Vice

Fifty Four

Sorry doesn't even cover it anymore. Is anyone still reading this? 5 years in the making and I've never ended this book I'm terribly sorry. I know its unedited and unfinished and i never stop thinking about it but i just keep getting lost in school and work. And life.

You may need a quick re-read if you don't remember, and I'm sure you don't.

But a quick recap, Thea knows her sister is alive (how and why she's alive will be explained by Nicholas later) and has left vice to go after her father. She doesn't want any contact with vice because she doesn't want her father to hurt them. Strangely enough, she's picked up a stray dog along the way that wont stop following her but has already saved her once.
Now Thea is at an old friends house, Eve. Thea knows eve because they (thea, Shane and eve) were in a foster home together. 

James is angry about this no doubt. Trevor and Lottie's relationship is continuing to blossom, especially now that they have to care for a baby (found alive in a slaughter house if ya forgot).

So that's where we left off. Let's get back to it.
_________________

"Well, you did get what you asked for man." Ryder folded his arms across his broad chest. He filled the doorway of Thea's room as he leaned against its frame. A soft whimper from down the hall revealed the baby had woken from her nap. There was a faint commotion as Trevor and Lottie argued in hushed tones, the sound of heavy footsteps, and then the crying stopped. 

James stood in the center of Thea's room. Her belongings, the few she had at least, were gone. An unmade bed was the only sign that someone had stayed there at all. Without her clothes strewn about, or her shoes next to the dresser, or her knives and bullets haphazardly placed here and there, it felt empty.

He felt empty.

"When I said that I wanted the old Thea back this isn't what I meant." He cast a hand at the barren room. "I wanted her to stop hiding away and be her strong unrelenting self again." He blew the air out of his cheeks, "I just wanted her to fight back."

"God, for someone so whipped over this girl, it's like you don't know her at all." Ryder chuckled and pushed himself away from the doorframe. "Like I said, you got your wish. Thea is back and more formidable than ever, even despite her injuries. If she really did see her sister, it means she has more to fight for than just survival. You've seem to have forgotten, however, that Thea Knight fights alone."

He clasped a hand on James' shoulder, "She doesn't trust anyone to fight her battles, but herself. And she'd be damned if she let any of us get killed by her father. She's lost too much to him already." He let his hand fall, "I know how much you want to help her, and I do too. But there are some battles people have to fight for themselves."

James thought back to the day he brought Thea from the cabin back to the city. He recalled the predatory look in Nicholas Grey's eyes as they locked in on Thea when they came through the door of their old headquarters. That look was closer bird of prey pinpointing a field mouse than a father seeing his long lost daughter. 

James grit his teeth, "I'm not sure this is a battle she can win alone."

*****

It was nearly sunset by the time Thea and her new companion made it to the Upper East side. While the sun lowered in the sky the scenery below changed from run-down apartments to eloquent high rise lofts. The people lining the streets sported name brands and business attire opposed to ripped jeans and hoodies. In place of backpacks were briefcases and the air smelled of coffee and cologne. The dog, which Thea discovered was a boy, slept peacefully in the passenger seat. He was full from the double bacon cheeseburger she had rewarded him for saving her.