Nights With You

by MikiBandy

Summary:

The Boss didn't see much of Shaundi when she was first recruited into the reformed Saints, but throughout time her opinion on her changes into something that becomes special. Drastic events within the Saints affect how the two women feel about each other as well as people in their lives.

Notes:

A lovely fic that I wanted to share for Pride Month that featured my Boss character and Shaundi.
Other characters do play major roles along the story and there will be some explicit scenes as well.

Chapter 1: All Night

Summary:

Shaundi is bored out of her mind alone at Purgatory until the Boss arrives in style.

The leader of the Saints and Shaundi were two very different women, the stoner woman was all about having a good time and going around with almost every man in Stilwater, while the Boss was focused on vengeance and wasted no time going onto the next targeted gang. The female lieutenant wanted to find a way to make her boss relax for once, most of the girls in the Saints felt a bit intimidated by the Boss’ presence but Shaundi never flinched whenever the Boss calls her an idiot or belittles her. If anything, Shaundi would respond back at her by calling her an asshole and for some reason the Boss never retaliated back. Her piercing golden eyes staring down at Shaundi’s dazed hazel eyes never struck actual fear to the stoner.

It’s been a few days since the Saints took down the Sons of Samedi by killing off The General in broad daylight. Shaundi felt accomplished that she was able to help out taking out the gang with the Boss and treated herself with double doses of loa dust. The female lieutenant was lounging around Purgatory, bored out of her mind as the rest of the gang including Pierce and Johnny were over at the stripclub by the suburbs. It was thought to be a quiet night for Shaundi, until she heard footsteps coming downstairs. Shaundi took a look to see who it was, and was surprised at what she was looking at. The Boss was usually seen with her signature purple jacket with some jeans and sneakers, nothing too fancy. However, the leader of the Saints wore an opened up white blazer with matching dress pants along with some high heel ankle boots. It was a look that Shaundi has never seen before. In the duration of being with the Saints, the hippie woman noticed that the boss dyed her hair with highlights after Carlo’s death as well as changing from black colors with her purple to white. In addition to the new wardrobe, the Boss dyed her hair once again, where it is entirely blonde. It was like Shaundi was seeing a total stranger, but the thick-rimmed glasses were a dead giveaway that it’s still the Boss.

“Well someone’s looking pretty fancy.” Shaundi responded, knowing she’s going to have a snappy response back.

“Hell, I gotta treat myself eventually...where the fuck is everyone else?” The Boss responded. Shaundi realized that the Boss was sounding more casual than the hostile tones everyone seemed to be used to.

“Stripclub, guess it was a cheap night when all the guys are over there.” Shaundi giggled, maybe for once she could level with her boss.

“I’m guessing the new management that we put there gives specials to our guys. I’d head over there for a beer but it seems like a hassle to hang out with everyone. Maybe for once, I can enjoy some quiet time. Or so I thought until I see that you’re alone. Any guys in Stilwater don’t seem to sleep with you tonight?” The Boss said.

The female lieutenant is puzzled at the Boss, because she doesn’t seemed upset that she’s the only person at Purgatory. Weirdly enough, Shaundi did receive messages from different exes about different parties or attempts to get back into her panties, but she was stoned enough to forget about responding. Before she could answer back, the Boss was grabbing a few bottles of beer from the bar and was heading towards where Shaundi was sitting.
“I kinda forgot there was parties I was invited to, too stoned to head over there anyway, so I decided to kickback here. Not going to lie Boss, it was pretty boring with no one around.” Shaundi responded, she was a bit surprised that the blonde handed her a bottle of beer before sitting one cushion from her in the couch.

“Yeah one of the guys offered me to party at the loft by the college, but I didn’t feel like dealing with drunk college girls vomiting on me, I had enough of that when I was a freshman.” The Boss took a swig at her bottle until her eyes open wide when she realized the little bit of her life before the Saints was out to one of her lieutenants. Before the blonde could react anymore, she heard a soft giggle from Shaundi.

The Boss was in a bit of a panic, she didn’t want to have people know how she was before she joined the Saints. She didn’t want any Saints to think differently about her past life, how she was before that fateful night she came across Julius and Troy.

“I’m not surprised you went to college, seeing that you fit that bookworm look perfectly...if they kill lots of people of course.” Shaundi said, she leaned back in the couch, drinking her beer.

“Fuck you.” The Boss gave a middle finger to her only female lieutenant before she continued.

The Boss didn’t know why, but she suddenly felt comfortable mentioning more about her old life. In fact, the Boss sees some bit of her old self in Shaundi, while everyone gave her a hard time, the blonde trusted her lieutenant to be effective in her task with the Sons of Samedi even if it meant getting information from exes. When the Boss first joined, no one thought much of her including Johnny, but when given the chance, she earned respect from her fellow gang members. The other reason, was that the Boss thinks that Shaundi was too high to remember vital information so she figured that it’s not a big deal.

“You know, when I woke up from my coma and learned that I was finally old enough to go to the bar, I headed off to the strip club for a beer once I escaped jail. I never did anything too extreme like most college kids, I went to frat parties but didn’t play those shitty drinking games. I was more focused on some bullshit rebellious phase.” The Boss felt cringy talking about her quick stint in college, which was a phase that occurred before being canonized. When the Leader of the Saints was just Cecilia. A girl from the suburbs hours away from Stilwater, a young woman that died on that boat explosion.

“You alright there, Boss?” Shaundi asked the blonde, she noticed the Boss showing a wary face, a rare sight for the stoner.

“Y-yeah, look let’s just relax and drink some beers, but this doesn’t mean we’re besties.” Boss snapped out of her thoughts, it makes her uncomfortable to think about the past. Not that it was awful, but how different she was those years ago.

As the two young women continued on idle talk such as Shaundi talking about her various exes, the Boss paid little to no attention to the stoner’s girl problems with men, mostly since she couldn’t relate. Instead, the Boss was occupied with reading the contents on the label of her beer bottle. Shaundi offered the blonde a hit of loa dust, but the Boss declined given that she’s a lightweight on drugs and grabbed a cigarette from her pocket instead. Cecilia only started drinking and smoking after her coma, in the means of relieving stress building the Saints back together. She’s aware that it’s a bad combination, but seeing Shaundi made her think it couldn’t be that awful.

“You know Boss, if you’re interested I can hook you up with someone with the connections I got. But probably not any of my exes haha.”

“No.” The blonde quickly responded in a stern tone and continued.

“I buried one of my lieutenants and my best female friend a few weeks ago, I don’t think I’m in the mood of fucking.” Cecilia mentioned the lost of Aisha and Carlos. She didn’t want to show her pain and guilt to everyone and concealed it with vengeance. Especially with Aisha, she couldn’t shed a tear, it was to encourage Johnny to stay strong. Carlos’ death broke her spirit, she realized her people will die under her hands. Some of her pain can go back to losing Lin, a woman Cecilia looked up to when she was still a timid newcomer to the Saints.

“Look Shaundi, I think I should focus on getting the Saints back into action before anything else. You guys are important to me, I don’t think some fuck buddy should be more important.”

“My bad Boss, I didn’t think you’d snap like that…” Shaundi apologized and it wasn’t one that was half-assed like most of her mistakes. The room remained silent for about a minute until Shaundi broke the silence with a complement to the Boss.

“Listen Boss, I just want you thank you for giving me a chance. Not a lot of people listen to me, and I’m glad that you’re the only one that did hear me. Thanks for looking out for me, I know you got the best ideas.” Shaundi said, the Boss looked at her with raised eyebrow.

The Boss did feel flattered about her lieutenant's complement. It seemed like a familiar exchange her and Johnny years ago revolving around the same instance of mutual respect.

“You did well Shaundi…But don’t get the wrong idea! You still got a lot of work to do about your attitude.” The Boss said and looked away from Shaundi. Her own tone of voice reminded her of a weird conversation she overheard when some otakus at the mall talked about tsunderes and how they act.

While the Boss continued to get embarrassed by her complement to Shaundi, the stoner lieutenant was searching around Purgatory for some snacks. All that loa dust gave her a severe case of munchies and she was on the brink of hangriness.
“Holy shit, I am starving Boss!” Shaundi exclaimed, throwing random crap from the bar out to find some morsels of food. Usually there would be stashes of food in the hideout, but some of the guys already ate up most of the stock of snacks from the bar.

The Boss, feeling hungry herself felt the need to add food in her system with the amount of beers she drank with Shaundi. Despite the alcohol in her system, the Boss was confident to be behind the wheel for a food run. She seemed better off out of the two of the women.

“Let’s head to Freckled Bitch’s then, just because I was nice to you doesn’t mean I’m paying for you.” The Boss said grabbing her car keys from the table.

“You’re an asshole!” Shaundi replied, she looked around the couches for some loose change after misplacing her wallet. It was her luck that people were dumb enough to lay twenty dollar bills out in the open which would be enough for a decent meal for the hangry lieutenant.

The two women were headed to Freckle Bitch’s and decided to eat in the car after ordering a disgusting amount of food in the drive thru. The Boss decided to cover the entire order, only to get the money that Shaundi was about to use for compensation and got called an asshole again by her lieutenant. The Boss and Shaundi began to talk casually, it was a rare sight for the stoner to see the blonde in a mood that isn’t pissy for once. It must’ve been the alcohol in her system. The two talked about different stuff such as talking about Pierce’s singing that the Boss was a subject of torture by hearing it. It gave Shaundi a good laugh and even a giggle from the Boss when giving Pierce crap when he’s not around. It was a chill night for the two ladies which ended on a high note as the Boss dropped Shaundi off to the Purgatory as she drove her way back to one of the cribs to get some sleep.

Shaundi headed back to the Saints Hideout to see that some of the guys have returned after a messy night at the strip club. There were a few guys passed out in the couches and on the bar stools while Pierce was kicking back in one of the couches.

“Which ex did you fuck this time?” Pierce asked as he smirked at his fellow lieutenant.

“You know I’m not always sleeping around? I was just hanging out with the Boss who just happened to drop by earlier.”

“So a night full of insults towards you then” Pierce said, moving his position to offer a seat on the couch to Shaundi.

“Very funny asshole, I had a good time with her and she’s not as crazy as the rest of the guys think. Maybe she’s different around me, I mean...in some kind of fucked up angle she’s kinda cute in a nerdy way.” Shaundi said, in a teasing manner about the Boss. She knew that she could never get away with that remark if the blonde was really there.

“Switching teams or-” Before Pierce can tease Shaundi more, the hippie responded

“What? Fuck no! I mean hey dudes and chicks are both great, but the Boss isn’t very keen on anything that doesn’t involve killing. Plus, why can’t a girl call another one cute without any hints of attractiveness.” Shaundi defended herself, she has called other girls cute as a complement and did find the Boss good to look at.

“Whatever you say. It’s not like the Boss herself seemed interested at anyone anyway so I wouldn’t really pin you as that kind of girl, Shaundi.” Pierce said, he wasn’t into Shaundi at all as the two had more of a sibling relationship, even the Boss has threatened to turn the car around when those two were bantering during a drive-by.

It was that night where Shaundi realized that there’s more about the Boss than how most of the Saints see, and noticed some kind of charm the blonde has, which was hidden in layers of anger. She didn’t know what it was, she was too high to think much about it that night. The Boss on the other hand, realized that her lieutenant could be more than a hippie that slept with half of Stilwater, maybe a woman that she could trust. But Cecilia was too focused on rebuilding the Saints.

Chapter 2: Surprise Appearance

Summary:

A few years have passed and the Saints have gone through plenty of changes. Shaundi doesn't do drugs anymore and is the star of her own dating show. The Boss who have gone through her own changes decided to surprise her first female lieutenant during a shooting of "I Wanna Sleep with Shaundi".

At least 3 years has passed since the Saints reclaimed Stilwater, lots of changes happened as the gang started as a some group of misfits into a giant media company with the help of Ultor under the Saints’ belt. The Saints gang itself didn’t get into serious gun blazing business, just the occasional take down on any smaller gangs that dare defy the purple. The lieutenants themselves other than Gat weren’t focus on the actual gang activity as they were all busy with their own pile of work fame has put them through. While Johnny was the face of the Saints, he still keeps an eye out in Stilwater for any activity and is upset that most of the time he couldn’t be there to shoot guns with his fellow Saints. Pierce was busy with Saints Flow commercial shoots and establishing a singing career. As for Shaundi, she accepted having her own dating show where both men and women lined up for a chance to sleep with her. Showbiz changed her, as she got out of her hippie phase and didn’t have time to do drugs in between shoots. The female lieutenant felt that she had a clear mind for once as she stopped hitting the loa dust. However, she did feel that a part of her that used to make being a Saint fun was gone and that she is going to be known as a whore with a reality show. With the three lieutenants being busy with their own work, the Boss have been occupied with her bigger roles. With the stunts that she pulled while on fire and portraying a cop on Fuzz as well as being a bodyguard for celebrities, the Boss got offers for appearances coming her way. Cecilia got cameo appearances in a variety of movies and TV shows where despite her subpar acting ability, the people loved her performance. While she did make TV appearances not once has she ever made a cameo in Shaundi’s dating show or showed up in one of Pierce’s music videos. It’s not that she didn’t want to, it was just that each time she wanted to visit her friends, a new role pops up for her to fill. Not only that, but the Boss has been seeing a therapist on top of her media appearances which seemed to change her view on a lot of things about life. The blonde will still be reluctant to go before each session, but always comes back for legal reasons.

For once in her busy life, the Boss managed to get a whole day off to do whatever she wanted. She first thought about meeting up with her friends, but remembered Pierce was in Japan filming something for Saints Flow, Gat was busy with a public appearance leaving the blonde with possibly talking to Shaundi.

 

“I wonder if she’s really different or just putting on a show for the cameras.” The boss said looking at her phone screen. She was hesitant to make a phone call, but thought that the TV star wouldn’t pick up. Instead, the blonde prompted to surprise her first female lieutenant by making a surprise appearance. The blonde has seen a enough episodes of ‘I Wanna Sleep with Shaundi’ to know where the show was being filmed, funny enough it was at the old Price Mansion that has been bought back by Ultor and remodeled for the show. Cecilia grabbed her car keys and headed out to surprise Shaundi.

---

Six hours into filming and Shaundi is extremely exhausted of being around people. The TV Star has questioned several times why she agreed to do a dating show, which she always blamed with a loa dust influenced decision. The truth is that Shaundi didn’t really want to sleep with anyone in the show, and even if she did it wasn’t her choice. The producers of the show have told her about who to will be eliminated each week and by contract she had to agree. The brunette wished that there could be a time where she can just take a break and not having to worry about being appealing to the viewers.

 

“Alright cut! Great job as always Shaundi. Everyone take a break!” A producer said, Shaundi made a sigh of relief and wanted to rush to her room to take a small nap. Unfortunately a writer pulled the brunette aside to discuss what she must say in order to give a few contestants a motive for a tense rivalry. While Shaundi was reading the script handed to her, she couldn’t help but hear gasps and shock.

 

“Oh my God! Is it really her??” A male contestant said in awe.

 

“It’s really her!! I think I’m going to faint..” A woman exclaimed before fainting with no one catching her.

 

Shaundi looks up to the direction of noises ignoring the writer and is shocked at what she saw. It’s been a long time since she has seen the Boss in person, she didn’t have time to see any recent TV shows or movies to know where she’s been. At first she couldn’t believe it, but remembered the first time she saw the Blonde change her appearance and realized that it’s really her. Out of instinct, Shaundi rushed to the Boss in awe like everyone else on set.

 

“B-Boss? Is that really you? My God have you changed!” Shaundi exclaimed, a genuine smile was formed.

 

“I can say the same about you, Miss Reality Star.” Cecilia said, the blonde high fived her lieutenant and pulled her into a hug. Shaundi was relieved that a total creep isn’t hugging her and is still surprised that the Boss was on set.

 

The Boss looked entirely different over the years, she grew her hair longer and is always styled. The countless roles she was put in made the Boss step up her makeup skills, the blonde looked more like a Hollywood starlet. She updated her fashion choices as well by switching to tighter pants, and wearing a coat over her suit. One of the more jarring changes to Shaundi is that the Boss wasn’t wearing her eyeglasses anymore and switched to sunglasses. It seemed that the only true thing that stayed the same was the lip ring the blonde always had on.

 

“Hey I just got rid of the dreads and wore better makeup! You on the other hand….” Shaundi paused and noticed the visible tattoos the Boss got, the bone design on her right hand as well as the fleur de lis on her neck. It shocked the brunette to see tattoos on the Boss that she stammered her words.

“Oh these? Yeah I had work done, I still got more to go but this one on my neck has completely healed.” The Boss said, it didn’t look like it but she was looking at Shaundi, seeing how she looked up in person compared to seeing her on television. Before the two could continued their conversation both got interrupted by one of the producers.

 

“OKAY BREAK TIME IS OVER LET’S GET BACK TO- HOLY SHIT IT’S THE LEADER OF THE SAINTS!!” The producer exclaims, the middle-aged man dropped the papers on his hands and moved his hands around like an idiot.

 

“I got it!! Our ratings will skyrocket! The Leader of the Saints will decide who gets to go home this week! THIS IS BRILLIANT!” The balding man says, Shaundi and the Boss stood there in confusion.

 

“Woah there, I’m just here to catch up with Shaundi, as much as I enjoy the inclusiveness of this show, I rather not take part of this!” The Boss said, the TV Star imagined that the blonde is going to pull out a gun on the producer and shoot him on set, but it never happened. It was odd to her that the blonde didn’t resort to bloody violence for once.

 

The balding man disregarded the Boss’ statement and a motioned a makeup artist to drag her to another room. The blonde took a glance at Shaundi with raised eyebrows as she was being ushered into the makeup room. It confused the Boss since there wasn’t any need for her to reapply makeup if her eyes are going to be covered.

 

“Look, The Boss doesn’t really want to be in this episode. She doesn’t seem like the kind of person that is an expert on sleeping with people either…” Shaundi told the producer, trying to convince the idiot with the bald spot not to upset the blonde by dragging her into a dating show.

 

“She doesn’t have to be, look let’s get rid of our original plans for this episode and by contract we gotta go with what I say. Anything else before doesn’t matter, we’ll let her pick whoever she wants to be eliminated. We’ll give her the opportunity to meet with all the contestants, maybe ask some of the girls to be confrontational towards her and-” Before the producer could finish his statement, Shaundi interrupted again.

 

“And what is this going to gain?” Shaundi raised an eyebrow.

 

“It means that our ratings will be off the roof, we’ll be the number one show! Hell, I’ll let the network play some Saints Flow commercials! If anything Shaundi, this will help you Saints get more money and is that all that matters?” The producer said, trying to persuade the TV star as if she could even make the final decisions.

 

“Sure I guess…” Shaundi begrudgingly agreed.

 

While Shaundi was half paying attention to the rewritten plans of the episode, the Boss returned to the lieutenant without a single vision change on her appearance which made the makeup part completely useless. While those golden eyes were covered by her aviator sunglasses, Shaundi could see the puzzled expression of her boss through her eyebrows, which she noticed got done exceptionally well.

 

“Shaundi what the fuck is going on?” The blonde asked, before Shaundi could respond, the producer pushed the TV star aside to thoroughly explain what the Boss had to do for the rest of the shoot. Shaundi can tell that the Boss didn’t want to be a part of this dating show while the blonde was listening to the man. Meanwhile, the blonde wasn’t fully paying attention to the instructions of what she has to do, instead Cecilia was looking at Shaundi. The blonde had a feeling that her lieutenant didn’t feel like being here as much as she does.

 

The Boss had a plan to make film production a lot less painful, she told the producer to shut up and used her star power to call all of the shots.

 

“Why don’t I just walk around and do whatever the fuck I want? I know Shaundi better than you assholes so I can pick someone who is the least likely to sleep with her. Well second least likely, I’m not going to enter as a contestant.” The Boss exclaimed, teasing on herself for a bit at the end. Shaundi herself looked away when the blonde made a joke about being a contestant in hopes the producers don’t come up with awful ideas.

 

“Oh….THAT’S BRILLIANT! FUCK THIS SCRIPT! LET THIS WOMAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL SHE WANTS!” the head producer exclaims, the rest of the filming crew and contestants aren’t sure what they’re supposed to do now. Instead, the cameras suddenly rolled, audio was being recorded, and the contestants scattered freely around the mansion. The main cameras were focused solely on the Boss and Shaundi next to each other, the blonde gave a head motion in the direction of the nearest exit to give a hint at her lieutenant about how badly she wants to get out of this reality show mess. Shaundi raised her eyebrow, trying to understand her boss’ cues but caught on a moment later.

 

“Well Shaundi, who knows you better than the Leader of the 3rd Street Saints? I think I’ll go ahead and learn a little bit more about these people and see whose the least desperate to get into your pants.” The Boss said nonchalantly before walking around the mansion pretending to pay attention to the contestants that were talking to her.

 

The blonde honestly didn’t care about which person wanted to sleep with Shaundi the most, but for some reason that idea made her cringed. At least back in the day, Shaundi was willingly deciding which guy to sleep with but this reality show seemed too artificial for her leutenant’s liking. There could’ve been something else, but the Boss was more focused on which woman was the cutest out of the contestants.

 

The cameras were focused on the Boss, which meant that Shaundi could have some time to relax and hold an idle conversation with the more level headed contestants that didn’t actually want to date her. While talking to the tamed company, the TV Star couldn’t help but see how the Boss was mostly talking to the female contestants rather than the males. In fact, Shaundi noticed how the Boss was actually conversing with one particular contestant. A woman named Mary who was a nursing student who seemed to enjoy the blonde’s appearance.

 

“So you’re the leader of the Saints? How does all that work running a gang not stress you out?” Mary questioned the blonde, she seemed intrigued of seeing the Boss up in person.

 

“Well it’s a lot of hard work, but honestly being a nurse at a hospital is a more riskier career, and I’m very grateful for the people that or aspire to work for the medical field.” The Boss responded, the way the blonde answered was enough for the nursing student to feel flustered.

 

“So uhh, these other gangs keep shooting you up, I-I’m surprised that I don’t see a scratch on you!” Mary said, astounded of how there’s not a single wound or scar on the Boss.

 

“Well sweetie, if three gangs cannot lay a scratch on me, they died out for a reason.” It was obvious that the Boss was simply flirting with the female contestant, she was a woman in her mid-twenties, olive complexion and bright green eyes.

 

From the other side, Shaundi noticed that the two women seemed pretty friendly around each other but didn’t think too much of it. She assumed that something amused the Boss which probably involved dead bodies, knowing that Mary was studying to be an ER nurse. The TV Star thought the nursing student was an alright woman, but knew that she wouldn’t be winning the dating show even if the Boss intervene.

 

---

The elimination scene of the episode was prompted by the Boss going around the mansion and talking with contestants. Interview sessions were being filmed during the breaks, and while it would’ve take another four hours of filming, the Boss’ demands reduce filming to about less than two hours. The blonde was set on who will be going home at the end of the episode. The contestants lined up for elimination, wondering if they had what it takes to sleep with Shaundi.

 

The Boss stood next to Shaundi during the elimination ceremony, giving a more suspenseful scene for the episode.

 

“As you all are aware, the Boss knows me better than anyone else in here. She also had the opportunity to get to know you all during her surprise visit.” Shaundi said, looking at the cue cards that were off camera.

 

“Shaundi and I got together and talked about each contestant based on all of our conversations earlier today. Some of you are pretty weird, some of you shouldn’t even be here and should get help, and some are okay I guess.” The Boss said when in truth she really didn’t pay attention to what most of the contestants said to her.

 

“The truth is that the Boss was figuring out who is really in it for me, and not for the fame. Which is why she will be the one who will send one of you home.” Shaundi said as she read the last cue card. The contestants acted surprise at the reveal, which will be edited to be more suspenseful in post production.

 

“Yeah that’s right! I get to send someone home tonight! Hope you all packed a bottle of lotion because one of you might need it.” The Boss said, she turned her said slightly to get the cue to say which contestant will be going home.

 

“The person who will not sleep with Shaundi is…..” The Boss paused, waiting for the producer to tell her to say the name for a whole minute.

 

“Mary...you seem like an interesting girl, but you don’t seem to amuse Shaundi enough. You may pack your bags.” The Boss said, impersonating her lieutenant with the last sentence.

 

The nursing student waved goodbye to the other contestants, giving a hug to Shaundi who gave a sympathetic hug, and onto the Boss who surprisingly accepted the hug. The blonde brought her mouth close to Mary’s ear during the hug.

 

“I left my number in your bag, I’ll meet up with you later…” The Boss said under her breath, it was low enough for no one to hear it and coherent enough for Mary to understand.

 

Glasses of champagne were given to the remaining contestants as Shaundi and the Boss were giving a toast. Everyone shouted out the the show’s tagline and filming was officially done.

 

“CUT! THAT’S A WRAP!” The head producer yelled out. Once the cameras stopped rolling, everyone took a sigh of relief that filming has ended earlier than expected.

 

“THANK GOD IT’S OVER!!” Shaundi exclaimed, chugging her champagne. After spitting out the cheap drink, the TV Star looked over at the Boss who dumped her drink on the carpeted floor.

 

“Well now that this shit ended, why don’t we get outta here and catch up?” The Boss asked her lieutenant. Shaundi quickly nodded and the two were quick to get out of the mansion before anyone could notice.

 

The two women were able to sneak to the blonde’s car and were ready to get out of the mansion’s property, Shaundi knew that if she stuck around, she would’ve been there for another two hours after filming.

Chapter 3: Sunglasses at Night

Summary:

The Boss and Shaundi bailed on filming to have time to catch up and have a little chit chat.
The two thought about the possibility on getting back on the Saints grind by robbing a bank.

Notes:

Originally meant to be a part of Ch.2, but I realized that it would've been a long and tiring chapter so I'm just like ehhh better split these apart.

Contestants and crew members realized too late that the star of the show and the Leader of the Saints have already left the mansion which annoyed the balding head producer. Meanwhile, the two women were laughing as they successfully got out of that reality show mess even if it meant consequences later on.

“So Boss I’m curious, why did you pick Mary of all people? I mean there’s other weirdos that are there and you picked the most average woman?” I mean...you two seemed to be friendly.” Shaundi asked the blonde, the Boss couldn’t look at the lieutenant to give a answer without being embarrassed.

“Well Mary seems more like a friend rather than someone to sleep with, I’m sure you two could be friends once the show is over. She’s a genuinely interesting woman, but I doubt your producers would see that.” The Boss answered, she knew that the show producers were a pain to Shaundi by reading her body language and facial expressions after each take.

“By the way Boss, where are we heading?” The TV Star asked more questions in which the Boss didn’t mind, the blonde was just happy that the two of them have alone time together without any cameras or fans swarming at them.

“Penthouse, no one seems to hang around there ever since Purgatory expanded so why don’t we open some bottles and make up for lost time. I miss you Shaundi.” The blonde responded with sincerity.

“Erm miss hanging out with you back when we weren’t too busy with being celebrities..” The Boss continued, feeling embarrassed at the tone of her previous statement. Cecilia really missed seeing Shaundi everyday, ever since becoming a celebrity, she couldn’t take time off to even call her.

“It’s okay, I miss you too. I honestly want to get away from all that reality show bullshit for even a night so thank you.” Shaundi smiled and looked at the Boss.

“Ummm you know it’s nighttime, there’s no need for those sunglasses, Boss.” The brunette said, she was concerned about the Boss’ condition to drive with a black tinted windows at night let alone driving with sunglasses.

“I can’t take them off! They’re….prescription sunglasses...Look Gat and I thought it was a cool idea to get them instead of eyeglasses!” The blonde said defending her fashion choices.

“Contact lenses exist, I’m also sure you and Johnny can easily afford vision correction surgery.”

 

Shaundi rolled her eyes on the Boss’ statement even after giving the blonde some advice, it wasn’t much of a long drive to the penthouse after all so the worries of crashing the car and dying faded away. Her phone rang, it was obvious that it was her head producer trying to get a hold of her, the brunette tried to ignore it but the constant ringing was starting to annoy both women.

“Hold up I got this” The Boss said, she grabbed the phone from the cupholder and threw it into oncoming traffic. Cecilia knew that she’ll get a sudden reaction from Shaundi right away.

“WHAT THE FUCK BOSS?!?” Shaundi exclaimed, she knew that getting replacement would mean taking a cut from her royalties of the show, but something changed her mind.

“Actually….That doesn’t matter, I’m just glad you’re here to save me Boss.” Shaundi said in content.

“I guess nothing has changed, saving you from weirdos that either slept with you or want to.” The Boss said with a smirk on her face.

The two made it to their destination, the Boss left the car in a no parking zone but didn’t care. They entered the building and upstairs into the penthouse which was completely empty with the exception for a Saints bodyguard who was about to leave. The Boss called someone ahead of time to watch the penthouse while she was out just to make sure there wouldn’t be any crazy bitches that’ll try and destroy the property.

“See ya later Boss! Bye Shaundi!” The bodyguard said as he made his exit allowing the two women in before closing the door.

Funny enough the only Saints members that have entered this loft are just the normal gang members around the area finding a place to party and the Boss. Everyone else have been renting out condos or staying in luxury hotels depending how long a project was going to take. Shaundi has been inside the penthouse a few times, where in those instances she was hitting off that loa dust.

“I gotta say, you’ve done well with the interior decorating…” Shaundi said sarcastically as she took note of the stripper poles from upstairs. The brunette made her way to the living room and hopped right onto the couch.

The Boss brushed off Shaundi’s comment, headed to the bar to grab a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses to go with it. The blonde set up the glasses onto a nearby table where the couches were and rushed to the kitchen area to gather up snacks.

“It felt like only yesterday we were just a couple of kids drinking cheap beer sitting in some old couch and eating fast food. Now we’re drinking expensive wine on a nicer couch. Though I’m surprised you didn’t order some Freckled Bitch’s before.” Shaundi said, she poured wine on both glasses.

“Well if I wanna keep looking good, I have to eat better. I’ve mostly been eating protein and greens nowadays.” The Boss replied, she was in the kitchen assembling a cheese plate with various meats, cheeses, fruits, and nuts to go with the wine the two women were having. While the Boss never had an issue with weight, she was working out more to maintain a athletic built. She knew that if she were to carry heavy guns in the future, she better build the muscle for it.

“I guess that makes sense, I’ve been put onto detox diets every other week and that shit sucks. I was surprised how slim I was despite all the keg stands and munchies I had back then.” Shaundi said. The Boss joined with the lieutenant on the couch setting the plate on the table and grabbing her wine glass to take a sip.

The Boss wanted to spend as much as she could with her lieutenant. Pierce was out of town and Gat planned to visit Aisha after his work. It’s been weeks if not months since they were together. There was something special about spending time with Shaundi where the Boss never wanted to end. Maybe because the two women were both constantly dragged onto projects that they never had time to just sit down and chill.

“I noticed that you’ve changed more than your appearance, Boss. You seem...more calm. You don’t look like you would shoot anyone in the face anymore.” Shaundi said, grabbing a couple of snacks from the plate.

Shaundi didn’t know about the Boss going to therapy or that she has a few mental health issues. After reclaiming Stilwater, Cecilia took the initiative to get the help she needed when she realized that her coping mechanisms and projectile anger have been harmful. The blonde didn’t want anyone to know about her problems and kept them to herself. It turned out that the Boss has PTSD from the boat explosion that almost took her life, where she remained terrified of being in a yacht and had nightmares of the event. The deaths of her friends also took a toll on the blonde who forced herself to hide behind the pain with anger. With therapy, the Boss was able to accept that she does have those issues and worked on coping with them in a healthier manner. One of the more unique coping mechanisms the blonde had was that she transferred the mental pain into physical by getting tattoos all over her body. It helped her, to her it seemed like an alternative of putting needles into her body to relieve the pain.

“Well Shaundi, now that we got everything we wanted, there’s really no need to fight to death for anything else.” The Boss responded. For an answer that covered up her real reasons, the blonde was right about having everything she wanted and more.

“I can drink to that, but don’t you miss when we used to be an actual gang?”

“Of course I do, maybe we could do something fun, just like the old days. With Troy being able to pardon us, nothing could go wrong!” The Boss said, the weird alliance the blonde had with the chief of police was one of the things Shaundi knew.

“What do you have in mind?”

“I don’t know, maybe rob a bank?” The Boss said, she took a sip from her glass, the blonde’s phone rang and checked the screen to see if it’s someone she knew. Despite the unsaved number, the Boss let it rang since she didn’t want anything to ruin her night with Shaundi.

The two women spent time catching up with their lives and unlike before, the Boss was actually paying attention to Shaundi complaining about being on a dating show. How she couldn’t stand the people who called all of the shots. While it was a Saints production, Ultor was in charge of a majority of the entertainment decisions since Shaundi wasn’t the only saint having issues with the celebrity status. In exchange, the Boss shared her own stories of painful marketing meetings in between cameo appearances and starting roles on TV shows and movies. She assured Shaundi that her overall change in appearance was her own decision and not because she wanted to give brunette a run for her money. It was a fun conversation, and then Shaundi was curious and wanted to ask the Boss a question that was on her mind for a while.

“So Boss, I was wondering now that we got all of this fame, have you been seeing anyone yet?” The TV star asked, it was like the old days when the brunette teased getting the boss a date through her connections.

“Well...I will be honest with you Shaundi, I’ve been seeing a few then and there. It just seems easier now that I’m a big celebrity and all the pretties want to know me a little better.” The Boss responded, where she felt more confident to talk to women over the years. The blonde brought a few women on dates, but has never been serious with a girl.

“You must be really good at hiding from the tabloids since I barely hear any rumors about you dating some star, but I’m glad that you’ve finally got laid.” Shaundi said, teasing her boss.

“FUCK YOU”!

“Well if you insist, there might be a 2nd season of I Want to Sleep with Shaundi” The Blonde looked away in embarrassment, and so did the TV Star for even suggesting that idea.

“Um, there’s a reason I don’t like appearing on reality TV.”

“Yeah, I can understand. Hell, if you were on the show, those idiot producers would probably make you into some high tension rival to some buff meathead to win my love.”

“Hahaha yeah that is some bullshit.” The Boss said, she took a quick glance at her phone and saw that the unsaved number was Mary from the show. The nursing student was texting the Boss about meeting her. The blonde was quick to text back as Shaundi was putting the wine glasses away.

“So are you going to head back to the mansion?” The blonde asked, still texting Mary.

“Actually I was thinking about staying over for tonight. I don’t feel like returning to that mansion and getting an earshot from the producers for running off with you. If you don’t mind of course.” Shaundi said, it wasn’t really a problem for the Boss since it just means Shaundi doesn’t have to worry about some creep contestant crawling into her bed.

“I don’t mind at all if it means getting away from a house of horndogs and heated cats. Speaking of, I’m actually surprised about that..fact about you.” The Boss said, mentioning Shaundi’s bisexuality.

“Yeah well, the network wanted to do something that was considered controversial. I’m more surprised that you didn’t even know back then.” Shaundi responded, she thought about bringing up those times she liked calling the Boss a cute nerd behind her back.

“I was more focused on killing rather than my lieutenants’ sexual preference…Though I did remember you making out with some chick in that one frat party you dragged me to, or just a really ugly guy.” The Boss replied, she giggled at her own remark.

The Boss doesn’t think much about a Saints’ identity since it’s a completely different gang than what Julius originally founded. The blonde wanted the Saints to be inclusive and make those with different backgrounds feel secure with a family. She remembered the fateful night Gat stood up for her when a couple of Saints gave her a hard time for being gay. Cecilia would do her best to make any Saint feel accepted with their identity no matter what it was, encouraging people to say it to her. No matter what, the Boss wouldn’t think differently about anyone, just like the way Johnny understood when the two started becoming friends.

Shaundi stretched her arms, it has been an exhausted day that was like any other. She wanted nothing more than a good night’s rest. The brunette was tempted to pass out on the couch, but felt that a big comfy bed was better. The Boss showed her where everything was and even offered the TV star some clothes to wear for sleeping along with other selfcare essentials.

“Get comfy while you still can reality star, I actually have to take care of some things so I’ll get back to you tomorrow morning.” The Boss said to Shaundi before leaving the Penthouse.

The Boss didn’t want to leave Shaundi entirely alone, there wasn’t a good history of safety about the brunette being alone so it was just her luck that a couple of Saints member just happened to be walking across the street. The blonde told the members to stand by the Penthouse door until she returns, and no one ever decline’s the Boss’ command. The Boss headed over to her car and before starting her engine, the blonde made a quick phone call to Mary telling the ex-contestant that she was on her way to meet her at the hotel nearby the airport.

