Please?

Axel's devastation runs deeper than it's ever felt before. Everything he'd built up... all of his relationships... all of his friendships... everything... it would all be gone now. One simple piece of his past revealed, and now... everything had fallen to pieces and lay at his feet, broken.

He wipes his lip again, then wipes the blood on his jeans. Getting back to the shop was fast. He hadn't been far away. Parking, he trudges up the stairs and enters his quiet apartment. "God, why now... why are you doing this to me? Why does this have to happen? Why does this have to keep following me around?"

A tear of desperation runs down the side of his face - the first in many years.


Rocky feels utterly helpless, watching Jess. He was confused, he didn't know what to do now, or what any of this meant. But he'd done what he thought was right - separate Axel from someone Rocky cared about. He moves after Jess, exiting the restaurant with her. Sliding around in front of her, he stops her as gently as he can, trying not to be of any threat. He couldn't imagine what she must feel, knowing her past. He'd just lost a friend... she had already lost so much more than that.

"Jess... please... let me take you home?" His eyes are full of compassion and warmth. He wanted to comfort her if she'd let him... and maybe somewhere right now he needed some comfort too. He'd trusted Axel as well. "Please... let me drive? I can come back for my own car later."