Disclaimers: These are my characters, all mine, even if they bear a striking resemblance to a certain warrior and bard. Sorry MCA/Universal you should know by now that I can't resist. But, so ya know, in no way do I make money from this. It's just my own sick, twisted fun.

Sex/Violence: Lots. More then the usual eps of Xena, and more then my usual stories. This is a tough city, a tough neighborhood where just about anything does and will happen. This story depicts love between two members of the same sex, so if this is illegal or offensive, read elsewhere. This story also depicts an act of rape, but no graphic sex scenes. Sorry folks, just not my style.

Anything else? Don't know about that yet. Guess this story has an R rating because of the violence and potty mouth language. Um, that'd be all now. Go ahead and read. Delve into my twisted mind, if you dare! :)

Chapter Five

There was Spike girl again, leering at her. Don't let her get to you, a voice that sounded like her Grandmother's advised her. Tony smiled at Spike girl. It turned into a real grin as Spike girl blinked rapidly and looked away.

Then it was Tony's turn to blink as Shane came at Spike girl from the side and said something close to her ear.

Spike girl replied and they started towards her. Tony gulped. They're together? Hesitantly she smiled in Shane's direction, but the teen didn't even look her way.

A strong disappointment shook Tony. What had she expected? Her shoulders slumped and she headed towards her next class. Not like there was any point in going there since the teacher was rumored not to have shone up at all today.

Shane's face was masked around a grimace. I caused that hurt look in Tony's eyes, didn't I? She had to keep walking, Casey expected nothing less. Since when did I give a fuck what anyone thought?

"Hey, Tony!" Shane called over her shoulder, watching as the young girl stopped in mid stride, paused, then turned to face Shane.

Tony's face was unreadable. "Yes?" Two can play at this game. You don't know me. I don't know you.

"Ehh, c'mere," Shane demanded, but it wasn't a harsh demand. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Casey smile. Shane hid a frown.

Tony took a few steps toward Shane, being bumped by the crowd on her way. "What?" she asked coolly.

"Tony, this is Casey. Casey, this is Tony."

Tony's face brightened visibly. "Hi Casey, nice to meet you."

Casey scowled. "Yeah, whatever."

Shane turned a withering glare on Casey. "Find Cadence and the others. There's something we need to discuss."

Casey paled at the ominous tone and nodded silently, sinking into the crowd and moving off, apparently to find Cadence and the others.

"Morning," Tony said shyly, after Casey had disappeared. "Is she a friend of yours?" Tony sighed as that inpeneratable shield went up in Shane's eyes once again.

"I don't have any friends, Tony."

"That can't be true," Tony's shock was evident in her voice. "You must have some friends. What about all those girls you hang with?"

"My posse," Shane said dryly.

Then it's true. "And out of all of those girls not a single one is your friend?" Tony persisted.

Shane thought hard about that one for a moment. Her comment had been snide at first, to throw Tony off balance, maybe even scare her, but it was true. "Define friend," she replied wearily.

As they began to walk down the emptying hallway Tony considered the statement carefully. Shane confused the heck out of her, scared her a little even, but so far the best course of action with the troubled girl had been outright honesty. "A friend," she began, her tone light, "is someone who stands beside you when no one else will."

The gang would stand beside Shane, not out of friendship, but loyalty and fear.

"They don't judge you for your actions, or hate you for what you've done."

The gang had never said one word about Charley's death, had simply followed her when she'd given the challenge for leadership. How did they really feel about her?

"They know you, better then anyone, even your parents," Tony finished softly in the empty halls. They now stood outside the door of her classroom.

"Then..." Shane began, "then I don't have any friends."

Tony's heart ached for this girl. I'll be your friend. The sentence was close to passing her open lips but she looked back up to Shane's face and into her cold eyes, realizing that Shane didn't want or even need a friend. She snapped her jaw shut and shifted her backpack awkwardly from shoulder to shoulder.

Shane's heart was beating like a wild beast against her ribcage. It felt like she'd said too much, revealed too much. She wanted to take it all back or slam her fist into the wall, but those green eyes weren't filled with pity just sadness. Did Tony understand? Could Shane even begin to hope?

"See ya 'round," Shane called instead, pivoting on her heel, rushing away from Tony and the emotions the girl brought out in her.

"Yeah, see ya," Tony murmured, but Shane was too far away to hear. With a sad sigh she opened the door to the nearly empty classroom and went inside. With no teacher most of the students found other places to go. Some of the quieter ones stayed behind where trouble was less likely to be found.

Tony sat by the window and pulled a notebook out of her backpack. Till the bell rang she lost herself in writing the story of a young girl, her best friend, and their adventures around the world.

"So, what's up?" Cadence asked.

They were all in the parking lot, gathered around Tish's hot red Corvette with the vanity plate '1Tish1' painted in bright pink letters.

"Mag's gone," Casey began when it seemed the silence would go on forever and Shane would say nothing.

"So?" Tish asked, flipping her blond hair behind her shoulders, swaying her hips and chomping bubble gum, all at the same time.

"So," Shane said coldly, "we can't collect."

"Word is Mag skipped town." Cadence was leaning on the bumper of the Corvette, much to Tish's annoyance.

