He's Fire and She's Playing with It - Mafia Version

The End Part II: Wires

There was nothing that Ally wanted more than to rush in, grab Adryan by the neck, and ask him why he would deny her the little spark of hope that she had been given. A little puzzle piece that maybe, eventually, would help her put her broken, damaged, traumatized heart back together.

So, that was exactly what she did. Or would have done, if Joshua hadn't stopped her by the entrance.

"Now is not the time", he declared as she tried to push past him.

She took a step back, her eyes scanning both sides of the lounge, trying to figure out a way around him. He crossed his arms and looked down on her, his look daring her to try anything, all while he was trying to hold a smug smile away from his lips.

She sighed. He was right, of course. He was a trained solider and she was an angry woman who was there to fight for the person she wanted to be with, which meant they were almost equals. Almost.

"Ally", the name was a warning. "He can't find out that you're here." He glanced over his shoulder, but she bet he didn't have to. He was so aware of his surroundings that it would take great skill to surprise him.

Even though Adryan was good, Joshua was certainly better.

"I've to talk to him."

He shook his head. "It's been too much for him lately. You and Benjamin has rattled him to the core and I don't think it's a good idea that you push him further right now. You haven't seen him snap, Ally, but I have and it's not something that he - or any other of us - want to put you through."

"Really?", she snarled. "Why would you care?"

He looked taken aback by her sudden anger.

"You held a gun to one of your best friends head." She snapped her fingers. "Just like that. Why would I, even for a second, believe that you would do anything good for me? No, you're just protecting yourself. Because you know that if Adryan tells you to kill me you have to and you will." Her eyes dug into his very soul. "You won't hesitate, even knowing that I've never tortured or killed anyone, which I'm perfectly sure that you all have." She paused and let her words sink in before continuing. "You're saving yourself."

He grabbed her surprisingly gently and spun her around before pushing her toward the door.

"Leave. Leave and don't come back. It's for your own good." He let her turn to him at the threshold. "For all our good, especially Adryan's. What do you think would happen to him if he had any part in killing you?"

She crossed the threshold and was immediately met by the vicious cold that instantly bit her cheeks.

"In the warehouse, was that him snapping?"

Joshua's eyes were soft when he said: "No."

Then he closed the door and she was left with the sound of bones breaking replaying over and over in her head.

∞

It was halfway to Christmas by the time Ally saw either Adryan or Benjamin. She had tried to contact the later but only gotten a quick text.

I'm sorry.

That was it. No explanation. No goodbye. No indication of what had happened.

She was re-stocking shelves with Christmas balls, high up on a ladder, when she saw him. Adryan casually strolled up to her. He was dressed in a grey coat and had his hands stuffed into its pockets. Slowly melting snowflakes were clinging to the material.

She looked down from the top of ladder. His chin was raised so that he could meet her eyes.

"Hi", they said in unison.