Hi guys! Sorry this chapter's a few days late, but school came up :/

Anyways, this is my first time writing a song based chapter (I Hate Everything About You by Three Days Grace), I recommend you listen to the song while reading the part of the chapter that references it, especially since I broke it up to fit the tempo of the song. Let me know what you think!

The next morning consisted of a bitch of a headache for Lex, Orlando, Stephanie, Jess, and Brian. The two ex-cops passed out on the couch in the living room, Brian draped over Jess's lap like a blanket. Jess blinked her eyes open slowly, regretting it immediately as bright sunlight shone through the window and burned her pupils. She groaned in pain and stretched her body, only to realize that there was a dead weight on her lower body. She looked down and saw Brian's sleeping form stirring slightly as he lay over her lap.

She sighed, torn between pushing him off the couch or letting him sleep. She decided to be sympathetic towards him and lay back, trying to fall asleep, but was unsuccessful. Luckily, Brian began to move around as he slowly woke. He groaned sleepily and looked up at Jess. He gave her a confused look, wondering how the hell he ended up on her lap.

"Shit," he muttered, raising his hand to his head as a wave of hangover pain attacked him.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," she closed her eyes and laid her head back. Brian groaned in pain.

"What time is it?" He asked.

"I don't know. Probably close to 12. I bet the others are still passed out." Jess answered.

"What happened last night? I feel like shit," Brian laid his head against the armrest on the couch. He hadn't been this hungover in a long time.

"Maybe that's just your conscience," Jess chuckled when he replied with a 'Fuck you'.

"Why don't you make that Mexican soup that cures hangovers?" He covered his eyes with his arm to shield them from the late morning light.

"What? You mean menudo?"

"Yeah, that stuff. Please?" He sounded like a child. Jess let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm tired, dude."

"Let's just go to a cantina and order some," she suggested when he whined.

"Who's driving?" He asked, not wanting to even get up from the comfy sofa and, dare he say it, Jess's lap.

"We gotta take the bike," Jess yawned. Brian groaned in response, not liking the idea.

"Fine, let's walk then," she said. Her tired partner sighed in defeat.

"Fine."

They managed to walk in a straight line, albeit with heavy heads, to a nearby cantina. It wasn't too full, and the patrons who were there were having lunch like most normal people would be doing. Meanwhile, Jess and Brian were there to cure their hangover with some good menudo.

As they happily ate their hangover-curing soup, the two talked about their friends, cars...anything but their inevitable meeting with Roy later that night. They finished eating and sat in thoughtful silence as Jess looked out the window from where they sat. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at the people on the beach just across the street. Her head was feeling slightly better already, and her thought process was much more clear. Brian crossed his arms like Jess and also looked outside. The silence was comfortable, but he knew it couldn't last. They had things to do, criminals to put behind bars, etc. He cleared his throat, earning a simple glance from Jess.

"So, uh, what's the plan for tonight?" He asked. He could see her shoulders tense just the slightest bit. She blinked slowly and turned back to the window.

"Make friends with the enemy," she said. He nodded, knowing the answer already, but wanting to hear the confirmation from his partner.

"Just remember, I want you to stay by my side at all times," he warned.

"Hm, touching," she said sarcastically. Brian rolled his eyes. She knew he had a point, though. As much as she despised being treated like a helpless child, Roy and his thugs had power and numbers over Jess. It was much better to have Brian around than to be completely alone.

"So what job do you think he's got for us?" She asked, finally facing him. Brian shrugged.

"Beats me. But we've got to start making a strategy so we have something to stick to." Jess nodded in agreement.

And so, they began to make up a rules of engagement protocol to go by. Jess was to be by Brian's side at all times, unless she started to raise suspicion. It was agreed that Jess would be allowed to carry weapons if they were very well concealed, a feat that could prove to be difficult given Jess's skimpy attire that was required for her undercover role. Jess was also to fish information from the girls around Roy whenever possible. If she felt her life was threatened by Roy or his friends, she had full clearance to defend herself by any means necessary. Brian preferred her to not take their lives, if that was possible, just so they wouldn't have blood on their hands and an angry gang on their backs if business went sour.

