The Gig [Finished]

[accalia]

"Yeah, no. Worst he'll do is order me to turn you over, then i'll have to refuse and he'll kill me for that. Handing you over is not an option. Never will be."

Tony pauses. "If it does go bad, go to Kate if you can. She's trustworthy and.... well I'm pretty sure she'll take care of you."

[yamikuronue]

"I told you," says Vic quietly, his voice hoarse. "Don't you die for me. If he says to hand me over, hand me over. I'll go quiet."

[accalia]

"I made a promise to you, but i have another promise that overrides it here. I won't go throwing my life away, but neither can i hand another over to be killed, or worse." Tony smiles 'So, If i end up having to disobey that command... Sorry, but that's who I am."

[yamikuronue]

Vic shudders, wrapping his arms around his stomach. "Please," he whispers, his voice strained as well as soft.

He closes his eyes, trying to gather the shreds of his dignity into a harder, more solid voice, if not much louder. "How do you think I feel? Sending you off to get killed on my behalf..."

[accalia]

"Can't be worse for me." Tony says sadly. "I was up vomiting before dawn. Still not sure I could keep anything down." Yeah, tony's still pretty green under the policeman's tan "It sucks... but you're not sending me in. I'm walking in myself because I have decided to. I could have given you over, but I won't. Because that is something i have decided that I will not, no I have decided it's something i cannot do."

[yamikuronue]

"You wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for me," he says, his tone venomous.

[accalia]

"True, maybe. But i'm here now. And my choices are still my own. My father would have thrown you to the wolves, so I won't. Not only because it is what he wouldn't do, but also because it's the right thing to do. I may be bent, but i'm not broken."

[yamikuronue]

No, broken is me: lost, hopelessly confused, stupid as all hell. Vic's eyes sting with tears, but he manages to hold back the worst of it.

"I'll walk in with you. I can wait up front."

[accalia]

"Alright then. Get Tony to make me a Tori special. If i walk out i'll be hungrier than a bear after a winter's sleep."

Tony looks at the clock.... time to get moving. Giovanni doesn't want to be kept waiting Vic is sure.

[yamikuronue]

Vic nods, keeping quiet. Here goes nothing.

The pair head to the car, making a detour at Vic's house to drop off the letter and pick up the album. Then they're off to Big Tony's, a funereal quiet falling over the car as it draws near.

[accalia]

Tony parks, the color draining slowly from his face. His driving was a lot jerkier than usual too. It's pretty obvious that Tony's scared nearly out of his wits... but he's doing this anyway.

[yamikuronue]

Vic puts a hand on his arm as he puts the vehicle into park. "Please," he whispers, not looking up at the man. He knows what the answer will be, but...

[accalia]

"Wish me luck" is all Tony says in response before walking stiffly into the back room. He may be scared, but he will do what is right even so.

[yamikuronue]

Vic follows, hands jammed into his pockets -- Tony has the album, of course -- as his sharp eyes take in the various customers, trying to decide which of them will be the one to kill him.

Big Tony smiles, giving a genial greeting that rolls right off Vic without even being noticed. Then the sounds of the front room fade away as Tony reaches the back: the same place he'd almost died the day before. The room hasn't changed much. There are two armed guards and Giovanni waiting inside, each cool as a cucumber, not a hair out of place.

[accalia]

"I have the proof now." Tony states, not trying the casual talking he had tried last time "But i seem to be hallucinating, it looks like you brought your bodyguards when we had agreed to meet alone."

Tony manages to keep the terror he feels out of his voice, but it is a near run thing.