A/N: Hey guys. Sorry it's been so long. But let's just say my life has gotten crazier since my last writing. I can't explain everything because it's not mine to say. But I can say that a family friend and her kids are going through a rough time because of her horrid husband. She's gotten out of the situation...mostly. So...yeah. Anyway this chapter centers on children in foster care. Now I know that some of this may be out of context, but it's just the way the Gem's world is. Please enjoy. Also tell me your opinions at the end. I honestly want to hear the feedback about this.

~New Orleans, Louisiana Four years ago~

White. That's all that could be seen. White walls, white floors, white people in white lab coats. It was boring. Dull. And not a speck of color in sight. It'd been like this since they'd turned twelve. The guards had dragged them from their cell in the middle of the day while they were crystallized and brought them here. They never got a chance to say goodbye to the others. To say goodbye to the only one they ever cared about besides their own blood.

They hated this place, they hated these people. And what was worse, they hated that they couldn't identify themselves as a single person.

"You're an it, not a person." One of the doctor's voices rang through their ears. "As long as you have that…thing in your chest, you will never be a human being."

Not human huh? They could live with that. Who wanted to be human anyway? They were weak creatures who couldn't handle the fact that there were stronger beings than them. And if there were, they destroyed them.

That part really had them being alive confusing. They were twelve, why not let them loose so they can hunt them down and kill them like the others?

'Because you're different.'

They looked up from their lap. Who'd said that?

'You're not like the others. Your powers are unique. The humans fear those who are different. They are trying to isolate you from your loved ones, hoping that if they do your spirit will break and you will become a pawn they could use against the others. A pawn they could use to bring the end.'

They didn't like that. Not. One. Bit. It was one thing to make them their test subject, but to make them their puppet? They couldn't-

No. HE couldn't allow that to happen. That's when it hit him. The doctors had been trying to get him to submit to their ways for so long, he'd forgotten the promise he'd made to Subject 1 before she left.

"Make sure you protect the others with all your might okay?"

The words rang in his ears, reminding him of the responsibility that he'd gotten from the one he looked up to. She was the leader of their little group, and had left him to take care of the others. To become the strength that she needed to help protect their family. Someone who would be constant, always there.

He looked behind him at the wall seeing the outline of himself and smirked. Someone like a shadow.

A few guards entered the room and seized him by the arms as a doctor walked in looking down at the clipboard. "It's time for your tests Subject 3."

"No."

The doctor looked up with a shocked expression that slowly morphed into anger. "Excuse me?"

The shadows began to ripple.

"I."

Lights flickered crazily.

"SAID."

An aura grew around him and his eyes turned a deep black.

"NO!"

The shadows reached out, becoming jungle cat-like creatures that clawed and scratched at the guards, ripping them off of him and tearing them apart. The doctor looked on in awe. They never expected this. That the child could make such creatures out of the darkness that was the shadows. Or even that he could manipulate the shadows in such a way. It was like the child was a creature-no, a monster. A monster that stuck to the darkness.

The boy looked at her with dead eyes, his blonde hair wild. He crouched down like a feline, ready to pounce. She couldn't break away from his gaze, she was going to die.

Before he could strike, a red sai flew in-between the two, breaking his concentration and making them turn towards the door. There stood a girl in a big orange hoodie and black leggings, orange eyes glowing brightly.

"You know killing her wouldn't change anything." She said, walking towards him slowly. "She's just a small piece of the puzzle that is the motives behind all this."

He hissed at her like a wild animal, making her look at him curiously. She snatched the clipboard away from the woman and read over the papers. The glow in her eyes got brighter.

"You experimented on him by mixing in my sister's and his father's DNA?!"

"We thought it would heighten its senses and make it a better soldier-"

The girl tossed the clipboard at her. "He's a twelve year-old boy! Crossing Gemmalite genes like that could kill a person!"

He growled, eyes growing darker. She put herself between him and the doctor, not letting him get into a position to attack. It was then she noticed a purple charoite hanging around the doctor's neck. Her sister…

She ripped it off the female.

