Thank you to Stayhooper and Tigerfeet for reviewing! Bella is the middle child. She is almost 10&1/2 years younger than Bill and almost 11&1/2 years older than Budd. Please review and of course, Bill and Budd and familiar quotations belong to Q & U.

Chapter 2: $526 Worth of Drugs

Budd was crouched in an alley outside a D.C. bar. A seedy Congressional aide was going to stroll outside anytime now because of a note that Budd had made sure that the waitress would pass along. The door creaked and Budd readied his weapon, a small pistol. The door opened further and a shot came off. Then there was another.

"Shit," replied Budd, getting up.

"I believe this is the second time that you were just a tad too slow," said the figure coming closer. She was the whore who he had thought was passed out, but he knew her real name now.

"Beatrix Kiddo, ain't ya got nothing better to do than follow me?"

"I have absolutely no desire to follow you. I'm following the money, same as you. Maybe if you hadn't polished off that pitcher, this would be your kill."

Budd angrily put his gun back in his coat while thinking of a retort.

"You're little Miss Perfect?"

"There's no need to get nasty, Budd."

"I didn't introduce myself."

"Neither did I, but you felt comfortable in using mine earlier."

Budd stared at her and moved in closer until he was in her personal space. Her nose wrinkled at his breath. He hadn't been drinking Schnapps tonight.

"You better watch yourself, missy, that's a good way to get bit."

He saw in her eyes the calculations of how to get rid of him. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction. Budd came close to Beatrix' face and then kissed her. She pulled away almost immediately and slapped him hard. A bruise was starting to form on his cheek, but he laughed. She looked at him and after a few seconds, she began to laugh, too.

"You are without a doubt the saddest excuse for a person that I have ever met. Did you actually ever contribute to society or were you always a blight?" asked Beatrix, taking her proof of death, "Your silence points to you being a piece of shit, good luck with that."

Then Beatrix left and Budd was alone. His head pounded and he wanted the comfortable bed in the hotel.

Budd slammed the hotel room door, but his head was killing him at this point. He crashed on top of his bed with his boots on. His face may have looked blank, but his mind was full. Events that were half real and half imagined played on the ceiling.

"Budd, don't move!"

"It's supposed to be the best."

"What are you suggesting? Marriage?"

"I love you."

"Who are you?"

"My little brother, the best there is."

"Mama"

"Aww, that's cute. Whatcha plan on doing wid it?"

"Does it get any better?"

"Dada."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Albacea, but…"

"She's gone?"

"Budd!"

"You're a piece of shit."

"Why did you kill me?"

The crunch of metal, the whiz of bullets and the sound of bones breaking filled Budd's ears despite the room being completely silent.

"No!" screamed Budd. He hugged himself and his eyes went to the tattoos on his arms. There was an angel and a wolf and others. He touched the angel and started to cry.

"I love you, Budd."

Budd looked around the room, but it was only in his head. She was still gone. He sucked. He sucked as a person. He failed everyone. He wasn't worthy to exist. He reached into his boot and pulled out the razor knife. He went into bathroom and looked for the bathtub, but it only contained a shower. It would take longer. He didn't want to take that long. He took out the gun and held it to his temple. He knew exactly what would happen.

"What? Gonna shoot me?"

He knew intimately what it would sound like when the metal pierced flesh and bone, scattering brain matter. It was so hard to clean. He dropped the gun on the floor. He would go out, but he would have fun doing it. Budd put the knife back in his boot and gathered up all his money.

Wolfe was smoking a hand rolled cigarette on a dark corner when Budd approached.

"Back in the fold, my man. I knew that rehab wouldn't take."

Budd didn't return his smile. Instead, he handed him $526.

"Give me whatever you got. I don't care."

"Budd, Budd, Budd," said Wolfe, with the mildest of concern. He looked his customer in the face and responded, "So the rumors were true, then. You can't let a ho get ya down."

"Give me my shit now before I break your face."

"Touchy, touchy," he said, putting up his hands and stripping off his backpack. Inside, he had the whole drug store and then some.

"You need some heavy break away. I'll get you this, that and definitely this," said Wolf, poking through it and putting stuff in a Ziploc baggie for Budd, "Here ya go, enjoy the flow."

"Whatever," said Budd, already on his way back to the room with the exception of purchasing some aspirin. Budd stripped the comforter off and set to work killing himself with heroin, cocaine and pills. He also stripped off his clothes. He would go out of this world exactly as he came in with the exception of his mother, but she was dead. His memories continued to haunt him. Everyone he had failed. Everyone he knew who had died. Everyone he had killed. Budd tried to focus on the fireworks going on in his head. There was red, green and yellow crisscrossing his consciousness. Twenty minutes later, he blissfully began to feel separated from this world.

There was knocking. A horrible knocking sound filled Budd's head.

"I'm going to use my key now, Mr. Albacea."

This was definitely not where he expected to be unless Hell was a hotel room. Budd cautiously opened his eyes as the card key activated with a beep and a "Snikt." Everything was far too bright, he closed them again.

