The Mercer Experience *Guillermo*

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose sat on her feet, taking the ice on and off her face as the boys made car talk. Usually she would be right in the middle, advocating Baby, her diamond in the rough. But she took a back seat, watching closely as Misa sat down next to her, smiling kindly at her. "No man, I've got my dream car and it is that monster sitting outside." Rose resisted the smirk, at the amount of pride he took in The Beast. But he wasn't getting smiles out of her, not yet.

Hiro and Stefano were at the window, grinning widely at the car. "Dude, I think I had a matchbox car with that paint job." Hiro teased, more proof of how Guillermo integrated into her personal circle so well. She hadn't even seen it happened, the weird, quick bond that had occurred.

Stefano laughed, making Misa smile with an odd brightness. "Man, is that thing even legal in New York? It's a Beast. Rose, you've ridden in it?"

"How do you think I got here?" She snipped, flinching as she reapplied the ice.

"Well, hows it ride?"

She shrugged, dismissively. "Fine, I guess."

"Fine you guess?"

"What are you wanting? Me to throw up? I said it ran fine." She snapped, though gently, popping a piece of ice into her mouth.

"Meow." Hiro said dismissively, while he and Stefano laughed, utterly immune to her bad moods. She stared grumpily, getting up to fish out a soda. Stefano took her place on the couch, talking quietly with Misa; while Hiro approached Guillermo. "Don't worry about it man. She just gets lemons jammed in her-" Catching Fernando's eye, he coughed slightly. "Uh *cough* you get the point."

Opening her pop, she grabbed a jalapeno from the counter. "You ever have a pepper enema, Hiro?" She twirled it threateningly in her hands.

Hiro looked at her, wide eyed, before he shook his head at Guillermo. "You see what I mean?" Rose threw the pepper at him, which smacked him in the face. "Man, Rose, you need a spa day or something, you fuckin grouch." Hiro moved over to Stef and Misa, working his way in between them.

Rose pouting, deliberating if she should be mad at Guillermo or not. It wasn't like she asked him to straight out lie to her Uncle, just not mention it... Pouting, she looked up at him, her bright blue eyes calling truce. "Am I really a grouch?"

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Dude, I think I had a matchbox car with that paint job." Hiro mocked his pride and joy.
Guillermo grinned back.
"Thats where I got the idea," he shot back, laughing.
"Man, is that thing even legal in New York? It's a Beast."
"Hell if I know," Guillermo smiled.
"Rose, you've ridden in it?"
"How do you think I got here?" Rose sounded impatient.
"Well, hows it ride?"
She shrugged, "Fine, I guess."
He gave a fake scandalized gasp.
"Fine you guess?"
"What are you wanting? Me to throw up? I said it ran fine."
"Hey! My truck has never caused anyone to throw up!"
"Meow." Hiro and Stefano laughed at Rose's icy tone.
"Don't worry about it man. She just gets lemons jammed in her- Uh *cough* you get the point."
He snickered, seeing Fernando's stern stare. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
Rose took care of herself, like usual.
"You ever have a pepper enema, Hiro?" She twirled a pepper between her fingers.
Hiro shook his head, eyes wide.
"You see what I mean?"
Rose threw the pepper at him, which smacked him in the face.
"Man, Rose, you need a spa day or something, you fuckin grouch."
Rose pouted, her blue eyes sparkling as she looked up at Guillermo.
"Am I really a grouch?"
He internally melted.
He would tell her that she wasn't, that she was lovely inside and out. He would be truthful.
"Not all the time, cariña."

[ROSE MERCER]

"Not all the time, cariña." Rose smiled a little, a little pink touching her cheeks a little. Behind her, Fernando smiled at them, as if knowing a secret.

Hiro was less smiley, and instead spoke in an exasperated voice. "Well, he's obviously biased." Misa giggled, Stefano chuckled, Fernando ignored them, humming gently. "It's nice to be nice Rose."

She pouted her lip at him, and rolled her eyes, turning back to Guillermo. "It's nice to be nice, did you hear that?" She spoke as if this was news, as if it was the wisest thing she had ever heard, and walked into the little kitchen, picking food off from various things. Damn her Uncle could cook. Biting into a stuffed habenaro, she closed her eyes and smiled in joy. Delicious. She offered one to Guillermo, "Are you brave enough?"

"Don't do it! It's like the Devil got a time share in your mouth..." Hiro shouted, loudly.

