After the Opera Chapter 2

Shilo awoke the next morning to find herself in an unfamiliar place, still naked and covered with a semi-familiar coat. She started to panic until she realized why she wasn't in her familiar plastic covered bed. She looked around the small, dingy living area that belonged to the tiny rundown apartment that belonged to none other then Graverobber.

She heard a toilet flush somewhere near the back of the apartment and a moment later a bed ruffled Graverobber walked out of the back. Shilo blushed and looked away from the half clothed man. She had to admit, as embarrassed as she was, that he had a nice looking torso. She blushed even more when he spoke.

"Come on kid, seriously? You're embarrassed about a shirtless man after what happened last night? You can't be THAT sheltered. Oh how he didn't know just what he was talking about. Shilo sat up, being extremely careful to keep the coat completely covering her, looking anywhere but at him.

Memories of last night were still coming back to her in flashes, and when she remembered what they did, her eyes went wide as they snapped up to look at him and she turned a shade of red that he thought shouldn't be humanly possible. He just gave her his trademark smirk, leaning against the door frame that lead to his room.

He felt a twinge of guilt tugging at him at ruining the kids innocence, but she had asked for it, started it even. "Regret it kid?" He saw something in her eyes that confirmed it, before a steely resolve took over, and the regret was gone. She straightened on the couch and held her head high, and he felt a strange sense of pride in her. "No." She responded firmly, and something in her voice made him believe her. The events of the nights previous had changed her. Hell, it would have changed him if he saw the only people he ever loved die in front of him. "Get dressed kid, the bathroom's through there. Then we'll go get you something to eat."

She nodded, grabbing her clothes from the floor, careful not to let the jacket fall. She walked into the bathroom and locked the door. She looked at herself in the mirror. She looked paler then usual, probably because she was still covered in blood. Her wig was skewed and matted, and she had dark circles under her eyes. She had spent most of the night tossing and turning and having nightmares about the Opera's horrific events. She quickly got dressed, taking off the wig and throwing it out. There was no hope in saving it. She tried getting as much blood off of her skin as possible, which was hard because it was all dry and soaked into her skin.

With a sigh she dried herself off and walked out. Graverobber was sitting on the couch waiting for her. He stood when he saw her, and she handed him his coat. "You're beautiful kid." He said softly. Until last night he hadn't realized she had been wearing a wig. He thought she was perfect without it. He opened the door for her and locked it behind him. He then put a protective arm around her shoulders and guided her to a rundown diner, that didn't look like it was fit to be running.

If it weren't for what they had done last night, Shilo wouldn't have let him touch her like that. But she felt safe with his arm around her. It was weird to think she had felt safer with someone she had meet not even 24 hours before then she had with her own father at the end. She pushed back the wave of emotion that thought brought up. Now was not the time for silly emotions. She had time for that later.

She was sure that Graverobber would give her breakfast and then send her on her way. And that's what he did. He bought her breakfast, made sure she ate it, and then dropped her at the door to her mothers grave.

With a sigh she let herself in, stopping briefly to look at Marni's name which stood out in the stone a little more then usual. After a moments consideration she walked to the back and opened the secret door behind the picture of her mother and made her way back to the house she didn't want to return to.

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Graverobber felt bad for the poor kid. The look she gave him when he brought her back to the back enterance to her house was heartbreaking. But he wasn't about to introduce her to his world. Not yet. It was too dangerous and she wasn't ready. He had decided when he saw what happened on one of the many floating screens around the city that if she showed up he would take her under his wing. But that would take time.

He questioned his sanity. Why did he care so much for the kid? He hadn't even known her for a full day yet, and he didn't care about anyone but himself. He had learned when he was young that he was the only one he could trust. But for some damn reason he cared for the kid. Maybe it's because he sees a lot of potential in her. Or a lot of himself.