"So I heard from Charlotte shit went down with Cleo today," Jason says as I sit down across from him in his office. It's two in the morning and I only woke up fifteen minutes ago half asleep to grab a drink of water and then realize he didn't even bother to come to bed. 

"You're not sleeping tonight?" I murmur, drawing my legs to my chest, my head resting on my knees. "You've been coped in here since you got home Jason, did you even shower after you ate?" 

"There's just so much to go over. I didn't even realize how much work being a chief would be. Usually, it'd be reserved for senior officers but considering a lot of them were arrested and I'm considered a hero of sorts I got promoted for this," he sighs leaning back into his chair.

"I see why they see you as a hero. You risked your life for your best friend and to me you're a hero, after all you're doing it all over again," I say giving him a soft smile. He looks startled for a moment before letting out a huff of laughter.

"You might see me like that but I don't like being called that. I do what I have to, if I was a police officer or if I wasn't I'd do all this and the past over again," he tells me. "Besides, can you even call me heroic for what I want to do when I get my hands on those fuckers?" he snarls.

"Have they said anything?" I question. 

"No, and we've given them the standard one phone call and shit but they refused it. I think Nash is getting pissed with seeing their stupid smirks every day, tempted to knock those shits out," he snickers. "But sweetheart, back to what I was asking, you got into a row with Cleo today?"

"I gave her a piece of my mind. I don't understand the problem she has with me anyways. Jax was in the same position as me a year ago and Charlotte, her sister-in-law got involved in all the shit he was going through and she joined in right? What makes me different?" I huff in anger. "I get the inkling that she wouldn't mind if Eiichi got to me."

"Come here Victoria," he says holding a hand for me, the other moving his papers. I uncurl my legs and walk around taking his hand as he pulls me forward to sit down on the clear space. His hands wrap around my waist as he looks up at me. "Whatever problems she has with you don't worry about it. Charlotte even told me she's acting like a bitch and I agree with her."

"I told Charlotte I didn't want to break her relationship with her sister-in-law and whatever friendship she has with you and connection she has with Oli," I tell him. 

"Charlotte can deal with her in her own way and as for me, I only got to know her when I reunited with Charlotte. I'm friends with her brother but I have no relation with her. I never met her before until then so I don't give two fucks about what she has to say. She'll have to just suck it that I'm choosing you over them," he smirks, his fingers thumbing the waistband of my shorts. 

"I have to wonder if her dislike is rooted in something deeper," I muse, a small smile tugs at my lips from his words, the same thoughts I had. 

"Whatever it is, she can keep it to herself since you're not going anywhere," he smirks. "And only Jax knows this but we're monitoring Cleo to make sure she doesn't reach out to Eiichi but the likelihood of her having any way to contact him is slim." 

"I wish I had a photo of him to show you what he looks like because even if you searched his name I'm one hundred percent sure he changed his name," I frown. Jason frowns also at my words before a frustrated look passes over his face. 

"The bastard is taunting us. He's near and he makes it fucking clear he is but we have nothing to go by," he snarls.

"Like a needle in the haystack," I snicker, my hands going to his face to smooth the lines of frustration. "You'll find him, I know you will," I say leaning down to kiss his forehead. My lips linger for a couple of seconds before pulling back. 

"Victoria, I've been thinking of giving this to you," he says to me and he reaches into his shirt and pulls out a necklace with a key attached to it. He moves his hand to a drawer and uses the key to unlock it. I peer over and my eyes widen when I see what's inside, a sleek black gun.

"You want to give me a gun?" I ask shocked.

"Incase anything happens to you and I can't reach you or something happens with the officers guarding you, I want you to be able to protect yourself," he says taking it out and placing it in my hands. "It's more of a last resort."

"Trust me, I pray I'll never have to use it," I say turning it over to look at it.

"I can teach you how to use it," he tells me and I shake my head.

"I haven't touched one since I was a teen but I am familiar with how to use guns. I never shot anyone but when we use to hit the shooting range, I was the best girl that could handle it," I say looking back at him. 

"Then I know I can trust you with this to keep you safe and for you to handle it safely," he smirks.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I chuckle before giving it back to him. "Now, I'm really fucking tired and I'm pretty sure you are to so let's go to bed. I'm not leaving here until you do."

"You win sweetheart, it's hard to say no to you," he says as he locks back the gun and then stands, he picks me up in his arms as my legs wrap around his waist, my arms around his neck.

"I can be very persuasive," I whisper teasingly. His hands tighten around my ass, his eyes darken but before he can say anything we hear a timid voice calling out to us. "I guess I'll have to use my persuasion another time," I tell him, a soft smile on my face.

"Don't think I'll forget," he says as he puts me down and I walk to the door opening it looking down the hall. 

"Oli, we're over here," I say waving him over to me. He rushes over wrapping his arms around me, his head resting on my stomach. "Nightmare?" I question as I brush his hair with one hand, the other rubbing his back.

"Do you want to stay with us buddy?" Jason questions walking over to the two of us. He nods his head again before moving to hug him. 

"You go shower first before getting in bed," I tell Jason. "Oli, we'll go wait for your uncle," I say in a soft voice and he moves from him taking my hand as I lead him back to the room. I turn on the lamp on Jason's side as the two of us get under the cover.

"Tori?" he whispers.

"What is it?" I ask quietly. 

"Why do the bad people want to hurt us? Did we make them angry? Can we say sorry to them?" he questions and I can hear the tears in his voice. I straighten up quickly when I hear that.

