[June 1927]

"So how'd you figure out I was in jail again?" Zib asks as Paloma is dragging him down the steps of the prison. "I didn't even give anyone a call, was supposed to be in there for like...what, two months?"

It had maybe been less than half a month since Zib went missing, and it turned out that he was in jail this whole time for reasons no one knew. Rocky was too busy to go get him, so Paloma was sent to look for him, and the police refused to tell her anything during her multiple trips to the station until someone she wasn't even sure was an officer told her. Some man named Dominic if her memory served her right.

"Your weird homeless friend, the one night I happened to be out tossing glass out and he almost stabbed me with a can opener." The younger woman responds as they arrive at Rocky's car, which she was borrowing for the day. "Dumbass was attempting to mug me. Oh and some guy at the station as well, he gave me the money the police had taken off you and kept it safe. It's back at the bar, I'll give it back when we get there."

"Don't mind him, he's a harmless bum, I promise. So...how's it going with Mitzi?"

"She's worried sick over your sorry rear, you're lucky we had the money to bail you out."

Zib just lets out a tired sigh in response as he climbs into the front seat. As they are driving in silence, he finally decides to talk.

"So...what's become of the speakeasy now?" He finally asks, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt.

"Well, we found a buyer to get more booze from, so no more of that crap Roark would get from Khoe or whatever his name is, the guy with the river boat." Paloma responds. "And all we need is just a few customers to put the word out that we are back in business with better alcohol."

"Better than radiator fluid." The musician snorts. "And those kids who showed up?"

"My siblings are doing just fine, they've been spending a lot of time with the family friend, meanwhile my twin brother is off working at a farm. I think he's made a new friend."

"That's nice. Did the band end up leaving?"

"Nope, they're still here. They didn't like that they've been put on clean up duty."

"Well, they can't damage their hands."

"Yeah, well it's not exactly my job or Horatio's job to play janitor either, yet we did with the band and Mitzi's help. Viktor is recovering pretty well, and he's accepted standing behind the bar for now."

Zib lets out a snort. "He's stuck there unless something gets done about those knees. How are you doing? Finally found a better man to date who is the opposite of your ex?"

"Why so curious about my love life? Let me guess, your half a month sobered brain decided I am just your type." Paloma responds, earning a laugh from the older man.

"God I could really use a drink right now, and a cigarette, you got one on you?"

"No, here, have this."

"What..."

"Gum, chew it."

Zib grimaces but tucks the packet into his pocket. "I'm getting a whiskey or whatever it is we got in stock now the minute we get back, assuming we still have glasses."

It was already starting to get dark once they arrived at the diner, parking themselves in the garage before they make their way downstairs where Horatio is by the door, a few crackers in hand and a few rats by his feet.

"Horatio! What did I tell you about feeding those things?" Paloma scolds, causing the rodents to scatter with their crackers in their mouths.

"Oh! Welcome back!" The doorman greets as he tries wiping his hands clean of crumbs.

"Leave him be, it's kinda sweet." Zib says as the door is opened to let them into the speakeasy.

"Say that again when you find rat turds in your pickle sandwiches."

Jokes on you, that adds flavor to it."

Paloma gags and shoves Zib away as he laughs and tries not to fall over before they reach the bar where Viktor is polishing the glasses and Mitzi and Wick are drinking.

"Here you go, one half month sober sax player." Paloma says as she pushes the musician forward to her boss. "And intact."

"You know, you could have called us, I've been worried sick!" Mitzi exclaims. "And we only found out because your weird friend almost shanked our only seasoned gangster with a can opener!"

"She almost broke his arm in the process." Wick adds in a hushed tone.

"I hope you apologized to Virgil." Zib says as Viktor pours him a glass. "Is this the new good stuff or the same watered down crap Rocky's been getting these past few months?"

"Good stuff." The older man assures him. "From Arbogasts."

"It is the good stuff." Mitzi assures him. "Alright, Calvin is out for the day and Rocky is with him, Ivy is at her dad's, so since you are all here, we need to make plans."

"For what again?" Zib asks before taking a sip of his drink. "Holy shit, this is good! Why didn't we get this sooner?"

"We were broke honey. Anyways, now that we have good booze in stock and should last us for...who knows when, we need to get a good crowd in."

"I could start poaching customers from other speakeasys." Paloma suggests. "Loke go undercover, wreck a place and-"

"No, too risky." Viktor interrupts.

"Not if I have those two with me, Calvin took out two Marigold thugs on his own."

Zib lets out a choking noise, coughs a few times before turning to look at her in bewilderment. "Wait that kid? The one who saved us from the pig farmers?!"