“You kept me waiting for a while, and I guess the space in my room wouldn’t be suitable study space.”

“Oh don’t worry, you can study back in my place.”

Chapter 4: Little Secrets

Summary:

It's the morning after and the Boss has a lot of explaining to do

Shaundi adapted to waking up without an alarm, it seemed pointless for her to have an alarm when an obnoxious camera crew wakes her up every morning. It’s been a long time since the TV star had a good night sleep, viewers assumed that she sleeps in a giant bed at the mansion when in reality she sleeps in a parked camper outside. The brunette got out of bed and put on a robe that was hanging by the door.

 

“Well back to reality tv today.” Shaundi grumbled, she headed downstairs towards the kitchen to brew herself some coffee. Right before she reached the end of the stairs, Shaundi noticed some type of figure that was visible at the farthest corner of her eye.

 

“Boss? I didn’t know you wake up this early no-” Before the brunette could finish her sentence she saw that it wasn’t the Boss that was walking by, but another familiar face.

 

“Oh hey there Shaundi...funny seeing you here.” Mary said to the brunette, the nursing student was wearing the same outfit she wore last night, it was a bit messy and on top of that, there were a few reddish marks on her neck. The nursing student was about to be on her way out of the penthouse when she happened to see a woman that she thought of wanting to date.

 

Shaundi was at a loss of words, she couldn’t process what she saw right in front of her. The Boss told her that she was going on dates, but didn’t know that the blonde was going to sleep with a contestant from her show.

 

“Oh! My God!” the brunette yelled out, she wasn’t only shocked at the discovery of a contestant being at the Penthouse, but how she didn’t hear a single noise or disturbance the previous night. Shaundi was never the heaviest of sleepers, so it could’ve been that the rooms were sound-proof or that the two were hitting it off quietly.

 

“Well this is a bit awkward...ahah...No hard feelings Shaundi, I hope there wouldn’t be any tension at the reunion episode.” Mary said with a weary expression on her face.

 

“Not..at all…” Shaundi responded, she’s still wrapping her head around this brand new fact that she learned about The Boss. At first she felt dumb not seeing that before in the past, but then it started to make some sense.

 

“See you in the reunion! Or anytime the Leader of the Saints decide to let me drop by...” Mary greeted Shaundi goodbye before leaving the penthouse.

 

The brunette brewed herself some coffee to take off the image of Mary’s neck on her mind, Shaundi thought that some caffeine could wake her up, her vision isn't as clear with a groggy mind. Granted the TV star found it unlikely for the future nurse to be the one to win the dating show when there were at least forty other contestants. What shocked her was that she believed that the Boss only eliminated Mary just so she can sleep with her. It seemed weird for her to imagine the blonde to be romantic, or just being straight up honest just wanted a booty call for the night. It felt odd for Shaundi to imagine the Boss with another woman, she didn’t know why. She never thought of the blonde as someone that would bring a new woman into her place every other weekend, or even every night. The brunette imagined that time can change anyone, and her boss was no exception.

 

After taking a few sips of her coffee, Shaundi heard a groaning noise from a few feet away, it seemed like she wasn’t the only one that felt groggy early morning. The Boss walked into the kitchen looking nothing like the woman she is in public appearances. She wore a light grey bra and a pair of matching joggers. The Boss’ removed her signature lip ring along with the small gauges on her ears. Tattoos covered a majority of her body. The words ‘3rd St Saints’ were tattooed on the blonde’s torso, an outline of a koi fish just sits right below it, a large back piece of a demon looked like an outline, a full sleeve tattooed on her right arm covered in a variety of designs and a rainbow tattoo that was position in the middle of the Boss’ chest. Shaundi was surprised about the amount of work that have been done on the Boss. She compared the Boss' tattoos to the kind that belonged to rock stars, a contrast to her starlet appearance. Shaundi remembered Gat complaining about getting a tattoo removed a couple of months back. One saint gets work to get rid of some art while another adds more. The brunette did spot some empty skin on the blonde, her left arm remained untouched as well as the other side of the Boss’ back. 

 

“And I thought she would never leave!” The Boss walked in and didn’t notice her lieutenant that was in the kitchen. The blonde grabbed a pair of her old glasses from her pocket and realized that Shaundi was there and she looked away awkwardly.

 

“Ohhh Shaundi I uhh….didn’t think you’d be up so early.” The Boss said, blinking a couple of times to get used to wearing those old glasses with an outdated prescription. She was more embarrassed knowing that this is the most exposed she’s ever been in front of the lieutenant.

 

“Neither did I but anyway, can you explain just what the fuck is going on?!” Shaundi exclaimed, she brushed aside the casual talk as she wanted to know why the Boss was like this. The Boss walked over to the fridge and grabbed a chilled cup that contained a green smoothie drink before the blonde leaned on the cold surface of the fridge.

 

“Look Shaundi, I wanted Mary to leave last night but I guess she fell asleep before I could’ve called a cab for her, I mean honestly I don’t blame her.”  The Boss said, giving a slight grin before taking a sip of her smoothie. Shaundi wasn’t amused at the blonde’s comment, but shocked at the casual response.

 

“I could forgive that you’ve slept with one of the show’s contestants, forget about how you decided to bring her here while I was sleeping, but I don’t understand how you could hide that fact about your identity to me.” Shaundi said, she was confused about how the blonde changed and wanted to adapt to them.

 

“S-Shaundi….I didn’t think it would’ve been such a big deal. So what if I only like girls? Plus, I didn’t know about how you liked guys and girls until you got a damn show about it.” The blonde didn’t intend to hide that fact to her lieutenant let alone her whole gang, yet couldn’t understand why it’s such a big deal at all. Some people just liked partners that have more variety.

 

“Well yeah because I didn’t realize it until I sobered up, but I don’t understand why you like to hide certain things about yourself, it wouldn’t kill you to open up about life Boss…” Shaundi’s hazel eyes met with the Boss’ golden gaze, she felt that the blonde was hiding something sensitive from her.

 

“Okay….I guess if Johnny was slow to realize it when we got to know each other, I might as well tell you.” The Boss said with hesitation, she placed her drink on the counter and had her attention solely to Shaundi.

 

“I just assumed at a young age that everyone thought about girls the same way I did. Until I realized that wasn’t true when I got older. I’ve told everyone that I was different, but they all shrugged it off and said I was confused…..I was going through a phase and all that kind of bullshit.” The blonde crossed her arms and looked away from her lieutenant, it was deep information that she shared.

 

“Got older, thought that when I joined the Saints I’ll actually get accepted for who I was, but then guys talked and word got out about it. A few of them confronted me about it, I would’ve been beaten if it weren’t for Johnny who jumped in and defended me and I owe him everything ever since...With the Saints now, I can at least give a place for people who were like me a family that understands them if their own wouldn’t.”

 

Before the Boss could say anything else, Shaundi pulled her into a tight hug. It was a feeling that she wasn’t used to, something that she never felt even with a woman in her bed. Not even feeling it with Mary the previous night. The blonde felt warmth from her lieutenant, didn’t know how to react to the gesture. If Shaundi pulled that kind of stuff to the Boss a few years ago, she would’ve been pushed off by the blonde. However, Cecilia slowly brought her arms up, returning the gesture awkwardly. She was confused if not shocked by how sudden Shaundi sprung into a hug, but somehow it felt good.

 

Shaundi on the other hand, pulled the Boss into a tight hug since she felt it was a sensitive topic for the blonde to mention. It wasn’t like her to be physical towards her fellow Saints let alone the Boss herself, but her gut responded faster than her mind. The lieutenant didn’t think about what could happen for even hugging her boss so suddenly, would she be pushed off for it? Get yelled at? But Shaundi felt the Boss returning her gesture, which shocked her even more. The two were like this for a minute until Shaundi pulled away from the hug quickly to prevent any negative reaction.

 

“Oh shit Boss….I-I didn’t mean to be so sudden...I just, I could relate. All these damn reporters always say that I’m going through a weird phase and that I’m either straight or gay depending on who's sleeping with me, not my actual identity.” Shaundi says, she sounded defensive but it was a fact that reporters do give her a hard time about being open about her sexuality.

 

“Well even if those tv people want you to pick a female contestant I’d still call you a bi mess.” The Boss replied, ensuring that her lieutenant got nothing to worry about before heading over next to Shaundi.

 

“Listen, I appreciate that hug and if you tell anyone about our little heart to heart I’ll get Ultor to make a I Want to Marry Shaundi spin-off.” The Boss said, smirking at her lieutenant.

 

“You may have changed your looks but you’re still an asshole!” Shaundi yelled out, but the Boss was already heading back to her room upstairs.

 

Both women had to get ready for their busy day, Shaundi needed to head back to the mansion to film some post-production interviews and the Boss needed to meet with a company to work on her passion project. The blonde dropped off Shaundi early enough for the brunette to sneak to her camper before everyone woke up to film. Even the contestants were all passed out in their rooms in the mansion. The lieutenant insisted to arrive back to the mansion early to prevent any gossip between the two Saints. Both of the women were grossed out on the idea of those tabloid covers trying to make a scandalous storyline between Shaundi and the Boss.

 

After dropping off Shaundi, the Boss had enough time to kill before her meeting with the company so she to visit some other Saints. She headed to the cemetery where she hasn’t dropped by in months. What was usually a guilt driven visit to her friends’ gravesite, the Boss founded peace after talking it out in therapy. The blonde gave updates about how well the Saints are doing to the fallen members. For the first time, Cecilia felt confident about making them proud and always assured to meet again when the time is right. As the Boss was leaving, she realized that she’s in a good mood. It was odd for herself to be content in the morning, the blonde thought about how she opened up to Shaundi but shrugged it off. For the past few years the Boss brushed aside those little instances her and Shaundi were talking in a deep level or when she complimented the lieutenant. The Boss never understood why, as she started to become invested in the idea of a bank robbery in one of the bigger banks in Stilwater.

Chapter 5: Swing Life Away

Summary:

"He was gone" The Boss didn't want to believe her best friend died. Shaundi thought she got it worse, but when the Boss came to visit, she was wrong.

 

Steelport wasn’t Stilwater nor was it a paradise, the Saints established themselves into this new city. They made a name for themselves once the Syndicate tower blew up and the debris from the top floor has yet to be repaired. It was meant to make a statement to the gangs of Steelport, but it didn’t matter much to the Boss’ second run of vengeance. She despised the city, billboards of Johnny were cluttered all over, Gat mascots roaming around pissed her off to the point the blonde ran them over. Cecilia didn’t want to believe her best friend died, people couldn’t even find his body when it was all over. It wasn’t that his body was never found, it was the fact that the Boss knew that Johnny would never die in vain. A part of her still believed that he was still alive, somewhere in the world. However, the blonde noticed how badly Shaundi took the event, it changed her drastically. The Boss could see herself in the brunette’s attitude which was similar to how she herself got robbed of a family and trust by Julius. Shaundi wanted those in the Syndicate dead, and even after flattening up Phillipe, she still wasn’t satisfied which concerned the leader of the Saints. Shaundi appeared cold towards everyone, especially Pierce and the Boss didn’t recall a time where the brunette was kidding. The blonde wanted to get to the bottom of it, yet knew that the she wouldn’t get the results she wanted. Nothing could convinced Shaundi not to feel guilty about Johnny. The Boss understood where her lieutenant is coming from, it took her years and still struggled to accept the deaths of her friends in Stilwater.

 

The Boss headed to the loft that belonged to Shaundi’s ex and the brunette wasn’t around, so the blonde was on her way to HQ until she received an urgent message from Kinzie about the Deckers. As much as the Boss wanted to brush that aside, the redhead insisted that she’ll get the job done. Eventually the blonde accepted, knowing that killing a bunch of cyber emo kids could at least help ease her mind.

 

“Don’t keep me waiting, Cecilia.” Kinzie said on the phone. The redhead mentioned how she knew the Boss’ real name which made the blonde cringe even hearing the name.

 

“I’ll be there in a moment, just don’t ever say that name again.” The boss replied in a stern voice and hung up on Kinzie. She could’ve killed the redhead for pulling that off a few years ago, but the Boss knew how vital Kinzie was on taking down the Deckers.

---

After a long day of taking down some emo dorks, the Boss continued where she left off, finding Shaundi. The blonde headed over to HQ, she asked around if anyone has seen Shaundi and Oleg mentioned how the brunette just left grabbing a few bottles of alcohol. After that information, the Boss thought about it and decided to give the loft a try again. She knew that if Shaundi took some booze from HQ, she wouldn’t be over at the bar. Cecilia was aware that her lieutenant was trying to cope and based off her attitude, Shaundi liked to be distant from everyone. It was late at night and the Boss knew that she has a long day ahead of her, but was willing to sacrifice comfort if it meant being on the same page as Shaundi.

 

“Guess she’s about to drink her sorrows, not my cup of tea and it’s not gonna be hers either.” The Boss didn’t want to admit even to herself that she cared about Shaundi’s wellbeing the whole time, but for once Cecilia was aware about concerned she was about the brunette.

 

The Boss walked into the building ignoring the questionable noises that came with the unsanitary tenants and slowly opened the door to take a peak if there was any lieutenants around. When taking a peak, the blonde sees the back of Shaundi’s head just in the corner of the room, the Boss gradually let herself inside the loft, which still needed to be cleaned out with cluttered weapons everywhere. As she gotten closer, the blonde sees Shaundi sitting in the couch, a few bottles of liquor on the table across from her and it looked like only one of the bottles have been opened.

 

“You know the last time I was drinking in this room was when I tried to outdrink my ex, those were the days were I was fun and dumb.” Shaundi said, she was swishing around a glass of bourbon. She took a sip from her glass before looking up to the Boss.

 

“It’s weird seeing you without any pair of glasses on your face or a nice suit.” Shaundi commented, after Gat’s death, the Boss didn’t feel right wearing sunglasses around the town alone. The blonde switched out her style when she came to Steelport, opted for a white shirt and a purple jacket over it.

 

“Well I went with your advice and got contact lenses and I didn’t see any reason to be too business looking” The Boss replied, it relieved her that Shaundi hasn’t drowned in her sorrows yet. The brunette offered the glass in her hand to the Boss, but the blonde declined as she sat next to her lieutenant.

 

“I’m glad you took my advice, because I can’t even take my own back at the plane….If I could’ve stayed then maybe Gat would still be here.” Shaundi said with sorrow. During the small talk, the brunette’s voice sounded lifeless, it bothered the blonde.

 

“Shaundi...trust me it’s not on you. I-I’ve felt the same back on the plane...if something was different.”

 

“You’re different, Boss. You can handle a group of thugs but I’m still too weak and need either you or Johnny around..” The Boss knew that Shaundi was showing signs of Survivor’s Guilt when her therapist mentioned it in their last session. The Boss is someone that would take a bullet for any of the Saints, and to see someone die despite all that hurts.

 

“The only thing I’m able to get a hold on is this glass.” Shaundi said, with a voice breaking.

 

Without saying a word, the Boss moved closer to Shaundi and placed a hand onto her shoulder. The blonde wasn’t the best at giving assuring gestures. For once in her run with the Saints she didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t think of anything to say to Shaundi, the blonde felt dumb to revert back to not talking. With Johnny, she knew that his spirits would be lifted when the blonde suggested some shooting whenever he feels down about Aisha. Shaundi was different, even after killing Morningstar members the brunette wanted to be left alone. The Boss realized that she really doesn’t need words to show comfort and thought of something else that could at least show her empathy with the lieutenant. Cecilia wrapped her arm around Shaundi’s shoulder, lifted the brunette’s head with her free hand. It’s been some time since the lieutenant saw her boss’ golden eyes and the first to see the concern in them. The lieutenant didn’t know how to react to the worried expression on the Boss’ face and for the first time in years Shaundi teared up and buried her face into the the blonde’s shoulder.

 

The Boss felt awkward about this jarring experience, Shaundi was one of the strongest women in the Saints and she’s crying on her shoulder. She felt that Shaundi needed to let it out in a way that wasn’t drinking it off or worse. The blonde didn’t push her away, she brought one arm up, hugging Shaundi. Cecilia didn’t have anything to say, but she let her actions comfort the lieutenant. The lieutenant wasn’t much of a cryer, the Boss could only hear the shuddering breaths that were muffled. In these kind of circumstances anyone would’ve been embarrassed, but Shaundi felt relieved to let it out to someone she trusts. The two women stayed like this for a few minutes until Shaundi’s breathing was back to normal, the Boss’ jacket was wet from the lieutenants tears which was embarrassing for Shaundi.

 

“Ummmm, I’m sorry about that Boss. I just had to let it out somehow.” Shaundi said as she was wiping her eyes.

 

“Well, some people approach things differently and crying it out is a better option..” The Boss said, she took off her jacket and rolled her sleeves. Shaundi noticed the new tattoos that were done on the Boss’s left arm and didn’t want to pry why the blonde got more work done.

 

“Shaundi I have something to share with you since it’s only fair. I’ve been seeing a therapist for a few years now, since there’s parts of me that are fucked up and honestly it’s not big surprise.” The Boss said, she felt the need to open up more to Shaundi after allowing her to cry on her shoulder.

 

“However I learned how to cope with those things. My therapist isn’t a fan of it but whenever I’m feeling awful, I get tattooed.”

 

“But Boss, you have a lot of tattoos.” Shaundi says, the blonde just looked at her until the lieutenant got the idea. Shaundi felt a bit embarrassed to even point that fact out, but the Boss wasn’t upset.

 

“My tattoo artist drove from Stilwater to get more work done, I trust her to put needles in me. The new work on my hand is a tribute to those that passed away, I guess whenever I punch someone with my left hand, these four will pack a bigger impact.” The Boss said and chuckled. She pointed out the new tattoo on her left hand which should a skull in the base of her fingers. A tribute to Lin, Carlos, Aisha, and Johnny, the Boss is sentimental about the meaning of the majority of her tattoos. Ever since Gat’s passing, the blonde made arrangements to hold off any celebrity work for her and dedicated her time in Steelport with the Saints and getting tattooed. The pain from the needles make up for the emotional pain of losing her best friend, making a concept of hurt into an artistic expression.

 

“Jesus, Boss... I didn’t think you’ve been hurting that much.”

 

“We’re all hurting Shaundi, some of us just show it off like a dumbass like Pierce” The Boss smiled, she remembered the only reason she stuck around for that Zimo party was for the strippers.

 

“I guess you’re right, I was an ass to everyone but maybe you did deserve it.”

 

“You’re an asshole.” The Boss said, it was a satisfying feeling to call her lieutenant an asshole after hearing that line towards her for years. The blonde heard a short giggle from Shaundi, which made her smile. She wasn’t in a pissy mood or even grabbed her drink which was a good sign for the Boss.

 

“By the way Boss, Kinzie mentioned to me about your real name but I didn’t know why the Hell she was sharing that information when I could’ve know something better.” The Boss’ eyes were wide open, she is going to kill Kinzie for sharing that stuff to her lieutenant, but she couldn’t be angry at the time. The blonde took a deep breath before she responded.

 

“Shaundi, that shit doesn’t matter to me anymore. That girl died in that yacht explosion years ago. I don’t know why Kinzie is discovering that stuff if she could’ve been tracking down Killbane’s location.”

“Well Boss that takes a ton of work, remember when we had to steal those cameras and locate the General?” The Boss recalled that old memory when she had to humble herself since Shaundi knew more about tech than she did.

 

“And if that girl is dead, would it hurt to know about her story?” Shaundi figured that since she opened up to the Boss, it was the blonde’s turn to tell her secrets. Cecilia wasn’t amused at Shaundi’s rhetoric, she couldn’t say no if it meant to lighten up the lieutenant's mood. The blonde deeply sighed, hesitant to even talk about her life before the Saints not because it was rough, but it was average.

 

The Boss begrudgingly told her life story to Shaundi which she expected to be underwhelming for the lieutenant. The leader of the Saints wasn’t a person with a troubled past of drug use or homelessness who found the Saints as a refuge from those tough times. Instead, the blonde talked about her mundane life, growing up in the suburbs of a small city and having both parents in her life. The blonde never faced any hardships growing up and even attended private school, had decent grades and was an okay student athlete. It only took the Boss a few sentences to tell Shaundi why she threw all that way, which was being a rebellious teen during college. While she wants to get away from that old life, for an odd reason the blonde would keep remnants of those times whether it was an old yearbook or a 1st place medal from track. The Boss pulled up a photo from her phone to show Shaundi her yearbook photo which featured a girl with a long ponytail and glasses which made the lieutenant laugh. Shaundi couldn’t believe that the bookworm with a crooked smile would end up being the ruthless leader of the biggest gang in Stilwater.

 

“You done?” The Boss said, as Shaundi giggles about the old yearbook photo.

 

“Ahahaha now I am, I just- you were adorable Boss!”

 

“Don’t push it sweetie, I’ve knocked a bastard out for changing the channel before.” The Boss said red with embarrassment, she took it as an insult. She knew Shaundi’s laughter at that moment was temporary. Despite going back to her old habits in Steelport, the blonde is still sad not being able to have Gat enjoy the fun by her side. As the lieutenant was going on about the young girl in the photo, Cecilia couldn’t help but smile a bit. Even for a night, the brunette was being playful like the old days even if it meant taking Pierce’s place of being on the receiving end.

 

“Great that you told me your story Boss, not the typical gangster origin, but I’m glad you’re opening up to me.’ Shaundi said, handing back the phone to the Boss.The lieutenant seemed to pry the most about the Boss’ life out of the rest of the gang. Pierce is too intimidated to even ask the Boss’ preferences of women and Gat was the same as her when it came to lives before the Saints. This came from when Shaundi was still a fun loving girl and wasn’t phased by the Boss’ formerly cold demeanor.

 

‘Well, it’s only fair if you do the same. Not like I got somewhere to go since I already took care of those weird neon geeks. I do wonder about my first female lieutenant's life outside the cameras.” The Boss replied, she figured that it’s not time to talk about herself for once. She was sincerely intrigued about Shaundi, from the beginning she felt there was something else other than a stoner.”

 

Shaundi accepted, she was surprised about how her Boss was interested about that part of her she admittedly only vaguely mentioned in the past. The lieutenant went on talking about her whole life story, how she grew up with several siblings, enjoying the holidays with her big family. It seemed like the Boss really was listening to her, however fatigue got the best of the blonde halfway through the lieutenant's storytelling. It’s been a long day for the Boss having a painful tattoo session in the side of her ribs that almost made her pass out to protecting a former FBI agent hacking away all over Steelport. She did her best to pay attention to Shaundi’s story about her college days, but the blonde gave in, removing her contact lenses, putting them in their case and shutting her eyes while the brunette was looking away. In reality the Boss seemed content missing out on that part of Shaundi’s college life as it would’ve been all about previous exes. Eventually Shaundi was about done telling her entire lifestory to the Boss which ended at the moment she was recruited to the Saints.

 

“That was when a glasses wearing asshole convinced me to join the Saints by doing some car stunts and here we are now.” Shaundi said, she was focused on talking about her past that she wasn’t aware of the Boss’ silence throughout the whole session. She turned around to see the blonde asleep on the couch leaning on one end with her arms crossed. At first the lieutenant was upset that all that talking probably bored the Boss to sleep, but she took a closer look at the blonde. She could see the fatigue in the Boss’ face, no amount of makeup would cover the emotional exhaustion the blonde has gone through for the past few weeks. Shaundi felt that Gat’s death took a major toll on the Boss internally if not the biggest out of the entire gang. The Boss didn’t have the freedom be distant towards anyone, she had to move along and run the Saints in this new city.

 

“She looks so peaceful…” Shaundi said, for one of the hardest people in the Saints,the Boss looked graceful sleeping. The blonde’s furrowed brows weren’t as intimidating as usual, they appeared relaxed. Not a peep could be heard from the Boss, the brunette was used to loud sleepers like Pierce who used to snore loudly on the couch back in Purgatory. It wasn’t long until Shaundi felt tired, the Boss’ interaction was the most she had the entire day which understandably took out a lot of energy in her.

 

Eventually the lieutenant fell asleep next to the Boss, landing her head onto the blonde’s shoulder, it wasn’t a wide enough couch to give proper distance between the two women. However Shaundi didn’t mind it since she knew there wouldn’t be any consequences from the blonde. The Boss was able to have the lieutenant let out her emotions in healthier manner and even helped Shaundi take her mind off of the grief for even one night. The brunette was grateful for that side of the Boss that was rarely shown even towards her. She wondered if the blonde was like that to the others, or that there was another connection between the two women the brunette thought about, yet it wasn’t clear. The Boss went through losing Lin and Aisha, two of her best female friends and didn’t want to admit how grateful she was that Shaundi is still around. Being her first lieutenant, Shaundi’s safety seemed to be a priority for the Boss during their time in Steelport. The Boss couldn’t imagine losing anymore of her friends after Gat, it was a weak spot on the blonde. Her loyalty, but when it came to Shaundi the blonde wasn’t sure what it was that had her felt more connected to the lieutenant.

Notes:

Not going to lie, it was a pretty challenging chapter to write. Mostly because I wanted to find a way to write Shaundi off as not too "out of character" but then again there are various ways and styles people would mourn.

Even though this was meant as a small prompt for Pride Month, I fell more in love of this story that I decided to make it a full on story of feelings and bad chapter names!

Chapter 6: Holding out for a Hero

Summary:

The Boss has always stood up for Shaundi and being there for her whenever she's in trouble, but could the lieutenant do the same for the Boss?

Notes:

A short chapter compared to the others in addition of being split into two different settings. The first half as a continuation of the last chapter and the second happening during the time of the Three Way mission. There were things that I didn't like in game so I did a bit of rewriting, but trust me it's pretty badass.

Slowly Shaundi opened her eyes as she woke up, she felt something wet on her jacket and onto her upper back. Now that she was up, Shaundi quickly moved from her position to look for the source of the wetness on the couch, the lieutenant looked to the Boss’ direction and saw a different side of the blonde. The Boss’ breathing was heavy as sweat was dripping from her face excessively to the point that makeup was pouring down to her neck. The blonde then wiped the sweat off her face with her shirt still gasping for air.

 

“B-boss?” Shaundi said, the lieutenant was confused at the blonde’s actions.

 

The blonde continued to wipe her face with the shirt until her breathing sounded normal. She was like this for a few minutes, burying her face with her hands in a hiding position. A curse under her breath couldn’t be heard. The Boss was embarrassed that Shaundi had to see her like this, it could’ve been another night for an episode to happen. She couldn’t believe that her lieutenant has to see her like this. The only other person that has seen the Boss gone through a nightmare was Johnny, who knew how to act when that happened.The blonde remembered waking up from a nightmare in a few naps and Gat would rush from the other room to check up on her.

 

“Why now? Why couldn’t this shitty nightmare happen any other night?” The Boss thought to herself. The blonde couldn’t bring her head up in front of Shaundi, a slight shiver went down from her head to the last vertebrae of her spine. She felt the lieutenant’s hand on her shoulder that snapped her out of the episode. There were nights where the Boss relives that fateful night in Alderman Hughes’ yacht in a nightmare, waking her up when that explosion triggers. An event in her life she could never forget, she didn’t have a choice. Cecilia felt a bit jumpy on Shaundi’s touch with how sudden it was and brought her head up looking towards the lieutenant's direction.

 

“Shaundi…” The Boss said facing Shaundi, shirt stained with foundation and smears of eyeshadow, eyes widened when it came to the realization just how vulnerable the blonde looked in front of the lieutenant.

 

“I-is this normal??”

 

The blonde leaned back on the couch, exhaled deeply before she responded to Shaundi. For the Boss this was the first time she has seen the lieutenant show care for someone ever since the plane incident.

 

“Yes.” The blonde couldn’t bring herself to explain more and just responded with one word.

 

“Nightmares can be shitty Boss, you don’t have to say anything else if you don’t want to.” Shaundi saw how worried the blonde look, having to act like this in front of her. This wasn’t a side of the Boss that she has seen before, it was shocking and a bit intimidating. She didn’t know if she’s doing anything right talking to the blonde. Shaundi noticed the Boss’ open palm on her side, slowly the brunette brought up her left hand on top without realizing the possible consequences. There was a slight shake on the Boss’ hand that Shaundi took note of quickly, worried if it’s angry or nervous shaking. It was cold to the touch, but the lieutenant held onto it in an attempt to show comfort for the Boss. To Shaundi’s surprise, the blonde interlocked her hand with the lieutenant’s. It was clear that the blonde needed a simple touch of comfort and the brunette brought up her other hand below the Boss’ and held onto it with both hands.

 

“T-thanks Shaundi...I mean it.” The Boss said, she couldn’t make up anymore words to say to rebound back to her usual self. She still felt embarrassed acting in such a way in front of her lieutenant. The blonde trusted Shaundi more than Pierce but not on the same level of mutual trust with Gat, yet he was gone. The brunette was the next best thing for the Boss, it was difficult to think about where it means that she needs to put more trust into Shaundi. Sure Pierce was a great guy, but the man couldn’t make a seriously conversation to save his life.

 

“This stays in this room.” The blonde said, she didn’t muster in enough energy to make a snarky remark to Shaundi to cheer up the mood.

 

“Don’t need to tell me twice, Boss. I’ll be here alright?” Shaundi said. The Boss realized that this is the first time Shaundi was covering for her instead of the usual. While the blonde wasn’t in a gunpoint situation, going through a post traumatic episode took a lot out of her mentally. Not exactly the same thing, but according to her therapist her mental health is as important is her physical health. A fact the Boss hated to accept for herself.

 

However, the Boss gave admiration to Shaundi for being there to calm her down from a nightmare. She wasn’t like Gat when it came to being there, but it was enough for her to get back to reality. Where that event was long ago, she’s in a better position than she was several years back.

 

---

It looked like all of Steelport were against the Saints when S.T.A.G launched an attack on the gang. The Luchadores crashed the party with their specialists crowding the streets, the Boss had the right amount of artillery to fend off all of them with the help of Pierce and Oleg. In the middle of it all, Angel informed the Boss that Killbane was about to flee the city which enraged her. Just as she was heading towards the airport, Kia gave an ultimatum to the blonde, threatening the deaths of Shaundi, Viola and Mayor Reynolds.

 

“Killbane is the reason why you’re here!” Oleg exclaimed, however the Boss has already made her decision. No one in the Saints will be dying on her watch. She didn’t care about the chance of getting a earshot from Angel later, she needed to save her friends. Pierce and Oleg helped the Boss to hold out on the fight as she drove to the nearest shore on full speed. It wasn’t a smooth drive as countless armed vehicles chased after her, shooting at the car until it was about to explode.

 

“Damn!” The Boss jumped out of her car just before it blew up in front of a group of Luchadores. She wasted no time to steal a Luchador car to continue her way into the docks. Adrenaline was pumping through her body, if the Boss was hit by anything she couldn’t care to feel it as she launched grenades behind her while driving. It wasn’t long until back-up was called when a few Saints vehicles were trailing both S.T.A.G and the Luchadores to take off some weight for the Boss.

 

“You guys hold them off, I got a mayor to save!” The Boss yelled out to her fellow Saints driving and gunning down troops and masked wrestlers in front of her. Eventually the Boss made it to meet up with Kinzie who was handy with a gun. The blonde realized that she needed a way to get into the island, and up to that point was deadly afraid of entering a boat. Adrenaline in her system, the Boss hopped onto a boat not even thinking about her past on them and headed to Magarac Island. Boats and helicopters chasing her trail, but the Boss did her best to brush them off with her submachine gun. She couldn’t overthink anything else, Bonnie Tyler was playing on her mind she needed to be a hero as the blonde landed on the island.

 

Before she could climb up, Kinzie informed her about the bombs that are placed all over the makeshift stairway. The Boss realized that she isn’t just saving her friends, but she has a monument to protect as well. A statue to a city that she doesn’t like, but knew that she couldn’t let it collapse before confronting Kia. Making her way up, the Boss cleared out S.T.A.G troops with the limited amount of ammo she got as these guys were a bit harder to take out than a normal gang member. Eventually the Boss made it to the top, agitated at the sight of Kia using Shaundi as a shield.

 

“No one in my crew is getting killed”

“Really? Lin. Carlos. Aisha. Johnny...All you do is let your friends die.” Kia said as a way to get into the Boss’ head, but she doesn’t have time for that.

 

“And I make bitches like you suffer.” The Boss had no ammo, wanted to make Kia feel the pain. The blonde had on her a few smoke bombs and threw them to cause Kia to drop Shaundi but not until knocking her out with the grip of her gun. She took no time to punch the S.T.A.G member in the face, packing a powerful punch with her left hand. It was poetic justice for the Boss, the four skulls representing her old friends giving a beating to Kia. A moment that didn’t last long as Kia was able to get back up and threw the blonde off.

 

The two were going at it for a while, the Boss kept dropping smoke bombs and throwing punches at Kia, the S.T.A.G officer shooting her gun at the blonde as she ducked for cover. With one last smoke bomb, the Boss kicked the gun out of Kia’s hand and launched herself on top of the officer and beating her senselessly. However Kia acted fast and headbutted the Boss and got on top of the blonde. The officer took out a knife she got hidden in her pocket ready to end the leader of the Saints.

 

“WATCH OUT KID!” Mayor Reynolds said to the Boss.

 

The blonde saw one of the S.T.A.G aircraft spinning around ready to crash into the ocean. Before it came crashing down however, the VTOL’s laser beam was fired towards their direction. the Boss acted quick and slid a few inches away from the ongoing beam. The laser barely missed her, but instead shot the officer. The Boss saw the laser coming through Kia’s chest and hearing the officer gasping her last breath before falling onto the floor dead. It was ironic to see Kia meet such an end, getting killed by none other than S.T.A.G. themselves.

 

“Ehh..close enough.” The Boss said, taking time to breath normally and getting up. The blonde wiped the sweat off her forehead only to see some blood on her hand from the headbutt earlier.

 

“That bitch!” Angry that she shed some blood, the Boss kicked Kia’s lifeless body a few times before rushing over to Shaundi who was regaining consciousness. The blonde saw no serious scruffs on Shaundi and knew that she’ll be alright.

 

“Ughh my head….” Shaundi said, the Boss helped her get up but the brunette was able to walk on her own. She looked around her surroundings, the skies were clear from S.T.A.G, crashed boats set to sink, and a lifeless Kia on the ground.

 

“So this is it then.”

 

“Yeah for now.” The Boss responded, both her and Shaundi knew that there is still work to be done and only a good chunk of the deed has been done. The two women rushed to Viola and Mayor Reynolds to untie the two. After the Boss untied the DeWynter sister, Viola launched herself into the Boss’ arms and hugged her. Awkwardly the blonde hugged back, admittedly there has been some intimate tension between the Saint and the former Syndicate member.

 

“Those S.T.A.G bastards are going to pay for this! I’m going to kick that Temple’s ass!” Mayor Reynolds yelled out, the older man is about sick of the mess that plagued his city. The four of them looked at the city from across the island, smoke could be seen in different parts of the city as it remained a war zone.

 

As the Boss was looking at the city across from her, she heard a helicopter going closer, looking back the blonde sees a purple helicopter ready to land. Pierce got out of the helicopter armed and looking around to see if there were any more troops. Realizing that the fight has already been thought, the singer looked a bit upset that he missed out on the action again. The blonde smiled in relief, since she didn’t have a fully loaded weapon on her let alone anyone else.

 

“Damn Boss, you did a number on that Kia!” Pierce exclaims as he saw the dead officer. The Boss smiled and shrugged it off to impress the lieutenant.

 

“Actually, a S.T.A.G blunder ended up killing her, but at least the Boss tried.” Viola corrected Pierce as the blonde furrowed her eyebrows at the DeWynter.

 

“Very funny Viola, but I know the Boss longer than you have. She’s capable of anything. Anyways, why don’t you and Mayor Reynolds hop on, the chopper can take you two into the main land safely.” Pierce said, he gathered with the Boss and Shaundi as the other two were heading to the helicopter.

 

The three Saints walked their way back to the base of the island as Pierce talked about the events that happened back on the main island as him and Oleg were fending off both S.T.A.G and the Luchadores. The Boss knew that Pierce was a capable of being a great shooter, but sometimes she can see through the singer’s flexing. The blonde barely gave Pierce enough credit to admit that the man is a great tactician. The three were just about to reach the end of the stairway to see that a couple of news helicopter were making their way for landing, a crowd of reporters were getting off boats ready for their opportunity to shine. The Boss rolled her eyes, knowing the media storm that will surround her and her lieutenants. She didn’t want to waste anymore time, there were other things on her mind.

