~ FRIDAY , APRIL 9th, 2010 ~

Nearly a month later, Lois is still locked in the house and understandably she is on the verge of insanity. She was fine for the first few days, but the whole thing has gone too far and she can't take it anymore.

That's because the search for Cecil Longstone is making no progress. The bitch is nowhere to be found.

Sebastian's gang, even as Butcher's men, have searched everywhere but found nothing.

Butcher, who keeps Sebastian updated daily on all developments, has become an optimist. He believes they will find Corpse very soon. You know, the one driving the car. Cecil's pledge.

It looks like his relationship with Cecil came to a bad end when the attempt on Lois' life failed and, after hiding out for a while, he put himself back on the market. He's cautious, but not that much. Apparently, he needs to find a new sponsor so he doesn't cover his tracks so well.

But everyone knows that the main thing is to find Cecil.

To that end, Negro had an idea, but it caused a storm of outrage.

~ JACE AND MARY's HOUSE ~ EARLY AT NIGHT ~

Everyone, except the children of course, is gathered in the living room to hear Negro update them on developments. The women sit around the table while all the men sit on the couches. All except Sebastian, who is standing in front of the fireplace drinking whiskey.

Negro: Boss, that woman is a fucking phantom. She has dropped off the face of the earth.

Sebastian: She'll turn up one day.

Simon: Yeah, but apparently, she knows how to wait.

Negro: Dragon is right. What if she decides to go into hiding for a year? Will our lady stay locked up that long?

Jace: If she has to.

Sebastian: I agree.

Lois stands up and starts screaming.

Lois: You are crazy, aren't you? This can't be happening. I can't take this anymore.

Mary: Lois is right. She can't put her life on hold.

Jace: Mary, don't do this!

Sebastian: Yes, Mary. Just don't do this!

Matt: You can see what's going on. Don't add fuel to the fire.

Lois: I don't need Mary to tell me I can't live like this. Maybe it would be better if I died to put us out of our damn misery!

Lois almost screams and everyone looks at her, unable to say anything, but suddenly a deafening noise makes them turn the head back to Sebastian, who throws the glass he's holding directly into the fireplace, causing a small explosion.

Lois: Sebastian...

Sebastian: Don't you dare say that again. Do you understand me? Never again. NEVER !

Lois tries to get closer to him, but he raises his hand.

Sebastian: No! Stay back. I can't right now. I just can't.

He turns and runs up the stairs and enters the bedroom. The force with which he slams the door behind him makes the windows of the house shake. Lois wants to follow him, but Mary holds her back by grabbing her hand.

Mary: Don't go now. Not now. He's angry. Maybe he'll say things he'll regret later. Let him calm down.

Lois: What did I do to him? No, damn it! No!

Jared: It's too late for tears now. What the hell were you thinking, saying something like that?

Lois: I ... I wasn't ... I wasn't thinking.

Simon: That's the problem with you women. You never think.

Matt: Jace, you should talk to him. You are the only one who knows exactly how he's feeling right now.

Jace: Yeah. I'm going, and I really hope he's willing to listen to me, because if I were him ... Whatever!

Lois: Jace ...?

But he didn't even turn to look at her. He walked up the stairs without so much as a glance at her. Lois burst into tears.

Lois: I've screwed everything up thoroughly! I'm such an idiot. Aside from Sebastian, my brother hates me now. What am I supposed to do now?

Alexander: No one hates you. They love you both very much and that's why they react the way they do. Girls, take Lois and go in to calm her down.

Isabella: Alex is right. Come on, girls. Let's go.

The girls take Lois and go into the kitchen.

Simon: Now, Negro, tell us what's on your mind.

Negro: But how would you know?

Simon: I know you. Speak up!

Negro: Actually, I haven't come up with anything new. The old, good recipe. Bait.

Alexander: Bait? What do you mean by that?

Matt: There's a few options I'm exploring, but I don't like them at all.

Simon: Negro's right. It's the only way if we want to get out of this once and for all. If we want to catch Cecil Longstone, we have to offer her what she wants.

Alexander: Lois.

Jared: Sebastian and Jace will never agree.

~ UPSTAIRS ~

Jace knocks on the bedroom door and a few seconds later Sebastian's voice sounds from inside, angry but also broken.

Sebastian: Lois, go away. Not now, please.

Jace: It's me. Jace.

A sigh of relief sounds from behind the door.

Sebastian: Come in.

Jace opens the door, enters the room, and silently sits down on the bed next to Sebastian, who stares into space.

Sebastian: Your sister is ...

Jace: Crazy? Silly? Reckless? Yeah, that's what she is. She's all that and more, but that's exactly why we love her.

Sebastian: Yeah. I apologize for my outburst earlier. It was unacceptable what I did, but I couldn't control myself.

Jace: Are you kidding me? You were too soft. I would have reacted worse.

Sebastian: When I heard her say those words. Just the thought of it ... My heart almost stopped.

Jace puts his hand on Sebastian's shoulder.