Hangover-free, for the most part, they walked back to Lex's to retrieve the motorcycle from the garage. Seeing as how Lex and Stephanie were in one of their bitchy hangover moods, Brian and Jess decided to cut their goodbyes short and went home.

Luna greeted them excitedly as they entered, joining them when they plopped down on the couch. "I'm so tired," Jess whined. Brian sighed in agreement. While he allowed the couch to seduce him into sleep, Jess went to take a shower in hopes that it would wake her up. When she was finished, she went to her room, planning on taking a nap.

Walking through the open door, she found Brian sprawled comfortably all over her bed. His feet were where the head should be and vice-versa. Luna was lying just as comfortably on the pillows, where she knew she was not allowed to be on. Of course, with Brian around, the dog knew she could get away with it.

"Dude," Jess whined, her dream of having the bed all to herself now crushed. He stirred ever so slightly, but otherwise lay still. She walked over to him, noticing that he had changed from last night's clothes to a white T-shirt and a fresh pair of jeans.

"Move," she commanded and pushed him, but he didn't obey. "Brian," she sounded like a child. She groaned and gave up. Then an idea came to her mind. She let herself fall heavily onto Brian's body, smiling to herself when he grunted and threw her a 'Fuck you' as he moved over. He didn't get off the bed, but as long as Jess could still have some room, she was moderately happy.

"Go to your room," Jess told Brian. He stayed silent, not acknowledging her commands one bit. She sighed. She was so tired, and she didn't feel like fighting him at the moment. "Fuck it," she said, and gave up the battle. Brian smirked and turned to her.

"Shut up, you bitch," she said and narrowed her eyes at him. He chuckled at her threat and made himself comfortable. Jess shook her head and did the same. After a few minutes of calm and soft silence, Jess spoke.

"Are you really going to sleep here or are you just being annoying cause I'm gonna take a nap." Brian nodded.

"Yes what?" Jess sighed.

"Yes, I'm going to sleep here," he replied.

"Fine, douche," Jess sighed again and oriented herself to sleep the normal way: with her head on the pillow side and her feet on the opposite side. Brian followed suit and Luna managed to occupy some room beside him.

What happened next was just plain weird, but Jess couldn't deny that it made her face blush a tomato red color. Luckily, Brian hadn't seen it.

He had snuggled up behind her and draped his arm over her waist, laying his head just above hers.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She asked threateningly.

"Sleeping. Shut up." He replied, his voice slightly muffled by the pillow. Jess sighed and gave up. He was being so calm about it, as if this was an everyday thing. That passive behavior translated into Jess as well. He wasn't groping her body or being disrespectful, so she decided to spare his life. Plus, she felt pretty comfortable encircled by his warm body. Not that she'd ever tell him, of course.

Hours later, Luna was awakened by a buzzing phone on Jess's nightstand. The dog began to jump in excitement, soon waking Brian. He clumsily reached for his phone and checked the caller ID. It was Roy.

"Hello?" He said, wishing he could go back to sleep.

"Brian, my man! You sound a little faded, you busy?" Roy boomed in his ear. Brian winced and made a mental note to punch him very hard when he was taken into custody.

"Nah, what's up?" He answered as Jess stirred and turned towards him.

"Just wanted to remind you about tonight, and to make sure you don't bring any heat to the club, you catch me?"

"Yeah, uh-huh," he replied, wanting to end the call ASAP. Jess gave him a look of confusion as to who he was talking to. He showed her the phone, which listed Roy as the caller. He couldn't help but smile as she rolled her eyes and tried to go back to sleep.

"Alright man, I'll let you get back to your shit, see you tonight," Roy chuckled and hung up. Brian reached over Jess to put his phone back on the nightstand.

"What a dick," Jess muttered. Brian chuckled in agreement and wrapped his arms around her again, lulling them both to sleep.

When Brian awoke a few hours later, he checked the clock on the nightstand, noticing it was almost 4PM. His eyes traveled back to Jess, still in disbelief that they had slept together. No, nothing else happened between them, but even cuddling was a huge step from where they stood in their friendship just the day before. Whether it was a step forward or backward, Brian didn't know.

A small, odd feature on her neck caught his attention. He pushed a few strands of her hair out of the way and gently poked and prodded at it, hoping she wouldn't wake. It was a tiny hole in her skin, as if a needle had pricked her neck.