"Oh Oli, come here," I say sitting against the headboard and holding my arms out for him. He shuffles into them, his head resting on my chest as I hold him close to me.

"I don't know what they want to hurt us and we didn't make them angry. We don't need to apologize to them, they should apologize to us since they are bullies. You know what a bully is right?" I question.

"They teached us in school," he answers.

"Those people are also bullies but guess what, I promise that I'll protect you, they won't ever hurt you again," I whisper fiercely. It's a promise deep in my soul. I could never wish my situation on anyone and I would never wish for a child to experience this.

"I'll protect you too Tori," he says looking up at me, clear determination on his face. It tugs at my heartstrings a grin breaks out on my face.

"And what about your uncle?" I tease and he takes a moment to think for a moment before grinning back at me.

"Uncle can protect himself but I'll protect you," he says happily.

"You don't like your uncle anymore Oli?" We both turn to the door, Jason just in his sweats and a black tank top with a towel hanging around his shoulder, his face faking sadness. 

"But uncle, you're a police officer and Tori is not so I'll protect her," he declares. Jason chuckles, his facade breaking before he makes his way to us throwing himself to lie beside us.

"How about you leave the protecting to me," Jason tells him. Oli looks at his uncle, a grin once again shining on his face.

"Uncle, when I grow up I'm going to be a police officer like you because you're really cool, and strong. I really really love you uncle," he says, his voice growing softer. I can see Jason holding back the emotion on his face, who knows if he might have started crying. He sits up and I move my arms from Oli as Jason pulls for a hug, his tattooed arms wrapped around him tightly.

"I really really love you to Oli, to the moon and back," his voice thick with emotion. My eyes are a little misty as I watch the two and I pray that this mess is over soon because I don't know what I would do if either of them lost one another.

✘✘

"Look who decided to grace us with her presence tonight," a laughing voice calls out.

"Shut it Haruto," I reply rolling my eyes as I pocket my phone. It's another night in the hospital, another ten-minute break before I get back to work. It's almost been a week since I was last here.

"So your little vacation with your man is over?" he teases.

"I don't know, I'm here, aren't I? That should say something," I say rolling my eyes again. 

"But you wish you were still on vacation with your man," he snickers.

"Enough about my man. How are you doing? You know we should get together at some point though I don't know when considering I work during the day and you work at night," I tell him. His face changes to one of exhaustion and I notice he might have lost some weight.

"Well I haven't drunk myself into a stupor so I think I'm okay," he sighs. I hold my arms open and shuffles into them, his chin resting on my head as I wrap my arm around him.

"That may be true but have you had any time to yourself since the breakup?" I question in worry as I rub his back.

"No, I've just thrown myself in work. I've been working every day non-stop, even taking shifts on my days off," he confesses.

"Haruto, I'm being serious here. Do you want to end up in the hospital yourself? You should know at the rate you're going you'll be admitted here. All the stress, the lack of rest; you're going to become another patient here," I chastise as I pull back to give him a hard stare.

"I know I know, but this is just the best option," he sighs.

"No, it's not. Do you know what you're going to do? When you finish your shift tonight you are going to go and request to days off. If you've been working at the rate you said they will allow it. When you're home you will sleep, eat, and sleep some more. I will call you when I'm in school so we talk but the most important thing is you rest," I instruct. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes mother," hr grumbles but I see the smile on his face as I release him.

"Get out of here, I need to get back to making my rounds," I say looking at the time on the clock.

"Yes, the children need you," he says and he turns to walk back down the hall before turning back to me. "I forgot to tell you the strangest thing happened the other day."

"Oh? What happened?" I question, my curiosity peeking up.

"It was in the morning when I was going home and there was this woman that was taking a walk in the neighbourhood and I saw her take a fall to the ground. I quickly stopped my car and got out to help her but instead, I was met with five people pointing guns at me. Three were Japanese since I can recognize other Japanese people and the other two, one was white and the last I'm not sure what his background was," he says shrugging his shoulder.

"They didn't do anything to you did they?" I ask, my eyes trailing his body to see if he's moving strangely because of an injury. "You could have become the seven o'clock news. Your face would have been plastered on everywhere."

"No they did nothing, she stopped them with one hand and all of them just replied yes Mrs. Yamazaki. With that many bodyguards she must be some rich important person," he continues. My blood runs cold when I hear that name.

"What did you say her last name was Haruto?" I ask, my voice tense.

"Yamazaki, why? You know her?" he questions. I shake my head, a fake smile plastered on my face.

"I just think that last name of hers is pretty cool," I say lying through my teeth. 

"I've heard that name one too many times so it's not cool for me," he tells me as his pager goes off. "I have to run now but I'll tell you when my days off are," he says to me quickly before running back to the ward he came from.  I'm left standing where I am but there's only be thought running through my head.

A woman with the last name Yamazaki that also has bodyguards? There's no mistaking it. Andjela, Eiichi's mom is here and if she's here in the city and there's no doubt she's doing her own networking to find me.

✘✘

A/N So I wasn't sure if I was going to write another chapter but my fingers just started typing and I couldn't stop. Eiichi's mom is now in the city and they are slowly closing in on Victoria. I'm still on the fence if this story will be as long as The Ex-Convict. I'm hoping it is but we'll have to see. I'll leave this author's note short too since I'm starting the next chapter but don't forget to leave your thoughts on the chapter in the comments!