The sun was shining brightly in Boxcars' eyes. He moaned and rubbed his tired eyes.

"Deuce! Close the fuckin' blinds fer pete sake!" Boxcars said. Nothing happened. He moaned and tried to get up. His arms were still hurting from last night. His back sore too. He went to closed the blinds, but instead touched the window. "What the! Where the fucking blinds go!" Boxcars didn't understand what was going on. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the room. It wasn't his room. He looked at the bed. Wasn't his bed. "Where am I?"

"You're in my apartment," a female voice said. Boxcars jumped when he heard that. He turned around and saw a woman sitting by the bed. She had long red hair, and blue eyes with freckles. She was wearing a white tank top and gray, shaggy pants. She seemed very content and calm and must have been waiting for him to wake up for a while.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"The names Kimberly. Kimberly Knights," she stuck out her hand.

"Hearts Boxcars," Boxcars shook her hand and said "Care to explain why I am here."

"Well first of all, I couldn't just've left ya out there like that, and second, you were hurt real badly from last night. Had to bandage ya up pretty good." Boxcars looked at his hands to see them covered with bandages. He then saw that there was bandages around himself for his back.

"I also had to bandage your hip too. It got cut by that broken pipe back in the alley." Boxcars frantic pulled the covers off to see him still in his pants. He pulled at the side of them to see just a huge band-aid on his hip. Then he looked at Kimberly, blushing.

"You should recover from your wounds in only a few of days," Kimberly got up walked to her kitchen counter and turned on the oven. "You hungry? I waited until you woke up to see if you were," She then pulled out a pan and put it on the oven.

"S-Sure, I am a bit hungry from last night," he said.

"That's a suprising," she said.

"What?"

"I'd excepted you to be more hungry. I guess it was from bein' punched in the gut that hard," Kimberly said mixing the batter for pancakes. "So what were you doing that got ya in trouble last night? I was just walkin' home when I saw you in the alley."

"All I was doing was coming back from shop after pickin' up my buddy's birthday present I git him," he said rubbing his head. It was aching real bad since last night.

"Well I heard something from that one dude about something dealin' with blowing up their mansion. Were you possibly the person who did it?" she said.

Boxcars felt a guilt run through him for some reason. He couldn't find the words to tell her until she finally had a pancake flipping. "Kinda," he said, "My crew put dynamite in their place before we started runnin' outta there,"

"Why did you do that for," she was completely calm about. No spazzy-ass lady telling him he had no rights of doing that; not like any woman he ever met.

"Because they stole money from the bank?" he sounded like he was answering a question he didn't know.

"Well then that's their fault they did that. They deserved to have their place blown up they can use the money to pay for it," Kimberly put some pancakes on a plate and gave them to Boxcars.

"W-Wait yer agreeing with me?" Boxcars was very confused about her opinion about what he told her.

"Yeah it was totally their fault for doing it," she sat back in the chair beside him and started chowing down on her pancakes, "Your crew must be like a secret crime fighting team ain't it," Boxcars just stared at her while she ate. Amazed of how this red-headed lady agreed with him. He kinda liked her because of that. It was like a natural-born spirit of a midnight crew member.

"Yeah, you could say that," Boxcars took a big bite out of the pancake and was amazed how good it tasted. Better than his pancakes. "Wow," he said with a mouthful, "These are better than my pancakes! They're delicious!"

She chuckled and said "Well I'm glad you like them," and patted him on the back while smiling. "It's been awhile since I cooked for someone, especially you." Boxcars blushed when Kimberly patted him on the back. About no woman has done that to him unless he knew them very well. She seemed very cheerful and outgoing; very different from any woman he knew. He just continued to shove mouthfuls of pancake in his mouth, gratefully enjoying them.

"So do ya got a place?" Kimberly then asked. "Or do you live with someone?" Kimberly knew this was a very important question to ask him if he didn't live anywhere.

"I live with the rest of the crew in a house," Boxcars said. "I bet it's just a few blocks away from here."

"I hope so. I don't have a ride right now,"

"Really?" Boxcars said, and then realized something. "Wait, does that mean ya drug me here from the alley by carrin' me."

"Yep," she said, "It was quite a workout for me, but it was worth it." Kimberly finished her plate and went to wash it in the sink. "Do you guys have a home phone?" she asked.

"Yeah, but depends if Slick didn't unplug it again," he said. Kimberly gave a slight giggle when she heard that.