"You know, maybe I should let him kill you, then maybe you and your people would get a taste of what you've done." She threatened as she withdrew the sai from the wall. "But that would make us worse than you and your kind." She turned towards them slowly, eyes turning purple. "We are stronger than that." the sai turned into a dual-edged axe. "You on the other hand, could use some reminding."

The axe dragged across the floor, letting creatures that looked like they were leaking from nightmares. The doctor screamed in terror and ran, the shadows and nightmares took after her.

He came to his senses then, shaking his head to clear it of the animal instincts. "I thought we don't-"

"They aren't gonna kill 'em. Just scare them all bad enough so we can escape without too much blood on our hands." She said, eyes returning to normal and the axe disappearing. "Speaking of, go a little much huh cat-boy?"

He looked down at his feet in shame.

"It's okay. I went a little wild the first time that my power let loose. Yours just went a little crazier since you were injected with the abilities of a smoky quartz and a charoite.

"And what does that make me?" He asked, feeling ashamed of himself.

"No different than the little boy I left with more responsibility than he could chew. Or in this case claw." She grabbed some clothes from her backpack. "But we can work on that on the outside, as well as a name for you."

"Why do I need a name?"

"So you don't have to identify yourself by what they call you. You are not an it, you are not a number. You are an onyx. Strong, loyal, the defender of the clan that never tires. And now you also have a part of your father's ability- to change into animals, and my sister's-to create nightmares in the real world."

He looked at her, then grabbed the clothes from her. There was a black cat on the front that sparked a memory deep inside him.

"Noir."

She looked at him curiously.

"I remember…my mama calling me her Onyx Noir. So that is who I will be. Noir Onyx."

~Present Day New York City, New York~
"Really Mrs. Xanatos this isn't necessary." Amber insisted as the older female dragged the three girls into the street of a shopping district.

"Nonsense." Fox said, holding onto Angel's hand. "You three need your own wardrobes. I feel bad that you have to keep borrowing mine just so you can dress. Besides, we're also here to get you some things to personalize the rooms we're working on for you."

Amber looked at Ruby who only shrugged her shoulders and continued walking with Alex's stroller. They'd been fine using thrift store clothes they kept in their backpacks or borrowing clothes from Fox. Yes they were a little ill-fitting, but they felt they couldn't ask for more. Not when they'd been welcomed with open arms and Mr. Xanatos was already getting rooms for them ready so they each have their own room. Something the older girls weren't sure about but Angel was ecstatic.

Right now though, the pinkette was practically hugging Fox's arm close to her chest as they walked through the city. She'd never seen so many people in her life. She was excited to be outside the castle, but at the same time sad because Bronx couldn't join her on her first excursion into the outside world. She'd come to love the beast as if it were her own pet.

"We'll start here." Fox said pulling them into a clothing store. "Angel you come with me so we can get you sized, you two go ahead and look around, see what you like."

As the oldest and youngest women of their group walked away, Ruby gave Amber a questioning look. "You think she'll be mad if we say we're fine just borrowing her clothes?"

"More than likely." Amber replied, looking through the racks. Nothing really caught her eye for herself, but there were some things that interested her. Then she noticed something; a shadow rippling underneath the stroller. Quickly she pulled an outfit off the rack. "Here try this on. I'll take Alex and see if I can find something else for you."

Ruby gave her a questioning look, but slowly made her way towards the dressing room. When she was out of sight, Amber dropped the smirk she was holding and looked over at Alex's stroller. She made her way over to a shadowy corner and said in a quiet voice. "You know you could show yourself. The baby doesn't bite."

The shadow from underneath Alex's stroller began to move as Alex looked in awe. Slowly, the shadow became a man that was a smidge taller that Amber. He had dark jade eyes with light blonde hair and black highlights, and wearing a black ensemble.

"It's not the baby I'm worried about." Noir said, pulling back his hood and grabbing some papers from his pocket. "I got news about another raid going down in two hours. Five kids, all under the age of 7."

