So after my piss poor attempt at a start of a DA story I've decided that plot bunny still needs to be set loose and I am going to try again. So here it is… another start. It's going to start kinda slow and then roll like a snowball down the hill in hell. I swear i've churned out about 8 chapters in the last 3 days. So im gonna be posting them as i read them over and correct them.

Ryan rolled her eyes at Jessie who smirked back at her. "What makes you think your family even wants anything to do with me? It's not like they really agree with your life style choice. Don't get me wrong Jess, I love you."

Jessie's eyes softened a moment and she reached out to take Ryan's hand in hers. "Don't I know it. Not quite sure why but I am grateful."

Ryan snorted softly. "Unhuh. You accept me with all my faults, how can I not love you for that. No one else does."

Jessie sighed. This was an old discussion with them. "For the last time Ryan, I don't care about your quirks. It is what makes you the wonderful person you are. I am rather glad you let me in instead of pushing me away."

Ryan gave a harsh laugh, mostly because she had doubts about herself. A deeply rooted issue that stemmed from the treatment she received from her own family. One they might have never intended but all the say, Ryan had to learn from a young age to fend for herself. She kept everyone at bay and at arm's length, not because she was afraid to let them in but because she did not trust anyone. The fact that Jessie had been able to get past that barrier said a lot about Jessie.

Jessie eyed Ryan a moment then sighed, squeezing Ryan's hand lightly before tugging her lose to give her a light kiss. "I adore that standoffish attitude of yours Ryan. I love the fact that you refuse to take at face value everything and anyone. And I love the fact that you have such a brilliant mind that you can see right through things."

At that, Ryan sighed and lowered her head, shoulders slumping. "Yea… not quite sure why the hell you even try." And she couldn't even tell Jessie how much she appreciated her for that.

Jessie smiled softly then gave a tug on her hand. "Come on, its time. I know you've been waiting for that damned game to be released."

Ryan gave her a broken smile. "Yea, I enjoy the fact that midnight releases happen for games I really can't wait for."

Jessie laughed. "Yea, I know this too well. And I guess I'll have to compete with that damned game till you get it out of your system."

Ryan gave a smirk. "And you'd have me no other way."

Jessie just laughed and shook her head while she stood up and released Ryan's hand. "Come on you jerk. Grab your coat and the keys."

Eagerly, Ryan stood up. She tugged on her leather jacket and grabbed her wallet, stuffing it in her back pocket before snatching up the keys. Jessie was waiting at the door to their apartment and she dug into the inner pocket and pulled a cigarette out. As Jessie closed and locked the door behind them, she lit the cigarette up and took a drag, exhaling it out to the side away from Jessie. The other woman came up to her and bumped her with her hip which made Ryan extend the keys out.

Jessie took the keys with a smile and then went to the car to start it up. It was a habit for them. She would get the car and let Ryan have her smoke. Ryan was never late, and frequently early and pushed Jessie into not lazing about. That was another reason Jessie loved her, because she didn't demand but somehow, all the same, she changed Jessie.

She watched through the windshield as Ryan smoked, the heat in the car finally working enough that she wasn't cold. The dark haired woman caught her watching and stuck her tongue out before taking another drag of the cigarette. Finally she leaned down and put out the cigarette, flicking the residual tobacco out and put the butt in her outer pocket. Only then did she move over and open the passenger door, sliding in and pulling the seat belt on.

Jessie laughed at her. "Ok you." She put the car into reverse and backed out, looking behind and then when she was clear she turned around and pivoted the wheels and put the car into drive. They drove off to the store so Ryan could wait for her next entertainment.

When they got there, Ryan was greeted by the manager who was organizing the line outside the store. He motioned for her and Jessie to move over and grinned. "Didn't think you'd make it. Normally you are earlier, Ryan."

Ryan just shrugged. "Sometimes you have to wait on your girlfriend to get ready, you know?"

Jessie knew Ryan was teasing but still slapped her arm with a gasp of faked surprise. "I do not take that long!"

