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More Than Darkness	By : SaMe Category: M through R > Once Upon A Time In Mexico Views: 4591 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the movie that this fanfiction is written for, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-1
- 2-2
- 3-3
- 4-4
- 5-5
- 6-6
- 7-7
- 8-8
- 9-9
- 10-10
- 11-11
- 12-12
- 13-13
- 14-14
- 15-15
- 16-16
- 17-17
- 18-18
- 19-19
- 20-20
- 21-21
- 22-22
- 23-23
- 24-24
- 25-25
- 26-26
- 27-27
- 28-28
- 29-29
- 30-30
- 31-31
- 32-32
- 33-33
- 34-34
- 35-35
- 36-36
- 37-37
- 38-38
- 39-39
- 40-40
- 41-41
- 42-42
- 43-43
- 44-44
- 45-45
- 46-46
- 47-47
- 48-48
- 49-49
- 50-50
- 51-51
- 52-52
- 53-53
- 54-54
- 55-55
- 56-56
- 57-57
- 58-58
- 59-59
- 60-60
- 61-61
- 62-62
- 63-63
- 64-64
- 65-65
- 66-66
- 67-67
- 68-68
- 69-69
- 70-70
- 71-71
- 72-72
- 73-73
- 74-74
- 75-75
- 76-76
- 77-77
- 78-78
- 79-79
- 80-80
- 81-81
- 82-82
- 83-83
- 84-84
- 85-85
- 86-86
- 87-87
- 88-88
- 89-89
- 57
- 58
- 59
Warmed and mellowed by the light of the sun, Salida had yet
to say anything even remotely snide or harsh to Sands, even though he and her
husband were conversing as they did laps in the pool. She'd watched them for
awhile, but the feeling of low arousal she'd felt had been simply too awkward
when she considered that Sands was there too.
So for the time being she relaxed on her lounge chair as Aida slumbered
in the shade a few feet away. Even the sounds of the not-so-far-away freeway
were muted in this little courtyard.
�I�m just telling you, something has to be fucking done.
That bastard�s not going to leave us alone otherwise,� Jeffrey insisted, as he
turned over to float in the middle of the pool on his back with his arms
stretched out at his sides.
�And you think calling him up is the thing to do?� Sands
asked wryly.
�Well not just that, fuckwit, but antagonizing him.
Threatening him. We could threaten to kill his wife?�
�Rivers has a wife?�
�Apparently. Her name is Eileen or something. It couldn�t be
that hard to fucking find her.�
�How do you know what her name is?� Sands asked with a
curious frown.
�I don�t remember. Maybe Yvette told me. It doesn�t matter.
That�s her fucking name.�
Sands thought about it. �Well, I�m not so sure that I want
to go back into the heart of darkness to search out Rivers� fucking wife, but
the calling him up sounds like fun. Especially when we know they can�t trace
calls made from cell phones.�
�That�s the fucking spirit,� Jeffrey murmured as he rolled
over again and began to swim over to the edge of the pool near where Salida
sat. He had other ideas of what to do while talking to Roland on the phone, but
they weren�t for Sands to fucking hear about.
"Not so useless, am I, Sands?" Salida murmured as
she heard the men approach.
�What�s that supposed to mean, sunrise? I never said you
were useless,� he answered her as Jeffrey propped up his head in his arms at
the edge of the pool and looked up at her.
�I want to call him now,� he pouted.
"You think I am sometimes anyway," she told Sands,
ignoring her husband's impatience.
Sands just tilted his head in a half shrug. �I didn�t say
it. It was a good idea though. And it could be fun.�
�Could be? Fuck yeah it�s going to be fun. That asshole
needs to be taught a fucking lesson. He just won�t learn,� Jeffrey said with a
scowl.
"He made me leave my first home since I came to this
country," Salida growled.
�Bastard,� Jeffrey hissed, fueled by Salida�s anger.
"If I can't have his head on a platter before me in
this very instant, I'll settle for this."
Salida's eyes were cold. "It
will do. For now."
�For now,� Sands agreed, his eyes just as cold as Salida�s
were for different reasons. �He�s a dead man. This has gone on long enough.�
�You�ve got that fucking right. The son of a bitch should
have been a chalk outline years ago. I�ll get you his fucking head, vixen. A
gift. Maybe I�ll even put a big fucking red bow on it for decoration.�
"No. No bow. Perhaps stick it in his office if he has
one."
�I don�t know if he does or not. But if he does, I�ll do it
just for you, vixen,� Jeffrey promised with a fond smile in her direction. �So
are we clear? Fun and games with Rivers has ended. He�s a dead man.�
�Crystal,� Sands responded without hesitation. �And the
women?�
�Fuck the women. If they�re with him, they�ll be fucking
buried along side him.�
�Fine with me,� Sands said with a nonchalant shrug.
"I'd actually prefer it if you didn't fuck the women," Salida murmured, wanting to make sure
they weren't disturbing Aida. Something told her that the other woman wouldn't
appreciate the conversation as much as the rest of them did.