 

Chapter 7: Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Summary:

The Boss managed to escape the media frenzy and Cyrus after saving the Joe Steel statue. The rest of the Saints decided to head back to HQ to see the aftermath of an all out gang war, but how does Shaundi feel about the Boss saving her?

Notes:

Some supplement work, I figured there had to be something going on before that whole Gangsters in Space mission.

After escaping the media by hijacking a news helicopter, the three Saints were heading back to HQ, the Boss was the only one capable of flying and flew over to the main island. Shaundi and Pierce were able to get a good view of the streets as smoke gathered from the remains of an all out gang war. Remaining S.T.A.G vehicles were set to retreat, troops seized fire from the Saints and the Luchadores were long gone. Hundreds of pedestrians ducking for their lives and of course there were several lifeless mascot bodies on the ground.

 

“We better not be paying that.” Pierce says as he saw all the damage done in a short timespan. While Steelport wasn’t entirely in ruins, there were plenty of wreckage in the streets as well as buildings that were damaged by tanks that crash landed onto the brick and mortar shops around Steelport.

 

The Boss didn’t think much of what Pierce said, there wasn’t any room in her mind to think about trivial things. The blonde thought about Killbane escaping and plotting a way to track him down and snap his neck. Only this time, she’ll get to go after Eddie with some friends on her side. She didn’t regret letting him escape Steelport if it meant allowing her friends and the mayor to live. Mayor Reynolds was an essential for the city and the blonde couldn’t see someone else taking his place, it was wrong to let Viola die just to kill Eddie. To her, she knew how important it was for the DeWynter to be there to see Killbane die, the Boss empathize with Viola of wanting to seek revenge. Then the blonde thought about Shaundi, she couldn’t let her die in the same span of losing Johnny.

 

Before the helicopter was ready to land on the helipad at Saints HQ, Shaundi felt that she didn’t give the Boss enough credit for being able to rescue her once again. The lieutenant seemed used to the idea of the Boss going out her way to save her, yet Shaundi would always feel down about herself each time. Hell, she felt more bad knowing that the blonde even got work done to disguise herself as Cyrus to bust her out of that S.T.A.G aircraft carrier. The brunette is great to be alive, but at the same time couldn’t help but be upset about not standing up for herself. Even after cleaning up and being cold towards everyone, the lieutenant still felt defenseless.

 

Pierce was the first to get out of the helicopter to salvage what remained in the penthouse, including a worn out chessboard. The interior was thoroughly damaged with bullet holes decorating the walls, broken furniture and a wrecked flat screen TV tilted at a angle. Shaundi got out after Pierce and waited for the Boss to shut down the helicopter engine. As the blonde exit out of the helicopter, she looked a bit confused as to why the lieutenant was waiting for her let alone not heading out of HQ to go back to the loft.

 

“Boss, if only I said this earlier back in that statue, but thanks for saving us back there.”

 

“Of course Shaundi, I’m not going to let my friends die...and I can’t lose you after losing Johnny.” The blonde responded, she leaned towards the railings and looked across to see that there’s still a line of protesters picketing the Saints. She reminded herself to grab a minigun to shoot them down later.

 

“Shaundi, I don’t say this often but I do think you’re important to the Saints. If it weren’t for the things you did back in Stilwater, we probably wouldn’t be heroes now. Hell you’ve done some work in Steelport.” It’s odd for even the Boss herself to admit to Shaundi that she’s a major member of the Saints in the likes of Pierce and Gat. The brunette looked away at the Boss in disbelief.

 

“That’s not true, I always put myself in danger and rely on either you or Johnny to save me...I get that you’re trying to be nice Boss, but I could never fight for myself.” Shaundi said, slouched on the railing and looking down. This wasn’t the first time this occurred and the Boss has had it with Shaundi not seeing the good in herself throughout their time in Steelport.

 

“Sweetie that’s bullshit and you know it, because you can handle yourself with a gun and Hell even able to throw hands. You’re one of the toughest Saints Shaundi, and you wouldn’t be my lieutenant to this day if that wasn’t true.” The brunette looked at the Boss for a moment, she couldn’t find a way to counter her statement that didn’t revolve repeating her words. Shaundi didn’t feel like responding let alone denying the blonde’s claims at all.

 

“You’re right I guess....I just wished I could’ve done better around here.”

“Maybe stop being such a frigid bitch all the time” The Boss responded playfully. While the two had a deep talk a while back, the blonde still saw Shaundi being cold towards others.

 

“I would if you stopped being an asshole.” Shaund put out a middle finger and smile at the Boss.

 

The blonde shrugged it off and turned towards the penthouse in shambles. Walking through the living room that is covered in bullet holes as well as a dying fire pit in the middle of the seating area. The Boss eyed on a carton of cigarettes and hesitantly grabbed it, it’s been years since she last smoked and after all that she went through it was a deserved cigarette. As she bent over to get a bit of a spark to light up her cigarette from the dead fire, the Boss continued to observe the damaged surroundings. The blonde took a drag of her cigarette before coughing uncontrollably, her body isn’t used to the fumes after a few years of having no tobacco in her system.

 

“I still don’t know why I bothered with these things, I guess Troy made it look cool back in the day.” The Boss said, smoking was a habit she picked up only after her coma and even then she didn’t become addicted. Pierce was in the other room to see if anything else that was his ended up being damaged by the attack, the singer commented how there’s still a need to repair the bullet holes from that ambush of hoes several weeks ago. Miraculously the stereo still worked, playing KRhyme throughout the penthouse muffled by the debris covering the speakers. Shaundi walked by the Boss, saw that the blonde had a cigarette in her mouth and was attentive towards carton she was holding.

 

“You definitely look like you need one of these.” The Boss said, offering the lieutenant a cigarette. Shaundi didn’t even give it a thought and took the carton from the Boss’ hand to get herself a smoke. The brunette has been dying to relieve stress that involved lighting up a smoke, even if it was just tobacco.

 

“Got a light?” Shaundi asked, the Boss shook her head and pointed out to the lieutenant the pile of ashes next to them. Unfortunately the last spark has since then died out after the blonde lit up her cigarette. The brunette looked around to see if there was a lighter anywhere, but not one in sight and Shaundi was left an alternative method.

 

“Mind if you could share that light?” Shaundi asked the Boss, the blonde was puzzled with the idea of providing what is left of her cigarette. However, she nodded at the lieutenant with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Uhhhh sure?” The Boss said, Shaundi got closer to the blonde, cigarette in mouth. The lieutenant was a few inches shorter than the Boss even with heels on, it just so happened that the blonde was also wearing heels. If it weren’t for the cigarette in the way, the Boss and ShaundI’s faces would’ve been a few inches apart. Cecilia looked away from Shaundi’s hazel eyes, she felt awkward being this close to her lieutenant. Around the same time the lieutenant swifted her eyes on the spark that remained in the Boss’ cigarette. The lieutenant's cigarette met with the end of the Boss’ as she inhaled, lighting up the tip of her cigarette and holding it in place with her hand.

 

While Shaundi took a drag to light up her cigarette, the Boss took a quick glance at the lieutenant. She has come a long way from being a dreadlock wearing party girl, the blonde didn’t realize how different Shaundi looked years ago until that point. The Boss noticed how nicely the brunette’s makeup was put on, it wasn’t tacky like it was back then. Weirded out by herself for looking at Shaundi, the blonde shifted her eyes away and was still able to see faint figures from across the building. She really wanted those protestors to rot in Hell.

 

“Thanks Boss, figured that old trick could still come in handy.” Shaundi said, the brunette used to bum drags from other people who were smoking to save lighter fluid. She was resourceful by using the least amount of money for her old habits.

 

“Old habits die hard I guess, I’m surprised you don’t have a handy lighter with you like the old days.”

 

“I did, that S.T.A.G asshole just took it from me and threw it into the ocean.” Shaundi responded, the two women continued on their own direction. The Boss headed over to her bedroom to see if there were any shattered glass and Shaundi went to one of the other rooms to grab some of her things that she left from the last time she slept the night. The blonde headed to her special stash of guns that she kept hidden from everyone else to make sure it remained untouched. Before exiting, the Boss grabbed a submachine gun she stole from a dead Decker a while back to keep herself armed again.

 

“Can you girls hurry up! Zimos called me about a huge party at The Broken Shillelagh and he told me there are plenty of lovely ladies to share! Wooo!” Pierce yelled out, he was waiting in the living room equipped with a duffel bag and a chessboard in hand.

 

“Is it really the right time to party Pierce? We still need to get Killbane!” Shaundi said as she entered the living room. The Boss was about to agree with the brunette, there isn’t anything in the Saints’ path that can stop their chances of catching Killbane.

 

“I heard that Viola will be there.” The Boss swiftly changed her mind the moment Pierce mentioned Viola’s name.

 

“Okay Pierce, I guess giving the guys some morale will lift their spirits before we get that son of the bitch.” The Boss looked at Shaundi with a grin on her face, with the hopes of convincing her to hang around to relax with the rest of the Saints. The lieutenant just raised an eyebrow at her boss when she noticed the change of attitude the moment Pierce mentioned Viola’s name.

 

The three used the elevator to make their way to the garage level which hasn’t been touched by the S.T.A.G ambush. When the elevator doors opened, most of the Saints vehicles have already been used by several members during the all out city attack with the exception of Pierce’s old car and the Boss’ motorcycle. The singer kept his crapped up car in the garage for storage just in case the blonde’s driving skills put his other car at risk of a explosion.

 

“We’ll meet you there Boss!” Pierce said with him and Shaundi entering his car. The Boss wished to hear the bickering of those two on the way to the bar, but decided to take up her motorcycle. As the car left the garage, the blonde decided to take a little detour before heading her way to The Broken Shillelagh and went a different direction. As the Boss turned on the bike’s radio station, she heard a breaking news story by none other than Jane Valderama covering the news about how the Saints saved the Joe Steel statue. Once the news story ended, the radio continued to play music. To the Boss’ surprise, an old classic from Stilwater played which happened to be ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’. The blonde got excited that this song was being played, she remembered that during those tough times in Stilwater getting the Saints back together and still finding time to enjoy the classics.

 

“Oh shit, this is the jam!” The Boss yelled out as she took a stroll around Steelport, pedestrians scattered in different parts of the pavement now that the streets looked safe to walk around. Cars driving around the wreckage of both S.T.A.G vehicles and Luchadores SUVs. Despite the condition of Steelport, the blonde sang along the song just so she can hear how much her singing improved from years ago. At the same time the Boss also payed attention to the lyrics of the song which seemed to be fitting for her surroundings in a subtle way. The Syndicate is gone and the Saints have a second home where the old gangs ruled over. A power struggle over Steelport, the blonde remembered how the Saints used to just won control over the typical urban gangs, but to adjust fighting off gangs that have more structural power and even fighting off law enforcement backed by the US government. Yet somehow, the Saints that have lost their touched for a few years came back almost the same way the purple risen in Stilwater. The Boss was content at the newly gained power she got in this city, even if she wasn’t fond of it.

 

Eventually the blonde started back on track to head over to the bar to meet up with everyone, making swift turns at stop signals. She gets the thrill of riding motorcycles speeding through the normal traffic and moving around different lanes irritating drivers in their daily commute. The Boss knew that she was at the right direction as loud rap music could be heard within a mile along with the row of purple cars parked on the side. It looked like the celebration has already begun as the boss honk her horn at the saints that were walking by cheering at them. It was about to be the evening hours, a guarantee that the Saints festivities have only just begun and it’s going to last all night long.

 

Chapter 8: Walking Backwards

Summary:

The Saints invade The Broken Shillelagh for a victory celebration the night before heading back to Stilwater. By chance the Boss learns something new coming out of Viola, Shaundi doesn't seem convinced.

As the Boss approached the bar, she saw tons of Saints drinking and cheering her on as if a hero was doing a victory march after a long battle. She sees the guys being happy to see her, however a masked wrestler looked at her with crossed arms and a disapproving face. Angel was upset that the blonde let Killbane get away, but the Boss didn’t want one grumpy man’s mood ruin the celebration that commenced. Despite the positive energy that flooded The Broken Shillelagh, for a moment the Boss lamented about how her best friend isn’t around to party anymore. She felt that Johnny would’ve been so proud of what the Saints accomplished in Steelport, bringing what they did in Stilwater into the new city. The Boss hopped on top of a table after taking an unopened bottle of beer to grab everyone’s attention.

 

“Our time came in Steelport and we’re not done yet. We still got some unfinished business to settle, but for now let’s fucking party.” The Boss paused for a moment, her brothers and sisters in purple cheering her on before she cued everyone to settle down before she continued.

 

“Enjoy this night, but I want you all to rest easy. Tomorrow we’re heading back home to give Johnny some proper closure this time. I’m sure he’s enjoying some fine dining with Aisha up in the clouds…..To Gat!” Cecilia raised her beer bottle as a toast to the rest of the Saints, but deep inside she hoped that her best friend is still alive.

 

The Boss jumped down from the table to walk around to find her important people, only to find Pierce trying to win some ladies with Zimos. The blonde rolled her eyes knowing that she has more game than her lieutenant with less effort. Fortunately she was able to spot the girls together including Shaundi. It looked like idle talk between the three women, Viola and Kinzie deep in a conversation as the lieutenant watches over the crowd, Shaundi had a disgruntled expression on her face as she looked over her shoulder.

 

“I’m glad you ladies are holding up fine, despite some of these lightweight guys in here.” The Boss said to the group, teasing around in front of Viola.

 

“Hey there Boss! We’re doing alright, Viola told me about how we should all take a day off in a spa, but that I defer the idea so what’s your opinion?”

 

“Come on, Kinzie. A tense person like you gotta relax someday. It’s not like you have a cybercafe to raid these days.” Viola insisted Kinzie to take a day off, the two were hitting it off quite well since the DeWynter defect from the Syndicate. The redhead was the first person Viola warmed up to when the rest of the Saints were still uneasy about the former Morningstar lieutenant going up against Killbane.

 

“Well you two can talk about it, I’m really not feeling any spa days in the near future..” The Boss responded before sipping her beer. The blonde noticed Shaundi constantly looking around the same direction as the three were talking, which did concerned her. The Boss laid a hand on Shaundi’s shoulder to get her attention.

“You alright?”

 

“Well now that you’re here yeah. It’s just that….Who the fuck invited Birk here?!?” Shaundi exclaimed, hiding her face at Josh’s direction to avoid him. The Boss was just as confused as her lieutenant as she shared the same distaste towards the actor. In fact, the blonde wasn’t hesitant to return Birk to S.T.A.G when offered some gang control. Despite her love of teasing Shaundi to get along with the hostage, The Boss couldn’t stand another Nyte Blade monologue in the middle of the night as she tried to sleep.

 

“I guess it was Oleg, I heard that those two kept talking about philosophy from time to time.” Kinzie responded, she looked around to see Oleg talking to Pierce after the singer’s failed attempt to woo the ladies.

 

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I got some intellectual conversation to engage in.” Kinzie parted ways with the women as she walked up to Oleg. The genetic marvel was probably the only one within the Saints who could level with the redhead when it came to talking, everyone else is puzzled by the Russian’s way of thinking.

 

“Could you imagine those two fucking?” Shaundi asked

 

“It’s like as if a tiny hamster was eating a banana.” Viola responded nonchalantly, but the Boss’ reaction was priceless as the blonde spits out her beer in disgust which made the two other women chuckle a bit. When the Boss was wiping her mouth, she took a glance at Shaundi laughing and couldn’t help but smile. She liked to see Shaundi ease up a bit, a rare sight of her harsh demeanor. The blonde remembered how she used to be like that, but oddly lightened up when the carefree Shaundi kept warming up to her. Which made the lieutenant's smile more special to the Boss.

 

“Damn, I thought you would’ve had beer coming out of your nose with that reaction. You’re alright Boss?” Shaundi asked laying a hand on the blonde’s shoulder.

 

“Yeah but now I can’t look at hamsters the same way anymore, and they are cute little bastards too, fuck!” The Boss responded, she’s annoyed that the DeWynter’s statement turned her off for the rest of the night.

 

The three continued to banter around the bar, avoiding Josh Birk but everyone was relieved as the TV vampire was preoccupied with signing autographs for teenagers walking by the street. The conversations were kept casual as the Boss mentioned a role she was offered for a sci-fi film but declined given the circumstances of Steelport. She was surprised that she was still getting messages from studios to take on starring roles despite the bad press towards the Saints. One thing led to another in the conversation where Johnny was brought up between the three women, both the blonde and Shaundi sighed. Viola saw that the two women looked upset when Gat was mentioned. She groaned and before she could say another word, Shaundi headed inside of the bar to grab another drink, leaving the lone twin alone with the Boss who was looking down at the label of the beer bottle.

 

“Look Boss, I-I take back what I said about Gat getting himself killed. Dying for your friends is an amazing act of loyalty, and I give him that. I used to think it was foolish, but to see KiKi die in front of me as a way to defy Killbane for my sake. I get what you’re thought process was like.” Viola said as a way to boost the blonde’s morale, but the Boss didn’t respond. The DeWynter was a quick thinker as well as knowing the facts and wanted to assure the Boss in another way.

 

“Between the two of us, Johnny’s body wasn’t found in the end.”

“You think I didn’t know that? I heard about the reports, I wouldn’t be surprised if you assholes were dumping bodies to the ocean just so Johnny couldn’t have a proper burial.”

 

“Look, if we were to be dumping dead weight on a plane you would’ve noticed when you were hopping off a plane killing my guys?” The Boss looked away knowing that Viola had a valid point, as the blonde always looked after her best friend.

 

“I just want to let you know that since we couldn’t find your friend after your elaborate escape, there’s a chance that he’s somewhere else, who knows if he’s still alive or comatosed.”

 

The blonde’s eyes were widened when Viola mentioned alive, not that it changed anything but to hear someone else say that possibility shocked her. Cecilia wasn’t an optimistic person, a realist if anything. When it came to the fate of her friends, there is only a few twinkles of hope when it is unknown of their whereabouts like Johnny. The DeWynter brought up her hand to the Boss’ gently squeezing it to assure her that she wasn’t lying. The blonde always thought of Viola as attractive, but felt bad about feeling that way knowing that she was once a part of the Syndicate.

 

“I believe you, maybe somewhere in this fucked up world my best friend is living…..But I would’ve known by now. But thanks for telling me, I’d say the same for Loren however that wasn’t the case, I didn’t know about his accident until after I chased after him.” The Boss said, lying to Viola about not knowing that she flattened the Belgian like a pancake with his own structure.

 

“At least Loren would’ve put up a good number on you, probably leave a mark on that pretty face of yours.” Viola place a hand on the Boss’ cheek in a teasing way, it was no lie that she could see through the Boss’ charm. The dark haired woman inched closer to the Boss, tracing her fingers around the blonde’s lips, showing interest with the Boss.

 

“I never pinned you as someone that likes playing a game of Risk.” The Boss replied to Viola’s advances. The blonde was aware of how wrong this was for her even show interest to the DeWynter. A woman that went after her gang with her twin and father figure, but that was in the past. The two have already put it aside when Viola came up to her with the common goal of taking down Eddie. The blonde couldn’t help but draw herself to the dark haired woman, with the exception of Kinzie, everyone else showed disapproval towards Viola in the beginning. Other than wanting to seek revenge against Killbane, the Boss saw something else to the lone DeWynter sister. A woman with both the brains and beauty which was a guilty pleasure for the blonde.

 

It wasn’t a dark secret between the two, both were aware of their exchanges of a slow and steady game. The Boss brought up one hand to move strands of hair away from Viola’s face in return and smiled. The rowdy Saints crowd was the only factor of the blonde being able to restraint herself from making any other moves on Viola that could cause a stir with drunk guys that have a classic case of blue balls. The lone twin felt attraction towards the blonde which exceeded her expectations of how the Leader of the Saints looked in person. Viola only remembered seeing an old wanted photo of the Boss from years ago and assumed that this cold hearted gang leader was an average looking four-eyed woman. The DeWynter smiled back at the blonde, rubbed her hand on the Boss’ shoulder to get a reaction from her.

“Am I seeing this shit right?!” Shaundi exclaimed. The brunette was observing from a distance with a new beer in hand as she questions the gestures that were exchanged between the Boss and Viola.

 

“What can I say, that girl has enough game to carry the Stilwater Sharks to a championship.” Pierce responded, who was next to Shaundi after losing his chance of being with a foreign lady. The two lieutenants were standing by the actual bar to grab more drinks and decided to hang out with each other.

 

“But why her? What does the Boss see in Viola? Don’t you think it’s pretty fucked up knowing she was from the Syndicate?”

 

“ WAS , Viola rolls with us now whether we accept her or not….But I guess everyone changes. Is this jealousy I’m seeing that got you worked up?” Pierce said, teasing the brunette. Shaundi’s eyes widened with annoyance that Pierce even said the word jealous in front of her.

 

“What? Fuck no! I’m just surprised that the Boss took interest in a woman that isn’t a graduate student or a movie extra. But...Why is she is even taking any interest at this time?” Shaundi questioning the Boss’ motives of remaining a charmer despite opting out of publicity offers in their duration in Steelport. Confused about some of the blonde’s actions but remembered what the Boss mentioned about ways of healing from an old talk between the two of them.

 

Meanwhile from where the Boss and Viola were, the two went ahead to sit on a table outside. Enjoying the atmosphere, watching a drunk Angel instigating a fight with one of the bigger guys and amused at the wrestler cursing out in Spanish. Words that the half-hispanic Boss can actually understand.

 

“Ughh, I still cannot believe Zimos is the one that gathered everyone here, I’m doing my best to avoid him.”

 

“What did you sleep with him or-”

“What the fuck no? He probably couldn’t remember the differences but he slept with KiKi and we were both pissed about it. So we just shoved him in the basement and made him a pony.” Viola responded, the Boss giggled for a bit as the pimp being a horse was the highlight of his time with the Saints.

 

“You know I’m surprised that you let Matt get out of Steelport alive, I’ve heard about how you got a big tattooed man to kill his own girlfriend and having a CEO fall out of his own building with one gunshot...Whatever happened to that Boss?” Viola asked, she sees the Decker leader as a younger brother and kept contact with him after he left Killbane.

 

“I don’t think my PR department would appreciate me killing a minor, so I let the little brat get away in exchange for some technology shit. I have to be honest with you Viola, those emo punks you got roaming around Steelport aren’t the kind of gang I look forward to putting up a good fight with. They’re like sitting neon ducks, at least the true leader of the Ronin didn’t run away when he was facing death. I give those fuckers credit for dying with a slight hint of dignity.” The Boss giggled, out of all the Steelport gangs, the blonde loathed the Deckers the most because of their weird appearances and obsession with sticking out like a sore thumb.

 

“Ironic that the woman with a lip ring and tattoos are complaining about a group of emo kids in the city. Look I could explain the logistics of running a multi-gang syndicate if I wanted to, or we could talk in private.” Viola said reaching a hand to the Boss’, to suggest a more intimate setting between the two of them away from everyone. The blonde nodded and agreed to head out early from the celebration which expanded from The Broken Shillelagh to the entire street. The Boss planned on leaving early anyway to prepare for the long day ahead of her back to Stilwater.

 

Back at the bar, Shaundi couldn’t help but think about the one word Pierce brought up, jealous. The lieutenant didn’t understand why that word upsets her when the singer teased her about it. She thought it was just Pierce making fun of her like he did back then, when it came to her and the Boss hanging out together. Shaundi thought that maybe she could be jealous for other reasons, that maybe the blonde acted more playful around Viola. The lieutenant realized that this jealousy thought was dumb and didn’t think nothing of it, as she was aware that the Boss was one of the first to give Viola a chance to prove herself a Saint. Much like how the blonde gave her a chance when no one else listened to her or took her seriously as a stoner lieutenant back in the day.

Notes:

Yeah for this chapter and maybe the next it will be BossXViola but expect some spiciness in the near future which will pay out in the end!

Chapter 9: Last Train Home

Summary:

The Saints are ready to head back to Stilwater to give a proper funeral for Johnny. During the actual memorial, an old friend decides to pay their final respects to Gat.

The Boss sat at the corner of her bed, thinking about heading back to Stilwater. She could care less of the precautions of how the people would react to this homecoming. Johnny is going to have the proper closure that he deserves and the blonde would kill anyone that will try and disrespect her best friend. It was a sunny day in Steelport, but that won’t shine a light on the Boss nor some of the Saints members. For the first time in years the Boss felt a feeling of darkness in her mindset, the same kind of weight she felt when Aisha and Carlos died. She didn’t want to feel that it was all on her, Johnny wouldn’t want his best friend to feel sorry for herself. The blonde stood up and walked towards the mirror to make adjustments for her outfit. She recalled the memory of wearing a dress in Aisha’s funeral when years ago the singer told the new Saint that she would look lovely in a dress. While it wasn’t the same exact dress, the Boss picked out a black dress suit and wore the fleur dis lis necklace that Johnny gave her as a gift long ago. The blonde opted for her sunglasses to give one last tribute to her best friend in addition to covering any pain her eyes could show.

 

“Are you leaving now?” Viola asked as she emerges from the bed, covering her body with the bedsheets.

 

“I got a long day ahead, I have to tell one of the guys to pick up the casket we bought before we head back home.” The Boss paused to take a glimpse at the woman who slept in her bed the previous night, it was relief she needed before she had to leave the city.

 

“Look are you sure that you won’t go? I won’t hold it against you decide to attend the memorial.”

 

“It’s not about how I feel attending, it’s more about how everyone else will feel…” Viola responded, she felt that it wouldn’t be a good idea for her to attend when were still plenty of Saints member that don’t trust her.

 

“Plus, some of us from Steelport are sticking around like Kinzie. Don’t worry about me feeling lonely, I need the time to recover.” The Boss rolled her eyes, it wasn’t the right time for pillow talk. The blonde grabbed her duffel bag from the floor and left her room but not before planting a kiss on Viola’s forehead as a goodbye.

 

The Boss along with the rest of the lieutenants made the 3 Count Casino a temporary home base as Saints HQ was under repair. The Boss was greeted by Saints members walking by in their best attire for the travel back to Stilwater. It wasn’t a cheerful atmosphere at the stronghold, it was finally time to properly mourn Gat, the blonde still insisted for a service despite the lack of a body for the casket. It was only right for Cecilia to give her best friend a tribute in a celebration of life. On the way down the elevator, the blonde brought up her hand to the necklace she wore. Johnny gave it to her as a gift after helping him get out of the courtroom, as a symbol of being the new leader of the Saints. At first it shocked Cecilia that Gat didn’t take charge and offered her to lead a brand new Third Street Saints instead of himself. The Boss knew she felt Johnny’s death the hardest as she projected the pain with tattoo needles to prevent any more harmful instances of coping, but she didn’t want anyone else to be broken by that fact. Yet it’s unavoidable, seeing how Shaundi changed after his death hurts the Boss. The blonde did anything she could to help the lieutenant ease her mind, it was a temporary fix where afterwards Shaundi regressed back to be guilt ridden. Elevator doors opened to the garage level where the Boss was greeted by Pierce and Shaundi waiting for her. Shaundi wore a black dress for the occasion while Pierce still wore his usual outfit, as always the singer wanted to lighten up the overall mood.

 

“For fucksake Pierce, we’re heading back home for Johnny. The least you could do is act like it for the rest of the day.” The Boss scolded Pierce, she was upset that the lieutenant’s composure seemed to be too casual compared to everyone else. Deep down the blonde knew that Pierce was simply avoiding the grieving with distractions in the means of maintaining his positivity and self-image. But it didn’t change the fact that the Boss believed Pierce was coping like an idiot, since there was a difference between hiding it and dodging everything.

 

“How are ya holding up Shaundi?” The Boss asked the brunette with care in her voice, a tone that Shaundi was used to but others aren’t. Pierce gave a disgruntled look as he noticed the change of tone of the Boss with Shaundi compared to her tone with him.

 

“I’m doing fine, knowing that nothing should get in our way back to Stilwater.” Shaundi replied, she had relief in her tone. The lieutenant felt that with Killbane away and S.T.A.G retreating, there’s no reason that Johnny’s memorial would be disrespected.

 

Shaundi and Pierce followed the Boss as she walked to the parked Bulldog that was her main car to drive around when she didn’t pick up the motorcycle. No one questioned who was driving when it came to the Boss, who is the one always driving unless she wasn’t in the mood. The Boss didn’t say a word as she got into the car as Shaundi took the passenger seat and Pierce was stuck in the backseat. It wasn’t going to be a fun drive back, the blonde usually turns on the radio when she starts the engine, but she went ahead and drove out of the garage.

 

“Boss, I was wondering what would even be inside the casket? It’s not like we’re having a opened casket funeral anytime soon…” Pierce asked to break the silence.

 

“Well once the guys pick it up, we’’ll have everyone put any belongings from Gat or anything that reminds them of him. One of the girls back in Stilwater is going to gather up some of his stuff from Purgatory to place in the casket. Just because we couldn’t find our friend doesn’t mean we’ll have a empty casket.” The Boss responded, her facial expression remained neutral. No one could ever read the blonde’s eyes under those aviator glasses.

 

Following the purple Bulldog came a line of other purple vehicles and helicopters trailing behind. The Boss called Mayor Reynolds ahead of time for a favor by getting an escort from the SWAT team as the vehicle approached a line of SWAT vans and police motorcycles parked by one of the bridges and a SWAT team officer waving to the Boss.

 

“The Mayor informed me that we’ll be escorting the Saints safely within Steelport, however once you all touch Stilwater we would have leave you all on your own accord. You are aware of that right?” The officer asked the Boss.

 

“Yeah, we could handle ourselves back home and don’t forget to send my regards to the mayor once you guys are done.” The blonde replied, despite the distrust she had with most authority figures, the Boss allowed this moment with Steelport SWAT since they were under Mayor Reynold’s control.

 

SWAT vehicles drove into two different sides ahead as they began their escorting route to Stilwater. Vehicles were spread out to ensure that every side and direction of the Saints were guarded, making sure there weren’t any rogue agents trying to strike any members. Shaundi learned against her seat for the duration of the drive, the lieutenant didn’t think much of the escort if it’s not going to follow them to Stilwater. The Boss noticed Shaundi’s posture and how she looked away from the road ahead. The blonde reached her arm out to place a hand on Shaundi’s shoulder, the lieutenant turned her head towards the Boss, surprised at the gesture.

 

“It’ll be alright Shaundi, you can trust me.” The blonde assured Shaundi, the lieutenant nodded slightly as the Boss’ response and looked on as the Saints went home. It was decided that everyone will be spending a few days in Stilwater to clear their minds and to take a short vacation before heading back to Steelport to maintain their control of the city.

 

---

Unlike Steelport, Stilwater had cloudy weather as the Saints were a few miles away from city limits. Due to the destruction of the bridge, the Saints took a different route back to Stilwater that was more discreet and off the main roads. SWAT vehicles gently paused the moment it was inches away from the city limits, allowing the Boss and the rest of the Saints to pass into Stilwater. The Boss nodded at the SWAT team as a sign of thankfulness, and onto the city that has shaped her to the person she is now. What was the main concern for the Saints was how the people of Stilwater would think of their return after being framed to the bridge’s destruction several weeks ago. To everyone’s surprise as they made their way into the Downtown district, the Saints were greeted with cheers from regular civilians along with fans wearing purple. Shaundi and Pierce were dumbfounded by the fanfare as the last time they checked, the Saints were hated by everyone.

 

“I-I don’t understand, what is up with the lack of protestors?” Pierce said, he opened his side of the window to wave at the people, some had welcome back signs.

Shaundi looked up to see the digital billboards that flashes “WELCOME BACK SAINTS” it was as if the Saints were heroes coming back after the war. The lieutenant was confused and upset as this fanfare, she didn’t feel like the Saints have done enough good to deserve it. The Boss’ phone was ringing and quickly the blonde responded to get an answer from one of the Stilwater Saints that stayed behind.

 

“Hey kid, what the Hell is going on with people cheering us on? I thought we were hated?” The Boss asked the Saints member calling.

 

“Well Boss, Troy did an investigation after word caught on that the Saints destroyed the bridge and found that you guys were innocent. The word also got out that you saved the mayor, and once it was known you guys are heading back, everyone freaked out!! I-I was meant to tell you earlier but I got caught up getting everything set up for the memorial service.”

 

“Good on ya, kid. How is it looking?”

 

“We’re all waiting on you.” After the Saints member responded, the Boss froze a bit since it sounded so much like herself years ago when she said the same thing to Johnny for Aisha’s funeral. It was chilling for the Boss to hear that phrase in a different perspective. The blonde sighed and continued driving, not thinking about the crowd anymore and headed to the cemetery. One of the guys suggested having the service in the church in the Saints Row district but the Boss scolded him as the building was just a shrine of everything wrong with Julius, it lost its value when it got remodeled. The cemetery was a more appropriate setting as it was where previous members were placed for their final resting spot, it had more sentimental value to the Boss. She didn’t want to honor her best friend in a building that was stripped of its glory, she wanted to have closure for Gat that was the same for Aisha.

---

It remained cloudy throughout the duration of the memorial service, several Saints members told their stories of how Gat impacted their lives, leaving the Boss to make her final statement. Shaundi kept her words short, she felt broken to be telling how much Gat helped her out when she was a newcomer to the Saints while the Boss was doing other tasks. The service lasted for a few hours, Johnny was a legend in the Saints when so many people were affected by him. Just before the Boss was about to say her final goodbye, a figure moved around the crowd of purple. An old familiar face made his way to the front of the service, everyone shocked at his appearance for this event knowing the estranged relationship between him and Gat. The Boss moved out of the way to allow this man to take the stand to give out his story, Troy arrived at the memorial service unannounced. The blonde wanted to pull her former friend aside to ask why he bothered to show his face around when she was aware of the estranged relationship between the two men. However the Boss allowed Troy to go on, out of both curiosity and a sign of mutual respect.

 

“I’ll cut the bullshit about me being the chief of police, I’m here as a Saint and to say goodbye to my old friend. Johnny tried to kill me when he learned that I was a cop several years ago and we haven’t talked since then. However, the Boss was able to make amends with me, she didn’t mind the endless pardons we gave you guys. Yet...Gat still wouldn’t give me a chance nor did I swallow my pride to make an attempt...I now wish I wasn’t stubborn back then, otherwise there would’ve been less tension. I used to think that I could never make amends to him, or that he will ever forgive me….but I was wrong. When word got out that the Boss and her lieutenants were in the police station, I couldn’t believe it. I figured I could easily handle the bail and erase that record. As I walked by the holding cells, I saw Johnny calling me over, I became prepared knowing that he was a tough son of a bitch who could kill anyone with any dull plastic object.”

The Boss was shocked at hearing Troy’s story as she didn’t even know it happened, Gat never mentioned it to her.

 

“Anyways, I went over to his cell and to my surprise he put his hands up to guarantee he’s not going to kill me. We had small talk, caught up on each other’s live and there wasn’t any bad blood during our exchange. As I was prepared to leave, he yelled at me to stick around for just one moment. I didn’t think he would swallow his pride to even apologize to me...Well that was bullshit he just told me that he put that attempted murder behind. It may not have been an apology that I wanted...but it was good enough for me to feel like we buried the hatchet. Johnny was a mean son of a bitch, but he was a great man as well. He looked after the future Boss like a older brother, which is commendable for him to have that much loyalty for his fellow Saints, and I am forever grateful that we were able to make amends before he passed…” Troy paused before walking away, placing an old pocket knife from his old Saints day into the casket. The chief of police walked by the Boss, gave her a pat on the shoulder and pulling the blonde into a hug. As Troy mentioned before, he attended the service as a former Saint and wanted to give a empathetic gesture to the Boss.

 

Cecilia had all eyes on her as it was about the moment of truth for her to say her final goodbyes to her best friend. Throughout the drive to Stilwater, the blonde mentally prepared herself for her closing statement. It was still difficult for her to accept a Saints without Johnny and didn’t know if the bounce back in Steelport would be a long term plan. The blonde sighed as she walked back to the stand, preparing for the worst with a heavy heart.