The manager just laughed. "I get that same reaction from my wife when I say that. I know you have the our gold card so you are lucky to get to the front of the line." Then he backed up and looked at the crowd. "Does anyone else have the gold club cards? If so, please come up to the front."

Most of the crowd booed good naturedly while the few that did crept forwards to take their place behind Jessie and Ryan. "Looks to be wild out here, Mac." Another employee exited the store and looked around.

"We set?" Mac asked while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yup. Got everything in order. Chris is making sure to have the rest of the stock in easy reach." The younger man said to the manager.

"Good. Make sure all the special edition stuff is on the counter in easy reach. If these devs would stop putting out special shit we'd have an easier time," he grumbled.

The employee laughed. "And less money," he pointed out.

That made Ryan chuckle. "Anything for more money. I know this is a group of suckers more than willing to throw it for all the bells, bangles and whistles."

The employee nodded with a wide grin. "Yup. Well let me take my cold ass back inside. Not sure how you can take the cold Mac, I am cold just looking at you."

Mac just shrugged with a smirk. "Helps when you grew up in areas consistently colder than here year round. This is like a brisk fall day to me."

With that the employee laughed and headed back inside and Mac started walking up and down the line that stretched almost to the end of the small mini mall plaza. He kept on asking everyone if they had gold club cards and sent them to the front.

Ryan nudged Jessie. "Keep my spot warm?"

Jessie sighed at Ryan and then shook her head. "Yea. Go on, I know you want to talk to Ken."

Both had spotted the young man leaning against his car with a smoke. Giving Jessie a look, Ryan started walking over, pulling out her own cigarette and lighting it. "Ken," she said in greeting.

"Ryan. Looks like a huge crowd tonight. Wonder how much of it is for DAI?" He glanced up and down the line, giving a little wave to Jessie when she waved to him.

She shrugged. "Well it's not the only game releasing tonight but it's the most popular so I will assume at least half if not a little more are here for that. Otherwise you got a few that are here for more than just DAI." She exhaled to the side while Ken did the same, nodding.

"Fair enough. You got PC too? Wait why am I asking this?" He shook his head and smirked to her.

"Yea, why are you asking," she teased and took another drag from her cigarette. Her phone vibrated and she pulled it out, checking it. It was just a text from Jessie and she glanced over and rolled her eyes at the other woman.

Ken saw that and chuckled at her. "She still teasing you?"

Ryan nodded. "Not quite sure why a girl can't have a boy as a best friend. It's not like either of us will ever be romantically involved."

"A real shame, that." Key drawled, knowing that Ryan preferred women to men. I didn't affect him at all.

They had been friends since middle school and even back then Ken knew Ryan didn't really care for boys at all as more than friends. While other girls had mooned over boys, Ryan had paid more attention to sports. And in high school, she had her hands full with not only field hockey but basketball and softball, as each sports season came up. She never looked at any guy in school the same way she looked at Jessie now.

And now, now her own family just accepted Ryan as being strange though they desperately ignored the fact that their daughter was dating another woman. When Jessie came over to family gatherings, they all called her Ryan's friend and lamented the fact that Ryan was never going to marry. It was a situation that left Ryan uncomfortable. It made her shrink down and try to remain invisible so no one paid her attention.

They finished their cigarettes and then both headed to the line, Ryan skiddling up to Jessie and wrapping her arm around her. Ken grinned and then greeted Mac who gave him a little push towards the line. A hour later the line had doubled up and Jessie was leaning against Ryan, trying to keep warm. Finally Ryan sighed and kissed the back of Jessie's head. "Go on, go warm up in the car hun."

Jessie sighed, relaxing and turned to give Ryan a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks." She then hurried off and got into the car, turning the heat on. Ryan just shook her head slowly.

It was almost midnight now and everyone was starting to get eager. Ryan was just glad standing around would be over with soon. She pulled her phone out and checked the time. Five more minutes to go. Leaning against the store's glass window, she peered to the side at the parking lot then turned her attention to Mac when he moved view the entire crowd.

