A/N - Okay I know I said I wouldn't introduce OC's, but I meant old ones. I will intro new ones. Tempest is owned by LvSingWrite. I wrote this the day before St. Patrick's Day (my favorite holiday) to much Irish music! -A/N
When I told Declan I had decided to take him up on his offer, his smile nearly split his face. I hastened to tell him that we were friends and that's how it was going to stay, but he just shrugged, still grinning, his blue eyes flashing wickedly. He told me he would find a place, and he did. Back in the Points in the same building I had fled to when Spot and I had fought a few years ago when I had first met him and he had kicked me out of Brooklyn for the first time. How appropriate.
"Rooster Alley? Really Declan?"
"They've cleaned up the area lass, and besides my contacts with the IRA are nearby. Old Maggie remembered me and you, and gave us a deal on a set of rooms."
I sighed, and packed up my few belongings and moved in with him. There was a bedroom, and just off of that a small room with a table and a place to cook. The bathroom was tiny but it was private and that's what I wanted. I was mostly concerned about the sleeping situation.
Our first night there, we ate sandwiches and talked our eyes shifting to the bedroom then back awkwardly. When it was time for bed, Declan stood up from the table and stretched, yawning.
"I'm not sleeping on the floor, Lily. You're going to have to share the bed with me." I blinked up at him and frowned. This wasn't working out the way I wanted it to, not at all. We went into the bedroom, and I changed into my nightgown in the small bathroom while Declan stripped to his undergarments in the bedroom and got into the narrow bed.
When I came out, I was so anxious I felt like throwing up. Declan must have seen the look on my face even though the room was lit with only a candle and he held out his arms and beckoned me to him.
I hesitated, but he gave me a stern look and said my name forcefully. I warily went to him and let him pull me into the bed. Wrapping his arms around me, he lay down so that I was flush against him, with my head on his bare chest.
"Just go to sleep Lily. That's all we're going to do in this bed...Unless you change your mind that is." I tensed, and Declan laughed mirthlessly and I felt him sigh then shake his head.
"I am such a fool," he said softly as his hands stroked through my hair. The gentle touch put me to sleep in no time and when I woke up I was alone in the bed and the room was awash with sunlight from the small window next to the bed.
I got up and dressed in the same pants and shirt I had worn the day before, knowing I needed to laundry. Resolving to do it later, I went out into the other room and found a note from Declan, telling me that he would be home later that afternoon. He had left me an apple for breakfast. I ate it hungrily and patted my stomach. I was still hungry.
Going out into the alley, I scuttled alongside the buildings and managed to keep a low profile until I got out of the Points. I was still wary of that place.
Hitting Manhattan, I stopped by the lodging house and found Blink flirting shamelessly with a girl who was giving him stitches on a nasty looking cut he had on his arm. Blink grinned at me and introduced me to the girl, who had shoulder length, wavy, dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. The girl pulled her pouty lips into a smile and held out a hand.
"Hi, I'm Tempest." I shook her hand, and grinned at her. She had a good, solid handshake. She was muscled, but with a curvy hourglass figure. Sitting down near them, I listened to the pair banter back and forth and laughed for the better part of an hour at their antics. Tempest was witty and sarcastic, but had a sweet side that she showed by kissing Blink's arm when she was done sewing it up.
"There all better you idiot," she pronounced once she was done. Blink smiled and winked at her before getting up and going upstairs. Tempest began cleaning up after herself and I watched silently.
"So what's your story?" I started and looked over at Tempest. She was watching me with a frank look on her face. I blushed and stammered a little bit but Tempest drew it out of me eventually. She frowned at the end and picked at the cuff of her sleeve before telling me that Spot was a moron and needed a punch in the face. I laughed because she reminded me of Emotions. She was just as tough and outgoing.
Standing up, I thanked her for the talk and she told me anytime then disappeared into the lodging house. I sighed and crossing my arms, began the walk back to Rooster Alley so I could start the laundry.
I was outside, the sunlight that managed to get down in-between the buildings shining down on my head as I scrubbed shirts on a washboard in a wooden tub when the man found me.
"Well don't you look busy. Here I thought I'd find you flat on your back for one of the Irishmen." Confused I squinted up into the sunlight and into the dark brown eyes of a well dressed man who wore his black hair slicked back. He had a sharp, condescending smile on his lean face that I didn't like. Nor did I like his tone.
"Excuse me? Do I know you?"
"No but you do now. My name is Nicky. Nicky Paternelli. I believe you've heard of me." I realized quickly that this was the man who had been outside the girl's lodging house in Manhattan that cold night watching me when I walked home from Medda's. Standing up fast, I took two steps backwards and Nicky smiled coldly.
