Gangster Hero Quotes

You will never have to worry about safety. Being a Dardano will buy you all the security you'll ever need."
Bree shook her head and threw her hands up. "Being a Dardano will put the bulls eye on my back, you asshole,"
"Really, darling, once you become Mrs. Dardano, we're going to have to work on cleaning up that saucy mouth of yours. At least in public," Alessandro purred, tapping her nose.
Bree saw red. But she smiled at him. She took the plate from him and set it down on the vanity table. Then she took the vitamin shake, pulled out the waistband of his pants and poured it down inside. ~ E. Jamie

Come see my mommy, Becky!" Will said and Bree stopped in her tracks. "Oh hell no!" she exclaimed staring at 'Becky'. Rebecca, the bane of Bree's existence. The blonde woman smiled mockingly at Bree. "How ya doing?" "What?" Bree asked but the question was directed at her brother and not the skank in front of her. "So how was Paris?" Rebecca asked moving right past Bree to practically press her body against Alessandro. "Seriously, what?" Bree demanded, glaring at Brian. "Hey, Alessandro. Great to see you again." "Stop talking. Stop talking now before I ram your botoxed head through this table!" Bree hissed lunging at her. Brian grabbed her quickly and held her back. "Sorry. Bree's a little bit touchy about that whole Vegas thing I guess. But hey, looks like it all worked for the best, huh?" Rebecca winked at Alessandro ~ E. Jamie

I like that," Bree admitted. "It's like…it's never too late to change." Her eyes met his, and she hoped he understood that she meant it for him as well as for herself. She wanted Alessandro to give in to the good she knew was in him and leave the Dardano family behind.
"I forgot about that. I feel rather ashamed of it now. Because of the things I've done. Then I was looking at this tiny creature here, and you're going to think I'm mad but…every time I look at him, he looks different to me. He's the same boy, but something in him is always changing. It's not a physical thing that I can explain to you, but it's…like…I don't know," Alessandro said shrugging and lowering his head. He sat on the bed next to her and stared at the incubator. The baby's eyes were open, staring back, blinking slowly, sleepily.
"You're seeing him become a person. Like all the parts of him are coming together and making this tiny person's soul. He was one person in here," Bree pointed to her stomach. "And now he's changing on the outside so he can be a part of the world."
"That's it," Alessandro nodded. "He's a part of the world now. My world, in a completely different way than when he was inside of you. It's like having two sons and watching them become one as a slow minute by minute process. He's never going to stop changing. What he thinks and feels now is not going to be what he thinks and feels tomorrow or fifty years from now."
"It's the same for you," Bree said, closing he ~ E. Jamie

Will, was not as taken with the photo of the new baby as the grown ups around him. "It look like Mr. Potato Head." "I'm sure your baby sister will appreciate that," Alessandro said with a wry grin. "A girl? It's a girl?" Will asked with a grimace. "That's right," Bree announced as Vanessa and Brian congratulated them. "I can play wif Gianni but what we gonna do wif a girl?" he asked, handing the picture back to them. "Nope, send it back
and get another boy dis time. ~ E. Jamie

Her OBGYN, Dr Caroline Murdoch, popped in and asked if she could speak to Bree alone. Bree nodded and Tina left them. "I wanted to talk to you about why you fainted." Something in her voice made Bree's body go rigid with expectation. "I…thought maybe it was the shock of… everything," Bree whispered. Oh God. Oh God. She didn't know what she was bracing herself for. "I know you and Alessandro were trying to conceive again. I want to tell you that you were successful. You're going to have a baby, Bree," she said. Bree squeezed Gianni tighter and buried her face in his neck as the tears filled her eyes and streamed from her face. Oh God…Now? She was torn between joy and utter terror. They had done it, but how would Alessandro react when he found out, considering the condition he was in now. They had created another life. Another target for Arturo. ~ E. Jamie

Not…" Bree struggled for the right words. "All my life, I've just wanted someone to put me first. I thought Alessandro was that man. But even after everything Bernardo has done, I mean, Arturo wouldn't have ever shot Alessandro if Bernardo hadn't raised him to be a monster, even knowing that, Alessandro refuses to cut his ties with his father. So…yeah, I guess I do blame Alessandro for getting shot. God, that sounds so horrible." Bree covered her face with her hands again. ~ E. Jamie