Rose leaned forward, whispering to Guillermo loud enough that everyone could here. "He fainted, last year."

Fernando piped in, before Hiro could protest. "Rose, ¿Alguna vez te digo Guillermo cómo dar gracias antes de cenar?"

"No, I haven't yet-"

Stefano looked up, interested. "What haven't you done yet? You're not cooking again, are you. Please... I don't think my insurance will co-


Rose turned at him, scowling. Make ONE bad batch of mashed potatoes and suddenly your the worst cook ever. "A: I'm not cooking. B: Screw you. C: He wanted to know if I had told Guillermo about the grace-thing. D: Screw you. Again." Rose turned back to Guillermo, opening her mouth to explain.

Hiro explained, cutting Rose off. "Boss Man makes us say something we're thankful for. Like Katie Palmer on the cover of sports illustrated or good grades or puppy breath. Shit like-"

"Yeah, hi, is your name Rose."

"Oh, don't be so hard on him Rose. I think it might have something to do with the fact that he ate pencil shavings as a kid." Misa said, in her wispy, quiet voice.

Rose laughed with Stefano and Fernando, before looking at Guillermo and shrugging. "It's kind of lame, but he won't let anyone eat until we all do it."

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Well, he's obviously biased. It's nice to be nice Rose."
"She is nice, Hiro. To me," he smiled mischievously, waggling his eyebrows slightly.
Rose turned to him, a sarcastic tone in her voice.
"It's nice to be nice, did you hear that?"
He raised his eyebrows at her euphoria, eating the food. She held one of the morsels out to him.
"Are you brave enough?"
"Don't do it! It's like the Devil got a time share in your mouth..."
Rose leaned forward, stage-whispering, "He fainted, last year."
He leaned down and bit the food from her hand in response. It was fairly spicy, even as latino food went, but it was good.
Fernando got Rose's attention suddenly.
"Rose, ¿Alguna vez te digo Guillermo cómo dar gracias antes de cenar?"
"No, I haven't yet-"
"What haven't you done yet? You're not cooking again, are you. Please... I don't think my insurance will co-" Stefano teased.
Rose scowled at him.
"A: I'm not cooking. B: Screw you. C: He wanted to know if I had told Guillermo about the grace-thing. D: Screw you. Again."
Hiro explained, cutting Rose off. "Boss Man makes us say something we're thankful for. Like Katie Palmer on the cover of sports illustrated or good grades or puppy breath. Shit like-"
"Yeah, hi, is your name Rose."
"Oh, don't be so hard on him Rose. I think it might have something to do with the fact that he ate pencil shavings as a kid." Misa said, almost surprising Guillermo by even speaking in the first place.
All but Hiro chuckled.
"It's kind of lame, but he won't let anyone eat until we all do it."
Guillermo bit on the inside of his cheek, thinking.
"I don't know. I mean, I'm grateful for a lot. But not anything specific."
Other than the fact that Rose wasn't hurt worse than she already was.
"Estoy agradecido de que llegué a golpe de Rose bastardo de un padre," he remarked, grinning at Fernando.

[ROSE MERCER]

Hiro watched with bitterness as Guillermo chewed the pepper, thinking about what he was grateful for. "I don't know. I mean, I'm grateful for a lot. But not anything specific. Estoy agradecido de que llegué a golpe de Rose bastardo de un padre." Fernando nodded, his grin wide, while Rose looked sheepishly away.

"Sí, eso es algo que todos podemos brindar también, pero tal vez algo menos violento." She turned to the bottle of tequila, taking a quick swig, wanting a new topic. It burned going down, but numbed her face slightly, prompting her to toss the wash cloth into the sink.

Rose, while grateful for what Guillermo did, was not a fan of violence. It irked her, made her think of unpleasant things. What was she thankful for? Well, it was obvious. Unfortunately she just sort of blurted it out. "Well, I'm going with forgetting my key.." It was an odd thing to say, and her cheeks felt warm. Clearing her throat, she munched on another pepper, ignoring the intrigued stares of her companions. "So... I'm going to go and take a look at Baby..."

