Disclaimer: I do not own Death Sentence.

AN: this is my first fanfic. hope its ok. let me know what you think!

Prologue

"Get out of here Shaylee." He said as he reached out with his blood covered hand and lightly ran his shaking fingers through her blonde hair. She had never seen him look sad and the look frightened her. He tried to push her away as she took a step closer. "You shouldn't be here. You need to go."

"I'm not leaving you, you ass hat. You're bleeding out of places blood should never come out of." She said stubbornly as she placed his arm around her shoulders to try and assist him to stand. He shook his head and pushed her away again.

"Not worth it Shay." He said after he coughed up a bit of blood. "Just go, please."

Shaylee was a bit surprised he had uttered the word please. She didn't even know it was in his vocabulary unless he was trying to manipulate some poor girl into his bed. "You are worth it. Now shut the hell up and get to your damn feet. I can't carry all of your weight."

He chuckled, then winced in pain. "I'm not going to be the one to ruin your life. Leave. Please, just leave me for maggot food."

"Damn it! Don't you dare start to talk that way! You fucking start putting on your tough guy panties or I'm going to start beating you!" Shaylee said as she got him to his feet and the tears started to run down her cheeks. He chuckled again and shook his head.

"language little lady." He teased as his body started to go limp. Shaylee could feel the panic welling up in her chest as he slipped from her arms and fell hard back to the ground. She grabbed her cell phone and tried to call 911 once again. The first time she had called, the ambulances where out on other calls. If she didn't get an ambulance on their way this time, she was hunting down the dispatch who thought a shot victim was in the bottom of the totem pole. This time the ambulance was on its way.

Shaylee hiccupped a few sobs as she slid down the wall and sat next to his now motionless body. She could see the rise and fall of his chest become slower and she put his head in her lap.

"You can't just leave like this you ass!" she screamed at him. Not even sure if he could hear her any more. "You brought me into this life, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you just leave me alone in it. Even if I have to follow you to hell, you won't hear the end of this. Fight damn it."

She could hear the sirens in the distance as she placed a kiss to his lips. Not caring that it was stained with his blood. She could taste the metallic taste of it and pulled away. She got to her feet and turned. If she didn't leave now, she would be questioned. She couldn't afford to be caught with him. She just prayed as she left, that he would be found and that he was still putting up a fight to survive.

Chapter One

Shaylee Lancaster looked around the room of hyperactive four year olds and started to question her sanity. Her students were, at the moment, running around one of the child sized tables as they ignored her protest. It was as if the parents had pumped them all full of sugar and sent them on to school. Her class was normally a bit on the difficult side. Being in the middle of a gang territory. Most of the kids parents where drug users or affiliated with the gang life. A few where just from families struggling to get by. This meaning the school was full of kids who believe school was that important. And today was one of those days where her students believed playing was more important than any kind of educational activities she had planned for the day.

"Alright! I want you all on this ABC rug by the time I count to five, or I'm canceling snack time!" Shaylee growled. That got the children's attention. They quickly scrambled to their assigned spot on the rug and crossed their legs. It was a horrible threat to make in such a class and Shaylee never thought she would threaten to take away their food. But she was running low on ideas and to save her slipping sanity, it was a threat she was willing to make right then.

"Right, now, how many of you remember what our book was about yesterday?" Shaylee's question was met with blank stares. She fought the urge to roll her eyes as she picked up the book next to her and showed the children the cover. A few hands shot up in the air. Maybe she was actually getting through to a few of them.

"Family." A small voiced called out from the back of the group. Shaylee looked up at the small boy and smiled. Juniper Darley was a child of little words. For the first month of school, Shaylee had believed the kid was mute. He just communicated with his big blue eyes. Those eyes that had seen way to much for a child his age.

"That's right Juniper, very good!" Shaylee praised. The little boys face stayed completely emotionless, but his eyes fluttered with pride. "A lot of you might not know this, but I was born just down the street a few blocks. Grew up going to this very school. It was just my mom, me, and my cousin Elvin. Can any of you tell me what your family is like?"

Not a single kid raised their hands. Instead they looked around at each other, hoping one would be brave enough to speak up. And to Shaylee's surprise, Juniper spoke up again.

"Me and my mom. Every once in a while my dad too." Shaylee was a bit surprised about that. She knew exactly who the boy's father was. No one who lived or worked around that area could get away with out knowing the Darley family.

Juniper looked around at his fellow students and quickly hands started to shoot up in the air. The child had only just turned four a couple months ago, and already he had learned the respect demanding look that came with the Darley name.

Shaylee was about to call on one of the other children, when the principal walked into the class.

"Miss Shay, I need a word with you." The stern woman demanded as her dark brown, almost black eyes scanned the room for any imperfections.

"I would like you all to sit quietly please." Shaylee said as she quickly escorted Mrs. Henry out of her bright class room. "What can I do for you Mrs. Henry."

"Tommy Saxe just overdosed. Joe Darley or some one associated with him will be picking up Juno."

