I Hope you enjoy this chapter! :) Sorry it's short, and also sorry for not updating as much. School's been getting in the way of my writing, but i'm trying.

Please enjoy and tell me what you think! :)

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Athena and Ramon sat side by side on top of the boy's roof. It was something the two would do to relax and look out at the city. They would take in the murky streets and the dark towers that looked like giants standing in the distance. However, Athena always seemed to be looking at the sky.

Ramon told her that one day he'd take her to a place where the sky was clear enough to see stars. He said that he'd show her all the constellations that he knew, but for the time being, Ramon drew her pictures.

Athena liked the stars. She used to look up at them when she was living at Mt. Justice, and she talked about how her and Conner used to watch some meteorite showers. Ramon would paint star pictures just for her, due to how much she liked them.

However, in Gotham city, there were no stars. Only clouds and smog.

Yet Athena didn't mind. She just enjoyed spending time with Ramon, no matter what they were doing.

"Ramon?" the girl questioned in a small voice, breaking the long silence that was between the two. Her mouth was in a small frown and her eyes were wide, which struck Ramon as wrong because she was often smiling, and her eyes were never that wide. Her face just looked different than when Ramon was used to seeing.

"Yeah, Athena?" Ramon inquired, tilting his head to the side with some curiosity. Along with her face, her voice sounded different than it usually did as well, but Ramon couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"I'm…" Athena took in a deep breath. "I'm afraid." She whispered, finding it hard to say the words out loud. "Bruce is going to have this gala thingy and a lot of really powerful and important people are going to be there."

"Well, you've been to one of those things before. And that guy who hurt you won't be there this time." Ramon said with a reassuring smile, trying to conciliate his friend. Unfortunately, she looked very scared and nervous. Her voice was tight when she spoke.

"Yes, but Lex Luthor is going to be there. And Conner and Superman told me that he is a very bad man. And I don't feel like I belong with those other rich people. And last time someone kidnapped me. And… and I really don't want to go."

Ramon's eyes widened when he saw the tears gathering in the corners of Athena's eyes. Her situation didn't sound that bad to him, but to Athena it must have seemed terrifying in order to make her cry.

The boy wrapped his thin arms around Athena in a hug.

"It'll be okay, Athena. It won't be that bad. You just need to stay away from that Luthor guy, and you won't be kidnapped. And you could always talk to Dick if you don't feel like you fit in."

Athena was quiet, and Ramon knew that there was something she wasn't telling him. something else that was scaring her.

Ramon watched as she tried to choose her words and debated with herself whether or not to say the,.

"Members of Cadmus will be there." She said in a very quiet voice. "They want 'Mr. Wayne' to donate some money to their program."

Realization sunk into his chest, and Ramon hugged her tighter. He knew how Athena felt about Cadmus, and she didn't want to have anything to do with them, even if it was simply standing in a room with them.

"Did you tell Bruce how you feel?" Ramon questioned, still keeping her in his hug. He felt Athena shake her head, no.

"I think you should. Bruce will probably understand why you're scared of them. I mean, they…" Ramon trailed off when he felt Athena shaking in his arms, and he noticed how his sleeve was getting wet.

Things clicked in Ramon's head, and he wanted to hold Athena tighter. He could just imagine what was going through her mind.

What if they recognize me? What if they take me away from my home? What if they start to run experiments on me again? What if they want me dead? What if I go crazy? What if they really do turn me into a weapon?

"It's okay, Athena." Ramon whispered, holding her as she sobbed. "Bruce should understand."

When the Gala came around and the many reporters asked where Bruce Wayne's newest adopted child was, they were told that she had a bad fever, and would be resting.

However, Athena was at Ramon's house, watching him paint the stars.