A/N: Wow! I got a whole bunch of reviews again! And alerts as well...:-) You're so nice.

Now this chapter turned out differently than I actually intended it at first. However, I'm much more content with it now.

So here you go - hope you enjoy.

"Here's another one," Cal tossed a bundle of papers in front of Fabrizio. They were sitting in his library, the whole floor covered in white and grey paper.

It was all about bank transfers, money, and business; in short Fabrizio didn't understand a word of it, not only due to the complicated English sentence structure. Cal had let him out of the room, as they were alone now anyways. Clarissa had gone to visit some friends.

Cal had known instantly what that meant. Clarissa's friends were just as much as his friends – business partners, when needed – and she was not even doing business with them. Clarissa had twisted him around her little finger and knew exactly how he would come growling back to her, whenever she left him.

Stupid whore…

Cal of course wouldn't admit to himself that she meant more to him.

I don't need her anyway.

Fabrizio proved to be a much better worker that he had thought at first. Fabrizio meanwhile silently ordered the papers like Cal had told him he should – first ordering within the company, then within the date of contract, then…all in alphabetical respectively calendric order.

Every time something wasn't according to the rule, Fabrizio would just asked Cal, who simply mentioned with his head, where he should place it. While Cal was happy that everything was going on smoothly and that Fabrizio wasn't talking to him any more than needed for the word, the other one just longed for asking Cal a few questions.

Fabrizio had noticed the Clarissa – Ruth quarrel for sure and wondered about Cal real feelings for her.

"I've to write some letter to a partner of mine. I guess you will be alright by yourself?"

Fabrizio nodded.

He really had no idea how Cal did it, but he seemed to have some kind of inner sensor coming up with an excuse every time someone was daring to get into too much depth about his inner feelings.

"Fine," Cal stood up sitting down at the desk.

Fabrizio coolly watched Cal, while continuing his work.

Cal's expression was quite serious and Fabrizio quietly asked himself, if Cal had ever spoken to anyone about something else than trade. Indeed his marriage to Rose had been a business deal as well hasn't it?

He could imagine his life must be really boring. For sure Fabrizio wouldn't wish for a life like that. He mouth clapped open, staring at Cal now quite obviously – too visibly for Cal.

"Haven't you got something else to do?" he hissed.

"Sorry, but…"

"What? I've to work, finish this letter. Not everyone gets as much free time as you and the gutter rat. Some people have actually to earn their money, you know?" Cal ranted – showing him –like as if you wouldn't predict –look.

"Excuse me, but Jack and I too have worked," Fabrizio felt committed to defend himself.

Caledon Hockley most probably had no knowledge of real labour.

"Yes right, I forgot, as with stealing and robbing," Cal shot out.

Fabrizio could tell that he was indeed angry now, though on a way of wanting to hit him more like kind of annoyance. Fabrizio was about to sit down again, figuring that Cal was done anyways, when he heard him speaking up again.

"You know, what's your problem, Fabrizio? Yours and all those others?" he asked, but not meaning it as a question.

"You can't possible compare your work with Jack's and mine. We've done labour at the Harbour, such as…"

"Yeah, such as…and that's exactly the difference. For you and your kind is everything is simple a lot of fun, just about supporting family, if any…"

"How can you?" Fabrizio was furious.

"And when you work you're raving about me and my kind, because like every time it is our fault that you don't get paid or that you lose it. It's my fault, I know, if you decide to break your leg, because you chose not to care about safety regulations…" he said "I've had it all believe me…and I have to pay money for people, who opted to spend their money on drinking rather than working, because if I don't then…I'm sure you can get it. When you lose your work, you do and you alone – there're no further consequences. But, if I fail with mine, a whole lot of people will do as well. And there'll a be a hell of a lot of articles in the newspapers, about this and that evil money making business man…," Cal calmed himself down a little after this.

"I didn't mean to…," now Fabrizio was feeling almost bad, noticing Cal's hands shaking in fact, while on the outside he was so perfectly composed.

