Author's Note: Just three things really quick...First, I wanted to say that I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in forever, but I was going through a huge writer's block. But, now I'm over it for the most part. Second, I just wanted to take a few moments to thank you all. You all honestly have no idea how much your reviews, alerts, and favorites for this story mean to me! I'm so happy that all of you enjoy this story as much as you do. When I first posted it, I had no idea that it'd get as much attention has it has so far! So, truly from the bottom of my heart I want to thank you all for continuing to be loyal readers. And third, if you haven't already I'd be really happy if you's check out my newest story, Dangerous To Know! Thank you so much!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything associated with BTR or the show. I only own the plot, Winter, Monroe, Ali, and any other OC's in the story.

So, here's Chapter 12! Enjoy!

Chapter 12

The next few days flew by rather fast for Winter. A lot had happened during those few days. All things in which distracted her and helped her try and move on like she had told Kendall she was going to do. She was going to do her best to prove to everyone that she had meant what she said. Kendall was now in the past and Winter wouldn't be caught up in it any longer.

The first time she saw Ryan after the night she had made the mistake of sleeping with Kendall she confessed to him her mistake. Keeping it a secret would've only made things worse if he were to find out from someone else later on. But, even though she did the right thing by telling him, she hadn't seen him since then.

Winter also got a job at The Forge as a hostess in order to drown out all of her problems. If she drowned herself in her work and took on as many shifts as she could without over doing it surely she'd have no time at all to think of anything dealing with her personal life. So far, it was working out just as she had planned on it doing.

Working at The Forge worked well with Winter's schedule as well as drowning everything out. Every night, except for Friday's and Saturday's, Winter worked from opening time which was six and closing time which was 11:00 pm.

By time she got home it was already around midnight, and she would get ready for bed, watch tv, and then go to sleep. Then, every afternoon when she woke up she did her errands and got things she needed to do done, and then at around 5:30 she headed to work. Her personal problems very rarely had anytime to worry her now-a-days, and for that Winter was estatic.

"Where are you going, Monroe?" Winter asked curiously walking out of her room and into the living room.

Monroe stopped dead in her tracks and turned to look at her cousin. "Nowhere important," Monroe answered lying through her teeth.

"You're lying," Winter called her on her lie. "Where are you going?" Winter asked again crossing her arms.

Monroe sighed, and this time she answered truthfully making sure not to give too much away, though, "I'm going to go see a guy I know."

Winter raised an eyebrow. "Does this guy have a name?" Winter asked in wonder.

"Umm...yeah, but I'd rather not tell you. I don't even know if it'll work out between the two of us," Monroe answered avoiding telling Winter the guy's name at any and every cost.

Winter dropped her arms, and shrugged making her way into the kitchen. "Fair enough," she said grabbing a drink out of the fridge.

"Alright, then. I'll see you later," Monroe smiled briefly before turning back around and running out the door.

Winter watched Monroe run out of the apartment while taking a sip of her drink. Monroe was hiding something. Winter knew her way too well. Monroe was a good liar, but when it came to actually hiding something big from Winter she sucked.

"Good afternoon, Winter," Ali said cheerfully exiting her bedroom, and walking through the living room to get to the kitchen.

"Do you know anything about the guy that Monroe is going out to see?" Winter asked watching as Ali made herself a bowl of cereal.

"Guy? I never knew about any guy," Ali answered not turning around.

Winter noticed her tense up slightly and raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that?" Winter asked crossing her arms and leaning against the counter next to Ali.

Ali nodded and answered, "I'm sure."

Winter couldn't hold back from chuckling. "You're just as bad at lying as Monroe is."

"I'm not lying!" Ali quickly went on the defensive.

"Then why are you being so defensive all of a sudden?" Winter asked with a devious smirk on her face.

"Because, you're saying I'm lying when I'm not!" Ali answered still refusing to make eye contact with Winter as she got a spoon from the drawer and sat down at the table.

"There goes another lie!" Winter exclaimed pushing off of the counter and sitting down across from Ali. "Just tell me what you know, and I'll back off your case," Winter said staring a whole in the top of Ali's head since she was looking down at her cereal to avoid looking at Winter.

"I can't," Ali said quietly.

Winter raised an eyebrow and leaned forward across the table to get closer to Ali. "You want to tell me who it is, though, don't you?" Winter asked trying to pry the truth out of her.

Ali nodded, but didn't say a single word.

"Well, why don't you?" Winter wondered.

