He fell asleep with only one thought on his mind.

Would a kiss be worth the trouble it would cause?

Next morning

" He showed up?" Charles said surprised.

"YES ! In the middle of my number and he sang it with me and yes it sounded amazing but I was very close to slapping him! and then he started to talk about how to get me into bed ! so I told Simon that if Jack wasn't fired today , I would quit." I said and explained yesterday's drama to Charles.

"and what did he say ?"

" I don't know, I never stayed to find out... so hopefully he is gone when I arrive today." I said and took a bite of my sandwich. Nick was eating beside me but stood up fast.

"hey, why in a hurry ?"

"The game has already started !" he said with his mouth full. I just looked confused over at Charles.

"American football. Didn't you notice none of the guards are here? " he said and I laughed. Typical guys" .All of a sudden Zac runs into the kitchen.

"Thank god! I thought you might leave without me, the guards at the gate asked me where you were so I got a little worried" he said, trying to catch his breathe.

"got a little caught up in the TV ? " I asked and laughed.

" hey, you can't blame me! It has never been so much at stake since... since"

"1995 ! " I said and grinned.

" YES ! Wait, you know football? "

"some" I said and giggled.

"Is it still on ? Who's winning ?" Nick said exited with cereals hanging out his mouth.

" It's about 15 minutes left and it's so hard to say , man. " Zac said.

" Thank you ! " Nick yelled as he ran into the living room.

"shall we go ?" I asked while grabbing my bag by the counter . I was slightly amused by his foolish football obsession.

"Yup. And no complains about the radio because I am listening to the game!"

" yes sir." I said with a giggle.

We walked out and got in the car. Barely 2 seconds passed before Zac had turned on the sports channel. It was impossible to ask him anything because when I tried he shut me up and turned up the volume. What is wrong with football freaks? I can understand the happiness of watching a game but how can it be any fun to listen to someone commenting a game that you can't even see.

When he parked the car he didn't even walk out!

"Are we going to sit here the whole day?" I said, getting tired of the game.

" sch..." he said.

That was it! I reached for the volume button but before I could press it he grabbed my hand.

" don't you dare" he said and when I tried with my next hand he grabbed that too, giving me a glare. I giggled at him and as I had hoped his glare turned into a chukle. And as so many times before, our faces was really close. Suddenly Zac didn't seem to be interested in the game anymore as he looked at me and leaning in. So did I but last night I made a decision. This was his chance to prove himself and if he wanted to break a rule and kiss me, he was going to do it. Not me. I can't be responsible for his dream to crash.

All those tries to kiss him had only ended up in a lesson about how I would ruin his dream. So if we would kiss, it would be because he made that decision.

But I can still tease, right?

I placed a sweet short kiss on the corner of his lips before grabbing the car keys and pulled them out. The Radio died and Zac leaned away from me with wide eyes.

" You distracted me , only to pull out the keys and turn off the radio ?"

" yes" I said simply and walked out of the car fast.

He chased me all the way to the restaurant but when I took my first step into the restaurant/diner he had to stop since no one could know he knew me. That resulted in embarrassment since I looked like a fool when I walked in there , laughing to myself.

" Oh thank god you showed up. I fired Jack this morning.. he broke a few glasses but I cleaned that up." Simon said and I could see he didn't have much sleep last night.

"I'll pay for those glasses, I'm the one who asked you to fire him " I said, showing him I'm calmer than the other night.

" Oh you don't have to do that. I should have fired him months ago! "

" I'm glad you agree with me" I said and smiled at him and walked back to the bar to put my apron on.

I walked out with a smile on my face but the first person I saw was Zac. He was leaning by the bar with a very serious face. Normally he sits discreetly in the back.

" what?" I asked him, confused.

" Do exactly as I say … I want you to pour me a beer and give it to me, and when you do I want you to spill it on me" He said, never leaving my eyes with his stare. He was very serious.

" what ?"

" if you heard what I said, just do it ..don't ask questions right now" He said.

He freaked me out but I did as he told me. When I poured the beer I noticed my hands were shaking.

When I turned to Zac I looked up from the glass and my eyes stopped at the door. 2 new customers had just walked in. One Italian and one with mustache...

