Hallo guys! Wow, your responses were incredible, and unfortunately no one was able to guess what my age is! I'm sort of scared to reveal it, solely because I'm worried I'll lose readers if they know how young I am… if you really want to know, PM me and I'll tell you, how does that sound?

Anyway, review reply time-

Anonymous- Well you're gonna get your wish! Several others actually wanted Winter to turn bad, so I'm gonna let it happen. Cause I love you too, do you have any idea how much that meant to me? It completely made my entire week. You are the one that rocks, and here is a very tense chapter, just for you.

Bellasuki- Thanks for your comments! I totally agree. Also, I will have the playlist out by Monday hopefully. You're simply wonderful.

Lunartic21- Once again, you seem to know exactly what to say to encourage me to keep writing this. I took a big risk adding that much fluff to Thorne, but I'm so glad and grateful you liked it. I'm thinking of moving their story along rather quickly. And you're right, she doesn't, and it's about to get worse. As in, really, really worst.

LBthebookworm- Hallo beautiful person! I hopes this makes your day the way yours made mine! I don't think I've seen you before here, so welcome to our crazy family, I can't wait to hear from you again.

Bookluver28- You're in college? And you're paying attention to something I'm writing, wow, you're simply incredible. Thank you so, so much for your comments, hopefully some of your questions/thoughts will be cleared up. You've been there since the beginning, and I love you!

Onelightyearaway- Well, you're getting your wish once again, because you're impossible to say no to! Also, thank you so much for the compliments, and clearly you're the sweeter person here. Please let me know what you think, your opinion matters a lot. And I'm doin alright, but thank you for asking.

BrynnBookWorm339- You're so welcome, and here is your update! Ha, I bet I'm more excited about this than you, these reviews are the best parts of my day. ANd you calling yourself is unbelieveable, a few months ago I never would have believed I would have a fan. The playlist should come out by Monday. (Side note, you were actually the closest to guessing my age…)

Pennthewriter- Ha! Wouldn't it be great if we could just slap certain characters upside the head every once in awhile? I wish. Anyways, the playlist is coming soon. Awe, thank you so so so much.

Kit125- Wow, okay, you left such an amazing review, I had to reread it a few times. I love your comments, and your idea to make it an original has got me thinking a lot...did I mention I'm also about to start writing a novel that's going to be self-published? It's gonna be a sci-fi, but let me know what you think. And you write too? I am totally going to check it out.

TheWolfGirl- Thanks so much for not hating me! Man, I thought I was going to get some flames, but I've gotten nothing but a bunch of incredibly sweet, kind, and generous people, and I couldn't have done it without you. So no, there's no way you could possibly offend.

Alright, here we go! (Mimics Peter Pan's voice internally)

Cress-

Holding back her screams was becoming a fight. It was more like a war instead of a battle. See, a battle is only fought once, and then you're done. You can take a break, find a new strategy, and recuperate. But this was a never ending, never ceasing, torturous wave that used up her tears until she couldn't cry any more at all. She just sat, head held back as Winter raked her fingers through her bloody curls. So far she'd managed to hide her broken ankle, but if Winter made her stand, all secrets would disintegrate. She was already weak enough, though, and the last thing she wanted was to show she had practically no means of escape.

She was currently sitting in the chair again, her eyes clenched shut as Winter attempted what she called "braiding." This was not at all accurate. Cress's hair was hanging limply in several different enourmous knots, steadily increasing in size and pain. Winter was completely oblivious to this, and continued to yank and tug until Cress's lips began to bleed as she tried not to yelp.

Winter was singing loudly as she worked, some made up song about a fairy and a prince. It was beautifully naive, and for the first time in Cress's life, she felt bitter, angry resentment swell up inside her.

How dare this girl pretend to be innocent? She had no idea what real pain was, what true loss felt like. And yet here she was, playing with her prisoner like some kind of sick owner. Cress had never felt more disgusted, even by her parents.

"...And, DONE! Oh it looks wonderful, don't you think? Well I mean your looks overall could use some color, but your hair is a definite improvement. Dress up time now!" Winter jumped up behind her, releasing her hair and sending Cress's head flying back to its regular position. The movement tightened her stomach, sending a wave of nausea through her broken body. The massive wound gapping from her tummy was starting to bleed again, the sides already blackened and bruised. Cress had hoped escaping her parents would make the shame of looking at herself fade, but here she was, back at it again. It was hard to realize her nightmares had become a reality once more. With each new second, she felt herself shutting down more, losing feeling, not caring. She'd already lost, just like always.

Cress decided to play the part for an instant, hopefully getting what she wanted out of it.

