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Chapter 1

When Don Falcone first gave me the assignment of protecting her I have to admit I was less than thrilled. I was no babysitter and I didn't want to babysit his seventeen year old daughter, but he didn't really give me a choice. So even before I met her she was an annoyance, but that didn't last. Quicker than I ever expected she was nothing short of a delight. When her mother returned to the states with Constance in tow the Don wished to shield her from the dangers his world presented. I understood that and from that first day when he sent me to retrieve her I understood I was to shuffle her between the homes of her parents, to accompany her everywhere she went; basically I was to keep her safe. And I would, I had never failed a job before, and I wasn't going to start now.

The first time I went to retrieve her I pulled up to an old mansion just outside of Gotham a few miles from the Don's own home. It was clear that he kept his ex-wife and daughter in good setting. When I knocked on the door much to my surprised the former Mrs. Falcone answered the door. I disliked her from the start. She was a plump woman all over. Her face looked like a swollen balloon and it was just as red topped with what was clearing artificial blond hair. She might have once been an attractive woman, but now she had gained quite a bit of weight. Also the way she held herself clearly said she held herself above the rest. Looking at her I couldn't help, but wonder what type of person the daughter would be if she was raised by this woman.

"Don Falcone sent me to retrieve Constance. I am Victor Zsasz," I snapped earning a glare from her.

"Constance!" yelled the woman never looking away from me. The girl appeared quickly enough then and much to my surprise she was far from what I thought she would be. I had expected to meet some spoiled little princess, but as I would learn she was far from that. As it turned out Constance Falcone was like an ordinary teenager, well except her father was the head of a crime family. She was a simple girl with light caramel colored brown hair that matched her equally sun kissed skin. She was dressed plainly in jeans and a T-shirt a smudging of makeup on her eyes and lips. And from the frown she had as she looked at her mother she liked her about as much as I did.

"This man…Victor Zsasz is here is to take you to your father. Send him my regards, or not," sneered her mother walking away as quickly as the words could leave her mouth not giving her daughter a second glance.

"Yes, Sophia," whispered Constance looking after her a moment before closing the door as she exited the house looking at me then before I motioned for her to follow me to the car. The drive was a long silent one at first, but I could feel her watching me.

"So you're…Victor Zsasz the assassin. My father said you'll be with me…to protect me?" asked Constance tapping her fingers along her jeaned knee. I looked at her then she was sitting as far from me in the passenger seat as she could. Normally it wouldn't have bothered me that she was frightened of me, but for some reason I didn't want her to be afraid. Maybe because there was no reason for her to be; it would be much easier for me to protect her if she knew she was safe with me. And slowly eying her still I gave her a smile watching as she slowly inched closer returning it.

"Yes, I am Victor Zsasz. I am here to protect you so you have no reason to be afraid of me just rest assured if anyone wants to hurt you they'll have to get through me," I smiled looking over at her watching as she finally nodded sitting correctly in her seat now. When the car pulled up to the Don's house she got out hurriedly running inside without giving me a second glance searching for her father. She found him in his study loading money into his suitcase.

"Daddy," exclaimed Constance hugging him tightly as I appeared in the doorway. He kissed her forehead as she pulled away and as a sad look came into his eyes I knew what was coming. He would not be staying to actually spend any time with her.

"My dear I am so happy to see you after so long. I am looking forward to our time together this weekend, but first I have some business that cannot wait. Victor will watch over you until I return," explained Don Falcone dismissing her fallen face as he kissed her forehead before leaving her standing there. I didn't push her to move when she remained standing where he had left her. I could hear her crying though I couldn't see her face and standing just outside the doorway I waited. Finally she brought a hand to her face probably hoping to hide her tears before turning to face me and when I could finally see her face it now held a pinkish red tint. Constance moved past me quickly when she finally left the room and I followed her entering the TV room where she had flopped onto the couch. For a while she just flicked through channels not really paying attention as I watched her from my place by the door. She was silent, an eerie silent that I found I didn't like at all. It was clear this weekend was not going at all how she had planned. Finally she stopped, deciding on a channel showing Gone with the Wind, and watching it a minute she finally looked at me.