She took the papers reading over them carefully. A pair of twins-both male-that looked seven, a little girl that had to be four, a two year-old boy and a three month-old baby girl.

"Really aiming young this time aren't they?" she asked, looking around to see if anyone was looking at her suspiciously.

"I checked their records. They're all foster kids. All under the same caretaker, Jane Torra. She's a drunkard who takes in kids to get easy money, and she's got big plans for the money she'll get for all those kids. Debating to go to Boca or Europe." Noir stated, looking over at Angel and Fox; the younger of the two smiling as she twirled in a pink dress. "Is that her?"

Amber turned from the pages, looking over her shoulder smiling. "Yes. That's your baby sister. Got her from the Cutters a few weeks ago."

" I heard." He replied, pulling out a sucker and giving it to Alex. "I also heard that you guys are staying with gargoyles. Isn't that just making yourselves a bigger target? I mean, the gargoyles are already hunted by the Quarrymen. Won't staying with them make us easier prey to catch?"

She didn't say anything, which made him look up. He didn't notice anything at first, but then he saw it. One of the shoppers seemed to be watching Angel and Ruby-who'd just came out of the dressing room-with a look of jealousy and disgust. She couldn't be more than his age and very well off. And yet seemed to crave more. But why? Why be jealous of them? They didn't have anything to be jealous about.

"You're still confused by emotions aren't you?"

He gave her confused look. Where was she going with this?

"Do I need to remind you what happened in Miami two years ago?"

He glared at her. "That was not my fault! That stupid girl wouldn't stop following me-"

"I know." She stated, watching as the girl made her way over to Ruby and tried to make her give up the dress she was wearing. "But do you remember what happened after you gave in and kissed her so she'd leave?"

How could he forget? The stupid woman had made it look like HE was the one who initiated the kiss and made it a full on make-out. Right infront of the one who'd held his heart since…well since before he could remember. The same girl who was being bullied into taking the outfit off. It was the stupidest thing he'd ever done.

He growled under his breath and was about to make his way over to them when Amber grabbed him by the arm, shaking her head no. Instead, she just let her eyes turn black and had a shadow knock another customer's drink out of their hand and onto the outfit the bully was wearing. Her scream quadrupled as she stormed out of the store.

"I had that." He growled as she let go.

"Your way would've gotten us kicked out cat-boy. You need to get that temper in check or it's gonna get you caught. Again." She replied, grabbing her phone from her backpack as her eyes returned to normal. "So you got a general location for these kids?"

Noir took some deep breaths before he spoke. "Central Brooklyn district."

"Good. Now I need you to do me a favor."

It was a few minutes later that Amber made her way over and grabbed Fox by the arm. "Shopping day's gonna have to wait. Ruby and I gotta go."

Fox's face hardened as Ruby rushed back into the dressing room. "What happened?"

"Just got word there's a raid going on. A bunch of kids from the Brooklyn area are getting grabbed in less two hours. We've got that amount of time to get there and get them out."

"But you'll never make it in time on foot." The older woman stated, taking the stroller. "Just let me call you girls a taxi-"

"No time. We gotta go now."

"And who said we'd take the streets?" Ruby asked as she came out. "The rooftops are faster anyway. Just make sure Angel gets back to the castle safely and we'll see you guys before dawn."

Fox didn't get a chance to argue as the two ran out, not noticing the glowing eyes that were watching them slowly disappear.

Patrol had been quiet that night. No muggings, no break-ins. All in all a peaceful night.

Or that's what Angela thought before she and Lexington got a call from Fox saying that Amber and Ruby had run off to help some kids in their area of patrol. She knew that the girls had probably done this before, but it would make sense for them to have some sort of backup. That's what she thought at least.

"I still think they could handle this on their own." Lexington stated as they glided by building looking for any sign of the teenagers. "I mean they've got superpowers. Why would they need our help?"

"They may have powers but they can't have eyes everywhere. I think Fox wants us to observe and see how they do things as well as keep an eye out for their hunters. Besides, I'd like to get to know them."

