Bounty Duty Chp 9

Rating Pg-13
Genre: Action/Romance
Summary: Steph continues her investigations into Ramirez with the help of Kane.
Disclaimer: Kane and slavic belongs to EA games while Steph, Ramirez, Morelli and Connie belong to Janet Evanovich. Pick belongs to Arnold vosloo and Sid is 100% my own creation

Steph and Pick had been searching the graveyard tirelessly for half an hour. Steph was shivering from the cold while Pick shone his torch on every grave they had passed, hoping the plot had been freshly dug and Kane was in there but so far the results were increasingly getting worse with every passing grave. Steph was clutching at straws, trying his mobile over and over again in the faint hope a short burst of signal will put her through to him and hoping he would answer but it was an extremely tall order to ask for. Pick carried on walking, checking every grave, each one being the same as the last; it was getting cold, and Picks instinctively knew that the fresh ground dug up will soon be frozen rock solid, making it even more impossible to get Kane out of his untimely grave alive. He scanned the area for clues, shining his light around, he looked down at the ground and saw muddy footprints going in the opposite direction, the mud on the sole of the shoe becoming less evident as the footprints carried on, an indication to Pick they were close.
“Steph?”
“.................Yeah?”
“I think we may have found him.”
Pick showed her the footprints and began following them to the grave site. The ground beginning to freeze over as the snow began its descent from the heavens above, the wind caressing their faces with it's sharp icy touch. Pick crouched down by the mound and put his ear to the dirt, Steph giving him a confused look as he listened.
“ We maybe too late.”
“What makes you say that?” Asked Steph concerned
“I don't hear him hitting the coffin”
“Might be the wrong one, I mean-”
“I checked up Steph. There was no funerals held here today which means this is Kane.”
Steph gulped as Pick began to shovel the loose dirt off the top of the mound, the snow falling down, taking it's place and making it even more difficult to remove the soil from the grave. It began to freeze the soil up even more and each spadeful was increasingly getting less and less but Pick was not going to give in, he carried on shovelling as the snow kept on falling, the hole in the ground getting a bit more deeper as he flung the dirt over his head, not caring where it would land.
An hour had passed, Pick was deep enough now for a coffin to be dropped in but there was still no sign of anything. Pick leaned up against the sides of the hole, gasping for air, he lifted up his spade and slammed it into the ground beneath, the metal contacting with something wooden, A dull thud rang out as the spade made contact, Steph leaned over the edge with the torch and shone it directly over Pick so he could see. He quickly picked up the spade and started scraping away the loose dirt, revealing the coffin beneath him. Silence fell over them, no sign of life came from the coffin, no thuds, no calls for help. Steph quickly reached for her phone and dialled Kane's number, hoping he would pick up but there was nothing, all they could hear from the coffin was his phone ringing over and over again.
“..................god..........no.” Weeped Steph.
Pick gulped then slowly started digging round the coffin so he could wedge the spade under the lid and wrench it open. He sighed as he slid the metal underneath the small gap and began prizing the lid open, Steph was on her knees sobbing as she watched on, watching Pick edge round the coffin, freeing up the lid before finally placing the spade under the lid one more time and wrenching it off, Steph covering her eyes not wanting to see what they feared would come true.
“................Sorry we didn't dig faster” Pick said quietly
He looked down to see Kane laying in the coffin before him, bloodied, clutching his phone, eyes shut and looking pale. Pick sighed a heavy sigh and leaned over his spade, hearing Steph's tears made his heart sink, made him feel guilty for not going fast enough to save him but there was nothing they could do now and he knew it. He removed his jacket and placed it over Kane as a sign of respect.
“Nods gonna kill us.” Muttered Pick.
“...................................You're..........................freaking....................right we will.” Came a voice.
Pick looked down gob smacked as Kane sat up in the coffin, looking drained. He had blood trickling down his face, left eye bruised and his fists were grazed and cut from where he was hitting the coffin lid repeatedly. He was hunched up, shivering, eyes gazing off into space as he tried to regain a sense of where he was and what had happened to him but the thoughts were not going away easily, even when the coffin lid was off the demons of his past still circulated round him, teasing him, taunting him as they began ripping open old scars.
