Chapter Forty Nine

Just as Lani predicted, the Roses were the one whom from the other gangs were the most hit because they led the after Big Five Meeting's attack. It was Gary who led the charge on the remaining last few hundred with Jimmy, and their leader had the ultimate pleasure of completely ending the Roses leader's life, sending a bullet straight through his head and burying him in a remote location he'd name to no one. He'd come back with a victorious smirk on his features and Ivy had been the one to get the pleasure of his pleasure.

She sure as hell wasn't arguing.

But she was when Gary brought up the topic of children, just as she thought he'd do sometime soon.

"You don't want any?" He commented as they lay on bed lazily, having just got it on, horny and highly sexually driven as they were.

"If it fucks up my body, no. I'm not gonna be useless in the one way I am useful, love."

He'd brooded upon that for a few minutes before getting out his phone. "Phelps. Will children ruin Ivy's body for martial arts and protecting the gang?" Gary listened for about four or five minutes. "So in conclusion? I see. Thank you." He clicked his phone off and turned to her. "Your body will store more fat cells than before childbirth but with your training schedule that won't be a problem. Your diet is fully healthy beyond anything I've ever seen apart from the shitty pizza we order because we have fresh food and the Mexicans always make sure it's always healthy for their fighters as well as you of course, not greasy and full of shit, and you can even train up to nine months, as long as Phelps calls it fine."

"So I'll be fine?" Ivy asked warily.

"You'll have to take it easy for a few months during the late pregnancy and beginning of motherhood but… yes. There won't be anything disastrous. Anyway, how many other women have your strength and regenerative ability? None. So?"

Ivy frowned at his expectant look because actually, it was very true she'd be able to heal quickly, but the regen was odd. It healed some things quickly, and other things not as quick as she expected, and she found herself having been ill a bit more than usual too. It was really hit and miss. "I'm also not ready to have children. I've not finished my degree for one."

Gary raised a brow as he slowly crawled up the bed to her. "An excuse." He responded lightly, kissing her stomach.

"Okay, fine. I didn't expect to have children for a long time." She intoned demandingly, sitting up against the headboard. "I'm not having children right now, Gary."

"Then when?" He demanded, furrowing his brow.

"Well not now that's for sure." Ivy replied in bewilderment. "We've years together, Gary."

"We may not. I'll do my best of course, but we may not."

"Aye. And if we may not then I'd rather spend it with you and protecting you and the current family I have. Not you and a helpless babe and the family. I don't want to have to ever get in a position where it's my child over Petey or Mandy, you know? That's not fair. And it I couldn't do it to any of them."

Gary's eyes narrowed, and both of them wouldn't give, he knew.

They were both stubborn assholes.

The leader of the Jaguars huffed through his nose, crawling up her side and flopping down at it, pushing into her side, kissing her neck possessively.

He wanted heirs now, damnit.

Gary actually wanted to see what his kids would look like with her DNA in the mixture. If they'd look like him or her. A girl, he wanted. He'd thought about it properly since she'd come back from Spain, even. It wasn't a one off thought just to prove something to himself or her. His father and grandfather had children young and while he didn't want to copy, it had ingrained a sense of marry and breed young and he'd definitely seen the advantages his grandfather had because of it. Young enough to still be strong and retain his mind and morals.

The only stipulation being that she was his main fighter, far superior to Jimmy, though he was great in his own right and to have her out completely was to… to raise his hackles so to speak. He was overly protective of what was his. Even when she'd gotten shot he'd been able to count on her to a degree. Still, it wasn't as if he hadn't brought up the pro's and cons a million times in his head.

Children wouldn't be hard to juggle at all.

Not with all of them to look after them. Mandy wanted kids and it'd be good experience for her, and Jimmy loved the twins so he didn't see why he wouldn't love his and Ivy's kids too like he knew Ivy would for theirs. Petey was femme-boy and loved cute things so that went without saying he'd love them too, really. He wasn't sure about Lani, wondering if her own thoughts on the shortness of life would ever make her think of kids or if it'd put her off completely from all thoughts of children, and even Andy was a bit of an unsureness, even though he'd come around Ivy's house more and more often and was a hit with the girls and was annoyingly cheerful... and probably a hit with kids too.

