Mackenzie laughed a little, "No Paul's daughter's name is Pearce. She was named after you."
"Paul has another daughter, Alessandra."
"No, Paul doesn't...he only has one."
"Mackenzie, I grew up with Alessandra. I know."
"Pearce are you...okay? I mean have you been drinking? Are you drunk?"
"Excuse me?!"
"It's none of my business but it's what your father said. He said the pressure of university got to you and started drinking, like a lot. You've been at rehab for the 3 years and then moved Italy."
I threw back my head and laughed, "So I'm an alcoholic now?! Listen bitch, I've now my brother longer than you have. So when I tell he has a daughter you may want to listen than question my alleged sobriety. He has a daughter named Alessandra Katerina DeNiro. She's been missing for the past 5 years and she would've been 18 this year!" I bustled out of the room.
I heard Jake apologizing as I left the room, "I'm sorry...it's...complicated...she's...I'm sorry."
"Pearce are you okay? I heard you shouting," Peter said coming up the stairs.
"Do you know about Alessandra? They didn't tell Mackenzie. They changed her room."
"Mackenzie...doesn't know?"
"They don't want her back. They don't think she's coming back." I sat down on a step, lost at what to do. "What am I going to do? She's the only reason I'm trying so hard to catch Dante. What if do I do find her? Bring her back to a father who forgot her?"
"Bring her back to us," Peter smiled.
"Hey you two," Paul said pounding up the stairs, past the two of us.
Jake appeared at the top of the landing, "Mackenzie took the news pretty hard."
Screams came from Alessandra's room, it was Mackenzie's voice, "A daughter! Who's been missing for five years! Were you ever going to tell me?!"
Paul's answered but his voice was softer so we didn't hear anything. Mackenzie stormed out of room. Her heels stomped on the stairs as she went down.
"You told her!" Paul screamed.
"I didn't know you never told her about your daughter," I got up.
"It's been 5 years I wanted to put that part of my life to bed. I was tired of mourning !"
"Mourning Paul? She's missing not dead. And even if you were 'mourning' her you met Mackenzie a few weeks after she went missing."
"Kids what is all this shouting?" mom asked coming up the stairs followed by my dad.
"Alessandra isn't missing she was taken by your husband," Paul pointed at me.
"Jake give me the car keys."
"Pearce-" Jake started.
"Give me the keys!"
Jake tossed me the keys and I caught them with my bruised hand. Mom saw the knuckle.
"What happened to your knuckle?" mom questioned.
"Got into a bar fight. Didn't you hear I'm an alcoholic." I pushed past my parents on the stairs.
"Runaway from your problems that's what you're good at," Paul sneered.
"At least I divorced my problems. You didn't tell your wife about your problems!"
I started my the car leaving Jake behind. I needed to be alone. I drove aimlessly until I found the nearest bar. There were a few people at the bar but they were too engrossed in their drink or playing pool or darts as I walked in to look up. I sat down at the bar and ordered my drinks.
"I'll have a long Island iced tea and 3 shots of tequila."
"That's a lot of booze for a woman," a man beside me said. He was about thirty, blonde and good looking.
"So?"
"So why all the booze?"
"Drinking away my problems."
"Work?"
"No family."
My drinks came and downed the three shots like water. I sipped on my cocktail as the man continued making small talk.
"I have other ways you can drown your problems," he said. One of his hands were moving up my thigh.
"I would have to be completely smashed to have sex with you," I took out my FBI badge and showed him.
He some money on the counter and grabbed his jacket.
"What no more touching?" I asked, I snapped my fingers at the bartender."Keep the shots coming."
The last thing I remember was doing two more shots before I forgot everything.
"Hellooooo," I said picking up my ringing phone.
"Pearce it's Jack."
"Jack who?"
"Jack Bloom."
"Jack Sparrow. Jack Frost. Jack Bourne. No wait that's Jason Bourne."
"Pearce are you drunk?"
"No!...Yes...I was really sad..."
"What bar are you at? I'll pick you."
"Yo bartender what's this dump called?"
The bartender sighed, "The Patriots."
"Oh yeah I feel the freedom in this place," I said. "Hello Jack Sparrow? The bar is called The Patriots."
"Pearce," I heard someone call my name. A black man dressed in all black was coming my way.
"Jack Sparrow!" I exclaimed.
He began to place some cash on the counter but the bartender stopped him.
"Cops and feds drink free. She's a fed."
"Fed...Pearce are a FBI Agent?"
"Supervisory special Agent Pearce Hudson reporting for duty," I gave him a sloppy salute.
"Alright come on," he hoisted me up his shoulder.
"Byeeee," I sing songed as we left.
"How many did you have to drink?"
"A few...thousand."
Jack sighed and started the car.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure..."
"Do you love your daughters?"
"With all my heart."
"And hypothetically if one of them went missing what would you do?"
"Search for them."
"Even after five years?"
"Until forever. She's my baby girl."
"My brother gave up on Alessandra."
"Your niece I remember her."
The car slowed at red light.
"I keep telling myself 'do it for Alessandra, you're doing it for Alessandra'. But I'm not. I'm doing it for me. For the two years he took away from me. For conning me. For leaving me. I love him, Jack. I love the devil, even after what he did!"
"You have that right. Everybody fights for something. You can fight for yourself."
"Fight for what?"
"Fight for...Pearce are still drunk?" we pulled to the curb.
"Nooooo."
Jack got out of the car opened my door, I got up only to nearly fall.
"Yeah you're still drunk."
He hoisted me back on his shoulders and proceeded up the the stairs.
"What floor do you live on?"
"Second."
"Hey Jake lives across from me. Jake! You home?!" I shouted as we got to my floor.
Jake's door opened and he stepped out. "Pearce where were you?"
Jack set me down.
"Who are you?"
"This man told me to leave Dante" I said patting Jack's shoulder.
"This is Jake he's also a FBI Agent."
"Pearce we shouldn't be telling just anyone who we are?"
"Oops," I leaned closer to Jack and whispered. "He's a FBI Agent."
"Pearce..." Jake shook his head.
"It's okay he's with us," I assured him.
Jack handed me over to Jake, "Here take her. She's pretty smashed. Here's her stuff."
He looked down at me, "I'll text you in the morning."
Jake unlocked the door my apartment door. He placed me on the couch and closed the door. He took off my shoes and jacket.
"I need a drink," I declared getting up.
"No you're not. You're already drunk," Jake pushed me down. He got a blanket from my room and spread it across my legs.
"Jake do you have a girlfriend?"
"No. Why do you ask?"
"So I can this," I threw off my blanket and was on top of him, my legs around his waist and my lips on his. He was caught by surprise but kissed me back and then pushed me away.
"Pearce you're drunk."
"Not that drunk to want you." I tried to get up but he held me down lightly.
"Pearce stop! I'm not taking advantage of you!"
"You're not if I want you. Just...I need to feel something. Dante is consuming my life."
Jake took both of my wrists forcing me to look at him. "Look at me Pearce. You still love Dante. You're just looking for an excuse not to. It's alright to love men like Dante but you need to know where the line is...Okay?"
"Okay," I whispered.
"Get some rest," he leaned down and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "I'll see you in the morning."
He got up from the sofa and opened the front door. He left and I didn't want him to . But I couldn't let him stay.