Date: Appx one month after the events of What Might Have Been & What Might Yet Be.
 

Billy Mastrosimone for all of his wealth and power, was very nervous about this evening. So nervous in fact that he paced around the hall he had booked checking every little thing. Not that there was much to check. There were enough tables for exactly one hundred players. There were ten dealers places. There were about fifty guys worth of security around the room. There were pretty girls with cigars and cigarettes on their trays, in nice evening gowns that they all thought would net them a few extra tips. Billy couldn't begrudge them for trying to make extra cash, but he thought he was paying them well enough to being with. Then again, he thought, some of them might be wearing that for him because of what he had paid for tonight. He would have to find that line somewhere. The one where he could pay enough to make folks happy, but not so much that they thought he wanted more than what he asked of them. There were two bars with two bartenders each, and a few girls around to take drink orders and bring drinks to the players. And of course, there was a small kitchen prepared to make whatever Billy told them to. It would be mostly finger food, but if it went later into the night, Billy had told them to prepare to make both a full dinner, and a breakfast.

Everything was set in place. Now he just needed the man of the hour, Gavin Byrne.

Of course Billy had a feeling that Will might have caught wind and wanted to join, so he sent will a small care package to keep him sitting at home.

Tonight was going to go either really well, or really poorly, and there was only one way to find out. Billy nodded toward the door man and the doors swung open. Eager men and women who knew that if they showed up they were getting paid streamed into the room. Some of them were good poker players. Some women, some men, all had been suited up by Billy to make it look like they were high rollers. None of them were going to win tonight. Billy had made sure of that. All of the money they played for was fake to them, it was all Billy's money moving around the tables tonight, every cent of it.

Gavin opened the invite and reviewed the times for the tournament again.  

"Probably not until tomorrow evening if I make it all the way to the end."  He said into the phone.  He put down the invite and pulled on his jacket over his shoulder holster catching sight of himself in the mirror across the way. 

The silver-haired man looking back at him didn't bother him so much.  He hadn't been so vain as to let age worry him overly much, though slowing down as he had been in recent years was harder to accept than he was willing to admit aloud.  So much so that being called Wolf but his loving wife, sometimes felt a mockery.  There were days he felt more like the tired hound on the porch than a wolf on the hunt... but he never felt that way at a poker table. Even if his body's skills had faded, his mind and luck had never faltered.  

"Well, tell Billy I said hello, alright?"  Bella added. "Maybe invite him to come for the holidays this year?"

"Don't you think you should ask Rora first?"

Bella scoffed. 

Gavin smirked even though his wife couldn't see it.  He listened to her admonish him, "Now you're just being silly.  You know she loves the boy."

"Yeah." He admitted.  "I'll let him know he's invited."

"Good luck."  And then she instructed her husband, "Come home a winner."

"I already am."  He didn't explain how he meant it.  Bella would know.  Instead, he hung up the phone without another word, as he'd done so many times before in their years together.

Putting his money clip into his pocket he straightened his tie and then went to the door where Linval was waiting.  He gave the other man a smile, remembering for a moment the first time he'd seen him twenty-some years ago now.  Even Linval's hair was starting to pepper with gray.  He supposed he should have realized how old he really was getting, if not for the numerous birthdays that kept passing him by but also the other obvious signs... like attending a poker tournament hosted by the grown man who had been dating his daughter for months now.

Billy Matrosimone was the best of a list of rogues and criminals Aurora had brought home before him.  While the man was every ounce a rogue and criminal himself, he was one with principle and a sense of honor that Gavin felt something of kinship toward.  Having read the journal of the boy's father, he felt he had more insight into who the kid hoped to be.  An odd thought, as some of the aspects of Lordian's character weren't what Gavin ever would have aspired to... but a boy was meant to think highly of his father, or so it seemed in most reasonable cases.  Not in his own, of course... but he reasoned that it was possible Will looked up to him on some things.  So, why should Billy not look up to the man who gave him life?

Gavin got into the backseat of the car.  Linval closed the door and climbing into the front seat he began driving him down the streets of the Motor City.  Gavin had come here often in the many years since that first time he'd set foot here to help Bella with Agent Garret.  As he leaned his head back to rest his eyes, he let some of those moments replay through his mind.  A small, but genuine smile playing on his lips as the world passed him by.

As the car came to a stop, Gavin opened his eyes and looked around at the crowd streaming in through the front doors.  This wasn't a small little tournament that Don Mastrosimone had put together.  The take was likely to be well worth the long hours he'd put in at the tables.  Gavin wondered if Bily would be playing or playing host only.  As he recalled the younger man wasn't very good at poker.  He'd be interested to see if his techniques had improved any since the last time they played one another.