"Juniper." Shaylee corrected, knowing there was no point. Mrs. Henry didn't remember the children's names unless it was necessary. "Is Tommy ok? Or when you say she overdosed?"

"She survived. Surprisingly." Mrs. Henry replied as she turned and walked away. Sighing, Shaylee went back to her class. It was already a long day, and she wasn't looking forward to meeting one of the Darleys.

When the clock started to read noon, Shaylee was starting to get a bit nervous. She knew that Joe Darley would be walking into her class at any moment to be picking up his son. And she still hasn't told the kid. She couldn't bring herself to do it. She knew the kid was smart for a four year old. He would know something was wrong. And as she started to think about how she was going to bring the news to the boy, the rumblings of a mustang could be heard outside. Every one knew the sound of Billy Darley's mustang. Juniper's eyes shot up and he raced over to the window. Shaylee walked up behind him and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. Two men got out of the car. One a scrawny looking man wearing a red leather coat and a worried expression. The other an intimidating looking man. His face was emotionless. Billy and Joe Darley both had decided to grace the school with their presence. Shaylee held her breath as they started to walk up to the school.

"Grab your bags every one." Shaylee announced as she took Juniper's hand and led him away from the window.

"Is she dead?" Juniper asked quietly.

Shaylee looked down at the kids emotionless face and it about broke her heart. She shook her head and tried to put a reassuring smile on her face. "No."

Juniper just simply nodded as he grabbed his bag and waited for his uncle and father to come and pick him up. Other parents came to get their children, but Juniper still sat next to Shaylee as the last of the students left the room. Shaylee nervously bit her lower lip as she watched the door slowly open once more.

Juniper took her hand and glanced up at her. A look of fear crossed the boy's eyes for a split second before it was gone once more.

Shaylee knelt down at eye level to the boy and smiled. "Juniper, if you ever need anything, you don't hesitate to call me ok?"

Shaylee wrote her number down on a piece of paper and stuck it in the front pocket of his back pack. A Batman back pack that Shaylee had bought for him a few weeks prior when his old one fell apart. "I mean it Juni. I don't care if it's three in the morning. If you need anything you call me."

At the last of her sentence the door swing open forcefully and Shaylee rolled her eyes. She got to her feet and turned to see the two Darley men. "Please don't take your frustrations out on my door. If it breaks I won't get a new one."

Joe looked a bit nervous as he looked over at his son. Billy on the other hand had a slight smirk on his face. Shaylee felt the shivers go down her spine as the eldest Darley took her in. Trailing his eyes up and down her body. She had met him once before. Way before she had run off to college to become a teacher. Back then he was just starting to become known in the neighborhood. He was still intimidating back then as he was now, but Shaylee wasn't the same mouthy brat she was back then.

"So the infamous Miss Shay, finally has a face." Billy said and Joe rolled his eyes. They had both heard about the teacher. Not just from Joe's ex Tommy, but from members of the gang who had children. Their children loved this teacher. Not to mention most of the father's where more than happy to pick up their children if there was a chance of getting to talk with the pretty petite teacher. Billy couldn't deny that the teacher had a beautiful face. Big, plump lips, perfect button nose with a small diamond stud nose ring on the left side, big gray eyes. Even with the small scar just above her right eyebrow, the girl was very nice to look at. Her body on the other hand was covered in very conservative style clothing. Her jeans where the only thing that seems to give any thing away. They clung tightly to her body and showed of the perfect curve of her ass. Billy Darley was interested and that could only mean one thing. Shaylee was in big trouble.

"Let's get going squirt." Joe said as he held his hand out for Juniper to take. His hands trembled as the little boy took his hand. Joe was scared out of his wits at that very moment. He was never really a father to the boy. Only coming around when Tommy needed something for him. Now he was having to step up and actually be a father. Something he never wanted.

"What time does school start?" Joe asked nervously.

"He should be here by 8:00." Shaylee replied.

"Fuck! Really!" Joe demanded.

"Language young man." Shaylee scolded playfully. She placed a hand on her hip and pointed a scolding finger at him. "I say this to the other parents too. Use that language all you want out side of this classroom. But the moment you take a step into my classroom please leave the cussing at the door."

"And they listen?" Billy said sounding a bit amused.

Shaylee looked up into his icy blue eyes and nodded. "I can be quite persuasive."

"Oh, I don't doubt it." Billy said with his trade mark smirk, that he only used for the girls he is looking to pull into his bed. Joe groaned and turned to his brother. Giving him his best pleading look. The last thing he needed at the moment was for his brother to try and put the moves on his son's preschool teacher. He couldn't help but be attracted to the teacher. A naughty teacher fantasy had ran through his head at the very sight of her. The woman's tight blond pony tail was about to do him in with his over imaginative fantasy. What he wouldn't give to be behind her, pulling on that pony tail and having her scream how bad of a boy he was. But the moment he saw the look in his brother's eyes, that fantasy came to a screeching halt. Billy was calling dibs.