Namaste then Sun Salutation

[Haven]

Noemi Sanchez, Niki to her friends few and far between as they were, walked the circular staircase up to the observation tower. She had heard the voices in the kitchen building as they did most mornings, how could she not as the circular staircase was the next doorway along the hallway out of the kitchen, but more times than not she was already into her morning yoga and meditations by the time others came down to eat.

Last night she had wanted to stay up to talk with Ian so they could enjoy each other's company. It was amazing how he could get her to let her guard down, he was the only one who could. Even as she recalled the spirit walk with Mato she knew she had kept something of her guard up, even though he did set her at ease with his manner and his power literally touched her soul. Ian was not just someone she toyed with though it may have started out that way for them both it had grown deeper. She wasn't very well versed in love, but she knew what she was feeling for him and it was getting beyond her grasp. Almost.

After all that she did yesterday, making a mess of Frostbite's face and an ass of herself in the rec-room, she need to talk with him and longed for the contact that would follow, but she also needed to settle things within herself. He was so very tired though so she let him go on his way, parting with a soft kiss, and watched him head to his room. The most difficult person she ever had to deal with on any given day was always herself. She put too much pressure on herself to stand alone, to be a rock and not to roll. She had decided long ago that anything that was worth doing was worth doing right or to hell with even trying, and that was a lot of pressure to put on anybody, let alone the one person she could never run away from.. who her forcefield could never shut out.

With Yoga mat rolled up and tucked under her arm and a cool bottle of rose tea, more a rose tea water she had weakly steeped in Aideen's cast iron teapot, held dangling between her index and middle finger she lifted herself a step at a time up the circular stair. One after the next, higher and higher up and out of the drama that the school was mired in. She had long ago come to realize it was the first part of her meditations, the removal of self. As she distanced herself from the world in which she dwelt a calm came over her, exhaling as she went, the last of her air she blew out at the top of the stair.

Closing her eyes for a moment she felt the sun as it came in bright and warm through the big windows all around, trying to keep form inhaling until the last comfortable moment, almost as if a cleansing of her lungs. Then slowly and gently she drew in the air. Ever so gradually opening her eyes... until... "BWHAAA?-WHOO? - JASPER!?!" The boy scared the hell out of her. "What the hell Wingless, you scared the shit outta me. Jesus man, uh.. oh- hey sorry." She knew he was religious and she could respect that, especially on a Sunday morning.

She took a second or two to get her breathing and heart rate down to normal, but it didn't take long. "I wasn't expecting you. You OK? What's up?" She figured he might need help with a letter again or maybe something else, they had this unspoken thing where he knew she would be here and she knew he would need her help and neither one would talk about it with anybody else. It was a private thing and it was kind of special in it's own way.

[Onyx]

A slow smirk spread across his face, Jasper quite amused and even slightly smug on the situation. "Und here I thought I vould never sneak up on jou," he said with a slight chuckle, moving over to sit by the window where the sun was shining in from outside. They had returned from Church not that long ago, and he was still in his best Sunday clothes. He had a very good day at mass, thanking God for helping him overcome his struggles and for granting him reward for staying true to his faith by helping him find the answer.

The Church was always a place of solace and comfort for him, and Jasper did take comfort in his hard life in his religion. He had always gone to Church, but it wasn't until the big incident with his father's murderer that he had immersed himself into his religion. Something had been missing from his life since then, and when he had gone to Church, he didn't feel so empty anymore. There was a comfort that a higher deity was watching over him, and he believed that as long as he had fate, everything would turn out right.

"I vanted to check on jou. Yesterday vas a bit rough," Jasper said looking at her knowingly. He wasn't surprised that she set off on Frostbite even though Ana had her securely pinned. Haven had a dangerous temper, and when set off there was little to nothing that could stop her. He couldn't help but find the teachers to be more and more incompetent as of late, as Cyclops and Beast had been more than close enough to have intervened and ended without having Haven have an even more marred reputation and Frostbite being the one who got the pity from everyone.

"Also, see how everything is in all. It must be different jour first weekend vithout jour roommate," Jasper said sliding his eyes over to her now to study her. He knew that she and Aideen were close, and he had a feeling that she may have been more worried about her friend than she let on, and that was possibly effecting her mood. In a lot of ways, Niki and Jasper were very much alike. He was able to read the signs of when she was worried and when she was damned annoyed and trying to hide it, and she knew it as well as he did.

