A Glimpse into her Present.

The train breaks screeched as it approached Bayside City central station, the clock pictured on the message board reading 11.05pm. the carriage was barely occupied all except for a homeless man in a stained and smelly jacket and dark blue beanie, a young woman in a nurse outfit coming home after a long shift on the ward and lastly Hunter, dressed cleanly in a motorbike jacket, jeans and boots. His hair was cut short in a crew cut, much different to the usual dreadlock look he once had when he lived in Bayside. His form was slender but not skinny, muscular with broad shoulders from having spent a large amount of his time staying fit. That was most of what he had left these days..

A bell sounded as the doors opened and Hunter stepped out onto the platform, the dingy subway a stark grey under its dimmed lighting. Hunter made his way out and up the stairs before stopping to check the street. If it was common knowledge that Hunter Braddick was in town he was in trouble. Once the coast was well clear Hunter proceeded through the streets in search of a place he had not been in a long time to search for a familiar face he had missed, someone who might be able to help him find his ex partner Zella.

The general arms had an excellent turnout that evening and when the call for shots went up there was a mad rush of patrons cueing as the girls got up on the bar in their barely their outfits. Beside Amaria, Kat stood leant against the bars counter, whisps of loose hair framing her slender face as she concentrated on counting a large sum of cash in her hand. The rest of her hair was pulled up into a high bun, two silver chop sticks pushed through on a diagonal. She was dressed in a tight black cocktail dress though it was cut so short there was little left to the imagination. There was no occasion to see Kat on the bar since she ran things but she spent a good portion of the evening standing at the bar and occasionally serving.
As the crowd of guys leering and jeering infront of her lifted the noise level considerably it took her a moment more to realise her phone had vibrated across the bar top and only after she had put the cash roll into a lockbox did she pick it up and eye the message.
“wont believe who was just seen walking through Crawford park, Braddick!”
Her breathe had caught in her throat and for a moment Kat looked across to Amaria with a glare she had not given the girl since she had first set foot in bayside. Did she know Hunter was there? Hell Kat only knew since someone had just seen him. This was not something to ignore.
“take the boys, bring him to the back of the arms, I’ll ring Curtis” Kat responded, putting her phone away. She glnced backup up rather casually at Amaria and wondered for a moment as she watched her working. There was no way in hell Amaria would be told.
***
It was months since Hunter had spoken to Amaria let alone saw her, wondering exactly how she was and if Zella had run off to live with her. Walking down the streets he had stuck to the most public of places though after some distance of travel he had noticed someone constantly behind him in the distance. He picked up his pace a little quicker, making use of his memory of Bayside city to try and loose the tail. Little did he know that there were more awaiting, watching..

Mar watched as the guys lined up at the bar and threw their heads back. Dollar bills in hand. She glanced over at Kat. It was strange to think that they worked with each other. She had practically clawed her eyes out when they first ran into each other. It was because of her she had found herself doing what she did, working for Curtis.

Oddly though over time they had grown to tolerate each other, even formed a strange respect for one another. But as Amaria glanced at Kat something seemed wrong. It put Mar on edge but she continued about her work, pouring shots into men's mouths and taking their money.

She walked over to the register and entered in the shots, ringing them up and putting the money away. She walked over to Kat and folded her arms as she stood beside her watching the chaos. " Everything ok Kat? " she asked trying to find out what was up. She avoided poking around Kat's head for now. Curtis made it quite clear he didn't want her using her abilities to find out his secrets. This could be one of them so she was cautious. For now.

The questioning from Amaria did little to ease any concern that she might have some doing in Hunters appearance in Bayside but Kat managed to right her attitude regarding it, looking beside her to Amaria
“I’m wondering if it’s a good idea keeping you behind the bar, should be up there with the girls, switch out one of the useless ones” she told Mar, lying a very easy part of her. She would watch Amaria and putting her in the spotlight meant it would be much easier way of controlling where Amaria was.

----
The person who was following him had turned swiftly into three and a brisk concerned walking pace was now replaced with sprinting through the streets of the lower city. Sprinting across a road Hunter dove to avoid a truck as it honked its horn loudly and swerved, the quickest person pursuing diving and crash tackling Hunter. The two wrestled as the others began to quickly catch up. Elbowing the guy to the guts hunter threw a leg up and smashed his heel down against the guys shin before rolling sideways, springing back to his feet and taking off once more, the others now on his heels.
---
Katriona finished the counting before she walked into the office and shoved the lockbox in the office safe upstairs, taking advantage of the locked office door to ring Curtis and tell him of Hunter Braddick.

Mar's defenses were up when it came to Kat. They had learned to work together even tolerate each other and with enough alcohol they had even appeared as close friends while out. Dancing, drinking, it was a part of the lifestyle she was currently living but there was still a part of her that didn't trust her. She hadn't forgotten her antics in Kumari.

