Huge thank you to stayhooper and Queen of Hellions for their help. Wow, chapter 5 was the longest! Also, Disney, please don't sue.

Chapter Nine: A Sadistic Blonde

"Go git it, boy! Git it!" screamed Budd. The white streak came back promptly with the plastic golf ball and jumped on Budd who lay in a lounge chair with a bottle of Schnapps. He scratched the dog's ears and threw the ball again. His reddened forehead gave away how long he had spent the day as such.

"Who left those doors open?" asked an annoyed voice to herself, then she noticed the lounge chair with her husband, "What time did you get home, Budd?"

"Oh, five, six hours ago, I'd guess."

She sighed and made her way over to him with Mac on her heels. She noticed the ball in his mouth and couldn't help but smile.

"Been playing fetch?"

He gave her a look and said, "Eh, he found that on his own."

"What am I going to do with you? You got fired again, didn't you?"

"The fag kept hitting on me. What was I supposed to do?"

Marilyn grabbed a lounge chair and sat down, roughly. This wasn't a good sign, he thought.

"This happens every time!"

"Not every time, last time I, uh, accidentally-like, hit that old guy for butting in line."

"Honey, it's time we admit that you're not a people person and you never will be," said Marilyn, who leaned over and clutched his armrest, "Why don't you retire in a way? You could stay home and we'll manage on my salary."

"No."

"We might actually save money, on gas and new work outfits."

"No, I won't be living off you, like some sort of parasite. I pull my own weight."

"Don't do this."

"Do what?"

"'I'm a man so I have to bring home the bacon and provide for my family.' It's 1984, you're not any less of a man. You're everything to me," she said, leaning close to him.

"No," said Budd, turning away from her towards the lawn gnome along the property line, "It's…it's not right."

Marilyn got up and kicked his chair. It barely moved.

"What about when we have kids? You could stay home with them and we wouldn't need daycare or a babysitter."

"I thought we agreed that we weren't ready, that kids were a long time from now."

"Well..yeah, I don't want one now, but eventually…and it would work out better if you weren't getting fired every month."

Budd messed with the armrest and made the plastic woven chair fly all the way down. Then he turned onto his belly and closed his eyes.

"No, I'll start looking again tomorrow."

Marilyn made her upset sound and he knew that she was forming her palms into fists, bouncing left to right on her feet. She made the sound again and he heard the patio door slam. He sighed and opened his eyes. Mac stared up at him and barked.

"Not you, too."

He barked again and Budd shook his head. He would try and make it up somehow later.

Budd never slept well and that night was no exception. In fact, it was worse. He half-expected to wake up to find Bea at the foot of his bed with his own shotgun aimed between his eyes. It didn't matter. He recognized Elle's vehicle barely after daybreak. He dressed and let her in.

"So, that's what they call a Texas funeral?" she asked shortly thereafter.

"Yep."

Budd began fixing his usual breakfast as Elle pulled out her notebook and pen. She didn't used to be so fond of them, but he had noticed that their use had increased since Beatrix had become a Viper.

"I have to give it to ya, Budd. That's a pretty fucked up way to die. What's the name on the grave she's buried under?"

Budd put some ice in the blender.

"Paula," said Budd, putting in more ice, "Schultz."

"Can I look at the sword?" she asked, putting away her accessories.

"That's my money right there in that red bag, isn't it?" Budd asked, pointing.

"It sure is."

"Well then, it's your sword now," said Budd, looking forward to drinks and her leaving so he could pack. He dumped Schnapps in the blender and pressed the button. Then Elle said something so he stopped it.

"What's that you said?"

"So this is a Hattori Hanzo sword?"

"That's a Hanzo sword, all right."

"Bill tells me you once had one of these of your own."

"Yeah, once," said Budd as he got glasses, a little surprised that Bill had bitched about it to her.

"Yeah? How does this one compare to that?"

