Chapter 12—Family??

Fox stopped short a few blocks away from the girls' LH, standing about a block ahead of him was his right-hand man, Dakota who had his arm around………Slick. He saw her clearly now as he watched her pull a bit away from Dakota. Fox watched the two standing in the middle of a deserted sidewalk having a conversation. The chemistry between the two was opposite spectra the chemistry between himself and Slick. Slick had always been good friends with Dakota while Fox and her could rarely be in the same room without brining up the past and arguing about something. As if Slick and Dakota could hear Fox's thoughts both turned towards him, Fox saw Dakota say something to Slick who responded by walking away in a new direction.

"He is. Or have you forgotten?" Dakota asked looking Slick in the eye.

"Jus' because he's family don' mean anythin'." She responded.

"It should."

"Why? We have never gotten along."

"That's because you both won' take the time to forget the past and forgive each othah. I happen ta know, dat once upon a time youse two were inseparable friends. Then ya let history get between youse an' ya erase it all." Dakota said seriously, "He's yer brudder Sierra."

"I know he's my brother, Chris." Slick said turning around in the direction of the LH, only to see Fox standing about a block away.

"Talk ta him." Dakota advised, turning and seeing his best friend, "Jus' civilized talk."

But the idea of it was easier than the action, so without another word, Slick turned again and headed off in a different direction.

Dakota shook his head and sighed, and walked towards where Fox waited, "Hey." He greeted.

"Hey." Fox returned watching Slick's retreating back.

"Youse two have really gots ta get ovah dis." Dakota muttered.

"It ain't as easy as it sounds Chris."

"Sure it is Brian. But don' worry 'bout 'er right now, I'd be more worried 'bout tanight if I was you."

"I wonder why Spot nevah told me she was back?"

"What makes you think he knows?" Dakota asked.

Fox gave him a look, "She woulda gone straight ta Brooklyn the moment she came back ta New York." He said glancing in the direction of the borough.

"Yeah, I guess, she hasn't been here ta know Cowboy's in Manhattan, youse an' I are in Queens, an' good ol' Conlon nevah left Brooklyn." Dakota stated.

"Cowboy………" Fox's thoughts picked up.

"Don' even think if Fox. Yer not goin' inta Manhattan. Conlon an' Kelly are still friends an' most certainly allies, you'd get killed!" Dakota yelled at his friend.

"I woulda thought Jack woulda had it in him ta at least inform me my sistah was back." Fox growled.

"He probably didn' think of it. But please remembah tanight?" Ya gotta be there or it's gonna be war wid Brooklyn"

"An' Manhattan." Fox added.

"An' Manhattan." Dakota agreed.

"Oh common, we should probably go make sure the rest of our boys ain' in jail yet." Fox said moving down the street back towards the heart of Queens with Dakota following at his side.

Katz growled in frustration, she found it rather rude how Fox had just up and disappeared. "Crap" She muttered seeing the time being proclaimed by the clock on the wall, 12:00, noon. Her shift at the bar started in a half-hour. Grabbing her jacket from her own bed she ran out the door, knowing Slick would be just fine.

"Bout time you showed up! Where ya been girl?" Doll Face greeted Katz as she came running in.

Katz smiled at her friends that came up to her, "Around." She replied vaguely.

"That ain' good enough." Fighter countered giving Katz a searching look.

"Hey Katz………"Katz turned to look at Belle, grateful for the diversion, "Where's Slick?" Belle asked.

"Uh………" She faltered 'shit' she thought, "Uhm, went for a walk." Belle looked at her skeptically, but didn't offer any argument. Katz sighed and walked over to the bar and took a seat on a stool.

"Ahh………so glad ta see yer smilin' face. I've missed ya so."

"Shut up Damien." Katz muttered to the smirking bar tender.

Damien bit back a smart-ass reply figuring it best to get on Katz's good side, "You ok?" He asked studying her.

"No." She snapped back irritably, making it clear that she didn't want to talk to him.

"Alright, fine." He replied taking the hint and going to help a new customer.

"You don' hafta bite his head off."

Katz turned to the speaker and saw her best friend standing there looking at her. "Welcome back." Slick didn't say anything but instead took a seat next to her. "You not gonna say anythin'?"

"What do ya want me ta say?" Slick asked casually.

"Well since you asked, you can start off by explainin' what the hell is up with you an' Fox an' yer loathin' for each other."

"No thanks, I'll pass on that one. Can I get a water Damien?" Slick asked the mentioned who had just walked over, he nodded and turned to fulfill her request.

"Why not?" Katz asked, getting back on subject.

"'Cause I don' fell like goin' inta it." Slick snapped meeting Katz's eyes, her own blazing.

Katz watched Slick's eyes grow to a stormy gray, and for a brief second she remembered Fox's eyes doing the same thing when she had brought up the subject of the two of them. "Ya know………Fox's eyes do that quick darkenin' an' stormy thing when I bring you up or somethin else he don' wanna talk about." She pointed out to Slick.

"Nice ta know we at least inherited one thing in common from our 'rents." Slick said, sarcasm enriching her voice as she got up to go to the back room to change for work.

Katz watched her go, an odd look on her face as the meaning of Slick's words set in, "No way………" She whispered, and quickly got up to follow Slick. "No fuckin' way!!" She yelled at Slick once she was in the dressing room, ignoring the other girls who were also there. "No fuckin' way! He's yer brother!?!?" Slick just looked back at Katz calmly.

"Who's yer brother?" Nevada asked Slick.

"Nobody." Slick answered, still looking at Katz. The only other person in the room who knew what they were talking about was Belle who stood outside the group, looking between the two best friends.

"Is he?" Katz asked lowering the volume of her voice as she stared back at Slick.

"Yes, he is."

"WHO?!?" Doll Face questioned.

"Nobody." Slick replied quietly turning away and walking over to one of the full length mirrors that stood against the far wall. Katz walked up behind her and looked at the tall girl's reflection.

"What happened between you two?" Katz asked Slick quietly.

Slick looked at the mirrored reflection of her friend and sighed, "A lot."

"Like………?" She pressed.

"Not right now, I'll tell you someday. But not right now." Katz nodded and turned back to her own business. Slick continued to study herself in the mirror. Her unique, momentarily expressionless eyes stared back at her, in their normal silver hue. The black bandana as usual was tied around her head keeping the dark blonde hair out of her face. Her clothing these days wasn't as near as boyish was it was before. She wore a black tanktop that showed off her eye color accompanied by a pair of gray pants and an unbuttoned long-sleeve back shirt, that at the moment was tied around her waist. Slick noticed her body wasn't as boyish look as when she'd first come back to NY as well, she'd grown into herself. She didn't see Emotions until the girl's reflection was beside her own, "Heyya Emotions."

"Hey Slick. You ok?"

Slick smiled at her friend, "I will be, thanks."

Emotions grinned, "Common then, youse got ta get ta work lazy bones!" Slick looked at her, feigning hurt, before she cracked a grin and followed her and the rest of the girls out into the bar, it was near 3 o'clock in the afternoon now, only hours before the leaders from Queens and Brooklyn would enter.