Mar shrugged when she suggested she should get up on the bar and replace on of the other girls. Normally it didn't matter, there was definitely something up and Mar didn't like being left out of the loop. But she had no choice but to play it cool for now. " Oh careful Kat, that almost sounds like a compliment. " she smiled grabbing one of the cheap bottles of vodka. " You sure you don't want to join me? " she asked as she pulled herself up and then tapped one of the girls on the shoulder to replace her.

Mar took her place on the bar and place her feet either side of a man's head and crouched down on her knees and hoovered over him and began to pour much to his and the crowds delight. But she was distracted. She watched Kat go into the office. She thought she was just going in to leave the money into the safe but the door locked and that was basically as good as confirmation to Mar. Something was going on and she would find out, just as soon as she had emptied the bottle of vodka into the customers mouths.

The streets had gone from busy to near vacant, now in areas where only the lowest of low hung about after the sun had sunk into the horizon. His boots pushed against the ground as his lungs burned, muscles working hard to keep the same sprinting pace that had put length between his assailants. He was close to loosing them all together until he regrettably looked back, nothing but a distant cluster of figures chasing him uselessly. It was then that he felt the air snatching thwack of solidness against his chest, his legs leaving the ground completely as his body was halted, landing on the flat of his back in a blinding surge of pain. His head swam as it hit the pavement, gasping as he felt the known feeling of ribs cracking from the hit. But what had happened?

A low chuckle left the figure that stepped out from a gap between the buildings, holding the two by four piece of wood which had been responsible for impacting so hard.

“you lost scum?” the man queried hunter as he lay on the ground, coughing with a groan. He didn’t recognise the guy, figuring this was someone who wasnt around in his own days as a brawler. They still taught the muscle hands well however. Tyron walked around Hunter as he chuckled menacingly, Hunter managing to roll over, getting on his knees as he held a hand across his chest.

“fuck...awh...fuhh” Hunter mumbled as he took a moment to try and collect himself as he stepped one foot up to stand but as he did so Dwayne, someone he had spent much time with years before had appeared beside Tyron, sending a swift kick into Hunters torso where he had left it unprotected. It was enough to break the crack ribs, sending Hunter back to the ground as he could hear the arrival of his previous pursuers, Tyron still laughing as Dwayne bent down and grabbed Hunters jacket, hauling him off the floor as Tyron sucked a mouthful of saliva, spitting it at Hunters face. The pain was blinding, the feel of saliva hitting his cheek humiliating though it was not what Hunter was concerned of. He had made an attempt of futile struggles to free himself from Dwaynes hold and block the kicks from the other brawlers until Tyron swung the board of wood across his face, knocking Hunter out cold.

“you dick, Eric said to take him to the club for questions, how the hell is he going to talk if youve broken the fuckers jaw!” Dwayne growled, Shaun stepping over and helping Dwayne to drag Hunter with them, on their way to the back of the club.
---
Kat had finished with Eric, he wasn’t coming out to the club but if there was something useful from hunter turning up she was under orders to have him taken to the Brawlers head office where Eric was busy in negotiations over a potential turf war. It was fine with Kat, if it had been Boden she knew he would have killed Hunter without even wanting to question him. Leaving the office she headed back out to the main club floor, taking a teatowel and throwing it on her shoulder as she slid a tray of glasses into the washer, waiting for a message on her phone from Dwayne.

*****twenty minutes*****

Hunter had been unconscious for the journey, dragged by Shaun and Dwayne until they had reached the street of the club, rearranging the hold to make it look as though they were helping a drunk friend get somewhere quiet. They covered Hunters head by pulling his jacket off and putting Tyron’s on, pulling the hood over to conceal his bloodied and swollen face. Slowly Hunter had begun to come to, groaning which only added to their story...as long as he stayed quiet.

Reaching the alley two of the members stayed to keep lookout, Dwayne and Shaun hauing Hunter to the back beside the keg stacks and against the chain link fence. Another member clambered up and over the fence whie Dwayne wandered across and took up a mik crate, turning it over and sitting down to watch, Tyron threading a chain through two of the links in the fence so the other member could take hold. He nodded to two more members as he stepped to the side, the guys picking Hunter up and leaning him against the fence. Tyron turned, picking up a bucket and filling it with some water from a tap at the club wall, turning it off and wandering back infront of hunter.

The water was a rude awakening for Hunter, Tyron throwing it over him as he coughed and spluttered, the guy behind the fence yanking the chain back hard and keeping it taught as it closed around Hunters neck, the gang members who had held him letting go and standing either side as his eyes widened and bulged, his face reddening as the chain strained against his throat.
“There we go” Tyron commented as Hunter struggled

The 'dollar shots' only ever lasted a couple of minutes. Any longer adn the bar would of been drank dry and they would have to actually use the good stuff which was worth far more then a dollar a shot.