Lex sighed. He understood where Angela was coming from. The Gemmalites were the only ones of their kind, like they were-or thought they were. It'd been hard to hear, but it was the truth. The difference between them though was that they at least looked human, and could pass through the cities and towns easily. Especially now in modern times with colored contacts and hair-dye. But the gargoyles would always be seen as monsters by humans.

"Over there!" Angela shouted, pointing to a rooftop as two figures were leaping off as a kyoketsu-shoge (a blade on a chain) grabbed onto the side of another one across the street.

"I didn't know Ruby brought her weapon shopping." Lex said confused, wondering how the girl hid such a long chain.

Angela looked away, hiding her frown. She knew how.

Ruby had been experimented on to see if the weapon could be made part of her body. It'd worked, but it left chain tattoos all over her arms, legs, and chest. It'd been horrible to see, but Amber had trusted her to keep it a secret until Ruby was ready to speak to the others.

"Amber must've put it in her backpack." Angela lied quickly. "We'd better catch up with them."

Lex said nothing and glided after the female. It was nice for Angela not to be the only female anymore, but he still didn't trust Amber that much. She was keeping something secret. He just had to figure out what it was.

Ruby was just getting up the side as they landed. "You were right Amber. Fox did send backup."

Angela looked at them confused. "You were expecting us?"

"Kinda." Amber replied, pulling the kyoketsu-shoge off the side and tossing it to Ruby. "I just thought that she'd send some of you to keep an eye on us. See how we do things, maybe help out with the kids."

"But won't they be afraid of us?"

Ruby jumped over to the next roof. "I don't think so. These kids are more scared of their caretaker than anything else."

The gargoyles shared a confused look. "Where are their parents?" Lexington asked.

Amber looked away with a sad look. Walking across, she answered. "Either dead or circumstances made it so they couldn't take care of the child. Sometimes there's no next-of-kin to look after them, so they're put in the foster system. From there they get put with people who want to take them in. Some are good honest people. Others pretend to be when really all they want is the money they get from the government."

"It's one of those that we're breaking these kids out of." Ruby took over explaining as she looked down into an alley. "Cutters find it easier to prey on those kinds of adults since they all have weaknesses like drugs, alcohol, and money. It's also easier than taking kids from their families."

The gargoyles took this in as best they could. Angela had a hard time believing all this; that someone could be so cruel to innocent lives. But Lexington did. He'd been in the city longer than Angela, and had seen so many harsh things-including the beating of women and children.

Amber stopped on the other side of the alley and pulled on a pair of gloves. "This is it. You guys stay up here, we'll have the kids come up to you." She tossed another pair at Ruby. "You go do your thing."

The bluenette nodded as she pulled on the gloves and made her way own the fire escape. She went down the floors, looking for any signs of what they were looking for. It wasn't until she was halfway down that she saw them. Five children packed into a small room with a crib and two mattresses placed haphazardly on the floor. The younger ones were sound asleep, but the three older ones were crying softly.

As she peeked into the other window, she saw a woman in her mid-to-late twenties out cold with beer scattered across the floor and the TV on high. This was going to be easy.

She made a signal to Amber and began to use her electric abilities to work the window open quietly. The children didn't even notice it happening until the window was open.

"Please don't hurt us." One of the boys said, gripping onto the little girl. "We'll be good. We'll listen to Ms. Torra-"

"Shh." Ruby said in a hushed voice as she crawled inside. "We're not here to hurt you. We're here to get you away from here. To somewhere safe."

The kids stared at her for a bit, then turned to Amber when she entered.

She knelt infront of the boy who talked. "What's your name?"

The boy hesitated before he answered. "Liam. Liam Folkner. He's my brother Eric and this is Jayla."

Amber smiled. "You're a brave one Liam. I'm guessing you're the oldest huh?"

Liam nodded, looking towards the door.

"It's okay she can't hear us." Amber stated, pulling out a patchwork doll to hand to Jayla. "Do you know what she had planned for you?"

Liam shook his head while his brother replied. "She said she was gonna get rid of us. That she'd get a lot of money and she'd be rid of us stupid kids."