Gavin checked his pocket quickly, making sure his gift for the host was still there - a small concession to his wife's insistence that showing a Don appreciation for hospitality was necessary - and he got up and out from the backseat.  Linval shadowed Gavin to the door and holding his invitation in his hand he waited for the opportunity to hand it to the person at the door and validate his entry.

In the meantime he scanned the crowd for Billy, hoping to get him alone for just a minute before being seated at the table he'd start the game at.

Billy greeted every single person as they walked in the door himself. He watched as they handed over the invitations to Charlie. Charlie, for his part, did not even glance at them, just tossed them into the bin next to him as Billy greeted each and every of the one hundred guests by name.

"Well now Eleanore, we can't have you out all night, the kids will get worried sick. Don't worry, if it goes too long I can always turn the place in for the night. I'd even put my out of town folks up in a hotel nearby."

He smiled and nudged Rebecca behind him.

"Hotel. Put it on the list."

She gave him a look.

"I am well aware that Alucard owns one, but do you really think that he and I are eyeing up the same clientele?"

Rebecca shrugged, pulled her notepad out and wrote down 'Hotel' at the bottom of the list of things already crossed off. The only thing that wasn't crossed off besides the title was the thing at the top of the list, but the book was closed again too quickly for anyone to make out what it was.

Charlie reached out and took the invitation from Linval then and nodded to the man. Charlie respected Linval. Billy knew that much. In this line of work, you didn't get to go grey unless you were damned good, and your boss was smart. Billy felt bad that Charlie was so good at his job, he did want to see Charlie go gray one day.

"Well well well, if it isn't my friend Gavin. Glad you decided to join us tonight. I was only half sure you would come."

"Lucky for you, I'm on the couch still after an unfortunate incident with burnt marinara and an untimely chuckle."  He smirked reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box covered in black velvet.  

"A small thank you for pulling my ass out of the fire in a timely fashion.  If I go home a winner tonight, you might even get me off the damn couch too."  He chuckled waiting for Billy to open the box to reveal an actual working watch within.  He rubbed the back of his neck, clearly a little unused to giving gifts to other men.

"Bella said it was only right since you're a Don, that I should bring something.  I figure since she's the expert on manners I'd just do as I was told and avoid another fight this week.  I called to ask Aurora's opinion and she said you'd like it.  Of course, she was the one who insisted on the interior..."

Inside the box lay a gold pocket watch, expertly crafted, and on the inside lid, a photo of Aurora.

He shrugged.

"The Byrne women speak and I do what I'm told.  Most of the time."  He smirked, waiting for Billy's reaction.

Billy was stunned. Here he was with this elaborate plan for the evening everything was supposed to go in just a certain direction. Instead Gavin showed up with the one thing Billy never had anyone give to him. Aurora's picture being inside the watch was a nice added touch, but the watch itself? That was what really meant something. Billy locked eyes with Gavin then and nodded. Now was not the time or place to properly thank the man. That would come later.

"Thank you Gavin, this means more to me than anyone here knows, except perhaps you."

He placed the pocket watch in his jacket pocket where it belonged and then gestured inside.

"Lucky for me you're the last to arrive, so I can show you to your seat myself."

He smiled and made his way to leave Gavin at a table on the opposite side of the room to him. The entire evening they would be working their way closer and closer to one another, and hopefully Gavin did not realize what was going on at any point. Or at least, not until there were only a couple of tables left.

Hand after hand, Gavin's face remained at rest, neutral and untelling.  The act, after these many long years, was effortless.  He allowed himself the pleasure of the occasional glass of whiskey, but never over-indulged to keep his head clear.  Of course, cigars didn't addle the mind and so it was that Gavin enjoyed quite a few more of those than he did glasses of whiskey.

The competition wasn't bad.  A few of the players were worth their salt and at the first table, Gavin was sure that he had to really work to keep hold of his pile of cash.  Twice he'd slipped up and found himself needing to play a bit more conservatively waiting on someone to make a slip up in order to climb back out of the hole.

At the second table though, the slip-ups were a bit more pronounced.  It was odd.  Normally people who made such errors as going all in on a hand they had no business going all-in on, were out after the first tables were consolidated.  He shrugged it off as perhaps the night getting later and people getting tired... but when the trend continued at the third table he became a bit more skeptical.  Had Billy paid the entry for more than just him?  It would justify how some of these people were playing.  When a man played with someone else's money he was never quite as smart as he was with his own.