Mar poured the last shot into some random guys mouth and took the last dollar as a girl behind the bar rang the bell signalling the end of the 'event'. A few of the waitresses were assisted down off the bar by men, Mar however hopped off bar side as she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket.

She moved to the side and asked one of the girls to cover her for a moment. She stepped into the back store room so she could hear the conversation. She pulled the phone out and checked the caller ID. ' Curtis ' now this was interesting. She wondered if it had something to do with Kat's behaviour earlier. She hoped that she would finally be placed into the loop.

" This is Amaria. " she said as she answered as she always had. Curtis spoke on the other end and sounded in particularly good form. That was concerning. " A job in the morning? " she repeated as she looked at her watch. " Well I'm.... " Curtis interrupted her before she could mention she would in fact be pulling a double shift that way. " The rest of the night off? Sure sounds good to me so long as you pay for the full shift. " Curtis agreed and Mar decided to go along with whatever the hell was going on but something wasn't right. " Fine send me the details on my phone. I'm leaving right now. " she hung up and pushed her phone into her back pocket and grabbed her leather and fur jacket.

She told the girls that she had to go but didn't give them an explanation. However she wanted to find Kat so she didn't decide to throw a fit for having left in the middle of a shift and not checking with her first. But she was nowhere to be found. This night was definitely getting stranger and stranger. She stepped out of the bar and onto the street and heard a strange commotion. She stopped and took the time to listen and heard some familiar voices from the alley.

She sighed as a part of her knew she should walk away from this. It sounded like trouble and it must of been the reason that Kat was acting so secretive and Curtis had given her the night off, he didn't want her there which naturally, made her want to be there.

She stayed close to the wall as she neared the entrance to the alleyway. She looked down and saw Tyron, Shaun and Dwayne. Mar looked down to the path and saw traces of blood. The place stank of blood but somehow it was familiar. She took a deep breathe trying to catch more of the scent. Then it suddenly stuck her who the poor soul was on the wrong side of these guys. " Hunter.... " she whispered to herself as she pressed her back against the wall away from their field of sight.

Her mind was racing. She wondered what the hell he was doing here. She knew he had gone in search of Zella when she did yet another disappearing act. How had he ended up in Bayside, why would he come here? She recalled her first encounter with Curtis and Kat. They wanted to know who her loyalty was too, where Hunter was. They seemed to be interested in him and she knew they had a history but the details were unknown to her and it seemed Hunter's past had caught up with him.

She debated whether to help him. He had gotten himself into this mess, it was nothing to with her. But as she thought more and more, her damn conscience go the better of her. Whether she liked it or not Hunter was her sister's mate and if Zella ever came back and found out that Mar had let him get hurt.... she would lose her sister for good. " Damn it.. " she muttered as she looked in the window at the club. She would have one hell of a headache after this.

She stared into the bar and focused. The patrons and the staff of the bar were about to get a shock. Smoke would begin to bellow along the floor and crawl up the walls. She then used her mind to push the fire alarm behind the bar setting off the fire alarms and sprinkler systems. The crowd inside began to yell and the girls screamed as they believed the building was on fire.

She looked around the corner again and saw the boys scrambling inside, leaving Hunter in the alley. Thankfully still alive. Once the coast was clear Mar ran down the alley towards Hunter and squatted down on her knees and looked at him. " Nice mess you have gotten yourself into ... again. " she said eying him up trying to gauge his injuries. " Come on, they think the building is on fire but they are going to find out that it's a false alarm so let's move. " she said as she wrapped an arm around him to pick him up and walk him to her car.

Katriona had been intently awaiting some kind of update from Dwayne who, unbeknown to her was busy with Hunter at the back of the club already. She had begun to tire and had headed for the back, slowed down by the interjection of patrons wanting her attention. She huffed but still played the ever gracious hostess of the club as she tried to work her way through the club to the alley. She had lost sight of Amaria though at this point she had assumed she was serving the last of the shots, besides there simply were too many arms and bodies around her to be able to see across the floor clearly.

Hunters body writhed as he fought for air amidst being held by a chain and assaulted by Shaun and Dwayne intermittently. He had almost lost consciousness when the subtle wafts of smoke suddenly filtered through the air, the brawlers surrounding him stopping what they were doing and swapping looks before the screams filtered from the nightclub.

