Warning: This story has nothing to do with the wing or the caroussel and Scipio didn't lied. He really is what he says.

Sixteen years old, in tight black pants, black boots, a tight black vest and black gauntlets. She was no thief that creeped through alleys or that wore a mask, because she knew that she would never be caught. The moon would light up her pale skin and daggers while she jumped over the roofs of Venice like a cat. Although she would never be caught, everyone knew her and something that marked her were her firey red curls that almost touched the ground. But the thing that she was most proud of ... were her eyes. Gold. Pure gold, shiny and big. That was were she get her nickname of: La Regina dei Gatti. The Queen of Cats. No one knew her real name, except she and she would never tell anybody except someone she really trusted. Her name suited her well. It meant fire, flame. Something that only could fit her perfectly. Are you curious? Who wouldn't be. It's ... Fiamma.

Scipio was in the house of Contarini. As a shadow he creeped through the rich rooms. He came in the living room.

'Bingo!' he whispered to himself. His eyes had catched a diamont on the coffee table that singora probably had forgotten. He just wanted to step in the moonlight when he saw a shadow by the window. He quickly returned in the shadows as the dark, female figure climbed in the room. At first he thought it was a human-like cat. The way she climbed in the room was so adroit and seemed so easy. Thought he knew it wasn't. The figure moved through the room without any sound. He then noticed the long hair and he knew with who he was in one room. La Regina dei Gatti! Someone else, like Riccio, would jump of exitement, but this was Scipio, the Thief Lord. He noticed a dagger on the wall for the show. He grabbed it and stepped in the moonlight.

'Don't move!' he whispered proud. The figure stopped and slowly turned around. When she saw Scipio she set her hands in her hips and raised her eyebrow.

'What were you planning to do with that dagger. I bet you don't even know how to use it.'

'And you do?' she pulled one of her dagger out of her belt and pointed it towards Scipio.

'Yeah, actually I do.' she walked towards him, still with the dagger pointed towards him. 'Who are you?'

'Scipio, the Thief Lord.' he said proud. They both let the daggers down and just looked at each other.

'The Thief Lord. Yeah, I heard about you. I think I don't have to say who I am.'

'No. You're The Queen of Cats.'

'Esatto.' Suddenly they heard footsteps in the corridor. They looked in shock at each other. She ran to the window and jumped on the roof of the next house, which was smaller. He ran also to the window and saw how she stook out her hand. 'Come!' she hissed. 'Or do you want to be caught?' he closed his eyes and jumped, expecting to fall and smack on the ground, but no. A hand catched his arm. He opened his eyes and looked up to see The Queen of Cats that was trying to get him on the roof. He set his feet on the stones and walked upstairs to help her. When he was finally on the red tile. They breathed heavily.

'Thank you.' he said.

'No problem.' it was quiet for a moment. 'Well, I think I must go.' she wanted to move up, but he grabbed her arm and turned her towards him.

'You don't think I'm going to let you go, do you?'

'What do you want?'

'I always wanted to know the real name of La Regina dei Gatti.'

'And you think I'm going to tell you?' she almost joked. 'And let my arm go.' he did what she said and she set her hands in her hips. 'Thank you.'

'Let's come to a deal. I'll show you my face if you say your name.'

'Mmm.' she thought. 'Show me your face? Can I trust you?'

'The Thief Lord always keeps his word.'

'Oh, I know. The word of a thief is more trustful than that of a priest ... Alright, I think we have a deal.' they shook each other's hands. 'My name, Thief Lord, is ... Fiamma.'

'I could've guess that ... your hair.'

'Yeah, but now it's your turn.'

'Alright.' he slowly pulled of his mask and showed her his face, smiling arrogant. She also smiled at that pale face with chocolat brown eyes and dark brown hair.

'You know, you're pretty handsome.'

'Thank you. You're not bad either ... Fiamma.'

'Thank you ... Scipio ... Well, nice to meat you, but I must go.'

'Where?'

'That backstreets over there.' and she pointed.

