Chapter Text
After spending twenty-eight years in the home of one of Liberty City’s notorious crime families, Kate McReary found that her reasons to pay the frequent parade of gangsters and thugs any mind were rapidly diminishing. That said gangsters and thugs were, for the most part, her brothers’ friends had no effect. She tried not to be affected, anyway. The boys weren’t exactly known for keeping polite company, and those who were lost or cut ties with the family were easily replaced. In an attempt to stay disengaged, Kate refused to make the effort to get to know any of them.
So when she picked up her vibrating phone while cleaning the house one Sunday afternoon, and heard a strangely familiar voice on the other end, her guard immediately went up.
“Kate, uh, it is Niko,” the voice greeted her, before she had a chance to say hello. “We met with your brother, Packie? He gave me your number.”
Niko? Fleeting images of a tall, dark man standing in the doorway of her living room filled Kate’s mind. He’d been to the house a few times now, always to meet with her brothers, but aside from an introduction and general exchanges of pleasantries, Kate hadn’t spoken to him. She set down her feather duster and headed over to the couch, wondering for the life of her what Packie was doing giving her phone number away to strangers. “Hi, Niko. What’s up?”
Niko spoke haltingly, so that Kate wasn’t sure if it was the language or the mere request that was giving him trouble. “I was wondering if, uh, you wanted to come out with me sometime? Maybe we do something together?”
Oh. Realizing Packie’s intentions, Kate wanted to sigh. Honestly, she was surprised he’d never pulled this stunt before. She was on the verge of saying no, but something in Niko’s voice gave her pause. He might be a thug, but he’d been remarkably polite the few times they’d interacted, with a modest wit and eyes that flickered to life as she crossed the room. Maybe she’d enjoy spending time with him. What did she have to lose?
“Okay, that could be interesting,” Kate replied. “I don’t normally socialize with Packie’s gangster friends, but… sure.” She hoped Niko wouldn’t take offense with her categorization of him- even though it’s true- but he didn’t remark on it.
“Okay.” Niko hesitated. “When are you free?”
Now it was Kate’s turn to hesitate. God, when AM I free? Even when she wasn’t working, or seeing her therapist, or helping out at home, it seemed that stressing over her family was a full-time job. However, in the grand scheme of things, she knew that she had no serious plans of which to speak. “I’m free now. Pick me up in the next hour.” The words sat uncomfortably in her mouth. She couldn’t remember the last time a man had asked her out, much less a man whose request she’d accepted. Constant rejections tended to put an end to further attempts.
“See you then.” Niko hung up the phone, and Kate put hers away, before rising from the couch and marching straight up to Packie’s room. She found him exactly where she’d expected he would be- lounging on his bed, a beer can in one hand and a book that she knew he wasn’t reading in the other.
Kate rapped on the doorframe. “Hey, Patrick. Mind explaining why one of your, er, business associates just called me up asking to see me?”
Packie bolted upright, tossing the book aside and nodding haphazardly toward Kate. “Maybe because I just scored you a date with the suavest Slav in LC? Don’t say I never did nothing for my beautiful sister.”
Kate folded her arms over her chest. “Oh sure, because I was dying to go out with a guy who murders people for money.”
Taking a swig from his beer, Packie came up laughing. “Come on, Katie. Niko ain’t a bad guy.” He smirked, a cheeky glint appearing in his eye. “Something tells me he’s gonna grow on ya.”
“What, like mold?”
“Yeeeeah!” Packie waved his hand in Kate’s direction. “Hey, it’s how he grew on me. ”
Kate sighed, partly out of exasperation but also out of reluctant, suppressed fondness. All things considered, she was genuinely touched that Packie had gone out of his way to speak to Niko on her behalf. Career criminal or not, his company would certainly prove a better alternative to staying cooped up inside the house. And it might keep her mother from nagging, insisting that she needed to find a good man with whom to settle down. Not that this is a date or anything… Kate didn’t know Niko very well, but she couldn’t imagine wanting to involve herself romantically with someone whose life choices so clearly spelled disaster.
