It was amazing how ones life could change in a heartbeat. In one split second, everything you knew.. everything you believed could be ripped asunder as if it never was. Having spent five years reconciling herself to the lose of the only man she'd ever loved, Lexi had been sure she would never be reduced to feeling like that girl again.

God, how wrong she'd been.

Now, a week later, the brunette stood within the shadows of the dark apartment and took in the evidence of the skeleton in her closet. Just being within the same space that the ghost inhabited brought back so many memories. Memories that she'd thought dead and buried, just like their past. From the scent of familiar cologne and musk echoing through the living space, Drew was still a creature of habit and hadn't changed his ways after their separation. The thought made an unwilling smile twist her lips even as she touched the boxing gloves that hung on the back of his bedroom wall.

Yup, still the same old Drew she thought ruefully before giving herself a hard shake.

Right, she wasn't here to reminisce. That part of her life was over and it needed to stay that way. She couldn't afford the distraction. Her job here was to find out with the Andreas crew was up here and mooning over his sorry ass wasn't doing the trick.

That thought in mind, she forced herself to move towards the dresser, carefully moving through the things left there before pulling out drawers and going through those too. If her fingers linger a bit upon his tshirts, well, there wasn't anyone around to tattle on her,was there? Realizing what she was doing, Lexi shoved the drawer shut harder than she intended just as the sound of the front door opening registered. Swearing under her breath, her hand instantly reached for the gun at the small of her back and she pulled it, backing up until her back was against the wall beside the door.


As more noises came through out the apartment, she glanced towards the open balcony windows and debated whether she could get to them, get them open and get out before she was caught. Unfortunately, she had a feeling she wouldn't and she felt her pulse race as footsteps sounded on the hallway outside the bedroom.


When the door swung open, she decided not to wait and instantly went on the offensive, kicking out and knocking the newcomer aside before attempting to dart out the door.

It had been a long day at the gym of beating the shit out of people and getting pretty beat up himself. His lip was split, a set of knuckles was bruised into his cheek, even his shoulders were sore from working on the bag a little too much. Knuckles were split in a few places and his hands ached even as he turned the knob to open the front door of his apartment. Had he been in a much more sound state of mind he probably would have noticed the few things that had been moved already, noticed the shift of the bowl he dropped his keys in by the door or the fact that his boots had been shoved down a bit when the door opened the first time. Alas, Drew was just plain too tired to notice much of anything but he did catch the drawer slamming. 

Narrowing his eyes he dropped his duffle bag by the door, making his way back towards the bedroom and making it sound like he hadn't noticed the sound. Yawning, coughing, making some noise that sounded pretty typical, he had almost been expecting the roundhouse kick that came his way. Drew turned his body just enough to guard himself from the shot, hand wrapping around the leg and pulling so whoever it was came into view. Even as the petite woman went for the door, Drew grabbed hold and wrapped his arms around her to immobilize her as best he could. "Lexi," he breathed as soon as he got a whiff of her perfume, not letting her go. Instead, he tightened his hold and held onto the tiny body for as long as he could. 

"Lex," Drew moved enough in an attempt to push her up against the wall, just wanting to talk to her. "Oh my God, Lexi you're alive! I was told you were dead!" he shook his head, watching her earnestly and nervously. The woman that he had fallen in love with, the first girl who caught his eyes outside of wanting to take her to bed. His one and only love whom he had been convinced was dead, was here right now. Taking a deep breath of her, he shook his head but kept hold of her since he could feel her wanting to leave, or was that him being nervous? "Baby girl…where have you been?"

Hind sight was always twenty twenty. The moment she felt a strong hand wrap around her leg, Alexis knew she was in trouble. Suddenly, memories of how quick Drew was with his hands swamped her and she mentally groaned. This was NOT the person she should have chosen to go hand to hand with, seeing how he did it for a living. Why the hell hadn't she thought about that before trying to out maneuver him? Oh right, probably because she was being an idiot and needed her head examined for daydreaming over smelly old tshirts.