Zac immediately looked at me and caught my attention. I walked towards him and spilled the beer all over him just like he had told me.

"DAMN IT woman ! Look what you did." Zac yelled out, making me jump in shock.

" I .. I'm so sorry..." I said , confused and scared.

" THIS IS A NEW SHIRT! Is there anywhere I can clean this up ?! Kitchen maybe?"

" oh yes, ofc ! Come here." I said, and got the hint. I tried to smile as natural as possible as I lead him behind the bar and into the kitchen. The minute the door closed I panicked.I turned to Zac with fear in my eyes.

" They are here !" I said.

Zac didn't look at me. He grabbed me by my arm and pulled me further into the kitchen. He pulled out his gun, loaded it and turned on the microphone that sat on the collar of his shirt.

"Back up at "The Birro" , I repeat. Back up, NOW! " he yelled into the collar.

" Zac please tell me what they are doing here" I said , flipping out !

" I don't know... But I won't let anything happen to you, you have to trust me" He said, grabbing me by the arms and speaking very slowly and strong.

Our attention turned to the door as it opened. The shorter man was standing only 5 meter away from me. Zac turned to him immediately and pulled out his gun.

"FBI, FREEZE! ! ! " he yelled out. The chefs in the kitchen had now noticed Zac and were panicking. They were all trying to run out.

Zac walked towards the guy in the door but when he was close he kicked the gun out of Zac's hands. Zac and that man ended up fighting each other, throwing punches and avoiding punches. Zac was so focused that he didn't see that the strong Italian man had also entered the room. I tried to run as further into the kitchen as possible but then I was trapped. I looked over at Zac who was too busy fighting his own battle but he caught my eye and yelled out to me:

"REMEMBER WHAT YOUR DAD TAUGHT YOU !" he yelled before getting punched down on the floor.

I looked at the smirking man in front of me. He was twice as big as me! That's when I heard my dad's voice in my head: "if someone try to lift you,you have to make yourself as heavy as possible"

I turned away from him but he grabbed his arms around me. Just one second before he was going to lift me up I bend my legs, leaning down towards the ground, putting all my force and weight towards the ground. The man had a hard time lifting me so eventually he let go but not as I hoped. He let go of me just to kick me hard in my stomach to weaken me. A huge scream exit my mouth as the pain exploded in my body.

When Zac heard me scream he turned to me, and that was a mistake. The man he was fighting with picked up Zac's gun and aimed at Zac's heart. Before the man pulled the trigger Zac saw the gun and tried to go down to the ground, avoiding the bullet. But even if he succeeded ,he felt the bullet go through his left upper arm. I could feel drops of blood smash onto my face as the bullet entered Zac's arm. Zac fell down on the ground but wrapped his arm around the man's leg and twist them just like he had done with my legs the day before, making him fall.

Zac jumped up on his feet fast, and with his right hand he grabbed the man's hair and banged his head hard against the kitchen floor, twice to make sure he was either dead or unconscious. In the meantime I had received a few punches and kicks, and my sight was blurry.

When Zac got a hold of his gun again the Italian guy had kicked me 4 times that I didn't have the strength to lean down anymore. He dragged me up from the floor and held me up like a shield in front of him and pressing one arm on my throat.

Zac aimed his gun towards us but my sight was to blurry to read his face expression.

All of a sudden I saw how the man holding me pulled out a gun. He didn't aim it am me though, he aimed it at Zac. A loud bang was heard as they pulled the trigger at the same time.

I could feel how Zac's bullet went about 4 centimeters near my right ear before going through right between the Italian man's eyes. His grip loosened as he fell down on the kitchen floor, the two men, me and Zac the kitchen was empty and something told me that everyone in the restaurant had left .

It was only Zac and me left..ZAC!

I looked at him and he was sitting on the floor leaning against the wall trying to breathe.

" Please say you're okay" I said with tears in my eyes. I bend down and sat next to him. Zac started to unbutton his shirt revealing a police west. I sighed relieved and tried to hug him but before I did he held me back with his right arm. I looked at him and saw the blood streaming out of his left arm. It was more blood than those few drops that hit my face earlier.

"You are really shot!" I yelled out shocked.

"Ya think ? " he said with a weak chukle.

