Twelve:

It had been four years since Phillip Dawson laid eyes on his cousin, Jack. But yet, here he stood before his very eyes. in the hallway of the Brown household in Denver, Colorado, holding out a shotgun aimed straight at his head. A nervous laugh escaped his lips first of all, not because of the fact he could be shot at any given moment, but because of the tension between them. The Dawson cousins were in the same room together, alone, for the first time since his Uncle's death. He hadn't changed one bit, except perhaps he was less puny. It was then he realised that Hockley had never given him a surname for the bastard who had ran off with his fiancé. Just Jack. Just Jack Dawson. His own cousin.

''What-what are you-''

Jack was too stunned to even register. He stayed rooted to the spot and so did Phillip, half way up the staircase. ''What about you doing here?''

Phillip relaxed, the tension between them was evident. Their eyes were locked just as they had the last time they had come to loggerheads back in Boston. He tried to shift those thoughts from him mind and simply concentrate on the sticky situation before him.

Phillip laughed once more. He had two choices; to out Hockley or to lie. He made a decision right then and there.

''If I tell you, will you take that damned gun outta my face?''

Jack's jaw was stiff. It was then he realised that this was to do with Hockley. His gun didn't waver and it wouldn't until he knew the truth.

''What did he ask you to do?''

Phillip's eyes flashed, he glanced away from Jack's face.

''And don't even bother to lie because I know you, I know your father's face when he lied to my own father, so don't even try it!''

Phillip bit the inside of his lip. He wasn't used to being the one held in such situations. His instincts were all over the place and it was a very unsettling position to be in.

''My father was not a liar.''

Jack remained silent, his hands didn't even tremble now that he knew who he was dealing with. He didn't bother to argue back for that was all he and Phillip had ever done. They stood, their eyes interlocked and their jaws tightened. Both of them had been close, once. Perhaps over ten years ago. A feud between his own father and his uncle Michael had parted the family and even though Jack could barely remember what the entire thing was about, he knew that his uncle had dodgy dealings with a man out West, one who claimed to own a railroad and of course when the old fraud died, his uncle had inherited a couple of thousands. More money than any of the Dawson's had ever seen. Obviously, money attracts those without it and then cousins flocked to Michael's side, including Phillip. Last Jack had heard, he too, was involved in crime to earn a living. He had stayed far away from the entire thing, until now.

'What's wrong? Have you run out of money so you're working for the Hockley's? To turn me in? Is that it.''

Phillip rubbed his face with his hands and sighed heavily. That wasn't far from the truth but it wasn't so close either. ''You going to take that gun out of my face? I can fight, better than you can.''

''Yes, but I can blow your head off right this second. Start talking.'' Although the gun wasn't loaded, Jack knew he only had to bluff enough to ensure Phillip believed it was.

His square shoulders sagged as he visibly relaxed. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette, he placed it between his thin lips. His eyes met Jack's. ''Do you want one? Do you still smoke?''

Jack cocked his head to one side, a lopsided smirk upon his face. ''Not so much.''

''Well, with having a baby and all.''

Jack relaxed his grip on the gun. Phillip sat on one of the lower steps, moving closer to Jack but for some reason, he felt no threat at all. He lowered the gun.

''Light the damned cigarette for me.''

Phillip raised his eyebrows and produced another cigarette for himself as he offered Jack the one which he had already lit. Jack took a seat on the step beside him; his own cousin. It should have been surreal but instead it was almost natural. They would sit this way, side by side by the river as kids while fishing. The cigarette helped Jack's anger but it still didn't answer his questions.

''Come on, talk.''

Phillip sighed, crossing his feet at his ankles. ''They wanted a guy-''

''Who did?''

''The old one; Nathan.'' Phillip told him. ''His son's crazy fiancée had run off with some pauper this side of town and she had taken the baby which she should have given up for adoption.'' He took a long drag from the cig. ''Hockley was clear of what he wanted. This guy dead or hurt bad and no trace of anything. I was the guy for it.''

Jack exhaled as he laughed. ''You? Phil, how do you get involved with this?''

He shrugged. ''Three years I have worked for the service and they pay me well.''

Jack sat up straight. ''How much did Hockley pay you?''

Phillip stayed silent for a moment as he finished the last of his cigarette. ''Come on-''

Jack kept his face straight. ''How much?''

''Can a man not keep business for himself, just a little bit?''

Jack stood from the stairs. His anger returning full pelt. ''You come here to ''kill me'', to take my wife away from me and drag my infant daughter to a foster home and you can't even look at me to tell me just how much that bastard paid you?''

There was something different about Jack Dawson. Phillip noticed right away. He was man, yes. But there was something beneath everything which spoke to him. Perhaps, he was a family man now? A man who was willing to live and die for the people who he loved.

''Half a million.'' The words slipped from his lips before he could even stop them. A second later, he didn't have time to dodge Jack's fist as it came down onto his nose. The truth was he hadn't expected such a hit. He fell backwards against the stairs with such a force he thought he had imagined it all but then a curling pain came from his nose and blood poured...down his new suit, onto the carpet...

