Okay, so this story has been getting a lot more attention and I love that. I'm really happy that there are people that are actually enjoying the work I put into this! Also, I wanted to answer some stuff that I was asked or just give you guys some love.

Tailto (guest): a question of how often do you update?
My Answer: Not often. :P Normally when I have days off of work I sit down and I write a little and then it just compiles until I feel that it's enough to update. That's one reason why I want to make these chapters a little longer is that I want to make these updates worth the wait! I want to do a weekly update but with graduation parties and my work schedule being a BITCH, it's kinda hard. But whenever I do, I hope you enjoy them!

Jimxclaire (guest)
You didn't leave a question but I noticed that you've read both of my major Trollhunter works and I wanted to give you some recognition! Thank you for leaving a lovely comment on both! The idea that there are people that actually enjoy not just one but more of my writings means a lot and it gives me some motivation to actually get off my ass and write. So thank you so much and I hope you enjoy the updates that I have (hopefully) planned.

Idhren15
You didn't leave a question either but you were the first one to actually give me some motivation and I wanted to thank you for that! I'm one of those writers that get in my head a lot so when there is someone that is leaving wonderful and kind words, it helps me feel like what I'm writing is worth the effort and that there is someone that will enjoy it. So thank you SO MUCH for all of your comments. They really helped my tiny ass get myself in gear.

BlackRazorBill: I do wonder how Trollmarket as a whole, and trolls like Draal take to Atlas. He's still the first human Trollhunter in this fic too, right?
My answer: As I told you before, you'll have to wait and see ;) but I have a lot planned for the rest of Trollmarket. Also, I wanted to use this to point out why I write Trollmarket as Troll Market in the chapters and that's because I hate the little red underline BS in my writing engine. I have a bad case of ADD so my eyes get getting distracted and pulled back to the random colors that aren't black and white and it throws me off. But thank you as well for leaving a comment and I hope you enjoy the rest of the updates!

Red and Fan (two different guest comments)
You guys didn't have questions either but I also wanted to thank you guys for leaving supporting comments! Even if they were quick and simple, they still help a lot so I wanted to give you guys a quick shout out as well!

Jormus
You didn't leave questions either but all your assumption from the very beginning that you left in your comment actually helped me a lot with how I started actually planning this later on. Yes, I admit, I had no plans for this laid out when I started writing. (Yes I know, bad form and shit I know I know) But your thoughts and idea actually helped a lot! It actually got me thinking "Hey, I can actually do shit with this" and it got me working on it more diligently. So thank you so much!

Anyway, since I got all of my thank yous out of the way, BACK TO MY SHITTY PLANNED STORY! :D

"So a lot of what you've told me over these past few months are starting to actually formulate in my head now." I walked with Claire slowly as we made our way down the spiral staircase to Troll Market. I looked over to her intently as she seemed to have enough courage to break the silence that has held us since after the horde of goblins was dealt with.

"What do you mean by that?" I watched her as she gave a small shrug as she seemed to look to the glowing stairs as if they were more interesting than anything in the world.

Well no duh Atlas. She hasn't been going down passages like this for years. You've grown somewhat numb to the beauty of Troll Market. She's got a lot to adjust to after this.

"Well, I remembered you telling me once that you had a lot of monsters that you've fought within your life. That growing close to people was somewhat difficult. I wasn't expecting them to be real monsters or anything but I thought at the time you were trying to be the dark and mysterious new kid. I understand now that I didn't know a thing about you then." I felt my face fall a little as reality seemed to slap me across the face.

I've lied to Claire since the first week I've met her. Just like I have with Tobes since the day I got back. It must be hell to realize someone that you confided in was nothing like you thought they were. Hell, it must be terrifying realizing all of the creatures that she has been told weren't real like that of monsters, trolls, goblins, and all those in between are real. All of those that every kid were told horror stories of and then told were nonexistent to let them sleep at night.

Maybe that's why I can't sleep more than four hours. The idea that I know the true horrors of the world must keep my mind wired like an insomniac.

Or like any sixteen-year-old boy.

"I'm sorry. I was told by my original trainer that if anyone knew about my... honor, as he said it, that whoever it was would be in grave danger. But I guess no matter what I do, have them within my real-world or not, they seem to get pulled into the dangerous ends of things." I looked over at her as we began to descend as a million thoughts ran through my head that I didn't care about until my body decided to remind me of the weight of the situation.

I took my hoodie off without hesitation as I tried to think of ways to hide Claire's humanity from the trolls that might be about.

If I cover her face and keep her close, then maybe they won't realize that she won't smell or seem trollish. Maybe if someone questions, I'll say that she's a mage? Someone that came for help or seeks a way of passage to another Heart Stone? Jesus, I didn't think this through.