"Same boy." Paloma responds with a nod.

"Geez...Mitzi, you sure you want someone like that in this?"

"Would you rather have him on someone else's payroll?" Mitzi asks with a frown. "Look, the boy is good at it, might as well give him some sort of outlet to get rid of that pent up...whatever that was, and direct it at our enemies."

"Im training him to be a bit better with it." Paloma adds. "Anways, so if we are able to get customers..."

"Right, we need customers but we need to figure out how to get them to come in. We're hardly making even a dime right now." Mitzi points out.

"I could try talking to some folks." Wick suggests. "Or look for someone not so stuffy who's taste in alcohol is not so cheap."

"Well assuming we even get customers, we could be making some good sales from the liquor if we didn't have that one behind the counter." Zib says, jabbing his thumb in Viktor's direction. "No offense, big guy. Why not stick Paloma or Horatio behind there? They're more friendly looking."

"If we stick Viktor at the door then we'd have no customers, and Elizia made us swear not to put him in the more dangerous stuff." Paloma points out.

"Who?"

"Viktor's wife."

"When the hell did he get a wife?" The musician mutters, earning a toothy grin from the usually stoic man. "Okay then, and putting a gun in the hands of someone with not a single mean bone in his body is a bad idea too."

"Then why don't you stand behind the bar?" Paloma suggests. "Instead of moping around the stage or on the chair."

"I'd be more likely to drink half the stock than sell it sweetheart."

"And get alcohol poisoning in the process."

"Worth it."

"Guess we're stuck with him behind the bar for now." Wick says with a shrug and takes his watch out. "Huh, it's not that late."

"How about we do this, on nights I am not going out with the three kids to collect booze or find better sellers, I can stay behind the bar and bartend?" Paloma suggests. "Give Viktor a break once in a while, I don't think any of my old flapper dresses fit me anymore, but I can just borrow one of Rocky's suit jackets or vests or get one second hand and fix it up and wear it while I work?"

"Hmm, that actually might work." Mitzi says with a nod. "Though you should be getting yourself some new shirts too. And maybe you should go out and buy yourself a nice evening dress, at least one appropriate for tending a bar."

"I'll ask Ivy to help me out with that when she gets back from her dad's."

"Good. Would you be a dear and come upstairs with me to help me?"

Paloma nods as she hops off her stool to follow Mitzi upstairs to the apartment and to her office.

"Okay going over some of the bills yesterday, I think we've paid off almost everything." Paloma says as she grabs some envelopes on the desk. "So now we just need more customers and then we'll be more or less back in business in no time."

"Yes we still have a few bills to pay off, been meaning to look for someone to help us restock the artillery." Mitzi says as she takes a seat at her desk. "Know anyone we could get some from?"

"I could ask Viktor, but this sort of thing seemed more like Mordecai's specialty." Paloma says as some money is pulled out of a drawer. "I could check-"

The phone on the desk suddenly started ringing, startling the two women. They look at each other in confusion before Mitzi grabs it to answer the call.

"Hello? Asa, what- oh. Okay, I'll pass it to her. It's for you." Mitzi says with a frown and hands the phone to her. "Keep it short honey."

Ugh, what did that man want now, especially with her of all people?

"Should I be rude or polite?" Paloma asks as she takes the phone and covers the mouthpiece.

"Whatever works for you."

"Fine. What the fuck do you want, you old eejit?"

"Now that's not an appropriate way for a young lady like yourself to speak to an elder. I thought Atlas taught you better." She hears Asa say.

"And yet poaching your friend's best employee days after his death is considered appropriate?"

Silence. Good, she was betting he was trying not to sound so pissed when he spoke again.

"Listen, I heard your little place is still not doing too well and it's doing worse than before, with the pig farmers and all, no customers to speak of." Asa continues.

"We wouldn't have that problem if your employee hadn't provided them the firepower, and stole from us."

"Oh I didn't give them anything, you can thank Hatchet Man for that." He lets out a loud laugh that forced her to jerk the phone from her ear. Ugh, that laugh was annoying too. How could his wife stand it? "Come down to the Maribel Hotel, there's some long overdue business for us to discuss."

"Are you not telling Mitzi this because you don't want to deal with her?"

"I have no business with Mitzi, it's you I wish to speak to. Hotel, seven in the evening, just tell the bellhops you're looking for me."

"Escucha, viejo patán, ¡no quiero tener nada que ver contigo ni con tu asqueroso establecimiento!" Paloma growls. "Cualquier cosa que estés planeando ofrecer, puedes meterlo en tu tra- he hung up on me!"