No sooner than those thoughts had crossed her mind, however, than she found herself twisted about and felt strong arms wrap around her. Taken off guard, it took her a moment to gather herself for another attempt at escape but the sound of a deep, gravelly voice near her ear brought her up short. Freezing in place, conscious or not, the brunette couldn't keep herself from glancing upwards and straight into the face that had always been her kryptonite.

Thankfully, however, his next works hit her like a lightening bolt and any trace of softness was erased in a backlash of anger. How DARE he say those things to her! How dare he pretend HE was the one who was hurt? Reacting out of anger, the brunette made a move to bring up her knee but only managed a glancing blow to his thigh before bring her elbow back into his stomach. His whosh of breath allowed her to break his hold and then spin about, pointing her gun at him. "Don't call me that.... You don't have that right anymore." she told him coldly, desperately trying to lock her emotions down. "What are you doing in Monaco, Drew? And why are you working with the Andreas crew? Daddy dearest trying to form some sort of alliance?

Drew hadn't been expecting the sudden force of impact that the girl he used to know had served him. The muscles tightened and he grunted, sighing when Alexis spun around with a gun pointing his way. Taking a deep breath, he lifted his hands up and shook his head. Daddy dearest? Oh how behind on the times she was. Daddy dearest hadn't talked to his son in years let alone try to use him to set up some kind of weird connection in Monaco. What the hell would the mob do in Monaco anyway? The mob only had so much to give as far as money and time went, and now that a shot callers son had stepped out of the limelight, they were stretched thinner. Now he was looking down the barrel at his girl, the girl who had changed his life in all the right ways. 

Shaking his head in response, he thought a moment to form his words. "Alexis. I broke away from my family as soon as I got out of prison. I left to get away from them, they were no good for me," he shook his head, voice not wavering as he kept his eyes on her. "They admitted to beating the shit out of you and told me they had murdered you! That they had taken care of you and I couldn't live with that! I couldn't live with the fact knowing the monster who destroyed my life was in the same household as me!" Drew started to pace, as he tended to do when he got into an upset state of mind. Hands reached up to rub the back of his head, the pain of what had all happened written across his face. That was one event, or series of events, in his life that Drew was never going to forget. The day they admitted to taking his girl away was the day his heart completely died.

"I met up with the Andreas crew after a few street races and they saw me fight a few times. I just…" he stopped, looking over at her once more and he admitted defeat. "Shoot me. My life has been a miserable mess of turns and shit since my supposed family put me in jail and ran you off." Drew stepped forward, letting the barrel press into his chest and he shook his head. "You don't understand, Lexi. They told me I would never see you again, that you were ten feet underground and long gone, that they had murdered you. So I did what I thought best and left. I'm sorry I'm such a dick for that. So if you hate me so much, end it. You're the only one I can deal with knowing did." Drew shook his head, keeping his gaze locked on her.

"Alexis. I broke away from my family as soon as I got out of prison. I left to get away from them, they were no good for me," he shook his head, voice not wavering as he kept his eyes on her. "They admitted to beating the shit out of you and told me they had murdered you! That they had taken care of you and I couldn't live with that! I couldn't live with the fact knowing the monster who destroyed my life was in the same household as me!"

Of all the responses the woman expected, it was none of the ones she got. Instead, it was something completely different. A reaction that shook her in a way nothing else could have. Disbelief warred with bemusement as her trigger finger slackened, her face registering her confusion. "What?" came her mutter as her brain tried to make sense of what he was saying. "Why would they admit that to you?"

"I met up with the Andreas crew after a few street races and they saw me fight a few times. I just…" he stopped, looking over at her once more and he admitted defeat. "Shoot me. My life has been a miserable mess of turns and shit since my supposed family put me in jail and ran you off." Drew stepped forward, letting the barrel press into his chest and he shook his head. "You don't understand, Lexi. They told me I would never see you again, that you were ten feet underground and long gone, that they had murdered you. So I did what I thought best and left. I'm sorry I'm such a dick for that. So if you hate me so much, end it. You're the only one I can deal with knowing did." Drew shook his head, keeping his gaze locked on her.