The alarming thought that he was into the relationship more than she was came upon him and his head striking up and him hovering above her nearly instantly startled her hands into a reactive pose of defence before she dropped them, looking around warily before staring at him in alarmed exasperation. "What?!"

"You love me?"

She gave him a faint look of disbelief. "Yeah and I love you beyond anything. Look, I want kids, but it still freaks me out and I have wonder if giving up my ability-"

"Which you won't."

"-Just for a kid that'll be in danger nearly constantly. And I'm guessing you'll expect me to mostly take care of it?"

Was it sexist of him to say yes? 'Probably.' He told himself and he supposed silence spoke for itself when she narrowed her eyes in distaste. He hadn't realised she'd be so opposed to it. He figured those with lots of siblings would beget loads of offspring of their own, which was partially what he wanted. Three kids sounded good to him now. And 'it'? He wondered if he truly was more into the relationship. "I'll be leading the gang and then it'll be plural after ten to fifteen years when grandfather goes into retirement."

"There you have it. I won't have a father popping in every few days for any child of mine, Smith."

He raised a brow at her before acknowledging her point and deterring her from this worrisome point. "You're mine. These-" He placed a hand over her womb possessively. "-Will be mine. I've yet to not see you every day since the trip to Spain and that's in harsh times. Now it's peaceful, well, as soon as the Roses are completely gone, but I'll always make time for my children daily. There's no way I'd ever let them be without a father. Like me." He'd hated the fact his father was gone as a child. His mother wasn't exactly the greatest model, moping after the imprisoned man in the asylum. "I'd be there as much as I could. All the time if I could. We'd not just throw them in Bullworth and wish for the best." He would definitely instil his children to be smart, meticulous in planning and they'd know how to manipulate people and above all, respect the mother who'd give them the best years of her life.

…But mostly to be cunning little shits he'd be proud of would come straight after.

He just couldn't stand the fact she'd be out of the fight because there could be an attack from any of the other local gangs and taking out your main fighter was like taking out your own right hand.

Maybe there was a reason for Mandy after all, children loving as she was.

Ivy felt her frosty defences against birthing children thaw a little. Admittedly, it'd been a fear of hers that she'd be left with raising a child mostly by herself. Both of her parents barely had the time to make time for her due to work, training and other siblings. Not that she didn't love them, but she too was supremely busy and Gary even more so. That her child may not receive more than what she got would piss her off. She believed either gender of a child of hers needed a strong male and female influence in their lives, and she wouldn't have any less for her child when she'd had it for her childhood. Ah, damnit this was so confusing to her. She was afraid, and she felt it too early for a child.

She told Gary this.

He gazed at her in confusion. "Why afraid? I just told you I'd be there as constantly as I could and that your body would be fine as spoken by the doctor of my grandfather. When did your mother have you guys?"

Ivy looked up at the ceiling, not making eye contact, knowing her mother had her elder brother during law school, younger than Ivy's current technical age. "When my mother has doesn't matter to me. It's up to me when I want kids." She had to connect eyes when he hovered over her on all fours. "What?"

"So it's your fear we have to face so we can have children together." He spoke insightfully to himself, watching her face for hints.

How the fuck did he know?

"Your silence only answers it." He seemed smug to know what she was thinking and that only annoyed her.

"Shut up Gary. I've always had that fear." She looked away.

"Always?"

"Okay, so I did think Prospero was the one for a little while and I did think of kids with him." She scowled as he shifted away grumpily, flopping to her side. "You move as if I haven't thought it with you, moody bullocks. I have. I'm just ultimately scared of fucking up my body, becoming useless but for looking after kids I'm not even sure I want right now."

"You're not useless." He replied in irritation. "You've never been useless, even when I didn't know you'd had this ability for fighting."

"I'll be taken out from what I do best!"

"There's no one to take on right now." He retorted in exasperation, sitting up. "There won't be for a long time now. The Big Five have their eyes on us, moron. We all have to play nice, which is why it's the perfect time. So your specific abilities won't be in play right now. Even my manipulations won't be as needed. I'll be in businessman mode." Sure he'd get more time to do his favored scan and blackmail techniques and she wouldn't get to do her favored beating to a pulp skills but that was just how it was.

