It was a beautiful morning in Chicago. Winter was still here but it was warmer than usual with very little wind, it was a welcomed relief after the hard and brutal winter that had besieged this great city. Luca had called MarieCosta and asked to meet for coffee near her apartment on the Southside of Chicago and she had agreed. 

He got up and dressed in one of his Italian black suits and wore a Black silk tie then put on his black overcoat and fedora before heading out to the car to meet his head man Charlie and a few of his other bodyguards. He told Charlie where they were going and climbed into the back of the car and the drove off.

They pulled up to the little diner and he got out and told Charlie to give him and Marie some space. The man did not like that idea but knew better than to argue with his boss. Luca turned and entered the place and surveyed the inside to see if Marie was there yet or not. When he didn't see her, which he was not surprised since he was early, he took a seat at the counter setting his hat down next to him and ordered a cup of coffee while he waited. 

After hanging up the phone, Marie sat in silence.  She was still processing the events from the other night.  She had been caught completely off guard by the intensity of her emotions that had flooded her body at Luca's kiss.  For the first time in her life she had been... scared.  The fact of the matter was that she didn't know how to handle it and she was still trying to sort it all out in her mind.  Now he had called and had asked to have coffee.  At least it was some public place.  She did not trust herself to be alone with him at the moment.

Getting up she changed into a a grey woolen day dress applied some subtle make up.  She pinned her hair up into a bun and then put on a black hat using even more pins to secure it in place.   Grabbing her gun she hostler it at the waistline in the back and threw on the matching woolen cape.  Going to the closet she pick a pair of black mid-heel shoes and then she grabbed her black purse as she made her way outside.  She told her guys where they were going and what she expected when she got there.  Then she went to her car and got in the back seat, letting Mat drive her to the little diner.

Once she arrived, she walked into the diner and looked around.  Seeing him at the counter brought a smile to her face.  She went and joined him, "Good morning, Luca.

Luca heard the little bell over the door ring and he turned and look to see the Marie walk in.  He smiled and stood up as she walked over to him. 

"Hello Marie, you look beautiful as always," he said kissing her on both cheeks 

"I am glad you made it," he said turning and pulling out the chair next to his

He waited for her to sit before returning to his seat and his empty coffee mug. He adjusted the gun and holster, which he wore in the small of his back, as it had gotten twisted when got up before he turned to Marie. 

" I was wondering if you had time to go for a walk? Its a  really nice day out this morning," he asked her. 

Mare nodded.  "That does sound lovely."  She ordered a coffee to go and when the waiter came back with two cups to go, Luca thanked her and gave her some cash to cover the drinks and a nice tip.  Picking up her drink she awkwardly lead the way back outside into the slightly warm sunlight.  

She waited for him to draw even with her and then she started walking down the sidewalk slowly -- her heels clicked softly with ever step.  "So how are things in the loop?" she asked as she took a sip of the coffee.  She winced a bit as it was to hot.  We had some trouble with Tyler's bunch last night, but they seem to be thinning out a bit now."

"Yes, they showed up in the Loop too. I don't know when Tyler is going to learn," he says sipping his coffee. 

"Things are going well. We are growing which is good but with new faces come new risks," he tells her

Luca takes a sip of his coffee and then gets serious for a min. 

"I did receive a threat but.." he pauses for a second

"while it was delivered to me it was about you I believe. It says they know where you live," he says seriously. 

"It came from the Durdens"

She nodded, "I was approached by one of them in the streets.  He offered me protection to the tune of $100,000.  I told him to go find a little league game to play in."  She laughed remembering the event.  "It comes with the territory.  I am not to worried about.  They are probably just tired of being coup up all day long, and now that the weather is better they are getting out and stretching their legs."

There was a long pause before she brought up the elephant that was between them.  it had to be addressed.  She had a crew to protect now and she would be damned if she let her awkward feelings get in the way of doing what needed to be done.  She plowed directly to meet it head on.  "So about the other night, I am not going to lie it has left me feeling unsettled and unsure about things.  What I am not unsure of is our need to work together.  We have responsibilities and people to look after now."    

"Luca laughed at her little league comment. 

"I am sure you are right about the threat. They are a bunch of punks that Tyler likes to run out there as fodder," he said before taking a drink of his coffee.

"You are very right about us needing to work together and protecting our families." Luca pauses for a for a second

"Things went.." He tries to think of the right word and decides just to say it. 

"Things went WAY better than I ever thought they would," he says 

"I am sure of us working together, I am also sure of how I feel about you. When we were coming up together we where so busy I never could find a moment to actually try to do anything about how I felt. Then I got the nod to run my own crew and things got screwed up." He says thinking back on it. 