''Shit!''

Jack's fists came up again. Phillip wanted to let go of his nose but the pain was too much. He felt the anger inserted into that one hit. He was used to such punches but he had been caught so off guard that it had shocked him.

''You come looking for me? For my family; for my daughter!''

''I didn't know it was you, Jack! For God's sakes, I never knew.''

Jack didn't waver. ''Maybe not, but you knew this guy had a family. What if it wasn't me, huh? That's just a stroke of luck. Would the guy be laid out in his own blood by now? A child without a father? You remember what it's like to lose a Mother young...''

The rage which exploded in Phillip's stomach was ignited like he had never felt it before. He raised his fists, digging his nails into his palms so that it was painful. His eyes couldn't focus and blood kept pouring down his nose. He felt dizzy. He wanted to hit him, to make sure his own cousin couldn't stand, not for Hockley but for himself but he knew, that he never could.

''You're a criminal, a crook and I have never known anyone as low as you, not even Hockley...''

The words were laced with hate. Phillip felt every one of them and just when he was about to argue back, he knew in his heart just how right Jack was. His energy levels dipped and his fists loosened before un-balling and dropping to his side. He sagged backwards onto the stairs. A smirk crossed his face.

''What is funny?''

Phillip shook his head. ''You know, this job, it was going to buy me out of this life. I was going to go back to school and get an education. He gave me the godamned money before I even came here, I could have skipped out but I thought no, I will do it right and see this out as the last job I do, I will make it the one to remember.''

Jack listened as he shook his head. ''What a big man-''

''I was stupid when I got involved with the service. I needed stability and people around me that would keep me in check.''

''Then you should have joined the army.''

Phillip laughed. ''That was the original plan.'' He shook his head. ''You know, you were a smart kid, both you and Daniel, God rest his soul.''

Jack flinched at the mention of his brother.

''Everybody thought you would never leave that town. That you would marry a girl and tend sheep the rest of your life. But, then you went, like no one predicted. You drew those pictures, people took notice of you, Jack.'' Phillip felt a sharp pain across his head, his face and into his nose. ''Then, you have a kid and cause this whole mess. Who thought, right?''

Jack didn't know whether to take pity on his cousin. Was he somebody who had got mixed up with the wrong crowd? Someone who needed the love of a family when he had nobody in the world but still he had made decisions based on his own poor judgement. He was a man in his mid-twenties. He knew better.

''Phil, I never intended on this being my life.''

''Nor this mine.''

As silence fell over them, they both realised just how far apart they had become when they had once been so close and alike. Wasn't life funny that way?

''Hockley knows where you are. If I don't return soon then he will come here after you himself.''

Jack nodded, he knew this. Of course, he did. But he wasn't stupid. He and Rose would take Elizabeth and be gone by then but then there was always JJ and Molly left here. He placed his head in his hands, cursing himself for ever bringing them into this mess but he had needed help and at the moment, she had been the only one who could have offered him any of this.

''I won't tell him anything.''

Jack raised his eyes to meet Phil's. He hadn't noticed before just how red and strained they were. ''What?''

''I'm done. I got my money. I don't need to do this. I don't need to tell Hockley about us.''

''So, what now?''

Phil shrugged. ''Pack up and head out to the next place, right?''

''Right.''

Phil stood from the stairs. He stretched out his body and straightened out his suit as though it wasn't covered in blood. ''You got a telephone in here?''

''In there.'' Jack pointed to the parlour.

''Can I make a quick call?''

''Sure.''

As Phillip went into the parlour, Jack watched him go. He seemed to limp. Running his fingers through his hair, he wrapped his arms around his body. He heard a creak at the top of the stairs and he glanced up to see Rose, stood in her nightgown, tears were evident in her scared eyes.

''Oh, Rose.''

Quickly he ran up the stairs, just as she started down them. They collided together half way, their bodies slammed against the others and he held her, feeling her body wracked with combination of sobs and fear.

''It's all right.'' He whispered into her hair and she fell against him as he held her tighter. ''He won't hurt us.''

He felt her nod against his chest.

''I heard.''

He pulled away, scanning her face. ''You did? How much?''

''All of it. I stood up here out of the way but I could still see you, I heard it all...''

Jack pressed his lips together as he pulled her back into his embrace. ''I telephoned Molly to come and fetch help. I won't get Phillip arrested, I can't do that.''

In his eyes, she found the trust which she had always admired. ''I know that. I wouldn't expect it of you.''

''But, tomorrow we have to leave.''

''Yes.''

Jack kissed her face. Together, they heard footsteps coming to the stairs and both turned to see Phillip at the bottom. His nose had stopped bleeding and his body was covered in blood.

''Well, that's that.''

Jack narrowed his eyes.

''I told him.'' Phillip glanced between Jack and the woman who he assumed to be Rose. ''I told him that the job is done.''

Thank you for the reviews! This is coming to a close now! Only two chapters left! I am sad but feel I have done all that I can with it.