not the best time at the rock bottom

Who: Jesse and Helena
When: Early Evening
Where: The Rock Bottom

Helena found herself at the Rock Bottom again. She'd been there for the grand opening but hadn't found out any information. That was why she had decided to come again, at a time where it wasn't quite so busy. Though, she wasn't sure what she'd gain. As far as she was concerned proper women didn't loaf around in bars, sipping on Sherry and interloping mob activity.

The O'Malley's owned it. That was what Pepper had told her and that was all she cared about. The way she saw it, if she couldn't crack this nut here then how was she going to crack it at all. She just wasn't sure how to. Perhaps she'd expected someone to take an interest in her but no one did so far and she hadn't see anyone that was anything other than a customer come in and out of the joint. She felt as if her luck had really run out.

"Who am I supposed to talk to...." She whispered to herself as she looked around at the sad, alcoholic faces and knew that no one here was going to help her.

"Hello." The man's voice came from behind her. It was full of gravel. It sounded like he needed to clear his throat. Helena turned to face who was addressing her. He was a stocky older man with wispy white hair. The pink of his scalp was peeking out from the thin strands. He had a bulbous nose marked with craters and veins. His lips were too thin for his face and his mustache was yellowed from smoking.

"Good Evening." Helena answered with as little interest as she could convey. She even looked away from the man, hoping he'd get the hint and go away. Instead he sat down.

"Excuse me?" She said incredulously. "I did not invite you." She told him unapologetically.

He too was unapologetic. "There's nothing wrong with my trying." He told her. "Let me buy you a drink."

"I'm waiting for someone." She said, her palms sweating under the table, where they were folded in her lap.

The man made a show of looking too and fro. "I don't think so. What's wrong with me?" he said, his mouth flickering into a smile. She didn't like how he was looking at her. "I can make you happy."

"I don't think you heard me." She asserted. "I am meeting someone here. He'll be here any minute." She put her hands up on the table on either side of the Sherry glass she'd been nursing for the last twenty minutes.

"I've been watchin' you fer awhile sweetheart. You came in here lookin' fer somethin'. Maybe you were lookin' fer me." He lifted his beer mug and sipped the last bit of beer from it and then gestured for the waiter. Helena stood up and he yanked on her dress, urging her to sit down. "Now, stop being so nervous and let me buy you a drink. I ain't gonna bite."

Jesse had come in, and was more or less just planning on listening. Just being there, listening, playing everything really low key. That was the plan. There'd been a plan, a good one, he'd thought it out and it didn't involve trouble at all. And it might have stayed that way, but it didn't. Because Jesse's plans never worked out.

This time it just didn't happen to be his fault. While new for him, it didn't make anything any easier. He'd come in, and he'd spotted her. She was hard to miss, really, Helena. She was striking, always had been, probably always would be. It also helped that apparently some asshole was making advances that she clearly wasn't into.

Jesse was a lot of things. 'Petty criminal' probably being the first and formost, but one thing he also was? Was a guy who couldn't ever walk away from a damsel in distress. It was wired into his brain somewhere, and he just acted. Thought wasn't anything that even flitted through his brain as he just stalked clear across the bar, grabbing Helena's arm as he pulled her back and he stepped between she and the guy. "Don't make me lay your ass out." he warned, glaring at the guy. Nevermind he was angry with the girl. Nevermind he had kind of tried to vow to steer clear of her and never talk to her again and leave her be and a whole host of other things he knew he wasn't actually capable of. ...but that had been the plan.

Helena gave a hmmpf as she was yanked out of harms way. So Jesse had stepped in and rescued her from Mr. Gin Blossom and his sour breath. It didn't mean she had to be happy about it. She was tired of being rescued. The last few days she'd been helped by a teenager, some grump in a crumpled suit, a black man and now Jesse. It didn't exactly make her feel independent or capable of handling the never ending mess her life had morphed into. "Jesse!" She cried out. Unfortunately, even if she didn't want him to know, she was actually grateful for his timing.

The Tobacco stained man looked between the both of them. "You can't blame me fer tryin'." He said plainly. In the silence that followed there was some coughing going on from some other gawkers, cigarette smoke furled into a fog of haze that settled over the drunks and drinkers like a bar room twilight. He looked past Jesse, "Maybe some other time." He shrugged and then pushed past them.

When he had gone, Helena stated, "I could have handled that Jesse!" at least, she wanted to believe she could. But, the hard lines of her face softened as she looked at her friend and she sighed, "I thought you didn't want anything to do with me anyway..."

"Yeah, well." Jesse said, giving her a glare. Or, it was meant to be a glare. It didn't come off that way. It looked much more like a stern look that didn't quite hit the mark he wanted. "We're leaving." he told her firmly, though, not really willing to bend on that score. Yeah, she needed to be the fuck out of here, and he should be too, especially with her, and this was a fine fucking mess, now wasn't it. He grabbed her upper arm and started heading towards the door, not really willing to entertain arguments over it.