"Mr. Albacea, open your eyes," said Richie Keane, the owner of the establishment.

"Budd," he said in an exasperated tone. Budd complied and it was a bit better this time. The owner did not look happy.

"I wouldn't have come in except the other rooms were complaining about the smell. These are my associates, Claude and Charlie. I want him cleaned up, in a brand new suit, walking out of my hotel as soon as possible. You know, I could have you arrested, like one of those Hollywood kids. You trashed my hotel room, but I don't want a scene so I'll be nice, but I'm charging your brother for every single thing. He's a good guy. He would never do this. Why aren't you more like him?"

"I'm alive?"

"Yes, Mr. Albacea, you are."

"Why?"

"I really don't know. Perhaps you're destined for some higher purpose that you haven't done yet…aw, I really don't believe that crap. I honestly don't believe how you're still alive unless you puked and pissed most of it and gentlemen, make sure that no one hears of this."

Richie left and the other two walked forward. They picked Budd up and deposited him in the shower. A pretty good feat considering Budd's size and that Claude had a limp. Claude left for the other room, leaving Charlie and Budd alone. Charlie was enjoying his job. He had turned the shower full blast so that every drop seemed to sharply cut its way into Budd's skin.

"Turn around," Charlie commanded and then turned Budd himself. He seemed bent on removing everything that wasn't skin or hair from Budd's body. Budd didn't mind so much. The pain made him feel alive. He didn't want to be reminded of the night he should have died.

Claude and Charlie led him through the front entrance into a waiting cab. It was two hours later and Budd felt much better. Black glasses helped his pounding head and he had let them dress him in a black suit. He should have let Bill buy him one earlier. It was comfortable and he didn't feel like a dork like he figured he would. He sighed. It was not going to be a pleasant conversation with his older brother.

"You let a nineteen year old get the kill? Twice?"

Budd grimaced at Bill's admonishment. Budd continued to wear the suit while Bill wore his usual western wear.

"Is she special at least?"

"Yeah, I suppose so…for a blonde."

"A blonde, is it?"

Budd saw the familiar look in his brother's eyes. Bill had always been a fool for blondes.

"What about if she joins the squad? She's freelancing, isn't she?"

"I doubt I could win her over with the company lodge."

"Right, well, it just so happens that I have just the thing."

Bill got up and retrieved a small box from a side table. Budd took it from him.

"Bring her here, I'll convince her."

"This'll do the trick," said Budd and he smiled over the box of tranquilizers.

Budd patted his slicked back hair, smoothed his long jacket and pressed the intercom. Her voice was high and full of static.

"Who is it?"

"Pizza Delivery."

"Come on up."

I should have gotten a box, thought Budd. His alias was last minute. He picked three flowers off the bush and waited for the door to unlock. It finally clicked and he went upstairs. He knocked on apartment door 5-I and opened it slowly when there was no answer. Wham! Budd doubled over. His balls were on fire. Beatrix still proudly held the offending skillet.

"I was fixing supper."

"It was a 50/50 chance," said Budd as he remained doubled over. She noticed his other hand.

"Flowers for me? How sweet, now get out," she said, taking them and putting them in a glass of coke.

"I've come on behalf of my brother to offer you a job."

"Let me think on that," she said and looked deep in thought for all of two seconds before saying, "Yep, no."

"That's what I thought you'd say," said Budd as he gathered up his strength. He lunged at Bea and they tumbled over a sofa. His boot caught the bottom and overturned the sofa on top of them.

"If you wanted to be close to a woman this badly, you could have just paid for one."

"It would be wasted money currently."

"Something seems to be very happy to see me."

"You wish."

They wiggled, trying to get free. Bea succeeded first. She grabbed a generic Samurai sword from a cheesy wood holder. It looked like she brought it off television.

"Did it come with a football phone?"

"I got this in Japan."

He shrugged and drew back the side of his coat where his sword was sheathed.

"Me, too."

He took out the Hanzo sword and saw her ogle it.

"It's a pretty little thing, isn't it?"

"No, it's just I've never seen something so ugly."

He knew she was lying. He readied his sword as she readied hers. He swung and caught her arm. She looked annoyed and swung back at him, he ducked. He stuck out his leg and she tripped over a chair into the window. The window cracked and splintered small pieces. Budd went over to find blood dripping from her head and her eyes shut. He grabbed her by the butt to flip her over, but soon found blind controls wrapped around his neck. She rolled him on his back and squeezed as Budd reached into his boot for the syringe. He reached around her to pull the cap off and jammed it into her butt.

"Ouch! What is that?" she asked, letting go.

"Something I got from Bill."

"Oh, I'm gonna kill…," started Bea and then she went limp in Budd's arms. Budd just nodded.

Budd held his ear to the door. The two of them had been in there for over an hour and he was curious how close one of them was to killing the other.

"And do I get a pretty sword like Budd's?"

"We'll see."

Budd chuckled. There was no way she would ever get a Hattori Hanzo sword.

Budd woke up in Bill's De Tomaso Mangusta. His jaw still hurt, but only slightly worse than the black eye.

