I don't know what to say about this. I really don't. I do get the feeling it's getting closer to actual plot though. Maybe. Possibly.

I don't own Glee. At all. I know it's sad, but I don't.

Also I have no Beta.

Anyway, enjoy. :)

~o0O.O0o~

Fears and Reputation

"Z, I'm back!" I called, slamming the front door behind me.

A non-committal grunt answered me from the kitchen, so I wandered that way, finding the older Darkling sitting at the island counter, cutting fruit into small bits and mixing them into a bowl. It was around 3:00am, or there abouts, so it was a good thing I didn't need a lot of sleep. I'd slept maybe four hours that night, before waking up covered in sweat, vivid images still clinging to my subconscious. The nightmares still hit me hard, but they'd gotten better in recent years, especially since I'd gotten out on my own. I found, the more I hunted, the less I dreamed.

Of course, here, in this small town in Ohio, there wasn't much, if any, hunting to do at all. It'd been over a week since I'd arrived. A week of pointless, tedious schooling on subjects I already knew, of loud teenagers, insane cheerleading coaches and midnight runs.

It was boring. The one of the very few saving points was the Glee club. I hadn't joined, and had no intention of doing so, but they where still being good friends to me, for which I'll grudgingly admit, I was grateful. And they were always up to some drama, which helped in alleviating the tedium. Kurt's dad had just married Finn's mum and the club had preformed at the wedding. I hadn't been invited, which was understandable, but I'd heard it was an amazing ceremony, and the club was closer then ever.

And then there was Dave. We hadn't spoken since my first day, but I'd seen him around the school, still hanging out with his jock friends. He still put on the tough face and occasionally made stupid comments, but he defiantly seemed different since our talk. He was still confused and scared, but he seemed to hesitate a little before giving in to the social pressure. And he hadn't come near Kurt since then either. I wasn't sure what to make of that. But all in all, I liked to think I'd gotten to him, at least a little bit, and I had high hopes for the future. I didn't expect miracles over night, but in time, I was sure he could be someone great.

I sat heavily onto a stool in front of the counter, watching Z chop fruit. Amused, I smirked.

"Got a problem, Princess?" He said, not looking up.

"Me? No, I didn't say anything." I said, raising my hands in defence.

He just grunted, and threw a strawberry at me. I caught it easily.

"Where did you go?" He asked.

"What are you, my keeper?" I sassed.

"Yes." He speared a mango sliver on his knife and ate it.

"Says who?"

"Your brother."

I scoffed. "Well, despite what everyone, including His-Royal-Ass-ness, seems to think, Devlin does not, in fact, own me."

"Right, that's why you're sitting in this house, going to school and making friends, instead of hunting down vampires and gutting them for sport in some big city halfway across the country." He smirked. "You're a Darkling, Princess, and as such, you're subject to Devlin's rules, just like the rest of us." He raised a grape in mock salute. "You know it as much as I do."

I just grunted, stealing another piece of fruit. "Whatever you think, Z"

He laughed. "You may as well accept it. And he's not so bad, your brother. I've never had a problem with following him, which isn't something I can say for many others."

That was true. Z had almost as much trouble with authority as I did. It was one of the reasons we got on so well.

"Dev was groomed from birth to be a leader. He should be good at it." I said.

"It doesn't take grooming to be a leader, Princess."

"But it helps."

"It does." He conceded with a slight nod. He looked me judgingly. "But look at you. Never groomed, but still a leader. It's enate."

I snorted. "I'm not a leader. If anything, I'm a rouge."

"Yeah." He shrugged and smiled. "But that's not your fault.
Trust me, Princess. If anyone understands what you've gone through, it's me. So trust me when I tell you, if the chips are ever down, you'll rise to the challenge. It's in you. If you have to, you'll lead."

With a smile, I met his eyes "Jeez, you're sentimental tonight. Someone replace the clockwork in your chest with a heart?"

"You've avoided the question long enough." He said. "Where did you go tonight?"

"Just out running. Learning the town inside and out. Since we're going to be here for a while, I should know our surroundings like the back of my hand." It was the truth. Just because we didn't expect any trouble doesn't mean we wouldn't be prepared in case trouble happens. "I trust you're doing the same thing."

"What do you think I do when you're at school?" He stood up.

"Shopping and cleaning like a good little house keeper?" I smiled and blinked innocently at him.

"Watch it." He said, starting out the door. "I'm going out for a while. Remember to go to school." I grumbled. "Oh, and Wren." He half stepped back into the room. "Tell anyone I have a soft side and I'll gut you. Clear?"

"Whatever, Z." I smiled. I loved good ammunition.

He left, but I didn't move for a while, thinking about what he'd said.

