Author's Note: Guess who's back? Back again? I am back! Tell a friend! I am back with the next chappie of this story! Yay! (Face turns into a frown) Hey… where did all the reviewers go? Come back! I miss you! (Face turns back to normal) And now, some recognition!

Insane Pirate Dragon- Yes! I surprised you! (Does a dance) And maybe Lola will be making waves… and perhaps Oscar will see Lenny again… who knows?

Warning: You guys will really HATE me for this chappie. It's extremely dark. Please note that I was crying while I typed this chappie.

On wit da story!

Chapter Fourteen: Happy Birthday

Ronnie swam through her front door, a smile on her face. The doctor had let her go home on her birthday. She was still tender and couldn't do a lot, but she would be okay if she took it easy. Of course, she couldn't have gotten out the hospital without paying her bill; that's why Lenny had given her three thousand clams to pay it off.

'Good thing he gave me the three thousand clams… I sure didn't have any.' Ronnie thought. 'And I forgot to repay him… oh well. I guess I'll have to get back to him later… what's this?'

There was a letter on the table she was floating in front of. On the front, it had in black, bold letters: From Lenny.

'I wonder what this is.' Ronnie thought. Opening up the letter, she began to read.

Happy Birthday Ronnie! You didn't think I'd forget, did you? Well, I got you a present… but I couldn't fit it in the letter. I'll give it to you later… even though it'll be your choice if you want it or not.
Love,
Lenny

'If I want it or not?' Ronnie thought. 'What's that supposed to mean?'

Before she could think more of it, she heard glass shatter. As she turned around, everything began to blur. All she could remember was a sharp pain in her head and an evil whisper saying;

"Did you miss me?"

Scene Change

Lenny was on his way back to Ronnie's ship, smiling widely. He had just cashed in his check for the million clams, and tomorrow, that ship he wanted would be his.

'I can't wait to tell Ronnie about the ship… along with some… other things…'

When Lenny thought that, his fin gripped the present he was holding. 'I can't believe I'm going to do this… God, I hope she likes this.'

The present he had gotten for her was very special; it wasn't your ordinary birthday gift.

"Hey Lenny!"

Lenny turned around and saw Ricky swimming towards him. He seemed to have something in his fin.

"Hey Ricky."

"Hey, I've got somethin' to give to Ronnie, you know, for her birthday?" Ricky said. He handed Lenny the gift he had in his fin. "D'you think you could give this to her? I've gotta get home."

"You're leaving?" Lenny asked. Ricky nodded his head sadly. "Well, I'll be sure to give her this present…"

"And it looks like I'm not the only one giving Ronnie a present." Ricky said, crossing his fins. "What's in the present?"

"Oh, this?" Lenny said, blushing. "It's… a surprise."

"A surprise?" Ricky asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah." Lenny said. "Sorry, but I can't tell you. It's… special."

"Special, huh?" Ricky asked with a smile.

"Yeah! Really special!" Lenny said. "But hey! You'll find out what it is later on!"

"Uh huh." Ricky said. There was a short silence before Ricky said with a smile, "You love her, don't you?"

"What!" Lenny said, startled by the question. He began to stutter. "Uh, I, well, I mean, I-I, you see…" His stuttering ended with a blush.

"I see. So you do." Ricky said. "Go ahead and give her that present; I'm pretty sure it's important." As he swam off, he called over his shoulder, "And don't forget! Touch her…"

"And I'm dead!" Lenny finished for him. "I've got it!" 'But I don't think I'll listen.' He added in his mind.

Ricky smiled for a second before swimming off. 'At least he's a good kid.' He thought.

Lenny began to swam to Ronnie's ship again. Thoughts of doubt entered his mind. 'What if she doesn't like the present? What'll I do then?' He was going to continue his negative thinking until he reached Ronnie's ship. The sight that he saw had shocked him. The window was shattered and glass was spread out all over the floor. As he swam through the broken window, the sight he saw scared him even more; Ronnie wasn't there.

"Ronnie?" Lenny said nervously. "Ronnie? Where are you!" He was about to swim to the hallway when he caught a glimpse of a note.