“Kane.........................you okay?” Asked Pick concerned.
“..................Just get me out of here.........” Replied Kane coldly.

The car was quiet as Pick started to drive back to Steph's apartment. Kane was wrapped up in a blanket Pick had thrown in the boot, he had a vacant stare, as he gazed out of the window, watching the lights blur past. Steph looked back at him concerned, noticing he was unusually distant and quiet. Her heart sank a little as she couldn't help feeling it was all her fault he was in the state he was in, she forced him out by getting ratty with him over something trivial. She wanted to say something to him, sorry being one of the words she wanted to say to him but it would probably seem to be nothing but empty words to him right now, words he would refuse to hear as he submerged himself back into the lonely world he lived in. She couldn't see it from the outside, from the outside he seemed distant and probably a little bit traumatised but inside he was fighting a war she couldn't see.
She glanced back at Pick and let out a heavy sigh, she was supposed to be feeling relieved that Kane was okay but instead her heart sank further down with the weight of guilt being the culprit.
“This is my fault.” She muttered quietly, causing pick to raise an eyebrow at her comment.
“What makes you say that?”
“Look at him Pick.”
Pick just glanced up at the rear view mirror to see Kane leaning against the passenger window, gazing out of the window, looking like someone had snatched his soul from underneath him, even Pick admitted to himself he could not recall seeing Kane this vacant and empty. Pick frowned slightly as he concentrated on the road ahead, feeling the atmosphere tensing up as silence took a hold. One word would either make Kane snap into an angry rage or turn him into a sniffling wreck, beaten and broken by a box that forced him to face his demons. One wreck was enough for him to handle right now but if Steph was to become the next victim of a Mancuso and Ramirez attack it would be the breaking point for him. Taking Steph back to her apartment with a broken Kane was probably not one of the best moves at this moment in time, fearing a gang would be laying in wait to snatch her from under their nose, fearing if it happened Kane would become uncontrollable and would lead to him doing something stupid or worse yet life threatening; Another plan of action was going to be needed, he needed to put them up somewhere safe, out of danger and out of Ramirez and Mancuso's firing line.
“Change of plan.” Gruffed Pick
“Oh?”
“We ain't going back to your apartment.”
“Why not?”
“Because you will become prime target and they are probably laying in wait for you there. We gotta head somewhere safer.”
“So................Where are we going?”
“.............Your parents house.”
“Oh and make them targets as well shall we Pick?”
“ While I a highly skilled gunslinger is in the house and a guy who commands an army at his finger tips?”
“Right now Pick I don't think Kane is in the right frame of mind TO command an army” Snapped Steph, her words causing a reaction with Kane, his eyes averted away from the passing street lamps and were now latched onto Steph, cold and vacant as her words danced around his mind, Pick catching a glance at this sudden change.
“I think he heard you Steph.”

It was late by the time they got settled at Steph's parents. She had to explain to her mother why they were there and why there was a man upstairs in her old bedroom, asleep on her bed, bloodied and bruised. Pick had agreed to stay in the front room, while Steph stayed upstairs in her old bedroom, a bed laid out on the floor as she watched Kane sleep. At times he seemed to be sleeping peacefully but then he would become restless, throwing the covers off and getting tangled up among the sheets. Steph firstly put it down to him having a bad nightmare but then his restlessness got worse, his arms would flick out violently, he would growl in his sleep and his fists would clench tightly as if he was either hitting someone or wrestling with someone. She didn't know what to do, she wanted to clamber onto the bed next to him and hold him to soothe him but she feared he would accidentally hit her and would make his current state worse. All she could do was sit and watch him thrash out till he would eventually stop and wake up but Kane wasn't a guy who would do it that way, she knew that and she dreaded how he would eventually wake up from his nightmare induced slumber. She sighed and peered out the window, Snowdrops reflected in the street light, A layer of white covered the roads as the snow gently drifted down from the heavens. Watching it fall was peaceful to most people but on this occasion the snow wasn't soothing Steph's uneasy mind, for the brief moment she thought Kane was settled, he would start up again, trashing out and growling as he wrestled with whatever lurked in his nightmare. It wasn't a sight she was used to, most of the time it was the other way round, Kane would be keeping an ear to the ground while Steph slept and that was that but this time it was different. Something inside his mind must have sparked off while he was in that coffin, A fear, a bad memory, something that lurked and was haunting Kane in his sleep and while Steph prayed quietly that he would be okay, he got worse until he eventually woke up screaming, sweat trickling down his face and breathing heavily. His eyes were shifty and startled as he tried to figure out where he was and then when he had a sense where he was he flopped back down on the bed, breathing a sigh of relief as he realised he was no longer in the coffin. Steph's mother at this point had flew into the room, a dressing gown being the only thing covering her.