"this is not funny!" I said, and now I was crying for real. The adrenalin was leaving my body as the pain took its place.

"I need you to do something for me... place 2 fingers on the side of his throat and see if he's dead or unconscious..." Zac said and nodded towards the man he had fought with. When I didn't find a pulse I crawled back to Zac fast.

" You killed him..." I said in shock.

" take my phone , from my back pocket" he said, and now he could barely keep his eyes open. He tried to sit up but I could see that it only hurt more in his arm when he moved.

"don't move! I'll get it " I said. I moved to his other side, and slipped on hand into his back pocket and tried to grab his phone. Even my loud crying wasn't louder than Zac's heavy breathing. I looked over at him to see he had shut his eyes.

"This is not the time to fall asleep ! " I said feeling the panic taking over my body.

" don't worry"

" Hey, Zac! If you fall asleep and someone sees me they could arrest me for sexual harassment!" I said, desperate to keep him awake. A smile appeared on his lips and a small weak chukle could be heard. I got out his phone and was about to dial 911 before Zac stopped me .

" Don't call 911 ! … call Sam" he said and now it was almost impossible to hear what he said.I didn't ask any questions , I just did as he told me

" Zac ! How's the situation? Back up is there in less than a minute ! " Sam said and I could hear the traffic in the background. I looked over at Zac to see that his eyes were closed and he could barely keep his head up. I placed it one hand on his chin to help him keep his head up.

"Sam, it's Vanessa, I wanted to call an ambulance but he told me to call you.. Zac is shot... In the arm, but he is starting to get unconscious..." I said , not sure I was even making any sense.

"okay.. You are going to have to be my extra agent now.. Is it anyone else in the room?" Sam said, calm and professional.

" No. I think everyone left the restaurant when they heard gunshots.. It's only me and Zac and the same 2 men from the break in.. both dead.." I said and I could barely believe the last words coming out of my mouth.

"okay good... back up will be there in 1 minute and take him to a secure location.."

" can I come?"

" Vanessa..."

" please, let me come with him.. please tell your agents that I'm allowed to come along.." I cried out.

"fine... but if they ask you to do anything you just do it ! Okay ?That includes asking you to not come with"

" yes, I promise ! "

"how is he?" Sam asked and now I could hear the worry in his voice.

"I don't know... he's losing blood"

" Can you stop the bleeding`?" he asked.

I carefully let go of Zac's head and walked to one of the counters and grabbed a kitchen-towel. I sat down by Zac and carefully lifted his left arm to wrap the towel around the wound. Zac groaned loud in pain as I wrapped the towel around his arm but I forced myself to keep going.

" I'm sorry... I have too.." I said and continued. When I was done he grabbed my hand firm.

" Nessa..."

" yes?"

" don't come with me." he whispered.

"What?"

" to the location... I'm saying this for... your own good... Don't come to the location.."

" why? Don't you want me there?" I said hurt by his words. He opened his eyes and looked at me.

"ofc I do.. but for your sake, don't come..."

He shut his eyes and his head dropped to his shoulder. I yelled his name but I got no answer. The kitchen door opened and 4 men ran in with FBI clothes.

The man closest to me showed me a FBI badge and then called some other men into the kitchen. They helped to carry Zac and helped him into regular black van.

"I am coming with him" I said as I followed them. Zac had gotten conscious again and looked over at the FBI man carrying him.

" No!.." he managed to whisper.

I looked at the FBI agent and told him it was Sam's orders. The man nodded at me and helped me into the van as well. I sat on the floor next to Zac.

" Liar..." Zac whispered.

" I really don't care..."

"I told you not to come...You shouldn't have..." he said before groaning out in pain.

" please don't talk... just rest.. " I said and it was impossible to keep the tears away.

" I'm sorry..." he said and I didn't understand what he apologized for. He had nothing to be sorry for .

But 30 minutes later I understood... the doors to the van was opened and they had a bed on wheels for Zac and a wheel chair for me, but I didn't need it. I stepped out of the van after they had carried Zac on to the bed.

My plan was to follow them until someone told me otherwise but when I stepped out of the van I was speechless.. The smell, the heat and the walls.. everything was the same. It was exactly as when I was 15 … it looked the same.. This was the location where they sent my father when he got sick.