[Haven]

“Yeah, it’s different without Aideen.” Haven said, walking in to the center of the observation tower with a slight shrug. She loved the circular feel, and the big windows all around gave a sensation of actually being in the sky above all but the tallest of the surrounding trees. “But different isn't always bad, just most times.” This was one of those times that it was bad, but she didn’t want to let on either way as she placed her drink down and unrolled her mat.

“And you didn’t sneak up on me Wingless. Just for the record I had stuff on my mind and was trying to breathe through it and… oh whatever Jasper.. I had shit on my mind, yeah from yesterday and so what of it." She looked back at him with her eyes squinted in anger. "Look I never asked to be the one girl here that everybody hates, but I ain't bothered by it. Just when somebody steps to me I don't back down, so Lorelai got what she was askin for." She thought about her ex-team mate for a second and didn't even bat an eye as she said "From Rumble too I think. That bitch don't know when to say when."

"I on the other hand should know better.. I been doin this every morning for months and it's been helping me, I'm more centered and less angry. You know how it goes, how it helps, just like it's helped you-" she looked him up and down more carefully now, but quickly "and why are you still in your church duds? You can't move in them. What're ya skippin out on me today? That's fine man, but don't piss on my mellow, I was in a good head for a second there and I want to get back to it." She slipped her flip flops off and stepped onto her mat, her back to Jasper as she took a long slow deep inhale and tried to center herself.

Bringing her hands up to a Namaste pose, her eyes closed, she tried to relax but there were so many little things bothering her now. The presence of Jasper and the sound of his breathing, the sounds and smells from downstairs and her man falling out on her, letting her down when she needed him, all of it plus her first friend, her best friend.. gone.. in more ways than one. Ember had been more absent than present even when she was around lately and Niki knew she should have done more to that bastard Brock to make him pay for screwing up her girl's head... that may have weighed heaviest on her heart. All of it was pushing down on her, everything save what she did to Frostbite- that had been a welcome release and she would have to thank the ice bender for it when she had the chance- but there was something else not quite right up there in the tower with the two of them. She couldn't put her finger on it but something was off.

[Onyx]

"Sundays the only meditation I need is in Church," Jasper said loosening his tie slightly so he could unbutton the top buttons of his shirt and breathe a little bit. "Do not forget it is me jou are talking to Niki. I am not as oblivious as Ian, I know zhat zhere is more on jour mind." He recognized the signs, and he knew how this conversation would work. She never willingly talked about anything, but he would piss her off a little bit by persisting or teasing her and then she'd yell at him or punch and finally tell him what was on her mind. It was almost a routine at this point, and he didn't mind the steps.

He grabbed the ledge of the window and pulled himself back to standing, walking around to sit in front of her on the floor, back resting against the wall. "It really look like jou are not bothered by it. That is why jou are here doing yoga, because it doesn't bother jou right? Zhat is an odd sense of logic, but I guess to each zhere own," Jasper said, pushing her buttons all the more to get her to talk, or yell at him whichever came first. "And is zhere another reason vhy you been avoiding going to jour room more zhan usual? If must be great for zhings to be different too yes?" A smirk was on his face as he crossed his arms and didn't stop looking at her.

"Let's try zhis again, und I vill ignore zhat jou took me for a fool a couple of minutes ago, I like to zhink zhat after all zhis time jou can be real vith me." He leaned forward slightly and looked right at her, expecting a tongue lashing to follow. "Now, pretending I never asked jou before, vhat is going on vith you?" He wasn't afraid of her, and he wasn't intimidated by her threats. Even if he couldn't win against her in a fight, he knew she wouldn't hurt him. Their friendship was at the point where they knew what to expect from the other, and Jasper played out the routine just as was expected of him.

[Haven]

"But Jasper..." she stood balancing, eyes closed hands pressed together "you are a fool." She opened one eye to take a peek at him, closing it as he caught her looking and letting a dry smile paint her lips. "Look, I don't care what you say . I'm cool alright?" She inhaled and settled herself, trying again to find her center. The nagging voice in the back of her mind wouldn't shut up though and her brow remained furrowed. "I do this every morning, I like it and it's good for me... AND we do this same thing every damn time so.. whatever.. ya smelly kraut."

