Pete was born in Chicago, the product of business for his mother, a prostitute. Pete never knew his dad, and he never got to know anybody else in his family. His mother mentioned her brother in Detroit on occasion, and his cousin Tommy, though they never met. Fate had a strange cruelty to it, Pete met his cousin Tommy, and it had been great. They both had turned to a life of crime, and had hit it off immediately. Pete had made many new connections from Tommy, but it all fell apart. As soon as Pete felt like he really had family, all of the crime families in Detroit were wiped out. Tommy had fled to Los Angeles, to hide with a friend of his, but there is no running from fate. Pete got a witness account of Tommy's fate in LA, he had gone out how he lived. He had his back to the street in an Italian restaurant, two big plates of spaghetti in front of him, when he was gunned down by men in a car. He had no idea what hit him, they put him on a lead diet and sent him to spaghetti heaven. 

Pete resolved to never end up like his cousin, he had always been hard, his upbringing made him that way. But this had tempered his resolve, he would join one of his local families and make something of himself. His upholstery shop wasn't going to cut it, it wasn't going to fill his hunger to be somebody. Thats how Pete found himself in a small bar near his upholstery shop, drinking a whiskey on the rocks, waiting for the right opportunity. 

Gabriella had just made her way into the big city, finally being old enough to leave the orphanage she jumped at the opportunity. It wasn't a place she wanted to be associated with anymore, the lonely nights and uncomfortable conditions made it so living on the streets looked enticing. She had saved up a little bit of cash, enough to get her to Chicago and a small bite to eat along the way. She wasn't exactly sure what she was going to do once she got there but figured there would be opportunities, there just had to be something.

After a day of sitting on the corner of one of the busy intersections Gabriella realized if she didn't do something soon she wouldn't make it too terribly long in the big city. Her stomach growled, fumbling through her pockets she pulled out a couple pieces of lint. She didn't have a penny to her name, nothing. Something had to be done. She had learned in the orphanage if you wanted something you had to get up and take it, no one gives hand outs. She picked herself up off the cold concrete, at the moment she stopped an old lady standing at the corner waiting to cross the road.

Gabriella knew she had money, she could just tell. You don't dress that nice and not carry cash around with you. Her target was set, she waited for the crosswalk light to turn on. Once it did she began running, she snatched the purse right off the woman's shoulders and in a full sprint ran across the street down the block and into an alley. She hid herself behind a dumpster just in case someone tried to follow her. Her luck though no one came looking. Feeling it was safe to have a look she dumped out the contents of the purse on the ground in front of her. To her astonishment there was a wad of cash and a couple bobby pins. Slipping them into her pockets she tossed the purse in the trash and headed back into the streets.

Her stomach growled some more, she knew she needed a bite to eat but the closest place to her was a tiny bar. Hoping they served some food she walked in and headed right to the bar. She looked to her left and saw a skinny man sitting there sipping on some whiskey. With a smile she said hello.

"Hi... Do you know if they serve any food here?"

Pete was sitting quietly when he was approached by a hungry looking woman, he smiled warmly. 
 

"I happen to know that they serve a wonderful burger here. Please take a seat, Ill get you a drink."

Truthfully Pete was thankful for the company, he waved over to the waiter. The food in this bar was not bad, it was normally the smaller places that had the best food. They put more heart into it, he frequented this place more often then most, because of its proximity to his shop. When the young man came over he ordered two more whiskeys, and nodded at his guest to order something.

"Put all of this on my tab Bill."

Quite astonished by this mans generosity, Gabriella was taken back for a moment. That moment was quick though once her stomach began to grumble once more. Never one to turn down a free meal she took a seat and ordered that burger the guy had suggested. Once placing her order she turned back to the guy sitting next to her. 

"Thank you so much for this, I haven't eaten in a couple days now. Coming to Chicago how I did wasn't well thought out."

She took in a big breath of air and exhaled it.

"Oh kind of rude of me, I'm Gabriella."

"I never did care much for drinking alone, Chicago can be a tough city, and I was getting hungry myself."

He heard her stomach growl, as she say down, she hadn't been joking, she was starving. He couldn't help but to be curious what brought a girl like her to this part of Chicago, to this dive, with an empty belly like that. He had been starving before, he had a rough childhood, and it was a feeling that he didn't wish on his worst enemies.

"My names Pete, some people call me Skinny Pete, but most people call me Skinny. Eat until your full, I've been hungry like that before, wouldn't wish that on anyone. You got a story Gabriella?"

"Nice to meet you Pete... I mean skinny. I'm not really sure what you want me to call you. You can call me Gaby for short if you like."

She turned to the waiter who had already placed her order.

"Can I get a glass of water."

Turning her attentions back to Pete she looked down to the floor before looking back up at him.

"I uhm, don't have much of a story. I grew up in a small town just south of Houston. Well I guess I wouldn't say grew up, I survived there. Spent my entire childhood in and out of orphanages. Never knew my parents and never found anyone to take me in. Basically have had to fend for myself since as early as I remember. So once I was able to get up out of there I just had to. Saved up a couple dollars and headed up here to Chicago. Heard there was plenty of opportunities up here but let me tell you, I haven't completely found them yet."

Pete chuckled, taking a drink of his whiskey.

"Gab you can call me whatever you like, dont make too much of a difference to me."

He listened to her story, orphan, thats not an easy life, seems like nobody gets to grow up easy these days.

"Opportunity is here, its just not as easy to find as they make it seem. What kind of opportunity are you looking for?"

He could smell the burgers on the grill, they would be done soon, the smell of the seasoned beef sent his stomach growling. 

"Pete it is then."

