"Are you sure it's okay for me to come here?" Simon asked quietly, staring under Joseph's arm as he pushed open the doors to his work.

"I hope so," he replied, being greeted with the same smell as always: the strong scent of Hopps and Barley. He stepped in, glancing around the room and hurried Simon behind the counter. Joseph didn't think that ten year olds were allowed in a bar, so he didn't want anyone to see Simon. "Here, stay here," he said, ushering the child as close to the counter top as he could.

It wasn't the most comfortable or pleasant place to stay for hours, but he didn't really have any where else to put him. Or, well, one that wouldn't let the aliens see him. "I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Joseph!" His manager's voice came from the back room, startling him.

He turned around to face the room for a moment before saying, "Stay here," once more to Simon and hurrying over to the room. He kept his body in front of where Simon was sitting at all times, hoping his manager didn't see Simon as he walked. "Yes, Dexterr?" He said cautiously, standing with his form in the doorway.

The alien stared at Joseph for several moments before saying, kindly, "Where have you been? You've been gone for days. Did something... serious happen?"

Joseph gave a thin smile, "Something did happen, but I don't... want to talk about it. At the moment."

The two deaths weighed down on his mind as he spoke; one was done by his own hands, and the other done by the one he had killed... He felt like bursting into tears as he remembered the scenes, and he had to blink his eyes several times to make sure he didn't.

Dexterr nodded. "I can understand. But be warned, you better work three times as hard for the next few weeks. Otherwise you will loose this job." He smiled sweetly, "Go get working now."

Three times more work?

"Yes. Thanks," Joseph said as he turned around and started out of the room. Only to see a few people behind the counter, pulling at Simon's cheeks and cooing.

"He's so cute!" One of them cried, pulling the Audichron toward her. Her and the others giggled hysterically at the look Simon wore on his face, one mixed with horror, embarrassment, and confusion. Along with a little pain, as the cut on his cheek stung as they messed with him. Put those together and it was even more adorable.

Oh, no... I'm supposed to be watching him and keeping him out of sight!

"H-hey. Hey!" He tried to raise his voice, but after the event with Geerth, he wasn't sure if he could trust a stranger not to strangle him and throw him into their basement. "You aren't supposed to be- back here," he said, going up to the small crowd. Simon stared up at him hopefully.

"We just want to see this little cutie," one of the women said, hugging Simon as she smiled. Simon continued to gaze up at Joseph, begging him to get him away.

"You aren't supposed to be back here," he repeated, not sure of what else to say. Poor Simon. He had already gone through so much. And now he's being tortured by... most likely drunk females.

The same girl looked up, Simon struggling slightly in her arms. "You said that already." And then they went back to adorable Simon.

Joseph grabbed Simon away from them, feeling a previous rage build up in him. He held the ten year old's arm in his hand and walked away, ignoring the annoyed and angered calls from behind. When he was in front of Dexterr's room again was when he realized what he had just done. He moved to turn around to the people and say sorry, but they were already gone, heading back to their drinks.

Feeling guilty, Joseph turned back to his manager's room and walked inside. He didn't want another crowd around Simon, so he was just going to have to ask Dexterr to keep him in his room and hope he can keep his job after doing so.

XXX

"Is he your little brother?" Dexterr asked, observing Simon.

Joseph looked down at Simon for a split second, before bringing his gaze back up to his manager. "No, he's not my brother. He's my cousin," he lied. There was no other way around it. What would Dexterr think if Joseph had told him the truth? That he had agreed to take the ten year old to his work, just because some incredible (and cute) female alien asked him to.

"So he's human too?" Dexterr murmured under his breath, but then waved that question away when Joseph opened his mouth to reply. "No, don't answer that. Just tell me, why did you bring your cousin to work?"

Joseph froze for a few moments, his mind racing to come up with another lie. "His parents went out, and I couldn't trust him to stay home by himself," he struggled to keep his words slow and normal paced, not rushed like they wanted to come out.

His manager nodded his strange looking head, and said, "Makes sense. I've heard that there had been a kidnapping a little while ago. Sure, you can keep your cousin in here. I'll watch him and make sure he doesn't wander off."

"Thank you." Joseph turned to Simon, only to see the child staring at him, an eyebrow raised. He smiled and stage whispered, "I'll tell you later."

Simon nodded.

Joseph turned around to leave when Dexterr called him back.

"Hey, what happened to the Audichron that always comes here? I haven't seen him unconscious on a table when I leave work in a while."

He shrugged, trying his best not to let any emotion escape to his face. Then he walked away as quickly as he could, knowing that he didn't do the best job at keeping the aching grief from playing out in his eyes.