“What happened?!” She asked startled.
“Nothing mum.............he just had a bad dream. Go back to bed he'll be all right.”
“Sure you don't want me to make him anything? Warm milk or-”
“No mum it's fine................He's okay.”
Reluctantly her mother shuffled back to bed, closing the door behind her. Steph scratched her head, she got up and sat on the end of the bed, looking at Kane as he sat himself up and caught her gaze. A moment of silence between them as they both tried to figure out what was going on.
“.....................You all right?” Asked Steph sheepishly
“ Let me think. I was beaten up, knocked out, thrown into a van, put into a coffin, Buried alive, had a nightmare and woke up in a strange room.” Replied Kane with sarcasm.
“It was just a question”
“And a pretty dumb one at that.”
“You still pissed off at me?”
“No.......No I'm actually quite happy you asked if I was okay.”
“Kane will you just drop it!”
“How about no, since it was YOU who got me into this mess in the FIRST PLACE!”
Steph turned away from him hurt, his words stinging as she knew it was all her fault for pushing him out, knowing if she had just listened to him he wouldn't be in the state he was in. Haunted, hurt and looking a shadow of him self. Steph quietly cried to herself as Kane sat hunched, wiping the sweat from his brow, picking up on Steph's quiet sniffles.
“.....................Steph I'm sorry. I didn't mean it.”
“.......It's okay........You're right. I shouldn't have pushed you out.”
Kane could feel he wanted to spit out a malicious comment in response but he bit his tongue, noticing Steph slightly slumped as she sat on the end of the bed, watching the snow drift down and wiping the tears from her face, quietly crying to herself as she knew she had hurt Kane badly and he could feel the pain she was feeling just by watching her shoulders quiver every now and again. He couldn't be mad at her if she knew her actions were wrong and she was regretting them, he shuffled up to her and pulled her into him, holding her while she cried into his chest. While he was busy being wrapped in his own world he was ignoring the guilt she was feeling, the hurt she had inside as  the reality of nearly losing him hit home.
Steph gulped and calmed herself down as she could feel his arms gently wrapped round her, hearing his heart beating, the rhythm almost soothing her to sleep in his arms.
“I thought I lost you.” Whispered  Steph.
“I'm made of tougher stuff” Replied Kane quietly.
“That I know”
He yawned as she relaxed in his arms, the snow drifting down making his eyes heavy as his body forced him to go to sleep. Gently he removed his arms from round Steph and shuffled onto the bed, his head hitting the pillow and falling into the usual position he'd sleep in, right arm over his chest, a leg sticking out from under the covers and his left arm down his side. He thought he was sleeping alone till he felt someone slide up against him and put an arm over his stomach, he opened his eyes and looked over, a familiar set of blue eyes gazing up at him.
“What are you-”
“Holding you, hoping it'll stop you having nightmares.”
“Trust me it's not gonna stop me having nightmares” Grumbled Kane.
“So what you gonna do? Not sleep?”
“It's looking that way”
Steph quickly sat up and placed her hands on his chest. Kane frowning up at her, memories in his head beginning to haunt him again, making him feel uncomfortable with whatever plans Steph had brewing in her head.