Jace: I know exactly how you feel.

Sebastian: How could you? I mean, back then. When Mary ... How did you do it?

Jace shrugs his shoulders.

Jace: In the beginning, I had no choice. I had to fight, and then I got stubborn. I couldn't accept that I would lose her just like that.

Sebastian: What would you do if ... You know ...?

Jace: If she died?

Sebastian: Yeah.

Jace: I would follow her to her death. I swore to myself that the only way I'd get out of the hospital was with her. On foot or lying down.

Sebastian: Thank God you both walked out.

Jace: Yeah. But Lois is right, you know.

Sebastian: Yeah, I know. We have to do something. What about this hacker?

Jace: Kyle?

Sebastian: Yeah. Kyle. Can't he help?

Jace: He's done everything he can. He's run a facial recognition program on all the security cameras, but we are not expecting much. It's hard because we don't know what she looks like now. I gave him a picture of her, but one, she's too young on it, and two, she may have completely changed her appearance.

Sebastian: Vicious circle. Damn. I hate being backed into a corner.

Jace: Don't worry about it, man. We'll figure something out.

Sebastian: Maybe I should apologize to Lois.

Jace: What? No. Of course not. At least not until you teach her a lesson. She needs to be careful what she says.

Sebastian: Are you sure you are her brother?

Jace: Yeah, but in this case, I am on your side. Go get her, Wolf. I'll send her your way, but be careful. Don't let her push you around. She's been hanging around my Angel a lot lately. I'm sure she would have taught her a few tricks.

Sebastian: God forbid!

Jace: That's right!

They laugh and then Jace gets up. He walks to the door, but before he leaves ...

Sebastian: Jace?

Jace: Yeah?

Sebastian: Thanks a lot, man. It was really nice talking to you.

Jace: You are a good man, Sebastian, and I'm glad my sister is with someone who wouldn't hesitate to lay down his life for her. I'm glad she's with you.

Sebastian: Thank you. That means a lot coming from you.

They smile at each other and Jace leaves the room.

*

~ MEANWHILE ~ IN THE KITCHEN ~

Lois has calmed down a little, but not completely. She rests her jaw on her hand and feels hopeless. She knows Sebastian can forgive her for anything, but not her death wish, even if she said so in the heat of the moment.

Lois: He'll never forgive me. I screwed up again. My tongue is a deadly weapon. You need to lock me in a basement. I'm dangerous to humanity.

Mary: My goodness! You sound like your brother now! Well, slow down there, girl.

Chloe: Mary's right. You said something stupid in the heat of the moment. It's not the end of the world. Besides, you have been locked up in here for almost a month. You have every right to say stupid things.

Isabella: And besides, Sebastian reacted a little too much like all men do. Typical.

Lois: But I don't understand. He should know that I would never hurt myself. He should know that I would never leave him.

Mary: Deep down, he knows.

Chloe: Too deep, it seems.

Isabella: He's just a man, and he feels powerless.

Lois: Powerless? But why?

Mary: Because he doesn't think he's protecting you the way he should. It's man's nature, girl. Simple biology. It's how they are born. They have to protect the woman no matter what.

Lois: But he's done it so many times before. If it wasn't for him...

Chloe: Go tell him. Make him understand.

Isabella: Chloe's right. That's what you need to do.

Mary: Do you remember what I told you? Affirm him. Make him feel strong. That's what he needs right now. And if that doesn't work, use the gun between your legs. He will not say no to that.

Isabella: That's for sure.

Lois: God! How complicated relationships are.

Mary: My poor little girl. And you haven't seen anything yet.

As the girls walk back into the living room, Jace walks down the stairs. Lois runs to him.

Lois: Jace...?

Jace: Go upstairs, but before you speak, roll your tongue around in your head. I managed to calm him down, but I won't do it again.

Lois hugs him and smiles. He tries to fight back, but can't - Lois is too sweet for that - and he hugs her back.

Lois: Thanks, bro.

She disappears up the stairs, and Jace shakes his head in exasperation.

Jace: The women in my life are determined to drive me insane. I give up.

Mary walks up to him and wraps her arms around his waist.

Mary: Maybe, but you love us.

Jace: Yeah, and that's why you push me around all the time.

Mary: That's all right. We deserve it.

Jace: Yes, damn it! You deserve it.

~ UPSTAIRS ~

Lois anxiously opens the door and goes in. Sebastian is lying in bed reading a book. That makes sense. Reading has always calmed him down. He is, or at least he seems quite calm, but Lois knows that with Wolf, nothing is as it seems. This is it, Lois. All-or-nothing.

Smiling, she approaches the bed and jumps on it, but Sebastian doesn't even turn to look at her.

Turns out it's going to be harder than she thought. He speaks while looking at his book. Hmm... that's something.

Sebastian: What do you want?

Lois: To apologize.

Sebastian: Do you think that's enough?

Lois: Isn't it?

Sebastian: What do you think?

He just looks up at her for a few seconds and then turns back to his book.

Lois: You are still angry.