"OK everyone. In a few minutes we will start to let people in. Gold Club members get first dibs. So what I am saying is if you have the gold club card, you better get your butts to the front otherwise you are stuck in line." Most of the crowd chuckled at that but no one stepped forwards either. "Ok. We'll try to get you in and out as quickly as possible so some of you warm blooded ones can go back to warming up."

Chris tapped on the door to let Mac know they were ready and he nodded as Chris unlocked it. "Ok we will let in twenty at a time and once that group is gone, the next lot of you will be let in."

He gestured to Ryan and those lined up behind her. She nodded and grinned as Chris as she entered the store, pulling out her card and offering it to the employee behind the counter. "Pre-order on DAI," she answered when he enquired. "PC version," she added after.

It didn't take the employee long to verify through the card that Ryan had paid off in full and then he grabbed the collectors edition for her and held it out. "Enjoy. I won't be able to till after this crowd leaves."

Ryan laughed and nodded. "Well I hope they are orderly then so you can get out as soon as possible. Bye."

She made it through the crowd waiting and headed to the car, sighing as she sat down in the seat. "Ok, gotta hit Wally World before we get home."

Jessie nodded as she put the car in gear. "Hmm, yea. We need to stock up anyways. The one over on Willington?"

Ryan nodded and Jessie exited the parking lot onto the main road. She drove to the store and found a parking spot near the only entrance open. They both got out and Jessie grabbed a cart before they entered. Tugging on her arm, Ryan turned down the deli aisle to grab a couple of packs of lunch meats and a loaf of Italian bread. Jessie picked up a few onions because it was in the same area. She also grabbed a container of diced tomatoes and a small jar of crushed garlic.

"Can you get the fixings for a vegetable beef soup Jess?" Ryan paused next to her girlfriend who nodded. "Ok, also we need a roll of ninety-five percent lean hamburger when you get the beef. I am going to make goulash tomorrow night. That reminds me, if you could get some mozzarella cheese while you are at it…?"

Ryan nodded. "Sure. Sausage too. I'll grab that. Anything else when I am over there?"

Jessie shrugged. "If you see anything I know you'll grab it. Meet at the snack aisle?"

Ryan nodded. "Yea." She moved off to get the hamburger and find good cuts of beef to use in the soup.

Jessie picked up the beef stock, the tomato soup cans and the vegetables both liked in the soup. She also got a box of instant barley. And while she was in the soup aisle she picked up a couple dozen ramen packs and cups of soup. Ryan liked those and took to work the cups because it was easier than wasting money on going out to lunch while at work.

They met up in the snack aisle and between them, they got a couple of bags of chips and Ryan's favorite beef jerky. When they were done they headed over to the checkout and Ryan slipped her card through to pay. They loaded up the groceries in the back of the car and then Ryan took the driver's seat after snatching up the keys.

"Just need to hit the corner store for smokes then we can head home," she said. Jessie just nodded as she buckled up.

If it wasn't for Ryan's hyper attention while driving, the truck would have hit them instead of blowing through the red light. As was, the car behind them suddenly lit up with blue and white lights and gunned it out around them, the cop going to chase the violator. Jessie gripped Ryan's arm tightly as this all happened, fearful. Ryan let her as she finally it the gas and went through the intersection.

"Fuck. I don't know how you do that Ryan," Jessie finally said as her terror faded.

"When you grow up driving in a state known not only for lots of snow but aggressive drivers, you get a feeling for the fucking morons that do shit like that," she said, fingers flexing on the steering wheel. She slowed down and turned on the blinker as they turned into the convenience store where Ryan normally picked up her cigarettes. "Stay here or coming in?"

Jessie shooed her off. "I'm good. Go on get your smokes."

Ryan nodded and left the car in park and on while she entered to get her cigarettes. The clerk gave her a weird smile as she came up to the counter. "Get me two packs, Jen?"