"Put this on. We can't let any of the Trolls see that you're human. They had a hard enough time accepting me as Troll Hunter. I don't want you getting hurt or the Trolls getting anxious. And before you ask, the reasoning for their distrust of humans is because of their past with the human race. We slaughtered a lot of their people within the past few millenniums at least."

She took the hoodie from me gently as if she was about to refuse but it's not like she has another option. Hey, it's not like I'm giving it to her like in those weird romance movies Mom watched where the guy gives the girl his hoodie/jacket and it's a showing of how he likes her or some shit. This is for her protection. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Maybe.

I shook my head as she flung the hoodie over her shoulders and zipped it to her chin. It was rather large on her small frame and the idea that she was wearing the gym sweats from school helped cover all the noticeable flesh from sight. She looked over to me for confirmation on the look. I gave her a small smile and a nod in reply. I could feel the small amounts of heat flush across my cheeks as I tried to make it seem that I was seeing how far we had until we enter Troll Market.

Right now is NOT the time to think the cliche of girls wearing oversize guy's hoodies is cute. Or at least Claire is. In mine. Right beside me.

TEENAGE BRAIN STOP!

I stopped suddenly as I realized that light was coming from the end of the staircase. Troll Market was only about fifty steps away to the main floor. We will be welcomed by the light of the Heart Stone within ten steps. I turned to Claire who in turn did the same. I gently pulled the hood over her head and pulled the two strings slightly just enough to cover most of her face with the hood itself than the rest with what will be a shadow.

"Stay close. There are leather gloves in the pockets just in case if the sleeves don't cut it. Don't get distracted by the beauty of the place. I know it's stunning when you first glance at it, but right now if not the time to notice it." I held out my hand once she covered her hands with the gloves. "Ready?"

I watched her take a deep breath and exhale slowly. "As I'll ever be." She placed her hand in mine and I gave her a smile. "Don't worry. The only two that really matter will love you." We started our way with me giving Claire a gentle squeeze for reassurance.

We continued our way without a hitch with Claire basically clinging to me once a Troll that was at least double the size of Draal came by. Once we came to the library, I took the hood off Claire and we gave me a smile with eyes that mixed between horror, amazement, and curiosity. "You weren't kidding about the beauty of this place." Her smile widened as she looked around Blinky's library. "What's this place?" She started walking toward the bookshelves and reading the spines of the books.

"This is my recently new trainer's library. His name is Blinky. He and his friend AAARRRGGHH are the Troll Hunter Trainers of this Troll Market."

"This Troll Market? There are more Troll Markets?" She walked back to me and I smiled at the enthusiasm in her voice. I chuckled at her adoration for something that also obviously frightened her.

"Yes. I know that there is one in New Jersey. Much smaller than this one. There is also another in Michigan from what I was told. But that one is almost insignificant than those two. I've been to the one in New Jersey. I lived there for quite a bit of my life. But do you want to know what's the most beautiful thing about the Troll Markets?" I gave her a smirk as she gave me an eager nod. "The Heart Stones. It's the literal heart of all Troll Markets. It gives the Trolls and the other beings within the area. The light of the crystal is astonishing. It's like a star that's underground."

"MASTER ATLAS!" I jumped slightly and looked over my shoulder to see Blinky with a smile and two of his four arms in the air. I turned to him with a smile and his appearance quickly changed due to my movement showing Claire to his eyesight. "GREAT DEYA! Who is this creature? Do you know what you have done, Master Atlas!?" I walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Calm down Blinky. This is Claire. I know, I know. But I swear, I know what I'm doing." He sighed and I watched him look back at Claire who he gave a small smile to.

"Alright. Lady Claire, it is wonderful to meet you." I heard her walk up beside us. "It's wonderful to meet you too, Blinky. You have a wonderful collection here. I noticed that a lot of it is in a language I don't know, but I saw some English within the mix. The Picture of Dorian Gray. Lorna Doone. Heart Of Darkness. All are wonderful pieces. I personally have an interest in Shakespeare but classic literature all together is rather enticing to me." I watched Blinky smile widely and then looked back at me.

"I rather like this one." He looked back at her. "It's not often when you meet someone that has a great love for literature. Same language or not." I rolled my eyes with a smile.

"All you need to do now is be friendly to AAARRRGGHH and you'll be in his good graces for the rest of your life." I smiled as she laughed at that.

"Hey, Oscar Wilde is an author I think almost everyone should read. He was the one that said 'The world is like a stage, but the play is badly casted'." I watched her smile as Blinky then cleared his throat.