Personally he was just glad he didn't have to worry about her safety during fights now. Even he would secretly admit that he'd like to look after her in a fight once or twice instead of it being the other way around. It'd been good to protect her from the falling debris at the last meeting, but that was also logic demanding their best fighter be protected enough to actually be able to fight rather than any masculine issues he may have had. Of course he realised that he could control the battlefield as much as possible to give her every advantage, but that was neither here nor there right now.

Anyway, this was when her computing abilities would come into play.

Ivy narrowed her eyes. "I'm not having children now just because of that. End of."

Gary sneered at her and flopped back, arms crossing behind his head as he scowled at the ceiling but she wasn't about to give in just because he was in a huff.

He may be ready for popping out kids, but she sure as hell wasn't and it was her body. If she could magically give them over for him to carry she'd be fine and dandy with having them. She just couldn't handle being useless in the way she only felt she was useful. The only real masterful talent she had. Ivy turned on her side looking down at her hand with pursed lips and not saying anything. She just loved martial arts so much right now and comparing that to having a child… in her mind it didn't measure up. Yes, Gary had been right the rest of the time, but if he was able to take in her instincts into consideration, he'd see how unhappy she'd be with a child.

She just wasn't motherly right now.

"It was… had been a relief to have my brothers off my shoulders. How would I look after my own children that wouldn't be my highest priority when the twins were at the time? It wouldn't be fair to either of us. I don't want children now. If I can say that and fully fucking believe it, then I know I won't give my all like my kids would deserve. I wasn't planning until mid or late twenties anyway. It's out of the question. Come back in five years, and I'm serious. I'll be mentally twenty seven to eight and far more ready for them. That's all I have to say on it."

Gary looked at the back of her head nastily at being denied before thinking that through. He wouldn't believe that she wouldn't give it her all even if she had them now or a year ago. She was dutiful to what she believed in. And she'd loved her twins beyond belief; if she even gave half of that to her kids they'd turn out just fine. So he knocked that out, though he acknowledged it was best to want kids for the sake of the kids, especially for the one carrying them for nine months. "Five years, hm?" He could plan that far ahead.

Afraid he'd take it as a challenge, which the bastard probably would, she sighed out heavily. "Gary."

"Ivy."

"You'll have a kid from me. I'll promise that because I want one from you," She said uncomfortably, rolling her eyes when his arm wound around her waist in reply. "Moron. But not the when, got it? Yes I want kids. But not now. Let's just see how things go." She'd always rather liked the idea of not planning a child and having one, as odd as it sounded. But then she was a reactionary type rather than a planner. "Got it?"

"Hmph."

"That's not a reply, love." Ivy remarked as he drew her closer and yawned behind her.

"Yeah. A kid. Sometime. Mine." He fell into a sleep, annoyingly quick as he always did somehow.

"Really are a moron." She glared at his hands but decidedly followed him into a worried sleep.

.I.

"I don't know if we'll ever get married!" Pinky cried down the phone to them in worry.

Mandy rolled her eyes at the Preppie Princess' whines. "Why don't you just elope?"

"With what money?! That's the whole problem!"

"I don't see why," Ivy remarked with a smile at Mandy as the two cooked the dinner for tonight as neither had anything pressing to do. No healing or fighting or learning or coursework. It was a simple chicken and dumpling stew with carrots and roast potatoes. Ivy would always throw some nice pimento stuffed olives on her plate afterwards because she loved them to bits, always making Mandy grimace. She hated them. "Working class people get married all the time."

"It's not even me or Derby, it's our parents and the inheritance! Ivy you must know something that can help!"

"Me?" She mouthed to Mandy who shrugged and seasoned the flour with salt and pepper before rolling the uncooked potatoes in it and placing them on a tray after. "Look, Pinky I jumped ship away from that. There's not much I can say to help you with. You're either gonna have to put up and shut up, demand they hurry the fuck up, elope or don't get married at all. What else is there?"

Pinky sniffled on the other end. "Oh, you're no help," She huffed unhappily. She heard the clanking of trays. "What are you doing right now?"

"Cooking."

"You do that? Where's the maids?"

"Seriously, girl?" Mandy said in disbelief. "You have maids that do that for you?"

