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Something To Live For Chapter 6 - Enter The Lawyer by Fair Drea Jaiden was up the next morning, showered and dressed for work in a pair of olive green cargo pants that hung low on her hips and a pale lavender tank top before the alarm she had set had even gone off. She went about her morning ritual as she usually did, unhindered by the fact that her surroundings were entirely different but made sure she did so as quietly as possible. She didn't want to wake any of her temporary guardians. They'd been up late last night, talking in low voices as she slept curled up in the middle of Vinnie's bed. When he'd finally joined her, the bedside clock had read 3:36 a.m. so she had decided that letting them sleep would be the kind thing to do. Besides, she didn't need an escort to work. However sickeningly devious Limburger was, he wouldn't try to pull something in broad daylight. After eating a quick breakfast and letting Bandit out for a while, Jaiden went quietly into Vinnie's room, waking him up only enough to tell him she was going to work and receive a mumbled half response. Then, she pulled her shades from her bag beside the bed and slipped out as quietly as she had come, leaving the shaded space of the scoreboard. It was an absolutely beautiful day outside, one that promised unbearable mugginess by mid afternoon. At the moment though, the temperature was just perfect. Like a bad dream, dark storm clouds lingered in the west, their deep gray a startling contrast to the bright, cloudless blue that had taken over the sky. Jaiden smiled as she watched raindrops clinging to blades of grass sparkle in the early morning sunlight. It was at times like this that Limburger seemed non-existent, that Chicago seemed as beautiful and unscarred as it had once been. It was times like these that she cherished for they were few and far between. After taking one more second to enjoy the morning's quiet beauty, she went to search for her bike. She found it in an old garage not far from the entrance to the scoreboard and was on her way to work in a matter of minutes. At the Last Chance Charlie was stuck under an old jeep, elbows deep in what the jeeps owner considered an engine. The frustration was slowly starting to edge its way under the good mood she'd managed to force on that morning when she heard Jaiden pull in. "Charlie?" the younger woman called out after turning the engine off. "Under this hunk of junk," she muttered. Pushing herself out from under the jeep, she smiled up at her assistant. "Ah, she comes with coffee. That's my girl." Jaiden offered her a hand, carefully balancing the tray holding their coffee in the other. "So what's the story behind this beast?" she asked as she helped Charlie up and handed her a cup of delicious smelling coffee. "That," the older woman threw a look of contempt at the dull green jeep, "is a nightmare waiting to happen. The guy brought it in for an oil change and after proudly declaring he'd build the engine himself, asked that I fix any minor problems I happen to come across. Normally I'd be happy to do that, but I can't even get to the minor problems through all the major ones. He spot welded things together, used duct tape to fix holes in the hoses�its just such a mess. I highly doubt anything's even in the right place." "Hm�should we take it out to the middle of nowhere and leave it for dead?" Jaiden asked, taking a sip of her coffee. "If only it was that easy." Charlie released a weary sigh. "I'm going to worry about it later though. Right now you're going to tell me exactly what is going on." The garage doors were pulled down, the sign that currently stated "open" was switched to "closed" and the two women migrated up to Charlie's one bedroom apartment where they could be more comfortable. "How are you holding up?" the older woman asked when they were settled on the beige couch that took up much of the space in the cozy, simply decorated living room. Jaiden toyed with the creeping vines of a plant that sat upon a round table beside the couch. It was an effort to keep her emotions in check, but she managed. "I'm trying hard not to think about what happened and handle this the way my dad would want me to." "And how's that?" "He would want me to be strong�fearless," she smiled sadly, "He would want me to keep the faith and try to stay positive. He was a big fan of that motto 'when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.' I guess that's what I'm going to do. I think I'm pretty much done with the breakdowns, for now anyway." Charlie gave her a smile that was both knowing and understanding. "Had a few big ones already?" "Oooh yeah." "Do you think you could tell me what happened? I know it's hard but Throttle's explanation kind of lacked a little�well, a lot of detail." Jaiden was silent for a moment, then slowly she nodded. "I think I could manage." And she did. Without a single tear and in a calm and steady voice she filled in the blanks, leaving out not even the tiniest detail. By the time she was finished, Charlie was livid. "Why that low down, scum sucking, good for nothing son of a-" "Charlie, its okay," the young brunette said softly. "How? How is what that jerk did to you okay?" Jaiden shrugged. "I'm still alive, aren't I? And the guys said they'd help me get my house back. I trust them." "Oh, I do too, don't get me wrong but," Charlie drew a breath and ran her fingers through her thick mass of auburn hair, "this is such a mess. Cheese head's got us out numbered, with the war going on Mars there's no way the guys are going to get any help and even if they did Carbine would probably have some nasty little remark to make about that." "Ah�Charlie?" Jaiden murmured, trying to interrupt the other woman's angered ranting. "She'd probably blame it on me too. 