"What do you..." She started before he grabbed her upper arm and began to pull her toward the door. Of course, everyone that wasn't interested before was interested now. The bartenders, the wait staff and the patrons were all looking over at the pair with marked curiosity. "Stop it Jesse..."Helena hissed. "You're making another scene." She tried to tug away from him, not wanting to be forcibly brought anywhere. But, Jesse was a strong guy. Apparently he was more stubborn than she'd given him credit.

She glanced across the room at the white haired man, who looked amused and sort of wicked as he watched what was going on. If Jesse meant to do her harm she wasn't going to get any help here. Thank god he wasn't the lady beating sort.

Jesse didn't actually give a shit that he was making another scene, or that people were watching, and he should have, really, but he didn't. He wanted her out of there, right the hell now. Ten minutes ago, even. Walking towards the door, he only stopped so she could get her coat, and he stood there shooting glares at the guy he'd just 'rescued' her from. He noticed a closer guy eyeing him and he turned the glare in that direction. "yes?" he snapped, tone clearly daring him to say something. Which he didn't, thankfully, Jesse wasn't in any real condition to start a bar brawl. Not that he wouldn't.

Get her coat she did. Pulling it on with jerking movements and buttoning it with trembling fingers. Usually she didn't mind being the center of attention but this was not what she had in mind. This was biting into her plans and might set her back. How could this have happened?

While Helena was getting ready to brave the January weather, Jesse was losing his temper at the locals who were drinking in the establishment....or at least snapping at them. The man that'd been eyeing them both snapped back, "I'd watch yer mouth or else I'll punch off yer jaw."

"Try it." Jesse said, not backing down. He didn't do backing down, really. It wasn't his style. Especially when he was standing up for something he cared about, and Helena fit the bill. Plus, he found he was often underestimated in the fight-business. People didn't think he could hold his own, or he was all talk. Which in actuality, he wasn't. He really hoped this didn't turn into something more, but if it did...well. It did.

Helena tensed. She was buttoned up and ready to go. Maybe there was some small part of her that enjoyed Jesse wanting to come to fisticuffs to protect her, still, she realized this would be counter productive for her interests and that, she didn't want to lose him to some weirdo with an overindulgent sense of self. "Jesse..." She said gently. "Let's just go." She looked over at the man. With as angelic a look as she could muster she said softly, "Please don't fight..."

The man looked unimpressed. In fact, he hadn't even glanced at Helena when she spoke. He was only interested in one thing and that was a scrap. "You gonna let your old lady step on your balls like that?" He stood up. Seemed this man wasn't one to back down neither. "Maybe I will try it. There's only one of you and a whole bunch of us." A group of men stood behind him, each meaner looking than the next.

Helena was staring at Jesse's bruised face. He's already been through this during the week. She wasn't going to have it. "You're all a bunch of jackasses!" She huffed and then slipped out the door.

Jesse watched her go, which was the point to all of this--getting her out of there. He just didn't follow her for a moment, instead looking back at the guys. "I'm still game if you really want to go there." he said, shifting just a little on his feet. He looked relaxed, he just wasn't. He was ready to move, because the big guy off to the left of the one who'd first stood up looked like he would charge. And if he did that, all he had to do was not be there when the guy got there and he'd go tumbling head first into the doors, possibly out into the street.

The group of men started to move forward. The bull of a man Jesse had figured for a charger, cracked his neck. The man who'd been the one to get into this first was cracking his knuckles. "This isn't a game..." He said, reeling a punch in Jesse's direction. "but it might be your funeral." then there was no more discussion.

The big man behind him started to charge and the ring of brawlers got tighter as soon as the melee began.

Jesse moved. And he moved again as the guy charged, which worked pretty damn well, really. Bull just charged his way right off balance and his head cracked into the doorway, spilling him out into the street and down the steps. Jesse also threw a punch to the guy who'd thrown one his way into his ribs, before moving back again, ducking down and kicking out the knee of someone else who'd moved in.

The thing about guys who wanted to converge all at once was they got in each other's way. It just wasn't a bright way to fight. It only really worked well if you had someone down and were going for the 'kick them while they're down like pussy bastards' approach. Which Jesse very much figured this lot to be and he wasn't planning on winding up there. Of course, he did get a good crack to the face, which landed right where his already bruised flesh happened to be. That hurt.

...Helena had stalled outside. She knew Jesse would be along sooner or later. What she hadn't expected was a hulking man to fly out of the door and tumble down the stairs. He landed at her feet, face down in the dirt. When he started to get up, Helena looked to and fro before delivering a quick and punishing kick to the front of his face. The crack of bone was heard when her pointy toed shoe connected with his nose. The man fell limp immediately. Silently she preyed he was an O'Malley somebody.