�What? Oh. That�s not what I meant and you know it, vixen.�
She grinned. "Just wanted to double check. I never know
what you'll end up doing. It wouldn't have been more than a mindless fuck - I
know that much - but it'd take more than a few charms to earn your way back
into my good graces." As she said that, she held up the wrist that was adorned
by her charm bracelet. At least she'd managed to leave the house without
forgetting that. Just another reason to never take it off.
A visible sigh of relief went through Jeffrey�s lean frame.
He had become so used to her just having it with her that he hadn�t even
considered that she might have left it behind. �You want charms, I�ll give you
charms, vixen. But not because of that.�
"How about a skull?" she asked with dark good
humor. "A promise in reserve, if
you will."
He grinned. �I like the way you think, my dark goddess,� he
drawled.
Sands rolled his eyes �If you two are going to be all over
each other like that I think I�ll just leave. Don�t do anything about Rivers
without me. And keep an eye on the news for any developments.�
�Yeah, yeah. I got it. I�m not a fucking idiot,� Jeffrey
muttered.
�Just do it, Jeffrey. And let me know when Aida wakes up.�
�Fine. Are you going already?�
Sands didn�t answer. He just left.
�Come into the pool with me, vixen,� Jeffrey said once Sands
had left.
She raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? Does it look like
I'm wearing a swimsuit?"
�Does it look like I care? Join me anyway.�
"No. I like it where I am. Why don't you join me?"
�Because I like my suggestion better.�
"People can see us," she protested again.
�So? Fuck them. We can see them too. What�s your point?�
"You have something indecent in mind, that's my
point. I'd rather not get thrown out
just because some family with little kiddies comes down while you're trying to
make whoopie."
�Make whoopee?�
Jeffrey asked with a snort of laughter. �Is that what they�re calling it now?
And what makes you think I have something indecent in mind, vixen?� he asked
causally.
"When do you not?" She grinned wryly.
�Uh�I occasionally sleep.�
"And then you have wet dreams," she scoffed.
�I do not,� he argued. �Not when the real thing is so much
better and so close.�
"This morning you were telling me that if I didn't
already whisper sexual fantasies in your ear while you sleep, then I
should."
�Perhaps. But that was this morning,� he said wryly.
"And if you'd thought of it before then, you would have
said something."
�Probably,� he acknowledged with a smirk. �You�re not
joining me,� he pointed out.
"I'm not going to."
�Why not? The water�s nice and warm, your loving husband�s
waiting for you, and I promise I won�t bite.�
"Because I don't have a swimsuit, and only so many
clean clothes before we have to hit the Laundromat. Moreover -"
�You can get new clothes. In. Now,� he interrupted,
attempting to grab at her ankle from his position in the pool and narrowly
missing.
"No!" she yelled, half laughing as she pulled her
legs back.
�Oh come on. What can I do or promise to make you change
your mind?�
"You can stop trying to talk me into the water because
you don't have a chance."
�Why not? Swimming�s supposedly very good for you. Healthy
even. How long has it been since you�ve been swimming? It�s fun! And with me,
it�s twice as fun. Come on, vixen. What have you got to lose?�
"Any trace of virtue that I have left," she said
wryly.
�I�ll make it so you won�t even miss it. Promise,� he
promised with a grin. �Please?�
"Jeffrey..."
�Yes, me, your husband who wants you to join him in the
pool. You�re Salida, vixen, my wife who�s going to join me in the pool. Aren�t
you?�
"No."
�Why not?�
"I've told you why not."
�No you haven�t. Those have been excuses, not reasons.�
"Fine. I'm not an exhibitionist. Once, far above
everyone, with no one around that I knew was one thing. In a hotel swimming
pool with Sands� wife nearby is another thing entirely."
�I could be discrete�� he tried.
"No you can't."
�I could try�maybe.� He sighed. �You�re not going to join me
no matter what I say, are you?�
"No." Then she smiled invitingly. "But if you
want to try for tonight in the bathtub, I might be a little more open to
that."
�Promise?� he asked as he lifted himself up out of the pool.
He she wasn�t going to join him, then he saw no reason to keep on swimming. He
grabbed a towel, dried off his hair, and laid down in the beach chair beside
her, the extent of his arousal clearly visible through the clinging bright red
swimsuit he had bought in the hotel gift shop a few hours ago.
Salida half lifted herself up and then scooted her chair a
little closer to his. Seating herself again, she reached over and took his hand
in hers. "Love you," she comforted and offered as an alternative to
their swim.
He brought her hand to his lips and had kissed before he
even turned to look at her. �I love you too, Salida.�
"My only regret," she said slowly, "is that I
can't sun my back."
He hadn�t considered this. �I�m sorry, vixen. I say I�d try
and tan for you, but I�d only end up getting sunburned.� He glanced over at her
dark body slow, appreciating look. �Trust me, you don�t need it anyway.�
"You only say that because you can't tell at the moment
if my back is lighter than my front."
Funny, of all the disadvantages she'd thought went along with pregnancy,
not being able to tan hadn't been one of them.
�No, I say that because it�s true. You�re beautiful. Right
now, just the way you are.�
"Just don't say that I glow. That's the most clich�d description for a
pregnant woman that there is."
�Glow? How can someone glow? You�re not a fucking lightning
bug,� Jeffrey mused with a confused tilt of his head. �Beautiful yes, but I can
see no apparent glow.�
Salida smiled. "Were you serious about getting rid of
that bastard who made us leave?" she asked softly.