 

“When Johnny first saw me, he told me that I didn’t look like much when I first joined the Saints but like me and his dick, we’re full of surprises. Well the latter according to him, only Aisha could be the judge of that. The moment Gat saw potential in me, he pulled me aside to teach me how to fight since it was a bit of an asspull that I managed not to get my ass kicked during my canonization.” The Blonde giggled, her canonization was a demonstration of sheer luck as she dodged at the right time which resulted in Saints members hitting each other instead, and the Boss was only able to hit the last guy with a accidental low blow.

 

“At first he didn’t seem that welcoming to me, yet he still taught me how to be a Saint as we took down the Vice Kings. Johnny was like the older brother I never had before and he stood up for me in a situation that I thought would’ve put my life in danger and since then I owe him everything. Gat was a badass with a golden heart for his Saints and would literally kill anyone that crossed us, Troy could vouch for that.” The Boss flashed a slight smile at the chief of police, doing her best to not show the pain she felt on the inside but she continued on.

 

“While I was in a coma in a shitty prison, Gat never back down or dropped his flag and he stayed fighting as a Saint. Loyalty like that could make anyone a leader of a gang, yet he let me take over...Johnny was the first person who saw who I could be when no one gave me a chance, it took awhile for the rest of the Saints at that time to realize it, even Julius. What I’m saying is, Johnny was able to see beyond a four eyed girl who was too shy to talk and believed that I could do so much for the Saints as we stand here now with Stilwater and Steelport in our hands. Who knows where I would’ve been if Gat saw me as nothing more than some gang grunt, he wasn’t just my best friend. Johnny Gat was my brother and I-I’m going to miss him, he didn’t die in vain if we returned home with fanfare. From this day on, let’s show love to your fellow Saint, let’s keep on moving forward and shooting motherfuckers because that is what Johnny would want!” The Boss has officially ended the memorial service, she took a look at the casket that was filled with plenty of Saints memorabilia, Johnny’s old chains and jacket laying flat onto the bedding. The blonde was hesitant to remove her necklace, but Gat’s gift held too much sentimental value to be put away so she kept it on, the Boss knew there were other ways to honor her best friend.

 

Even though the service was finished, several Saints stayed by to pay their final respects to Johnny and gradually by groups people walked away. It was like that for a whole hour, the lieutenants were one of the last few people that remained in the cemetery. The Boss would be the last one to leave, she wanted to wait for everyone to leave to have privacy. Another hour passed, it was about to get dark, and Pierce was the last person to depart the cemetery, leaving Shaundi and the Boss alone close to the casket. The lieutenant stood closest to the casket while the blonde was in the back saying goodbye to everyone that left. The blonde wasn’t surprised that Shaundi stayed for this long, yet didn’t hear anything coming out of the lieutenant. Cecilia walked closer to see what was up with Shaundi, she knew that when the lieutenant was up in the stand speaking it was a rather short story and there could’ve been more things that needed to be said.

 

“Shaundi?” The Boss said to her lieutenant while taking off her sunglasses, there wasn’t a response but Shaundi turned around. The two women made eye contact, Shaundi could see the pain in the Boss’ golden eyes and the blonde saw hazel eyes on the verge of tears that stared back.

 

“I-I’m so sorry…...I was..so helpless!” Shaundi said to the Boss, the tone of the her voice was weakened and choked up, the blonde didn’t like seeing her lieutenant like this. The blonde wondered if Shaundi concealed her feelings throughout the ceremony like she did. While Johnny was a brother to the Boss, he was helping and guiding hand to Shaundi. Who was there for her when the Boss was gone during those times in the limelight and when the blonde wanted to be left alone. Shaundi looked up to Cecilia and saw that her golden eyes looked watery and a tear was shed. Out of instinct and for the first time in several years, the Boss had tears on her eyes.

 

“Boss? I-It’s okay…” Shaundi assured the blonde trying to stay strong for her, but the lieutenant was on the verge of tears. The brunette couldn’t help herself pulling the Boss into a tight hug, buried her face into her shoulder and cried.

 

Cecilia couldn’t shed a single tear when three of her friends were killed in front of her within the past several years, she wanted to pull through and survive for them. Yet, in this empty cemetery with no one but Shaundi around, the blonde shed tears for her best friend. Johnny was not just the first friend she had with the Saints, but a the first friend she actually felt close to. The Boss might’ve had friends in her past life, but not one that could keep a connection with her unlike what her and Gat had. With Shaundi shuddering by her shoulder, the Boss could only allow tears to flow freely, she couldn’t get choked up even in front of her lieutenant.

 

“I-I’m sorry...everyone.” The Boss uttered under her breath, the blonde looked around the cemetery the locations of where the three fallen Saints were buried. It was the right time for her to shed tears for them now, in front of a Saint who she wanted to protect the most out of everyone, but the Boss didn’t know why. It wasn’t that Shaundi was completely helpless, she could hold onto her own accord as much as anyone else, but there was something about the lieutenant that the Boss felt drawn to. It could’ve been that the brunette shared some traits of past Saints, but Cecilia couldn’t paint the right picture. But in that moment, what mattered was letting it out, the Boss really had a heart for everyone in the Saints.

Notes:

Sorry that it took a while for this to be posted, there were so many ideas I had for this chapter, plenty got cut and the final product is what you just read!

Chapter 10: C'est La Vie

Summary:

A few months have passed since the city takeover of Steelport and Gangstas in Space has finally finished production.
The Saints decided to also throw a party to celebrate the newly repaired Saints HQ

Notes:

After a few months A BRAND NEW CHAPTER!!!
Now I didn't intend to not write for a while it's been a busy few months with a job and also other side projects that took up most of my time. But it's all good because this chapter is going to get spicy

“AND THAT’S A WRAP! GREAT JOB EVERYONE!!” The director shouted out, Gangstas in Space has finally finished filming. The Boss sighed in relief of the movie being completed as she didn’t want to be in the movie in the first place. The only reason Gangstas in Space got adapted to a movie was for the sake of it being a comic Johnny was involved in. Everyone else on set cheered as production ended after weeks of exhaustion and the act of being campy for the film didn’t sit right for everyone else, especially Shaundi.

 

“Great job everyone, don’t forget about the wrap-up party in my condo later tonight!” The director yelled. It seemed like the only person excited about the party was the man himself, everyone else moved onto their own business. The Boss didn’t pay attention to the man’s words and was more focused on the Saints own party in HQ after it has been completely repaired. The tacky purple space suit was too hot for the blonde to handle another second in it and had a crew member help her take it off. The Boss got stripped of the movie costume and was left with a simple pair of leggings and a tank top. After taking off the costume, the blonde needed more help to remove the helmet that was stuck on her head all day and was relieved to be breathing fresh air, took a clean towel from a crew member to cover her hair that was drenched in sweat underneath the cap. She wouldn’t be caught dead with bad hair and took a breather after a long day. While the Boss was lounging on her chair with the towel draped over her head, a woman dressed in a black dress with sunglasses on top of her head walked over to the blonde.

 

“This is the happiest I’ve ever seen you throughout filming.” Viola said rubbing the Boss’ shoulders from behind. She wasn’t rough on her touches, Viola used her hands to simply soothe her partner’s muscles. The two have been dating for a while and it seemed more physical in the bedroom and a lack of affection in public. However, neither of them mind it, Cecilia needed someone who she thought could help her emotionally.

 

“I’d be happier if this film didn’t exist, it strayed away from Johnny’s comic just for the sake of some campy plot that doesn’t sit well. I mean what is this shit? A gang that makes their way into space?” The Boss responded, she secretly hoped that the movie would flop just so she could get a little break from television and movie roles to focus on the business part of the Saints.

 

As the film set start to wrap things up, the Saints were fast to leave the studio before being pushed to help out the filming crew on cleanup. Everyone was excited to get out of the movie set, rushing out of their costumes to their civilian outfits except Pierce who ran off with his space suit still on. The Saints were bigger than before, the press towards them started to become positive after saving the monument, covering most of the property damage by using Ultor’s money, and now more than ever young fans want to become a saint. The hype surrounding Gangstas in Space was everywhere and there was even a special Professor Genki special centered around the movie. Just a couple of months ago everyone hated the Saints for something they didn’t even do, but now that they’re in favor of the public eye again, things are going by slowly for the once humble street gang.

 

---

 

 

The real fun has started with the remodeled Saints HQ being finished, several changes made to replace what the Syndicate left after the Boss took over. Since the blonde look over the renovation plans, she was able to do a better job at interior design compared to the people of Ultor that looked over all of the strongholds the Saints had. For instance, the giant spartan statue was shipped to the Phillips Building and a new Saint of All Saints statue was put in its place. The building also got reinforced with bulletproof glass which was useful for a place that is mostly glass as well the Boss’ room being remodeled to allow the blonde to have more privacy.

 

Loud party music was being played live by a DJ that just happened to be a Saint performing arrangements of tunes that were a favorite among the gang. A mix of old school rap, throwback songs, and even some current electronica that are a favorite among the newer Steelport Saints. The Boss recognized the difference between the Saints out of Steelport and the ones out of Stilwater, those that were local weren’t as rugged and they dressed nicer. The variety of Saints is what made them outlast these different gangs, range the typical street gang to those that are similar to Masako guards but in purple. However the Boss made sure the true Saints were at the party instead of fanatics that would barge in just to meet the blonde like a rabid music fanatic.

 

While everyone was enjoying the party, the Boss who was accompanied by Viola went over to the DJ set and grabbed a mic to officially launch the festivities.

 

“In addition to the newly renovated Saints Headquarters, I would like to announce that we are finally out of that shithole that is Gangstas in Space. The film is the last of our contract with the movie studio so we got total control now! Let’s get this shit started, DJ play some old school tunes!” The Boss was excited to finally get out of the film contract with the studio that Ultor was partnered with prior to the merger. The blonde got off the stage, one arm over Viola’s shoulder as the DJ played songs from the past that the Boss enjoyed listening to as prompted.

 

“I have to say that was bold of you to close off that studio deal, I thought you were all about making a name for your gang.” Viola said

 

“We’ve been a name, I just prefer to stray away from the general public for a while as we try and expand in the business side of things, I'm sure you’ll enjoy the logistics of that, babe.” The blonde responded, planting a kiss on her partner’s cheek.

 

Viola felt a bit flustered by the Boss’ gesture, the dark haired woman turn around with a smile and kissed the blonde on the lips. After breaking the kiss, the two women walked around to greet partygoers, making small chat with each Saint that walked up to them. On the other side of the pool area, Shaundi and Kinzie were hanging out, the brunette was at ease knowing that not only did the film finished production, but that Birk was nowhere to be seen. The TV star found himself in hot water after a public meltdown as he was found pacing around Smiling Jack’s naked. Shaundi has been spending time with Kinzie to help her get out of her antisocial shell which has only been slowly progressing. The redhead didn’t latch onto the brunette like she did with Viola, but she tolerated the company since the DeWynter spent more time with the Boss.

 

“Shaundi, Birk isn’t around yet you appear to be bothered by something.” Kinzie said to her friend

 

“What the Hell are you talking about? I’m fine.” The brunette responded, she did glance at the Boss and Viola together laughing with a penthouse guard. She wasn’t aware of it, but Shaundi wasn’t fond of the two being together so quickly.

 

“Don’t lie to yourself, I see you eyeing the Boss and Viola together. I can read your body language.”

“That’s a bit going overboard Kinzie, I’m fine really...I’m just shocked how those two really hit it off so quickly into this relationship…” Shaundi responded, she knew it didn’t seem like the Boss to be in an actual relationship as opposed to one night stands.

 

“Not saying that it could be jealousy, but could it be because the Boss is with someone while you’re not?” The redhead asked a provoking question to Shaundi.

 

“That’s crazy talk..”

“Maybe try out with Pierce to ease your mind?” Kinzie suggested to her friend

 

“What?! FUCK NO! Pierce is like my brother, that would be just wrong and kinda fucked up. I just don’t want to get into any relationships. I’ve spent a few good years going out with various types of guys and girls, a break would be nice.”

 

Shaundi regrets the type of exes she had when she was younger and deeply hated being a part of her dating show. The brunette just couldn’t find it in herself to be with someone after the events that occurred within the past few months. Deep down it did bother her that the Boss was out with a different women any other week prior to ending up being with Viola of all girls. The brunette knew that the Boss probably had a reason that involved wanting to feel something that wasn’t anger or pain. Yet it still boggled her mind the blonde would go that route after everything was finished in Steelport.

 

“After all that shit, a little breather will be nice. I-I just want to focus on myself for now and I can just work on how to level with everyone else...Like you Kinzie. Kinzie?” Shaundi turned to see that Kinzie ran off to talk to Oleg. The brunette sighed as she can hear the complicated conversation the two were having which involved politics that she could care less about.

 

The brunette walked away from where most of the party was and headed over to the kitchen to grab her own drink. The ladies that were serving up drinks were nice, but Shaundi rather play it safe and get something in her own accord. Oddly enough the bar room was empty since drinks were being served outside so there wasn’t anyone hanging out in the spacious lounge. As the brunette went around the bar searching for the right bottles to make her own drink, the Boss walked by and noticed her lieutenant.

 

“Do you know if there’s any water over there?” The blonde replied, and Shaundi jumped up a bit shocked that the Boss basically sneaked by.

 

“Only on tap, do you need some?”

 

“Yeah just a glass is fine, the guys got everything except some water. At least one of us have to wake up with a sober mind the next morning…” The Boss replied. Shaundi brought out two glasses filled with ice on the table to fill them up with water using a nozzle.

 

“Does the babe need a glass as well?”

“It’s alright, Viola planned on not drinking, she’s bartering around some executive business people that are attending this party.” Boss said, she took one of the glasses while Shaundi took the other as the two women toast with ice water jokily. Shaundi is surprised how casual the Boss approached her, ever since the blonde has been going out with Viola, Cecilia couldn’t really find time to hang out with Shaundi as much anymore being preoccupied in a relationship.

 

“I hope she isn’t missing you too much right now…” Shaundi responded, making the blonde raise her eyebrow in confusion. The blonde wasn’t sure if her lieutenant was saying it in a joking or assertive way. Cecilia felt that there was a hunch that Shaundi had about her being with the DeWynter but didn’t know if it was true.

 

“I-I doubt it, it’s not like we’re attached to the hip if that’s what you think sweetie.”

“Well it seemed like you’re so occupied with her that you don’t have time to maintain order with anyone that was by your side since Stilwater..” Shaundi said in a annoyed tone. The brunette didn’t believe it’s jealousy but said with the feeling of getting pushed to the side.  

 

“You know that I don’t like putting anyone in the front lines, Shaundi what the fuck are you getting at this!? I’ll never pull you or Pierce to the side, maybe Pierce, but not you!” The Boss responded defending herself. The blonde felt offended, she never mean to put her lieutenants or other Saints before anyone else.

 

“Are you sure? Because it seemed like you are putting your pillow princess’ opinions top priority over the Saints. I get that you’re trying to be nice Boss, but don’t forget where Viola came from!” Shaundi said but she immediately regret calling out Viola, it wasn’t that she didn’t like the dark haired woman, it just wasn’t fair that her ideas are being implemented more often than anyone else’s.

 

“People change Shaundi, I thought you’d know that better than anyone else…Life happens.” The Boss responded, she didn’t look mad at her lieutenant, but disappointed. She walked towards the brunette and patted her shoulder

 

“I’m sorry if I made you feel that way. I just want to let you know that I’ll always have you guys the top of my priority..” The Boss said before she walked out to rejoin the party. Shaundi felt disappointed in herself for accusing the blonde. The lieutenant sighed deeply, taking a seat in the empty bar as she drinks her lone cocktail. Shaundi didn’t feel like going back out there if there’s a chance of looking at the Boss. The brunette wasn’t alone for long, a man in a bright white suit and a cabbie hat walked by after another unsuccessful night of trying to get some ladies. Pierce sat next to Shaundi and sighed, took notice of how upset the brunette looked.

 

“No one want to be your partner in crime either?” Pierce asked

 

“Sounds like a question for yourself.”

 

“Whatever you say Shaundi.” Pierce rolled his eyes, he never attempt to make a move on Shaundi since he wasn’t interested in someone who is a younger sister figure. The two lieutenants spent the rest of the night in the bar as the singer told his bizarre story of picking up the ladies with Zimos and almost getting shot up again. Shaundi didn’t contribute much of the conversation except throwing an insult every once in a while as a way to cheer herself up.

 

Meanwhile, the Boss was half-involved with the party going on by the pool but couldn’t help but overthink about Shaundi’s statement. She didn’t know if she really did pushed her lieutenants on the side for Viola. The blonde began to question the whole aspect of her and Viola’s relationship and she wasn’t sure if she was even in the right mindset to have a significant other.

Chapter 11: I Don't Want to Fall in Love

Summary:

Shaundi tried to avoid the Boss when she made a fool of herself, but an early morning changed that

Notes:

Now this chapter was published later than I wanted to, but life I guess.

ALSO WE'VE REACHED 700 HITS WHICH IS INCREDIBLE, I DIDN'T THINK PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY READ THIS GAY MATERIAL!!

Action around Steelport had been awfully slow as there’s not a ton of needed violence, the city belonged to the Saints and that was final. Stilwater got some occasional action going on more frequently as gangs who want to make a name for themselves attempted to make a move when the Boss wasn’t in town. Fortunately Stilwater is lead by reliable capos that the main lieutenants look over to take care of the gangs if they tried to make a move. It’s been several months since Gangstas in Space was named a flop by every single movie review site, but it didn’t phase the Boss as it was a prediction she made from the start. She knew that a campy space movie would flop in an era of superhero movies and book adaptations trilogy films. The Saints weren’t entirely harmed by the movie’s reception, but rather the studio that produced the film and director ended up going bankrupt after the contract with Saints-Ultor ended. For a while the Saints didn’t focus on the media aspect of it, Pierce was eager to release his new album but had to delay its debut upon the Boss’ request. Instead the Boss focused on the price value of the property that the Saints owned in Steelport as well as how well the strongholds are doing for them. It’s been the Boss’ main priority until the blonde received an offer for a movie role as the main character. Thinking it would’ve been a nice send off in her acting career, the Boss accepted the role and was told to work on her figure for her character, a fighter that has to meet her biological father in a underground tournament.

 

For the past few weeks the Boss has been working out vigorously, utilizing the huge gym space in the Saints HQ for the role. In addition, the director wanted to show progression of the Boss and had a film crew on site. The blonde wasn’t phased by the crew as they were less assertive than the previous movie studio and they allowed her to do what she wanted acting wise. One day the Boss was alone in the gym practicing the jabs that her coach taught her on a punching bag. Hilariously enough the blonde used a punching bag with a picture of Killbane taped on it, she never forgot and was eager to kill him the first chance she sees him. Cecilia declined Angel’s offer to train her based off of history, and that the blonde wasn’t that fond of the wrestler after he yelled at her face about letting Killbane escape. As she was punching away, the Boss started to think about how badly Eddie Pryor affected the Saints, being disrespectful to launch an attack as they were prepare to say goodbye to Johnny and the blonde made harder punches and grunted. The Boss was attentive of her fighting moves that she didn’t hear Shaundi walk by surprised.

 

“Ohhh sorry Boss, I...I didn’t know that intense grunt would come out of you…” The brunette responded, she planned on working out early mornings before some of the Saints crowded the gym. Ever since blowing up at the blonde’s face at the night of the party, Shaundi didn’t want to come near the Boss out of shame. The brunette couldn’t forget how devastated the Boss looked at her, and as a way to not feel like a scum, Shaundi did her best to dodge any serious conversations with the blonde if the two were ever together in the same room.

 

“Funny seeing you around at this time, I was about to wrap up my routine for the morning..” The Boss responded before placing one final jab at the punching bag. The blonde proceeded to sit down in one of the benches to rest while the lieutenant started to do her morning stretches.

 

Shaundi tried to focus on her stretching but couldn’t help but look at the Boss’ figure as the blonde built up muscle in her arms since the last time the lieutenant saw them bare. The blonde wore a sleeveless hoodie with a pair of joggers for her workout outfit. Shaundi on the other hand don a baggy sweatshirt with some shorts and her hair in a messy bun that she put up after getting out of bed. Cecilia was surprised with the lieutenant's casual appearance, she was used to the Shaundi that was all over billboards and promotional Saints work for a couple of years and almost forgot about the laid back style the lieutenant had when she first joined the gang.

 

“Well, you must be really into your role if you’ve been working out like this. Please don’t tell me you’re going to be a method actor!” Shaundi said, she was hesitant at first to start a conversation, but went ahead to make small talk with the blonde.

 

“Fuck no, the day that I get acting advice from Birk is the day that I start wearing hideous neon green. I just thought that I needed to get myself a better workout plan, pack stronger punches.” The Boss replied.

 

“Well that’s nice, I’m sure Viola wouldn’t mind it. I bet she could still love you even if you were an undead zombie like in that video game I keep beating you in.” Shaundi said with a smile, the lieutenant was slightly better than the Boss in Zombie Uprising whenever the two used to play back in the crib.

 

“Uhmmm you do know that Viola and I aren’t together anymore right?” The Boss said puzzled at Shaundi’s comment. The lieutenant looked dumbfounded after hearing about the news, she wondered how was it possible that she didn’t figure it out from a gossip news. Suddenly the lieutenant was starting to put the two together, assuming that the Boss was letting out her frustrations of a failed relationship on a punching bag.

 

“Noo?! I don’t actually, what the fuck did that bitch do-” Before Shaundi could finish her question, the Boss gave moved her hand in motion to assure the lieutenant it wasn’t a sour end.

 

“Nothing Shaundi, it was like that for a while we didn’t feel something special. No matter how hard we tried to work it out, there wasn’t anything to blossom. So we just decided that it just wasn’t right for us and we’re still good friends.” The Boss said, she was content at her statement since she was able to maintain a positive relationship with her ex. While she appeared to smile in front of Shaundi, the blonde secretly felt that she couldn’t properly reciprocate or even create a loving emotion.

 

The blonde felt the need of putting herself in a actual relationship with Viola as opposed to a one night stand with other women before the DeWynter. Cecilia wanted to feel something other than pleasure to seek out a strong emotional bond with a woman who could give her that. Yet in the end of it, she couldn’t find that feeling she yearned for during a life changing event in her life in Johnny’s passing. However, the blonde decided to put that need aside by distracting herself with other priorities regarding the Saints brand.

 

Shaundi continued on with her routine, the way the lieutenant slept the night before was uncomfortable around her upper back and she wanted stretch it out properly. The brunette was slightly at ease to see a relationship with the Boss that didn’t end in a gunfight. She was also relieved that the lieutenant could have a better opportunity of getting along with Viola. Whenever Shaundi is alone with Viola it was always an awkward encounter for the lieutenant to talk with the woman that was dating the Boss.

 

“So has anything been going on since then?” Shaundi asked, she didn’t even know how long since the two broke up and the lieutenant felt dumb for even saying that out loud.

 

“Nope, I believe that I have to just move forward for what we have to do with the Saints. I’m probably just not ready for any kind of relationship for awhile….Or even ever.” The Boss responded and sighed. Shaundi looked over her shoulder to see the blonde laying down on the bench with a somber look on her face.

 

“Well, I’m with you on that one Boss….I’ve been on a break from any type of relationship. I want to better myself for the Saints and you before I could ever get back to committing myself to one person.” Shaundi replied, the lieutenant wasn’t aware of being in the same pose as she talked to the Boss.

 

“Look Shaundi, you don’t have to better yourself for the Saints or me, you’ve done so much for everyone. I want you to better yourself, it’s been rough for us and all I want from you is to love yourself more. Maybe it could mean finding someone that can give you that push and unlike me, you’re capable of that kind of shit.” The Boss responded before she noticed how her lieutenant is just awkwardly sitting on the ground. Cecilia knew that Shaundi had been having a difficult few months and wanted to reassure her that she’s just needs to care for herself and not worry about anyone else. Unlike the lieutenant, the Boss felt that Shaundi could be able to love someone once she starts loving herself again.

 

“That’s great to hear Boss, I’m just not ready for that kind of stuff yet. But what do you mean by capable?” Shaundi replied with a concerned tone, the Boss sounded a bit off to the brunette. The blonde got off the bench and sighed before she responded.

 

“I’m not sure, maybe this whole romance thing isn’t what I’m suited for, don’t feel like falling in love anytime soon. Thought I felt it a long time ago, but that wasn’t the case...Whatever, there’s other things in my mind.” Cecilia responded, thinking about the lack of romance in her flings.

 

She thought about how some of the women that she had a one time fling with would attempt to develop an actual relationship, but the blonde wouldn’t reciprocate and talked all of them out of the idea of wanting to commit to someone as lethal as her. It would’ve been for their safety, but mostly out of the idea that the Cecilia couldn’t find the right girl that can make her feel a affectionate connection to beyond physical pleasure. It wasn’t that the Boss didn’t know what true love is, since she could see it in her friend Johnny and Aisha. It was because the Boss never felt it before that was genuine, but after her breakup with Viola, Cecilia wanted to stray away from the idea overall.

 

The Boss couldn’t help but noticed how Shaundi remained in a awkward position on the ground and went behind her lieutenant placing her hands on the brunette’s back.

 

“Need help with that?” The Boss continued, Shaundi was startled at the blonde’s hands on her back, the lieutenant looked over her shoulder seeing there wasn’t much distance between her and the Boss.

 

“Please, my back is killing me and I’d love to see if stretching it out could help!” Shaundi responded, she did struggle trying to reach her toes, but the Boss was there to give a gentle push on her back to stretch the lieutenant farther.

 

“Better?”

 

“Yeah...Thanks Boss.” Shaundi responded, the lieutenant got up with the help from the blonde before grabbing some weights from the rack to begin her workout.

 

“Well looks like our priorities are straightened for now, but maybe we could both find someone special, love doesn’t occur in just one way Boss.” Shaundi said,

she noticed how the blonde sounded down on how she couldn’t experience a meaningful relationship if she didn’t stray away from someone.

 

After resting for several minutes, the Boss went back to do a few more sets along with Shaundi. The two women had a enjoyable time in the gym, the Boss got surprised with how well her lieutenant was able to catch the medicine ball that the blonde threw at her as a way to throw Shaundi off her routine. The brunette caught the ball and with no hesitation threw it back at the Boss in a attempt to hit her with it but failed. The Boss was relieved to have some fun with her intense workout routine, knowing her trainer wouldn’t allow the blonde’s playful nature with weights.

 

As the two women were wrapping things up, a Saints member ran up to the gym breathless

 

“BOSS!! I HAVE...TO TELL YOU..SOMETHING IMPORTANT!!” The gang member exclaimed, exhaling in between words.

 

“What’s up?”

“KILLBANE….WE FOUND OUT WHERE HE IS!!”

Both the women’s faces were in shock to hear what the young Saints member yelled out and without hesitation, Shaundi and the Boss ran out the door to find the others. When they made it to the living room, Kinzie was sitting with her laptop lifting her arms up to the two women about to give a long explanation of Eddie Pryor’s location.

 

Chapter 12: Don't Want to Miss a Thing

Summary:

It is do or die for the Saints as they track down a deranged Cyrus Temple, Shaundi felt that she could've lose the Boss and just needed to say what she had on her mind.

Killing Eddie Pryor was just another thing to mark off the Boss’ list of things that were needed to be finished. However the weeks following that event weren’t significant for the Saints. The gang went back to monitoring their traffic flow of their products and city revenue, the novelty of saving a landmark hasn’t died out yet. Good news kept going towards the Saints with successful results with the help of new business partners from corporate figures and politics when the gang’s influence have been pushed into more behind the scenes action. It was just like Stilwater where Saints members could get away with anything after the Boss gave a helping hand to Mayor Reynolds.

 

On the Boss’ end, the movie might’ve ended production but the blonde decided to maintain the figure she got for her role simply because it boosted her confidence. With all the positive things happening with the Saints, Cecilia still felt that something was missing when Gat isn’t around to witness all of the fun, and accepted that she couldn’t simply get over it no matter how well she appeared to move on in the public eye. However, the Boss was able to get closer to Shaundi throughout their time in Steelport as a way to give a helping hand to her lieutenant until she’s able to let go of those guilty feelings on her own. On the occasion when Johnny was mentioned, Shaundi would start feeling bad, but the blonde had patience for her lieutenant and reminded her that she did nothing wrong. The Boss knew how it felt to slip up after doing well from not feeling guilt associated by a friend’s death. There were times when a nerve gets struck whenever a long time Saints member ever mentioned names like Carlos or Lin whenever the blonde was close by. The Boss accepted the fact long ago of her friends being gone, but believed they were all smiling from above seeing how far the gang has gone throughout the years.

 

Despite the turn of events Shaundi had endured for more than a year, the lieutenant came to terms with the loss of a dear friend in Johnny, but being accepting of the new friends gained in Steelport. While Shaundi appears to smirk whenever she hears idiotic boasting from Pierce or another mind busting conspiracy theory from Kinzie, there remained hints of sadness without a Gat to make a smartass remark towards either two. However whenever the lieutenant was with the Boss alone even in something minor as a executive meeting, Shaundi felt different. Secured whenever the blonde would trust her to accompany her to secret Saints business that most of the other lieutenants don’t know about. Such as getting the brunette’s help with monitoring the streets of Steelport for any gang activity the Boss doesn’t condone. The blonde felt that giving Shaundi important missions would be used for the lieutenant to better her own mental health. It surprised the lieutenant at first with how much the Boss still believes in her despite everything after the airplane incident. Which was why the lieutenant wasn’t as shocked as Pierce when the Boss mentioned being part of what happened to be the most important goal the Saints must reach, taking down Cyrus Temple.

 

The Steelport National Guard were reluctant to allow the Saints to access their armory for obvious reasons, but were ordered by the commands of both Mayor Reynolds and MI6 to let them in to pick up their special gear to take down the disgraced commander. According to an informant on behalf of MI6, Cyrus Temple couldn’t deal with the embarrassment he faced in the aftermath of Steelport. Once forced to retreat out of the city and discharged, the commander was driven to a manic state of developing conspiracies surrounding identity politics with the Saint’s influence. He conspired with terrorist groups in a plan to send nukes to attack the country.

 

For this important mission, the Boss brought in her two long time lieutenants that helped with Stilwater and Steelport in Pierce and Shaundi. In addition, the blonde brought in Kinzie as a way for the ginger to browse around the armory for any new technology that suited her interest. However for this case, the Boss prefered the company of her lieutenants by her side taking down the terrorists as the three began suiting up their new gear. While Pierce was quick to jump into the armor, the Boss had a bit of trouble fitting into hers.

 

“How the Hell did Pierce put this on so easily?!” The Boss exclaimed as she struggled to completely put on the top part of her suit.

 

“Maybe stop hitting up those weights then.” Pierce teased the Boss before seeing a familiar deadly glare and the singer abruptly stopped. It was true that the blonde did gain a little bit of muscle within a few months.

 

While the two were bantering that included the Boss threatening to land the heavy boots straight into Pierce’s skull, Shaundi was deep in her thoughts. It was a very serious mission that involved the safety of millions of people and there could’ve been a chance of not making it out of there alive. She knew how confident the Boss was whenever faced with adversity but for some reason felt that something bad could happen to the blonde. The Boss was so important in Shaundi’s life, saving her countless times and not even expecting anything back other than a smile from the lieutenant. She couldn’t bear the idea of losing her after Johnny even it meant saving a whole country. Shaundi thought about those times the Boss opened up to her, watching out for the lieutenant whenever she noticed something wrong. This feeling sank deep to the brunette and she finally came to the conclusion why it bothered her. It occured to Shaundi that she cares deeply for the Boss, and she wanted to tell the blonde that before heading over for take out Temple.

 

“Ready to go Shaundi?” The Boss responded to the lieutenant, she eventually got into her special operative suit holding onto her helmet. Cecilia didn’t want to wear a helmet, but was required to once the Saints head over to the terrorist base due to high priority safety for the blonde. Shaundi looked and nodded her head to the Boss, and seeing the blonde in a different light. The Saints gather up around a representative from MI6 who provided a briefing of the mission. Starting with hopping onto a plane heading over to a military base where a combat helicopter will take them to the base. The MI6 informant gave Kinzie a package of special instruments to use to communicate with the Saints from Steelport as well as giving signals to MI6.

“Hey Boss, before we head out on this mission, there’s something I want to say..” Shaundi said catching the blonde’s attention but the Saints were rushed to head over to the jet and time was scarce.

 

“Could this wait Shaundi, these MI6 guys aren’t fucking around and wants us to get there fast...We can talk after this is over.” The Boss responded, annoyed not at her lieutenant, but the timing of the objective.

 

“But...what if we- you don’t make it out in the end..”

“Trust me sweetie, we’ll get through this without a scratch. Several gangs and STAG couldn’t fuck with us, this wouldn’t be any different.” The Boss responded with confidence and smiled at Shaundi to ensure that everything will be alright.

 

The lieutenant smiled gently back, holding back her worries of this mission as the Saints hopped into the jet. Shaundi wanted to tell the Boss how much she cared about her and was grateful for the blonde after all of these years, but couldn’t even tell her with Kinzie yelling over everyone’s ears in the duration of the flight.

 

Once the Saints made it to the base, an annoying defect in the Boss’ helmet hindered the blonde from communicating with her lieutenants for the rest of the mission. Instead the Boss had to take actions into her own hands, ignoring Asha’s briefing and tactics to infiltrate the base.Throughout the raid, Shaundi simply just shook her head from the blonde’s impulse for violence and wanting to get Temple one on one. It was pretty easy to take down terrorists goons as the Boss searched for Cyrus and to intercept the nukes from ever detonating, the blonde already took down a majority of them on the way to the commander. Cecilia had an easier time taking down the terrorists by projecting her anger when she heard a whiny british accent in aid of this mission. She never forget how Matt tried to crash that helicopter and waited for the opportunity to actually kill the british hacker. When the Boss finally came face to face with Cyrus, the rest of the Saints just simply had to wait outside and hope for the best. It looked like the Boss had the upper hand throughout their confrontation and were relieved feeling that it was all over, until the noise of a nuclear bomb detonating could be heard throughout the base.

 

Everyone could see a figure hanging onto the bomb from outside of the base, after hearing the news that the nuke is heading towards Washington D.C. the rest of the Saints had to simply say what appeared to be their final words to the Boss with a small chance of hope that the blonde saved the world. Shaundi was quick to tell the Boss what she wanted to say, but in the end before concluding she became hesitant. Abruptly Pierce jumped into crying to the Boss and so on. In that moment, everyone believed that the Boss sacrificed herself to save America, but Shaundi noticed a figure that was heading for landing before everyone else. Without anyone knowing the lieutenant hijacked a nearby truck and drove towards the figure’s approximate landing spot with appeared to be a few miles away from the base.

---

“Fuck yes….” The Boss said to herself, the adrenaline rush that she felt after defusing a nuclear bomb got into her system. The blonde didn’t realize how fast that she was falling until actually looking down on the ground, and got startled.

 

“Shit.” The Boss could do nothing but brace for impact, however sheer luck saved her once again as a helicopter happened to be flying in the direction of the Boss, the blonde was able to grab onto a glider for even a moment to break the momentum before letting go, landing onto a roof of a building and falling. The impact of the landing caused the blonde to fall into the building but she miraculously landed on a chair in an even lucky location. Turns out that it was a secret office for the President of the United States to use for out of country operatives that laid empty for several years. Within a short time span, the Boss simply bask into victory on her own on the desk, as good luck saved her life once again.

 

The blonde took off her helmet, exhaled loudly finally able to breath in fresh air brought up by the hole in the ceiling. She threw it aside before getting off the chair and walking out the darkened building with only a few minor cuts from the fall. Once the blonde exit out of the building she saw a truck nearby driving towards her. The Boss was a bit surprised to see Shaundi exit out the truck after getting a closer look of the driver but simply smiled at her lieutenant running towards her.  

 

“Hey Shaundi..” The Boss responded casually, despite literally saving America from a nuclear bomb explosion the blonde was relaxed.

 

Shaundi ran towards the Boss and didn’t bother to say a word to her. The lieutenant felt that she needed to express her emotions in actions and not words. Shaundi brought her arms around the Boss’ neck and closed her eyes, bringing her lips onto the Boss’ in a sudden kiss. The lieutenant felt a shock of coldness throughout her body when her lips felt the metal of the blonde’s lip ring but didn’t back down. Cecilia’s eyes widen as a reaction to the sudden movement of her lieutenant, feeling her lips with hers. It felt like the world surrounding them stopped, the Boss was too shock to do anything back or to even think about anything else.

