Japan

Jesse admired the foliage Ange had in her backyard, making an internal note to ask her what type of plants they were so he could look into getting some for his yard. He puffed on his half-smoked cigar, wondering if everything was going well with her and Han. He was happy his sickness was easily treatable, meaning this would be a quick visit. He knew Han wanted to get home as quickly as possible, and if he were honest, he kind of did too.

He had an uneasy feeling in his stomach, and he couldn't figure out why.

"Guess I should head back in," he said to himself, tossing the rest of his cigar into the designated canister and going back inside. He peered into the room he saw that guy in on his way back and noticed it was empty. Was Ange doing a meet and greet of some sort?

He rounded the corner to the hallway and heard a commotion coming from the room Han was in. Picking up his pace, he rushed down the hall and stopped in the doorway, eyes going wide at the spectacle before him. "Whoa there!" Jesse lunged, doing his best to separate him and the earlier guy in question.

"Get your hands off me!" The man shouted, throwing his elbow back at Jesse and focusing on Hanzo again. "This monster must pay for what he did to me!"

"Monster?" Hanzo scoffed, trying to pry his hands from around his neck. "Don't make me laugh!"

"Ange, what the hell is goin' on?" Jesse asked, looking at an alarmed Angela while trying to separate the men again.

"I don't know! Genji just came in to say something and immediately attacked him!" Angela stepped back as Jesse did his best to break up the fight. Just a few minutes ago, she was getting to know her newest patient when Genji came in and noticed him. She wasn't entirely sure what the problem was, but she'd never seen him this angry before! He'd charged in, pulling Hanzo from the table and down to the floor, throwing punches like a madman! Thank goodness Jesse came back before it got any worse!

"What the hell are you talkin' about?" Jesse tapped into strength he typically saved for jobs, successfully yanking the one named Genji off Han and sending him back a few feet. He was getting too old for this mess. He helped Han up and checked him out, he hadn't seen him this worked up before, not even when he turned! "Y'alright, honeybee?"

"I will be once this child admits his wrongdoing!" Hanzo pushed Jesse aside and stomped up to Genji, grabbing him by the collar. He thought he was dead this entire time, and he'd been filled with so much regret, but now that he knew he was alive… he wasn't sure how to react. He was only responding to his brother's emotions, and he clearly held a grudge.

"My wrongdoing? Brother, you killed me," Genji gripped his wrists, voice laden with contempt and disgust. Not only did his long-lost brother slash murderer show up, he was also a freaking vampire! He couldn't believe it! He knew the work Angie did and he detested it. He couldn't stand the filthy vermin she let into their home and wished she wouldn't have such a soft spot for those things! "What happened to you?" He asked, full of solemnness and hatred.

"Only because you… I was forced to!" Hanzo grit his teeth letting him go and ignoring his question. That wasn't important, what was important was that they settle this! If he could turn back time, he would have run away the moment he was ordered to slay his own brother, but unfortunately… "Look at you, alive and well."

It was then Jesse knew what was going on. Han told him the tragic story of his family history and what he was forced to do. His poor sweetie pie carried that burden with him to this day, and he felt absolutely terrible that there was nothing he could do to alleviate his sorrow. With him as sulky as he was, he never would have thought he'd react like this upon seeing him alive!

"Well, you say?" Genji fought back the urge to tackle him to the ground again and get his revenge. He wanted to make his brother feel the pain he felt all those years ago. "A day hasn't gone by that I don't think about vengeance. But I am not a monster like you."

"Monster? Look around, brother," Hanzo gestured to the room. He knew exactly what he meant, but he had no room to call anyone a monster. "You are surrounded by monsters. The only human in this room is Jesse."

Jesse? Genji looked at the cowboy who was just standing there, then at Angie who was standing there with her mouth agape. What was he saying? "Angie… what?" It briefly crossed his mind a few years ago that it may very well have been the case when he noticed he hadn't aged a bit since the incident, but it was completely unrealistic… wasn't it?

Hanzo scoffed again, picking up his shirt and putting it on. Had Genji not even known of his true nature? The look on his face surely didn't depict that of someone who was aware. Even so, it wasn't his problem. "I am leaving," he said, stopping at the door to thank the doctor. "Thank you for your generosity."

"Darlin', wait!" Jesse called out, scurrying after him. "Thank you for your help, an' I'm sorry for the trouble," he said to Angela, slipping her some cash before following Hanzo through the house and out the front door.

"Angela…" Genji stared blankly at his long-term girlfriend, processing everything that just happened. From his brother showing up as a vamp to being told he himself was one? The only one who would know the truth was Angie. "Was he telling the truth?"