"Well you did start yelling at him in spanish, as expected of him. What did he want?" Mitzi says as she takes the phone back to place it down.

"He wants to meet with me." Paloma growls, clenching her fists.

"No doubt to ask you to you work with him."

"I'll refuse, but something tells me I'll be forced to go, no matter what."

Mitzi nods. "Go, and take your gun with you in case. Actually take a knife too, in case they frisk you at the door and take your revolver."

----

Paloma ended up having to take a cab to the hotel, since Rocky's car was now refusing to cooperate. Mitzi had forced her to dress nicely for this meeting, so now she was sporting a soft red dress with white gloves instead of the dusty trousers and baggy shirt she usually wore with her bandana tied at the neck. The bellhop had escorted her towards some large doors where several men in dark suits and bright orange and yellow flowers pinned to their chests waited.

"I'm here to see your night manager." Paloma says in a firm voice. "I have a meeting with him."

"Your purse,if you will." One man says, extending a hand towards her.

"Why?"

"Our boss warned us you may be armed, better safe than sorry."

Oh that explains the numerous thugs at the door, and judging by some of the nervous faces, they know exactly who I am. She thinks as she hands her purse off to the man before he goes through it and withdraws the revolver.

"This clunky old thing won't do much damage." The thug scoffs as he examines it.

"You'd be surprised how many rival gangsters it's killed." Paloma responds in a smug tone. "And how many heads I've busted with it."

"Whatever, let her in."

"Hold on miss, we still have to check you, since you're new here." Another gangster says, stopping her before she could move forward.

"Touch me and you lose a finger." Paloma growls as he reaches to put his hands on her.

"I heard she bit someone's finger off, don't risk it Jerry!" Another thug hisses loudly. "And it's usually the trigger finger!"

Paloma smirks to herself as she is handed back her purse and the doors are opened to allow her to enter the speakeasy. As she suspected, she still had a reputation that hadn't died despite being out of action for a year.

She had never been in this hotel's speakeasy before, and it was very large and quite grand looking, like something out of that illustration of a ballroom she had seen in a book once. She soon spots Asa surrounded by several other rich looking men and laughing before he spots her. For a moment, Paloma could have sworn she spotted a flash of worry on his face before he motions for the men to leave.

"Paloma, good to see you again, it's been ages!" He greets cheerfully. "Come, sit, eat! It's been quite a while since you've done this in a place like this hasn't it?"

"You invited me for a meeting, not for dinner." Paloma responds coldly as she takes a seat, keeping at least a good distance from him.

"Aw don't be so cruel, what sort of host would I be if I didn't even offer you anything?" Asa scoffs. "Bet you'd even like the taste of our good hooch, you'll like it a lot better than whatever you have stocked at your place."

"How about we stop beating around the tree and get straight to the heart of the matter." Paloma says as she waves a server away who tried offering her some alcoholic beverages. "What do you want?"

"Straight to the point these days aren't you? Well for starters, the term is beating around the bush, and second, I want to make you an offer." Asa says as he allows his glass to be refilled. "When Atlas and I were still friends, I had become aware of the latest member of his gang who was allowed in, a young immigrant girl from way down south who knew her way around a shotgun almost as well as his golden boy knew his way around a pistol and almost as brutal as his hulking mass of muscle everyone feared. Some members of gangs who come around here to eat and drink were terrified of this girl who could put the fear of God in them, which of course was you. You managed to gain yourself quite a reputation in such a short time almost as quickly as Atlas' two best men did in seven and ten years. And I would very much like to have you on our team, with better pay of course."

"Yes I am very aware of my reputation in this cutthroat industry you Americans had conjured up because you thought making booze illegal would make you all better. But I'm afraid my loyalties still lie with Atlas and Atlas only, and that loyalty extends to his wife, who I refuse to leave. So I will have to decline your so-called generous offer."

"You do realize that the Lackadaisy won't last long, at least in Mitzi's hands it won't."

Paloma's eyes narrowed. "She is more resourceful than you give her credit for, perhaps you're too blind and arrogant to see it. Again, my answer is no."

"Not even to work with an old friend?" Asa asks as the doors near them open.

"This better be important sir, we have some work to do." An all too familiar voice says and Paloma felt like her heart was going to leap out of her chest.

Mordecai was walking to them, dressed in his usual suit with the jacket draped over one arm while he was busy adjusting the black leather gloves on his hands. Behind him trailed three very unfamiliar cats she had never seen before, only one of them sporting the same red and gold flower pin Mordecai had pinned to his jacket that he was slipping on.