Moving her feet quickly, still avoiding the stares, she headed downstairs to the garage. The lights were bright, and Baby was under a blue tarp in the middle, a sure fire way to get her mind off from things.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

Fernando nodded at him, grinning proudly. "Sí, eso es algo que todos podemos brindar también, pero tal vez algo menos violento." Rose took a drink of tequila, then set the ice aside.
"Well, I'm going with forgetting my key.."
Guillermo had been in the process of swallowing more food when she spoke. Suddenly, his airway was clogged as he breathed in a gasp of surprise. He choked for a few moments, then began coughing to hide his laughter.
Her cheeks were tinged pink and she avoided the inquisitive stares around her.
"So... I'm going to go and take a look at Baby..."
He slipped out behind her, as she escaped the room and ventured down to the garage. A large blue tarp covered Rose's car. Guillermo slipped his arms around her from behind, hugging her tightly and kissing her hair lightly.
"I'm thankful for that too, chica," he teased, pulling away and winking at her cheekily.

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose jumped slightly, when he wrapped his arms around her. But the quick panic subsided instantly as he kissed her hair and spoke, "I'm thankful for that too, chica."

She spun around to face him, her eyes wide with what would be considered confusion. "Thankful for what? Oh! You mean the keys thing?" She looked playfully scandalized, getting a little closer. "I forget my keys all the time, what makes you think I'm talking about you? I could be talking about the fifty bucks I found when I walked here that one time, or spotting those Louie Vuitton heels the other time." Her smirk was full of mischief, leaning forward to kiss him, but fleeing at the last second. Instead, she pulled the tarp off her car, staring at it like a proud parent. It had received work. The old pain and rust had been removed, leaving a new, metallic, body. Her new interior was in the shed out back, leaving it without seats, but a newly placed door was placed upon it.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Rose said, running her finger over the hood. As far as she knew, Guillermo wasn't a Gear-head, though his truck was equipped with an impressive 368 engine. Thus, it might be a bit more difficult for him to appreciate the beauty. She hoisted herself on the hood, an action that only she would be allowed to get away with, and pulled Guillermo closer to her. "You know, when I finish her, I think I might start on another. I hear there's an old 1972 Mustang at the Junkyard." Rose kissed Guillermo's adam's apple, her lips grazing up to his jaw bone. "Or maybe go all Vanishing Point and find an old 1970 Challenger. I don't know."

There was a certain thrill, at the moment, that someone might come down and check on them. Not that they were doing anything, but Rose attempted to be discreet. There were only so many of Stefano and Hiro's innuendos that she could take, after all. Best not to give them any ammunition. Still, she pulled Guillermo even closer, still not kissing him on the lips. Earlier he asked her to play fair, but that was a silly request. Rose never played fair, and if was going to be around for awhile, he'd have to learn that.

As she ran her finger gently down his spine, chest against chest, she considered how long awhile was. It was one of those depressing thoughts that happened more and more often. Mostly how she would handle it. Though she tried not to think of him as hers, it was becoming more ad more difficult the closer that they got. It moved past being just sex. They talked. Legit conversations, and even with Rose darting serious feelings like they were the plague, he had certainly gotten closer than anyone else had.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Thankful for what? Oh! You mean the keys thing? I forget my keys all the time, what makes you think I'm talking about you? I could be talking about the fifty bucks I found when I walked here that one time, or spotting those Louie Vuitton heels the other time." Her smirk was full of mischief, leaning forward to kiss him, but fleeing at the last second.
"You turned pretty red after saying it. I didn't know that money and shoes were so scandalous." he grinned back.
She was playing with him again, and he mentally rolled his eyes. She liked to evade everything.
Rose tugged the tarp off her car, stroking it for a moment, before hopping onto the hood.
"Isn't she beautiful?"
She yanked him close suddenly. Guillermo got a sudden mental image of Megan Fox in Transformers. He grinned at the idea of Rose in her place.
"You know, when I finish her, I think I might start on another. I hear there's an old 1972 Mustang at the Junkyard." She kissed his neck, then her lips grazed his jaw.
"Or maybe go all Vanishing Point and find an old 1970 Challenger. I don't know."
Guillermo couldn't even hear her. He shuddered with pleasure, although he felt a pang of annoyance when she refused to kiss him.
Rose pulled him closer still and he smiled. God, he did a lot of smiling these days..
"Should I be afraid of your uncle running in and breaking this up?" he wasn't sure what her uncle's idea of their "friendship" was, so he felt they should play it safe in case someone came in.

[ROSE MERCER]

"Should I be afraid of your uncle running in and breaking this up?" He asked, his smile wide. Guillermo had a smile that filled his usually narrow face, his teeth bright in comparison to his skin. Rose ignored the question for a moment, trying to place what color his skin was specifically. Cinnamon? No, that was too dark. Nutmeg? Closer, but still not quite. Cumin? Yes, that was closer. And more fitting, actually. Gentle, but spicy.