'You do more for that ugly Earther than you ever did for me Throttle.' Well, why the hell wouldn't he? At least I'm grateful for what he does for me-" "Charlie�" "-She would probably never let him do anything for her anyway. I'm all for independence but not when its paired up with overbearing and bossy. He deserves better than that, damn it. He deserves-" Quickly realizing what she was doing, Charlie clamped her mouth shut, looking up at Jaiden who was watching her with a slightly amused expression, her delicate brows arched in silent question. "God, I'm sorry. I just," she sighed, shaking her head, "I had a really lousy night." Jaiden knew right away that she was talking about her encounter with Throttle the other night and firmly reminded herself not to pry. She'd done enough of that already. "It's okay and it will be okay," she murmured, hoping she sounded more convincing than she felt, "Between the five of us we'll figure something out." "You're right." Charlie dropped her head back, resting it against the cushion. "Time for a less draining subject." "Gotcha. So, when do I meet up with this lawyer you're all talkin' about?" "Oh god, Jaiden I'm sorry," the mechanic bemoaned and dropped her head forward, burying her face in her upturned hands. "I wanted to help out and that was the first thing that popped into my head." "Eh, that's okay. Throttle thinks it will help so I'm going to just play along." Jaiden stretched her arms above her head, scanning the room for a clock in the process. "Hey, what time is it anyway?" "Almost ten," Charlie answered after consulting a slim gold watch that circled her wrist. "We should probably get back to work and open shop." Tossing the remainders of their now tepid coffee into the sink of Charlie's small, yet cheerful kitchen that was just off the living room, the two women grudgingly went back down to the garage and the grueling task that awaited them. They worked for hours uninterrupted and were glad for that. The frustration of trying to fix someone else's horrible mess didn't exactly make them the kind of women anyone would willingly want to be around and the fact that the temperature was steadily raising, launching a full out scorch attack on the city, didn't make matters any better. "I'm tempted to strangle this guy," Jaiden murmured as she bent over the engine, examining a carburetor that looked about twenty years too old. She'd tied her hair up in a loose ponytail to keep it out of her way but her feathery bangs continually slid down into her vision. Crossing her eyes as she attempted to glare at the offending strands, she blew them out of her face and growled as they slid right back to where they had been. "Hey Charlie, how are things going on your side?" she asked, giving up the fight and propping an elbow tiredly on the edge of the jeep. "Horrible," came the reply from beneath the battered vehicle, "I'm not even sure what I'm�ack! Aw crap." "What happened?" "Duct tape decided to stop living and now I've got," there was a brief pause in which Jaiden could distinctly hear sniffing, "brake fluid all over my arm. What to throw me a rag? Or a few?" Grinning ruefully, the younger woman took a few rags from where she'd draped them over the bumper and tossed them under the jeep just as the phone started to ring. "Don't move! I'll get it!" "Oh�oh god that was hilarious�my side is splitting here," Charlie muttered, her voice reeking of sarcasm. A rag flew out from under the jeep and hit Jaiden in the leg as she beat a hasty retreat to the counter, her laughter following along behind her. A quick backhanded grab had the rag in her possession and she started trying to undo some of the damage she'd done to herself before answering the phone. Grease streaked her arms, had embedded itself under her nails and had even managed to smudge her cheeks and forehead. In short, she was a complete mess but she did what she could to clean up her hands, then veered around the counter and snatched the phone from its cradle. "Last Chance, this is Jaiden. How can I help you?" "Ms. Sterling! The most talented gal on two feet!" Had she still been holding the phone she would have pulled it away from her ear immediately but she'd used her shoulder to hold the phone up so that she could wipe her hands and therefore could only wince and hope the boisterous voice hadn't damaged her hearing. "This is Jaiden Sterling�and I'd thank you if I knew who you were," she said politely. "What? Oh, sorry sweetheart. This is Rich Foxworthy." A smile tugged at her lips and she propped a hip against the sturdy side of the counter. "Hey there Mr. Foxworthy! Did you get your bike okay?" "You bet I did! And darlin' you did a fine job. Got all my buddies green with envy when I rolled 'er out. Beautiful piece of work and I got you to thank for it. That's why I'm callin'. Figured a letter was a bit on the impersonal side." "Well, you're more than welcome Mr. Foxworthy-" "Rich." "Rich�gotcha. I had a great time working on it." And getting all that attention from Vinnie, she thought with a dreamy little smile. "Good. Then you won't mind if I gave your name to a few friends, will ya darlin'?" "Not at all. Send 'em over." Then, because her pride and back still smarted from the blow they'd received, she added, "you can keep that agent of yours though." "Not a fan? Join the club. I'd fire him, but it ain't my way to let someone go just cuz they rub me the wrong way. That and the guy's never done anything wrong." Beg to differ, Jaiden thought dryly. Now she wasn't one for snitching on people but for Alexander Ricardo she was willing to make an exception. He'd hurt not only her but her pride as well and that just wasn't acceptable. If she could help it, not another person would be the unsuspecting victim of Alexander's backstabbing ways. "What if I told you that thanks to him I lost my house and my fathers bike?" she asked, conveniently leaving out the part about how Limburger and his goons had blown the bike up and roughed her up a bit in the process. She wanted the guy fired, not dead. "How the hell'd he manage that?!" Rich yelped, an underlining note of anger adding gruffness to his already burly voice. "He told a rather brutal alien client of his who I was working for and I guess his boss wasn't exactly overjoyed by the fact that there was still one Sterling alive and kicking. He decided to come over and let me know how he felt about that." "Are you tellin' me that MY agent works for that scum suckin' alien responsible for the death of your family?" Jaiden swallowed hard. "The very one." There was a moment of silence, on in which Jaiden started to think that maybe she had made the wrong choice but when Rich spoke she could hear the strain in his voice. "Well Ms. Sterling, been a pleasure doin' business with ya but, if you'll excuse me, I got me an agent to fire." Jaiden smiled. It wasn't a smile of malice, but one born of deep relief. Rich Foxworthy was too nice a man to be dealt an underhanded blow by a creep like Alexander. "You're doing the right thing, Rich. You