"You can sit down. I don't think you would get in trouble for sitting and watching a movie with me while you're guarding me. Besides we're probably going to be spending a lot of time together so we should get used to each other," sighed Constance motioning for me to join her.

"I suppose," I whispered moving without a sound to sit next to her.

"This is one of my favorite movies anyway," I smiled as I watched her out of the corner of my eye.

"Really, mine too," whispered Constance leaning into the side of the couch to get comfortable. We watched the movie in silence then with me only paying half attention as I listened for any sign of an attack. But those sounds never came instead I found myself looking at her as she gave a sudden sniffle indicating her tears to me.

"Are you crying?" I exclaimed peering at her from the short distance between us seeing the answer for myself when she turned to look at me.

"No…it's just the movie…it always makes me cry," whispered Constance shrinking into the side of the couch. But I didn't believe her, those were not fake movie tears those tears were all too real. I had seen more tears in my career not to know the real from the fake.

"Don't you dare lie to me, do you understand me? That is rule number one with me you tell me the truth, always. That way I can protect you to the best of my ability, now tell me what the hell is wrong with you," I snapped my voice rising so badly that when she looked at me she once again looked scared to death. This time I was glad she needed to learn what she could and couldn't do when with me. She still stayed silent before suddenly I grabbed her by her shoulders making her look me straight in the eye.

"ANSWER ME, LITTLE GIRL!" I screamed directly into her face making her eyes widen as she started crying again.

"My parents don't love me. I try and I try, but no matter what I do nothing is ever enough to make them love me," whispered Constance through her tears my fingers loosening their grip on her arms as she did so.

"My mother doesn't love me; she only keeps me around so she can use me against my father. My dad says he loves me, but he doesn't even have time for me. I'm nothing, but an obligation to him," whispered Constance staring straight at me before finally I let her go altogether. As soon as I did her hands covered her face as she continued to cry and curling into a ball she moved back to her side of the couch.

"Things can't be that bad…what about your friends?" I asked making her look at me again. I don't know why, but I didn't like her crying. I didn't like women crying in general, but something about her crying bothered me more.

"No…my mother won't allow it…she says it'll make me like them, and I'm not like them. I'm alone most of the time," whispered Constance. Staring down at her I don't know why, but I wanted to say something, anything to make her feel better. I don't know why I cared for her, but I did.

"Not anymore you won't," I whispered making her hands fall from her face as she looked at me.

"What do you mean?" asked Constance and for the first time I noticed her cobalt blue eyes.

"It's my job to never leave your side, so whenever you're not with your mother or father you'll be with me," I explained my heart softening in a way it never had before when she finally smiled at me. For the first time in a long time I was feeling emotions I hadn't felt in a very long time and it was all because of her.

"Thank you," smiled Constance after a moment the thought seeming to truly make her happy as she turned her eyes back to the TV.

"You're welcome," I whispered with a nod as I did the same still watching her out of the corner of my eye. And I was glad to find that smile hadn't left her face. It was in that moment that I started to reconsider this job.

Although I wouldn't be adding any new marks to my arm unless anyone actually tried to hurt her, I suddenly thought that this job wouldn't be so bad. She actually seemed like a really interesting girl who I could see myself coming to like. It was as I was thinking this that she asked me a question that I had to really consider before giving her an answer.

"Does this make us friends?" asked Constance her eyes never straying from the movie. My eyes stayed locked to the screen as well as I considered an answer; I didn't know what to say. This was a job, yes, but did that mean we couldn't be friends. That we couldn't grow to like each other in any way whatsoever. I didn't know; I had never been in such a situation before.

So I didn't answer her. I wouldn't answer her until I knew the answer for sure myself.

"You could use a friend," I suddenly thought in that moment trying to convince myself to just say yes. It was a true thought because I didn't have any friends, but then again until now I had never wanted any. I didn't need any, but considering her question I couldn't help thinking that being friends with her didn't sound so bad. But could I be friends with Don Falcone's daughter? Would that hinder my job, or would that only make it easier for me to protect her? I didn't know and I wouldn't answer her until I did.