A/N Ok, guys, this is the redone/proofread/updated version..

It was cold.. Jay J shivered and tucked her hands in her pockets, ducking her head against the icy Detroit wind. Damn it was fucking cold!

She glanced up at the closed coffin in front of her. It was a gorgeous coffin, worthy of the lady that rested inside.. Every inch of spare space around the ornate wooden box was covered with eloquent flower arrangements and mourners, Miss Evelyn Mercer had been a well-loved citizen. There wasn't a dry eye in the place, not that Jay J could see anyways. She herself, was not crying. Not out of disrespect for Miss Evelyn, Jay had loved the old woman with all her heart. She just, simply, didn't cry.

Across the heads of many friends and relatives, Jay J focused on a stand of Scarlet roses resting on the exact center of Ms Evelyn's final resting place. Roses. Jerry had insisted on that. Four Roses. One from himself, one from Bobby, one from Jack, one from Angel. Unfortunately, Jerry was the only one of these four brothers that Jay J knew. She had come into Miss Evelyn's life a long time after the last of her boys had left. Jerry, however, came back to look after his mom, sporting a beautiful new pregnant wife and baby girl.

Jay J loved the girls, and they worshiped her. Smiling softly now, Jay shifted her arm to a more comfortable position under a sleeping Amelia. She cuddled the girl close. Looking up again, her own soft blue eyes met with cold gray over the top of the roses. Gray eyes set in a handsome face she recognized from Ms Evelyn's family albums. This was the oldest, Robert Mercer. Hockey player turned Heavyweight fighter, he had a rep for being a hothead, but an intelligent one.

So Bobby had shown after all.

After the service, there was a gathering at Jerry's house. Jay J was surprised to see another face she knew from that old and well-worn album; Jack Mercer. The youngest. By all reports a good kid. Trying to make it in the music industry, a rocker. And he looked the part too. Messy-yet-adorable hair fell into deep gray/blue eyes. Handsome profile, dressed in leather and chains. Maybe a little too punk-style for Jay J, but it suited him.

She watched from the doorway as Bobby and Jack made their way to the house, stopping to talk with Jerry's little girls. It was then that Detectives Green and Fowler made an appearance...

Fowler had been after Jay for months. Ever since her second hit here in the Detriot, some crooked political fuck-up named Greenberg. One of her most famous kills. But she had almost been caught then, taking jobs that were too close to home. Not a mistake she would repeat if she could help it. Still, she couldn't figure out how that bastard Fowler had come up with her, she had always been careful to have no ties with her victims, and the clients knew her only as Jaybird, a codename. All contact was secure and anonymous.

The young, blonde assassin backed away from the door as the two cops approached. Watching from a window, she observed their conversation with the two Mercers. Green and Bobby were old buds, used to play hockey together when they were kids, according to Jeremiah. Jay J was good at retaining information, it was one of the main reasons she was still alive today. Behind her Jerry was talking to his wife, Camille. Her voice was sweet and soft, harder to hear.

"I thought you said he wasn't coming?" 'who wasn't coming? Bobby? Jack? Green?' Jay J also had a bad habit of listening to other people's conversations. It may not be polite, but the things she'd overheard had saved her ass many a time. Fuck politeness.

"No, I said I didn't know if he was coming. Nobody's seen that face around here for a long time." 'Bobby, then..' The eldest Mercer had not been home for almost six years. Before Miss Evelyn had taken Jay J from her.. former home. Jacqueline (Jay J) Lydia Sylvette did not generally discuss her past.

Seeing the group of men heading towards the house, Jay decided it might be time to make her exit. She'd meet up with the boys later, at home.

It was past 10 and very dark when the car containing three men drove up to Evelyn Mercer's former home. They got out and headed towards the door.

"So how you been Bobby?"

"I'm a fuckin' college professor Jack, how you think I've been?"

A deep chuckle. "Somehow I doubt that."

Angel Mercer was sitting just inside, and was greeted with hugs and teasing insults.

"Hey man, did you get your teeth whitened?"

"Shut up Jackie-boy."

Jerry pushed past the others and threw a suitcase onto the couch in an impeccably kept living room. Calling out as he did so, "Hey Jay J, you home?"

"Who the fuck is Jay J?" Bobby flopped down in his favorite chair and answered his own question. "Probably another poor bastard Mom took in."

"Watch your mouth, Bobby."

She was a sight for sore eyes. Standing there in her low necked, blue sweater that fell off one shoulder, and low-rise hip-huggers; like that beautiful neighbors' daughter that you can dream about but never quite touch. Golden curls framed her face and she smiled sweetly.

"Hi, I'm Jay J."

Her voice was sweet and lilting, with a faint country girl drawl.

"Well, I'll let you boys get settled in, I'm just making dinner in here." She ducked back into the kitchen.

Bobby blinked, Angel got a goofy eyed grin, and Jack just stood there quietly like Jackie usually does... But who knows what goes through his mind?

Oh yes, Jay J had perfected the art of making a good first impression.

Jerry looked around at his mismatched brothers, a look of amusement on his face. Bobby finally spoke up.

"Where'd she come from?"

"Mom took her in after she ran away from some abusive cult. She doesn't talk about it." Jerry stared at the door to the kitchen. "But she pays for herself, and the girl can cook. "

"What kind of work does she do?"

"Doesn't really talk much about her job-"

"Hooker?" this from Angel. Earning him a whack over the head from his youngest brother. For some reason that remark offended Jack.

"No, but she's got the body for it, doesn't she?" Jerry chuckled.

