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Author's Chapter Notes:
Hey ladies, sorry it took so long to update. I hope you like.

Waking up with a fucking headache has become a ritual for me, my head is pounding and my stomach churning. I groan with the memory of how shit faced I was last night. Then I also remember the scream, Crystal’s scream. Without thinking I jerk up, making my head feel like it’s about to blow up. “Crys…”

I’m in my bed, I don’t recall how the hell I got here, outside it‘s still dark. I get up and slowly make way to her room, the door is wide open, things are scattered all over the place, her bed is a mess and the window is broken.

“Crystal” Panic surges through my veins, what if I didn’t crawl my ass up here on time last night. What if they kidnapped her? Killed her and who knows where she is now? What the hell happened last night? I hold the side of my head, its throbbing like a motherfucker.

“Stay still I’m trying to clean you up. Your boyfriend is passed out cold you know.”

I hear a male, quickly I know it’s not Nick’s whiney voice. “He’s not my boyfriend thank you very much. I would appreciate it if you hurry and patch me up before he gets up. I don’t want him to see me like this.”

See her like what? I run down, my bare feet patter against the wooden stairs. I’m startled by Howie’s presence in the house, he usually only stays in the kitchen. They both look up at me, he’s got one leg over her lap as he bandages the front of her head.

“What the fuck happened?” I ask, trying to tone down the over protectiveness in my voice. Not that I’m jealous or anything…he just looks a little to close for comfort, if you ask me.

“Oh hey man, I was just patching her up. She got hurt struggling with whoever sneaked into her bedroom last night.” he finishes up, and quickly moves to the side.

Crystal gets up “Thanks Howie… “ she makes way to the kitchen, ignoring my presence.

Howie grins “I heard the screams, I came running to see what was happening. I wasn’t sure if you were in the house. When I got here you were passed out cold on the steps, I think he hit you with something. Um…she was hiding in a corner in her room.” he shrugs “Well I have to get to work, the sun is coming up. See you later!” I watch him walk out of the house. Well there goes my suspicions about him.

Just as I make my way into the kitchen my cell phone vibrates in my pocket. About fucking time, I take it out and look at the caller ID. “Hello…” I answer making way towards the front door, for privacy.

“Skullz…hey I’m sorry for contacting you till now, someone is on our trail. I had to shut down the systems, you haven’t noticed? Disconnect phones, shut down the building…everything.”

Shit. What do I say to this, I’m infatuated with a kid, so my mind is so out of synch. I haven't even opened the laptop since I got here. “Damn, well do you know who it is…”

I can hear the man sigh, “No, I have no idea…CIA, FBI, LAPD, another fucking faction. Who the hell knows Skullz, so…you haven’t completed the assignment?”

“Actually no, there are a lot of things that work into that…I got shot at one of my stops on the way here, the girl here helped me out and now I’m just waiting for the Kevin guy to get here, he’s been, out wont be back till Sunday.” I can tell he’s trying to analyze everything I’ve just said, that’s Don for you. He has to make sure, your not trying to bullshit him, which I’m not. At least not entirely.

“Well…then I need you to drive down to St. Charles, Missouri. No need for a gun on this one, broken neck is requested. His name is…” I hear paper shuffling on the line “…Miller, Jeff Miller, he’s a lawyer…something about a case gone wrong. I need it done ASAP.”

I start trying to calculate the distance from here to St. Charles “Alright it will take me about five hours to get there, plus I need to get a car. I kinda crashed…”

Don chuckles “You crashed your Nova, what a shame…well Skullz, I’ll send you the info on Miller.” He pauses again, making me slightly nervous, “Don’t let me down on this Richardson assignment Jack…I’m counting on you.”

Jack? He doesn’t really call me Jack, unless he's pissed at me, which has only been about twice. Maybe he's second guessing my abilities, hell lately I second guess my own abilities.. “No worries Don, just waiting for the targets to get here. I wont let you down…I never have.”

