Revy stood quietly in the shadows cast by the building behind her as she watched Rock. He had been staring a few feet from the back of the building for hours now; just staring at the darkened and star speckled sky. Lately, Revy found that she just couldn't stop him from popping in and out of her mind. She hated herself for it, and a part of her wished that she would have shot him before the idea had ever crossed her mind to try and ransomed him off. Her mind flashed back on the events that took place earlier that day, and she thought about all of it against her will once again.

They had all completed another delivery and went to collect the other half of the money owed to them. The cheep fucking dagos had tried to short um'; saying that they had changed their minds on the price. Shit went bad of course and guns were pulled. One of the greasy haired basterds had shoved his piece into the back of Rocks head, and even had the balls to cock back the hammer. She and Dutch were the only two carrying; Rock was soo stupid he never did, and Benny hadn't come along. Rock stayed quiet, it was what caused her to glance at him. Usually he would be the first to try talking to everyone, in an attempt to come to some bullshit non-violent compromise. Surprisingly, he was good at it. This time though, this time he just stared at the wall across from him, eyes distant and passive, like he wanted the mama's boy to pull the trigger. Revy felt her heart skip a beat and didn't know why. It was Dutch who talked everyone into putting their guns down. Rock just kept his empty stare. The cheep fuckers finally paid everything that was owed, and they all left.

When they got back to the 'office' all she wanted to do was go out drinking so she could try and forget the look in Rock's eyes, and try to ignore why it bothered her so much. That didn't happen of course. Benny was playing with his fagy little computers, Dutch was working on the Lagoon, and all Rock would say was the he "didn't feel like it". He was still too silence for comfort, and even had the same look in his eyes from earlier. It frustrated the hell out of her and she had the biggest urge to pumble his ass and scream at him until he snapped out of whatever funk he was in. Before she could do any of it tough, he just stood up and left.

So here she was, standing in the shadows like some creepy stalker. She continued to just watching Rock as he watched nothing. What the hell's his problem! Who the fuck just stands outside at night and stares off into space?! I'm gonna talk to that white collared bitch and find out what's up his ass. Revy took a deep breath and stepped out from her shadow casted hole. She strolled over to his side, he said nothing. She stuck her hand into his dress shirt pocket, and pulled out his pack of cigarettes. Again he said nothing, he didn't even move as she did it. Fishing her lighter out of her cut-off jean shorts she light two smokes at once, and extended one to Rock without looking. He took it without saying anything. They smoked in silence for what felt to her like an eternity before she broke. "Alright partner, what's eating you?"

Rock said nothing.

She bit back a growl. "What are you too good to talk to me now?!"

"No. No Revy." He answered still unmoving in a distant voice.

Her chest tightened for a second at hearing his tone. She hated it, and hated him for it. "Ahh! What the fuck! What's up with this fucking depressed shit? The last time you were like this was after we came back from Japan, what the hell!" Her screams echoed through the heat- heavy night air as she flicked her cigarette butt onto the ground and stomped it out with her boot.

Rock finally turned and looked at her. "You told me before that we're the walking dead…. I always thought that even though we are, we can still at least feel alive. I get it now though. By become one of the walking dead, we give up what constitutes life; we give up our freedom to truly decide, we give up what we love to keep from ceasing to exist-" he paused for a second and looked Revy directly in the eyes. "Dying. We trade in hope, morals, and all emotion. We trade it in for money, and violence, and a chance to keep what we, the living dead, have come to call life. We're already dead Revy; the only difference is that for some reason, we're still walking around. I just can't find a reason to keep fighting so desperately against that one last thing that separates us from those six feet under."

His words, the look he still wore, the way he looked at her, it all burnt up Revy's last bit of patients. She drove her fist as hard as she could into the side of his face, and followed through with it.

Rock went down hard, and the dark world around him swam with color for a moment. He tried to refocus his eyes, but before he could he felt hands on his collar and found he was being lifted to his feet; only be slammed roughly into the brick wall a few feet behind him. "Re-vy" he crocked out in agony and confusion.

"Shut the fuck up!" She snarled as she slammed his back into the wall as hard as she could again. Rock shut his eyes in pain as he collided with the bricks. Revy growled low and dangerously. "If you ever- ever- say anything like that again, I'll kill you myself! And another thing, wipe that fucking look off your face! I can't stand it, it drives me crazy!"

Rock could feel blood running slowly from the corner of his mouth, and his body was white hot with pain. He opened his eyes slowly, and chocked past the pain. "Why?"

Revy pulled him forward even further than before, and slammed him into the wall so hard that his head snapped back with the impact. "I never thought that you, of all people would be so stupid! All of this gloom and doom shit is because you don't 'feel alive'?"

Rock's world was spinning and he couldn't even suck in an even enough breath to answer back. He gave a weak "uh-uh."

"For fucks sake Rock. Don't you feel this?" She asked in a voice that was almost soft as she jerked him lightly against the wall. She watched as his eyes squeezed together tighter, and he gave another grown of acknowledgment. Revy loosed her grip on his collar and slipped her right hand up to cup the side of his swelling face. She lightly stroked her thumb back and forth just below his lip; to whip away the blood. "And this?" She asked calmly as she felt his pulse jump in his neck and watched his eye lids go from painfully tight to simply closed.

He gave another quite, "Uh-uh."

Revy took his hand with her free one and placed it over her heart as she leaned into him; resting her cheek against his. Her words were barely above a whisper as she blew them into his ear. "And this?"

Rock's eyes shot open at the unexpected tenderness of her actions. "Y-yes." He whispered back. "Revy I-"

"Shut up, I'm not done yet…. You can feel pain." She moved her lips closer to his ear; and squeezed his hand that she had placed over her heart and trapped under hers. "I know you can feel my heart beat…. and I can feel yours. Don't cling any stupid concept of life, if you're going to cling anything, do it to the hunt for adrenalin. Guess you could call it feeling. Feel the moment Rock, live in it- for it. We might be the walking dead, but you seem to be missing the most important thing; right now, we're alive."

Rock felt his heart skip a beat before it pounded to life in a quick rhythm.

Revy felt his hearts' rhythm change. "I think you've finally got what it all means now."

There was the hint of laughter in her voice and he smiled. "Ya Revy, I've got it now."

Please Read

So here's what up with the story, I originally wrote it a while back; it was one of those things that just wouldn't leave you alone until you did something with it. I decided to post it because there hasn't been a lot of Black Lagoon FF flow as of late and figured every one could use something. Here's where you all, as the readers/audience come in: do I keep it as a one shot or make it into something more? I feel it has potential, but if it's not good (I don't think it's one of my best works) why continue? Let me know what you think. I'd be happy to continue with it and add more chapters if people actually like it and want more. Thanks for reading and for any feedback.