"What's this?" Lenny asked himself. He began to read and his eyes widened in horror.

Hey there Lenny. Remember me? It's Markie, you know, the guy you tried to get rid of? Well guess what? I'm back, and I've got your girl. If you ever want to see her again, meet me at the outskirts of town. I'm sure you can remember where it is. And don't try anything. If you show up with somebody else, or try anything stupid, I WILL KILL HER. Be at the outskirts of town in five minutes, or I just might kill her anyway. You got all that? Good. Now hurry up.

Lenny's look turned from horror to third degree fear. He wouldn't kill her… would he? All he knew was that he had to get to the outskirts of town… or else. Rushing out the door, he didn't even notice that he had put Ricky's present down and kept the one he brought…

Scene Change

"It's been five minutes Ronnie."

"He's coming."

Markie held the struggling Ronnie in his fins. If she had her full strength, she probably could've wriggled away, but she had just gotten out of the hospital.

"Are you sure?" Markie said into her ear. "I think he's too much of a wimp…"

"Shut up!" Ronnie shouted angrily.

Ronnie's shout had earned her a hard slap across the face, leaving a blood red mark on her face.

"You don't tell me what to do!" Markie hissed at her.

"I'll tell you what to do if I want to." Ronnie spat. "You don't have control over me."

Ronnie's comment had earned her another slap. She had tears in her eyes, but she didn't cry out in pain. She wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

"I have control over you in this situation." Markie hissed evilly. "So, I would watch my mouth if I were you."

"How could you do something like this?" Ronnie growled. "It's my birthday!"

Markie shoved Ronnie onto the sea floor and grinned in satisfaction as he saw her hit her head on a rock. "Is that so?" He mocked. "Well happy birthday!" He threw sand at her. None of it got into her eyes, but it hurt when it came into contact with the red mark on her face.

"I don't know how you can live with yourself." Ronnie said.

"I don't either." Markie said with a smile.

"I hate you." Ronnie said, her eyes narrowed.

"Thanks." Markie said casually. He looked behind him and said, "Well, your little boyfriend isn't here, and since he isn't… how about we have some… fun?"

"Go choke on your food and die." Ronnie hissed. "I'd rather kill myself than do what you're thinking of."

"Well then, you don't have to worry about killing yourself, 'cause I'll do it for you!" Markie shouted. He punched Ronnie with more force than the slaps he gave her, sending her skidding through the sand.

"You're just a cowardly bastard!" Ronnie shouted angrily, quickly recovering from the punch. "The first time you tried to get me, you had to have an accomplice, because you knew that I could've hurt you! Then, you chickened out because your friend ran away! Now, you decide to kidnap me after I've just gotten out the hospital, and what's worse, it's my birthday! Why'd you try to hurt me in the first place! Why? I never did anything to you!"

"It's not you I want, it's your friend!" Markie hissed. "He's the one who humiliated me!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot!" Ronnie said. "He punched you out because you were acting stupid!"

"Well, he shouldn't have done that." Markie said.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Ronnie shouted. "If you want Lenny, then how come you're capturing me!"

"To use you as bait." Markie answered simply. "Besides, I want to have some fun with you too… oww!"

Ronnie had thrown a rock at his face, hitting him directly.

"Bite me." She hissed defiantly.

"Why you little…!" Markie said, grabbing her by the neck and pulling her to him. Just as he was about to strike…

"Leave her alone!"

Markie turned to see Lenny floating about five feet away from him and Ronnie.

"Ahhh, Lenny, I see that you've come." Markie said. "I said to meet me here in five minutes. It's been six."

"Who cares how long it's been?" Lenny growled. "Just leave her alone."

"Why?" Markie said with his evil smirk. "What would be the fun in that?"

"Look, just leave her alone!" Lenny said, beginning to swim towards Markie.

"Hold it!" Markie said. He pulled out a knife and held it to Ronnie's neck. "Take one more swim forward and I'll kill her."

Lenny stopped. His face took on a look of fear. "You wouldn't." He said in a whisper.