'That backstreets? You're mad! It's full of raping, drinking people!'

'There's no other place. My father was a pirate who raped my mother. She left me when I was old enough.'

'You can't stay there ... Come with me!' and he grabbed her arm.

'Where are you taking me?'

'My home.'

The bell rang.

'Finally! He's back!' said Mosca and he ran towards the door

'Is Scip back?' asked Bo.

'Yes.' said Prosper.

'And he isn't alone!' yelled Mosca to them. The group turned to the dark-skinned boy. Behind him was Scipio and ... a girl. Bo ran towards his idol.

'Who have you brought, Scip?'

'This is Fiamma, a friend of mine. Fiamma, this is Boniface, but we call him Bo.' she kneeled down by him.

'Nice to meet you, Bo.' she said. He smiled happily at her.

'Are you his girlfriend?' he asked. She stroked his blond hair.

'No. I just saved him from being caught.'

'Caught?' Riccio came by. 'You were nearly caught?'

'No! Not really, *becomes red* she was in the same house as me.'

'Wow! Are you ...' asked Mosca, pointing with a shaking finger to Fiamma. 'L-La R-Reg-gina dei G-Gatti!' she nodded.

'Hornet always tells me stories about you.' said Bo.

'Really?'

'She said you were beautiful like a mermaid.'

'Oh, and ... is it true.'

'No ... You're more beautiful!'

'Well, thank you.' she stroked his hair again and stood up. Scipio didn't seemed to enjoy that all the eyes were laid on Fiamma and she seemed to notice that. 'I think you're leader wants to show you something.' it worked. His followers looked at him.

'Yeah.' he said and he opened his bag.

'Oh!' they all said when they saw all the gold, silver and jewels in it.

Scipio laid on his matrass, thinking of his meating with Fiamma. He had felled something when she looked in his eyes and it wasn't exitement. It was something else. A warm, strong feeling that he felled in his heart. Suddenly a warm arm crossed his stomach. He looked to see who the owner was. Fiamma! She slept peacefully. He pulled her arm carefully of his stomach and turned his back towards her. He fell asleep with She's so beautiful as his last thought.

The next day he was the last to wake up. The others were already taking breakfast. He walked downstairs and took his seat at the head of the table. He wanted to pick a piece of bread, but his hand rached the piece at the same time as Fiamma's hand and he found his hand laying on top of hers. He quickly pulled it back and she brought the piece of bread to her mouth. They both blushed. Bo leaned down by Hornet's ear.

'I think Scip likes her.' he whispered. Hornet smiled, agreeing with Bo, but knowing that Scipio would never admit his feelings.

'So ... Now that you're one of you, we would like to know you better.' said Prosper.

'Know me better?' asked Fiamma.

'Yeah, where you come from, your past, that kind of things.'

'Oh.'

'Is that so weird?' asked Mosca.

'Oh, no, but I warn you, it's not going to be easy for me and Bo is actually not aloud to hear this.'

'Bo, go away! We'll call you later.' said Prosper.

'But I also want to hear Fiamma's story.'

'Bo!' he crossed his arms over his chest and walked upstairs.

'If it's so difficult to tell your past, why do you want to share it with us?' asked Scipio. She looked at him and smiled.

'Because I trust you.' she said, she sighed and started her story. 'My mother ... was prositute. I've never known father. The only thing I know is that he was a pirate ... *swallows* When I was seven ... she left me in one of the backstreets. I had died if it wasn't for a mother cat who found me. It sounds weird, but she raised me with her other kittens ... I learnd their language, I learnd their abilities and when I was twelve I started to be The Queen of Cats ... but then ... *frozes* I was walking through an alley and then I felled that someone grabbed me. It was a man. He trow me against and ... I started to scream, but no one could hear me ... He raped me there ... all night.' a tear fell down her cheek. The others stared in shock at her. Scipio clenched one's fist in anger. The thought of what some drunk bastard had done to Fiamma made him furious.

'I'm so sorry, Fiamma.' said Prosper.