“Normally you’d cut a man’s throat if he looked at me the wrong way,” Kate said. “What’s different about Niko?”
“I trust Niko, all right?” Packie said. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, blinking dazedly at Kate. “I know he ain’t gonna do nothing to hurt you. And you need to learn how to fuckin’ enjoy yourself. You gotta go out and live it up once in a while.”
“I’m so glad you have faith in my ability to cut loose,” Kate said dryly.
Packie’s eyebrows shot up as he swaggered across the floor, heading for the bookcase which contained nothing in the way of books. Behind the spines of the only volumes on the shelf were hollowed spaces, perfect for concealing weed, speed, or Packie’s favorite- coke.
“I got faith in little else. By the way, you’re welcome.”
*
Just as Kate had requested, Niko appeared at the house within the next hour. She rose to meet him, descending the concrete steps, as he parked at the curb. A strange, nervous feeling took over her as she tugged at the passenger door. She wasn’t in the habit of getting into cars with criminals… or with any man who wasn’t related to her, really. Packie’s death threats tended to scare most of them away, and the few who persevered weren’t the kind of people with whom Kate felt comfortable associating. She’d learned her lesson back in her teen years to get to know someone very thoroughly before accepting the offer of a ride home. The same could very well apply to Niko, but since Packie had sanctioned the meeting, Kate didn’t feel she had much to worry about. Still, her stomach felt tense, though she wasn’t sure if it was from anticipation or trepidation.
The passenger door was locked. Kate couldn’t help but stifle a giggle as she watched Niko’s smooth face morph into an oh shit expression. He leaned over to manually unlock the door, and she hopped inside.
“Hey you,” she said, a bit clumsily. Niko dipped his head. “Hello.” They appraised each other for a minute, and while Niko’s expression gave no hints as to his opinion, Kate found that she liked what she saw. Niko wore the same leather jacket he’d been wearing when they first met, over a dark shirt and jeans. Good. Nothing too fancy- this isn’t a special occasion. Though she was sure she caught a whiff of a musky scent- cologne?- so he must have freshened up beforehand. She herself hadn’t given much thought to her appearance, besides brushing and tying back her hair. Niko didn’t smile as he gazed at her, but his eyes were so gentle that for a moment, Kate had a hard time believing he was the hardened killer who followed her brothers’ schemes without comment.
“Come on,” she said, pointedly looking away from Niko and brushing down her faded jeans. “Let’s go.”
Without a word, Niko pulled away from the curb. He stared straight ahead, letting the faint hum of the radio fill up the space between them. Part of Kate found the quiet intimidating, but at the same time she figured that he might be feeling as awkward as she did. Heavens knew a man like him didn’t have much time for recreational activities.
“This is nice, isn’t it?” she said blandly, after they’d driven a few blocks. She’d thought about asking Niko where they were going, but decided it didn’t matter. I’ll trust him THAT much.
“What’s nice?” Niko said.
“I don’t know…” Kate gazed out the window. “Getting out, doing stuff, not working or fighting with my family. Getting to know you.” She was pleased, and slightly surprised, to find that she wasn’t just saying that. This is more of Liberty City than I ever see, at any rate.
“It’s nice to get to know you too.” Niko sounded just as sincere as Kate felt. She hoped he wasn’t merely being polite. He chuckled faintly. “Seems like I’ve gotten pretty close to everyone else in your family.”
Kate winced, although she managed a chuckle of her own. “You poor bastard, you have.” How Niko could come into contact with her brothers and still stick around was beyond her. Unless he needed Kate to remind him what being normal felt like. Somehow, Kate doubted he understood normality much on his own.