"Well, I'm guessing you are going to show her our um, little secret." I nodded to him and looked back at Claire and gave her a small wave of my hand to tell her to follow me. I lead her to the little forgotten and not easily seen a place within the little library. It was a small little cave-like area behind one of the bookshelves.

"Before we go any further, I want you to know I've been wanting to tell you about this for a long time now. Okay? I don't want you to feel like I lied to you about any of this. It was more like I kept it from you for not just the safety of you, but-" I turned on the light and shown the small little crib I put together in the little hidden area. "For him too." I watched as Claire's smile disappeared and was replaced by shock and then immediately was replaced by what I could tell was almost tears.

"¡Mi Hermano!" I watched as she ran to him and smiled as Enrique cooed to his sister. "¡Estas bien! Te extrañé mucho." She placed a kiss to his forehead as she lifted him up in the air with both hands. She brought him back down and let him sit on her bicep as she looked back at me. "How did you find him? How have you been taking care of him?"

"I found him before he was able to be taken by a goblin to a group called the Janus Order. They are a bunch of trolls that basically can shape-shift in a way to a human form. I have reasons to believe that he was supposed to be one of their familiars. Their familiars are usually infants that are taken to the Darklands so that they can have a baby troll be transferred to keep the infant's place. So I kept him here because I know how the Janus Order can be. They are very adamant on what they want. They won't stop unless it's too much of an inconvenience to them at some point. Which is why I said I've been wanting to tell you. It was more for him though. Make sure they give up before I let you know." I scratched the back of my neck. "To be honest, he still might have a couple more weeks at least down here before it's safe for him. Taking care of him though, I've been giving him food that I usually buy right after school or stuff I make at home while mom's at work that I remember having to feed to some of my baby cousins."

"So those things that we're after me tonight, they were trying to take my brother?"

"Yes." She placed Enrique back down into the crib and looked back at me. She gave me a small smile before speaking. "Thank you. You know, my first instinct after realizing that you took him was rather... Violent to say the least. But you proved to me today that you only mean to do what you think is best." She looked back at her baby brother and I watched her place her hand back down in the crib. Probably to place her palm on his head or cheek. "And if you think it's best for him to stay here a little longer, then I guess all I have left is to trust you. This whole goblins and trolls and Janus whatever isn't my forte as they would say."

She turned to me and walked back over to where we entered. "I guess by the way everything is right now. With the hiding and the sneaking around the area, it would be easy to say that we don't have all night to be here. No matter how much I want to be with mi hermano."

"You can come to see him whenever you want, Claire. We can always come back."

"Weren't you just talking about the risk of what would happen if the Trolls found out I was here? Wouldn't being here more than a few times at least be too obvious? Wouldn't one find out?"

She's right, Atlas.

"We'll find a way."

You really can't say no to her, can you?

Before I knew it, I felt arms wrap around my neck as Claire gave me a swift hug. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me, Atlas." I put my arms around her almost instantly. "You're welcome, Claire. It's the least I can do. You're kind of stuck in between what most people believe is reality and fantasy."

"What do you mean?" She pulled back and I instantly missed the warmth that was her embrace.

Shit. I haven't told her what this all means yet, have I? Fuck I get distracted easily with her.

"The goblins came after you. The Janus Order almost know everything that their little lackeys do. If they know that the goblins went after you, and you came out unscathed, that means they would come to the conclusion that either I came in or that something else caused the destruction of their little slime buddies. They would more than likely go with the first one."

"They would know that you were involved in some way." I nodded to her conclusion. "So what now?"

I rubbed the back of my neck with a small uneasy chuckle. "To be honest? I have no idea. I never had anyone else know about any of this. Not Toby. Not my mom. No one besides my old trainer. But he ended up not being the best influence on my life. He made it a lot more hard for me to trust anyone with any of this." I looked down at the ground and then back up to Claire to give her a small smile. "But I trust you though and what I do know is that I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

The next few nights, I made small adjustments to the usual routine to sneak Claire back to Troll Market here and there to see Enrique. Whenever I wasn't with her on some nights, I still made it a part of the nightly watch to check the perimeter of her house and the surrounding area. Could never be too safe when it comes to Stricklander. Especially since he already has been having sneaking suspicions when it comes to my closeness with Claire.

Speaking of which, Claire has now not even batted an eye when I told her I had something important to deal with the other day when I wasn't at rehearsal.

"Just come back to us in one piece, Lake. You still have a promise to uphold."

I smiled at the memory as I made my way to class. I wasn't sure if she was speaking about the idea that I promised that the play would be my main priority or the idea that I promised her that nothing was going to happen to her. But over the last few days as well, I have grown slightly closer to her. Just yesterday I came back to school with a massive cut on my hand that I wrapped with gauze. I told everyone else that it was from a kitchen incident. But she knew better than to believe that.

