At any time an invitation you can't decline.

[deadliestviper]

Who: B and the always illustrious Jim Moriarty.
What: Reminiscing about times past; discussing a couple of business proposals.
Where: London, any restaurant Jim likes.
When: Broad daylight, the best time for unsavory dealings.

"It's gonna be a great environment for my little girl to grow up in."

"As opposed to jetting around the world, killing human beings, and being paid vast sums of money?"

"Precisely."

That had been almost fourteen years ago but she remembered every word of the conversation, and every moment of indecision and worry and fear that led her to having it. She remembered everything about that day, in fact, each detail of the Two Pines Wedding Chapel and its congregation fresh in her mind. It had played through her consciousness like a movie on loop, each thundering bullet and dying scream strengthening her resolve.

But she'd done what she needed to be done. Her work was finished, and today, she paid no attention to the massacre. Just that conversation, the last really peaceful exchange she'd had with Bill. Pause the movie, right there.

Sipping at a cup of sweetened cafe au lait, Beatrix sat pensively, reflecting on her words. She'd gone through a hell of a lot for BB. Breaking Bill's heart, suffering his revenge, fighting out of a coma, cutting her way through each hateful killer who destroyed the safe little life she'd tried to build up for the little girl.

"All those people you killed to get to me... felt damn good, didn't they? Every single one of them."

Yes.

And she'd won. She'd somehow managed it, some twisted face of Providence smiled on her and had given her satisfaction and something far more precious than that. When she finally got to wrap her arms around her daughter, it didn't matter that the attempt at normalcy hadn't worked. It couldn't have; Bill was right about that much. Just as he was, she was a killer and would never be anything else no matter what mask she wore. He hadn't tried to hide it; although she was young, and although she may not have understood, Bill had always given his daughter the truth.

That legacy was one she'd tried to respect, and BB had grown up asking every question Beatrix could hope to answer and many more besides. Can I pick up the sword? When can I hold a real gun? Why did Daddy shoot you? Why did you kill Daddy, Mommy? You can kill people you love? Did you love Daddy? Do you love me? Is anyone going to kill me? And soon after, her little girl asked the one question she both dreaded and anticipated from the very beginning: Will you teach me?

There had been no use in denying it after that. BB couldn't be dissuaded and proved to be a quick study, practicing every skill and perfecting every move her mother could teach. She pleaded for more lessons, drank in the knowledge as thirstily as B herself had in her youth. And so she learned. There was no longer anything to shield her from, no danger of damaging her illusion of normality; there were only the few pieces of shit who had survived Beatrix's rampage to worry about.

No reason for B to hold back on the work she did. And thanks to Bill's phenomenal connections, she knew just the man who'd have business for her.

"Jim," she said, setting her cup down on the table and fixing him with a sweet smile. "Thanks for meeting me. I'm ready to talk."

Comments

[deadliestviper]

"No, you never can. You're right about that." Flashing the waiter a flirty smile, B hurriedly folds back the contract to order off the menu. Unlike Jim she will eat, even though she ordered the first thing she saw. No point in letting a lunch meeting go to waste.

As soon as the server scurries off she drops the cheeriness, looking back at the contract solemnly. "The money's not an issue for me either. This is more than enough for us. Very generous." She sips at her coffee, considering the deal. "I guess 'Why?' is one single question, isn't it. Fine. Just make them count."

And now the hard part, the part that's kept her out of the game all these years. She meets Moriarty's eyes, deadly serious as she names her terms. "If I do this, I want my daughter's safety to be ensured. If I die, she'll be placed under safe guardianship. Her education will continue, and she'll receive my salary until she turns eighteen. I want her under your protection, tutelage, and support. And I want her immunity from any crime you or I've committed."

[spider_in_westwood]

Definitely not, especially when the place was a rather expensive one that took weeks to get into for a meal. Yet it had a table reserved for Moriarty. How quaint.

"Is it too much? Do you need me to lessen it? I am simply thinking about you and what your daughter might need in time. I would rather have you taken care of permanently rather than asking for raises all the time." He takes a sip of his own drink, smiling. "Of course. You think I wouldn't?"

Jim meets her eyes, listening to what she has to say for a moment. He starts processing almost immediately - what sort of monetary loss would this be in the long run? Well, she did kill Bill and all his associates...

"Hm. Safety, I can do. We need to agree upon a guardian, however, as I am certainly not one who can take care of her, I am sure we will both agree on that. She will received half of your salary until she is eighteen, that should be more than enough to sustain her." Jim pauses, starting to think the last part over. "However, I will only grant her immunity up until she's sixteen. At that point, she will either continue working with me and be responsible for any of her actions in my company or she can leave and cut off all ties to the underworld. I will still keep an eye on her and make sure she continues receiving your salary until she is considered an adult legally."

[deadliestviper]

Just another set of people Jim has firmly wrapped around his little finger. Nothing so unusual about that; he may even manage it with B.

"Don't trouble yourself, it's perfectly fine." She rolls her eyes a bit at his offer to cut it down. BB deserves to continue living the easy life her father and mother had built for her. "I know you would.

"Of course," she agrees. "For some reason I've got a feeling you're not quite the parental type." She has little doubt that if she left BB in Jim's care, something tragic would happen. Appointing a guardian will take some thought, though; apart from Hattori Hanzo, who's getting on in years and running a mediocre sushi restaurant in Okinawa, she's got few allies and friends left these days. The last part, though... the last part makes B cross her arms, arching an eyebrow. "If you spend two years financially supporting her, she'll hardly have cut all ties, aye?"

[spider_in_westwood]

That's because Jim was good at what he did, and what he did was manipulate and get what he wanted out of them. Everyone had a price, and he was the man who was willing to pay it most of the time. And that's how Moriarty had his web.

"I'll make sure that is amended then." He knew that her daughter deserved the very best, but he really didn't know if one could live on just half that salary once her mother died. Not that he planned for her to, he was just thinking ahead of the game, that's all.

"Not at all. I'll be honest, always thought of adopting one and raising it accostumed to the world already. Just to see what happens. Sebastian says subjecting it to experiments would be rather inhumane but...isn't that what I'm good at?" Jim chuckles to himself, sipping at his drink. He wouldn't hurt BB - when he drew up contracts, he stuck to them. Her daughter would be safe, he wouldn't do a thing to her. But it'd have to be a guardian they both agree on. "You act like I'll be delivering a check to her personally. A private bank account with direct deposit from an anonymous benefactor. And once she hits 18, if she doesn't want it anymore, all she has to do is head to the bank and close the account. She'll be done. No contact unless she wants it."