 

By the time Shaundi pulled herself out of the kiss, she looked back at the Boss’ surprised face. Waves of fear began to takeover the lieutenant's  mind, she thought that she made a big mistake and before she could even say a word to the Boss she backed away. Shaundi needed time and space to give a reason to her actions, apologize to the blonde but couldn’t. Suddenly trucks and helicopters surrounded the building with Pierce and Asha along with reinforcements caught up with the two women. Before the Boss could even move and respond, medics ran towards her.

 

“Check for any internal bleeding and other vital failures of the organs!” One of the medics said checking the Boss’ pulse before moving her away from Shaundi. As the Boss was dragged onto a medic truck, Pierce and Asha climbed out of the helicopter to catch up with the lieutenant.

 

“What the Hell was that Shaundi?! You could’ve run into dangerous territory! At least wait for all of us to locate the Boss.” Pierce exclaimed, he was worried that someone who he considered a sister to him could’ve been hurt. In the end of the day despite getting insulted by Shaundi, Pierce still does his best to look out for her. The lieutenant didn’t pay attention to Pierce as she saw the medic truck drive away, wondering if the Boss was upset at her.

 

“Alright you two, despite how your leader risked everyone’s lives based on her impulses, we’ve got the job done. You two will be returning back to Steelport shortly while we scout around for more danger.” Asha said, the MI6 agent walked away from the two Saints to scout the building with the rest of reinforcements.

 

Guards ushered the lieutenants into a helicopter to safety as they were heading back home, where they’ll be greeted as national heroes. Pierce was excited to share the news to everyone back at home and wanted Kinzie to spread the news of a victory party in HQ. Kinzie and Pierce bantered back and forth about the decision of a party so quickly. During those exchanges, Shaundi simply looked down, trying to find a medic truck where it could be taking the Boss. The Saints were once local heroes in Stilwater, onwards into saving a monument in Steelport, and finally saving a whole country from a disaster. Despite all the cheers that the lieutenants were expected to hear back home, Shaundi was worried about the response of one person whether or not she lost the trust of someone who meant so much to her.

 

It was inevitable that Shaundi will have to see the Boss back home, the lieutenant decided to do her best to avoid the blonde and seeking company to other friends, yet she couldn’t determine when she’ll see the Boss again with the possibility of injuries that could’ve made the blonde be out of action for a while. Even with fear of what is to happen, a weight off of the lieutenant's shoulders were gone that Shaundi didn’t know she had until that moment.

Notes:

I FINALLY DID IT GUYS! THEY DID THE THING!

It's been a while since I last updated this fic, winter came through, with work and the holidays coming by I decided to take a bit of a vacation from all projects. But I assure you, there will be more frequent updates to the story! Subscribe if you don't want to miss a thing!

While I am at it, I appreciate all kinds of feedback from my readers! Don't hesitate to shoot a message to me and if you wanna know me better, I have a special Saints Row server that I mod for if you ever wanna meet up with other writers and even get a little sneak peak of future chapters!

Chapter 13: What I need

Summary:

After a few days of no word, the Boss comes back home to a welcoming party by the Saints but she couldn't help but notice the lack of one particular person.

Notes:

Sure I might've published the last chapter just a few days ago, but I got too excited and wanted to share the next chapter to you all!! You'll see why

Saints HQ was very lively once news broke out of the accomplished mission all thanks to the Boss defusing the bomb. Once it came through the gang, it then got into national news within the states and spread internationally. The once small gang from Stilwater became international heroes in the eyes of millions. Suddenly everyone wanted to get access to HQ to party with the Saints but were instantly declined by penthouse security, so parties were created around different locations throughout both Steelport and Stilwater started by fanatics of the gang. All seemed good for the Saints but one person was missing from all of the festivities, the Boss had yet to return back to Steelport due to the media frenzy that surrounded the blonde heading her way home.

 

“I’m starting to think that the Boss got taken into government custody for some questioning if she hasn’t been back yet.” Pierce said to Shaundi. The two were sitting at the bar as special guests were arriving to the penthouse via elevators with Oleg as security.

 

“Well you wouldn’t be too far off, I did see her get caught up with those medics…” Shaundi responded, she hoped for the most that the Boss was okay and not actually injured. Yet, she felt anxious of the feeling of being confronted by the blonde if she ever returns.

 

“It’s been a while...kid.” Oleg said in a stern voice, the two lieutenants turned around to see who entered Saints HQ and reached out for their guns once they saw the familiar Decker.

 

“WOAH GUYS!! RELAX!! I’M NOT HERE TO KILL YOU!!” Matt yelled to the two Saints, the lieutenants put their guns away they sighed, it was clear that they still hold a grudge against Matt.

 

“I’ve already mentioned to you guys that he works for MI6 now, as a way to seek asylum but he managed to be accepting the role as my assistant in our mission.” Asha explained, annoyed by the outcome in addition of being Matt’s guest for the party.

 

“Man, I’m surprised you even showed up Asha..”

“I am too, I had no interest in attending...but Matt got word that Josh Birk would be attending the party. So in other words, he wanted to go but needed my invite.” Asha sighed, decided to join the lieutenants for a drink while Matt wanders around the penthouse to find the man that plays his idol.

 

It was a cold winter night in Steelport, so the party took place indoors since Ultor representatives didn’t ship in the outdoor heaters in time, there weren’t as much people as there would be in a typical Saints HQ party with a limited guest list. It would include the higher ranked lieutenants and anyone that bribed Pierce to get in, therefore regular Saints members would take their parties to other Saints bases around the city.

A couple of hours have passed and there was no sign of the Boss anywhere in HQ, it’s been a long time since anyone within the Saints have even seen the blonde, even Asha wasn’t able to disclose any information about the whereabouts of the Boss. Suddenly the sounds of a helicopter started to drown out the music from outside, everyone started to go outside to see the commotion. The helicopter started to land gingerly yet it wasn’t known who was the pilot until the door was opened from the other side. A familiar purple and white figure arrive from the other side of the helicopter as the Boss was welcomed with cheers that sounded off the night sky. A heroes welcome for Cecilia who remained humble around friends, all of that effort to save the country didn’t come without a price. The Boss walked towards everyone wearing a sling on her left arm, a rare sight for everyone to see on the blonde let alone a scratch on her.

 

“I hope I didn’t ruin someone else’s surprise” The Boss chuckled, several people wanted to run towards the blonde but were held up by Oleg and a few of the Saints security guards to assure space for the Boss who appeared injured with the exception of Pierce.

 

“Damn Boss, where the fuck have you been?! You’ve been gone for a few days without a word of your status!”

 

“Better a couple of days than five years...I was stuck in a infirmary in a Marine base where those medics kept checking my health. One of those bitches drained too much blood on one of my arms and thought I had internal bleeding. Thankfully they let me out with nothing more than a few cuts from landing on a building.” The Boss responded, throughout her visit in the infirmary the blonde simply wanted to go back to Steelport but had to stay due to the fact that they don’t want a hero to die from internal bleeding.

 

The Boss made her way towards the small crowd, high fiving and shaking hands that were heading her direction. Making small talk with each of her higher ranked lieutenants and friends, Cecilia didn’t see it as a heroes welcome, but simply catching up with some friends.

 

“Hey there Boss, glad that you made it out of there safely..” Viola said to her ex-girlfriend, placing a hand on the blonde’s shoulder.

 

“Of course I made it out safe, I’m just that lucky..” The Boss smiled at Viola before she continued.

 

“Glad that you’re here..” The blonde continued, touching Viola’s hand that was on her shoulder and gently patting it.

 

The party carried on when the Boss allowed herself to feel at home after grabbing a beer from one of the penthouse ladies serving alcohol. The blonde made her rounds inside talking to everyone who wanted to know how she took out Cyrus Temple. While that occurred, the Boss couldn’t help but hear an unbearable exchange a few feet from where she stood.

 

“Uhhhmmm...Mr.Birk? I..I’m a big fan of your work..Could you sign this limited edition glowing Nyte Blayde figurine still in its box?” A whiny british voice stuttered

 

“Sure thing, anything for my trusty sidekick!” Joshua responded signing the box following up a high pitch squeal and hyperventilating. Matt felt euphoric as he rushed with his box but accidently bump into the Boss who was unfortunate enough to see the entire exchange.

 

“Oh...Sorry.” The hacker was quick to run from the scene, away from the blonde who was mere seconds from punching him in the face with her good hand.The Boss never forgot about that helicopter crash but had to hold herself back from killing a minor once more.

 

While the party was a lively scene in HQ, the Boss couldn’t help but notice something missing with the festivities. There wasn’t a large crowd for the event, which was easier for the blonde to realize that she hasn’t seen Shaundi around. As Cecilia was caught up with surprise appearances with politics commending her actions, the blonde looked through the crowds for her lieutenant. She wasn’t successful on her own and looked for Pierce which was easier as the singer took the impromptu stage to promote his album, with a disapproving DJ just wanting to continue playing music.

 

“Hey Pierce, do you know where the Hell Shaundi is?”

 

“Not really, she was hanging out just a while ago but now I can’t find her. Maybe she decided to call it a night early.” Pierce responded, the Boss rolled her eyes and decided to go with the last option by going outside.

 

The music from the party was muffled from the outside, no one wants an opened door that bring the cold air into the penthouse. The Boss took a moment to view the skyline of Steelport, a pleasant look at what the Saints have accomplished during their year in the city. Purple lights flashing around, where shades of blue, green, and pink used to shine. The blonde looked up in the night sky and couldn’t help but smile, knowing that the friends who are no longer with her are smiling back at what she accomplished. From a few yards from where she was standing, the Boss saw another figure viewing the skyline by the railings. Without hesitation, the blonde walked towards the woman looking at the same purple lights in a different angle.

 

Visible hot air was released when the lieutenant sighed, Shaundi felt that she’s been outside long enough to simply avoid one person and for once it wasn’t Birk. The brunette would rather come across the actor monologuing a poem to her instead of a confrontation from the Boss. However that wasn’t the case as she heard familiar footsteps, she knew one person would walk a certain way in heels and Shaundi inhaled and exhaled in anticipation for the worst.

 

“Fuck...she’s mad at me and will hate me forever….” Shaundi thought to herself, ever since her actions the lieutenant felt nothing but regret and wished she took it back. However she felt a rush of relief as a calm tone greeted her unexpectedly.

“The city looks a lot better from where you’re standing, maybe because I could still see that old STAG bases’ shadow in those waters.” The Boss chuckled, she remembered the lengths she went through to save her friends and decided to sunk the old base on the way out.

 

“Yeah and how you just rip the head off that disguise of yours to prove that you’re not going to be some aging asshole forever, still haunting my memory.” Shaundi responded, the lieutenant felt less anxious when the Boss talked about a different topic she expected. For a few seconds the two looked at the skyline, from the distance they could see smaller rooftop parties that were flashing purple lights around the night sky. The music became quieter from outside not because someone lowered the volume, but because of how the two women realized they were alone together ever since the mission.

 

“I don’t think things will ever be the same, with what we did together, as much as I want to avoid it-” before the Boss could continue on about wanting to deny the international spotlight as a hero, Shaundi interrupted her.

 

“Look Boss I know I fucked up big time, I should’ve acted the way I did back there...How could I be so stupid!” The blonde was puzzled at Shaundi not realizing why she was acting upset about herself.

 

“You don’t have to dodge what you’re really feeling, but I just want to explain what I thought it was the right reaction! I...I just realize how much you mean a lot to me, when no one believed my worth when I was a stoned out college drop-out, you still saw something in me. When everyone disapproved my coldness when Gat died, you wanted to reach out and help recover what we’ve been through. How we’ve gotten closer ever since that moment in my life....When we took down Killbane! I just thought that as you were up on that nuclear bomb heading to Washington...that was it.” Shaundi vented out to the blonde, she took a deep breath. The Boss stood by her, surprised at what she was hearing and started putting pieces together in her mind.

 

“I never realized until that moment, how much more better I felt when I’m around you. Whenever I’m around you, I feel safe and you’ve treated me better than anyone from past relationships and flings..Even when you have your asshole moments.” Shaundi couldn’t help but smile on the last statement, the Boss was an asshole that she felt something for. The blonde wanted to respond to her lieutenant but was interrupted again when Shaundi continued.

 

“I couldn’t stomach the idea of losing you even if it meant you becoming a hero, losing Gat took a toll on me and he was our close friend. So losing you would’ve devastated me if I wasn’t able to tell you that I-”

 

The blonde had enough interruptions from the lieutenant and decided to use her actions to speak for her instead of words. Cecilia leaned in, pulled Shaundi by the waist with her free arm to bring the two closer and silenced the lieutenant with her lips. At first Shaundi’s eyes widened, surprised of the Boss’ sudden actions. Slowly her eyes closed, the lieutenant felt a growing warmth and all of her worries faded away. The brunette couldn’t feel any more safer around the Boss in that moment. What was a couple of seconds felt like forever when the blonde pulled away from the kiss and looked at the lieutenant's hazel eyes with comfort. A small puff of visible air made its way between the two women, causing them to look at the direction of the source. A shocked and heartbroken Josh Birk witnessed the sight several feet from where he was standing when he went outside for a breather.

 

“ OH FATE IS CRUEL TO ME, I SHALL NEVER FIND MY OWN SYLVIA!!!” Birk yelled out, devastated that his supposed soul mate for life was with someone else and ran back inside. For a second the two women were dumbfounded of what had transpired but brushed it off quickly.

 

“How long did you wait to do that?” Shaundi asked the Boss, who was a bit flustered.

 

“To be honest...a while.” The blonde looked away holding onto the base of her arm sling on her shoulder.

 

“I’ve never met a woman that was able to make me feel good being myself before you...Someone I was comfortable mentioning parts of my past with, that didn’t involve invading my privacy like what Kinzie does to everyone..” The blonde giggled nervously, she couldn’t believe what she is saying.

 

“Shaundi, you mean a lot to me too, I just could never imagine us ever being more than close friends. You had different kinds of ex’s and potential soulmates that I didn’t think I would ever suit your interests. Yet...I couldn’t find a woman that could make me feel special, someone that would look beyond a gang leader that appears violent but I mean I did calm down!” The lieutenant couldn’t help but smile at her boss when she realized that the blonde shared the same feelings as her. The Boss stroked the lieutenant's cheek with her free hand gently, wanting to kiss her again.

 

“When you kissed me in front of that building, I wanted to return the gesture but of course I got dragged away by the medics. While I was trapped in that infirmary dealing with countless evaluations and stubborn officers, I couldn’t stop thinking about you and I didn’t mean to make you feel so worry for the past few days.”

 

Golden eyes darkened by dilated pupils looking into hazel orbs that were darkened as well, the Boss looked away for a moment to look at the skyline once again. She felt herself being more flustered and wanted to hide it from Shaundi.

 

“So...does this mean we’re girlfriends now.” Shaundi asked, it felt weird for the lieutenant to say that word around the Boss. She would’ve thought it was awkward if the Boss hadn’t dated Viola in the past.

 

“Seeing that we share the same type of feelings for each other, how we confessed one’s importance to the other, and seeing Birk cry away like a little bitch, I guess we are.” The Boss responded.

 

“Unless you made everything up and relapse into smoking loa dust again to fuck around with me!”

 

“You’re an asshole”

“I know, but I’m your asshole.” The Boss laughed, she brought up her free hand and held Shaundi’s hand as the two looked at the skyline one last time before heading back inside. The two women went to join with the other Saints members enjoying the rest of the night being able to tell stories of fending off terrorists.

 

By the end of the night as attendees left the penthouse to head home, The Boss and Shaundi couldn’t help but flash a quick smile at each other whenever no one was looking, the blonde was happy to see that for the first time in a while, she was able to see her lieutenant showing genuine happiness. HQ felt a bit empty once all of the guests either headed out to attend other parties or retreated back home, with the exception of some of the major lieutenants and the Boss.   

 

“Pheww I’m tired, but Zimos just messaged me about a special afterparty at Safehouse if the rest of y’all are down to go.” Pierce said, the remaining lieutenants nodded their heads and walked towards the singers direction with the exception of the Boss and Shaundi.

 

“You sure you don’t want to check out the beautiful ladies, Boss?”

 

“I’ll be fine, it’s been a long 48 hours for me and I could use the rest...And I never trusted anymore girls Zimos brings over ever since that raid..” The Boss responded, she was never much of a fan of Zimos when she realized that the pimp contributed nearly nothing to the gang and sought out more use with Viola.

 

“I’m still a bit jetlagged from the mission so I’ll have to decline and get some rest.” Shaundi said, Pierce shrugged his shoulders and the rest of the gang headed their way out to the elevator downstairs.

 

It was only the two women that were in HQ after everyone went on to their own late night business, thankfully not a lot of mess was left with only minor things to clean up such as putting fixtures back where they belonged. Shaundi was quick to help the Boss carry different items knowing that the blonde had a arm sling but still insisted on lifting it by herself.

 

“I’ll be fine Shaundi, I should be able to get out of this sling within a few days. Maybe then we can get together for a special day out..”

“Day out? Boss I don’t think we could even go out in public without a swarm of people who wants to meet international heroes!” Shaundi was right, her phone has been blowing with positive messages from thousands of people that included half-hearted cheers from exes. The Boss didn’t take account how annoying it would be for her to have to face the media to have interviews with hundreds of journalists let alone dealing with Jane.

 

“I’ll arrange, something. Maybe for now we can just relax with just the two of us, I do wanna show you something that I’ve wanted you to see for years!” The Boss exclaimed, it involves a special secret project that the blonde supervised during its development, Shaundi was puzzled at first, but accepted her girlfriends offer. The blonde went over to sit on one of the couches in front of a huge monitor and the lieutenant follow suit and the two women spent the rest of the night seeing the Boss’ passion project series.

 

Notes:

IT ONLY TOOK 13 CHAPTERS BUT WE GOT IT!!
I WANTED TO BUILD UP ON THIS RELATIONSHIP THAT DIDN'T INVOLVE LIKE A SIMPLE FALL IN LOVE CASE, IT JUST TOOK TIME AND PATIENCE FOR THE TWO TO ACTUALLY CONNECT THE PIECES TOGETHER!

Now stay tune because I do have a special bonus chapter before the actual Chapter 14 gets published.
I also want to take the time to say how much I am grateful for my readers who have been following story and those who've joined us!

Chapter 14: Only You

Summary:

After a chill night, the Boss and Shaundi are still not used to the recent revelation of their feelings for each other. They've known each other for years but do they actually know absolutely everything?

Saints HQ was dead silent, the afterparty continued on everywhere else in the city of Steelport and it remained that way until the sun was about to rise. Saints members of all rankings felt they were on top of the world with the Boss’ homecoming after saving the country. HQ wasn’t as lively whereas two women fell asleep next to each other on the couch. The Boss slowly opened her eyes, strained from sleeping in contacts. She took a glance at the woman next to her, who had her head rested on the blonde’s shoulder. Cecilia looked for the time on her Ultor smartwatch and it was a little past six in the morning. It appeared that the two have been sleeping for only a couple of hours, as much as the blonde would like to get up, she didn’t want to wake up the lieutenant. The Boss remained on her spot for quite some time to read some of the thousands of messages she received on her phone of people showing their gratitude to the American hero. She didn’t realize that she wasn’t being cheered on by just Saints members, but pretty much the whole country is thankful for her act of courage. It did take a while for the blonde to see what everyone saw in her when she defused that bomb, she smiled seeing all these messages from other celebrities and even some politicians that are known to loathe the Saints. The Boss was too focused on looking at her phone to noticed that Shaundi just woke up and was staring at the screen as well. 

 

“I guess you are right, things are not going to be the same anymore now that we’re heroes.” The Boss looked over to see that the lieutenant is wide awake reading along the messages on the screen. 

 

“How long have you been awake? I didn’t even notice.” The Boss asked, it took her by surprise to hear Shaundi all of the sudden.

“Only for a couple of minutes, just to see if you would notice just because I knew you’d probably wake me up to ask me a Saintsbook question.” The lieutenant responded with a bit of a soft laugh teasing the blonde.

“I’m pretty sure I got this social media thing all figured out by now, and you’re an asshole for laughing!” The Boss responded mildly annoyed, but she couldn’t stay upset for long when she heard Shaundi’s laugh. She hoped that she will hear that laugh more often now that they’re together romantically.

 

The two continued scrolling through messages and even voicemails of different individuals, that included a voicemail by Senator Hughs, showing her support to the Saints despite the bizarre history she had with the gang. It wasn’t long until the bright display was starting to bother the Boss’ already strained eyes, the blonde closed them only to open them quickly realizing her eyes need air.

 

“Shit...I slept in my contacts again! Shaundi, could you grab my eye drops from the purple travel bag from the bathroom, wait shit! Just bring the whole bag!” 

Shaundi didn’t take too long to head towards the nearest restroom in HQ to scatter around for a purple bag which was blantalty labeled with the Boss’ title all over the bag’s print pattern itself. The lieutenant was able to retrieve the bag in no time while the Boss was quick to grab the contents of her bag, taking off her contacts and applying eye drops but not before taking off her arm sling. While the blonde is known as a ruthless gang leader that could have questionable means of executing a foe, she is still superficial about her own health, especially with eyecare of all things. The Boss went ahead and reached for her backup prescription glasses to wear whenever she needed to give her eyes a rest. 

 

“Thanks Shaundi, I hope the sight of my eyeglasses don’t startle you too much, it’s been a while after all.” The blonde chuckled, she rarely wears her bifocals out in public, but would wear them in the privacy of her office when occupied with business documents. 

 

“I don’t mind, I used to think you looked really cute with glasses on when we were younger. I miss that cute nerd thing you had going on back then, you were vicious but I liked it.” Shaundi giggled, The Boss was a bit dumbfounded and got flustered a bit for even being considered cute even back then. She wasn’t as self confident during the infancy of the new Saints gang compared to when she’s a celebrity.

 

While the blonde continued to feel a bit embarrassed to be called a cute nerd, Shaundi went over to the kitchen to brew coffee for the Boss and herself. The lieutenant noted that the blonde enjoyed her coffee black while Shaundi on the other hand liked it with creamer and lightly sweetened. 

 

“If you thought I was cute back then, what about now? I have to be honest I’m still surprised how we’re...Well together.” In the Boss’ mind, just the fact that her and Shaundi are together was odd to put the two in that setting. She knew the brunette for years but the two have been just boss and lieutenant and despite confessing their feelings to each other, it’s still a weird feeling. 

 

“Yeah...It’s a surprise but in a good way. We’ve known each other for years and been through a lot as well...Is there anything else we need to know about between the both of us?” Shaundi responded, it was the first time in years that she was with someone that genuinely cared about her that shared the same feelings for them. Though she hates to admit, a majority of Shaundi’s past relationships had been random hookups and short term partners that would be out of her life within a month or two. Now that she has Cecilia, it’s a shock to her that her true partner in crime has been there the whole time. While she always saw the Boss as a good looking person, she thought nothing much other than someone that not only is her superior, but the one who helped her and understood her after Gat’s death. It took years and some defining moments in her life, but the lieutenant was finally with someone she loved.

 

For the Boss, she couldn’t see any woman she would be romantically involved with for the type of person that she was. For a while she felt she didn’t deserve a meaningful relationship. With the previous flings she had, she felt the risk of dragging a loved one with her dangerous lifestyle would end up hurting her in the end and remembering the pain Johnny went through after losing Aisha. In the past she didn’t really considered Shaundi her type when they were younger, but once the Saints became a pop culture phenomenon, it was odd even thinking about the lieutenant in that light after the whole dating show deal and sought out different women instead. However times are different, with the Saints being named international heroes and with her essentially saving the country, Cecilia accepted that Shaundi was the first woman she had genuine feelings for and wanted to take their relationship to the next level. Unfamiliar territory for the both of them, figuring out ways to initiate the romance aspect of their lives after the first few previous kisses.

 

The blonde met up with Shaundi in the kitchen island who poured the newly brewed coffee into their cups, placing her hand on top of the lieutenant’s free hand. The previous night consisted of hand holding and cheek kisses, but signs of affection are still a bit new to the two women. 

 

“I’ll let you know two things, I’m ready to take on the rest of the world with you now that have no more worries from some low end gangs or former US military authorities. Second, I’m flattered you’ve thought I was attractive from the start!” The Boss chuckled, her self confidence was high enough to be considered a bit vain to the public eye. 

 

“It’s not like I don’t find you attractive now…” Shaundi pulled the Boss closer to her into a hug, looking at the blonde’s golden eyes before leaning closer for a lip kiss. Cecilia didn’t hesitate and locked lips with the lieutenant placing her arms around Shaundi’s waist. The lieutenant leaned her back towards the table for support. The two stopped the kiss for another breather, the Boss gently exhaling, looking upwards and brought a hand up towards her glasses before it got stopped by another hand.

 

“Actually, keep those on for just a little bit…” The Boss leaned closer to Shaundi for another kiss, it was soft one as the two were more focus on the embrace, bodies being close to each other. Shaundi and the Boss had their fair share of hugs in the past that were friendly or comforting, but to be in a loving embrace was a new experience for them. While the two continued their kiss, the noise of the elevator notified the Boss as something coming up to the main floor. Shaundi heard the sounds of the elevator doors opening as her eyes did the same. The two women abruptly stopped the kiss, broke the embrace to act naturally. 

 

“MAN THAT WAS A BLAST!! WOOOOOOOOO!!” Pierce exclaimed, despite the long hours of partying the singer remained as energetic as a limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, wheelin' n' dealin' wrestler. 

 

Just before Pierce was turning towards the kitchen, the Boss noticed the glasses still on her face and not wanting to start any funny business with Pierce, the blonde threw her glasses onto the sink so she could wear them again once the other lieutenant leaves. 

 

“Hey guys! Didn’t see you there, how was sleeping early like a couple of old people?” Pierce asked, it was all in good fun with teasing the two women who didn’t want to party in Safeword. Not because it was getting late, but mostly because the two aren’t fond of Zimos’ presence. 

 

“I’d rather sleep early if it means not going to club that smelled like aged cheap perfume… “

 

“I just don’t trust strippers around Zimos anymore.” 

 

Pierce sat down in one of the chairs on the kitchen island and started to talk about his wild afterparty story while the two women stood idly by drinking coffee partially listening to the singer. The Boss sighed gently for the close call of not getting caught by Pierce of all people, and it made her think about whether or not the two were going to officially announce their relationship to the rest of the gang. The blonde looked towards Shaundi are the lieutenant looked back with a puzzled look, but soon got the hint from the Boss’ facial expressions. 

 

“Now before you say anything…” Pierce stopped and looked at both women who freeze in place. The Boss felt nervous about the singer catching onto her and Shaundi, but the other lieutenant continued. 

 

“Because I love y’all like family, I decided not to take a girl home since I know I’d keep the both of you awake in the early morning.” Pierced said in a cocky manner, he laughed it off and walked off to one of the open bedrooms. The Boss rolled her eyes with Pierce’s statement while Shaundi hid her face from secondhand embarrassment. 

 

“Honestly Boss, Pierce barging in sorta ruined the mood for me…Maybe we should freshen up and do some PR stuff and get some guys to pick up supplies for us.” Shaundi suggested, while she wouldn’t mind going around in public, the media have been a bit overwhelming for the lieutenant and had Saints members run various errands for her. 

 

“Sounds like a plan, I’ll call in a doctor to check up on the arm just so they could tell me I don’t need a sling....” The blonde responded, gently touching her bad arm, which was still sore from the various exams that took place several days ago. 

 

The Boss retrieved her glasses from the sink, placed a kiss on Shaundi’s cheek and headed over to her office but paused for a bit to talk to the brunette that headed her own way. 

 

“By the way, you don’t need to call me Boss when we’re alone. It’s okay to say my real name.”

 

“Fine by me...Cecilia.” Shaundi responded and smiled. She felt a bit flustered saying the Boss’ real name as it was a secret that she knew for some time. While the lieutenant was on her laptop messaging different gang members various errands, Shaundi couldn’t help but think about arranging a nice first date for her and the Boss to start things right officially between the two of them. The media frenzy surrounding the Saints have left the major members and the Boss indoors away from the press and the brunette wanted to find a way around all the cameras and news anchors. After sending a few text messages, Shaundi shifted her focus on potential first date ideas and locations around the city and even thought about an out of town date just to get away for a single day. It wasn’t long until a couple of Saints members made their way to HQ around the living room area to wait for any task given to them, and while Shaundi was busy talking to some members she received a text from the Boss which was a simple purple heart emoji. She made a sincere smile and continued on with her work, responding to PR emails and overseeing activity in Stilwater but still thought about actually being romantically involved with the Boss. 

 

Notes:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

HI GUYS I KNOW IT'S BEEN FOREVER SINCE A NEW CHAPTER AND I KNOW YOU'VE ALL BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!

Life kinda just got hectic, family stuff but it's positive things! Which meant more busier days and that I would have less time to finish up a chapter!

Chapter 15: Keeps Me Warm

Summary:

The Boss have made the decision to accept an exclusive interview of how she managed to save the world, at the same time Shaundi had a wonderful plan for afterwards.

Dozens of media outlets throughout the country had contacted the Saints for a chance to interview the Boss, but the blonde didn’t want to be questioned by strangers from different parts of the country. She decided to have an exclusive personal interview with Steelport’s own Jane Valderama, not because it was local, but the two have an odd dynamic that started back in Stilwater. Additionally the Boss didn’t feel the need to go on a media tour around the country to answer the same type of questions any news reporter would’ve given her. As a way to avoid traffic, the Boss decided to fly over to the news studio on a helicopter being accompanied by Shaundi and a couple of the heavily armed Saints guards that were Masako guards before the merge. It wasn’t common for the blonde to have guards with her, but for these occasions she would need some fire power just in case a crazy fan tries to tackle her during the interview, but of course she’s always armed wherever she goes. The Boss prepared to land on the helipad of the news studio, and took a second glance to make sure not a single soul was present on the roof. The last thing Cecilia wanted was a freak accident involving a fan being chopped up by a helicopter before the interview.

 

After the helicopter made a successful landing, the armed guards got out first to make a quick inspection to be on the lookout for people in the rooftops of other buildings. It was no lie that the Boss had her own fair share of critics, some with more radical opinions against her. After signaling that the coast was clear, the two women jumped out were headed over to the building entrance. The way to the studio itself was quiet, no one in the network expected the Saints to arrive via helicopter so everyone in the building were waiting in the front entrance. 

 

“It’s weird going down these stairs without firing a gun” The Boss said, she can easily recall the last time when her and Shaundi were gunning down Deckers in an effort to catch up with Killbane. As a way to try and make Shaundi laugh, the blonde kicked a badly injured Decker into a flight of stairs and she considered it a success when she saw the brunette trying not to smile hearing the wailing nerd slowly falling to his death. The two made their way to the entrance of the actual studio for the interview and stopped for a moment before opening the door. 

 

“Do you think we’d see a ton of people when we open those doors?” Shaundi asked, the lieutenant felt that there could be a lot of buzz with professional journalists for such a hot topic in the media. She had concerns that there wouldn’t be much private time for the both of them to even relax let alone plan a date. Yet Shaundi was determined to make it work out for the two of them despite all the obstacles in their way way of their newly formed relationship. 

 

“Trust me, when the newsroom of a place like Steelport got an exclusive story, those people will go fucking crazy to even be in the same room as us.” The Boss responded, she could’ve gone to a major city for an international news studio, but knew the precautions of a larger population that are leagues higher than Steelport.

 

“Well before we go out there, this may be the last time in a while we’re by ourselves..” Shaundi said, she walked inches closer to the Boss, where the two are facing each other and had her eyes halfway shut. 

 

Cecilia brought up her hand to hold Shaundi’s before she gave the lieutenant a peck kiss on the cheek before bringing in another kiss on the lips. Their kiss was brief, as the Boss needed a moment to maintain her cool, Shaundi cracked a smirk when she saw the usually intimidating Leader of the Saints blushing. But she couldn’t blame the blonde, she’s a bit flustered herself. Once the blonde was back to her normal composure, she opened the door to the studio and was surprised to see that there wasn’t a single person in the studio. Not even a newscast intern could be sighted, the cameras weren’t even on, papers scattered all over studio equipment, and the two could hear audio coming the few televisions that were playing other news stations all over the country. 

 

“Where the fuck is everyone?” The Boss said, she’s puzzled by the emptiness of the studio she looked at Shaundi who was just as confused and the lieutenant just shrugged. There were plenty of free chairs around for the two women to sit while they wait for at least one person to arrive. With Jane’s cell phone number under her contacts, The Boss tried to text the news anchor that she was at the studio, but realized that it was pointless as moments later she heard a phone within an earshot vibrate. 

 

“Are you sure today isn’t a holiday or?”

 

“I doubt it, Channel 6 made a huge deal about this interview, they did a whole new story that just recapped our mission and constantly showed today’s date on billboards and radio ads.” The Boss replied, while she just wanted the interview to be over it, she did enjoy having a bit more time alone with Shaundi. Despite being together for several days, the two women haven’t gone out to their first date night to the whole media sensation surrounding her and the Saints. They’ve been mostly just been hanging out in HQ, and having a couple of movie nights together. However, the blonde had been trying to arrange a date for the two of them even if it meant just a stroll around Loren Square. 

 

“Do you think that this would be forgotten once your interview is over? Saving the country, possibly the world is a major headline.”

“There could be a little bit more excitement, but I’m sure the world will get back to covering some news about people dying around the world. At least not from me this time.” The Boss laughed a bit, but it was a half-hearted laughter which faded out awkwardly. She has been criticized by many people with the simple black and white lenses of her killing people, and it does bum her out at times. Cecilia would only kill when threatened by rival gangs, if her life or her friends’ lives were on the line, or if to give a warning to enemies. There were very few instances where an innocent bystander was accidentally shot in the crossfire and the blonde never intended to shoot innocent people. Yet, she had already accepted that it will be something that would happen in a violent world of gangs. 

 

“Boss….Babe, we had this talk a few times, it’s okay. You and I both know that these assholes much rather talk about those very few accidents of yours for days, rather than how you’ve took down criminals that have done shittier things than you.” Shaundi reached out her hand to hold Cecilia’s, a bit cold to the touch but it was enough for the trembling hand to stop. 

 

Reassurance was something that the Boss always needed from Shaundi, just as she had done the same for her lieutenant when she still feels guilty about Gat or doesn’t feel her worth in the gang. Even as friends the blonde knew that Shaundi could understand her emotions that don’t revolve around violence, something that at times even Johnny had a hard time with when he was still alive. Cecilia’s grip became tighter and brought up Shaundi’s hand to give it a gentle kiss with a smile. 

 

A couple of minutes have passed and only then did an intern from the office walked into the studio room where the two women were. The intern was a young adult woman who didn’t seem to stick out in a crowd, a college student that is going to school for journalism but the poor girl hasn’t gotten her hands into newscasting but just gave staff members coffee or to touch up Jane’s makeup. 

 

“Oh, I should probably call someone to tell them that the Leader of the Saints is here…” The intern said nonchalantly. 

 

As the young woman was reaching to her phone and scrolled down through her contacts, it took her a moment to realize the presence of a national heroine right across the room from her. She dropped her phone which landed onto the hard surface of a nearby table, making a bit of a mess when lighter items were impacted by the weight of the phone.

 

“HOLY SHIT, Y..YOU’RE THE BOSS!! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! YOU ARE JUST SO COOL AND BADASS AND..AND...DO YOU MIND IF I GET A SELFIE?! MAYBE I COULD GET ONE WITH SHAUNDI TOO?” The unpaid intern picked up her phone and opened up the camera and was eager to pose.

 

“Sure, I guess…” The Boss responded and Shaundi gave a slight nod. Cecilia looked away for a second being hesitant to pose at first, but flashed a quick smile for the selfie with the intern as the young woman took multiple photos. Once the intern was done with the blonde, she switched places and started taking selfies with Shaundi. She didn’t take as much photos, but Shaundi was flattered nonetheless. As the young woman said her many thanks to the couple, she assured them that she’ll notify the news crew that they were ready and ran out of the newsroom. 

 

It wasn’t long until one by one, staff members started gathering their gear to get the interview ready for the Boss. Camera crew working hard together to get the right amount of lighting and audio levels stabilized. While the cosmetic team lead the Boss to a different room for a bit of makeup touch up, the intern returned to offer the now lone Shaundi a cup of hot coffee to enjoy while she observes the surroundings of the newsroom. Being a reality show star as well the occasional movie star, Shaundi was all too familiar with the process of filming different segments. The lieutenant saw Jane heading over to her chair ready for the cameras, though it was a bit hard to forget about the less favorable stories the news reporter had towards her throughout her dating show being aired. Just to kill some time, Shaundi decided to converse with the intern and asked her about post graduation plans. The lieutenant offered a bit of honest advice to the young adult, that the right amount of wording may not hurt a person’s feelings. 