When the break finally came, signaling the consolidation of the final table Gavin stood up to stretch his legs and found a waitress.  "I don't suppose you got something a bit more substantial back in that kitchen of yours?"

The waitress smiled, "Anything you want, Mr. Byrne, we're happy to have the chef whip up."

Gavin arched an eyebrow animatedly, "Anything?"

She nodded.

Gavin reached in his pocket and proceeded a sizable tip.  "Go ask the chef if he has venison steak.  If he doesn't, beef will do.  I'm dying to eat something more than finger foods.  Potatoes of some kind too, if he has them."

The waitress nodded.  "Thank you Sir, I'll see to it your order is put in."

Gavin made his way over to Billy, "I see you've managed to hang in there.  You've been practicing I take it?"  He chuckled.  "Please tell me my daughter hasn't given all my trade secrets away?  Oh... hey, I hope you don't mind but I ordered some real food.  I'm starved.  If you're hungry I sure as hell wouldn't mind being the only guy eating at the table before the next round.  It's been a long ass night."

Billy had played his ass off. He lost though, about four times. He promised anyone before they got there a bonus if they could prove to him he should lose, and then let him win. Four people took him up on it, Eleanore was one of them. They each went home ten thousand dollars richer, and with an escort to boot.

When Gavin made his way over to him he had his eyes closed. They snapped open when the elder man spoke.

"Yeah, I could do with some food now that you mention it."

He gestured to Florence. She was one of the nicer young ladies, her skirt was worn up a bit higher than billy thought was necessary, and she was well endowed to boot. Billy had made sure everyone in the place had a couple hundred dollars in tip money, so he knew what kind of tips she must have had on her, but he had no idea where she was keeping them.

"Florence, whatever this gentlemen just had the chef cook up, make it six portions, and also find some ice cream and some cake too."

She smiled at Billy before she went on her way, her red heels clacking on the hardwood floor. Billy turned back to Gavin.

"So what's for dinner?"

He smirked at Gavin and gestured to an empty seat.

"You know, I have half a mind to have them rearrange the place and put all the extra tables away. Then again, it's nice to look around the room knowing you are king of all that you left behind. It's morbid to think that it's all worthless in the end cause there's nobody there. But at the same time, you're still here, so you're at least king of yourself right?"

Billy pulled out the pocket watch then to check the time. It was much later than it felt. maybe this was why Gavin played so much. Time had flown by and Billy hadn't even noticed.

He lowered his voice so only Gavin could hear.

"Hey Gavin. I just want to let you know that no matter what happens tonight, I would have given you a hug for this watch if I thought it would have been alright in such a big group. I didn't want to embarrass you, or me, but damn you if I didn't want to show you how much it really means to me."

Gavin looked out across the empty tables he'd left behind and as Billy spoke about being King over all the empty chairs he thought about telling the younger man that one day, if he was fortunate enough to have lived as long as he himself had, he would feel that way every day of his life. 

King of a Graveyard. 

He and Bella had talked often about it, that living through as much as they had, often felt bittersweet.  Of course, in their line of work, you prayed to outlive your enemies and to see your children grow... but when you're younger, you never much think about who will be standing with you when you get there.  Or more importantly, how many will be lost along the way.  After all these long years, Gavin finally was beginning to understand Jack at the end of his life.  Silently, he promised himself he'd call Tara tomorrow, just to check on her.

"We're having venison, assuming your chef has any on hand."  He looked back to Billy and smiled.  "Steaks and potatoes.  I hope you're a fan."

Reaching out he patted Billy's shoulder and began walking with him.  The younger man might be able to sit for hours on end and keep blood in his legs, but the same wasn't true for Gavin any longer.  His knee even popped as they walked causing the older man to wince, as much out of shame as actual pain.  He ignored it, choosing instead to address Billy's statement of thanks for the watch.

"I'm married to Bella.  If only because of that, I'm a hard one to embarrass."  He chuckled.  "Trust me when I say there are some stories I could tell you about that woman that would... well, likely condemn me to the couch or the guest house for life."

He shook his head, amused by his thoughts.

"If you had hugged me, I would have more worried about your image.  You're the Don here... I'm an old man.  I think it's a requirement that people hug me from time to time.  At least, that's what my kids would lead me to believe and all the people at Bella's church."

He walked over to a window and looked across the city, impressed with the venue Billy had chosen for his tournament.