"...the fuck?" Brian whispered to himself and scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.

"Stop poking me, dipshit. It hurts." Jess muttered and tried to go back to sleep. Her sudden threat startled him, then he brought his attention back to the unfriendly hole in her neck.

"Jess, what happened to your neck?" He asked. Jess turned to face him, looking confused.

"What do you mean?" Her brows furrowed. Brian got up from the bed and began walking to the bathroom, motioning her to follow. He stopped in front of the mirror and slightly turned her so she could see the reflection of the needle-sized puncture in her neck.

"What the fuck?" She scrunched her eyebrows and poked at it, wincing at the pressure she put on it as a dull soreness attacked her neck. Brian removed her hand from her neck and replaced it with his own.

"Does this hurt?" He asked as he gently poked it.

"Yeah," she winced as the pain returned again. "What the hell is it?" she asked.

"I don't know...it looks like a hole. Like a needle stabbed you."

"Well I don't remember a needle stabbing me recently," she said as she stared at the startling puncture in her neck. Brian sighed, wondering since when that has been on her neck, and what it could possibly be doing there.

"Let's not worry about it too much. We have a few hours till midnight, might as well get our heads together and get ready," he suggested.

"Ok," she sighed and turned to leave the bathroom before Brian caught her arm. She looked at him, the worry in her face beginning to scare him.

He gave her the best reassuring look he could muster before she walked away into her room. Brian closed the door and turned to the toilet, but not before catching a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror. Maybe it was just his mind playing tricks, but he thought he saw something different. He stepped closer, turning his head to check his neck. Sure enough, there was a small puncture on the left side, just near his hairline. Just like Jess's neck.

When he poked it, the pain of a bruise followed, also like Jess's puncture. He shook his head in frightened disbelief, turned to the toilet, and did his business. He decided not to tell Jess about his discovery…at least not yet. She seemed too scared at the moment and they both needed to be focused if they wanted to get into Armando's social circle.

Hours later, Brian and Jess were getting ready for their outing with Roy. Brian waited for Jess to finish on the couch, flipping channels on the TV and shaking his head at her excessive use of prepping time. Women.

"Hurry up, Jess!" He yelled while Luna hopped on the couch beside him and nudged his hand, asking him to pet her. He chuckled and gave her the attention she asked for.

"I'm done already; calm down, you blond whore," she said loudly and entered the living room.

"Good, then. Let's leave." He stood up and straightened the buttons on his casual black shirt, fixing the waistline of his jeans, and turned around to face Jess. His jaw dropped for a few seconds. She scrunched her eyebrows. "What?" She asked in confusion.

She wore a short black dress with heels, her curly hair flowing around her shoulders and a few black studded bracelets decorated her wrists. She reached for a strap on the counter and wrapped it around her right leg. She grabbed a small knife from the counter and sheathed it into the strap. She pulled her dress over it, concealing it quite well. She even smiled at her success, like a giddy schoolgirl.

Lastly she retrieved a necklace from her room and put it on: it was a golden key, normal looking from a few feet away. But hidden inside the key was a small blade about 2 inches long. "Is this outfit approved for weaponry?" She asked him with a smile on her face.

Brian swallowed down the drool that had built up in his mouth from staring. "Uh…yeah," he answered quietly. "Ready to go?"

Jess nodded. "Let's make frenemies!"

Brian rolled his eyes. "Never say that word again."

She smirked devilishly. Another way to annoy Brian? Best thing ever. "I'll keep that in mind." He knew that meant she was going to use it excessively in the next few days.

They entered Jess's black Nissan and drove to Puma.

The place wasn't full, but it wasn't empty. Jess could smell the cigarette smoke from the bouncers a parking lot away. They let them know that they were guests of Roy's and were directed to his booth, secluded in the corner and covered by a screen to divert strangers.

The dark red light above the booths and the already red seat made everything look fuzzy; Jess wondered if it was just her or if she had somehow started drinking before leaving for Puma. Brian had a similar reaction. He absentmindedly raised his hand and lightly pressed on the puncture in his neck, not surprised when he felt pain instead of comfort. Then he remembered that he was supposed to be dating Jess, so he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, playing the alpha male, as they approached Roy. Jess followed in step with him, never noticing that he had been touching the puncture she didn't know about.