"Depends, are we doing something 'catch' worthy?" She said, silkily, her eyes glittering with mischief. He had a good point, of course. As far as Fernando knew, they were only friends. And by only friends, it is meant to be understood that their was nothing physical going on. The more Rose thought about it, the less that she thought her Uncle would be too miffed, if he caught them kissing or what have you. At least as long as what he saw was PG-13. Beyond that, he might be a little displeased.

Her eyes darted to the stairs, waiting to see if they had jinked it. All he heard was muffled laughter coming from upstairs, at Hiro's expense she was sure. It was warm here, even in the chilly garage. Her real family was upstairs. Hiro and Stefano were like annoying little brothers, even if they were older than her, with their teasing and horseplay. Misa was like that one normal person in the family, being passive and sweet. Fernando was the Father, the Padre, making sure all the kids behaved. She was glad that Guillermo could see an aspect of her life that wasn't completely tragic.

Rose pulled on the collar of his shirt, kissing his lips with a sudden urgency. Not her best laid plan, as her face stung incredibly, but she ignored it.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

Rose studied his face for a few moments before answering.
"Depends, are we doing something 'catch' worthy?" Her eyes sparkled devilishly, her voice like satin.
Her eyes darted to the stairs, and his followed her gaze. No one came bursting through the door.
The only sound was that of mingled octaves of laughter issuing through the walls.
Suddenly, Rose grasped his shirt collar, kissing him. He was surprised but pleased, as he swung out his hands and caught himself on the car hood, his hands on the metal on either side of Rose.
He couldn't believe what a strange day this had been. They had gotten Rose's old house, had things almost normal, then everything fell apart. But now, back here, it felt better. Like this was the way things were supposed to be, here with Fernando and the guys and Misa. And him and Rose. It was like a weird little family.
He kissed her back gently, enjoying the taste and feel of her. Even with the odd ways of Rose, she was worth it. All the time.
He cared about her. Too much, to be honest.
Guillermo really liked her.
And right now, he wanted her.
Sometimes, family just had to go away.

[ROSE MERCER]

He kissed her back, his arms on either side of her, slender but strong. His usual citrusy flavor was mingled with the pepper, giving it an extra bite. Cohesive, very cohesive. She liked it. Cars, sexual tension, hell all she needed was a new pair of Monolos, and Rose would be in heaven right now. Oh well, she could make due with a slice. Her palms touched his jaw bone, pressing her lips more firmly to his. Nana Grace had a point on life, it was too short to be subtle.

Was it normal to like someones breathe? It sounded strange, to Rose. Perhaps it was just pheromones or something scientifical like that. Yes, science would explain that, and the enjoyable heaviness of his hands when he touched her, or the strange zinging feeling she got in her gut when he stared at her with those intense, chocolate, brown eyes. She had spent so long alone, it was human nature to cling to someone who made that feeling lighten.

But it wasn't love.

Love, not to quote a cliche, was a myth. Despite sounding like a terrible Avril Lavigne song, Rose believed this. No, love wasn't real. It was something people took to finding someone they were both compatible and attracted to. And sometimes, it was actually only one of those things. It was a comfort, concentrating on the self proclaimed fact, as her hands slid to the back of his neck and lips danced happily on his.

With her index and middle finger, Rose mimicked walking, her digits taking slow steps up from his waist to the buttons of his shirt, her lips never leaving his. The first button was already open, so she stopped at the second, unbuttoning it slickly. Then third, fourth, fifth. It was dangerous, in a way. It wasn't like they were completely alone, though Rose seemed to have forgotten this.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

Her hands were on his face, setting his nerve endings on fire.
Rose pulled him even closer and began to undo the buttons on his shirt.
Guillermo gasped slightly at her cool fingers on his bare chest. What a little nymph.
He couldn't think. He could barely breathe. All this because of one little girl.
She was everywhere. Her hair, her skin, her smell, her taste.
He was excited by her. Much more so than any girl he had ever met in his life. He felt himself longing to see the blue eyes everywhere he went.
"Quieres coger conmigo?"
Of course, not here. That would be dumb. Especially if someone were to-
"WHOA!"
Guillermo pulled away from Rose in surprise, turning red.
Hiro leaned against the doorway, looking quite amused.
"I knew it. You know, there's better places to do this kind of thing."
"Vete a la mierda, Hiro," snarled Guillermo, still flushed.
"Naughty, naughty. I think Fernando should know about what's going on here.."
Hiro grinned slyly, then slipped out the door and Guillermo barreled after him, tackling him on the stairs.

