you know she gets grabby, and I'll say, You're right, but where were you, and Johnny said something stupid like you're the Chief of Police."
She nods, agreeing with herself that it sounds right. "Then Troy will say, Baby, you know he has always had a crush on you. I'll say, no, he has Ish."
Mimicking the hand gestures as she's having this conversation with herself, picturing the conversation, it sounded plausible. "He'll say, Nah baby, but it's true, he hates me always has." Mimicking Troy. Kyouki nodded again. She needed to have this right. She was still going to spend the time with Gat and Ish. Still needing to hear it from Troy, still tossing things into the suitcase and travel bag, Ky goes to snatch a box that contains her favorite heels, and a box tumbles out of the closet, spilling its contents on the floor.
Hearing the clatter looks down, seeing the box laying there with its lid off has an old badge, some other medals and bullet shells, and a photo of the Saints during a summer BBQ they held, purple headband, a sweatshirt with blood. She gasped. It was the sweatshirt she had on the night Lin died. Spilled out on the floor.
~*S.R.1*~
The last week of fall. 97'
Li was hearing Troy calling to her, in and out of consciousness, the pain was too much. Troy carried her to one of the safe houses. Dex and Johnny met them when Troy called frantic.
"Put her on the table. We have to get the bullet out!" Johnny took her from his arms.
Dex was rushing to get the medical kit, and Johnny punched Troy in the face soon as he laid her on the table seeing the blood pouring from her side.
"Fuck is wrong with you!?" Johnny screamed at Troy, pulling off the sweatshirt over Li's head, hurling it at Troy.
"Baby, I'm sorry, I…" Troy came to take her hand, Johnny punched him again.
"Fuck is Lin?" Johnny poured water and vodka on the wound, Li screamed in pain, Johnny pressed her back down on the table, Dex came over just in time snapping a glove on, feeling in the hole feeling for the bullet.
Li moaned in pain, tears streaming down her face. She gasped loudly when Dex fished around finding the bullet. She screamed again when Johnny flushed the wound again, then poured water, making sure it was clean.
Troy winced watching her hurting and remembered, "It was the Rollerz, fucking Sharpe killed Lin, I - I have to go get her body!" Troy was shaking, he ran to get Lin from where she was still floating. None of this should have happened.
~*S.R.1*~
Her face twisted in anger, tears stinging her eyes. That night, Troy saved her. She assumed he just followed her. Then she realized, "You're in prison for your protection." Why had she been in prison and not a hospital?
"I was on life support. He kept me alive for five years, no… No…. That's not... right. That makes no sense." Pulling her phone from her pocket going to dial Johnny.
Changing her mind, she didn't need him saying how right he was about Troy. Kyouki absolutely needed to hear it from Troy. She shoved her phone back in her pocket as she picked up the badge. Looking at the old ID on the other side, "Detective Troy R. Bradshaw." Was what she read, clear as crystal.
Li hung her head. She left fresh tears on the old sweatshirt in her hands. As she gripped it tighter, she dropped her hands to her sides looking up at the ceiling, the sweatshirt unrolled Lin's lighter clattered on the floor, picking up her old lighter she started thumbing the partly rusted metal, "You weren't the only one undercover huh, and I'll say, Troy so you are a cop."
The house was dark when he came in. She sat in the middle of the room in the shadows, light from the orange street lamp peeked through the blinds, her eyes transfixed on the door he would enter. Kyouki went over this conversation one hundred and twenty-two times.
She promised herself she wouldn't get emotional. She was already a wreck and she wouldn't kill him. Li had cried as her mind was overthinking finding the things of Lin and hers just made it worse, and the more she thought the more frustrated she became. When she heard the key in the door, her head shot up.
"Okaeri." she calmly called out eerily once he crossed the threshold.
Troy jumped. He dropped his duffle bag on the floor, the same he had done for the past six months. She heard the keys clatter in the dish by the door, the same as he had done for the past six months. '
Stop it Li, don't overreact.' She chides herself, her breathing becoming unsteady. 'Just let him answer. Do not go off.'
Through the blinds, the light hit her eyes, making them eerily lighter. Narrowed eyes, she examined the Saint's former member.