With confusion warring with a million other emotions, it took the brunette a bit to work through his words. The pure shock of what he was telling her held her immobile as he stepped into the barrel of the gun and pushed on it. Instinctively, her trigger finger re-tightened but didn't pull as she met that dark gaze that had haunted her for so long. As much as part of her had wanted to punish him for so long, the honesty in his tone made her tremble. If there was one thing Drew had never done, it was lie to her. Why would he start now? But if what he said was true.... Then they'd been lied to by everyone else, her god father included. He'd told her that upon release, her husband had gone back to work for the family and hadn't even bothered to find out what happened to her. Until that point, she'd held out some small hope and it had died a savage death at that news.

So what was she to believe? She just didn't know. And really... Did it matter anymore anyways?


Loosening her finger off the gun, Alexis moved the barrel back and shook her head. "No, you don't understand, Drew.. They did more than beat me. They took turns at me and left me for dead. They killed my parents and destroyed everything of the girl I was. I would have died if it hadn't been for my godfather." she told him bluntly, unable to keep the bitterness out of her tone. "Ian told everyone i was dead in order to protect me from them coming after me again. I came to see you in prison and you turned me away. You made your feelings perfectly clear then and I had nothing left to hold on too." she continued, driving her point in. "Ian saved me. He gave me a way out of the darkness and that girl you remember? She doesn't exist anymore. She died along with those foolish fairy tale dreams of hers that night. "

Easing back a few more steps, the brunette shook her head as she gazed at the man who'd once been her whole world. Although she didn't want too, her gaze drank in his beloved features even as a flicker of emotion cracked her cold mask. "I'm not the girl you remember, Corbain. The past is the past and we are on different sides of the fence now. You have your job, I have mine. And mine is to make sure your crew, as it were, doesn't mess up my boss's plans." she continued, dropping her gun finally before tilting her chin defiantly. "You need to make them back off or its not going to end well... for any of us."

"To get me to buckle down, they thought it would make me want to work for them" he shook his head, voice getting ragged. All of these years he had assumed the woman he had made his entire life was dead and hadn't moved on. He hadn't forgotten her, hell he kept pictures of them both around the house to remind him of a time that he had been truly happy. And here she was, going off and it made him frown. "You…you came to see me at the prison? I thought you never came back," he shook his head, remembering saying he didn't want to see her but if she had ever come to see him again, he would have come out even for a little while. Sighing, he dragged his hand over his face as the emotions caught him, threatening to show in a way that wasn't usually acceptable for a macho guy. 

Idly his fingers pulled the necklace from beneath his shirt where he hung their rings, looking down at them and sighing. The past was the past according to her. It was taking a lot to keep himself together, to not grab her and show her just how much he missed her. Stepping back enough so he could lean against the doorframe, Drew shook his head. "It may be the past to you but it most certainly isn't the past to me. It wasn't the past to me, still isn't the past to me. But if that's how you feel then…" Drew pulled the chain from around his neck, managing to get the clasp open and slipped the rings into his hand. His rough thumb slipped along the small ring before he held it out to her in silence, hoping she'd take it. Settling his own wedding band back onto the chain he placed it on his neck and stepped out of the way of the door. 

"I can't make promises, but I'll talk to my crew. Just…make sure you realize just who you're working for and what you're doing, because there's a lot more to it than you think," Drew eyed her a moment, looking down with a sigh. "I never stopped loving you, and I never will. No matter what you say." His voice broke off, losing control of his emotions and having to walk out of his room and towards the back room where he kept his workout equipment.

MATURE CONTENT WARNING! READ AT OWN RISK!

Alexis: God, he was killing her as surely as if he'd put a gun to her heart and pulled the trigger. In all the years she'd spent without him, she hadn't ever envisioned any of their encounters going down like this. Part of her wanted nothing more than to throw her arms about him. Another part, however, was wiser. At least, that is what she told herself. Somewhere down deep, she suspect the feeling of something else.

Fear.

Watching him for a long moment, Lexi stared at the ring he held out, her mind trying to make sense of why it was still around his neck. Without conscious thought, she reached out to take it, standing still even when he moved and allowed her access otu the door. "Drew..." she started before dark eyes banked upwards and she frown. "You still have this?" she asked, ignoring his last words before shaking her head. "I don't understand any of this... I came to see you after it all happened. They said you refused to see me. "


Drew: "I had said I didn't want to see you to a friend, that I had told you to find a way out, but I never told the guards," he shook his head, looking at her darkly. "Meaning my father stepped in. I still have a lot of shit you don't know about." Drew shook his head, stepping back into the hallway. "But, you're not the same girl and the past is the past so I guess I gotta leave it there."