“Shit get in there and help them!” Tyrone shouted, concluding that Hunter Braddick would be in no condition to run anywhere. As the gang members disappeared amidst the chaos Hunter felt the release of the chain, sliding down the chain link fence as he wheezed for air. He squinted through blurred eyes as he slumped to the ground, hearing vague sounds of footsteps hurrying towards him. The voice was so familiar though at that stage he was lucky he could hear anything past the pounding of blood in his head. The arm wrapped around him and he flinched at first, until at last it was reassuring and not threatening. Knowing he couldn’t stay there he leant against the person as they helped him, stumbling but determined to get away from there.

" Jesus Hunter you could with losing some weight you know that.. " she said as she hauled his ass towards her car that was parked nearby. She still questioned why she was saving his fat ass and what the hell the Brawlers beef was with him to begin with.

She pulled her keys out of her pocket and pointed it towards the car unlocking it. She placed Hunter on the back seat rather then in the passenger seat. " Stay down and try not to stain the carpeting. " she said as she shut the door and huffed. She ran her fingers through her cropped hair and wondered what she was doing. She was just starting to make a life for herself. Granted it wasn't what she had imagined she would be doing with her life but she wasn't hurting anybody and it was better then chasing around after her sister.

She got into the car and started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. She had only one place she could take him and that was back to her place. She weaved through the streets that had become so familiar to her in her time here. Her silver BMW M6 had been a present after her first bank robbery. It was one of the larger hauls and so this was considered a bonus.

She drove them to the upscale apartment complex and rather then park topside she purposefully went to the underground car park beneath the building so she could get Hunter in without being seen. She could manipulate the camera's within the building but there were to many on the street and she knew that she would be the first one they pointed the finger too when it came to Hunter's disappearance so she had to cover her tracks.

She parked the car and then stepped out and looked at the camera. As far as any recordings were concerned she got out dropped her keys and then went to the elevator. " Ok Hunter come on just an elevator ride to my place and then we will worry about putting you back together. " She said reaching for him to help him up from the back should he need the help.

The comment of losing weight would have made him laugh if not for the searing pain of his ribs, instead he grimaced as he laid down in the back of the car, ignoring the statement of not putting stains into the carpeting. Like he could have cared at that point in time. He wondered for a brief moment about the woman, wondering if it was who he thought it was though quickly it was quashed by the bumps of the car riding over a pothole in the road base.

When the car finally reached their destination he had managed to sit up, leaning against the side of the door until it opened. He flinched as he felt air where the door had been and caught himself before he had fallen out though it pulled at muscles and he hissed through clenched teeth. There was the risk of things being a false lead, the brawlers were known to have tricks like this but hunter figured as long as he was breathing then things could be worse. Taking the offer of the hand he got to his feet, moving with her and feeling reliant for the first time in a long time.

Amaria watched Hunter as he got out of the car and she rolled her eyes. " Oh come on Hunter don't be such a little bitch. " she said referring to a female wolf who was only good for breeding rather then the human use of the word which would of been appropriate too given he was complaining like one.

She threw his arm over her shoulder and she helped him out of her BMW. " Seriously Hunter ever heard of a diet. " she said again using her insulting sense of humor to mask her anxiety. She had been warned what would happen if she tried to cross the Brawlers and she was pretty certain aiding and a betting Hunter fell under that category. But the guy was family... sorta so if anyone was going to kick his ass it was going too be her.

She got him to the and again had to use her abilities to project a false truth in the elevator but this was getting exhausting. The mental and physical toll on top of all the work she was doing for the Brawlers both legal and otherwise was starting to take it's toll. She ran her hand with her now chopped hair and sighed. Damn her sister and her messes, even now she was having to clean it up when she had washed her hands of her.

She took Hunter and walked down the hallway still manipulating the cameras will they reached her apartment. She could of thrown him in but instead she walked in the large open plan apartment that looked the same as it did the day she moved in. She led him to the large white L shaped leather couch that over looked the City with it's large windows and views. " Sit... stay. " she said panting exhausted and she walked over to her bar, located in the corner.

She grabbed a bottle of expensive whiskey and poured herself a glass and then she would be hear wandering around the apartment gather things she would need to patch him up till he healed himself. She hung her jacket up and drank her whiskey and want back to the bar to grab the bottle and placed everything on the coffee table as she got a foot stool and sat on it beside him in the perfect position to tend to him.

She poured another glass but this time handed it to Hunter. " Here drink this and I will see what I can salvage from this mess. " she muttered holding out the glass. It was up t him whether he took it or not she didn't care either way. She hadn't dragged his ass up there for a night cap that was for sure.