“Sometimes I find talking helps to clear demons”
“And If I told you my demons you won't be sleeping right for weeks maybe even months”
“Try me.” Replied Steph sternly, her eyes locked onto his, her hands still placed firmly on his chest with no intention of being removed.
“You want in my scary world?” Asked Kane
“Yep. I like to know how my partners tick.”
“Whoa we ain-”
“Work Partners Kane.”
Kane sighed and proceeded to tell her what was on his mind, how demons from his past were circulating his mind like hungry piranhas but there was some he didn't want to discuss with her, some that were personal and needed to stay inside their designated boxes to avoid a world of pain for him.
They sat up till four in the morning talking and sharing their demons with one another, Kane eventually being the one who fell asleep first, while Steph explained to him her fear of dying alone or being stuck in a loveless marriage. She smiled as she watched him sleep, looking far more relaxed then he did earlier before eventually joining him, wrapping an arm round his chest and placed her head on his chest. The rhythm of his heartbeat easing her into a slumber. It wasn't till ten in the morning that she was awoken by a firm shake on her shoulder, her mother giving her a questioning look as she passed her a cup of coffee.
“I thought you said he was a friend?” Asked Her mother quietly
“He is. He was having problems sleeping last night.”
“So you had se-”
“No! We talked and I ended up sleeping in his arms that's all.”
Her mother looked at Kane sleeping soundly, a smile forming as ideas started to swim round her head.
“Want to know what I think?” Asked her mother quietly.
“Go on. You're gonna tell me anyway.”
“...................Better looking then Morelli.”
“Don't get any ideas. Anyway Pick awake?”
“Yeah He's gone to the office to carry on with the case. You ain't got long to wrap It up hun.”
“I know......Just praying something will come up soon.......”

Pick was already at Steph's desk flicking through information when she arrived. He was dressed up in his usual attire, shotgun still strapped to his back and making him look like some crazed gun nut with a worrying obsession for gun powder and fire power. Bits of paperwork was scattered all over the place, files were flung open and Steph's desk was now an un-organised mess. She placed her bag on the floor and sat on the edge of the desk while Pick read through the information he had in his hands.
“So what has come up that has made you go through paperwork like a madman?” Asked Steph
Pick just raised up his hand while he skimmed through more of what was put on the page before him.
“I'm guessing it's good news?” Asked Steph again.
Pick peered over the piece of paper and then put it down on the desk in front of him, on top of the wrong file which was cluttered with bits of paper.
“Eric has decided to co-operate.”
“Oh?”
“Yep. He wants the charges dropped if he squeals.”
“And what if we don't?”
“He pays a hefty ass fine and spends a year in jail and he don't want to go to jail.”
“I say cut it down to no fine and six months in jail.”
“Why?”
“He shot Kane in the leg. I was there when he done it. He probably squealed to his bitch Ramirez to put Kane in the coffin and make him traumatised and he wants US to let him go if he squeals? It's not happening!”
“Well if he don't talk-”
“We let Nod have him as a toy and I'm deadly serious Pick.”
Pick raised both his eyebrows as he noticed the stern look within Steph's eyes. The Ramirez case was starting to take it's toll on her but she wasn't going to give up, she wanted to prove to not just herself but the people around her that she was no pushover. Pick could tell Steph was picking up her game and he sure as hell wasn't going to argue with her, he knew if he did he'd probably get killed by her or worse yet ran over by her Buick.
“So where is Kane?” Asked Pick intrigued.
“Last I saw him he was in my bed fast asleep.”
“Sure he was asleep and not pretending to be?”
At that moment Steph's phone rang, she quickly moved outside to take the call, going out of earshot so Pick could not over hear the conversation but he had a feeling it was related to Kane in some form or another. He threw his feet up onto the desk, straightened the piece of paper in his hands and took a sip from his cup of coffee. Certainty engulfed him as he sat reading the information, a feeling that his suspicions were correct when Steph strode through to the back office with her jacket zipped up and car keys in her hand.
“So....................he wasn't asleep.” Said Pick coolly.