"You're welcome is what I'm trying to say.  And I'm glad that it means something to you.  You mean a lot to this family.  Since Bella was so insistent that I bring a gift, I figured it should be something that might actually fill some need and mean something to you more than just a paperweight to sit on your damn desk."

Billy took in what Gavin was saying. It meant something to him that he was worthwhile to the family. He had hoped he was worth something specifically to Gavin though. One day he might be. He would keep trying until he was.

"Frankly, and between just you and me? Fuck my image and what people think about me. I know I sound like a young fool right now, especially would sound that way to both Bella and Aurora. They put so much stock into that shit. I never did. Never could. I mean, what did image do for my dad? Or for Bella when she quit and took up with you to go to Philly? How many times has Durden decided to go after her or Tara or the pier for that matter? Maybe a big bright sign painted in yellow and put up at the church for everyone to see isn't the best way to go about image. Maybe, just maybe, image can be more powerful if you don't flaunt it. If you're the guy who makes more money than he knows what to do with. If you're the guy who takes bullets for other people. If you're the guy who can change people's lives on a whim, but you never shove it in people's faces. As much as I love and respect the Byrne women, I have a feeling they and I don't see eye to eye on image."

He was talking Gavin's ear off, and yet for some reason Billy felt like that's just how Gavin played things.

"I didn't ask you here just for the tournament Gavin. I want to be very clear about that. If we can both manage to make it to the final two at this table, we can talk some more. I'll send everyone away and it'll just be you and me. If not, well, then it's not meant to be talked about tonight and we'll talk another time."

Billy shrugged and turned to look back at the kitchen. Steaks were coming out, with fingerling potatoes, and sauteed vegetables. The chef had made some soup to go along with it, or to use as a gravy for the steak as the diner preferred. There was a small side salad with each steak and the other four players began to dig in.

"I think we better join or else we're gonna lose our spots."

Gavin sat down and eagerly dug into his dinner.  People were milling about still, but most had moved on if they had lost and were already on their way home or in their beds most likely.  

The old wolf was happy to not be eating alone, in fact others at the table had followed suit and really it had become something of a quick dinner break as all the men and the one woman at the table ate their fill in near silence before the plates were cleared away and each prepared themselves for the final hands of the night.

Gavin's opening hand was utter shit.  He folded straight away and watched as Billy played off the remaining men and women at the table, wondering how the young man would fair and what the hell it was he wanted to talk about that needed to wait for them to be alone.  Likely business... all that talk of image made Gavin wonder if it was a bloody business the Don had on his mind.  One of these days he'd have to admit to his wife and himself, that he might need to retire for real.  Well, tonight wasn't that night so, he'd let Billy say whatever was on his mind and cross that bridge if he came to it.

It was quick.

The last table fell like a house of cards, almost too fast. But Billy was purposely pushing folks out the door at this point. He had waited all night, he had plied folks with food and drink and been pleasant all evening, he was the perfect host. Now it was time to get what he wanted. After the last man left out the door Billy looked to the guards and nodded. Then he turned toward the dealer.

"Ricky, thanks for everything tonight, you go take a break if you don't mind. We can deal the last few hands."

He did not smile at Ricky, but the man nodded and left all the same.

And then they were alone.

"Alright Gavin, I won't beat around the bush, I'll get down to brass tacks. I'm about to ask you for your blessing on your daughter's hand in marriage."

He reached out and slide the deck toward Gavin.

"You deal."

He then looked at the stack of chips he had, and the stack Gavin had.

"I can't match your stake, so I'll up the ante this way. If you win, I'll show you what I've been working on. It's what I plan on giving your daughter the day she says yes. Not the day we get married mind you, just the day she says yes. I don't feel I need to give her anything on the date of marriage besides myself, and she should do the same."

He watched as Gavin finished shuffling and began to deal.

"And if I win, then I want an honest answer. Not a nod, or a shake of the head, not just a yes or a no. A honest and heartfelt answer. Even if it's a no, I want to know what that no means."

He held out his hand as Gavin put the remaining deck back down on the table.

Gavin listened to Billy put down his stakes.  He knew the day might come, soon perhaps, but he hadn't expected it tonight.  So soon after the last misunderstanding between he and his daughter, one so dire as to send Billy into the wind for days & Aurora weeping into her mother's arms?  He was rushing this... was Aurora with child? 