Angela just looked at her feet in shame. She didn't want him to find out like this. She didn't want him to find out at all! She'd spent so many years perfecting her medicine to appear and feel as human as possible and discreetly administering it to Genji so he'd never know. As long as she'd known him, she'd known of his hatred for vampires and the work that she did to help them, but he eventually let it go when he realized her work was keeping them from harming humans. Since then, he never said much about what she did, which she was thankful for.

"Angela," he said a bit more firmly. With her timid demeanor, he knew it was true, he just needed to hear it from her directly. He stepped up to her, holding her by the shoulders. "Tell me."

"Genji, I'm so sorry!" She held onto him, sobbing uncontrollably. The jig was up, and there wasn't anything she could do about it. "You were close to death, and I couldn't bear the thought of living without you! It was the only way I could save you! Please, forgive me!"

"I'm… a vampire?" He held her wrists and removed them from his shoulders, taking a step back. He looked down at his hands, feeling like his image was now distorted. He thought he knew who he was, but apparently not. He was a disgusting, vile creature, a bloodsucker, scum, not fit to walk the earth. He looked up at her. "You too?"

He knew what kind of work she did, but he didn't know why she had such a soft spot for them until now! It all made sense. His lack of hunger, his constant state of being well rested, the fact that he looked the exact same as he did all those years ago. A part of him felt like he'd always known, and just submerged himself as deep in denial as he could right off the bat. But it still wasn't right. He would have rather perished than turn into an unholy being.

"Genji," Angela pleaded for him to come closer to her, but her skeletons had been revealed. "I'm so sorry."

"I… I need some space," he said before leaving the room. He stormed out of the house and down the street to a destination unknown while he worked through his thoughts. He felt like he was going insane! He slumped on an isolated bench facing nowhere, holding his head in his hands. His whole life, he thought he'd just taken good care of his body, no illnesses, no fatigue. But to know it was all Angela's doing was a different story.

He didn't remember much of what happened after the incident. All he could recall was waking up in her bedroom days later with no injuries at all. When she told him she'd paid a lot of money for an exclusive medicine that healed him, he thought nothing of it, but in reality, she'd turned him into a monster!

"The only human in this room is Jesse."

Why must his brother be so easy to manipulate? Brainwashed and goaded by Father to make such a rash decision then later down the line being turned by a disgusting creature, how had he stooped so low? And who was the man that was with him?

"Y'alright, honeybee?" "Darlin', wait!"

What kind of relationship did they have? Genji shuddered. Growing up, that definitely wasn't the direction he thought his brother would go! And with Father drilling the meaninglessness of relationships into their heads, he even more so didn't see him with anyone, no less a man!

"What kind of self-aware human would willingly lay with a vampire?" He scoffed to himself, unintentionally reminding himself he was doing the same thing. "Arrgh!" He shouted, shooting up from the bench and kicking the trashcan next to him. He was a damn vamp!

He lie in bed, leafing through pages of a magazine as he glanced at the clock, eleven-fourteen. "I should get some sleep," he said to no one in particular as he tossed his magazine to the side and got comfortable. He saw shadows moving under his bedroom door and sighed, knowing who it was and what he wanted. "Come in, brother."

He sat up lazily, ready to deflect yet another pathetic attempt to convince him to take part in the family business. It just wasn't him. Why couldn't he live his life how he wanted to? It wasn't his fault he was born into a family of killers! "Are you just going to stand there?"

"Genji," Hanzo stood in his doorway with his hands behind his back, dazed from the conversation he just had with Father. For some reason, he couldn't stop himself. "Have you made your decision?"

"Brother, I told you," Genji sighed heavily. They just wouldn't take no for an answer! He was going to have to run away, wasn't he? "I do not wish to join in on the 'family fun'."

"I see," Hanzo took a slow step into his room. "Is that your final answer?"

"What do you think?" Genji flopped back down onto his bed, ignorant of the way his brother pulled his katana from behind his back and charged at him.

"You will come to regret your decision," Hanzo leapt onto his bed and stood over him, the tip of his sword aimed at his heart. "Believe me, brother, this will hurt me far more than it does you."

"You better look me in the eye as you plunge that sword into your brother's heart," Genji had some idea things might have turned out this way, but to be slain by the only one in his family he could actually talk to? How cruel. What happened to when they were kids and thick as thieves?

As if he'd fallen into a deep sleep, his eyes snapped open, staring at the familiar ceiling of his girlfriend's room. What… happened? The last thing he remembered was staring death in the face, did he not go through with it? Did he chicken out? He sat up, patting his chest for any injuries, and felt nothing. In fact, he felt better than ever!

"Genji! You're awake!" Angela scrambled over to the bed, shocked at his speedy recovery. "How are you feeling? Let me take your vitals."

