The jet lag crept up on Autumn quicker than she realised, and next thing she knew, she was waking up to the harsh winter sun streaming in through the window. She groaned, sitting up off her new bed and stretching, still in yesterday's clothes, and sporting a killer case of bed head.

She changed into sweatpants and a hoodie, making it look like she had at least made some effort to get ready for bed, and wandered out of her room and into the living room, the scent of bacon and coffee filling her nostrils.

"Hey, look who's finally conscious!" Casey chuckled from the couch, sipping a mug of coffee as he read the paper. April poked her head out from the kitchen, giggling a little at her cousin.

"Good morning, sleepy head" she smiled, "I see you somehow managed to change?"

"Yeah I was kinda hoping you wouldn't pick up on that..." Autumn grinned sheepishly, helping herself to a mug of coffee, adding creamer and two sugars to it.

"Are you kidding? When you disappeared into your new room to 'check it out' and hadn't come back out after an hour, I checked in on you and you were sprawled out on the bed, snoring like a trooper" april laughed, plating up the bacon and quickly making more pancakes. Autumns stomach rumbled loudly as she scowled at her cousin.

"I do NOT snore" she protested, glaring at Casey as he walked over and joined her at the dining table, patting her on the shoulder.

"Sorry kiddo, but I have to back my lovely wife up here...you snore. And very loudly at that."

"You know, this whole being married to my cousin thing can be hard, or easy, Jones. Your choice" Autumn smirked playfully as she shoved him lightly. April brought over the food and the three of them ate in a comfortable silence. April finished her breakfast quickly and placed her plate in the sink.

"I'm sorry to leave you on your first day, Aut, but I have to go to work" the older O'Neil cousin said apologetically. Autumn finished her mouthful of pancake and waved it off.

"No worries, Ape, I was probably just gonna bum around the city today, maybe look for a job of some sort"

"Y'know, if you're interested in bar work, I can hook ya up at my place" Casey offered, getting up and placing his now empty plate into the sink, leaning against the counter. Autumn chewed her lip in thought. She would feel bad getting a job through nepotism, she liked to feel like she earned a position, not had it handed to her.

"I'll see whats around,but I'll keep that in mind Casey, thank you" she smiled and he nodded, tilting his mug at her.

"No problemo, kiddo" he smirked as she glared playfully at him. He and April showered and headed to work, leaving Autumn alone in the apartment. She finished her coffee and showered, dressing in the warmest clothes she owned, which, being from California, wasn't much more than jeans and a hoodie, and she wandered onto the street below the apartment, instantly shivering in the harsh winter air.

"This whole snow thing is getting real old, real fast" she grumbled to herself as she headed to the nearest subway station, pulling her hood up tightly around her head. She rode the subway to Times Square, of course, and took her time wandering around the stores, asking for anything in the way of a job, trying not to let her disappointment and frustration show when store after store rejected her. A few hours later, after a small lunch break, she decided to give it another shot, a new wave of confidence washing over her.

"Oh come on!" She groaned, kicking the sidewalk as she stormed out of the Element store, throwing her arms up in frustration. Her cell began to vibrate in her pocket, and she took it out with a sigh. "Hey, April"

"Hi sweetie, how's the job hunting going?"

"Ugh, as shitty as it possibly could, I even got rejected from the skating store" autumn groaned, leaning against a street light to avoid the wave of tourists and grumpy New Yorkers. "Plus, the people here are really RUDE!" She all but shouted as a middle aged lady barged into her, almost knocking her cell phone from her hand. "Fuck..."

"Sounds like you need to take a break...why don't you head on down to Casey's bar and hang out with him for a bit? He might be able to help you find a few places in Brooklyn that will hire you?" April suggested, and Autumn could hear the concern in her cousins voice. "But you know, there's no rush for you to get a job and get your own place...I only just got you back, honey"

"Ape.." Autumn sighed, chewing her lip "I know, and believe me I'm so grateful for you taking me in, but...you guys are married and stuff, I don't wanna be all up in your love nest"

April laughed loudly on the other end of the phone.

"Okay, okay, but still, you always have a home with us" she said kindly and Autumn nodded, even though she couldn't see her.

"Thanks Ape," Autumn growled once more on frustration as yet another person pushed into her. "Y'know, I think I might take that trip to Brooklyn and get myself a freakin' drink, you damn New Yorkers are so pissy"

"We have that charm" April giggled, before giving Autumn the instructions on how to get to Casey's bar. The cousins said goodbye, and Autumn headed to the nearest subway station.

OOOOOO

"The Zamboni? Really?!" Autumn stared up at the bar in front of her, shaking her head at the name of her cousins husband's bar. She cringed at the name, eyeing up the neon lit sign of two hockey sticks crossed together over a hockey mask that oddly resembled the one she had almost sat on in Casey's truck yesterday. "Dude sure loves him some hockey"

Unable to stand the cold winter air any more, she pushed open the heavy door and headed inside. Even on a weekday afternoon, the small bar was crowded. Casey was behind the bar, yelling orders for food into the kitchen, whilst one poor waitress rushed around with her tray, trying to get everyone's orders to them as quickly as she possibly could. Autumn pushed through the crowd watching some old school hockey re-runs on the large tv, eventually popping out near the bar and grabbing a stool.