She didn't go back in though, not knowing that the first guy, a man with curly brown hair and a knitted sweater resembling something a sailor would wear, was still doing his best to get at Jesse. Two of the men had been taken out but that left Curly and a few others who were itching to put Jesse down in some sort of victorious display of machoism. He had been the one to give Jesse a crack to the face, which was immediately followed by more charging. He wanted to get him down so he could release his true fury.

Jesse took a few more hits, and tried not to let it rattle his concentration--which for the most part it didn't. There were a few things he knew about when he was fighting. Just a couple of things he stuck to. Like if someone couldn't stand they couldn't fight and so the second another knee came into range, he slammed his heel into the side of it, hearing that crack sickly. It sent him back into one of the other guys, who grabbed him and he immediately snapped his head back, which really didn't feel so hot, but cracked the guy's nose nicely. He just didn't get away in time to not get another crack to the jaw, and another to his cheek in rapid succession.

These guys weren't the sort to plan ahead. They were looking to scrape their knuckles on flesh. That was it. It was why Jesse had the advantage. Also, the guys had been tipping their elbows for the better part of the afternoon and liquid courage was flushing heat through their veins. Curly had only gotten more aggravated as his army of soldiers had been dealt with one by one. The cause? A kid. He was snarling when Jesse's head came back into his nose. He grabbed it and howled in pain but this only triggered intense rage. He grabbed Jesse's shirt and spun him around and released a few flying punches. They weren't calculating but they did the job, connecting with Jesse's face one after the other. Blinded the man went for the knife he was carrying on his belt next and lunged for Jess with a warrior's cry. The tip sparkled in the light before it began its descent toward Jesse's heart.

Jesse was a little dazed from the flury of punches, and just barely caught the sight of the knife heading for his chest in time to move. He just didn't make it the whole way. It wound up slicing through his coat, through his arm near the shoulder, and out the other side again. Jesse felt the bright immediate pain that lit out from the wound, and he used that as a focus to crack another knee, and drive his foot into the small of Curly's back, sending him careening towards the bar, smashing his face into the side of it before he hit the carpet. He took a few stumbling steps back, recognizing he was bleeding from a few places now, and he waited to see if anyone else was going to try anything. There were a few guys groaning on the floor, and he backed more towards the door, breathing hard, and feeling like he really needed to make slightly healthier decisions in his future. He almost tripped, but caught his balance. Staying at the door for a full thirty seconds, he turned and walked out, not even seeing Helena for a moment as he stumbled down the steps. Nope. He wasn't terribly steady on his feet just now.

When Jesse hadn't come out, Helena had waited...and she had waited and after she had kicked the Bull a second time, she had waited some more. She was tapping her toe impatiently when her friend came stumbling out of the bar bleeding. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" Helena cried, leapt over the large man she'd layed out before and rushed over to him . "Oh Jesse..." She said, not understanding how he could let this happen but knowing good enough not to bring it up now as she wrapped her arms around him to steady his teetering gait. "You're too pretty to keep doing this." She joked with him gently, carefully guiding him away from the bar.

"Ow, ow, ow." Jesse said, wincing as she got her arms round him, what with the knife-wound. That was pretty ouchy. And really, if he was being honest, everything else was too. He took the guidance, though, and didn't actually try to get her to let him go. He needed her to keep him upright. He'd had concussions before, and he half wondered if he'd gotten one again. "Naw. Not pretty. Ruggedly handsome." he corrected, going with the joke. He really hoped they didn't have far to go. Who lived closer? She did, he was thinking. Since he'd now invited himself to her place for first aid.

Helena rarely apologized but she did now as she carefully maneuvered her hands so she wouldn't bumps or nick any of his wounds. "Sorry!" She apologized, not knowing where his wounds were under his clothes. "Well now you are..." She said, looking up at his face and the rapidly swelling eye that would erupt in black all over again. He had other marks too. Rugged was just the tip of the iceberg. "Let's get you back to my place. I'll clean you up." She offered, not knowing that was his plan anyways. "Can you walk? Should I get a taxi?"

"I can walk." he told her, not at all sure that was the truth but he was stubborn. He'd make himself walk. "We're not far, right?" he asked, glancing around to see if he could catch a street sign, but they were mid block so there wasn't one he could read just yet.

"It's close enough..." She said as if she was sure he could make it. Though, she was uncertain it wasn't close enough. He looked like he was in pain and the walk home to her place was not easy. The last part, getting up the stairs to her apartment, had been the most difficult and treacherous. Helena was not big and she was not strong. Helping Jesse up the stairs was an ordeal. Luckily she managed. "Lean up against the wall..." She suggested while she left him propped up so she could unlock her apartment door. It took her moment, the key was still sticky and she had to wiggle it a few times to get it to work. Finally the door was flung open and went back so she could help him inside.

