LONG AUTHOR NOTE

I've been incredibly lazy lately. Not with the fanfiction though; no that's not what I'm talking about. But I would like to say that I would've had this up during the week if it wasn't for an annoy case of hives that keeps coming back….it's okay now, but it still pisses me off and keeps me from focusing on the story. That's why I hate it so damn much. But enough about THAT….

Okay so, I don't know I don't know how many off you actually give a damn to look at my profile (I don't blame you if you don't) but I got a crap-load of stories I want to write. And that's kind of a bad thing. It's good for you guys 'cause you know I'll be around for a while, but for me it serves as a distraction. So here's the game plan.

I'm going to do this story, and try finish Angels Watching Over Us and Time Heals Us All by the summer. It would be sooner but with college and everything holding me back from updating as often as I like, it'll be THAT long until these stories are done especially for this one because I estimate that I'll be well over 200,000-plus words since I'm not even close to the halfway point. More like 2/10ths of the way there. Yeah. Good news is I'm working my ass off during the week so that when I go home I have no work to do and can focus on the stories and sleeping; my two favorite past times. When the hell is spring break….?

After that I'll be doing mostly one-shots then going to work on another multi-chapter fic which doesn't focus on just the red-capped little bastard I portrayed in this as all my other stories. I would talk more detail into THAT but I'll save it for tumblr…..If any of you have questions and would like an answer faster than I update this story you might want to go my tumblr and ask. Astronomeralways. Tumblr. com

Read On!

ONE MONTH LATER

Dear Journal,

I feel kind of like a hypocrite. A few months ago I killed a kid who was only here for two weeks and felt so horrible about it, and here I am now. Is what I'm doing now worse than killing the kid? It could be because that kill only had to suffer once, and what I do now can happen over and over again. At least the kid is out of his misery. Then again it's not even my fault. The other inmates keep messing with us and bring it on themselves. What, do they think we're not going to fight back?

All this philosophizing is giving me a headache….

~*~DUVAL~*~

Cracking his knuckles, TJ walked out of one of the dorms, green lensed goggles clutched in one of his fists. Today was a particularly busy day that he hoped would happen again anytime soon, or at least he had more stamina. His fists were aching, his arms were throbbing, and he still had practice later on! He wanted to say he couldn't do it, but he knew that if he wanted to get anywhere that avoiding practice even for one day was not an option. He stretched his arms out and rotated his arms before heading over to the usual table where he and the others hung out. JoJo was standing up and leaning against the nearby pillar smoking a cigarette, while Specs laid his head in his arms on the table and Bandit sat next to him with headphones blasting music into his ears. After sitting down, TJ tossed the goggles to Specs, who was quietly sobbing away. Looking up, Specs saw his beloved goggles in front of him and quickly put them on, smiling at the familiar feel of the straps against his skin and the green-toned view of the world.

"I ain't think you could do it," JoJo said as he exhaled a breath full of smoke. "Congratulations Freckle's. You didn't get knocked the fuck out."

"Were you expecting me to?" TJ asked him, grabbing the pack of cigarettes on the table. "I'm hurt that you would expect any less."

""cause you've been bitchin' lately. But you a'ight, I guess. For a scrub…"

"Leave 'em alone," Said Bandit. "He's doing better than a month ago….."

"Yes I am," TJ said. "Much better."

~*~ONE MONTH EARLIER~*~

"This is some bullshit," JoJo said as he watched TJ, bandit, and Specs approach with fresh bruises and limps as they walked. "What the fuck happened?"

"What does it look like?" TJ said as he struggled over.

"We got beat up, man," Bandit told JoJo. "Shit…"

"I a'ready knew that," Said JoJo. "What's I'm askin' is why?"

"Because you sent us to fight some guys older, bigger, and stronger than us?" Spec answered. "I told you it wouldn't work…."

"And why didn't you come and help us?" Bandit snapped at JoJo. "It would've helped! Goddamn, I want my headphones back!"

"'Cause they would expect me," JoJo said. "You all gotta step your game up. Freckles, learn how to throw a fist, Specs, you need to stay on your feet, and Bandit, you need to bulk up."

"I know how to throw a fist," TJ said to him. "How hard could it possibly be?"

"And it's kind of hard to stay up when you keep getting knocked down," Said Specs.

