A/N- Please don't hate me! Please!!!! I'm just been so preoccupied these past...uh...this past month. I know, it's such a long time but don't worry! I didn't forget about you guys, or desert you. It's just that time has been slipping by me recently. But, I finally found some, grabbed it and chained it into a chair so it can't escape. Muahahahaha! I'm introducing another new character into the story, and having tons of fun with this! Check out my other stories if you haven't already, updates should be coming for all. I'm in a mega good mood right now because I'm listening to Pirates of the Caribbean, PLUS, my band is playing it. Woohoo!! And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...

CHAPTER THREE: NO ONE'S THAT HEARTLESS

Aurora curled herself up on her sleeping pad, her covers drawn tightly around her, yet the cold of the warehouse still seeped through the thin blanket. The truth was, and as much as Aurora wished it wasn't, if Spot had let her go, paying no heed to the bet, she wouldn't have left anyway. This warehouse had become almost like home to her the past week, and the people there had been welcoming, she felt safe. In a way, she was glad he stopped her, and made her stay. Of course, there was always him saying he wanted her to stay, but surely that didn't mean anything. After all, it was Spot Conlon, infamous ladies man, how could she trust him? A sigh escaped her lips and what Riot had said was beginning to dawn on her. "I should warn you'se..." she had said. "At one point in time, ya will like him." Well, maybe Riot was right. At this point in time, she might like Spot, but she'd get over it. Of course she'd get over it. She had to get over it.

"Bandit?" a small voice interrupted her musings for the second time that night, and Aurora looked up to see Plunk, a thirteen year old newsie and member of Black Fist, with unruly black hair and shocking green eyes, standing above her.

"Yeah Plunk?" she asked in a caring manner. Ever since the day she had met Plunk, a few years ago, she had taken a liking to the small boy, almost the same way Fist had taken a liking to her. A run away, like herself, Plunk turned up in Fist territory, turned out to be a pretty good scout and spy for the gang, and a funny kid too. The boy always knew the right thing to do to cheer Aurora, or anyone else for that matter, up. Of course, she didn't smile, but that signature sparkle would appear in her eyes and Plunk would know he had done something right. He had succeeded in making the ever so cold Aurora, happy, a feat not many could own up to.

"I wanted ta talk wit ya" he said, sitting himself down on the pad. Aurora sat up, the raggedy blanket drawn about her like a cloak.

"Shoot."

"Well, it's jus dat" Punk looked up at Aurora, his green eyes wide and sad. "I did somethin bad. Somethin real bad."

"What Plunk?" Aurora asked as calmly as she could, although her voice was actually shaking from shock. What could he have possibly done?

"I...uh....I kinda got on Donovan's bad side."

"YA WHAT?!?!?" Aurora exploded, leaping up from the pad. Plunk covered his head with his arm for protection, cowering slightly from fear.

"Please, don kill me" he whimpered. He stuck his head through his arms. "I figgered I couldn't tell Fist or Spot. I thought...I thought ya could help me."

"Plunk, ya dumb ass" Aurora exclaimed, staring down at the small boy. "Donovan of all people! Not only anothah gang leadah, but ya choose da gang dat we'ah at wah wit. Smaht Plunk, real smaht."

"I shouldna come ta ya. I knew ya wouldn't undahstand. Ya hate me now, ya hate me..." Plunk began to blubber uncontrollably.

"I don hate ya Plunk" she said firmly. "Ya shoulda gone ta Fist. I can't protect ya. Even Spot could. What did ya do??"

"I...uh...I stole from his sistah's bakery in da Bronx" Plunk admitted sheepishly, his cheeks turning red from shame.

"That was good Plunk" Aurora shook. "But, why'd ya come ta me?" Aurora sat down next to Plunk, awaiting an answer she already knew.

"Cause, yoah da only one who's evah pissed him off and lived ta tell da tale."

"Dat was five yeah's ago Plunk. Befoah I even met Fist. In fact, DAT'S how I met Fist. He's da one who saved my life" Aurora sighed. "I lived cause of Fist. Nothin I did saved me life. I did somethin stupid and I'm lucky ta be heah taday, tellin you'se about it. Ya need ta go ta Fist."

"I can't. If Donovan don kill me, Fist will" Plunk stared at the scar on his hand.

"What about Spot?"

"He'll kill me too" Plunk began to quiver. "I'm dead" he wailed. "I'm no even foahteen and I'm already dead!!"

"Shaddup" Aurora exclaimed, clamping her hand over Plunk's mouth. "Yoah not dead" cautiously she took her hand off his mouth.

"I got nowheah ta go Bandit. Nowheah."

"Yes, ya do" she grabbed him firmly by the shoulders. "Go ta Fist. Tell him I sent ya and if he hoits ya he'll have ta answer ta me. Ya tell him dat. Donovan wouldn't dare hoit ya when yoah undah Fist's protection. Go now. Da soonah, da bettah. I bettah heah from ya once ya get theah" Aurora gave him a small kiss on the forehead. "Now get outta heah" with a small shove from Aurora, Plunk jumped up and bolted away. An exasperated smile escaped from Aurora's lips, which were in a sad smile, as she fell back down onto her sleeping pad.

"Well, well, well" a too familiar voice leered from above her. "The cold heahted Aurora does have a heaht aftah all" Aurora strained her eyes upward to see a smirking Spot standing above her. "Ya loin somethin new everyday."