[[ milliways ]]

[justdidntseeit]

[ "i can't see you get hurt again because your heart's bigger than your brain." ]

"Goin' s'where?"

Her stomach twists as she smooths Bill's rumpled hair from his forehead in the gray pre-dawn light.

"Just for a run. Go back to sleep."

He gives her a sleepy half-nod.

"Mmmkay. Careful, s'bunnies."

She nearly chokes on guilt as her lips brush his cheek.

"I will. Back in a little while."

She slips out of the suite and heads down the hall to Bill's empty room.


- - - - -


She finds the gun on the top shelf in his closet.

Jaw tight, she lifts the weapon with steady hands and checks the magazine, then tucks the gun into the waistband of her black running pants at the small of her back.

With its cold weight at the base of her spine, she's hyper-aware of every step, every flex of each muscle and every breath she takes as she locks Bill's door and heads downstairs.

She doesn't know if she'll find Ramon, but she has to try.

Comments

[latino_menace]

He seriously can't believe she just said that.

'OK, to start with - you don't get to decide whether or not there'll be any more 'trouble'. Second, for someone who means nothing to you, you seem to have had a good long conversation with him about this.'

Beat.

'Why don't you just admit that he's your boyfriend?'

He's fishing but at the same time, the evidence is pointing in that direction. Either that, or a good friend. Certainly not 'nothing'.

[justdidntseeit]

Her expression flattens; she can't let herself be manipulated, she can't.

"After Katherine told me what happened and I talked with Bill, I thought I could save everyone some grief by doing this. That's it.

"I'm sorry if the concept of a good Samaritan is something you can't fathom."

[latino_menace]

'Mmm.'

His finger stops stroking along the gun barrel and he picks the weapon up instead. Quite deliberately, he reaches out and puts the muzzle under her chin.

'I think you're lying to me.'

[justdidntseeit]

She goes marble-cold and still, gooseflesh rippling down the side of her neck.

I'm so sorry, Bill.

Eyes locked on his, she pulls in a slow, careful breath, pushing past her fear.

"You won't shoot me."

Not here, not like this.

[latino_menace]

He tilts his head to the side, looking quizzical. The gun stays where it is.

'Really? Why not?'

[justdidntseeit]

"Because if you do -- "

The words are ashes in her mouth.

"Security will throw you in the cells before you have a chance to get your revenge on Katherine or Bill."

[latino_menace]

He laughs again, sarcastic.

'Are you stupid?'

He thinks she's stupid.

'They can't throw me in there forever and I've got a good memory.'

For things like revenge, he's got a great memory.

[justdidntseeit]

"So why haven't you pulled the trigger?"

She swallows, wondering if the bile burning at the back of her throat is only her imagination.

"If you need a new accountant, you could've just asked."

[latino_menace]

'Because if you're dead, you can't answer my question.'

Her attempt at humour makes him smirk.

'Bill's your boyfriend, right?'

[justdidntseeit]

"Just a friend," she stubbornly maintains, jaw tight.

(no one's near them, it's too early, too quiet, and her blood and brains are going to splatter the rafters and the bottles of expensive alcohol lining the shelves behind the bar, and she won't get a chance to tell Bill she's sorry)

She won't beg. She won't.

[latino_menace]

Ramon's eyes narrow. For a moment, everything's still.

(could do it could do it could do it)

...he lowers the weapon, looking disgusted.

'I'll find out either way,' he tells her, in an almost conversational tone as he tucks the gun into his waistband.

It looks like he's done with her because he picks up his coffee and pours the remainder of it down his throat before setting the cup down. And that's when he strikes, lashing out and backhanding her hard, right across the cheekbone.

'You're a lying bitch, Kate. You should have stayed out of this.'

[justdidntseeit]

The force of the blow rocks her stool; she slides sideways off her seat and stumbles, only remaining upright because she slaps the counter's surface with one palm.

The pain is so intense that, for a moment, she feels nothing at all.

A heartbeat later, fire explodes along the side of her face and the bar is bright and blurry.

She lifts a hand dumbly to her mouth, and she's not surprised to find blood trickling from her nose.

[latino_menace]

He watches her impassively. There was more to that than the fact that he wanted to, though that was the main reason. It was also because...well. Any man worth his salt would stand up for his woman, right?

(Ramon rarely stands up for his women.)

If she's Bill's girlfriend, he'll be expecting the man to come looking for him. If not...well, it was a bit of fun because she annoyed him.

'See you around, Kate.'

He wanders off, mind turning to Fiona waiting in bed for him. Excellent.

[justdidntseeit]

She doesn't respond; it's all she can do to breathe past the pain of a thousand angry wasps stinging her nerve endings.

She lifts a tissue from the box Bar supplies without prompt, and it's a few long minutes before she stops shaking.

She heads for the stairs on watery legs.

Forget a run by the lake, she just wants a hot shower. Then she'll wake Bill.