Budd pondered how to respond so he poured the drink instead. How to even answer that?

"If you're gonna compare a Hanzo sword, you compare it to every other sword ever made, wasn't made, by Hattori Hanzo," said Budd, sloppily pouring the drinks. He had to play it cool and not slip up, but Elle got on his worst nerves.

"Here you go. Wrap your lips around that," said he said, handing her the drink. He sat down and pulled the red suitcase over so he could put his leg on it. It was the only thing that made this whole thing worth it.

"So…which "R" are you filled with?" he asked, trying to pass the time.

"What?" she asked, he caught her off guard and that made him happy.

"They say the number one killer of old people is retirement. People got a job to do, they tend to live a little bit longer so they can do it. I've always figured that warriors and their enemies share the same relationship. So now that you're not gonna have to face your enemy no more on the battlefield which 'R' ya filled with? Relief or regret?"

"A little bit of both."

"Horseshit."

"I'm sure you do feel a little bit of both, but I know damn well that you feel one more than you feel the other and the question was: Which one is it?"

"Regret."

"You know, you gotta hand it to the ol' girl. I never saw anybody buffalo Bill the way she buffaloed Bill. Bill thought she was so damn smart and I tried to tell him…she was just smart for a blond," said Budd, knowing Elle would take it as an insult to her as well. He'd double check the money and find some polite or not so polite way of making her leave. He took the suitcase to the kitchen table, set it down and sat in front of it. Budd undid the zippers to reveal all the money. It looked like it was really there, the entire amount. He picked up a stack and flipped through. Then he laughed. This was his ticket out. Away from his shitty trailer, away from his shitty job, away from everything and he did it without having to involve Bill.

"Thanks a bunch."

Elle waved her glass in a sort of salute and crunched on her ice. Budd began taking out all money, but in the center was a snake and it looked poisonous. He tried to think what Bella would have told him to do, but the snake struck first. His face was on fire. He couldn't think. He jumped off the chair and pushed the suitcase away, but there was no use. Fire began to spread from his face. The world began to spin. He grabbed at the closest thing to him and the shelves gave way. He caught his footing and sight of the faucet. The fire wouldn't stop. Then he couldn't feel his legs. Budd fell to his knees which promptly buckled. He was flat on his back on linoleum. He groaned. He was in pain, he couldn't feel his legs and Elle was grinning over him like a fucking bitch.

"I'm sorry, Budd. That was rude of me, wasn't it? Budd, I'd like to introduce my friend, the Black Mamba. Black Mamba, this is Budd. You know, before I picked that little fella up, I looked him up on the internet. Fascinating creature, the black mamba. Listen to this: In Africa, the saying goes, 'In the bush, an elephant can kill you, a leopard can kill you and a black mamba can kill you, but only with the mamba, and this has been true in Africa since the dawn of time, is death sure. Hence its hand, 'Death Incarnate.' Pretty cool, huh?"

Budd realized with a shock that he couldn't move. He was stuck listening to her gloating speech, but the physical pain was gone. He couldn't feel any of it anymore.

"Its neurotoxic venom is one of nature's most effective poisons, acting on the nervous system, causing paralysis."

Everything was getting blurry to Budd, which improved Elle's appearance.

"The venom of a black mamba can kill a human being in four hours if, say, bitten on the ankle or thumb. However, a bite to the face or torso can bring death from paralysis within 20 minutes. Now you should listen to this," continued Elle.

Suddenly, all was black to Budd. He couldn't see a thing and he began to think that he was actually going to die.

" 'cause this concerns you. The amount of venom that can be delivered from a single bite can be gargantuan. You know, I've always liked that word gargantuan. I so rarely have the opportunity to use it in a sentence."

Her words drifted in and out of his hearing, sound replaced by a void that only his inner monologue could fill. He was going to die in his shitty trailer on the linoleum and killed by Elle, of all people. It wasn't supposed to be like this, not after all his other close calls, but what could he do? Budd tried to think and Marilyn's voice filled his head.