Closing the door behind him, took two steps. "Ky baby, listen what happened-."
She flew into a rage, "USO-TSUKI! You're a… were… are a FUCKING COP!" Clutching the medal and badge close, she hurled them both at him in the dim light.
"Ow. Baby, listen…" Covering his face with his hands.
Li breathed heavily, talking to herself, "Ok, ok, it's cool, I'm cool, it's cool…" she paced back and forth the length of the sofa.
Troy raised his hands in defense. He knew this could happen and something he had been avoiding. "Will you hear me out?"
"NO! YOU LIED TO ME… US… YOU'VE BEEN LYING TO ME!" Li screamed at him, wanting to give him a chance to say his piece, her eyes red - tears stained her cheeks and fresh ones poured out, she looked at him and shook her head.
"I'm sorry, listen. Baby… Baby. Can we talk?"
Troy went to reach for her. Li lurched away, stumbling back, "Sawaranaide! You never get to touch me. You are fucking lucky I'm still speaking to you! Uso-tsuki." Her finger pointing at him like a dagger.
Troy backed up, and he knew he should have come clean with her. He had time, he just got too comfortable. Kyouki's switch flipped as she had mulled over finding out who she had been with for the past several months.
Putting the sweatshirt on the back of the couch. "You keep souvenirs?" She questioned, placing the lighter on top like a point that she found out. "You were there because I thought you cared and followed me." Pointing sharply at the sweatshirt and lighter on the couch.
Nodding, she could see nothing but Lin floating. "You missed him, you missed fucking Sharpe! You could have saved Lin, fuck Donny could've saved her, but I know for a fact he was a bitch ass." Li sniffed. Frustrated, Li paced. She was tugging at her ponytail. Rubbing her forehead as she thought, she tried to calm down, but she remembered that night seeing the lighter alone made her tear up once again.
Troy swallowed hard. He rubbed his hands over his face, reaching on his hip as he drew his gun, aiming it at her. Li stopped mid-tirade.
When she heard the click of the holster, eyes hard, narrowed. "You want to shoot me now?" She faced him completely, slowly walked over to where he stood, not blinking her eyes boring into his. "Huh, you wanna shoot me?" her question was stabbing.
Troy's face scrunched. "I want you to listen to me. I had my reasons for not saying anything about me being a cop!" He yelled back.
She took hold of his wrist, aimed the barrel of the gun right on her breast over her heart. Troy felt the heat from her touch through his sleeves. He was deflating; she wasn't blinking, and he would never shoot her, but it got her to stop for a second to hear him out.
"Shoot. Me. Bitch." she coolly demanded.
"I just want you to listen."
"Shoot me, you think I want to listen, cop uso-tuski?"
"Ky please."
She shook her head. "Nah, that's not how that works. See, what you did was lie to me. You lied to the Saints. What you did is keep me alive for whatever sick reason you thought up. You got me to play house with you. Congratulations." She mocks applauded him.
"I had been a little dishonest with you. To tell the truth, there are things about my life you didn't need to know. It was never something I planned to bring up until I was ready."
Li covered her mouth. "I had a major surprise for everyone before I went…" She gestured as if she was blowing up. Sniffed again, she frowned. "But not once have I lied to you, for years. So now that honesty is coming out, here is me. My family is large, rich, and powerful. I am supposed to be in Japan. I can kill you or anyone and not bat an eye. You know what you think is my last name." Li undid the safety of his gun, never taking her eyes from his.
Li was pushing him back against the door with his gun still aimed at her heart. "So let me ask you. I suggest we be honest with me. The night you were to meet me on that yacht, where were you?"
Troy swallowed hard. "A - at the station."
Li nodded, a silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What do you think hurts worse, laying with the enemy or being shot?"
Troy lowered his gun, putting the safety on dropping it on the carpeted floor, "Ky, I love you. I kept you alive, I just wanted to….. I don't know, I know why I wasn't there, and I am so fucking sorry. I got you out, I kept you alive, seeing you hurt laid up, I didn't want you to be a part of this from jump!" His face went through various emotions in a few seconds.