"Duh. I have handmaids."

Ivy shook her head, trying not to comprehend how sheltered this girl must be. "That's nuts."

Lani wobbled in and then flopped at the island, stretching out. "Our lessons work oh so deliciously." She noticed Ivy put her hand over the speaker and then shrugged at her boss's curious look. "Gary's been working my hacking talents all fucking day." The woman's bottom lip wobbled as she held out her locked digits at Ivy, who gave her a flat look at her wording, making the English lass grin knowingly. "Seriously though, my fingers are hurting me. Let's just say the remaining Roses trying to hold it together are well on their way to bankruptcy. They do far too many online dealings via rather unprotected sites. Or at least I make it that way." A dirty little smile crawled up her lips as smugness danced on her features. "Oh we're having a stew? Cool. Want any help?"

"You could make some garlic bread for us." Mandy chucked a clove of garlic at her friend, pointing at the baguette they'd bought.

"Who's that?" Pinky asked.

"Lani Turner. Person on my course."

"How comes she gets to be there when I don't?" The Preppie demanded.

"Because she has use that you don't." Ivy remarked mindlessly, before blinking at her words. Gary really had affected her. "I mean, I, uh-"

"B-But…" She sounded wounded and Ivy looked down at the ground before the second of her personal mobiles phone went and she took it out. "I-I'm-?"

"Yes?"

"I need you as backup for Roses base hit we're planning with the Russians."

Her thoughts went straight to her leg which barely ached, even after three weeks ago with the last Big Five shoot-out before deciding she was fine. "Where?"

"Meet Tony at Mini Mary."

"Yes." The phone lined died and she got up. "Sorry, Pinky, I have to go. Sorry for what I said. I miss you, girl." She turned the phone off. "I don't know when I'll be back. Put mine in Tupperware." She left the room without a backwards glance, knowing she had to prepare in proper clothing. That done, she passed the kitchen with a wave, opening the front door and blinking at Gary and Joey with Jimmy behind them, nearly getting stabbed with a key. "I'll be back as soon as possible. Hey, Joey, Jimmy." She eyed her previous partner in confusion before looking at Gary. "Gramps wants me to go to his."

"Have fun." A little smirk lit his lips as he put a hand on her shoulder, thumb slinking up and down her shoulder slyly, causing Ivy to nod, a little confused and leave around him, brushing up against him slightly as she passed him, wanting a little more than a pat on the shoulder from him. Yet also mildly suspicious. Each time she'd been summoned he'd been very protective of her. The fact he'd brought around her previous man made her inwardly shuffle in awkward perplexity. Gary was confusing and he even spoke his secrets in her ear, so what was he up to this time?

The two girls looked up as the trio entered the kitchen and the two automatically zoomed their eyes in on the newcomer. "Dinner's not quite ready yet, gentlemen." Lani smiled kindly, sprinkling the grated garlic over the bread, trying to understand the need to bring one of the Big Five to their most protected base. Ally? It was the only feasible thing she could think of.

"Smells good," Jimmy said, looking at what they made. "Dumplings, and homemade too? Damn. You girls are awesome."

"Joey, this is Mandy, a nurse in training, and Lani, our accountant."

The two waved at him.

"Afternoon ladies." Joey smiled charmingly at them, always happy to be introduced to women. Both were rather beautiful and the Jaguars were very lucky to have such pretty things around them all the time. His mind slithered to the woman that just left before coming back again. Not as beautiful, but passionate beyond anything he'd seen. He very easily recalled his night with her… yet he'd be more than happy to make a few new ones with either of these two as well.

"You staying for dinner?" Mandy asked. "We certainly have enough."

Joey looked at the slightly shorter male that led them.

"We'll be up in the study, so bring it there when it's done." His eyes flickered to Lani before he turned back to the newcomer. "C'mon. Let's flesh out the details."

Lani's ears perked up at the word details. Jaguars had certainly made connections with each of the New York Big Five, utterly dragging down her time to learn about advanced online security techniques, but never had they brought any of them back. Her mind went through different scenarios as Jimmy stirred the large pot of stew, adding some herbs as she sprinkled some oregano on the garlic bread absently. Laundering was the name of Joey's game. They already had air-tight laundering plans she'd helped to tweak with a few calculations on payments to other parties and funding to other places herself.

