Hello readers! I just want to say thank you for your support. I know I didn't update in a while and that was because I felt discouraged to continue for a while. However, once I saw some of your reviews, I literally got myself up and continued from where I left off. Again, thank you all so much and I will post these chapters as soon as possible, but please be patient. Anyways, enjoy :)

(One week later)

Aiden's gasped as his eyes shot open. He immediately sits up and analyzed where he was. He realized it was only a nightmare about Lena. He sat in his bed, sweat already forming on his forehead. He blinks rapidly before rubbing his eyes and letting out an exhausted sigh.

Yet again, he suffered from another nightmare about Lena. When would it stop? He could never seem to get over what happened. No matter how many times he tried to forget, it always crept back up on him.

He wished he would at least have a good dream about her just once. Aiden enters the bathroom removing his shirt and pants before turning the shower water on. He takes a warm shower to at least try to forget about the nightmares before putting on his attire and heading into the living room.

He finds Clara lying down on the couch fast asleep flat on her stomach. She had her arms wrapped around a pillow and her cheek was pressed up against it, making her mouth drop open.

She was wearing a dark colored tank top with matching colored sweatpants. Aiden had to admit that she looked beautiful.

Clara has been staying at his apartment for a whole week and they've learned to trust each other again. Aiden walks over to the kitchen and makes some coffee. He saves a cup for Clara before picking up his own and taking sips while watching the flurries out the window.

He didn't know how long they would be able to stay in the apartment without being caught by cops or fixers. Not wanting to think about it, he gets started on breakfast.

Clara wakes up to the smell of something good. She finds out where the smell was coming from once she sees Aiden in the kitchen. Clara smiles before rolling on her back and stretching her arms and legs.

She gets off the couch and approaches Aiden in the kitchen.

"Good morning," she greets him from behind.

Aiden turns to see Clara still sleepy-eyed from waking up. Strands of hair from her mohawk were sticking out of place, but she looked as pretty as ever.

"Morning," Aiden says with a smile forming on his lips. "Breakfast is not quite done yet. You want coffee?"

"Please."

He hands her a cup of coffee which was still warm. Clara gulps down half the cup before going into the bathroom and changing into a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. She has been shopping for her own clothes, but she didn't have a whole lot like she did before while she was in the Black Dragon. Those were the days when she was stealing, when she had a bit of a grudge against Aiden, when she was with her father, and when Peggy, Teresse, and Shaun were alive.

Clara hated to keep the truth from Aiden, but she'd have to tell him eventually. Clara goes back to the kitchen and spots an already made plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and a glass of orange juice.

She sits down at the table and starts to nibble on her toast while watching Aiden prepare his own plate. She expected him to be a good cook especially with how he is. She never would have thought that the infamous vigilante of Chicago would be making her breakfast.

Aiden sat across from her and began to eat. As they sat in silence, Clara's mind began to drift off. Her mind got stuck on the thoughts of Shaun and his family's death. It was her fault that it happened. If she hadn't shot Maria's brother, they'd still be alive.

She blamed herself for that everyday. Although Clara looked at ease in Aiden eyes, she too was struggling from guilt.

After a whole minute, he noticed that Clara was picking at her food.

"What is she thinking about?" He thought to himself.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

Clara quickly snaps out of her thoughts and makes eye contact with him.

"I'm fine," she lies, "Sorry, I'm just a little distracted. That's all."

Aiden arches an eyebrow and gives her a quizzical look. "By what?"

Clara tried to think of something to say. That was until something caught Aiden's attention. He spots a figure moving past the window that was only a few feet behind Clara. Aiden abruptly gets up and rushes towards Clara.

Before Clara could ask him what he was doing, he tackles her to the ground before the sound of gunshots and glass shattering rang in her ears. Aiden hovered over her, using his body as a shield to prevent Clara and himself from getting hit by bullets.

Once the noise came to a halt, she could hear someone banging on the door.

"Fuck," Aiden mutters beneath his breath before pushing himself off of Clara. He helps her up.

"Follow me," he practically shouts before leading her towards his bedroom.

Once Clara got inside, he quickly shuts the door and locks it.

"Fixers?" Clara asks him knowing all too well what was going on. She's had her fair share with fixers.

Aiden nods before pulling out a pistol from his coat. He hands the gun to Clara before pulling out his own.

"Do you know how to use that?" He nods towards the gun.

"Of course I do," she says while cocking it.

She glances around his bedroom for an escape and spots a window.

"Can you get that window open?" She points towards the window, "I'll cover you if they get in."

Aiden glances towards it and says, "Yeah, I can get it open. Block the door," he commands before making his way towards the window.

Aiden looks out the window to make sure there were no fixers before pulling the window up. Clara pushed a small drawer in front of the door when she heard them trying to break into the bedroom.

"It's open, come on!"