"Be careful out there, Atlas. Knives can be pretty dangerous."

I could feel a blush creep up on my cheeks as I remember the wink she gave before she walked away from me. I've also noticed when it came to Claire that I became even more enamored by the beauty of who she was. As she realized that I began to watch over her even on the nights that we don't sneak to see Enrique, she'd started to leave little notes and treats for me on her windowsill. For instance, she left out a cup of hot chocolate one night with a note that said 'I read it was to be chilly tonight. Don't stay out too late! - Claire.'

I never thought I could fall any harder than what I already was and I wasn't willing to admit it a few weeks ago or so.

But BOY was I wrong.

"Dude! You've been in la-la land all day! What's going on with you?" I felt Tobes punch me lightly in the shoulder as he starting to walk by my side. I gave him a smile as I pulled myself back to reality.

"Nothing's wrong. Just thinking." I watched Tobes grow a giant smirk on his face as I saw a mischievous twinkle spark in his eyes.

"Yeah. Thinking of a pretty girl with a Papa Skull shirt and a blue streak in her hair." I smacked him in the shoulder as lightly as I could muster. "OW! Dude, that hurt! Jesus."

"Hey, at least I'm not infatuated with the mole mascot."

"HEY! She's a beauty and you can not deny that."

"Yeah, totally mole- I mean lady whisperer." I gave him a laugh as he gave me a pout. As I was enjoying his slight irritation with me, I felt my phone vibrate. I fished it out of my pocket to see I got a text from Claire.

Hey, can I speak 2 u before rehearsal today? I'll meet you there right after school if u can.

I typed a quick sure as a reply before heading to the locker room for gym. My mind already racing with what she must want to speak about.

I walked into the gym right after school and before I could even greet her, Claire cut me off.

"I think you should train me." I gave her a confused look and took a glance around the gym before continuing the conversation.

"In what, Claire?" She took a deep breath and put her hand together before her.

"To help you in some sort of way. You know, with the whole Troll Hunter thing." I about gave her my immediate hell no response but she cut me off instantly. "Before you can say anything, I know that you don't want me in danger but how are you going to keep this up all by yourself? I was speaking with Miss Janeth before second hour and she said she's surprised that you're passing with how much of her classes you miss. Hell, Atlas, she said she's surprised with how much you come to rehearsal. If you keep this up with half-ass excuses, you won't make it pass high school." She took a step toward me. "I want to help. With whatever you're willing to allow me to. Either it helps you with sweeps of the city or hell if you just need someone to help you when everything is getting too much. The idea of how much you do without getting a break is absolutely heartbreaking. You of all people need someone else to help carry the weight and I'm willing to lend a hand. May it be little or not."

I scanned her eyes. Searching for whatever could be a hint of regret or anything like sympathy. I didn't want her to think she had to do anything. I wanted to see if she actually meant what she was saying. That she understood what this meant.

"Claire. You do know what that would mean, right?" I kept eye contact with her as I raised my bandaged hand into view. "Even the tiniest amount of involvement can be quite dangerous. Even if you were just to moral support like you've basically already become, it would put a target on you."

"Don't I already have one though?"

I know Stricklander already knows my... Attractions to Claire. I know that he would use her against me if he desired to. He knows that I'm weak for only a few within my life. Her, mom, and Toby would be the few that would be on his list to use to toy with me to make him do what he wanted. Maybe it would be best to let the one that knows most be trained to protect herself at the very least. It would ease my mind at least.

I was pulled from my thoughts as I watched Claire wrap her hand around my injured hand's wrist and bring it straight out toward her. I watched her other hand's finger dance under my palm and hold it gently within her fingers. "I'll let you think about it. I just wanted the offer to be out there. I..." She looked back up to me with a soft look in her eyes. "I can't take the idea that you're basically doing this all alone, Atlas. Someone shouldn't have to bare everything on their own. No one does."

Maybe. Maybe I should let her?

What am I thinking? She could be in danger! Even being around me puts her at risk. Stricklander would take advantage of this in an instant if he knew. You know this Atlas. But he's already watching her every move. He already knows that you care for her. Just like he knows that you care for Toby. Just like he know your mother is your world. But he also knows that your mom could defend herself. That Toby is almost ALWAYS with you. Claire would be the one that he would target if he absolutely had to.

Maybe having her help... Training her at the very least to protect herself... Won't be the end of the world.

HEY GUYS! Sorry for this being out so fucking late. I've been having a pretty busy life as of late with work and college starting soon and the whole kind of adulting thing. But here's a new chapter! I hope you guys enjoy!