"Brian!" Roy stood up vigorously, holding a beer in his hand. They shook hands as Roy looked over to Jess, pleased.

"And you brought the goods!" He smiled from ear to ear, gesturing towards her.

Don't kill him yet. Don't kill him yet. Don't kill him yet, she repeated in her head as a mantra to keep herself composed.

"Uh, babe, why don't you go hang out with the...ladies," Brian pointed over to a group of girls who seemed to be part of Roy's party.

"The big boys here are gonna talk business," Roy added. Jess nodded and leaned into Brian when he gave her a small peck on the cheek.

"Don't take too long, or I'll miss you," she said, attempting to be seductive as she walked away from their booth. As soon as she turned away from them, her façade broke. Her natural scowl returned to her face as she made the transition into the womens' booth she was directed towards. She plastered on her fake smile when she saw some familiar faces.

"Hey! You're with Blondie, right?" A redhead with abnormally large breasts smiled at her. She was the woman Jess had talked to the night before, when she and Brian were first searching for Roy. She was always pushing up her damn boobs, as if they weren't already noticeable.

"Yeah. Uh, I'm Jess," she smiled politely.

"Sasha," she replied. "Come on, meet the rest of the girls!" She dragged Jess by the wrist and introduced her to the other 3 girls drinking at the booth. All of them shamelessly displayed their legs and cleavage to the public, making Jess want to puke right then and there.

"Hey, this is Jess. She's here with Blondie," Sasha grabbed the girls' attention. It's Brian, Jess had the urge to say; somehow, them knowing his name was an uncomfortable thought to her, so she let it slide. She waved awkwardly at them as Sasha pointed to each of them and listed their names.

"This is Kim, Rose, and Carmen," she motioned to a bleach blonde with a big chest, a tall black haired woman with long legs, and a short, curvy woman with a large ass. Typical stripper names, Jess noted. Rose and Carmen gave her passive nods, looking at their drinks or manicures while Kim welcomed her with a small smile. Sasha invited her to sit.

"So you're the chick who beat Blood Dog yesterday?" Rose asked in a monotone voice, crossing her arms and legs and looking at Jess carefully.

"Yeah, I am," she asserted, crossing her own legs and leaning back in her seat to show she didn't feel threatened by Rose's attempt at intimidation.

"You know a lot of people were watching that night," Sasha said.

"Yeah, no girl's ever beat him," Kim added wide-eyed. She looked like she was beginning to idolize Jess, who felt a little nervous by this hint of fanaticism.

"How did you learn to race like that?"

Oh, shit. How was she going to answer this genuinely without raising suspicion?

"Try working as a taxi driver. In New York. You learn a few things." Jess put on a serious face and punctuated her response to make it seem like it was a real experience. Sasha and Kim seemed to buy it.

"So you girls, uh hang out with Blood Dog often?" Jess changed subjects, trying to start a flowing conversation.

"Eh, he mostly just drags us around all the time. Or calls us up late at night when he's lonely," Carmen said and rolled her eyes. Wow, she talks, Jess noted with sarcasm.

"Ah, gotcha."

"What about you? I don't see anyone around Blondie besides you. What, are you his personal favorite, or does he only take you out on special occasions?" Rose narrowed her eyes at Jess.

"Rose!" Kim slapped her arm and chastised her.

"Why so curious? Don't get enough love from Blood Dog?" Jess said with bitterness in her voice to match Rose's. They glared at each other for a few seconds before Rose stood up.

"I'm going to go do something productive, unlike the rest of you."

Says the girl who makes her living as a stripper, thought Jess. The girls watched as Rose retreated from their sight to a darker area of the club, then Sasha turned back to Jess.

"I'm sorry about her, I don't know what's up with her."

"Don't worry about it."

"She's just so hardheaded," Kim added.

"She's jealous," Carmen said. Wow, so she isn't as much of a bitch as I thought. At least, she's not as bad as Rose.

"Jealous of what? I just met her." Jess scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, absentmindedly itching to reach for her knife, just to reassure herself that it was still there in case it was needed.