[ROSE MERCER]

"Quieres coger conmigo?" His voice made her heart hum slightly, as she looked at him, putting on a play scandalized face that did not meet her intrigued eyes. Now that would be a thrill, wouldn't it? Especially with Tio, Misa, Stefano, and Hiro-

Hiro?

HIRO!

He stood on the stares, eyes wide, a thick smile on his face. "WHOA!" Leaning against the wall, he looked smug like he had something to hold over Rose. Stupid little brothers... "I knew it. You know, there's better places to do this kind of thing."

Guillermo looked quite displeased with the interruption. "Vete a la mierda, Hiro," Didn't sound too pleased with it, either.

"Naughty, naughty. I think Fernando should know about what's going on here.." Hiro mocked, and Rose knew he was full of it. She had way too much dirt on him to even dare. Sad for Hiro, however, Guillermo was unaware of this, darting up the stairs like an ocelot, pouncing on him. Rose walked up behind him, as Hiro tried to get away. "Dude, I was kidding."

Stefano opened the top door, not looking surprised in the least. More bemused. "Hiro, Dude, what did you do-" Seeing Guillermo's unbutton shirt, he pieced it together with Rose's flushed face. He chuckled, as Misa peered behind him. "You should have just kept your mouth shut, Man."

Hiro laughed, despite Guillermo's weight. "And grabbed a camera, by the looks of- YOWWWW!" He yelped, as Rose passed, grinding his palm into the concrete stair. Clutching his hand, he rubbed it, grinning despite himself. "I was kidding, sensitive. Damn."

"What exactly was so important?" Rose asked, sharply.

Misa piped up, her gentle voice breaking through the abrasiveness. "It's time for dinner."

Well, that was sort of a good answer. Rose looked up at Guillermo, shrugging a little. "Continuará." She asked, as Misa giggled, linking arms with her as they reentered the small apartment.

"Are you two-"

"Friends." Rose finished, still smiling despite the question. "Good friends."

Her eyes darted to Hiro, who was being assisted up by Stefano. "I can understand that..." Her voice was vague, but Rose put it together, as her black eyes sparkled at Stefano sweetly.

"You and-"

Misa smiled secretively, putting her hand to her lips. "Hiro doesn't know. You know how he's sensitive." Rose snorted slightly, when Misa claimed Hiro to be sensitive.

Yeah, and she was a tomato.

Still, it was cute, as Misa sat next to Stefano, exchanging secret smiles as an oblivious Hiro sat on her other side. Fernando smiled widely, as the kids all sat down. "Es el coche en buen estado entonces?"

Rose choked slightly on her water, unable to hold in the giggle. Her Uncle's eyebrow raised, and she smiled widely at him. "Fantastic."

"Bueno." He replied, putting a massive turkey in the center of the table, as Rose had her own not-so-secret smile with Guillermo. Bueno indeed.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Dude, I was kidding."
Whined Hirro as Guillermo sat upon him, smiling.
"Hiro, Dude, what did you do-"
He looked from Guillermo to Rose and back again, grinning.
"You should have just kept your mouth shut, Man."
"And grabbed a camera, by the looks of- YOWWWW!" He yelped, as Rose stepped on his hand.
"I was kidding, sensitive. Damn."
"What exactly was so important?" Rose asked, sharply.
Misa answered quickly, "It's time for dinner."
"Continuará." She liked arms with Misa who giggled, as they reentered the small apartment.
Guillermo buttoned up his shirt, earning several silent but innuendo filled grins from Stefano and Hiro.
They ventured back into the apartment, sitting down at the table.
Fernando turned to Rose. "Es el coche en buen estado entonces?"
She choked on her water, snickering. Her Uncle's eyebrow raised, and she smiled widely at him. "Fantastic."
"Bueno."
Rose shot him a mischevous smile and he felt the desire for her swell again. Damn women.

[ROSE MERCER]

Fernando clapped his hands together, rubbing them as he looked around. "Muy bien, vamos a cortar este pavo." He rose from his seat, holding the blade and meat spear, slicing into the meat quickly. As the steam rose from it, the table abrupt in cheers and applause, Hiro being the first to lift his plate. "Como dicen... uhh. Dig in." His accent marred his English, almost humorously.

