I don't own Home Alone

A/N: Thank you kindly for the reviews thus far. The story is coming along slowly, but there will be upcoming situations in future chapters. Just have to think about them and plan them out. Also, thank you for the suggestion Sage of the Azure Phoenix, the McCallisters will definitely be making an appearance in future chapters.

Enjoy!

Marv would have slept for hours if the sound of heavy construction hadn't jolted him awake. It took him a fair couple of seconds to get adjusted to his surroundings. No metal bars, no drafts, no prisoners yelling from their cells. Phew…he was out of there and into a warm comfortable bed. Aside from the rambunctious noise that was going on outside, the house was rather quiet. He didn't wish to get up from the bed. His body hadn't felt this relaxed in the last six years and he wanted to savor every second of it. Then there was that sound from that damn jackhammer vibrating the whole apartment. He took the pillow and threw it over his face but even that was not powerful enough to block out the noise.

"HEY!" he yelled as he jumped out of the hide-a-bed and marched over to the window. "KEEP IT DOWN THERE'S PEOPLE SLEEPING UP HERE!" Not even his vocal range was loud enough to be heard by the construction workers as they continued to do their job for the morning. This form of wakeup call shouldn't have been such a surprise to him. He had been used to sleeping in places that weren't quiet, especially in prison. There was just something about having your own apartment that made the experience different. He slammed the window shut. At least that fairly blocked out the noise.

Suddenly, the sun's ray shined into the window of the apartment as he pulled away and stared at it for a mere second. After all these years, he had forgotten how brightly the sun tried to shine even when it was close to winter. Though he shouldn't be fooled because it was still cold outside. He had so much caught up to do to make up for those six years. Though the only trouble that remained was where was he going to start?

Growl.

Certainly not on an empty stomach! He turned to walk into the kitchen and then paused. It would have been easier if he knew how to cook something in the first place. Instead of experimenting, and burning down the place, it was best to just head down to the diner for the morning. As he headed back over to the bed, he noticed that his old wardrobe was nowhere to be seen. That Amy. She probably took it down to the laundromat in the early hours of the morning. Even though he didn't have a job, he was already going into debt with this woman. He changed into the clothes that they had bought yesterday, those pair of black pants and the blue checkered shirt. Just enough to feel like a gentleman…kind of.

He made his way down the staircase and into the morning air. Nice and crisp like it should always be in the winter. As he was about to head down to the diner, he passed by another person and from his peripheral vision, he noticed something falling out of the person's pocket. Looking down at the ground his eyes were attached directly onto the brown leather wallet that the person did not mean to neglect. If he was going to be a decent citizen, the first thing to do was to bring that wallet back. Yet, he kind of needed money. Ensuring that there was no one around to see him, Marv picked up the wallet and looked inside. Countless credit cards, some spare change, and a fifty-dollar bill. Marv didn't care at all for the credit cards, but that fifty-dollar bill was intriguing. The person that had dropped the wallet probably had countless fifty-dollar bills for one thing. Secondly finders, keepers. With that philosophy in mind, Marv quickly pocketed the fifty-dollar bill and went on his way.

"Coffee?" Amy asked as she walked over to one of the booths where a single customer sat.

The man nodded his head and passed the mug over to her. "Lots of it and a little sugar," he said as he looked at her before winking, "if you know what I mean."

"There's a Sweet N' Low sugar packet right there," Amy said as she motioned to the table where the packets of sugar stayed. It was too early in the morning for this frivolous flirtation to occur. She ought to talk to Tom one of these days and have a 'No Flirting with the Waitresses' policy. Then again, it also happened with the other waitresses where they would flirt with the customers, especially Anne. As for Amy, she was glad that she was able to repress any form of fascination whilst she worked.

The doorbell of the diner chimed as Marv walked inside with the new outfit that she had bought. A little too late to take those thoughts back. She welcomed him with a smile as he walked over to the counter and sat down on one of the chairs. "You're in need for some coffee," Amy said as she poured him a cup and handed it over to him.

"Thanks," Marv said, taking the cup and sipping on the hot liquid. "Is there normally construction happening in the early hours of the morning?"

Amy looked at him before giving him a single nod of her head. "Usually on the weekdays," she said to him. "They have been working on that project for weeks now, but I haven't had any issues with them waking me up."