"Hey, how many girls does your guy have?" Kim interrupted.

"Who?" My guy?

"Blondie," she added.

"Uh...just me," Jess answered. All three girls had wide eyes. They seemed to never have heard of monogamy.

"Wow. You must be really good," Kim said in awe.

"How long have you been with him?" Sasha queried and leaned closer with interest.

"Almost a year." They would never believe her if she told them she knew him practically since birth.

They gawked at her answer. "You must be really, really good!" Kim exclaimed. Jess wanted to roll her eyes.

"What do you do for him?" Carmen asked. What does she do for him? How exactly was she supposed to answer that question?

"You know...the usual, I guess. Most of the time I just keep him company. He keeps to himself a lot." That last bit was true about Brian, at least she wasn't completely lying. The girls nodded, acknowledging her answer.

"At the race...you seemed to know business when you were challenging Roy. Don't tell me you got that from New York too," Carmen remarked.

"No," Jess chuckled. "My uncle owned a bar here in Florida and he hired me as a bartender so I learned how to cut deals whenever we were short on supplies."

"New York? Florida? Sounds like you get around. Does Blondie take you all over the place?" Sasha asked.

"Pretty much. I help him out as an assistant sometimes, so he keeps me around." Jess really wished they'd stop asking her questions because she didn't want to risk forgetting any lies she'd just told.

"So when Blood Dog's doing business, what do you girls do?" She asked them.

All three girls rolled their eyes as if on cue. "Exactly what we're doing now," Carmen said bitterly as she looked around the club at all the other women having a good time. "We just sit around while he has his 'meetings' or whatever. Sometimes he takes us to the races, most times we have to get our own ride, it depends which one of us he wants by his side." Sasha added.

Jess's eyes widened, but not by much so they wouldn't notice. These women are objects to Roy. He pays all four to keep him company so the bastard doesn't feel lonely. Meanwhile, the girls are ok with being summoned as personal strippers and being judged by their looks and skill in bed. It made Jess sick, and she had a strong urge to stab him all over his body.

She mentally shook her head and focused on her goal in this operation: find info on Roy and Armando. If she could be on good terms with Sasha, Carmen, and Kim, and if Rose would just butt out, then maybe she can get some useful intel. She just hoped that Brian was also trying to play nice even though the only thing he wanted to do was shoot Roy.

After a few hours of relatively unimportant chatter with the girls, a large man, Jess presumed a bodyguard, approached them and looked at her.

"Your boy's askin' for you." Jess nodded, said goodbye to her new friends, and followed him to the booth where Brian and Roy sat, accompanied by some other men Jess didn't know.

"Have a seat, gorgeous," Roy smirked at her. She smiled weakly and sat beside Brian, thankful that the arm around her waist belonged to him rather than Roy.

"We were just discussing a job that your little boyfriend over here was confident you could do," he gestured to Brian. Jess looked briefly at him, trying to measure his reaction to see how exaggerated his 'confidence' was. She turned to Roy.

"Oh?"

"I'm not sure, though. You seem like the kind of girl who would cry over a broken nail," he smirked over the top of his vodka glass. She resisted rolling her eyes.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Blondie will give you the details later. Basically, I need your pretty little ass to distract some guards for a bit so the big boys," he gestured to everyone else sitting at the booth, including Brian, "can go to work. Think you can handle that?"

"How much time do you need?"

"Milk it. As much time as you can give us. Blondie said you're decent with guns, maybe you can help out as the cleanup crew after."

Decent? She looked over at Brian, both knowing that he was going to pay for undermining her marksmanship. She looked back at Roy, her face displaying confidence. "You got it. When do I start?"

He smirked and laughed. "Look at this girl! She's down for whatever! Ey, man, where'd you find this girl anyway?" Roy joked to Brian, the rest of the men laughing as well.

"Even if I told you, it wouldn't matter. She's one of a kind." He replied and drank from his beer. Jess turned to him and raised her eyebrow. She gave him an ambiguous smirk, wiped the top of his beer, and downed the rest of it, which was not much. Roy burst out in laughter.

"Damn, girl! You better give him some head tonight, the man just gave you a compliment!" The other men nodded and looked at her maliciously.