“Ten minutes after I left mum told me she went to my room, found the bedroom window open and him gone. I don't know where he may have gone I don't know how he'll get there since I have his car and I don't know what to do. All I know is he is not in the right frame of mind.”
“Maybe he found a lead?”
“Or maybe he has finally lost it?”
“If he has lost it, then in half an hour this city will be swarming with Nod forces, turning every rock
over to find Ramirez just so Kane can brutally kill him without asking any questions”
“So what do we do?” Asked Steph Concerned
“We wait half an hour. If the place is swarming with Nod forces you can then turn to me and say told you so” Replied Pick calmly.
Pick carried on with reading the information while Steph sat down in a huff, throwing the car keys down on the desk and leaning on the chair, looking up at the ceiling and blowing her fringe out of her face.
“..........................................So shall we piss off Eric some more?”
“I thought you'd never ask.”

The streets of Trenton were busy  as people walked around in the fresh winter afternoon, grabbing lunch, socialising, picking up newspapers, making trades and shopping. Anyone could blend in with the human blanket of life that hugged every inch of the pavement, literally anyone but what it couldn't hide was a man's determination.
Kane moved within the busy crowds, Hood flicked over his head, peek of his cap pulled over his eyes and his jacket open, catching the slight breeze that went through the city. Occasionally he would pull his phone from out of his pocket, take a glance at the screen and then put it back. There was no expression in his face as he eased passed the people within the crowd, just a drive to find the thing he was looking for. He crossed the street to a petrol station on the opposite side of the road, it was quiet with only three vehicles parked up in the appropriate parking bays. Two were staff cars, one was a familiar black van. Kane pulled out his phone and peered at the screen, a smirk grew across his face.
“Got you.” He muttered.
He quickly put his phone back in his pocket and ventured over to the van, peering into the windows to see if anyone was lurking around in there. Fortunately there was no one to be seen but it didn't stop Kane from waiting for the owner to get back. He went round to the passengers side of the van and crouched down by the side, staying out of sight from the owner but still being able to see him coming. He didn't have to wait long as a thick set man came out of the shop, dark skinned, curly black hair and was stuffing his face with a doughnut, oblivious to Kane crouched down the passengers side, watching him as he went over to the drivers side of the van. The man fumbled around in his pockets before pulling out the keys to the van, a collection of Key rings attached to it. Kane had made his way to the back of the van and watched as the man went to put the keys in the door before clumsily dropping them on the floor, a sigh had escaped his lips followed by the rolling of the eyes. This gave Kane the chance he needed to get him and to get him to squeal answers, he snook behind the man and slammed his head into the drivers door, the man quickly turned round and then stood horrified. Kane stared back at him with his trademark predatory grin, his eyes dark as he stared back at the guy, no emotion, no indication of what he was gonna do but it was just enough to make the man gulp hard and shiver with terror.
“Y-you're supposed to be d-dead” Whimpered the man.
“ I know..............But I have a real bad habit of coming back to life.” Hissed Kane.
He quickly pulled out his gun from his back pocket and placed it firmly on the man's forehead, the cold metal barrel touching the the guy's skull, causing him to yelp and his eyes to widen, terrified.
“Now........You're gonna co-operate with me or these lovely people at the garage will be cleaning up your brains from the forecourt for weeks and I don't want to really want to give them that grisly task, do you?” Growled Kane.
“N-No sir” whimpered the man.
“Let's start with the obvious then. What's your name?”
“J-jay Lujins”
“Okay then Jay....Open up the van”
Jay shuffled to the side door of the van, Kane watching him, his gun firmly planted on Jay's skull as he unlocked the sliding side door and opened it. He slowly raised his hands up to his head as a sign of surrender to Kane but he just smirked at Jay.
“Thanks Jay”
Kane quickly pushed Jay into the back, his skull smashing into the metal flooring of the van, causing him to wince and clutch his head in agony. Kane jumped in after him, landing on his ankles and causing jay to scream out in pain.
“That's the beauty of military issued boots, Heavy and can cause a heck of a lot of damage”
“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?”
