II: Dia

"Mama!" I hear the smallest, cutest voice in all my entire life before I open my eyes this morning. I sit up and see my two year old son, Louis, sitting next to me on the bed. He grins and nuzzles my cheek, smiling wide, "Mama wake!"

"Yeah baby, mama's awake," I grin at him, kissing his cheek. I smell breakfast…eggs and bacon? Colt must have company. My stomach drops as I realize who it probably is. My newest target sits in my kitchen for breakfast. "Uncle Phil here?"

"Uh-huh!" Louis beams, "I has a new toy!"

"That's nice," I grin at him, "How about you go play with your new toy and I'll get changed and be out soon."

Louis hops off the bed and I get out of it, staring at my frizzy hair and tired face in the mirror. God damn this. How am I supposed to keep my personal life out of my work life this time? I decide on a black tank top with blue jeans, my knife sheath strapped to the inside of my left leg. If I have a chance after Louis and Colt leave, I'm taking it. I head into the small kitchen to see Phil and Louis playing with action figures. As soon as he sees me, Phil stops for a moment. Our eyes meet and I think for a moment that he knows. He knows something is wrong. "Morning D," he greets, voice calm.

Colt turns, bright and cheery as he always is. That's the one thing I can always count on. If life is dull and gray, Colt grins and bears it. "Goood morning Di-Di! Eggs, bacon, and toast?"

"Eggs over easy?" I inquire.

"Precisely," Colt puts the egg on my plate.

"Bacon crispy but not burnt?"

"No other way to make bacon," he beams as he does the same to my bacon as he did my eggs.

"Toast buttered but not jellied?"

"You can do that yourself," he laughs as he sits next to me. I swear, if I didn't have him in my life I would be depressed. I'd say I'd be dead but I would have to take care of Louis. I'd live for him.

I press a kiss to Colt's cheek before looking over to Phil, "What are you doing here this early? I didn't think you rolled outta bed til noon?"

"Had to talk to you," Phil smiles politely, though there's a strained quality to it.

"Any important talk can wait til Colt and Lou leave. Colt's got errands to run, including taking Lou to see his grandma," I grin around a mouthful of egg.

Lou smiles from his spot on the floor, "Momma ickie. Momma no chew mouf."

What can I say? I taught the kid well. Before I speak, I make sure to swallow my mouthful of food. "Sorry baby."

"Smart kid," Phil grins as he sips his milk, "So, ain't seen you around the shop in a while. When are you gonna get a new piece?"

"When I can afford it," I shrug my shoulders, "I haven't been able to put money away. Always helping to pay for this place or for utilities."

"Still dunno what she does for a living," Colt chuckles, "but if she's not doing something illegal who am I to judge?"

I was getting ready to take a bite but I stop. Fuck I hate lying to Colt. I should be able to tell him the truth. I should be fully honest with him. But per agreement with Paul, all that shit it out the window. "Course no! It's just too boring!"

There's a silence as I eat, the sound of Louis 'vrooming' as he plays with his cars in the floor is the only sound. He stops before looking up. "We go?"

Colt chuckles, standing, "Let daddy pack your bag and we'll go."

Lou runs to his room, Colt following him. That leaves Phil and I to sit in silence with each other. A thousand thoughts float through my head. He's a smart man, if he thought long and hard about it then he may know. On the other hand, he could be asking me to come back to The Funeral Parlor. "So…how's work? Do any good pieces lately?"

"A couple," Phil mutters as his eyes gaze into his glass. I fully understand what that second emotion is. That second emotion is sadness. Something's wrong. Maybe he's here on sadder terms than knowing my second dealings. "Did a cool wolf's head for this kid named Justin from South Africa."

We fall in silence yet again, the sound of giggling coming from Louis' room. Colt's a great dad. The sound of footsteps is heard and Colt enters the room, Louis scooped up in one arm and the diaper bag on the other. I stand and cross over to them, kissing them both. "Do you have everything for him? Snacks and diapers and wipes?"

"Check, check, and check," grins Colt as he squeezes my hand with his free one. "Want me to tell mum you say hello?"

"Sure," I nod. Colt may be cut off but he tries to keep an alright relationship with his parents for Louis' sake. I mean, Colt's folks are the only grandparents that Lou has. "You boys be safe."

"Love mama," Louis beams at me as he and Colt leave. I stand at the door for a moment before I hear Phil clear his throat. When I turn around, Phil is standing in the doorway with a hand in his pocket. I take in a sharp breath as I realize what Phil has in the hand that's not in his pocket.

The son of a bitch has a gun in his hand.

"Phil…" I take a deep breath, "What are you doing?"

"Look…Dia…I hate this but I owe someone a lot of money," Phil mutters, unable to look at me, "I…I lose it all if I can't…"

"If you can't kill a loving mother?" I ask, sitting on the couch. I need to reach my knife. If I can attack him before he can shoot me, I might have half of a chance. "Who is it that you owe money to Phil? I can help!"

"Di…you know you can't help," Phil takes a deep breath, letting his guard down. I reach for my knife, gripping it in my hand and ready to attack him. "Drop the knife Di…"

I move my hand, slowly dropping the knife on the ground where he can see it. Holy fuck he's good. "Phil please…we can work together on taking out whoever wants you to kill me. I've been assigned to do the same…"

"Who do you owe money to?" Phil questions, raising his eyebrow.

"Me? Paul Heyman. Borrowed money from him so he practically owns me now," I roll my eyes, "Been at this for two years. He gives me new names. I never remember names, just faces. It's easier that way. You?"

Phil looks like he can't believe this. He drops the gun on the table and places his head in his hands as he sits next to me. "Fuckin' Heyman. He leant me cash for the shop and use of his man Ryback for takin' down some of the more corrupt guys in town when I held that Take Back The City rally."

"We out lived our usefulness," I shake my head, "He'll send his goon after us."

"Then we fight back," Phil grins, "Di, I know you can fight. We fight for freedom. Starting now, we take back our lives."

A/N: Have a story you'd like to see in the future? Have comments on the lives that we've met so far? Let me know in a review!