She dropped her arms to her sides opening her eyes with a huff, and as well, she dropped the pretense of being in control of it all. Shaking it out as she walked in a slight circle feeling the rug under her feet then her yoga mat then the rug again before speaking. "I'm done playing this game man. Not this game" she pointed both her hands back and forth between the two of them "but yea, I guess I'm done with this one too right?" She shrugged. "I'm not doin this anymore, you wanna know what's eatin me? What's gnawing at my conscience, what's keepin me up at night?"

"I'm done trying to fit into some little box. Done playing the game of let's be a good little mutant. That's what's really bothering me the most. Yeah. That's it! That's all... I mean, sure.. yes, I guess I miss Ember-" she folded her arms across her chest and stared at him "-and what do you care about all that for anyway,? You been..?.. You been watchin me? Seeing when I go to my room? That's.. uh.. yeah Jasper, that's pretty creepy." She considered how much everything in her life had been screwed up for as long as she could remember, and how only recently since making a friend of Aideen had things begun to get better.

"I just-" her mind was on her absent friend now, the drama of the school's events from the previous day paled, falling away like dust off a shelf. In comparison to all the problems she had here she knew she had gained a hundred times that in that one fateful afternoon the day she made her first friend. That cold day, so long ago now it seemed, in the stables. Niki missed her, and she was worried for her. They talked often enough, they were room mates and the best of friends after all. She knew a thing or two about her room mate and she'd also breezed through Boston a couple of times and seen the scene. She knew it was rough, but she also knew her girl could handle herself, so all in all it was a weird mix of uncertain emotions. The one thing she knew for sure was that she missed her.

"-Yeah... I miss her alright!?! Is that okay with you? So I got a heart, and so I don't fit in and yeah, I hate more people than I love, but I love that Aideen. She's the first friend I ever made, the first real friend. She never wanted anything from me and she's always been there for me. I guess I needed this weekend to see myself in a whole new way. I see that I've taken her for granted and I know all I have cared about and all I have done since I came back here wouldn't even exist if it wasn't for her. So fine! I said it! Can you get outta my face now before I put you on the long list of the people I hate."

She went back to stand on her mat, starting to relax as she took in a breath. "Hey," she turned to him, her face scowling the mock scowl she reserved for the select few she trusted to know she had a sense of humor "you ain't off the hook yet fathead. What's the deal with watchin the room anyway? And why you buggin about how I feel about Aideen? What's your angle wingless?"

[Onyx]

"So suspicious Niki, is it so hard to believe zhat I am only a concerned friend?" Jasper smirked in response, crossing his arms as he relaxed against the wall. He had hoped to get more of a rise out of her, as it was entertaining for him to rile her up, but she was calling him names enough for it to suffice. "Like jou are special enough for me to watch, I happen to be downstairs in zhe foyer several nights und jou walked right past me. Und jou claim to be observant," he joked slightly with a smirk. His smirk widened when he saw the skeptical look on my face. "I am hurt zhat jou do not trust mein judgment. It is actually very smart to hide out in zhe foyer. Who vould look for anyone there?"

And yet again Jasper danced behind his intentions, as he always did in a situation such as this. He had his reasons for everything, but all in due time would he make his intentions clear. It was actually much easier for him now then before, because with the wings, his confidence was shot. He felt like a freak, an abomination, someone not even worth to be looked at. Honestly Jasper felt rather stupid for have not figuring out the link between his power and the wings sooner. It would have saved him a good deal of heartache and many bouts of anger and depression.

"Zhere is nothing wrong vith missing her, jou know. She's coming back soon ja? Then all will be fine. I vas more curious on how jou are faring after yesterday?" He raised his eyebrows slightly, not knowing how touchy she was on the subject but testing the waters nonetheless. "Whether or not jou want to be zhe good little mutant, do jou realize zhat jou threw away jour entire reputation und name jou made for yourself for Frostbite of all people?" Now Jasper never spoke to the girl, and frankly he didn't intend to start or try anytime soon. It wasn't just because Riker warned them all of getting involved with her, he just didn't care for her. Though he may not have the highest opinion of Diesel, the fact that dating him for three days made the girl go crazy and bitter was just ludicrous to him.