Bobby snorted. "Probably a fucking slut. what the hell does she do?"

Unfortunately for Bobby, JayJ returned just in time to hear that remark. She sent him a death glare that made Jack and Angel shudder, but decided to let it slide. Once.

"I'm a professional assassin." She began clearing up a little, hanging coats and wiping off the coffee table. "I 'do' contract killings." Her tone was not to be messed with, but obviously Bobby didn't get that message. He chuckled, his tone taunting.

"Yeah right. Sorry baby, but I just can't see you with a gun in your hand."

That was twice. Well, he'd had his chance...

Jay J was on him so quick that Jack didn't know if he had blinked or not. But yup, she sure had a gun in her hand. And said gun was being almost fondly pressed to Bobby's gut. The long fingers of her other hand closed around his throat.

"This helpin' your vision, hon?" Her voice was smooth and silky. She smiled sincerely. Bobby coughed. This chick did not like to be mocked..

Jerry could see no emotion in Jay's eyes, she was cold and hard. But Jerry knew JayJ would never harm a Mercer. However, heaven help Bobby if he had any other last name.

Jerry walked up behind the blonde. "Jay, c'mon. That's enough."

His tone commanded an obedience that was not normal for Jerry, but one that Jay J was much too acquainted with, and she resented him for it. But she backed off, apologizing through a forced politeness. Quietly she retired to her basement bedroom.

His pride considerably ruffled at being taken down by a girl who couldn't be more than 19, Bobby grabbed his stuff and headed up the stairs. Calling instructions as he did so.

"Jack, you take your old room. Angel, take yours. I'm going to sleep in Mom's room."

Angel's room was exactly the same as he remembered it. As he sat down on the old and familiar bed, turned on the old and familiar stereo, our strong, pretty-boy marine felt a sudden and violent pang of sadness. His Mom was gone, dead. The only woman who ever gave a damn, murdered in cold blood.

Jack found his old guitar, and out of habit began plucking out a tune. It was something he'd do as a kid for comfort. Looking up, he half expected to see his mother in the door way, half expected to hear her voice again.

"What's wrong, Jackie?"

Instead he saw the rather large form of Bobby. Bobby crossed the room and sat down n the floor, resting his back against the bed. "You been crying in here you little fairy?" It didn't come out at all like the usual teasing. Jack wondered if Bobby had been crying himself. He sighed and pulled out a packet of cigarettes.

"Leave it alone, man."

"Still making a lot of racket on that freakin' thing?" Bobby gestured towards the guitar in his little brother's lap..

"Yeah, still makin' a lot o' racket." Jackie gave a sad smile. "Too weird in Mom's room?"

"Oh man, way too weird." Bobby ran a hand through his dark hair. "It's crazy, y'know she didn't change a thing in this house. It's exactly the same."

"Except for one feisty little blonde kitten downstairs." Jeremiah leaned on his shoulder in the doorway. "mhmm, just look at y'all."

"What?"

"Nothin', just happy to see ya, happy to see my brothers. Mom would've like this, us all being home. "

Jack nodded and lit up, letting puffs of smoke pour out of his mouth. If his mom was here, she never would've let him smoke inside.

Jeremiah continued. "Tomorrow's Thanksgiving, I'm gonna go buy a turkey or somethin'. Let's at least act like we're a real family."

"Is it true, that she's a killer?" Jack was studying some spot on the ceiling that only he could see, and his question was unexpected. Jerry nodded.

"You heard about Greenberg, Nicholson, Krakovich?" All were prominent men, and their deaths had been covered by local and national newscasts.

Bobby perked up. "You're saying that those were her hits?" Another nod from Jerry.

"Ain't no fuckin' way. " He shook his head once. "Those were professional, the police took had no suspects at all. There was no fuckin' evidence to find. And you're sitting here tellin' me that that kid pulled those jobs?"

"No, I'm telling you that." Jay J stepped out from behind Jeremiah. "I've already told you I'm professional."

She was clearly dressed for going out. A tailored, soft brown leather jacket covered a sparkling black halter top, which was paired with black, fitted jeans. Her was hair done up in a high ponytail that cascaded down her back like honey-gold. She placed a hand on Jerry's shoulder.

"I've got some work to do, but I'll be in tomorrow morning and supper's already set out, so you boys should be ok 'til I get back." She smiled, waved and turned to head back down the stairs.

But Jack was curious now. He jumped off the bed. "Hey, kitten!"

She spun around to look up. "'Kitten'?"

Jack flashed a grin. "Yeah. Where are you going?"

She hesitated to answer him, and started down the stairs again. "To get some information."

Jack cut in front of her, blocking her way to the door.

"Where?" he pressed. She pushed past him.

"I can't tell you just now."

"I'll talk to you later." She was out the door now.

At this point, Angel walked past the bedroom door, all dressed up.

Bobby got curious.

"Where are you going?"

"Well, you know, it's getting little stuffy in here, so I thought I'd go get some air.."

Bobby started laughing. "Boy, you can smell that ass from down the street, huh?"

"What're you talking about?" Angel was offended.

"La Vida Loca, she's got another man y'know. "

"What? ain't nobody goin' to get no La Vida Loca nothin'."

"Another man, let me tell ya somethin'. She's got a hard dick in her right now, she screaming somebody else's name, and the last thing she's doin' is thinkin' about your black ass. Leave it alone, man."

Angel was getting frustrated now, and his tone said it.

"Look, I'm standin' here and I'm tellin' y'all both right now, that I'm not going to see that girl, and I'm not!"