Bree arched, trying to stretch out her muscles and Alessandro gave her a dirty look as if she was displaying herself to him on purpose. Well, maybe she was a little. Even though he blocked her from the hotel attendant's gaze with his body in the doorway, Bree was sure to cover herself with the blanket. Alessandro turned around, pulling in the tray with him and his eyes flared hungrily as he looked down at her. "You look like a beautiful debauched angel," he said, his voice rough with desire. "And you're what, the demon that's corrupted me?" Bree asked raising an eyebrow and letting the blanket fall down to her waist, baring her to him. "It's my life's work, you know?" Alessandro grinned, going down on to his knees and leaning over her. Bree placed a hand on his chest, halting him. "Is that coffee, I smell?" she asked. "The debauched angel is kind of hungry." She bit her lip and smiled up at his frustrated face. ~ E. Jamie

Bree rubbed her belly. Figured; Alessandro wasn't one to live in quiet but strained tension. She stared up at the fabric of the canopy and then squeezed her eyes shut. "Alessandro, considering that the outside world has the sterile hospital rooms, not to mention the epidurals, yeah. For goodness sake, Alessandro. You know we can't stay here forever. I'm entering my eighth month here."
"I must say, I'm surprised you're so anxious to leave."
"Why?" Bree asked, turning to look at his strong profile.
"You know why, Brianna. As soon as we walk out that door, you and I are over."
Bree felt a guilty tightening in her chest.
"Perhaps that's what you want, though."
"That's not fair," Bree whispered even as she feared he was right. No. He's wrong. I love him. She wasn't going to let anyone shake what she and Alessandro had built here. She'd let her family know that she wanted Alessandro in her life and that she wanted to be a family with him. "Thanks for your confidence in me, though. Really. ~ E. Jamie

You have that look on your face," Alessandro said, smiling as he tucked a damp lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. "What look?" Bree asked, resting a hand on his flushed chest, propping herself up on one elbow. She could feel the racing
heart beneath. "The look of a woman who's been rather well fucked, darling," he grinned smugly. She punched his chest lightly. "Ego much?" "I see nothing wrong with taking pride in a job well done," he pointed out. "Oh of course," Bree said, laughing and dropped her head on his chest. ~ E. Jamie

Alessandro gathered her into his arms and flipped her over so that she was on top of him, her blonde hair falling over him like a gold curtain. The strands tickled his face as she righted herself over him. She caught her lower lip between her teeth as he pushed up inside of her, and Alessandro reached up, bringing her mouth down, wanting to taste that swollen lip. Her breath wafted over his face, and he grabbed her hips, pulling her down as he pushed up deeper, wanting to fill her to her very soul. ~ E. Jamie

Alessandro shrugged and pushed the blade in, dragging it down the man's skin, making him cry out. He struck him again with his fist, blood spurting onto Alessandro as well. "Did Arturo tell you that the mother of my child was in that limo? She's carrying my baby inside of her, and that her son was in the limo too? I'm sure he did. I'm sure he left explicit instructions as to who exactly you were supposed to dispose of, didn't he?"
"He'll kill me. I swear, he'll kill me," the man cried, tears mixing in with his
blood.
"Next, I'll take an eye, you snivelling little shit!" Alessandro growled, raising his bloody blade to the man's left eyeball. The unmistakable scent of urine filled the air.
Alessandro stepped back in disgust and turned to Jason and his other man, Marty, two of the best Dardano soldiers, loyal and efficient. They took his cue and slipped on their brass knuckles.
"Just say the words, ol' boy, and we'll stop this,"
"Fuck you," the man shouted.
Alessandro smirked. "Such defiance for a man who just pissed himself." He crossed his arms as Marty and Jason went to work.
It only took a minute. "All right. Okay! Stop! Stop! Fine, I'll talk! ~ E. Jamie

What did you do to make him smile?" "Ah…" Alessandro bit back a grin and cleared his throat. "I might've sung a song." "Really? What song?" "As his mother, I don't think I should repeat it for you," Alessandro said, his cheeks and the tips of his ears pink. "Oh come on, Alessandro. The windows didn't break so you couldn't have done that bad a job." "It's not my ability that I'm referring to," Alessandro replied. Bree narrowed her eyes. "Just what were you singing to my son? And so help me if you say anything by Sir Mix-a-lot I'll castrate you," "Not quite," Alessandro said. "All right. But, remember you asked for it. Your cousin Max, taught it to me." Bree crossed her arms over her breasts and waited. ~ E. Jamie

