Hey guys, sorry about the whole rouge/rogue thing in the last chapter, it fixed it, blame it on spell check. In case you were wondering/in response to a review, I'm doing this in first person, but not specifically a journal because I prefer to write things as they happen, not in retrospect. Onto the story…

Stupid pickpockets. You'd think they'd think twice about trying anything in front of two Dogs and a Puppy. Obviously not. I must have stopped about five on my way home, not including the times my Dogs got 'em. I lathered the lavender soap, scrubbing at what I thought was dirt and winced as I realized it was a bruise. One of the coves I stopped musta given it to me. Particularly troublesome cove, tall, muscled, with short blond hair and brown eyes. Not overly striking, but not at all unattractive. He was quite well dressed, the hand he turned to grip my arm with had a large scar covering the back, as well as a scar over his left eye, running through his eyebrow. I gave him an extra tap to let go of me, and he did so reluctantly as Tunstall glared at him. So, that's probably where I got the bruise. I'll get Kora to look at it. I dried off, dressed and began to walk home. I decided to stop by to see Tansy and make sure she was treating herself right. I thought about my money supply and decided to stop and buy her some flowers. She could use some color in her black-draped room. I stopped by a flower stand, selected a particularly lively bunch, paid, and turned to walk away, before stopping dead in my tracks. Behind me the blond cove and Kaysning were conversing quietly. I pretended to drop my flowers and stooped closer to pick them up, listening intently to their conversation.

"… just not sure now is the best time," said the blond quietly but fiercely.

"Of course it is Teirnen!" said Kaysning in an agitated manor, "that new Rogue is just beginning, so thing are unstable! He's a foreigner; he doesn't know this city half as well as you! Plus, half the rogue is behind you now. Use it to your advantage."

Teirnen scowled. "But what if I just sabotage him, then I can gather more support?"

Kaysning let out a slow breath. "He's so clever, he'll wiggle his way out. Just do it now Tiernen!"

Teirnen looked away, tensely, and noticed that I was close. I turned away and began to stand as Teirnen called after me.

"Mot!" he grabbed my arm on the same pot as before, causing me to gasp in pain. I kept my face turned away. "Pardon me, what have I done to offend thyself?" I asked quietly. He turned me to look at my face, despite my continued effort to look away. I prayed to Mithros that he wouldn't recognize me. "Puppy?" he asked me.

"Pardon me sir?" I said innocently.

"What are you doing here, trollop?" he asked me menacingly. Kaysning came over, and he recognized me immediately.

"What's the little Puppy doing here?" he asked Teirnen. I'd had enough of this. I twisted my arm away and pulled away, smacking Kaysning on the nose as he lunged after me. I ran around the corner and paused to make sure I wasn't being followed before rushing to the Dancing Dove to talk to Rosto. I burst through doors and rushed to his room, knocking impatiently.

"Rosto!" I said as the door swung open to admit an annoyed, shirtless Rosto. His expression softened as he saw who it was. I tried not to let my gaze linger on his bare, muscled chest.

"Brought me flowers, did you Puppy?" he asked looking at the flowers I had gotten for Tansy.

"Yeah, sure," I replied, rolling my eyes, "Listen, I've got something important to tell you." He stepped aside to let me in, closing the door behind me. I sat on a stool beside the door and told him what I had overheard as he listened intently from the bed. Once I had finished he seemed to contemplate what I had say for a few moment before speaking aloud, mostly to himself.

"Teirnen? Didn't think he was up to it. Guess he has more support than I thought..."

"Not from what I saw." I assured him. He flashed me a grin. I decided I was no longer needed and stood to leave.

"Beka," he called as I opened the door. I turned. "Don't be surprised if some of the rogue starts to trickle in and out. We've started to move into the Dancing Dove." I opened my mouth to protest, but he cut me off. "I told them to leave you alone." I raised an eyebrow. "Completely. Or they'll answer to me." I shook my head and left, my bed was calling.

Stupid birds woke me up this morning. I glared at Pounce who had let them in. Even on the rare day that no one came over for breakfast I had to get up. Pounce simply mhrted at me. The birds didn't even have any interesting news, only Slapper had a passenger, a mot who was killed by her man for cheating. I looked back at me warm, comfortable bed, then groaned as I got up to get dressed. As soon as I was finished, someone knocked on my door. I opened it to admit a nervous Rosto.

"Beka," he said quickly, "I was thinking, maybe its best I don't move the rogue here. It'd make it harder to keep things from you, and it'd put you in even more danger."

I shrugged, "I'm a Puppy, I'm always in danger." I replied nonchalantly.

"Yeah, you're a Puppy. You can't be in the middle of the Court. Plus, if anything happened to you here, I'd have to answer to all the Dogs at Jane Street Kennel."

"Just pretend I'm not a Puppy, okay?" I didn't want him to change this just for me. I could deal with it.

"I'd still want to protect you Beka." He replied seriously, stepping closer to me. "You're sure it's okay?" I nodded. He leaned towards me, and I pulled back. He placed one hand behind my head. "Just pretend you're not a Puppy, okay?" he said, echoing me. I shook my head, and blinked back tears that should not have been forming. "Beka," he said softly. I shook my head harder, and looking down so that my hair fell into my face, blocking the single tear sliding down my face from his view.

"Rosto," I replied for the thousandth time, "we could never be. You—"

"Are the Rogue. And you are a Puppy," he interjected. "Yeah, I know."

"We are so different we could never work." I assured him.

"Sometimes two different things can blend beautifully," he said, tilting my head up. I shook my head again, and raised a hand to wipe away my traitorous tear. He stopped my hand and wiped my tear away gently, his hand lingering on my cheek. Why did I have to want him so much? Why did he have to play these games with me?

"No Rosto." I said, choking on my words. "If we were meant to be, we wouldn't be on opposite sides of the law." He began to reply, but I cut him off. "Please," I begged, "please Rosto, just go." He kissed me softly on the cheek and squeezed my hand before leaving. I closed to door behind him before sinking to the floor, wiping my moist eyes. Pounce came over to comfort me. "Why?" I asked him quietly, "Why does it have to be so hard, and since when do I like him so much?"

So? Am I going to fast? I want there to be adventure, as well as romance, so I can't have them get together so soon. They will eventually, never fear, and the crimes will heat up. Anyways, how and I doing? Am I in character? I'm not sure I like it…