A/N: Another one! .. Did you know its impossible to be in a bad mood whilst listening to Iggy Pop? Well.. I think it is, at least. Anyway! Back to the update!

Thankyou for the reviews, as usual, they never fail to make me grin and feel all giddy like.

Oh, and people? Riding mechanical bulls whilst drunk can be hazardous to the health… But by god, It's fun!

Vince shifted uneasily in his seat, hand pressed firmly over the still tender bullet wound on his side to keep the seatbelt from digging in. The skin had re-knitted completely but the muscles underneath were still far from healed. He sighed. Despite how good it felt to be out of hospital and in his own clothes for the first time in over a month, six weeks to be exact, he was nervous. The outside world was a lot noisier than he remembered. With his mind running a thousand miles a minute, he now understood how Jesse had felt when he forgot to take his medication. Concentrating was damn hard.

"You ok, V?" came Leon's voice from the drivers seat of his Maxima. It had been a mutual decision that if Vince were to go anywhere, it would be in his car.

He nodded silently, eyes still fixed on the passing scenery, unable to refrain from flinching as a semi tore past them. The sound made his skin crawl. Fingers clenched in a vain attempt to keep from panicking.

Leon noticed his white knuckled grip in the seat belt. "Hey, V? Down there on the floor there's a folder with some new CD's in it. You wanna grab one out?"

Unsteadily, Vince reached for the CD folder with his right hand, his mouth in a tight line as his fingers curled around it.

Leon kept his eyes on the road so he wouldn't stare. He couldn't begin to imagine how difficult it would be to adapt to practically losing a limb, which is what Vince would be going through for a while. He only had minimal use of his arm at the moment and was in constant pain. Probably would be for the rest of his life. He could only just curl his fingers around some things and barely lift others… But not once had he complained.

Once he'd chosen a CD, he settled back into the bucket seat, his body twisted just enough for him to be facing Leon.

"Where are we going?" he asked in a quiet voice, eyes heavy lidded from exhaustion.

Leon turned a corner, bringing them onto a familiar street. "I've got to pick up some stuff from Harry's for the Skyline. You mind?" he glanced over to Vince as he spoke. "If you just want to go home, that's fine. I can-"

"It's ok, Le." His eyes were closed, giving the impression of calm, but anybody who knew him could see that he was about ready to tear his skin off to rid himself of the itching nervousness. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, mouth open ready to say something.

"Le-" He stopped when he noticed they had changed direction.

"Already on it, V. Just sit back and we'll be home in no time." Even though Leon was looking out the window at the time, he could feel how grateful Vince was at that very moment.

"I'm sorry… I just…"

Leon waved his explanation off. "Forget it Vincent. You spent six years taking care of me, now it's my turn to take care of you."

Letty sat at the small kitchen table, her hands buried in her hair. It was the middle of the night and the two most important men in her life were both sprawled on Leon's bed, dead to the world. She envied their ability to sleep. Before Vince had returned home, she could have counted the amount of nights that Leon slept on one hand, but now he was home the insomnia seemed to have disappeared. Though still restless and ready to wake at any given moment, Leon was finally getting some rest.

She stared at the pictures in front of her. The ones she had taken on the disposable she had made Leon go and buy her at the hospital that night.

The glossy black and white images stared up at her. Her favourites sat in front of her, the rest scattered across the table. The first was one of the pictures she had taken of Vince and Tala with his head over her heart, Tala's lips barely brushing his head in sleep.

The second was one of Leon driving.

She was surprised that one had turned out at all, given that she had forgotten to use the flash in the darkened car. He was slouched back in his seat, head cocked to the side resting in his fist just staring ahead deep in thought. A slice of pale light from the street lamp cut across his face, illuminating his eyes. The picture had such a sadness to it, but it also captured Leon's essence perfectly.

The last was of both Vince and Leon, doing what they did best. Sleeping. They were on the couch the first night Vince was home, one at either end with their heads both tilted back. Vince heavily medicated, Leon just plain exhausted. The photo op was too good to pass up.

"Letty? Why are you sitting up here alone?" Leon's voice rasped beside her ear, his arms looped around her neck. She shivered at his warm breath ghosting over her cheek and leant back into his embrace.

"I couldn't get to sleep and I didn't want to disturb you two." She frowned at the loss of his touch, then squeaked in shock as he spun her chair around to face him. He was kneeling in front of her with his hands resting on her thighs.

"How many times have I told you to just wake me up?" He scolded, thumbing small circles on the inside of her thighs, just above the knees. Her breath hitched as his hands crept higher and pulled her a little further forward on the chair. His expression changed from innocent and concerned to downright evil.

"You want me." He stated surely, pulling her closer again. By now, she was pressed against his chest, legs wrapped around his waist and locked at the ankle.

"I.." He cut her off, pressing his lips to hers in a heated kiss. She groaned into his mouth, her legs tightening around him as he stood, then laid her back across the table. Pictures scattered further across the table and onto the floor. His mouth burned its way down her throat, hot wet kisses searing at her skin and filling her with heat. He mouthed at the neckline of her tank top, wetting the soft lace there. Leon's weight settled over her, heavy and a little intimidating, but welcomed. His scent filled her nostrils, heady and distinctly masculine.

Letty opened her eyes, awed by the vision she was met with. His hair was hanging down into his eyes, his lips swollen from their kisses and the look of concentration on his face as he peeled her shirt off her forced a moan from deep in her belly. She watched, captivated, as his head lowered toward her chest and was taken aback by the way his eyes darkened when she called his name …

"Letty? Let.. Wake up."