"I sure would." Markie said. "Now, back up a little."

Lenny looked at Markie with a look full of hatred, but he swam back a little.

"There's a good boy." Markie said in a mocking tone. "I knew you'd see things my way."

"Just let her go already." Lenny said in a scared tone.

"Why should I?" Markie said evilly. "You came late, and it said in the letter that you have to be here in five minutes or she'll die. So…" Markie slashed Ronnie's chest, creating a deep gash. Ronnie fell to the ground like a limp rag doll.

"Ronnie!" Lenny said in a panicked tone, rushing over to her.

"I don't think your girlfriend can hear you!" Markie taunted, laughing wickedly.

Lenny ignored Markie's comment; he had something more important to think of right now.

"Ronnie, c'mon!" Lenny said, shaking her. "Wake up! I know you can make it through this!"

Ronnie didn't say anything. She didn't even move. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn't breathing. Lenny felt her fin; it was ice cold, and he couldn't sense a pulse.

'No…'

He shook her even harder and said, "Please, Ronnie, wake up! You can't leave like this, not on your birthday…" He stopped shaking her when he saw that there was no more hope. "Please… no…" He said in a desperate tone.

Ronnie was dead.

Lenny continued to stare at Ronnie as Markie was still laughing. Blood continued to flow from her gash, and she showed no sign of ever recovering. There was nothing he could do but stare as uncontrollable tears began to stream down his face. He had that feeling of vulnerability in him. Don't you just hate that feeling? That feeling you get like if you're a little kid and something bad is out of your control, and all you can do is sit back and watch as it happens, and all you can do is sit back helplessly and cry while thinking, 'If only.' Tears continued to stream down Lenny's face like a river, mixing with the blood on the sand. Everything felt hopeless; Ronnie was dead and there was nothing he could do to bring her back. He couldn't have even stopped her death from happening! A loud clap of thunder could be hear, and rain began to fall, one drop at a time. Coming back to reality, Lenny got up and faced Markie.

"You killed her." He said in a tiny voice.

Markie grinned and sneered, "Well, it looks like mafia boy over here is broken without his girl."

Markie had said the wrong thing. The next thing he knew, he was knocked backwards because a heavy punch had broke his nose.

WARNING! IT BECOMES REALLY DARK AND VIOLENT AFTER THIS POINT!

"You bastard! How could you kill her! It was her birthday!" Lenny shouted angrily.

Markie reached for his knife, but Lenny had taken it from and thrown it behind him. When he did that, Markie began to get scared. There was a dangerous look in Lenny's eyes, the type of look Markie had never seen before, but somehow knew all too well.

"Look man!" Markie said in fear. "I didn't mean to… please don't hurt me! I'm sorry...!"

"Aww, what's the matter?" Lenny mocked. "Are you afraid because you no longer have your knife to help you out of things?" He punched Markie in the mouth, knocking out some of his teeth and sending him reeling backwards.

Markie wiped the blood from his mouth and looked up into Lenny's eyes. There was a fire in them, but there was no emotion in them at all; except for a burning fury. There was also another look in his eyes; the bloodthirsty look that made Markie cower even more. Markie began to realize that he was in trouble; SERIOUS trouble. He never should've done what he did. Lenny wasn't going to just beat him up and turn him in to the cops; he was out for his blood.

"Look!" Markie pleaded, stumbling over his words. "I'm sorry! I never should've killed her! I didn't know she meant that much to you…"

Markie's sentence was cut off when Lenny bit him and ripped off a chunk of his skin. Blood trickled into Lenny's mouth.

The taste of blood…

Lenny had always hated the flavor; it made him sick, but now… now he was trying to see if he could get more of it.

"Yeah, right! You knew how much she meant to me!" Lenny hissed coldly. "That's why you killed her… and that's why I'll kill you."

Lenny ripped off more of Markie's skin, causing more blood to flow into his mouth, and Markie to growl in pain. Markie had fallen to the ground and was struggling to get up, blood flowing from his wounds. Lenny watched as Markie struggled to get up, enjoying it a little.