“Just some info Jay. Some very important info. You give me what I'm after and I won't kill you. You give me the wrong info and I will hurt you. You give me no info at all and I will put a bullet in your skull. I'm a man of my word Jay.” Growled Kane.
“I won't be much use to you with a bullet in my skull man.”
“No. That's true but I can look you up and get my info that way. But I am sure you value your life”
Jay gulped as Kane aimed his gun at his forehead, his grin turning into a menacing scowl and his eyes dark, cold and filled with vengeance.
“Who gave you the orders last night?”
“W-what you mean man? I was at home last night!”
Kane frowned at the answer, he quickly glanced down at Jays shoes and noticed them caked in dried mud. He raised his left leg up and stamped down hard on Jay's ankle, causing him to cry out in pain.
“Wrong answer punk ass! I'll say again who gave you your orders last night?”
“My buddy Robbie....he's part of a gang. He got orders through and rang me up to tell me what to do. I swear man!”
“And where does Robbie live?”
“Down Stark street, in the new block of apartments that went up.”
“Fallen into some money then?”
“Yeah.......but he don't say where it came from......just told us he done a worthwhile job and it paid well.”
“What number?”
“Fifty three, Third floor.” Replied Jay, his voice trembling with fear.
Kane grinned and stepped off Jay's ankles. He lowered his gun and put it back in his inside pocket.
“Thanks Jay but If I find out this info is wrong. I'm coming back for you. Oh and If I were you, I'd ring nine one one to get home.”
Kane flicked his hood back up and walked away from the van, pulling his phone out of his pocket and glancing at his screen, putting in some information before finally leaving the garage forecourt and blending in with the crowds once more, off to find his next target to drill information from.

Steph's family sat round the table, polishing off their dinner. Pick sat next to Steph at the table, his plate clean from food while Steph was finishing off. The conversation that fluttered round the table was generally about how Work went with Steph and how they finally got Eric to spill the truth to them about Ramirez.
“Turns out Ramirez was working with Mancuso the minute the two met up in Jail.” Said Pick, Grandma Mazur studying him while he wiped his mouth with the napkin.
“And since they had one thing in common they both plotted to get back at me.” Replied Steph.
Steph's mother looked up mid chew, concerned at how Steph was becoming a popularity with all the nut jobs that roamed Trenton.
“Which is why I got Pick with me right now.” Said Steph in an attempt to ease her mother.
“What about Kane?”
“We have not heard from Kane all day, Every time we have tried to ring him he's cut us off.”
“But at least we know he is okay.” Chimed Pick
“Him not answering his phone does not indicate to me he is okay”
“Does to me because if he was in trouble he would not answer. Period.”
Steph's father picked up the empty plates, grandma Mazur being the first to leave, followed by Steph's mother, leaving just Pick and Steph at the table. Pick was going through the notes he write down when Steph was quizzing Eric but Steph had other things on her mind to worry about. There was no Nod forces swarming the place so Kane obviously hadn't lost it but it did make her wonder what exactly he was up to, to be out of contact for so long and not to be seen for so long.
“You think Kane is okay Pick?”
“Couldn't actually say but I know if something was up we would surely know.”
Steph pulled out her phone and searched through to Kane's number. She paused for a second before hitting the dial button, it rang for a second before he finally picked up.
“Kane?”
“Steph?”
“Where the hell are you and what the hell are you doing?” Growled Steph.
“I'm on my way back to yours and I have just done my job?” Replied Kane calmly.
“Your job? Kane we have not seen you all day!”
“So? Look I'll catch up with ya later. I'll be an hour.”
The line went dead as Kane hung up on Steph. Steph turned to Pick and gave him a fed up look.
“Well.....At least he is okay.”
Steph just gave him a look before leaving the table with her phone. Kane had switched personality, he wasn't his normal self on the phone, Steph knew if he was okay he would have a flirty conversation but this one was short, sweet and not very informative. It worried her slightly but she was hoping that maybe he had a reason for being so brief.