"ever heard of going to the gym?" Hunter managed to squeeze out through his teeth as Amaria helped him out of the car and to the elevator. He had gained clarity of his vision by the time the elevator was halfway up towards her apartment and he spent the seconds passing watching her. Her appearance was different but by all accounts he was sure it was her. She helped him in through the door of the apartment and to the couch. It was white which in hunters opinion never went well when he was involved. Taking her advice he let himself sink against the couch, slowly pulling his shirt over his head, leaning this way and that to make it easier and limit raising his arms. his chest was bruised and bloody in places which matched the split lip and bruising on his neck from being strangled.

The whiskey being handed to him was a god send, taking it without hesitance and downing the glass. The liquor stung as it slid over the split of his lip but it warmed his chest.
"It is you isn't it Amaria" he murmured as she sat down on the stool.
"This is the last place i expected to find you" he added, motioning for her to pass him the bottle of whisky

Mar wished that her exhaustion came physically but what Hunter probably hadn't realised was that faking a fire and mentally maniuplating the images was far more demanding on her then an hour in the gym. " Gym... yeah you are one to talk. You just got your ass kicked. " she muttered taking a large gulp of her own drink.

She sighed a little when he started stating the obvious. " Who else would risk their neck and drag your fat ass up here? " she commented as she took a rag soaked in vodka and then without any warning began to press it to his chest and disinfect his wounds. They would eventually heal on their own but she could help them on their way especially if it meant getting rid of Hunter sooner rather then later.

" Me? What the hell are you doing here? You miss Zella so much that you have a death wish now or something? " she asked rather harshly but as far as she was concerned he should of been searching for his mate and cubs rather then starting fights in alleys. " Cause if you do tell me now and I will just dump your ass somewhere where Curtis and his guys will find you and let them take care of it. " she said quite plainly.

In reality she probably wouldn't leave her nieces and nephews without a father even if their father was Hunter. That and there was finally someone else who understood what it felt like to be chasing Zella's tail, to be left alone so maybe just maybe she felt just a little bad for him but she wouldn't tell him that. Instead she would just tend to his wounds, adding a bit of bandage and cleaning what she could till it healed alone.a

“Yeah well one against a dozen isn’t the greatest odds” hunter murmured in reply to Amaria’s comeback though he was disappointed he didn’t last as long as he had hoped before someone had picked up on him being there. When she clarified her identity it took alot of pressure away and he had opened his mouth to speak when she shoved the rag aginst his wounds.

‘jesus...mary and joseph! that was not nice” he yelled as he grimaced, snatching the bottle from her and taking a long awaited swig. She questioned why he was there in Bayside and if he had a death wish. Taking another swig to quash the sting against his wounds he shook his head as he looked at her.

“I am here because the last lead i got was that she could be with you, believe me i wasn’t bloody thrilled about coming here to begin with but I want to find her, i want to find my kids” he said simply. There wasn’t anger in his tone, simply a sense of longing. He had given up all hope long before now but there was no way in hell he would stop looking for her, even if it meant he couldn’t be with her. “I was hoping to find you and see what information you had, but given by the looks of this gigantic white infested apartment she’s not here.” He pointed out

Mar tended to his wounds as best she could. She wasn't used to stitching up other people. She had fixed up herself a couple of times but she took the term lone wolf rather seriously except for Zella but she was no longer a factor anymore. She rolled her eyes and took another sip of her drink while Hunter began to chug the very expensive bottle. It was a good thing money was no longer an issue, she had been well very compenstated for her part in the various crimes she had assisted in but she couldn't resist another dig. " Men.. " she muttered and she got back to work.

She tried to show no emotion as he explained that he thought Zella was here. That's how she had found her way here also, a lead that Zella was here but she had been here for some time and if Zella was here she would of found her. She pressed on a wound to give him a jolt of pain as his remarks were less then greatful. " Now you listen here Hunter. This gigantic white infested apartment is probably the only place you are safe in this city so you are gonna get your ass healed and then you can get out of here and off my couch and find your kids ok.. " she said sternly but at the same time making her intentions clear. She would help him out till he was healed and snick him out of the city if she had too. As much as she disliked him she respected that he was still looking for her sister even after she herself had given up.

" Curtis is going to have everybody and I mean everybody looking for you now he knows you are back. Lucky for you I am not exactly in a house party mood lately so no one should bother you here. I will go get you some new clothes later and at this rate more whiskey... you need anything else? " she asked probably being nicer to him then she ever was. If she had to live with the guy for a while she may as well try and get along. If he ever did find the pups she didn't want the next thing to be that he disappeared with them too. She was hoping that he would tell her, that she could visit but she wasn't going to ask him. She was too proud for that but she wasn't about to burn bridges with him either.

“What do you think I’ve been doing all this time” Hunter replied with a feeling of offense. He knew Amaria wasn’t his number one fan but the one thing he had thought she would now was how much he cared for his children even if Zella wasn’t going to hang around anymore. Still as he looked about at the apartment he acknowledged the position she was in helping him out.