could definitely find someone better to represent you." "Well, how about you darlin'?" "Me?" She laughed and shook her head. "Way too busy representing myself but thanks for the offer." "Anytime. And if you ever need a helpin' hand, you let me know. I got a whole crew of bikers that would like nothin' more than to get involved in a good rumble." "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind." But she wouldn't. She had already seen one battlefield littered with the bodies of her family and friends and she had no desire to see another. Sheer brawn and fast bikes were just not enough compared to the weapons Limburger had at his disposal. They talked for a few more minutes and after a lengthy good bye, hung up. "What was that all about?" Charlie asked, rolling out from under the jeep. Jaiden chuckled at the streaks of grease that ran over her arm and splattered the fabric of her denim work shirt. "I just got Mr. Alexander Ricardo terminated. He no longer works for Mr. Foxworthy," she said, feeling a bit shameful for the note of pride in her voice. But only a bit. Pushing herself up, Charlie blew her bangs out of her face and smiled at the younger woman. "Nice work. Was that Mr. Foxworthy on the phone?" "Yep. Called to thank me and wants us to know that he put in a good word with some of his buddies." "That's good news. We could use the extra cash." Making a face of disgust, Charlie attempted to wipe away some of the black fluid that seemed to cover her as she made her way around the counter to join Jaiden. "Jeez, I'm about two quarts away from being Grease Pit here," she grumbled. Jaiden snickered and leaned against the counter, lifting her hands to her face. She remembered almost a second too late that she was in much the same state as her boss and frowning, dropped them back to the Formica counter top. "So aside from that jeep and that nice line of bikes over there," she said, nodding towards a neatly parked group of newer motorcycles, "what else is on the agenda?" "Nothing that I know of," Charlie murmured as she idly dabbed at the grease on her arm with a rag. Of course, right as she said that the sound of a motor approaching just had to disrupt the blissful silence of the street that ran by the Last Chance. "Hmm�spoke too soon," the auburn haired mechanic quipped as her assistant dropped her head and released a despondent groan. Moments later a woman pulled in on a dark purple vintage Harley. She parked the bike beside the jeep, cut the engine and in one impossibly graceful movement, dismounted and pulled off the plain black helmet that hid her face. The first thought that came to Jaiden's mind was Amazon Goddess. The woman was all leg, dressed in a pair black boots, boot cut jeans accessorized with a black belt and a soft gray tank top with off the shoulder, inch and a half wide straps. Frosty gray/blue eyes stared looked out from a face that was all soft rosy skin and sharp but elegant looking bone structure framed by layered, shoulder length, platinum blond hair. She was a curvaceous woman with flared hips, a tiny waist and a more than generous amount of chest. "Please tell me I'm not the only one feeling hideously unattractive right now," Jaiden muttered. Silently agreeing, Charlie smiled at the new customer. The woman may have been the kind others envied but she was still a customer and that's how she was going to treat her. "Hello. Can I help you with something?" A ghost of a smile flickered across the face of the Amazon and she started towards the counter, hips swaying gently back and forth. Her movements were fluid and graceful, proof of what money and a good name could do for a young woman who's parents had paid top dollar to get her into the most prestigious boarding school in the country. "Actually, I'm looking for Ms. Sterling," she said, her voice low and smooth. With a slight frown furrowing her brow, Jaiden slowly straightened. "I'm�Ms. Sterling." She cast a quick, apprehensive look at Charlie before continuing. "Did you need a paint job or something? Because that's the only reason I can think of that you'd be looking for me." The woman smiled again, a genuine one this time that softened her sharp features. "That's not a bad idea�but it's also not what I'm here for. I'm Rachel McPherson of McPherson's law agency." Jaiden couldn't stop her jaw from dropping. "You're a�a lawyer??" "I look much different in the court room, I assure you." The young brunette colored immediately. "I'm sorry�I didn't mean to sound rude." "Oh, don't worry," Rachel said, waving off her apology with the flick of a wrist, "I get that reaction a lot. People think that just because you're a lawyer you've got to dress the part." Jaiden and Charlie shared an approving smile. "Well, it's nice to meet you Ms. McPherson. If you'll just give me a sec to clean up, we can get down to business," the youngest mechanic said, starting to move away from the counter. "Actually, I'm not here to do business." Jaiden pivoted around, confusion written clearly on her face. "Then�what exactly did you come for?" The cool, composed demeanor Rachel carried almost like a shield slipped away and she leaned a hip against the counter, resting one hand on the countertop as the other found a place on the curve of her hipbone. "Before I go on, I want you to know that I'm not saying any of this to be mean. I just want to be honest with you here and the truth of the matter is pretty harsh." She waited for an understanding not from both women and then went on. "Okay, you know as well as I do that there's nothing I can do where this Limburger guy's concerned. The entire city is terrified of him and to try attacking him on a legal level would probably do you more harm than good." "Oh, we know that," Jaiden said. "You�you do? Then why-?" "The idea was brought up and some friends of ours that I'm staying with kind of clung to it so I'm humoring them," she explained, her full lips quirking up in a lop sided grin. "So what's your story then, Rach? If you didn't come here to give legal advice�did you have something else in mind?" A cloud passed over the young lawyers face. It was the first time but certainly not the last that they would see such a look of barely leashed hostility in Rachel McPherson's now steely gray eyes. "I want to help," she said evenly. Unnerved by the sudden mood swing, Jaiden tensed, feeling Charlie do the same beside her. "I thought you said you couldn't," she