Welcome to the Masquerade

"Here's to Never Growing Up" By Avril Lavigne

AN: I know it's been basically forever. I'm sorry. The holidays kicked my tail.  I sat down to -FINALLY - get something posted.  I cannot and will not promise that I can post regularly again. I wish I could, but my muse has decided to be a fickle B(*$# and flirt with other ideas. She has NO commitment and I can't even get those ideas any traction. *sigh* Pity, Party of one.  Hopefully this is worth your wait. It is more than twice as long as normal so there's that. I have the next two chapters in rough outline. There are some pictures at the end if you are interested but aren't necessary to the understanding of what's going on.
I want to thank OriansMuse who keeps me plugging away even when my Muse deserts me.

Standard disclaimer! I only own Lory. Everything else is the property of C.L.Stone. Constructive criticism is welcome and even requested, but flames will be used to make s'mores. I love votes and views. Please let me know your favorite lines and moments. Happy Reading.

*~*~*Lory*~*~*

 When Owen finally pinned me down after gym and got in my face, he was still furious. "You did exactly what I told you not to do, Lory!"

"Of course," I shrugged trying for nonchalance. "It was the easiest, simplest, quickest route to what I need."

"What could you possibly need that required you to threaten a dangerous, desperate man?"

"I need him scared of me. I need him focused on me and not you, Sang, and the boys. If he's focused on watching me and who I'm supposedly trying to corrupt, he won't be following you. I just bought you freedom of movement, Owen."

"He will try to destroy your reputation."

"What reputation, Owen?" I scoffed. "Part of the reason I started rumours about me and Gabe and have basically been picking fights, is to make sure I have no reputation to destroy. As far as he knows your good opinion in all I have to lose."

The silence stretched as Owen glowered at her refusing to admit anything.

"He's not wrong," I finally sighed in defeat. The only thing I can lose here is your good opinion of me. Nothing else here matters."

"Your safety matters, Lory!"

"I can take care of myself. As I proved. TWICE! On the mats and again in the hall with whatshisname."

"Do you know what they will do to you? I'm not just talking about the boys at this school. Some of the girls are worse." He dragged his hand through his hair in a rare show of frustration. "I am very aware that you are good at what you do, Lory. I just need your word that you will be as safe as you can doing it. Please."

Dammit. That please undoes me.

"I will do what I feel is needed, but I won't take any unnecessary risk. I promise."

"That's all I'm asking," he sighed. He then pulled me into a hug. A knock sounded and Sean poked his head in, eyes worried.

"All clear?" Sean questioned as the reset of him followed before closing the door.

"All quiet on the Western Front," I smiled softly. "I need you two to trust me. The others will follow your lead. If you freak out at everything I'm doing, so will they. And even worse, they'll do it to Sang. You need to prove you can trust a girl to take care of herself. Especially one that has been trained to handle what's she being asked to do."

Sean sighed and leaned against his desk rubbing the back of his neck. "I hate it when she's right. Seriously hate it."

"I can pass off some of the male posturing to Sang as a reaction to the fact she's untrained. But you two have got to get a grip. And you have to get a grip on how you react to me -- someone who has been trained for this work most of her life."