Bree shot to her feet and glared at him.
"Look all you want, Brianna. That was the deal, remember? Until Arturo is found, I'm not leaving you alone."
Alessandro stared down at her with immovable stubbornness.
"How am I gonna explain you to my grandfather? And what if the rest of my family is there?"
"Hello O'Reiley family, you remember Alessandro, the father of my child, the man that I love, the light of my life, ma raison d'être…"
"Are you done?" Bree asked cocking an eyebrow.
"Depends, are you quite ready to go? Look, you can explain that I'm there for answers too. My father's involvement in this vendetta directly influences my own future and that of my child. ~ E. Jamie

We have nothing!" Bree reached out and slapped him with all her might. He couldn't know the baby she carried was his. Not ever.
Alessandro's dark eyes flashed angrily at her for a split second, making Bree's insides tense in anticipation of his rage, but then he smiled at her, his hand going to her thigh. "Well, I was hoping we'd get to know each other a little better before delving into S & M, but I'm game if you are, sunshine."
"I want you to get out,"
"And I want you naked screaming my name, now that you know it," Alessandro growled, leaning in so that his breath brushed across her face in a tantalizing caress. ~ E. Jamie

Well, no, Sister Brannigan was the one putting her name on the checks to the cemetery. Someone else was making the deposits into her personal account." "But now that she's gone?" "I suppose the Neapolitan benefactor will have to find someone else if he wants to remain anonymous." Bree snorted, "For a second I thought maybe it might be Bernardo." "Well, why not? I mean, a little bank fraud isn't likely to keep my father up at night," Alessandro said. "But he's in New York," Bree reminded him. "Geography, darling?" Alessandro asked amused. "You say that with such pride it scares me," Bree said rolling her eyes. "I love you too," Alessandro smiled. "But no. If he was, why let us go off on this whole journey?" "It's Bernardo. If there's something I've learned about your father it's that the rules of logic don't apply to him. Or any other kind of rules," Bree added, "Maybe this is all some kind of big elaborate plan and we're gonna go home and find out he's been keeping Francesca and Adriano frozen in his basement in one of those sci-fi freezers that they say you can buy and use to come back to life in a hundred years." Alessandro shook his head at her, not impressed with her sense of humour. ~ E. Jamie

Alessandro! Will!!" He could hear Brianna's voice a few seconds before his head came up through to the next floor.
Stubborn, bloody woman! he cursed.
"Oh God, Will!" Bree screamed. "What happened?" She rushed towards them, coughing as she grabbed for her son. He shifted his weight to hand him over to her, but the movement sent another bolt of screaming pain from his ankle up to his leg and Alessandro lost his footing, falling back into the basement.
Alessandro!" Bree screamed, and then he heard no more. ~ E. Jamie

That girl didn't have a moment's peace from the day Adriano Dardano set foot in Galway and started chasing her." Sister Brannigan said, as she led them around the convent garden. "Nice of Francesca to stay still for him to catch her then wasn't it?" Alessandro remarked dryly. "Mmph," the nun responded. "My grandfather loved Francesca," Alessandro insisted. "Far be it from me to speak ill of the dead. But let's call a spade a spade, hmm? Your grandfather was a charmer. Now perhaps he didn't realize just how naïve our Francesca was and how besotted with him she was." "Mmm, very generous of you," Alessandro grumbled. "I will say that on the times he brought some food he had made with Francesca up to the convent, it was clear he had a wonderful talent in the kitchen. Now mind ye, the Italian food was a bit rich for my taste but still, rather good." "I'm sure my grandfather's resting easier in his grave now that the holy sister has complimented his cooking," Alessandro whispered in Bree's ear making, her laugh out loud and Sister Brannigan turn to her in question. ~ E. Jamie

Alessandro…we should go down-" "Oh I agree." He smiled, mischievous brown eyes lifting to hers. "Downstairs," she corrected. "I like my meaning better," and with that he went down on his knees. "No!" Bree hissed even as her body was screaming YES! "Stop arguing with me, darling. ~ E. Jamie

Mmmmmnobaconeggsgottagostore…" She slowly ran her hand down his forearm and gave him a sleepy smile as she sat up. Her eyes remained closed as she rested her hand on his shoulder and before he could realize her intention or even remember his manners and stop her, her mouth was on his in a kiss that was so soft and sweet Alessandro could do nothing but fall into it with her. ~ E. Jamie