Aiden takes Clara's hand before leading her out of the window. Clara could hear the door burst open as soon as her bare feet hit the cold grass outside. Aiden was the next one to get out while firing bullets at the fixers behind him. He managed to kill two of them before urging Clara to make a run towards a parked van.

They made a full sprint towards the vehicle as more bullets headed towards them. They reached the van and ducked behind it. Clara was the first to pull out her pistol before firing a couple rounds, killing two fixers.

"Grenade!" Clara shouts, seeing one of them reaching for a grenade.

They both got out of the way just in time before the grenade made contact with the van. The grenade explodes along with the van. Grateful that they got out of the way, they duck behind a nearby apartment building to take cover.

"Clara, stay behind me," he tells her.

Clara obeyed and got behind him. Aiden started shooting at the fixers while Clara remained directly behind him. Clara felt like a sitting duck in this situation knowing that she had a gun in her hand. She wanted to help. Afterall, she became used to this kind of violence.

"I want to help."

Aiden turned his head towards her. He looked as if he had just run a marathon. Clara saw something in his eyes. It was fear. Was he afraid of losing her again? Aiden was hesitant for a moment before moving, giving her enough space to shoot at the fixers.

Clara peeked her head out, she could see five more hitmen, two hidden behind their cars while the other three were out in the open. Clara fired at the three fixers without cover and she manages to kill two and injure one.

Aiden watched as she went toe-to-toe with the hitmen and he was surprised that she took them out at ease. It was almost as if she has done this millions of times. Even though they were close friends, there was a lot Aiden didn't know about Clara.

Clara turns her head towards Aiden before telling him, "Let's go."

Aiden follows her towards a rusty looking car parked beside the building they were hiding behind. Clara got into the driver's side while Aiden got into the passenger side before she started up the car with her phone.

Once she began driving, she made it to the main road only to be greeted by two fixer cars behind her and Aiden. Aiden didn't need to be reminded about what he was supposed to do. He pulled out his phone out and waited until they passed the steam pipe. Once Clara drove past it, he hacks into the steam pipe and it explodes causing the fixer cars to be forced off the road.

Once they were out of sight, Aiden looked around to make sure that was the last of them before they both reclined back in their seats sighing in relief.

"We're clear," Aiden says after Clara had slowed down. "You okay?"

Clara nods and turns to him, smiling reassuringly.

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this mess," Aiden apologized, sounding guilty.

"Hey, it's alright," Clara reassures him. "It's nothing I can't handle."

Aiden smirked. "I saw the way you took them on. Nice job," he praises her.

Clara grins to herself. Her grin falters once she feels her stomach growl in hunger. She didn't even manage to eat half her breakfast this morning.

"Still hungry?" He chuckles beneath his lips after hearing her stomach growl.

Clara smiles sheepishly before replying, "Yes."

"We could stop at that fast food restaurant," he points towards a nearby Quinkie's as if the fixer raid never happened.

Clara only nods her head befire parking beside the restaurant.

"What if more fixers find us?"

"They won't which is why you're staying in here."

Before Clara could protest, Aiden was already out of the car.

"Damn, he's stubborn," she thought.

Clara watched him enter the restaurant. There were only two people inside. No one batted an eye at him. What would she do now? She pulls out her journal and flips through the pages, wondering if she should write her next entry.

She didn't know how long she could keep writing in her journal behind Aiden's back. Glancing at tge restaurant once more, she spots Aiden talking to the cashier. She gazes down at her journal before pulling out her pencil and she began writing.

Journal #16

One moment, I was sitting down eating breakfast with Aiden and them BAM I find myself caught up in a fixer raid. Aiden feels bad for dragging me into it but it wasn't his fault. I've had my own run-ins with fixers in the past.

This gave me memories about Peggy and Teresse. I remember they were abducted by Maria's men, who were also fixers. Not only were Peggy and Shaun's deaths shocking, but Teresse's death really had me shook. She was only 6 years old and her life was cut short just like that.

It's funny how series of events, no matter how small they are, can lead to something just as tragic as a child's death. What would have happened if I hadn't robbes that jewelry store just to get a simple bracelet? What if I hadn't killed Maria's brother?

Maybe everything would be different. I would still be in the Black Dragon, Shaun and his family would still be alive and I wouldn't have reunited with Aiden so soon. Life is funny that way, but it is what it is. Nothing can change their deaths.

When I'm with Aiden, even if I'm having a simple conversation with him, it helps me forget sometimes. It feels nice without the weight on my shoulders, but it always comes back to haunt me when I'm alone.

Now that I've had a run-in with fixers, those memories keep coming back. I highly doubt we're going back to Aiden's apartment. Those fixers completely destroyed it. I'm not sure what we're going to do now, but you won't believe where we are. Quinkie's. That's only because I'm still hungry.

Of course, we stole another car just to escape. Aiden is in the restaurant and I'm still waiting on him to return. Hold on, I think I hear something.