Alexis: God. How that hurt. "Go, Lexi" her saner side instisted but her feet refused to listen. As much as Lexi knew it was best this way, the woman hadn't missed the show of emotion that was foreign to everything she knew of her husband. Unfortunately, there was so much water under the bridge that she wasn't sure if the truth changed anything. The woman he remembered... She was a girl who hadn't learned the lessons in life that she had. The woman she'd been forced to become was different. No longer innocent to the ways of their world, she'd worked hard at becoming the strong individual she'd come here as. The woman who was capable of pulling a weapon on the man she'd loved and, even now, knew she had a job to do.

That didn't mean it some of that pain didn't flash in her face though as she finally put away her gun and took in a deep breath. "I guess maybe they were right after all, huh?" she said softly, unaware of the sadness that reflected in the tones. "Do your best to talk to your crew, Drew... Contrary to whatever you might think.. these people aren't ones to mess with and... i don't particularly want to see anyone hurt. And that is what will happen if they keep on this path." That said, she attempted to move past him

Drew: Hearing her agree with him made it all that much worse, made him finally start to break in half. "FUCK my crew!" he finally snapped, fists tightening as he stepped in her way. "Lex, Lex we can't do this. I can't do this. I can't just act like it's all in the past, I can't!" he shook his head, grabbing hold of her arms gently and holding onto her. "I can't pretend like this is okay, that you're not mine like we were before. It's not the past to me, it's my past, should be my present, and you have to be my future." Drew shook his head and managed to control his breathing, the utter urgency written across his face along with the sadness. There was no way he was walking away from this with his baby girl being in town.

Alexis: Pulled up short by his form, Lexi heard his words even as they tore through her heart. As much as she wanted to be cold hearted and turn away, so part of the girl she'd been craved this encounter. The pain in his voice was enough to rip her asunder and when she met his dark gaze with her own, an answering pain was reflected there along with all the confusion she felt. Without concious thought, her hand came up and rested upon his chest. Whether to push him away or pull him closer, she couldn't have ever answered honestly. "Drew...." she barely managed before past crashed into present and she was lost. Stepping in close, she pressed her lips to his, hoping to block out all the words she was afraid to hear.

Drew: Staring at the girl he had assumed dead was not the way he had imagined his already difficult day to end but to say that he was disappointed wasn't the truth. His gaze turned to her hand on his chest, back to her when he heard his name and he let go of her arms when she stepped into him. Without much thinking, he slipped his arms around her waist to pull her closer in the kiss.

Alexis: And just like that, Lexi felt the world shift once more under her feet. The taste of him upon her lips was enough to revive the hunger that had always plagued her when it came to this man and she deepened the mouthy embrace with an almost desperate air. "Stop it." came that hated inner voice but she couldn't. Suddenly, it felt as if she'd die without at least one more kiss. When his arms slid around her? Reason and logic ceased being something viable and she shoved him hard, taking him up against the doorframe even as she ignored all the reasons this was a bad idea. "Damn you Drew..." she whispered against his lips even as her fingers tugged at his tshirt, seeking the warm flesh she knew was underneath that damned material.

Drew: The memory of how her lips felt against his was nothing compared to feeling them again. A smirk lifted his lips when she shoved him back into the wall, eyes searching her face briefly before his hands came up to cup her face. Damn him? Oh she'd be damning him soon. Pulling his shirt off and tossing it aside, Drew grabbed hold of her, lifting her easily and heading for the bed. Of course, he had way more tattoos now than he did before but that was all things she could look at later. Immediately his lips were on hers, hands pushing her clothing aside and off to get to the soft skin his hands craved to slid along.