Ruby knelt down to his height. "Well she's not gonna get the chance. Put your shoes on we're getting you to a safe house."

"What about the babies?" Jayla asked, pointing to the crib.

Amber smiled and picked her up carefully. "They're coming too. Now we gotta hurry, our friends are waiting on the roof to get you outta here."

The boys scrambled out of the beds and began to pull on their stuff while Ruby pulled together some things for the small ones. Amber went over to the crib to peek in with Jayla. "Do you know their names?"

Jayla pointed to the baby. "Ms. Torra calls her Mallory. And he's Patrick. They're her sister's kids."

Amber's eyes widened. Her Intel had missed that. "Where is her sister?"

"She's went bye-bye like my mommy." Jayla's smile went away as she hugged the doll closer. "I miss her."

"I miss my mom too." Amber said as she set Jayla down and grabbed a bedsheet to rip in half. "But I know she's watching over me, just like your mom is over you. Now go get ready okay? Once you all are, make your way to the roof."

Jayla nodded and went over to Liam and Eric. Eric helped her put her shoes on while Liam made his way up the fire exit. He was almost at the top when he saw a female head peek over the side. But the female wasn't human.

His face lit up. "Cool a gargoyle!"

Angela backed away from the edge as the seven year-old came up the last bit. "You're not scared of us?"

"No way! My brother and I are big fans! You busted a mugging in the alley a few months ago, and we watched the whole thing. Eric's gonna be stoked. What's it like to fly? Why do your eyes glow?"

The kid's questions went on and on. Lexington was amazed he wasn't scared, most people were. Then again, the time Bronx got out and Brooklyn's run-in with those runaways, the kids weren't scared. Tom wasn't either when they first encountered him.

'Maybe adults are the ones who start the prejudice.' He thought to himself as he looked out into the city.

"Hey Lex! A little help please?"

He looked down to see Ruby with three of the other children. Amber was still at the window with the baby wrapped up in a sling against her chest, spray painting something on the window.

Ruby continued. "I can get the two year-old and Eric can climb by himself, but Jayla's scared of heights. She won't go up on her own."

Lex leaped down to the landing and looked at the little girl. She had wide brown eyes and dirty blonde hair. Her face had a couple bruises, but other than that she was a very pretty little child. He held out his hand. "It's okay, I won't let anything happen to you."

Jayla looked up at him for a brief moment, unsure of what to do. Then she looked back at Amber, who gave her a nod. If she said it was okay, Jayla would believe her that the green being infront of her wouldn't hurt her.

She took his hand, shocking Lexington a bit. But he shook it off, and slowly guided the girl to hang onto his back. Once she was settled, he made his way up the ladder with Ruby on his tail with the toddler and Eric right behind her.

Liam hadn't been kidding that Eric was ecstatic to see gargoyles up close. But he showed it differently that his brother. All the boy could do was stare at the two creatures as Liam still talked Angela's head off.

When Amber came up to the top, she had a serious look on her face. Even Ruby was unsure what to make of it.

"Lex, which is closer? Elisa's place or the castle?" Amber asked, not taking her eyes off the babe in the sling.

Lexington gave her a confused look. "Well…Elisa's place isn't too far. Why? What's wrong?"

Amber didn't move for a moment, then made a gesture for him to come closer. What he saw inside shocked him, then his eyes glowed with anger.

Amber looked him in the eye. "Lead the way."

"Look, I'm telling you Matt, these kids are not a product of the Illuminati. They're the product of bad people." Elisa stated as the two walked into her apartment.

"Who could be a part of the Illuminati." Matt countered as he made his way to the living room. "I'm telling you Elisa they have their hands in everything."

Elisa just shook her head. Her partner had had these speculations for a long time. But the news with the Gemmalites had made him even more determined it seemed.

A knock on her window shook her out of her thoughts.

Lexington was there with a little girl on his back.

She opened the window. "I thought you and Angela were on patrol tonight."

