A Gangster's Pure Love

CHAPTER 6

"Sorry for waking you up so early." Gunner apologises the moment he steps into their kitchen.

A gun stares him in the face before he can even blink after his apology and instead of fear, a grin spreads across his face. It's always been difficult for him to keep a straight face when it comes to this particular person. He raises his hands in mock surrender while quirking an eyebrow at the person aiming at him.

"You are not getting this bullet only because you brought a girl home. Well..it's not exactly home but you know what I mean." A strong female voice says and his grin grows wider.

"Good to see you too nana and no, I did not bring a girl home. Well... it's not exactly home but you know what I mean."

They both burst out laughing and Gunner feels a light atmosphere surround him. He had missed this silvery haired old woman and he stretches out his hands to embrace her.

"I missed you!" Gunner hugs her softly enjoying the motherly feel of her embrace. 

"Me too baby."

The sound of her voice has become raspy but it still holds the tenderness that this woman has given him from the time he was just a little boy. He holds on longer as he sighs enjoying being that little boy again. It's just the two of them in the mansion's kitchen and he doesn't mind this display of affection between him and the woman who probably knows him better than himself.

"Does this old thing still work?" Gunner grabs her gun from behind her and holds it up in the air inspecting it. The piece of metal looks as old as it's owner but he knows it still works just as good as the first time he gifted it to her. An odd choice for a gift to a woman, especially a mother figure, but one would have to understand their history to make sense of it.

"Don't call my baby old." Margaret retorts. 

"And if you want to know if it still works, I suggest you ask it's victims that are still six feet under."

She smirks before grabbing it from him and giving it a kiss. That makes him laugh.

"I thought you changed." He retorts.

"You only get one of me baby?" She answers with a lot of sass while waving her gun in the air and flipping her hair.

"You are even worse I see." He quirks an eyebrow at her and she just laughs.

"So now tell me why you decided to turn the lights for the mansion on after all this long?" 

Margaret pats a seat on the breakfast counter while she proceeds to switch on the stove. 

But instead of sitting he looks around the kitchen and a sense of sadness fills him when his eyes fall on his brother's favourite chair. Back then this place would have been loud even as early as it is right now. The fool couldn't keep his voice down even if his life depended on it.

"Don't look so sad, I bet that fool is partying right there in heaven." 

He finds Margaret watching him with a grin plastered on her face. He hasn't been here after that cold Christmas eve 10 years ago, but the place feels like he just left yesterday. And right now he regrets saying no to Margaret's request for a remodel. Leaving everything as it was may not have been the best idea, even though back then it seemed like the right thing to do. He now realizes that it was never about the remodel, but his own fear to erase the memories he had in this place.

"And probably barking orders at everyone who comes his way." He finally says before sitting down, making the old woman laugh again. His brother's view of heaven always makes them laugh. The guy just assumed the moment he entered heaven he would be the number one sweetheart to everybody.

"Why are you here?" Margaret asks over the sound of whatever it is she is frying.

"Am I not allowed to miss you?" He replies amused.

"You've missed me many times before, but you never set your foot here." She stands beside the stove with arms folded.

"A lot can change in ten years you know." He answers before taking a sip of his coffee that Margaret just placed in front of him.

"I can see that." Margaret grins as she nods in the direction of the stairs.

"Oh no, that's not part of the change." He protests, but even he knows he can't convince Margaret of that.

"She's beautiful." Margaret chirps.

"And how would you know that? You haven't even seen her." He sits back looking at Margaret cook.

"Well...she's here right now no?" Margaret asks even though she is focussed on whatever she is cooking.

"What has that got to do with anything?" He frowns.

"Well…" she begins to say but someone clearing their throat behind him has her looking over him to whoever is standing behind.

And just like magic the kitchen's atmosphere changes from the light, loving atmosphere they just enjoyed a moment ago to a cold, tense one reflecting his own demeanour and expression that is now plastered on his face. He may be like a son to Margaret but around here he is…

"Razor….I mean sir." A very unsure voice sounds from behind him and he stiffens at being kept waiting even for a second longer.

"Cat got your tongue boy?" Margaret snaps and Gunner hears a quick shuffling behind him before a folder is placed in front of him. 

"Marco." The guy quickly mumbles before stepping back quietly.

A single word leaving the person's lips has Gunner gritting his teeth and Margaret flying to his side in a flash. Her hands pick the folder up and flips through it in a rush as if searching for the next clue to a buried treasure. Gunner on the other hand just sits quietly and composed as he sips on his coffee.

"Are you sure?" Margaret interrogates the person who just brought the report.

"Yes Margar….I mean mam." The person corrects themselves after Margaret hisses at them.

"Out." She barks, all traces of the sweet old lady from before replaced by a rather fearful one. 

"What are you going to do?" Margaret turns to him after the person leaves, but Gunner remains quiet.

"Wait is this about her? You knew about this?" The shock in her voice makes his lips twitch from how much he is biting down on his teeth.

"Is this why you are back, why you are here?" Margaret's voice is slowly rising with each question.

"Speak to me damn it." She snaps at him, but he just gets up without a word and heads back upstairs. 

"Gunner!" Margaret shouts after him but he doesn't even spare her a glance. A string of curses follow right after followed by a frustrated sigh from the old woman.

He heads right up to the room where he left the doctor. 

"How is she?" He asks the moment he steps right in. 

"Not responsive still." The doctor quickly answers. The man seems worn out already and Gunner can see that he just shook him out of his slumber. 

"It's been too long. She should have awakened by now. I really think you should consider a proper hospital for her." The doctor says while he wipes his specs.

"No, that's not an option." He growls before walking over to the battered girl laying on the bed. She is still sleeping, her face seems to have lost some of the blue tint that it had earlier. He stands over her quietly before getting lost in thought.

"Who are you?" He thinks to himself before sitting on a chair beside the bed. 

"And why is Marco after you?"

Memories from her earlier attack flood his mind. He remembers her fierce struggle and will to survive. He has never seen anyone fight their way to survival like that when they were clearly unmatched in strength. 

He looks on curiously to his mystery girl that is still sleeping and unmoving up to now. 

He gets up when he feels something stir within him, but just then moans fill up the room. Moans that quickly turn into some fearful screams and sobs, make him turn around in haste. He faces the girl that looks nothing like the figure that lay peacefully a moment ago.

"Mom...dad...no! Please don't leave me."

"What is going on?" He asks the doctor who is struggling to calm her down already.

"It seems she is having a nightmare." The doctor says while he tries to get her to lay down again.

"A nightmare that is obviously very to real to her." Gunner says before walking over to her quickly. He picks her up and places her in his arms and starts rocking her gently trying to calm her down.

"Shhh.." He says as he rubs his hands through her hair and surprisingly she seems to be calming down. Her once laboured breathing sounding normal once more..

"There, there.." He says before placing her right back on the bed. He is about to move back when a hand holds his in a tight grip forcing him to look at the person. 

"Who are you and where am I?"