Happy Almost Christmas! Hope you guys like this chapter! I am sorry it's soo short but I was really tired last night but I got it done! Yay! Also I'm not that type of writer to ask for 100 reviews before writing a next chapter but can we amp up the reviews a bit because the last chapter only got one and I need to know what people think of this story! Ok we good? Excellent!

RIP CHILDREN OF CT SCHOOL! I hope your happy in heaven!

Those five after the encounter of the humane side of Athena Boyce, Rebel and Spot seemed to notice the uncanny relationship with Mouse and Athena. She taught him to fight better, she let him sleep in her room when he needed it most, she'd help him count his money when he came to Spot's selling spot where Athena spent her outdoors time. It all seem to come down to humanity. It seemed funny to Conlon, a girl with a past of a killer, could turn somewhat soft in a heartbeat. It was mysterious and confusing to Spot, who watched her over those five days. He couldn't understand how she could turn so nice to a small child. It made his perspective on Athena change, he tried to remember her as a killer, a Bronx's newsie, a prisoner and yet...he couldn't anymore. Instead he saw a girl, just a girl, but there...there was something more about her, that Conlon could see to figure out what it was. Figuring out seemed to be his new challenge with her but he didn't know it but his resolve of his challenge would be nothing short of shocking and a clause of denial.

Rebel seemed to notice it too, but not in Athena but in Spot. He notice the way he looked at her, the way his eyes would cloud with a mysterious curiosity and how he would stay awake at night to her Athena tell war stories to Mouse and sometimes the other younger kids, who were fascinated by them. Rebel noticed all of these and it seemed that Conlon, as cold as he was, may in fact, have been taking a likening to her. Though he would never admit it, Conlon was already falling for her, it had started that day at the pier, that moment in time where Conlon and Athena had shared. Conlon also seemed to now have a regrettable aura around him like a cloud.

It was a Wednesday after noon when Athena had encountered something she never wanted to. Spot had gave her permission to go get Mouse, who was down on the next block, for lunch. She picked herself up from the ground and strode down the Brooklyn street to find Mouse. A pleasant smile hung on her lips and it seemed to stay there ever since her humane side decided to come out.

As she walked towards Mouse's selling spot, she heard a muffled cry for help and for the first time, her heart had sped slightly in nervousness. Her stomach churned with butterflies and a lump of fear formed in her throat. Swallowing that fear, she approached the cry to find herself in and awkward situation. There stood two of Roan's best men, one standing there threateningly, while the other held Mouse against a wall. She couldn't bare the sight and wanted to help but a sudden wave of fear seemed to glue her feet to the ground and she put herself into survival, Athena mode. She grabbed her knife she kept in her boot and flung it through the alleyway, it missing the two boys and went plummeted to the ground from the potential energy. It made a nice clattered sound that seem to make the loud silence lessen.

"Get off him!" She growled lowly. The boy dropped Mouse, who made a bee line to Athena, hiding behind her leg.

"Well, Well, Well. I guess the rumors are true. Athena Boyce, trained assassin, captured by Conlon. And it seems now that she has turned traitor on us. Oh Roan would love to hear this news. I wonder what he'd think of you then? Oh one can only wonder." One mocked taking baby, but deadly steps towards them. She growled louder and the two started to stop.

"Come any closer and you'll find yourself with a knife going straight through you throat. Don't underestimate me boys, Im Athena Boyce." The boys cackled and backed into the shadows, leaving only their haunting cackled there.

Athena patted Mouse's head. "Come on. Lets go." Athena's voice tried to soften for the younger boy. He tried to take Athena's hand but she angrily flinched away, Irving an awkward atmosphere for the two. The two reached the diner and Athena a handed Mouse's off to another and took of in the other direction. Spot called out angrily to her.

"Where do your think your going!?"

""Piss off!" She retorted, quickening the pace. Spot hastened after her, determined to find out why she was in a fowl mood.

Spot found Athena at the end of Markonson's pier, her back turned towards him. It was late afternoon and the water was clear, and circles from where Athena had been throwing rocks formed from the imprints. He could hear mumbles from her but they were incoherent. He walked towards her with arrogance, confidence and the readiness to smack her if necessary. When he was halfway towards her, she spoke to him which made him stop in his tracks.

"If your hear to soak me, you can just go for it. Don't matter anyway right?" Spot was confused, she turned towards him, tears welled into her eyes and they were slightly puffy.

"Ya ever think to yourself that your a traitor. A traitor to your borough, to your friends, to yourself? Do ya Conlon?" She threw another pebble.

"What da ya mean?" He walked closer to her, a small piece of wood was clenched in her fist.

"I don't know! I don't know what I mean! I don't know what the hell going on anymore! I mean, look at me! I'm the most feared and skilled bird in all of the newsie of New York and here I am acting like a sissy for the king of Brooklyn himself. I should have killed you by now! You'd be floating in a river somewhere and I'd be with my friends, Oliver and Roan, I'd be in my home! Where I belong! But instead I'm stuck here, in this shit filled borough, acting like a fucking- OW!" The wood pierced her skin and she yelled in pain, causing her to fall down and cradle the hand. The wood piece stuck out of her palm. She touched it and winced in pain. Spot sat down next to her, he gestured towards her hand. She gave him an evil glare but Spot grabbed it anyway.

"Well then, why ya still here?" Spot asked curiously as he examined the splinter that now filtered her palm.

"What?" Athena's voice was filled with surprise.

"Why ya still here then? I mean, if ya so skilled, shouldn't ya be out of here already?" He tugged on the splinter, causing Athena to wince again.
"I don't know? I mean, at first I thought I'd be able to get out on my own but you always seem to stop me somehow and...never mind." Regret hung on her words making Spot look at her.

"And...what?" He urge for her to continue.

"And..." She looked at him, trying to find an explanation for her words. "I don't know. Every prime I think of escaping, something's holding me back. Like part of me saying that Lily and Stage are gonna come or something like that." Spot yanked the splinter out, causing Athena to elicited a cry of pain, Spit snorted a laugh.

"Funny huh?" She looked at him confused.

"Funny how you know a group your whole life, think they'll always get here for you, the the minute your gone, they forget about you."

"They haven't forgotten about me!" She snapped at him, he stood up.

"Ya say that now, but how long you been here? A week? And they still haven't came to get you. Ya really think they're coming. I would dream on it princess."