'It's okay, Prosper. You couldn't know it.' she looked at her hands. 'It's just. I'm always so scared to come in that area. I'm just scared it will happen again.' Scipio lifted her chin so he could face her.

'It will never happen again. You're save here. I'll protect you.' he said.

'You will?'

'Of course! ... I mean ... I protect all of us.' he tried not to blush while he leaned careless on the back of his chair, but Hornet knew better. 'What do think of a little fun?'

'Sounds good, but I must wait till dark. If someone sees my hair, everyone will know who I am.' said Fiamma.

'Yeah, good point ... Riccio, Mosca go exloring the rich area. Pick a good house and bring me a report. We'll go out tonight.'

'We!' said everyone hopefully. 'Can we go with you?' asked Riccio.

'No ... only Fiamma and I. We're here the proffesionals.'

'Yeah, yeah, proffesionals. C'mon! You just want to be alone with Fiamma, don't you!' laughed Mosca, but he stopped when Scipio gave him a deadly look.

'Just go. C'mon!' said Scipio. Riccio and Mosca quickly left the cinema. Scipio then turned to Hornet. 'Hornet, you, Prosper and Bo are going shopping with the half of the left money. We need food for dinner.' they nodded.

'Bo! Come, we're going shopping!' yelled Prosper and the blond haired boy came running towards him and grabbed his hand. The three left and Scipio and Fiamma were left alone.

'So, what about you?' she asked.

'Huh?'

'I told my story, now it's your turn.'

'Oh ... ehm ... well ... alright. My mother died, giving me birth and my father ... well, he was drunk every night. He used to beat me till he fell asleep. When I became eight I left and became a first class thief.'

'I see.' for a moment they just stared at each other. Scipio felled like he was lost in the gold of her eyes. Has there been a jewel that was more beautiful, more fragile or stronger than this one? He then shook his head. What was he thinking? Falling for a girl? Never!

'So, what do you think of my group?'

'They're very nice. Thought it's strange for me being in a group again. When I lived with the cats we always stayed together. I had forgotten how it was to feel that after nine years alone. But I must warn you, Thief Lord, you can't get me under your command. I'm a rebel and I think you know that.'

'Yeah, I had already guess that.' he said it a little dissapointed.

'And I had guessed that you love playing the leader, don't you?'

'Well ... ehm ...'

'You see?' he looked at her with a mischivious glint in his eyes.

'I think I'm going to like you, girl.' she also smiled mischivious.

Around midnight, the two shadows creeped through the streets towards Casa Pamarini. It was in the same area as Casa Contarini, where they had met each other. The big, rich house came in the view and they started to run.

'Mosca said we can't go through the doors, they're always locked and the windows are really high.' said Scipio.

'Let me handle this. Give me the robe.' he gave it to her.

'What do want to ...' but he was cut of when he saw her juming from wall to wall, coming closer and closer to the window. At least she reached it and he saw her entering the house. Then the robe fell down. He grabbed it and climbed upstairs.

'Good trick.' he said to her when he was inside to.

'Thanks ... Well, let's start work.' they started to look around. This house was really full of stuff. They filled up their bags with all they could find.

'I think this is enough.' said Scipio.

'Yeah, you're right.' Fiamma helped Scipio going downstairs with the robe and then jumped in one time down, landing on her feet. The they ran away in the direction of the Stella.

When they arrived, everyone was already asleep. No wonder, it was really late. Scipio lighted up a candle and they walked upstairs. He set the candle between their matrasses and then saw how she shivered.

'Are you cold?'

'Well, I haven't a cloak like you, have I?' He pulled of his cloak.

'Come here.' she looked confused.

'Ehm ... okay.' she set next to him and he set the cloak around her shoulders. 'Thank you.' he then pulled her down gently on his matrass and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. There she laid, in his arms. She couldn't help but like it. She felled save and warm Her eyes closed and she fell asleep with a smile on her face.
Scipio didn't knew what he was doing. A moment ago he had just gave her his cloak to warm her and now he was holding her in his arms! He wouldn't admit it, but he actually liked it. He liked being able to hold and protect this ruby. He felled like a real man, a man who protect the woman that trusted him. He shook these thoughts of his head! Oh! He was thinking like he had fell in love with her! No, you don't love her! She's just a friend! Just a girl! But deep inside, he knew he was lying. To himself, to the crew and most importantly, to Fiamma.