"Did you have to punch me?"

"It was for your own good."

"How?"

"You dropped out of school. You confronted Esteban. You…You're…"

Bill was speechless as Budd looked at him, but Bill's brown eyes looked at Budd's hazel ones and he seemed to find his voice.

"I know that you haven't had the best of people around to guide you and I'm partly responsible for that, but I'll be damned if I let you be lost this way even if I have to knock sense into you."

Budd tried to process this. Bill had never been a disciplinarian before. He was never around enough. It was always left to Bella and Esteban who used the two extremes of punishment.

"Where are you taking me then? Enlistment? Some sort of boot camp?"

"I was going to take you to China, to the man who knocked some real sense into me."

"Pai Mei."

Bill looked at the road. Budd was struck by how old his brother seemed. Not yet forty, but wrinkles surrounded his eyes and Budd knew he had a part in putting them there.

"I would come back to collect your pieces. No, there's only one man who can tolerate your kind of surliness."

"Where can he be found?"

"Okinawa."

Budd tried not to gape too badly, but he had never been out of the country except for Mexico. Bill stopped at what looked to Budd like a restaurant. He gave Bill a look.

"Breakfast?"

Bill shook his head.

"Never accept breakfast unless absolutely necessary…or sushi, for that matter."

Budd followed Bill inside the sushi place to the counter where two guys were. One washed bowls while the older was waiting, like he knew someone would require his services. Then he recognized who had walked in.

"Bill!"

He walked from behind the counter and hugged his old student. Bill hugged back and directed Hattori's attention to the teenager.

"This is my brother, Budd."

"It's an honor to meet you," said Hattori, shaking Budd's hand. Budd just smiled.

"Hattori-san, we should speak in private," said Bill and he motioned toward the back. Hattori nodded and Budd was left alone. He lit up a cigarette and turned to the twenty-something.

"Your boss, he's some kind of sword-smith, right?"

The older man just shook his head in disgust.

"That is…that is like saying that Buddha was merely a teacher," said the man struggling to come up with the English words as Budd blew smoke rings.

"Oh."

Bill and Hattori continued to talk in the back room. Budd sat down at the bar and the other man continued to clean up.

"What are they discussing?"

"Me, how my brother thinks I have no direction and I'll end up a loser, working in a sleazy bar."

"And you…disagree?"

"Well…yes, but he's my brother so I'll do what he says."

The older man nodded.

"Ah, but you must guide yourself to nirvana."

"What's that?"

"Shit that Hanzo says."

They both laughed and the two older men returned from the back.

"I've arranged your training with Hanzo. You are to stay upstairs and I'll wire you money as needed. Get your things."

Budd collected them and came back. Bill smiled his goodbye smile that Budd knew so well.

"Goodbye, Budd," said Bill and he started to leave, but then he turned back to face Budd, "I lo…you know."

"Yeah," said Budd, Bill had never used the "L" word. Bella told him all the time, but not Bill. He could even dimly remember his mother saying it. It made him kind of sad to realize that he was forgetting her. Then his brother left him alone in the new country with the strange teacher of Hattori Hanzo who turned to him and said, "We'll see if you're worthy of a sword."

Budd woke up when a click turned off the stereo and the sounds of Bob Dylan were silenced. He shifted his weight and crunched the pork rinds that remained in his bag. He looked up to see who did it. There was Bea in her pajamas.

"Aww, you couldn't sleep?"

"Aww, you finally let my brother sleep?"

She gave him a look.

"So, you figured out about Bill and me?"

"It don't take a genius to figure out since you're leaving his room at 2:30 in the morning. To the impartial observer it may appear innocent, but I know Bill too well."

"So?"

Budd got up from the easy chair and crossed the room to Beatrix.

"What? You want my blessing?"

"No, just thought you'd put your two cents in."

"As long as you make Bill happy, but…"

Budd made sure he stood up straight and imposing over her.

"If you…if you ever hurt him, in any way, I will kill you. That's a promise."

Bea nodded.

"I love him. He's the only family I got left."

"I understand."

Bill had apparently taken too long to answer because Elle continued.

"I got her, sweetie," she cooed into the cellphone.

"Really?" asked Bill and she missed the incredulity.

"She's dead."

"Tell me everything."

"Let me put it this way. You ever start feeling sentimental, go to Barstow, California. When you get here, walk into a florist and buy a bunch of flowers. Then you take those flowers to Huntington cemetery on Fuller and Guadalupe, look for the headstone marked Paula Schultz and lay them on the grave. 'Cause you will be standing at the final resting place of Beatrix Kiddo."

"From start to finish, tell me everything."

"Look…I can be there in four hours. Do you want me to come over?"

"No, that's alright, I can manage," said Bill, actually not wanting her to come.

"No, no, no, no, you need me, baby, I'm there."

"Ok."

"Ok, I'm leaving now. You go smoke some pot or something. I'll be there soon," said Elle and with that, she hung up on him. Dope was the furthest thing from Bill's mind. He would have to call a number or two.