4

Spades Slick didn't return to his apartment for quite some time, leaving Snowman to wonder if he'd gone off and done something foolish in a fit of rage. That would be so much like him too, what with that volcanic temper of his and his extremely reckless behavior. It was likely he'd stormed to the Felt's mansion and decided to fight Lord English.

Snowman sure hoped not then asked herself why she'd allowed herself to hope such a thing. If he did something dumb it would be his own... no it wouldn't be his fault, it would be hers. Her's for telling him about the incident, for coming there in the first place. Much as she hated him she didn't want him to die that way.

Why would he kill Lord English for doing what he did anyway? She'd been expecting him to tell her she deserved it with a mocking sneer on his face. Not mocking her was so unexpected she'd been surprised. His reaction made her feel strange.

Maybe he actually cared about what happened to her, though she couldn't figure out why. Their hatred was mutual after all, yet that hadn't stopped her from coming to his apartment after she'd been violated so severely. Maybe he was just jealous because he hadn't gotten to do it himself.

That sounded more like him.

Snowman picked up a pillow off the bed and hugged it to herself as she rested her head on her knees. She was beginning to regret telling him what had happened. Maybe it would have been better going to Diamonds Droog or even Hearts Boxcars, but neither had entered her mind after it had happened. Only Slick.

Whenever something horrible happened he always was the first to jump to her mind. Yet now she knew it was a mistake. Why was she so stupid about this sort of thing? Even back on Derse she'd go to him over coming to her own husband, though her husband cared a great deal about her, loved her...

Nothing I can do now, she told herself, realizing how much she missed her husband as well as wanting to leave the apartment before Slick came back. I'm too beaten to move and I don't have the energy to teleport myself. I wish I could though... she lifted her head, looking over toward the door. She wondered when or if Slick would be back.

I hope so...

But she didn't know when he would come back, it could be awhile, or if she really did want him to come back. But she knew if he didn't come back things would only get worse for her. It would be better if he did. She didn't know what to do while she waited, except maybe lie down and get some sleep.

Snowman turned and set the pillow back onto the mattress before she lay back down and closed her eyes. Hopefully when she woke up he would be back.

000

Slick returned to his apartment hours later, feeling no better than when he left. Snowman was still sleeping when he arrived so he didn't go into the bedroom to bother her. Instead he entered the kitchen unit and started to clean out the fridge just for something to get his mind off the problem. He didn't want to but, if it prolonged his confrontation with the woman, it was better than nothing.

He took out the fuzzy green foods and chucked them unceremoniously into the trash can. There was a lot in there that had gone bad and it smelled too. He scrunched up his face as he threw the junk away, wondering how he'd managed to let it get this bad. Before too long he was finished and the fridge was empty but clean. His garbage can was full and overflowing though. He glared at it, making a disgusted face. He didn't want to lug that thing down the stairs especially after he'd spent hours cleaning it out and alternatively he chucked it out the window.

There, all taken care of. Now that he was done he got up and went back to the sofa to finish reading his dog magazine... or he would have if he didn't turn around and seen Snowman in the doorway of the bedroom, leaning heavily against the frame. The sight of her made him jump ten feet.

"Did I interrupt something?" she asked him, smirking, amused at his reaction.

"No," he shot back, suddenly feeling defensive.

"Then why did you jump the way you did?"

"Because I didn't expect to see your stupid face staring at me from the doorway!" he snapped.

Snowman frowned at him, not liking the insult. Time to change the subject before things got violent. "I never expected you to be the type to do housework." she said in a somewhat teasing tone.

"What?"

The tall, black female pointed. "I saw you cleaning out the fridge." she smiled slightly. "Interesting. I would have thought someone like you had a maid to do the house work so you'd have someone to boss around."

"What? Like you?" he asked with a sneer.

It was starting up again. "Slick, let's not get into this," she said, tiredly, instantly deflating the tension. "Especially not now."

"You're the one who brought it up," he reminded her.

"And it was a dumb idea." she turned her eyes away and rubbed her arm, wincing.

He noticed and frowned. "What are you doing out of bed anyway?" he demanded, folding his arms.

"I didn't want it lay down anymore," she explained.

"Well, you're going to," he stormed over to her, reaching out to grab her arm though she tried to flinch away from his hand. "You're in no condition to be walking around, you dumb woman." He gripped it and yanked her back inside. "Now, be a good wench, lay down and don't get off your fat rear end again!"

Snowman didn't bother fighting him and just allowed herself to be put back on the bed, slightly surprised by his attitude. She stared up at him, wondering what the reason for his reaction was. Was he really worried about her condition?

He frowned down at her. "What's that look for?"

"You seemed very concerned about me just now," she said, unconsciously scooting away from him, as if she expected him to start swinging at her. "Since you told me I shouldn't be walking around in the shape I'm in and all."

He frowned, turning away from her. Obviously he hadn't noticed her shaking or simply didn't care. "Don't be stupid. I only told you to lie down so you wouldn't walk around and whine about how much pain you're in."

"Somehow I don't believe that."

"What makes you think that?" he demanded, looking over his shoulder.