 

Throughout the years as a celebrity, Shaundi was annoyed by how she was painted as a whore by the media or a bitch when refusing to do interviews after Gat’s death. All those stories about her in those gossip magazines were all exaggerated, in addition to the guilt of her friend’s death and the how most members of the gang weren’t coping, Shaundi just felt like closing off to a lot of people. She thought she was alone about those feelings, but then Cecilia offered comfort when no one else did, as the Boss was more or less on the same boat as her. She realized that the blonde had as many critics but on a more serious scale, being labeled a sociopath or a killer without a conscience when she knew firsthand of the Boss’ intentions. Shaundi could trust the Boss easier than most people, as despite being entirely different they did share the same amount of ridicule in the media, compared to Pierce’s critics but only because it was tame compared to what reporters say about the two women. Simply stating that Pierce isn’t the greatest singer isn’t as bad as being called a slut or a psychopath. 

 

“I’ll remember that, I know the news wants to focus on the negative stuff, but I just want to be different and report on the good stuff. I guess it’s just the business, however I want to be reminded of the good. Thanks Shaundi!” 

 

The lieutenant felt good about giving advice to the intern, she continued to observe the newsroom which started to come together. Colleagues of Jane were standing by the cameras, talking about how the interview could elevate her career and among them started to speculate the possibility of replacing her if she gets a promotion or moves. Since the Boss remained in a different room to prepare for her interview, Shaundi took the opportunity to leave the room but not before texting her girlfriend aware that the blonde left her phone where she sat. It was a while since the lieutenant had a bit of fun with the Boss, and came up with a plan. Shaundi said her goodbyes to the college intern and even exchanged her business email with the young woman before she headed back to the exit. 

The Boss exhaled in relief now that the interview was over and was quick to leave her seat. She had a bit of small talk with Jane afterwards, hearing about how the reporter can finally get out of Steelport and into a major city landing an exclusive interview. The blonde really couldn’t give a good input of Jane’s statement and simply wished her luck, she considered the reporter an occasional acquaintance after the Boss did her a favor and caused a bit of Mayhem in Stilwater years ago. She took a bit more time just to pose for quick selfies with news staff before heading out only to see that Shaundi has already left. The blonde didn’t think much of it and assumed that the lieutenant simply went to the bathroom, she grabbed her phone saw a new text message. 

 

Sorry I had to leave, didn’t want to get wrapped up with the frenzy outside of the room. I’ll be waiting for you at a classy place, but it may be a bit tacky for your taste. Love you! XOXOXO

 

For about a minute Cecilia was confused with Shaundi’s text message, wondering what she meant by classy. The Boss had a bit of similar taste of fashion with Shaundi so initially she couldn’t think of something they would disagree on when it comes to designs. 

 

“Wait a second ...Is she talking about that tacky gazebo? No fucking way!” The Boss exclaimed.

 

She left the newsroom before anyone could notice and rushed upstairs to the helipad. The blonde noticed that the propeller of the helicopter was slowly rotating, she wasn’t sure whether the guards have already turned the engine on or if they just landed. The Boss didn’t really have the time to ask questions and prompted to take her position in the pilot seat. The blonde was smart to travel by flight when she saw that the evening commute would be busier than usual and didn’t want to keep Shaundi from waiting too long. It was an hour long special not including the additional time for commercial and actual breaks. The Boss simply just talked about her experience with the mission including the days she spent having to be medically observed for injuries and had to answer unrelated questions that Jane asked to extend the runtime.

 

A helicopter ride from Steelport to Stilwater wasn’t lengthy, the night skies were clear with no chance of turbulence on the way to the city so in about an hour the Boss was able to reach Stilwater. She took time to land into the helipad on top of Purgatory which has gotten some renovations since the last time the Boss was there. The neighborhood surrounding the hideout went through some changes as well with the Saints-Ultor Initiative cleaning up all the rundown neighborhoods after the elimination of rival gang activity. Cecilia took the fire exit stairs down into the front of the Purgatory where she was greeted by some Saints members standing outside for a quick smoke. The Boss wasted no time to walk towards her parked purple Sabertooth and revved up the motorcycle engine hyping the Saints members nearby. It was a quick bike ride for the Boss to head over to the Red Light District as she drove past cars that were going less than the speed limit eager to meet up with Shaundi. 

 

Rebadeaux, just like a majority of neighborhoods in Stilwater after the company merger had renovations just to keep up with the times. While it still home to various sex shops and the famous Tee ‘N’ Ay strip club, neon signs were replaced with more impressive LED screens flashing the names of the businesses and pimps were no longer flooding the streets. Hanging lights were hung near the gazebo, it wasn’t hard to find when everything else in the neighborhood were in ultra bright colors. From there, the blonde could see Shaundi’s back facing her, there wasn’t much of a crowd in the boardwalk so it was easy for the Boss to spot her.

 

“Glad you’d showed up, I was worried that you couldn’t understand my text and I didn’t want to spoil anything by taking a photo.” Shaundi smiled.

 

“I actually like what they did here, it’s with the times. Now that’s classy!” The Boss remarked, she sat next to Shaundi where she could see the boardwalk better.

 

“I don’t know CeCe, it’s just a bit tacky in my opinion. The old neon signs were classy.” Shaundi laughed, it was funny how their perspective of the boardwalk changed after a few years. While waiting for the Boss, the lieutenant had a few minutes to think about a cute nickname for her girlfriend since it was still strange to refer her to her first name.

 

“That’s an interesting nickname Shaundi, my friends used to call me that when I was younger. So I’m glad that it’s about to make a comeback. Next you’ll tell me about some middle aged woman you met in prison that’s an expert on drugs.” The Boss laughed, she felt a warm feeling on this cold night, visiting an old spot in Stilwater with Shaundi.

 

The two stood up from their spot and started to walk around the boardwalk, it relieved the both of them when there weren’t that many people outside. Shaundi brought up her hand on Cecilia’s to hold hands while walking. It was the first time the two have held hands in public and the blonde looked away flustered and she didn’t want Shaundi to see her she knew the lieutenant would giggle about her blushing. The lieutenant lead the way for most of the short walk, where they’ve reached the garden area near the Kanto restaurant. They’ve talked about some stuff about their past since the Boss brought up her nickname among friends from years ago. Shaundi listened, despite the two of them knowing each other for years there are still new things that the lieutenant learned from the Boss.

 

“You know babe, you’ve mentioned before how the girl in that boat incident died from the explosion, but I think she’s always there.”

 

Shaundi remembered the evening that the Boss opened up a bit of her upcomings as a way to let out some feelings, how she used to be an entirely different person before joining the Saints and how that part of her died in the explosion. She believed that Cecilia was still that same girl from years ago, and how that aspect of her was still alive. It just was hidden within the new life and didn’t have the time to show herself as much. 

 

“Okay Shaundi, would you like to enlighten me on that? I’m curious how you’ll imagine how I’d be if we met when we were teens” The Boss gave a smirk, she wanted to know Shaundi’s thoughts of her old self.

 

“From what you’ve mentioned, you used to get a bit nervous around cute girls. Nothing hasn’t changed...I know you’re embarrassed!” Shaundi paused to see Cecilia hiding her face and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It was a side of the Boss that no one else has ever seen, but she loved it. It was the first time for years that Shaundi felt joy seeing someone head over heels for her. 

 

Cecilia made Shaundi laugh a few times before in the past, but hearing her laughter at that moment warmed her up, it’s a different feeling when she’s in love. She couldn’t help but give a soft chuckle even when it was in her own expense. 

 

“You know, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen Stilwater like this, why don’t we explore the city a bit more? We could use fresh air after being cooped up in Steelport!” The Boss was quick to answer, wanting to just roam around the city as their first real date night. It was almost a perfect scenario, there weren't that many people around where they were and the two don’t need to worry about any paparazzi. 

 

The Boss knew that meeting Shaundi back in Stilwater would lead to some good feelings. Reminiscent of the old days when they were younger, when the two were still warming up to each other. It was odd to have positive feelings about a city where the Boss went through plenty of tragedies, but there was triumph in the end when she made it the city of the Saints. Steelport was the same way, but Stilwater was a nice reminder to where she came from. The two women were heading out of the park where Shaundi had her car parked near the restaurant, normally the blonde is the one that drives but the lieutenant wanted to give her girlfriend a bit of a break. While Shaundi was driving around the streets trying to avoid traffic, the two continued their talks about good times in the city. This was simply just the beginning of a great night out, a night for them to go back to the old days for just a moment before going back to the reality of being international celebrities. 

Notes:

SORRY FOR ANOTHER BIG BREAK FROM WRITING! Again, been very busy and a bit paused on some ideas while writing this long chapter but I hope the length could sustain and makeup for those months of waiting! : p

LMAO but don't worry, there could be a new chapter that could be posted earlier than you all expect! Again, I wanna thank all of you guys for taking the time to read this story. It was gonna be something a bit minor, but now it's a story that I really want to put a lot of effort on. Feedback is always welcome, I tend to upload chapters super late so there are some errors then and there.

Oh and if you're interested, you can follow me on Tumblr! I tend to post some SR content as well and you can even see images of my Boss on my blog!
Tumblr: Punkishrogue

Chapter 16: She's So Lovely

Summary:

Shaundi and the Boss take a trip down memory lane as they've reminiscent of their youth on their first ever night out

Notes:

A longer chapter than what I usually do, it's dialogue heavy as well!
Hope you guys still have a nice read!

The Boss wasn’t used to being the passenger of a car ride, but she took the opportunity to recline the chair back as Shaundi was driving around the black Raycaster that she owned. The lieutenant continued to drive following traffic laws, which seemed to be out of the norm for any Saints member. Most of them are used to speeding and cutting off cars to reach their destination even when they are out on a normal drive. 

 

In the meantime, the blonde was looking out the window to observe the night lights of the city. There have been a little bit of changes since the last time the Saints were in Stilwater. Several buildings finished renovations and the 1st National Bank of Stilwater had been re-purposed to be associated with the Saints after the Syndicate empire had crumbled. Cecilia liked the positive changes that happened to Stilwater, it may have lost itself compared to when she first stepped foot into the Saints Row neighborhood, but she accepted that growth happens and her perception of a good environment changed. The city was much safer with the help of the Saints, which defied the last spoken words Julius said to the Boss, she was able to accomplish something that he didn’t on that regard. Suddenly, the car was parked and the blonde didn’t even notice.

 

“After all these years, it’s still the same.” Shaundi said, the Boss looked and saw the old arcade the two women used to go to back in the day. The building stood out as it appeared older compared to the renovated or new nearby businesses, it had that nostalgic charm that people older than the Boss liked, but the blonde didn’t have much appeal or care for the retro appearance. 

 

“Don’t tell me you’re still mad at me for beating you in our last game.” Cecilia smirked at Shaundi, it has been years since the two women were playing skeeball in the arcade where the Boss was the victor of that game. 

 

“Why would I be mad if I know that I could beat you again?” Shaundi responded back, she knew that the Boss was quite competitive in even the most casual types of fun. The Boss was a bit of a good sport about some games, like allowing the lieutenant to brag about beating her in Zombie Uprising, but when it came to a game of soccer or basketball it’s more intense. 

 

After their playful exchange, the two women got out of the car and went inside the arcade to see that nothing really changed on the inside either. There were a few new games installed, including a brand new VR Zombie Uprising game, but everything else remained the same. A place that was usually filled with college students only had a few people inside, as it was finals week in Stilwater University. The two walked directly towards the old skee-ball game to start up a much anticipated rematch between girlfriends. 

 

“How about this, whoever wins decides where we go next!” The Boss said doing light arm stretches. 

 

“So basically, I get to drive around town tonight.” 

 

Shaundi glanced at the blonde with confidence. The lieutenant was the one that taught the Boss how to play skee-ball so she had the advantage of knowing where the blonde struggled in this type of game. She knew that Cecilia had the technique of taking her time to aim for higher point marks and that faster people made her nervous. 

 

The small competition between the Boss and Shaundi had grown intense since neither girl wanted to quit, since the lieutenant was playing it fast, Cecilia got nervous and naturally threw fast, disturbing her concentration. Since each game lasted about a minute, both women had played multiple rounds of skee-ball making it a best out of seven series as if it was the playoffs of a major league basketball or baseball game. If Shaundi could give the Boss one thing, is that her girlfriend is determined to go beyond just to achieve her goals, no matter how ridiculous it was. Winning a game of skee-ball seemed to be top priority for Cecilia at that moment, wanting to impress Shaundi with her improved skills compared to the aggressive overthrows when they first started playing almost five years ago. Eventually someone had to be the victor, and in the end despite a sloppy few rounds, the Boss bested Shaundi.

“YEAH!!” The Boss yelled out loud, with confidence she spiked the ball into the ground, only to bounce back and directly hit one of the lights out in the ceiling. The blonde looked around to see if anyone noticed, but it seemed that the majority of the people were too invested in their own type of fun. Shaundi might’ve lost, but she ended up getting the last laugh when Cecilia looked around concerned about the broken light. 

 

“Alright, well congrats on being the powerful skee-ball champion in all of Stilwater! Go you!” Shaundi teased the Boss, with a very playful tone in her voice. The lieutenant hasn’t been this relaxed nor lively in a long time. 

 

“You’re a real asshole.”

“I’m as much of an asshole as you are, but that’s okay with me.” Shaundi replied, the couple had been exchanging that insulting word to each other so frequently that it has become their own type of insider joke between the two women. 

 

Their time in the arcade wasn’t done just yet, after grabbing some sodas from the vending machines, the Boss suggested to play the new VR display which was a two player game. While neither girl was really into video games, Zombies Uprising was a very popular series with the Saints and both had spent a lot of time playing it back in the day. The game itself was very awkward with the controls and the motion just wasn’t in sync so the majority of the time the Boss was on one side trying to find the main stage while Shaundi kept dropping her weapons fighting off zombies on her own. It was a quick game, a letdown for long time casual fans such as the two women. Not long after, the Boss was quick to take off the VR visor to continuously rub her eyes, the bright and saturated lights in the game caused a lot of strain for her eyesight. 

 

“Babe….Boss, are you alright?” 

 

“I should be, the lighting in that game was terrible and it really hurt my eyes.” After she stopped rubbing her eyes, the blonde looked at Shaundi and noticed the concern in the lieutenant's eyes and assured her that she was okay with a warm smile. 

 

“Say Shaundi, why don’t we head over somewhere a bit more, homey?” The Boss asked, even if she was the one to pick out the next destination for their date night adventures. Her lieutenant agreed, maybe it’s the process of getting older but arcade games aren’t as amusing as it used to be when they were younger. 

 

Just before the two were about to reach the exit, Shaundi noticed a familiar face in the arcade. There was a man that was checking out the busted ceiling light, he had an average stature and was at the most, six feet tall. He had a shaved head with a clear spot for a receding hairline, blue eyes, and had a full beard. It was apparent why the lieutenant recognized the man, it was one of her exes. He might’ve changed his appearance since the last time they saw each other, but it was clear based off of those sharp brows and blue eyes. Shaundi also noticed that the bearded man had put on a little bit of weight after a few years. 

‘“Ohhhh shit…” 

 

“Shaundi?” The man looked at Shaundi’s direction and started walking towards the two women. The boss was puzzled at her girlfriend’s reaction, tilting her head at the man coming up close. The memory was a bit foggy for the blonde, eventually she recognized the man as well. 

 

“Blake!! Wow, it’s been years! You’ve changed quite a bit.” The brunette gave her ex boyfriend a friendly hug. Since they’ve broken up long ago, there weren't any serious or remaining feelings between the two. Especially now that Shaundi had Cecilia. 

 

“Guess you can say that, a receding hairline and stress could change anyone’s appearance. You’re looking amazing these days! Oh hey, isn’t that your boss? Now she really changed since the last time I saw her in person!” Blake responded, in awe to see his ex with the Boss. He remembered the blonde back when she wore glasses and had highlights from that frat party he hosted all those years ago. 

 

“Well, I guess we all outlive frat parties eventually. How have you been since you gave us that intel on the Samedi?” The Boss asked Blake, her memory of the man was clear given the importance of rival gang intel up and how she helped him out beat a rival fraternity in return.

“Nothing as major as saving the country, but I do own the arcade now. Bought it off the previous owner after some...unfortunate circumstances. I’m just checking out the damage of this light, looks like I have to think about some renovations. Figures, I sorta got this place as is, so it wouldn’t hurt to update some stuff during the next semester.” Shaundi glared directly at Cecilia and the blonde flashed one of her signature half grins. 

“So what brought you guys over here in Stilwater? I thought most of the gang operations were in Steelport.”

“Well, we’ve just wanted to drop by to relax after an eventful couple of weeks. Ever since we got rid of those Syndicate assholes, some of the gang decided to reside in Steelport full time “ Shaundi responded

 

“I can see that, you guys seemed really into the old skee-ball machine. By the way, don’t worry about the busted up light, Blondie. It’ll be weird to charge property damage to a national hero.”

“Ohhh well thanks, hey we’ll be heading out soon. I want to spend this short amount of leisure by checking out the rest of the city before returning to Steelport. If you need me to drive around in flames again, you know who to call.” The Boss responded, she didn’t want to rush the conversation, but she could tell Shaundi felt a bit awkward near her ex. 

 

She patted Blake’s shoulder as a sign of goodbye heading towards the door outside, leading the way out with her girlfriend trailing behind. Before Shaundi could even head to the exit, she heard the man call out her name one last time. 

 

“By the way, Shaundi.”

“What’s up?” The lieutenant asked without hesitation. 

 

“I just wanna say I’m happy you found someone, you two look perfect together.” Blake responded, which made Shaundi nervous. Thinking to herself that this relationship could make negative headlines, yet her ex’s tone sounded positive.

 

The brunette nodded goodbye to Blake before finally making an exit to the door. Once outside, she noticed that the Boss was waiting by the car. Shaundi never bothered to give her keys to the blonde for her to drive in, but she believed it would’ve been for the best. The lieutenant is well aware of the Boss’ fashion taste but she never looked thoroughly at the blonde’s appearance like she did at that moment. For the cooler winter nights, Cecilia opted for a blazer and turtleneck combination to pair with dark purple skinny jeans and white ankle boots. Shaundi seeing the Boss’ style in a new light has given her a new perspective how throughout the years the blonde’s fashion senses changed, and how more attractive she is. 

 

“You forgot to give me your keys, but I’m down to ride shotgun. Even though it seemed odd riding shotgun without shooting one these days.” The Boss responded, she felt that after a long day she could use the rest. It is also an excuse for Cecilia to look at her girlfriend and appreciate how perfect she looks. The blonde felt dumb to not see how pretty Shaundi is back then, she wondered how different things would’ve been if she had more self confidence in her feelings of love years before. 

 

“If you insist, that also means I’m in charge of the radio station!” Shaundi replied. The lieutenant enjoyed listening to contemporary music which the Boss didn’t mind. Cecilia was still trying to catch up to the new era of popular music, knowing that her alternative rock isn’t as popular or mainstream as it was before the explosion. 

 

When Shaundi started up the car, she heard a rumbling noise, got confused and thought it came out of the Raycaster. The noise happened again, but it didn’t come from the engine, but rather on the lieutenant's right side. The Boss looked away in embarrassment since that was her stomach growling, she didn’t eat anything filling throughout the whole day and had only a few light meals. The lieutenant couldn’t help but chuckle, not because of the stomach growling but at the Boss’ reaction. 

 

“I might’ve been starving since that interview…..They only had stale donuts and browning fruit in the green room. I hope that the steakhouse downtown doesn’t mind walk-ins…..Actually fuck that! I haven’t had Freckle Bitch’s in so long!” 

 

“Almost fooled me CeCe, but oddly enough I was thinking about grabbing some for old time sakes. Don’t worry about covering for me this time.” Shaundi smiled, there were multiple times where the Boss used to buy food for the both of them whether it was a fast food run or even for the college loft. 

 

“By the way Shaundi, I was thinking if we could head over to the loft by the college after this?” Without a word, the lieutenant accepted the Boss’ request, she did win afterall and wanted to keep her word. 

 

The lieutenant drove to the nearest Freckle Bitch’s that was a few minutes away from the arcade, throughout the car ride the Boss was checking out the website for the menu to see if there were any food items to try out. 

 

“You’d think since we owe the assets to the company, they’d release new food items into the menu..I guess I have to get the usual Fist with no pickles.” While the Boss wasn’t amused by the lack of new items, Shaundi didn’t mind it. She liked the fast food joint for its simple menu that pulled her through those late night munchies when she’d get multiple orders of nuggets. 

 

There was a line of at least four more vehicles in front of the car so it took several minutes until the two were able to place their order. Oddly nothing new for their options, Shaundi and the Boss always had their go-to orders which most Saints members have memorized anytime they were sent on a Freckle Bitch’s run. The smell of the food when it was picked up brought up so many memories of the fun part of running the Saints. It was reminiscent of a simpler time when they were still young, having fast food every other day just as fuel for the day. It has been several years since both women had any type of fast food let alone the type coming from the ever classy red headed mascot. Even when the two were in Stilwater to have Johnny’s memorial, they didn’t bother ordering food and just had leftovers from catering for a few days.

 

“I never thought I’d ever miss the smell of fatty fast food!” The Boss said, she was tempted to grab a handful of fries to eat but only took one just to taste. 

 

“Look babe I’m glad that you got something to eat for so long, but don’t try to make a mess in my car.” 

 

The blonde isn’t a messy eater, so she caught onto Shaundi's sarcastic remark of messing up her car. In the past, there have been three instances where the Boss managed to damage the lieutenant's own car during some intense moments when chasing down rival gang members or fending them off, so wreckage was guaranteed.

Shaundi drove smoothly on her way to the Saints loft that was right by the university. A lot of memories were made in that living space, given how much time the two spent while taking classes. It used to be a normal hangout place for some Saints roaming around the university neighborhood but the Boss ended up closing it off for just a place for Shaundi to live in while she re-enrolled. Once the two got their degrees, it remained as the lieutenant’s main living space for a while before she got dragged onto reality television.

 

“Here we are, let’s hope no wasted college students broke into it.” Shaundi said, turning her direction towards the Boss who waved at the nearby Saints members across the street. The college neighborhood didn’t have any drastic changes, with the exception of a few new buildings in the university itself, the next door lofts remained the same.

 

Shaundi unlocked the door and turned on the light switch to see that not a single change happened to the loft. It was well maintained since the last time she was living there, the mahogany furnishing remained tidy. The chairs adjacent to the pool table are neatly arranged side by side. A nice lemony scent greeted the couple into the loft, Cecilia was pleased to know that after a few years this property is still being looked after. She remembered that the loft wasn’t always this neat, once the Boss purchased the property it was renovated right away with the neat freak blonde’s tendency of wanting to have all things Saints owned to be not only pleasant but sanitary.  

 

“You know babe, the loft is in better condition than before, must be because I don’t see old paper bags and broken lightbulbs on the floor this time.” The Boss responded, Shaundi’s been more neat as she matured but back in the day she did leave trash around which annoyed the blonde at times. 

 

“I was young and dumb, don’t act like you weren’t as bad by leaving ammo and cigarette cartons on the floor. “ Shaundi rolled her eyes, but wasn’t too annoyed. The two were young and sometimes in the midst of taking over the city, tidiness isn’t always the top priority. 

 

The Boss leaped onto the couch, placed the Freckle Bitch’s bags by the table and decided to turn on the television. When she saw it was a ‘I Wanna Sleep with Shaundi’ rerun, she promptly turned it off before her lieutenant even noticed and was slightly annoyed that Ultor media was still airing the show. Instead, Cecilia grabbed the remote that controlled the speakers to play some music. A dinner date wouldn’t be complete without some ambient music, it played one of Shaundi’s burned CD’s that played Santeria by Sublime as the first track. Shaundi joined her on the couch and got her food from one of the paper bags.

 

“Ohhh now this is my jam!” Shaundi exclaimed, she began singing along with the first part of the song up until the chorus before taking a sip from her drink. 

 

This was the first time that the Boss ever heard her lieutenant sing out loud, and it sounded amazing. Shaundi wasn’t a loud singer, it was relaxed and charming to the Boss. 

 

“I didn’t know you could sing, maybe Pierce should be the one with the dating show and you with the singing career instead.” Cecilia responded, she thought about that outcome but it may not be different regarding her lieutenants' reputations in the media. 

 

“So you’ve never actually heard me sing before? Remember that time we had a little kick back when Pierce brought in a karaoke machine? It was pretty hilarious since we tried to get you to sing and mid-way through the song you just got pissy then threw beer bottles at some of the guys! But at least you didn’t hurt anyone, you were a shy singer though.” Shaundi explained the event to the Boss who had a hard time remembering.

 

“Honestly, I might’ve been buzzed. We’ve had too many of those study breaks to count but so many great stories that we’ve never told anyone. In fact you don’t even remember when I first came out to you. When I told you that I was a lesbian you just staring at me for a moment before telling me that you thought I was American.” Cecilia said, she only came out to people in a casual tone rather than making it a big deal. 

 

“Was that why you didn’t bother to tell me again?” Shaundi asked, and the blonde nodded slightly, only to laugh afterwards.

 

The two women continued their conversation of certain memories that both had remembered while enjoying their dinner. They’ve had a fair share of girl talk when the lieutenant used to build up the Boss’ confidence of asking someone out without thinking about Cecilia’s preferences, and the blonde wanting Shaundi to use her great abilities as a gang member into the real world with networking. While most of the time they’re around other lieutenants in the duration of their main residency in the loft together, they’ve had more sincere moments when they’re alone. When the blonde put a blanket over a passed out Shaundi on the couch after late partying in a couple of school nights or those moments when the lieutenant joined the Boss’ early morning jogs around the neighborhood, gotten used to each other’s company during the downtime of running a gang. Times were simpler for them, before all the glamour and fame hit the Boss and lieutenants like a speeding train, with everyone going into various roles in media and business. 

 

Songs continued to play on, the tracks were a reflection of a relaxed, “fun” Shaundi that had a variety of ska and pop music. The Boss noticed that her lieutenant still had the same music taste after all these years and didn’t resist smiling. The brunette noticed Cecilia’s dumb smile and laughed, prompting the Boss to cover her face. 

 

“Nope, I saw that! There’s nothing wrong with smiling, Boss!” Shaundi gently attempted to move the blonde’s hands away from her face. It wasn’t like the lieutenant had never seen the Boss smile or genuinely looked happy, but the blonde had too much pride to show off that side of herself even among fellow Saints. 

 

This bit of movement of resistance towards Shaundi continued with the Boss, which led to the lieutenant facing the blonde being straddled onto her lap. As Shaundi successfully uncovered Cecilia’s face by softly pinning the blonde’s hands with her own on top of the couch cushions, the Boss had her eyes closed and laughed because of the way the lieutenant was acting in addition to Shaundi’s contagious soft laughter. It didn’t take long after the laughs died out that the two women noticed the position they were in, their fingers interlocked and the two simply smiled at each other, looking into each other’s eyes before the lieutenant leaned forward to lock lips for a few seconds.

“Have I ever mentioned that I love you?” Shaundi said after breaking the kiss

 

“Only all the time, not that I mind.” The Boss responded, leaning forward eyes half shut for another kiss.

 

 Even though the two had their fair share of kisses during their movie nights, these were more affectionate. A soft moan escaped Cecilia’s mouth after the women broke the kiss, causing Shaundi to blush for a moment. When the blonde noticed, she looked away after realizing the weird sound that she made, she never made a noise like that in years. Not since being with her first girlfriend all those years ago. 

 

“CeCe I’m sorry but that sounded kinda cute.” 

 

“Too bad you won’t be hearing that anymore…” The Boss responded with a smirk

 

The two women stayed in their position for several minutes, it wasn’t awkward for either of them as they continued to exchange things that they’ve loved about each other. It was the little things that had them smile, whether it was Shaundi mentioning how much she loved the Boss’ constant reassurance or how Cecilia loved the lieutenant's patience with her when it came to understanding technology. It was like that for some time, until Shaundi got up to stretch a bit.

 

“Babe I was thinking, since the night is still young why don’t we head back out again?”

 

“Of course we can, got anything in mind? I heard Veteran Child got a memorial statue by the radio station waiting to get destroyed!”  Shaundi said she heard about the memorial from word of mouth, but was never confirmed that such a ridiculous statue existed. 

 

“Tempting, but maybe some other day.” The Boss believed that it was just a bad rumor Saints members have told to fool lieutenants. 

 

“How about vandalizing that shitty monstrosity in the middle of the city?” Cecilia refused to acknowledge the Stilwater Memorial Church as the same church hideout, and always hated its structure and what it symbolized.

 

Oddly, the two suggested similar ideas of destroying some type of property whether or not it existed. Both Shaundi and the Boss laughed it off, and continued to list out suggestions before they compromised heading over to Purgatory for a few drinks and to hang out with some of the lieutenants that have stayed in Stilwater. They’ve both headed out of the loft and hopped onto the car on their way to the nightclub. It was a nice opportunity to keep taps on the hideout with the Saints members to make sure everything has been running smoothly in person. 

 

On their drive to Purgatory, purple beams lit up the skies which were a familiar sight for the Saints. It wasn’t always like this, rival gangs had established their power with those lights for months if not years before the Boss woke up from her coma. There was plenty of hard work and heartbreak to assert power over the city once more, even if it was within the skyline. It was apparent that both Shaundi and Cecilia were hopeful for long term peace within the Saints. 

 

Notes:

WHAT'S POPPIN LGBT!!

It's been a while since I last updated! I just get a bit stuck on certain things when it comes to writing a fic when in between chapters, certain headcanons or changes in a character may get altered so it's a bit of a challenge to have a different approach then the original plan.

I hope you've all been enjoying this fic, and staying safe inside as much as you could!
Which the current circumstances, there may be more frequent updates instead of long gaps between uploads!
Maybe...STAY TUNED!

Chapter 17: A Little Bit Closer

Summary:

The morning after their first night out in the city, the Boss and Shaundi ended up having a deep conversation about their problems.

There's also a featured appearance by another character of mine, Hal.

It was eight in the morning in Purgatory, the average time to wake up for civilians but still considered too early for the typical Saints member. Normally gang members tend to be up all night and asleep during the day. It’s different for the Leader of the Saints, who's been known to wake up earlier than anyone else and is caught up with her routine by the time everyone else starts their day. The blonde slowly opened her eyes, her sight was blurry for a quick moment. She laid on her side the whole night, the first thing she saw when she woke up was a wave of dark brown hair inches away from her face. Cecilia’s right arm was wrapped around the waist of her lover, but wasn’t a tight hold. She thought the lieutenant was sleeping, the Boss moved closer, placing a kiss on her partner’s exposed shoulder. 

 

“Woah watch it...That was cold!” Shaundi softly groaned, the cold touch of the blonde’s lips gave her a bit of a shock. The two kept warm throughout the night during the winter season. While it hasn’t been snowing, the air remained cold and plant-life remained withered. 

 

“Sorry sweetie, didn’t expect you to be up before me.” The Boss responded, she’s been the one that was the first to wake up for the few occasions the two have slept on the same bed. 

 

Shaundi turned to her other side so that she could face the Boss and moved herself closer to the taller woman. She loved the sight of her girlfriend that no one else had ever seen before. Blonde hair that wasn’t styled for once, the Boss’ bangs were down and not in their usual spot parted to the side with one side being longer than the other. Without her lip ring, the lieutenant was able to see the visible piercing scar on Cecilia’s bottom lip. She looked onto the Boss’ half shut golden eyes, the usually piercing stare she had was lessened by the dilated pupils by the lack of natural light in the room. The blonde moved some hair out of Shaundi’s hair and tucked it behind the lieutenant's ear to get a better view of her face. The brunette rarely had her hair down even in private, so it was a nice sight for her to see. 

 

“I’ve never noticed this about your face until seeing it so up close…” Shaundi placed her fingertips by the bridge of Cecilia’s nose and trailed downwards. The lieutenant's hand being near the blonde’s face was enough to make the Boss blush, for all the dangerous tasks that Shaundi has done throughout the years, her hands were very silky to the touch. 

 

“You got some freckles here, I don’t think anyone else would notice them up close.” The Boss’ small freckles were hard to see, often because they’re only a slight tint darker than the rest of her skin and also makeup does the trick to cover them for special occasions. Not only that, but it is spread in only one part of her face instead of all throughout, concentrated parts of the right side of her cheek and temple. 

The Boss leaned in closer and gave a good morning kiss to Shaundi, giving the brunette a better view of her freckles. Shaundi wasn’t wrong, almost no one could tell that the Boss got freckles, it was a bit of an insecurity when it became more prominent when the blonde lost a bit of pigmentation after the coma, light makeup work would be used to cover them up for public appearances.

 

Cecilia couldn’t say the same for Shaundi when it came to seeing little details about the lieutenant's face due to her vision without any contacts or glasses, additionally she wasn’t as talkative in the mornings.

“Uhhhh….I can tell that you’re still perfect.” The blonde responded. Shaundi could hear the slight hesitation from her voice, but was aware of her lover’s poor eyesight without any aid. 

 

The lieutenant accepted the compliment, she gave her girlfriend a kiss on the cheek before she moved herself into the Boss’ arms. Where the two simply layed in bed checking their phones to see if anyone within the gang tried to contact them while they slept. It was no question that some of the guys in Steelport including Pierce texted both about their whereabouts throughout the previous night, it took a few responses and phone calls back to tell everyone that Boss had to take care of some business in Stilwater that needed her help. For a few minutes the two chatted about the previous night, what happened in Purgatory with some of the lieutenants. The hideout had a few renovations done that the Boss had to view in person to see if it was up to her standards, it was the fifth remodelling job within a three year span just to maintain major structural support. 

 

“Alright, time to get up.” The Boss slowly got out of bed and reorganized the pillows on her side and neatly fixed the blanket. She wore a long sleeve pajama top with a fleur de lis pattern printed all over, it was fitted loosely. Along with the pajama top, the Boss had no pajama pants on, instead she had her dark purple boxer briefs and left her socks on overnight. Cecilia started doing some light stretches as she always does first thing in the morning. The lieutenant stayed on her side of the bed to respond to some emails she received from various people that ranged from minor lieutenants and corporate representatives. 

 

“Babe, got any ideas what to eat for breakfast?” Shaundi said, she took her eyes away from the screen to look at the Boss stretching out her arms. The lieutenant felt something healthy to balance out the fast food she ate the previous night, and the blonde wouldn’t turn down something light to eat.

 

“I felt a bit guilty eating Freckle Bitch’s last night, would you be down for some avocado toast? Maybe some fruit and oatmeal on the side?” The Boss asked, it was the usual breakfast to fuel her up in the morning when she didn’t blend in various fruits and veggies into a smoothie. Shaundi agreed, it was unusual for her to be up this early let alone eating first thing in the morning. 

 

Even before the two ended up dating, the Boss checked in with Shaundi mental health wise, since she still wasn’t comfortable to talk to a professional about her feelings of guilt. As a gang leader, the Boss made it her goal to not only look after her crew based on their physical safety, but also mental when she had revelations about her own health. Cecilia made sure that her lieutenant wasn’t doing anything too bad such as skipping meals, but Shaundi didn’t have a problem with cleaning unlike certain people within the gang.  

 

After doing her stretches, the Boss looked through the dresser to find some appropriate bottoms for her pajama top, of course it wouldn’t match since Shaundi was wearing the other half of the sleepwear set. The blonde grabbed a pair of grey joggers and put them on, it was a perfect fit since the last time she wore it. Before heading out of the main bedroom, the Boss turned around to take a good look at Shaundi and smiled at how stunning the lieutenant looked even when she wasn't all glammed up for the public as usual. 

 

There were plenty of major renovations to Purgatory within a few years including clearing out the remaining area surrounding the hideout to make room for additional common rooms and bedrooms for members to pass out in after a long day. The expansion would even stretch out into a second clubbing area and more importantly, a large kitchen space for anyone to use. The right spot for those special dinner meetings with the lieutenants and leaders of special groups within the Saints to discuss those quarterly results. On a regular day, the kitchen would only be utilized for the few large fridge for the guys to store their leftovers or frozen meals, there have been a few times people cook, but nothing too special. The Boss made her way through the stairs in the main lobby towards one of the new corridors leading to the kitchen. Odd for her to think that years ago she had to fend off Ronin bikers in the same spot those years ago, but she’s content with expanding the main hideout, the gang was growing and she needed the space to match. 