"Checked it out myself," Casey confirmed. "She hasn't been home. I talked to her friend, what's her name, and she said Mag had called, said good-bye from the bus station."

All eyes turned to Shane to see what she would make of the news and if there was any retribution to pay.

Flock of sheep, Shane grumbled to herself, unexpectedly annoyed that they all turned to her for the answers when half the time she didn't have them. "Fuck her," Shane replied offhand. "I don't give a shit about Mag, or the money she owes."

Casey scowled. What the hell is wrong with you, Shane? Ok, so yesterday was the anniversary of your brother's death. Get fucking over it already. "Well I care," Casey said recklessly.

Shane raised one eyebrow. Oh really... "Do you care more about the money Case, or your posse?" Shane's tone deepened and her lip curled up in a snarl.

"I-" Casey took a hesitant step back, "um..."

"Well Case? It's a simple question." Shane bore her eyes into Casey's, enjoying as she squirmed. "Answer."

"Fine, the money doesn't matter, Shane," Casey finally answered.

Shane backed down and leaned once again on the VW bug parked beside the Corvette. Her demeanor was suddenly back to its usual casual grace.

Casey sighed and backed down, for the moment.

"What about that new girl? What's her name? Tina?" Cadence asked, trying to relieve the tension. Maybe it was the wrong question because Shane's eyes narrowed on her immediately.

"Her name is Tony," Shane's voice was cool. "What about her?"

Cadence forgot her question as Shane's icy eyes drilled into her.

"She's working on it," Casey smiled knowingly, "aren't ya, Shane?" She turned expectantly to her leader.

"Working on what?" Shane asked dryly.

"Breaking her... uh, playing games with her mind." Casey looked away quickly, puzzled. "I think we should all harass her-"

"No," Shane cut her off.

"What?" Casey demanded and stood full height, angry at this new turn of events.

"I. Said. No." Each word from Shane's mouth was tight and controlled. "She's mine."

"Yours?" Casey yelled. "Why the fuck is she yours? Everyone here is bored out of their minds! We want fun too!" She had stepped closer in her rage, hurling insults like Shane hurled fists.

"If anyone touches Tony you'll answer to me." Shane's gaze swept the rest of the girls and turned back to linger on Casey's reddening face.

"Why the hell should we leave her alone?" Casey was right up in Shane's face now.

"Because I said so," Shane's voice was a low growl and collectively the group shrank from it.

Casey was either too enraged or too stupid to notice. "Because I said so," Casey mimicked.

Cadence's eyes widened. Shit Casey, what the fuck do you think you're doing? Do you want to get yourself killed?

That little voice inside Shane surfaced again. Are you going to let her get away with talking back to you like that? it asked incredulously.

No, was Shane's undeterrable answer.

Casey didn't even see the slap coming. It impacted across her face so hard that her ears rang and she staggered backwards. Stupid bitch, think you're so hot? I'll show you!

A free for all began and the other girls stepped back out of the way of Shane's wrath.

Casey landed a good, solid right hook on Shane's lip. Shane just smiled, wiped absently at the blood and came back with a jab at Casey's middle.

The air in Casey's lungs expanded loudly and she groaned, but she wouldn't let Shane make a fool of her.

They punched, jabbed and blocked. Shane's power was carefully controlled and it angered Casey. Come on, get mad at me! Fight like I know you can.

"You like the little puta?" Casey asked.

Her answer was a fist slamming past her defenses and landing on her jaw.

"You do," Casey worked her jaw and cracked it, "don't you?"

"So what if I do?" Shane hissed.

Uh huh! Casey lunged at an opening on Shane's right side, getting in a quick jab in her ribs.

Shane just gritted her teeth against the pain and took a wild, angry swing at Casey. She missed.

That's it, fight! Casey hit again, drawing a long scratch down Shane's face.

Enough, the anger in Shane cried. Flatten her. She punched past Casey's defenses and pummeled her senseless.

Casey collapsed to the ground in a heap of pain.

"Enough!" Cadence summoned up some remote amount of courage and stepped in front of Shane, much as Tony had done in the cafeteria.

Shane stopped, disconcerted. Do I see a pattern emerging here? "She started it," she said snidely, looking down on Casey's crumpled, bleeding body.

"Then end it," Cadence replied softly. The others were far enough away they couldn't hear the soft, imploring undertone.

Shane's anger-dark eyes riveted on Cadence's face. "What if I don't want to?"

"Someone has to end it, Shane." Cadence glanced at Casey struggling to her feet. "They look up to you."

Shane looked out over the crowd of girls. Her girls, her posse. Cadence stepped back as Shane extended her hand to Casey.

The rebellious teen looked at Shane's proffered hand then up to her face and was surprised by what she found. Anger, yes... but pain and sorrow too. She sighed and accepted the offered truce.

Shane hauled Casey to her feet and offered up an apologetic and rueful grin.

"So," Casey drawled, wiping at the blood dripping from her nose, "it's hands off the newbie then."

Shane chuckled lightly and clasped Casey around her shoulders. "Come on, you need to wash up. It looks like you got hit by a freight train."

"Nah, just the Hammer." Casey smiled and it seemed all was forgiven. "You don't look so hot yourself."