He had told the young man if he got her into trouble he'd expect him to step up and do the right thing.  He wished he could take the words back now.  He wouldn't think less of Aurora for having a baby, and he and Isabella would help her, of course.  Bella and he both liked the idea of kids running around the house again, but the idea of her marrying someone she wasn't ready to marry over a child seemed foolish.  She had enough money to raise an army of children if that's what she wanted - with or without a man!

Gavin looked at the cards.  He looked back to Billy.  He looked to the cards and picked up the deck.  He began shuffling and listened to Billy as he outlined his win condition.  He wanted words from him.  An actual explanation.  He looked at his hole cards.  The three of clubs.  A ten of spades.  The bottom on his stomach dropped out as surely as if fucking William Bowden was sitting across the table from him with a shit eating grin.  The likelihood this was going to go his way in the flop wasn't hopeful.  

The flop.  Ace of hearts.  King of Hearts.  Jack of Hearts.

It took everything in him to keep his emotionless expression.  A part of him thought he might see his venison again soon.

The turn card.  

Not fucking possible...

Ten of Hearts.

The River.

Three of Spades.  He had two pair.  A lousy two pair.  It was possible to win.  Possible, but not fucking likely.  He could feel what was under Billy's hand even unseen.  He leaned back in his seat and let the young man have what was likely his moment in the sun. 

If he was the sort of man who believed in omens or symbols, this moment would have given him real pause.  He stared at Billy's hand, waiting for him to turn the cards up and reveal the truth of the matter.  

Billy look at his cards, he had it, he had the Queen of Hearts sitting right there, didn't really matter that he also had the three of diamonds in his hand. He looked to Gavin, and then back to his hand and he sighed.

"Well shit. I fold."

He laid his cards face down on the table and slid them slowly toward the middle.

"You always were better at poker Gavin. Come on, I gotta drive you to the place where I'm keeping my gift. Unless you want to just call it a night and we can go in the morning? I've got a spare apartment you can stay in for the night. Oh and uh..."

He got up and walked over to the bar nearest the kitchen. Slinking down he picked up a briefcase and brought it back out, handing it over to Gavin.

"You won too, so there's that."

He gave a sort of half-hearted grin and held out the case for Gavin to take.

"If I can do math right, one hundred players at a hundred thousand a head..."

He trailed off a second pretending as if he didn't know exactly how much cash was sitting in the case. he set the case down in the center of the table, right on top of the cards.

"Should be about ten million there."

He waited another second.

"So, now, or after we get up sometime tomorrow afternoon?"

Gavin wanted to tell the boy he was full of shit, call him on it, but why would he lie?  Maybe he just wanted to show off his gift to Aurora so badly?  Maybe the outcome was never the point?  Maybe he wanted to hand him a dowry the likes of which he gave to make Salvatore take note.  Gavin wished he had Isabella's ability to understand people and why they did the things they did.  She would know what to do here.

"By the light of day, I'll see this gift of yours better.  Why don't we both get a little rest and meet back up tomorrow?  I'll have the answer to your question then, will that do?"  He said arching an eyebrow.

Billy nodded.

"Gavin, you never have to answer my question if you don't want to. But I had to ask it anyway. Wouldn't be right if I didn't. I do want to show you the gift though if it's all the same to you. I'll have my man pick up you and Linval tomorrow just after lunch if that's alright."

It was less of a question and more of a definitive time. Billy did then flip the case open and spin it, which cause a few of the cards and chips on the table to knock around.

And there sat ten million dollars between the two men.

"Gavin, how long you been playing poker?"

He did not wait for the man to answer.

"You dealt, which means I got the first card, which meant I was the small blind. You got the second card, making you the big blind. Since there was nobody else, that meant I had the first action on the hand right?"

He watched as Gavin slowly nodded.

"I'm not an idiot, and neither are you. If I really had a shit hand, I should have checked and waited to see what you had before I folded. There's only one reason in the world that the first guy to act would fold. He wanted the other guy to win."

Billy stood up, and flipped over his two cards.

"It's nothing against you or how good you are. The stakes were bullshit to begin with. Neither one of us is going to put the truth or our family on a game of chance. I know I'm acting like Bella right now and explaining myself way too much, but I wanted to be crystal clear about this. I want an answer, but I will never force you to give one to me. I want to marry your daughter, and I'm going to, whether you like it or not, because she and I have already made that decision. I want to show you tomorrow exactly how I plan on taking care of her when you and Bella are gone. But I will never, ever, put anything that means something to me up to a game of chance."

He gestured around the room then.

"Not a single thing."

He placed a set of keys on the table then next to the open briefcase, and made his way toward the door.