"We were." Lex stated as he made his way inside. "But then we got a call to help Amber and Ruby get these kids to safety."

She was about to question him when two boys ran in with Ruby and a toddler. Angela had just landed with Amber holding a baby close to her chest.

"What's with all the kids?" Matt asked taking the little girl off Lex's back. "And where'd they get these bruises?"

Ruby explained the situation to him as Amber came in with the baby and made a beeline for the bathroom. Elisa followed after her to question her but stopped for a moment when she heard Ruby's next few words.

"The lady didn't just beat the children. She burned and cut the baby."

If her eyes could glow they would've been blood red. She ran into the bathroom to see Amber kneeling on the floor gently taking the babe's clothes off; revealing several circle burns and a small litter of cuts across her stomach.

Elisa reached for the baby. "We need to get her to a hospital."

"Going there would just make it easier for the Cutter's to grab Mallory." Amber stated as she turned on the bathtub faucet.

"Then what do we do? Let the kid suffer?" Elisa asked with a dark look.

It was then that Amber showed Elisa her eyes. They were blue. She backed away, unsure of the teenager's next choice in action. Slowly, Amber turned back to the small child and lifted her gently into the tub. Mallory woke up and started crying. As Amber calmed her she began to change. Her streak became a soft blue, her t-shirt and jeans were switched with a royal blue halter top and a powder blue knee-length skirt, and her sneakers were replaced with a pair of white sandals.

As the crying subsided, Elisa approached carefully and peeked inside the tub. The water was glowing, and as it went over the baby, it slowly began to heal the burns and scars.

A tap on the shoulder made her turn to see Angela, who motioned for her to follow. As they made their way back out, Angela asked "How can a woman do that to a child?"

Elisa thought over the question as she looked at the other children. The twins were being questioned by Matt while Jayla was petting Cagney in Lexington's lap and the toddler continued to doze in Ruby's arms as she watched the news. All of them safe from the one who'd probably been tormenting them since before they could remember. Then she replied. "Some people don't realize how precious life is. So they treat it like trash. Making it seem like it's worth nothing; like these kids are worth nothing. But it's people like Ruby and Amber-who value the life of a child like the jewel it is-that make a difference. Though I wish they hadn't resorted to kidnapping."

"We call it liberating." Ruby called back as she switched on the news. "Besides, the show's not over yet."

Curious of her statement, the two females made their way over to the couch to see what was being said.

"At this very moment police have arrested two men and a woman caught in the act of an illegal sale of children. The guardian of five children-Jane Torra-was going to sell the children to an undisclosed group that deals in the illegal handling of slaving children."

"Undisclosed group? Come on! It's obviously the Illuminati!" Matt exclaimed as he leaned over the back of the couch. The girls shushed him and continued to listen.

"The only way the police came to know of this was a mysterious 911 call left by someone calling themselves Black, stating that there were guns being fired in the apartment. And that the window was marked by this spray-painted image."

The picture cut to a window with orange and yellow spray-paint in the shape of some sort of bird. Matt and Elisa looked at eachother. They'd seen that in other places across town. All in varying colors. They looked at Ruby who nodded in confirmation.

"We call it the Sigil of the Phoenix." Amber stated as she came out of the bathroom with Mallory. The babe's skin was healed and Amber had returned to her original self. "It means we're helping children begin anew; become rebirthed as some would say."

"It's your way of taunting them." Lex countered, watching as Jayla continued to pet Cagney. "All you're doing is making them even madder."

Amber smiled. "That's what we want. An angry opponent is a sloppy opponent. We're hoping one day the boss of this will, and when they do, we'll be waiting. Until then, we'll keep doing what we're doing. Protecting the children."

Matt looked at her questioningly. "Where'll they go from here?"

"There's a safe house here in SoHo with some other kids." Ruby replied as she got up from the couch. "They'll go there until we can get them safe passage out of the city."

"What about the Labyrinth?" Angela asked. "Talon and the others could take care of them."

Amber and Ruby gave eachother a confused look then looked back at the others. "What Labyrinth?"