"Amen!"

"It looks great, Fernando. Thank you!" Misa said, touching Fernando's arm as he smiled modestly.

Fernando placed the first piece of turkey onto Guillermo's plate, ignoring the impatient Hiro. "Coma su relleno, hay un montón de alimentos. n la timidez en esta mesa, señor." He spoke in a gentle authoritative voice, grinning as he sliced a piece for Rose, who helped herself to the Taco Casserole.

"Sigo tratando de decirle a ser menos educados, pero creo que él piensa que estoy bromeando." Rose teased, putting her hand on his leg affectionately.

Fernando came to his defense, smiling warmly. "Bueno, la cortesía se agradece. Y ciertamente raro aquí."

Fernando put turkey on the rest of the plates, leaving Hiro for last, despite the slight whimper that came from him. "Rose, pass them spuds. Hey Guillermo, Rose said your in college. Whatchu studying man?"

"College? Certainly an upgrade from Ludo the Hobo-"

Rose stuck her tongue out, ignoring the jibe at the overly friendly homeless man outside the local cornerstore. "Hey Hiro, whatever happened to the last girl you dated? You know, the one with the gap in her teeth that you could kick a field goal in? I forget her name-"

"Marcia. And be nice, she had a lovely personality." Misa said, play scolding Rose, and adding a wink to extenuate the lightness.

Rose laughed warmly, enjoying the turn the night had taken. Passing the rolls, she grinned at Guillermo, watching his comfort level closely. Taking a bite of her salad, she noticed that Stefano's left hand, and Misa's right were curiously hanging at their sides; probably holding hands. Pointing with her eyes, she raised her brow scandalously, putting a finger of hush to her lips.

"Sabes, Guillermo, que caben en tan bien aquí, usted debe considerar trabajar aquí." Rose was startled by her Uncles words, but showed no opinion either way. Mostly because she hadn't processed one yet. Fernando smiled widely. "Sería un buen cambio para conseguir a alguien con alguna ética de trabajo aquí. Y Rosa es sin duda parecen sonreír más, cuando estás cerca."

Rose blushed a little, but shrugged, swallowing her salad. "Oooh, are we talking about Bruja de la Rosa?"

"He was just saying how you're secretly in love with me, which would explain why you can't get my name out of your mouth." Rose said, pouring herself some cran-apple juice.

Hiro blew her a kiss, smirking as if caught. "Don't talk like that Baby, I'd hate to get tackled again."

Rose laughed at this, feeling especially whimsical. Misa leaned over the table, so that Guillermo could hear her better. "When Hiro first met Rose, two years ago, he tried... hehe... wooing her if you will-"

"Boy wanted to tap that." Stefano filled in the blank, as Fernando gave a domineering, but short, glare at Hiro, who had become increasingly interested in his asparagus.

"Anyway, after weeks, and weeks-"

"-And weeks-"

"-And weeks-"

"-Y semanas-"

"Point taken!"

Everyone laughed, even Hiro, though less enthusiastically. "Rose finally said yes. They went out, had dinner, so one, so forth. Time comes for the door scenario. He's thinking he might stand a chance, and suddenly Fernando comes out, shotgun in hand. I'm not even talking about a b.b. gun, I mean a big gun." Misa giggled behind her hand, Rose grinning at the memory. "Well, because Rose doesn't look Latina, Hiro had had no idea that she was the bosses niece. Fernando starts raving crazy like, screaming right there in the hall of that old apartment and cussing at him in Spanish-"

Rose shook her head, reaching for the black bean dip. "No, he wasn't really cussing. He was actually saying the order he needed to fill out the next day, just in a loud voice, so that he would remember." Fernando poured some Tequila on ice, laughing loudly at this.

"And Rose starts telling him: 'HE KNOWS WHAT WE DID! HE KNOWS WHAT WE DID!' and poor Hiro was yelling back 'TELL HIM THAT WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!' and Fernando holds the gun up and pulls the trigger. And BAM! An parasol pops out of it, and Rose and Fernando burst into laughter. Hiro peed himself, right on the spot!" Even Hiro was laughing at this point, nodding unashamedly at the admission of his wetting himself.

As the laughter died down, the phone rang, Fernando looking at it in only slight irritation. "Mantener comer, voy a estar de vuelta." He stood, picking up the still corded phone in the kitchen.