Sorry for the meh chapter and for not updating in forever. been really busy lately. :(

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Chpt.20

"Wow, how long have you been taking art classes." Athena inquired as she looked around Ramon's room.

Every inch of it was covered in pictures that were made by the boy.

"since I was six." Ramon informed with a small smile. "Do you like them?"

"Yes, they're amazing!" Athena beamed.

Athena had been hanging out with Ramon most of the time when she wasn't visiting Mt. Justice or running around the manor. Of course with Bruce being Mr. Paranoia, he did a background check on the boy.

Ramon was a normal nine year old. His mom was a music teacher, his dad was a police officer who died when the boy was four. Both his parents moved from Puerto Rico and seemed to have a spotless record.

Bruce was okay with Athena going over to the boy's house once Nightwing checked it out several time inconspicuously.

Once given the okay, Bruce was completely fine with Athena hanging out with Ramon. Not to mention that interacting with more kids her age would help improve her social skills.

"Athena, aren't you hot?" Ramon inquired, noticing the long sleeve shirt and the warmer temperature of his house.

Athena shook her head even though she felt like she was burning. She didn't want to show him her scars, and have to explain them.

"I'm fine."

"Kids, it's time for dinner!" a voice that Athena recognized as Ramon's mother exclaimed.

Ramon's mother appeared to be in her early thirties. Her dark brown hair was usually pulled back and she had dark chocolate brown eyes that Ramon definitely got from her.

"Thanks mom, we'll be down!" Ramon shouted back, then looked to Athena.

"I hope you like rice, and beans with some chicken." Ramon smiled, and Athena nodded.

"Yeah… well… I don't think I ever tried beans before." Athena confessed, and Ramon's eyes widened.

"You never had beans before? Mom makes beans with practically every meal!" Ramon exclaimed, but Athena just shrugged.

"No… never had them before." She then grasped his hand. "Let's not keep your mom waiting. We should go down to dinner."

Athena swung Ramon's hands happily as she walked downstairs with him.

Ramon's mom looked up and smiled softly at the two as she continued to set the table. She was proud that her son had finally made a friend since she had often seen him alone.

"Hello Mrs. Colón." Athena smiled happily as she let Ramon take more control of where they were going, and he led her to a seat at the kitchen table, and he chose the seat next to her.

Mrs. Colón chuckled lightly at how funny the two looked together. Despite feeding her son as much as she could, the boy looked to be only skin and bones and he was very small. He looked incredibly weak, while this new friend of his, Athena, seemed to look more muscular. Not to mention she had a good inch on Ramon in height.

"Athena, do you want to say Grace?" Mrs. Colón inquired, and the girl tilted her head to the side.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know what that is." She informed.

"It's a prayer." Mrs. Colón informed, and the girl frowned.

"I don't know any prayers." She said sadly, but Mrs. Colón gave her a kind smile.

"It's alright. Ramon, how about you say Grace?" Ramon nodded and laced his fingers together in prayer, and Athena imitated what he was doing.

"God is good, God is great, and we thank him for our food, by his hands we all are fed, give us lord our daily bread. Amen." Ramon recited.

"Amen." His mother nodded.

"Amen?" Athena repeated, but was unsure if she was supposed to. She then looked at Ramon and his mother. "Now what do we do?" she inquired, and Mrs. Colón smiled at her.

"Now we eat." She quickly made Athena a plate along with Ramon. Rice, beans, and Chicken, just like Ramon had said.

Athena enjoyed the food, and the moment she stuck the black beans in her mouth and giggle with delight at the strange texture and rich taste. She had to concentrate so she wouldn't float off of the chair from her happiness.

"So Athena, how do you like the food?" Mrs. Colón inquired, and the girl smiled happily.

"It's great! I never had beans before, but they're so good!" Athena said happily, but Ramon's Mom looked a bit shocked.

"You never had beans before?" she questioned, and the little girl shook her head.

"Nope."

"We need to have you eat over more often then. I make beans about every meal." Mrs. Colón laughed and Ramon leaned in and whispered to Athena,

"Trust me, she isn't joking."

The dinner went on fairly calm with some small conversation starting up a bit about Ramon's art classes and Mrs. Colón's job as a teacher.

"Athena, you're sweating, do you want a lighter shirt?" Ramon's mother inquired with some concern, but Athena shook her head, holding her torso tightly.

"N-no. I'm fine, really." She said in a soft voice. She did feel bad about lying to people who were being so kind to her.

