Thanks so much to everyone who read and a big thanks to everyone who reviewed! Your support has been what's keeping me going!

Sorry it took so long to update, life has just been rough lately and with graduation right around the corner I'm super busy. Updates will pick soon though I hope, I probably say that way to much but I'm trying. This story so far is basically getting to know the character, Rosie just like exploded into my mind one day and ever sense then she's just stuck there. Rosie pretty much writes this story herself so sorry it's short and lacking Billy but he'll be in the next chapter no worries. Also random note but Gunslinger will be updated next for sure.

I also apologize for the fact that a majority of my time lately has been spent reading and sleeping. I've always been a major sleeper but I'm all of a sudden a huge book junkie. It's almost ridiculous I read like two books a week (which may not sound like a lot but for me that's like a record) but honestly I really am enjoying it! Anyway...

Thanks again and please enjoy!

Back To The Streets

Chapter Three- No Time For Tears

My mom used to dream about living in Paris. Then one day out of the blue she became bedridden. A month later she died of Pneumonia from a weak immune system caused by her AIDS. In other words my mom died of AIDS because she was a prostitute. I loved my mom though even if we did have a bad lifestyle, living with her boss in his crowded apartment but most of the time in an old van.

I was thirteen when I moved in with my dad. My dad tried too hard. You could tell he didn't love me but he really wanted to convince me that he did. His wife was ten times worse. Patty made me cookies every week for me to munch on while doing homework. Which I always lied and said was already done when really I just didn't want to do it. Patty had this warped idea that I liked her and that we were friends. I didn't really mind her but God was she annoying. I'd stomp up to my room pissed off from getting detention for saying my school counciler was a moron and didn't know shit about life or leaving to go pee mid lecture. Not my fault my bladder needs to let loose when the stupid teacher decides to bore the class to death. Patty would follow me up to my room and interrogate me about my day, "How was school? Did you have a good day? Make any new friends? Your counselor called said you were acting out is there anything you want to talk about? I'm here for you if you want to talk."

Patty was always trying to get me to talk to her. She'd sit on the edge of my bed and pat my knee as I glared at her. "I enjoy having you here," she'd say giving me one of her Betty Homemaker smiles and a look of motherly concern. The plus side of Patty though was that she didn't believe in punishment, said I just needed time I was still traumatized. What the fuck did she know about traumatized? But at least I never got in trouble for misbehaving and having a horrible attitude.

I hated being home with Patty and Dad more than anything so I spent most of my time at school and when not at my "best friend" Ava's house I was volunteering at the hospital. Ava was a complete moron. I'm serious the girl thought she was all that just because she had her nose pierced, her hair died blue and smoked cigarettes at lunch period. The only reason I kept her around was because I needed an excuse to get out of the house and if that meant putting up with her stupid antics I was all for it. While Ava thought she was the bad ass of the school she only drank and smoked cigarettes and pot. I on the other hand preferred something stronger, something legal and that's how I got addicted to Vicodin, OxyContin and Valium just not all at the same time. I stole most of it from the hospital until I eventually at the age of sixteen got caught and kicked out of the house.

I learned a lot after that but still I found myself haunted by my past. Especially in the early hours of night just before I was about to drift off to sleep, it was the only time that made me feel completely vulnerable. Even the Vicodin I had swallowed down an hour before wasn't helping me fall asleep that night all because my Minnie was gone and I was once again all alone.

"What ya doin' here Rosie?" Nova spat in between hacking up his lungs as I ducked under the overpass and over towards my sleeping bag.

"I live here," I spat back as I carefully curled up under the sleeping bag making sure I didn't disturb Mac and Ava's sleeping forms who were already out for the night.

Sure I hated Ava but you really hadn't expected me to live out here by myself did you? Nah she wanted to be rebellious and so I guided her in the right direction. Well at least in the direction that was useful to me.

"You bring me anything'?" he asked his face barely visible in the flickering street lamps light.

"Course," I yawned stretching my sore arms out above my head.

I then rolled over on my side and wrapped an arm protectively around Mac's waist. No matter what Mac was still my baby and always would be. I may have lost one but I wouldn't lose both of my babies. Mac instinctively snuggled up against my chest for warmth and I pulled him closer.

"You'll get it in the morning," I assured him as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

It was on calm cool nights like that, that the pills were needed most. There wasn't anything else to distract me otherwise.

I woke up the next morning with Nova's tight-skinned hollow dirty face hovering over me. A shrill shriek escaped past my lips. It was just instinct nothing more. To anyone else, anyone normal I'm sure Nova's hard, sickly face would have been a horror but to me, him being that close was just a routine. So why did I scream? It was just another one of those moments where I was surprised and only knew how to react with fear. I saw Nova, processed in my brain that it was indeed Nova but still I screamed.

"Jesus Christ Nova! What the fuck is your problem?" I shouted rage instantly rippling through each tense muscle in my body.

"You said you got me it!" he hissed as he choked back not only a coughing fit but his short temper as well.

"Yeah, yeah Nova of course I did, geez what you think I'd fuck with you. God, get the fuck off me!" I screamed giving his shoulders a rough push causing him to fall backward and land heavily on his butt.

I threw back the sleeping bag and as usual Mac and Ava were long gone. I'd over slept. Way over slept. The sun was almost near the center of the sky. No one on the street woke up this late in the day. Usually we were up with the sun scavaging to survive like we always did. It was still no surprise that Nova had waited for me to wake. He had nothing else to do, his life was already nothing more than just a waste of existence and I was on the highway heading straight for the same fate.

I shoved my hand into my pocket and dug around and pulled out a small plastic bag containing a white powdery substance, Nova's preference.

"Such a good girl. Billy'd be proud," Nova wheezed as he ripped the bag out of my hand.

"Yeah, yeah just make it last. I can't keep snatching this shit or I'm gonna get caught," I ruled shaking my head.

Nova may have taken care of us, may have been wise but in all reality he wasn't the pack leader. Nope that was where I stepped in and at that moment I was defeated, I had failed but I couldn't let it kill everyone else as well. I had a family to take care of.

I watched Nova stumble off away from the overpass and made sure he was out of sight before I turned my attention to my garbage bag Bodie had given me and my backpack. I pretty much lived out of my backpack sense the day I was kicked out. That has been what has held my possessions and if it didn't fit I didn't need it, with a few varied exceptions. The garbage bag was empty when I opened it. No doubt the pack had gone through it and taken what they wanted. Nothing was only yours, everything was shared. That's how we managed to make it this long. That and the fact that I had a few good connections.