As she lay in her bed at night, staring at the stars through the bullet proof skylight she had installed directly over her bed in her room, Sydney's mind became cluttered with all of the things she needed to take care of the next morning. Sit downs with members of other upper structures, meetings with her own hands, an interview with a special agent regarding her involvement in a murder case that she was a suspect in... The list of things went on and on.

It was a regular thing for her. The recent death of her beloved Don Chekov resulting in her stepping up as head of Las Vegas had left her with very little room to breath. In order to help take some of the weight off of her shoulders she had authed AdumbT. The young man was doing great. He had become very close with the men and women he was working with and showed only potential for improvement.

But she still felt as though she couldn't breath....

As she laid there in her bed watching the stars slowly disappear the sun crept its way across the morning sky, she saw two birds chasing one another. They swooped around back and forth in the the light of the early morning, criss crossing with each other as the flew.

And that's when she suddenly realized what she needed to do...

"CrissCross" she said as a smile spread across her face. Then she rolled over and finally went to sleep.

***

Sydney stood in her office, staring into the large vanity mirror that was mounted on the wall. It was an antique piece, one that had been passed down from one generation to the next in her family. She ran her lipstick across her mouth as she stood there, shaping her lips with a deep red color. Then she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."   She said as she finished up her lips. She walked around her desk to her chair, where she took a seat and crossing her legs. She looked CrissCross directly in the eyes, trying to hide any emotion on her own face.

"Do you know why I have asked you to come here today, Darwin?"   Sydney asked him abruptly. She could see that he was a bit confused. She was never this formal with him, so she expected him to act this way. Without giving him a chance to answer her question, she continued.

"From day one, you have been one of the most loyal men in my family. I didn't throw a bunch of names into a hat and happen to pull yours out to make you my Left Hand. That is a position that you had earned for the hard work and dedication that you had shown not only for me and my family, but for the Late Godfather AK and Don Chekov as well."

Sydney looked over at the few pictures that she had always kept on her desk of AK and Chekov, and fought back the tears that always tried to escape when she mentioned them.

"Since you have come into this thing of ours, I have heard nothing but good things of you. I have always been a firm believer of rewarding those that have earned it, and giving credit where it is due." 

She stood up from her desk and walked over to the large windows that took up nearly the entire back wall of her office, behind her desk. She leaned her hands on the ledge and looked out at the scene before her. Paradise had always been her home, and she was going to miss it.

"As you are aware, we will soon be making a move from Paradise to The Strip. What you may not be aware of, Darwin, is that you will not be joining me in my HQ"

The red headed woman paused briefly as she ruffled through some papers that littered her desk. When she found the exact paper she was looking for she handed it to the man. The paper was old, tattered and starting to yellow but the writing was clear as day. It was the deeds to one of the buildings Don Chekov bought before his passing. They were signed over to Sydney as was stated in the will of the late Don.. but now this particular one was signed over to him.

"Consi.... Don CrissCross, you are not joining me because I will be setting you up, as my Underboss, with your own crime family on The Strip."

Sydney watched as CrissCross' mouth dropped to the floor. She didn't say anything else, she simply let the news settle in and waited for his response.

"No, no. We pay all the taxes that we owe. I don't care. No, I really don't care. I'd rather spend the few extra million dollars to keep this company floating, than try to beat around the bush to make a few million dollars. In the long run, I will pull that three million out ten fold. Patience is a virtue, Mr. Torella. Think of Aero Global as a  fruit that you are wating to ripen. The longer you wait to pluck it, the sweeter it will be. Ya, exactly. Alright fella. Take care. Ciao."

Darwin hung up the phone and leaned back in his desk. He had recently been appointed CEO of a  multi million dollar corporation called Aero Global. Aero Global was on the top of the list of anything that had to do with the manufacturing, repair, sale or rentals of airplanes. The money he pulled in from Aero Global was incredible, but what was more important was the millions of dirty dollars he was cleaning for himself and the rest of Las Vegas underworld.

Rinnngggg. Riinnnnnggg. Riinnnggg.

The phone went off again. He leaned forward and lifted it off of the cradle and placed it to his ear.

"Mr. Ross speaking. Oh, Syd, how are you? Of course I can come by, is everything okay? Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can. No, no... I am leaving now. Alright then, see you soon. Bye." and then he hung up the phone. There was something about the way Don Sydney spoke that left CrissCross feeling uneasy. She seemed way to formal, or even a little blunt. She was normally very friendly with him.

"Lance, get my car ready please. I have to go to the head quarters to speak with Don Sydney at once." he said to his most trusted bodyguard and childhood best friend, Lance Dunnigan.

The headquarters seemed very quiet today. Aside from Don Sydney's bodyguards and the odd associate hanging about, the place was a dead zone. That, added with Sydney's suspicious tone on the phone left Darwin with a feeling of unease as he walked up the stairs to the Don's office.

"Do come in." Sydney said after Darwin knocked on the door.

"Good afternoon Syd, how are you?" Darwin asked, but didn't get the warming welcome that he hoped for. Sydney stared back at him with a face that the best of poker players couldn't have read. He noticed that ther were some other members of the upper structure of Las Vegas present, but he didn't speak with them. Silent nods is all he gave, not wanting to make Sydney feel he wasn't focused.

"Do you know why I asked you to come here today, Darwin?" she asked him. Just as Darwin was about to answer, she cut him off and continued.

As Darwin listened on his anxiety slowly eased away. He realized that Sydney was acting and speaking the way she was purposely to mess around with him. He tried to hide his excitement, but it was no use. He was standing there in front of her desk with a smile that stretched from one ear to the next, blushing like a schoolgirl did after her first kiss.

When she was finished praising him and sharing her kind words, they both sat there in silence for a bit. Darwin waited for her to start laughing and tell him that it was all a joke, but that never happened. Finally, he realized that she was not pulling his leg, and that this was all very serious.

"Don Sydney, I am honored to have earned the trust and respect you have for me. I promise you that I will never make you regret the decision you have made. My loyalty has always been to my family, and to the city of Las Vegas. I have made my bones in this city, Don Sydney, and I promise that I will rest them here as well. Godfather AK and Don Chekov always spoke so highly of you, and both loved you dearly. The time that we have spent together has opened my eyes to why they were so fond of you. You are a strong, caring and lovable leader, and I swear my loyalty to you, Syd." CrissCross said, and then walked around the table to embrace his Don. He kissed her from cheek to cheek, and then began to laugh.

"Don Ross. I like the sound of that."

Frankie was in New York when he got a phone call from his main office on The Strip. The family he was a part of headed by AdumbT had recently just moved to the glorious Strip and he was happy things were progressing well there for everyone. On the phone his secretary gave him the news that Don CrissCross had just been given authorization by the leader of Las Vegas Don Sydney to start his own family. The Diamonds in the Rough.

Frankie liked the name and told his secretary to send a nice heartwarming letter and a gift basket to Criss' new residence to congratulate his good friend. Frankie stopped by a nice store in Manhattan - The De Beers jewelry store. He glanced at their beautiful jewels and rings and necklaces and found that would be just perfect for his leader Sydney. He payed for it and put the order to deliver it by overnight mail and insured to Sydney's residence.

I'm sure she would enjoy it as well, like everyone knows that Diamonds are a girl's best friend!!!