Mrs. Colón nodded quietly, but looked a bit suspicious.

When Athena reached over to pick up her glass of water, her sleeve pulled back slightly, and Mrs. Colón's eyes went to it quickly.

"Athena, is that a scar?" she inquired, and the girl's eyes widened, looking where Ramon's mom's eyes were.

Athena nodded silently, and Ramon inquired,

"How'd you get it?" Athena was afraid to speak.

"I… I don't want to talk about it." She informed in a small voice, and Mrs. Colón's face hardened.

"Athena, are your parents treating you correctly? Do they hurt you?" she questioned seriously, and Athena quickly shook her head.

"No! No, I'm treated very nice there… just… I got hurt a lot before I moved here." She took in a deep breath. "The people I lived with before were very mean, but I now live with nice people." It was partially the truth, and it hurt less than completely lying to their faces.

"You were hurt a lot?" Ramon inquired, and Athena nodded.

"Yes, and I have many scars that aren't very… pretty to look at." Athena informed quietly. "That's why I wear this."

"It's okay." Ramon smiled like it was all a big misunderstanding. "Mom has scars too." Athena looked across the table at Ramon's mother and noticed the thin lines on her arms.

"Scars are something that we don't worry about here." Mrs. Colón smiled at her, and Athena slowly took off her long sleeve shirt. She had a blue tank top underneath.

Ramon's mom didn't show it, but she was completely furious. She loved children, that was why she wanted to become a teacher, so seeing that a young girl was abused so much and so cruelly, it made her want to find them and kill them.

If she had the connections she used to have, she probably would have too.

"Do you feel cooler now?" Mrs. Colón inquired, and Athena nodded.

"Thank you for accepting my scars." Athena grinned. "How did you get yours?" Ramon answered for his mom.

"She was in a club when she was little and got hurt doing some jobs for the club." He informed. At least that was how Mrs. Colón explained it to her son. She was in a club.

"So, the people who are raising you currently are nice to you?" Mrs. Colón inquired, trying to get away from a conversation about her past.

"Yeah, they're really nice. And I have an older brother now. He's really funny." Athena giggled lightly.

The rest of the dinner was with Athena talking about the fun things she did with her "brother" and how much fun he was.

There was then a small knock on the door, and Mrs. Colón quickly went to answer it.

"Hello?" she inquired, opening the door, and at the door stood Dick Grayson, smiling a big smile in his civilian clothes.

"Hi, I'm Dick Grayson. I'm here to pick up Athena." he informed, and Mrs. Colón reached out her hands to shake with the man.

"Hello, I'm Indira Colón. It's nice to meet you. Athena's just finishing up dinner, but do you want some coffee?"

Dick wasn't going to turn down coffee.

"Thank you." He smiled and the woman let him walk into the home. Mrs. Colón showed Dick to a seat across from Athena and Ramon while she prepared the tea.

"Dick, this is my friend, Ramon." She smiled happily. "Ramon, this is my brother, Dick." She grinned, and Ramon waved shyly getting more quiet. He only talked a lot when he was near Athena.

"Nice to meet you, Ramon." Dick beamed his white smile that practically said, 'Hello do you want a hug because I just want everyone to be happy.' "Athena has told me a lot about you." He added.

"It's nice to meet you too, sir." Ramon said quietly, looking down at his feet.

Mrs. Colón came back with the mug of coffee for Dick and smiled at the woman gratefully.

"Thank you, Mrs. Colón." He grinned as he took a sip.

~*~*~*~*~*~Later~*~*~*~*~*~

Athena and Dick had a long and fun conversation with the Colón family about various things, but they eventually had to leave.

"Athena , why didn't you cover your scars?" Dick inquired, and Athena answered,

"Well, Mrs. Colón saw a scar on my arm when I went to get a drink, but then she said that she had scars and it was okay to have them. At first she thought I was being abused, so I told her that that wasn't true, and that I was abused by my first family." Athena explained.

"Nice quick thinking." Nightwing grinned happily, but then got a bit more serious. "Athena, do you like hanging out with Ramon?" he questioned, and Athena nodded happily.

"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?" she inquired, and Dick shrugged.

"I dunno, he just seems quiet, and you are pretty much the polar opposite of quiet." Dick explained.

"He's a lot of fun to talk to and play games with. His a good friend, and he stuck up for me when I needed him." Athena explained, and Dick grinned, ruffling her hair.

"I guess that's all that matters, isn't it?"