Alexis: Watching him tug the shirt over his head, Lexi shrugged out of her jacket, leaving it to drop to the floor behind her. When his strong arms lifted her, she was already tossing her shirt away and the feel of his warm skin against her own was enough to make her moan. God. THIS was what she'd missed. In five years, she'd never taken another man to her bed because none of them could ever do for her what Drew did. Although she'd experienced the ways of the world, causal sex had never been her thing. Instead, she'd settled for memories and personal statisfaction that never came close to making her as wet as she now was as they toppled back upon the bed. Fuck forplay, she was pretty damned sure she was going to come from just his touch if he drug this out to long.

That thought in mind, she wiggled enough to help him and soon enough, their clothing was cast aside, allowing for the glide of flesh upon flesh. "Holy shit..." she managed before shoving at his shoulders and flipping him on to his back in order to take what she'd been wanting for so damned long. Teeth nipping softly long his neck, she followed the line of his shoulder until she came to the new ink on his skin. Pulling back a moment, she took it in before shifting her gaze up to meet his. "Guess I'm not the only one with a few new additions, huh?" she teased before kissing him again.

Drew:"Holy shit si right," he managed, eyes closing in the sudden delight of her skin against his. Her skin was as soft as he remembered, curves a little harder with muscling but dammit, he was loving this. Laying back on the bed with a sigh, he only opened his eyes when he heard her speak and smirked. "I have more than a few." Chuckling into the kiss, Drew easily lifted her some with one hand and adjusted himself so he could slide himself inside. A loud groan of pure relief escaped him as the familiar feeling of her surrounded him, actually a little shocked she was as wet as she was without any additional help from him.

Alexis: "Show me later..." she managed to whisper before feeling him inside her, her body taking a moment to adjust to his claiming before moving against him in a dance as old as time. Revealing in the feeling of it all, the brunette bit her lip before meeting his gaze, seeing the same pleasure reflect in his dark depths. It was enough to spike the heat hotter and it didnt take long for her orgasm to slam into her, making her cry out his name even as she wanted to wait for him. It had simply been to long though and this man had always been capable of turning her inside out.

Drew: Every tiny movement brought more, made him writhe a little bit, hands tighten on her hips more and as soon as her orgasm rocked her, he knew it wasn't long for him. In a swift movement he had flipped them over, one hand grabbing the headboard for support as his hips worked their magic. It didn't take long, his moan loud as his own orgasm worked through him with a shiver running up his back. "Holy…fuck…" he breathed heavily, chin dropping to his chest briefly.

Alexis: Still reeling from her climax, Lexi didn't fight it as she found herself flipped and then felt Drew powering into her from above. The sight of him was enough to bring out yet another rush of pleasure and she couldn't help the words that escaped her. "Give it to me, baby.." she whispered even as she felt him do just that she thought it the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. A rush of a different kind of pleasure filled her at the knowledge that she could still give him this and the warmth melted some of the ice that had taken up residence in her heart. His words, however, make a soft chuckle escape her. "yeah... thats one way to put it..." she noted before simply enjoying the moment


Drew: It took a few minutes for the rush that had clogged his senses to clear completely, gaze turning to look down at her softly. There she was, the beautiful woman he loved to this day. Shifting a bit, he leaned down and caught her in a kiss, one hand cupping her cheek to hold her there. He nipped at her lip gently, carefully settling himself down over her, keeping their bodies pressed together tightly.

The kiss was everything that she didn't want to remember and more. So much like the ones in her memories, the gesture undid her and she didn't have the strength to push him away like she knew she needed too. So, instead, she returned the kiss and then breathed in his scent, desperately trying to store away his scent for another time when she would need the remembrance.


Eventually, as their hearts slowed and they rolled on the bed to get more comfortable, she laid her cheek on his chest and let her breathing even out. Pretending sleep, she knew she'd fooled him when his own evened out. Soon enough, a slight snore escaped his chest and she couldn't help the little smile that curled up her lips. Some things just never changed.


Unfortunately, that thought brought everything else back and she knew as much as she wanted to stay, she couldn't. Slipping carefully from his arms, the brunette stared down at him a long moment before leaning down to press one last soft kiss upon his lips. Pulling away mere inches, she whispered. "I love you , Drew."


And then, grabbing her things, she slipped silently out into the night.