She jerked, eyes flying open. A dream. Just a dream!.. Oh dear god.. She forced herself to breathe normally and looked around wildly. Suddenly, she felt ill. On the other side of the table, Leon sat with his arms folded, staring at her with a cheeky grin on his face. He knew. How could he know?

"Have a nice nap?"

".. Oh fuck."

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?"

"Oh fuck!"

He chuckled, "You already said that, honey."

"Watch your step." Letty called back over her shoulder, running her hands along the wall. She grinned when she felt Tala's hand curl in the back of her shirt.

"You can't see a thing down here! It's like perpetual night time.."

"Yeah, that's how the boys like it. You'll get used to it after the first few times you're down here."

Tala's hesitant footsteps became hurried. "Um, Letty? If I tell you something, will you promise not to laugh at me?"

"Can't promise, but I'll try not to." She replied with a shrug. Tala's next words gave her pause.

"I.. I'm not a big fan of the dark. I'm not afraid of it exactly, I just don't like it much."

Incredulity filled the bigger woman. "Are you serious? Shit.. I know there's some lights around here somewhere!" she dragged her palm along the wall until she felt the familiar bump of the touch lights and pushed on two of them simultaneously. She turned to Tala.

"You alright, girl?"

Aside from looking a little ruffled, Tala appeared to be fine. She nodded quickly, blushing. "I'm sorry. I'm usually fine with it but it's just so…"

"Dark?" Letty supplied, linking arms with the petite girl. "I know how you feel. Look over there," she pointed, "- and there should be some more of these little lights. Just push em in as you walk by. They stay on for two minutes then shut off."

Tala pushed experimentally and grinned as the area around her lit up. "This is wonderful!" She proclaimed, her discomfort abated. Letty laughed, leaning in.

"Our boy put those in… On one of his more industrious days, of course."

Tala's dark brown eyes widened happily, showing Letty just how much she adored Ol' Coyote. "How is Vince? I'm would have been here before now, but I've been so busy with double shifts and all.." she explained.

Letty winced. "He hasn't exactly been too social. We've taken him out a few times, but he gets really nervous, really quickly. He almost bolted one day in the supermarket, so I bought him home while Leon finished the shopping. He thinks people are staring at him."

"And then there's the whole 'don't touch me, it hurts' thing too," Tala responded, understanding completely. "It must be so difficult for him."

"It is, I think. But he hasn't said anything to us. He doesn't complain."

Letty reached out and knocked on a door that Tala assumed to be Vince's room, then entered, arms still linked with Tala's.

"V? You awake, boo?"

Looking around the room, all Tala could see was Vince. The walls were a pale grey, trimmed in a rich, cobalt blue and in place of chairs, three or four large over stuffed bean bags sat at various intervals. All a blue vinyl, matching the bedding and skirting boards. A large, dark stained closet sat in one corner, a short leather jacket hanging on the door. No less than five guitar cases sat in a line on the opposite side of the bed, some decorated with stickers, others bare and looked almost new. Aside from the rooms dominating pieces of furniture, it almost looked unlived in. The only thing giving the room life was the sleeping figure on the bed.

"It's very him, isn't it?" Tala commented with a smile, sitting down on the edge of the bed. She did a double take when she saw what he was using as a pillow. "Dear god! That bear's almost as big as me!"

Sure enough, beneath Vince's head lay an oversized teddy bear, the kind she was sure you could only buy at Christmas. Its fur was long and shaggy, white at the roots and a vivid, almost startling cerulean blue on the ends. It's big dark eyes stared up at her lifelessly with an expression of permanent happiness.

Letty watched her stroke her hands across the long soft fur, then move her attentions to Vince. "He was a get well gift from a friend." She watched a minute more, then moved to leave the room. She knew Vince would be fine as long as Tala was with him. "If you need anything, just holler. I'll be upstairs getting dinner ready."

"Oh! If I'm intruding -" Tala started, only to be silence by the hand.

"Are you busy tonight?"

"Well, no. But -"

"No buts. You're staying for dinner then. I'll call you when it's ready."

Tala sat in awed silence, absently running her fingers through Vince's messy hair. I guess I'm staying then. She thought, then noticed. His beard was gone, a short, fair regrowth of hair in its place. Two or three days old at the most. He looked like a completely different person and for a moment, just a moment, she considered liking the look on him. Nah.. I miss the beard.

Regretfully, she shook his shoulder, hating to disturb him. "Vince?"

He stirred and his chest rumbled quietly, then, his eyes blinked open and Tala saw them clearly for the first time. They weren't dulled by drugs or fear. They were a bright crystal blue and they were smiling at her. Beautiful.

"Hey," his voice was sleep deepened and gruff. He rubbed at his eyes like a little boy.

Tala smiled warmly, brushing her fingers across his bottom lip. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

"Doesn't matter," his long fingers tangled in a loose ringlet hanging down over her shoulder, curling it around his finger then letting it spring free. He got a shy look on his face when he noticed her watching him. ".. Sorry."

Her tinkling laugh filled the room and in that instant, he felt just a little better.

"Vince, if you want to play with my hair, you go right ahead." She lay down beside him, her forehead pressed to his. "I missed you." She admitted quietly. When his hand moved back to her hair, she bit back her giggle. He was and always had been fascinated by her curls, and as far as she was concerned… That was fine by her. Just fine.