ventured cautiously. "No. I want to help you fight this guy." Expecting some form of response and getting none, Rachel looked back and forth between Charlie and Jaiden, seeing the wary way the two women were watching her. The red fog of rage that had filtered so quickly into her mind subsided, replaced by tears of resentment and she sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get like that. I had these two cousins. They loved danger and were always getting into trouble. My mom hated that about them," a wistful smile curved her pink lips, "and that's what I loved about them. The three of us were inseparable. It drove her nuts. When I was sixteen they kidnapped me from school and took me to get my first bike." Suddenly the cloud was back, only this time less intense and her eyes reflected such heartbreaking sadness that both Jaiden and Charlie felt their own hearts clench in a sympathetic response. "They thought your father was the greatest man alive Jaiden. They road out with him the night he attacked Limburger." If someone had run in and rammed their fist into her stomach, Jaiden couldn't have possibly been more shocked. She ran the name McPherson over and over again in her head until finally and almost painfully it snapped. C.J. and Conner McPherson. They'd been two of Dylan's best friends and she had even gone on a date with C.J. once. "I didn't even realize," she murmured, finding it difficult to force the words past the lump in her throat. "I'm so sorry." "Don't be sorry." Rachel smiled but her eyes were cold steel once more, hard and determined. "Just let me help you. Let me fight." Without even a second's hesitation, not a glimpse in Charlie's direction to see if she would give her approval, Jaiden nodded. "If you're up for it, then yeah. We don't have much of a plan but we could use all the help we can get." And just like that another female Earther was added to the group. "Well, I don't know about you ladies, but I'm starving," Charlie said. "What do you say we take a lunch break and head to that little restaurant down the block. They've got great food and�air conditioning." "Mmm�air conditioning." Jaiden made a humming sound of pleasure at the mere thought of being in a cooler temperature, somewhere where her shirt wouldn't cling to her back much like it was doing now. Rachel chuckled at the enraptured look on the young woman's face, glad to have something to laugh about. "If that's an invitation, I'd be more than happy to take you up on it," she said to both women. "Of course it is." Charlie came around the counter, grabbing her wallet off the top and tucking it in her back pocket. "That is, if you don't mind being seen in public with a bunch of greased up motor heads." Returning the mechanic's friendly smile, Rachel let down the protective wall she'd build around her heart, finally ready to feel something else besides the bitter hate and sorrow that had been haunting her for too long. "Wouldn't mind at all." Their lunch was long and relaxing, spent in the shade of a fake palm tree that sat by the large picture window, blocking most of the suns rays but still allowing some to sneak through. They splattered over the yellow and green-checkered tablecloth, scattered through glasses of iced tea with condensation dripping down the sides. Three meals any man would have been impressed by slowly disappeared as the three women chattered away, their conversation unhindered by the sounds of the restaurant; orders being called out, the sharp hiss of the grill as food was slapped onto it, the low hum of voices. Charlie and Jaiden were enthusiastic in their desire to know more about their new friend and Rachel was just as eager to learn about them. She was happy to have someone she could finally talk to, someone who wasn't a client or her disapproving parents. An hour and a half later they returned to the garage and after convincing Rachel to stick around and visit more, Jaiden and Charlie went back to work. The day drug on, the heat and humidity squashed even the hopes of a tiny breeze and frustrations quickly resurfaced. "OW! Goddamnit!!" Jaiden yelped when the motor of the jeep, which was supposed to be dead, miraculously came to life and zapped her. In her haste to get away, she forgot about the hood above her and whacked her head on it. What followed after that was a string of curses not even Vinnie could match. Pushing out from underneath the jeep, Charlie watched Jaiden dance around holding her head as she cursed and chuckled. "You're not going to pull a Van Wham on me and start tearing apart my garage, are you?" she asked. "No," Jaiden replied sullenly. She turned on her heel and walked over to the counter, rubbing her head. Sitting on a stool on the other side and reading a motorcycle magazine, Rachel threw a brief glance at her and lifted the magazine a little higher to hide the smirk tugging at her lips. The brunette placed her hands on the counter and hoisted herself up, leaning forward until she was laying across the counter, arms and head dangling over one end, legs over the other. A series of shelves on the inside of the counter held various things, including a bottle of water she'd bought at the restaurant and stashed there. Grabbing the bottle of water, she blindly held it up to Rachel. "Hang on to that for me, would ya?" she asked and began to dig again. Setting the bottle on the counter, Rachel placed the magazine face down over one shapely thigh and stared down at Jaiden, her head slightly cocked to one side. "Who's Van Wham?" "Vinnie Van Wham," Charlie answered as she sat up and leaned back against the bumper of the jeep. "The youngest and most reckless member of the Biker Mice." "Don't forget egotistical!!" Jaiden piped up with a little giggle. "I'm sorry�Biker Mice?" the blond lawyer asked, doubting if she'd actually heard right. "Yup. Biker Mice. They're originally from Mars but they crash landed her and decided to stick around for a while after finding out Limburger was residing in Chicago. Vinnie is Jaiden's�well�would you call him your boyfriend Jai?" The brunette pulled herself up and twisted into a sitting position on the counter, placing a small pencil box in front of her. "Vinnie?" she asked as she tucked wayward strands of long hair behind her ear. "Yeah�sure, why not." Rachel gaped at the young woman. "You're dating a�a mouse?" "Biker mouse," Jaiden corrected kindly. She could understand the woman's