"Angie…" Genji held a free hand to his head. "What happened? Am I…"

"You're fine," she reassured. "You just had a little scrape with your brother."

"A little scrape? That's what you intend to call it?" Genji's blood began to boil. "I would call it attempted murder," he said, words bitter.

It wasn't until a few weeks later that he learned through the grapevine that Hanzo abandoned the clan. Not long after that, Angela told him that he was legally dead for a few minutes until she managed to revive him with a "special medicine". It sat repressed, festering deep within him, the knowledge that his big brother killed him in cold blood. And he thought he'd gotten over it until he saw him in the flesh, living as a being he despised most.

Something in him snapped.

Blinded with a rage he'd never felt before, his desire for revenge resurfaced and he saw red. If he were a damn beast, he might as well act like one! He zeroed in on a random civilian in the distance planning to take his anger out on them. They were headed this way and there were trees nearby, like the universe was working in his favor.

Angela was distraught from her own actions. Genji had never run out on her like that before! She'd screwed up big time, and she didn't know if there was anything she could do to fix it! She sanitized her workspace and waited for him to return, but he was gone for hours! She wanted to give him his space, but she was too worried to not call him after a while.

When he didn't answer, her thoughts went wild, thinking he followed his brother to exact revenge and even contacted Jesse to make sure everything was okay. When he told her they were fine and back at the hotel, she was relieved but only raised more questions. Where could he have gone?

She dragged herself to her room and fell onto the bed, tears welling in her eyes. Why was everything unraveling like this? She went from living her normal, day-to-day life with her significant other, happy times, sweet moments full of love, to broken trust, secrets revealed, and a barrier she was sure to have to tear down once he came home.

A part of her wished she'd never turned him in the first place, but life without him? She couldn't bear it! Eternity without the love of her life? She knew eventually she'd have to come clean, but not now! Not like this!

She rolled herself into her covers, dreading the inevitable talk they were going to have. Was he going to break up with her? He had every right to be angry, and she wouldn't blame him if he wanted some space for a while to figure things out, but he hadn't abandoned her… right? He had to come back! Unless…

She knew how much he hated vampires, so to find out he was one was probably sending him into a spiral. She kept track of the small comments he'd make about not aging and lack of hunger, telling him it was just the supplements she'd been giving him. She hated to say it, but she was thankful that he was airheaded at times, not giving her words a second thought.

She should have been honest from the start. But then how would things have turned out?

Her depression led her to a restless sleep not long after that, unwillingly dreaming up her bad thoughts. Life without him… long, lonely, quiet, no one to laugh with. How sad.

"Genji! Oh my God, Genji!" Angela screamed, stumbling to the ground and crawling over to the bloodied body in the grass. He'd sneak her in from time to time and she was planning on throwing a few tiny rocks at his window tonight to get his attention. She knew she'd just seen him the day before, but she missed him! What she wasn't expecting to find was his body lying outside his window, fighting for life.

She did what she could to stop the bleeding with the mini med kit she kept on her, but it was for naught; he'd already lost too much blood. Could she lug him back to her place and stitch him up in time? She grabbed his ankles and dragged him a few yards before falling to her butt in a sob. She didn't live far, but she wasn't strong enough to be able to get him to her place fast enough! What could she do to save him?

There was only one way.

With tears pouring from her eyes, she pulled out the small blade she had for emergencies and cut her palm open with a wince, blood pooling in her hand. "I'm so sorry, Genji," she whispered before making a fist and pouring the dark liquid into the wound on his chest.

The sound of her front door woke her up hours later, as she had always been a light sleeper. "Genji…?" She sat up in the darkness, sliding out of bed and into her slippers before turning her lamp on and shuffling to the door, unsure of what was to come. Was her relationship over?

She wished she'd stayed in bed, for what she saw was beyond the realms of what she could have imagined. Genji, moving through the halls like a zombie, his face, clothes, even his hands soaked in blood. A sight she'd only seen from freshly turned vampires! What… had he done? She held a hand to her mouth as she watched him go into her study, doing who knows what. Did he not notice her watching him? Why was she so afraid to speak up?

"Jesse… Jesse…" Genji muttered to himself as he leafed through Angie's file cabinet, completely out of it. He'd known she sent medicine all over the world, and he was going to make it his duty to find his "brother" and pay him a little follow-up visit. However, when he didn't see anyone with his name in her files, he looked for the one named Jesse, having remembered it being mentioned earlier in the day.

"Darlin', yer breakin' my heart," Jesse pouted, leaning on the wooden table Han set up in their yard to practice archery. Ever since his unfortunate encounter with his younger brother a week ago, he'd been mute and sulkier than usual! As soon as they got home, he set up targets outside and pulled a table out of storage, spending most of his time outside shooting arrows in solitude.