"Ah, we were just talking about you Mordecai! You remember miss Alvarez from your Lackadaisy days, right?" Asa says with a laugh. "I thought that like the Savoys and miss Havu, she'd do better working under us, but she's being a bit...stubborn. Like another certain Lackadaisy gang member."

Paloma felt her hand reach into her bag, only to find her gun wasn't in there. She forgot they had frisked her at the door and confiscated her, so it looked like tonight she wouldn't be making due on her promise to this damn man. Well they hadn't take something else away, but she wasn't going to draw that out in a room full of men armed to the teeth with guns.

"Arguing with her is useless, you'll have much better luck with a brick wall than her." Mordecai states with a scoff. "Trust me, I tried when I was leaving the gang we were both affiliated with."

"And I intend to not abandon Mitzi in her time of need, not like a certain man who I told I'd shoot point blank with no hesitation next time I saw him." Paloma snaps as she stands up. "You're lucky my gun was confiscated before I was allowed in here."

"Do you even have the gumption to do it?" Mordecai asks with a frown.

"I gave you that warning shot didn't I? And you know I never miss."

"Wow, this tension between them is very thick." Paloma hears one of the cats accompanying Mordecai comment loudly, a muscular man lacking shoes and sporting what looked like bandaged hands.

"Asa, as I said, it's useless arguing with her." Mordecai says with a frown, ignoring his companion's comment. "She'd sooner swallow a bullet than accept any offers to leave Lackadaisy."

"Better that than abandon the people who cared for you when things got rough." Paloma snaps, getting up from her seat and slinging her bag over her shoulder. "Next time you ever see me, expect me to really put a bullet in that skull of yours. Adios, amor."

She hoped that last bit sounded as bitter as she felt, and for a moment she thought she saw a flash of hurt in his eyes. But perhaps she was just seeing things. She storms past the guards at the door, snatching her gun out of their hands and stuffing it back into her bag before marching out of the hotel. She hadn't been prepared to see Mordecai at all, and she had hoped she never had to see him again. But something told her she'd be seeing him again soon, and that was something she was not looking forward to.

----

"So, what's your deal with the tortie?" Serafine asks once they're all in the car and Nico starts to drive away from the hotel. "She looked ready to murder you on the spot when we walked in."

"She's just an old acquaintance I knew back in my Lackadaisy days, that's all." Mordecai responds coldly. "She worked multiple jobs for us, like running the bar when our regular bartender was absent, cleaning up messes, give her a task and she'll do it."

"Nothing was going on between you two?" Nico asks. "The way she was glaring at you was murderous, like an angry and jilted lover."

"Of course you'd know a thing or two about that look, but no we were never lovers. She's just a disgruntled ex acquaintance."

Nico turns his head a bit to smirk at Mordecai. Great, what odd hare brained thought did this man have running through his thick skull now? "Well, that's such a shame. A lovely lady like her hanging around a grumpy old man like you probably didn't do well for her dating life."

Well that bit is true, and that's also thanks to Viktor who practically scared off every man from approaching her when she joined Atlas. Didn't scare me off, he practically encouraged me while discouraging others.

"But with you no longer hovering around her, she's probably gonna have a flock of suitors interested in courting her. She's good looking too, perhaps one of these days I can approach and see if she's interested in a handsome lad like myself? She seems like my ty-"

Mordecai had no clue what come over him, but the next second he found himself pressed against the back of the driver's seat, his hands wrapped tightly around the bandana Nico wore around his neck and practically strangling him with it as the car swerved and he is fighting to keep them from crashing into another car.

"YOU KEEP YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF PALOMA YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" He screams as the boxer attempts to free his grasp with one hand while keeping the other on the steering wheel. Serafine is screaming something at them before she manages to grab the wheel and yank it to the side, forcing them to park. Mordecai hears a shaky sigh of relief and turns to see Kuura pressed against the right door of the car, her claws gripping into the front seats's cushion that she just managed to pull free.

"Damn it Heller, the fuck is the matter with you?!" Serafine snarls as she and Kuura practically force Mordecai to let go of Nico as he coughs and wheezes violently. "Are you trying to kill us?!"

"You tell your damn brother to keep it in his pants, otherwise I'll shoot him down there!" Mordecai snaps. "And if he even dares to approach her, I'll shoot him there again and stab it for good measure!"

They hear a raspy laugh and turn to see Nico rubbing his neck while laughing before wiping at his eyes.

"Brother, has the lack of air to your brain made you snap?" Serafine asks with a frown.