"Oh, I'm counting on it," Brian joked, trying to keep up the positivity of the conversation. Jess smiled as well, but Brian could feel her body tense up.

"Ah. Anyways, Blondie, I'll be checkin' in on you so you know the plan. All you gotta do," Roy turned to Jess, "Is keep lookin' sexy," he smirked.

She smiled as expected, baring her teeth to make it more realistic. Brian knew that smile was one step away from turning into a vicious growl, so he gently ushered her out of the booth. "Goodnight, boys," he waved to the men and Jess followed suit. Brian pulled her away when Roy threw her a wink and he felt her arms tense up as she formed tight fists in her hands.

They exited the club, Jess taking the wheel since she drank less alcohol than Brian. The ride back was silent and awkward, and when they got home, Luna was the only one making noise. Brian was about to plop down on the couch when Jess's high heels kicked the back of his knee, causing him to groan and curse at her. She kneed his back and sent him to the ground and held him in a full Nelson as she angrily yelled at him.

"Decent?! I'm decent?! With a gun?"

"Aw, come on Jess. You know I didn't mean that," he groaned. Sometimes she could get so sensitive.

"I'm sorry, would you like a blowjob as an apology?" She hissed sarcastically. Brian made the mistake of hesitating to answer. He couldn't resist simply thinking about it.

"You're such a douche, you..." She stopped when she noticed a puncture on his neck. It looked just like hers, and in the exact same place as hers. She released her Nelson grip and poked it.

"Ow!" He winced when his eyes grew wide, realizing what just happened. He hoped and prayed that she wouldn't think that he knew about it.

"Brian. You have one just like mine," Jess's voice grew soft and afraid.

"What? No I don't." He countered and struggled underneath her. She froze, observing him carefully.

"Did you know about this?"

"No! What are you talking about!?" He answered frantically. She placed two fingers on his neck, feeling for his jugular vein.

"Are you lying to me?"

"What? No, why would I lie?" He stuttered.

"That's funny, because your jugular vein is throbbing," she whispered threateningly.

"Maybe it's because you fucking kicked the back of my knee with your fucking stiletto heels!" He pushed himself off the ground and rolled Jess off of him. She grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him towards her.

"Or maybe it's because you're fucking lying! How long have you known?" She was furious, her cheeks growing red hot. To be honest, Brian was a little scared. As much as she seemed to hate him, it was rare for her to get this pissed at him.

"Since today. I swear, Jess," he looked into her eyes, trying to soften her up.

"Why didn't you fucking tell me?" She spat back, his plan obviously wasn't working. All he could do was be calm and hope that energy would transfer into her.

"You should've seen the look on your face, you were fuckin' terrified, Jess. If I told you, you probably wouldn't have even closed your eyes, much less have gone to sleep."

Miraculously, she shut her mouth. She sighed angrily and pushed him away. He was right, and they both knew it. But Jess wasn't about to admit that. She'd rather die first.

She walked into the shower, not even bothering to tell him, a sign that meant he was probably going to get the silent treatment. And, boy, could Jess hold a grudge. He went to his own room and laid out clothes for him to change into after he showered. In the meantime, he sat at the kitchen counter and wrote down some notes about the information he gained from his meeting with Roy and the other men, his 'business partners', as he called them.

Jess took her sweet time in the shower, no doubt to annoy Brian. When she finished, she walked straight into her room, not even sparing him a glance, while Luna trotted behind her. Brian couldn't say the same about himself, he found his eyes glued to her wet body wrapped in a thin white towel, at least for a few seconds. He took in a few sharp breaths before finishing a last thought and showering himself.

When he finished, he was about to walk to his room when he heard music blaring from Jess's room. He put his ear to her door, recognizing the song.

Every time we lie awake, after every hit we take. Every feeling that I get, but I haven't missed you yet.

It was "I Hate Everything About You" by Three Days Grace. There was no doubt in Brian's mind that the song was directed right at him, because it was playing on full blast, loud enough to be heard from the living room, the kitchen, and probably the bathroom.

Every roommate kept awake by every sigh and scream we make. All the feelings that I get, but I still don't miss you yet.

Brian struggled, contemplating whether he should apologize, and how. The anger in her eyes was a fury that he hasn't seen since...Mia. He shook his head, trying to forget the past.