"…Hollowed be Thine name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done."

I've never been a praying man, but God, if you exist, could you help me out please?

"If not treated quickly with antivenom, ten to fifteen milligrams can be fatal to human beings. However, the black mamba can deliver as much as 100 to 400 milligrams of venom from a single bite. Now, in these last agonizing…"

Budd couldn't hear anymore of Elle's blathering, but instead of the usual horribleness that followed his other near death experiences, this was different. The sadness was replaced by light and he remembered every good thing that had ever happened to him.

". Duérmete mi niño.

Duérmete solito."

"Stay awake, don't close your eyes."

"I love you, Budd, mi hermanito."

"Want to get a burger with you brother?"

"I don't wanna talk anymore."

"I now pronounce you, Man and Wife."

"Dada!"

"…and a satisfied mind."

It grew lighter and whiter and he followed until he could make out a scene from his dreams. A lush oasis, like nothing he'd seen in life, with green leaves and huge flowers and water all over.

"Daddy!" screamed Brian, a little bit older than when he died, but Budd would have recognized him anywhere, "Here!"

Marilyn stood beside him and smiled at her husband, "Come home, Budd."

Budd had no tears, he smiled the biggest smile that he had ever smiled and ran to them. He ran and picked Brian up before hugging Marilyn. He kissed her lips, expecting something to go wrong or her to disappear, but she didn't. Marilyn kissed him and took his hand.

"Come on, we're going home," she said and led him into a new life.

Bill and Budd entered Bill's office, both waiting for the other to make the first move. Christmas tunes played faintly from the stereo and B.B. snored slightly on the monitor.

"She's going to wake up and you're going to get bit."

"We don't know that. She may remain in a coma for thirty years, she may die tomorrow."

"You of all people should know Bea better than that. Didn't you call her your second best assassin, 'Death Incarnate'? She doesn't give up. This is going to be your worst mistake ever."

"Don't bring up mistakes, Budd. Yours can't compare. Yours have killed those near and dear as well."

"You still blame me for Bella's death!"

"You were with her, you could have stopped her!" yelled Bill louder. Then they heard the snoring stop. Both didn't move for fear of her waking up, but it resumed.

"Stop her? We were both drunk and she was naive. She didn't realize what she was getting into, but she was also just as stubborn as we are. I could have stopped her about as easy as finding a dolphin in the desert."

"You were her brother. I wasn't there, but you were."

"Do you know who first gave me crack?"

Bill gave him a blank look.

"Of course you don't, it was Bella."

Bill continued to just look at him and at least ten seconds sent by before he said, "You're lying."

"Why would I lie? That's your job along with never being there."

"How dare you in my house!"

"Well, you're never at my house."

"It stinks in there."

"Well, not my fault, the job doesn't pay well."

"What are you doing now? Titty bar security? Car dealership?"

Bill laughed at Budd's hurt face.

"Car wash."

"You're aware that you could always come back into the group."

"No!" said Budd, more forcefully than he meant to, "No, I'm living clean again."

"What does that make me? Evil?"

"Yes, in a matter of speaking."

"Let me get this straight: as it happens, you of all people, you are calling me 'evil.'"

Budd backed away slightly like a dog who had been hit by his master.

"You have been nothing but trouble since the moment you were conceived."

"And how would you know? You were never there. I can count on one hand the number of times that you were there for me."

"Budd, it's kind of hard to be there for someone who always pushes everyone away, who never lets anyone close."

"I have, too," Budd defended himself, "but…but they always leave me."

"And whose fault is that?" asked Bill, his tone slightly malicious.

"You don't have any right to lay all of this on me, too. I lay it on myself every fucking day. I blame myself for everything."

He backed Bill against the wall.

"It was my fault about Bella. I shouldn't have trusted Gianni. I should have decided against staying out. It was my fault about the car accident. It was me she was picking up. I should have been home like she suggested."