Then her hand stilled.

He wasn't… Gary wouldn't try to… take them over, would he?

She utterly wished Ivy was here to give her a definitive answer on his behaviour patterns.

She looked up at Jimmy. "What happened before you arrived here, mate?"

"Whether it was accident or not we met up with Joey by chance. Said he had a deal for us and the two of them started talking business. Most of it went over my head." He admitted causing Lani to narrow her eyes at him in annoyance and then glare down at her bread.

"Damn. I've a bad feeling about this." The Englishwoman murmured, starting on Ivy's salad. "Without details…"

.I.

The base obliterated behind them as they sped out of the town, with Tony laughing uproariously next to Ivy. Ivy rolled her eyes and watched it with uncaring eyes before looking forward again. She had this urge to run, once again. It seemed that Choi had found a woman who'd agree to bear his child as long as she'd be kept safe. Apparently she was even around four to five months pregnant with a baby. He sure as hell had kept that quiet since December or January time, with both herself and Vale finding out just earlier this afternoon.

Vale had snapped at him for not saying anything, both due to the fragility of their situation and also because he would have set up safe houses for the mother and child should Choi only have said. Choi had seemed surprised at that, having remembered Vale hadn't wanted him to have any yet but Vale had grown softer to those in his command since the arrival of his grandson's troupe into his life.

Still, that meant that Gary would look at her in that bloody way that she knew was heavy with hungry machinations.

The drive was short and Choi met them, taking Ivy's elbow and gently directing her to another area of the building, not bothering with the others in the car. In the corner of Mini Mary Café was a dark browned haired woman with bright green eyes that reminded her of someone.

Choi sat next to her. "This is Dahlia Alvarez. Diego's sister."

'He's got another sister?' Ivy blinked in bemusement. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dahlia, I'm-"

"Ivy Jones. Yes. I certainly know you. Diego speaks highly of you." There was no censure in her voice, only a curiosity for the shorter woman in front of her.

"Oh. I'm flattered. He is well I hope? Thank you Lydia." The waitress smiled kindly at her as she placed the teapot of her usual in front of her and a trio of porcelain cups for all three of them and left. "May I pour for you?" She asked the surprised woman. "It's green tea with lemon. I'm a usual." Ivy took off the lid and looked inside regardless, noting the usual colour and the two teabags bobbing.

"Yes, please."

Ivy poured for all three. "When are you due? Are you to be a permanent fixture, and I'm guessing Diego knows?" She asked bluntly, cocking her head.

Dahlia looked a bit awkward at the questioning as Choi sighed. "September. Yes and yes."

"Awesome." She asked how they met and time drifted by as each question made the ice crack and melt before Tony called her name and pointed her up. "Eh? Sure. It was great meeting you Dahlia. Stay healthy. Choi." She nodded, bringing her cup of tea with her as she walked to the stairs, rolling her eyes at Tony's loud voice in the peaceful café that old retired associates of Vale Tiger usually stayed in. Vale's own father was still alive and kicking, always sitting in the same spot and reading the daily newspaper, never moving.

So of course when she thought the thought he shifted.

He looked up and connected deep brown eyes with her own blue ones and in very distinct Italian while being clearly Italian himself spoke softly, voice warm and caring. "Pronipote."

That stilled her as she looked at the mid-eighties man. "Pardon, sir?"

"Great granddaughter. I am your bisnonno. Carry us on well."

"Bisnonno." Ivy nodded stiffly and went on, leaving him to it and mentally screaming at herself as to why it was all 'babies, babies, babies' lately.

So what both of their families had children young?

She didn't bloody well have to, and it was starting to fucking piss her off that it seemed like she was expected to now.

She went up the stairs muttering curses under her breath.

Once again the woman stilled when she saw a cop there before she saw Vale looking relaxed as ever.

"Ivy. This is Stephen Young, our main inside man." The new brunet smiled at her a little, grey eyes hard and body fit. "We've had a very amicable relationship for over thirteen years. I ask if you ever see him to help him even after our deal is done. It can only benefit us all."

"I'll watch out for him should it ever come up, but thirteen years of experience speaks for itself." Ivy agreed.

