The Monster's Little Angel

Chapter 4

It was currently 11:30 at night and Archer just couldn't seem to fall asleep, no matter how much he wanted to. He sighed as he looked over at Quinn, who was fast asleep on the bed. After he had bathed her, he had just put her in a diaper - because of how hot the weather was - and she had fallen asleep almost immediately once her body met the bed.

He carefully unwrapped his arms from around her and placed a pillow on each side of her tiny body so that she wouldn't roll off the bed while she slept. As he made sure she was comfortable, he slowly got off the bed and stared at his little girl. Her dark brown hair was slightly ruffled, her tiny body was curled up and her ladybug pacifier lay limply in her mouth.

He smiled at her sleeping form before walking out. Archer was bored and - in order to pass the time - he walked to his personal work out room, next door to his bedroom and grabbed his boxing tape. Wrapping the white tape around his knuckles, he began to punch the boxing bag. Whenever he worked out, his mind had a tendency to think deep thoughts and go back to the past. And this time was no exception.

*Punch

'Why do I keep on trying?' he thought.

*Punch

'Would Monica be ashamed of me for thinking that?'

*Punch *Kick

'Yeah, she probably would. She'd probably throw a shoe at my head for thinking such things.'

*Kick

'I know why I keep trying.'

*Punch *Punch *Kick

'I keep trying for Quinn. I keep trying for her.'

*Punch

'If she wasn't in my life, I would have given up on living a long time ago.'

*Kick

'I would have killed myself on the exact day Monica got murdered.'

*Punch *Punch

'I loved Monica so much.'

*Kick *Punch *Kick

'She was my everything. I'm sure there was a point in time where I couldn't even breathe without her.'

*Punch

'So why does an asshole like Edward,'

*Punch *Kick *Kick *Punch

'Have the fucking right to take her away from me!'

*Punch *Punch *Punch *Kick

Archer began to sweat and his anger boiled up as he punched and kicked the boxing bag a lot harder and with a lot more force. A few tears streamed down his cheeks as he remembered the joy his wife brought him.

But she wasn't always in love with him. Back then - way before marriage was even a thought to either of them - Monica hated him. No, she despised him. She loathed every single fibre of his being.

He remembered the first time he ever laid his eyes on her.

Archer had just started to run the mafia business. He was at the harbour, waiting for a weapons shipment, when one of his men called for him. He walked over and found two security guards by the loading docks and with them was an ordinary woman.