“I don’t normally socialize with people that know my family,” Kate explained. She wasn’t entirely sure why she was telling Niko this, but she hoped it would help him understand who she was. “Try to keep those two sides of my life separate. I guess it’s nice to be honest for a change.” A sudden feeling of discomfort swept over Kate as her words exposed her. I’m talking too much… To banish the discomfort, she tried to joke.
“Rather than keeping my secrets about my family from you, you’re probably keeping secrets about my family from me?”
“No comment,” Niko said, the corner of his mouth twitching in a slight half-smile. “You don’t normally take the guys you date back to meet the family?”
The word sent shockwaves spiraling through Kate- date, date, date. From head to toe, her body stiffened. No, they weren’t on a- she couldn’t think of this as-
“Date? This isn’t a date, Niko.” Thankfully Kate managed to keep her cheery tone, belying her internal conflict. Gotta thank Dr. Perez for that. “We’re just getting to know each other. We might be friends and that’s all.” She could have stopped herself there, but her tongue wouldn’t cooperate. “I couldn’t date you. Someone like my brothers? I couldn’t do that to myself.”
As soon as she’d spoken, Kate wanted to cringe. He’s really going to find you charming now. But she couldn’t stand the idea of Niko misinterpreting this little outing. She’d already been down that road, with men she’d known better and trusted less than Niko. Before he made any kind of move, she had to let him know where they stood. Still, the blunt statement sent a flutter of anxiety through Kate. She glanced over, but Niko seemed as collected as ever.
“Alright, then,” he said evenly, with no trace of offense or disappointment. “This isn’t a date. We’re just two people, hanging out.”
“That’s it,” Kate agreed, though she was worried she’d soured the mood. Attempting to reassure Niko, she clarified, “But it’s nice. I’m enjoying myself.”
“Me too.” This time, Niko’s response was fervent enough that Kate knew he wasn’t just being polite.
When their destination came into view, Kate felt like laughing. Of course he’d take me out for drinks. It wasn’t an entirely inaccurate assessment of her preferences, but Kate wasn’t sure if it was safe to drink with a stranger. Guess there’s only one way to find out.
“I come from a distinguished family of alcoholics,” she quipped, briskly unbuckling her seatbelt. “As you know. Let’s go.”
Niko held the pub’s door open for Kate to walk through, but he didn’t wait for her to take a seat before making himself at home at the bar. The last thing Kate remembered clearly was the sparkle in his eyes as he turned to ask her what she wanted to drink. Even when Kate replied that he shouldn’t bother asking because she was paying for herself, their light didn’t dim.
The rest of the evening passed in a hazy, happy blur of overflowing glasses, joyous laughter, and more rounds than Kate could count. Kate felt that she must have talked with Niko for hours- surely he'd had something to say- but by the time Niko announced that they should probably be heading out, Kate couldn’t recall a single word shared between them. Her head was spinning as she stumbled out the door behind Niko, nearly tripping over her own feet. Even with her inhibitions lowered, she valiantly fought, and succeeded against, the urge to grab Niko’s hand.
“Shiiiit!” Kate proclaimed to the open air. “I’m drunk.” Drunk in a way she couldn’t remember being before. Not since the first time, when she’d swiped her mother’s stash of whiskey and downed half a bottle in an attempt to figure out what was so special about it. She wasn’t sure when she’d last been drunk. Maybe that summer afternoon on the front stoop with Packie, passing a bottle between them, not long before Packie moved on to harder substances. As her family situation deteriorated, Kate hadn’t found the energy to pursue such a useless pastime, or the company with whom to enjoy it. Now, she was reminded simultaneously of why she loved drinking, and why she hated it.
“Don’t worry,” Niko said, weaving his way back to the spot where he’d parked the car. Kate spotted the car's keys flashing in his hand, and felt she ought to be concerned, but his response drowned out all else. It pricked at her like an annoying needle- “Don’t worry.”
Don’t worry? Kate’s breathing sped up. He tells ME not to worry…?