"Heh heh, well then I think you should try callin' them. They might be worried now." That made Boxcars think of Deuce. He might at home right now crying and saying "Droog! Slick! I can't find Boxcars anywhere! Where is he guys! Where is he!" Then a second thought came to his mind. The box.

"H-Hey Kimberly, you didn't perhaps find a box in my coat did ya?" Boxcars asked worriedly.

"So that's what that was? Your lucky it didn't get smash. I have it right here," Kimberly patted on the box on the counter. Boxcars eyes widen in relief. He went to get up, but pain started shooting down his legs. Kimberly saw him getting up and immediately went to him.

"No no no no no you need to stay in bed Boxcars," Kimberly said, trying to gently push him down to sit. "If you strain your muscles after what happened you might make it worse, having you be bed-rested longer. "Boxcars was blushing when Kimberly put her hands on his shoulders to make him sit down, but he knew it was best to do that. He obeyed her order and sat back down on the bed.

"Good, now are you done eating?" Boxcars looked at his plate and nodded yes. Kimberly took the plate and put it in the sink. "The phones' right beside you if you want to try callin' them now," she said scrubbing the dish. Boxcars looked at the phone and picked it up. He punched in the number, and the phone began to ring.

It was dead silent. The house was still and quiet. Only the sound of the wind blowing through the open windows was heard.

The silence was broken by the home phone ringing.

"Droog go answer the phone!" Slick yelled.

"I'm taking care of Deuce! You get it!" Droog yelled back from the living room. Slick grumbled something under his breath and went downstairs from his bedroom to answer the phone.

"Hello, Spades Slick here," he said grumpily.

"Hey Slick, it's me," Slick couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Boxcars that you!" Slick said.

"Yeah it's me, so how ya guys been," Boxcars said.

"Boxcars don't be fucking stupid right now. Where've ya been!"

"I got into a little fight last night with some of the felt,"

"You did! Then why didn't you come home then," Slick was very curious of why he wasn't home yet.

"I got bruised up and had to stay somewhere to heal," Boxcars said. "It might be awhile before I can come home." This worried Slick a bit. Boxcars was the muscle of the crew, and without him their helpless.

"Well where are you now?" Slick asked.

"In an apartment. Hey, could I talk to Deuce? See he's fine?" Slick knew that was a good thing to do since Deuce has been bawling a bit.

"Hey Deuce, you got someone to talk ta," Slick said giving the phone to Deuce. Deuce sniffled and grabbed the phone.

"H-Hello?" Deuce said weakly. He was crying a good bit after finding Boxcars not in his room.

"Hey Deuce, how ya been," Boxcars said. Deuce's eyes widen in amazement to hear Boxcars voice.

"Oh Boxcars!" he said cheerfully, "Where have you been I've been worried sick about you!"

"I know buddy. I just got into a little fight last night and had to stay somewhere 'cause I got hurt,"

"Well then are you ok!" Deuce was concerned about Boxcars when he heard that.

"I'm fine buddy, I'm fine," Boxcars said. "But there's something I need to tell you bud, and yer probably not gonna like it,"

"What?"

"I...I'm not gonna be home fer awhile," Deuce was filled with sadness as soon as he heard this. "But I'll make sure to call everyday and night ok buddy?"

"O...Ok Boxcars," Deuce said sadly.

"Don't worry bud. I'll be home in no time," Boxcars said. "Hey, could you put Droog on the phone. I gotta tell him somethin' important."

"Sure Boxcars," Deuce gave the phone to Droog.

"Yes?" Droog said.

"Droog, I-I need you guys to take care of Deuce fer me while I'm healin's," Boxcars said to him. "I'm badly hurt and I can't go anywhere until I'm more better."

"Ok Boxcars," Droog answered.

"Promise me that you guys will look after him Droog, promise me?" Droog knew how attached Boxcars and Deuce are. It's a strong bond between the both of them that would hurt if it broke.

"I promise Boxcars," Droog said.

"Good," Boxcars sighed and said "I"m gonna call you soon again ok? Maybe tomorrow. Tell Deuce things will be fine ok. B-Bye," and the call ended.

"W-What did he say to you?" Deuce asked. Droog looked Deuce straight in his eyes. The pain of loneliness swelling up in his tears.

"He said things will be fine," Droog then pulled Deuce closer to him and held his hand. "Everything will be fine," Deuce then laid his head on Droog's lap. Slick sat in beside Droog, joining him in comforting Deuce.

Even though Slick and Droog never cared for Deuce before they knew it was best to try to keep him calm while Boxcars was away. The little guy would just fall apart like a falling building. It's hard living without that one member there. It sort of breaks balance of things in their house.