"Dear friend, I would hate to ruin your stunning dresses by bleeding all over them. Perhaps I could take a bath first? And maybe clean my wound?" She let out a brilliant smile, pretending she was beaming at Thorne. Pretending that the kisses in her dreams had been real right alongside with the nightmares. Pretending he cared enough to come for her. The thought alone of him arriving at the door, even simply to call her Birdy one last time, was enough to make a little part of that fake smile feel...genuine.

Oh no.

No.

It couldn't be. There was no way.

How could she have been so stupidly blind?

Cress Le Courtier was a complete fool.

She'd fallen for her Carswell Thorne.

Her Carswell Thorne.

And she'd fallen hard.

The truth hit her so abruptly that breath completely abandoned her. The smile slipped off, but Winter was too busy summoning the serving girl to get the tub she didn't care to notice. This was all a pleasing game to her. Fine. Cress will play too, until her window came.

Then she would find a way to save herself, and get to the one person who knew how to make the nightmares leave. Her Thorne.

Thorne-

Thorne wasn't having a very good day.

Maybe it was the fact that his client was missing, or maybe that his friend had been the one to take her. Maybe it was the fact that he was continuously running into walls and barrels and older gentlemen with incredibly sharp canes. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the fact that for the first time ever, he didn't believe he could win.

So you might say that Thorne wasn't the best person to be around at the moment, and Scarlet and Cinder would immediately agree.

They'd taken to walking ahead of him, giving him Scarlet's red scarf to hold onto. He was acting like a five year old without his candy, and neither girl wanted to deal with the added stress. So he trailed along like the sick little puppy he could still be compared to, never ceasing to knock something (or someone) over.

Life really couldn't get much worse.

Town Hall, where Thorne had guessed Jacin would be, was just a few blocks from the Mayor's home. This also happened to be about a mile from Scarlet's inn, counting all the sunken alleyways and dead ends they'd fallen into.

They all looked immensely suspicious, and a little dangerous, not counting that they were very, very tired. Not a single complaint could be heard, however. Well, not from the girls anyway.

Now, as they finally turned around the last corner, Thorne heard Cinder let out a gasp at the gleaming town hall. He guessed she'd always stayed in the lower Brooklyn area.

This was the only presentable building in the borough, and he remembered it well from the first time he'd met Jacin there.

Standing at about four stories, complete with marble and a high, and an open glass dome for a ceiling, it was nothing like what most people were used to at the time. He just hoped it hadn't reminded Cress of her old home too much. His chest ached at the thought of her being trapped somewhere in there, but at the same time, the idea that she was only a few hundred feet away gave him a little hope. And Carswell Thorne was a sucker for hope.

Scarlet cleared her throat as they neared.

"Alright, Thorne, I 'ope you 'ave a plan. 'E knows by now zat you are blind, but ve 'ave no way to prove you aren't weak."

His hope diminished somewhat after that.

"Have a little faith in me, Red. When have I ever let you down?" He tried to aim his blinding white smile at her. Pretending it was for Cress. Pretending it was after that kiss on her cheek. Pretending he'd gotten a longer chance to make things right between them.

What was actually between them anyway?

Cinder's snort knocked him out of his daydreams.

"Youse's charm don't woik on blank walls, Thorne."

"Ah, so you admit I'm charming?" He turned his smile in her direction, his mask easing back into place to hide his confusion.

Cinder snorted again before tugging him forward with the scarf.

"Still a wall, Thorne. And still a big no."

A few minutes later they'd come to a halt, with Thorne almost knocking Scarlet to the ground in surprise.

"What's going on?" He hissed, guessing this was the time for stealth.

Scarlet answered him this time.

"I think I see your little friend. 'E is tall, vith vite-blonde 'air. 'E 'as a uniform on, and a document, J'espere it's pour tu." Scarlet seemed to slip into french whenever she got excited, which unfortunately happened a lot.

"What did you say?"

"She said she see's him, and that youse is a knucklehead. Jacin's 'ea and he's gotta letta."

His throat tightened, and abnormal anxiety made him start to sweat. But for their sakes, he straightened and gave Scarlet back her scarf.

"I think we know where to go from here, ladies. And if you do find her-" His breath hitched in his chest at the thought of what she might look like. And how he might never find out what she looked like. "...if you do find her, please, keep her close?"

They didn't need to answer. The trio knew what that meant, and none felt the need to tease him for finally admitting it.

"Alright, let's get movin!" Cinder grabbed his hand and led him closer to where Jacin was leaning against the columns of the Town Hall. He swallowed anxiously, images of Cress hurt and defenseless running through his darkened mind. He saw her as she was when he confronted her, still lost in her own terrifying world and trapped. He saw her scared of him, then scared of everything else.