Jesse happily leaned against the wall as instructed, and waited. It was a nice little break. Moving again wasn't so cool, but whatever. At least they'd be going someplace warm. Once inside, he leaned against the wall again, wincing a little as he realized that his whole arm felt sticky. He'd definitely been bleeding. "...Baby J is going to kill me." he observed absently, thinking he could already summon up the look his daughter was going to be giving him.

"It's not so bad." Helena consoled, even as her eyes dipped and studied the droplets of blood that were dripping from his blood soaked jacket and onto her freshly scrubbed floor. "and if she won't you're going to get yourself killed one of these days." She clicked her tongue, put the keys on the hook by the door, removed her jacket and then started to remove his. These wounds weren't caused only by a fist fight; a weapon had been used. "Do you want a drink?...I figure that's why you really went to the bar. It can't be that getting into fisticuffs with bar room strangers is a hobby you've picked up lately."

"I'd love a drink." Jesse said, pausing to start removing his coat. He was just careful about it, trying not to make more of a mess, and then he frowned down at his shoulder. He also noticed that his eye was swelling shut again. Guess that was what happened when you got hit in the same place twice, the second time before the first one was done healing. The knife wound wasn't necessarily that terrible looking, it was just deeper than he would like, and in an weird place. He knew raising his arm was going to be hurting for a while, and he'd have to sleep on his other side. "...you've got a needle and thread, right?" he asked doubtfully, still frowning at his shoulder.

"Sure then..." Helena said, steadying her friend and then going for the drink. She didn't keep much; she couldn't afford to, but she had kept a few left over bottles of whisky and gin of Eddie's. She had to move over to the cabinet where they were kept and even then she needed to reach up on her tippy toes to get to them. Grasping at them, she managed to pinch the bottle of whisky with her finger tips and pulled it down carefully. She uncorked it and went for a tumbler next. He'd have to enjoy it neat, unless Jesse expected her to go plucking for icicles outside- God knows it was cold enough.

After he asked his question she glanced over at him skeptically as she poured his medicine. "You must have got knocked hard in the head, huh?" She asked rhetorically. She did do alterations on the side-something she thought he knew. Maybe he was being sarcastic. The one practical thing she was skilled at was using a needle and thread. It was reasonable to assume that she'd be able to stitch flesh together...

Glancing at his wound and the blood leaking from his flesh she grabbed a tumbler and filled up a glass for herself. She instructed her friend to sit and moved over with a drink in each hand. She handed him his and then surveyed what needed to be done before taking a gulp down from her own glass for courage. "Let's wash you up and then I'll piece you together..."

"No, I'm just stupid." he said to her question about getting knocked in the head, even if he had. He was more concerned with the knife wound though. It was a good slice, that was for sure. And it hurt like a bitch. He went where she directed him though, and took the glass, downing it in one shot. "Wash me up? What's this require?" he asked skeptically, eyeing her for a moment.

She eyed his wound and the blood. "Shouldn't we clean the wound?" She wasn't a nurse, she didn't know exactly where to start. She kneeled in front of him, unbuttoning his shirt and peeling away the material that was plastered to his flesh so she could expose the depths of the deed. "I'll be right back." she rested her glass on the coffee table, stood back up and strolled into the kitchen. From here she grabbed a bowl and put the kettle on. Then she went to the freezer and pulled out a steak. While she went through the living room to the bathroom for a wash cloth she set the meat on his face against his shiner and instructed him solemnly to "Hold this in place."

He had been scowling at his wound when she'd walked off, and then he faintly winced as she plopped frozen meat against his face. "Yes ma'am." he said, reaching up to do as she instructed, not about to argue with the woman. It wouldn't get him anywhere anyhow, and so he might as well do what she said. He didn't have the energy to argue anyways. Not really. "Why were you in there, anyways?" he asked, positive he was going to intensely dislike the answer, but whatever.

She answered while retrieving the dingiest of wash clothes folded neatly in the tiny linen closet in the hall on the way to her bedroom. "Why does anyone get themselves to a bar?" Helena strode by him back to the kitchen area. Steam was beginning to float out from the kettle so she removed it from the burner, blew out the flame and poured hot water into the bowl she would use to clean his wound. "How's your eye?" she tried to evade any more of his dabbling.

"Subtle." Jesse said, his tone expressing his dislike for the dodge there. "There are plenty of bars, you picked that one. So, what were you there for, Helena?" he asked again. He didn't want to play 'drag it out of me' today, especially not after the fight he'd just got into over her. It just didn't seem fair, really. So he'd rather she just fessed up and they could talk about it, as opposed to her just saying whatever she thought she could to make it harder on him. It wasn't like he was just going to give up or anything. He could be stupidly stubborn when he wanted to be. "My eye sucks." he added on the end in a grumble.