Jesse watched the precision as his honeybee hit all four targets right in the center with rapid shots. What a professional. "Can ya talk to me, pretty please?"

Hanzo wasn't himself. He felt fine physically, but mentally? He was young again, standing over Genji's body. He didn't resist. He didn't fight back. If he had just told him to stop, to snap out of it, he never would have gone through with it, but he didn't. Instead, he had to relive the cold night he plunged that sword into his poor, innocent baby brother's heart and watch lifelessly as Father heaved his body through the window as if he were worthless.

"Leave him for the rats to feast."

But to learn he was alive…! His relief was quickly diminished when he was attacked, realizing that he'd done something irreversible. Of course, Genji would hold a grudge! Why wouldn't he? And to learn that his little brother had been turned into a vampire, he suspected from none other than his doctor girlfriend… it was too much to bear.

They shared a lot of the same beliefs and opinions growing up, so Hanzo knew how he felt about vamps. Had he known the doctor was keeping it a secret, he would never have said anything. However, the cat was out of the bag, and if Genji was anything like he was when he was a kid, he was probably repulsed with himself and wishing he'd finished the job.

Seeing him like that, just as he remembered him, it broke Hanzo's heart. He'd never experience the gracefulness of aging, the wisdom that came along with it. His entire life stopped right where it was, and he probably didn't know why. He wished he had the words to say to him, but he didn't. He couldn't just apologize for something like that and think things would be okay.

There was nothing he could do to fix his wrongdoing.

He would never touch a sword again. It was a long time coming, but it was the least he could do, even if it was for himself. As soon as they'd gotten home, he'd packed each katana he had away safely and tucked them under the bed, not yet having the courage to destroy them.

He'd thrown himself into archery, deciding to distract himself from his horrid actions while also unintentionally shutting Jesse out. He felt awful, but he was so ashamed! What did he think of him now that his worst secrets had come to life? He was afraid to face him because facing him meant he had to talk about it. How would Jesse view him once he finally broke down? Would he abandon him? He didn't know if he could be by himself in this state!

He shot a set of arrows rapidly, hitting each target right in the center with practiced ease while Jesse watched him. How sweet he'd been since that whole ordeal, having never left his side even though he refused to speak. He'd make it up to him one day, just as long as he continued to be patient with him.

He placed his bow on the table and picked up a water bottle and chugged it thirstily, locking eyes with Jesse, who'd been watching him practice. He was so grateful for his kindness.

"You can enter a tournament or something with those skills, Han," Jesse said, hoping that would be good enough of a conversation starter.

A tournament? How foolish. There was only one purpose those arrows served, and it wasn't to play any silly games. "Hmph."

"I know yer probably thinkin' it's foolish, but I'm serious!" Jesse leaned on the table. "With yer skills, you could win a ton of money."

"I suppose I should pull my weight around here," Hanzo sighed. It was bound to come up eventually. He'd been mooching off Jesse for years now and his only use was bringing home food. He was surprised he hadn't gotten tired of him sooner!

"No, sweetie pie! That's not what I meant at all!" Jesse took his hands, happy to hear his voice again. "I just know you're going through some stuff right now, and I figured it would get your mind off things."

Jesse knew Han needed him right now, even if he didn't want to say it out loud. That was why he hadn't left his bubble since the visit. Usually, he'd push him away, telling him to give him some space, but this time around it was the opposite. He clung to him during the night and sort of followed him around during the day, so he took it upon himself to stay next to him as long as he needed to.

"There is nothing that can make me forget," Hanzo stated plainly, picking his bow up again and loading it with an arrow.

"Honeybun, look at me," Jesse took his hand again and lowered his arms. "Listen, I know there ain't really much of anythin' you can do to undo the past, but now that you know he's alive, you can make amends. Things got a little rough when you were reunited, and that's understandable. But with some time to think, perhaps the two of you can have a civil conversation."

"You do not understand," Hanzo faced him. "Apologizing will not fix anything. I killed him, Jesse. With my own hands, I drove my sword into his heart! There is nothing I can do to erase that!" He finally let the tears flow, holding onto Jesse's shirt and sobbing into his chest. How pathetic.

"Oh, darlin'," Jesse held him tight, letting him get it all out. After bottling this up for so long, he needed this desperately. "Ya can't erase it, but you can at least take the step to show him you're apologetic."

"I cannot…" Hanzo choked out. He had never let these emotions out, but it sure felt good to do it. He was glad he had Jesse as his safe space. "It would not matter."