Only when I stop to think about it.

He opened the door to her room, fully knowing that he was digging his own grave.

Jess turned to him, glaring as he silently walked up to her. He knew what she was going to do, there was a certain fear in his eyes. But he also knew this had to happen if they were to work as a team.

She landed a right hook to his face, making him bend over in pain.

I...hate everything about you!

She kneed his forehead, bringing him to his knees.

Why do I love you?

She kicked him in the gut and he doubled over, his head on the ground.

I...hate everything about you! Why do I love you?

She stopped, deciding that he needed a few seconds to breathe. She turned her back to him, walking a few feet away when her frustrated partner growled. A twinge in the back of her knee bit at her and she felt his body tackle her. Payback.

They both lay on the ground, recovering from the pain. Brian tenderly touched his face, feeling a few bruises take root and his head formed a nagging ache. Jess took a few moments to catch her breath and wait for the momentary pain in her back to disperse.

Every time we lie awake, after every hit we take. Every feeling that I get, but I haven't missed you yet.

Jess rolled over, groaning as her back complained, but she managed to get herself on one knee.

Only when I stop to think about it.

She looked at Brian, who buried his face in his elbow. He lifted his head to see her piercing eyes, he knew she was just getting warmed up, and if she wasn't pissed before he had tackled her, she definitely was now.

I...hate everything about you! Why do I love you? I...hate everything about you! Why do I love you?

She forced herself to stand first, which emasculated him a bit. She brought her hands up in a fighting stance, ignoring the dull pain in her back as she grew impatient for him to get up.

Only when I stop to think about you, I know. Only when you stop to think about me, do you know.

He took his time, Jess suspected he might even be delaying, for whatever reason. But he did get up, and faced her with loose but positioned hands.

I...hate everything about you! Why do I love you?

She feigned a right cross, which he moved to deflect, leaving an opening that she took advantage of. She kicked his side and connected an uppercut to his face. While still painful, he noticed that the hit was regressed; she was holding back.

You...hate everything about me! Why do you love me?

All the while, Brian took her hits, never hitting, only deflecting. He accepted being her punching bag if it meant they could reconcile. Although most girls wouldn't make up with their friends in such a violent manner, it was clear to Brian now more than ever that Jess was not like most girls.

...I...hate

...You...hate

...I...hate

You love me!

She gave him a good uppercut to his rib cage, and another blow to the gut, making him bend over once more. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, she brought her knee up to his stomach, causing him to groan loudly in pain. She hesitated for a second; this was the first time he had vocalized his pain during their 'reconciliation'.

I...hate everything about you! Why do I love you?

She kicked him to the ground for good measure and straddled him, resting her hands on either side of his head. She was panting and sweaty, though not as much as Brian. She didn't understand why he would let her beat him, but she appreciated the effort anyway, because she wasn't so good with words when it came to verbal communication. Brian groaned as the song ended; it all seemed so quick. Maybe it was just the fact that his best friend had beat him up. His head was still spinning and his stomach felt like it was flipped upside down and used as a punching pillow, which was partially true. Jess sighed, her heartbeat slowing down to its normal pace.

"For 24 years, I've dealt with your shit. We've made fun of each other, called each other names..." She began in a soft voice that turned into a whisper as she breathed.

"I'm okay with fighting and arguing, as long as we fix things and call it a day. But you know that the thing I value most is trust. Lying to me will get you nowhere." She finished, not realizing that she hung her head so low that it was practically resting on his chest. She was too emotionally and physically tired to care.

He wrapped his arms around her, sensing the stress emitting from her. The last time she had ever broken down like this was when she found out her father was cheating on her mother, though that time she was bawling in his arms. Now she was just exhausted; the day had brought much to think about. Jess sighed and got off of him. He groaned as the pain in his torso reignited. She stretched her hand to him and helped him up.

"Uh...I'm not sure if this is too soon," Brian started, knowing that usually after a fight, Jess takes a few weeks to return to her regular self. "But...wanna compare notes?" He gave her a shy look, unsure if she'd be willing to talk about the case right now. A hesitant look crossed her face before she stiffly nodded and walked to the kitchen, where Brian followed.