She also smelled the burgers on the grill which made her stop in mid sentence as she took in the delicious aroma. She could even hear it sizzling on the grill, it was like music to her ears.

"Those smell so good, I can't wait to sink my teeth into that burger."

She smiled at Pete.

"I'm just looking to make some money, get a place of my own. You know fit in. I'm so used to being by myself that it would be nice if I found somewhere I was wanted. Ya know?"

"You and me both, they come with a side of fries and slaw, just enough to really fill you up."

Pete listened to her, she didn't sound like she was looking for the kind of work he knew how to find, but he hadn't ruled it out yet.

"I might be able to get you a part time job at my shop, don't pay great. But if you were looking for something that paid more, but maybe wasn't entirely legal, I might be able to find you something like that too."

He didn't know her too well, but he felt for her, having had a fucked up childhood as well. People needed to look out for each other, otherwise no one was gonna make it in this fucked up world.

She wasn't quite sure that she heard him correctly. Would someone really be offering her a job without her even applying. She knew she had to take it, anything was better then nothing. She was more held up on the fact that some guy she just met was lending her that helping hand. It wasn't something that she was used to nor really knew how to react to it.

"You... want... me... to... work... for... you...?"

Saying it in a very slow and low tone of voice.

"I would be grateful but I must confess to you. I'm no angel I have done things that aren't considered legal. I promise though I won't do anything I shouldn't unless you want me to. I know it is hard to take my word since we just met...."

Before she could finish her sentence the food was brought out, the burger was stacked high with all the fixings. The fries over flowed over the plate and onto the bar top. Without hesitation she picked up to burger, jammed it in her mouth and took a huge bite.

She looked taken a back, maybe he had been a bit forward, there was something about her though, he felt compelled to help her. 

"I didn't mean to be so forward, you barely know me.'

He stopped as she finished what she was saying, a small smile spreading across his face. He had a knack for being a solid judge of character and his instincts were right about this one. 

"Honey. Your in Chicago now, we all do things that aint exactly illegal, to survive. you won't be rich working for me, but you will never go hungry."

As if on que to the word hungry, the food arrived and not a moment too soon, his stomach had been groaning in protest for far too long. He grabbed his burger and smelled it before taking a bite. You could never go wrong with a good burger. They seasoned the beef better then most places, or so it seemed, he took a few more bites before laughing.

"Ain't nothin in the world that seals a deal, better then a burger like this, eh, Gab. Your hired. After we eat I'll show you my place, and explain what we do there."

She wanted to speak but being that her mouth was full of burger she had to wait a moment to finish chewing. Normally she would have talked with her mouth full but this time she had jammed so much in her mouth it just wasn't possible. After a moment she finally cleared enough burger to speak. 

"Count me in."

Quickly she turned her head to take another bite.

She was far hungrier then he was, poor thing, he didn't know what she considered to be "not exactly legal" but if she could pick pockets, rob graves, and help him do some other petty crimes, then he would see to it that her belly was filled every day. It would be nice to have the company, he had finally gotten close to his cousin, and then the big man died, things were too quiet now. He continued eating his burger till it was gone, he was a fast eater, luckily his metabolism was great. Otherwise he might not be known as Skinny Pete, but rather Big Fat Peter, he chuckled at that as the thought of him and tommy in matching large suits, crossed his mind. 

Only having a couple bite left of her burger but about to explode from the quantity she ate. She tossed her napkin in her plate and pushed it away from her. She knew if she would have kept it in front of her she would have finished it but also knew if she finished it she would have felt terrible afterwards.

"Whoa, I haven't eaten that much in god knows how long. Not sure if my body would ever get used to that."

Gabriella chuckled then reached down to her pockets to make sure she still had her cash. She wanted to make sure she didn't lose it, that money would last her quite a while. In the midst of checking her pockets she could see Pete glancing at her.

"Don't mind me, I uhm... I just like to keep track of my things, ya know?"

Pete grinned, there was a certain satisfaction to be had for feeding someone that was genuinely hungry. Pete occasionally delivered food to the local homeless, it didn't cost him much, but it made a difference. He might be a crook, but that didn't mean he had to be a bastard. He couldn't help but notice her hands fly down to her pockets, checking to make sure something was there, he watched the relief come across her face as she realized that whatever it was, had not gone anywhere. It wasn't his business what was there, so long as she didn't make it his business. 

"I know, me too hun, me too. Things got a habit of walkin themselves right out of your pockets in Chicago. You want to stick around and have a couple of drinks?"

A thought crossed his mind, this girl was an orphan, who just got to chicago, and she was starving. She didn't have no where to go. He sighed thinking through his options. He wasn't cruel enough to put her up in his moms shithole house, his apartment was too small. He supposed she could stay in his bed, and he could take the couch. But that couch wasn't much for sleeping, he'd be sure to feel it in the morning. There was the loft in his shop, he had the extra furniture in the workshop to furnish it, and there wasn't a whole lot in it. He liked that idea alot more then sleeping on his lumpy couch in his tiny apartment. 

"The job comes with living quarters, they ain't much to look at, but with a little love, and a bit of dusting, its livable."

He cunningly offered the living quarters as part of the job, to not offend the girls pride. He wasn't sure if she was the type to put herself out rather then accept charity.

"Ain't free, little bit will come out of your pay, but its reasonable. "

Boris sat in the corner of this little bar, this small place had been a favorite haunt of Pete's. The Russian smiled as he thought about the skinny gangster, who's heart was too big for the crime world. This was where he had met a good friend of his, Gabriela, he had taken the girl in and talked about her regularly enough. Boris sighed as he thought about the fact that they were both dead now. Nobody could live forever, and this type of job was bad for the health. He took a drink of the glass of vodka in front of him and sighed. Loss never got any easier.