"I was right, oh damn I was right, I fucking knew it!" The older Savoy laughs. Kuura gently pokes his arm and says something in that odd language of hers before shrugging. "Heller you sly dog!"

"You're making less sense than usual." Mordecai mutters. "Alright out with it, what are you talking about?"

"You and that murderous woman, you did have a thing with her going on!" Nico wheezed before laying his head on the steering wheel and pounds the dashboard of the car while laughing. "I knew there was some sort of romantic tension between you two the way she was staring you down!"

"Yeah, I think you made him go weird in the head." Serafine mutters. "Move over, I'm driving."

Nico exits the car still laughing and coughing as he swaps seats with his sister before she restarts the car and they're on their way again. He keeps looking back at Mordecai during the ride, breaking into fits of laughter again and again before his sister smacks his head to shut him up.

Damn it, what's wrong with me? Mordecai wonders as he leans his head against his door and looks out the window at the passing cars. I'm not supposed to lose my cool over these sorts of things, especially her.

But the thought of Paloma with someone like Nico made his stomach churn like he had eaten something unpleasant. Yes he knew she was smart and probably wouldn't fall for someone like that, she'd probably shoot any man in a rather painful spot if they approached her like that, but it still didn't ease him. It was disappointing that he was acting like this over her, he should have been over her months ago.

"You good Peekon?" He hears Nico ask.

"Just tired, haven't been sleeping well." Mordecai mutters as he removes his glasses to rub at his eyes properly. "One of these days I need a proper week off, but work will never get done if that happens."

"Stab knee?" Kuura suggests, pulling out a knife and tapping Mordecai's knee with the flat end. "Yes?"

"No, no stabbing."

"No?"

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"No, put that away! Ugh you sound just like Paloma when she started working with-"

"Referring to her by name, and twice. You two were obviously close." Serafine chuckles. "My brother was right, there was definitely tension between you two. Last time I saw that angry look in a woman's eyes was one of Nicodeme's past lovers, mad for whatever reason, I can't even remember why."

"She had a gun too." Nico laughs. "Would have shot me if my sister didn't put a stop to it."

"No wonder you thought she was your type." Mordecai mutters. "Even if you were serious, Miss Alvarez has higher standards when it comes to men. Despite coming from a rural and poor background, she-"

"Hey ain't that her?" Serafine interrupts, pointing ahead. "Not too many women have streaks in their hair, often prefer to dye the whole thing."

Indeed it was Paloma, walking briskly down the sidewalk with her heels in hand and gripping the strap of her bag while wearing an angry look on her face. Without warning, Serafine suddenly swerved the car to stop near the sidewalk and Mordecai nearly fell right into Kuura.

"Aye! Need a ride?" She calls out and Mordecai felt his heart leap in his throat before he immediately ducks down.

"No gracias, don't want anything to do with Marigold...or a certain symmetry obsessed man doing a poor job of hiding in the back seat." Paloma responds coldly. "Buenas noches."

"Are you crazy?! She has a gun!" Mordecai hisses as he sits up when he is sure she is gone.

"So do you." Nico points out.

"I'm still here." Mordecai yelps as he jumps, bumping his head against the ceiling of the vehicle. Paloma was still standing there on the sidewalk, now sporting an unamused look.

"Hei!" Kuura yells, sticking her hand out of Nico's open window to wave at her.

"Hello, and adios." She says as she turns to start walking again.

"Hey it's dark, and a jeune mademoiselle like you shouldn't be wandering around the streets like this, especially with no shoes." Nico says as he stuck his head out the window. "We can toss him out if you want."

"Oh how mature." Mordecai snaps.

"Or Kuura can just sit between you both, or Nico can while she sits up front with me." Serafine suggests. "Nico, switch seats with our tiny friend."

"I don't need a ride!" Paloma insists. "You-"

"We insist."

"Come on, you don't even have to look at him." Nico says as he gets out of the car. "Or you can sit up front and I squeeze in the back with your old amoureux and our tiny friend. Consider it a bit of a truce between our gangs for the night."

"Oh leave her be!" Mordecai snaps. "Good grief you both are just attempting to make me miserable tonight!"

"Ha, perhaps you deserve it." Paloma says with a scoff. "Fine, but only this once."

Kuura practically climbed onto Mordecai as Nico slipped into the back seat, which now felt like a tight fit while Paloma got into the front seat. Tonight really was going to be miserable.

"So...Alvarez, certainly not an American name." Nico says breaking the silence as they are driving. "And so is...Paloma, was it?"