“No, why would I worry?” she burst out. “Why would I fucking worry? I’m half-crazy, out drinking with a killer, and with this family so fucked-up I don’t even want to talk about it. Why would I worry? What in God’s name have I got to worry about?!”
Niko seemed only the faintest bit surprised to hear Kate explode, which somehow wound her up even tighter. What was she doing, spilling her guts like this? What was wrong with her? Placing her well-being in the hands of a professional murderer, just because her brother had vouched for him, just because they were all so worried about lonely Katie, when none of them realized that they were the ones who needed worrying over…
“Fuck!” Swearing was satisfying, but it didn’t take the edge off. All pleasure from the alcoholic buzz had fled. “I’m just a neurotic, aren’t I? Really self-indulgent, really idiotic, pathetic!” Brazenly, Kate fumbled at Niko’s arm, imploring him to look at her. “What are you gonna do now, shoot me?” She couldn’t seem to stop the accusations from flowing out. “Probably, you psycho! You’re crazy!”
In Kate’s grip, Niko’s arm became a steel rod. He pulled away from her, an annoyed grimace crossing his face. “Shut up, please.”
Remorse instantly swept over Kate. Aw, God. No wonder no one ever goes out with me. If only she could keep her damn mouth shut, and not bite the head off someone who’d been nothing but nice to her all evening… Her remorse gave way to misery as a sob tore through her. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”
Niko didn’t look at Kate as he unlocked the car, which only upset her further. “Don’t worry about it.” It was the same phrase that had triggered Kate’s meltdown, and if she wanted to, she could have pointed that out, but she already felt bad enough. All she wanted was to sober up and put the night behind her.
The drive back to Kate’s house was silent, though somehow, it wasn’t a tense silence. The drinking, and her emotional outburst, left Kate longing to close her eyes. She rested her head against the window, staring at the blurred, unfocused lights of Liberty City. Though Niko drove too fast for Kate’s liking, he was a shockingly good driver under the influence. Better than her father, who’d once swerved into oncoming traffic while she was in the backseat, had been. And definitely better than her brothers. Many a time the sound of screeching tires had sent Kate rushing to the front door, to find that Gerald had hit the curb and mowed over a few trash cans, or Packie had rammed into a parked car.
The car’s sudden stop brought Kate out of her stupor. She opened her eyes to see her front stoop’s warm yellow lights beckoning to her. Yawning, Kate unbuckled her seatbelt and adjusted her hair. “God… Was I asleep?”
“Not for long.” Niko fiddled with his own seatbelt. “I’ll walk you to your door.”
“No thanks,” Kate said, waving him away. “I’ll be fine. I…” Looking upon Niko, she felt the need to apologize for the way the evening had ended. However, saying goodnight was a more promising prospect. Way to go, Kate. You’re dealing with it just like a McReary- drink and deny that anything happened.
“Thank you for taking me out, Niko,” she said, forcing herself to meet his eyes. “It was… fun. We should do this again.”
“Some other time,” Niko agreed. “I will call you.” He swiftly unlocked the doors, and Kate opened the door and slid out.
“See you soon.” As Kate walked up the steps, she heard the car’s engine revving behind her. She didn’t turn to watch Niko leave, but the moment he was gone, her stomach knotted. The night had passed with little incident, but what was Ma going to say if she caught Kate staggering intoxicated through the house?
Thankfully, all was silent when Kate walked in. Uncharacterstically silent. Too silent. Kate followed the sound of the ticking clock into the living room, where she found Derrick asleep on the couch, his shoes and belt still on and one arm dangling. Kate shook her head at the sight. At least he’s here, and not wasted in an alley with a needle in his arm. Dizziness swept through her as she turned and unsteadily made her way to the stairs.