He shook his head as he dug into the underside of his jeans and pulled out a small roll of cash.
“nuh just the clothes will do,” he replied handing her enough money to cover expenses. There was no way in hell he would have her pay for him, she had helped him enough as it was. “I’ll be out of your hair as soon as i can” he added soon after to reassure her that he hadn’t planned on sticking about like a thorn in her side.

Mar took the money that he offered her for the things she was going to but him. She would of hated to emasculate him further by not only saving his ass but by providing him with stuff as well. Males and their ego's. She was glad he wouldn't be hanging around for long especially as he had made enemies with practically everyone in Bayside and she didn't need that kind of drama. She didn't think that Curtis fully trusted her as it was but she did what was expected of her and so she had earned some respect because of that.

But she thought about what Hunter would do once he was gone. He would probably be chasing Zella until he found her or at least the pups. He would probably be chasing her his whole life, like she had. " Hunter, you should know that Zella... she has run away from everything her whole life. I have always tracked her down... always. But this time Hunter... she doesn't want to be found. " Mar left him to digest that thought. She didn't think it would make any difference. He was stubborn and he loved the pups, she did too but the pain was to much. She had to move on or her heart would of finally broken.

She grabbed the white fur lined coat she owned and threw it on. " I will grab us some food when I am out. Any preferences? " she asked shoving the notes in the tight pants she had been wearing for her shift at the bar. " You'll need to keep up your strength up and frankly so do I. " She had not said and nor would she that using up that much mental energy had not only given her a huge appetite but exhausted her. To many jobs for Curtis and this had started to give her a major headache. She also hadn't been for a real run in some time and she was starting to get that itchy feeling where she didn't feel comfortable in her own skin. But with Hunter here she could hardly leave him for that long in case someone did come round looking for her. The sooner he got better and got out of her life the better. For both their sakes.

He had tried to sit as still as possible for Amaria to patch him up though in the end when she finally finished he eased back and let himself relax against the couch for a moment while the glowing warmth of whiskey made him feel a little less broken. Physically he would heal though as Amaria spoke about Zella not wanting to be found his chest burned with subtle anger. It wasn’t at Amaria, it was his feelings over Zella. He had battled constantly between being upset, guilty and angry but after so long he had no idea what to settle on being so he was simply frustrated.

“i don’t give a flying fuck if she doesn’t want to be found, she lost that privilege when she took off with the kids” Hunter blatantly replied. “I get it if she doesn’t want the relationship but I didn’t have kids just to see her take them away,” he added before his expression seemed to dip more into guilt. “Its just karma, I know I deserve it but like hell I’ll just turn my back” he muttered. To Hunter it was simply another note on the long list of making up for the shit he was taught to commit as a brawler. After a moment he turned a 180, smiling and shrugging lightly. “whatever is good atm, I trust you have good taste in takeout” he told her. Considering another few seconds he pulled a few more notes out and handed them to her.
“can you grab a six pack of beer and a burner phone, cheapest they have, don’t worry about the sim card” he asked

Hunter was suddenly very angry but Mar gathered it wasn't with her. After all she wasn't the one that had run off with his kids. She had just saved his ass from Curtis and his goons so his attitude better not have been directed toward her. She could just as easily throw him out and let Curtis deal with him and save her the trouble. She would of done that anyway were it not for the kids. They were still out there and she still held out hope that one day they would turn up. She did not want to have to explain that their Dad was dead because of her.

Mar took the notes but gave some back. I have a drawer full of burner phones in the bedroom. You can have one of those. " she replied giving him back the amount it would of cost him. " If anyone comes to the door don't answer it and if they find you I didn't know you were here. Got it? " she asked not expecting an answer as she grabbed her bag and headed out the door. She was still not happy about leaving him there but what choice did she have. She just had to hope that he could keep himself out of trouble long enough for her to get there and back.


Keys turned in the lock of the door and the smell of Italian food would follow the sound. " Amaria? " the unfamiliar voice called out soon followed by the coo's of a young child who burst into the apartment eagerly. " Mari.... Mari! " she said pottering around looking for Amaria.

" Madeline, sweetheart wait.. " the dark haired woman said with a chuckle stepping into the apartment and closing the door behind her. " I got white and red wine, I didn't know which you would prefer with your pasta. " she called out having yet to realize that Mar was not there and she was not alone.

She placed the bags of food on the counter and then looked around. " Baby are you here? " she said looking around and then suddenly gasping, scooping up Madeline into her arms. " Oh my God.. " she muttered as she walked over to where Hunter was seeing how injured this stranger was.