The clerk nodded. "Sure." And she grabbed the wrong two packs and set them down on the counter.

"No, you know I smoke the lights," she said, concerned now. From behind her was the sound of shuffling feet came closer.

"Oh, sorry." She put them up and grabbed the right ones and set them down. "Credit or debit?"

Ryan shrugged. "Credit." She slide her card and hit the right buttons. After she grabbed her packs and slipped them into her inner jacket pocket. The door opened then.

"Hey Ryan, I wanted to get a candy bar. Can you get that for me while I use the lady's room?" Jessie came over to the counter.

"Ok. Your usual?" She turned and noticed the hooded up younger man behind Jessie with his hands in his hoodie pocket but didn't pay him attention.

"Yea. I'll be right back." Jessie turned to walk to the back and that's when the man acted.

The next thing anyone knew was a gun was being waved in their faces. Jessie's eyes widened while Ryan's narrowed and the clerk squeaked in fear behind them. Ryan held her hands up, palms out while the young man demanded them to hand over their purses.

"I don't have a purse, man. I have a wallet," she pointed out to him as she reached back to pull it out and hold it up.

That would have happened but the gun went off suddenly with a bang that deafened her. Jessie yelped suddenly and dropped to the floor. That made Ryan drop her wallet, look down at Jessie with the spreading red of her blood and then snaped her head back to the gunman. She would wonder later on and for a long while, what caused her to do what she did next.

Her left hand fisted up and with a snarl she shifted towards the gunman, backhanded the gun and hand and then brought her right around in a haymaker that flattened the man to the floor after he bounced off the rack of candy. Then she was on him, her fist pulverizing his face till the clerk came up to and pulled her off.

"Hey. Hey! I've called the cops and ambulance but she's bleeding…," the clerk said and pointed to Jessie which made Ryan jump up and almost fall over next to Jessie.

"Jessie!" She looked around and leapt up, grabbing a wad of napkins and then came back over, pressing them hard over the wound the bullet had left. There was so much blood and it soaked into her jeans.

The clerk wrung her hands. She had done all she could. She called the cops, the ambulance and her manager and then gingerly picked up the gun with a plastic bag. The would-be robber looked a mess after what Ryan had done to him. And in her heart she was glad the woman had went to town on the disgusting piece of trash.

Lights made her look up to see not only the cops but the ambulance had arrived and she was so glad. The cops came in first and the motioned for the EMTs to make their way in. One went over to the crook and rolled him over to cuff him and the other came over to the clerk to take a statement.

Ryan didn't want to leave Jessie but the EMTs were there so she got up and stood out of the way, watching at her girlfriend bled out. Her jeans were soaked in Jessie's blood and her hands covered.

About that time the manager arrived and entered in, blanching at the scene of one young woman in a puddle of blood and another covered in it. The cop came over and then he and the cop went into the back to get the security tape from the night after watching what happened. The cop whistled when he saw the haymaker Ryan put on the robber.

"Woah, that's a wicked right she has," he said and the manager nodded. "I bet she's got some martial arts training. Thought… all that left when she started pummeling him after…" Both watched in fascination as Ryan beat the robber into unconsciousness in minutes and then was tugged off to go to the shot woman. "Well this spells it out pretty well. Your clerk was smart to grab the gun in a plastic bag like that. We just need the tape. It's pretty clear cut."

The manager nodded. "She did as she was supposed to do in an event like this. The home office won't have a say in this at least. Thank god. She's my more reliable worker and I'd hate to have to fire her for not following policy. It looks like if it wasn't for that young woman, I'd still be out of a good clerk. He didn't hesitate to fire," the manager noted.

"Yea…," the cop said, reluctant to point it out. "I am pretty sure this is the same guy that robbed the Q over on Edwards last month."

"Oh? Oh," the manager said, remembering that the worker in that store had ended up dead. "Alls I can say is thank god this time worked out better for us… kind of." He frowned because still it looked like the shot woman was in terrible condition. "Well I better let Jen go home. God knows she's probably a wreck right now. I'll give you her contact information."

