Shiloh lurked on the edge of the pool of light, on the edge of the middens. The mist surrounding her swirled orange beneath the streetlights glare, and it was the last before the maze of shakes swallowed the light. It was impossible to see beyond the mist, so Shiloh was trying to keep a low profile. She shivered, pulling Graverobber's coat close around herself, grateful of its warmth. It reminded her that Graverobber was nearby in the repo suit. She looked around though she couldn't possibly see him, but the fact that he was there made her smile. It was something special to be the only one in the know about his disguise.

She leaned against the lamppost and folded her arms. Her fingers were growing numb, and her nose running in the cold. She dug an empty vial out of her pocket and tried to roll it between her fingers like she had seen Graverobber do. Her cold fingers fumbled clumsily with the frictionless glass and after a few minutes she gave up with a frustrated curse, glaring at the little glass. She wished she had something to do to pass the time. She had watched Graverobber do it like it was second nature, the glass spinning between his fingers in a blur. It was memorising, she hadn't even realised she was staring until his fingers stilled and she looked up to his mocking grin. She bit her lip to chase away the memory of embarrassment.

She pressed her fingers to her cheeks, feeling the heat, and wished she could get out of the cold. She passed the vial from hand to hand; flashing one about the place was the move Graverobber swore by to attract customers. Not that it seemed to be doing much good. She peered up and down the street. It had been a long few days, and her body was crying out for a good nights sleep. Or a days sleep, rather. Shiloh barley saw the sun anymore, and she felt the little colour her skin had soaked up from the sun was being slowly leached away. But Graverobber was determined that they made at least one sale a day, and that was hard going the first few days. But two weeks into the game and there were a few faces becoming familiar. Like the pair that were making their way towards her now.

Though she didn't know their names, the frazzled, skeletal things found her out every few days to get their fix. Not able to afford much, Shiloh's heart twisted every time she had to serve one of them, the Graverobber inside whispered to her that is was all she could do to, they had gotten themselves into it and there was no point prolonging their suffering. But for every sore-pocked limb she searched for a vein, for every pair of pleading eyes she saw, she swore she would never be anyone's first Graverobber.

She dealt with the pair quickly, and watched them stagger off into the cool night. She decided it was time to call it quits, and was double checking her things, wondering how she was going to find Graverobber when she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up in interest, three in an hour! Graverobber might actually be impressed. She squinted into the gloom, poised for flight in case it turned out to a cop, or worse, another Graverobber.

With no territory of their own, Shiloh and Graverobber had taken to skirting no-man's land between body snatchers and graverobber territory. There was so much to the underworld that Shiloh had never known before, but she was catching up fast. Rule one: keep out of sight until you know what's up. She sunk back into the shadows and waited, those footsteps sounded too sure of themselves to be another regular.

What stepped out of the mist surprised Shiloh to no end. A familiar face was not what she had expected to see this side of town. Jordan was almost unrecognisable in a long, drab coat and her hair back in thick braids, so much so that Shiloh though she was mistaken and the woman was lost. Shiloh stepped out of the shadows without a second thought, curiosity getting the better of her.

"Shiloh?" the woman squinted towards her, even her voice sounded different than she remembered, stripped of its mocking tone. Shiloh nodded, not sure how to react. She had never really spoken to Jordan before. The look in Jordan's dark eyes was a mix of unease and respect, as if Shiloh wasn't what she was expecting. Folding her arms across her chest Shiloh gave her the Graverobber glare.

"Jordan…Are you looking for something?" she asked coolly, suppressing the smile that she could feel trying to break onto her face. She was really enjoying seeming so professional over those who had once lorded over her, but something seemed a little different about Jordan. The woman didn't seem overly anxious, or display any of the ticks of someone looking for a fix. In fact she looked quietly confident, looking Shiloh up and down and raising an eyebrow.

"Well I'd heard you'd gotten a new job alright," she said, sounding a little amused, "just didn't think you're the cheap fix-up robber that's being talked about." Shiloh bristled at the jibe, but managed not to express it on her face.

"Just until things pick up," she said loftily, and gestured to Jordan with her needle gun, "buying for yourself?" she asked jokingly. Jordan stepped forward, shoving her hands in her pockets and giving a bitter smile.

"That's really none of your business; I'll just take three vials." Shiloh raised her eyebrows; that was quite an amount by the standards she had been selling, half doses and occasional full vials.

"You sure?" she said, preparing her gun, but Jordan waved a hand, shaking her head.

"I mean to go," she said hurriedly. Shiloh looked at her, frowning.

"You don't look like someone on the glow… We're not in the habit of supplying other graverobbers." She said guardedly, and there was a flash of panic in Jordan's eyes.

"No it's not like that…" she said, and looked around nervously.

"I actually think it is my business if you're going to selling my hard-earned product as profit" said Shiloh icily, "I didn't know you could be a hooker and a graverobber. What do they call that, a grave-banger? People might get the wrong idea," she continued, giving the girl a grin, feeling a slightly malicious thrill at finally being the one able to tease. But the snarky reply she had expected from Jordan didn't come. The other girl was staring at the ground, figiting with her sleeve.

"Its…it's for my son, my Niko."

Shiloh felt an uneasy, heavy feeling land in her chest. She realised she had never seen Jordan shoot up with the others, and never seen a scar on her mahogany skin. It never occurred to her that the girl that didn't look more than five years older than herself could have a son.

"Oh," was all she could manage, and the two looked at each other in awkward silence. Jordan looked teary, and her voice cracked as she spoke. The look she gave Shiloh was a glare of embarrassment, but her chin was set in determination.

"He's real sick, and this is all that helps." She explained, fumbling in her pockets. Pulling out her purse, she opened it and looked down at the picture within, before turning it towards Shiloh. A picture of a boy no older than five smiled up at her. Happy as he looked, she could help but notice the bandages that covered his left eye, or the black veins that seemed to creep from beneath it. It suddenly felt entirely too personal, and she gave a weak smile as she handed the wallet back to Jordan.

"See, I'm no sell-out" she assured Shiloh, "It's only because the legal stuff is too weak that I'm in "the business" at all." Pulling ragged bills from her purse, she offered them to her.

"I need as much as this can buy." She said eyes slightly desperate. Shiloh looked at the bills and her heart sank, this was barely enough for two bottles. But the shake in Jordan's voice was heart breaking and as she looked at the young woman she decided to cut her a break, and offer her a bargain she couldn't refuse.

hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while, I've been caught up in exams and everything but it's finally summer, whoo!

Bit of a filler chapter, but more to come. I'm a bit unsure about this chapter so I would really appreciate your input!

'till next time,

~CC