"What time do they start?" Marv asked her.

"Nine in the morning. I take it that's when it woke you up," she said.

"I don't even know what time it was," Marv said to her. He looked over at the clock that hung on the wall above her head and took note of it. It was almost ten and the diner was very busy with customers. "Any plans for today?"

"Work. I've been up since five this morning," she simply answered him. "Then why my shift is over maybe some grocery shopping. My fridge is almost empty so go to fill 'er up with some food." She was glad that he didn't ask her for anything last night when she offered. She felt that it would have been mildly embarrassing to ask and then have nothing to offer. "Speaking of, have you had anything to eat yet back in the apartment?"

A light scoff escaped Marv's lips. Who did she think he was, a chef? "Don't know how to cook," he said to her. The only thing he knew how to do was steal and yet, it was still a work in progress.

Amy slowly nodded her head, considering the action that she should take. "Hang tight for a second," she turned on her heel and marched to the back of the diner.

Marv had a feeling of what she was going to do, and nothing was going to stop her from doing. Even if he wanted to resist her offer, his stomach was not going to let him. It wasn't long before she came back with a hot plate that was filled with scrambled eggs and toast. "And a little more coffee of course," she said as she poured him another cup.

Was this going to be another one of those 'on the house' meals? Yup, the debt was really starting to rack up right about now that not even a fifty-dollar bill could cover for it. "Thanks," he said to her as the smell of the breakfast meal made him all the hungrier.

"May I ask what your plans are?" Amy asked him, "have you thought about your next steps?"

If he said yes, he would be lying and if he said no, he would look like a loser in her eyes. "Kind of?" he said to her, "I want to take it step by step. Get a feel of what it's like to be out of…or in a normal place again." There was no way he was going to say the word 'prison' in a diner full of customers. What were they to think if they were in the same place as a convicted felon?

"How're you going to do that?" she asked him.

"I don't know," Marv said to her, "maybe walk around New York, catch a movie, do community service, get a job or something."

Amy beamed when he mentioned the latter. "Why that's wonderful," she said as a smile appeared upon her lips. "I think a job is a good place to start."

Marv was taken aback by her response. He had been used to his ideas being criticized instead of being approved. "Really?" he asked her.

"Yeah," Amy said. "A job can keep you busy. I understand that it's hard to get back into it especially when you have been away from it for a long time. It will keep your mind busy and make you realize how nice it is to make your own money…in an honest way."

That last bit of her sentence, he hoped that she wasn't being critical of his former life. Then again, that fifty-dollar bill that had practically landed into his sight was nice to have on hand. It wasn't honest, he knew that, but it gave him a form of security no matter how big or small the amount was. "Any place you know of that I can start?"

Amy didn't know if any of the other stores around were hiring. If they were, there was some form of experience that was needed. Some places also required a degree to have and, even though she didn't want to think of it, but she knew it was the truth, Marv didn't have that. Suddenly, an idea struck her. "How about you apply here?" she asked him, "we've been looking around for a busboy."

Marv furrowed his eyebrows at the term. "Oh…but I don't have a New York license."

She delicately placed her hand upon her lips and suppressed a chuckle. "You won't be riding the bus. You'll be working here at the diner. Mostly cleaning tables, dishes, stocking supplies. That sort of thing."

It sounded like a hectic form of a job, but it beat doing laundry. He didn't feel too enthusiastic to do it, but at least it was something that fill up his day. Then again, if it doesn't work, I can go back to robbing stores…his shoulder devil was saying to him. And go back in jail for another six years…the shoulder angel argued. "I'll give it a try I guess," he said to her, "how do I start?"

"I'll put in word to my boss about you at the end of my shift," Amy said, "if he approves, then you can interview on Monday?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Marv said, "I have to do an interview?"

"Sure," Amy nodded her head to him, "all jobs need an interview." Why was it that she kept forgetting that Marv wasn't aware of any of this? It was disheartening to see someone who had no exposure to this way of work.

"I gathered that," Marv said, "I just don't know how to do it."

It was a step-by-step process and after knowing him for this long, she was not going to let him fail. "I can help you," she said to him with a smile of reassurance.