Li blinked finally and turned away. She couldn't look at him walking to the couch once more. She gathered the lighter, stuffing it in her pocket and shoving the sweatshirt into her backpack.
Troy walked to her, he went to touch her, and she looked at his hand, daring him to, "Baby, I'm so sorry, I really am…"
Li shook her head. "Sorry doesn't cut it. This ain't one of those sappy melodramas where the girl finds out he was a spy sent to keep her safe and they fall in love and she's good with it, no. You lied to HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO CONSIDERED YOU FAMILY!" Fresh tears trickled out of her eyes. As she screamed at him, she wanted to beat him. She wanted to take the lamp on the table and beat him senselessly.
A ragged breath she whipped her eyes, sniffing, "I liked you for the longest time, during Johnny's birthday, I did so much to get you to pay attention to me, firsts I had with you. I invited you to my Obachan's. You couldn't even tell me she died! 'She lives near Mourning Wood ', Noooooooooo, she died Troy, she's DEAD TROY!" Li hung her head and grabbed the back of her neck, pulling hard. Taking deep breaths, she closed her eyes and stood tall. "Love, no, you didn't really."
"I did, I do... I do, I honestly do…" Troy pleaded. He wanted to take her and hug her tight, let her know how sorry he was, and come clean like he should have.
Li nodded, "I'm not Li of the Saints now, but you are still Troy Bradshaw, cop, and now Chief of police." She grabbed her bags without looking back left.
The sound of things being thrown and screaming faded off as she walked further from the house. She would not look back. He did not deserve her looking back.
Troy had called her number and got no answer. For hours straight, she watched the phone ringing. She took another drink; Kyouki made it a game, sitting in Aisha's driveway on the roof of her car. She drank, not something that she would normally do. She wanted to drown out the day, the past, present, and six years ago. Ky just didn't want to go inside; as she was too drunk to go anywhere.
Aisha peeked out of the window, seeing a bottle being raised every so often. "Johnny, Ky is back, but she's sitting on the roof of the car... drinking?" She looked at Johnny, he was watching Tv.
"She's a big girl. She'll be in when she is ready." Gat shrugged it off.
"Johnny." Aisha came to sit with him. "Go talk to her. That's your best friend. You forced her to do this."
Sucking his teeth, she was right. Kyouki Li broke up with Troy Bradshaw and was drinking her sorrows away because of him, ruining yet another of her relationships. "You're right, I'll see you later." He kissed Aisha and headed out of the door.
Seeing Li rocking, he knew she was out there. "Pigeon, what are you doing?" His hands in his pockets, watching her sit humming to herself, rocking on the roof of her car.
"Mr. Gatitude, how ya dooin?" Ky swerved to look at him, scrunching her nose playfully, smiling, almost falling over. "Whoa." She giggled. "Guess what, you were wrright, cop, unhuh, I dated a cop." She turned over to get up and slipped off the roof of the car, hitting the paved driveway. "Ow… my ass…" She laughed out loud. "Ow." She sniffled.
Johnny chuckled, then helped her to get up. "Lightweight. Ok Baby Girl, lessgo for a ride." He helped her to stand going to open the passenger side door. Empty bottles of coolers and hard half-full clear liquor bottles clattered to the ground. Ky was hammered. She will surely feel it in the morning.
Johnny cleaned her mess and put her in the car. They drove around with the windows down. She needed to sober up. "Johnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeee, I love you."
Johnny raised an eyebrow, definitely hammered, "Is that so? When did that happen?"
Li turned her head and put a finger on his cheek, "Day I laid eyes on you."
They pulled up to a red light and Johnny let out the longest sigh. Li poked his cheek. "You are so pretty." She laughed.
Johnny chuckled, shaking his head, "Johnnnneeeeee, I wanna kissh you."
Slowing to another red light, he looked at her, glassy-eyed and grinning, with tears trickling from her eyes. He can't take advantage of her like this, tempting as it may be. He pulled up to a Freckle Bitches, ordering them something to eat.
The smell of the food turned Ky's stomach. She opened the door as they were in motion and threw up. Gat had to grab hold of the back of her shirt to keep her from falling out. "Stupid! Fuck you trying to get killed?"