"It sounds like you already know. So why are you asking?" Helena asked, placing the wash cloth in the bowl and moving back over to him. "Why don't you cut through the chase and give me that lecture you've been running through your head." She again kneeled in front of him, grabbed the wash cloth and wrung it out before dabbing it against the blood around his wound. "...and keep the steak on it. It will help with the swelling."

It was strange having two conversations at once. One that was pretty civil, and the other which wasn't. "I haven't had a lecture running through my mind, I was a little busy with 'gee, I hope I don't lose enough blood to feel sick later' and 'Jessie's going to absolutely bloody kill me when she sees me'." he said. "But if you want one, sure. That's stupid for you to be doing, poking around in there. It's not going to get you answers, it's going to get you killed. If you need to follow up on Eddie, then do it in a more subtle fashion, Helena, or I'll be burying another friend, and I don't want that." he said, giving up any pretense of being angry with her and going right to the heart of the matter as she'd suggested. He was worried. Incredibly fucking worried.

"It isn't like you've offered me any other choices. What else can I do? I need to get up close to these people, find some way in that isn't directly part of the things they do. I will avenge Eddie, Jesse. " Helena rinsed off the wash cloth and when she wrang it out the water that remained was a watermelon pink. "Hold this on there while I get a needle and thread." She brought his good arm over across his chest and pushed it against the wash cloth up against his stab wound.

She again, stood up but didn't have that far to travel this time as her sewing box was kept in the living room. She opened it up and surveyed the choices. She chose a hook needle she used for quilting and a larger gauge thread. It wasn't as sturdy at medical quality but it was clear he wasn't up for a hospital.

After she had made her choice she came back to where he sat, dropped the needle in the remaining whiskey that was left being in her glass and then grabbed the bottle so she could pour him another glass. It was the only anesthetic available to him.

"I appreciate your concern Jesse...I appreciate you being worried about me. I do. I just can't stop because it makes you sad. Tell me what I need to do. Help me." Her lashes fluttered when she looked to him, like they usually did when she was in desperate straits. "Please..."

"Wait just a goddamn minute, I'm not offering you choices? I'm meant to be offering things? When the hell did that happen?" he asked. He shot her a Look, grumbling to himself. "Goddamnit, woman..." He also wasn't sure how he was supposed to hold his arm and frozen meat to his face at the same time so he opted to just hold his arm, and he set the steak down. He just wasn't that talented and lacked excessive limbs. He kept his green eyes on her as she got the needle and thread, holding his tongue on other choice things to say to her. See? He was exhibiting restraint. Really! He deserved a fucking cookie.

Then she came back, and he knocked back the glass. And then? Well, then he was royally fucked. Because he remembered the last time she gave him that look and said the P word. Fuck. And, just like last time, when he knew it was a stupid fucking idea, when he knew it was all going to go south, when he knew she was probably just fucking playing his dumb ass because she could...he couldn't say no. Exhaling, and looking away, he didn't say anything for a few long minutes. "...if I'm going to help you there are ground rules." he said, already knowing he'd be doing it anyways, but that didn't mean he couldn't set some things straight in the meantime. Looking back at her, he reached out and turned her face towards his so he could maintain eye contact. "I'm serious, Helena. Alright? No more of this walking into places like that and poking around. That shit stops now." he said, though his voice was softer than it had been. Fucking women. Fucking big blue eyes.

Her smile was slight as she watched him juggle the steak and the cloth while he ranted. She didn't say so but she thought that if he was going to tell her what NOT to do then he should give her another plan of action. Since, apparently he must be an expert if he was doling out advice. Of course the smile faded when he set steak down on her couch and when the needle was soaking in the whiskey, she picked the sirloin up off the pristine fabric and held the defrosting meat against his face for him. It was only when he tilted her face toward his that she set the meat down on the coffee table and took his hand away from her face and placed it back against the wound she'd be sewing in a moment. Her big blues were still staring back into his eyes and she nodded, "Alright, Jesse." Finally she turned away from him, unable or unwilling to keep the eye contact between them.

She was reaching for the needle, fishing out of the glass it had been soaking in and gathering the thread along with it. She snapped a bit of thread with her teeth before she threaded the needle and then asked, "Are you ready?" and she pushed his hand away. She gazed at his wound, and then took a deep steadying breath. This wasn't going to be easy.

"So...what were you doing there anyways?" The tip of the needle was placed against his skin. "1...2...3..." and it was inserted through the flesh in the first stitch.

Well he might have answered her, but then she was pushing metal through his skin and all and it broke one's concentration. So, he tensed, grit his teeth, and looked pointedly away, not really wanting to watch her stitch him up. That would just be stupid. So, right. None of that bullshit. Instead, he kept his eyes on the far wall, and took his time regulating his breathing. "Listening." he said, after what was probably a little too long a silence. "I'd planned on listening."