Stephen spoke to her, concerned for the future of the gangs Vale had command of, "There's been heightened alertness across the state. Now is the time to seriously stay low, and stick to small time dealings. The normal drugs and such rather than to spring anything new. Keep businesses as legit as possible."

Her mind flickered to Joey and Gary's obvious new plans about him. "…" Ivy nodded at him slowly. "Sure."

"How is your wound?" Vale spoke up, assessing her state.

"Only after workouts like that does it hurt." She replied, a little quiet. "It'll be back to perfect in a month." That's what Doctor Phelps bringing in a young but talented physiotherapist had said the prior day when Gary realised her fighting was beginning with Vale once again and demanded more connections to be brought in. The physiotherapist obviously had no idea about their jobs and was told to keep his mouth shut, making him sweat when on the wrong end of a gun in his face, but blinking at the large wads of money placed in his hands and quickly coming around to it.

"Good. We'll be leaving for Spain again in a week until the end of our agreement. Wrap up anything left untied and be prepared to fight."

She'd only expected to have to stay in Spain for another month, not two months and a half. "Yes, grandpa."

"Dismissed."

Ivy bowed shortly before exiting with her tea and leaving down the stairs before Lydia waved her over and brought her to the back. The waitress gave a little smile of understanding. "Hey, uh, I saw your face at what that old man said. I keep morning after pills in my purse so if you ever want one, I'm here."

"Thanks, Lydia."

"You know this is Tiger property. I pretty much am too, you know? See." She pulled up her long sleeved shirt showing off the cutesy tiger on her inner wrist causing Ivy to chuckle as she took it in. "The Vale Businessman was amused when he saw it. Anyway, so of course I'll do my best to help you. With all the things I hear, they pay me twice as much to keep my mouth shut for half as much work as any other waitress would have. It's definitely pays the bills with a little extra on top. I'm fine with it. Well, that's all really. So uh, come to me if you need anything female I can hide. Hopefully they'll shut up about kids soon enough. Just… chill out and grab a couple beers and ignore it."

"I will, thanks again. See ya."

"Bye now!"

"Yeah, later." Ivy grinned, making her way home and eyeing everyone around her in the late afternoon sun. She passed the beach, going the long way and decided to hit the pier. Some of the Quetzalcoatl's welcomed her and she smiled at them faintly before laughing lightly as they handed her a beer from a six pack as they made burgers on a disposable BBQ. Her wound up state slowly calmed with each beer and after a call Andy arrived to join her. She munched her burger happily and took the joint they offered with Andy watching protectively.

The next hour was fun as Andy proved he too could speak Spanish with the best of them. They were respectful to the both of them, but also teasing, noting the staring at his boss Andy had been doing. Ivy raised her brows at his red face, flattered if it was true but just as happy, if not happier, for it not to be. "Oh, very well. Let's go. That's evidently what you want." She got up, waving to the Quetzalcoatl members who snickered.

He flushed. "I-I-"

"It's not like I'm your boss or paying you or anything. Is it?" Ivy went on airily, winding him up, causing his eyes to widen and hands to wave in worry.

"You are my boss." Andy rubbed the back of his neck. "I do what you say. I just though you wanted me to give you a ride back to leader is all."

"I didn't want to be around that male."

"What, bossman?" The fellow Bullworth student asked in confusion as they got to the motorbike and he took out a spare helmet for her, having carried his own the entire time.

"Hmph. Don't worry. Just take me back quickly," Ivy muttered irritably, probably alarming the lad with her one eighty of emotions and pushed him into hurrying up and they made it back with a minute. "Thanks. You can go." She left him simply staring after her in bewilderment as she entered the house and closed the door.

Jimmy's head peaked from the front room as she passed. "You good?"

"I'm going to sleep. Is he still here?"

Jimmy took that as a no, she wasn't fine. "Yeah."

Ah shit. She really didn't like outsiders on her home base. "Where?"

"The study. You okay?" Jimmy blinked at her, cocking his head. "Did something bad happen?"

"Just annoyed. I have to go back to Spain next week until the beginning of July." She grimaced. "And the men of that family seem to want me to become a baby machine, well not Vale, but certainly Vale's father and Gary."