" Maddie sweetheart sit here like a good girl ok. " Maxine placed Madeline on one of the white armchairs and then turning her attention to the guy on her girlfriends couch. " Do you need an ambulance.. do you want me to call you one? Oh my God does Amaria know you are here? You're not a thief are you? " she asked a little hesitant and staying close to Madeline in case he was some nut job. " I'm calling Mar... " she said pulling out her phone and looking for the number.

She had no idea what the hell was going on but she was hoping Mar could clear it up. Turning up at your girl friends apartment to find a bloody man on her couch was not her idea of a romantic evening. " Don't bleed on the couch ok... " she said in passing like she would one of the kids in the nursery. " She's not answering.. " she muttered running her hand through her hair but smiling at Maddie to reassure her. She didn't want to put her in any danger so she hoped there was a reasonable explanation for all of this.

Slightly surprised that Mar was so willing to part with a burner phone hunter nodded and pocketed the cash which she returned before she repeated the same line he had told plenty of people in his position. He couldn’t help but pull a small knowing smile as he reassured her.
“I’ll even lock the door behind you” he had commented. Indeed he did so as Amaria left and hunter flicked the locking latch on the door. He was exhausted and with the apartment seeming a hell of a lot warmer then outside it was the perfect environment for Hunter to be able to pause from the chaos and relax. No sooner had his backside hit the soft couch that Hunter had fallen asleep, the remnants of first aid strips and alcohol on the coffee table next to him.

--- Time Jump - 30 minutes later ---

He hadn’t had sleep which wasn’t plagued by a dream or nightmare of some sort. Often it had been Zella, but lately it was the face of Boden Abrix who had chased him down, killing him a thousand ways, torturing and deceiving until he had woken in a sweat, often shouting. But this time as he awoke the shock was not from a dream. Instead it was the sound of the door popping open as Hunter sat bolt upright, wincing at the movement while a woman’s voice sounded followed by a more urgent calling. Out of pure adrenalin Hunter had almost jumped from the couch, his injuries only slowing him a touch as he thought over the sudden consequences. Dammit he should not have fallen asleep....

The more he listened as he waited to be noticed hunter realised that the woman who had entered with a small child obviously wasn’t expecting or looking for anyone other than Amaria. The only thing Hunter had thought of was to stand with the couch between himself and the two strangers so that it would give them an extra obstacle in case of attack but soon enough the rather attractive woman had realised he was in the room and had gasped.

“wait. Baby?” Hunter murmured quizzically as he raised a brow but no answer came, instead more questions as she walked towards him before she had placed her kid on the armchair and began to ask if he needed medical assistance. Who the hell was this woman?

“I erm...no its okay,” Hunter murmured in regards to the ambulance but the woman grew hesitant and asked if he was a thief. There was nothing more confusing to him then this chick being so nice that he suddenly chuckled as she pulled her phone out.
“Its okay I know Amaria...she has just popped to the shop, she didn't mention she had a housemate.” Hunter told her though stayed where he was as he tried to suss her out. The kid was cute and she was a babe.
“she said it was okay to stay put for now” he added hoping she wouldn’t go calling police. Running from brawlers was one thing, but add in authorities and he was completely screwed.

Maxine watched him for a moment debating whether to trust him or not but she decided she would. The building had good security and the door was locked when she entered. The likelihood was Mar had taken him in, a friend in need. She just hoped he wasn't going to bring trouble to her doorstep.

" OK I believe you. What's your name? " she asked and she walked over to Madeline. " This is Madeline, I'm Maxine and I am not her house mate. " she chuckled to herself thinking about given all the time that she had spent there she should consider actually moving in with her. She wanted to explain further but both of them respected their privacy and she had no idea how close he was to Amaria he could of been a virtual stranger and so she chose not to divulge the nature of their relationship.

" Mar, want Mar! " the toddler began to get cranky and cry a little and Maxine was very attentive. " It's ok sweetheart she'll be here soon. " she said scooping her up and looking back at the man. " She will be back soon right? "

Unaware of the company within her apartment Mar took her time walking up to her apartment. She was trying to think of a way to get Hunter out of the city. She had only gone to the pharmacy and the local Italian place to grab some food and she had seen plenty of goons on the streets searching for him. She had stopped and asked one guy what was going on and he refrained from telling her. She had no doubt that Curtis had ordered she not know given their history.

She placed her key in the door and found the door was already opened and panic struck her. " Hunter? " she said storming in expecting to find him gone or worse finding Curtis in their waiting for her. Instead she found Maxine and Madeline waiting for her with Hunter. " Max? Maddy? " she said surprised and she placed the bag of food down beside the other one that Maxine must of brought with her.

" We were supposed to have dinner tonight.. " she said suddenly remembering and feeling guilty that she had forgotten. Her mind was racing as she tried to figure out a way to gain control of the situation. Her two worlds were colliding and she was on damage control.