Colin. Just the name made Alessandro's gut burn. He knew the man wanted his wife, even if Brianna was too blind to see it. The moron had been cuckolded by the paragon of supposed virtue, his wife Carrie and now he had finally opened his eyes and seen what Alessandro had known all along. Brianna put every other woman in New York to shame. No woman could come near her beauty, her passion, her fire. Colin had tossed her aside for the angelic Carrie and now he was changing his mind. Oh no you don't, you miserable fucker. "Her friend indeed," Bernardo drawled, his Italian accent thick with unmistakable implication. "Dat's da truth. He no make her cry all da time." That was directed at Alessandro, with small dark accusatory eyes. "He nice." Alessandro couldn't look at those eyes without feeling a sickening pang of guilt. She's mine! He wanted to scream. Mine! Mine! Mine! "Oh yes. Very nice. He was very nice when he held her at the cemetery and very nice when he was dancing with her at Adresca." That made Alessandro's head lift in surprise. "Oh yes, my boy. She's been there, cleaning up the rubble and word is that she's working on re-opening it. Her friend Colin has been quite helpful in that endeavour." "I don' like how you say dat," Will said scowling. "Really young William, I only speak the truth," Bernardo taunted. Alessandro's mind was racing. NO! Not Colin. He could not let that imbecile take Brianna away from him. He'd have to be eliminated somehow. Alessandro began to plot a ~ E. Jamie

The pain of it was crippling him. He couldn't breathe. Be a man! Be a Dardano. Alessandro felt the protective wall shoot up around his heart in one quick instant. Dardanos weren't weak and stupid like he had been. Dardanos didn't let their emotions blind them. Love was for fools. Love made men stupid. But oh, she would never make him stupid again. Oh, how Alessandro would make his darling wife pay. ~ E. Jamie

I understand Mrs. Donovan is a free woman, Mr. Dardano. It's all for a good cause after all, isn't it?"
"Fifty thousand dollars," Alessandro countered, deadly calm though inside he was fairly trembling with rage.
"One hundred thousand dollars," Hadley countered, getting to his feet, appearing to enjoy the spectacle of all eyes being on the two of them now.
Alessandro stood, his fists clenched tight at his sides. "Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars,"
Bree was staring at them both, her mouth open.
Kevin smiled at him. "Three hundred thousand dollars,"
"One million dollars," Alessandro shot back, his eyes clouding with rage. So help him, if the son of a bitch opened his mouth, Alessandro was gonna shove his fist down his throat.
The entire ballroom was dead silent. Holding its breath.
"Uh…Going once?" Alex announced.
Kevin met Alessandro's gaze, smirking.
"Going twice?"
Kevin lifted his hands in surrender. "The best man won. I hope you get more than a dance, my friend,"
"Sold," Alex announced, slamming the little gavel down.
Alessandro felt a rush of both victory and relief as he stared at Brianna. He walked up to her and extended his hand. "Darling? ~ E. Jamie

I know. You're a male escort, and you were on your way to your latest…what are female clients called? Not Johns…Jean's?"
He choked on his cracker, and Bree reached over and patted his back until his coughing fit passed. "Afraid not, darling." He wheezed.
"Male stripper?"
He snorted. "I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted by that."
"Some kind of business tycoon, right?" Bree asked. "A pretty Donald Trump?"
"Pretty? Oh dear."
Bree raised her hands. "Handsome. Handsome. Better? ~ E. Jamie

She took one look at Alessandro and Bree and placed a hand on her chest. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Francesca, lass. Is that you?" And then she fainted. "Holy shit!" Bree rushed to the fallen nun's side, ignoring Sister McReady's scowl of disapproval at her language. "Mommy! You killed da penguin lady!" Will cried out in surprise. Bree lightly slapped the old woman's face and felt a rush of relief when the Mother Superior stirred. The last thing she needed on her conscience was a dead nun. The old woman's blue eyes opened and anger filled them when her gaze shifted to Alessandro. "You. You spawn of the devil. Why don't ye take yerself back where ye came from and leave our poor Francesca alone?" "Oh, Mother Superior, yer confused is all. Come now. On yer feet, mum," Sister McReady said helping the old woman up. "Uh, I'm sorry. Sister. Francesca was my great aunt. My name is Bree." "Bree? Jaysus but it's a ridiculous resemblance it is," the old woman panted, holding her chest. "And you?" She asked turning to Alessandro. "Of course yer not Adriano Dardano, of course but I'll be a drunken fairy if yer not the spitting image of that demon of temptation, sent to corrupt our poor Francesca. Such a good girl she was," Sister Brannigan murmured, tears filling her eyes. "Such a good girl. ~ E. Jamie