"I was half tempted to ask you out anyway even though I know it's not really allowed."

"I was so happy when you got Authed to run your own crew. I was happy for you but selfishly I was happy because it put us on equal footing again." He says before finishing his coffee and throwing it away in a trash can. 

Marie took a sip of her coffee, its warm liquid heating her from the inside out.  "These feelings I have for you, I have never felt that way about anyone before.  The intensity..." She shook her head trying to put thoughts to words.  I live my life fast, I drive my cars fast, why is it in this instance I find myself wanting to throw on the brakes?" She stopped to look at him, her eyes glistening in the sunlight.  "Not because I don't want this, but because I want it so much."  She half chuckled and blushed as she looked down, "That probably made no senses."

Luca leans in and kisses Marie. 

"It makes perfect sense actually," he says with a smile. 

Luca reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out his gold cigarette case and gold lighter. He lights a cigarette and puts the items back in a pocket.

After taking a drag from his cigarette and releasing the smoke he sees a man come out from a small walkway between two buildings, he walks in front of Marie and Luca and pulls a knife.

"Give me your wallets and jewelry." the man says in a southern accent. 

"WOW... REALLY.." Luca says trying to hold his laugh back but failing. 

"You have really screwed up here buddy. You have no idea who we are do you?" he says while signaling his bodyguards to stay back.  

Marie grinned, "You are definitely a bold one, even if you are not the smartest knife in the drawer.  You are not from around here are you?"

The man before her was maybe 16 or 17 at the most, Marie decided as he brandished his weapon.  "Shut up or I'll gut you.  Now give me your purse and those earrings you are wearing."  When Marie made no move to do so he yelled at her, "NOW."

Marie kept her eyes on the boy, but it was clear she was talking to Luca, "We should go easy on him.  He is just a lad that doesn't know any better."

Luca was amused at the balls this young man had on him. The kid was obviously nervous and not paying close enough attention while Marie was speaking because he didn't notice that Luca had reached to the small of his back for his gun. Once he had his hand on the grip he addressed the young man. 

"Now I am not going to kill you because she doesn't want me to and this is her side of town," he says to the young man. 

"YOU KILL ME!! That is funny" he said turning towards Luca

Luca pulls his gun and points it at the young man's head. The kid can't help but stare at the nickel-plated .45 pointing at him. 

"Yes, I Kill you. Drop the knife" he said to the man and watched as he dropped it. 

"Thank Marie for saving your life," he tells him 

Luca watches as two of Marie's Bodyguards come around behind the man with guns drawn. 

"Well, Marie what do you want to do with him? This is your side of town so the decision is yours?" he says to her. 

"but if he is going to live he might want to know how screwed he really was and how much he owes you," he says while dropping his arm to let it and the gun rest at his side. 

The amusement was gone from Marie and she was deathly serious.  "Now Rand and Mat here are going to take you and get you something to eat in that diner back there.  After that they are going to offer you a job working for me.  I suggest you take it."  She moved closer to him and got up into his face.  In a soft, menacing voice she told him; "I am Consigliere MarieCosta, and as the man here just said I run this side of town under the authority granted to me by Don Sal_Moretti.  If you want to work this part of town you will answer to me and show your respect.  There are no freelancers here.  If my men ever catch you working the streets again without my blessing they will kill you.  Do I make myself clear?"

The man nodded and then managed to stutter out a 'Thank you, ma'am' before Marie nodded to her men and they dragged the boy down the street to the diner.

Marie turned back to Luca.  "Thank you for you help in this matter."  She smiled and added, "We do make a pretty good team, don't we?"

Luca started laughing when he saw the realization hit the young mans face. He walks over to the young man and steps into his face. 

"Be lucky you did this here. If you where on my side of town you would be dead where you stood." Luca said before turning back to Marie

"Yes we do." He said lighting another cigarette.

"I cant believe he tried to rob us." he said with smile. 

After taking a few hits of cigarette he turns to Marie. 

"Well this will make for an interesting story about how our second date went." he says winking at her. 

"So are we still on to take the runners to dinner?" He asks finishing is smoke. 

Luca grabbed Marie's hand and they walked and chatted back to their cars. When they got back to the car Luca told his guards to get his car ready to go to see the Mayor. 

"Well, sweetheart I have to go. I have a meeting with the Mayor. I will see you tonight." He says before leaning in and kissing her goodbye

"I will see you for dinner," he tells her and heads off to his car.