Jesse held his face, wiping his tears away. He felt it would be beneficial for him to have a talk with his brother now that he could. He could tell Han really wanted to, but he was stuck in his own head and wouldn't forgive himself. How could he ease him into it? He wouldn't say anything more about it now, he'd wait until he calmed down a bit and opened up a bit more to him later.

"How can you still stand by me after such a thing?" Hanzo couldn't even look him in the eye. "I should not even be alive."

"Honey, there ain't nothin' in this world that could make me hate or dislike you," Jesse knew nobody was perfect. "Everyone has demons, an' I mean everyone. Yours just need a little more love and attention."

"Jesse…" Hanzo didn't know where he would be if not for the man holding him, his savior. With him, he could conquer anything. "I do not deserve your love."

"I could say the same to you, yet ya still love an old cowboy with a past. Let's work on betterin' ourselves together for now and the future. For us," he said right before he heard a faint ringing coming from the house.

As distant as he'd been the past few days, Hanzo wanted nothing but to be close to Jesse in that moment, the only one who accepted him and all his faults and flaws. He hugged him timidly, being wrapped in his familiar orange serape before he heard the sound he hated most coming from the house. He sighed and let him go, his shoulders drooping. "Work calls."

"Don't worry yer pretty little head, darlin'," Jesse threw an arm around him and walked him into the house. "I'll decline whatever it is an' stay here with ya 'til yer feelin' better."

"I could not ask you to do that," as much as Hanzo didn't want to be alone, he even more didn't want to keep Jesse from maintaining his livelihood. Hunting was all he did to bring in income, and since he refused to let him work, he couldn't ask him to stay home with him.

"But I want to," Jesse checked the caller ID, cursing under his breath when he realized who was calling. "Aw, hell. Yello?"

Hanzo took his shirt off and let his hair down, feeling like he could finally get comfortable enough to take a nap. He should have opened up to Jesse about this a long time ago, and he planned on letting his walls down little by little. Until now, he didn't understand how good it felt to receive support, and during their entire relationship, he felt it extremely foreign. But when he'd broken down and let him see the vulnerable side of him, he understood the purpose Jesse's support served and craved more of it.

He sat on the edge of the bed and listened to Jesse talk to who he assumed was the woman hunter he met with two weeks ago. Judging by the tone of the conversation, she wanted to meet up with him soon, and he didn't like that!

"Alright, I'll be there," Jesse said before hanging up and facing an annoyed Han. "I'm sorry honey bun, but Ashe demanded I meet up with her today."

"Let me guess, you will be insisting I stay and wait here," Hanzo crossed his arms and turned his nose up as Jesse stood in front of him. He hated how handsome he always looked in his neatly tucked white shirts!

"Not at all, darlin'," Jesse pulled him off the bed and guided his hands to his shirt, smirking when he immediately started feeling him up. "I know ya wanna come with me so I thought you could just hang back like you did last time."

"I can do that," Hanzo pulled his shirt out of his jeans and lifted it over his head, admiring the soft, dusty brown fuzz on his chest. "Are you sure we have time for this?"

"She can wait a bit while I make my honey pie feel good," Jesse crooned, running his hands through his hair. "You need it."

"I will not disagree," Hanzo stood on his toes and reached up for a kiss, annoyed that he'd always been taller than him.

"Had I known you wanted me, I'd have pulled ya inside a while ago," Jesse mumbled, pulling him down to the bed and sucking on his nipples and fondling his chest, knowing he secretly loved it.

"Stop fooling around and get to it," Hanzo commanded, feeling a little impatient.

"Someone's in a hurry," Jesse muttered, leading his lips down his torso and stopping at his waist to free him from his pants. "Already hard an' ready, huh?"

Hanzo let out a deep hum as Jesse took him into his mouth, doing whatever it was that he did so well. Arching into him, he held his head and laced his fingers through a brown mane, pushing him down further and further until he was swallowed whole. "J-Jesse…"

Ashe had a bone to pick with McCree, and she didn't plan on taking 'no' for an answer. She was meeting him at the same coffee shop they met at last time, only this time, she was going to wait for him to show up first before heading inside. She wanted to know if what she saw last time was just a fluke, or if it was something true.

"He sure loves makin' me wait, don't he?" She asked herself, sitting in the parking lot across the street and watching both entrances. She'd called him over an hour ago! It didn't take him this long to show last time! Just as she was about to dial his number and give him hell, she saw him coming down a path that looked like it led out of the woods. "Livin' in the trees, McCree?" She could never! All the bugs? Although, he'd always been the adventurous type.