�Deadly. Why?�
"I've never had a home to fight for before. All I've
ever fought for is the chance to interact with that home. But none of them were
really mine."
�Was New Orleans really yours?� he asked curiously.
"I like to think so. I chose to go there. I chose the
house. I chose what we had in the house..." She shrugged and closed her
eyes. "But maybe I'm just fooling myself."
�Why do you say that, vixen?�
"Because if I could choose to go anywhere, I'd still
choose Mexico. I'd go down there, wipe out anyone who tried to make me leave,
and live in peace."
�If that�s really what you want, just tell me who I need to
kill, vixen,� he said seriously.
"At the very least? Tessa's father and
half-sister."
�And at the most?�
"There's an uncle I think, a few cousins. Whoever the
major contenders for leadership are after that..." Salida wasn't quite
sure how many there were anymore.
�I would kill them all and more to make you happy, vixen.�
"Maybe...maybe it wouldn't have to come to that."
�Then what, vixen?�
"Maybe we could just live in quiet obscurity somewhere
in the same region. Or some sort of trade could be made. If they could be
convinced that the marriage was legal, perhaps they'd make you one of their
assassins or something. You'd enjoy that."
He tried to shrug it off, but he couldn�t quite help the
thoughtful smile the thought of being paid to do something he truly enjoyed for
a living brought to his face.
Salida missed that though; her eyes were closed against the
hope of ever being able to go home.
"Well...we've plenty of business to take care of here
before we could even start to consider something like that. Not to mention that
Sands might take some convincing."
�So I�ll convince him,� Jeffrey said simply.
"Why do I think that's easier said than done?"
�Because it is. That doesn�t mean that I can�t do it though.�
"Can't do what?" Aida interrupted in a sleepy
voice.
Jeffrey turned to look at her, surprised that she was awake,
and evaluated her question. He shrugged and decided to tell the truth.
�Convince Sands to move with Mexico so that vixen will be happy and I�ll get to
become an assassin.� He turned to his wife. �It sounds like fun to me.�
"If we all wouldn't be killed on sight," Salida
murmured. "The plan still has a few bugs."
"I see..." Aida said slowly. "Perhaps I
should go back to sleep."
�I can deal with bugs,� he said still talking to Salida. He
turned to Aida, having only half heard her comment. �What? Sleep? Whatever. I�m
not stopping you.�
Salida elbowed him. She at least remembered that Sands had
asked to be alerted to when Aida woke up.
�Ow. What was that for?� Salida gave him a pointed look.
�Oh. Fine. Wakey, wakey, Sandsy.�
�Don�t fucking call me that,� Sands hissed at him as he came
to awareness. �Hello, Aida. Did you sleep well?�
"It's nice to be outside," she admitted. "I didn't mean to fall asleep
though. I meant to read."
�There will be plenty of time for that later. Don�t worry,�
Sands assured her.
"What's with this whole 'Mexico thing' then?" Aida
asked, feeling a bit out of the loop.
�Mexico thing? What Mexico thing? I don�t know anything
about Mexico,� Sands said with a suspicious frown towards Salida since he
couldn�t direct one at Jeffrey.
�Viva la Mexico,� Jeffrey murmured. �We�ll talk about it
later.�
That of course only served to make Sands even more
suspicious. �Sunrise, what about Mexico?�
"Well, it's South of here...very warm climate...lots of
Spanish speakers..."
�Very funny,� Sands said dryly. �That�s not what I fucking
meant and you know it.�
"No, you didn't really explain it."
He frowned at that because he wasn�t quite sure of what he
was asking himself. �What were you talking about that has Aida sounding like
you�re both laughing at a joke she doesn�t get?�

"She was asleep," Salida said, her feather's unruffled. "It's not my fault she woke in time to
hear the tail end of a private conversation."
Sands sighed, knowing that he clearly wasn�t going to get a
straight answer out of her now. �Fuck it. Fine. Nevermind.�
"Don't curse," she automatically said without
thinking of a few previous conversations that day.
�You don�t get to tell me what to do,� Sands said with a
flat look in her direction.
"And I'd prefer my children could be born before they
pick up bad habits."
�They won�t be able to talk, sunrise.�
"I don't care."
�Neither do I. Which is why I am going to go on saying
whatever the fuck I want.�
"You're a bastard," Salida said, not caring about
the hypocrisy of that statement. Before Sands could reply, she stood and
started to walk back to the hotel.
�Yeah, well you�re a fucking bitch who�s not my wife and therefore can�t even
begin to tell me what to do!� he called out to her with a scowl.
�She�s fucking right. You are a bastard,� Jeffrey hissed to
him.
�Oh yeah? I don�t see you cleaning up your language any,�
Sands returned with a sardonic smirk.
�Fuck you.�
�Exactly.�
"Umm? Hello?" Aida tried to regain her husband's
attention.
�What is it, spitfire?� Sands asked, turning to give her his
attention back.
"Nothing. Just wanted to see if anyone noticed that I
was still awake."
�Sorry. I didn�t mean to ignore you, Aida.�
�Hey! We were having a fucking argument!� Jeffrey reminded
Sands angrily.