It was late by the time Steph was in her bed, wrapped up in the duvet, alone. She wanted an early night after the night she had last night but there was someone missing. Kane was not back.  She sighed looking at the moon through the open window. She didn't know why she wanted the window open, maybe to feel the winter breeze caress her skin, or maybe it was to hear the birds calling in the morning, either one of them was romantically linked but she had no one to share it with. She sighed and then quickly froze in her bed as she heard the drainpipe at the side of her window creak, like something heavy was clinging onto it. She gulped as she heard something shuffle up the pipe, she quickly reached for her gun and turned to her window. The moon was gone and was replaced with Kane's silhouette , the light from the moon drenching one side of his face, lighting up the slight grin on his face as he stood before her with his arms folded.
“Why didn't you knock like most normal people do?” Asked Steph angrily.
“You seem to forget I'm not most normal people”
“Fair enough but where the HELL have you been all day?”
Kane opened up his jacket and pulled out a wedge of cash, throwing it onto the bed in front of Steph. There must have been over a thousand dollars in the bundle that rested on her lap, all notes crisp.
“Told you............I was doing my job.”
“Doing what exactly? None of us could get hold of you.”
Kane remained quiet as he removed his jacket and started untying his shoelaces to get his boots off, sitting on the edge of the bed as he wrestled them off his feet.
“Get Eric to squeal?” Asked Kane
“Yeah......Ramirez and Mancuso are working together. Look just where the hell did you get this money from?”
“I told you-”
“I know doing your job. But you went off the radar all day Kane and it concerns me”
Kane just glanced over at Steph before putting his shoes into the corner of the room and then sitting on the window sill. His feet rested up on the top of the radiator, arms resting on the top of  his knees. He bowed his head slightly and stared down at the floor, his mind ticking over from the things he done, wondering if he had missed anything, locking his thoughts from Steph. It was concerning her, the sudden change in his personality, the way he had turned from open to secretive in the blink of an eye and all because he was thrown into a coffin and buried alive, yet the thing that scared her the most was would she ever get the Kane she grew to like back.
Kane rubbed his head and then looked back at Steph, seeing the concern on her face as he remained quiet.
“What happened to you?” Asked Steph quietly.
“How do you mean?”
“You are not yourself.”
“I wonder why that is Steph”
“I know why..............so what did you do? Where did this money come from Kane?”
Kane sat quietly as Steph studied him, trying to read him but feeling clueless as to what was really going on in his head. She was hoping he would giver her answers but she felt  that would probably be asking too much from the condition he was in. Maybe it was money he got cleaning up odd cases, maybe it was money he got from Nod for doing some odd jobs or maybe it was something more sinister, more dark then she could imagine. She knew he was capable at dishing out such a thing
“It came from the men  that threw me into the van and buried me alive. I told them to pay me their freedom and I wouldn't hand them in”
“You let them go free!?”
“Not exactly..........see.........I dealt with them my way.”
“Please don't tell me you killed them.”
“Would I still be here if I did?”
He had a point. If he did murder them, the cops would be swarming the place trying to find him and Kane being Kane would hide himself among the secure walls of his Nod base. He was smart and cunning, not the idiot Steph though he was when they first met one another. She thought to herself that he must have done something to make sure they were going nowhere but keeping his side of the bargain at the same time.
“I told them to buy their freedom, in return to make sure they didn't escape I hospitalised them in some way, in a way that would make sure they wouldn't run.”
“But what if they squeal to Ramirez?”
“Then we know we are hitting the spot.” Replied Kane with a smug grin.
Steph smiled slightly as she saw a bit of the Kane she knew rear up from the dark surface that enveloped him since last night.
“You keep the money................you need it more then I do.” Suggest Kane.
“But you Work-”
“To me it's dirty money. I don't want it....but call it compensation for all the shit they have put you through.”
She looked down at the wedge of money that laid on her lap, running her finger along the edge of the notes to try and get an idea just how much money he had accumulated into one pile, it seemed to be a hefty amount of money, maybe two grands worth maximum. She wasn't sure but she knew it would come in handy for the things she would need, like new locks on her door.....and probably a deposit on a new car, so she wouldn't be recognised by her bright blue Buick. She swore blind the reason her criminal captures were dwindling because of that car.