Not long afterward, she saw the same grumpy-looking Asian man she saw last time tailing behind him like a lost puppy, confirming exactly what she needed to know. Was he going to sit in the corner of the restaurant staring daggers at her again, or was he going to join them this time? She waited for them to go inside before showing her face, having planned out a specific way of doing things. And when she was sure they were settled and waiting, she got out of the car and crossed the street, heading inside.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, strolling up to Jesse's table and taking a seat across from him. "Ran into some traffic," she did a quick scan of the seating area, not seeing the Asian guy. Where was he hiding?

"No need to apologize," Jesse took his hat off and shared a glance with Han, who was sitting in the corner of the shop trying his best to look inconspicuous. So far, so good. "Had some stuff to finish up back home, anyhow."

"Mhm, I'm sure you did," Ashe crossed her arms, wondering if she should cut to the chase or ease into it. She saw him fixate on something behind her for a second or two and realized the man she was curious about was sitting somewhere behind her. "So, you give that job any thought?"

"Yeah," Jesse sighed, tapping metal fingers on the table. "'Fraid I'm gonna hafta decline. Sorry 'bout that."

"Can I ask you why?" She wondered what kind of excuse he was going to come up with.

"Eh, got some stuff back home to take care of," Jesse had a feeling he'd have to explain himself, but he figured his excuse was good enough. "Got a hole in the roof I've been meanin' to fix, but I ain't been in town to get around to it."

"Went travelin'?" She asked, flagging down the waiter and ordering a coffee. "Want one? It's on me today."

"Sure, I'll take you up on that," Jesse nodded. Why was she being generous? Surely, she didn't have any hidden schemes up her sleeve, did she? "Yeah, came home from Japan a few days ago," he answered her previous question after they ordered their coffee.

"Japan, huh?" Ashe smirked. How convenient! That made her confrontation a bit easier. "You go with your little friend?"

Jesse raised a brow, what did she know? "Alright, stop beatin' 'round the bush an' just tell me what yer talkin' about."

"I saw you walkin' home with someone last time," she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Looked mighty friendly if you ask me."

"Aw, hell," Jesse cursed, drumming his fingers on the table nervously. He should have known Ashe was too smart to not hang around and watch things. That's who she'd always been. "How screwed am I?" He asked, knowing she probably just watched them enter the coffee shop.

"Not much, if you comply," Ashe smiled sweetly at the waiter who brought their drinks.

Jesse nodded his thanks to the waiter as they walked off. "And by 'comply', you mean…?" He fixed up his coffee and stirred it before taking a sip, wishing he could smoke inside.

"I mean stop havin' him follow you around like a scared kid and bring 'em over," she said, taking amusement in the panicked look on Jesse's face. "I wanna meet him."

"No can do," Jesse declined immediately. He wasn't sure what she knew, but it couldn't be good given she was blackmailing him.

"Why not? Got somethin' to hide?" She watched him look behind her again, and it took everything in her not to turn around and call him over herself. "I see you lookin', go get him."

"Ashe," Jesse pinched his brow in frustration. "Why're ya doin' this? Can't you just leave things be?"

"Now you know I can't do that," she could understand why he was nervous, but she had no ill will so long as he cooperated. "I don't mean any harm, I swear it."

Hanzo picked up on Jesse's discomfort and wondered if everything was going well. The woman's back was to him, so he couldn't read her expressions, but they couldn't have been talking about anything good. Only a minute or two later was it when he saw Jesse wave him over reluctantly. 'Oh, no.' Had he been caught?

Even if he had, he knew Jesse would never let anything happen to him.

He slid out of the booth and walked over, his senses on high alert. What should he expect from this? Was he going to be interrogated? Threatened? Or was she just curious about their relationship? "Jesse, what is it?" He asked quietly, pulling out the chair next to him and having a seat.

"Sorry, darlin', but Ashe here wants to meet ya fer some reason," Jesse rolled his eyes, silently hoping she wouldn't do or say anything to provoke Han. After all, his honey bun was a sexy, stone-cold killer.

"For what reason, may I ask?" Hanzo asked the woman directly, hoping it didn't come out as harsh as it sounded. He didn't want to rub her the wrong way.

"Straight to the point, I see," Ashe tilted her head to the side. He was a good-looking man. Too bad those looks were wasted. "I just wanted to meet the one important enough to make Jesse turn this job down."

"Is that all?" Hanzo couldn't help but be his usual cold self. He wanted this conversation to end so they could go back home.

"Han," Jesse leaned over with a lowered voice. "She knows somethin'."

"Obviously." Hanzo was no idiot. She probably saw him last time when he sloppily followed Jesse. But if she was up to something that would harm him, there's no way she would be talking to him like this. "I just did not anticipate this turning into a meet and greet."