�There�s nothing to argue about. Sunrise is not my wife.
Therefore she can�t tell me what to do. And neither can you.�
�Fuck this. I don�t want to fucking talk to you anymore. I�m
going off to find vixen,� Jeffrey muttered and got up to leave. Sands tried to
stop him, but Jeffrey was pissed off and determined, and therefore hard to
influence.
�You�re making a scene. Stop it,� Sands told him as he noticed
they were being watched by more than a few people alongside the pool.
�I don�t care.�
Aida had enough of their fighting. What they needed to do
was cool off. And they happened to be right next to a whole lot of water.
Coming up behind them as they staggered back in forth in
their struggle to each have their own way, she shoved them into the water.
Sands had just enough time to pinwheel his arms, and Jeffrey
to curse before they went into the pool headfirst with a great splash.
A few moments later, Jeffrey came to the surface, coughing
and wiping at his chlorine filled eyes furiously. �Damn it, kitty. That wasn�t
fucking funny.�
"Oh I don't know. I thought it was funny."
�I didn�t,� Sands muttered, wringing water out of his hair
and moving to get out of the pool.
Sitting down on the ledge, Aida pushed them back into the
pool with her foot. "I think you two should just stay in there until you
cool off."
�Fucking stop it, kitty,� Jeffrey said with a scowl. �I�m
bigger than you.�
"You're not going to hurt me."
�And how do you know that?�
"You're not as much of a bad ass as you think you are. Future
career as an assassin or not."
�Future career as an assassin? What are you talking about,
Aida? Jeffrey? What is she talking about?�
�Forget it,� Jeffrey said with a cold look in Aida�s
direction. �Don�t think that because you�re fucking married to Sands that you
know anything about me, kitty. You don�t.�
"Perhaps you're right. But I know my husband."
�We�ll see,� Jeffrey said, pushing her to the side and
getting out of the pool. Before Sands could stop him or Aida had a chance to
respond, he had already walked back inside, not even bothering to grab a towel.
Aida sighed, then went back to her seat to retrieve her
book. That done, she went to her and Sands' room. Maybe she'd watch some TV or
something for awhile.
Needless to say, Sands and Jeffrey argued all the way back
to Jeffrey�s room. It didn�t come to blows, but there was definite animosity on
both sides. It was as if they had been waiting to go at each other ever since
they had been forced to flee New Orleans. This was just an opportunity as good
as any other.
�God, I can�t fucking stand you. I�ve gotten rid of two
fucking voices in my head already. How about I try to get rid of you?� Sands
threatened with a scowl as they entered the hotel room.
�Just fucking try it. I�ll be waiting for you,� Jeffrey
responded. �And you haven�t gotten
rid of anyone. I have. So if anyone�s
fucking leaving, it�s going to be you.�
�Fuck you. You don�t have the balls to come after me,� Sands
taunted.
Jeffrey laughed. �I would think that you would know as well
as I do that that�s not the case, you fucking moron.�
Well, there hadn�t been any blows until then�
...although it wasn't one of the men who did it. Salida,
tired of their dirty mouths, slapped them.
"God, if you're so antsy, go ahead and make your call.
Just make sure to mention that you're not about to visit family, because I'm
sure that'd put a real damper on Grant's visit."
Both men stood in a bit of a shocked stupor for a moment,
neither of them fully believing what she had just done. Jeffrey recovered a
hair quicker. �You slapped me.�
�Don�t touch me again or I�ll make you fucking sorry,
sunrise.�
�No, you won�t,� Jeffrey said with icy calm.
She threw up her hands in frustration. "You two are
getting unbearable. Either do something to work off the energy so you can
pretend to be humans again, or go fuck yourselves."
�Like I�d want to touch him,� Jeffrey mocked with a sneer.
Sands didn�t dignify that with a response.
"Well, then I suggest that you do something to solve
your little problem."
�Oh yeah? Like what, sunrise? What would you have us fucking
do? We can�t stand each other, we�re stuck with one another, we can�t go back
home, we can�t call Rivers yet, and we can�t go on any homicidal rampages. What
else is there? Oh, I forgot getting our brains fucked out because you and
spitfire are pissed off at us,� Sands said dryly.
"Why don't you write him a letter? Now that we've left, I bet they're collecting
our mail."
Jeffrey shook his head. �Wouldn�t get an immediate response
that way. No fun.�
"Oh, but it'd drive him crazy. And when you eventually
call him, you can ask if he got your note. It'll drive him crazy."
�I don�t know, it sounds too passive to me,� Sands mused. He
didn�t seem to notice that he and Jeffrey had stopped arguing. Neither did
Jeffrey.
"But it'd give you something to do besides drive your
wives crazy. It can be as long, and nasty, and obscene as you want. You can plant
all sorts of misleading clues, dangle false information, etc. Doesn't that
sound like it could be something that'd interest you for a little while?"
They considered for a long while. �Alright,� Sands said
finally. �Do you have any paper?�
�And a pen,� Jeffrey added.
"There's hotel stationary. Just rip the logo off."
�Alright,� Sands said as they walked over to a small writing
desk against the wall where stationary was kept. There was even a pen with the
hotel logo placed on top of it for convenience.