"Hey kiddo!" Casey yelled, serving a beer to an elderly man before rushing over.

"Hey yourself, I would ask for a drink but it looks like half of Brooklyn is wanting the same thing," Autumn chuckled "Is it always like this?"

"Pretty much." Casey said with a long suffering sigh, as another waitress came out of the kitchen to cover the bar. "Ever since we opened, it's been non stop. When I dreamt about opening my own bar I imagined I'd be sitting behind a desk in my own office doing the books, not playing bar maid."

"Aw, but it suits you so well, honey" Autumn teased, patting her cousin's husband's cheek. He rolled his eyes, before handing her a vodka and coke. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ape already called and warned me you'd be coming in. Not been so lucky on the job front, huh?" Casey poured himself a glass of water, leaning against the bar.

"Nah, every place turned me down. I'm beginning to lose hope…" Autumn sighed, taking a sip of her drink through the straw Casey placed in her glass.

"Well, you know, we need help here, I'd gladly give you a job, I wasn't kidding earlier"

Autumn chewed her lip in thought, before nodding and smiling.

"Sure, what the hell? When can I start?"

"How about tomorrow night? You can come down with me for say, six?" a look of relief washed over Casey's face as she beamed at him.

Autumn reached across the bar and shook her new boss's hand.

"Done, dude."

OOOOOO

Two hours later, the bar picked up again, and Autumn decided to head home. She had forgotten how quickly night would draw in on the east coast during winter time, as the sky was now dark, and the Brooklyn streets illuminated by the orange lamps.

"Shit." Autumn hissed. Everything looked totally different in the dark, and her brain was clouded by three vodka and cokes, and now she had no idea how to get back to Manhattan.

Of course, the easy solution would be to go back inside and call April from the bar phone, but April wasn't the only O'Neil who was incredibly stubborn.

"I can totally do this" Autumn mumbled to herself as she zipped up her hoodie and headed in the direction she believed she had come from earlier. She stopped on a street corner, turning her head both ways, chewing on her lip as she tried to remember the way. She shrugged before crossing the street and heading in a general northern direction. She turned into a dark alleyway, stopping as she spotted the silhouettes of five burly men, all dressed in black, huddled around, drinking and exchanging small bags of what was more than likely to be coke. They all turned to stare at her as she held her hands up, backing away slowly.

"Sorry for interrupting dudes...uh…no harm, no foul, right?"

"You turned into the wrong alley, sweetheart" one of the men growled, all five of them moving towards her. "Pretty little thing, ain't she?"

"Think we'll have some fun with her before we waste her." Another chuckled, producing a switchblade from his leather jacket sleeve.

"W-waste me?" stuttered Autumn, "I-I think that's a bit extreme don't you? I won't say anything, to anyone if that's what you're worried about, I swear!" she almost reached the opening of the alley before she grunted, her back connecting with another body behind her. She gasped as he grabbed her, picking her up with no effort and carrying her back into the shadows.

"Can't risk it, baby." He whispered in her ear, his breath making her feel sick. As soon as they were deep enough into the alley where they couldn't be seen, the man threw Autumn to the ground in the middle of the group. "I'm gonna enjoy this…" he grinned menacingly, walking towards her unzipping his pants as the rest of the guys chuckled and cheered him on, stood around in a circle.

"Please don't…"Autumn begged weakly as he crawled on top of her. She was powerless under his body…

"Didn't your mama's ever teach you to treat a lady with respect?" another voice, a heavy Brooklyn accented voice, echoed through the alleyway, one Autumn knew didn't belong to any of the thugs around her as they all looked around the alley, their eyes wide. Suddenly the lights around them went out.

"Yeah, dudes, chicks dig respect" another strange voice. Autumn's brow furrowed in confusion, the one sounded like he was straight out of Venice Beach.

"Who the fuck said that?!" the man on top of her bellowed, tightening his grip on her body. "Come out, pussies!"

"If you insist…" yet another voice said, and Autumn could practically hear the smirk the voice's owner had to be wearing.

"Are you sure that's what you really want? Not exactly a logical decision when you don't even know what you're up against." Okay, seriously, four voices had joined this party now, and it was starting to freak Autumn out.

"Yeah, I fucking do, and you're gonna be so fucking sorry-"

Autumn let out a startled scream as the weight on top of her was suddenly pulled away, the sudden jerk causing her to bang her head against the floor, hard, and the darkness of the alley not allowing her to see who was responsible for this. She huddled against the wall, cradling her head and squeezing her eyes shut as bangs, crunches, curses and battle cries echoed around her.

Then silence.

"Cowabunga!" Venice Beach yelled. "That was totally awesome dudes!"

"Calm it, dome head, where'd the girl go?" Brooklyn sounded concerned.

"I-I'm here" Autumn mumbled into the darkness, feeling queasy and seeing stars.

"Are you injured, Miss?" one of the voices questioned. Autumn shook her head, before realising they probably couldn't see her.

"M-my head…I..it hurts" she whispered, struggling to her feet. She let go of the wall and took a step forward, before a wave of nausea hit her and she collapsed on the floor, her eyes growing heavy as four large silhouettes approached her from the shadows. Her eyes rolled back and she promptly passed out.

"Aw, shell, April's gonna kill us…"