"You and Linval can stay as long as you like, it's my building after all, but those keys will take you to an apartment one floor below mind, two bedrooms, but you're gonna have to share a bathroom. See you in the morning Gavin."

And with that Billy closed the door behind him and walked his way home through the early morning streets of his city.

Morning birds signaled the retreating darkness and the coming day over the Motor City horizon, the brilliant white light split the inky blackness over Lake Huron revealing the reason this coast of Michigan was often called the sunrise-side.  Gavin squinted his icy blue eyes, the lines at the corners of his eyes like deep ravines in which a lifetime of pain, reckless joy, and sorrows were hidden.  The old wolf bent his head down and threw out a hand to push open the door in front of him, only giving a small wave of his hand to Linval as the other man wished him a pleasant sleep and went to do a perimeter sweep.

For a moment he paused at the elevator.  He considered taking it.  His knees begged him, but his mind willed him towards the stairs.  One foot in front of the other, a long night of whiskey, heavy food, and drinking shouldn't matter... Gavin was convinced that if he kept moving, he might never stop and if he stopped, he might never start again.  This, he supposed, was the great secret of age so far as he knew it.  He'd known too many men who slowed down, figuring it was owed to them, only to wake up a few months later needing to slow more and more until at last they simply stopped.

His skin was looser now.  It was off color in spots, even his scars weren't what they used to be and his muscles less defined - but he worked every day to ensure they were not gone completely.  And every day his joints complained.  The puckered places where the lead had pierced him ached.  And he had hair in places he never had it before and was losing it where he wanted it most. 

There had been a time when it was him... winning the tournament with a royal flush, a head full of hair, a pocket full of cash, muscles, and power to spare ... asking another man for the right to marry the girl.  And while he wasn't normally given to bouts of nostalgia or sorrow over what was gone and would never be again, instead content to be glad that it had been at all, he found himself stricken in these early hours with an affliction which until now he'd never known before.

It wasn't that he didn't expect it.  Aurora was young.  She was beautiful and most importantly she was in love.  That Billy should want to be with her was as right as the rising sun in the east.  That she should want him, a powerful young Don making a name for himself, also... right.  And yet, in his mind he couldn't help but think upon the first moment he saw that pink little thing in her crib - so helpless.  A victim waiting to happen, if he did not act.  If he did not claim her.  If he did not give to her the one thing in all the world he was sure he had no idea how to be: a father.

As she struggled to learn to eat, to crawl and to walk ... he schooled himself alongside her.  Together they'd grown, much as he'd grown with Isabella, though in a different sort of way.  He and Bella had grown to rely upon each other, to find ways to fit together even when their hard edges opposed one another.  He'd grown around Aurora.  Protect of her, but also supportive, each move he made was to raise her up a little higher that she might one day be not just her best... but better than him and, one day, he realized she was. Aurora was all that Bella and he could have hoped for and now - what more was there to do but let go?

Isabella was already on about grandchildren, from the moment Aurora had said the word love.  He couldn't understand it.  Aurora had spent days crying in her mother's arms not two months ago and now this boy wanted to marry her?  He didn't understand Bella's reaction any more than he understood this proposal.  It seemed too fast.  Far too fast.

Gavin stopped at the top of the stairs and took a breath, looking out east towards the St. Claire river remembering another morning, a long time ago, when he'd woke on its banks a much younger man - hopelessly as in love with Bella as he supposed Billy was with Aurora.  For as much as the old Devil unnerved him - even that man could not have kept him from marrying Bella when he had decided that would be the way of it.  The whole act of asking and getting permission had been about Salvatore's ego, that was what Bella had said... and yet, he'd never asked Aurora to send Billy to him.  Nor had he expected it.  So, why had he asked?  Was it to avoid taking the chance that would Bella say no?  Did he think he had better odds with him because he knew what Billy had done to the son of a bitch who hurt Aurora?

Gavin flexed his fist.  The memory of that failure, his one failure of his daughter that he knew about, burned more than he had words for.  It hurt so badly he'd not even spoken of it to Bella.  He did not think he could bear the look in her eyes if she knew what that bastard had done to their daughter.  Billy hadn't had to say it, that the man had torn Mancini apart so brutally said it all.  That Aurora hadn't come to them also spoke mountains.  The girl who could not bear failure any more than he could have; she did just as he would have... remained silent.