"That's what I was doing." She remarked, pushing the needle through in another pass. The thread was pulled up taut and the second stitch was done. She paused after the fourth, assessing the stitches and making sure that the skin was coming together cleanly. There would be a scar but if she was neat about it then maybe it would be minimal. "What were you listening for?" She asked.

"No, you were drawing attention to yourself, and getting targeted by the people in there." Jesse corrected, gritting his teeth again as she worked. Then he was looking around for the bottle. He could use more whiskey. "And I don't know yet, I was just going to see if anyone was talking about it at all, for starters." he said. "I got a little distracted from the plan with you being harassed and all."

"Like you know everything. I can't help it if men want my attention." She stated matter of fact, not able to hide that she enjoyed this bit of herself. She slid the bottle of whiskey over with her elbow,within his reach, so he could take gulps of it at his leisure. "They weren't targeting me for anything besides wanting a chance to sip booze with a pretty lady. I thought my looks could be an asset. After all, they're bound to underestimate me." She completed another stitch and consoled him, "almost done.."

He took the bottle and killed a few good gulps of it before he looked at her again. He knew she was a woman who liked a man's eyes on her. It was just how she was. He'd seen it, in bits and pieces in his time knowing her, and he didn't figure that was ever going to change. "That ain't the place you want anyone wanting to drink with them. Because who knows when things end, Helena. If you didn't notice? I got my ass kicked for you. And not a single person in there tried to stop it. You think anyone in there would even look twice if you screamed? If you really tried harder to get away from that guy and he decided that wasn't the way it was going to go? I don't think so. I think you could have gotten into a shit ton of trouble there, and wouldn't have had a very pretty way out, if you had one at all. You say that you'll be underestimated, well I think you're underestimating them, princess, and that can't happen. It's going to get you killed. You want to avenge Eddie? You can't do it from six feet under." Which he'd told her before, but apparently she needed it impressed upon her again.

"No." She said sharply, "I knew I could get in trouble. I don't know what it is about you....men people, but I am not a little girl. I'm not an idiot. I know what could happen to me." She looked up from her sewing. He was stitched up as good as he was going to get. She knotted the last stitch and then grabbed at her scissors, clipping the thread like she wanted to clip this conversation. She figured she owed him some talking so she kept on despite being uncomfortable with his disapproval and not wanting to be scolded like she'd just pushed someone down in the playground. "I don't know what would have happened Jesse; maybe nothing so bad as all that." She fluttered her lashes at him again, her lips pushed out in something resembling a pout.

She wasn't underestimating their abilities. She'd discovered Eddie, all blue in the face, lifeless dull eyes looking past her to the world of the dead. Helena knew what they were capable of. She was perfectly aware that she was just a grub in their garbage heap. That's why she knew they'd under estimate her. In fact, Jesse was doing that right now and he was supposed to be her friend. Of course there was worry and concern worn when he spoke at her but it didn't feel like he believed in her. Not like Eddie did. But then, Eddie believed in everyone.

Helena, who had been sitting on the sofa beside him, slid down until she was on the floor, kneeling toward him. She reached out for his hand and took it from the bottle he'd been holding and set it against the cheek of her angelic face. "Eddie thought so much of you. Probably more so than me. When you came back around I never saw him so happy. I don't think he ever thought anything could ruin that. He didn't think anything bad could happen if you were involved." She breathed in and let out a warm, steadying breath. "He was so set on it I started to believe him." She looked down, demurely, "You need to believe in me too you know....I need you to."

"Maybe nothing so bad as that, or maybe something really fucking horrible, Helena, and trust me when I tell you there are worse things than death." he told her. Annnd then she went and she was playing him again. Or maybe not, he couldn't tell. It felt like she was playing him, but he hadn't been around her for extensive periods of time for a bit, so maybe she was on the level, and he was just being way too harsh. He did brush his thumb across her cheek, not something he did on purpose, but more of an automatic reaction to the position, feeling her soft skin.

He felt uncomfortable, knowing that she was Eddies, even if Eddie was dead and gone. Still, he couldn't quite look away, when she was looking at him like that, talking to him like that. "I..." he started, not sure what to say. He tried to rally himself. "Bad things did happen. I couldn't stop it. I don't want the same thing to happen to you, darlin. Especially if you're going off on your own, and I don't know what you're doing, and I just--I don't want anything to happen to you. I do believe in you, I know you're a smart girl, I just think...you might not get it, exactly. What's really happening out there. The papers, they don't even have it half right. And what they did to Eddie, if they did it to Eddie...I just..." he trailed off, that heavy concern for her still lacing everything he said.

With a soft stroke she moved her hand up his wrist, across his hand which was still resting against her cheek and pried it off enough so that she could wrap her hand around his and hold it down on his lap. The ice princess could be tender when she tried. Of course, Helena knew Jesse had a soft spot for her, her being Eddie's girl and all. Manipulation wasn't always entirely on her mind but it hummed softly in the background, especially since she had an agenda. Jesse only needed a nudge anyways, right? and he was Eddie's friend- Something that was not lost on Helena.