disbelief. Hadn't she been just as skeptical when her father had marched in late one night and announced that he'd sat down and had a beer with three aliens that resembled over grown mice and could talk perfect English? If she remembered correctly, she was the one who had laughingly suggested they have him committed right then and there. "I think you'll understand better once you actually meet them," she said, pulling a bottle of aspirin out of the pencil box and grinning triumphantly. As if on cue the low purr of motors cut into the silence and the three women looked up expectantly, eyes on the opening of the garage. "Well Rach, ready for some introductions?" Charlie asked, standing up and throwing an amused glance at the tall blond who had made her way around the counter and stood with a look of cool interest fixed on her face. Three bikes pulled in, the racier of the three stopping precariously close to Charlie and missing her foot by a mere inch. Charlie crossed her arms over her chest and lifted a brow. "Let me guess, I'm supposed to be impressed by your capability to handle such a powerful machine?" she asked archly. Vinnie flicked the visor of his helmet up and gave her an irresistible grin. "You bet, sweetheart." Jaiden would have laughed at the scene. Vinnie's charming antics always had that effect on her. For some odd reason though, his adorable, carefree attitude failed to bring even a smile to her face. Instead she was feeling an unreasonable amount of fear, one that had come on so quickly, slamming into her with the force of a wrecking ball, that she had almost tottered right off the counter. It hadn't occurred to her until right now that Rachel was probably the most beautiful woman in this room. She was the kind of woman men dreamt about, the long legs, the sleek blond hair�and then there was Jaiden. Grease stained, sweat soaked, petite Jaiden. Lifting a hand, she tried to fix her hair but knew it was hopeless. She was a dandelion trying feebly to outshine a blossoming rose. Remaining silent, she endeavored to fix a smile on her face as she watched the three muscular mice get off their bikes. "Hey, make a new friend today?" Throttle asked, the first of the bro's to notice there was someone new in the garage. Charlie grinned, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Remember that lawyer you were so hell bent on having Jaiden talk to?" "Yeah?" "Guys, I'd like you to meet Ms. Rachel McPherson of McPherson's law agency. She stopped by to meet with Jaiden today and we convinced her to stick around." Two heads nodded from the back and being the closest, Vinnie approached the woman and held out a hand. "No kiddin'. You're a lawyer huh?" Rachel took his hand and smiled. Next to her, Jaiden's stomach lurched and she was almost positive that she was going to be sick. "Yup. I'm a lawyer. And you are?" "Vinnie. Pleasure to meet you ma'am," he said kindly and then did something that no one expected him to. He turned away from the knock out blond and unleashed the full power of his charm on Jaiden, moving in front of her and running his hands gently up her legs. "Hey there Gorgeous. You're a sight for sore eyes," he murmured, taking the hand that held the aspirin and kissing it. Jaiden's jaw wasn't the only one dropping after experiencing such a rarity. Charlie, Modo and Throttle were all gaping at the young mouse, wondering if they had stepped into some parallel universe where Vinnie's ego didn't exist. Never had they seen their friend fail to react to a pretty face and a killer pair of legs. Quickly getting over her shock, Jaiden slid from the counter and grabbed Vinnie's hand. "We'll be right back," she said, throwing the words over her shoulder as she pulled a very confused looking Vinnie into the small storage room off to the side of the garage. The door slammed shut and the looks of astonishment were replaced by ones of amusement. "Well, that tears it," Throttle said, shaking his head and chuckling. "Looks like our little bro really has been reformed." "You'll never believe what he said this mornin' Charlie ma'am. Thought he was just messin' around but now�not so sure," Modo said, throwing one last speculative glance at the closed door of the storage room. Charlie glanced up at him, smiling uncontrollably. For a moment there she truly thought Vinnie would slip comfortably back into the roll of the macho mouse he so easily played, but seeing the way he casually greeted Rachel and then went straight for Jaiden had pleased her to no end. "What did he say," she asked, looping an arm through Modo's and leading him over to where Rachel stood. "Walked out into the living room, plopped down on the couch and with this goofy grin on his face said, 'I think I'm gonna marry that woman.'" Laughing, Charlie turned her attention to the blond who'd been left out but still had maintained her cool composure as if she were used to such things happening. "Sorry about that Rachel. It isn't every day we see Vinnie's ego take a back seat. I'll let these two introduce themselves." Throttle took his prompt and took Rachel's offered hand, smiling. "Nice to meet you ma'am. Name's Throttle. Hope you don't mind me saying that you don't look at all like I thought you would, and that's a compliment." Rachel's smile widened. "Then I'll take it as one. Thank you Throttle," she said, then turned expectantly to the taller of the two. Right away her heart thudded a few uneven beats and her breath hitched in her throat. Okay, now I understand what Jaiden meant, she thought, eyeing him hungrily while trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. He fit the bill of tall, dark and handsome alright, but impressive height and bulging biceps aside, it was the calm air that seemed to surround him that drew her. That, and the warmth in the one good eye that stared down at her. "Hello," she said a bit breathlessly, not even aware that she was lifting her hand until his larger one grasped it gently. "Ma'am," Modo replied, having trouble finding his own voice. He sure wished he had a little Vincent in him right now so he could be smooth and charming, but he didn't and therefore all he could do was slowly shake her hand and bite back the "oh mama," that wanted oh-so-much to come out. He'd seen women before, but none like this, none as beautiful and as poised as this one. "Aren't you going to tell her your name?" He barley heard Charlie's voice, bubbling with mirth, past