 

“Hopefully these guys actually maintain my essentials list on the refrigerator…” The Boss said to herself, established a few regulations for the kitchen, such as making sure certain food items are always in stock. To her surprise, she was able to gather all the ingredients she needed to make food for her and Shaundi. The blonde had exceptional cooking skills that she picked up from her mother, family recipes were much of a big secret as her real name. As she was preparing the rest of the food, the Boss abruptly heard the sound of a can being dropped onto the tiled floor which caused a bit of a reaction. 

 

“Hal, I know that is you just from dropping that can…” The Boss responded, she was used to the sound of cans dropping when it came to one particular member within the gang. She turned around and saw a taller man exiting the pantry. Hal was one of the lesser lieutenants that stayed behind in Stilwater to make sure gang operations were running smoothly. He was carrying a couple cans of baked beans in one hand and the door handle on the other. Hal had on a grey hoodie on with a pair of purple pajama pants on, buzzed hair starting to grow out, cautious green eyes, and a thick stubble. 

 

“My apologies Miss Boss, didn’t mean to drop a can. I was just grabbing a nice snack before going back to bed.” Hal said. Despite how tall he stood compared to the Boss, Hal remained very respectful to the blonde and at times was intimidated by her, especially back in the day. He is the only person in the whole gang that referred to the gang leader as “Miss Boss” which became a bit of a running gag with some of the regular members. 

 

“Don’t worry about it too much...No really it’s not a big deal.” The blonde responded, she continued on with her task at hand, drizzling the bread slices with olive oil before toasting them into the oven. 

 

In addition to a full meal, the Boss needed to prepare some drinks for her and Shaundi. Instead of a normal cup of coffee, the blonde seized the opportunity to use the espresso machine to have something more bold for an early morning. She wasn’t sure about what the brunette wanted but made two pairs of double shots for the both of them. 

 

“Good morning, Shaundi.” Hal said, he greeted the lieutenant before leaving the kitchen area but not without almost dropping another can while walking away. 

 

“Morning Hal!” The brunette said to Hal on his way out, she noticed the cans of baked beans and laughed a bit. 

 

Shaundi walked over to the kitchen island to see which fruits were available on the counter, there were several oranges and grapefruits, even a single pomegranate. The lieutenant went ahead to help out the blonde by cutting up some oranges, she would’ve preferred more variety of fruits but made due with what she had. After she was done, the brunette walked into the pantry to find other items, but couldn’t see any rolled oats or instant oatmeal for them to eat. 

 

“You’d think a bunch of gang members wouldn’t be eating oatmeal, guess I was wrong.” 

 

“Well it’s clear that we got guys in our crew that have the weirdest taste buds, Hal isn’t the only one.” The Boss responded, most members in the Saints had their own weird eating habits. Most members thought that her habit of putting chili powder on certain fruits was weird but the blonde didn’t mind, it was something she did since she was a child. 

 

As the two enjoyed their healthy meal, both women discussed the plans for the day since neither of them don’t need to go back to Steelport immediately. They saw the opportunity to use up the free time they had, not knowing the next time they get a few days off, which tends to rarely happen running the Saints. One of the plans included looking over the progress of the current renovations in Purgatory to check up on the guys in charge of it, especially when the people are contractors that were partnered with Ultor. It wouldn’t take much time in the day, so the two women thought about doing several observations in all the Saints operations throughout the city, especially the condition of major Saints property assets.
However, one thing was on Shaundi’s mind throughout the morning, it was time for her to bring up the topic with her girlfriend. The lieutenant rested her hand on top of the Boss’, Cecilia was quick to notice the gesture and looked at the brunette. 

“Babe….Have you been sleeping well recently?” Shaundi asked, it has been a while since she witnessed the Boss’ post traumatic episode, but she doesn’t know if that was the last time it occurred. Going into this relationship, she knew that there was more extra care for the both of them and wanted to support the Boss, to be that comfort for Cecilia when she needs it.

 

“Of course, Shaundi...Thank you for asking.” The Boss took a few moments before she continued, there are several things that factor into her health that a relationship may not automatically cure. 

 

“Lately, it’s been great since we’ve been together. I wish I could say I no longer have any episodes if I could be sincere with you. It’s just one of those things I cannot have any control of, and honestly I get nervous about ever having to do that in front of you.” a hard truth for the Boss to live with for the rest of her life, nor could she predict when a nightmare could occur. 

 

Shaundi massaged the top of the Boss’ hand with her fingers, she knew that it helped comfort the blonde before. Cecilia had issues with her own vulnerability and how she’d deeply repress it even with her friends, rarely and only showed that side to her lieutenant. The Boss had to overcome that hurdle, to trust herself to be comfortable with it around Shaundi. 

 

“CeCe, I know that it’s impossible to make all those bad dreams go away for good, it fucking sucks. But I’ll be there to make you feel better okay? You don’t have to feel bad about those moments if they happen.” 

 

“Sweetie, I don’t think I could get used to hearing you call me CeCe…” The Boss smiled, she felt more relaxed, no worries of her looking weak in front of Shaundi. She was afraid that being in love with her lieutenant meant that she couldn’t show any vulnerable emotions to her, when in reality she can as much as she needed to. 

 

Shaundi got up from her chair to hug the blonde, and she decided to sit on the Boss’ lap midway through the hug. The warmth in the embrace was comfortable especially when it was a cold morning. Cecilia placed a kiss on Shaundi’s cheek, then giving her a quick peck kiss afterwards. 

 

“You know babe, Hal didn’t notice that we were wearing a matching pj set. Which means…”

“He’s too tired or dense to see it?” The Boss responded, she noticed that the man didn’t even ask a question about it, as he was the type of guy to ask several questions whenever the two had a conversation. 

 

“I hope so...I’m just not ready to make it public yet” Shaundi said, the blonde nodded in agreement that both women aren’t comfortable making their relationship public. It would just add onto the constant media coverage throughout the country and the last thing the Boss wanted was to be stuck in one of the hideouts to avoid media reporters. 

 

The two women felt comfortable spending an intimate morning together, it was a good step into their relationship. The Boss wouldn’t think that years ago that she could feel safe having those moments of vulnerability with someone that she deeply cared for. A woman who thought that she couldn’t fall in love, but did. Unlike the past, there was no rush for anything physical, but it would eventually come up to the conversation after some time. 

Notes:

Sorry for the wait guys! Lately my mood hasn't been picking up throughout this whole year and motivation to do anything is a bit lackluster.

However, I was able to be satisfied with what type of pace I wanted with writing each chapter, which may or may not change after a while. It's just one of those problems I have for a story this long. : (

Chapter 18: Still Into You

Summary:

While running an errand, the Boss and Shaundi think about what they want the most in their relationship.

Notes:

AFTER A UNEXPECTED EXTENSIVE BREAK, I GOT ENOUGH MOTIVATION TO WRITE!

As a way to make it up to you guys, here is a long chapter. It may have dragged on, but I couldn't help and do some worldbuilding.
It's just instincts.

The rest of the morning went smoothly for the two women, it took until 11 in the morning for someone else inside the hideout to finally wake up and start the day. Until then, Shaundi and the Boss were dressed for the day and spent time looking over any paperwork for the gang such as expenses that were made within different operations, which was rarely a problem for the Leader of the Saints. Unlike the old days, profits for the Saints didn’t rely on various means of gang activity or various means of trafficking. Instead, the gang ran on a more business like model, the partnership with Ultor meant that there was no longer any need for certain operations such as drug trafficking or having a hold of prostitution in the city. The Boss took multiple risks to find new sources of income for the gang, making business deals with various industry leaders to give the Saints a bit of a cleaner image. 

 

The two were in the Boss’ office, which wasn’t an exception to the major renovations the hideout had in the past few years. In fact, the office itself relocated after the expansion of Purgatory that included the addition of a few additional floors. The top floor was reserved for not just the Boss’ office, but on the other side was the main meeting room that would be used whenever Cecilia calls in a meeting with all the main lieutenants in person, or more recently remote meetings from Steelport. The main office wasn’t too spectacular as a working space, not like the one in the Philips Building. However, it was more refined than the previous design, being a private office was one of the biggest differences. It was more than twice the size as well, enough space to put in various furniture pieces and still have plenty of room. The interior of the office had a more updated appearance, nothing too gaudy or artificial looking. There was no fake foliage that surrounded the space, instead the office had dark wood paneling to give it a more luxurious appearance that matched the cost of renovating it. It wasn’t an office for a gang leader if there isn’t a wall that was full of emergency weapons that can be used in case of an attack in Purgatory. The Boss had a spacious desk, L-shaped to provide room for the miscellaneous items for the blonde to display on the side. Items that were important to her which included framed photos of both friends and family that have passed. She kept all of the pictures near her desk to be reminded of the sacrifices that were made in order for the Saints to succeed. Behind the desk was a wall full of other sentimental items that were displayed among shelves. These items included the both of Jyunichi’s swords that Cecilia have used against him on his fatal defeat, a cross necklace that was the last thing that was left of Angelo many years ago, and a worn out voodoo doll used by Mr.Sunshine. The Boss had it placed in its own glass box next to two crucifixes that she personally owned. She wasn’t a superstitious woman, but the blonde didn’t want to have any evil spirits near her. 

 

While the Boss did work from her desk, Shaundi was sitting in one of the couches across from the blonde and the brunette was reading documents from an Ultor tablet she picked up from one of the tables. Cecilia always gave her lieutenants plenty of things to work on that don’t involve violence, but instead to look over documents and logs of the gang based on things they were assigned to in a special confidential Saints cloud system, with Ultor’s assistance. The lieutenant had lighter work to do compared to her girlfriend who needed to look over spreadsheets of budgets and profits of each division within the gang. It can be a bit of a headache when she has to distribute money to these teams based off of how much work was put into each operation. The Boss cannot always see everyone physically especially when in a different city so she relied on the lieutenants of the gang that stayed in Stilwater for weekly logs of everyone’s activity. 

 

“Just as I thought, normal pay for everyone this time cycle. However it looks like I’ll add a bit more extra for the security team. Especially dealing with the general public who might be a bit too excited about wanting to join the Saints…” The blonde said out loud. The overall approval of the gang kept going up that younger people have been dreaming of joining the Saints when realistically it may not happen. Cecilia was aware of that, and had done various ideas how to make a profit out of those fanatics, that will go beyond buying Saints brand products or stake out Purgatory. 

 

“Yeah I remember when people went to us for protection and a home, now everyone wants to be a Saint for the Hell of it!” The lieutenant responded, she was honestly discontent with average civilians who try so hard to be part of the gang when a few years ago those same people would’ve wished the other gangs pummeled the Saints. 

 

It was the price to pay when going beyond a powerful street gang and into being an empire alongside celebrities. Suddenly everyone wants to be a gangster, which means the Boss completely overhauled the gang’s image. She made the process of becoming part of the gang more difficult than before, doubled down on the harshness of canonization to see if all of those fans really do have what it took to be in the Third Street Saints. Additionally for anyone that somehow went through canonization without dying, were subject to difficult first missions to see if anyone would mentally and physically break. If someone couldn’t meet the blonde’s expectation for a Saint, she’d cast them aside to a lowly grunt, doing the most minimal work and essentially being everyone else’s bitch. 

 

“I made the right move to make it more difficult for people to join the gang a few years ago. Hell if someone like Hal tried to join now, he wouldn’t survive.” The Boss said, it was the truth that the lesser ranked lieutenant wouldn’t handle the new procedures had he been a new member. 

 

“I’m curious why he’s staying over here when he and Jonathan got their own place, unless those two managed to burn the whole apartment down.” Both women know the two men well enough to know neither of them are good at cooking, with the exception of Jonathan’s baking. 

 

“Well a few weeks ago Hal texted me that they needed to move out of their place after an incident with a very bitter lady from the complex and are currently waiting for the new place to be completed.” The Boss wasn’t the type to rely on text messaging as a means of communication but would need to make an exception for some members who may not be effective with phone calls. 

 

While the leader of the Saints was occupied finishing up transferring funds to the various teams of the gang, Shaundi had completed her first tasks approving some documents that needed to be reviewed and moved onto interacting with some of the Saints social media accounts. As a celebrity that was constantly in the spotlight, the brunette learned well how to use social media to her advantage better than some of the other Saints with access to the various handles. A few years back she taught the Boss how to use social media for her own use, including the ethics of sharing an opinion to the general public. After a while, the blonde ended up being good with the Saints account and her own handles where she posted various images of herself working out or displaying certain collections she gained from being wealthy. 

 

“Pheww, everyone should be getting their money sent within a few hours. Who knew that online transfers could be so much easier than paper bills in envelopes…” The Boss paused as her phone was alerting her with a phone call from Ultor’s Human Resources Department. She hoped it wasn’t something negative to tarnish the gang’s reputation. While the blonde was accepting the phone call, the lieutenant continued to look around various apps under the Saints social media accounts. 

 

Shaundi decided to look into Cecilia’s own Flexigram account, the Boss had one for herself that had a mixture of personal and Saints related content. The lieutenant followed the blonde but rarely looked into the account, but it was like that for other Saints members. When using the official Saints Flexigram, a majority of accounts that get followed are often corporate ones or of major influencers on social media. It was the first time in a while that Shaundi gave the Boss’ account a good look, seeing several posts of the blonde showing videos and photos of herself working out or even showing off a magazine cover that she was in for that month. The brunette couldn’t help but lay her eyes on the Boss’ figure, it’s a drastic change from the slender shape that she was used to seeing years ago. It wasn’t the first time Shaundi has ever seen the Boss showing off muscle since she can be seen in gym attire or hosting a pool party in the penthouse. However it was different for the lieutenant to look at those photos of the blonde ever since being together. There was a newfound attraction towards the Boss and she wanted more. The lieutenant grew beyond simple hookups over people she found attractive and became intimate with them right away. She wanted to make it right this time, and made gradual steps into the relationship that the Boss took as well. The two seemed very identical when it came to past relationships. 

 

“Are you finishing up, Sweetie?” Shaundi looked up to see a standing Cecilia and closed the Flexigram app. The Boss was looking at her phone, so the lieutenant wasn’t quick to turn off the tablet. 

 

“Turns out that the HR Manager of Ultor wants me to look after a new hire for the media group division.” The Saints Ultor Media Group has become one of the bigger divisions within the gang after the company partnership, being a competitor of other media outlets.

 

After leaving the office, the two women took an elevator down to the street level leading to the parking lot outside of Purgatory. During off hours, the hideout got a closed gate that will only open for Saints members to either enter or exit. Despite the multiple renovations Purgatory had made to improve its structure and security, it still had the issue of no elevator access to the helipad on top of the building which required going up a special exit and into the fire escape. Across the main building was a special garage reserved for certain vehicles, where Shaundi parked her Raycaster next to the Boss’ white Attrazione that she left while in Steelport. 

 

Adjacent from the garage door was a man of a muscular build wearing armor that most Masako Saints wear on a daily basis, light gear compared to what he usually wore. Curtis was a former police officer from the Stilwater Police Department who defected from the force due to an increase of corruption and police brutality that left a bad taste in his mouth, to swore his loyalty to the Saints as the next best option of protecting civilians. He held the position of being the leader of the security team, looking over the Saint’s assets and buildings as well as making other members feel safe in Stilwater while the Boss was in Steelport. He’s surprised by the women arriving back the night before, but it meant some time for him to relax. The stoic man was occupied with listening to messages he might’ve missed on his communication device.

 

“Hey Curtis, weird seeing you without your normal gear.” Shaundi said, her first impression of Curtis was a weird one. It all started when the former officer made a call to her about some police gear that would’ve been useful for the Saints to take down the Samedi. 

 

“Well with Boss around, I don’t need to wear all that bulk. I could use a little break after the Hell I’ve been through within the last year.” Curtis said, when word got out that several Ultor representatives were secretly working with the Syndicate, the head of security had to lead a stronger team to prevent any loss of Saints properties and members with the Boss in another city. 

 

“You deserve it, funny how things have worked out since you first dragged your feet into the hideout begging to join.” The Boss remarked, she was reluctant to let Curtis into the gang due to her distrust about cops and with good reason. She got proven wrong when the former officer provided not just excellent tactics, but also skills with taking down heavily armed forces. 

 

“I can drive this time around, Shaundi.” The blonde walked up to her Attrazione, which was one of her prized cars that she rarely drove around in, if she saw high value in a vehicle, then the Boss wouldn’t take it on a high risk drive that involved violence. The Boss drove the car out of the garage before the lieutenant could enter, but not without the blonde turning on the speakers to play some of her favorite music. 

 

“I’m glad you’re finally caught up on their music.” Shaundi teased, referring to the band that played. The Boss was a huge fan of Paramore since their first album was released after graduating from high school. Cecilia had a shock to learn about the albums that she missed out on as well as the band’s skyrocketing success becoming more mainstream. It took her several months to listen to their discography and to accept the evolution of the band’s overall music style. 

 

---

The drive to the Phillips Building didn’t take long, especially when the Boss was driving fast in her car, taking advantage of the HOV lanes with Shaundi in the passenger side. Not that she didn’t drive the carpool lanes while driving solo before whenever she was in a hurry. The famed Ultor Building wasn’t spared from renovations, even if they’re minor. The top floors implemented stronger and reinforced glass paneling, and a larger helipad. It was an agreement in the merger that most of Ultor’s intellectual properties will remain under that brand, hence why there wasn’t a huge Saints overhaul with interior and exterior designs with the exception of subtle purple trimmings throughout the building. Cecilia pulled over into a hidden underground parking garage that has elevator access up to the top floor. She was used to making visits to the offices, constantly dropping by to make sure Ultor is on the job of taking care of the public assets while still funding anything behind the scenes. 

 

“So who is this new person that Ultor brought on board? A new executive or some hot shot young actor?” Shaundi asked, she couldn’t make up the phone conversation before since it was a lengthy one the Boss had. 

 

The two entered the elevator and the Boss pressed one of the buttons that takes them into the 67th floor. It was a ride that would take some time before reaching its destination, not taking into account the redundant Ultor motto playing in the elevator’s speakers that talks about the company’s evolution. 

 

“Apparently the media department hired this well known artist from the internet to lead some illustrated and animated projects that are based on the Saints. From what I’ve heard, they’re also an amazing writer. The reason that Ultor didn’t try and recruit them earlier was that they were somehow occupied with other stuff outside of art which didn’t make sense to me…” 

 

This encounter wasn’t much of a plan for the two women, but it wasn’t expected to take too much of their day. The blonde thought about squeezing in another date that Shaundi would enjoy, ideally a nice restaurant with a private room. Since the start of their relationship, the blonde never took initiative about being more intimate within the first few weeks of being together. She loves Shaundi, but there was this barrier that stopped her from going into familiar territory that she journeyed with numerous women before the lieutenant. 

 

“67th floor, Saints-Ultor Media Suite” The automated voice said over the speakers.

 

The 67th floor was where the company had a dedicated department over the media aspects of the partnership, responsible for all ads, television shows, movies, and other means of entertainment. The suite is going through interior renovations to make way for extended work space for the wave of new hires that will be working on the various new projects that Ultor had planned to make. Past the secretary desk was the conference room, across the separate offices that were reserved for department administrators. 

 

“Just in time, the new hire is just waiting in the conference room! They’ve already completed their onboarding, signed the legal documents and waivers in case a helicopter crashes into the building..” The secretary expected the Boss’ prior to her visit thanks to a reminder that was posted for her earlier that day. 

 

Just like most meetings to take place, Shaundi would tag along with the Boss not as an observer but to share her own ideas and advice to the table. It seemed appropriate for this occasion as the lieutenant spent some time having minor movie roles and even a bit of voice acting.

 

---

“Leave it to Ultor to hire an interesting individual to oversee and work on these new series for us. But at least they could draw well enough to make a nice Saints based graphic novel.” It was the end of the meeting between the Boss and the brand new hire. The HR manager was there as well to review other procedures to the young artist. 

 

“They seem very protective about their identity to wear such headgear, I wonder what they really feel about meeting you.” Shaundi said. She stood behind the Boss who was sitting in the middle chair from one end, placing her hands on the blonde’s shoulders. 

The brunette leaned forward, placing a kiss on top of the Boss’ head, a sweet gesture to give to her girlfriend. In return, Cecilia brought her hands up to interlock with the lieutenant's fingers. It was a little past twelve after the meeting ended and was time to head somewhere else during their quick visit in Stilwater.

 

“Hey CeCe?”

“Yeah babe?” 

 

“Could we do another Freckle Bitch’s run for lunch, unless you’re in the mood for something else.” Shaundi suggested some more fast food to eat. She craved junk food as bad as the Boss since both women have been used to eating balanced meals that were always too healthy for their good. 

 

“After eating so well this morning? Sure why not...But after this, I need to go back to my diet.” The blonde lifted her head up to meet with Shaundi’s and gave a quick kiss on the tip of the lieutenant's nose. Ideally, the Boss wanted to head over to a fine restaurant afterwards, but she also thought of giving that luxurious life that she lived a little break. 

 

As soon as the two women were about to leave the conference room, Shaundi received a text message from one of the lieutenants to help with a bit of a diplomatic issue among the group that she needed to look after. With those types of situations it was best for the Boss not to get involved, since it wasn’t something that she is supposed to know about.

 

“Actually CeCe, do you want to head back without me? I got some things to take care of, don’t worry too much! I’ll be back at Purgatory after I’m done if you want to meet me there.” Shaundi gave a quick kiss to Cecilia before heading off but she was in no hurry. 

 

Now that the Boss got some alone time, she went around the floor to observe all the new changes for herself. She wanted to see if the renovations were up to her standards unless she needed to make a call to Eric. While walking around, she was able to see the view of the city and all the new projects that had taken place in a different angle. The Leader of the Saints also got a good view of a newly erected statue that took the place of the now demolished Hughes Statue by the bridge. Upon the request of various Saints as well as approval from Gryphon, a Johnny Gat statue was made to celebrate the life of one of the biggest faces of the Saints. The Boss looked on at the statue and smiled. She knew that Gat was looking after her as much as he did when they first met. 

 

Cecilia didn’t think of living her life happily after Johnny’s death when it happened, however as time moved forward she learned to gradually cope with the loss. She felt that it could get better if she allowed herself to enjoy life. The Boss was certain that sharing that happiness she felt with Shaundi could also help her with the loss, she knew she was still hurting on the inside. She wanted to be there for her growth when that ever gets brought up again. 

Chapter 19: Finally

Summary:

Shaundi got called to resolve an issue that surrounded a certain mechanic

Notes:

BACK FROM A UNPLANNED BREAK FROM WRITING, A LOT HAPPENED AND I DID WANT TO FOCUS A BIT MORE ON MY OWN PERSONAL GROWTH.

This is a very long chapter compared to the previous ones. but it's enough to make up for all that lost time with my lovely readers.

It was a smooth drive back to Purgatory for the leader of the Saints. There was a bit of afternoon traffic during the commute, but the Boss was an excellent driver and the blacked out windows of her Attrazione made it possible for her to avoid any fans on the street that could’ve caused a detour. She wasn’t the type to stay long for attention when she got places to go. While the Boss and Shaundi weren’t together during the ride as the brunette went ahead to sort out lieutenant duties, the blonde wasn’t too bothered being around on her own. In fact she’s used to going around the city alone, an odd habit for a person that is the leader of a gang that has strength in both numbers and power. On the way to the nightclub, Cecilia used the custom bluetooth feature in her car to dial-up reservations for her and Shaundi at one of the newest high-end restaurants in the city. Not being certain how long it would take until the Boss could meet up with the brunette, she opted to grab a quick bite to eat when she gets to Purgatory. 

 

The blonde pulled over to the gates of the nightclub which automatically opened for the Attrazione, and she drove to its respective parking spot in the garage across Purgatory. After getting out of the car, the Boss received a text from Shaundi and Cecilia was quick to read it.

“Hey Babe, this is taking longer than I wanted so I won’t be able to do lunch. Sorry” 

Shaundi responded followed by a sad face emoji, but the Boss didn’t mind and responded to her text right away.

“Don’t worry, let’s meet up for dinner later tonight, I’ll talk to you later.” The Boss answered followed by using a smiling emoji, she wasn’t big on the use of emojis but an exception was made to reassure the lieutenant that everything is alright. 

 

Cecilia walked over to the front door of Purgatory but not before getting nearly tackled by a rather large but friendly canine. Joe Cola was rushing towards the Leader of the Saints, greeting her and begging for some pets.

 

“Ughh easy there, Joe! You’re probably as strong as those brutes now.” The Boss said, giving in to the retriever’s demand for attention by petting him.

 

“Sorry Miss Boss, I was just taking Joe Cola out on a quick walk and he got excited that you’re here.” The skater responded, rushing towards the entrance of the nightclub to calm one of his pet dogs. 

 

Joe Cola was an oversized golden retriever that Hal instantly fell for when the Boss found the dog within the vicinity of the Pyramid when her and Johnny raided it. The blonde wanted to keep the dog safe from danger in the area and decided to bring it over to the Saints. Hal begged to keep Joe as his own pet and Cecilia didn’t hesitate to let the skater adopt the oversized dog. 

 

“Could be worse, I could’ve been tackled by two strong dogs. Speaking of, where did Flow go?” The Boss questioned the whereabouts of Joe’s younger sister, a black American Pitbull Terrier named Saints Flow.

“She’s with Jonathan to pick up some things before our big move, Miss Boss.” Hal responded, he was excited about him and his husband being able to move to a better area for their new place. It was time for the two men to start thinking about a change in their lives after the events that happened while the Boss was in Steelport. The skater was mostly happy for the move, being able to get away from an apartment building that just had a negative environment which was the cause of a very bitter woman who lived next door to Hal and Jon. 

 

After the exchange with Hal, The Boss continued on with her way to the nightclub, taking the elevator straight to the main level of Purgatory. Once she exited the elevator, the blonde was greeting some of the members that were either gathered by one of the big screen televisions playing video games or lounging around the couches in the center of the room. The space that the bar used to occupy was repurposed as more lounges accommodating the bigger gang size. The bar itself relocated to the upstairs portion of the base of the hideout, expanded into a full service bar for Saints and a few select members of the public. It was the middle of the day and the Boss didn’t feel like grabbing a nice drink just yet, and walked towards the long corridors leading into the kitchen. 

 

The blonde entered the kitchen and was greeted by the smell of overcooked meat, she saw that there was smoke starting to gather around the stove area and a couple of Saints members panicking and cursing at each other trying to get rid of the smoke. None of them noticed that the Boss walked in, and didn’t hear a loud sigh coming from Cecilia. Turns out that the guys were about to heat up some hotdogs for lunch and wanted to use the stove instead of grilling them outside. 

 

“You can turn on the air vent above the stove you know…” The Boss sighed, the last thing that she needed was a fire to happen because some members get too distracted cooking. One of the guys looked up and turned the vent on for the stove top, sucking in most of the smoke. Cecilia moved on, opening the fridge door to gather up some ingredients to make herself a protein shake. Even though the Saints got their own brand name protein shake that the rest of the gang used up, the Boss preferred making her own with ingredients that she knew were beneficial. 

---

The engine of a purple Venom started, and was revving up to prove that the car was ready to hit the road once again. The driver of the sports car decided to circle around the empty lot that the mechanic shop occupies. It wasn’t a shop that was extraordinary, or sticks out, and hasn't changed except for some extra spaces within the few years. Even after the mechanic made a flimsy alliance with the Third Street Saints, his workplace didn’t get a special treatment that the Boss would often give to all the assets that were related to the gang. However, Donnie understood why he was simply a low-level associate with the Saints, no matter how many times he tried to impress the gang. 

 

“Thanks for fixing up those cars properly Donnie, be lucky that I’m in a good mood today. Otherwise I would’ve called the Boss to shake you up once again..” Shaundi said, with crossed arms and a furrowed expression towards the mechanic. 

 

“Uhhh sure thing Shaundi, I know that I shouldn’t be making any mistakes. Especially when I don’t wanna make HER upset.” Donnie responded, referring to one of the enforcers of the Saints who stepped up into a leadership position in Stilwater. Sheila got out of her car to meet up with the duo that were right next to the lot. The black-haired girl wore a charcoal bomber jacket with a dark violet hoodie underneath it, along with a pair of dark jeans. Sheila had her hair down with long braids, a rare sight in the gang. 

 

The brunette got a call from one of the other lieutenants about malfunctions that multiple vehicles were facing which were all traced back to Donnie which caused a disruption within a few of the members that wanted to defend the mechanic but some were very upset and assumed sabotage. One of the latter being Sheila, whose own vehicle had trouble starting up and slowing down randomly for the past several days. After hearing other stories from some members about faulty cars, the enforcer decided to face Donnie and attempted to question the mechanic until there was a need to de-escalate the situation. 

 

“My bad Donnie, I know that things have been more peaceful lately. I just ready for the worst sometimes. I guess old habits are difficult to shake out, you would know about that.” Sheila chuckled, ever since she joined the Saints she didn’t trust Donnie simply with his past association with the Brotherhood. 

 

“No worries, Sheila. I’m probably a little rusty. It’s been a few months since my accident after all and I didn’t get proper practice.” Donnie said, referring to a bad arm injury that decommissioned him for several months. 

 

The mechanic went in to try to hug the taller woman, but Sheila reached out for a handshake instead, making the exchange awkward. Shaundi couldn’t help but laugh at the gestures, knowing that Sheila isn’t that fond of physical touch. 

 

“Well if you need practice, don’t do so with our vehicles. You got regular customers for that, just be lucky that Boss didn’t get rid of your ass right from the jump.” Sheila said it was a shock to the gang years ago when the Boss ended up not killing Donnie in her rampage of taking down the Brotherhood. Donnie nodded nervously, thankful that his life got spared during that scary time in his life. 

 

With the vehicle crisis averted and the rest of the Saints driven off to their destinations, the two women entered Sheila’s Venom to get away from the cold. Before she could begin driving out of the lot, the enforcer reached to the back of the car to grab a black resealable bag. Sheila opened up the bag and grabbed a few gummies to eat, which confused the lieutenant. 

 

“Shelly I didn’t know that you have edibles, maybe you shouldn’t have those before you decide to drive around?”

“What? No way, I’m not that reckless! These are just some gummies that I would eat when I felt on edge. These were from one of those medicine companies that Ultor bought out, it’s kinda like cannabis but no actual high so it’s perfect.” Despite being able to enjoy a joint once in a while years ago, Sheila didn’t do much of it in recent times. She knew that she couldn’t be all too relaxed after being given a promotion within the Saints as an enforcer lieutenant, which was not in the same ranks as Pierce and Shaundi, she still held a higher position than most lower ranking captains in the gang. 

 

The military brat offered some candy to Shaundi, and the lieutenant accepted trying a few pieces. Despite being in a good mood, she needed something to enjoy after dealing with an anxious Donnie and having to calm down one of the bigger Saints. As someone who used to do drugs recreationally, she knew that any type of effect or lack of wouldn't occur instantly, but Shaundi did enjoy the initial taste of the gummies. 

 

“I should look into this, thanks Shelly! You know, I’m surprised that Ultor was on board for some positive stuff without our involvement. Compared to the fucked up human experiments and heavy weaponry that they’re known for around these parts” 

 

“These helped me out a bunch while you guys were away since I couldn’t just call you up to smoke in the back.” The enforcer chuckled, she drove around the streets, pondering on what she was craving. While she was an athlete her entire life, Sheila wasn’t too restrictive on what she ate and kept it moderate whenever she ate junk food. 

 

“Hey Shaundi, I’m gonna grab some Freckle Bitch’s if you want any.” Sheila offered, and the brunette didn’t hesitate. Shaundi did plan on grabbing some fast food with the Boss initially until she needed to meet up at Donnie’s. 

 

The duo drove around the city after grabbing lunch, Sheila opting to park over a nearby dock. It was a partially quiet area with the exception of a couple of dock workers unloading shipments from afar, a fairly clean area compared to what it used to be. 

 

“Shelly I’m starting to question the effects of those gummies. I have a huge appetite!” 

 

“Well it’s either that or the fact that we underestimated how long that issue would take to be resolved. Love, we’ve spent a good hour at Donnie’s trying to encourage him to do a good job fixing one car!” 

As foolish as it sounds, it was true that Shaundi had to try to give support for the mechanic to feel confident enough to repair the Saints vehicles. It wasn’t much of the lieutenant's forte to cheer on Donnie, it was more of a job for someone in the gang that tolerated him.

 

The two women had plenty of small talk while eating lunch at one of the empty picnic tables across from the docks. Between each picnic table were a few patio heaters that appeared newly installed based off the shine of the stainless steel making it bearable to be outdoors in the winter months. 

 

Shaundi wanted to catch up with her ex, wanting to know how she’s been doing in recent times. The lieutenant was tasked with overlooking everyone that was in Stilwater remotely. However, the emotions that Shaundi felt within those few weeks took a toll on her mental health and couldn’t keep a tight eye on the gang on a daily basis, leaving a bit of miscommunication and a bit of a personal strain on her relationship with Sheila. 

 

“I envy you Shelly, you’re able to keep a very low and humble profile for a respectful Saint in your position and not have to be afraid of obsessive wannabes.” 

 

“Are you kidding me? I might’ve done my part at home for one city, you were part of a powerful team that saved the country! One night you were crying about some shitty ex-boyfriend and his dreads being a cheap wig, the next you get named a national hero.” The two women shared a laugh at the contrast that Shaundi had in her lifetime. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and events within a span of a couple of years, and the lieutenant was thankful that she was able to share the moment with Sheila. When the laughter died out, there was a bit of silence and the brunette looked away from the enforcer. 

 

Shaundi built up so much guilt from Gat’s death that it affected her relationship with other members due to either feeling at fault for everything or acting cold towards everyone. She also felt bad for acting cold to Sheila when the black-haired girl wanted to reach out to the lieutenant just for a casual talk. It was difficult to reach out to the lieutenant through messages and missed phone calls, so the enforcer decided to give up due to her frustrations not being able to be there for Shaundi as a friend. 

 

“By the way, Shelly, I want to say sorry about...Everything. I knew you’d be one of the best people to go to when Gat died. You’ve gone through it before, I..I just felt so angry about everything. Fuck, I was pissed off at the entire world at that point. You didn’t deserve to be treated so harshly by me.” The lieutenant looked down, but was relieved to have the opportunity to apologize to Sheila properly, since there’s only been a few instances of small talk in the past year. 

 

“Shaundi, it’s okay, please don’t beat yourself up over it. It hurts me that I couldn’t push myself to reach out to you back then.” Sheila placed her hand on the lieutenant's shoulder, and she accepted Shaundi’s apology with a hug. 

 

Sheila rarely liked physical touching, and isn’t often known to hug others unless it was reciprocated first to her. This was one of the few instances that she initiated as Shaundi accepted it, as close friends. Afterwards the women continued to get caught up with various new updates in the life of the Stilwater Saints that Shaundi didn’t know about. The enforcer got her caught up with the efforts to replenish all the Saints assets that were almost lost to various Ultor insiders that worked with the Syndicate behind their backs. It may have lasted a little over a month to take over Steelport, but Stilwater was tricky for the Saints with constant investigations and motives to track down not just Syndicate moles, but to keep the gang from imploding with the Boss around. 

 

After lunch, Sheila got a good look at the other side of the cityscape from the dock. Skies were clear for a winter afternoon. Much like a majority of the Saints that have been in the gang for a long time, the military brat was able to witness the growth and evolution of Stilwater. She loved the city even before Ultor cleaned it up as it was the first time in a while that she was able to stay in a place called home for several years. 

 

“I wonder why you couldn't just all return to Stilwater. We have everything here already, Steelport isn’t as nice from what I heard from one of the guys. I bet Steelport doesn’t even have a Freckle Bitch’s.” 

 

“Well you know Boss, she wants a firm hold in Steelport. She sees more problems with the city that Pierce and I could never notice, even if it’s some silly bullshit.” Shaundi responded, the attention to detail that Cecilia had with gang operations being exactly perfect can be a bit troublesome. The Saints might’ve had a tight grip with Steelport but once in a while a minor threat would occur. 

 

“Yep, that’s the Boss alright. We got nothing major going on now, so maybe stay a while. I’m sure it’s a good break from all the media frenzy.” 