'I wanna see him bleed…'

"You can't do this… the cops… are gonna get you for this." Markie panted out.

"You think I care?" Lenny said, the bloodthirsty look in his eyes as he kicked Markie across the sand.

He expected to see Markie move slightly and try to hold onto his life, but Markie didn't move at all. Lenny decided to investigate and swam over to Markie. Markie's eyes were glazed over and he had a look of surprise on his face. He was lying in a pool of his own blood, and wasn't breathing or showing any sign of life at all. He was dead. Lenny had killed him.

'That's what he gets.' Lenny thought, staring at Markie with satisfaction. 'He never should've messed with me.'

A police siren was heard from far away.

"Attention murderer! We have caught you red handed! Put your fins in the air and stay where you are!"

Lenny snapped back to reality. He stared at Markie in shock. A shockwave of panic went through him.

'I didn't do that… did I?'

Looking down at his fins, he saw them covered in blood. His panic increased when he had realized what he did. The fact that the police were going to get him didn't help matters either. Lenny looked around, breathing heavily. He had to get out of there. He didn't care where; as long as it was far away from this city. He began to swim away; until he noticed the present he had brought for Ronnie lying in the sand. It was undamaged and as clean and sparkly as ever. He swam over to it and picked it up. He glanced over at Ronnie and looked back over to the present. He wasn't going to leave it behind, and he wasn't going to sell it either. He wasn't even going to unwrap it. Glancing back at the city with tears in his eyes, Lenny fled the scene.

Scene Change

The rain had really begun to fall. Lenny was far, far away from the city, looking for a new home. Sadness and loneliness filled his heart, and his eyes were filled with tears.

I walk a lonely road

The only one that I have ever know

He had no sense of where he was going; all he knew was that he could never go back to that city.

Don't know where it goes

But its home and

I walk alone

There was nobody around to make him feel better, there was nobody there to tell him that everything would be all right.

I walk this empty street on the Blvd.

Of broken dreams. Where the city sleeps

And I'm the only one and I walk alone

'I can't believe I did that.' Lenny thought miserably. 'I didn't mean to kill him! It's just… I don't know! I felt the need for blood… I've never felt that way before. I've never killed anyone or even thought about it. Now… I'm a murderer.'

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me

My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating

Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me

'Till then I'll walk alone

'I can never go back there, and I can never go back to Reef City. If I go back to Reef City, I'll get ratted out by everyone and my dad will notice me, and if I go back to that other city…' Lenny didn't continue that thought. 'It's too late for me now. If I go back there, I'll be labeled as a murderer… because I AM a murderer.'

I'm walking down the line

That divided me somewhere in my mind

On the border line of the edge

And where I walk alone

'And Ronnie…' Lenny felt a sharp pain in his heart as he thought about her. 'She'll never come back. Let's face it! She's the reason I never went bloodthirsty and killed Markie earlier! And I'll never be able to give her the present… the only thing she got was death. And Ricky… how will he handle things when he finds that his sister had died. As for Jamel and Andre… they'll be shocked to find out that I'm a killer. I'm turning into the thing I hate the most… so why do I like it?'

Read between the lines of what's

Fked up and everything's all right

Checked my vital signs to know I'm still alive

And I walk alone

Lenny's fin tightened its grip on the present. He stared at the present for a long time. He couldn't tell whether it was rain, tears, or both as he whispered,

"I'll never sell you. Not for money, not for clothes, not for anything."

I walk alone, I walk alone

I walk alone, I walk a…

My shadow's the only thing that walks beside me

My shallow heart's only thing that's beating

Sometimes I wish someone out there will find me

Till then I'll walk alone…

(Blvd. Of Broken Dreams by Green Day)

Lenny stared ahead into the emptiness ahead of him. He'd make it all right. After all, he had survived this far. Looking at the present, (the only thing that seemed to give him hope) he swam off.

TBC…

Lenny has killed Markie… now he's running away from the city… and Ronnie is dead… and what's in the package? Stay tuned for the next chappie.