Arriving outside of some ritzy complex in a nicer part of the city than he hailed from, Dave Lizewski glanced down at the back of his hand once more, just to be sure that he was at the right place. According to what his hand told him, he was, but he still couldn't shake the feeling of disbelief. He just didn't see Emily to be the kind of girl that would live in an area like this, based on the one conversation that they had. Standing just outside of the front door, waiting for him with her arms crossed over a gigantic sweater, was the young woman that had called. Seeing Dave getting out of the taxi, Emily looked a little less upset, but only marginally.

"You made it." She nodded towards the building as she led him inside. "I'm sorry to make you come down here on such short notice." Still in his stupor, he just kind of nodded at her, following her passed the various building staff. Stepping into the elevator, she pressed the top floor. "I hope you weren't busy."

Finally getting his bearings, about half-way to their destination, Dave shook his head. "It's not that short notice. If anything, its overdue."

Tilting her head, she just kind of looked at him, wondering if that was his attempt at trying to be funny, because if it was, she was far from amused. "...Right." This was probably one of the most awkward elevator rides in history. Thankfully, it wasn't that much longer before they were inside of the apartment. "This is me."

You know the saying about hindsight being a bitch? Yeah, they were very quick to become personally acquainted with that expression. Walking straight in, almost immediately, one of the first things you see upon entering the apartment is a rather large portrait of Chris that Emily painted. And right next to that were two smaller paintings, one of the both of them, and another of them together with his family, Javier, and a reflection in a mirror that looked suspiciously like her own father and mother. She was so freaked-out by her predicament, she hadn't even considered removing any obvious evidence of who her boyfriend was.

Frozen in the doorway, all Dave could do was stare between the pictures, pointing at them. "Is this...?!" Realizing her fatal error, the young woman could only close her eyes, a look of 'oh, shit' on her face, as there was no mistaking the tone in his voice. "Are you dating Chris Genovese?!"

Game over. No matter how good a guy Dave possibly could be, there was just no way that he would help the girlfriend of the guy that had tried to destroy Times Square. No fucking way. Dave had no idea what baffled him the most - the fact that Chris Genovese could have a girlfriend in the first place, or the fact she was was going to have his little monster and he didn't even know about it! Processing this new information, he was at odds internally; should he do the right thing and help this poor girl, or because of her connection to Chris, should he assume the worst of her and just turn his back now?

Dropping her head, Emily turned her back to Dave, looking at the picture of her family. "I wouldn't blame you for leaving. After all, why should you help me? I've known who Chris was ever since we started dating, long before he donned any mask, and I never did a thing to stop him. In many ways, I'm probably worse than he is, because I know that what we were doing is wrong, and even though I've objected, I never stopped him. He's killed so many people, hurt them and those close to them, and I just watched from afar. Truth be told, I should be in prison too. In fact, were it not for you talking me down that day, I probably would be." Sighing, she looked upon the faces of the dead. "You know, when we first became villains, I thought that there was a reason behind it, that it was to avenge our fathers, but looking back, I don't think it had much to do with them at all."

Spinning on her heel, Emily looked at Dave, her eyes downcast and full of such sadness - it was exactly how he had looked when he lost his father. He couldn't leave her, not like this. "You're a villain too?" Her head gave a meek bob. "Why are you telling me this?"

Tearing up, Emily shook her head, "I don't know. Maybe I'm just sick of having to carry all these secrets on my shoulders, or maybe I want to be forgiven. I don't know many people, Dave, and those that I do, not many of them are very nice. It's not fair to you, and I'm sorry, but sometimes you just need to let everything out, to vent to a stranger."

"Forgiveness?" He could have laughed, because even if he wasn't Kick-Ass, her boyfriend had done so much to hurt him, and from what she made it sound like, she was just as much to blame.

"...I never wanted this. Believe it or not, I was a decent person, and if I could ever learn to let all of this go, then maybe someday I could be that girl again."

Perhaps she was more of a victim than it would seem. Thinking about it, it would make sense that if she wasn't the first, she would be the most victimized. "Why do you stay with him?"

Even still, her answer was as natural as breathing, "I love him. Chis is a terrible human being, but I truly do love him."

"And what about...? He pointed at her stomach.

Grabbing herself, one hand cupped around the outside of her uterus, Emily shook her head, "When we first met, I was so willing to part with my baby, but now, I just can't imagine how it would have been so easy to get rid of. Everyday that the baby lives, the more I grow to care for it, but," Emily exhaled, running her fingers through her hair. "Well, you've seen Chris. Knowing him and every dark deed, how can I possibly keep it? If the child could somehow survive Chris, there is still the stigma that he'd have to live with. Or say I just ran away and left, chose someone else besides Chris for the first time in my life, I would have to raise her alone. I came from nothing, and I could support myself, but how can I support two? My family is all dead, and my best friend lives on the side of the country, not to mention that he's having a hard enough time on his own, so I couldn't add to that."

Try as she might to make a case to the contrary, Dave was fairly sure that she wasn't going to get rid of her child, but she was obviously still having a difficult time reaching that conclusion herself. But why shouldn't she? He just wished he knew what to say or do to help her, since he thought that his first answer wouldn't go over so well with the woman that had confirmed in so many words that she was an enemy. But what else could he possibly suggest to her?

"There are people that could help you get back on your feet," Just do it quick, like a band-aid. That's what he kept telling himself, but he knew better than to rush into this topic. "If they see that you really want to change."

Snorting, Emily knew exactly to whom he was referring. "What, grovel before those Justice Forever douchebags?" She didn't miss the look on his face. "Oh, come on! You know as well as I do that they wouldn't help me, not if they knew who I was..." It was redundant since he already knew exactly what the Mother Fucker had done, but she didn't know that, so he listed off a list of his offenses. "Chris murdered their leader and his dog, mutilated the remains, and destroyed their base, all while mocking them! He had one of the female members gang-raped and humiliated, just because he had it in his mind that she was fucking Kick-Ass, and..." Finally, it hit her who she was talking to, because he couldn't hide his natural reaction to every vile thing that Chris Genovese had done to him. "Oh, my God, you're him, aren't you? You're Kick-Ass!"

Shocker of all shockers - just when I had given up hope for another review, I got one from JessBerry23! Again, thanks! Just so there's no confusion, Emily has no idea what gender the baby is right now.

Kick-Ass is the property of Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. Emily Vela is mine. Knight, and all minors too.