Three days was not enough time to develop strong feelings for someone, though it was enough to get the feelings started. No, love took time, it took self reflection and many times it took pain. It had taken Jasper a whole month to realize he had been in love the entire time. Arguably, his case was love at first sight, though it took him some time to realize it was love and not just curiosity. When he realized it, still with his wings it made his heart ache. The girl that took his heart didn't deserve an abomination like he had been, she was far too queenly for that. He found himself squelching his aching heart whenever she was near, watching her sweet beautiful face and intelligent, mysterious eyes as she observed her surroundings were sweet images that his mind grasped and took with him wherever he went. Jasper would see her in class and in the cafeteria and long for being the one to sit by her, to be able to touch the satin soft skin, just to be close enough to hear her voice. Everything she did was precious to him, and the time that she would look at him... each and every time made his heart still and took his breath away. That was true love, the kind that wasn't chosen, but was honored. Frostbite's reaction to Diesel was a perfect example of immature and erratic emotions, and Jasper had no respect for it.

"Jes I know, jou don't care anymore. I know jou better zhan zhat Fraulein. Because zhat immature and emotional girl set herself off, she ruined her reputation and took jours down with her. It may not be in zhe same way, for I don't think any man will ever want her now after where she's been," A slight look of disgust crossed his face at the thought of the very vileness of the situation. Any girl that freely gave herself to someone like Rumble and pursued him on top of that was just dirty, that no amount of salt baths in holy water could ever cure. "Zhat dirty girl brought jou down vith her, und I don't know about jou, but it is making me less zhan happy. Jou are better zhan zhat, zhat is why I talk to jou und not idiot girls like her." He looked at her pointedly now, a look of annoyance on his face. The look was not so much aimed at her as it was at the situation. He for one was glad that his love had more than enough sense.

[Haven]

Niki started to laugh, at first just a couple of giggles, but it built into a hearty laugh. Catching her breath she said "Oh, Jasper.. aww thank you. That's just about the cutest thing you ever said. And look at you all bothered and shit, but come on you know me better than that. Do you really think I give two shits what anybody here in this hole thinks about me?" The look on her face told him she didn't, and he knew she was less than concerned about how she was viewed.

"I actually was almost proud of Lorelai though, what she did took balls, but she messed up attacking me. I didn't need much of a reason to go after her, as much of a twat that she's been to Ian and me and the rest of the team.. OOHHh- not to mention Aideen who kept her frost-ass safe in that hell Limbo. Nahh I don't think anybody who knows what that girl is capable of would fault me for how I payed her back. Besides she still coulda used her powers, even pinned to a tree.. so I took her out, cause really, that's what she wanted ya know. She had to choose to start with me, hell she knows me, knows what I do when people get in my face. I don't play nice with others."

"I've done things to survive in this world that are nastier than anything you'd ever want to imagine, so you can take that whole Frostbite draggin me down bullshit and stuff it up yer ass. In fact that was the highlight of my day yesterday thanks, and I can't wait to see what her face looks like today.. bet it goes great with Paragon Green. So bite me with all that pity me crap, I don't need it." She had done things that would make most people drop jaw and shake their heads at hearing. Prostitution, dumpster diving, petty theft that escalated as she went, and the violence.. the rage-full, unspeakable violence. She wasn't proud of it, but in a way she wore her past like a badge of honor, never bending for anyone else's will.

"Oh, and you thought I didn't see you in the foyer? Yea I saw ya.. but I didn't want to bother you. You looked too busy. All lookin out the window there, staring at the sky, pining away, so I just left ya there." Niki's face gave him a look somewhere between smug knowing and genuine concern. "As if I didn't notice. Damn, we used to kid around about you needin a drool bib and all. What a lovesick puppy you are wingless. Ever since the ride back in the Blackbird from Stark Tower you been one weird s.o.b. around her and I gotta say... since we're beein honest and deep here with each other.. that ya went about it all the wrong way."

"Here's a piece of free advice, next time you want something- or someone, just go for it. Nothin worse than a stale moment.. bad timing.. like a flat beer or crusty cheese? That ain't romantic or exciting. Learn this from me, like Frostbite did.. actions speak louder than words nene'. Quit bein a punk." She was much better now, she felt the pressure come off of her in the words she had spat and spoken to him, some soft and some with a sting behind them. Now she had her focus back, now she was centered. She had cleared the air of his ill conceived pity and thrown one of the many aces she held up her sleeve down right into his lap.

He thought he was so smart, thought he was so clever, but he forgot one thing. He was only a man, and a very young man at that. Haven had been playing men much older than him for sport and for survival for many years now and the thin veil he concealed his emotions behind couldn't protect him from her knowing gaze. She knew all about his bleeding heart and the cherished pain he felt, the burden he bore for the thing he must have called love. "I care about you, really I do" she said it with sincerity "but honestly Jasper, you're the one who's better than that."