The next days, Scipio and Fiamma went on trips together. They formed a couple and enjoyed it. What no one knew was that Fiamma also had feelings for Scipio, although she was good at hiding it. When everybody was asleep, she often went on the roof of the Stella, looking at the moon and singing. As she sang the first notes, cats from everywhere would come and listened to her. Sometimes she saw her cat-mother, brothers and sisters. They would rub their heads against her legs and tell her that she was so beautiful under the moon. She would tell them about Scipio and her eldest brother, Rossino, would say that if he would hurt her, he would scratch his eyes out. They all would laugh and she would sing another song for them.

One night, Scipio didn't sleep very deep so he woke up of a sound. Singing. He stood up and noticed that it came from the roof. He opened the window in the ceiling and climbed out of it. When he was on the roof, he saw Fiamma. She sat in the middle of a group of cats who all listened to her singing.

Moonlight, see the dawn of the sunflower ...
and a rose that is fading.
Roses wither away.
Like a sunflower ...
I often turn my face to the dawn.
I am waiting ...
for the day.

'Wow.' he said. She turned to him. 'You sing really good.'

'Thank you ... Why aren't you asleep?'

'I can ask you the same thing.'

'Cats love the night, you know?'

'Ah, yes, that's true.'

'And you, why aren't you asleep?'

'I couldn't sleep and then I heard you sing.'

'Oh ... do you want to join us?'

'Sure.' he sat down next to her. The cats looked at each other meowed something and then leaved the couple alone. Scipio looked confused at Fiamma. 'What did they say?'

'They said ... ''Let's leave these love birds alone''. ' he could see she blushed.

'Okay.' he said flirtious, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. Fiamma had the feeling that her face was taking the color of her hair.

'What are you doing?' she asked.

'I'm keeping you warm. It's cold here outside.'

'Ooookaaaay.' then she felled his other arm wrapping around her as well.

'Relax, Fiamma.' he whispered in her ear, feeling how tensed she was. Slowly she laid her head on his chest and relaxed a bit. 'Good girl.' he was different, she could sens that. The way he acted towards her was just not ... him. She looked up at him and he back at her.

'Who are you and what have you done with Scipio?' she asked. Scipio smiled. He just couldn't handle his feelings, his proud had left him, suddenly, that night. Without a warning he pressed his lips on hers. She widened her eyes, but then closed them slowly. When they broke apart, she looked confused at him. 'What?'

'I can't handle it anymore, Fiamma. I want you to be mine ... I ... I love you.' There! He had said it! And actually, it felled good.

'Really?'

'Yes, and my worst nightmare is that someone hurts you and that I'm not there to protect you.' a tiny smile crossed her lips.

'You don't know how long I have waited to hear this.'

'Well, I have an idea.' he kissed her again, letting his hands go over her back and through her hair. They broke apart again, but only for a few milimeters. 'Will you be mine?'

'Yes, absolutley.'

Bo was the first to wake up and a big smile crossed his face when he saw what he saw.

'Prop! Prop! Wake up! Hornet! Riccio! Mosca!' the crew growled and rubbed their eyes. 'Hurry up!'

'What's going on, Bo?' asked Riccio.

'Look!' the crew widened their eyes when they saw it. Their leader laid on his matrass with in his arms, Fiamma! She was curled up against his chest and his head laid on hers.

'Oh, what cute!' squealed Hornet.

'Shh!' said Prosper. 'You won't disturb them, right?' they saw how Scipio pulled Fiamma closer to him in his sleep. 'Let's leave them alone.' and they walked downstairs.

Scipio woke up and smiled when he felled Fiamma's body against his. He kissed the top of her head and she started to wake up. Her face raised to look at him and she smiled.