He snorted. "Ignore 'em. Have kids when you want. You're more important."

Her heart warmed at the support. "Yeah." She gave a little smile, feeling better about it already. "I'm gonna sleep."

"Dinner's in the fridge if you wake up and get hungry, haggis." Lani called to her from watching the telly.

"Cheers, roast beef. Night guys."

The round of goodnights was heard and Ivy swiftly made her way to her room and unchanged from her worn clothes and slipping into her sleeping clothes. She buried herself under the covers and fell into sleep within minutes, not wanting to talk to her man in this state.

So of course he wakes her up halfway during the night with a burning question in his mind.

"Already?" He hissed coldly, fingers drumming against his thigh. "Spain?"

"Eeeeyup." Ivy replied with a yawn. He'd woken her up when he came in for his own rest but that was because she'd had her honed instincts to thank for more than him being loud. "Now if you'd kindly go to sleep so I could-"

"What time are you leaving?"

"I don't know. Yesterday it was a week, today it'll be six days. That's all I know."

Gary scowled. That messed up some of his plans for that Joey.

The Scot rubbed her eyes and then buried under the covers once more but the man simply grabbed the duvet and tugged it off her causing her to whine at him. She grabbed him around the shoulders and pulled him down, giving him a begging look. "I love you, really I do, but I really want to sleep."

"You can sleep when we're finished." Gary picked her up and plonked her down in his lap facing him. "Now listen to me."

"Damn it all, male!" She said in frustration as the man grabbed the cover and shrouded them in it. "Get the hint. Actually, what were you doing bringing that man into my home?"

"There's a chance for a new ally I'm trying to take behind all the others' backs."

"Him?" Ivy closed her eyes before opening them slowly in disbelief. "One of the Big Five? Why?"

"So we can eventually overcome them."

"Gary, no. No. You cannot be serious." She hissed as fear bubbled in her chest causing him to frown at her instant dismissal. "What happened to foundation building? Huh? Surely that hasn't been thrown out the window so fast?" His shrug made her want to smack him. "Then what? No foundation building was ever gonna happen? Or that I'm not gonna give you a kid so you'll just do whatever is fun for you?"

"The second one." Gary admitted freely, not really caring. "That was my idea of foundation building. You want to calm down so I'll grant you that, but I will continue on now we have enough people."

"Are you having a fucking giggle?"

He raised his brow at the odd slang. "Does it look like I'm laughing?"

"What is wrong with you?!" She burst out, scowling and pushing out of his hold but was held down by his modded strength. "Can you not just be happy with what you have and give it fucking time?"

His own scowl began. "I've already given it time due to your injury. These gangs have seen us weak, knowing our strongest got hit, and we have to keep up a front."

"What the fucking hell does that have to do with Joey? Or the fact that all I'm hearing these days is about popping out kids?! Even your fucking bisnonno-"

"My what?" Gary said sharply, eyeing her.

"Your great-grandfather-" Her exasperation was cut off.

"I still have a living one of those?" He mused to himself, tucking her closer even with her objections. "Why do you ever not get that you're my woman? Not only my fighter? Is this your damn intelligence type of confidence issue? Your main talent won't be as of much use so when I want a kid that you think I'm just using you to propagate my own power and gang for the future because that's your only use now?"

Her heart thudded at his ability to read her but she her father didn't raise a coward so her chin went up and she stared him in the eye, swallowing back cowardice even as her body tensed in preparation for an outburst. "Yes."

Gary hated being so effeminate, but that actually stung. "You're a fucking moron." He snapped out harshly, sneering face closing in on hers. "You have everything that I have to give and all I ask is that you fight when I require you to!"

"Don't blur the lines of work and our relationship." She retorted angrily at him.

"It isn't-"

"How isn't it?! You only want a kid for the line! You don't care about-"

"Don't tell what I do and don't care about, Ivy Smith!" The snake in the grass barked at her, holding her upper arms with an unmovable iron grip as he stared her down. "Don't you dare." There was a palpable silence between them as their anger slowly receded for the time being, merely holding each other's eyes in a battle of wills. His voice calmed down to stoicism. "If, as you seem to fucking think, I only cared about using you to pop out your fists then a kid then you're so unbelievably wrong it drives me insane. This isn't some sovereignty where only the eldest takes the mantle of leader. Vale could just as well give the reigns to Leon when he wants to retire. I'm more than able to become the next leader and bonds of blood simply make trusting me that much easier."