Then the images of her widened eyes and bright smile, his clothes hanging down her small body, her solemn stares when she thought he wasn't looking, even her triumphant and rare laugh.

And at that moment, Thorne felt ready to knock the living daylights out of his ex-friend.

Cinder-

Cinder knew the second she caught sight of Jacin that this was a trap. It had to be. She'd seen way too much in her hometown to be naive about this kind of thing. He had the words danger and cunning practically written on his forehead.

But she said nothing. Cinder knew that no matter what she tried to convince Thorne, he would attack. And knowing that actually comforted her a little. It meant deep down, he cared for this sweet girl, no matter how many times she accidently got their crew into trouble.

The closer they got, the stonier Jacin's expression became, and the more tense Thorne grew underneath her steady hand.

Before Jacin could even open his pompous little mouth, however, Thorne was letting out a string of obscenities. Even Cinder was impressed, though it took all the strength out of her good arm to hold him back.

Thorne was bursting at the seams to get to the betrayer, but Jacin didn't seem concerned. He leaned away from the wall, dusting off his jacket as if the shiny clean building wasn't good enough for him. Cinder wondered deep down if this was all just an act the way Thorne's was.

The instant he spoke, however, their entire plan came crashing down before their- well, her eyes.

"I wouldn't try to be the hero again, Thorne." He paused to examine his fingernails, something so fake it made Cinder feel like punching him too. "There's currently about three guns pointed directly at your head, along with the pretty lady here. I would be smart about this if I were you."

Thorne actually released a feral growl.

"You aren't anything like me, Jacin, never say that again. I came here for the-"

"No, you didn't, and yes, you are. Deep down, your past is identical to mine, and you know it. You also know that you of all people really aren't capable of change. Even though you might not be in it for the money any more, the Thorne I knew, and still know, goes after the ladies too. So it's not a change for you to come here for dear old Crescent. You think that means you're on the good side, but the truth is you haven't changed a bit. And you never will."

Cinder was shocked. She'd known Thorne had been shady in the past, Scarlet had told her as much, but this put a whole new level of doubt into her thoughts. Was Jacin right? Had he been tricking them this entire time?

Her mind clouded with doubts, she accidently let go of Thorne to run her fingers through her hair. Big mistake.

A warning shot fired as Thorne leaped toward Jacin, and it pierced the ground next to his foot. In mid air he twisted so he wouldn't get hit again, but this sent him straight into the marble column. He hit the dirt with a groan, and Cinder whirled around in search of Scarlet, needing her help to get out of this. As she did, several unbelievable things happened at once.

First, children and teens of all ages were flooding the streets, chanting rhythmically, aimed straight for the Town Hall. The noise filled the center square, making people of all ages freeze and turn to watch the massive crowd. A heavy gloom settled over the area, as if most knew what was coming, and wished they weren't there to see it. They were brandishing posters and signs saying STRIKE, or THIS ENDS NOW! She could even see, close to the front, her band of boys, being led by a fierce but proud Peony. Cinder let out a moan at their determined faces. This couldn't get worse. They had no idea how much danger they were putting themselves in, and who knows how many bullets Jacin's team had, or whether or not they would use them on the innocent protestors. She assumed Jacin worked for the government, but she knew Thorne wasn't involved in that, so why he had backup in the first place was another question on the rather large list.

Second, Scarlet was being dragged away from Cinder rapidly, Her gun being used against her, pressed into the skin under her chin. Her eyes were narrowed, and Cinder could tell even through the noise of the rally that she was screaming for her life. She was writhing in the man's grasp, her bright shock of hair whipping around and around as she twisted and scratched. The man was relentless, no matter how many times she kicked him.

Third, and most startling of all, was the fact that Cress, their Cress, was watching her from a window, right above where Scarlet was being kidnapped. She was bloody and bruising, completely disheveled, but so full of desperate hope that Cinder began to feel it too. Cress's hands pounded on the glass, her mouth arching in a wide O, as if she was trying to yell something to her. Cinder couldn't believe Jacin had kept her so close to him. And how they could've fallen for it.

Behind her, Thorne was being yanked to his feet, practically unconscious. A gun was aimed at his blindfold as two guard secured his shaking hands behind his back. As his chin fell forward, she caught sight of dark, rich blood nestled in his hair. Perfect. As if his head condition wasn't bad enough already.

By now, the shock was fading, and panic was taking its place. Cinder looked up again through the blinding sun to see Cress catch sight of Thorne. Her face turned to despair, and even from here Cinder could see newfound tears burst. (Keep in mind, Cress hadn't had any tears left…) Cress moved as if to open the window, but before she could some unseen hand yanked her back, sending her tumbling out of sight.