It took hours for the cops to finish up and then the manager locked up the store with a sign on the door to let everyone know that they were closed down for the time being. Ryan on the other hand, Jen pulled her over to the sinks by the coffeemakers and pointed to the soap and turned on the water, making her wash her hands off at least. The lost and stunned look on Ryan's face told Jen that Ryan was in no shape to make any decisions for herself. When the cop came over with Ryan's wallet, Jen took it with a smile and then slipped it into Ryan's jacket pocket.

"Miss?" The cop prodded Ryan gently. The ambulance left with the other woman a half hour ago.

"What?" Ryan blinked and stared at him not understanding.

"I need your contact information," he pressed gently.

Ryan gave it to him before sighing. "I really need to get to the hospital officer."

He nodded. "We'll be by tomorrow at the soonest to take a better statement from you."

Ryan nodded and walked out of the store, her pants sticky with Jessie's dried blood. She pulled out a smoke and lit it up as she got into her car and turned the key. Along the drive, she chained smoked one after another till she arrived at the hospital and headed into the emergency entrance to find out about Jessie.

A nurse rushed over to her when she entered because of the blood on her pants. It only took a few minutes for Ryan to explain and then the nurse reached out to gently touch her shoulder. "The doctor will want to talk to you miss," she said gently.

Ryan nodded and followed the nurse into an empty room. It didn't take long for the ER doctor to enter and he motioned for her to sit down. "I am sorry ma'am. She did not make it due to massive trauma and blood loss," he said softly.

Ryan nodded robotically, the words sinking in but at the same time she didn't get them really. "Can I see her?"

He nodded. "Do you have her family's contact number?"

Ryan nodded and pulled out her phone, moving through the contacts till she found Jessie's home phone and offered it to the doctor. He wrote it down and then nodded to her to follow him. "I'll call them now but Genna here can take you to her. Genna, room 4 please?"

The nurse gave a understanding look and then smiled gently at Ryan. "We tried everything to keep her alive miss. But the bullet hit an artery. She's right here." The both entered the covered cubical and the nurse came over to pull the sheet up to let Ryan look at Jessie one more time.

It was at that point that the tears Ryan had held back fell. She lightly brushed Jessie's blood hair back, staring at the one person she truly loved with all her being. She looked at peace and Ryan lightly traced a finger over Jessie's nose and lips before leaning over and kissing her on the forehead. She swallowed thickly then and nodded to the nurse.

"Thank you," she croaked out, brushing the tears off her cheek. There was nothing left for her there and she turned and walked out of the cubicle, exiting the ER and heading to her car. She drove home and remembered the groceries in the back. Listlessly she pulled them out, brought them in and put the cold stuff in the fridge. Then she remembered her game and went back out to the car and grabbed it. She brought that in and turned on her monitor.

Soon the game was updating itself and she let it while she stripped off her bloody clothing and put it in an garbage bag. For once in her life she didn't care about smoking in the apartment and did so. Mechanically she moved around, taking a shower and washing off Jessie's blood from her arms and legs. She stayed in the shower till the cold water drove her out and then put on a pair of sweats. By that time the game had finished updating and she sat down to drive her mind from the events of the night.

By the next morning the whole town knew what happened and those that knew Jessie and Ryan visited Ryan but she drove them off. Even her parents had come and she snarled at them and they left, heart-broken to see their daughter in such a state. Jessie's parents didn't even have it in their heart to deny Ryan's presence at the wake and burial. It was a quiet, introverted young woman that stood there staring out into the distance the whole time. No one could deny that Jessie had impacted her life.

Eventually things calmed down and Ryan spent her time either working or playing the game she had picked up. She never really remembered much about it, instead just reacting and diving herself into the world that was not real. She found comfort in ignoring the real world with the game. This worried all her family and friends because she didn't contact them, didn't talk about what happened. Still every time they tried, she reacted like an injured wild animal and they eventually stopped trying.