He wasn't even shouting at him - for Cal, he was more like - stating the facts. Although Fabrizio would never tell him, he was slightly impressed by the self-composure.

"If you want insurance for your broken leg – now who has got to pay?" he waited a moment obviously to give Fabrizio some time to reconsider. "When business is scheduled and I'll have to fire workers it's my fault as well, though in fact it is simple fate – but of course you and your kind can't know this," he sighed at this looking out of the window for a second, before aiming his eyes at Fabrizio again. "I'm not working just to amuse myself; even it may seem this way for you. It's part of my life. I won't receive any commissions, if I'm not playing a certain role…," he laughed half-heartedly. "It's not with like you working at the harbours – I can't just leave my company every time I feel like it and go on to another…"

Fabrizio was left stunned for a moment. He had never seen Cal that emotional before, telling him what he did.

"And Rose?" he choked out shocked to hear his own voice. "Was she about business too?"

Cal observed him, before answering.

"In a way – yes, though not like you mean. Rose was part of the business yes, but wasn't the business. I'm aware that she was a real human being…," he voice trailed off at this "…however, as much as she was, she had to play that particular role as well…"

"You mean with doing everything you said?" Fabrizio interjected angrily, feeling the need to support her.

"Rose was seventeen, when she died. She would've grown into her part with time…I don't blame her for a being a little…well rebellious…I even liked it…parts of it at least. But Rose should've understood that her behaviour wouldn't only have backfired on her and me," Cal told him.

"But what about your mistress?" he choked out without thinking.

Cal shook his head. Really, couldn't he get it?

"So you know? It's like this any time, Fabrizio. I can have one."

"And Rose couldn't?" Fabrizio found that really unfair.

"Rose is dead. You should accept that. Anyways, no…many couples are secretly having partners…secretly, you understand?"

Fabrizio's eyes grew wide.

So Caledon Hockley would've allowed Rose to…?

"You mean that, if…if Rose and Jack had…then you wouldn't?"

"It's just the truth. Why are people always so shocked, when hearing the truth? She was there for bearing my children, some nice little boy to succeed to the company, mainly…I've never loved Rose; I can state this plain and simple. I'm sure deep down in her heart she knew this as well. It's not my fault, that she expected more from this marriage than it in fact was…"

Rose bearing his children..? Every one having a lover secretly – right yes, Fabrizio didn't get a word of it.

"Where I come from people are marrying and having children out of love," he emphasized the word "…not to pleasure themselves or to give birth to someone to inherit their company," he said finding it quite disgusting.

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Cal told him a hint of sadness in his voice. "Rose could've had her lover after a while," he added.

"After giving you your heir?" his voice was high-pitched.

How could he…?

"Yes maybe after that," Cal answered now quite annoyed. "Where you come from there're no consequences, if people talk bad about you…not like in my circumstances. You don't have to worry about your reputation. No one would've taken me seriously anymore, if word had leaked out about Rose and your friend…"

So, no gutter rat anymore?

Fabrizio waited for Cal to continue, but when nothing came, he decided to work on.

"So now I hope I can get to end this letter without any more interruptions," Cal said as Fabrizio nodded.

For the first time he even felt some kind of pity for Cal and really could understand him in a way or tried to at least. It surely wasn't easy as for him having to be what he was, what he obviously hated deep down inside to display. Caledon Hockley was such a complicated character. Not once had he seen him crying.

Would he have really allowed Jack's and Rose's affair, if it had gone on behind closed doors?

Fabrizio had no idea what to believe anymore, the talk with Cal had completely puzzled him. As much devil as he was, Cal could be nice, if he wanted to. Even though Fabrizio wouldn't admit it to himself, Cal had indeed succeeded in now making him feel bad.

Now Fabrizio wasn't so sure about friend and rival anymore.

A/N - I had to write that one about Cal - I feel like he's got the right "defend" himself as well, like state his point of view for once.

After all he's a human being too, with feelings, even if he is Cal.