[Onyx]

And so the tables turned on Jasper, forcing him to look away in astonishment at the discovery. He would never discredit Niki on her intelligence and observance, but he was certain he had been careful. Of course, he knew he had been rather tactless at the beginning, but then who could blame him. He had just been thrust into a life he never imagined, dealt with the grief of his actions from home, and within his first day been shown hell... Well, one cannot exactly blame him for being less than tactful. His confusion on his feelings came out readily, but yet he had been unable to look away.

Though he tried, oh how he tried to push the idea out of his mind, push away from the pull he felt towards her, to squelch the desire to stare into her magnificent eyes and get lost in their depths and just listen to the soft angelic voice, the lilt so soft and yet so hypnotizing. He was too weak though, he didn't think that there was anything strong enough to break the hold that his love had on his heart. It had been clear to Jasper for a long time that he could not live in the shadows around her any longer, but now that he no longer had his wings, he had no excuse.

"Jou are right, I have not been as best as I could be, not to her," he said softly, staring off past Niki and picturing the girl of his dreams, the one who held his heart. "I vill be different though, I vowed that to meinself vhen I got rid of the wings." He looked over at Niki and smiled slightly. "I am better zhan zhat, und she deserves better zhan zhat. I do not have much, but for her I vould give everything und more." Jasper was not one to bare his heart, but he could not contain it and had no reason to as he would never insult Niki's intelligence by saying otherwise. "Jou vill see Niki, I vill make mein move as soon as possible, und I vill give everything I can to make her happy." Those words came out sincere and true in his gruff voice, and saying it out loud only gave him more conviction. He would tell her everything she deserved to know, everything she deserved to hear from

"If mein confidence is as high as jour conviction in thinking no one vill hold it against jou, than I am sure I vill be fine." Though he had a smirk on his face and he was trying to regain his emotions, there was knowing concern behind his tone. "My advice to jou Fraulein, is to be careful on assuming vhat everyone thinks. It may not alvays be vhat jou think it vould be. Jes I know, jou are resolute on not caring vhat others think, but I know jou better than that Niki, jou're a good friend. Jou like having a place in zhe school, und over zhe months since I've known jou, jou have just looked happier once everything settled in." Though Jasper was generally not concerned with everything around him, he always kept a clear eye out for his friends. He did care for Niki, and from what he heard just from his team, it saddened him that her reputation that she worked so hard to build was now lost, at least to those he spoke with since yesterday.

He smiled softly, actually very grateful for a friend like Niki. She was no lady, that was a certainty, and she was crass and vulgar with a major attitude, but he knew a good person when he saw one. He knew God worked in mysterious ways when He chose the people who's paths would cross, and Jasper was grateful that he took the time to get to know her. "Jou really vant me to leave jou to jour yoga or vould jou rather have me stay? I von't get in jour way Fraulein."

[Haven]

"Hey, stay if you want to. I'm gonna get into this here, so shhhh OK Romeo?" Niki shook her head at Jasper's vow to win his woman's heart. "Oh, and good luck with the whole romance thing, I'll believe it when I see it. You know you have a lot of ground to make up for, and honestly I think you missed your chance with her." She closed her eyes and began to concentrate on her breathing. "Why am I wasting my breath? It really makes no difference what I say to you" she said in a hushed whisper "you don't seem to hear what I'm sayin anyway." She started her stretching, slowly and methodically she reached high above her. "Maybe eeet's zhe langvage bahhrrier, Ja?" she mocked him in her best Governator impression before stepping into a wide legged stance and slowly bending at the waist.

"I didn't say nobody'd hold it against me, I ain't stupid wingless, I know they will. It's what people do here, it's like a sport or something." She looked at him as her body was parallel to the floor and rolled her eyes. "What I said was they wouldn't fault me if they knew the real Lorelai... but they WILL damn sure hold it against me regardless. Come on, you know these people, our brothers and sisters." she sneared the last part of it, contempt for the majority of the students and most of their teachers readily apparent in her tone.

"I ain't deludin myself with thoughts that all of them like me, or even more than just a few, and that's fine with me. Less people I have to say 'hi, how's your day' to the better." She reached over to grab an ankle "Not that I'm anti-social as a rule, I just don't feel like playing the games most of these kids play. From where I came outta that kind of shit just didn't fly, I got no time for it. So who cares who likes me and who's on my side, or who's two faced and playin games. I know who my friends are and the rest can kiss my culo."