Madeline squirmed out of her mother's arms until she was placed on the floor and ran toward Mar. " Hey sweety. " she smiled picking her up and wrapping her arms around her. She glanced over at Hunter wondering if he had figured it out what these two women meant to her. She walked toward Maxine and decided to be brave and kissed her briefly on the lips. " Maxine, this is Hunter. He is my brother in law. " she explained and then looked at Hunter daring him to agrue.

" Hunter, this is my girlfriend Maxine and her daughter Madeline. " Hunter probably didn't realize how big a deal it was for her to say that out loud. She had never discussed her preferences with anyone as they were deeply personal but now Hunter was witness to her deepest secret and she questioned how this would turn out but there was no turning back now.

When the woman mentioned believing him Hunter relaxed, visibly looking easier as he walked back around and sat down on the couch while the woman introduced herself and her child as he assumed she was the mother. Though why Amaria had given someone keys to her apartment he could only assume. Surely not...

“It’s Hunter” he replied as he eased back down, watching the daughter as she interacted with her mother, so innocently accepting of the stranger in the same room. He couldn’t help but smile when she demanded wanting Amaria and after a moment he clicked.
“yeah not too long at all” Hunter replied after a moment, taking in the attractiveness of Maxine as he thought about the possibility that Amaria could actually have more than average feelings for someone let alone a woman. Then again it would have explained alot to him and if so, she had pulled a hell of an attractive lady.

His thoughts were cut short by the sound of alarm in Amaria’s voice as he watched her storm in , holding his hands up comically as though he was being arrested.

“Woah now... just talking to your friend” he called out to her as she walked in looking as though she were about to take someone out. Suddenly Amaria looked alot different to hunter then she had before. She had always been the cold hardass out of the sisters but suddenly she was exposed. As Amaria kissed Maxine, Hunter tried not to smile broadly that he knew Amaria obvious secret. She introduced him as her brother in law and he nodded, wondering how much this Maxine woman knew about Amaria if Amaria kept Maxine such a secret.
“pleasure” he commented, knowing not to push the point while amaria was on the edge.

Amaria wanted nothing more then to wipe that smirk off of Hunters face as he put two and two together. She hated that Maxine was having to get involved in the other part of her life. She had somehow managed to protect both Maxine and Madeline from the dark side of her world and now here was Hunter bloody and dragging them both into it.

" Good now that the introductions are made we should think about eating. " she said keeping a close eye on Hunter. If he said anything out of turn he could ruin the one good thing she had in her life and then she would let Curtis have whatever was left of him. Madeline played with Mar's hair and her cool demeanor broke as she smiled her.

" Hey big girl why don't you go get washed up and I will get you something to eat. " she kissed her forehead and smiled at Maxine. " I'll get plated up, you sort her out. " she smiled and Maxine nodded taking Madeline from her arms. " Ok be out in a few. " she said turning and heading toward the bathroom and locking the door behind her.

As soon as Amaria heard the lock click she moved swiftly turned to Hunter. " You keep your mouth shut Hunter, I mean it. Do not mention Curtis or Kumari or anything you think you know about me. I have worked damn hard to protect them and I want it kept that way. " she warned him. " She has no idea about what we are Hunter, she's just.. she's just normal and I don't want to spoil that. "

Having said her peace she moved toward to the kitchen and began to lay plates on the table. She took the paper bags full of food and just decided to place them buffet style. She placed the food onto large plates in the middle. She placed serving spoons and forks on all the plates and then fresh plates on all the settings so people could just pick what they wanted and put them on their plates.

Once she was done she looked over at Hunter and sighed. " I am trusting you with this Hunter. Not even Zella knows.. " she said trying to be a little more sincere rather then threatening like before. Maxine and Madeline meant the world to her now and if she had to sacrifice Hunter for them she would do it in a heartbeat.

" Smells good in here. " Maxine said with a freshly cleaned Madeline who once again wanted nothing but Amaria. She toddled over to her and tipped once but got back up and Amaria was waiting with open arms. " You are getting so fast. " she smiled and sat her on her hip. " You want some spaghetti? " she asked knowing that she loved it. Maddy bounced excitedly " sgeti sgeti. " she said and both Maxine and Mar chuckled.

Maxine took a seat and Mar sat beside with Maddy on her lap. She took a smaller side plate and placed some tomato spaghetti on it for her before she dished up her own. Maxine smiled happy to let Amaria dote on Maddy. " So Hunter can I ask, what happened to you? You look like you were hit by a bus or something. " Maxine asked curious as to what happened as she dished herself some carbonera and garlic bread and feed Maddy a little while she was there. The three were very comfortable together as they sat together as a family portraying the length of the relationship and the time they had spent all together.