a l o n e.

Ron sat in front of Amino as he counted the money. The two of them chuckled as they listened to the news. Apparently, they were still searching for suspects in the Rice case.

"Shhh listen," he remarked.

Amino looked closely at the TV and watched as reporters pulled up Mona's apartment.

"I'm Rebecca coming to you live right now. Just almost a week ago Rice's alleged girl friend was shot in the front of her best friends apartment door. Right now we have her best friend right now let's see if we can get some questions," she reported.

Amino and Ron looked attentively at the TV screen as Mona screwed her face.

"Can I help you?" she wondered.

James screwed his face slightly as he looked at the reporters and cameras that surrounded Mona.

"We understand that your best friend recently and it's been about a week since the robbery do you feel as if your best friend had an connection to the robbery," the reporter questioned.

Mona's eyes glossed with tears as she started at them. James quickly got out and stood beside her.

"Babe come on come with me. Fuck these reporters," he spoke lowly.

"FUCK THIS NIGGA DOING?" Amino yelled loudly.

Ron chuckled as he turned up the volume.

"My friend had absolutely NOTHING to do with that robbery. In fact, maybe you should ask Ronald Mitchell," she sternly spoke in the camera.

Ron felt his veins boiled while James smirked and got back into the car with her.

"Who's Ronald Mitchell? Mona?" The reporter questioned.

James sped off from the press while Ron threw the remote at the TV.

"That bitch just ratted me out! Did you not just hear that?" Ron spat angrily.

Amino shook his head and kissed his teeth. Ron paced back and forth and looked over at him.

"We gotta be on the move," he stated.

"I'm not going no fucking where until that nigga is dead," Amino threatened.

Mona beat her hand on the steering wheel as tears fell from her eyes.

"I'm so fucking stupid!" Mona cried.

"Babe! What? No you're not!" James drove.

"No I am! I shouldn't have said that and now we're dead just like my friend," she cried more.

"Baby I promise that I'll never let anyone hurt you. You hear me?" James spoke sternly.

"No....No..."Mona cried.

"No? What you mean no Mona?" James questioned as he continued driving.

Mona buried her face in her hands unable to stop the images of her best friend out of her mind.

"Mona," James stated while coming to a halt.

Mona looked up at him unable to control the rhythm of her tears. They had a mind of their own by now as much as she cried.

"I need you to understand that I'll never let anyone hurt you. I need you to be confident in me that you understand and trust that," he stated.

"I just don't want to regret my decision for snitching," Mona whispered.

James clenched his jaws feeling slightly frustrated.

"Mona I told you from day one you should have told the truth. Who gives a fuck about Ron? I'm not afraid of anything but God. Let me protect you because that's what I'm here for. I am yours and you're mine. I'm not going to let shit happen to you now are you going to trust my word or are you going to continue to be afraid? Because now I'm trying to think of who side you really on," James argued.

Mona wiped her face and noticed that they were sitting outside of Janelle's house.

"Go check on Joy," she studied.

"This shit ain't over Mona. You been acting fucking strange and I don't like it," James retorted.

"I have not I encouraged you to go and check on her don't run that bullshit by me," Mona spat while rolled her eyes as James got out.

James exhaled and stepped closer towards Janelle's doorway. Nervous balled in the pit of his stomach as he knocked on the door. He took a look at Mona who had her head down in the car waiting. He exhaled and hate that they were disagreeing already. He wanted this day to be filled with happiness, but it's been nothing but bullshit.

Moments later, Janelle came to the door with a distraught look on her face. James turned his attention towards the door and gazed at Janelle.

"What the hell happened to your face?" he wondered.

"What are you doing here? You didn't get my message?" she spoke sternly.

"Fuck your message let me see my daughter," James uttered.

"You will not talk to me that way James. I am her mother too why can't you see that huh?" Janelle questioned on the brink of tears.

"Here we go again," James uttered while pretending to play a violin.

"That shit is unfair James. It is and you treat me as if I'm not shit! You treat me as if I didn't even birth your daughter. It's so fuc-

"It's fucked up? What's fucked up is the fact that I'm raising a daughter I don't even know if she's mine or not. THAT'S FUCKED UP! NOW WHERE IS SHE?" James grew upset.

"SHE'S UPSTAIRS MOTHAFUCKER NOW WAIT HERE!" Janelle yelled slamming the door in his face and locking it.

"You want to come see me again friend?" Cheyenne remarked to Joy.

Joy nodded her head and headed towards the living room.

"Bye bye," she waved at Cheyenne.

Cheyenne put her finger to her mouth as Joy chuckled some and nodded. Janelle looked over at Cheyenne for a while and then looked at Joy.

"Are you ready to go back with daddy?" she wondered while holding her hands.

"Yes," she spoke.

Janelle nodded and kissed her forehead.

"You be a good girl okay.. I promise mommy will be able to do more soon okay?" she spoke with tears in her eyes.

"Don't cry mommy. I love you," Joy spoke.

"I love you too," Janelle stated while planting a kiss to her cheek.

James banged on the door causing Joy and Janelle to jump some.

"Come on," she whispered and headed to the door.

Janelle opened the door as Joy immediately jumped into her fathers arms. He immediately felt at east as he wrapped his arms around her. He didn't even bother to say anything as he started making his way to his car.

"HEY!" Janelle called out.

James turned around awaiting her response.

"I getting a lawyer...be ready," she mentioned.

James chuckled because she definitely didn't want the war she was attempting.

"Good luck with that babe," he laughed while walking off.

Janelle watched what was once her family leave hoping she could just wake up and everything be a dream.