Bouncing nervously against the balls of her feet as she sat in Walter's office while he briefed her and Rocco (and Rocco's bodyguards) on what had exactly happened and what the plan was from this point on, all Emily could think of was wrapping her arms around Chris, telling him that she would never let anyone hurt him. Of course that was the ultimate form of hypocrisy, but hearing what Angie had tried to do, it made her realize just much she truly did love Chris, and how lost she would be without him.

Rocco made note of the look on her face throughout the meeting, gathering that at least on some level, the girl did care about his nephew. He didn't really hold her lot in high regard personally, but Chrissy did, and aside from carrying on the future of the family, she had proved that she was somewhat worthwhile. Yet there was one thing he didn't like about her (more than the anatomy that didn't fall between her legs), and that was that her only two associates were male. Rather attractive males at that, and one of them wasn't into the same sex...

"Can I see him? I think seeing the baby might help calm him down." Emily looked from the door long enough to pay the lawyer an ounce of attention.

Murdock shook his head, "I don't-"

Glowing with a sudden fire, Emily's eyes burned through him, the hormones lending a near-demonic pitch to her voice as she repeated herself. "I think seeing the baby might help calm him down."

Glancing helplessly over at the don for his answer, Rocco figured it might help do the kid some good. "Have a heart and let the kid see his family."

Nodding meekly, Murdock sent her on her way (once she had rolled out of the chair that is). "Of course. You go check on young Christopher, make sure he's holding up."

Holding up? Was that ass-hat fucking kidding?! How could anyone be alright after their own mother pointed a gun at them with the intent to kill?! For fuck's sake! So bothered by that remark, Emily paused to consider turning back around and giving the lawyer a piece of her mind, but Chris had been alone for far too long now. Lucky for that leech...

[Meanwhile, across town...]

Swinging the full plastic bag over his head with some difficulty as his best friend, co-worker, and roommate held the lid open, Dave tossed out the trash in the dumpster. Since he was so busy with basically running Justice Forever, Kick-Ass didn't have many chores around the apartment, but the trash was still his territory. Kind of fitting though.

Grunting, there was no mistaking the pop and click of his shoulder as he released the waste. "Shoulder again?" Normally he didn't have help with this, but ever since dislocating his shoulder, Dave wasn't alone. No one knew the truth behind his injury, not even his closest friends, but the truth was that it was the aftermath of telling a pregnant woman that she should consider getting therapy (although something told the hero that even if she hadn't been pregnant at the time, she still would have acted unfavorably). "How'd that happen anyways?"

Dave just sort of shrugged and gave the same answer he always did, "I got it on patrol one night." Pussy patrol, maybe. But it wasn't as if he wanted to broadcast that, so he did the best he could to down-play it. "It should be all healed up in another week or two."

Skeptical of the nature of the injury in the first place (Dave had bailed on a number of things saying he was on patrol when in fact no one had seen him out prowling the streets for trouble on those occasions), the young hero had the distinct impression his best friend was talking about something else entirely...

[Back in the prison...]

Petrified that someone else would come into the room to finish his mother's work, Chris' eyes never once left the door, the additional security placed in his room full of fidgety fingers. He jumped visibly when Emily poked her head into the room, her face proceeded by a very round bundle protruding from baggy maternity wear. He almost smiled at the sight of her and the baby, but then what was to say that she too wasn't harboring some kind of sick, secret desire to kill him? If his own mother was capable of attempting to murder him, what was to keep Emily from it?

"Chris?" Whispering as if the sound of her voice might alert some kind of slumbering dragon guarding a mountain's worth of dwarfish treasure, she did her best to tip-toe to his side, her hands falling over one of his own. "Chris, I came as soon as I could, but Murdock insisted that your uncle Rocco and I talk to him first. Idiot."

Just hearing the defensiveness in her tone was enough to make him dismiss any thoughts he might have that she would ever want to hurt him. Besides his father and Javier, Emily had been the only other person that truly ever cared about him, and he felt terrible to suspect that she would ever turn on him. Emily would never do that, not to him. Besides the kid, they were all the other had now...

For as horrible as he had treated this girl, she had stood loyally by his side through it all. She was his rock. "You should have just had uncle Rocco take care of it - you know you shouldn't be stressing yourself out."

Part of her wanted to slap herself upside the head for ever doubting that Chris would be there for the baby. Chuckling weakly, Black Heart shook her head, a couple of tears lighting the corner of her eyes, "Bullshit I'd stand back and let anyone else take full responsibility for you. You know that I'll always be right there for you, no matter what. Yours is the only corner I'll ever back."

Standing there in that room, between seeing how shaken up Chris was and being so indescribably relieved to see that she didn't loose him today, she made a promise to herself - whatever it took she was going to end it with Dave once and for all. She loved Chris, and it never should have gotten this far...

Never again...

A reference to the Hobbit, my good friends. I know at least one of you out there might appreciate that. Hopefully more, but I don't judge for what you like or don't like. Not that I judge. But anyways, what will come of this promise? Can Emily keep it this time and end it for good? Or will something totally different happen? You'll just have to stay tuned to find out next time!

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