his own muddled thoughts. "Oh�yeah. Sorry. I'm Modo," he said a little too quickly. "Modo," Rachel repeated, her smile softening. "Its nice to meet you." He blushed and released her hand. "Same goes ma'am." Just then the door to the storage room swung open and Jaiden walked out, a smug grin on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. Vinnie strutted out behind her with his thumbs hooked in his jeans pockets and wearing the same goofy grin that Modo had spoken of earlier. "And that, ladies and gentlemen�is what happens when you behave!" he announced proudly. Jaiden rolled her eyes but the deep pink staining her cheeks and the grin tugging at the corners of her mouth was proof of how pleased she truly was. "Bet you guys all thought I was going to be my usual chauvinistic, macho self and start hittin' on her like crazy, didn't you?" Vinnie went on, "No offense Rachel, you're good lookin' and all that but I've only got eyes for one woman." He snagged Jaiden around the waist with one arm and pulled her back against him. It was fun knowing that he was making Jaiden's day�and knowing he was going to get rewarded for it later when they were alone. "Besides�having one mouse droolin' over you is enough. Ain't that right Modo?" The gray Martian who had been staring at Rachel with that lovesick puppy look jerked his head up and aimed a vicious glare at Vinnie. Rachel watched the exchange between the two with mild amusement. She didn't understand exactly what it was that Vinnie was talking about. Didn't, that is, until she looked at Modo and saw the ruddy blush visible even through his fur. Her heart gave a small sigh, fluttering gently like the fragile wings of a butterfly against her ribcage. I wonder if this means he's interested, she thought, praying that he was. Sure, they may have just met but never in her 26 years of living had she been so strongly attracted to someone before. Guess there's only one way to find out if he is. As Charlie went about explaining the roll Rachel would now be playing since she was unable to offer any legal assistance, Rachel spotted a stack of post-its on the counter and grabbed it. She was going to do something she'd never done or even though of before. She was going to give a guy her phone number. She kept it simple, leaving out any cutesy little anecdotes and simply printing her name and cell phone number in flawless, readable cursive. When she was done, she turned back to the group in time to see the disapproving look cross Throttle's face. "What was that for?" she asked him flat out, her voice taking on the cool tone she reserved for the courtroom. He looked startled, as if he had been caught doing something terribly wrong. "I just don't see the point in bringing more people into this for no reason," he explained in his best 'I'm the leader' voice. Rachel smiled. She'd dealt with people like this before, people who though they know better, who thought they saw reason when no one else did. "Throttle," she said patiently, "my cousin's were killed when they rode out with Jaiden's father. They were not only family but my closest friends. I think that gives me a right to join you and fight, don't you?" It was a question that he couldn't possibly argue with so he feigned an exasperated sigh and gave in. There really was no point in fighting with these Earth women. "Alright, you're in." "Well, now that I have your permission," she teased, winking at him before she turned to the other two women. "Jaiden, Charlie�I want you guys to call me�let me know what's going on and if not that, then just any time you need some real girl talk." She pulled a business card from the small purse dangling beside her hip and handed it to Jaiden. "Work number, home and cell. I'm easiest to reach on my cell phone." "Okay. Don't hesitate to call us either," Jaiden said as she tucked the card into her pocket. "I won't. And thank you." Rachel took the other woman's hand, squeezed it briefly and let go. "Well, it was nice meeting all of you but I should head out. I've got a stack of legal papers to look over at the office. See you guys later." Rachel turned to leave and paused in front of Modo. The top of her head was even with his nose and she found herself deeply pleased by that. It wasn't often she met men taller than herself. Reaching over, she took his hand, watching his adam's apple bob as he swallowed hard and pressed the piece of paper with her number on it into his palm, closing his fingers around it. "Hope I'll hear from you," she murmured, then sashayed way, leaving poor Modo, who'd never gotten a woman's number without really having to work for it, standing there with a slack jawed expression, the paper she'd given him clutched tightly in his hand. Once she was gone he held his hand up and opened it, staring dumbly at the tiny slip of pale yellow paper. This was definitely something he hadn't seen coming. "What'd she give ya bro?" Vinnie asked. Modo unfolded the paper and grinned. "She gave me her number." "Is it her cell phone number?" Jaiden asked. She went to his side, compared it to the numbers on the card Rachel had given her and gave Modo a teasing smirk. "Looks like she really wants you to be able to reach her at any time." Ignoring the sudden round of catcalls he'd seen coming a mile away, Modo tucked the slip of paper carefully into his back pocket. As far as he was concerned, they could poke fun at him until they were blue in the face. It wouldn't change the fact that an incredibly beautiful woman, who was just as bold as she was leggy, had given him her phone number. "Alright guys, lay off," Charlie said in his defense, "why don't you do something productive for a change and fix those bikes while Jaiden and I make one more attempt to get this stupid jeep running." "Sure thing Charlie-girl. What needs to be done?" Throttle asked. The mechanic pointed to each bike, describing the problems and what needed to be fixed and put the three biker mice to work. "Did she say do something destructive?" Vinnie asked as they walked away, earning himself a smack upside the head from both Throttle and Modo. Jaiden giggled softly to herself watching them walking away and taking a full minute to appreciate the view before turning expectantly to Charlie. She immediately found herself with a wrench in her hand. "We're giving her one more honest effort," the green-eyed mechanic said with determination, "then I'm calling it quits." The