"He's right though," Bandit said to the two boys. "You're fighting techniques needs some improvement, 'specially you Freckles; you gonna break your hand the way you punching."

"See? I'm right. Like always," said JoJo. "How 'bout you teach these punks some fighting techniques? Some kung-fu or karate or some shit like that."

"Oh, so 'cause I'm Japanese I know kung-fu or karate," Bandit said. "That's racist; just fucked up. I don't know any damn kung-fu OR karate. Fuck, do YOU know how to play the base guitar?"

"Yeah."

"Well I don't know kung-fu," Bandit said, folding his arms. "I do know little boxing and some kickboxing though. Just don't stereotype me 'cause of it."

"Well can we work on it tomorrow?" TJ said as he located all the bruises he obtained. "Turning colors over here….."

"If you gonna keep bitchin' 'bout it.."

~*~END FLASHBACK~*~

Laughing with his friends, TJ remembered how different things were a month ago. A month ago, anyone in here would have been able to come up to him take whatever he had, and he knew that he wouldn't have been able to do anything about it because he was too weak to effectively fight back. Now, he could throw one hell of a punch and fight for what was his and the others.

It hurt at first; Bandit had made him and Specs punch the pillars in place of a punching bag for at least an hour a day. Each day his fingers were swollen because of it. But then he was told the right way to make a fist and that helped more than TJ imagined it would. Punching the cement pillars was much easier after that. But kicking it did a number on his legs. After a week, they decided to see if any progress was made and go after the guys who stole Bandits headphones, and found that they were able to fight back easier and more effectively. That was enough to motivate TJ to keep training, and he was even happier because of it a month later.

He wasn't the weakest inmate anymore, and he had three other guys to back him up. He was more than happy to back the others up if they needed him to; blood brothers stick together, just like JoJo said. And everyone else knew that. He kept that promise when someone took Specs goggles and went after them, beating them up and letting them know that it'll happen again if they messed with his friend.

TJ didn't like the fighting at first, but he wasn't going to let himself be a push over neither. If others were willing to fight him, then he knew he had to be willing to fight back, and sometimes those fights were deadly, but he was determined not to die in juvie. At least not by anyone else hand but his own.

Along with everyone now knowing what he and the others were capable of, the training gave TJ some unexpected benefits as well. He was stronger, which he expected, and his arms and chest were showing the signs of muscle development. It wasn't anything close to a six-pack, but it was a start and he had to start somewhere.

When his hair grew and the roots showed his natural color, TJ surprised himself by not wanting the chestnut color back. Rather, he asked JoJo to bleach it like he did before to keep himself blonde. In exchange for doing it, JoJo only asked him to tighten his dreadlock with a different formula and patience. So he stayed blonde.

Everything was starting to not look so dreary; he had friends to back him up, he was stronger, and a few inmates knew to stay out of his way for their own safety.

"You gonna take a cigarette or what?" JoJo asked him, bring him out of his thoughts of the last month.

"Huh? Oh, um no," TJ said tossing them to him. "I changed my mind."

"Then don't hold 'em hostage," Said Bandit as he took a cigarette and lit it. "Some of us need 'em to relax."

"Freckles can't relax until he gets some new shoes," JoJo said.

"Shoes?" TJ asked looking at his feet. He was given shoes from the prison and they were definitely not made to be comfortable, just to satisfy the definition of shoes. His feet aches after walking every day. There were days where he didn't wear shoes just to give his feet a break; his feet were always thankful for the relief. "But they don't sell shoes at the commissary."

"So? You still get shoes," JoJo told him. "Look at ours." Looking down at everyone's feet, TJ saw that they were not wearing the prison shoes. They were wearing name brand shoes from the outside; JoJo had on a pair of Nikes, Bandit sported a pair of Timberlands, and Specs a pair of red Converse reminding him of his old shoes he had on before he was given his uniform.

"Hey where'd you guys get those shoes?" TJ asked, shocked that he was suffering with his shoes while those around him weren't.

"We got connections," Said Bandit. "Why, you want some shoes?"

"Hell yeah! These shoes suck!"

"A'ight, a'ight calm down," JoJo told him. "Don't get yo panties in a bunch…" Getting out of his seat JoJo headed for the phone booth and signaled for TJ to come over. All TJ could do was listen and lean against the wall as JoJo talked on the phone.