"Well, mama wasn't your fault."

"No, but why was a seven year old placed in that situation in the first place? I killed my own father because you weren't there."

Budd began to smile in that way that uncomfortably reminded Bill of Paul.

"Just like you weren't there when Bea left that last time, the last time when she didn't look good. She looked like she was sick."

"Shut up."

"She looked sick so I asked. I asked her whether she was pregnant."

"Shut up."

"She said no but maybe…maybe she was lying."

"Maybe you are," said Bill, forcefully. They both looked at the monitor, but nothing happened.

"Am I? Or do you just refuse to see the truth?"

Bill shook his head. Budd had never seen him look older.

"Bea never wanted you to know…"

"Shut up."

"She never wanted you to know about the baby."

"Shut up."

"She knew what kind of parenting you were capable of."

"Shut up."

"She'd rather enter into a loveless marriage than marry you."

"Shut up."

"She didn't want the baby to turn out…to turn out like me."

Bill smacked Budd hard across the face and muttered softly, "Stop that. No." Budd backed away.

"Sooner or later, you'll get what you give," he said in a low voice.

"I hate you," said Bill.

"I hate you, too."

"I wish mom got rid of you before you were born like I told her to."

Budd grew red and clenched his fists, but he wouldn't give his brother the satisfaction.

"I never want to see you again," he said and ran for the front door. Bill ran after him, but was only halfway to the door when it slammed. Every window shook which was immediately followed by B.B. wailing. Bill sighed, took a last look at the door and went to his daughter.

Budd walked into the dusty dimlit pawn store. The N and T had been blown out. The man inside was greasy with wavy brown hair and eyes. He seemed to have one eye on the money at all times. Budd set his sword on the counter.

"That's not one of mine," the man said immediately.

"Do you want it to be?" asked Budd. The man looked wary, but picked the weapon up. He studied the sword that still shone despite being the first time it had been handled since he had almost killed Beatrix eight months prior. The pawn broker shook his head.

"I can't give you what it's worth. I'm not even sure whose it is."

"That's alright."

"I can…I can only offer you 250 dollars for it."

Budd thought it over. Bea's screams and the last thing his brother had said to him were echoing in his head.

"Some Christmas," muttered Budd.

"Please keep it. I don't know what kind of bind you're in, but none of my customers would truly appreciate this."

He held it for Budd to take back, the low lighting caught on the engraving.

To My Brother Budd, The Only Man I Ever Loved, from Bill

"Play something for us, Budd."

"If you could just get over your shit, you could do anything."

"Cheers, Sidewinder."

"I suppose you're right," said Budd and he took the sword back.

Bill looked at the recent picture of B.B. and remembered another four year old.

"I'm Superman," declared Budd with a bath towel tied around his shoulders, "and you're Lex Luthor."

"Why am I Lex Luthor?" asked Bill.

"Ok, we'll get Bella to play Lex Luthor."

"No, because I'm Wonder Woman," said their sister with a towel tied around her shoulders and a paper star taped to her forehead. Budd laughed and laughed. It was the laugh of someone so young that they can't comprehend anything in their whole life ever being funnier. Bill never grew tired of it…and now he missed it. Bill looked at the clock and noticed that it had been thirty-six minutes since he had called Ernie. He sighed and connected to Budd's cellphone. He wondered briefly if it was still a plain ring tone or Budd had changed it. Bill wanted to focus on anything but what Elle had said.

"Bill, this is Ernie," said the man who answered. In the background, Bill could hear Elle screaming, "I'll get you! I'll get that bitch!" Her voice was hoarse, but he knew it anywhere.

"Tell me," Bill said, trying to steel himself for the answer.

"¡Dios mío!" said Ernie, "Budd's dead, looks like snake got him on the face."

"The face? Are you sure?"

"Si."

"What about the blonde?"