"I promised Monroe I wouldn't say anything about it to you," Ali answered biting her tongue to keep from blurting out the truth.

"So, she's hiding something from me then?" Winter said as more of a comment than a question as she stood up and walked out of the kitchen and headed to her room to get her cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Ali asked in a slight worried tone when she saw Winter walk back out into the living room dialing someone's number.

"Monroe," Winter answered simply. "I'm going to see if I can hear anyone in the background," Winter smiled briefly. If Monroe was with said guy now surely Winter would be able to hear him say something that would help her identify him. After all, she did have great hearing.

"Winter, don't do that!" Ali exclaimed jumping up and running over to her confidently grabbing the phone from Winter's hand, closing it, and throwing it across the room.

"What the hell, Alora?" Winter asked angrily using her full name obviously shocked by Ali's antics.

"You can't do that," Ali answered biting her lower lip. After a short moment of silence she reinerated, "You can't call, Monroe."

Winter cocked an eyebrow and asked, "And why not?"

"She'll know you got something out me. She'd never forgive me for it," Ali answered in a sort of panicky tone.

"Alora, you know I don't like secrets. Especially when they're being hidden from me," Winter hissed through clenched teeth.

"I"m sorry," Ali apologized turning away from Winter. "But, if you knew who Monroe was seeing you'd be angry with her, and your relationship would be ruined," Ali explained shaking her head.

Winter put her hand on Ali's left shoulder and turned her around to face her again. Grabbing onto both of Ali's shoulders she looked her dead in the eye and asked, "Alora, who is Monroe going to see?"

Ali opened her mouth to answer, but at the last minute she decided not to and closed it. Ali shook her head frantically. She couldn't tell Winter. Ali refused to be the reason that Winter and Monroe and her and Monroe's relationships were ruined. She refused, she absoultely refused.

Ali shrugged off Winter's hands and backed up until she was a few feet away from Winter. Ali shook her head and apologized once again, "I'm sorry, but I refuse to be the reason for the downfall of the three of ours relationships."

With that Ali grabbed her purse from the kitchen counter and ran through the mudroom and out the front door of the apartment. Winter was left standing there in the living room watching as her best friend and sister ran out of the apartment just as Monroe had not that much earlier.

Winter hated when someone kept secrets from her. She hated it even more when the ones keeping whatever the secret was from her were her own family. Flesh and blood and adopted family to be exact, but all in all Monroe and Ali were her family.

Sighing and shaking her head in disbelief, Winter turned towards where her phone had landed when Ali threw it across the room, and went over to it and picked it up. Looking around the room for a moment, Winter shook her head again and made her way out of the apartment.

~BTR~

Cautiously, making sure that no one was around to witness what she was doing, Monroe looked all around her before quickly throwing open the passenger side door and pratically throwing herself inside slamming the door shut behind her.

"Sorry, I took longer than I was suppose to. But, I was a bit distracted," Monroe apologized looking over at the guy sitting in the driver's seat, and flashing him a smile.

"Was it Winter?" he asked taking a wild guess.

Monroe nodded and sighed. "The only thing she got out of me was that I was going to go hang out with a guy," Monroe said leaning back in the seat.

"You didn't tell her who I was?" he asked starting the car.

"No, James, I didn't. Well, unless you want her to kill us both?" Monroe answered in a questioning tone. "And, believe me despite the fact that you're in a gang Winter could easily kill us both if she was mad enough," Monroe added after a moment of silence.

"I'm sure she could," James laughed. "So, where do you wanna go?" James asked pulling out of the parking lot.

Monroe raised an eyebrow, placing her sunglasses up on her forehead, and turned her head to look at him. "You're actually letting me choose where we go?" she asked in slight disbelief.

James shrugged and smirked, "Why not?"

"This is why I like you so much," Monroe said honestly with a smirk of her own. "I could really go for some food," she added giving James her best smile.

"Lunch it is, then," he replied.

Monroe smiled and turned her head to look out the window. Placing her sunglasses back over her eyes she smiled to herself. Honestly, she had no clue why everyone was so afraid of gangs. They truly aren't all that bad. But, then again looks as well as actions at times can truly be deceiving.

So, there you all go! What did you think?

I know this was short, but I wanted to at least give you all something since you're all such loyal readers! The next chapter will be longer, so don't worry!

So, it seems as if the perfect bond that Winter, Ali, and Monroe use to share isn't all so perfect anymore.

Please review! I'm looking forward to reading what everyone thinks!

I except both ANONYMOUS and SIGNED reviews, so any and everyone feel free to review!