 

The enforcer suggested to her ex that she needed to be away from the craze from the media. She knew it would be impossible to avoid every single news outlet, but felt that Stilwater was essentially a Saints filled city that the public are used to the excitement the gang brought to the media.

 

“Thank God, Piece is eating all of it up while we’re away so he’s not too concerned. Though, that interview with Jane is enough for those gossip magazines to back off for a bit from me…” The lieutenant said, mentioning her distrust towards celebrity gossip publishers and bloggers that used to swarm her while filming her reality show. 

After a quick stroll around the docks, the two ladies retreated back by the car park to get into the Venom. The black-haired woman turned on the radio which played a song that she loved when she was a child. Steal My Sunshine was considered a one hit wonder, but Sheila shared the love for this tune with her best friend, Hal. 

 

“Hey Shaundi, why don’t we do a bit of shopping around the city? I have plenty of time before I gotta meet up with Tommy before the Sharks game tonight.” 

 

“I’m down for that Shelly, it’s nice going out on a normal shopping trip. Since we both got our plans later tonight, maybe let’s splurge for a bit and get the best things that we can buy instead of browsing.” Shaundi chuckled, she was always ready to go shopping with Sheila. Even after breaking up, the two would spend some down time from the gang going around the town or mall to either shop or browse around. 

---

 

Shopping around the Saints Row neighborhood was a hotspot for luxurious spending. Before there might’ve been a couple of high-end stores, but now there are rows of luxury boutiques and dealerships that cater to the wealthy of Stilwater. Ultor might’ve renovated the district, but after the merger it has elevated over the past few years. It was rather ironic given that Ultor stripped away the original identity of the Third Street Saints while the Boss was comatose, only to be reinvented as a beautiful neighborhood thanks to her. The joint efforts of the two were able to give plenty of funds that were going into the city for years, putting in profits for good and constant renovations to keep up with bigger cities with more than triple the population of Stilwater. 

 

The lieutenant figured that she wanted to get something special for her girlfriend while shopping. However she thought about whether she wanted to dodge shopping for the Boss in front of Sheila or to just be completely honest with the enforcer. It didn’t stop her in the past when she was being transparent with all the previous relationships she had, so how would it be any different with Boss. Yet the brunette still got worried, if her relationship would hurt the enforcer.  Shaundi figured that she might as well be honest with Sheila, she knew her enough that she couldn’t be upset or jealous since she’s never been before. 

 

“So Shelly, I was checking out some stuff to get for the Boss. I wonder if you got any suggestions?”

“Not sure why you’d want to ask me, Love. I don’t know anyone besides you that is able to unlock that rough and rigid heart the Boss has.” The enforcer’s nonchalant response threw Shaundi off a bit, thinking if she always knew. 

 

“Wait, you knew that Boss and I are dating?” 

 

“Girl, ever since you two landed here I can tell how much happier you are than you’ve been in recent years. You’ve been smiling more, laughing like you used to back then. Even last night while we were all kicking back I could tell that your face lights up when you look at Boss. It’s okay, I promise not to tell anyone if you don’t want to.” 

 

The lieutenant was embarrassed that Sheila was able to sense something so quickly that she blushed. It was the second instance that someone was able to tell that her and Boss were an item, and wondered whether or not it would be known to the rest of the gang. On the other hand she was relieved that the military brat was completely accepting of her new relationship. She didn’t sound completely bothered, and was supportive. 

 

“Damn, I guess I’m still a bit of a disaster after all these years. Hahahaha, well thanks for being honest Shelly. I do appreciate it that you’d keep it on the low for the time being since the Boss won’t be having any huge announcements anytime soon.” 

 

Sheila nodded to Shaundi’s request, she knew the lieutenant well enough to read out her mannerisms and emotions. The enforcer was content seeing her ex be with someone who made her genuinely happy. She didn’t feel any ill will towards the Boss for dating her ex, but instead trusted the blonde better than plenty of people with Shaundi’s heart. She could tell that the blonde has always had a soft spot for the lieutenant ever since she first joined, no matter how many times Cecilia would ever deny it.

For the duration of their shopping trip, Sheila was listing off suggestions to the lieutenant about things that she liked, but couldn’t guarantee that the leader of the Saints would like them as well. Shaundi took her suggestions into consideration, and remembered from her own accounts what the Boss loved when it came to gifts. Eventually Shaundi decided to order a customized gift in one of the higher end stores in the neighborhood that takes time to make, she wanted to give her girlfriend something unique. A present that was special to express the genuine love she had for Boss, and knew the blonde felt the same towards her. Love was an exciting emotion for both women, especially when it came to the romantic aspect of it that felt brand new. It may not hit suddenly, but the two would realize that it would come out in different ways. 

Chapter 20: Something About You

Summary:

The Leader of the Saints got butterflies about a dinner date with Shaundi, what wrong could happen?

Notes:

Soooo what do you wanna talk about???

HAVE NO FEAR EVERYONE THIS ISN'T A DEAD FIC, I TOOK AN UNEXPECTED BREAK...LET'S JUST SAY THAT ONE THING LEAD TO ANOTHER, THAT'S JUST LIFE UNFORTUNATELY, HOWEVER I'VE RETURNED AND GOT MY DRIVE BACK TO WHAT I ENJOY DOING. NOT TO MENTION, THIS UNIVERSE'S STORY ISN'T FINISHED AT ALL.

 

The Boss was no stranger to getting the best table or private room for any type of fine dining restaurant. It’s the perk of becoming a celebrity. There could be a full house on a Saturday night at a trendy bar, but the owner wouldn’t hesitate to push that aside to have the Boss as a patron or even decline the appearance of another celebrity in favor of the blonde. Cecilia never took advantage of her status when it came to getting a reservation for various occasions. Whether she needed a good place for a meeting or to simply enjoy dinner with an elevated experience, the Boss rarely tells specifics of what she’d want despite her expensive taste, it’s given to her by default. The occasion was no different when Cecilia booked a table at one of the hottest restaurants in the Saints Row district, D’oro. A fine dining experience with a simple name, was a recent addition to the neighborhood but was quick to catch the attention of numerous critics and bloggers in Stilwater as the place to go for a night out, much so that reservations needed to be booked at least a couple of months in advance. The restaurant was located on the top floor of one of the high rise buildings that once occupied a nightclub before shutting its doors in the center of Brighton.

“I don’t see a problem with this last minute reservation, and I apologized about my colleague’s behavior over the phone, Boss.” 

 

“It’s cool, I understand that reservations are nearly impossible on such short notice and that the host was simply telling me that you guys were booked for the evening and that I wouldn’t mind rescheduling for another time, not his fault.”

The Boss responded to the restaurant’s owner over the phone. While asking about reservations, the blonde could overhear the older man berating the host that took the phone call who apologized and told her that the evening was booked. It was awkward for the Boss to hear the young man’s voice quiver while getting lectured. Cecilia was okay with needing to get a reservation somewhere else or even cooking up a dinner herself, however the owner insisted on keeping her as a patron.

 

“Well anyways, we look forward to seeing you two for the evening, ciao!” The blonde hung up the phone after getting the reservations as the owner on the other line waits to hang up afterwards. 

 

Cecilia anticipated taking Shaundi out to a nice dinner date and it got her nervous. The normally cool and collected leader of the Saints who,in the past, took plenty of ladies out to a nice dinner felt different about taking her lieutenant this time around. It seemed like no big deal years ago when the two have hung out casually or whenever the Boss hosted a nice event with all the high ranking Saints. However, what made Cecilia skittish was that it would be the first time the two women go out in an intimate setting, that wasn’t like those nights staying in or exchanging sneaky kisses. In fact, the blonde wasn’t sure how to even act in such an environment. In the past, it was easy for the leader of the Saints to impress previous flings on a night out, but for Shaundi, it’s entirely different. Cecilia wanted to impress her girlfriend that went beyond the usual money and power, to show more of another side of her. She’s been well aware of the soft spot she developed for years towards Shaundi and was in denial of it for the longest time. Only since dating the brunette has the Boss accepted it, and is committed to showing more of herself to the lieutenant. After making the reservations, the blonde was gently stroking her lip ring with one of her fingertips, a habit she rarely did and only whenever she was nervous. She wondered if the two will have a nice table that isn’t in the center of the restaurant, or if another celebrity could arrive around the same time as them. Numerous scenarios popped up in the Boss’ mind, and she didn’t like overthinking any of those possibilities. 

 

“No no, I shouldn’t be worrying too much. It’s just a normal dinner date…with Shaundi.. I mean we’ve been together plenty of times this shouldn’t be different…Shit.” The Boss got flustered about dinner plans and was grossed out by her own reaction. 

 

While the leader of the Saints wanted to get ready, reservations weren’t until a couple of more hours so she had to find time to kill before heading her way to the restaurant. She was alone in her office at her desk, she had already done a bunch of hard work earlier that morning so there wasn’t any pending task that needed to be finished. As a way to distract her mind, the Boss pulled her phone out to look at any interesting stories or notifications in the official Saints media handles. As she scrolled around all the mentions of the Saints account, she watched countless clips of people shouting out the gang showing off multiple merchandise for each story and wanting that acknowledgement. The blonde didn’t scroll through the official account as often as either Pierce or Shaundi with the former handling it the most. In recent times the Boss has been in the media’s favor, millions of people hailing her as a hero, which continued to be a new concept for her despite all that she has done. 

 

“It would be so cool if the Leader of Saints runs for president in the upcoming election.. What the fuck, that’s ridiculous….I doubt I’m even qualified!” The Boss said, reading out loud a particular comment that tagged the Saints. While Cecilia sees the cheers she gets on social media, she didn’t believe a single act of national heroism would warrant a presidential run. Not to mention the likeliness she’s not even qualified to run, regarding her age and criminal record. 

 

While scrolling through Flexigram, the Boss couldn’t help but notice amazing photos of celebrities and models showing off some beautiful piece of jewelry. All of these people posted a mention to a world class fine jeweler that is known to create pieces for plenty of powerful people, which was news to the leader of the Saints. She didn’t think much of it for herself, but thought about her lieutenant. One of the several things that the Boss had noticed about Shaundi was that the brunette loved to accessorize, with her old wrist jewelry from when she was younger to the choker that she continued to wear. Cecilia had the idea of wanting to buy her girlfriend a one of a kind piece, but had second thoughts. She was hesitant to even think about any gift giving this early into a relationship, let alone one of such a high price point. 

“Would this be too early of a gift for her, even for me? Shit I’ve known Shaundi for years so it should be fine… No no, that’s too over the top for a small gesture. But maybe she will absolutely love it..”

The Boss managed to talk herself into getting into contact with the jeweler about an inquiry, which gave her plenty of time to think about what the lieutenant would’ve loved before getting a response back within a day or two. The leader of the Saints noticed the time, it felt like hours had passed, but there was still plenty of time for her to get ready for reservations. However, she almost neglected telling Shaundi where to meet for dinner, which flew over her head. Instead of texting the lieutenant, Cecilia dialed Shaundi’s phone, just as an excuse to hear her voice. It took a couple of rings until the brunette answered the Boss.

“Hey Shaundi!”

“Hey C…Boss!” The way Shaundi switched up from saying Cecilia’s nickname to her title made the blonde realize that her girlfriend was around other people and had to play it smooth. 

 

“So I was able to get something set up for later tonight, I’ll send you more details later tonight!” The Boss made it as vague as she could to her lieutenant, promising herself to make it up in the near future.

“Perfect, I’m free all night, I’ll talk to you later.”

---

The sun was about to set around the Saints Row district, just as two women were relaxing over a couple of cups of coffee on the patio of a small coffee shop. While there were no bags from either two, Sheila and Shaundi still had success shopping around for a gift for the Boss. The lieutenant decided to go with a customized necklace for her girlfriend from one of the oldest jewelry shops in Stilwater. 

 

“I’ve got to give it to the Boss, she’s great at making things discreet, being extra careful with her words about half the time.” The enforcer commented, she was able to hear the phone call since Shaundi was on speakerphone.

“You’re lucky that I caught onto a mistake so quickly, she would’ve freaked if anyone even knew her first initial.” Shaundi responded, she managed to switch up the nicknames before Sheila could even make up the first letter of the Boss’ name. The lieutenant was more relaxed now that she’s more comfortable sharing out details with ex when it came to her new relationship. However a new problem arrived as the Shaundi was thinking about how to make a good impression for a dinner date. 

The lieutenant tried to recall any instance of what her girlfriend would usually do for certain occasions. She knew that the Boss almost always goes above and beyond for outings in the past with other Saints, the brunette was worried that she could go even more extravagant for a loved one. It is a known fact in the Saints that whatever the Boss does, she does it big without batting an eye about money, which can be seen as a double edged sword. 

 

“Hey Shelly, we got the Boss sorted out, but do you have some time to help out with my date for tonight?”

“Don’t need to ask me twice, why don’t we go and find something that can really wow her…” The enforcer said with enthusiasm, she may not be able to know what exactly the leader of the Saint seeks in girls, but Sheila knew what is best for Shaundi. The black haired girl took a final sip of her coffee before leading the lieutenant into one of the boutique shops right across the street.

 

---

It was a bustling night at D’oro, with luxury vehicles going in and out of the valet parking on the parking lot front while the 1st floor lobby, a line of patrons waiting for a seat not to eat, but for an experience. A majority of the people that were in line weren’t interested in the food, but rather the ambience that the restaurant offered, alongside wanting to try out the cocktails that were plastered all over social media, but nothing more. The Boss was considered a VIP guest and was given special instructions for parking, and was allowed to park in a designated area away from all the traffic. Additionally she received a message from the owner to meet at the back entrance, weary of any funny business, the leader of the Saints always carries a handgun everywhere she goes. Cecilia didn’t wear anything too bold for the night, wanting to make a good impression but to not stick out to the general public. She had on a white skinny pants suit, with a silky black top that was buttoned only enough to show a bit of the chest area. The blonde often wore a pair of heel booties to appear taller and this occasion wasn’t different. 

 

“Can’t keep my guard too low even for tonight…” The Boss said, carrying her gun concealed in one of her suit pockets. It’s likely nothing would happen in her point of view, but as a powerful gang leader you could never go anywhere unarmed. The blonde noticed a stocky balding man by the door in the back smoking a cigarette, presumably being the owner of the restaurant. The older man looked up and prompted to put out the cigarette to greet the leader of the Saints. 

 

“Ah! It’s an honor to have you as a patron for tonight’s service! Right this way, Boss! My name’s Perry C., the fine owner of this establishment!” The older man greeted the Boss and propped the back entrance to the building for her. Since the restaurant was all the way to the top of the building, there is a freight elevator that was used to get up, normally used for daily shipments. 

 

“Now I understand that this isn’t as fancy as the lobby entrance, but trust me, this is a real VIP entrance. Just for you, I’m letting you skip the huge line in the lobby and saving you all the trouble from dealing with the folks getting wasted at the waiting bar.” 

“I appreciate the thoughtfulness Perry, just wondering if I could re-enter from here, I have to meet someone important-”

“HEY I CAN ESCORT THAT PERSON TO MEET YOU!” The man exclaimed, interrupting the leader of the Saints, but once he noticed that rude interruption, he prompted to be quiet.

“Anyway, I much rather do the job myself, so is it alright?” Perry nodded to the Boss’ question, without hesitation. 

 

The freight elevator opened up leading to a large hallway and a double swinging door that led to the main kitchen. There were rows of ingredients and other supplies that were stacked up by the doors and push carts meant to haul the large loads. 

 

The kitchen area was orchestrated with line cooks plating dishes before getting them sent to customers, the heat from the grills was enough to provide warmth for the blonde. Due to how busy the cooking staff were, no one stopped and greeted the leader of the Saints.

“My sincere apologies on behalf of my cooks, I don’t believe they understand manners and I’ll be sure to sort them out in another meeting.”

“It’s alright, I don’t want my presence to interrupt dinner service and ruin the flow. Your staff are hard workers and I want to respect that.”  At this point, the Boss was starting to get annoyed by the owner who even before meeting her made it apparent that he’s making himself the sole competent employee at his restaurant, when in reality it’s the opposite.

Towards the end of the kitchen was a narrow hallway that led to a flight of stairs to the upper dining room reserve for VIP guests, which is closed off from the rest of the restaurant for these occasions. On one of the busier weekends or in the midst of an event full of celebrities, this dining room has private sections that can be closed off upon requests or open up whenever there is a private event where the wealthy and powerful could socialize with each other. As an exclusive floor, the windows for the restaurant showed the best view of the city skyline as well as the night stars during dinner service. For this night, the Boss was the only patron to be sitting in this exclusive section, without even asking. 

 

“Normally, we’d give people our menu offerings for tonight but for you, we’ll be serving you our best selections from each course, not to mention the drinks are on me, and I’ll happily be serving you tonight, Boss. Is there anything you would like to start off with for a drink?”

“Well sin-”

“Maybe I can start you off with some glasses of wine from our best bottle in the house that I’ve personally received from a trusted winery from Tuscani. Give me a moment while I grab someone to get that bottle for you-”

“That’s great Perry, maybe just set that bottle on the table if that’s fine with you? I need to head back to the car and get someone.” The blonde responded, she was in no rush to pick up Shaundi, but needed a break from the overbearing restaurant owner.

 

“Oh..Oh alright fine by me, Boss! I’ll be sure to get my boys to set up your table extra fine for you!” Perry exclaimed, he chuckled it off the embarrassment he set himself for, wanting to project it to his staff once the Boss was away.  

 

---

“ Hey babe, hope you’re ready I’ll be there soon to pick you up. Love you ttyl ” 

The Boss texted Shaundi before driving off to Purgatory to meet her. When the lieutenant read the message she was putting on some finishing touches to her makeup and put on some perfume that she remembered Cecilia commenting on loving the smell of it. 

 

The brunette was able to pick the perfect outfit while shopping around with Sheila and helped her get most of it ready before the enforcer had to leave to catch a Sharks game with Hal. Shaundi wore her hair down which she rarely does even for red carpet events, but knew it would be a nice change to wear her hair differently. Shaundi went with a silky purple halter dress that reached just below the knees. The cross design of the halter neck top covered the top part of the dress, giving a small gap where part of the midriff was open. It was modest when paired with her black oversized blazer jacket and black leggings. 

 

Shaundi didn’t wait long outside since she predicted the Boss being a fast driver, seeing a white   Attrazione carefully pull up right by where the lieutenant was standing. Cecilia got out of the car to allow herself to open the passenger door for Shaundi, and was surprised with how stunning her girlfriend looked. The lieutenant also noticed how well dressed the blonde was for dinner, the silk top was something that she hadn't seen from the leader of the Saints. 

 

“Sweetie, you’re always beautiful but wow, we need to start shopping together because that looks amazing.” The Boss said, and was surprised that she didn’t stutter any words around Shaundi.

“Likewise babe, I love that top of yours, let’s call it even and we can switch outfits one of these days” Shaundi responded trying to match Cecilia’s smooth lines that she would throw sometimes. 

 

The Boss allowed Shaundi to take her seat on the passenger side and walked over to her side to get ready to head back to the road. Before heading off, Cecilia leaned in for a kiss but met Shaundi halfway as the lieutenant had the same intentions. The two shared a kiss but after it ended, the two leaned in for another quick kiss before the blonde started driving. 

 

“Glad you dressed for the occasion babe, I was able to get us something at that cool D’Oro restaurant everyone was talking about. Oddly enough the owner seemed a little too excited to meet me, so I’m hoping he wouldn’t give you a hard time.”

“Come on CeCe, I know you long enough to see your dining preferences. But I am excited to actually try out that place. Some of the guys kept raving about the cocktails, but I doubt any of them actually had the patience to wait for a table.”  

 

“It’s that bad huh….At least we don’t have to worry about any waiting when we get there.”

During the drive to the restaurant, the two were holding hands which became an automatic response for the lieutenant knowing that it’s a gesture that Cecilia loved. On the other end, it eased the Boss’ nerves as she worried that the owner could say something about Shaundi or do something that will make both of them uncomfortable, but the worries faded away. The two have made it to the destination bypassing the busy car park area and into the proclaimed VIP parking on the other side. 

 

“Babe, are you sure you didn’t pull strings for a reservation here? The parking lot is packed!”

“No, the owner let me park my car on this side, guessing since it’s closer to this side of the entrance, That and at least people wouldn’t even know we’re here.”

“Well, now that you’ve mentioned it, no one’s around…” Shaundi paused, interlocking her fingers with Cecilia, the blonde took the suggestion and ran with it. Perry could wait a little more, but for that moment the leader of the Saints had something else in mind. 

 

The blonde found her lieutenant attractive for quite some time, but at the start of everything never really prompted herself into going beyond simple kisses, likewise for the former reality star. Everything started out awkward after it was official between the two of them, however since they knew each other for years and had past relationship experience, nothing too passionate has happened. Both have felt strong feelings for each other that are both emotional and physical but were hesitant to go forward since the two women wanted it to be perfect. However the need of making it perfect eased off when it was realized with love, there’s no need of stressing on making an impression, it just happens naturally, which occurred at that moment. 

The Boss parked the car but the two of them didn’t get out, instead the lieutenant went over to sit herself onto the blonde’s lap to plant a kiss between them. Cecilia placed her hands onto Shaundi’s hips to keep her steady during the kiss, shutting her eyes halfway before going in. It started with a simple kiss on the lips, but onto another kiss that lasted longer than the first. Shaundi wrapped her arms around the Boss, planting a kiss towards the blonde’s lip ring and paused for a moment.

“Oh wow uhm hahaha…Got carried away sorry-” 

 

“It’s alright Shaundi, just make sure you don’t ruin your makeup now alright?” The Boss laughed softly before placing her hand on Shaundi’s face to plant another kiss.

The blonde adjusted her seat to make it comfortable for the both of them, giving more room for the lieutenant. Shaundi went in for a deeper kiss, Cecilia allowing her girlfriend entrance. The lieutenant felt the warmth from the Boss’ lips as they parted for Shaundi to slide the tip of her tongue inside. This was the first time the two were able to kiss more passionately, getting a feel of each other and their preferred areas. Shaundi realized that Cecilia enjoys whenever the lieutenant kisses around her lip ring. On the other hand Shaundi finds favor whenever the blonde teases around the corner of her lip before planting one in the center.  A soft moan from Shaundi was heard when the Boss moved her hands forward from the lieutenant's hips. There couldn’t be anything that could disrupt the moment with the Boss’s windows being completely blacked out, there was no way anyone could even know people were inside the vehicle. 

 

This went on for a few minutes, afterwards the two women stayed in their position for a little longer, Shaundi resting her chin on one of Cecilia’s shoulders while the Boss caressed the lieutenants back. 

 

“You know, you also make a cute sound sometimes, definitely cuter than mine.” The Boss laughed, finding her girlfriend’s soft moaning cute, wanting to make her blush. 

 

“Babe….I love you but, you’re an asshole…” Shaundi responded, she gave a quick kiss to Cecilia before she moved towards the passenger seat. She looked at the mirror to see if she needed to fix up her makeup. The only thing that needed work done was reapplying some lip gloss before leaving the car. Not long after, the Boss followed suit, locking the door and making a few adjustments to her outfit making sure nothing got ruined.  

 

“Okay not too bad, won’t be keeping too many people waiting. Allow me to get the door for you…” The Boss led the way to let Shaundi into the entrance and into the freight elevator inside which was a bit of a way to the actual kitchen floor.

“You know CeCe…Glad we got that out of the way before dinner, knowing your habits I don’t want to taste anything spicy.”

“Spicy? That’s your concern? I don’t want to taste any garlic from you..” The two shared some laughs at each other while in the elevator.

“Babe, I’m not the one that eats garlic cloves like a damn almond! I’m sure that alone would make you immune to any vampires if those even exist!” 

Chapter 21: Till the End of Time

Summary:

After a nice dinner date, Shaundi and CeCe decided to take one last stop of the night to pay a visit to old friends.

The Boss and Shaundi’s first night out to dinner ended up going well without a hitch, as it appeared from the lieutenant's point of view. The leader of the Saints however, was a different story behind the scenes. The two women arrived at the dinner table set up for them by Perry, the owner of the restaurant. The older man was astonished that the former reality star ended up being the blonde’s plus one, not thinking deep into what was going on until serving the main entrees. Afterwards, the attempts of making small talk with the two women fell flat for the restaurant owner. Cecilia was quick to catch onto Perry’s consistent pestering and was just as quick to make him stop with one of her signature piercing glares. That alone was enough to make Perry come to the realization that this was in fact the leader of the Saints, well known for her ruthlessness and decided to back off out of both respect and fear. Afterwards, the older man decided not to bother the two for the rest of the evening and returned to managing the rest of the restaurant. While the Boss had no aggressive intentions, her natural intimidation was enough to warrant some much needed privacy. 

 

“How do you like it, Shaundi?” Cecilia asked, checking on her girlfriend making sure everything is fine. The blonde could tell that the lieutenant was relaxed and was enjoying her evening, which relieved her. 

 

“It’s amazing! Thanks for taking me here, babe. This is the best chicken alfredo I’ve ever had. Don’t worry, maybe next time, I’ll get something more adventurous.” The brunette giggled, her entree was definitely a classic option and familiar to her, compared to the Boss’ entree. 

Cecilia’s father is from Naples who used to make some amazing dishes from his hometown whenever it was his turn to make dinner. Since she was more knowledgeable about authentic dishes when she was growing up, the Boss got herself some frutti di mare in a spicy red sauce. For the blonde, that dish was also a safe option as it was her favorite pasta dish and was very particular about the spice levels of the dish. 

 

“Glad that you like it! Wish that my pasta had more kick to it, but the shellfish is well prepared.” 

 

“Wanna try some of my food?” Shaundi asked Cecilia, moving her fork that had a piece of creamy chicken alfredo near the Boss’ dish, prompting the blonde to act quickly. 

 

“Babe, I’ll try once you put it in a separate plate. I much rather not have the creamy sauce combined with the red sauce..” The Boss responded, Shaundi shrugged off the comment but did place her food on a separate dish for the blonde to try out later. There is no one in the Saints that is picky about Italian food more than the Boss was to the point where pineapple on pizza is banned whenever the gang does a pizza run. 

 

After finishing their meals, the two women poured some fine wine, and with this opportunity of privacy, the Boss initiated bringing her hand out for the lieutenant to hold while the two continued to make conversation. While Shaundi told her girlfriend about how her day went, the blonde paid attention to the details and at the time couldn’t help but adore her girlfriend’s silky smooth hand that she held. The lieutenant noticed and indulged in it, placing her other hand on top of the Boss’. 

 

“CeCe, this night has been great. You didn’t have to go out of your way to get a table here, but thank you. I just wish that I could do something just as great…” The reality star said, while Shaundi was likely more famous than the Boss, she couldn’t pull as much influence as the blonde power wise.

“Sweetie, what are you talking about? Being able to step out of Steelport for just even a day is incredible. Thanks for giving us that much needed break to catch up with the rest of the gang. I probably would’ve never thought about a day trip back home like you did.” The Boss responded, giving a genuine smile. It was a quick getaway from her hectic life, but she knew it wouldn’t last forever. Going back to the reality of the public eye, those small opportunities of privacy would lessen when the two would return to Steelport. 

 

Perry returned to the table to present some desserts to the two women as well as the digital bill without any remarks towards the lieutenant. Dessert was nothing over the top, it was a beautiful presentation of a simple looking dish. Panna cotta that was plated with a strawberry puree base, topped with fresh berries and a dusting of powdered sugar. The Boss wasn’t huge on eating desserts but did caved into the fruits, skipping the gelatin part entirely. Shaundi noticed and teased Cecilia about not treating herself more, causing the blonde to blush. 

 

“I’m just not a huge fan of sweets.”

“CeCe, the fruits are sweeter than the actual dish itself.” 

 

The Boss ended up taking a bite of the panna cotta itself and enjoyed that it wasn’t too sweet for her liking. She ended up eating half of it, and offered the rest to Shaundi in exchange for the brunette’s remaining fruits. When it came to paying the restaurant bill, the Boss didn’t bother to look at the pricing but had to take a double take when the final price ended up being zero as she looked at the tablet screen. Cecilia played it off by taking some hundred dollar bills out of her wallet as a tip. Not before she wrote a note to say that the tip should only go towards the staff members, not to Perry. When the two left the table, the Boss was confident that the restaurant owner wouldn’t even think about getting a single penny out of that tip. While the couple made their exit onto the kitchen, the blonde sneaked one final glare at the restaurant owner, just for safe measures. Perry took the hint immediately, ushering the bussers to clear out the table for the next batch of clients for the rest of the evening.

 

Even with the initial uncomfortable situation that the Boss was put in by Perry, the rest of the dinner date was a success. Both women headed back to the parking lot and returned to the vehicle, but not without any plan for the next destination. After dinner, the clock hadn't gone past 9pm, the night was still young for many people in the Saints let alone the city. Cecilia was brainstorming in her mind where else she could take Shaundi to, she felt like she’d already done everything that most dates had while still keeping a low profile. She glanced over at Shaundi and saw that the brunette showed furrowed brows, which concerned the Boss. 

 

“Hey CeCe, I know that this is meant to be a fun night out. But, I just figured it’s only right to pay our respects before we head back to Steelport first thing in the morning.” Shaundi said, the lieutenant wasn’t a stranger to grieving, nor any different about it than the Boss. 

 

“You know, it’s been awhile since we dropped by, it’s only right to light some candles for our friends. The last time we visited the cemetery was…Shit, when we held that service for Johnny..” The Boss quietly sighed 

“Let’s think of it as, we’re dropping by with good news.” Cecilia continued, the blonde had always grieved in silence, she associated cemeteries as a seldom place full of mourning and sadness. However with the recent events, she looked into this opportunity as a positive and encouraged her girlfriend to share that same feeling. 

 

“ You’re right, I feel like that’s a better way of seeing things. I’m sure our friends are proud of what we’ve accomplished together.” Shaundi said, holding onto Cecilia’s right hand. The Boss showed a soft smile, and started driving to the couple’s next destination. 

 

The drive to the cemetery wasn’t a dreadful commute as the two women converse about fond memories of their former friends that they’ve lost throughout the years. The Boss talked about people such as Lin and Aisha that the brunette didn’t have the chance to get to personally know. Lin as she passed before she was in the gang, and Aisha since Shaundi only had very small talk in the few occasions the lieutenant dropped by Johnny’s place. Cecilia said that Lin’s cool and collective mannerism is what inspired her to be cool and shed away her shyness. The lieutenant got to know more about the R&B singer and how she really was, as one of the Boss’ first closet friends when she first joined the gang, eventually helping her with warming up to Gat. Meanwhile the brunette shared untold stories about Carlos that happened while Cecilia wasn’t around, such as Shaundi helping out the younger member with his confidence talking to girls alongside other guys in the gang. The lieutenant mentioned that Carlos was looked at like a younger brother amongst some of the Saints members, protective about him from some of the grittier members that liked to give newer Saints a hard time. 

 

It wasn’t long until the Attrazione made its destination to the entrance of the Mourning Woods Cemetery. Around this time at night, there aren’t as many visitors, with the exception of elderly people scattered around the grounds, visiting old friends or deceased spouses. In addition towards the entrance there were a couple of goth college kids that made the cemetery a hangout spot to smoke cigarettes and read old literature. The Boss pulled over next to a tree across from one of the dirt pavements leading to different grave plots. There was one section of the cemetery that was made exclusive for mostly fallen Saints members, as the Boss purchased one of the lots in preparation of whether a member or their family chooses to be buried with other Saints that passed away. What makes this plot of land unique are the variety of custom headstones of each grave which represent how each Saint, no matter their rank in the gang, had their own personal stories. 

 

“Babe, I know cigarettes weren’t your thing, but just in case would you like one?” Cecilia asked, offering Shaundi a cigarette from her case that she got in her suit pocket. It’s been years since the Boss smoked, but she kept her cigarette case around her for the occasion that someone else would need one. 

 

“No thank you, I’m surprised you still carry that case around, you don’t get any cravings by having it around once in a while?” The lieutenant asked, which makes her wonder how strong willed the Boss was to rarely give into old vices. During her personal growth, Shaundi did face challenges when it came to her past drug use, especially when she and a few others did get high off their own product back then. However as years went by and seeing some of her peers cut off their vices when getting older, it inspired the lieutenant to do the same. Although she didn’t quit it completely in relation to the occasional marijuana use, Shaundi cut off all her bad habits.

 

The women made their way to the graves of their fellow Saints that were no longer in this world. Visiting everyone with content and letting them know how much good the gang has done. Each grave was placed with a deep reasoning behind it; the Boss wanted to take care of her gang in the afterlife as much as she did while they were alive. On one occasion she granted the request of the Mendoza family to have Carlos buried next to his brother, or at times denied what families wanted if she knew the truth behind any neglectful family members trying to fool the blonde. In the middle of the ground was a columbarium that had a few benches surrounding it and even a row of candles for people to light in memory. Shaundi made her way towards the direction of the columbarium to light up some candles for her fallen brothers and sisters, the Boss followed along, observing the names that are engraved in some of the niches. Whenever the Saints achieve something, no matter big or small, the Boss would think about those names on those headstones and niches, knowing that everything the gang has done was for them. Cecilia then walked over to the grave site of two particular Saints members. 

 

The Boss felt that while Johnny was what defined a Saint, she also believed that having his grave site next to the woman that he loved more than anything outweighed everything else. Johnny’s gravesite was the one exception from what was considered the Saints section of the cemetery, as he was placed not too far from it, next to Aisha’s grave. About three years after Aisha’s death, Cecilia has asked Gat about how he felt about the idea of wanting to start dating again. The blonde pointed out that there are a few fans of his that show interest in the long time Saints member. However, Johnny surprised the Boss with his answer. Gat has said to Cecilia that he already had what he wanted in love with Aisha, he felt that he didn’t need to seek it with someone else. The answer confused the Boss and raised her with much concern since at that time the blonde was thinking that Gat will never get over Aisha. 

Yet years later, after Johnny’s death, Cecilia understood Johnny’s response. She came to the realization that even though Gat loved the Saints, his love for Aisha was at a deeper level, that it was more than just bringing Aisha over to the Saints’ side of the gang, but to be her safe haven. 

 

“I hope you two are happy up there, seeing what we’ve accomplished since you were gone. Just save me those bottles of champagne for when we meet on the other side someday. I wouldn’t have done it all without you….” The Boss said to herself, a woman that never forgets her beginnings of the Saints

 

The Boss didn’t realize in an instant, but Shaundi hugged her from behind, wrapping her arms around the blonde’s waist, resting her head on Cecilia’s right shoulder, with her eye level on both gravesites. 

 

“After hearing your stories about those two, I now understand why you had Gat separate from everyone, and next to her grave ...I didn’t tell you at the time but..I was upset at that decision. Please don’t hold that against me.” Shaundi said, she lowered her head down feeling guilty at that moment. 

 

“I won’t, Sweetie. You weren’t the first to be upset about that decision…” The Boss responded, she slowly turned towards Shaundi’s direction caressing her cheek before planting a forehead kiss for assurance.

 

“It’s getting a bit cold and I know you want to leave first thing in the morning, why don’t we wrap things up and head back to Purgatory!” Shaundi said, the Boss agreed as the two women were getting tired and ready to return to base. 

 

Before heading back to the vehicle, Shaundi took a last glance at Johnny’s grave, the lieutenant gave a half smile from thinking about how much she’s grown since his death. Internally her heart still hurts from losing her friend, the feeling of both guilt and grief could never completely disappear. Yet, Shaundi couldn’t help but think how proud Gat would’ve been of her, as she was like a sister to him. Her only regret was not having that opportunity to get to personally know Aisha, but was content with hearing what the Boss had mentioned about her. 

 

It was a bittersweet visit to the cemetery that was full of fond memories that were revisited by the two women, a much needed break from the hustle and bustle of Steelport. While it was nice to look into the past through a better lens, it was important to continue moving forward into what was going to be the next era of the Saints.

Notes:

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
I HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GOOD 2024, IF NOT, I'M GLAD YOU'VE SURVIVED WHATEVER YOU WENT THROUGH LAST YEAR!

I know it's been a long long time since I last update the fic, over this past year I was focused on my own mental health with a healing journey that did ended up having to take a step back from making any type of content from all of my platforms. Throughout that time I was kinda just putting every idea I had in the backburner for later, but thankfully I had some friends that had a listen so I wouldn't forget.
Not to mention of being engaged to my long time girlfriend of almost a decade, so it was a cool Christmas season I guess.
Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter like I did!