I want to thank JessicaCiane for helping me write this chapter and for the awesome new cover I know have.

Roman and Neo had been working together now for a few years doing various jobs: stealing, intimidating, and of course the occasional...silencing. And Neo loved every minute of it. Sure she was breaking the law and had seen her face on several wanted posters but it beat begging for food only to have people laugh in her face and kick her to the side. Roman and she even had their own little apartment together (bought using stolen lien and forged paperwork but hey it was the thought that counted).

Throughout their various jobs together Neo had seen her share of attractive men but none of them were like Roman. Yes the two of them were friends but Neo couldn't help but wish that they were something more. She wouldn't dare tell him this though. It terrified her to think of what would happen, would Roman laugh at her? End their partnership? Kick her back onto the streets? Neo's head spun just thinking about it.

"You doing ok back there Neo?" Roman asked her interrupting her thoughts.

Neo looked up and slowly nodded.

The two of them were currently on their way to meet a man named Damian Aldo who apparently had a job for them.

"Oh ok," Roman said, "you haven't said anything since we started walking I was getting worried."

He laughed at his own joke and Neo held her parasol out and pressed a small button on the handle which poked the small blade out through the top. She then held the blade an inch from Roman's neck.

"Ok ok I get it. Not in the mood for jokes," he said.

Neo pulled the blade away and put her hands on her hips.

Roman rolled his eyes and pushed the door to Damian's hideout open.

Damian was sitting behind a desk and he was wearing a charcoal grey suit and a crimson tie. When he smiled at the two Neo felt her stomach churn, his smile was filled with broken and decaying teeth with a few gold ones sprinkled in here and there.

"Hey Roman who's the girl?" Damian asked in a gravely voice that sounded like he was gargling nails.

"This is my partner Neopolitan," Roman said.

Damian looked at her again and the petite teenage girl couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable under the man's scrutinizing gaze. Instinctively she pulled her jacket tighter around her body hoping that would dissuade him from staring at her. Roman must've sensed her distress because he put his hand on Neo's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"So what do you need us to do?" Roman asked.

"Well I need you to go down to the docks. There's a huge Schnee cargo ship coming in." Damian said.

Roman nodded, "You got it. C'mon Neo."

"No just you," Damian said, "I want you to get me the dust, leave your pretty partner with me."

Neo backed up slowly.

"Yeah no dice sorry pal," her partner said, "Neo stays with me."

"I told you what I wanted and you're gonna give it to me and do it how I told you to do it," Damian growled.

Neo pulled out the rapier from her parasol and held it at the man's neck.

"Then I guess I'm not doing the job. C'mon Neo let's get out of here," Said Roman.

The petite girl followed her ginger haired companion out the door. They could hear Damian cursing and yelling for them to get back inside but they ignored him.

The two fell into silence as they walked back to the apartment and Neo was beginning to panic inside her head, was Roman mad at her? Now was he going to get rid of her? If he did where would she go?!

"You know Neo," Roman said after a minute, "I oughta stop introducing you as my partner. It just doesn't fit 'us' you know what I mean?"

Neo felt tears in her eyes, she knew it, she had messed up too badly, he would be getting rid of her.

"No I think I should refer to you as my girlfriend." He finished.

The girl felt her face go red and she turned to him, ".....?"

"Of course I mean it," he said, "you know you're the only one for me."

Neo looked him still with a very red face, "......."

"Oh I know you love me," he said, "I love you too Shortstack."