Rebecca glared at her. "Congratulations. You just cost me a million dollar account." Brianna crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh don't worry. I'm sure with your talents you could earn another mil in no time. I'll tell them to clear a street corner for you." Rebecca lunged for her and Alessandro stepped between the two women. "Brianna, come on," he said guiding his wife away from the table. "What? I'm not a child. I can handle her." "I'm sure you can." He informed the waiter they would be taking their bottle of sparkling cider home. "But you're letting your emotions get away with you. Your brother is a grown man and can handle himself." Brianna blew a raspberry at him. "Oh yes, quite mature. Let's go home." He guided her towards the entrance. ~ E. Jamie

He lowered his head and shook it from side to side, giving her a rueful smile. "I find it so ironic that someone I think of as sometimes so brave to the point of stupidity could be so terrified of her own happiness,"
Bree felt the shot hit home, and she couldn't look at him. She ran her finger along the marble topped of the island. "That's ridiculous. Who in their right mind is afraid of being happy?"
"Someone who has lost too much," he moved slowly towards her in gentle careful strides as if he was afraid of startling her.
Fair enough, she did tend to attack him when he tried to corner her, but for some reason, Bree just couldn't tonight. The much too relaxing bubble bath must be making her sluggish.
"Someone who is so used to being told she caused too much pain to others to ever be worthy of happiness herself,"
Bree closed her eyes. "Shut up. Please, Alessandro. ~ E. Jamie

Bree crossed her arms over her protruding belly. "I'm fine. No one has shot at me in the last twenty four hours, and my family is talking to me again. Things are looking up."
He grimaced at the mention of her family. "How fortunate for you."
Bree narrowed her eyes at him, picking up on the derogatory tone. "Well, you should know all about the importance of family. You'd do anything for yours, right? Bernardo says jump, you ask 'how high?' "
Alessandro felt a sick twist of guilt in his chest, "Well, congratulations, Brianna. You've worked very hard for the title of O'Reiley doormat. I hope it's all you've ever wanted. I hope you're happy."
"Blissfully," Bree shot back and turned on her heel, leaving him there filled with anger and regret. ~ E. Jamie

Darling!" Alessandro exclaimed with a cold sneer as a police guard led him into a holding cell. "What are you doing here? Did you come to tell me that the crazy fog has lifted and you're ready to resume your place by my side?" "Not in this lifetime. That nut house is not my home, and you really are crazy if you think I'm going anywhere with you." Alessandro's eyes flickered dangerously. "Careful, sweetheart. You are still my wife. Let's not forget that, eh?" Bree shook her head. "You are unbelievable. Do you feel any remorse at all for what you did?" Alessandro clenched his jaw. "I believe I expressed my remorse quite thoroughly if you recall. I begged you to forgive me and I beg for nothing, Brianna. I laid myself bare and pleaded for you to understand but all you had for me were hateful words." "Oh, was I supposed to believe that little performance?" Bree snapped, forcing herself to block out the image of his hands cupping her face, his tears mingling with her own. "It's hard to know because I believed you when you looked me in the eye and told me you had nothing to do with what happened to Colin. ~ E. Jamie

Bree grit her teeth and lunged for him but Brian held her back and Will spoke up instead. "You go away!" Will cried back angrily. "I know you did sumting dat made my mommy mad at my daddy. Is you fault!" "I suggest you put a muzzle on your brat and get back in the living room," Bernardo ordered. "Careful, Father. This is none of your concern," Alessandro said. "Are you kidding me?" Bree asked. "Of course this is his concern because he's the only one you give a damn about. You'll do anything for him. Absolutely anything even if it means betraying me or Will or God forbid Gianni." "That is not true. I would never - " "It is true!" Bree yelled. "Everything you've done has proven that." "Look, every marriage has problems and that is no reason to turn back on the vows you made to each other," Bernardo pointed out. "You made a promise to honor the terms of the O'Reiley/Dardano vendetta. Be careful before you renege on those vows, Mrs. Dardano." "You and your stupid vendetta!" Bree hissed. "Begun by a man who couldn't handle the fact that he couldn't have what he wanted! God it must be genetic. Well, I guess I shouldn't blame you, Alessandro. Knowing Bernardo and Adriano, at least you come by it honestly. ~ E. Jamie