Jeffrey took a seat at the desk, grabbed the pen in his left
hand, and began to write. �Dear Fuckhead�� he murmured aloud.
Relieved that they were finally quiet and occupied, Salida
sat down and started flipping through channels. The last thing she wanted was
to be caught by surprise again.
Dear Fuckhead,
How�s it
hanging? Oh, well I guess you wouldn�t know you dickless asshole. We just
wanted to write this letter to say that we�re fucking pissed off and coming for
you. We�ve put up with you and your trained bitches for far too long now. It�s
been fun, but you know what they say: all good things must come to your end.
This is your end.
Excuse Jeffrey�s bluntness, he doesn�t quite have the
finesse in letter writing that I fuck
you, bastard do. But that doesn�t
matter. One doesn�t really need finesse to kill someone, it merely helps. For
example. He didn�t really need any finesse to kill that whore of yours Yvette,
but even I have to admit, he did pretty well on the aftermath.
You should have seen her, fuckhead. It was fucking
beautiful. I stabbed her�well, I don�t remember how many times I stabbed her
but it was a lot. But you know what the great part was? I�ll tell you. She
lived through most of them. A pity she wasn�t still alive when I removed her
eyes. That would have been fun. Of course, then there would have been all kinds
of screaming and we probably wouldn�t be free to taunt you like this now. Shit
happens, huh?
Needless to say, you won�t be catching us. You�ll never even
get close. Well, that�s not entirely true. You�ll get good and close once we�ve
killed you. Jeffrey�s promised his wife your head on a platter. And believe me,
he keeps his promises.
Damn straight.
Anyway, we�re not writing this to warn you or threaten you
in any way. Not at all. You will be
killed. This is a fact. I just felt like writing this because I was fucking
bored. Did you know that there�s almost nothing to do in this city? I mean
sure, the gondolas and river ways are fun to look at the first time, but after
awhile they get boring. And the place is sinking, did you know that? I actually
like that though. There�s sort of a fatalistic atmosphere here that appeals to
me somehow. Perhaps it�s a psychotic thing, who knows?
Don�t listen to him. This place is fucking cold as hell. And
all anyone wants to do is go skiing. What is the point of skiing? Have you ever
been skiing, you impotent son of a bitch? I bet you haven�t. Let me guess,
you�re more of a tennis man. I bet you suck dicks in your spare time too? Do your
bitches watch or are they lesbians? Because honestly, I know they would much
rather go after each other than you. As if you were ever interested in either
of them. You�ve probably never had the taste of a good pussy in your mouth,
have you? Your wife Eileen�s just a front, right? You can�t be really married.
And hell, if you are, you won�t be for very much longer so I guess it doesn�t
really matter. I like to kill women. I will like killing your women even more.
I�ll kill her first, along with the guy she has to be fucking on the side. Fuck
knows she�s not getting any at home.
What he means to say despite his going on is that we intend
to kill your entire family, Rivers. Not just your wife. Parents, grandparents,
kids, aunts uncles, I�m going to kill them all just for having the misfortune
to be related to you. Now doesn�t that sound like fun? At least it�ll keep me
occupied for a few days in any case. Be seeing you. Sands & Jeffrey Jeffrey and Sands
Sands and Jeffrey sat back in their chair a bit and surveyed
their work. It had taken quite a few sheets of the small hotel stationary to
write it, and the handwriting was definitely�interesting as it definitely
changed throughout, but they were both somewhat pleased with the result. �It�s
done vixen. Wanna read it?�
"Oh, I don't think I need to. I'm sure it wasn't anything I haven't already
heard. Did you guys enjoy yourselves
though?"
�Actually, yeah. I did at least,� Jeffrey said with a shrug.
�It was cathartic,� Sands agreed. �Not as much as some of
the other things I mentioned would have been, but it wasn�t so bad.�
�The handwriting looks weird, though,� Jeffrey murmured,
picking up the small sheets of paper and looking at them with a pensive look on
his face.
"I'm sure it looks very nice," Salida assured him
in a patronizing voice. She was still focused on the TV. She'd finally found a
news program; so far they hadn't mentioned anything about a serial killer in
New Orleans. Or fleeing New Orleans for that matter.
Jeffrey frowned at her tone and came to sit next to her as
she watched television. He sighed, not wanting to do this in front of Sands,
but having no other choice. �I�m sorry, vixen. We�re just a little stir crazy,
that�s all. I won�t start any more arguments if I can help it, alright?�
"I don't blame you. I at least am not being hunted. Hell,
no one even knows I exist."
�I do,� Jeffrey said simply. �And you�re everything to me.�
She smiled. "Well, at least I can say that I haven't
seen anything that even remotely concerns us on the news. Other than perhaps
that gas prices are rising again."
�Well either no one�s found out yet, which is good, or the
press just hasn�t found out yet, which is not so good. It�ll be harder for us
to keep tabs on them that way.�
"I'd think we wouldn't want the press to know until
after the big visit with the in-laws.
Dinner conversation might be a little strained if Grant's parents
recognized you from a picture on TV."
�Yeah, no shi�er�kidding,� Jeffrey muttered.