She shrugged. "Just the way you said it."

Slick looked ready to ask her to elaborate on that statement but changed his mind. "Just don't get out of that bed again," he ordered before turning his head away and marching out of the room. "We don't need those wounds to get worse because you think you're not as wounded as you really are."

"I'm aware how damaged my body is, Slick..."

As he stepped out he could feel her eyes on his back and it only served to irritate him further. Why did she have to go and say something like that? So what if he didn't want her walking around? How was that such a big deal? It wasn't like he told her to do that because he cared.

"If she does she must have taken more blows to the head than I thought." he muttered to himself.

Slick sat down on the sofa and picked up his magazine. Yeah that had to be it. She was losing her mind from too many hits in the head when that guy decided to turn her into a punching bag.

"Another thing I'll make him pay for," he grumbled, opening up to his place.

Sitting back he started to read the magazine but his mind couldn't stay focused on the story. He kept thinking about what she'd told him earlier. This was making him feel dumb for just sitting there and reading, he should be doing something!

But what could he be doing? Go after Lord English? He wanted to but his desire was quelled by the realization that doing so would not make anything better and Lord English probably wanted that anyway; expected it even. Then again Lord English seemed to know everything so it was likely he knew Snowman was at mob boss's apartment and could come and get her any time he wanted.

Not without a fight, he won't!

Slick let dropped the magazine on the floor and got up, walking over to a small closet and yanking it open. If Lord English was going to show his ugly green face he'd be ready for him!

Slick looked at the contents in the closet. Inside was his collection of knives. He stepped inside and began to rummage through the blades, trying to decide which one would be the best to use against an angry, time traveling, skull monster.

He picked up a small knife he could hide easily in his coat. "Hmmm..." he stared at it for a moment then threw it behind himself, deciding it wasn't the right kind of blade for the task.

He took out another knife and looked at it for a long time before discarding it as well. It was too long and would be seen too easily. After awhile his living room floor was littered with knives and he still hadn't found the right one. Sighing, he tossed the last blade over his shoulder and punched the wall with frustration.

That only served to hurt his hand and he stepped back, rubbing it. Stupid knives, stupid wall, stupid Snowman and her stupid skull monster of a pimp! He kicked the wall and cursed again, grabbing his foot at the pain and cursing a blue streak.

In the bedroom Snowman could hear him screaming and wondered what had gotten him so riled up, though she figured, since it was him, it wasn't anything serious. She rolled over and shut her eyes, trying to ignore him.

Once Spades' foot felt better he limped over to the sofa and sat down once more, sighing and eyeing the mess of knives littering his floor. He was going to have to clean that up sometime soon but at the moment he didn't feel like it, he'd done enough cleaning out the fridge. He could just let them lay there for awhile longer. It wasn't like he'd be using the floor for anything important in the next few hours anyway.

So what should he do in the meantime?

Slick looked back toward his bedroom where Snowman was resting. She was laying there, buised and bloody... staining his sheets with her blasted blue blood.

And you're just now realizing that? a voice in his head mocked. She'd been staining your sheets for the past twenty four hours.

Well he couldn't have that. Blue blood would never get out and if people saw it when he went to the laundromat they'd ask questions. Then again they always gave him weird looks anyway when he went to wash his normal red, blood stained clothing. They should know by now not to bother, it was a normal thing for him.

Well who cared what they thought? It wasn't their business anyway!

Slick got up off the sofa and went into the bathroom where he yanked open the medicine cabinet and stared intently at the contents. He managed to find the things he wanted then turned away and grabbed a towel before returning to his bedroom and tossing the items to the woman who sat up instantly when he entered the room.

"If you're going to be staying here you might as well do something about all those wounds," he told her coldly, "Now do so and try not to get anymore of your blood on my sheets!"

She picked up the items and stared at them without a word as Slick turned and started to leave the room. Just as he did his cell phone rang and he took it out of his pocket to answer it.

"What?" he rudely snapped into the phone.

"... I'm going to assume by that extremely discordial response that Snowman is still shacking up at your apartment," a stoic voice responded on the other end.

Diamonds Droog. "What!?"

"Need I repeat myself, Slick?" the tall Dersite asked.

"Don't bother," he grumbled, sitting down on the sofa. "What do you want anyway?"

"You wanted me to come over earlier, did you not?"

"You said you weren't interested in helping me with this," he reminded him. "and why would I want you to come by now after you blew me off?"

"Because I might be able to help you out."

"How so?" he demanded. "It's Snowman. It's not like she's going to stab me in the back. Sure she hates me but you know she wouldn't do that due to that stupid quadrant garbage."

"So what's your excuse?"

"Excuse me?"

"You have her there, so why don't you kill her?"

"You know darn well why I can't kill her!" the mob boss snapped, irritably. "Why would you ask such a dumb question?!"

Droog was silent for a long moment and Slick was tempted to hang up on him. He hated when his cohort did this. Finally he asked. "Do you want me to come over or not?"

Slick shouted into the phone. "Do whatever the heck you want!"

"...I will be there in a half hour."

He hung up.