My, my, and you accuse the Dardanos of trying to run the world. As you so succinctly put it, you have no desire to be a part of my life, which means you have no say in where I choose to live, sunshine. I, on the other hand, made no such declaration."
"God, I hate you," Bree seethed.
Alessandro smiled and tapped the end of her nose playfully, resisting the urge to tear her thick coat off of her and take her right against the wall. "You keep telling yourself that, love. We both know better. ~ E. Jamie

trailed off as her attention moved from Will taking his juice from the bartender to the glass behind the bartender. There were red dots on the glass. Alessandro brushed her shoulder again and Bree followed a row of red dots from the glass mirror to the wall. Some of the red dots danced over the guests and as an icy cloak of understanding fell over Bree, it seemed to grip Alessandro as well. Then she turned to face him and there were red dots on his chest, as well as her shoulder, which he had been brushing, thinking it was a speck of dust. "GET DOWN!" he screamed to everyone grabbing Bree by the waist and throwing her down while and trying to be heard over the music. Chaos erupted as gunfire drowned out the sound of music and people fell screaming on top of each other as pieces of the wall and glass from the doors and the mirrors rained down on them. The gunfire raged on and on for what seemed like an eternity. Then there was silence. ~ E. Jamie

Bree stared down at Bernardo's still form. The monitor was the only sound in the room apart from his deep breathing. Alessandro had gone down to the cafeteria with Will and Gianni to grab something to eat before they left for home. Bree lied and told him that she wanted to check in with Tina and her mother Roxanna for a few minutes before they left. Even unconscious, the son of a bitch was formidable and Bree felt nervous around him. "Why don't you do everyone a favour and just die already?" Bree said. No response. Bree sneered and shook her head, turning to leave. "You could always smother me with a pillow," a groggy voice said behind her, making her heart nearly stop. Bree whirled around wide-eyed and met Bernardo's dark gaze. She forced herself to shrug and crossed her arms. "Do you think Alessandro would forgive you for murdering his father?" Bernardo asked. They both knew the answer to that. ~ E. Jamie

His scowl deepened. "If he wanted to hurt Will, he could have easily come here when I was at work, but no, he respected your feelings, and he allowed us to come together in our own time."
"As opposed to what? Dragging me up by my hair to the altar?" Bree asked.
"Well that was his suggestion. I suggested a more diplomatic approach. ~ E. Jamie

She realized he wasn't listening to music and gave him a curious look of amusement as she picked up the cover to an audio book. 'What To Expect When You're Expecting.'
God forgive me, I love this man.
"Thought I should be informed, you know?" Alessandro explained sheepishly.
Bree tried to tear her gaze away from his gleaming chest.
"Plus all the lactating and dilating and placenta talk does wonders to crush any man's libido. ~ E. Jamie

They stared at each other, and Alessandro seriously considered turning away from his father's wishes and just taking this woman and running off somewhere with her. He could imagine being happy with her. He felt free, easy. The feeling was heady. But dangerously so. He could never just toss aside his father's demands that way, even if he wanted to. There would be too much at stake. ~ E. Jamie

Good morning, Sunshine," Alessandro whispered, dragging the satiny soft object across the tip of her nose. Curiosity made her open her eyes. A rose. A blue rose. "I figured a single rose was safer than a dozen considering the massacre of the last blue roses I gave you," he smiled sheepishly. "Happy birthday, darling." Bree blinked and tried to remember what day it was. The fifteenth apparently. She groaned and pulled the blankets back over her head. She was officially thirty today. "Come on now, up we go," Alessandro pulled the blankets off her face and grabbed her arm, bringing her up. "For my birthday, I want sleep," she groaned. Gianni had suffered through a painful night as another tooth was starting to come in and thus his parents had suffered as well. "Nope, we've got a long day ahead of us. Let's go." "Why?" Bree yawned. "Because thirty years ago you were born and my life as I knew it would never be the same," Alessandro explained, nuzzling her neck. ~ E. Jamie

He grinned at her. "Well, then I have a bit of a confession to make. Colin said some things to me and the sound of his voice irritated me so I had one of those clowns with the big red noses in the paediatric wing turn him into a balloon animal. A giraffe I'm afraid. Sad fate it was," Alessandro joked with no sign of remorse at all. ~ E. Jamie

Hello, darling," Alessandro smiled at her. Oh, that smile. Bree wanted to close her eyes, press her hands against her eyes and keep them shut forever so she wouldn't see that smile. She must have had the question on her face, the knowledge on her face because as she looked at him now, something flickered in his eyes. Guilt. Oh God. "Mommy, look. I make good bouncies. See?" Will said, dribbling the ball. "I gonna be a basset ball player when I gwoed up." The little boy's voice sounded far away as Bree narrowed in on Alessandro and the look in his eyes. "Brian. I want you and Vanessa to take Will and Gianni out for a little while." "Oh but we're having a good time out here, aren't we Gianni?" Alessandro asked, tickling Gianni who squealed and curled inward. "Now," Bree said, her voice tight. Will stopped bouncing the ball and held it against his chest looking at both of them, picking up on the angry tension that suddenly covered them all. "Uh oh. I tink mommy's mad." "I'm not leaving you alone in your condition, Bree. Alessandro, we just came from the hospital. Colin's awake," Brian informed him, his voice tight with anger. "You spoke to Colin?" Alessandro asked, meeting Bree's eyes. "I did. And Carrie." He looks like a cornered animal. And what do Dardanos do when they're cornered? They lie. They cheat. Oh God. "Fine, then can you just take the boys upstairs?" Bree said, speaking to Brian, but not moving her gaze from her husband. "Come on, guys. Let's go play upstairs for a w ~ E. Jamie