�If that happens�well, it better not happen,� Sands said
with a furrowing of his brow.
"All the more reason to go visit the parents, to not
stay long, and then get out of state. If we don't go out of the country."
�I haven�t decided yet,� Sands said with a shrug. �But we
can�t stay here. And I don�t want the visit to be long any more than either of
you do.�
"I know we can't stay here. We'll - or I'll - have to
find somewhere else to stay while you're making your visit. I'm certainly not
going to tag along for that."
�Wish I could join you,� Jeffrey muttered.
"Depending on how things go, maybe you will."
�We�ll see,� Sands allowed.
Jeffrey just shrugged.
"That's what I thought.
That's also why I suspect that it won't be a long visit."
�I hope not,� Sands admitted. �I�m just going for Aida. I
have no real desire to meet her entire clan.�
"How many are there?" Salida asked idly.
�Aida has four brothers and a sister. Apparently they all
have kids. It�s going to be a nightmare.�
�Glad I�m not going. Oh wait. Damn it,� Jeffrey murmured
with an irritated scowl. �Don�t expect me to be sociable.�
�I don�t expect you to be there at all. Well, not until
we�re about to leave. Then I guess I don�t care. It won�t matter anyway.�
�Whatever.�
"Do we have stamps?" Salida asked suddenly, hoping
to interrupt before they got started again.
�I don�t think so,� Sands said after a moment�s hesitation
and regard towards Jeffrey.
"Well, you'll need one if you're to mail your
letter."
�I think I saw a post office down the street when we first
drove up. I�ll got get one in a little while.�
�Why not now?� Jeffrey asked curiously. �I thought you were
stir crazy?�
�I am, but if I go out now I�ll probably end up killing the
fucking clerk or something so I figured it�d best if I waited,� Sands said
dryly.
Jeffrey shrugged. �Maybe not the clerk. Maybe the person
ahead of us in line,� he said with a smirk. �Although then the clerk probably
wouldn�t help us we�d have to kill him anyway.�
�Exactly. So I guess I wait.�
"Fine. Then just sit quietly and channel surf or
something. You two are going to drive me insane if you're not careful."
�I thought you already were insane, sunrise?�
�And do you really expect us to just sit here quietly? Come
on, vixen. You know me better than that at least.�
With a groan of frustration, Salida threw herself back on
the bed. "Fine. Fine. Whatever. Do you think that you can at least keep
from sniping at each other for just a little while?"
�Yes Miss Salida, we�ll be good,� Sands said wryly.
�Especially since I can�t think of anything to do,� he muttered.
"See? That's the bit that worries me. At least when you
have something to do you're not making me wish for a frying pan."
�Why would you want a frying pan, vixen?�
"To hit you over the head with."
�Oh, isn�t she sweet?� Jeffrey asked Sands with a smirk.
�Like a snorted pixie stick.�
�Right,� Jeffrey said with a raised eyebrow.
Sands shrugged. �I�m bored, remember?�
The thought of snorting pixie sticks made Salida's nose
hurt. She covered it with one hand as
she grabbed the pillow with the other and pulled it down until she could prop
her head up on it.
�You�re not being very entertaining, sunrise.�
"I wasn't aware that I was supposed to be entertaining
anyone," she sighed, placing her hand over her belly. Someone's awake in there.
�Well there�s no one else here but Jeffrey and he�s just as
bored as I am. That leaves you,� Sands said, eyeing her gesture with a slight
downward turn of his mouth.
"What are you frowning at?" she asked. "No
one's using you as their coconut telegraph."
�Nothing. Forget it,� Sands murmured. �I think I�m going to
take a shower. I hate smelling like chlorine.�
"Fine." Salida knew she needed to talk to Sands at
some point, but she didn't think now was the right time. She sighed deeply.
�No, wait. What�s the deal between you two all of a sudden?�
Jeffrey asked with a curiously glance towards Salida. �And don�t tell me it�s
nothing because I can see that it�s more than nothing.�
�Just forget about it, Jeffrey. It doesn�t matter,� Sands told
him slowly.
�Bullshit. If it concerns my wife, it matters.�
�I don�t want to talk about it.�
�Well what if I do?�
�Too bad.�
"Jeffrey," Salida said softly, reaching over and
touching his arm. "It's nothing. It's just that sooner or later Sands and
I are going to have to have a little talk."
�About what?� Jeffrey asked when Sands said nothing to
confirm nor deny that statement.
"You know what, lover."
�What? Oh. Why now? It�s not exactly new news anymore.�
"We don't have to talk now. Just eventually."
�Eventually,� Sands said softly.
�Fine, whatever,� Jeffrey said with a sigh. Sands just left
to go take his shower.
***
Salida was still scanning the news channels two nights later
when Sands came into the room. She glanced up for a moment to confirm which man
he actually was, then turned off the TV. Silence rushed in to fill the void; it
was a tactic on her part to get Sands to come to his point quickly. He hated
silence just as much as Jeffrey did. And while she had a feeling that she knew
what he wanted to say, she was more than willing to let him open the
conversation.
Sands frowned at the silence and took a breath to gather his
thoughts. He knew what she was trying to do, but unfortunately, it was working.