"Believe me, this ain't how I expected things to go either," she said, stirring sugar into her coffee before extending a hand. "Ashe. Good t'meet ya."

Hanzo shook her hand, contemplating giving his alias instead of his real name. But after some thought, he didn't think it would work since Jesse already said it. "Hanzo."

"Look, ya met him, now can you leave things be?" Jesse complained, putting a protective arm around Han's torso.

"So, Jesse tells me y'all been together for six years," Ashe ignored him, wanting to work things her way. "I always wondered how anyone could tolerate that face of his."

Hanzo frowned. Why was she insulting him? Weren't they friends? He put a hand on Jesse's knee. "His kindness is why I am comfortable in life."

"Kind but ugly," Ashe laughed, thinking their dynamic was interesting. Was that his way of standing up for his cowboy? "I get why it never worked between us now."

"It didn't work 'cause you weren't very nice," Jesse chimed in. "Seems that much ain't changed."

"You know I'm just messin' around," she took a sip of her coffee, eyeing them over her cup. How was it that she could only barely tell he was a vamp? Usually, she had a good radar for those things. "I just have a quick question to ask, is all."

"Get on with it," Jesse tapped his foot with impatience, ignorant of the upheaval her question would bring.

She looked between the two men with sadistic excitement, ready to turn Jesse's life upside down. "Either of you ever heard of the Shimadas?" Just as she expected, both men faltered and looked at each other in a mixture of shock and confusion.

"Can't say I have…" Jesse's hold on Han tightened, what the hell was she up to?

Hanzo was sitting tight-lipped, refusing to admit to anything. No doubt about it this woman knew who he was, but to what extent? Since his family wasn't keen on hiding their actions, he used his real name for the first few months as an independent assassin, only thinking of getting set up with an alias a few jobs in to lessen or completely remove the risk of being found by anyone he knew.

"And you?" Ashe asked Hanzo. She knew her fair share about the Shimada clan and their activity back in the day. She knew they were a proud bunch that didn't care about anyone's lives but their own. She also knew of the oldest son, who'd abandoned the clan causing its fall. Instead of murdering for his family, he murdered for himself, becoming one of the world's greatest freelance assassins under some shoddy alias… until he disappeared almost six years ago.

"I do not see why that matters," Hanzo knew he'd most likely given himself away, but this woman was clearly very well-read. The real question was, what did she want?

"I wouldn't really say it matters," Ashe knew this sour-looking guy wasn't going to answer her questions so easily, but that was perfectly fine. She didn't need him to. She already had all the information she needed. "I just think it's interestin'."

"Ain't nothin' interestin' over here," Jesse had some of his coffee, silently offering Han some and flashing him a grin when he took the cup for a quick sip before passing it back. As much as he complained about Americans and their coffee, he sure loved to drink it!

"Really?" Ashe said, ready to sink her nails into the topic. She watched the dynamic between them and wondered where his sweet mannerisms were when they fooled around back in the day, but she didn't care in the least about any of that. "Let me put it to the two of you this way. The Shimadas were looking for the oldest son, huntin' him down for abandonin' the clan," she said, making direct eye contact with Hanzo. "Up until his strange disappearance almost six years ago. Does that ring any bells?"

While Jesse nearly choked on his coffee, Hanzo just glared at her. He hadn't even known he was being hunted! He moved around so much and worked under a separate name making it nearly impossible for someone from his old life to find him. He supposed he knew the possibility existed, which was just another burden added to the ever-growing list. Though, it was intriguing. He knew his family had some fans, but to reach the cowboys in the West? "May I ask how you know all of this?"

"I've been in the killin' business long enough to know things," Ashe said coolly, checking out her manicure. Vamps weren't the only thing she hunted. "Let's just say there were some gangs I looked up to growin' up."

Hanzo remembered Jesse's stories of how he used to be in a gang, hijacking trains and robbing banks and whatnot, understanding that they were likely in the same group of individuals. How amusing. If he had heard something like that back in his early twenties, he'd have felt proud. All he had the capability of feeling now was disgust. "We were not the ones to look up to. Nothing that came from the Shimada clan was honorable, I know that now."

Jesse had only heard him talk about his family three times, a little bit after they'd gotten together, earlier that day, and now. He hated that Ashe had that pesky way to her that dug out people's darkest moments. He was just waiting for the blackmail part of it all. He kept his arm around him and rubbed his side comfortingly. This couldn't have been easy to sit through.

"Aha! I was right!" Ashe was happy that her discovery turned out to be true. Sometimes she wondered if she should have been a detective. "I noticed you sitting in the corner last week and thought to myself, 'damn if he don't look mighty familiar.' A bit aged, but familiar nonetheless."