Lies. All lies. Bree was shaking so hard she bit her tongue, but she didn't even feel the blood in her mouth.
Kill her husband and seduce the widow. She thought she'd never felt as angry as when Michael died, but this, oh God, her entire body was a live wire of rage. She was so
furious, she was almost numb. So numb that she didn't even feel herself reaching for the gun she had pulled out of the glove compartment and pocketed.
So numb that she didn't feel herself lift the gun and aim.
So numb that she saw nothing, but his eyes, staring back at her in wide eyed surprise and confusion.
She felt so numb she didn't even feel herself pull the trigger. ~ E. Jamie

What the myths say, is that you have to be the hero of your own life. You're the one who has to take charge of who you are, you're the one who has to take control. And also, you're the one who can bring something to the community. ~ Jeanette Winterson

We have trouble digesting a narrative that doesn't fit our worldview. It's actually easier for us to believe a false narrative that fits our outlook on the world than a true narrative that shakes and shatters our perspective. And that is true regardless of where we stand. However, a Christian worldview, marked by the biblical storyline, stands apart from ordinary, conventional storylines. It shows that in the grand scheme, we are all guilty. We are all villains, the bad guys. The true evil is sin showing its face through broken humanity, and it touches every one of us. The one true hero is Jesus and his power to restore broken hearts and repair the infrastructures corrupted by sin. ~ Timothy J. Keller

As soon as someone is identified as an unsung hero, he no longer is. ~ George Carlin

The brave man, the real hero, quakes with terror, sweats, feels his very bowels betray him, and in spite of this moves forward to do the act he dreads. And yet I do not think ~ Geraldine Brooks

Sometimes in movies, I still have to be the hero, but it's not all that important to me anymore. ~ Dennis Quaid

I would give all the wealth of the world, and all the deeds of all the heroes, for one true vision. ~ Henry David Thoreau

In life one of Midnight's favourite movies had been It's a Wonderful Life, a touching story where a man called George Bailey is shown how poor the world would have been if he'd never existed, but now the young ghost of Midnight Merlot was sat imagining himself not as the kind hero of his own narrative, but, - but as the anti-George. ~ Tom Conrad

The birth of a legend is the death of a hero. Every man wishes to die a hero. A hero's death is glorious! ~ Tanya Thompson

Every hero is the villain of his own story. ~ Holly Black

Forget about Batman, Superman, and the Power Rangers, cause I'll be your hero if you're ever in some danger. ~ Coolio

These things matter. It's tedious, I know. Any writer worth his weight in pulp would by now have set the hero along a definable journey, or at least created some kind of goal against which to measure his progress as we move forward. I assure you, the foundation has been laid. Characters have been established and the scene is set. Dim the lights and let's dance. Who says I'm even the hero? Get off my fucking back. I'm no journalist, I'm a musician, for Christ's sake! Still, the ultimate truth, for our purposes anyway, whether these events are factual or not, is better revealed through the words I choose to describe them. I'd never cheat you of that. I only wish I could see through the back of the page as you make the connections. ~ Gordon Highland

I just realized that I need to be a director for two reasons. One, directors were already my heroes at this point. I wanted to - when I wanted to be an actor I wanted to work with this director. Not work with this actor, I wanted to work for this director. ~ Quentin Tarantino

Father of the fatherless son, you are your son's missing hero. Let it be known, you do not have the right to take offense when another man steps in and raises your son. If you are alive and well, it is a shame that another man has to step up to the plate to raise your son to be a better man than you. However, it is a lovely thing for your son, because blood doesn't always run deep. Love runs deep and love conquers all hearts, bodies, and souls. ~ Charlena E. Jackson

In my head, I was getting 'gangsta,' which I've always felt showed greater intent than getting 'gangster' in that it expresses a willful unlawfulness even upon its own linguistic representation. ~ Mat Johnson