"Yeah…..uh-huh…I dunno, what you want?...girl, are you crazy? You owe me for the last time….," JoJo talked into the phone. "What shoe size are you?"

"A ten I guess," TJ told him. "It was eight when I came here but these shoes are small now…."

"He said ten…." JoJo spoke into the phone. "…oh….oh a'ight…..yeah dats a'ight…okay…yeah now, like NOW…..ok…..bye." JoJo put the phone down and turned to face TJ. "C'mon, Freckles we gotta hurry."

"Where are we going?" TJ asked as he followed JoJo back to the others.

"Bandit, Specs, lemme and Freckles through the hole," JoJo said to the others. "Just watch, I ain't got time to explain shit." They followed bandit and Specs to their nearby room. On their wall was a vent that Specs was able to take off and reveal the rest of the vent. It wasn't large, but still big enough for a person to crawl through. "Let's go Freckles," JoJo said before going inside. If it wasn't for his experience of climbing through vents at Third Street, TJ wouldn't have followed. He crawled through the vents with JoJo in front of him for ten minutes before he was told to stop. TJ waited and saw JoJo slowly crawl ahead only to fall out the end of the hole. Following, TJ dropped out too and saw that the vent led to the outside.

"Get against the wall," JoJo hissed at him. "I ain't getting' caught for you!"

"Okay, okay, damn," TJ mumbled as he pressed himself against the brick wall of the building. "You didn't give a warning."

"I shouldn't have to," Said JoJo. "Come on," He said, walking against the wall. TJ followed, doing the same. Looking around as they walked along, he could he why they were walking the way they were. There were towers with guards looking around from any escapees. Staying close to the building helped avoid getting noticed. "A'ight. We gotta run across, so keep up. Ready?"

"Ready," Said TJ. Within seconds JoJo dashed off with TJ behind. The ran as fast as they could across the open area to the building that sat across from the one the male inmates were held. They stopped when they reached the building and pressed themselves against the wall once again. After catching their breath, JoJo walked to the edge.

"Veronica, get ova 'ere!" JoJo Yelled.

"You get 'ova 'ere!" A female voice yelled.

"I am ova 'ere!" JoJo. "Hurry the fuck up, I ain't got all day!"

"You better watch your mouth, JoJo!" The voice said. "I ain't like everyone else; I'll hit you!" Looking over at JoJo, Tj saw a girl walkover to them. With short black choppy hair and a prison uniform fashioned as a dress, she had a pair of shoes around her neck tied together with the shoelaces.

"Uh-huh," JoJo told her. "Just gimme the shoes."

"No thank you or nothin'?" She said, handing the shoes over to him.

"Say thank you Freckles," JoJo said tossing him the shoes. "And hurry up, put those on."

"Wait," TJ said looking over the shoes. They were colored black and purple, but didn't quite look right. "These are girls shoes!"

"So? They'll fit," Said JoJo.

"Thanks for the shoes, I guess," He said as he put them on. They did indeed fit, but TJ still couldn't get the act that they were girls shoes. But they sure beat the old pair he had.

"No problem," said the girl. "You two gotta get outta 'ere, guards are startin' to come around."

"A'ight, c'mon Freckles!"

~*~DUVAL~*~

"Hey look they made it back," Specs said as TJ and JoJo climbed back into the dorms through the vents. "We were starting to think you two got caught."

"Never get caught," JoJo said. "Ever. Now, let's get back to that game."

Hehe, sorry I didn't update on Saturday, I was busy. I feel as if this chapter was uneventful. Anyways, I have no idea for the next chapter. Any idea's you guys want to see? I'll probably make it into a chapter.

S. S. Pie: Thanks for putting this story on alert! I'm glad you're enjoying it. Be sure to stay around, there's plenty more to come.

Donna Nnov: Of course it'll lead to something dramatic! :D It always does, doesn't it? As for his parents, that'll have to wait until later chapters. I'll be interesting I promise.

RandallXSpinell: yes, Daft Punk! Love those guys. I've been wanting to make a reference to them since forever and I was finally able to squeeze them in there. I've always wanted to see that movie they made, Interstella: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem, but I can never find it. I'm sure I probably could at a particular store but it's nowhere near where I live…..

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