Walking her hands to her other ankle she took an inhale, relaxing deep into her stretch on the exhale. "And thanks for the advice, really your heart's in the right place Jasper, but... I never assume anything but the worst. That way if I'm surprised with better it's a good day." She walked her hands to the center and folded her arms so her upper body could swing freely. "Lately I haven't had many surprises." She broke with her stretching to reach for her bottle. "You know ever since I tried to stand up to Rumble people don't seem to want anything to do with me. I mean it's like I did wrong by tryin to do right. So screw 'em."

"It don't make sense to me. And if people got a problem with me doin right by poundin on Frostbite then that's on them too. Where I come up from if somebody went up against you that's how they got dealt with, especially if it was a cheap shot like she pulled on all of us. One person held 'em wile the rest took turns poundin on 'em. If you ask me she got off easy, it was just me and Ana, but at least I got my shots in." She took a quick sip and capped her bottle back up. "So you stayin or goin?" she asked as she got herself centered again on her mat and started into her Yoga workout. "If you stay maybe you can meditate on what you'll say the very next time you see her. That way you wont look like such a drooly coño."

[Onyx]

Jasper smiled slightly, settling back on the floor near Niki and getting himself in a comfortable position to meditate and pray for awhile. "Zhat I can do. Jou vill see Niki, I von't stay in zhe dark any longer." A big grin came on his face as well a pensive look, akin to the cliche dreamy look. He would tell her, make a chance to bare his heart and vow to treat her like the Queen she was. There was nothing about her that he wouldn't accept, that he wouldn't treasure. Everything about her made her into the woman he fell in love with, and no matter what it may be, it would never push him away. She was too pure and too perfect for him to do anything but love her and treat her the very best that he could. He even found himself looking forward to their encounter, in fact if he could he'd have it right then he would. So much he had to say though, and Niki was right that he did have some planning to do.

He settled himself and closed his eyes, preparing to go into prayer to ask God for the strength and reveal his heart to his love. "I told jou this before Niki, but jou should remember more zhat this is not the streets, zhere are no gangs here. Jou keep zinking zhat it is und it vill only hurt jou in zhe end," he added softly glancing at her for a moment. He knew enough of the streets to know how gangs work, but he also knew that many didn't know that it was how things were done out there. When they saw Niki reverting to her old ways, they only assumed that she was a bully and stuck by that opinion. Jasper knew better of course, but he was not good enough to make the others see the truth.

Taking a deep breath, he prayed to God in his mind, asking him to bless his family and friends, to grant him the strength to bare his feelings to his true love, to let him be the best he could be to her. He also prayed for Niki, asking God to help guide her and comfort her as well even if she didn't embrace His word the way he did. Taking deep breaths, Jasper lost himself in adoration for the Lord and comforted his soul, thinking only of the chance to see his love again soon, to looking into those amazing eyes and hear her hypnotizing voice and smell her sweet scent. She was proof to him that there must be a heaven for one person to make him feel like he was in a state of pure bliss.

He didn't know how much time passed with the two of them in a deep meditation, one in prayer and the other clearing her mind of ill feelings. With the sun streaming through the windows all around them, God's light warming them as they soothed their minds and calmed their energy. Jasper opened his eyes, blinking for a moment as he came out of the state of prayer and glanced over at Niki with a smile. "Jou feel better Fraulein?"

[Haven]

"Ahhh, I feel great. Always do when I finish. I am a little hungry though, smelled really good earlier so it was maybe my stomach helping you to ruin my mood." She grinned at Jasper and threw and arm around his neck as they got up and collected themselves and their things to walk downstairs.

As the German boy stood to his full height she let go of him and slipped on her flip flops. "Hey, Jasper.." she nudged him as they began their descent down the spiral stair "ya know I wasn't in a gang, never was a joiner. Just a loner, mostly, but there is a code of the streets." She didn't want to tell him of how things went in the whorehouse or of the details of who got to pick through trash first, or any of that. Truth be told she was happy to be done with all of it.

He wasn't far from wrong when he mentioned how she liked her life, and how what she did to Frostbite would upset the balance of things. "I get that people don't like me now, and all I did since I straightened my ass out is washed away because of her. But ya know what? I'm a one step forward two steps back kinda girl, so maybe I might try facing the other direction for a while.. might get me closer to the goal." She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow at the clever play on words and how in part, there might have been something of truth to it.