This was what Ryan wanted, to be left alone. To ignore the world when she could. She didn't want their sympathy at all. She just wanted the solitude to forget everything. It affected her work but mostly because she was quieter than normal. She did everything she was asked to do but it was like watching a robot.

Then her solitary thoughts turned more inwards, more destructive. She hated herself for surviving where Jessie hadn't. And this lead to a path she never expected, one that would eventually heal her but at the same time, things would have changed. She just never expected to live past the point of her car being hit and thrown off the road and down the embankment to the gully.

It was snowing that night. Those thick, giant flakes of snow type of snow. Thick, wet and sticky. It didn't help the road at all. And it was coming down fast enough that the plough trucks couldn't keep up with it. It was bitterly cold too which froze the water into ice and made the road too slick but she was heading home from work that night.

The radio had a song on she disliked so she took her eyes off the road just a moment to hit the button to another station. When she looked up all's she saw was a jack knifed trailer heading towards her. She jerked the wheel to the right to avoid it and her car lost traction, rear wheels sliding around to spin her car. The tractor trailer broadsided her car, crumpling the driver's side. Ryan's head impacted the window though, bring her blissful darkness while her car was spun around the other way and off the road, rolling down the embankment and coming to a stop on its passenger side against a tree.

Fifteen minutes later a fireman made his way down to the car, his flash light peering into the shattered windshield of the wrecked car. The woman's face was covered in blood. He picked up his radio. "Yea, Mike, we got one down here. Need a board and collar. Not sure if she's alive so get Jack and Darren down here to check her over. We need…," he trailed off as the woman's arm twitched up. "Shit, she's alive. Get the guys down here. We need to get her out. I can smell gas."

He happened to look over only to see a red glow lit up the interior of the car. "Fuck its going!" He turned and ran just as the car exploded into flames, throwing him into the brush and against an oak tree. Groaning he used said tree to help himself up and looked back at the car engulfed in flames. It looked like the woman was reaching for something before the fire took over everything.

"John!" A voice called down. Two bodies used the rope to make their way down the steep embankment, a hose trailing that they angled on the burning wreck. John limped over to them after picking up his helmet and radio.

"Shit John, you look like rolled over crap," one of them said and John shook his head.

"She… was alive when the car went up," he said.

Dan punched John's arm to get his attention. "Go on up, we got this here," he said, understanding too well.

A half hour later the fire was out and they hooked up the car so the tow truck could lift it up the embankment. After that, everyone knew the poor woman was hopefully at peace after what had happened. Officer Newton was the same cop that had arrived at the attempted robbery months ago. He remembered the name too well.

"Fuck," he said and his partner gave him a questioning look.

"Jay?" the other officer prodded his partner.

"Sorry, Creek." He sighed and ran his hand over his face. "You know that robbery at the Hen a few months back?"

"Yea?" Creek said, waiting for Jay to explain to him.

"This car is owned by the same woman who beat the shit out of the robber. She lost her friend that night," he said and sighed heavily. "I gotta pull up her contact information. I hate this fucking job sometimes."

Creek nodded, remembering that. "If you want, I'll make the calls," he offered.

"No. I would feel better if I did this for them." He typed into the console in his car and then picked up the radio. "Control, this is 852. We will be enroute to 327 Alpine Drive. Scene is cleared and coroner is requested. One fatality involved."

"Received 852. Logged in. Are you requesting a unit at the scene?"

"Affirmative Control. Got to wait on the tow truck company to bring out the big rig to pull the tractor trailer out of the ditch," he responded with.

"Received 852. Unit 821 is enroute to your location."

"Received Control. Will wait until 821's arrival. Out."

He then replaced the radio back in its hook and sighed again. "When Hank gets here we are heading over to the Lawson residence."

Both went back to directing traffic away from the scene and once the other officer arrived, they head to inform some parents that their daughter was gone. It never got easier to him to do this. He hated to watch the confusion turn into anger and finally tears.