"Don't even bother to run, I'll catch you. You don't want to make me angry. I'm not happy enough as it is with your little boyfriend Conlon, or that other damn Irishman that you're living with now. You do manage to get around don't you?"
"What do you want?" I was stiff with fear, my lips barely moving as I spoke. Nicky had made no move towards me, but his eyes were amused at my discomfort. There was silence all around us in the alley, the scent of trouble having reached the residents who had scrambled and disappeared like cockroaches being exposed to the light.
"Do you know why they call me 'the Knife'?" Nicky pulled a switchblade out of his pocket and flicked it open while he smiled at me. I shook my head, trembling slightly as he pointed it at my belly.
"Because I like to cut things. Tell your boyfriend that he can't hide you from me in this city and he better have those guns back or that money to me in three months or you are going to learn firsthand why they call me Nicky 'the Knife' Paternelli." Nicky winked at me and then spat at my feet as he turned and walked away.
I collapsed onto the ground, shaking once he was out of sight. I drew in deep, shuddering breaths as I curled up around my belly, my arms drawing in tight around it. Nobody was going to hurt my baby, nobody.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Old Maggie, the owner of the building I now lived in standing over me, her wrinkled face concerned. She helped me with the rest of my laundry and got me inside and into bed, with a wet cloth over my forehead. That's how Declan found me when he came home. I heard him talking in the other room with Maggie, and I rolled over, the cloth falling off my forehead onto the floor with splat. Curling up into a ball, I winced as the door slammed open and Declan rushed in.
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph, are you alright lass? He didn't harm ye?" I shook my head and was mortified to find tears burning in my eyes. Declan sat on the bed and pulled me into his arms and I began to cry, holding onto my belly.
"He threatened my baby Declan...He threatened to cut my baby," I sobbed into his shoulder as Declan made shushing sounds and stroked my hair. I leaned back and looked at Declan who had a desperate look on his face.
"I've been working with some of the IRA lads, we've been trying to figure out what happened to the money and guns, but so far all we can come up with is that a man named James Rafferty was the money man and he's disappeared onto a ship back to Ireland. The guns have already shipped to Ireland weeks ago. They were packed and sent as soon as we got them."
"But why is he blaming SPOT? You're the ones who didn't give him the money!" Declan shrugged and raised his hands into the air listlessly.
"Spot vouched for us and set up the deal. Spot made a guarantee that fell short. So in Nicky's mind it's his fault and he needs to pay up or get punished. Unfortunately he knows about you and the wee one. Now he's making threats in the open and we need to take them seriously. You and are going to be joined at the hip from now on. You are not to be alone anymore."
I listened to Declan's proclamation with no emotion. Pushing my way out of his arms, I went and stood next to the window and looked down at the alley watching some ragged children playing.
"I expect that's for the best," I said finally. Declan nodded and crossed his arms over his chest.
"Aye."
"So are you going to teach me how to shoot a pistol or what?"
"WHAT?"
I leaned against the wall and studied Declan's shocked face which was now flushed with color, the muscles in his neck standing out. Smiling with no feeling I met his eyes.
"I need to be able to protect myself and this baby. If that means carrying a pistol, then so be it. Get the necessary things and set it up. I won't be taken by surprise like that again." Running a hand over my stomach I fiercely whispered "I WON'T!" under my breath as Declan protested. I held up a hand and shook my head.
"Declan...Just do it. Please." We stared at each other for a few moments and then he looked away. Huffing an irritated breath, he ducked his head and looked at the floor.
"Fine," he said in a sulky tone. This time I smiled for real, and sat back down on the bed, taking his hand in mine.
"Thank you Declan," I said, squeezing his hand hard. Declan met my eyes and nodded, his face solemn. We sat like that in silence for awhile, neither of us wanting to say anything.
"This is important," I finally said, my throat clogged with unshed tears.
"I wouldn't have minded getting dragged into this before, Hell I would have stood by Spot's side no problem, but now..." I let my voice trail off and we both looked at my swollen stomach. I only had three months to go before I gave birth and I had a niggling feeling that I might give birth early. My mother used to tell me stories about how all the women in my family tended to deliver prematurely.
It terrified me, because there weren't enough resources here to deal with handling a child born early. It would be left up to fate. I voiced my fears to Declan now, leaving out the part about not having modern amenities and his voice creased in kindly concern.
"I'll be here Lily. I'll find you the best midwife I can and we'll make sure everything goes well. I promise you that."
"What about a doctor?"
"Sure and I'll find you a doctor as well. Don't you worry. Rest now." I got into the bed and he pulled the covers up to my chin before kissing me chastely on my forehead. I blinked in confusion as he went to leave the room.
