Skinny Love (Jesse Pinkman)

Chapter 37

Jesse had collapsed virtually the second he got home and left to go to the lab to cook early the next day, so the conversation and the moment at the hospital could be avoided for another day. He also wouldnt question why I didn't turn the news channel off, for any update on Schrader's demise.

I tried not to feel guilty, my very best- my stomach was flipping so much to the point half a bottle of tequila before bed could barely put me to sleep. I knew I'd asked Fring, but I didnt think it would be so... soon. Did the guy have kids? Maybe, he had a wife. The main focus of my guilt was on Mr White- he'd saved my life and I essentially killed his brother-in-law.

Deep in thought, I didn't even realise my coffee was trickling onto the floor as the house phone began to ring, snapping me out of my daydream.

"Pinkman place."

"Pinkman place?"

"Hey Jesse."

"I just wanted to let you know I don't know what time I'm gonna be back, Mr White still isnt here and he's being an asshole so it could be a long day." he sighed.

"Yeah thats fine... hey why dont you come home if you arent cooking? You shouldnt be back there so fast anyways." my eyes caught my mobile that was buzzing on the counter with an unknown number.

"We got a quota for tomorrow, I'm gonna have to just wait. Just wanted to keep you in the loop you gonna be alright there?" grabbing the mobile I watched it stop ringing and the voicemail icon pop up.

"I'll manage." I frowned as my eyes scanned the number over and over.

"Alright well dont miss me too much huh?"

"I'll try." I smiled.

"Hey and M, we uh... we gotta talk. You know get some sort of arrangement and uh- about what uh, yeah.." he tripped clumsily over his words.

"I know. Just... holler when you think you know you'll be home I'll try and stay up."

"Okay."

"Alright, um... bye."

"Bye."

The drive home hadnt been too awkward with Skinny gassing our ears off the whole way and we were both so exhausted when we got in there wasnt much room for the conversation. In honesty, after Schrader the conversation we'd had at his bedside wasnt really at the front of my mind.

Dialling the voicemail number, I jumped at the sound of Fring's voice.

"Mila. I need a favour. Please come to Los Pollos for around 8pm. I'll be expecting you. Good day."

Bitchin.

***

"Hey Gus..." I waved as he turned to me with a smile.

"Good evening, Mila."

"What's going on?" he held out my uniform, clearly washed and folded in a neat pile.

"Um..."

"I'm not asking you to come back, I'm asking you to do me a favour."

"Aaand your favour is working a free shift?" I laughed, if this was the kind of favours he asked for I would have asked him to kill my old gym teacher too.

"Not exactly. Los Pollos is donating food for everybody at the Hospital tonight. I need somebody to come with me who knows the restaurant but we're fully staffed." I took the uniform from him slowly with a frown.

"As in the hospital Schrader is in?"

"Exactly."

"Gus, I-"

"I work in plain sight, the concerned and generous citizen is the perfect story. You come with me and they'll suspect less than they would if you didnt." it seemed by his tone I didn't really have much choice. He took my silence as compliance.

"Go get changed. They're loading the truck now."

The next half hour was a blur. A greasy, salty blur. I forced a smile so hard my cheeks ached, handing out boxes and buckets to cop after cop, little did they know that their waitress was the one who killed the so called hero in the coma.

"Service with a smile!" one grinned as I nodded silently, baring my teeth a little too much.

"Right. I think that'll do it. Come with me, we'll deliver to the family personally." Gus, in fairness had spent the time getting his hands just as dirty as mine- handing out chicken to the officers and nurses just without the dumbass uniform.

"Gus, I-"

"Come with me. Natural is key, Mila." following Gus, I swallowed as he recieved a wave of thanks and shook hand after hand. Little did they goddamn know.

"Excuse me, Miss Schrader?" the officer let us past as we approached a private waiting room. It held two middle aged women, a younger teenage boy and... Mr White.

"I'm Gustavos Fring, manager and owner of Los Pollos." he held out his hand to the tired looking lady in the purple, "My condolences."

"Thank you." must have been Schraders wife. I ignored the guilt again.

"Thank you so much for all of this. It's so generous." the other blonde spoke up, assumingly Mrs White.

Mr White, however had clearly been so wrapped up in the fact Fring was before him that he only just turned to me. His eyes nearly popping out of his skull, he placed a hand over his mouth and looked down.

"Ten thousand? You hear that Marie?" Mrs White nudged purple lady, "Thats incredible-Walt!"

"What-"

"Mr Fring is offering a ten thousand reward for whoever orchestrated this!"

"Very, very generous." Mr White nodded weakly, his eyes meeting mine for a split second before away again. The conversation was dull and depressing, Mr White staying as silent as I did. Eventually,

"What was that." my voice shook, "You could have gotten anyone to come with you. Why me?"

"To show you how your actions and your words have consequences. And how you work for me and you do not request anything again like this unless warranted. Understood?" his voice stayed calm and low.

"I work for you?"

"You will when I need you to." passing me a chicken carton, he tapped my back as Mr White called behind us.

"Run along. Dont open it until you're out of here." glancing behind, i sped up my pace down the hsopital corrdior, clutching the box to my chest. As the cold air met my face, I frantically ripped it open- to reveal a stack of neat 50 dollar notes.

Better call Saul.

A/N:

Apologies for not updating you guys I was actually locked out of my account since May. But the lovely people of Wattpad have managed to get it back for me, and hopefully I'll manage to finish this soon. Please let me know if you guys like this Jesse/Mila dynamic or if you'd prefer a more romantic relationship? Thanks again for sticking around!

~Cat.