"Esta mujer, esta puta, fucking chinga…I tell you."

"I know, I know. Don't. What is her supposed problem?"

"The bitch has no eyes…"

Bill cut him off at that point to confirm, "She has no eyes?"

"She's still kind of bleeding a little bit…oh…she's just…Can I kill her?"

"We'll see. Turn the volume up and give her the phone."

Ernie placed the phone in Elle's hand and helped her place it right.

"Bill."

"Elle."

"The bitch got my other eye. You have to kill her."

"It would be hard to kill someone who's already dead and buried under the name 'Paula Schultz'"

There were several seconds as Elle tried to come up with a plan, but only various sounds came out.

"You couldn't even come up with a plausible lie. Bea would never have done something so sneaky and underhanded. She would have wanted a fight mano y mano with their swords, only you would have done something so despicable as catching him off guard like that."

"Who said anything about catching him off guard?"

"His sister was practically a fucking herpetologist!" screamed Bill, louder than he wanted to be. He closed the office door and hoped that B.B. wasn't in hearing range.

"There's no need for that tone."

"I have absolutely every right to use this tone. You killed my brother!"

"I did not," said Elle, but not convincingly.

"He would have known what to do with a snake unless it was brought in without his knowledge while his guard was down. His guard wouldn't have been down while Bea was a threat so it was afterward when you showed up."

"But…"

"No, you have no say. You killed B…," started Bill, but he couldn't," You killed him and that is a most vile act of betrayal. I never want to see your face again. Beatrix may feel that you have been punished enough, but I do not. Give the phone back."

Elle held the phone out and Ernie took it.

"Give her the proper funeral that Budd would have wanted…a Texas one."

Ernie laughed in anticipation and Elle started to protest, but she was ignored.

"What about Budd?"

"My lawyer will take care of everything," said Bill, giving him a number, "Tell him that you're a friend of Snake Charmer and Ernie?"

"Si."

"Quiero sufrir ella," said Bill so that Elle wouldn't know.

"Oh, she will," said Ernie, noticing a red suitcase.

"Thanks," said Bill and he ended the call. Then he started to cry. It wasn't right.

Several minutes were spent this way. Bill finally realized that Budd was really gone.

Then there was a knock at the door. Bill wiped his face with a hankerchief and opened the door. It was B.B.

"Lunch time!" she announced.

"Is it?" asked Budd and she nodded.

"Who was that?" asked B.B. and he noticed that he still hadn't put down the phone.

"Was it uncle Budd?" she asked. She had just gotten over being mad at him for seeing Budd and not taking her. "He hasn't called me in forever."

In reality, it had only been three days since the phone had rung and Budd waited until Bill let Josephina answer. Then Josephina would hand the phone to Budd's niece. It was the accepted order of things since before the girl had been able to talk and Josephina provided updates on the girl.

Bill looked into those brown eyes that always reminded him of her grandmother and couldn't do it. He couldn't tell her.

"He said to tell you hello and that he loves you," her father lied and she smiled, not knowing any falsehood.

"Can we play Bang Bang later?"

"Of course," said Bill, looking at the little girl that meant so much to him. Budd was right. He would do anything to ensure her happiness.

"Mommy's coming soon."

"Really?"

"Yes," said Bill and she lit up.

"Then we'll be all together," said B.B. and Bill merely smiled. Then he did something that he didn't do that often. He picked her up and kissed her on the cheek.

"I love you," said Bill.

"I love you, too, daddy," said B.B., smiling, and they went to get lunch.

Anything not found below? Just email me.

Character Background, followed by Story References and Explanations:

Elisabetha Albacea was born in 1915 to Mexican parents living ilegally in Texas. Her father used forged papers to join the US army and fight in World War 1 and he used this to become a US citizen.