"Spaniard, derived from the name Alvaro, meaning guardian. Paloma, derived from the Latin word palumbus and means dove." Paloma responds. "I'm named after my grandmother."

"Well it's a...nice name."

The car once again was silent and Mordecai was finding himself glancing at the back of her head too many times. Never once did she even look back, which he was grateful for, but also disappointed.

"You know, we are somewhat new in town and haven't really heard a great deal of things about you, but you must be quite the gangster if our employer is trying to obtain you, especially since you worked with Peekon." Serafine says, breaking the silence. "Heard Lackadaisy was quite good, but it's pretty much just fallen to pieces."

"We're holding on, and we would be doing much better if a certain cabrón hadn't been part of the cause of why his only friend in the whole world has a hole in his chest and why we lost a chance at gaining some revenue." Paloma responds in a sour tone. "I now have to do that idiot's job and several others because we are short staffed."

"Yeesh, I wouldn't want to be in that man's shoes." Nico snickers, glancing at Mordecai.

"Whatever you do, don't trust him, he has no problem turning his back on his friends."

"Now hold on!" Mordecai protests. "I-"

Now the cold feel of the pistol is pressed against his snout.

"Hey, hey! How about we don't blow his head up in the car?" Serafine suggests. "Last thing we need is the cops on our tails."

"Yeah and it's gonna be a pain to clean up his brain from the seat cushions." Nico agrees as he reaches forward to grab the gun. "Just hand it over and-"

"Touch me and it's your brain your associates will have to scrape off the car's interior." Paloma snaps as she points the gun at him.

"Come on, we agreed to a truce, didn't we?" Nico says as he gently pushed the gun away.

"Don't test her Nico, she's serious." Mordecai warns his hand going for the holster under his coat. "Paloma, put the gun away."

"Oh it's been over a year and you still think you can tell me what to do?" Paloma asks, pointing the gun back at him. "Don't even think about pulling that pistol out.

"No shooting." Kuura says, pushing the gun away from Mordecai and Nico. "Please?"

"Put the gun away, now." Serafine warns in a firm tone before the revolver is pointed in her face. "You really want to test how fast I can try and shoot you?"

"Go ahead, I'd like to see you try." Paloma retorts. "This wouldn't be the first time I shot someone point blank in a car."

Great, now what were they going to do? If even one of them tried to draw a weapon, Paloma would fire the gun. Mordecai was aware that the old revolver had a tendency to jam once in a while, but he wasn't about to risk it. Before he could even figure out what they could do, Kuura suddenly reaches forward and grabs the gun.

"No shoot, we have truce." The smaller woman warns For a moment, it almost looks like Paloma just might shoot her, but her angered gaze softens and she lowers the gun before shifting back in her seat.

"You can drop me off here, I can walk the rest of the way." She says as the car rolls to a stop and she climbs out, as does Nico. "Don't bother to follow me, and stay away. That includes you, Mordecai. Good night."

"And goodnight to you cher.~" The boxer says before she walks off and he climbs back into the front seat. "Well, that was fun."

"Fun?! She almost blew your sister's head off and yours!" Mordecai exclaims as Serafine starts to drive again. "We're lucky Kuura stopped her!"

"Hmm, true, but still fun. I'm starting to think she really might be just my type, I do like my women with a little bit of fire in them."

"More like she's got a raging inferno in her." Mordecai mutters, glancing at the rearview mirrors where he could see Paloma walking. "Just stay away from her."

"Cher you sounding like a jealous ex boyfriend, that's not a good look for you. Nico's a grown ass man, he can handle himself." Serafine scoffs and prods her brother's arm. "And you mister, keep it in your pants, she's part of a rival gang."

"During work hours she is." Her brother scoffs and Mordecai feels himself bristle.

There was that awful feeling in his chest again, he hadn't felt that way since the night he told Paloma they were fake dating. Sure that night she was smiling at Zib of all people, and tonight she was giving Nico a murderous glare that would make Viktor proud, that emotion was now just starting to emerge. Jealousy, and he hated it. He hadn't felt that in years, due to the fact that he was dating Paloma at the time, and probably because of a sense of pride he felt. Of all the men in St Louis she could have been with, ones a lot more outgoing and not even in gangs, anyone who was the opposite of him, yet she chose him of all people to give her heart to. That was something he had felt proud about, at least until they broke up, and until tonight.

She has every right to move on from me and be happy with someone else, so why can't I?

----

"Ugh, why do they insist on putting these so high up?" Paloma mutters as she tries reaching for the jar of pickles that was out of reach. Even in heels she couldn't reach the damn things. She could try jumping, but that'd cause a mess if she accidentally lost her footing. There was also lifting Leo up so he could grab the jar, but he had the tendency to drop heavy things so that was also a no go.