"Too much like me..."  He muttered wishing, not for the first time, that Bella had been the one to stay home with the children.  Perhaps she could have done for them what he had failed at.  Aurora would have been better with words and people and Will might have been more like him?  Well, maybe that was too much to have hoped for.  Will was what he was, but Aurora might have benefited from having a woman around a bit more.  Even if it had just been her Aunt Tara.  

Gavin opened the apartment door and went inside to find a comfortable two bedroom apartment.  Gavin put down the case of money without a second thought.  There wasn't enough money in all the world to have gotten close to Aurora's true worth to him.  He sat down on the edge of the bed remembering her chubby fingers pulling cards out of his hand and sticking them into her mouth.  Her childish laughter echoing in his ears, he closed his eyes to see her waiting behind his eyelids.  

The dance recitals.  The holidays.  All the 'jobs' they did together.  Teaching her to fight.  Learning to read with her.  How many nights had he come in with the morning light to watch her sleep?  Would he never do that again?  Why was it only occurring to him now?  She'd moved to New York two years ago and was well into her college career and now... NOW it hit him that never again would she come running into his and Bella's bedroom to leap on their bed and wake them up with happy bouncing?

Gavin shrugged off his jacket and began to undo his shoulder holster.  He could recall the first time she asked about it.  About what he did with those guns... about the first time he'd taught her to fire a weapon and how afraid he'd been that day.  Not just for her safety but for the sort of instructor he'd be.  He had feared that his father would come out in his voice and his actions and instead there had been someone he never knew within himself who had come to guide her each and every time.  What Isabella had begun to introduce him to, Aurora had guided out into the warm light of day... the man he'd always meant to be.  

That was her true gift.  His Aurora.  The dawn of his new life.  Isabella had pushed back the darkness but Aurora - Aurora and Will - they were the light of the world to him.  In them he saw all the best of humanity, the pure wonder, joy, and innocence he'd never seen in his own childhood.  Watching them slowly work their way towards becoming adults helped him to understand his own drunken, reckless, path in hindsight.  It was supposed to be that fathers taught their children about the world and yet, so often, he found himself in wonder at how much they had taught him.

And this, this was what Billy asked him to give away?  What treasure had he ever stolen with such value?  What life was ever worth so much as the ones he'd raised?  Who was this upstart Don to think he'd just ... let her go?  She was too young.  No.  He was too young.  They were both too young and he wasn't old enough.  

Gavin wiped his face and felt the dampness as the back of his hand passed over his cheek.  He drew a ragged breath and looked to his left to see a phone upon the nightstand.  He moved without thought and dialed the numbers burnt into his heart and mind.  One ring.  Two.  Three. 

"Hello..."  A sleepy voice croaked.

"Hey Squirt,"  Gavin said into the phone.

"Dad it's ..."  Aurora yawned.  "... it's six in the morning.  Is everything okay?"

"Yeah.  I couldn't sleep.  I just thought maybe you'd be up getting around for classes?"  He began kicking off his shoes.

"It's Saturday, Dad.  No classes today.  How'd you do in the poker tournament?"

"Well, I walked out with the pot."  

She chuckled.  "Poor Billy.  He should have known better than to invite you.  Was there much competition?" 

Gavin could hear her fumbling around in her kitchen, running water, maybe making coffee.

"Well, Billy went all the way to the end."

"He did?!"  He could hear the joy in her voice, the pride.  And something else.  Something he wished he didn't hear.

"Do you love him, Squirt?"

There was silence on the line.

"Dad?  Are you okay?  Are you drunk?"

Gavin chuckled.  "I should be."

Again there was silence.  Gavin listened to her breathing and then she answered, "Yes, Dad.  I love him."

Gavin nodded.  "He's a good one."

Aurora chuckled.  "I think so."

Gavin looked at the clock.  "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"Not the first time," she said. "... though it's been a while since you've come in to check on me so early."

Gavin chuckled.  "Oh, you know about that do you?"

"Dad... of course I do."  She paused.  "I love you."

"Love you, too."  He ran a hand through his unwashed silver hair.  "I should try to sleep.  I'll call you later this week, okay?"

"Alright, Dad.  Goodnight."  And with that, she hung up the phone. 

Gavin put down his receiver, fell back onto the bed and whispered back,  "Goodnight, Squirt."

It was late in the morning before Billy realized where he was. He had walked to a dozen different places that morning. He started at the docks, and then the flower shop soon after the day broke. He went to the Orphanage to see all the kids as they woke up, and even to play with a couple of the little girls.

Brigitte had taught him the word for morning.

"Matin".