Packie and Gerry’s room was still as a tomb, confirming Kate’s sneaking suspicion that both men had gone out. Otherwise, she would have heard them bitching and sniping at each other the instant she walked through the door. She crossed the hall to the main bedroom and peeked through the crack between the door and its frame. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, but finally Kate found her mother’s slumbering form, dwarfed by her immense bed. She exhaled quietly. Thank goodness. Ma was bound to grill her the next morning about where she’d run off to and who she’d been with, but Kate would be sober by then. Momentarily satisfied, Kate turned on her heel and headed off for the room she had once shared with Packie, before he’d brought home one girl too many and Kate had begged him to give her some space.
After letting her hair down and changing her clothes, Kate flopped down on her bed. She stared up at the ceiling, which had stopped spinning only a few minutes before, and tried to work out how she felt about the evening she’d spent with Niko. However, she couldn’t seem to focus, as thoughts of him mingled with thoughts of her family, of her responsibilities, of whatever the next day would bring. One by one, each thought swam like a muddled fish through her head, until she closed her eyes and sunk under the water.
*
Kate’s eyes were screwed up tight, her hands over her ears, but the infernal shouting pried its way into her brain. She couldn’t make out every muffled word, but a repeated phrase rattled through her: “I’M GOING TO KILL YOU! SWEAR TO GOD! I’M GOING TO KILL YOU! SWEAR TO GOD!” Between each shout came the thud of fists upon flesh, and an agonized groan to match.
Though she didn’t want to see, Kate’s eyes opened, as if they’d done so on her own. When the terrible vision came into view, she wanted to clutch at the doll she had been playing with, or retreat further into her refuge behind the kitchen counter, but she was paralyzed. She could only watch helplessly as Gerald- big brother Gerry, who praised her to the ends of the earth- straddled her other brother Francis’ chest and slammed his face repeatedly into the linoleum. There was no grace or finesse in Francis’ strikes. He lashed about aimlessly, struggling to land a hit, anything that would knock his younger brother away. But while Gerry was smaller and skinnier, he was also scrappier, and enraged to boot. His voice was a lion’s roar, full of nothing but pure fighting instinct. Blood spilled from Francis’ mouth, and his face was splattered in it.
Try as she might, Kate couldn’t move. She couldn’t stretch out a hand to her brothers, or scream at them to stop. All she could do was weep and wallow in regret, just as she had so many times since she was eight, just as she had last night with Niko-
Kate’s eyes opened upon darkness. She gasped, her palm flying to her heart, the word stop dying on her lips. What was that? She’d been dreaming, of course- reliving her personal past. But why? A sense of foreboding crept up Kate’s skin. It had been years since she’d had night terrors. She’d thought therapy had eradicated them, not to mention her own stiff upper lip. What had changed? Did it have to do with the fact that she’d been out drinking, or maybe that she’d been with Niko…?
Well, whatever the cause, Kate was wide awake now. She sat up and slid from her bed, padding to the corridor and down towards the bathroom. As she passed Packie and Gerald’s room, she heard snoring, but couldn’t be sure who was causing it. Packie spent nights at home more often than Gerry, but both snored loud enough to bring the house down.
In the bathroom, Kate ran cold water over her face and neck, before tumbling down onto the closed toilet lid and sighing. Her head was pulsing dully, and she massaged it while mulling over her dream, and the evening that she had spent with Niko. It was still hard to pull the pieces together and determine exactly how she felt about it, but her personal reflections were disquieting. She’d enjoyed the excursion at the start. But her recent nightmare filled her head. Was this a sign from the universe, telling her not to go out with Niko again? To stay away from him entirely?
No, stupid, she debated with herself. It’s just your trauma resurfacing. Or whatever her therapist would say. Even if it was a sign, Kate had never been particularly attuned to the universe’s will. She floated along, tackling one day at a time and preparing herself only for the inevitable- her mother’s passing, her brothers getting shot or strung out or hauled in or worse, herself ending up as the last McReary standing. That was how it was bound to end, no matter her actions. She didn’t have time to worry about the universe’s opinion of Niko. All she knew was that she wanted to see him again.