“Alright.” with that he hangs up. I stare at the bug, wondering if the piece of shit will make a ten hour drive. It should. Now, I have to find a way to get the pissed off girl in the kitchen to lend it to me. More importantly find a way she wont want to tag along. That's all a need for the yapper to talk my ear off, while I'm concentrating on breaking someone's neck.

I make way into the house, the kitchen sink is running and plates are clinking. I stand a distance behind her I'm not sure if she's ignoring me or hasn't noticed I'm there "Hey!"

With a gasp, she whips around and drops the plate in her hand, it crashes onto the floor instantly shattering into pieces. "Oh shit..." she bends down quickly to pick them up. "You scared me." she mutters, carefully picking up the pieces.

"I'm sorry...!" I say as I bend down to help her out. I'm not really paying attention to the scattered pieces, I'm to busy trying to look at her bruised up eye and patched eyebrow. “Fuck!” I feel an intense pain run through my hand, then I look down and see the blood trickling from a deep cut in my palm. Motherfucker, seriously all these body injuries are really pissing me off.

I shoot up and curse a storm, as the blood drips from my hand. “Oh god Jack.” she says snatching a rag off the counter “Here” she covers my hand with it and guides me to the bathroom. I don’t feel the pain anymore, I’m more pissed at myself for being so damn clumsy lately.

She runs my hand under the sink, and takes out the first aid kit from a drawer. “I’m fine you know” I mutter. There she goes all nurse on me. I should have her walking around in one of those sexy nurse outfits with knee highs and some heels. Not that a nurse would wear heels, but she’d look sexy in them. Son of a bitch, that hurt like hell…I can’t help but yank my hand from hers and let out a groan or two. I’m not a sissy or anything, but alcohol and a fresh wound shouldn’t really have any contact with each other.

“Jack…” she waves a hand in my face and I look up from my daze “Give me back your hand! You have to clean it up or it will get infected.” she takes my hand back and carefully continues her nursing.

I’m guessing now would be the time to ask about the car. I open my mouth to ask, and you wont believe it, but I‘m nervous. What if she tells me to fuck off? I mean what I did last night was pretty shitty. Hell why am I even sweating it. If I want to I can take the damn car and screw what she thinks.

“Um…Crystal. I was wondering…” I sound like a fucking sissy. I gotta man up and just come out and say. “I need your car, I’ll be back tomorrow.”

She looks up at me, her eyes are full of fear “Your leaving? But…I…you can’t just leave.” tears nestle in her eyes and I really want to run out of the damn bathroom. What did I say this time? Well after last night I guess she was bound to bring out the waterworks. I’m a jerk, what can I say.

“Listen I’m just going a couple of hours away and I’ll be back. I don’t leave town for good, until Sunday when I get Sheeba.” I gave her a nod and walked out with my bandaged hand.

“But…I got attacked last night, what if he comes back…what do I do Jack?”

Oh for the love of christ, I forgot all about that. Poor kid, she’s not looking so good. “Um…what about Howie or Nick?” I throw out those names although I don’t like the idea of them in the house with her, late at night. I’m just sayin, I don’t trust them to protect her from this fucker that is out to hurt her, that‘s all.

“Well…what if I…um…I come with you. I promise I wont talk a lot and I’ll be good. I just don’t want to stay here Jack…please” She walks over to me and takes a hold of my arm, looking at me with a pout “Please…”

Damn it, who can resist those blue eyes. I REALLY shouldn’t take her with me, I’m going on a mission, I’ve never taken company on a mission. I‘ve never done, a lot of the shit I‘ve done lately. “Crystal I’m not sure, that is a good idea.”

“Please jack…don’t leave me here alone. What if he comes back…huh?” she gives me the signature puppy look and sticks out her bottom lip even more. “Jack…”

I roll my eyes “Fine, but no fucking talking, or asking me questions…I’m not making any special stops, if you wander off, I’m not looking for you. Lastly if I ask you to stay in the car, you stay.” she shakes her head like a child and a smile grows across her face, then she hugs me again, the one where she hangs on me by the neck, like a damn ape. Although, I have to admit it gets me all warm inside…oh fuck that is the most pussy thing I‘ve ever thought in my life…damn the kid…damn her.