She sat for a moment with his hand in hers for a soft moment thinking before she returned to her duties as his make shift nurse. Still kneeling at his feet she twisted to get to the bowl of warm water, grabbed the wash cloth and wrung it out so she could begin to clean the crusted blood that covered his arm.

The wash cloth was placed on the wound gently. Streams of water ran down from where she cleaned and Helena did her best to catch the bloody water with her other hand. Deliberately moving slowly, she knew she must look peaceful, complacent as she kneeled by his feet administering aid. It was the least she could do. Even though mentally she winced as blood stained her furniture.

"You could give me an education couldn't you?" She said, rinsing the wash cloth after it had sopped up enough blood to turn crimson. The water sprinkled down turning the water cloudy red from all the blood. It didn't seem to bother her. She kept up with what she was doing, reapplying the cloth to his skin so she could finish the job. "You keep saying I don't get it but I think you're getting how determined I am. You know I'm just as stubborn as you. If you want to help me I'm listening." She glanced over at the steak, defrosting on the table. "Your eye is swelling shut..." Her expression was disappointed, "I don't think that steak is gonna help it much but I could fry it up for you if you're hungry."

He watched her, silent, not even sure what he'd say if he did open his mouth. Really, he didn't. It was just...gone. His head, it was a mess. A well and true fucking mess. He did notice how his blood didn't seem to bother her, but that wasn't a surprise. Not since he knew that she'd tended to Eddie before his untimely demise. When she spoke, he listened, and tried to formulate in his head what he was going to do here. What he felt he could do. It was kind of a toss up, really.

The question about whether or not he was hungry didn't quite filter through properly til a moment later. "Huh?" he asked, coming back to himself. "OH...right. Sorry." he mumbled. "You don't have to do that, I'm sure it cost you enough." he said. It wasn't like steak was cheap. "You don't have to feed me at all. It's...it's fine." he said. Now get your brain back into gear and speak like you have a brain. he told himself. "If I thought just telling you how it was would help, I would, I just don't know that it will. And so much of it is just...being able to read people properly, being able to predict behavior. It comes with a whole lot of practice and natural talent, and knowing that world." he said.

"I don't eat steak. I didn't buy it. You should take it if you won't let me cook it for you or it will go to waste." She hadn't brought it home. Eddie had. Eddie was the one that splurged even if they couldn't afford it. If Eddie had thought she wanted the moon he would have lassoed that down, too. Eddie wanted to live large and steak was one way he felt like maybe that was possible. It did horrors to a woman's figure. Eddie didn't realize how hard she worked to seem flawless. Just like the steak it was all going to waste. She had no choice but to play to his weakness for her and their lost Eddie. It was, she thought, the only choice she had.

"I get tired of just taking care of myself. You should let me. It's exhausting being lonely." Her brow crinkled above her sad eyes, the only crack in her smooth demeanor.

"If you have all this experience you shouldn't let it go to waste." She said,wetting her lower lip with her soft pink tongue, "So how are you proposing to help me?" She was looking into his eyes, her blues mirrored back in his green's and then she glanced down ashamed, staring past him to the sofa cushions."I'd understand if you didn't want to but you're the only one I have now." She glanced back up at him, her eyes large and glistening with tears, "I need you, Jesse." She let her words build their walls and finished with, "show me that world."

He sighed. "...if you're gonna put it that way..." he said, though it was more for her benefit than his. Then of course she hit him up again with everything. Tears, he didn't do well with. Neither did telling him he was needed. They were both huge weaknesses for him and even knowing they were, didn't help in the slightest. And god, show her the world? It was a shitty world! Eddie'd never forgive him for that, would he? And he wasn't even sure what she was asking. With the touches, and everything else, was she trying to...no, she couldn't be trying to seduce him. That just...no that couldn't be right. Still, the idea even made him uncomfortable, on a few levels. Not just the whole 'she's my dead friends girl' of it all but because Helena was a beautiful woman. It wasn't like he was blind. "Don't do that..." he said, reaching out for her, so he could put one arm around her and kiss the top of her head. "You know I'm not going to just leave you alone...I'd never do that." Even if sometimes he thought it might be best. "And I'll...I'll see what I can do." he said, giving her that. God he had no idea what that would be, but he'd try something.

Effective. She lifted her head so his kiss caught her brow instead of her hairline. It was overwhelming this. She felt awkward and that didn't suit her. Helena wanted to remain in control of herself. She had to use this momentum for something right? She'd warned him to leave her alone and he kept coming back. She had to use that heroic nature for her purpose and her only purpose was to avenge Eddie. Helena needed Jesse to think she couldn't live without him. But, her dueling nature didn't want him to think her too selfish for his attention and she didn't want to believe that this was true. She didn't want to care about him. Caring would complicate everything.