"I did once." She was sobering up. Kyouki's face twisted. The thoughts were invading, and she could hear her phone chime. She reached behind the driver's seat and popped another cooler, guzzling it, then another.
"Should we go to the hospital cause that much alcohol will kill you, bulsajo." Reaching to take the bottle from her, she snatched it away.
Shaking her head, letting him take it when she sloshed some all over her clothes. "When have that sthaped you?" Grabbing a soda, she swished it in her mouth, spitting it out of the window.
Johnny had no answer. Li reached back, going to guzzle two more coolers. "A fucking cop. He is a fucking cop. How could he do dis to me?" Her head was heavy. "Give a man time. He blows you up, or chases away other guys, or is a cop." She sobbed.
Gat had no answer.
"Kiss me."
"What?"
"Kiss me."
"No."
"Oh, something wrong with me now, you don't wanna, remember that time you scared that boy, whatshisname… yeah, you fucker!"
"Bulsajo, I won't kiss you when you're like this. Sober up Pigeon."
"Don't call me Pigeon." She leaned forward. "Oooh, I love this song…"
'Nutty nutty nutty, my love for you. I can't believe my dreams come true, and best of all, you're nutty nutty nutty for me …'
"I haven't heard this is forever. This on the radio?" Ky cheered herself. Going through an array of emotions.
Johnny looked, it was on loop on her CD player. Shaking his head, he pulled up to the shore. The moon was out and it reflected off the soft waves the wind was creating. Li turned up the song, hit the headlights, and got out. She danced and sang along to the song.
"Get in the car before you hurt yourself." He called after her.
She stumbled a bit, stopped to get the beat, and she was kicking off her sneakers and socks to dance on the sand. He felt behind the seats, bottles; he turned on the overhead and her back seat was covered in still full bottles of alcohol. "Da fuck, did she get all of this?" Grabbing one, he turned the loop off, going to sit on the hood of the car.
Li was dancing like she was on stage, singing off-key, which for a drunk woman sounded not as bad. She was dancing to the routine from the music video. Step by step, she had the biggest smile on her face.
The song changed, and she grinned, "There are times when I look above and beyond, there are times when I feel your love around me, baby, I'll never forget my baby."
Johnny found himself smiling because of her, when she looked at him, singing to him.
"Everywhere I go, every smile I see, I know you are there, smilin back at me, dancin in moonlight, I know you are free, cuz I can see your star, shinin down on me…. Cause I busted you out… Woooooh!"
Johnny turned his head, laughing. She was right. He looked around to see if anyone else was watching the show. When he turned back, she was standing before him. "Kiss me."
She startled Johnny for a moment. He dropped his bottle. Ky reached up and removed his glasses. Folding them, she hooked them on her shirt, taking his face in her hands. She smiled. Trailing her hands down his neck, lightly tracing the pattern of his neck tattoo, across his shoulders, down his arms, pulling his arms around her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, looking him in the eye. "So, why did you tell me?" She leaned in, licking her lips, pulling him closer, her forehead touching his. Ky closed her eyes. Her eyes hurt.
"Tell you what?" Gat rubbed his hands up and down her back.
This is wrong. She had to stop herself. "About Troy." He was rubbing her back. It felt too good.
"I have my reason. But you needed to know." Gat's words were soft to her ears, just for her to hear. Kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then before he moved to her lips. "You still want that kiss?"
She saw him lick his lips. Her eyes closed as she felt a familiar pull, turned her head, "I can't, not now." She pulled him tighter for a hug. "Hug me tight. Please."
"Anything bulsajo." He let out a breath. He closed his eyes, patting and rubbing her back. "You good?"
"Yeah, I'm too sober." She felt him chuckle.
"Get in, eat, take you to the house and you can feel like a new brand of shit in the morning." Gat nodded as he helped her into the car. Taking his glasses back.
She waited for him to get settled in the passenger's seat before she spoke up. "Thank you. What does that word mean?" Ky asked as she looked out of the window.
"What? Bulsajo?"
"Yeah." Rubbing her temples.
"Fire bird or something." Gat started the ignition once more and drove back home.