I wasn't a leader. In fact, for the last three years I'd gone out of my way to keep away from people, both Darkling and Human. Dev was a leader and I was a screwed up kid, I had no illusions about that. I was proud of what I was, my family and my people, but I worked and functioned better on my own. Solitary. It was just a part of me. Who I'd become. Z was wrong. I wasn't afraid of not meeting the challenge if the chips where down, I was sure I could handle anything thrown my way. Just maybe not the way Z thought. Dev sent me here to learn to be a pack animal. To become social again. Well, I could do that, I was adaptable. I could survive the next year and a half, and then get out. Maybe disappear somewhere in Texas, there's a lot of vampires there to hunt. Sure, I could do this.

There was still a few hours left before school started. Enough time to get in a quick work-out session, so I headed down to the training room in the basement.

All I had was time, I could do this.

~o0O.O0o~

I parked my car in the school lot and got out, heading towards the building in a good mood. Training always cleared my head. Maybe it was something about the physical activity of it, maybe the strength it required, the knowledge that I was strong, that I'd never be helpless again. Whatever it was, it soothed me.

It was still a little early, but there were a lot of kids lingering around, wandering to the building or chatting with their friends. A large group of lettermen wearing jocks stood by the dumpster. Waiting for something.

I'd heard about this. Kurt had told me it was something the football bullies liked to do sometimes. Dumpster Tossing. Well, like hell it was happening on my watch.

Figuring they were waiting for Kurt, or one of the Glee kids, I slowed my step to confront them, or at least wait for their target and escort them into the school. So I'll admit I was kinda surprised when they're eyes locked on me. Surprised, but very amused.

"Hey there, hot stuff." One of them called, stepping into my way. I stopped and looked up at him. Not much to look at, clearly not a lot of brains.

"Well, hi there. Can I help you, boys with something?" I smiled.

"If you'll just step this way, sweetheart, that'd be a big help." He grinned, tugging my arm gently towards the dumpster. I let them corral me towards the metal box, smiling ignorantly at the loose human fence around me.

"Well, golly-gee, guys, what's all this about?" I blinked slowly, eyes wide and innocent. Someone smothered a laugh to my left and I turned my head slowly to look, shining my fake smile onto Dave.

Oh, Dave, what are you doing here? I sighed mentally.

"Well, see now honey, we've noticed that you've been spending quite a bit of time this last week hanging out with the Gleeks." The first boy said, drawing my attention back to him. "And we just wanted to give you a little taste of what it means to be a Gleek. Travis, Azimio."

Dave's dark skinned friend and another boy came towards me, hesitating when I didn't move, instead simply turning my wide-eyed smile onto them.

"Whoa, guys, what are you doing?" Dave spoke up, stepping forward. "I thought we were just going to threaten her, scare her a bit."

"What's scarier knowing firsthand what you're in for, Jeez, Karofsky, man up. She's just a girl."

"Exactly, she's just a girl. What's manly about tossing her into a dumpster?" If I hadn't been staring down Azimio, fake smile in place, I would have smiled at Dave. He'd stood up, said what he was thinking, and I was proud. Baby steps, but it was a start.

"Look, Karofsky, if you wanna wuss out, then fine, get the hell out of here. But we're doing this." He crossed his arms and looked over at Azimio and Travis. "Guys, why'd you stop?"

Dave looked at me, as if to say, 'I tried, I'm sorry.' Then stepped out of the circle. Oh well. Baby steps.

"She's just staring at us, man, that silly smile on her face." Travis said. "She doesn't look smart enough to know that she was hanging out with freaks. Maybe just telling her will do the trick."

"Just grab her and toss her already."

The boys shrugged and reached for me, Travis hooking his hands under my arms and Azimio grabbing my feet. Oh well, they asked for it.

I do not like to be touched.

Swiftly, in one motion, I threw my body upwards, grabbing Travis' wrists and kicking out into Azimio's chest. Using him as a spring board, I launched myself up and over Travis' head, keeping my body completely straight and still holding his wrists. I landed in a crouch, pulling hard on his arms and rolling back towards Azimio, yanking the poor football player backwards into a summersault, off his feet and hurling him to the ground where he curled up panting and winded.

It had only taken a second or two at the most, and suddenly the circle of hungry predators had turned into shocked statues. My smile had changed. No longer open and innocent, it was now cold and ruthless. A smile I turned on each of them in turn, before turning and walking away.

I stopped for a moment by the loud-mouthed leader. "There's almost always more to a person then what's on the surface. You underestimated me, and your team mate suffered the consequences. Remember this for next time. And watch yourselves." I turned back to face them, once again smiling brightly. "Have a good day, boys."

As I left, I gave Dave a warm, genuine smile, and I saw his mouth curl slightly in response.

~o0O.O0o~

I'm a little lost with my own story, so I hope what's happening makes some twisted kind of sense.

I hope you liked it.

Reviews are love.