Out on the street with an arm full of random clothes and a baby in her belly, Emily had no idea where to turn. The first person she would have turned to was the one that had kicked her out in the first place, and Knight was off in California still, so she couldn't even crash with a friend. With no other prospects that came to mind, that left only one place for her to turn - Dave. Shaking her head, realizing that her wallet and keys and everything were still up in the apartment, she started the long trek down the road...

[At the Justice Forever HQ...]

Wincing at how boring this day was going and half considering just going back home for the day, Dave sternly reminded himself that it was a good thing not having anything to do. Still though, he wouldn't have minded switching out with one of the other guys so he could at least stretch his legs. Just about to get another cold cola from the small refrigerator Mindy assured him was never used to house forcibly donated organs (hopefully she was only joking to make him queasy), he stopped and listened as someone knocked on the door outside. Checking out the perimeter monitors, there was no mistaking the panicking sense of urgency in the unexpected guest.

Rushing to the door - grabbing his batons just in case it was a ploy - Kick-Ass opened the side entrance. He couldn't fucking believe his eyes, even though he could clearly see her face on the security feed. "Emily, what the hell are you doing here?!"

Of course it was him that answered the door, out of all the buffoons... No, she was going to them for help, so she had to make an effort to be nice. "I... I need help." It wasn't going to be easy to ask of them, but having to grovel before Dave was next to torture. And not the sexy kind either. "Chris kicked me out this morning, and I don't have anywhere else to go... Please help me?"

It took all her strength to stand there and ask for help, and were it not for her little baby, she probably would have just camped out somewhere in the city that was in neutral territory, if there was still such a thing. Dave knew that about her, and how much she scoffed at his friends for what they did, but he was more focused on the fact that this was the first time they had spoken in what seemed ages. "Emily..." Trembling, she was still that frightened girl he first met outside that clinic. He couldn't turn her away, even though part of him knew that he should.

She could almost read his mind by the way that he was looking at her, mask be damned. "I know I shouldn't be here after what happened between us, but I really don't want to risk the baby's health if I can help it. God knows how fucked the poor kid is without having to worry about being born next to a junkie and hobo duking it out for a pack of smokes." Emily couldn't deny that she had probably already damaged the child beyond repair, but that didn't mean that she wasn't sweating any further error. "It might not seem like it at this stage, but my baby's health is more important than anything else. In fact, I think that's the only reason I was able to make it out the front door... Say what you want about Chris, but he really does care about our baby."

It took a lot of effort on his part to keep this professional and not say something that would make her cry, or worse, try to hit him. "I'm sure he does, in his own way. Well, you came to the right place." Seriously, it was in the creedo that he had to help her, and more importantly her child, but that didn't make it any less difficult. "What happened?"

"He found out about us - not anything about you, or your little operation -" This wasn't exactly her first visit to HQ. "But I told him that I cheated."

In a very similar place on this matter, he understood how hard it must have been for her to live with it day out, and knowing how much she really cared about Chris, a part of him had been expecting this conversation sooner or later. He just hoped that Mindy was in a forgiving mood when he came clean with her. "So I take it you need a place to stay until you can get back on your feet." At least Emily would have made good on her debt and paid her due, unlike that last asshole The Juicer. "Hows a hundred for rent sound?"

Between making the mistake of not charging previously and aware that she could pay (although perhaps not upfront or even on a regular basis), Dave figured that that was more than generous, between rent anywhere in the city and having to start preparing for a family. If things didn't work with Chris and she had to pay her own way, Emily could always sell some paintings, or however artists got their money. Worse case scenario, she could just get an ordinary job. Either way, she was good for her word, and it wasn't like he could just turn her away to some shelter, since she was technically a super-villain with intimate knowledge that theoretically could have brought everyone down... Although, something told him that she wouldn't.

Daring to believe he was saying what she thought he was saying, Emily looked around, wondering how quiet and away from the dweebs she could stay. If that was even what he was saying. After everything between them, she wouldn't blame Dave for turning her away to the nearest shelter he could find. However, if not for their history, she doubted that his conscious would allow him to pawn her off like that.

Equally aware of the standstill and her general feelings for Justice Forever, it was quickly apparent that she couldn't stay there in the same capacity as The Juicer, and anyways, it just would have been grossly respectful to Mindy to let Emily stay. But if he couldn't turn her away in good conscious or keep her here, then where? The only other place Dave could think of to put her would be his apartment; explaining something - anything - to Todd would be hard enough, but if it was discovered that he was secretly subletting, he could get all three kicked out on the street... Huh, deal with a myriad of headaches, or, do something illegal... Tell one person of Emily's problem (probably leaving out a number of details), or an entire team... Daily arguments and guilt trips (predicting the possibility that the truth came out during female bonding or something), or inversely risk deepening the wound that got them here in the first place...? It was moments like these - moments of struggle and choice - that made him appreciate and relate to Spider-Man all the more...

Making up his mind, very aware that the risk of relapse was real, Dave took a serious look at the young woman opposite in him, taking a hard look at the bulging bump in her shirt. "Can you wait for me in my room?" If this stay ended up being long, it was next to impossible that temptation wouldn't strike, yet therein laid their greatest hope - if they did slip up, all it would take would be one look around to remind them of the consequences they were already facing. Also, even so much as kissing would only increase the guilt already gnawing at their insides.

Understanding exactly what this meant, Emily was shocked by Dave's decision. "But Dave-"

Slipping the key he kept inside his suit into her hand, he silenced her. Aside from helping out a woman in need, the way he saw it, the whole running around in costume wasn't strictly legal these days, and anyways, they could find a way to fake out any dangerous suspicion. "Take my key. I should be back around six, but Todd should be back before that, around four or five, so sit tight."

Apparently it was better to spit in irony's face than the match's. "I can do that." Guessing at the lengths Dave was going to to help her, Emily gripped the key tight, pulling him into a bear hug. It was overstepping so many lines, but the way she saw it, most boundaries between them had long since eroded. "Thank you, Dave. Not everyone would help given the history between us, especially since I'm kinda in love with your worst enemy. If nothing else, that makes you a big man." Or incredibly stupid.

Yes, because Chris isn't a dweeb at all. Chris...

Well, anyways, the penultimate issue really rocked me, causing an even more pronounced delay in things, but hopefully I can pull it together long enough to finish this fic... Then I read the end. Still not sure how quick any of the rest will be, but I have an idea... Anyways, after the ordeal with The Juicer, I doubt that Dave would be so willing to take anyone in again.

The end is near!

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