The "Boondock" Kids

*****

"No!!!"

Janet drops to her knees, carrying Christiano's weight in her arms. She was the one that screamed.

"Janet!"

Janet frowns. "Wha--"

Before Janet finishes, Christiano speeds and shoves her out of the way and onto Tyrone, who catches her.

Bang!

Everybody gasps.

"No!!!" Janet screams.

Christiano with a fresh bullet hole in his chest, gasps before falling. Janet lunges out of Tyrone's arms and catches him.

"No no no no no! Stay with me, Christian!" Janet urges, letting his head rest on her lap. She brushes some hair away from his eyes.

Christiano looks up at her almost sleepily, struggling to keep his eyes open.

Janet presses her palms over his bullet wound, trying desperately to stop the blood. "Breathe, Christian. Breathe!"

Christiano doesn't bother gasping for breath, knowing that it won't do any good. Nick, knowing this too just sighs. "It won't help, Janet..."

"How could you say that?!" Janet snaps, whipping her head towards him.

Nick sighs again. "Because I've seen it a million times already..."

"Janet..." Christiano whispers in a hoarse voice, catching Janet s attention again. Janet holds her breath. "Place...my...place..." He forces a weak smile before his eyes finally close.

Janet sniffs. "......" His place..?

There's a long silence as the elevator moves closer to it's destination. "Baby..." Cindy says, kneeling next to her daughter who still caresses Christiano's cold cheek. "Janny...come here..."

Janet doesn't hesitate to hug her mother, throwing her arms around her. Cindy gently rocks her back and forth. Janet rarely cried, she hated crying thanks to the ego she had inherited from Riley. Cindy didn't know who the man was, but she knew Janet cared for him, and that was enough.

"He saved me, ma...." Janet cries as Cindy continues to rock her back and forth.

"Shush..."

The others continue to stay quiet.

They feel the elevator jolt as it stops, and the doors open again. Cindy and Janet stay in place as the others side step them to get out, giving Janet her space.

"Its just down this hallway...." Nick says as the group follows.

Trisha glances back at her cousin who stopped crying and continues to hug her mother. She flinches before looking forward again.

I was hoping Nick was wrong about those casualties...

*****

"I'm exhausted..." Christie yawns as she steps out of the plane.

Nakeem grins at her.

"What?" She laughs nervously. "Is there something on my face?"

"Even tired, you still look so beautiful."

"Did you get that line from a movie?" Christie grins back.

"Can you just accept a freaking compliment?"

Christie giggles as she pulls Nakeem's arm over her shoulders.

Caesar can't help but smirk. "Cute."