Sebastian: An earth-shattering discovery, Christopher Columbus.

Lois: I'll ignore your last comment and say, if that's the case, I know exactly what you need.

Sebastian: Oh, really? And what's that?

Lois tosses her hair over her shoulder, just the way he likes it, takes the book out of his hands, and lays it on the mattress beside her. She lifts her skirt and rides him, rubbing her pelvis against his abdomen. She leans forward and brings her lips just a breath away from his own.

Lois: Your slut. You need your slut. I'm right here, Wolf. Take me and punish me for what I have done.

As she rubs her sweet pussy against his cock and squeezes her juicy tits right in front of him, Sebastian can barely restrain himself from laying her down and fucking her like there's no tomorrow, but ... Jace is right. She needs a lesson.

With all his willpower and self-control, Sebastian frames her cheek as he grips her waist with his other hand. He opens his mouth to give the impression that he wants to respond to her call, but instead ...

Sebastian: I'm sorry, Kitten, but not this time. I'm not going to make this easy for you.

And with one motion, he literally throws her off of him. With a completely indifferent look on his face, he takes the book back and continues reading. Lois props herself up on her elbows and looks at him with an angry question.

Lois: What the fuck, Wolf? What the hell did you do that for?

He shrugs his shoulders.

Sebastian: Every action has a reaction, Kitten, and every mistake has consequences. That's what you are suffering now, the consequences for your mistake.

Lois: But I apologized, and I will not do it again. Isn't that enough for you?

Sebastian: No, it's not. You can't say something like that and expect me to forget it after a simple apology.

Lois: I said that in the heat of the moment. I didn't mean it that way. You know I didn't mean it.

Sebastian: Look, Lois ...

Lois: Don't call me Lois. Don't use my damn name.

Sebastian: First of all, calm down.

Lois: Don't tell me to calm down. I don't want to calm down.

Lois has already gotten up on the bed and is screaming like crazy. Sebastian rises from the bed.

Sebastian: Okay. I see you are obviously in no condition to talk calmly. I'd better let you settle down. Besides, I have to go downstairs. I need to find a way to save you, and I can't do that from this bed. I'll see you later.

He turns on his heel and heads for the door, but before he can take two steps ...

Lois: Oh, no! Don't you dare walk away from me.

Sebastian stops as if rooted to the spot and turns around once more. His expression is anything but promising. Now he is angry. He's really angry.

Sebastian: What did you just say? Don't I dare? Be careful, Kitten. You are pushing it too far, and it's going to end badly. I'm warning you.

Anyone else would have gotten scared and backed away when they saw the look in Sebastian's eyes, but not Lois. Why should she? She knows she has nothing to fear, and you know why? Simply because she has something no one else has. His leash in her hand.

She decisively jumps out of bed and pushes him hard against the wall. She opens his shirt and runs her fingernails over his sculptural chest.

Lois: I'm not pushing anything, but if you keep depriving me of the one thing that keeps me sane, I will.

He was determined to stick to his decision so Lois could learn her lesson, but it's not as easy as he thought. Maybe he'd have to come to terms with it after all and stop trying. This woman is pulling him around by the nose and there's nothing he can do about it. She's got him on a leash. She's got the big bad wolf on a leash.

Sebastian: What are you gonna do?

She puts her hand in his pants and starts rubbing his cock, which has already gotten hard.

Lois: I'm going to pull on your leash, Wolf.

He feels all his blood pooling on his cock, threatening to explode under her touch. He licks and bites his lips, looking at Lois with burning eyes.

Sebastian: Kitten, stop it!

Lois: Make me. You know you can. Order me to stop and I will.

He opens his mouth, but the words stick in his throat. She grins.

Lois: That's what I thought.

Sebastian: Damn it! Why are you doing this to me?

Lois: You taught me that, Wolf. Lesson number seven. Do everything you can to get what you want.

Sebastian: And what is it that you want now?

Lois: First of all, that you forgive me for the crap I said earlier.

Sebastian: And then?

Lois: To fuck me.

A surprised cry escapes her lips as he pulls her into his arms and growls wildly.

The force of their passion sweeps away everything in its path. Nothing can separate them now. They are so glued to each other that it's impossible to tell for sure where one begins and the other ends. They don't make it to the bed and end up on the floor. He's lying on top of her.

Lois: Tell me you forgive me.

Sebastian: Will you keep your promise? Will you do whatever it takes to protect yourself? Will you do whatever it takes to stay alive?

Lois: Yes.

Sebastian: Then I forgive you.

Lois: Thank you, and please don't do it again.

Sebastian: Do what?

Lois: Deny me my breath. Keeping yourself from me.

Sebastian: I'm sorry about that, but ...

Lois: That's all right, but make sure you pay me back right now, Master.

He wraps his fingers around her throat.

Sebastian: Don't worry about it, Kitten. By the time I'm done with you, all the neighbors will know my name.

Lois: But our neighbors are far away.

Sebastian: That's right!

Lois: Oh!