Today she had no work, so she decided to take her youngest brother along with her on some errands, like grocery shopping to restock on food and pay Nina back with some, despite her protests.

"Here cher, allow me." A somewhat familiar voice says before she got a whiff of cigarettes and a pale white furred arm reaches for the jar that was out of reach.

"¡Pepinillos!" Leo yells excitedly. "¿Paloma, puedo tener uno despues?"

"Cuando pagamos por todo." Paloma responds as she glances behind her to see it was that man from the other night, the one from the Marigold gang who was with Mordecai. God help her, why was he looking at her like that? She felt a bit uneasy.

The man, Nico if she remembered correctly, turns his attention to Leo and hands him the jar with a soft smile, earning an excited giggle from the child. "He's pretty cute, is he yours?" He asks as he turns his attention back to her.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing, just trying to make conversation with my associate's ex beau."

Paloma stiffens but quickly tries to act like nothing happened. "He's not my beau, and he never was. We were just work acquaintances."

"Sure, work acquaintances act like they have strained romantic tension when they're in forced proximity." Nico scoffs and lets out a chuckle. "You know, a shame you refused the fat man's offer, would have made for some...interesting and even entertaining moments in our little group."

"What, shooting that stick in the mud with a yard stick up his rear?" Paloma scoffs as she starts to walk and Leo follows. "I'd rather not waste my bullets on him."

"Really? You looked so ready to do that to the three of us if our little friend hadn't stopped you." Nico says as he follows, removing an item from the shelf to examine it before putting it back. "You have guts, I'll give you that. Normally when one points a gun at me, I'd have them bleeding from their snout and mouth and suffering more than a few broken bones."

"If that's a threat, I've heard worse directed at me."

"Nah, I don't do that, my fists prefer to do the talking."

"So you're more of a muscle man lacking in brains." Paloma asks with a frown as she grabs a few cans of beans off the shelf and into her basket.

Nico lets out a laugh. "You've got a sharp tongue! No wonder Peekon still likes you! Got wit as sharp as his!"

"Sharp enough to shut him up. Now stop following me, you're scaring the boy."

"Is he yours and Peekon? I can see the resemblance."

"Hermana, ¿por qué nos sigue el hombre alto?" Leo asks loudly.

"No le hagas caso Leo." Paloma responds before sending a glare at Nico.

"Just curious, the man acts so aloof and mysterious half the time." The older man says, holding his hands up in defense. "So, you aren't seeing anyone? Like no one at all? No boyfriends or betrothals?"

"Like I have time for that!" Paloma scoffs as she moves to grab some oranges from a display and dropped them into her basket. "I have two jobs to work, people to look after, I don't have time for a boyfriend!"

"Oh you wound me cher, I'm hurt!" Nico gasps as they walk up to the register where the clerk starts ringing the items up.

"That'll be a dollar and twenty-six cents ma'am." The clerk says. "Bag?"

"One please, give me a moment." Paloma says as she reaches into her bag for her coin purse.

"I'll pay." She hears Nico say before a five dollar bill is slapped on the counter.

"No I have the money, I don't need your so-called kindness." Paloma says as she pulls out several coins and puts them on the counter."

"I insist."

"And I insist you do not."

"Well I double insist."

"Oh you-"

"Here's your change sir, and your groceries ma'am!" The clerk interrupts, pushing the paper bag of groceries to Paloma and hands Nico back some money. "Have a good day!"

"Guess I won this time cher." The older man says with a cheeky grin. "Need some help with those?"

"No thank you, I can manage." Paloma says as she snatches the paper bag into one arm and grabbed Leo's hand with her unoccupied hand to drag him out of the store. Much to her annoyance, Nico followed. "Don't you have anything better to do than this?"

"I do have errands to run for my sister, but I can do those later." Nico says with a shrug. "Plus you look like you got your hands full and could use some help."

"¡Arriba!" Leo suddenly says, letting go of his sister's hand and holding his arms up to Nico. "¿Por favor? me duelen los pies."

Paloma groans. "Leo-"

"Up we go!" Nico says as he lifts the toddler up and sets him right on his shoulders. "How's the view up there little man?"

"Put him down!" Paloma yells, reaching for her brother.

"No! No no no no!" Leo yells as he swatted his sister's hands away and hugged Nico's head.

"Guess I'm stuck with you on your errands." The older man says with a smirk.