Cinder tensed, watching intently for a clue as to who was holding her while Jacin was out. Her stomach felt queasy at this feeling of not knowing, of not being able to fix it. She'd always been the one with answers, and now she didn't even know hot to start. Too much was happening too fast, and it was all far to dramatic for her liking. Not that any of that mattered at a time like this. Cress needed help, and this rally would provide a distraction.

Just as she was about to go to her, another girl appeared at the window. She was thin and beautiful in every way, except her smile. It sent chills down Cinder's spine. It was the coldest, most maniacal grin she'd ever seen in her life. And with that awful view, the curtains whirled to a close, and Cress had once again disappeared.

Cinder didn't even get a chance to feel upset. Cold steel was shoved into her neck, and as her back arched in surprise, a guard's meaty hands wrapped around her body, dragging her along with Thorne into a large box car, the type you put...prisoners in. OH NO. NO! She began to panic, writhing like Scarlet, but this man was incredibly strong. He held fast until she was tied up and crumpled in the back of the car, the doors locked tight, confining her to a metal cage. Thorne was out beside her, curled up, his face smeared with handprints of his own blood marking his features.

For the very first time in years, Cinder felt like crying. Instead, she folded herself into a ball, wrapping her wrists around her knees and hugging herself, pretending she was holding all the little broken pieces together. Pretending seemed to be her only option. Funny how quickly and easily things could go wrong.

Kai-

The meeting had been boring, and Kai had found himself wishing that things could change. Of course, looking out at the hords of people, loud burst of gunfire, and screams of the desperate, he felt a tiny bit guilty.

Boring was fine, totally okay, compared to this.

The worst part was that he had to pretend he was against these teams of children, these families. He had to pretend he was a greasy politician, only caring for the money and success in life.

Why you might ask?

HIs immediate defense would be that he was doing it for his family, because they needed the alliance with the Mayor's family. Or that it was a smart move to woo the future Mayor, Levana, (the current mayor's daughter) so that he could make changes for the better if they became a partnership. These answers were scripted and perfect, giving him a solid excuse.

The truth, or what he feared was the truth, was that he was actually just a coward who couldn't say no to a few greedy family members.

At the same time, what was the point of focusing on himself when so many just feet below him were getting beaten for their righteous beliefs?

Kai cringed, disgusted with himself, about to turn back and leave the balcony, when he caught sight of the mystery beauty. His Cinder.

His breath caught in his throat at seeing her, wearing yet again the same dress, but still under extreme circumstances. For example, she was currently getting handcuffed and shoving in the jailcar. He couldn't wait to hear the explanation this time, because he was definitely planning on paying the fine to pull her out. Despite all this, he still felt uneasy and violent that she was getting manhandled in the first place. She was a respectable lady, for goodness sake! In his anger, he turned away, only to see the girl Cinder had been hugging at the inn. Cinder hadn't known he'd seen her, but the sight had warmed his heart a ton.

Now, the girl was fighting right alongside the newsies! How on earth had CInder gotten involved with this ragged bunch? Did he even want to know?!

But the next act of violence, the next unforgivable act, the next thing he had to lay eyes on, was something that would never, ever, leave his mind.

This was one of those times, where you center your timeline around this turning point. There was only a before and an after, all because of this.

Kai watched as the guard advanced, like an animal on prey. His gun was cocked and loaded, already steaming from prior use. His back was hunched, his eyes squinting through the length of the gun.

The shot was deafening, racing up Kai's spine like electricity. His eyes were frozen on the form of a young little boy, on whom's chest was written in bold black letters "Ben," as if they'd been organizing into groups. Time seemed to slow as the bullet shot forth from the chamber, the man's hand rocking back, the air being torn apart as the bullet pierced layer after layer to hit its target.

And so it did. The world seemed to quiet, Kai becoming deaf to all except that faint gasp as the bullet cut through cloth, skin, and bone, to reach a perfectly young, beautifully strong heart.

A heart that immediately died.

But "Ben" wasn't the one who crumbled down. "Ben" wasn't the one who had tears in her eyes as she hit the earth.

It was the girl, the one Cinder had held close, had clung too, as if she was all she had left. She was gone.

And Cinder had no idea.

I'm even mad at myself for this one, guys. But it had to happen. I know it's short, but I packed a lot of important plot material in there, because I know it's gonna be a busy week. I know y'all are gonna be mad at me, but please please please review and let me know what you think. I'd love to know what you think is going to happen next.

I am so grateful to you all and every review, follow, and favorite I get.

Love you lots, (PLEASE review!)

Doppelgnger08