Kane stretched, his eyes becoming heavy from the lack of sleep he had received from the night before yet she could tell he was trying to fight it, probably in fear of the night mares starting again and plaguing his sleep, even though they talked and got some off his chest, she still feels he was holding some back, and those remaining demons were circulating his head again, putting him off sleep.
“You look tired.”
“Been a hard day.........But I'm fine I don't need to sleep I'm okay.”
“You do need to sleep but you are fighting it.”
Kane just pulled a face at that comment but Steph was having none of it. He maybe stubborn to most but she knew how she could let herself in and soothe him or just get into his mind and figure out what was going on. She flicked back the covers and sauntered over to him, wearing a long white shirt she found in her wardrobe that went down to above her knees, the two top buttons undone and the cuffs of her sleeves. It certainly caught Kane's attention as his weary eyes widened at what he saw coming towards him. Steph smiled slightly and placed her hands on his face, forcing him to look at her.
“Look.....why don't you come to bed and hold me? You don't have to talk to me or even try to sleep yourself but just......come to bed so I know you are okay and you won't leap out of this window the minute I close my eyes.”
A slight chuckle escaped Kane's lips. He had to admire Steph's determination and how she could make him buckle and succumb to her advances.
“Alright........You win.” He replied calmly as Steph removed her hands from his face. She gently took one of his hands and lead him over to the bed, stopping as she noticed he was not really dressed for bed.
“First things first...take the t-shirt off and the hat.”
“Yes boss” Replied Kane
He took off his hat and threw it on the floor next to his side of the bed along with his shirt, Steph then pulling him into bed with her and then cuddling up to him, resting her head on his chest and listening to his heart beating.
“Hey...........you know when I fell asleep last night....right when you was talking to me about your fears?”
“Yeah?”
“What was your fear?”
“Being alone or being put into a loveless marriage and never finding my true love”
“You...................not finding your true love? Get out? You can have any guy you want.”
“But I always find the wrong ones.”
“Trust me Steph.......right one will come along soon.”
“What about you?” Asked Steph intrigued
Kane just shrugged as he put an arm round her waist, tucking his other arm underneath his head in an attempt to get comfy.
“ Would be nice to meet someone but.....I'm not pinning my hopes on it. Most women would just use me for my power and that is it.”
“I wouldn't” Replied Steph quietly.
Kane went quiet as he picked up on her quiet whisper. Confused if she meant it or not. He could not tell since the last time they both get close, she walked out on him in a hurry, no word, no note, nothing and since then it has caused a little rift between them and a little bit of uncertainty  from Kane's behalf.
Steph sighed as she rested on his chest, fighting back the urge to run her hand down his chest, knowing if she did it would open up a bigger rift between them. Not something she wanted to happen again since even though she would not admit it to anyone, she felt like he was the one guy she could love properly. She closed her eyes and tried to doze, feeling his arm gently wrapped round her waist and listening to his heartbeat, however she could not seem to drift off, concerned that he was still wide awake, confronting his demons head on. She  placed her hand on his neck and began gently caressing it, hoping to soothe him, suddenly feeling his hand gently clamp round it and being greeted with a set of earthy brown eyes.
“Steph-”
“Whatever it is eating you, just tell me.” She replied in a soothing voice
Kane turned his head away briefly before he looked back at her, holding her gaze as the moonlight cast over them.
“........................I'm scared the woman I love doesn't love me back in the same way. I think one night I blew it with her and since then..........I just don't see the point in being interested.”
Steph placed her finger on his lips and held his gaze, admiring the way the moon lit up one side of his face and made his eyes glint a little with the light.
“She'll come around Kane. Just give her a little more time okay?”
“Why?”
“................She just............................needs to sort out her head.”
Kane gently moved her fringe from her face, feeling his eyes getting heavy as sleep started to take over. He laid back down and closed his eyes, feeling Steph laying on his chest and doze off. A slight smile crept onto his lips as he began to ease the demons that plagued him.