So, when his kiss landed on her brow she pulled away from him as if she was ashamed, as if she was poison. She stood away from him. "I don't know what I'm saying. What I'm asking. I shouldn't rely on you like I do. We keep coming back to this. But, it's the same no matter what angle we come at it. You should forget all about me Jesse. Eddie wouldn't want me to endure life alone but I think I'm cursed. I'm no good. " Her lip quivered slightly. She added, "look at you. All beaten up because of me. First Eddie and now you." She pulled her lip in between her teeth and clamped down on it. "Tell me you want to leave me alone. Tell me I don't matter."

What was it with him + women with serious self esteem issues? Really now. And he knew he'd done it before, were women just...all like that? No, he knew they weren't, he had a whole host of sisters who weren't and his daughter wasn't...fuck his daughter better not be. He was going to have to seriously watch that, he guessed. But that was a small part of his mind, the rest was following what was going on with Helena, and he just...didn't know what to do. What to say that would be the right thing. "Well, I'm not going to forget about you." Jesse said first. "Even if you want me to. I've been your friend for a long time now. And just because Eddie's gone doesn't mean that's changed." he said. At least that was firmer ground. He decided he'd stick with that. With things that he actually knew how to address.

"You're a young, attractive woman. You're not cursed." he added, starting to find his footing better now. "But if you are going to get yourself a man or something, maybe you need to give up this suicide mission on taking O'Malleys down. And don't you worry about me, I make my own choices, this isn't your fault." he told her, even if sure, he'd not be in this position if she hadn't been in there in the first place. "And you know I'm not going to tell you either of those things, so stop it."

She sighed and looked at him contemptuously. The tears soaked back into her eyeballs and all the emotions she had revealed were absorbed back through her thick skin."That's not what I meant Jesse." She took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly between her two perfect lips. She may have rolled her eyes at him but if she had she didn't realize. "For someone that is supposed to have so much experience reading people..." She tsked her tongue and shook her head. She was proud. Of course she was! but, that wasn't what disgusted her about his understanding, that he thought she was worried about her love life.

Finding a man was not her problem. She had no doubt that she could get some poor bohunk to do whatever she desired if she batted a lash. She did not want another man. She wanted to avenge her man. She couldn't give her heart again all silly nilly. Was Jesse crazy? He was if he thought that was what she wanted or felt she needed. He didn't understand. He'd never understand. Helena couldn't stomach going through this all over again. Love was for suckers. Her innocence had been lost the night Eddie lost his life. She'd die if she had to to find out who murdered him. She would do whatever it takes because she didn't have anything else to lose. Eddie was all she wanted. Eddie was the love of her life. Who else could live up to him? Who else would look upon her as if she was star. Who else could fill her with that fuzzy feeling. She didn't think anyone.

Jesse was an idiot for caring about her because he had everything to lose. It was not some self esteem thing. This was her warning him that she would use him to every advantage she could if he stuck around. This was what probably pissed her off and made her apathetic to him and his capacity to care. He had a family. A Daughter. "I can't get rid of you, can I?" She smoothed the skirt on her blood stained dress then ran her hand over her hair to tidy what she knew had to have gone a mess. She felt stray hairs tickling her face. "Very well." She resolved and the icy sheen was back.

"You may stay as long as you need to but now I'm tired. " She looked across the room at him plunked down on her sofa, a sofa that was now not only stained with the blood of Eddie but the blood of Jesse too. "Do you want a blanket? I have blankets." She stepped forward and took the steak off the table. There was a stamp of blood in it's T-bone shape left behind on the table but she could care less. She'd pick up around the apartment tomorrow.

Jesse stared at her for a long, long moment. Mostly? He didn't know what the fuck she was playing at, and what she wanted him to think. She made the dig about reading people, but she'd just gone soft and 'I need you!' on him and turned on the tears, and then immediately shut them the fuck back off like it hadn't been real in the first place. And then, again directly contradicting herself, she made the statement about not being able to get rid of him. After she'd been practically begging him to stay, that she again...needed him. In the end, he said nothing. He didn't call her on what she'd just pulled, because he knew a dismissal when he heard one, and at the moment, he was fucking well taking it. He stood, and grabbed up his coat, walking towards the door. He didn't even bother putting it on, he just went for the door, turned the knob, and tried to walk out without another word between them.

Helena should have gone after him. Apologized for being half crazy but she didn't have the energy to. She couldn't bring herself to toss herself toward him all over again. She'd already done all that. Maybe this was how it was supposed to be between them...confusion, loss, weariness.So even though he shouldn't be walking anywhere in the state he was in she let her feelings for him crumple. Maybe this time he'd hate her. Then she wouldn't have to worry about him at all.

The only thing she was sure of was that she would try to destroy the person that got Eddie.