With Aquaman I worked with such talented guys, Ivan Reis and Joe Prado. And he's a great character. I mean, Aquaman's a great character, he just hasn't been positioned in a role of importance in a long, long time. We tried to do that in this series; give him this platform because he deserves it, and give a very different perception of Aquaman while at the same time staying true to who the character is. Showing his power level, his fortitude, his sense of honor and commitment and responsibility, and hopefully showing everything that makes a hero a hero. ~ Geoff Johns

The hero is the person who's afraid to run away. ~ Saul Williams

Killing a man by accident had made her a villain. Killing another on purpose had made her a hero. But all she could do was frown at the body as they dragged it out, and feel there was something very odd in all this. ~ Joe Abercrombie

I have never been especially impressed by the heroics of people convinced they are about to change the world. I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference. ~ Ellen Goodman

Also, gasping is for damsels, and I'm a gangster. ~ Tarryn Fisher

You notice that all the minorities are going to be voting for Barack Obama because he's a minority. He's going to be their hero; he's going to be their white knight if you will, or in this case black knight. ~ Frosty Wooldridge

YOUR DREAMS WANT YOU. YOUR DREAMS LOVE YOU AS MUCH AS YOU LOVE IT. ~ Diana Rose Morcilla

He who gives back at first repulse and without striking the second blow, despairs success, has never been, is not, and never will be, a hero in love, war or business. - Frederick Tudor ~ Gavin Weightman

I've done nothing for the past five years but try to be the hero who protects her. The problem? Heroines don't need protecting. ~ Colleen Hoover

Maybe it's stress or anger or adrenaline or disillusionment or a bullying nature or simple fear of getting killed themselves, but there is a problem if a cop cannot tell the difference between a menacing gangster and the far more common person they encounter whose life is a little frayed and messy. ~ David Horsey

I was sent here for you, Taryn. You needed a hero and I am here to be him. (Sparhawk) ~ Sherrilyn Kenyon

She was in a difficult position being the widow of a great American hero, a role that carried high expectations but she did a credible job of continuing Dr King's dream especially in the face of a changing and often hostile American public. ~ Morris Dees

We all need to have heroes, people to admire and look up to. To find a hero, first look to your parents or older brother or sister. Then look to the people who share the same morals and values that you have, and have accomplished the goals that you strive to achieve. ~ Robert Cheeke

Robin: I'm a hero, Starfire, and if you don't like it...
Starfire: Robin? I like it more then you will ever know. ~ Teen Titans Trouble In Tokyo

Someone who accepts that in the world as currently divided war can become inevitable, and even just, might reply that the photographs supply no evidence, none at all, for renouncing war - except to those form whom the notions of valor and sacrifice have been emptied of meaning and credibility. The destructiveness of war - short of total destruction, which is not war but suicide - is not in itself an argument against waging war unless one thinks (as few people actually do think) that violence is always unjustifiable, that force is always and in all circumstances wrong - wrong because, as Simone Weil affirms in her sublime essay on war, "The Iliad, or The Poem of Force" (1940), violence turns anybody subjected to it into a thing. No, retort those who in a given situation see no alternative to armed struggle, violence can exalt someone subjected to it into a martyr or hero. ~ Susan Sontag

None of us know all the potentialities that slumber in the spirit of the population, or all the ways in which that population can surprise us when there is the right interplay of events. ~ Vaclav Havel

To ward off alienation and gloom, it is only necessary to remember the unremembered heroes of the past, and to look around us for the unnoticed heroes of the present. ~ Howard Zinn

The great attraction to 'American Gangster' is these two great characters who are absolute paradoxes within their own sphere. ~ Ridley Scott

Ah, Bluebell, what am I going to do with you?"
Love me. ~ Sheri Humphreys

Out there is a manlike machine who thinks he's a hero. Who thinks he can save the world. A man who calls himself Computerface." A gigantic buzz saw emerged from Adam Prime's chest, heading directly toward the center of the school bus. "And Computerface couldn't possibly watch all these innocent children die!"
"Do something, Harry!" Uterus screamed. ~ Kevin Strange

It's easy to be a hero when your own survival is aligned with someone else's, when your victory is a victory for your entire clan. ~ Delilah S. Dawson

The thought of talking about it made Pueblo's gut ache, but then he thought of everything that Amy had been through – not that she'd told him her version yet. She had balls of steel, he thought with a smile. And what did he have? Three pairs of loin cloths going crisp on the radiator. ~ Dianna Hardy

What really helps a guy to become an action hero today is the directing of the movie. All those fast cuts. ~ Jean-Claude Van Damme