"Where are you going with this?" Hanzo asked with a weary sigh, wishing he'd ordered coffee instead of water this time. He took Jesse's hand under the table, thankful for the security he provided.

"What happened? You die?" Ashe didn't waste any time asking the question she'd been holding onto since he'd sat down.

"Ashe," Jesse stopped her, being stopped himself by Han.

"Jesse," Hanzo looked at him with a nod. So chivalrous. "It's okay. I'm alright."

"How cute, standin' up for your man," Ashe sneered. Then, a light bulb went off in her head. "I get it now. You turned, then you," she pointed at Jesse, "hunted him down. Did I get it right?"

"What makes you so sure I am not a human, like you?" Hanzo knew his efforts to convince her otherwise were for naught, but he couldn't just give her what she wanted so easily!

"I was waitin' for you to ask," Ashe opened her briefcase and unlatched it, pulling out an old piece of newspaper and sliding it across the table. "Why don't you go 'head and give that a read."

Hanzo picked up the paper that had been neatly cut and scanned it. "Hmph." He'd wondered if there was an article about the incident he had at the hospital. It was only natural that the authorities would want to alert the locals.

"What'cha readin'?" Jesse leaned over, looking at the paper. "The Sunday Times? You were in Europe then?" He looked at the date and snatched the paper, reading the tiny print.

"Nope, just trackin' somebody," Ashe smirked at Hanzo. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she looked up to him; he did good work up until the end.

"'Authorities were alerted when a man turned up at the Brentwood Community Hospital after having been turned into a vampire'," Jesse read aloud. "'So far, no one was harmed, but locals are urged to take caution when running errands…' That don't mean nothin'," he said, slipping the paper back over to her. "No name was mentioned."

"Was afraid you might say that," Ashe was prepared for anything they threw at her. She had all the evidence. "Guess I was wrong… or was I, 'Kenzo'?"

"How the hell do you know that name?" Hanzo blurted out, visibly ruffled.

"Takahashi Kenzo," Ashe had them right where she wanted them! "The world's best assassin. I know someone who hired you. They knew I was in the business, so they gave me your card. Well, not your card, but your organization's."

Hanzo was stunned. What a small world! "I wouldn't call myself the best…" he looked away, halfway blushing. He took pride in his skills, even if they were used for bad. It's been a long time since someone aside from Jesse acknowledged them. "Certainly not these days."

"Don't be modest," Ashe said with approval. "You're up there in the top five, at least. I've heard of your work and always told myself if there was a human I wanted gone, I'd call you."

"You flatter me," Hanzo picked up Jesse's coffee and polished it off. "However, I am no longer interested in that lifestyle."

"Ashe, cut it out," Jesse shot her a glare, putting his arm around Han again possessively.

"Oh, please," Ashe scoffed. "You have nothin' to worry about."

"Then hurry up and get to the blackmail," Jesse knew she wouldn't have called them out if she didn't have ulterior motives.

"Fine. Back to the job," she pulled out a folder and passed it to him to refresh his memory. "Take another look and think about changin' your mind."

"I remember clearly," he waved his hand, rejecting her again as Han picked up the folder. Once he saw what they were up against, he'd agree! "Don't wanna take the risk."

"I insist."

Hanzo didn't like the looks of what he read over; two genetically altered vamps with superior abilities. It looked far too dangerous, and he couldn't bear the thought of Jesse getting injured. But now, this woman was insisting he participate! "Jesse…"

"Why are you so adamant about this?" Jesse pulled Han closer in reassurance. "It sounds dangerous, an' I'm gettin' old, Ashe."

"The payout for this will leave me set for quite a while, but I can't do it alone. Even splittin' it with you will leave me comfortable," Ashe understood now that Jesse wanted to keep himself and his little pet safe, but with brainpower from the three of them, they couldn't lose!

"You'll hafta find someone else," Jesse said firmly.

"Fine. Then I'll just have your license revoked," She said calmly, pulling out her ace in the hole.

"The hell are you sayin'?" Jesse grew agitated.

"I dunno what happened when you went huntin' this one," she wiggled a finger at Hanzo. "But it's obvious t'me you're hidin' him. Need I remind you that you could easily be stripped of your title for harborin' a vamp? It'd be a real shame if you and Mister Shimada here had no place safe to turn."

"An' there it is," Jesse knew the implications behind her words. If Ashe ratted him out, they'd have to find a new place to live and be on their toes for the unforeseeable future. Sure, they could take care of themselves, but they had an understanding that they wanted to live comfortable, carefree lives without having to look over their shoulders every day. He looked at Han, who was clenching his fists under the table.

"So? Change your mind?" Ashe crossed her arms smugly. Piece of cake.