That certainly popped her self-victimization balloon.

So he wasn't just using her?

"Dad could easily have taken over but his anger and jumping to conclusion make him a bad choice. Rather reminds me of you." Gary muttered in annoyance, and undercurrent of fondness just about breaking through, unable to help his affection for her. In fact, thinking about it, she rather did remind him of his father. Apart from the previous two points, both of them were strong forces in his life, protective, loyal and easily swayed by their partners. He really liked the last one a lot because to him it meant that his controlling urges were easily satisfied. When they argued, like now, he was able to sway her emotions by speaking his silvery words. "I-" He put a disgusted scowl on his face. "I wanted to have a child because I wanted us to have something of our own."

Honestly, he hadn't.

Not one bit.

Yet to think about it, it did ring true, so it wasn't a lie.

A lot truer than he'd originally thought, though not as much as wanting to have his kid taking over the gang.

Yes, he did just say it wasn't a sovereignty but if his kid was next to show ability, or his grandkids, all the better, really. His things were his, and to just hand them over to something not entirely his, say if they were someone like Leon who showed aptitude and finesse that joined rather than helped build, just rubbed him the wrong way. He could handle if it was Petey's kid or maybe Jimmy or even Lani's should they show the talent but he really wanted his own flesh and blood at the top.

Having his kid with the cunning of his mind and the strength of Ivy ruling the roost after he himself retired...

Now that was a life well lived.

Simple, and Gary hated himself being ever classed as simple in any way, but there it was, waving a flag in his brain.

If only he could realise it with her. If only she'd -

He scowled.

Shut the fuck up emotions.

He beat it back with a mental kick, giving his wife a stony glare, completely blaming her.

"…" Ivy stared at him, putting her fingertips to his cheek, going up to trace over his scar before sighing and dropping her hand. "I'm sorry. For doubting you when it came to us making a family. I told you we'll have a child. It's just, you get these ideas, you formulate these plans, you scare the shit out of me by pulling the rug from under my feet like this. You don't tell me until I have to ask about where the fuck the Jaguars, which is now my life, are actually going. Why wouldn't I be-? That just-" She rubbed the back of her neck in agitation, frowning. "It just freaks me out. And I can only think of it as reaction to-" She cut herself off, not going any further because that just reiterated shit she couldn't be bothered to deal with.

He moved them to lay side by side. "Just focus on fully recuperating to perfection, woman." He muttered, an idea slowly forming in his head, holding her unsettled form closer. "It'll be fine."

.I.

A massive thanks to - Bowdown (I bet your lemons are hot! I'll be sure to read them soon!), Gunzgalore (Didn't you follow before and stuff? more from the bginning of this story? Wow, thanks!), constantanipple (lolwut? I like that username hahaha) for fav/following and generally just being awesome for helping to spread this bit of fiction around by doing those thaaaangs! Please review and fav and allla that jazz!

Also to MikaAi for faving Countless. Part of me still really wants to do a JimmyxIvy oneshot or story, but I'm not sure if using the same character in different stories would be... liked to be honest. Have an opinion or mabe even a request for a specific pairing? Send a message! (I'm actually really interested if people want one, I'd be super happy to find out if people like my version of the characters and the OC's too!)

NOTE: This and the next chapter were meant to be one huge chapter as an ending, followed by an epilogue! Can you believe it? Inside woulda been over! Man, it makes me sigh unhappily thinking about it. Yet now, I'm thinking the story still isn't ended and that these characters and willing to not be finished with being written! It's insane. It was only ever supposed to be fifty chapters max, then it's now sixty, and suddenly I'm thinking of a few more ideas. This may be on pause until I wrangle it all up - there's still a few questions needing answers.

But I've gotten a sharp writers block in which I'm struggling to pump out things. It's why this took so long to come out. I wasn't sure about the way or timing of it and I still aren't.

So yeah, send me a pairing to write so I can get my mojo back when it comes to this story. I'll do my best at it. Kink or fluff or otherwise.

I would hug you all super hard,

LaRS