He really hated silence. He didn�t know why, he just accepted and dealt with
it. And she knew that. �Why are you having�those children?� he asked at last.
"Because Jeffrey wants them."
�Jeffrey wants a lot of things. He doesn�t always get them.
Why are you giving him this when you obviously don�t want them yourself?� he
asked with a genuinely confused frown. �I don�t understand.�
"I don't know what I want. Sometimes I'm terrified that I'm going to
ruin their lives. And at others, I want them so badly..."
�They will ruin our
lives. You can�t honestly expect to be able to raise a child living the life
that we do? Oh excuse me, not one but three.�
"You're right. At least you're half right. With that
attitude we'll never make it. But it's my fault that I got pregnant and I'll
face the consequences."
�That may be true, but you�re not the only one facing the
consequences of your actions, Salida. These children of yours affect all of
us.�
"What would you have me do, Sands?" Salida sighed.
"I can't get rid of them. It'd crush Jeffrey."
�Why should I care about that?� he asked honestly. �And even
if I did, he�d get over it.�
"How long have you known Jeffrey?" Salida asked, a
look of pure amazement on her face.
Sands blinked and thought about it. �I don�t think I�ll ever
really know him, but I�ve known that he was there for�awhile.�
"Do you really think he'd get over it?"
He sighed, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and running
a hand across his face in that same familiar weary gesture that she had seen he
and Jeffrey both do when they knew they didn�t have all the answers. �I don�t
know. But Salida, you cannot have these children.�
"Why not? What if we could make it work?"
�It�s the if that bothers me. Not to mention the we. I want
nothing to do with them, Salida. I don�t particularly like or care about
children.�
"They won't understand why their father sometimes loves
them and sometimes hates them."
�They�ll just have to learn,� he muttered. I did.
"And what if they're capable of learning different
lessons?"
�Like what?� he asked with a sigh. �What might they learn?
That they�re father�s two different people if not more? They�re going to learn
that anyway.�
"What if they could learn to do more than understand that?
Say they are like us. Say they're as crazy as a loon. What if somehow they
could learn that insanity doesn't have to hold them back? That it�s a gift? That
it makes them better than everyone else?"
�Great. Then when they�re all old enough we can go on family
killing sprees. Wouldn�t that be fun?� he asked dryly.
"You're smart, Sands. Tessa was just a few IQ points
short of being a genius. My children have the DNA of you both."
�So they�ll be smart and psychotic. Perfect. Why are you
keeping them again?�
"Fine. Don't give a flying fuck. Just know that I'll
have your head before I let you turn them into miniature versions of you. They'll
learn what they are from people like them.
They can learn how to hide and live with it. And then they can learn how
to turn the world into their playground. But I won't let them learn how to be
bitter and cynical. I won't let you teach them that."
�I don�t want them to be fucking miniature versions of me. I
don�t want them at all! Don�t you think I fucking know what they�ll be like?
And how I turned out? Oh yeah, I had a marvelous upbringing. Full of hate and
ignorance that their only son was anything more than a legacy to their fucking
name and fortunes. I had so much fun that one day simply wanted it all to end.
I couldn�t take it anymore. But I wasn�t going to let them live any longer
either. I don�t want that for anyone, Salida. I�m not so insane that I don�t
know that. I don�t want these kids. I never have.
I don�t know about your family, but I can�t imagine it was
fucking love and kittens by the way I�ve heard you talk about going back to
Mexico now. It doesn�t matter that I don�t want them to be like me or that you
wouldn�t want them to never be able to go home again. That�s not it. What�s
really the matter is that that�s all that any of us know. How can any of us
possibly expect to teach your children anything else? Violence begets violence,
Salida, and we pass on what we have been taught.�
"Jeffrey loves me. Jeffrey loves them. I think I may be
coming to love them. However, if they're as emotionless as you are, that won't
be a problem, now will it?"
That had hurt, but he wasn�t going to let her know that. �I
suppose not,� he said evenly. �A family of sociopaths. How quaint.�
"Why can't you be serious about anything?"
�I thought I was being serious. I don�t want you to have these
children. I didn�t want to ever have children and you and Jeffrey have
effectively ruined that. I think you�re making a very big mistake by bringing
children into this world only to be raised by us. You�re just furthering it.
Furthering what I am and hate, and what they will be. They�ll be thrust into a
world they don�t understand each of them never having a true moment�s fucking
peace in their entire lives because they will never truly be alone. That�s my
legacy. And yours.�
"But they can be prepared for that. Who better to do
that than the three of us?"
�You�re deluding yourself. Nothing will ever be able to
prepare them for that. Nothing.�
"And if they're not schizo?"
�Come on, Salida. With both parents that way? No contest.�
"Your parents weren't. Tessa's father wasn't."
�Ok fine. Say one of them isn�t schizophrenic. Or hell, why
not two? Do you think they�d really remain sane surrounded by all of us?�
"Do you think Grant will really remain sane surrounded
by all of us?"
He slumped a little on the bed at that but straightened
himself so quickly that he may as well not have done it at all. �I don�t know.
Sometimes I wonder,� he murmured slowly. �Especially now.�
"My children will be different."
�How can you possibly know that? You can�t.�
"Because I'll make sure they are."