effort the two mechanics put into fixing the jeep was not only honest, but also, quite possibly heroic. They worked hard and long, long after the guys had finished with their minor repairs, long after the doors had been pulled down and the "closed" sign put up, and regretfully long after suppertime. Neither of them wanted to give up because they knew it would cost them a customer and probably earn them quite the tongue lashing despite their attempts to salvage the vehicle. Finally, with her stomach growling and her brain refusing to work right, Charlie gave up. "Jaiden?" "Yeah boss?" "Call it." Wiping the back of her arm over her damp brow, Jaiden shot a look at he wall clock hanging above the counter. "Time of death�7:13 pm," she muttered as she lowered the hood. Charlie rolled out from under the jeep, exhausted, sweaty and stained. The clothing she wore would not see another day or even the inside of a laundry machine for that matter. When a hand was offered, she took it, allowed whomever that hand belonged to to pull her up and slumped against Throttle's sturdy chest. She was too worn out to be nervous, too worn out to do anything really either than rely on the silent support he offered without questioning. "I'm going to get yelled at for this one," she sighed. "Hey, come on�this wasn't your fault Charlene." Charlie smiled. She loved it when he said her full name. Nothing, not even a banana split with extra hot fudge and cherries, could compare to the sound of her name rolling off his tongue, spoke in that deep, masculine gruffness that melted her. "You're right," she said, moving out of his embrace before it turned into one of those touches that lasted a little too long, "its not my fault. It's his for trying to fix it before bringing it in." "Personally I think the guy deserves what he gets," Jaiden intoned, resting her backside against the jeeps grill and staring at the round in front of her feet as she crossed her arms over her chest. "He should have known better than to abuse the poor thing the way he did." Standing a few feet away, Vinnie's brows lowered in confusion. She's being kind of hard on the guy, he thought. But as he watched Jaiden, studying her down cast expression and the look of disappointment in her dusty lavender eyes, realization struck him. Jaiden didn't like to lose. In fact, from the looks of it, she hated loosing. That disappointment reflected in the depths of her eyes was directed only at herself. Walking over to her, he wrapped a strong arm around her waist, pulling her away from the jeep, and gently grabbed her chin between his thumb and finger, forcing her gaze to meet his. "Hey there little grease monkey," he said affectionately, "what do you say we do a little visiting?" Jaiden smiled gratefully, some of the light returning to her lackluster eyes. "Can we get something to eat first?" "You bet sweetheart." At Vinnie's insistence, they took his bike, promising to return for Jaiden's later. They drove down town to a popular sandwich shop, got two subs and two bags of chips to go as well as two bottles of pop, then drove to a park that was walking distance from the cemetery. Sitting on the top of a picnic table that rested on a slight incline shaded by the leaves of a massive oak, they ate leisurely and watched tiny puffs of clouds drift across the cerulean sky. "That's gross Vin," Jaiden said with a smile as the white furred Martian bit into his meatball sub. Vinnie swallowed the mouthful of food and gave her a lopsided grin. "You think everything I eat is gross babe." "Do not." "Oh yeah? Name one time when you actually liked what I ate." An impish smile crossed her face. "When you were eating my chili." "That shouldn't count. I'd eat anything you cook Gorgeous." The continued to make small talk, Vinnie asking Jaiden how her day was and Jaiden telling him about her talk with Rich Foxworthy. There wasn't a need for any deeper conversation than that. Last night, when they had been alone, they'd covered everything from favorite sports and foods to first kisses and heartbreaks. For Vinnie it had been an amazing experience. He'd never been able to talk to someone like he could talk to Jaiden or let his macho fa�ade slip completely away. But with Jaiden he felt completely comfortable. She made it so easy that he had hardly noticed what he'd done until she pointed it out. She had that way about that just made him feel so relaxed. It was like�coming home. When they were finished eating, they threw their empty bags and bottles in a trash bin, then, hand in hand, slowly made their way to the cemetery. As they neared the wrought iron fence with its open archway guarded by stone angel sentinels, the sun started to sink. Pale pinks and faded lavenders weaved across the cloudless blue sky and the sun became a blazing sphere of molted golden red. Despite the beauty of the sunset, Jaiden started to feel the wariness creep up on her. She had never liked cemeteries. Even before her family had been killed, she'd been hesitant to step near one. All of that death buried away where people couldn't see it, the cold, granite markers, the overly cheerful floral creations left by loved ones�it was all very disconcerting to her. And although she frequented this place quite often so that she could be with her family, it still took her several minutes to get over her trepidation. Maybe it would be a little easier this time since she wasn't alone. She smiled as Vinnie's hand tightened around hers, offering silent support, and together they walked under the archway. They walked along a small, winding path in silence. Night slowly crept up behind them. You'd better hurry, the cooling breeze seemed to whisper in warning. Cemeteries are frightening in the dark. Jaiden wasn't afraid though. She had a big, tough Biker Mouse with her that she was desperately in love with. What reason did she have for being afraid? They came to a small rise where three lighter markers protruded from the ground. Rather than flowers, skinny, decorative wire trees with sprawling branches had been planted on either side of the graves. They were a rustic, coppery color and a rainbow of bandana's tied to the branches waved their greeting. Jaiden stopped before the middle grave and stared evenly at the inscription. She was aware of Vinnie hanging back, giving her space to talk with her family. A slow, sad smile tugged at her lips, mournful tears gathered in her eyes. She drew