Unfortunately, tragedy struck. When Betty was three, her mother died from the Spanish Flu. Her father became over-protective which annoyed her. When she was eighteen, she ran away to Mexico and wound up as one of the Vihaio girls. It took three years for her father to track her down and when he did, Vihaio insisted on payment despite Esteban's pleas not to. Her father obliged but she still wouldn't go home. Mr. Albacea made Esteban promise to always look after her especially since one of her last customers left her pregnant. Bill was born on December 8, 1936.

Bill's father hadn't given Betty his real name so he was always anonymous.

Betty scraped by with Esteban's help. He took over the business when his father died.

Then World War 2 happened. Betty's father fought again, but he died on a submarine in the Pacific from a heart attack. Betty enjoyed the attention that the soldiers paid her, including one in particular named Ricky.

Ricky and Betty loved each other and he got along well with Bill. They had been engaged for three months when Ricky got on the wrong side of the wrong guy and was killed in a bar fight. She never got the chance to tell him that she was pregnant.

Bella was born on May 13, 1947.

With two illegitimate children, Betty began to doubt ever getting married but it wasn't until Bill was seventeen and Bella was seven that she worried about her mothering skills. She took her children back to church. It was at a church function that she met Paul.

Paul seemed like the perfect catch. It wasn't until two years into the relationship that Paul finally showed his true colors. He became abusive, both verbally and physically and Betty took it. She believed everything he said which provoked Esteban to action. He asked her for the first time in twenty years on a date and this time, she accepted.

This brings us up to February 1958 when the story begins.

Story References and Explanations:

Albacea-for those Spanish-challenged, it means Executor…perfect for an assassin family.

Baby blue-referring to his impending baby brother.

Bilius-named after Ron Weasley's uncle.

Brian's description-my nephew, Isaac.

Brian Wulfric-named after my nephew's cousin and Albus Dumbledore.

Budd's 1st Life-used up when Paul attacked Betty when she was only a month or so along. His twin sister didn't make it.

Budd's 2nd Life-used up when the cord ended up wrapped around his neck and he was oxygen deprived for a minute.

Budd's 3rd Life-used up when Paul came back, killed Betty and threatened Budd and Bella.

Budd's 4th Life-used up when he was almost bit by the Rattlesnake.

Budd's 5th Life-used up when he almost fatally overdosed on drugs with Bella.

Budd's 6th Life-used up when he was in the fatal car accident that claimed Marilyn and Brian.

Budd's 7th Life-used up when he tried to kill himself four months after the car accident.

Budd's 8th Life-used up when Beatrix came after him.

Budd's 9th Life-was taken by Elle and her special friend.

Budd's description as a baby-my nephew, Eric.

Claude-means lame, that's why he had a limp.

Dylan, Bob-remade A Satisfied Mind.

Fang-named partially after the dog.

Fireworks- fireworks going on in his head. There was red, green and yellow crisscrossing his consciousness. This is what happens in my head before I have a seizure.

George-dorm father no relation to Brown. I needed a generic name and later, I hated the name George so I gave it to the scumbucket.

Hell as a hotel room-No Exit by Sarte, I was Assistant Director for a production in senior year.

Marilyn's Red Stapler-from Office Space.

Porter Wagoner's debut song-A Satisfied Mind.

Rape of Nanking-required reading during my semester at college.

Schnapps-Icelandic Schnapps is Budd's drink according to a 2004 issue of Empire.

Snikt-Wolverine!

Tattoos- There was an angel and a wolf and others. The angel being Marilyn.

"The Mojave Rattlesnake's venom is the most lethal in North America. Look at the eyes. He wants to strike. He wants to kill us for disturbing his comfortable life. It's all in the eyes."

This later could refer to Budd in his killing of George Brown.

Two year old boy with light brown hair-my nephew, Evan and the correct age for the time.

V encyclopedia book-the same book that Joey bought on Friends.

Vegetarians-like my mom.

Wolfe-What? Don't trust wolves, simple.

You can't let a ho get ya down."

This refers to Marilyn.