"Where are you going?" Damnit I hated that my voice came out thin and tremulous. Declan gave me a soft smile and inclined his head out towards the other room.
"I'm going to eat dinner and then sit up for awhile. Just to make sure we don't get any other unwanted visitors. Then I'll come to bed, I promise. Now go to sleep Lily." I curled back up into a ball but didn't sleep, not for some time.
When I finally woke up, the sun was just rising and Declan's side of the bed was untouched. Concerned, I threw on my clothing and ran into the other room to find him sitting by the door with a shotgun lying across his lap, asleep. Smiling fondly I shook him by the shoulder.
He came awake instantly, loading a round into the chamber and looking around wildly before he saw it was just me. Then he grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head, dislodging the bowler hat he still wore.
"Did you stay up all night?"
"Well no, seeing as how you just caught me sleeping my dear Lily. But I tried to, honestly."We looked at each other and a weird moment passed before us. Then I fairly leapt away, rummaging around for food, coming up with some bread and cheese. My hands shook as I cut slices of bread and cheese, my back to Declan. Here was a good man, a man who sat up in a chair all night with a gun to protect ME. And all he wanted in return was me.
My hand slipped and I nicked myself with the knife. Swearing a blue streak, I wrapped it in a cloth and tied it awkwardly. Declan came over and tried to fuss, but I waved him away. I could see how tired he was, so I set the food down on the table and pointed at it.
"Sit it and eat and then go and sleep in the bed." When Declan tried to argue, I hardened my face and heart and gave him a sharp look.
"You're no good to me like this. You have to eat and sleep Declan." I saw Declan's eyes cloud a little as he reached for a piece of cheese which he sandwiched in between two pieces of bread and munched thoughtfully.
Then he nodded off over his food and I grabbed him under his arm and tugged him into a standing position. Blearily he looked down at me and smiled. Frowning in return I swore.
"Come on damnit, you're going to bed." I led him like a reluctant child towards the bedroom. We stopped and he walked right into me. Stumbling forward, I whirled around and pushed him a few steps back. He rocked on his heels and would have fallen if I didn't grab onto his vest and yank him back. Christ he was acting like he was drunk!
"Well go on and get ready for bed," I snapped as I turned away and aired out the bedspread by shaking it and then respreading it over the bed and turning it down. When I turned around Declan was only in his drawers and I turned a brilliant shade of red.
"Oh come on Lily like you haven't seen a man in his underwear before," Declan drawled as he looked pointedly at my rounded belly.
"I've only seen ONE man thank you very much! I'm not a whore." Declan's sleepy face softened and he took a step towards me before pitching forward and trapping me neatly underneath him on the bed.
"DECLAN! GET UP!" Declan just shifted some of his weight so that he wasn't crushing me but not enough that I could get away and kissed my ear. I felt his hand caress my belly and I went still.
"Should be mine," he said sleepily before yawning hugely and nodding off. Yowling in frustration, I punched his shoulder, but he only mumbled and shifted in his sleep, turning on his side and spooning me close, nuzzling his face down into my neck and hair, one hand cupping over where mine lay on my stomach.
I felt my heart tear into two and tears ran down my cheeks hot and wet. I cried silently, my body vibrating with the unfairness of my situation. Spot had abandoned me. He had done so for my safety, but he had abandoned me. Declan was staying by my side and protecting me, providing me with a place to live. But was I any safer with him? He worked for the IRA. That couldn't be good. Eventually he'd have to go back to Ireland. Where would that leave me and the little Conlon? I cried myself into a restless sleep full of questions and mazes with no endings. I was stuck.
SHOUT OUTS
Mononoke Lynn - I would just like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading all three of my stories and reviewing nearly ALL the chapters. That made me really happy. As to the last chapter, Spot's a secretive kind of guy I think. I don't think he'd share everything with anyone.
ElleestJenn- I feel really badly for Declan too. I don't know why I'm torturing him so much. I guess I'm evil like that. And Spot is being stupid. Pixie is there for a reason but she's still bad news for sleeping with Spot.
HogwartsNewsie92 - Hahahah relax everything will work out...probably. :D
missfervent - I'll update Misery's story soon, thanks for reminding me about that. I love Spot and his Gaelic too! Nicky was the creep watching her that night as well. Sorry if that was confusing.
LvSingWrite - No the afternoon delight really wasn't necessary I suppose. But the story is mature. *shrug* It seemed to fit at the time. I hope I didn't offend. Also, I hope I got Tempest down okay. Let me know if I didn't and I'll change it. :)