Paloma grimaces before turning to keep walking. The whole walk to Elizia's bakery, she could hear her brother giggling and laughing and often turned to see him trying to reach for the small twigs and leaves of the implanted trees on the sidewalk, sticking them in Nico's hair when he was successful in plucking one. The sight reminded her of when she was young and her father used to let her ride on his shoulders so she could pluck the low hanging fruit. It hadn't occurred to her until now that he used to do that with Leo before the war, and he'd never be able to do it again now that he passed.

"Hey, why you crying cher?" Paloma blinks in surprise when she sees Nico standing a little too close and his hand reaching for her face. Out of instinct, her hand flies up and grabs his wrist to stop him from touching her. "Whoa calm down, you started crying out of nowhere, you good?"

"¿Loma?" Leo calls out and reaches for her. Paloma then reaches up to grab her brother, allowing Nico to grab her groceries. Leo frowns and reaches up to wipe her face and hugs her neck tightly.

"I believe we're here at that bakery you mentioned." Nico comments and Paloma turns to see that they were there. She could see Elizia inside, putting something away.

"Elizia, hello!" She says loudly as they enter the shop.

"Ah, Paloma, I wasn't expecting you with a...guest." Elizia says turning to greet her with a smile before it falters when she sees Nico.

"¡Pan por favor!" Leo yells, pointing at a loaf of bread on display.

"Ignore him, the weird man holding my groceries." Paloma whispers. "I'll just need a few loaves, I'm taking some to Calvin's mother."

"Paloma!" She hears Ilioise yell as she comes out of the kitchen, sporting an apron with the front and most of her hair covered in flour. "I'm baking!"

"I can see that, you look very messy." Paloma laughs as she uses one hand to ruffle the girl's hair to shake out the flour. "Heh, you look like Gabriel if he had grey fur."

Ilioise giggles before her face falls when she sees Nico examining some sweet bread on display. "Who's that?" She asks softly. "He looks scary."

"Weird man I met at the grocery store, Leo likes him for whatever reason." Paloma says in a low voice

"Want me to whack him? Mama has a big broom in the kitchen."

"Ilioise!" Elizia hisses. "You will do no such thing, what would your father say?"

"I'd say Viktor would approve." Paloma snorts as she is handed a paper bag full of bread. "How much-"

"Just a quarter."

"That much for all this bread?"

Elizia smiles. "With some sweet bread to take to my husband and your siblings, and to your friends as well."

"Elizia, you shouldn't." Paloma scolds as she hastily grabs for her coin purse and pushes a quarter into the older woman's hand before Nico could notice.

"And I still do it." Elizia chuckles and ruffles Leo's hair. "Behave yourself."

Leo giggles and batted her hands away as his sister grabs the bag of bread and heads out the door.

"Alright, I think that's everything for today." Paloma says as she waves for a taxi. "We just need to get home to cook us some dinner, maybe-"

"You do realize I have your groceries, right?" Paloma yelps as she spun to see Nico behind her, almost dropping her bag of bread.

"Don't do that!" She yells. "Almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Aww, my handsome mug did that?" The older man teases and laughs when she swats his arm. "Well this was quite fun."

"Hardly." Paloma scoffs as a cab stops near them. "Hand on I need to-"

"Allow me." Nico says as he opened the back door of the car and hands the driver some money. "Take the young lady and her kid to where they need to go, and keep the change."

"I have money to pay for my own fare." Paloma protests as she puts her brother in the backseat and hands him the bag of bread.

"I know, just doing something nice for the nice lady."

Paloma just rolls her eyes as she accepts the bag of groceries to sit them next to Leo and sits herself in the cab before shutting the door behind her.

"Be seeing around anytime soon cher?" Nico asks, leaning against the open window.

"Doubt it, it's a big city." Paloma responds. "I'd rather not cross paths again, and you shouldn't hope for that either."

"You never know, it's a small world." He says with a shrug. "Though something tells me we might be seeing each other very soon."

"Wait what-"

"Ma'am? The address?" The cab driver calls out, diverting Paloma's attention. When she glances back at the window, Nico is gone.

"Sorry, downtown please." She says with a shake of her head.

"Loma, who was that?" Leo asks as the taxi starts to move before his face lights up. "Is he a boyfriend?"

"What? What makes you think that?" Paloma asks with a frown.

"He keeps looking at you the way papi looked at mami sometimes. I like him, he smells like papi too."

"Since when did papi start to smoke?"

"I dunno, but I miss him."

Paloma gives him a sad smile before pulling him into a hug. "I miss him too, but just don't go asking every stranger who reminds you of him for piggyback rides. Except Viktor, if his knees aren't killing him."