He repeated it back to her in her native tongue with a thick American accent and the girl giggled at him. She was quickly becoming his favorite, though he would never have let any of the other children know that. That would not have been fair, or right.

After saying his goodbyes, and leaving a few treats, he made his way to the cafe, and got breakfast. He made his way around the city of Detroit, around Corktown, that morning and he visited every jewel in his empire. His last stop was to the cigar factory as he finished his slice of pizza from Tony's.

He made his way inside the smoke room though, not to the factory floor as he normally would have. He nodded to the gentleman behind the counter and slipped into the larger room meant for smoking and for showing off the product. He went over to the wall and he took out a set of keys from his pocket.

Inside the glass case was a single ebony box of cigars on a glass pedestal. It was made to look like it was floating on its own. Billy had put that one box aside. This box was his pride and joy. It was the first box of cigars this factory of his ever made. There were two dozen cigars in that box, and today he took out two of them. He hoped to empty the box before he died, with special reasons to smoke. He wasn't entirely sure that he would.

Nobody could be sure of such a thing.

When he made it back to the Headquarters he let Integra know where he was going and then hopped in a car driven by Victor. It was his new guy. He was no Oscar, but he was a good guy, and he had no family to speak of, which meant to Billy that he wouldn't have to give him up too soon. Victor, he found, was quieter than Charlie, if that could be possible. So half the time Billy found himself talking to Rebecca now. She was the only one who really seemed to like talking back anymore. Billy missed Oscar, but he knew he had done the right thing. The guy had a family. He needed a way out.

The car pulled up to the apartment just before noon and Billy got out. He made his way up to his home and took a quick shower, getting changed before he went down to knock quietly on Gavin's door. He did not want to wake the man if he was still sleeping, but Billy had a feeling he was not. Not if he had the kind of energy Billy had today.

Gavin hadn't yet put his tie back on when he heard the knock.  Instead, he shoved it into his pocket and crossed the room in just a few steps.  Reaching for the handle with one hand, his other near his gun.  He was sure it wasn't Linval knocking, he knew that man's knock, so it was either Billy or it was trouble.  Seeing the prior, his hand fell back to his side quickly.  

"Morning."  He said with a nod, knowing damn well it was nearly lunch.  "Nice place you got here.  The bed was nicer than a hotel one that's for damn sure."

For the first time in his life, Gavin didn't feel comfortable in the silence.  Maybe it was because the question had been asked and he felt as though the onus to answer still hung over his head.  He wasn't ready to answer.  Not yet.  And so he'd engage in small talk if he needed.  He stepped out into the hallway pulling the door closed behind him.

"Linval is already up and around.  I think he said something about going downstairs to smoke.  I'm sure we'll find him out by the cars.  How did you sleep?"

Billy shook his head.

"Didn't. Too much too do."

He made his way toward the elevator and then turned to Gavin.

"Lazy way, or stairs?"

As Gavin shrugged Billy made for the stairs.

"I'm glad you slept well. I keep the place as a spare for when guests are around. If you had been staying longer you would have noticed the place was stocked as if someone lived there. Eggs and milk in the icebox, liquor cabinet full, and always clean. I pay well to have my spare apartment cleaned. But I don't let a living soul into my own place unless I trust them with my life. You never know what a maid might find tucked away in a drawer somewhere."

He made his way out into the midday sun and looked down the street.

"Hey, you probably haven't eaten yet, you want to grab a bite before we go? I can always eat again."

Billy smiled and waited for Gavin to decide whether it was food, or a surprise he was up for first thing in the morning.

"I'm good."  he didn't want to admit to his stomach having been upset since they parted ways hours ago.  "Maybe I'll feel like lunch after we see this gift of yours."

Linval met them at the door.  "Morning Don Mastrosimone."

Gavin nodded to Linval.

Linval spoke to Gavin, "Mrs. Byrne wanted me to remind you to stop by Alward's Market and not to forget the button candies she likes so much."

Gavin chuckled and looked to Billy,  "She'd kill me if I came home without them.  Bella has a sweet tooth like no one I've ever known.  Ice cream is just the start of it.  And it's only gotten worse as she's gotten older - though don't tell her I said that."

Linval quietly greeted Charlie as the men made their way over to Billy's car.  

Gavin was silent as they got into the car, still unsure where to start, or what to say.  So much was on his mind and nothing seemed right in the moment.  He knew this was one of those times when he should say something significant and meaningful but unlike Bella, he was a simple man and generally speaking one of few words.  And this felt like a time when he should have so much more to say than just his usual few...