They were sitting in the car in the parking lot, both of them looking at the masses of people with dread.

"Do we have to?" Murtagh asked.

"Yes." Billy said, "Post ordering clothes never work."

"Okay…" Murtagh fell quiet. He didn't like shopping. "Can I ask something before we go?"

Billy glanced over at the boy, "Sure."

"Nick Hume…is he my other dad?"
Billy stiffened, "Yeah. He is."

"Okay…what did that woman – Walsh mean?"

Billy swallowed, "Me and Nick ended badly back then…we broke up"

"That's the short version, right?"

"You could say that. Earlier this year, January, my father forced some of the guys to take Joey out on an initiation. He killed this kid, Brendan. He was Nick's oldest son." Billy sniffed, "Nick flipped and took Joey down, but Walsh wont take him for it."

"Oh…so I have brothers – more than Jack then?"

"Yeah, Lucas. He's…. fourteen I think. We don't get along too well."

Murtagh didn't say anything for a while, "And his wife, she doesn't know, does she?"

"She knows a bit, not much tough."

Murtagh nodded numbly, "What happened? With you and Nick?" Murtagh could see the colour drain from his father's face.

"That's a story for another time." He said shortly, "C'mon. we got lots to do."

Billy felt remarkably out of place in the mall. He could feel people staring at him. Of course, some knew who he was and some didn't. Most probably just thought they were hot. No one could deny that Billy Darley was one sizzling piece of man-flash – and he knew it. It wasn't just his ego, he knew he looked good, but he usually wasn't an asshole about it. Apparently, it ran in the family because Murtagh was carrying himself just like his father, with a natural swagger, squared shoulders and his head held high. There was nothing that indicated that he had just been told his father had killed his uncle, or that is uncle killed his older brother.

But yeah, Billy felt out of place. He was a grown man. With tattoo's, piercings, biker boots and leather jacket. Not to mention that his car definitely stuck out like a sore thumb amongst all the Honda's and Toyota's in the parking lot. Though, he really had no wish to fit in, in a place where boys wore pink – a lot of it – and girls behaved like six year olds, and dressed up like those Bratz dolls Heco's niece loved to much. Billy shuddered. He didn't really have much to worry about though. Between him and Nick, there was no reason whatsoever for that Murtagh would come home wearing pink and baby-blue – or worse; white! If the kid was gay, fine. It was none of his business who he decided to fuck – or get fucked by, but Billy drew the line at pink. A thick red line. Not gonna happen.

He took off his sunglasses and hooked them in his collar. "So where you want to go first?"

Murtagh shrugged, "I don't know. Haven't been here before."

"Makes two of us," Billy murmured and looked around, automatically seeking out cameras, guards and exits.

Murtagh looked at him oddly, "You've lived here god knows how long –"

"Ten years."

"-and you've never been to the mall?"

"I don't like the mall. It's like a cut-out of teen movie."

Murtagh laughed loudly, "I know what you mean. Step into pastel-hell in leather and chains."

"Carlings!" Billy exclaimed, "They should have something remotely decent, "FCUK as well."

"What about Gant?"

"College professors and bankers."

"Urgh!"

"Uh hu." Billy agreed as they walked into Carlings. Billy liked what he saw. It wasn't quite up his street anymore, but looking at Murtagh's face as the expressive green eyes took in the masses of rock-star clothing. Fifteen years prior, he had been ripped for wearing clothes like that. Billy shook his head, and chuckled. "Run rampant boy. You got a big wardrobe to fill up." He said and shooed the teenager further into the shop.

Immediately Billy was attacked by a shop assistant. In that second he decided that he didn't like that shop. The music was so loud he could not hear himself think, usually that would be a good thing, but not right at that moment. "Hello there," the girl made bambi eyes at him, "How can I service you?" She purred.

Okay, so Billy didn't look his thirty-plus, but being hit on by a fifteen year old was ridiculous!

"Red or green?" Murtagh called from the other side of the shop.

"Red!" the girl called back.

"Green!" Billy called.

"The red one is a nicer sweater."

"And it clashes with your eyes! The green has a better cut too – get a smaller size. It looks like a tent!"

"It looks nice!" the girl protested.

"If you don't shut up, we'll leave." Billy growled.

"I'm sorry!" a young man came to the rescue and stepped between the two of them. It was almost as if he sensed the older mans temper rising along with the temperature in the shop. "She's new. Doesn't know when to shut up. How can I help you?"

Shit, the kid talked fast! He looked to be around eighteen or nineteen. He was dressed in worn jeans and a simple printed tee, studded belt and sneakers. Good looking too, Billy noticed. "Kid needs a new wardrobe – complete one."

"Ah, yes. Any price limits?"

Billy studied the boy thoroughly, watching as the blush rose to his cheeks before he handed him his card. The boy took it and flipped it over. With an audible swallow he nodded, "Do you want some coffee while waiting, Mr. Darley?"

"No."

"Okay. My name is Lindsey, just call if you want something."

Billy smirked lazily, "Sure will – tell him I'll be back in an hour."

Lindsey just nodded and started to make his way through the shop with a fierce blush on his face.

"Hey, I'm Lindsey. Mr. Darley, assigned me to help you pick out everything you need –"

"Where did he go?" Murtagh asked.

"I don't know. He said he'd be back in an hour.

"Oh, okay." Murtagh said, slightly disappointed.

"Don't mope. We'll need that hour without big-brother looming over your shoulder," Lindsey said, trying to cheer the younger boy up.

"He's my dad…I suppose you're right though. And I do need help. I've never done this before…" he sighed and stared at the masses of clothes in despair.

"He's never taken you shopping before?" Lindsey gasped.

"I usually went with my mom." No point in mentioning that she was his adoptive mother "I'd just kick my feet up while she dressed me in whatever she wanted me to wear. No use trying to make suggestions…"

"Ah. She's that kind of mom. Urgh. Mine is like that too." He said while he picked up some tee-shirts and jackets. "Luckily my dad gives me free reigns. Your like that too?"

"Not really. He's pretty cool, but he's got rules too. I think so anyway…"

"What? You don't know?" Lindsey laughed.

Murtagh huffed, "I only met him yesterday!"

"Really? How come?"

"Long story."

"Ah – try these on" he said and dumped a bunch of stuff in Murtagh's arms, "We're going for the dark rocker style. You seem to be the type."

"O-key." Murtagh replied and staggered into the changing rooms.