a steadying breath and did what she came to do. "Hey guys�its me. I'm having one of those times again. I'm sure you've all seen the mess I've gotten myself into and I'm trying to make you all proud but it's�it's very hard without you guys here with me. I did get a job working for Charlie like you told me to daddy and I was using the money to pay the bills. Yeah�imagine that Dyl, your little sister paying bills." The smile suddenly vanished from her face and one lone tear trickled over her cheek. Hold it together Jai, she thought firmly. "Limburger condemned the house. I'm sure he's got every intention of destroying it�just like he destroyed your bike Daddy. I tried to fight him. I did everything I could�but it wasn't enough. And now he knows that I'm still alive and he wants to kill me and-" Her throat started to close and Jaiden squeezed her eyes shut, biting down hard on her bottom lip. Vinnie was there almost immediately. His arm snaked around her and he pulled her back against his warm solid chest. Safety, security, understanding-he allowed her to feel all of those when she was at her weakest simply by being there to hold her. She dropped her head back against his chest, keeping her eyes closed and laying her arms over his, clasping them to her. "You were supposed to meet the composed Jaiden that's tough as nails and never cries," she griped with good nature. He placed a kiss at her temple. "I'd only be getting half of a really good deal. I'd rather have the whole thing babe." "Even the emotional wreck that drags you to cemeteries at dusk?" "Yup, even that." His thumb ran over the soft underside of her wrist. "I'm actually glad you brought me here." Jaiden's eyes fluttered open. She turned her head to the side so that she could see him better. "Why?" "Well, there's something I kind of wanted to tell your old man�if that's okay?" She was stunned. The gesture was so sweet and so unexpected that it left her speechless and all she could do was allow him to turn her in his arms and watch as his ruby red gaze fell on her fathers grave and he started to speak, starting out slightly hesitant but relaxing with each word that came from his mouth. "Hey there Mr. Sterling. I'm�I'm sorry about what old lard ass did to you and I'm sorry that you felt the need to fight our battle for us. But I'm not sorry for the way you died. You left this world fighting and I know that you'd have it no other way. We're going to finish that fight for you though. We're going to finish this for all of us, for the guys no longer with us, and for the guys still here fightin'. "And I also wanted to let you know that�well sir, to be honest I know you told your daughter that she should turn tail and run if she ever sees me coming," a grin passed over his face as Jaiden lightly swatted at his arm, "and I'm sure you did it with good intentions and all, but I'm really glad she decided not to sir. I may have not been the most moral being in the universe but the fact is�I've changed sir. And I wanted you to be the first to know," he looked down at Jaiden, his gaze achingly tender, but continued to speak to her father, "that I love this amazing woman with everything I've got. She's the only woman I've ever met that could tame my reckless hide and I don't mind that at all. I love her and I'm going to keep on lovin' her for as long as I live and well after that." Jaiden stared at Vinnie with her mouth slightly agape and her violet eyes widened in shock. Her heart, which had leapt at his confession, now beat a wild tattoo under her ribs and her entire body seemed weak and alive all at once. Her mouth worked and finally she managed to sigh his name before throwing herself into his arms. Her tears flowed freely now, but they were no longer tears of sorrow. No, these were tears of absolute joy. He loved her. Vincent Van Wham, the one they all thought would never settle down to being a one woman man had just told her father that he loved her! "I love you," she whispered in his ear, kissing his jaw. "I love you so much." And to her surprise, she heard him breath a sigh of relief. "God Jaiden, I was really hopin' you'd say that," he murmured as he tightened his hold on her. They clung to each other in front of the three graves, aware of nothing but the all-encompassing love they felt for one another. But it did have to end, and regretfully Vinnie backed away from Jaiden, setting her on her own two feet. "We should probably get back. It's getting late and I'd kind of like to kiss my woman right about now�but not in the middle of a cemetery." Jaiden smiled and nodded, quickly turning back to her family to say good-bye. She paused at her father grave, kneeling down and placing a hand over the mound that covered his resting place. "He'll keep me safe daddy, you can trust that," she whispered. "And I'm sorry I broke down. Things have just been adding up and adding up and�I really wish you were here. I wish you could give me some advice�anything to get me through this." She closed her eyes and waited, having faith that she would receive some kind of sign from her father. It was the kind of faith she'd read about and never put stock in�the superstitious kind some might call it�but she tried to believe in it now. She opened her mind, her heart and her senses for the briefest of seconds and received her answer. I know you're scared little girl, a raspy voice echoed in her mind. It brought fresh tears to her eyes, but she refused to cry them. I know you don't want to see another battlefield again�but you've got to take chances. You've got the help you need�you're resourceful girl�I know you can find the weapons. You're Hell's original angel and I love you. You do what you gotta do to get this done right. And just like that the phenomenon was over. Jaiden slowly opened her eyes. She was afraid to move, afraid that she had just imagined her fathers voice because she had wanted to have him with her so badly. But she could have never thought up what he'd told her. Clasping her hand together, she sent up a quick prayer of thanks and, deciding to keep what had just happened to herself, stood up and faced Vinnie. The sadness was gone and her love for him still shone in her eyes like the brightest star in the sky, but there was something joining it now. Determination. Down right, controlled determination. "Lets get back to the garage," she said. "I think I know what we have to do." [ Previous | Next Chapter ] |