Gangland: Carlos and Dee Dee

After a few days, he woke up, fever broke, still coughing. He rubbed his eyes with his hands and looked around.

"What in the hell happened?"

Dee Dee was still holding him close as she stroked his hair, "You got sick...it's my fault."

He coughed, "You didn't do this."

He snuggled into her, feeling weak and tired still.

Dee Dee asked Mrs. Cardeli to prepare him a meal. She brought up some soup, a sandwich, and a piece of pie. Dee Dee insisted he ate; feeding him bites of food in silence. She was relieved to see him awake.

After a few bites he felt so full he could barely stand it, "Dee, I can't eat anymore."

He smiled at her, bu put his head to the side.

Dee Dee set the tray on a nearby table; taking one of his hands with the one arm that wasn't broken. She winced slightly as she moved a little.

Carlos struggled to sit, "Please, sit. You need to rest. Stop fussing over me."

Dee Dee stopped him, "Cut it out. Stop worrying about me." She sat on the bed, looking at him with concern. Her face was still pretty battered and she had prominent bruises on her neck.

"No. I won't. Look at you. Get in the bed and lay with me," he pulled the covers open for her.

Dee Dee looked at him hesitantly before crawling in next to him.

He snuggled into her, sighing and smiling. He loved how she smelled. Soon he had drifted off to sleep.

Dita had slept peacefully until the nightmares began. Trevor in the alley, then at the foot of their bed...his voice and fists everywhere. She started sobbing in her sleep, trying to escape him in her dreams.

Weakly, Juice shook her awake.

"It's just a dream doll, wake up. Bobby will find him and end him"

Dee Dee woke up with a start. Sweaty and clammy, she decided to go take a bath. It was Christmas morning and already she was having problems. She nodded, kissing his forehead, before limping back into the bathroom to bathe.

Carlos didn't move. All his muscles hurt. He coughed and wheezed. He fell back asleep waiting for her.

Dee Dee felt a little better after her quick bath. Putting on one of Carlos' dress shirts, she slipped back in bed beside him; waking him long enough to take some cough syrup.

When he woke later that afternoon he was alone in the bed. Slowly, he got up out of the bed and made his way to the bathroom using the wall for balance. He turned on the shower and used the bathroom. Once he was in the hot water he began to feel somewhat better.

Dee Dee was downstairs sitting on the floor with Archie and Annette playing with their new toys. She looked exhausted and had lost some weight due to her lack of desire to eat. Mrs. Cardeli plugged in the tree at some point before she left for church that morning. The house was empty and quiet.

Getting out of the shower, he dried off and fixed his hair, already becoming tired. He blew out a breath and threw on his robe. Not caring to get dressed, he made his way very slowly down the stairs and sat in a chair to look at the tree and watch Dee Dee play with the dogs.

Dee Dee played with them until they both fell asleep by the fireplace. She looked up at Carlos with concern, "I'll go make you some tea." She got up carefully and made her way to the kitchen.

Carlos followed her. He didn't want her to fawn over him, he didn't needit.

"Please, stop. I don't want you to fawn over me. What happened to you it was my fault. Please," he broke down to tears.

Dee Dee looked at the broken man in front of her. She wrapped her good arm around him, "It isn't your fault. I was being stupid and childish when I left that night." She felt tears stinging her eyes, "Carlos, you are wasting your time with me...you should have let them all get what they were after when they bartered me off...this whole mess is my fault."

Instantly he was furious, "Stop it. Stop talking like that. Please, I can't take it."

Dee Dee pulled away from him like a scolded child. She wiped her tears away from her surprised eyes. Carlos had never raised his voice at her. She looked down, "I'm sorry."

"I'm not Jax, I'm not your mother, I'm not your step-father. I will not tolerate you putting yourself down. Stop it. Don't flinch away from me for telling you the truth."


He coughed so much he had to sit back down.