'Goodmorning, beautiful.' he said.

'Goodmorning, handsome.' they kissed pasionating.

That night they went robbing again. This time it was the house of the Amilio's. Another house close to San Marco. They creeped towards it and were surprised that it wasn't locked. They looked at each other.

'Do you think we can trust this?' asked Fiamma.

'I don't know ... Let's try, but stay allert.' she nodded and they creeped inside. Inside she started to feel uncomfortable. She knew that smell, but from where? They came by the living room and froze. Someone was laying in a chair, sleeping.

'C'mon.' whispered Scipio. No answer. 'Fiamma?'

'Th-That man ...'

'Yeah?'

'It's my mother's boss.'

'You mean ...'

'The boss of a group of prostitutes.' he noticed how she shaked and laid an arm around her.

'Come, let's go away from here.' she nodded and let him lead her to the door.

'Not so quick.' they heard and turned to see the man of the chair staring at them. Scipio stood protective in front of Fiamma. The man laid his eyes on the red-haired girl and grinned. 'Fiamma. How long ago it was. You look much like your mother. The same hot body.' her eyes filled with fear and he seemed to like that.

'Don't you dare to touch her.' hissed Scipio.

'And what do we have here? The Thief Lord! What an honor.' Scipio only looked in disgust at him. 'You really have a good taste. The Queen of Cats is a good catch.' Scipio almost couldn't handle his anger. 'So, let's come to a deal. Or I call the carabinieri, or Fiamma stays with me for a ... talk.' he licked his lips. Fiamma widened her eyes and her grip on Scipio's cloak became tighter.

'You'll never have her.'

'Oh you think so.' he walked towards them and they backed, but he was quicker. He slammed Scipio against a wall, he felled down passed out, and grabbed Fiamma by her arm.

'Let me go! Let me go! You big jerk!' he grabbed both her wrists with one hand and removed her belt with the daggers with the other and trow it on the ground. He slammed Fiamma against the wall and held her by her arms so she couldn't escape.

'Now there's no Thief Lord who can save you, babe. You are all mine.' he licked his lips and started to lick her neck. She screamed.

'Scipio! Help! Scipio!' Scipio moved a little, he shook his head and growled. He blinked and then remembered why he had pass out. He quickly stood up and turned. His stomach filled with anger and disgust. He grabbed the man's arms and smacked him on the floor.

'Keep your dirty paws of her! Rapist!' he hit his head with his foot and he passed out. Then he ran to Fiamma, who had sank to the ground, breathing heavily. He pulled her close to him, trying to comfort. 'Are you alright, Fiamma?'

'I am now ... Thank you.'

'Hey, you're mine and of no one else ... got that?' she nodded. She held him tight and so did he. 'C'mon, let's leave this place.' he helped her to move up and they ran away from that place, Fiamma still shaking.

'What has happened to you!' asked Hornet when the couple came in the cinema. Scipio set Fiamma on one of the chairs and then turned to Hornet. He told her what had happened. 'Oh mio Dio.' Fiamma stood up.

'I'm going to sleep.' she said and made her way upstairs.

'I'm going with her.' said Scipio and followed his girlfriend upstairs. There he found her on her matrass. He laid down next to her with his stomach pressed against her back and his arms around. She first jumped, but then relaxed when she realised it was Scipio.

'Scipio ... I ...'

'Shh, it's alright. It's over.'

'I ... I was so scared.'

'I know, but it's over now.'

'I was just thinking ... If you hadn't been there ...'

'But I was there and I always will.'

'Truth?'

'Truth.' he pulled her closer to him and smelled her hair. She turned towards him and snuggled in his chest.

'I'm sorry that I'm crying on your shoulders.'

'My shoulder will always be here for you.'

'And so will mine be for you.' she snuggled a bit more in his chest and he laid his head on hers. So they fell asleep. Together. More they couldn't ask. They had everything they wanted. They had each other. They had love.

Yeah, I know. This fic sucks a bit, but hey ... I tried it. Review, please, it means a lot to me! XD XD