AN: Hey everyone, thanks as always for reading and I promise with the next chapter will come the new, more regular schedule! Please let me know what you think about Billy and Hartley's story so far in your reviews - they really spur me on to write faster!

April 2007

Billy was still slouched in bed by mid-morning, his work day started a little later than his better half's. he had intended to just sit there a while longer before facing Bones when the buzz of his cell phone on the bedside table shook him out of his daze.

"Yeah?" he questioned around the cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth.

Bodie's voice came down the line, "Yo, Heco's not covering his fuckin' patch man."

"Where the fuck is he?"

His friend sighed, "I don't know man."

They both knew he was probably high as a kite in some shitty apartment somewhere.

Billy untangled his long legs from the sheets and swung them over the side of the bed, "Fuck," he sighed, "I'll get down there. Make sure the rest of the boys are working their fucking asses off! I'm sick of this shit."

He snapped his cell phone shut and launched it across the small room where it landed in the corner with a clatter. It was easy for the rest of the guys - if they fucked up he was there to pick up their slack because he had to - it was him that had to face Bones at the end of every week. It was him who had his father brandishing a gun at him and he was never totally sure that he wouldn't pull the trigger. It was his girl Bones threatened to take 'alternative payment' from if they didn't make their quota.

Running a hand over his scalp he rested his elbows on his knees and sighed. The morning had started off pretty nicely, albeit a little too early, just hanging out with Hartley in bed and now he had a sudden Heco-shaped headache that he knew wasn't going to disappear anytime soon.

And to think there had been a time when all of this gang stuff excited him.

November 2002

Hartley stood in front of Billy with the clippers in her hand and a sceptical look on her face, "Are you sure about this baby?"

"Yeah," he took a last drag from his cigarette and stubbed it out on the ashtray on the bathroom counter.

Tonight was the big one, at the ripe age of twenty he was to be officially initiated, and the tension flooded their tiny apartment.

"Alright," Hartley took a deep breath and took the guard off the end of her clippers and flicked them on as Billy took a perch on the edge of the bathtub.

The electric buzz of the razor was the only noise that came from the bathroom as Hartley meticulously removed his already short dark hair.

"Shit," she breathed when she was done.

"What?" he frowned.

Hartley let her eyes roam over her boyfriend of two years, "I thought I already had a hard enough time keeping bitches off of you, they're just gonna get worse now."

"Come here," Billy chuckled as he reached for her hips and pulled her in front of him, his hands slipping under the hem of her shirt to rest on her soft skin, "You got nothin' to worry about little girl," he smiled softly as he looked up at her hazel eyes.

She tipped her head back, her long hair spilling over her shoulders and sighed, "You say that now."

He stood up quickly and took her face between his large hands and kissed her deeply, smothering her mouth with his own, knocking the wind out of her.

"Be careful," she breathed when they parted.

Billy grinned and ran his hands through her hair, studying her face, "I'll see you in a couple hours," he dropped a kiss on the top of her head, "I love you."

Despite what he was about to do Hartley couldn't help but smile as she watched him grab his leather jacket and walk out of the apartment. Of course he would tell her he loves her for the first time just before he went out to kill someone, that was the Darley way.

April 2007

Leaning back against the Mustang, legs crossed at the ankles and a freshly lit cigarette in the corner of his mouth Billy watched his girl across the street through the large plate glass window that made up most of the façade of the salon . She had her back to him, standing behind one of her regular old ladies, but he could still see her hands waving around as she told some story or other. She always seemed to make up for her petite stature with her flailing limbs. He took a deep drag of his cigarette and exhaled slowly, most people thought he was insane - the police, his customers, the average Jo who walked past him on the street. They didn't know that in a strange way he was perfectly balanced - he had all the bad: the drugs, the killing, the hate and then he had Hartley. If he ever lost her or his brother… then he'd show them some insanity.

The sudden sound of her voice broke him out of his thoughts, "Hey bubba, fancy meeting you here," she smiled as she crossed the quiet street.

His eyes followed the sway of her hips as she walked towards him, he didn't understand how she could stand to be in heels all day long but the way they made her hips swing that little bit extra, damn.

"I thought I'd be nice and pick you up from work," he smirked and tossed his cigarette butt onto the tarmac.

"Oh really?" she cocked an eyebrow and slid her hands under his leather jacket, stretching up to peck his lips, "It sounds like you want something."

He laughed as he turned her around, resting his forearms on the roof of the car, either side of her head, "Well, I always want something," he pressed his hips against hers.

Hartley smirked up at him, "Why are you really here?"

He dipped his head with a sigh, "Killing time."

"Not been to see Bones yet?" she asked with a sympathetic look.

"Nope," he ran a hand over his head.

She reached out and took his hand, "It's still early."

He nodded and brought her hand to his mouth, kissing her knuckles.

"Damn Darley, aren't you worried about ruining your rep?" she grinned at him, looking around the empty street dramatically.

He chuckled, "Fuck no, it'll take a lot more than being with my girl in public to do that."

"Oh, hey," she reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out an envelope, "Marshall sent me a visit request."

Billy nodded, "You gonna go?"

"I think so," she shrugged and looked down at the paper in her hands, "I still feel responsible."

He sighed, "How many times Hart -"

"'It wasn't your fault'," she imitated his much deeper voice, "I know Billy but I can't say no if he wants to see me."

"Sure you can," he shrugged.

She shook her head, "You know I can't. Marshall was good to us for a long time and one day he'll be back and you'll need him on side."

Billy slid a fresh cigarette out of the pack in his pocket and pointed the filter end at her, "Sometimes you're too goddamn smart for your own good."

"I'm just tryin' to make this shitty situation as smooth as possible."

He looked up from lighting his smoke, "Yeah? Well you can't polish a turd."

Hartley screwed her face up in disgust, "Ew Billy, do you really gotta go there?" she stepped out from under him and pulled open the passenger door of the black Mustang, "What happened to taking me home?"