�And how are you going to that? By asking them nicely not to
go insane like their parents? I know, why don�t you beat it out of them? I hear
that�s effective,� he said tonelessly.
Salida visibly bristled at that. "Never."
�Are you so sure of that? I hear that a crying baby can be
very annoying. All it would take was one angry outburst, just one and you�re an official child abuser.
Or Jeffrey is.�
"I'd kill myself first."
�Then rather than be abused, your children would be
orphaned. That�s so much better, I�m sure.�
"They'll be safe. No one will hurt them."
�How do you know? How can
you know?�
"I know."
�They won�t have anyone, Salida. Because if you honestly
believe that Jeffrey will simply go on like he always has after you�ve killed
yourself then you�re the one who
doesn�t know him very well.�
"I won't have to kill myself because no one will hurt
them."
�Jeffrey�s hurt you? What makes you think he�ll stop with
them?� He didn�t go so far as to say, Or
I will?
"I won't let him."
�You can�t be safeguarding your children all the time,
sunrise. At the very least you�re outnumbered three to one and even you need
sleep.�
"What do you mean it's three to one?"
�Three children to watch over, one of you. It�s not rocket
science, sunrise.�
"Lots of mothers manage it."
�They�re not you. And they�re not married to Jeffrey.�
"I'll protect them with my life."
He eyed her thoughtfully. �It just may come to that one
day.�
"Why? Are you going to try something?"
�I didn�t say that.�
"I hope you don't. For your sake."
He narrowed his eyes at that. �For your sake too.�
"Then we have an understanding?"
�For now.�
"For now," she agreed. "Enjoy your
trip."
�Oh great fun will be had by all, no doubt about that,� he
said dryly.
"I'll expect to hear from Jeffrey sometime tomorrow
night."
�Fine. I suppose that�s fair. Will you be here?�
"Yeah. Might as well stay here."
Sands nodded. �You�ve got the number of where we�ll be
should anything happen. And I�ll have my phone. Call us if we have to run again
and we�ll meet you.�
"Alright. I assume I get to spend tonight with
Jeffrey?"
�That�s the deal.�
"I'll see you in a few days then."
�I suppose you will.� With that, Sands just nodded at her
and told Jeffrey to wake up and see to his wife.
�What the fuck were you two talking about for so long?�
Jeffrey said, standing up from his seat on the bed to move over to her.
"We were just making a few things clear between
us."
Jeffrey could tell that it had been more than just that, but
he truly didn�t want to get into it right now. �I�m going to miss you,� he said
with a sigh as he traced a hand down the contour of her cheek.
A small smile finally lit her face. "I'll miss you
too," she murmured, taking his hand in hers. She softly kissed his palm.
He returned the smile. �What are you going to do here all by
yourself for however long I�m stuck in happy family land?�
"Watching the news. Sooner or later that letter is
going to arrive and I want to make sure that we're not caught sleeping."
He frowned a little in thought. �I can�t say I regret
sending it because it was funny, but I almost wish I didn�t for the trouble it
will cause us now.�
"It won't cause as much trouble as that call will once
you make it." She grinned.
He couldn�t help the wide grin that broke out on his face.
�God, I can�t wait. Why�d you have to say that?� he moaned, lightly slapping
her shoulder.
"Just think of it as my way of giving you something to
look forward to."
�You�ll be here. What else could I possibly need?�
She smiled again.
"Nothing I guess."
�You guess? You don�t sound very convinced of that, vixen,�
he murmured, leaning in to nip at her jaw line.
"Then I know that you don't need anything else. But it
never hurts to hedge one's bets."
Salida didn't have the heart to tell him that she just wanted to sleep. But
she would soon anyway.
�I suppose not,� he said pulling back to look at her. He
sighed a little when he saw the hesitation and weariness in her posture. He
knew her well enough to know what that meant. �You just want to sleep, don�t
you?�
"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm sorry."
�Don�t worry about it,� he murmured, lying back on the bed.
�It�s not your fault you�re tired.� He didn�t sound quite convinced, but he was
trying.
"But you still think I should have taken a nap this
afternoon so we could say goodbye properly. Do I have it right?" she
asked, lying down beside him.
�It doesn�t matter. It�s not like I�m going away forever.
It�ll just be a few days. Hopefully less.�
"Well, I'll be waiting for you."
�I know you will.�
"Hold me while I sleep?"
�You don�t have to ask,� he said with a somewhat resigned
smile.
She knew he wasn't too happy, but he wasn't upset either, so
she didn't let it upset her. "Love you," she whispered, slipping under
the covers and cuddling close to him.
�I love you too, vixen. Get some sleep. I�ll wake you up
before we leave if you want,� he said softly, wrapping his arms around her.
"Yes. I want a
kiss goodbye."
�I think I can manage that,� he said with a marginally
better smile than the last one.
"Oh good."
�Goodnight, vixen,� he said, kissing her softly on the cheek
and then settling himself as best as he could for the sleep he wasn�t nearly
ready for yet.
"Goodnight," Salida murmured, settling herself comfortably.
There was nothing else to do then was to hold her, and wait
until morning came. For some reason, he didn�t think he�d be getting much sleep
tonight.
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More Than Darkness